US-20260125891-A1 - Connector for Building Members

Abstract

A connector and a system for attaching building members to one another includes a set screw guide hole and a toenail guide hole through a body. The set screw hole that is substantially perpendicular and the toenail guide hole is non-perpendicular to the body and the building member being attached. The toenail guide hole extends through a force transfer unit that may be formed as a raised body away from the front of the body and may define a front ramp. The force transfer unit is sized, shaped and configured to transfer the load of the building member to the entire building support structure, rather than toenail fasteners and set screws bearing the load themselves. Embodiments of the connector include two opposing connector units.

Inventors

• Logan Carlson
• Zackary Laroche
• Mark A. Dicaire
• Mark J. Guthrie
• Frederick A. Enko
• Timothy F. Gillis
• Charles Emma

Assignees

• OMG BUILDING PRODUCTS LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251103

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A connector for attaching a first building member to a second building member, comprising: a body having a front and a rear, extending in a longitudinal direction between opposite first and second longitudinal edges and extending in a lateral direction between opposite first and second lateral edges; at least one set screw guide hole from the front to the rear with an axis substantially perpendicular to the rear; at least one toenail guide hole from the front to the rear with an axis that is non-perpendicular to the rear.
2. 2 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein the set screw guide hole is positioned laterally offset between the first lateral edge and second lateral edge and longitudinally offset between the first longitudinal edge and second longitudinal edge, and the toenail guide hole is positioned laterally offset between the first lateral edge and second lateral edge and longitudinally offset between the first longitudinal edge and second longitudinal edge.
3. 3 . The connector of claim 1 , further comprising a ramp on the front through which the toenail guide hole extends, the ramp providing a leveraging surface for a head of a fastener driven through the toenail guide hole.
4. 4 . The connector of claim 3 , wherein the ramp extends from the second lateral edge.
5. 5 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein each of the set screw guide and the toenail guide extends through an elevated structural body on the front of the body.
6. 6 . The connector of claim 5 , wherein each of the set screw guide and the toenail guide extends through the same elevated structural body.
7. 7 . A connector for attaching a first building member to a second building member, comprising: a first connector unit having a first body with a first front and a first rear, extending in a longitudinal direction between opposite first and second longitudinal edges and extending in a lateral direction between opposite first and second lateral edges, at least one first set screw guide hole from the first front to the first rear with an axis substantially perpendicular to the first rear, and at least one first toenail guide hole from the first front to the first rear with an axis that is non-perpendicular to the first rear; a second connector unit spaced from the first connector unit, the second connector unit having a second body with a second front and a second rear facing the first rear defining a channel therebetween, the second body extending in a longitudinal direction between opposite first and second longitudinal edges and extending in a lateral direction between opposite first and second lateral edges, at least a portion of the second rear being substantially parallel to the first rear of the first body, at least one second set screw guide hole from the second front to the second rear with an axis substantially perpendicular to the second rear, and at least one second toenail guide hole from the second front to the second rear with an axis that is non-perpendicular to the second rear, wherein in each of the first connector unit and the second connector unit, the respective set screw guide hole is positioned laterally offset between the respective first lateral edge and respective second lateral edge and longitudinally offset between the respective first longitudinal edge and respective second longitudinal edge, in each of the first connector unit and the second connector unit, the respective toenail guide hole is positioned laterally offset between the respective first lateral edge and respective second lateral edge and longitudinally offset between the respective first longitudinal edge and respective second longitudinal edge, the first toenail guide hole and the second toenail guide hole are longitudinally offset from each other such that a first fastener driven through the first toenail guide hole and a second fastener driven through the second toenail guide hole do not intersect one another.
8. 8 . The connector of claim 7 , wherein the first set screw guide hole and the second set screw guide hole are longitudinally offset from each other such that a first set screw driven through the first set screw guide hole and a second set screw driven through the second set screw guide hole parallel to the first set screw are not at a common longitudinal height.
9. 9 . The connector of claim 7 , further comprising a first ramp on the front of the first connector unit through which the first toenail guide hole extends, the first ramp providing a leveraging surface for a head of a first fastener driven through the first toenail guide hole, and a second ramp on the front of the second connector unit through which the second toenail guide hole extends, the second ramp providing a leveraging surface for a head of a second fastener driven through the second toenail guide hole.
10. 10 . The connector of claim 7 , wherein each of the first set screw guide hole and the first toenail guide hole extends through an elevated structural body on the first front, and each of the second screw guide hole and the second toenail guide hole extends through an elevated structural body on the second front.
11. 11 . The connector of claim 7 , wherein the first connector unit includes two first toenail guide holes longitudinally offset from each other with the first set screw guide hole positioned between them, and the second connector unit includes two second toenail guide holes longitudinally offset from each other with the second set screw guide hole positioned between them.
12. 12 . The connector of claim 11 , wherein each of the first toenail guide holes, second toenail guide holes, first set screw guide hole and second set screw guide hole are laterally offset from one other.
13. 13 . The connector of claim 7 , further comprising a support web extending between and connecting the first connector unit and the second connector unit at the first lateral edge of the first connector unit and the first lateral edge of the second connector unit.
14. 14 . The connector of claim 13 , further comprising at least one score groove positioned at one or more of a first intersection of the web and the first lateral edge of the first connector unit, a second intersection of the web and the first lateral edge of the second connector unit, and a position in the web between the first intersection and the second intersection, wherein each of the at least one score groove is configured to allow breakage through the respective score groove to separate portions of the connector.
15. 15 . The connector of claim 7 , wherein the connector is an integral unit formed from a molded plastic.
16. 16 . The connector of claim 7 , further comprising a flexible section in one or more positions in the connector which thereby allows optional outward flexion.
17. 17 . A connector for attaching a first building member to a second building member, comprising: a first connector unit having a first body with a first front and a first rear; a second connector unit spaced from the first connector unit, the second connector unit having a second body with a second front and a second rear facing the first rear with spacing between them; a web connected to the first connector unit at a lower lateral position and connected to the second connector unit at a lower lateral position and extending between the spacing, wherein each of the first connector unit and second connector unit includes at least one force transfer unit formed as a raised body away from the front of the respective connector unit and defining a front ramp through which an inlet of a toenail guide hole extends at an oblique angle relative to the rear of the respective connector unit, and at least one support ledge formed as a raised body away from the front of the respective connector unit through which an inlet of a toenail guide hole extends at an angle that is non-parallel to the oblique angle, and each of the at least one force transfer unit and each of the at least one support ledge is formed as a solid molded member in each of the first connector unit and second connector unit that are integral with each other.
18. 18 . The connector of claim 17 , wherein the connector is formed from a molded polymer material.
19. 19 . The connector of claim 17 , wherein each of the first connector and second connector includes a pair of the force transfer units that are laterally spaced apart from each other with the respective support ledge between them.
20. 20 . The connector of claim 19 , wherein each of the first connector and second connector includes a raised rib extending between each of its force transfer unit and its support ledge.

