Infinity joint jig, plug, and method of use

Abstract

An infinity jig, infinity plug and a method of forming an infinity joint is presented. The infinity jig has a base with a work surface and an upright with a work surface connected to the base at an approximate perpendicular alignment. The upright includes a plurality of drill guides that are positioned such that a portion of a drill bit inserted into the drill guide extends below the work surface of the base. An infinity hole is formed by using a drill bit having a stop collar to drill partially into a workpiece with a portion of the drill bit exiting a connecting surface of the work piece. To form an infinity joint, two workpieces having infinity holes therein are aligned with one another and an infinity plug is inserted in the aligned infinity holes. The infinity plug pulls the two workpieces together providing a tight and aesthetically pleasing joint.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An infinity plug for joining two workpieces together, the infinity plug comprising:
 a single unitary piece having the shape of two cylinders connected in overlapping condition; and   wherein the two cylinders connect at a waist which is narrower than the diameter of the two cylinders.   
     
     
         2 . The infinity plug of  claim 1 , of wherein the two cylinders of the infinity plug have a hollow interior. 
     
     
         3 . The infinity plug of  claim 1 , of wherein the infinity plug is formed of a solid piece of material. 
     
     
         4 . The infinity plug of  claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the cylinders is roughened or abraded to create increased frictional engagement in an infinity hole. 
     
     
         5 . The infinity plug of  claim 1 , wherein the two cylinders are of approximately equal size. 
     
     
         6 . The infinity plug of  claim 1 , wherein the infinity plug is configured to be inserted within an infinity hole formed in two workpieces, wherein the infinity plug frictionally engages the two workpieces and holds the two workpieces together. 
     
     
         6 . A method of forming an infinity joint, the method comprising the steps of:
 drilling a first hole in a first workpiece using a drill bit, wherein a portion of the drill bit intersects a connecting surface of the first workpiece thereby forming a first half of an infinity hole;   drilling a second hole in a second workpiece using the drill bit, wherein a portion of the drill bit intersects a connecting surface of the second workpiece thereby forming a second half of an infinity hole;   joining the connecting surface of the first workpiece with the connecting surface of the second workpiece together;   aligning the first half of an infinity hole in the first workpiece with the second half of an infinity hole in the second workpiece thereby forming an infinity hole; and   inserting a plug into the infinity hole, thereby joining the first workpiece to the second workpiece.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the plug is formed of a single unitary piece having the shape of two cylinders connected in overlapping condition, wherein the two cylinders connect at a waist which is narrower than the diameter of the two cylinders. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein when the first half of an infinity hole in the first workpiece is drilled, the drill bit extends only partially into the first workpiece and not entirely through the first workpiece. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein when the first hole in the second workpiece is drilled, the drill bit extends only partially into the second workpiece and not entirely through the second workpiece. 
     
     
         10 . A method of forming an infinity joint, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an infinity jig having a base defining a planar work surface, an upright defining a planar work surface, at least one drill guide extending through the upright, wherein the at least one drill guide is aligned to extend parallel to the planar work surface of the base and is positioned such that a portion of drill guide is below the planar work surface of the base;   placing a connecting surface of a workpiece onto the planar work surface of the base;   inserting a drill bit into the at least one drill guide; and   drilling a first half of an infinity hole into the workpiece wherein a portion of the drill bit intersects the connecting surface of the workpiece, wherein the drill bit extends only partially into the second workpiece.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising wherein the work piece is placed flush against the planar work surface of the upright during the drilling step. 
     
     
         12 . An infinity plug comprising:
 a single unitary piece having a shape of a first cylinder overlapping a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder has a first diameter, the second cylinder has a second diameter, and the first and second cylinders connect at a waist which is smaller than the first diameter and the second diameter.   
     
     
         13 . The infinity plug of  claim 12 , wherein the first cylinder has a hollow interior and second cylinder has a hollow interior. 
     
     
         14 . The infinity plug of  claim 12 , wherein the infinity plug is formed of a solid piece of material. 
     
