Securing device for combining floor plates

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a securing device, and more particularly to a securing device for combining two adjacent floor plates conveniently.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Conventionally, combinable floor plates are pieced together via applying adhesive agent on bottom faces of the floor plates to allow the floor plates to securely attached onto a surface, i.e. ground. Further, securing elements such as nails are applied to enhance the attachment between the floor plates to the ground.

[0005] A kind of conventional floor plate (20) and a securing device (50) are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The floor plate (20) has two longitudinal sides, a first connection part (21) and a second connection part (22). The first connection part (21) is defined in one of the sides of the floor plate (20) and a second connection part (22) is formed on the other side of the floor plate (20) to be opposite and complementary to the first connection part (21). The securing device (50) is mounted between the adjacent floor plates (20).

[0006] The first connection part (21) is defined in the side face of the floor plate (20) The first connection part (21) has an upper cutout (211) and a lower cutout (212) respectively defined in the side face of the floor plate (20).

[0007] The second connection part (22) defined in the side face of the floor plate (20) opposite the first connection part (21). The second connection part (22) has a tongue (221) extending from the side face and a slit (222) defined in the bottom of the floor plate (20) besides the tongue (221).

[0008] The securing device (50) mounted between the adjacent floor plates (20) has an extended tongue and a rib. The extended tongue is mounted inside the slit (222) in the floor plate (20) and the rib formed on the top surface of the securing device (50) for mounting inside the first connection part (21) of the floor plate (20). The securing device (50) further comprises a buffer (51) mounted on the rib for the adjacent floor plates (20) mounting more securely.

[0009] When the connector (50) is applied to a bottom side of one of the floor plates (20) and the floor plate (20) with the securing device (50) is placed on top of the ground, a different floor plate (20) is connected to the previous floor plate (20) with the tongue (221) being received in the first connection part (21). Therefore, the floor is completed via piecing the floor plates (20).

[0010] However, when the conventional securing device (50) is assembled to the floor plates (20), a loud noise is always made due to the hard material of the floor plates (20) and the securing device (50). Further, the buffer (51) mounted on the rib of the securing device (50) is adhered one by one manually and is time consuming.

[0011] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a securing device to mitigate the aforementioned problems.

[0012] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a securing device to securely combine two adjacent floor plates conveniently.

[0013] In order to accomplish the above objective, the securing device of the present invention has a base with two longitudinal sides, an extended tongue, a rib, two buffers and at least one pin. The extended tongue is formed on one of the longitudinal sides on the top surface and has a first mounting slit defined in the inner surface of the extended tongue. The rib is formed on the top surface of the base to form a receiving recess between the extended tongue and the rib. The rib is aligned with the extended tongue and has a second mounting slit. The at least one hole is defined in the base at the other longitudinal side. The two buffers are respectively mounted in the first mounting slit and the second slit. The at least one pin is mounted respectively in the at least one hole. With the two buffers, the noise caused from piecing the floor plates will be reduced.

[0014] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0015] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of floor plates and securing devices in accordance with the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the securing device in FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is an operational side plan view in partial cross sectional of the floor plates and the securing device in FIG. 1 showing combination between two adjacent floor plates with the securing device;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the combination between adjacent floor plates in FIG. 1;

[0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of conventional floor plates with securing devices in accordance with the prior art; and

[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the combination between adjacent floor plates with securing devices in FIG. 5.

[0021] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a floor plate (20) includes a first connection part (21) formed on a first side face of the floor plate (20) and a second connection part (22) formed on a second side face of the floor plate (20) opposite to the first connection part (21). The floor plate (20) may have a structure same as that of a conventional one.

[0022] A securing device (10) in accordance with the present invention is mounted between adjacent floor plates (20) and has a base (11), an extended tongue (12), a rib (13), a receiving recess (122), at least one hole (14), two buffers (15) and at least one pin (16).

[0023] The base (11) has two longitudinal sides and a top surface.

[0024] The extended tongue (12) is formed on one of the longitudinal sides on the top surface of the base (11) and has an inner surface and a first mounting slit (121). The mounting slit (121) is defined in the inner surface of the extended tongue (12). In a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the mounting slit (121) is semi-circular.

[0025] The rib (13) is formed on the top surface of the base (11) away the center of the base (11) to form a receiving recess (122) between the extended tongue (12) and the rib (13) and is aligned with the extended tongue (12). The rib (13) has a top, a side surface, a top plate and a second mounting slit (131). The second mounting slit (131) is defined in the side surface facing the extended tongue (12). The top plate is formed on the top of the rib (13) to make the rib (13) bend toward the same direction as the extended tongue (12).

[0026] The at least one hole (14) is defined in the base (11) at the other longitudinal side. In a preferred embodiment, two holes (14) are respectively defined through the base (11).

[0027] The two buffers (15) are respectively mounted in the first mounting slit (121) and the second slit (131). The two buffers (15) may be made of rubber, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), foam rubber or any material that can eliminate noise.

[0028] The at least one pin (16) is mounted respectively in the at least one hole (14). In a preferred embodiment, two pins (16) are respectively mounted through the two holes (14) and are securely inserted into the floor plate (20).

[0029] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, when the securing device is assembled to adjacent floor plates (20), the extended tongue (12) is mounted inside the slit (222) in the second connection part (22) in the floor plate (20). The rib (13) and the base (11) are respectively mounted in the upper cutout (211) and the lower cutout (212) in the first connection part (21) of the adjacent floor plate (20). The tongue (221) of the second connection part (22) is mounted inside the receiving recess (122) in the securing device (10) and abuts with the buffers (15) mounted in the mounting slits (121, 131). Finally, the pins (16) are respectively inserted into the floor plate (20) through the holes (14). The advantages of the securing device of the present invention describe as follows.

[0030] First, to mount the buffers (15) in the receiving slits (121, 131) is easier than the conventional one. In manufacturing, multiple securing devices (10) may be made by aluminum extrusion. When the aluminum extrusion process is made, the two buffer strips (15) are adhered inside the slits (121,131), then the pre-securing device (10) is cut into multiple pieces to obtain multiple securing devices (10). Accordingly, to manufacture the securing device (10) in accordance with the present invention is easy and convenient.

[0031] Second, the adjacent floor plate (20) mounted inside the receiving recess (122) will make the noise reduce due to the two buffers (15) mounted inside the mounting slits (121, 131). With the arrangement of the buffers (15), the tongue (221) can be kept from bumping with the base (11) directly, so that noise generated during assembling the floor plates (20) will be reduced.

[0032] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.