There are numerous structures that utilize corner brackets in their construction. These include shelving units, frames, and various rectangular structures.
A wide range of corner bracket designs have been patented. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,813,862 discloses a corner bracket assembly for use in an associated movable frame assembly. The corner bracket assembly includes a first housing piece having upstanding coupling pins. A second housing piece has receiving pockets for connecting engagement with the coupling pins and defining a cavity therebetween. A roller assembly is received within the cavity. The roller assembly includes a roller housing, a threaded engaging portion defined in the roller housing, and a roller rotatably mounted within the roller housing. A threaded fastener is rotatably mounted between the first and second housing pieces and is in threaded engagement with the roller assembly. A track is defined between the first and second housing pieces and the roller assembly for linearly adjusting a position of the roller assembly in relation to the first and second housing pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,236 discloses a corner bracket comprising of two matching components held together by two bolts wherein as the two bolts are tightened, the two matching components will be urged toward each other thereby securely gripping a planar surface that is inserted between them. Another bolt is inserted through an opening in the second component through a threaded hole in the first component and protrudes into a hole in the first component where the vertical supporting member is inserted. The bolt will securely lock the corner bracket with the planar surface to the vertical supporting member inserted through the hole in the first component.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,205 discloses a bracket for use with a system of forms for holding poured concrete forming concrete walls. The bracket is used to hold the forms at corners of the system when the concrete walls change directions. The corner bracket includes formations to hold the wall panels in place at the corner.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,760 discloses a corner bracket used with a window or sliding glass door assembly to form a corner joint connecting frame members together which hold the glass and weather insulation in place. The corner bracket includes a body which has a front side and a back side connected by a connecting wall. The corner body includes a first end and a second end, where the second end is oriented approximately normal to the first end. The first and second ends include a pair of channels, a pair of L-shaped members spaced from the channels, and a finger extending from the connecting wall. The corner can also include a groove portion which engages a securing wall for the window. The corner can also include a protrusion which engages a weather insulation strip. The channels are detachably received by slots in a frame member. The L-shaped members and the finger are detachably received by openings in the frame member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,185 discloses a corner bracket that comprises a corner piece and an integrally attached pin. In one embodiment, the corner piece is a single, integrally-formed molded plastic piece having front and rear walls joined by sidewalls. The pin may be made from metal and be molded into the juncture between the sidewalls. The molded-in end of the pin extends inwardly nearly to the front face of the corner piece. The pin may also be molded plastic integrally molded with the corner piece. In either case, the pin projects from the rear face and terminates in a pointed end for attachment to a vertical surface. The corner piece defines a slot dimensioned to receive a corner portion of an object to be mounted, such as a mat frame. In another embodiment, the front and rear walls of the corner piece are attached to each other by a hinge. The walls and the hinge are preferably integrally molded from plastic. Edge portions of the front and rear walls are provided with snap-together interlocking portions. When the walls are moved together into a closed position, the interlocking portions hold them together and they grip a corner portion of an object, such as a poster.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,520 discloses a corner bracket. On a side face of a corner bracket are formed a common insertion hole for a bolt, a stepped portion having a contact face and a contact edge which come to contact with a side wall of a strut and a side board of a shelf board, a strut projected portion engageable with an engaging hole defined in the side wall of the strut, and a board projected portion engageable with an engaging hole defined in the side board of the shelf board. The stepped portions are formed so as to extend entirely over a lower portion of the side face and to project outward. The side face of the corner bracket extends outside a line connecting between the strut projected portion and the board connecting portion formed thereon. Accordingly, the corner bracket is capable of reinforcing effectively a joint portion of the shelf board and the strut in a simple construction, and of preventing effectively an undesirable shaking of this joint portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,792 discloses an apparatus for and method of forming any selected one of a plurality of different articles of furniture, such as seating, storage, and sleeping units comprising a plurality of panels each having inner and outer faces terminating in a perimetrical edge, and mechanism for detachably coupling any selected number of panels together in angular relation such that the perimetrical edge of each panel is positioned inwardly of the outer face of an adjacent angularly related panel and the outer face of each panel is positioned outwardly of the perimetrical edge of the adjacent angularly related panel to provide outwardly opening openings adjacent the adjacent perimetrical edges of adjacent panels. One aspect of the invention includes a corner coupling bracket for coupling adjacent angularly related panels to form outwardly opening openings at the adjacent ends of adjacent panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,239 discloses a unitized corner brace for attachment to the corner of a structure. The unitized corner brace comprises a central portion having an edge and a right angle; two spaced apart tabs extending from the edge, each tab having a stepped portion proximal to the edge and stepped towards each other, the right angle being between the spaced apart tabs such that the tabs are perpendicular to each other; and, opposed bracket portions extending from the central portion. A method of manufacturing a unitized corner brace from a single piece of material and a stackable structure made using a unitized corner brace are also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,251 discloses a knock-down shelving unit comprising a plurality of rectangular sheet metal shelves supported by vertical posts having a substantially rectangular cross-section, but in two adjacent corners being provided with groove-like deformations with spaced holes to secure the shelves in selected levels by means of screws. Each shelf has box-like flange portions in the adjoining open ends of which are inserted protecting plastics plates interconnected by a flexible central portion with a guide opening for a screw to be screwed through a mounting device extending obliquely between the two flange portions near the ends thereof.
None of the foregoing provide an easy to manufacture, easy to assemble corner member that can be used with a range of different materials to construct a range of different structures. What is needed is an easy to manufacture and easy to use corner member that can provide support and rigidity to a wide range of structures. It would be advantageous if the assembly was designed to allow an individual to assemble structures without the assistance of others. It would be advantageous if different lengths and combinations could be used to provide differing heights and could be use to link various structures together. It would be of further advantage if the corner member could accept different thicknesses and different compositions of planar materials. Still further, it would be advantageous if the corner member was provided as an assembly. If specific structures were sought, it would be of a further advantage to provide kits for those structures. These might include boxes, planters, benches and the like.
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