Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a dasher board assembly and particularly relates to
a dasher board assembly having a U-shaped channel for receiving a shielding
panel and a
rotatable cam hidden from view which co-operates with said channel to
releasably clamp said
shielding panel to the channel.
Background of the Invention
Wall enclosures around athletic playing surfaces have heretofore been very
popular, whether such wall enclosures define ice rinks, soccer fields, or the
like.
Such wall enclosures have, in the past, been constructed of a variety of
materials, including wooden frame members, which have been found to be
undesirable since
the wooden frame members are subject to damage due to moisture and temperature
extremes
in the case of outdoor rinks, as well as being costly to construct,
particularly on site.
Accordingly, a number of interconnected dasher board panels suitable for ice
hockey rinks, skating rinks and soccer fields have heretofore been proposed.
For example, United States Patent No. 4,905,970 teaches a dasher board
system for athletic playing surfaces which includes inter-connected
substantially identical
dasher board sections employing in one embodiment a polyethylene facing panel
backed by
a plywood panel, supported by upright tubing sections anchored to perimeter
concrete.
Moreover, United States Patent No. 3,727,888 teaches a hockey rink board
having panel sections standing end-to-end to form a wall around a hockey rink
or the like
where each panel has a central post for holding it upright and for pivoting it
into alignment
with similar panels to form a wall.
Moreover, United States Patent No. 4,883,267 teaches an ice rink dasher
board system having an adjustable shock absorbing mechanism for providing a
desired degree
of resiliency of the dasher board panels.
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Moreover, United States Patent No. 3,883,120 also shows a dasher board for
skating rinks made entirely of fibreglass and having a smooth front portion
with integrally
formed border and a plurality of bolsters to provide rigidity.
These and other dasher board systems present relatively complicated
structures.
Moreover, many of the dasher board systems used heretofore present exposed
clamping
mechanisms such as bolts or the like, in order to clamp the shielding panels
such as tempered
glass or the like to the dasher board assemblies.
Furthermore, a number of clamping mechanisms have heretofore been
proposed in order to clamp panels of glass.
For example, United States Patent No. 4,914,888 teaches a support frame for
receiving and retaining a panel of glass as part of a wall or door assembly.
Moreover, United States patent No. 2,026,139 shows a mounting for a glass
pane having a front clamping member, a back clamping member and a cam on the
back
clamping member co-acting with the front clamping member to draw the members
towards
each other into glass clamping relation.
Finally, United States Patent No. 3,296,763 illustrates devices for removably
locking panels in a framing.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved dasher board system
which is easy to construct and assemble. It is also an object of this
invention to provide an
improved clamping mechanism of the shielding panel which is hidden from view.
The broadest aspect of this invention relates to a dasher board assembly
comprising a channel adapted for receiving a shielding panel; a rotatable cam
cooperating
with said channel adapted to releasably clamp said shielding panel to said
channel; a lower
frame adapted to be anchored to the ground extending upwardly towards a pair
of spaced
apart stringers, said channel comprising a U-shaped cross-section disposed
between said
stringers, said lower frame comprising a bottom plate adapted to be anchored
to the ground
with a plurality of spaced apart up-standing posts, each of said posts
comprising a lower end
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connected to said bottom plate and an upper end connected to said stringers;
and a flat plate
disposed between said stringers, said channel and said upper end of said posts
connected to
said flat plate.
Another aspect of this invention relates to a dasher board assembly comprising
a lower frame comprising a bottom plate adapted to be anchored to the ground;
a pair of
spaced apart stringers at an upper end of said lower frame, said stringers
comprising an
upper and lower surface; a plurality of upstanding posts, each comprising a
lower end
connected to said bottom plate and an upper end connected to said lower
surface of a
respective stringer; a U-shaped channel disposed between said stringers, said
U-shaped
channel comprising a first leg connected to one of said stringers and a second
movable leg
spaced from said other stringer; a shielding panel adapted to be releasably
secured to said
U-shaped channel; a rotatable cam disposed between said second leg of said U-
shaped
channel and said other stringer for cooperating with said second leg of said U-
shaped channel
to releasably clamp said shielding panel between said first and second legs;
and a sill
connected to said upper surface of said stringers to prevent access to said
rotatable cam, said
rotatable cam is pinned to a bolt and comprises a cam head.
Another aspect of this invention relates to a dasher board assembly comprising
a
frame; a channel mounted to said frame and adapted for receiving a shielding
panel; and
a cam rotatably mounted to said frame, said cam adapted to cooperate with said
channel to
releasably clamp a shielding panel within said channel.
