Structural assembly and method of making same

Claim 2

A structural assembly comprising, a plurality of interconnected members arranged in spaced parallel relation and each having at least one pair of resilient arms separated by a groove, said groove being comprised of a pair of opposed serrated surfaces each defined by a plurality of parallel V-shaped grooves in an associated arm, and at least one interconnecting member interconnecting said plurality of members and having a pair of opposed roughly wedge-shaped portions each comprised of a pair of cooperating inclined surfaces with each inclined surface having a plurality of parallel V-shaped projections extending therefrom defining serrations therein, said projections corresponding in configuration to the V-shaped grooves in an associated interconnected member, with the one interconnecting member having at least parts of each of its wedge-shaped portions held in interlocked snap-fitted relation by the resilient arms of an associated interconnected member with the interlocking being achieved solely by relative movement of the one interconnecting member and associated interconnected member toward each other in a direction perpendicular to the V-shaped grooves, said one interconnecting member having a sinusoidal configuration and said parts of each wedge-shaped portion comprising flattened apex portions having cutouts on each end thereof to enable said interconnecting member to be assembled in an unobstructed manner.

Claim 3

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said plurality of interconnected members are defined as a pair of interconnected members.

Claim 4

An assembly as set forth in claim 2 in which each of said pair of interconnected members has a T-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined by a leg and a transverse bar member and said resilient arms define the outer portion of said leg.

Claim 5

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said plurality of interconnected members comprise a plurality of three substantially identical interconnected members each having a substantially V-shaped cross-sectional configuration comprised of a pair of diverging legs, said one pair of resilient arms defining the outer end of one of said legs and further comprising another pair of resilient arms defining the outer end of the other of said legs in each interconnected member, and further comprising two additional interconnecting members each substantially identical to said one interconnecting member, each of said two additional interconnecting members having parts of each of its wedge-shaped portions held in interlocked snap-fitted relation by the resilient arms of an associated interconnected member with the interlocking for said two additional members being achieved in a similar manner as the interlocking for said one interconnecting member whereby said structural assembly has a substantially triangular outline when viewed from an end thereof.

Claim 6

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said plurality of interconnected members comprise a plurality of four substantially identical interconnected members each having a substantially L-shaped cross-sectional configuration comprised of a pair of legs, said one pair of resilient arms defining the outer end of one of said legs and further comprising another pair of resilient arms defining the outer end of the other of said legs in each interconnected member and further comprising three additional interconnecting members each substantially identical to said one interconnecting Member, each of said three additional interconnecting members having parts of each of its wedge-shaped portions held in interlocked snap-fitted relation by the resilient arms of an associated interconnected member with the interlocking for said three additional members being achieved in a similar manner as the interlocking for said one interconnecting member, whereby said structural assembly has a substantially rectangular outline when viewed from an end thereof.

Claim 7

A structural assembly comprising, a plurality of interconnected members each having at least one pair of resilient arms separated by a groove, said groove being comprised of a pair of opposed serrated surfaces each defined by a plurality of parallel V-shaped grooves in an associated arm, at least one sinusoidal interconnecting member having a pair of identical opposed roughly wedge-shaped portions each comprised of a pair of cooperating inclined surfaces with each inclined surface having a plurality of parallel V-shaped projections extending therefrom defining serrations therein, said projections corresponding in configuration to the V-shaped grooves in an associated interconnected member, said sinusoidal interconnecting member having cutouts in its wedge-shaped portions defining a first and a second tab associated with each apex portion thereof with each first tab comprising the outwardly convex part of each apex portion and each second tab comprising the inwardly concave part of each apex portion, each first tab having its wedge-shaped portions held in interlocked snap-fitted relation by the resilient arms of an associated interconnected member with the interlocking being achieved solely by relative movement of the one interconnecting member and associated interconnected member toward each other in a direction perpendicular to the V-shaped grooves, and at lest one strut arranged roughly transverse an associated pair of interconnected members, said strut having one end portion attached to an associated second tab and having an opposite end portion fixed to an associated interconnected member.

Claim 8

A structural assembly comprising, a plurality of interconnected members each having at least one pair of resilient arms separated by a groove, said groove being comprised of a pair of opposed serrated surfaces each defined by a plurality of parallel V-shaped grooves in an associated arm, at least one sinusoidal interconnecting member having a pair of identical opposed roughly wedge-shaped portions each comprised of a pair of cooperating inclined surfaces with each inclined surface having a plurality of parallel V-shaped projections extending therefrom defining serrations therein, said projections corresponding in configuration to the V-shaped grooves in an associated interconnected member, said sinusoidal interconnecting member having cutouts in its wedge-shaped portions defining a first and a second tab associated with each apex portion thereof with each first tab comprising the outwardly convex part of each apex portion and each second tab comprising the inwardly concave part of each apex portion, each first tab having its wedge-shaped portions held in interlocked snap-fitted relation by the resilient arms of an associated interconnected member with the interlocking being achieved solely by relative movement of the one interconnecting member and associated interconnected member toward each other in a direction perpendicular to the V-shaped grooves, and at lest one strut arranged roughly transverse an associated pair of interconnected members, said strut having one end portion attached to an associated second tab and having an opposite end portion fixed to an associated interconnected member.

Claim 9

An assembly as set forth in claim 6 in which said strut has a pair of resilient arms separated by a groove comprising said one end portion thereof which is substantially identical to the groove in each interconnected member and has a roughly wedge-shaped portion comprising said opposite end portion which is substantially identical to the wedge-shaped portions of said sinusoidal member, said resilient arms in said one end portion of said strut being snap-fitted around an associated second tab and said wedge-shaped portion in said opposite end portion of said strut being snap-fitted within an associated groove of an interconnected member associated therewith.

Claim 10

An assembly as set forth in claim 7 in which each strut has a central portion of simple cross-sectional configuration with said end portions being fixed to said central portion.

Claim 13

A method as set forth in claim 9 in which said forming step comprises forming said interconnecting member with its pair of opposed wedge-shaped portions by extrusion.

Claim 14

A method as set forth in claim 9 and comprising the further steps of fastening each apex portion against its associated first member using additional fastening means.

Claim 15

A method as set forth in claim 9 in which said step of providing cutouts comprises providing a plurality of three cutouts associated with each tab with a pair of said cutouts being in the same wedge-shaped portion as the tab and defining the length thereof and the third cutout being in the opposite wedge-shaped portion, said third cutout having a length which is greater than the combined length of said two cutouts and said tab thereby enabling said bending step to be achieved in an easier manner.

Claim 16

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said roughly wedge-shaped portions has a roughly trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 17

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said members comprise extruded members made of a metallic material containing aluminum.

Claim 18

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said interconnecting member comprises a central portion between said wedge-shaped portions, said central portion having a roughly H-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined by a pair of parallel legs and a transverse member with the transverse member being arranged roughly parallel to said wedge-shaped portions.