Description Field of the art

The present invention refers to a new type of systems for tightening elements such as screws, bolts, rods and the like. More in detail, the present invention refers to a kit of nuts for tightening threaded bars and for supporting structures. The nuts comprised in the kit, object of the invention, possess characteristics that allow facilitating the user in applying and fixing said nuts to a common threaded bar. The nuts of the present kit possess in primis the characteristics of being provided with a clip opening and closing mechanism, and of having at least one peripheral hole, in addition to the central hole, adapted to support structures such as pipes, air conditioners, telecameras and the like, by means of direct or indirect coupling and/or fitting of said structures with said peripheral hole.

State of the art

The use of elements adapted for tightening structures such as threaded bars, such as common screws, is widely known and widespread in mechanics.

These elements, commonly known as "nuts", are metallic structures usually with hexagonal form, adapted to allow a mechanical key, and in particular a monkey wrench, to easily maintain the grip during the operations of tightening or opening. The hexagonal form, in any case, is not the only form shown by these elements. There are also nuts having a square profile, knurled profile, nuts with fins or for special wrenches. The nut, together with the screw is substantially conceived for allowing the connection of elements housed and screwed inside the hole of the nut in question.

Nuts are generally classified on the basis of their strength parameters, normally compatible with those of the relative screw; for example, a nut in ISO 10 class can be bolted with a screw belonging to the same class without encountering any difficulty. Particular caution must instead be observed in tightening the nuts with stainless steel bolts, because the low hardness level that characterizes the alloy with which said bolts are obtained can lead to the seizure of the two elements when subjected to a relatively high tightening force.

The internal thread of the nut can be clockwise or counter-clockwise and carried out with pitches that vary in accordance with the use.

Currently, various types of nuts are known: examples include the normal hexagonal nuts, low nuts, high nuts, nuts with notch, self-braking nuts with polyamide ring, carpentry nuts with high strength, nuts with flange, nuts with spherical cap, nuts with molded cap, nuts with flat cap, nuts with cylindrical body, handle nuts, knurled nuts, wing nuts, castellated nuts, T- shaped nuts, etc.

The abovementioned list of nuts illustrates how these elements are widely used and how they can be variously designed and modified in accordance with specific objects. In any case, the characteristic common to most of the commercially available nuts is represented by the fact that the annular portion of the nut, independent of its external profile, constitutes a single body. More in detail the nuts having this characteristic, when they are assembled to structures such as, for example, threaded bars, must be crossed, due to their central hole, by the element to be assembled and/or tightened. This condition makes it intuitively evident that it is difficult to separate the nut from the bar in case of need once the latter has been constrained, at the ends thereof, to other structures. In other words, in order to remove the nut it is first necessary to remove the bar from its constraints, and subsequently unscrew and unthread the nut from said threaded bar. Similar problems are also encountered if it is necessary to add one or more nuts to the threaded bar. Also this requirement inevitably involves the removal of the bar from its constraints and the subsequent assembly of one or more nuts. In any case, independent of the purpose for which it is requested - the addition of one or more nuts to a threaded bar and/or the removal of the nuts from said bar and/or the vertical movement thereof along the axis of the bar - the possibility to prevent the previous moving away of the bar from its constraints would surely make any type of requested operation or application convenient and efficient, both from a mechanical and time standpoint. It should also be considered that for most nuts, independent of their profile, the assembly of said nuts to a common threaded bar gives rise to a bar on which discoid projections are observable; such projections are represented by the same nuts, whose surface could be exploited in various modes. For example, when the nuts are present with different heights along a common threaded bar, they could be used as coupling elements for the indirect assembly of other structures. For example, if it is desired to indirectly join together two or more threaded bars, arranged parallel to each other, with a cylindrical rod (such as a pipe) to be arranged orthogonal to the bars, said projections - i.e. the nuts - could be coupled by elements such as small bands or hooks in turn suitably joining the orthogonal rod that one intends to assemble to the parallel bars.