Another aspect of this invention relates to a dasher board assembly
comprising:
a frame; means, mounted to said frame, for receiving a shielding panel; and
means, mounted
to said frame, for releasably clamping a shielding panel to said means for
receiving a
shielding panel.
Yet another aspect of this invention relates to a dasher board assembly
comprising a
frame; a U-shaped channel mounted within said frame and adapted for receiving
a shielding
panel, said U-shaped channel comprising a pair of legs, at least one of said
legs being
displaceable with respect to said U-shaped channel; and a rotatable cam
mounted within said
frame and adapted to cooperate with said U-shaped channel to releasably clamp
a shielding
panel within said U-shaped channel, said com comprising a head disposed to be
selectively
biased against said displaceable leg so as to cause said displaceable leg to
bias a shielding
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panel inserted in said U-shaped channel against said other leg, wherein said U-
shaped channel
has an unbiased state allowing insertion and removal of said shielding.
Drawings
These and other objects and features of the invention shall now be described
in relation to
the drawings.
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the dasher board assembly.
Figure 2 is a partial top view of the dasher board assembly.
Figure 2a is a front elevational view of the lower frame of the dasher board
assembly.
Figure 3 is an expanded top view of the clamping mechanism.
Figure 4 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the rotatable cam.
Figure 4a is a front elevational view of another embodiment of the rotatable
cam.
Figure 5 is a top view of two sections of the dasher board system.
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Figure 6 is a side view of the U-shaped channel.
Figure 6a is a side view of an extrusion of the U-shaped channel.
Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 7-7 of Figure 5.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the rotatable cam.
Figure 9 is a partial cross sectional view of the rotatable cam of Figure 8 in
an unlocked
position.
Figure 10 is a partial cross sectional view of the rotatable cam of Figure 8
in a locked
position.
Description of the Invention
Like parts shall be given like numbers throughout the figures.
Figure 1 illustrates the dasher board assembly 2 having a lower frame
assembly 4 and shielding panel, such as tempered glass, or the like, 6.
Tempered glass
utilized in hockey rinks can have a variety of appropriate thicknesses such as
for example 518
of an inch thick.
The dasher board assemblies are anchored to the ground by means of bolts 10
as well as to each other in side-by-side relation so as to define a hockey
rink or the like in
a manner to be more fully described herein. The dasher board assembly 2 is
supportless in
the sense that adjacent vertical side edges of the tempered glass 6 are
permitted to abut one
against the other in a manner well known to persons skilled in the art.
In particular, the lower frame assembly 4 comprises a bottom channel 12
having a plurality of posts 16 and 18, whereby the lower ends of the posts 16
and 18 are
connected or welded to the lower base plate or channel 12. The upper ends of
the posts 16
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and 18 are connected to the top stringers 24 and 26. In particular, the upper
ends of the
posts 16 and 18 are welded to flat plates 28 which in turn are welded to the
bottom surface
30 and 32 of stringers 24 and 26. The stringers may be made from any suitable
material
such as for example out of aluminium tube or the like.
Although the size and configuration of the various components of the bottom
frame can be varied within the spirit of the invention described herein, an
example of the size
and configurations of the various components shall now be given by way of
example only
without limiting the scope of the claims. The stringers 24 and 26 may be of
any suitable size
and for example are one and one-half inches by four inches by 3116 of an inch
thick
aluminium. The flat plates 28 are also suitably sized and for example are one-
half inch thick
by five inches wide aluminium flat bar and can be eight inches long over the
posts or six
inches long between the posts. Alternatively flat plate 28 may be one piece.
For example, the bottom 12 may comprise of a pair 12a and 12b of one and
one-half inches by three inches by ninety-five and one-quarter inches long
aluminum channels
welded to the posts. A kick strip 11 is also provided adding protection to the
bottom of the
dasher board 2 against skates or the like. The kick strip may be comprised of
a variety of
materials such as for example plastic.
Moreover, the bottom 12 includes a plurality of anchor plates 34 adapted to
receive bolts 10 for anchoring the dasher board system 2 into the ground or
concrete 8. A
polyethylene ice dam 9 is provided between the concrete floor 8 and bottom
channels 12a and
12b. The dasher board also includes a plastic panel 13 fastened to the stinger
24
intermediate stringer and channel 12a; and in one example the plastic panel is
one-half inch
thick, and is white with red and blue markings as may be found in a hockey
arena.
The dasher board 2 also includes an intermediate stringer 15 welded to the
posts 16 and 18 and in one example stringer 15 may be made from one and one-
half inch by
three inches by one-eight inch thick aluminium tube.
