US20040035071A1

US20040035071A1 - Molded grating provided with reinforcement and attaching arrangement

Info

Publication number: US20040035071A1
Application number: US10/227,586
Authority: US
Inventors: Jim Jian Ho; Yi Feng
Original assignee: AMERICAN GRATING LLC
Current assignee: AMERICAN GRATING LLC
Priority date: 2002-08-26
Filing date: 2002-08-26
Publication date: 2004-02-26

Abstract

A molded grating includes at least a grating member and a grating connector. The grating member includes a plurality of grating walls, each having a predetermined height, spaced apart with each other, and a plurality of crossing walls integrally connected to the grating walls in a cross manner, wherein each of the grating walls has an enlarged end portion and an elongated grating body extended therefrom, so as to enhance a structural strength of the grating member. The grating connector includes two resilient wings each having a wing cavity shaped and sized to receive the respective enlarged end portion of the two grating walls to substantially engage the resilient wings with the two grating walls respectively, so as to detachably attach the grating connector to the grating member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a reinforced resin grating, and more particularly to a molded grating provided with a reinforcement and an attaching arrangement for mounting on a ceiling or a floor, which is made subject to chemical resistance, ultraviolet resistance, impact resistance, load carrying capabilities and strength, so as to provide years of service.

2. Description of Related Arts

Fiberglass reinforced grating structures have been widely used in the industries since the fiberglass reinforced grating has the distinctive features such as increased corrosion resistance, a high resistance to flame and sparks, slip-resistance, and a high strength-to-weight ratio.

For example, the fiberglass reinforced grating can be mounted on a peripheral surface of a walking platform to create a separation cavity above the walking platform in such a manner that the user will not directly in contact with any corrosive material on the peripheral surface of the walking platform. Moreover, the fiberglass reinforced grating is adapted to mount on an exposed channel to cover thereon, which is resulted in safe walking condition.

Another alternative use of the fiberglass reinforced grating is to mounted to the peripheral surface of a ceiling as a ceiling frame such that other accessories such as lighting devices may be attached to the ceiling frame for illumination.

However, the conventional fiberglass reinforced grating actually has some drawbacks. First, some sorts of mounting means must be employed in order to securely affix the fiberglass reinforced grating on the peripheral surface, so as to prevent the sliding movement of the fiberglass reinforced grating with respect to the peripheral surface. Moreover, the mounting means is used as a connector to mount the fiberglass reinforced gratings together side by side. However, such mounting means often induces unavoidable damages to the peripheral surface of the floor or the ceiling. For example, one may use the screw as the mounting means such that some bored holes may have to be permanently drilled on the floor or the ceiling. Therefore, the chemical substance may reside within the bored holes and cause an unavoidable damage of the peripheral surface. Thus, the bored holes may destroy the original structure of the ceiling or the floor so as to substantially reduce the strength thereof. When the fiberglass reinforced grating is removed from the peripheral surface, the bored holes may cause unpleasant appearance or even structural instability to the floor or the ceiling.

Second, the desirable load carrying capacity and the weight of the fiberglass reinforced grating are always contradicting. Since the fiberglass reinforced gratings are frequently used for supporting purpose, therefore, a high load carrying capacity is highly desirable. However, in order to increase the load carrying capacity of the fiberglass reinforced gratings, the usual practice is to increase the thickness of each of the grating. As a result, the overall weight of the gratings must be substantially increased. One may use sophisticated composites to manufacture the gratings, but this will substantially increase their overall manufacturing cost.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a molded grating for mounting on a peripheral construction surface such as a peripheral surface of a ceiling or a floor, which is made subject to chemical resistance, ultraviolet resistance, impact resistance, load carrying capabilities and strength, so as to provide years of service.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a molded grating, wherein each of the grating walls of the molded grating is constructed to have a specified reinforcing cross section so as to enhance the strength of the molded grating.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a molded grating, which comprises an attaching arrangement to securely connect two grating members together edge to edge without damaging the peripheral construction surface. In other words, no bored hole is formed on the peripheral construction surface so as to keep the original reinforced configuration of the peripheral construction surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a molded grating which is made of rigid but lightweight material. Moreover, the assembly operation of the molded grating is quickly and simply that such that an individual is able to easily carry the molded gratings and self-assemble the molded gratings on the peripheral construction surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a molded grating, wherein no expensive or complicated structure is required to employ in the present invention. Therefore, the molded grating of the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution for providing a reinforced grid configuration to mount on the peripheral construction surface.

Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a molded grating, comprising at least a grating member which comprises a plurality of grating walls, each having a predetermined height, spaced apart with each other, wherein each of the grating walls has an enlarged end portion and an elongated grating body extended therefrom, and a plurality of crossing walls integrally connected to the grating walls in a cross manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a molded grating according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0015]
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a grating member of the molded grating according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0016]
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a grating connector of the molded grating according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating two grating members being connected by the grating connector. [0017]
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative use of the grating connector of the molded grating according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the grating member functioning as a ceiling frame. [0018]
FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate alternative modes of the grating member of the molded grating according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. [0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a molded grating according to a preferred embodiment is illustrated, wherein the molded grating is adapted for mounting on a [0020] peripheral construction surface 1 such as a peripheral surface of a ceiling or a floor.
The molded grating comprises at least a [0021] grating member 10 which comprises a plurality of grating walls 11, each having a predetermined height, spaced apart with each other, wherein each of the grating walls 11 has an enlarged end portion 111 and an elongated grating body 112 extended therefrom, and a plurality of crossing walls 12 integrally connected to the grating walls 11 in a cross manner.
According to the preferred embodiment, the [0022] grating walls 11 are positioned in parallel manner wherein the crossing walls 12 are perpendicularly crossing with the grating walls 11 to form a grid cavity 13 having a square shaped. However, the connection of the grating wall 11 and the crossing wall 12 is capable of form the grid cavity 13 having a rectangular, triangular, parallelogram, or a diamond shaped. Accordingly, a height of each of the grating walls 11 is equal to that of each of the crossing walls 12 so as to substantially increase a contacting surface when the grating member 10 is mounted on the peripheral construction surface 1.
The [0023] grating member 10 is made of durable but lightweight material, such as vinyl ester, isophthalic polyester, ortho, or phenolic, such that the grating member 10 is capable of substantially providing a corrosion resistance and fire retardant.
The [0024] grating member 10 has a mounting surface 101 arranged for mounting on the peripheral construction surface 1 and an opposed anti-skid surface 102 spaced apart from the peripheral construction surface 1 by means of the height of the grating wall 11. Accordingly, the anti-skid surface 102 of the grating member 10 is formed as a gritted surface to substantially increase the frictional surface for anti-skidding purpose.
As shown in FIG. 2, each of the [0025] grating walls 11 is shaped and sized to have the enlarged end portion 111 and the elongated grating body 112 to form a uniform T-shaped cross sectional structure. Accordingly, all the loading beams for construction are shaped to have either a T-shaped cross sectional structure or an I-shaped cross sectional structure since such structural designs of the loading beam have a higher beam loading coefficient comparing with a beam having a rectangular cross sectional structure. In other words, the grating walls 11 of the grating member 10 are capable of withstanding more loading weight at a greater span.
As shown in FIG. 1, the [0026] anti-skid surface 102 is provided on the enlarged end portion 111 of each of the grating walls 11 such that the grating member 10 is capable of substantially supporting the loading weight loaded on the anti-skid surface 102 so as to prevent an unwanted skidding movement of the loading weight. Moreover, the structure of the T-shaped grating wall 11 can substantially reduce the material needed to form the grating member 10, so as to reduce the cost and the overall weight of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the molded grating further comprises a [0027] grating connector 20 which comprises a connector body 21 and two resilient wings 22 which are integrally and outwardly extended from two opposed sides of the connector body 21 to detachably engage with two grating walls 11 respectively.
According to the preferred embodiment, the [0028] connector body 21 is shaped and sized with respect to the grid cavity 13 in such a manner that when the grating connector 20 is mounted on the grating member 10, the connector body 21 is disposed in the grid cavity 13 while the two resilient wings 22 are outwardly extended to engage with the two grating walls 11 respectively.
Each of the [0029] resilient wings 22 has an arc shaped portion to form a wing cavity 221 wherein a distance between two wing cavities 221 of the two resilient wings 22 is slightly smaller than a distance between two grating walls 11 is slightly smaller than in such a manner that when the grating connector 20 is mounted on the grating member 10, the enlarged end portions 111 of the two adjacent grating walls 11 are received in the two wing cavities 221 of the two resilient wings 22 respectively, as shown in FIG. 3.
Moreover, each [0030] wing cavity 221 is shaped and sized to fittedly received the enlarged end portion 111 of the grating wall 11 therein wherein each of the resilient wings 22 is adapted to provide an urging pressure against the respective grating wall 11, so as to substantially hold the enlarged end portion 11 of the grating wall 11 within the respective wing cavity 221.
Moreover, the enlarged [0031] end portion 11 of the grating wall 11 has two slanted side surfaces such that when the enlarged end portion 11 of the grating wall 11 is received in the wing cavity 221 of the respective resilient wing 22, an inner surface of the wing cavity 221 of the resilient wing 22 is guided to substantially engage with the respective slanted side surface of the grating wall 11 so as to lock up the resilient wing 22 on the grating wall 11. In other words, the enlarged end portion 11 of the grating wall 11 not only enhances the stiffness of the grating member 10 but also ensures the engagement between the grating connector 20 and the grating wall 11.
Accordingly, one of the uses of the [0032] grating connector 20 is that when at least two grating members 10 are mounted on the peripheral construction surface 1 of the floor, the grating connector 20 is adapted to connect the two grating members 10 edge to edge, as shown in FIG. 3. When the two grating members 10 are positioned side by side, one of the resilient wings 22 of the grating connector 20 is securely engaged with the grating wall 11 of one of the grating members 10 while another resilient wing 22 of the grating connector 20 is securely engaged with grating wall 11 of another grating member 10 wherein the two resilient wings 22 normally provides an urging force against the two grating walls 11 of the two grating members 10 for pulling the two grating members towards each other so as to retraining movement of the grating members 10 in all directions with respect to the peripheral construction surface 1.
It is worth mentioning that when the [0033] grating members 10 are needed to be removed on the peripheral construction surface 1, the user is able to simply detach the grating connector 20 from the grating members so as to release the engagement between the grating members 10. Since the grating connector 20 is utilized to connect two grating members 10 together but not the grating member 10 to the peripheral construction surface 1, no bored hole is formed on the peripheral construction surface 1 so as to keep the original reinforced configuration of the peripheral construction surface 1.
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative use of the [0034] grating connector 20 wherein the grating member 10 functions as the ceiling frame. The grating connector 20 functions as an adapter for mounting a pendent element to the grating member 10. Accordingly, when the grating connector 20 is mounted on the grating member 10, the pendent element, such as a pendent lamp, is adapted to mount to the connector body 21 such that the pendent element is suspendedly mounted on the grating member 10. It is worth mentioning that a through slot 211 is form on the connector body 21 such that an electric wire is adapted to extend to the pendent element through the through slot 211 of the grating connector 20.
FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate alternative modes of the [0035] grating wall 11′, 11″ wherein the grating wall 11′, 11″ can be formed in any structural feasible shape in order to enhance the strength of the grating member 10′, 10″. A shown in FIG. 5A, the enlarged portion 111′ of the grating wall 11′ has two curved side surface and the elongated grating body 112′ of the grating wall 11′ having a tapered shaped has a thickness gradually reducing from the enlarged portion 111′ thereof. FIG. 5B illustrates the grating wall 11″, having a trapezoid cross sectional, has a thickness gradually reducing from the enlarged end portion 111′ thereof. It is worth mentioning that the shapes of the grating walls 11′, 11″ of the alternative modes not only enhance the strength of the grating member 10′, 10″ but also ensure the engagement between the grating connector 20 and the grating member 10′, 10″ while the resilient wing 22 of the grating connector 20 is engaged with the enlarged end portion 111′, 111″ of the grating wall 11′, 11″.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A molded grating, comprising at least a grating member which comprises a plurality of grating walls, each having a predetermined height, spaced apart with each other, and a plurality of crossing walls integrally connected to said grating walls in a cross manner, wherein each of said grating walls has an enlarged end portion and an elongated grating body extended therefrom, so as to enhance a structural strength of said grating member.