For such purpose, the present invention proposes a new and innovative type of nuts having characteristics such to allow the addition and/or removal of one or more nuts to and/or from a common threaded bar, and such to be able to exploit the surface of said nuts for the direct or indirect coupling of other structures. The nuts of the kit, object of the present invention, which will be described in detail hereinbelow, are indeed openable and closeable with a clip opening / closing mechanism, and are also provided with at least one hole, in addition to the central hole, which is adapted for the direct or indirect coupling of other structures.

Description of the invention

The present invention describes a new type of nuts adapted for tightening elements such as screws, bolts and generally threaded bars, and for supporting structures of various types, including electronic and mechanical devices, such as by way of a non-limiting example telecameras and air conditioners.

More in detail, the present invention refers to a kit comprising at least two nuts having characteristics such to facilitate the user in the application of said nuts to a common threaded bar and such to allow coupling, to said nuts, other structures or other devices like those mentioned above. Still more in detail, the present invention refers to a kit comprising at least two nuts to be assembled to a common threaded bar, due to a clip opening and closing mechanism. The nuts of the kit, object of the present industrial invention patent application, also have, on the upper and lower surface of the nut, at least one peripheral hole, in addition to the central hole usually adapted to receive the element to be tightened. The peripheral hole in question has the function of serving as a direct or indirect coupling of other structures once the nuts have been assembled to the threaded bar. The peripheral hole has a variable profile, e.g. elliptical or circular, and allows the insertion of elements such as: hooks already incorporated in the structure that one intends to assemble, thus allowing the direct coupling of said structure to the bar, or the insertion of common small bands adapted to allow the indirect coupling of the structure to be assembled.

The nuts of the kit, object of the present description, substantially comprise two internally curved portions joined to each other, each at one end, by a common screw. Said internally curved portions are openable and closeable with a common clip opening and closing mechanism also due to the presence of a spring, placed at the joined ends of said internally curved portions. The ends opposite those joined by the screw are instead free and unconstrained from each other. Each of said free ends is also covered with a rubberized layer adapted to dampen possible vibrations once the nut is assembled to the threaded bar. On one of the two curved portions of the nut, a tightening element is also assembled, in particular a safety hook adapted to prevent the accidental opening of the nut in its two curved portions. For such purpose, on the other curved portion of the nut, a groove is present adapted to be coupled by said safety hook. This safety component allows maintaining the nut in closed conformation. Said safety hook is also applicable and can be manually released depending on whether one wishes to respectively lock the nut to the threaded bar, or easily remove the nut from said threaded bar.

Each of the two curved portions centrally has a semi-circular groove having threaded surface. Said semi-circular grooves, when the nut is in closed conformation, give rise to the internally threaded circular hole present at the center of the nut and adapted to receive and tighten the threaded bar. As mentioned above, the characteristics of the kit of nuts, object of the present invention patent application, allow assembling and/or removing one or more nuts to or from a common threaded bar with great ease, by exploiting the simple clip opening and closing mechanism provided with safety hook; they also allow supporting electronic or mechanical devices such as, by way of non-limiting example, telecameras or air conditioning devices. Most of said electronic and mechanical devices are provided with hooks integrated with the device itself, which allow coupling the latter to the pre-selected support. In the case of the present invention, the coupling of a device such as a telecamera or air conditioner occurs by inserting the hook, integrated with the device, in the peripheral hole of the nut previously assembled to the threaded bar, in turn installed in a zone of specific interest. The assembly of structures or devices to said threaded bars can also be indirect; for example, when the peripheral hole is shaped as an ellipse, it is possible to insert a common small band (like the electrician bands) in said peripheral hole and bind it thereto, such band adapted to join, with a procedure of known type, other structures such as cylindrical pipes suitable for the passage and containment of electrical wires.