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The dasher board 2 also includes plates 14a, 14b and 20 and 20a at each end
which are welded to the stringers 24, 26 and 15. Plates 14a, 14b, 20 and 20a
can be made
from appropriate materials such as aluminium and in one example are 3/16 inch
thick by one
and one-half inches wide and fifteen inches long and are adapted for fastening
panel 13.
The dasher board system 2 also includes at the opposite sides thereof a plate
36 and 38 at each end thereof which are welded to the stringers 24 and 26 and
bottom 12.
By way of example the side plates 36 and 38 may be comprised of one-quarter
inch thick
aluminum plate at each end of the panel, having a plurality of holes 27
adapted to receive
bolts or fastening means (not shown) so as to fastened adjacent side by side
dasher board
systems so as to define an athletic enclosure. The side plates of 36 and 38
include a slot
adapted to receive the end of the tempered glass 6.
Although the material defined herein can be comprised of a variety of
materials, aluminum has been found to be particularly useful in that it is
lightweight and
strong and may be easily welded and is given by way of example only without
limiting the
scope of the claims.
The flat plate 28 is welded to the bottom of the stringers 24 and 26 and U-
shaped channel 40. The U-shaped channel 40 is adapted to receive the tempered
glass 6.
In one embodiment, the U-shaped channel can be ninety-six inches long
namely the same length as the panel 13 which is welded to one of the stringers
24 and flat
plates 28.
With reference to Figure 4, a pair of spaced apart stringers 24 and 26 are
shown. Although the configuration of stringers 24 and 26 are shown to be
rectangular in
cross-section, and in one example comprise one and one-half inches by four
inches by three-
sixteenth inch aluminium tubes, a variety of materials or configurations can
be utilized. A
U-shaped channel 40 is disposed between the stringers 24 and 26. In
particular, one leg 42
of the U-shaped channel 40 is connected or welded to one stringer 24 and
accordingly is
affixed thereto while the other leg 44 is adapted for movement in a manner to
be more fully
217043
particularized herein. Leg 42 need not be connected or welded to stringer 24
since leg 42
may abut against stringer 24 as shown in Figure 4. The U-shaped channel 40 is
welded at
the bottom to flat plates 28.
The particulars of the U-shaped channel are more fully described in Figure 6
and 6a. The U-shaped channel 40 is designed so that one leg 44 is displaceable
relative the
leg 42 welded to stringer 24. In one embodiment the leg 42 is perpendicular to
bottom 41
while leg 44 is at a very slight divergent angle relative to leg 42. In
particular leg 44 is not
parallel from point C and in one example leg 44 is at 0.89 of one degree
divergent from the
vertical angle measured from leg 42.
Figure 6a shows one manufacturing process to fabricate U-shaped channel 40
where an extrusion of a U-shaped channel includes a sacrificial leg 51 which
is attached to
legs 42 and 44 during the extrusion process. The sacrificial leg 51 is used to
keep the legs
in the appropriate position during extrusion and is adapted to be knocked off
after extrusion
in a manner so there is no protrusion of the knocked off sacrificial leg into
the U-shaped
channel. As an example the U-shaped channel shown in figure 6 and 6a is
adapted to open
.06 of an inch over a 4 inch height of leg 44. However other dimensions or
arrangements
could be used so long as the U-shaped channel has at least one leg 44 which is
displaceable
or adapted to move and pinch the lower end of the tempered glass 6. Although
leg 42 is
welded to stringer 24 in the embodiment shown, it is not necessary to weld
same so long as
bottom 41 is welded to plate 28 since leg 42 would bear against stringer 24
during pinching
of the tempered glass 6.
The U-shaped channel is adapted to receive one edge of shielding panel 6 such
as tempered glass or the like which may be utilized at a hockey arena, skating
rink, or soccer
field or other athletic enclosure.
A selectively releasable bearing or pressure means such as a rotatable cam 50
is disposed between the second leg 44 of U-shaped channel 40 and stringer 26
which co-
operates with the second leg 44 to releasably clamp the tempered glass 6 in a
manner to be
described.
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A gasket 57 is utilized on both sides of the glass 6 within the U-shaped
channel 40 to minimize any cracking or fracturing of tempered glass 6.
One embodiment of the rotatable cam 50 is shown in Figure 4. The rotatable
cam includes a cam head 52 which is secured to a threadless bolt or shaft 54
by means of
a pin 56. The rotatable cam 50 is aligned within the space between the U-
shaped bracket 40
and stringer 26 by means of a cam bracket 61 which is welded to stringer 26.
