EP-4739927-A1 - CHANNEL FASTENER WITH TORQUE-INDUCING ELEMENT

Abstract

A channel fastener comprises a rigid washer element and an oblong metal anchoring element. The channel fastener furthermore comprises a connecting element which connects the anchoring element to the washer element, while allowing the anchoring element to rotate around the rotational axis with respect to the washer element. The connecting element comprises a torque-inducing element including at least one limb. The at least one limb is arranged substantially offset from the rotational axis of the anchoring element and adapted for guiding the anchoring element such that when the anchoring element is moved away from the washer in a direction coaxial with the rotational axis, one of the long lateral sides of the anchoring element slides along the limb, whereby a torque is induced on the anchoring element, which rotates the anchoring element around the rotational axis towards the locking position.

Inventors

• JUZAK, MAREK
• NIJDAM, FRANK

Assignees

• J. van Walraven Holding B.V.

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240701

Claims (20)

1. 1. Channel fastener for fastening an object to an elongate channel element, said channel element having a bottom, an upper side opposite the bottom and lateral walls that interconnect the upper side and the bottom, wherein the upper side includes flanges that extend from the lateral walls towards each other, and a longitudinal slot defined between the flanges and having a slot width, wherein the fastener comprises: a rigid washer element, which has an underside including a bearing face that is arranged for resting against the outer side of the flanges of the channel element; an oblong metal anchoring element having a width smaller than the slot width and a length larger than the slot width, said anchoring element being located on the side of the washer element where the bearing face is located, wherein the anchoring element has two opposite long lateral sides, two opposite short lateral sides, a top side facing the washer element and a bottom side opposite the top side, wherein the anchoring element has longitudinal end portions adapted to engage an inner side of the respective flanges of the channel element in a locking position of the anchoring element and has a rotational axis around which the anchoring element is rotatable from an initial position to the locking position; - a connecting element which connects the anchoring element to the washer element, while allowing the anchoring element to rotate around the rotational axis with respect to the washer element, said connecting element comprising a torque-inducing element including at least one limb arranged substantially offset from the rotational axis of the anchoring element and adapted for guiding the anchoring element such that when the anchoring element is moved away from the washer in a direction coaxial with the rotational axis, one of the long lateral sides of the anchoring element slides along the limb, whereby a torque is induced on the anchoring element, which rotates the anchoring element around the rotational axis towards the locking position.
2. 2. Channel fastener according to claim 1, wherein the torque inducing element comprises two limbs which are each arranged at a respective long lateral side of the anchoring element and positioned rotationally symmetric (of order 2) with respect to the rotational axis of the anchoring element.
3. 3. Channel fastener according to claim 2, wherein the two limbs are spaced apart over a distance that is slightly larger than the width of the anchoring element.
4. 4. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting element comprises a base portion that is arranged against the underside of the washer element, said base portion having such a dimension perpendicular to the rotational axis of the anchoring element, that the base portion fits in the longitudinal slot between the flanges of the channel element when the bearing face of the washer rests against the outer side of the flanges of the channel element.
5. 5. Channel fastener according to claim 4, wherein the two limbs each have a root with which they are connected to the base portion of the connecting element, wherein said roots are spaced apart over a distance which is slightly smaller than the slot width.
6. 6. Channel fastener according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the base portion defines a receiving space in which the anchoring element is received in the initial position and which inhibits rotation of the anchoring element around the rotational axis from the initial position.
7. 7. Channel fastener according to claim 6, wherein the base portion comprises an annular body having an inner contour generally corresponding to an outer contour of the oblong anchoring element, wherein the outer contour is seen in a view colinear with the rotational axis of the anchoring element, and wherein said inner contour defines the receiving space for the anchoring element.
8. 8. Channel fastener according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the receiving space and the anchoring element generally have a quadrangular shape.
9. 9. Channel fastener according to any one of the claim 6-8, wherein the at least one torque inducing element is connected to the annular body and extends underneath the receiving space and supports the anchoring element.
10. 10. Channel fastener according to claims 8 and 9, wherein the at least one torque inducing element is arranged near one of the corners of the quadrangular shape.
11. 11. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the limb(s) is/are formed as a tongue extending inclined in a direction away from the washer and in the width direction of the anchoring element in the initial state.
12. 12. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the torque inducing element is a flexible element adapted to be flexed away when the anchoring element is pushed down on it.
13. 13. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting element comprises coupling members to couple the connecting element to the washer.
14. 14. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein connecting element comprises spring members which are connected to the base portion, wherein the respective spring members extend from the base portion to engage the outer side of the respective flanges of the channel element, wherein the spring members are arranged and configured such that when the washer rests with its bearing face against the outer side of the flanges, the spring members are biased.
15. 15. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting element is made of plastic.
16. 16. Channel fastener according to any one of the claims 1-14, wherein the connecting element is made of metal, e.g. spring steel.
17. 17. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting element is made in one piece.
18. 18. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastener furthermore comprises a shaft, which is coupled to the anchoring element and which extends through a through bore in the washer.
19. 19. Channel fastener according to claim 18, wherein the shaft is part of a threaded bolt or a threaded rod.
20. 20. Channel fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the anchoring element is embodied as a nut having a threaded bore.

