Post, kit and railing system including the same

Abstract

A post, kit, and railing system including the same. The post system may include a structural post, a plurality of corner covers, and a plurality of cover plates. The structural post may extend along a longitudinal axis. The plurality of corner covers may be configured to be coupled to the structural post to form a configurable post assembly in which the plurality of corner covers form longitudinal corner sections and a longitudinal gap exists between adjacent ones of the plurality of the corner covers. The plurality of cover plates may be configured to be coupled to the configurable post assembly to fill in selected ones of the longitudinal gaps so that remaining ones of the longitudinal gaps can be used for coupling railing infills to the configurable post assembly to form any one of a corner post, an end post, or a straight post in a railing system.

1 . A post system comprising:
 a structural post extending along a longitudinal axis from a bottom end to a top end, the bottom end of the structural post configured to be mounted to a support structure so that the structural post extends upright from the support structure;   a plurality of corner covers configured to be coupled to the structural post to form a configurable post assembly in which the plurality of corner covers form longitudinal corner sections of the configurable post assembly and a longitudinal gap exists between adjacent ones of the plurality of the corner covers; and   a plurality of cover plates configured to be coupled to the configurable post assembly to fill in selected ones of the longitudinal gaps so that remaining ones of the longitudinal gaps can be used for coupling railing infills to the configurable post assembly to form any one of a corner post, an end post, or a straight post in a railing system.   
     
     
         2 . The post system according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of cover plates are configured to be coupled directly to the plurality of corner covers of the configurable post assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The post system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 each of the plurality of corner covers comprising a pair of first engagement features; and 
 each of the plurality of cover plates comprising a pair of second engagement features configured to mate with the first engagement features to retain and position the plurality of cover plates within the selected ones of the longitudinal gaps; and 
 wherein each of the plurality of corner covers comprises first and second inner sidewalls that define the longitudinal gaps when the plurality of corner covers are coupled to the structural post, each of the first and second inner sidewalls comprising one of the pair of first engagement features. 
 
     
     
         4 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The post system according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of cover plates and the plurality of corner covers are configured to be slidably coupled to the configurable post assembly. 
     
     
         9 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The post system according to  claim 1  wherein the structural post comprises a central hub section extending along the longitudinal axis and connection arms extending radially outward from the central hub section, the connection arms arranged in an angularly equi-spaced manner about the longitudinal axis; and wherein the plurality of corner covers are configured to be coupled to the connection arms. 
     
     
         14 . The post system according to  claim 13  further comprising:
 each of the connection arms comprising a pair of first retaining grooves; and 
 each of the plurality of corner covers comprising a pair of inwardly extending retaining ribs that form a receiving slot therebetween; and 
 each of the plurality of corner covers configured to be coupled to one of the connection arms by mating of the pair of retaining ribs within the pair of first retaining grooves, a spine of the connection arm extending through the receiving slot. 
 
     
     
         15 . The post system according to  claim 13  wherein the connection arms comprise distal portions that nest within internal cavities of the plurality of corner covers when the plurality of corner covers are coupled to the connection arms. 
     
     
         16 . The post system according to  claim 15  wherein bottom ends of the distal portions of the connection arms are configured to receive a fastener for mounting the structural post to the support structure. 
     
     
         17 . The post system according to  claim 16  wherein the distal portions of the connection arms comprise a C-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The post system according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one infill retention member configured to be at least partially positioned within a selected one of the remaining longitudinal gaps and coupled to the configurable post assembly. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The post system according to  claim 20  wherein the at least one infill retention member comprises:
 a first portion configured to be coupled to the structural post; and 
 a second portion configured to be coupled to a railing infill. 
 
     
     
         24 . The post system according to  claim 23  wherein the second portion of the at least one infill retention member comprises a channel bar having a longitudinal channel cavity configured to receive an edge portion of a glass panel railing infill, wherein the channel bar comprises first and second sidewalls configured to engage the corner covers that define the selected one of the longitudinal gaps in which the at least one infill retention member is positioned, wherein each of the first and second sidewalls of the channel bar comprises a protuberance that extends into a longitudinal groove of an inner sidewall of an adjacent one of the corner covers. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The post system according to  claim 24  wherein the channel bar comprises a pressure distribution wall extending into the longitudinal channel cavity, the pressure distribution wall having a major surface that is configured to contact and apply a compression force to the glass panel railing infill. 
     