The cam
bracket 61 includes an aperture 63 for receiving threadless bolt 54.
Another embodiment of the rotatable cam 50 is shown in Figure 4a which
includes a cam head 52 which is secured to a bolt blank (no threads) 54 by
means of a pin
56. The rotatable cam 50 includes a hex head 58 and a sleeve or pipe 60. The
rotatable cam
also includes a cam bracket 62 having a hole 64 adapted to receive the bolt
54. The screw
holes 66 are also provided so as to screw the cam bracket 62 into the bottom
surface 30 and
32 of stringers 24 and 26 as best shown in Figure 4a. In the embodiment shown
in Figure
4a the flat plates 28 are welded to the bottom at stringers 24 and 26 while
the cam bracket
62 is screwed to the stringers 24 and 26 between the flat plates 28.
The shape of the rotatable cam head 52 of the embodiment shown in Figure
4 and 4a is shown in Figure 3 and comprises releasing surface 80 and clamping
surface 82.
The distance between clamping surfaces 80 is less than the distance between
the clamping
surfaces 82.
Moreover, a sill 70 and 72 comprised of plastic or the like are connected to
the upper surface 74 and 76 of stringers 24 and 26 so as to bar access to, or
hide the
rotatable cam 50. In this way, fans or other viewers of the sport will not
easily or
accidentally contact the rotatable cam which may result in injury or cuts.
The operation of the rotatable cam 50 depicted in Figure 4 and 4a shall now
be described. The cam 50 includes first releasing surfaces 80 and if rotated
to the point
shown in Figure 4, the releasing surfaces 80 will be adjacent the second leg
44 so as to
permit removal of the panel 6. Upon further rotation by ninety degrees of
rotatable cam 50,
2 i 709~:~
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clamping cam surface 82 will contact the second leg 44 of U-shaped channel so
as to pinch
or clamp the panel in place. The rotatable cam is moveable by rotation of the
hex head 58.
The cam bracket 61 of Figure 4 properly locates the shaft 54 and assists in
the proper
spacing of cam head 52. The sleeve or pipe 60 of Figure 4a accommodates proper
spacing
of the cam head 52 from the cam bracket 62. In other words, the cam bracket 61
of Figure
4 and aluminum sleeve 30 of Figure 4a ensures that the clamping or pinching
force is
provided near the upper ends of the legs 42 and 44 near the sills 70 and 72 so
as to maximize
the clamping force. Moreover, the rotatable cam 50 is designed to lock the cam
in the
clamping position in view of the flat edges 82. In other words as the
rotatable cam rotates
about the rounded edges, the relatively large, flat clamping surfaces 82 are
presented next
adjacent the moveable leg 44 so as to produce a positive clamping force. In
other words legs
44 in Figure 4 and 4a will move to the left in the locking position. If a U-
shaped bracket
is used as shown in Figure 6 and 6a the 90 degree rotation of cam head 52 will
cause the
clamping surface 82 to bear against leg 44 and move same so as to close the
0.89 degree
angle and pinch the tempered glass between the legs 42 and 44. The cam head 52
can be
made of a suitable plastic such as sold under the trademark DELRIN'~.
Figure 2 and 4 further illustrates the cam head 52 which is rotated in an
unlocked position and then rotated 90 degrees to a locked position. In the
locked position
one locking surface 82 bears against the surface 45 of leg 44 while the other
locking surface
82 of cam head 52 bears against the surface 27 of stringer 26. The same
relationship is also
found in the embodiment shown in Figure 4a.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a rotatable cam assembly 100 which
comprises an L-shaped plate which defines a moveable pressure plate 102 and
lower plate
104. Lower plate 104 includes fastener securing holes 106 which are adapted to
receive
fastening means such as a screw 108. Other fastening means could be used.
Lower plate
104 could include a number of holes but preferably would consist of two holes
106. The
lower plate 104 is adapted to be removably fastened to the lower horizontal
portion of
stringer 26.
The rotatable cam assembly includes an L-shaped support bracket 110 which
includes
a top support locating surface 112 and vertical surface 114. Top support
surface 112 and
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lower plate 104 each include aligned holes 116 and 118 respectively for
receiving threadless
bolt or shaft 54. L-shaped support bracket 110 is connected to lower plate 104
by any
suitable means such as welding 119 or the like.
Lower plate 104 includes a peripheral edge 120. The distance between
peripheral
edge 120 and vertical surface 112 as shown in Figures 9 and 10 is sufficient
for vertical
surface to butt up against stringer 26 when screws 108 have fastened rotatable
cam assembly
100 to stringer 26. The rotatable cam assembly 100 includes a shaft 54 having
hex head 58.
