A connection assembly

Abstract

A first component 50 comprising at least one elongate male connector member. The male connector member comprised of four side walls 61-64 being arranged to define a substantially rectangular cross sec

Claims

1. A connection assembly for a support structure comprising:a first component comprising at least one elongate male connector member, the male connector member comprised of four side walls being arranged to define a substantially rectangular cross section, wherein the outer face of at least a first side wall is provided with a longitudinal channel, and the outer face of at least a second side wall, opposite to the first side wall, is provided with a mounting member protruding outwardly from the second side wall,a second component comprising at least one elongate female connector member, the female connector member comprised of four side walls being arranged to define a substantially rectangular cross section, wherein the inner face of at least a first side wall is provided with a longitudinal ridge,wherein the longitudinal channel is configured such that the male connector member can be slidably received in the female connector member in a predetermined orientation, in which the longitudinal ridge is received in, but does not contact, the longitudinal channel.

2. A connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the male and female connector members each have a substantially square cross-section.

3. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the longitudinal ridge is a welding seam.

4. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the male and female connector members is formed from a single sheet of substantially planar stock material, formed into said rectangular cross section.

5. A connection assembly according to claim 4, wherein said single sheet has two opposing edges which, when formed into said rectangular cross section, are arranged adjacent one another.

6. A connection assembly according to claim 5, wherein the adjacent edges are welded substantially along their length to create said longitudinal ridge comprised of a welding seam.

7. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the longitudinal channel is formed by plastically deforming the first side wall of the male connector member substantially along its longitudinal axis.

8. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein each of the longitudinal channel and longitudinal ridge is / are located substantially centrally on the respective side wall.

9. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the first side wall of the male connector member is of substantially the same thickness along its length and width.

10. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the first side wall of the male connector member comprises a primary substantially planar section and a secondary substantially planar section, wherein the longitudinal channel is defined at the intersection of the primary and secondary planar sections.

11. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the depth of the longitude ridge is larger than then difference between an outer dimension of the male connector member and an internal dimension of the female connector member.

12. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member is configured for securement to a further structural element.

13. A connection assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the first component comprises two elongate male connector members, each of which is configured to be slidably received in the female connector member of a respective second component in a predefined orientation.

14. A connection assembly according to claim 13, wherein the two elongate male connector members are axially misaligned with respect to one another.

15. A support structure comprising at least one connection assembly according to any preceding claim.

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