A combination of an assembly block, a standard and a horizontal layer

Abstract

An assembly block (1) in combination with a standard (2) and a horizontal layer (3), wherein the assembly block (1) supports the horizontal layer (3) on the standard (2), said assembly block (1) comprising a first body (4) that houses an insert (5) that is form fitted with respect to a first aperture (6) in said body (4) and placed inside said first aperture (6) to prevent rotation of the insert (5) with reference to the body (4).

Description

[0001] A combination of an assembly block, a standard and a horizontal layer

[0002] The invention relates to an assembly block in combination with a standard and a horizontal layer, wherein the assembly block supports the horizontal layer on the standard, said assembly block comprising a first body that houses an insert that is form fitted with respect to a first aperture in said body and placed inside said first aperture to prevent rotation of the insert with reference to the body, wherein the insert is provided with a neck, and a shoulder on top of the neck, wherein said neck has a smaller dimension than the shoulder, and wherein the insert is at least partly movable to extend outside the first aperture of the body to have the neck and the shoulder be moved outside the body of the assembly block, wherein the shoulder of the insert is only movable through a second aperture of the standard in a predefined orientation of the shoulder with reference to the second aperture, and that there exists at least one further orientation of the shoulder with reference to the second aperture wherein the shoulder of the insert is not movable through the second aperture, wherein the insert is subject to tension from a spring, which spring is inside the first aperture and abuts to the body, and which spring urges the insert into the first aperture of the body, wherein pointing away from the insert the spring is supported by a head of a screw which is also placed in the first aperture of the body, and which screw is further connected to screw thread that is provided in the insert, wherein the screw is drivable into the screw thread of the insert so as to provide a clamping force with the shoulder of the insert .

[0003] Such an assembly block in combination with a standard and a horizontal layer is known from EP 3 032 113. It is an object of the invention to modify the known combination in the sense that it can be easily implemented or modified and that such implementation or modification is greatly simplified, less burdensome to the environment, and less costly.

[0004] For the purpose of the invention the assembly block has an outwardly extending supporting surface when the assembly block is moved into a pre-defined orientation with reference to the at least one standard, and that said supporting surface is extending in a plane parallel to a longitudinal axis of the screw to allow mounting of the horizontal layer thereto.

[0005] Preferably the neck and the shoulder are engageable and fittable into a second aperture of the at least one standard that matches the form of the shoulder. The assembly block of the invention can then be simply added or after being placed also easily be removed from the standard. When mounted to the standard it can without further measures serve the purpose of supporting a horizontal layer through the assembly block fitted to the standard .

[0006] As mentioned the insert is subject to tension from a spring, which spring is inside the first aperture and abuts to the body of the assembly block, and which spring urges the insert into the first aperture of the body of the assembly block. Accordingly the insert has a preferential position inside the first aperture in the body of the assembly block, and requires pushing outside to make the neck and shoulder available for mounting on the standard .

[0007] Pointing away from the insert the spring is supported by a head of a screw which is also placed in the first aperture of the body of the assembly block, and which screw is further connected to screw thread that is provided in the insert. In order to make a sturdy connection with a standard the screw is drivable into the screw thread of the insert so as to provide that the shoulder of the insert may exert a clamping force on the standard to which it is connected.

[0008] Adequate support for any horizontal layer is provided by arranging that the assembly block has an outwardly extending supporting surface. The supporting surface is horizontally placeable by providing the assembly block into a desired orientation with reference to the at least one standard.

[0009] In an alternative embodiment the assembly block comprises a second body at right angles with the first body. With the aid of this second body the versatility in building the upstanding construction can be enhanced.

[0010] The standard of the combination preferably has the feature that it comprises a wall with one or more second apertures, each of said second apertures being shaped in conformity and matching to the shoulder of the insert of the assembly block.

[0011] Accordingly the shoulder of the insert is only movable through the second aperture of the standard in a predefined orientation of the shoulder with reference to the second aperture, and there exists at least one further orientation of the shoulder with reference to the second aperture wherein the shoulder of the insert is not movable through the second aperture.

