Connector system and building components for use in building construction

Abstract

An example connector system embodiment may be used to quickly align and interconnect two framing members, planar panels or other building components, e.g. during erection of prefabricated or component housing. The connector system includes a male connector and a female connector. The connectors can be attached to, or may be integrally formed with, respective building components to be interconnected. The male connector comprises a tapered protrusion having a cross-sectional extent that decreases monotonically, in at least one dimension, in the direction of protrusion, so as to impart a taper to the tapered protrusion in the at least one dimension. A corresponding female connector comprises a receptacle for receiving the tapered protrusion. The taper may facilitate centering of the male connector with respect to the female connector during mating of the connectors. Depending on the orientation of the connectors, the facilitation of centering may be enhanced by gravity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A connector system for interconnecting two building components, the connector system comprising:
 a male connector comprising:
 a connector body for attachment to a building component; and 
 a tapered protrusion protruding from the connector body, the tapered protrusion having a cross-sectional extent that decreases monotonically, in at least one dimension, in a direction of protrusion, thereby imparting a taper to the tapered protrusion in the at least one dimension; 
   a female connector comprising:
 a connector body for attachment to another building component; and 
 a receptacle defined within the connector body of the female connector, the receptacle for receiving the tapered protrusion of the male connector upon mating of the male connector with the female connector, 
   wherein the taper of the tapered protrusion is for facilitating centering of the male connector with respect to the female connector in the at least one dimension through sliding engagement between the tapered protrusion and at least part of the receptacle during the mating of the male connector with the female connector,   wherein the male connector further comprises a male receptor and the female connector further comprises a corresponding female receptor, the male receptor and the female receptor being situated for alignment with one another upon mating of the male connector with the female connector, the male receptor and the female receptor both being configured to receive a fastener for interconnecting the male connector with the female connector, and   wherein the tapered protrusion comprises a wall, wherein the male receptor is located in the wall of the tapered protrusion, and wherein the connector body of the male connector further comprises an access hole for accessing the male receptor from the interior side of the wall.   
     
     
         2 . The connector system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one dimension of taper is transverse to the connector body of the male connector. 
     
     
         3 . The connector system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one dimension of taper is longitudinal with respect to the connector body of the male connector. 
     
     
         4 . The connector system of  claim 1  further comprising a snap tit for joining the male connector with the female connector upon mating of the male connector with the female connector. 
     
     
         5 . The connector system of  claim 1  wherein the tapered protrusion has a base section that is untapered in the at least one dimension, the base section for promoting abrupt seating of the tapered protrusion within the receptacle upon achievement of the centering of the male connector with respect to the female connector in the at least one dimension. 
     
     
         6 . The connector system of  claim 1  wherein the receptacle of the female connector comprises opposing resilient wings angled away from a receiving end of the receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The connector system of  claim 1  wherein the cross-sectional extent of the tapered protrusion decreases monotonically in two dimensions in the direction of protrusion, such that the taper of the tapered protrusion is a two-dimensional taper, the two-dimensional taper for facilitating centering of the male connector with respect to the female connector in the two dimensions. 
     
     
         8 . The connector system of  claim 7  wherein the tapered protrusion comprises two opposing, sloped walls and a flat distal end collectively defining a truncated V-shape profile of the tapered protrusion, and further wherein a width of each sloped wall decreases in the direction of protrusion. 
     
     
         9 . The connector system of  claim 1  wherein the connector body of the male connector comprises a flange extending in a direction opposite to a direction of taper of the tapered protrusion, wherein the access hole for accessing the male receptor is within the flange. 
     
     
         10 . The connector system of  claim 1  wherein the male receptor is a first male receptor, the wall of the tapered protrusion is a first wall, and the access hole in the connector body of the male connector is a first access hole, and wherein the tapered protrusion further comprises a second wall opposite the first wall, the second wall having a second male receptor that is opposite the first male receptor, and wherein the connector body of the male connector further comprises a second access hole opposite the first access hole, the second access hole for accessing the second male receptor from the interior side of the second wall. 
     