2. A molded grating, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said grating walls has a uniform T-shaped cross section to from said enlarged end portion and said elongated grating body so as to enhance a strength of said grating member, a height of said grating wall is equal to a height of said crossing wall so as to substantially increase a contacting surface when said grating member is arranged for mounting on a peripheral construction surface.

3. A molded grating, as recited in claim 1, wherein said grating member has an anti-skid surface, which is formed as a gritted surface, provided on said enlarged end portion of each of said grating walls.

4. A molded grating, as recited in claim 1, wherein said grating member has an anti-skid surface, which is formed as a gritted surface, provided on said enlarged end portion of each of said grating walls.

5. A molded grating, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a grating connector which comprises a connector body and two resilient wings which is integrally and outwardly extended from two opposed sides of said connector body, wherein each of said resilient wings has a wing cavity shaped and sized to receive said respective enlarged end portion of said grating wall, so as to detachably engage said resilient wings with said two grating walls respectively.

6. A molded grating, as recited in claim 2, further comprising a grating connector which comprises a connector body and two resilient wings which is integrally and outwardly extended from two opposed sides of said connector body, wherein each of said resilient wings has a wing cavity shaped and sized to receive said respective enlarged end portion of said grating wall, so as to detachably engage said resilient wings with said two grating walls respectively.