The kit of nuts having the abovementioned characteristics, the comprehension thereof will be clearer in the course of the present description, finally allows generating support structures that are highly versatile, easy to assemble and with a high level seal. Brief description of the drawings

FIGURE 1 shows a front view of the kit 1 of nuts 2 according to the present invention. More in detail, the figure shows that the kit 1 comprises at least two nuts 2, each of which comprises at least two portions openable and closable with a clip opening and closing mechanism. Each nut 2 for such purpose comprises the portion 3 and the portion 4. From the figure, it is observed that the portion 3 has the end 3' and the end 3 ", and analogously the portion 4 has the end 4' and the end 4". The ends 3' and 4' of the two portions 3 and 4 are also stably joined to each other by a common screw 5 adapted to be inserted and fixed inside a corresponding small hole present both on the end 3' and on the end 4'. Between said end 3' and said end 4', the spring 10 is also present. The end 3 " and the end 4" are instead unconstrained with respect to each other, given that the entire nut 2 is openable with a clip opening and closing mechanism. Said ends 3 " and 4" are also covered with a rubberized layer 6 adapted to dampen possible vibrations, when the bar 100 is tightened inside the hole 11 of the nut 2. As is observed in the figure, the hole 11 is internally threaded.

The nuts 2 of the kit 1 according to the invention comprise, in addition to the portions 3 and 4, the hook 7 and the groove 9, adapted to stably fix the nut 2 in closed conformation, when the threaded bar 100 is tightened. The figure shows that the hook 7 has two ends, i.e. the end T shaped as a trigger and the end 7" to be coupled with the groove 9 in order to retain the nut 2 in closed conformation. The "trigger" shape of the end T instead serves to facilitate the operator in opening the nut 2. The hook 7 is also assembled to the nut 2 due to its coupling with a ring 8 that crosses the portion 3 of the nut 2. Said hook 7 is indeed assembled to the portion 3 of the nut 2, while the groove 9 is present on the portion 4. The figure also illustrates the presence of one of the most particular characteristics of the nuts 2 of the kit 1 according to the present invention. More in detail, the presence is observed of the peripheral hole 12, of various form, which in the case of the figure in question is represented in elliptical form (fig. 1(a)), and in circular form (fig. 1(b)). Said peripheral hole 12 is adapted for the direct or indirect coupling of structures of various type such as telecameras, anti-fire sensors and air conditioners, by means of the use of hooks already present or not yet present on the system to be supported, or due to the use of common small electrician bands to be assembled to said peripheral hole 12 in a manner so as to form a slot.

FIGURE 2 shows an example of application of a nut 2 comprised in the kit 1 according to the present invention. More in detail, the figure 2(a) shows the nut 2 in open conformation, i.e. with the ends 3 " and 4" separate from each other, and the presence of the spring 10 which, with mechanisms of known type, allows the opening and closing of said nut 2 like a clip. The figure also shows the presence of the threaded bar 100 and the nut 2 associated with said threaded bar 100. Figure 2(b) shows that a common small electrician band 13 is easily inserted inside the hole 13, which in the case of the figure in question has elliptical form.

Description of the preferred embodiments

The kit 1 of nuts for tightening threaded bars and for supporting structures, obj ect of the present industrial invention patent application, comprises at least two nuts 2 each having two internally curved portions, i.e. the portion 3 and the portion 4. Each portion 3 and 4 also has two ends, i.e. the portion 3 has the end 3' and the end 3 ", while the portion 4 has the end 4' and the end 4". The two internally curved portions 3 and 4 are joined to each other at one end thereof, while the remaining ends are unconstrained with respect to each other, allowing the obtainment of a nut 2 that is openable and closable with a clip opening and closing mechanism. More in detail, the end 3' of the portion 3 is joined with the end 4' of the portion 4, with a simple and common system that provides for the insertion of a common screw 5 inside a small hole present on each end 3' and 4' to be assembled to each other. The remaining ends, i.e. the end 3 " for the portion 3 and the end 4" for the portion 4, are instead unconstrained with respect to each other and are each covered with a rubber layer 6. Said rubber layer 6 is adapted to dampen possible vibrations when said nut 2 is in closed conformation, i.e. when it is assembled to a common threaded bar. In this configuration, the nut 2 has its ends 4" and 3" in contact with each other. Each nut 2 of the present kit 1 is prevented from accidentally opening, due to the presence of a safety hook 7 which maintains the two ends 3" and 4" joined together, i.e. which maintains the nut 2 stably fixed to the threaded bar 100 centrally crossing through said nut 2. Said threaded bar 100 passes through the hole 11, which is generated by the two portions 3 and 4 when said portions 3 and 4 are joined together also at their ends 3" and 4".