Description

Title: Channel fastener with torque-inducing element The invention relates to a channel fastener for fastening an object to an elongate channel element, said channel element having a bottom, an upper side opposite the bottom and lateral walls that interconnect the upper side and the bottom, wherein the upper side includes flanges that extend from the lateral walls towards each other, and a longitudinal slot defined between the flanges and having a slot width. Channel fasteners comprising a rigid washer element and an oblong metal anchoring element are known in the art. In use the washer bears with an underside against the outer side of the flanges of the channel element, while the oblong anchoring element, which has a width smaller than the slot width and a length larger than the slot width, is adapted to be inserted in the slot of the channel element and then rotated when inside the channel element such that longitudinal end portions anchoring element engage an inner side of the respective flanges of the channel element in a locking position of the anchoring element. In the locking position of the anchoring element the washer and the anchoring element are clamped on the flanges of the channel element by tightening the anchoring element and the washer towards each other by a bolt or another suitable threaded fastener. The anchoring element has to be rotated to the locked position when it is inserted in the channel element through the longitudinal slot. Within the field of channel fasteners there is a type of channel fasteners in which the anchoring element is automatically rotated to a locked position when the anchoring element is inserted through the longitudinal slot of the channel element. The present invention relates to such a channel fastener. EP 1 357 304 A1 discloses a channel fastener having an anchoring element, a washer element and a torque-inducing element. The washer element is formed as an L-shaped bracket which is connected to the anchoring element by a bolt. The torque-inducing element is arranged on top of the anchoring element and comprises a central ring and curved spring arms which are attached to the central ring on diametrically opposite locations and are arranged in a point symmetrical way. When the anchoring element is pushed into the longitudinal slot of a corresponding channel element, the curved spring arms slide along the edges of the slot of the channel element and will induce an automatic rotation of the anchoring element. In the locked position of the anchoring element, in which the anchoring element engages the inside of the flanges of the channel element, the spring arms will still engage an outside of the flanges. DE 100 36 478 A1 discloses a channel fastener comprising an anchoring element and a torque-inducing element which is arranged on an upper side of the anchoring element. The torque-inducing element includes a plate which is arranged and attached to the upper side of the anchoring element and wings attached to the longitudinal ends of the plate and lying in the same plane as the plate. When the anchoring element is pushed in the slot of the channel element the wings engage the upper side of the flanges of the channel element and elastically deform thereby causing an automatic rotation of the anchoring element towards the locked position. When the anchoring element is in the locked position underneath the flanges of the channel element, the wings engage the outside of the flanges and retain the assembly in a pre-mounting state on the flanges of the channel element. The anchoring element has a threaded bore such that further elements such as a threaded male fastener, a nut and a washer can be mounted to the anchoring element. EP 0 837256 B1 discloses a similar channel fastener as DE 10036478. Also in this channel fastener the torque inducing element includes a plate which is arranged and attached to a lower side of the anchoring element and two arcuate elastically deformable lugs attached to the longitudinal ends of the plate. The arcuate lugs are curved out of the plane of the plate. When the anchoring element is pushed in the slot of the channel element, the arcuate lugs engage the edge between the upper side of the flanges and the slot of the channel element and elastically deform, thereby causing an automatic rotation of the anchoring element towards the locked position. The arcuate lugs have bent end portions which engage the upper side of the flanges of the channel element and retain the assembly in a pre-mounting state on the flanges of the channel element when the anchoring element is rotated into the locked position underneath the flanges of the channel element. WO 2020/171709 discloses a channel fasteners having a torque-inducing element fixed to the anchoring element. The torque-inducing element has resiliently deformable limbs arranged substantially offset from the rotational axis of the anchoring element and slide along the flanges of the channel elemen