[0012] The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated into and forms a part of the specification, illustrates one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention. The drawing is only for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention . In the drawing:

[0013] - figure 1 shows the assembly block forming part of the combination of the invention in an exploded view;

[0014] - figure 1* shows an alternative embodiment of the assembly block in an exploded view;

[0015] - figure 2 shows the assembly block at two different angles from the side;

[0016] - figure 3 shows a standard and a horizontal layer which are intended to be combined with each other using the assembly block ;

[0017] - figures 4A and 4B show the assembly block next to a standard in a first mounting step;

[0018] - figures 5A and 5B show the assembly block in a second mounting step to a standard; and

[0019] - figure 6 shows the final step in mounting the assembly block to a standard according to the invention.

[0020] Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

[0021] Making first reference to figures 1 and 2, it shows the construction of an assembly block 1 for use in an upstanding construction that comprises standards 2 and horizontal layers 3 as shown in figure 3.

[0022] The assembly block 1 serves to support at least one horizontal layer 3 on at least one standard 2 as will be explained hereinafter with particular reference to figures 4-6. The assembly block 1 comprises a body 4 that houses an insert 5 that is form fitted with respect to a first aperture 6 in said body 4 and placed inside said first aperture 6 to prevent rotation of the insert 5 with reference to the body 4 of the assembly block 1. The insert 5 is provided with a neck 7, and a shoulder 8 on top of the neck 7, wherein said neck 7 has a smaller dimension than the shoulder 8. The insert 5 is at least partly movable to extend outside the first aperture 6 of the body 4 to have the neck 7 and the shoulder 8 move outside the body 4 of the assembly block 1. This is shown in figure 4A and in detail figure 4B, which depict that the neck 7 and the shoulder 8 are engageable and fittable into a second aperture 9 of the standard 2, which second aperture 9 closely fits to the form of the shoulder 8 of the insert 5.

[0023] It indeed shows in figure 4A that the second aperture 9 of the standard 2 is shaped in conformity and matching to the shoulder 8 of the insert 5 of the assembly block 1, so that the shoulder 8 of the insert 5 is movable through the second aperture 9 of the standard 2 only in a predefined orientation of the shoulder 8 with reference to the second aperture 9.

[0024] To assist in the mounting procedure it is preferable that the insert 5 is subject to tension from a spring 10, which spring

[0025] 10 is inside the first aperture 6 and abuts to the body 4, which is best shown in figures 4B and 5B. The spring 10 thus constantly urges the insert 5 into the first aperture 6 of the body 4. Pointing away from the insert 5 the spring 10 is further supported by a head 11' of a screw 11 which is also placed in the first aperture 6 of the body 4 of the assembly block 1. To counter the force from the spring 10, the screw 11 reaches into screw thread 12 that is provided in the insert 5.

[0026] Pushing the shoulder 8 of the insert 5 through the second aperture 9 of the standard 2 thus requires pressing the screw

[0027] 11 so that the insert 5 comes to extend outside the body 4 of the assembly block 1, and the shoulder 8 will fit through the second aperture 9 of the standard 2. This is clear from figure 4A and detail figure 4B. Figure 5A and detail figure 5B show that there exists also at least one further orientation of the shoulder 8 with reference to the second aperture 9 wherein the shoulder 8 of the insert 5 is not movable through the second aperture 9 of the standard 2. This further orientation represents the situation that the assembly block 1 is mounted to the standard 2, wherein the mounting block 1, and with it also the shoulder 8, has been subjected to a preferably 90° rotation with reference to the standard 2. This is particularly depicted in the right-hand figure of figure 5A. After reaching this position, the mounting block 1 is in principle secured in position and close to being ready to support a horizontal layer 3 by means of a horizontally extending support surface 13 of the assembly block 1.

