IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0118859
(2005-04-29)
|
등록번호 |
US-7434509
(2008-10-14)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
11 |
초록
▼
A guide system comprising a plurality of guide members, where each guide member comprises an exposed surface and an intermediate portion between first and second end portions. The first end portion comprises a deformable detent member defining a detent projection. The second end portion defines at l
A guide system comprising a plurality of guide members, where each guide member comprises an exposed surface and an intermediate portion between first and second end portions. The first end portion comprises a deformable detent member defining a detent projection. The second end portion defines at least first, second, and third detent edges defining a detent opening. The guide system operates in storage configuration and a plurality of use configurations. In the storage configuration, detent members of two guide members extend through detent opening of the two guide members. In the use configurations, a detent member extends through one of the detent openings such that longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially co-linear or perpendicular and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar.
대표청구항
▼
I claim: 1. A guide system comprising a plurality of guide members, where each guide member comprises: an exposed surface; a first end portion comprising at least one detent member, where the at least one detent member defines a detent projection and is deformable; a second end portion defining at
I claim: 1. A guide system comprising a plurality of guide members, where each guide member comprises: an exposed surface; a first end portion comprising at least one detent member, where the at least one detent member defines a detent projection and is deformable; a second end portion defining at least first, second, and third detent edges, where the detent edges define a detent opening; an intermediate portion arranged between the first and second end portions such that each guide member defines a longitudinal axis; where the guide system operates in a storage configuration in which the at least one detent member of a first guide member of the plurality of guide members extends through the detent opening of a second guide member of the plurality of guide members such that the detent projection defined by the at least one detent member of the first guide member engages the first detent edge defined by the second guide member, the at least one detent member of the second guide member extends through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projection defined by the at least one detent member of the first guide member engages the first detent edge defined by the second guide member, and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members substantially abut each other; a first use configuration in which the at least one detent member of the first guide member extends through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projection defined by the at least one detent member of the first guide member engages the second detent edge defined by the second guide member, the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially co-linear, and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar; and a second use configuration in which the at least one detent member of the first guide member extends through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projection defined by the at least one detent member of the first guide member engages the third detent edge defined by the second guide member, the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially perpendicular, and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar. 2. A guide system as recited in claim 1, in which the second end portion further defines a fourth detent edge that defines the detent opening, where the guide system further operates in a third use configuration in which the at least one detent member of the first guide member extends through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projection defined by the at least one detent member of the first guide member engages the fourth detent edge defined by the second guide member, the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially perpendicular, and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar. 3. A guide system as recited in claim 2, in which the first end portions of the guide members define first and second detent members. 4. A guide system as recited in claim 3, in which: in the storage configuration the first and second detent members of the first guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage the third and first detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member, and the first and second detent members of the second guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engages the third and first detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member; in the first use configuration, the first and second detent members of the first guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage the first and third detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member; in the second use configuration, the first and second detent members of the first guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage the second and fourth detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member; and in the third use configuration, the first and second detent members of the first guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage the fourth and second detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member. 5. A guide system as recited in claim 3, in which the first and second detent members are deformable towards each other. 6. A guide system as recited in claim 5, further comprising cam surfaces formed on the detent projections to facilitate deformation of the first and second detent members when inserting the first and second detent members through the detent opening. 7. A guide system as recited in claim 5, in which the first and second detent members are pinched together to facilitate deformation of the first and second detent members when removing the first and second detent members from the detent opening. 8. A guide system as recited in claim 3, in which the first end portions of the guide members further comprise a center post arranged between the first and second detent members. 9. A guide system as recited in claim 3, further comprising: a plurality of alignment pegs extending from the second end portions; and a plurality of alignment openings formed in the first end portions; wherein the alignment openings receive the alignment pegs to inhibit relative rotation between the first and second guide members when the guide members are in the first, second, and third use configurations. 10. A guide system as recited in claim 9, in which: four alignment pegs extends from the second end portions; and four alignment openings are formed in the first end portions; wherein the alignment openings receive the alignment pegs to inhibit relative rotation between the first and second guide members when the guide members are in the first, second, and third use configurations. 