Terminal Bridging Connector

Abstract

A connection between a wall stud and a bridging member made with a bridging connector, the connector being L-shaped and having a stud attachment flanges that attaches to the stud, and a bridging attachment flange that attaches to the middle web of the bridging member, the connector also having opposed end flanges that bracket opposed boundary flanges of the bridging member.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A connection between a wall stud and a bridging member made with a bridging connector, the connection comprising:
 a. the wall stud including a central web, a first side flange attached to one side of the central web, a second side flange attached to a second side of the central web and opposed to the first side flange, the first and second side flanges being substantially planar members and extending parallel to each other, a first stiffening flange attached to the first side flange on a side of the first side flange opposed to where the first side flange attaches to the central web, a second stiffening flange attached to the second side flange on a side of the second side flange opposed to where the second side flange attaches to the central web, the first and second stiffening flanges being substantially planar members and disposed in alignment;   b. the bridging member disposed generally orthogonally to the wall stud, the bridging member including a middle web and first and second boundary flanges attached to the middle web, the first boundary flange being disposed in opposed relation to the second boundary flange and on opposed sides of the middle web, the middle web and the first and second boundary flanges being substantially planar members with the first and second boundary flanges being disposed substantially parallel to each other and disposed substantially orthogonally to the middle web;   c. the bridging connector including a stud attachment flange that interfaces either with the central web of the wall stud or the first and second stiffening flanges of the wall stud, the stud attachment flange is a substantially planar member, the stud attachment flange connects to the central web of the wall stud or to the first and second stiffening flanges of the wall stud with one or more separate fasteners, the stud attachment flange attaches to a bridging attachment flange at a juncture, the bridging attachment flange is a substantially planar member and is disposed substantially orthogonally to the stud attachment flange, the bridging flange interfaces with a portion of the central web of the bridging member, the bridging attachment flange connects to the middle web of the bridging member with one or more separate fasteners, the bridging attachment flange has first and second end flanges that extend at an angle to the bridging attachment flange so that the first and second end flanges are not aligned with the bridging attachment flange, the first and second end flanges bracket the first and second boundary flanges of the bridging member, and the first and second end flanges are substantially planar members, and the first and second end flanges are disposed generally orthogonally to the first and second boundary flanges of the bridging member.   
     
     
         2 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second end flanges are disposed at angle of 45 degrees to the bridging attachment flange.   
     
     
         3 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second end flanges are disposed at an acute angle to the bridging attachment flange.   
     
     
         4 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second end flanges are disposed at an orthogonal angle to the bridging attachment flange.   
     
     
         5 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one or more openings are formed in the bridging attachment flange to receive the one or more fasteners that attach the bridging attachment flange to the middle web of the bridging member.   
     
     
         6 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bridging attachment member is formed with a central extension that extends in alignment with the generally planar bridging member past where the first and second end flanges connect to the bridging attachment member with the central extension extending away from the stud attachment flange.   
     
     
         7 . The connection of  claim 6 , wherein:
 a fastener opening is formed in the central extension that receives one of the fasteners that connects the bridging connector to the bridging member.   
     
     
         8 . The connection of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the bridging member has a center line that runs along a long axis of the bridging member and the fastener opening in the central extension that receives a fastener that attaches the bridging connector to the bridging member is on one side of the center line of the bridging member, and one of the one or more fastener openings in the bridging attachment flange that receives one of the one or more fasteners that attach the bridging connector to the bridging member on the other side of the center line of the bridging member.   
     
     
         9 . The connection of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a. the bridging attachment flange is formed with a first embossment that extends from a first side edge of the bridging attachment flange toward the center line of the bridging member and a portion of the first embossment overlies the middle web of the bridging member, and   b. the bridging attachment member is formed with a second embossment that extends from a second side edge of the bridging attachment flange toward the center line of the bridging member and a portion of the second embossment overlies the middle web of the bridging member.   
     
     
         10 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the fastener opening in the central extension is the fastener opening that is farthest away from the stud attachment flange and the fastener opening in the central extension is on one side of the central line of the bridging member, and the embossment that is farthest from the stud attachment flange extends from the side of the bridging attachment flange that is on the other side of the central line of the bridging member from the fastener opening in the central extension, and   b. one of the one or more fastener openings in the bridging attachment flange is closest to the stud attachment flange and the fastener opening of the one or more fastener openings in the bridging attachment flange that is closest to the stud attachment flange is disposed to one side of the central line of the bridging member and the embossment that is closest to the stud attachment flange extends from the side of the bridging attachment flange that is on the other side of the central line from the one of the one or more fastener openings in the bridging attachment flange that is closest to the stud attachment flange.   
     
     
         11 . The connection of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first and second embossments in the bridging attachment flange are preferably straight.   
     
     
         12 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the stud attachment flange is also formed with first and second guide tabs that interface with the first and second side flanges.   
     
     
         13 . The connection of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a. the first guide tab is bent from a first side edge of the stud attachment flange that extends orthogonally to the juncture between the stud attachment flange and the bridging attachment flange, and   b. the second guide tab is bent from a second side edge of the stud attachment flange that extends orthogonally to the juncture between the stud attachment flange and the bridging attachment flange.   
     
     
         14 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bridging attachment flange is formed with first and second end edges that are in general alignment and the first and second side edges bracket the central extension.   
     
     
         15 . The connection of  claim 14 , wherein:
 a. the first end flange is a substantially planar member and is bent from the bridging attachment flange at the first end edge, and   b. the second end flange is a substantially planar member and is bent from the bridging attachment flange at the second end edge.   
     
     
         16 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the first end flange is formed with an inner side edge that extends along the first boundary flange and lies closely adjacent to the first boundary flange, and   b. the second end flange is formed with an inner side edge that extends along the second boundary flange and lies closely adjacent to the second boundary flange.   
     
     
         17 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the first end flange extends orthogonally to the first boundary flange, and   b. the second end flange extends orthogonally to the second boundary flange.   
     
     
         18 . The connection of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the separate fasteners are threaded fasteners.   
     
     
         19 . The connection of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the separate fasteners are self-drilling fasteners.   
     
     
         20 . The connection of  claim 19 , wherein:
 a. the bridging attachment flange is formed with a first embossment that extends from a first side edge of the bridging attachment flange toward the center line of the bridging member and a portion of the first embossment overlies the middle web of the bridging member, and   b. the bridging attachment member is formed with a second embossment that extends from a second side edge of the bridging attachment flange toward the center line of the bridging member and a portion of the second embossment overlies the middle web of the bridging member.