     
         15 . The infinity plug of  claim 12 , wherein an exterior surface of the first cylinder and an exterior surface of the second cylinder are roughened or abraided for increased frictional engagement within an infinity hole. 
     
     
         16 . The infinity plug of  claim 12 , wherein the first diameter and second diameter are approximately equal the same. 
     
     
         17 . A structure having a joint comprised of:
 a first workpiece having a first truncated circular hole;   a second workpiece having a second truncated circular hole; and   an infinity plug formed of a single unitary piece having a shape of a first cylinder overlapping a second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder has a first diameter, the second cylinder has a second diameter, and the first and second cylinders connect at a waist which is smaller than the first diameter and the second diameter;   wherein the first cylinder is positioned within the first truncated circular hole and the second cylinder is positioned within the second truncated circular hole.   
     
     
         18 . The structure of  claim 17 , wherein the first truncated circular hole is arranged along a connecting surface of the first workpiece and the second truncated circular hole is arranged along a connecting surface of the second workpiece. 
     
     
         19 . The structure of  claim 17 , further comprising: an adhesive positioned between and in contact with the connecting surface of the first workpiece and the connecting surface of the second workpieces. 
     
     
         20 . The structure of  claim 17 , wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder create forces moving the first workpiece and second workpieces toward one another. 
     
     
         21 . The structure of  claim 17 , wherein a diameter of the first truncated hole is slightly smaller than the diameter of the first cylinder and a diameter of the second truncated hole is slightly smaller than the diameter of the second cylinder thereby providing a tight frictional fit. 
     
     
         22 . A method of making a structure, comprising:
 providing a first workpiece having a first truncated circular hole arranged along a connecting surface of the first workpiece;   providing a second workpiece having a second truncated circular hole arranged along a connecting surface of the second workpiece;   arranging the first workpiece next to the second workpiece such that the first truncated circular hole is next to the second truncated hole;   providing infinity plug formed of a first cylinder and a second cylinder joined at a waist; and   inserting the first cylinder of the infinity plug into the first truncated circular hole of the first workpiece while inserting the second cylinder of the infinity plug into the second truncated circular hole of the second workpiece.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 providing an adhesive positioned between the connecting surface of the first workpiece and the connecting surface of the second workpiece thereby forming a bond between the first workpiece and the second workpiece.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of providing the adhesive occurs before the operation of inserting the first cylinder of the infinity plug into the first truncated circular hole. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 aligning a drill bit along the connecting surface of the first workpiece such that less than half of the drill bit does not drill into the workpiece and overlaps with the connecting surface of the first workpiece; and   rotating the drill bit while moving the drill bit into the first workpiece to create the first truncated circular hole.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first truncated hole and the second truncated hole do not pass through the entire width of the first workpiece and the second workpiece. 
     
     
         27 . An infinity plug for joining two workpieces together, the infinity plug comprising:
 a main body;   the main body formed of a single unitary piece;   the main body, when viewed from above, having an exterior peripheral edge generally having an infinity shape with a narrow waist positioned between a pair of wider rounded ends.   
     
     
         28 . The infinity plug of  claim 27 , wherein the rounded ends are cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         29 . The infinity plug of  claim 27 , wherein the rounded ends are circular in shape. 
     
     
         30 . The infinity plug of  claim 27 , wherein the infinity plug has a hollow interior. 
     
     
         31 . The infinity plug of  claim 27 , wherein an exterior surface of the cylinders is roughened or abraded to create increased frictional engagement in an infinity hole. 
     
     
         32 . The infinity plug of  claim 27 , wherein the rounded ends are of approximately equal size. 
     
     
         33 . The infinity plug of  claim 27 , wherein the infinity plug is symmetric in shape. 
     
     
         34 . The infinity plug of  claim 27 , wherein the infinity plug is configured to be inserted within an infinity hole formed in two workpieces, wherein the infinity plug frictionally engages the two workpieces and holds the two workpieces together.