11. A guide system as recited in claim 1, in which the detent member edges are spaced from a plane defined by the exposed surface. 12. A guide system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: at least one alignment peg extending from one of the first and second end portions; and at least one alignment opening formed in another of the first and second end portions; wherein the at least one alignment opening receives the at least one alignment peg to inhibit relative rotation between the first and second guide members when the guide members are in the first and second use configurations. 13. A method of providing a guide assembly, comprising the steps of: providing first and second guide members, where each of the first and second guide member comprises an exposed surface, a first end portion comprising first and second detent members, where the first and second detent members each defines a detent projection and is deformable, a second end portion defining a plurality of detent edges, where the detent edges define a detent opening, and an intermediate portion arranged between the first and second end portions such that each guide member defines a longitudinal axis; arranging the first and second guide members in a storage configuration in which the exposed faces of the first and second guide members abut each other by inserting the first and second detent members of the first guide member through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage two of the detent edges defined by the second guide member, and inserting the first and second detent members of the second guide member through the detent opening of the first guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the second guide member engage two of the detent edges defined by the first guide member; arranging the first and second guide members in a first use configuration in which the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially co-linear and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar by inserting the first and second detent members of the first guide member through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage two of the detent edges defined by the second guide member; and arranging the first and second guide members in a second use configuration in which the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially perpendicular and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar by inserting the first and second detent members of the first guide member through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage two of the detent edges defined by the second guide member. 14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of arranging the first and second guide members in a third use configuration in which the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially perpendicular and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar by inserting the first and second detent members of the first guide member through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage two of the detent edges defined by the second guide member. 15. A method as recited in claim 13, in which the step of inserting the first and second detent members through the detent opening comprises the steps of: forming cam surfaces on the detent projections; and displacing the first and second detent members such that the cam surfaces engage two detent edges to deform the first and second detent members towards each other. 16. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of pinching the first and second detent members towards each other to allow the first and second detent members to be removed from the detent opening. 17. A guide system comprising first and second guide members, where each of the first and second guide members comprises: an exposed surface; a first end portion comprising first and second detent members, where each of the first and second detent members defines a detent projection and is deformable; a second end portion defining first, second, third, and fourth detent edges, where the detent edges define a detent opening that is substantially square in shape; and an intermediate portion arranged between the first and second end portions such that each guide member defines a longitudinal axis; where the guide system operates in a storage configuration in which the first and second detent members of the first guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage the third and first detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member, and the first and second detent members of the second guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engages the third and first detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member, and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members substantially abut each other; a first use configuration in which the first and second detent members of the first guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage the first and third detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member, the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially co-linear, and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar; and a second use configuration in which the first and second detent members of the first guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage the second and fourth detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member, the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially perpendicular, and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar; and a third use configuration in which the first and second detent members of the first guide member extend through the detent opening of the second guide member such that the detent projections defined by the first and second detent members of the first guide member engage the fourth and second detent edges, respectively, defined by the second guide member, the longitudinal axes of the first and second guide members are substantially perpendicular, and the exposed faces of the first and second guide members are substantially coplanar. 18. A guide system as recited in claim 17, in which the first and second detent members are deformable towards each other. 19. A guide system as recited in claim 17, further comprising cam surfaces formed on the detent projections to facilitate deformation of the first and second detent members when inserting the first and second detent members through the detent opening. 20. A guide system as recited in claim 17, in which the first and second detent members are pinched together to facilitate deformation of the first and second detent members when removing the first and second detent members from the detent opening. 21. A guide system as recited in claim 17, in which: four alignment pegs extends from the second end portions; and four alignment openings are formed in the first end portions; wherein the alignment openings receive the alignment pegs to inhibit relative rotation between the first and second guide members when the guide members are in the first, second, and third use configurations.
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