7. A molded grating, as recited in claim 4, further comprising a grating connector which comprises a connector body and two resilient wings which is integrally and outwardly extended from two opposed sides of said connector body, wherein each of said resilient wings has a wing cavity shaped and sized to receive said respective enlarged end portion of said grating wall, so as to detachably engage said resilient wings with said two grating walls respectively.

8. A molded grating, as recited in claim 5, wherein a distance between two wing cavities of said two resilient wings is slightly smaller than a distance between two said grating walls in such a manner that when said grating connector is mounted on said grating member, said resilient wings provides an urging force against said grating walls to substantially hold said enlarged end portions of said two corresponding grating walls within said two wing cavities of said resilient wings respectively.

9. A molded grating, as recited in claim 6, wherein a distance between two wing cavities of said two resilient wings is slightly smaller than a distance between two said grating walls in such a manner that when said grating connector is mounted on said grating member, said resilient wings provides an urging force against said grating walls to substantially hold said enlarged end portions of said two corresponding grating walls within said two wing cavities of said resilient wings respectively.

10. A molded grating, as recited in claim 7, wherein a distance between two wing cavities of said two resilient wings is slightly smaller than a distance between two said grating walls in such a manner that when said grating connector is mounted on said grating member, said resilient wings provides an urging force against said grating walls to substantially hold said enlarged end portions of said two corresponding grating walls within said two wing cavities of said resilient wings respectively.

11. A molded grating, as recited in claim 5, wherein said enlarged end portion of said grating wall has two slanted side surfaces such that when said enlarged end portion of said grating wall is received in said wing cavity of said respective resilient wing, an inner surface of said wing cavity of said resilient wing is guided to substantially engage with said respective slanted side surface of said grating wall so as to lock up said resilient wing on said grating wall.

12. A molded grating, as recited in claim 10, wherein said enlarged end portion of said grating wall has two slanted side surfaces such that when said enlarged end portion of said grating wall is received in said wing cavity of said respective resilient wing, an inner surface of said wing cavity of said resilient wing is guided to substantially engage with said respective slanted side surface of said grating wall so as to lock up said resilient wing on said grating wall.

13. A molded grating, as recited in claim 5, wherein said enlarged portion of said grating wall has two curved side surface and arranged in such a manner that when said enlarged end portion of said grating wall is received in said wing cavity of said respective resilient wing, an inner surface of said wing cavity of said resilient wing is guided to substantially engage with said respective curved side surface of said grating wall so as to lock up said resilient wing on said grating wall.

14. A molded grating, as recited in claim 10, wherein said enlarged portion of said grating wall has two curved side surface and arranged in such a manner that when said enlarged end portion of said grating wall is received in said wing cavity of said respective resilient wing, an inner surface of said wing cavity of said resilient wing is guided to substantially engage with said respective curved side surface of said grating wall so as to lock up said resilient wing on said grating wall.

15. A molded grating, as recited in claim 5, wherein each of said grating walls, having a trapezoid cross sectional, has a thickness gradually reducing from said enlarged end portion thereof.

16. A molded grating, as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said grating walls, having a trapezoid cross sectional, has a thickness gradually reducing from said enlarged end portion thereof.

17. A grating connector for mounting on a grating member which comprises at least two parallel grating walls each having an enlarged end portion, wherein said grating connector comprises:

a connector body being shaped and sized for disposing in a grid cavity formed between said two grating walls; and

two resilient wings which is integrally and outwardly extended from two opposed sides of said connector body, wherein each of said resilient wings has a wing cavity shaped and sized for receiving said respective enlarged end portion of said grating wall, so as to detachably engage said resilient wings with said two grating walls respectively.

18. A grating connector, as recited in claim 17, wherein a distance between two wing cavities of said two resilient wings is slightly smaller than a distance between two said grating walls in such a manner that when said grating connector is mounted on said grating member, said resilient wings provides an urging force against said grating walls for substantially holding said enlarged end portions of said two corresponding grating walls within said two wing cavities of said resilient wings respectively.

19. A grating connector, as recited in claim 17, wherein each of said wing cavities is shaped and sized for fittedly receiving said enlarged end portion of said grating wall in such a manner that said inner side of said wing cavity of said resilient wing is guided for engaging with a side surface of said enlarged end portion of said grating wall so as to lock up said resilient wing on said grating wall.

20. A grating connector, as recited in claim 18, wherein each of said wing cavities is shaped and sized for fittedly receiving said enlarged end portion of said grating wall in such a manner that said inner side of said wing cavity of said resilient wing is guided for engaging with a side surface of said enlarged end portion of said grating wall so as to lock up said resilient wing on said grating wall.