More in detail, the portion 3 of the nut 2 comprises a safety hook 7 having two ends, i.e. the end T and the end 7". Still more in detail, the end T of the safety hook 7 is shaped as a trigger and is assembled to the portion 3 of the nut 2 by means of coupling with a ring 8 crossing through the portion 3. The portion 7" of the hook 7 is instead shaped as a hook and is reversibly releasable from the portion 4 of the nut 2. The end 7"of the hook 7 is inserted and locked inside a corresponding groove 9 present in proximity to the end 4" of the portion 4. Thus, when the user intends to assemble the nut 2 to the threaded bar, he will simply have to manually open the nut 2, assembling it to the threaded bar, reclosing the nut by joining its portions 3 and 4 and coupling the end 7" of the safety hook 7 to the groove 9, preventing the accidental opening of the nut 2. On the other hand, if the user of the nut comprised in the present kit 1 intends to remove the nut from the threaded bar, he will simply have to disengage the end 7" of the hook 7 from the groove 9, by operating on the end 7' shaped as a trigger, and manually open the two portions 3 and 4 of the nut 2 in question. The opening and closing of the nut 2 as well as its application and removal to and/or from a common threaded bar 100 occurs, as already mentioned, with a clip-like opening and closing mechanism, so that said nut 2 is also provided with a common spring 10 whose ends are bound, one to the end 3 ' of the portion 3, the other to the end 4' of the portion 4. One of the most particular characteristics of the invention described in the present document is represented by the fact that the nuts 2 of the kit 1, object of the present invention, have in addition to the central hole 11 at least one peripheral hole 12. Said peripheral hole 12 is arranged on one of the two portions 3 or 4 of the nut 2, and preferably, but not necessarily, on the portion 4. Alternatively, it is possible to obtain the nut 2 with peripheral holes 12 on both the portions 3 and 4.

As mentioned above, the presence of the hole 2 allows the operator to directly or indirectly assemble, to said nut 2, structures of various types, such as by way of non-limiting example: telecameras, anti-fire sensors air conditioners, beams, cylindrical pipes adapted to contain cables and similar structures. For such purpose, the peripheral hole 12 is adapted to receive coupling elements, already integrated or to be integrated with structures such as telecameras, obtaining as a result a telecamera stably and easily coupled to a common threaded bar. In the case in which the assembly of the structure of interest to the nut 2 occurs in an indirect manner, the peripheral hole 12 is adapted for the passage and joining of means such as the common small electrician bands, whose operation is known given that said bands are widely used. The joining of a common small electrician band 13 to the nut 2 of the kit 1, object of the invention, finally allows offering a support structure having a strong slot, represented by the same small band bound to the nut, to which it is possible to assemble structures of various type, such as cylindrical pipes adapted to contain electrical cables.

The kit 1 of nuts 2, object of the present invention, is thus adapted for generating structures in which a common threaded bar is stably tightened by nuts 2 which can be added, removed or moved along the axis of the bar; in addition, it allows obtaining stable support systems for supporting structures of various type, like those mentioned above.

The nuts 2 of the kit 1, object of the present invention, are variously sized, and more in detail are sized in a manner such that their external profile is adaptable to the common monkey wrenches, 13 mm and upward.

The central hole 11, adapted to receive and tighten the threaded bar 100, has a diameter that varies between 2 mm and 20 mm, while the peripheral hole 12 has a maximum diameter length that varies from 0.5 cm to 2 cm and preferably from 1 cm to 1.5 cm. For example, the nuts 2 of the kit 1 have, in a particular embodiment, the central hole 11 having diameter of 8 mm and the peripheral hole 12 having diameter of 1 cm. The nuts 2 of the kit 1 according to the present invention also have a height comprised between 0.5 cm and 10 cm and preferably between 1 cm and 3 cm.