     
         28 . The post system according to  claim 24  further comprising an insert configured to be inserted into the longitudinal channel cavity of the channel bar between the channel bar and the glass panel railing infill to exert a compression force on the glass panel railing infill, wherein the insert is flexible and configured to be deformed by the compression force when inserted into the longitudinal channel cavity of the channel bar between the channel bar and the glass panel railing infill, wherein the insert comprises a central void into which a sidewall of the insert can deflect when the insert is subjected to the compression force, and wherein the channel bar comprises an insert engagement feature and the insert comprises a channel bar engagement feature configured to mate with the insert engagement feature when the insert is inserted into the longitudinal channel cavity of the channel bar between the channel bar and the glass panel railing infill to lock the insert in place. 
     
     
         29 .- 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The post system according to  claim 23  further comprising:
 the first portion of the infill retention member comprising a T-bar extending from the second portion of the infill retention member; and 
 the structural post comprising a T-bar receiving slot configured to slidably receive the T-bar of the first portion of the infill retention member. 
 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The post system according to  claim 1  wherein the coupling between the plurality of corner covers and the structural post allows relative axial movement between the structural post and the plurality of corner covers while prohibiting radial separation of the plurality of corner covers from the structural post, and wherein the coupling between the plurality of cover plates and the configurable post assembly allows relative axial movement between the configurable post assembly and the plurality of cover plates while prohibiting radial separation of the plurality of cover plates from the configurable post assembly. 
     
     
         36 .- 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A post system comprising:
 a structural post extending along a longitudinal axis from a bottom end to a top end, the bottom end of the structural post configured to be mounted to a support structure so that the structural post extends upright from the support structure;   at least one infill retention member comprising:
 a first portion configured to be coupled to the structural post; and 
 a channel bar having a longitudinal channel cavity configured to receive an edge portion of a glass panel railing infill; 
   an insert configured to be inserted into the longitudinal channel cavity of the channel bar between a first portion of the channel bar and the glass panel railing infill to exert a compression force on the edge portion of the glass panel railing infill in combination with a second portion of the channel bar.   
     
     
         40 .- 55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . A post system comprising:
 a structural post extending along a longitudinal axis from a bottom end to a top end, the bottom end of the structural post configured to be mounted to a support structure so that the structural post extends upright from the support structure; and   a plurality of corner covers configured to be slidably coupled to the structural post to form a post assembly in which the plurality of corner covers form longitudinal corner sections of the post assembly.   
     
     
         57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The post system according to  claim 56  wherein the structural post comprises a central hub section extending along the longitudinal axis and four connection arms extending radially outward from the central hub section, the connection arms arranged in an angularly equi-spaced manner about the longitudinal axis; and wherein each of the plurality of corner covers is configured to be slidably coupled to one of the connection arms, wherein the connection arms are configured to interface with the plurality of corner covers to prevent pivoting of the corner covers relative to the connections arms when slidably coupled to the connection arms, each of the connection arms comprising a spine, a first arm rib protruding outwardly from a first side of the spine, a second arm rib protruding outwardly from a second side of the spine, a first wall protruding outwardly from the first side of the spine to form a first retaining groove between the first arm rib and the first wall, and a second wall protruding outwardly from the second side of the spine to form a second retaining groove between the second arm rib and the second wall; each of the plurality of corner covers comprising an outer wall, a first inner sidewall, a second inner sidewall, a first retaining rib protruding inward from an inner surface of the first inner sidewall, and a second retaining rib protruding inwardly from an inner surface of the second inner sidewall; and the plurality of corner covers configured to be slidably coupled to the connection arms so that: (1) the first retaining rib nests within the first retaining groove; and (2) the second retaining rib nests within the first retaining groove. 
     
     
         60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . The post system according to  claim 59  wherein, for each of the plurality of corner covers, the first and second retaining ribs are orthogonal to one another, wherein, for each of the plurality of corner covers, the first and second inner sidewalls are orthogonal to one another; and wherein, for each of the connection arms, the first and second walls are orthogonal to one another and the first and second arm ribs are orthogonal to one another, wherein, for each of the plurality of corner covers, relative pivotal movement between the corner cover and the connections arm, when coupled to the connection arm, is prohibited by (1) contact between the first retaining rib and both the first arm rib and the first wall and (2) contact between the second retaining rib and both the second arm rib and the second wall. 
     
     
         63 .- 144 . (canceled)