Description

BACKGROUND This disclosure relates generally to the field of building construction connectors, more particularly to a connector for attaching a first building member to a second building member with fasteners. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a connector and an associated system wherein the connectors having a single form factor can be used to make a variety of first-to-second building member connections-including, for example, beam to joist, joist to ledger, post to beam, and stringer to rim connections. In construction and building fields, connectors are common for assisting in the connection of one building member to another. Connectors commonly provide an intermediate “base” structure with one or more hole guides for fasteners for a user to drive fasteners through to attach the building members to each other, with the base structure having a specific form for a specific type of connection. Hangers are often formed of metal, such as steel, and include numerous sides and surfaces used for attaching to a support member and beam, and holding and supporting the beam. For example, a typical joist hanger for attaching a deck or floor joist includes two opposed upright side panels on each side of a joist connected by a lower web that supports the bottom of the joist, and optionally side flanges off the side panels that abut the ledger. A joist hanger is just one of countless examples of connectors for use in connecting building members to each other. One common problem associated with known connectors is that each of them is specifically designed and dimensioned for a single use with a single dimension of lumber. This requires many different hangers to accommodate a variety of building member connections in any given construction setting. It would be useful to provide a connector with capabilities to improve upon these common issues. For example, it would be useful to have a hanger that allows a user to form numerous different building member connections. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed connector; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connector of FIG. 1 from a different position; FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the connector of FIGS. 1-2; FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the connector of FIGS. 1-2; FIG. 5 is a side cross sectional view of the connector of FIGS. 1-2; FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of the disclosed connector referred to as a dual sided or saddle connector; FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the connector of FIG. 6 from another angle; FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of the connector of FIGS. 6-7; FIG. 9 is a rear elevation view of the connector of FIGS. 6-7; FIG. 10 shows an exemplary beam-to-joist building assembly using the connector of FIGS. 1-2 with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 11 is a side view of the building assembly of FIG. 10 with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 12 is a top view of the building assembly of FIG. 10 with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 13 shows an exemplary joist-to-ledger building assembly using the connectors of FIGS. 1-2 and FIGS. 6-7 with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 14 is a front bottom perspective view of the building assembly of FIG. 13 with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 15 is a top view of the building assembly of FIG. 13 with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 16 shows an exemplary post-to-beam building assembly using connectors of FIGS. 1-2 from a perspective view with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 17 is a front elevation view of the building assembly of FIG. 16 with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 18 is a bottom elevation view of the of the building assembly of FIG. 16 with building members in skeletal view; FIG. 19 shows an exemplary stringer-to-rail building assembly using the connector of FIGS. 1-2 from a front perspective view; FIG. 20 is a side elevation view of the building assembly of FIG. 19; FIG. 21 is a bottom elevation view of the building assembly of FIG. 19; FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the connector of FIGS. 1-2 with fasteners installed and building members omitted for clarity; FIG. 23 is a side elevation view of the connector of FIGS. 1-2 with fasteners installed; FIG. 24 is a rear elevation view of the connector of FIGS. 1-2 with fasteners installed; FIG. 25 is a front elevation view of the connector of FIGS. 1-2 with fasteners installed; FIG. 26 shows a collated strip of connectors like those depicted in FIGS. 1-2; FIGS. 27A-27D depict steps of an installation of a joist to a beam using the connector of FIGS. 1-2; FIGS. 28A-28E show steps of an installation of a joist to a ledger using the connector of FIGS. 6-7 and connectors of FIGS. 1-2; FIGS. 29A-29E show steps of an installation of a post to a beam using connectors of FIGS. 1-2; FIGS. 30A-30C show another embodiment of a saddle connector in use for leveling and attaching a joist to a ledger; FIGS. 31A-31C sh