The other end of shaft 54 has fastened thereto a circular head defining a cam
130 where axis
of rotation R is eccentric to that of the axis of rotation S shaft 54. Cam
head 130 may be
fastened to the end of shaft 54 by a number of means including welding, in
which case cam
head 130 can comprise a hollow circular sleeve which is eccentrically welded
to shaft 54.
The cam head 130 is adapted to be rotated by hex head 58 from the unlocked
position
shown in Figure 9 to the locked position shown in Figure 10, by rotating the
shaft 54 180
degrees. In the locked position shown in Figure 10 circular cam head 130 bears
against
pressure plate 102 which is adapted to pivot about fold line 132 and press
against leg 44 of
U-shaped channel 40 in a manner so as to fasten shielding panel 6 to the U-
shaped channel
40.
Although the U-shaped channel can be made from a number of materials,
aluminium
is often used because of its light weight. However, aluminium tends to be
soft, and when
using the cam surface shown in Figure 4 and 4a may wear particularly if the
cam head is
repeatedly rotated from a locked to an unlocked position. In other words leg
44 may exhibit
a slight hollow or depression (not shown) caused by the imprint of rotatable
head 50. If a
harder material such as steel is used for the U-shaped channel the formation
of the said
hollow or depression is less pronounced over time.
The cam assembly 100 may be made from any suitable material such as steel or
the
like including aluminium. However in one embodiment the cam assembly 100 is
made from
steel; that is L-shaped plates 100 and 110 including shaft 54 and rotatable
head 130 are made
from a suitable steel. Accordingly the cam assembly 100 wears well.
Furthermore the cam
assembly may be fastened by screws to aluminium stringer 26 thereby avoiding
problems
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which would result in trying to weld steel to aluminium. Since the pressure
plate 102 has
a larger area than the cam head 130 pressure may be exerted over a larger area
over U-
shaped channel 40 thereby providing positive locking force. Furthermore since
the pressure
is exerted by pressure plate 102 over a larger area over U-shaped channel 40
there is less
wearing and thereby minimizing the formation of the slight hollow or
depression in the U-
shaped channel 40.
The dasher boards are adapted to be connected in side by side fashion whereby
the side plate 36 of one dasher board system is adapted to be connected to the
side plate 38
of the next adjacent dasher board 2. The dasher board 2 is generally
constructed in a straight
planer manner as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 2a particularly when such dasher
board 2
comprises the straight portion of a hockey rink such as between the blue
lines. When the
dasher board 2 defines a curved portion such as between the blue lines in the
end of a hockey
rink the straight planer portions of dasher board 2 may be utilized but more
preferably a
curved dasher board 2 such as shown in Figure 5 and 7. The curved dasher board
2 is
constructed in a similar fashion as that described above and includes spaced
stringers 24 and
26, flat plates 28 which are welded to the stringers 24 and 26. When a curved
dasher board
2 is utilized stringer 24 may be narrower than stringer 26. For example,
stringer 26 may
comprise a one and one-half inch by four inch by 3116 of an inch aluminium
tube while
stringer 24 comprises a one inch by four inch by 0.120 inch aluminium tube
stringer. The
distance between the face 43 of leg 42 and surface 25 of stringer 24 varies
along the curved
dasher board 2. The U-shaped channel 40 is welded to plate 28 while the top
end of leg 42
bears against the top sill 70. A flat bar spacer 49 may be required to be
connected or welded
to the stringer 26 so as to provide a bearing surface for contact with the
locking surface 82
of cam 50. Figure 5 also illustrates that some of the plates 28 are welded
over the posts 16
and 18 while other plates 28 include an aperture 51 for accommodating the cam
assembly 50.
The dasher board 2 also includes a pair of clips 81 which are welded to the
channels 12a and 12b. The clips 81 are also welded to the posts 16 and 18.
Accordingly,
the dasher board 2 as described herein may be assembled in side by side
relationship by
utilizing the straight and curved dasher boards 2 as described herein so as to
define an
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2i709~3
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athletic surface such as a hockey rink or the like. The dasher board 2
includes a channel
having a fixed leg and a movable leg said movable leg movable or displaceable
by a
displaceable means such as a cam as described herein.
Although the preferred embodiment as well as the operation and the use have
been specifically described in relation to the drawings, it should be
understood the variations
in the preferred embodiment could be achieved by a man skilled in the art
without departing
from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention should not be
understood to be
limited to the exact form revealed by the drawings.