[0028] Comparing figure 4B with figure 5B shows that the screw 11 is drivable into the screw thread 12 of the insert 5 so as to provide that the shoulder 8 of the insert 5 may provide a clamping force on the wall of the standard 2 and provide a tight connection with the wall of the standard 2. This can of course only be done after the assembly block 1 has been connected to the standard 2 by rotation of the assembly block 1 and with it rotation of the shoulder 8, so as to provide that also the outwardly extending supporting surface 13 of the assembly block 1 is placed in a horizontal position. From this position the shoulder 8 cannot be removed from the second aperture 9 of the standard 2, and the horizontally extending support surface 13 is after tightening the screw 11 ready to support a horizontal layer 3. In other words: it shows that the assembly block 1 has an outwardly extending supporting surface 13 when the assembly block 1 is moved into a pre-defined orientation with reference to the at least one standard 2, and said supporting surface is extending in a plane parallel to a longitudinal axis of the screw to allow mounting of the horizontal layer 3 thereto. Although not essential, figure 4B and figure 5B also depict a screw hole 14 which is equipped for receiving a screw (not shown) to fix the assembly block after placement.

[0029] Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claim to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.

[0030] Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above are hereby incorporated by reference. Unless specifically stated as being "essential" above, none of the various components or the interrelationship thereof are essential to the operation of the invention. Rather, desirable results can be achieved by substituting various components and / or reconfiguration of their relationships with one another.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An assembly block (1) in combination with a standard (2) and a horizontal layer (3) , wherein the assembly block (1) supports the horizontal layer (3) on the standard (2) , said assembly block (1) comprising a first body (4) that houses an insert (5) that is form fitted with respect to a first aperture (6) in said body (4) and placed inside said first aperture (6) to prevent rotation of the insert (5) with reference to the body(4) , wherein the insert (5) is provided with a neck (7) and a shoulder (8) on top of the neck (7) , wherein said neck (7) has a smaller dimension than the shoulder (8) , and wherein the insert(5) is at least partly movable to extend outside the first aperture (6) of the body (4) to have the neck (7) and the shoulder (8) be moved outside the body (4) of the assembly block (1) , wherein the shoulder (8) of the insert (5) is only movable through a second aperture (9) of the standard (2) in a predefined orientation of the shoulder (8) with reference to the second aperture (9) , and that there exists at least one further orientation of the shoulder (8) with reference to the second aperture (9) wherein the shoulder (8) of the insert (5) is not movable through the second aperture (9) , wherein the insert (5) is subject to tension from a spring (10) , which spring (10) is inside the first aperture (6) and abuts to the body (4) , and which spring (10) urges the insert (5) into the first aperture(6) of the body (4) , wherein pointing away from the insert (5) the spring (10) is supported by a head (11' ) of a screw (11) which is also placed in the first aperture (6) of the body (4) , and which screw (11) is further connected to screw thread (12) that is provided in the insert (5) , wherein the screw (11) is drivable into the screw thread (12) of the insert (5) so as to provide a clamping force with the shoulder (8) of the insert (5) , characterized in that the assembly block (1) has an outwardly extending supporting surface (13) when the assembly block (1) is moved into a pre-defined orientation with referenceto the at least one standard (2) , and said supporting surface is extending in a plane parallel to a longitudinal axis of the screw to allow mounting of the horizontal layer (3) thereto.

2. The assembly block (1) in combination with a standard (2) and a horizontal layer (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that the neck (7) and the shoulder (8) are engageable and fittable into a second aperture (9) of the at least one standard (2) that matches the form of the shoulder(8) .

3. The assembly block (1) in combination with a standard (2) and a horizontal layer (3) according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that the assembly block (1) comprises a second body (4' ) at right angles with the first body(4) .

4. The assembly block (1) in combination with a standard (2) and a horizontal layer (3) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the standard (2) comprises a wall with one or more second apertures (9) , each of said apertures (9) being shaped in conformity and matching to the shoulder (8) of the insert (5) of the assembly block (1) according to any one of claims 1-7.

5. The assembly block (1) in combination with a standard (2) and a horizontal layer (3) according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that the shoulder (8) of the insert(5) is movable through the second aperture (9) of the standard (2) in a predefined orientation of the shoulder (8) with reference to the second aperture (9) only, and that there exists at least one further orientation of the shoulder (8) with reference to the second aperture (9) wherein the shoulder (8) of the insert (5) is not movable through the second aperture(9) .

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