Grommet for use with sheet metal structural member

Abstract

A Sheet Metal Structural Member has flanged openings formed therein to permit the passage of services therethrough. A grommet is provided that has a shape that corresponds generally to the plan form shape of the openings. The grommet has a peripheal wall and seating elements arranged about the peripheral wall to mate with the flanges that are located about the flanged opening. The grommet snaps into place and resists movement once installed. The grommet has radiused edges to discourage damage to service conduits or wiring carried therethrough.

We claim:  
     
         1 . The combination of at least one beam-like longitudinally extending structural member, and at least one grommet for use in co-operation therewith, wherein: 
 said structural member has a web, said web having a longitudinal edge, and a longitudinally extending main flange running along said edge;    said web has at least one opening therein, and flangework formed adjacent to said opening;    said grommet has a peripheral wall having an internal face defining a passageway, said wall having a leading portion that can be introduced into said opening in said web, and a trailing portion having at least one seating element extending outwardly of said wall to prevent passage of said trailing portion fully through said opening;    said grommet has at least one biased member having an abutment element biased to an opposed position relative to said seating element said biased member being moveable to a deflected position during introduction of said trailing portion into said opening; and    said grommet is moveable to engage said seating element against one of (a) said flangework and (b) said web, and, when so engaged said abutment element is moveable to said opposed position under the influence of said biased member, and, in said opposed position said abutment element discourages removal of said grommet from said opening.    
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said opening has a periphery defined in said web, said peripheral wall has at least one side wall portion extending between a pair of sidewall ends, one of said seating elements and one of said abutment elements are located at each end thereof, and, in an installed position of said grommet relative to said structural member said side wall portion has a span free of contact with the periphery of said opening.  
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said structural member has a pair of opposed main flanges extending along opposite edges of said web;  
 a plurality of said openings are formed in said web, each of said openings having a base side portion extending parallel to one of said main flanges and a pair of side portions extending from said base side to meet at a smoothly radiused apex opposite said base side portion, said openings being arranged along said web in alternating side-by-side fashion with alternating diagonally extending struts formed in said web between pair of adjacent openings; and  
 said flangework extends along said struts and said base side portions.  
 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said opening has a base side portion extending parallel to said main flange and a pair of side portions extending from said base side to meet at a smoothly radiused apex opposite said base side portion,  
 said side portions and said base portion of said opening meet at smoothly radiused base corners; and  
 said grommet engages said flangework at said base corners and at said apex.  
 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 4  wherein: 
 said grommet has a base portion locatable adjacent said base portion of said opening, and a pair of side portions locatable adjacent to said side portions of said opening; and  
 said base portion and said side portions of said grommet meet at respective attachment fittings that seat in said corners and said apex of said opening.  
 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 4  wherein said flangework forms a continuous peripheral lip around said opening.  
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 4  wherein said apex has a larger radius of curvature than either of said base corners.  
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 5  wherein said web lies in a web plane, portions of said flangework extend about said corners and said apex of said openings; and said portions of said flangework have respective distal edges formed out of the plane of said web at a tapered angle whereby the entrance of said opening at the plane of the web is wider than the exit of said opening adjacent said distal edges, said leading portion being moveable along an insertion direction running from said entrance toward said exit of said opening.  
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 8  wherein said attachment fittings have column members shaped to conform to the taper of said flangework at said corners and at said apex.  
     
     
         10 . The combination of  claim 8  wherein: 
 each of said attachment fittings includes one of said abutments, one of said seating elements, has a pair of said column members and an overspanning member attached thereto adjacent the leading portion of said grommet;  
 each said attachment fitting has an arm depending from said overspanning member, said arm having said abutment formed thereon, and having an outwardly facing cam member engageable with the taper of said flangework to cause said abutment to deflect; and  
 in said opposed position said abutment engages said distal edge of said flangework.  
 
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 10  wherein each of said seating elements has an outwardly extending resilient wing, said resilient wing waving an interface member for engaging said web, and said resilient member is operable to exert a rearward force on said abutment when said grommet is engaged with said structural element.  
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said grommet includes at least one internal partition to define a plurality of passageways therethrough.  
     
     
         13 . A kit comprising at least one sheet metal structural member and at least one grommet for use in co-operation therewith, wherein: 
 said sheet metal structural member has a pair of opposed, spaced apart, parallel main flanges and a web extending therebetween, said web having an outer face lying predominantly in a web plane and an inner face lying to one side thereof, said main flanges extending perpendicularly to said web plane and away from said outer face, to give said sheet metal structural member a C-shaped appearance when viewed from one end thereof,    said web has a plurality of triangular openings formed therein in an alternating arrangement, and a plurality of alternating, flanged diagonal struts formed between adjacent pairs of said openings, said openings having smoothly radiused corners;    said web has lip flangework formed therein adjacent each said opening, said lip flangework standing proud of said inside face of said web;    said grommet has a peripheral wall having an internal face defining a passageway, said wall having a leading portion that can be introduced into one of said openings in said web, and a trailing portion having at least one seating element extending outwardly of said wall to prevent passage of said trailing portion fully through said one opening;    said grommet has at least one biased member having an abutment surface biased to an opposed position relative to said seating element, said biased element being moveable to a deflected position during introduction of said trailing portion into said one opening; and    said abutment element and said seating element defining a capture depth at least great enough to capture said lip flangework and said outer face therebetween when said seating element engages said sheet metal structural member and said abutment surface moves to said opposed position.    
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein said lip flangework is continuous flange extending about said triangular opening.  
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein: 
 said smoothly radiused corners of adjacent openings define root portions of said struts adjacent said corners;  
 and said grommet has three seating elements and three biased members, spaced about said peripheral wall in positions to engage said sheet metal structural member adjacent said smoothly radiused corners of said opening.  
 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein: 
 portions of said flangework extend about the corners and apex of said opening;  
 said portions of said flangework have respective distal edges formed out of said web plane at a tapered angle such that toe entrance of said opening at the plane of the web is wider than the exit of said opening adjacent said distal edges, said leading portion being moveable along an insertion direction running from said entrance toward said exit of said opening; and  
 said grommet has attachment fittings locatable in said corners and said apex of said opening, and said attachment fittings have column members shaped to conform to the taper of said flangework at said corners and at said apex.  
 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein: 
 portions of said flangework extend about said corners and said apex of said opening;  
 said portions of said flangework have respective distal edges formed out of the web plane at a tapered angle such that the entrance of said opening at the web plane is wider than the exit of said opening adjacent said distal edges,  
 said grommet includes attachment fittings engageable with said structural member adjacent said corners and apex of said opening;  
 each of said attachment fittings includes one of said abutments, one of said seating elements, has a pair of said column members and an overspanning member attached thereto adjacent the leading portion of said grommet;  
 each said attachment fitting has an arm depending from said overspanning member, said arm having said abutment formed thereon, and having an outwardly facing cam member engageable with the taper of said flangework to cause said abutment to deflect; and  
 in said opposed position said abutment engages said distal edge of said flangework.  
 
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein each of said seating elements has an outwardly extending resilient wing, said resilient wing waving an interface member for engaging said web, and said resilient member is operable to exert a rearward force on said abutment when said grommet is engaged with said structural element.  
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein; 
 peripheral wall has corner portions and straight side portions extending between said corner portions;  
 and said corner portions have corner wall facings standing outwardly of said walls such that a straight edge laid across said corner wall facings stands clear of the side wall lying therebetween.  
 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein said grommet has at least one partition wall lying inwardly of said peripheral wall to define at least one other passageway through said grommet.