     
         11 . A connector system for interconnecting two building components, the connector system comprising:
 a male connector comprising:
 a connector body for attachment to a building component; and 
 a tapered protrusion protruding from the connector body, the tapered protrusion having a cross-sectional extent that decreases monotonically, in at least one dimension, in a direction of protrusion, thereby imparting a taper to the tapered protrusion in the at least one dimension; 
   a female connector comprising:
 a connector body for attachment to another building component; and 
 a receptacle defined within the connector body of the female connector, the receptacle for receiving the tapered protrusion of the male connector upon mating of the male connector with the female connector, 
   wherein the taper of the tapered protrusion is for facilitating centering of the male connector with respect to the female connector in the at least one dimension through sliding engagement between the tapered protrusion and at least part of the receptacle during the mating of the male connector with the female connector,   wherein the male connector further comprises a male receptor and the female connector further comprises a corresponding female receptor, the male receptor and the female receptor being situated for alignment with one another upon mating of the male connector with the female connector, the male receptor and the female receptor being configured to receive a fastener for interconnecting the male connector with the female connector, and   wherein the receptacle of the female connector comprises a wall, wherein the female receptor is located in the wall of the receptacle, and wherein the connector body of the female connector further comprises an access hole for accessing the female receptor from the exterior side of the wall of the receptacle.   
     
     
         12 . The connector system of  claim 11  wherein the connector body of the female connector comprises a flange that flanks the receptacle and wherein the access hole for accessing the female receptor is within the flange. 
     
     
         13 . The connector system of  claim 11  wherein the female receptor is a first female receptor, the wall of the receptacle is a first wall, the access hole in the connector body of the female connector is a first access hole, and wherein the receptacle further comprises a second wall opposite the first wall, the second wall having a second female receptor that is opposite the first female receptor, and wherein the connector body of the female connector further comprises a second access hole opposite the first access hole, the second access hole for accessing the second female receptor from the exterior side of the second wall of the receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The connector system of  claim 11  wherein the female connector is a first female connector and wherein the male connector comprises a second instance of the female connector with an adapter for converting the second female connector to a male connector, the adapter having a first portion configured for seating within the receptacle of the second female connector and a second portion that constitutes the tapered protrusion of the male connector. 
     
     
         15 . The connector system of  claim 14  wherein the first and second portions of the adapter are pyramidal, frusto-pyramidal, conical or frusto-conical. 
     
     
         16 . The connector system of  claim 11  wherein the tapered protrusion has a pyramidal, frusto-pyramidal, conical or frusto-conical shape. 
     
     
         17 . A pair of building components for use in building construction, the pair of building components comprising:
 a first building component comprising an integrally formed male connector, the male connector having a tapered protrusion, the tapered protrusion protruding from the first building component, the tapered protrusion having a cross-sectional extent that decreases monotonically, in at least one dimension, in a direction of protrusion, thereby imparting a taper to the tapered protrusion in the at least one dimension;   a second building component comprising an integrally formed female connector having a receptacle for receiving the tapered protrusion of the male connector upon mating of the male connector with the female connector,   wherein the taper of the tapered protrusion is for facilitating centering of the male connector with respect to the female connector in the at least one dimension through sliding engagement between the tapered protrusion and at least part of the receptacle during the mating of the male connector with the female connector, and   wherein the tapered protrusion comprises a wall, wherein the male connector further comprises a male receptor, wherein the male receptor is located in the wall of the tapered protrusion, and wherein the first building component further comprises an access hole for accessing the male receptor from the interior side of the wall.   
     
     
         18 . The pair of building components of  claim 17  wherein the tapered protrusion has an untapered base section to promote abrupt seating of the tapered protrusion within the receptacle upon achievement of the centering of the male connector with respect to the female connector. 
     
     
         19 . The pair of building components of  claim 17  wherein the receptacle of the female connector comprises opposing resilient wings angled away from a receiving end of the receptacle. 
     
     
         20 . The pair of building components  claim 17  wherein the cross-sectional extent of the tapered protrusion decreases monotonically in two dimensions in the direction of protrusion, such that the taper of the tapered protrusion is a two-dimensional taper, the two-dimensional taper for facilitating centering of the male connector with respect to the female connector in the two dimensions.