EP1155200B1 - Structures which can be dismantled and folded, consisting of interconnecting tubular elements; and a joint for such structures - Google Patents

Structures which can be dismantled and folded, consisting of interconnecting tubular elements; and a joint for such structures Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1155200B1
EP1155200B1 EP00909623A EP00909623A EP1155200B1 EP 1155200 B1 EP1155200 B1 EP 1155200B1 EP 00909623 A EP00909623 A EP 00909623A EP 00909623 A EP00909623 A EP 00909623A EP 1155200 B1 EP1155200 B1 EP 1155200B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
structures
universal joints
seats
elements
faces
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP00909623A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP1155200A1 (en
Inventor
Sergio Cazzolaro
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Individual
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Individual
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Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
    • E04H3/00—Buildings or groups of buildings for public or similar purposes; Institutions, e.g. infirmaries or prisons
    • E04H3/10—Buildings or groups of buildings for public or similar purposes; Institutions, e.g. infirmaries or prisons for meetings, entertainments, or sports
    • E04H3/22—Theatres; Concert halls; Studios for broadcasting, cinematography, television or similar purposes
    • E04H3/24—Constructional features of stages
    • E04H3/28—Shiftable or portable platforms
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
    • E04B1/343—Structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts, e.g. for transport
    • E04B1/344—Structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts, e.g. for transport with hinged parts
    • E04B1/3441—Structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts, e.g. for transport with hinged parts with articulated bar-shaped elements
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
    • E04H1/00—Buildings or groups of buildings for dwelling or office purposes; General layout, e.g. modular co-ordination or staggered storeys
    • E04H1/12—Small buildings or other erections for limited occupation, erected in the open air or arranged in buildings, e.g. kiosks, waiting shelters for bus stops or for filling stations, roofs for railway platforms, watchmen's huts or dressing cubicles
    • E04H1/1272—Exhibition stands

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to folding structures consisting of interconnected extended tubular elements. More particularly, the present invention relates to portable folding structures which can be extended horizontally or vertically, that can be used for product display or as supports for raised loads, such as for instance platforms, walkway bases, technical pavements, rostrums, stands, boxes, comprising a plurality of interconnected parallelepiped cells in which the sides faces of the parallelepiped are defined by a pair of tubular elements interconnected by a scissors-connector. In these structures each extremity of the extended tubular elements which constitute the pair of scissors-connected elements, is inserted by rotation into a seat in an articulated universal joint, also parallelepiped in form.
  • the universal joint presents, on one of the larger faces, a hinging seat corresponding to each side face, and can therefore accept up to four extremities of tubular elements.
  • a variation to the embodiment described above has been used for some time in which the universal joints provide for a fifth seat on the surface of said face into which is fixed a tubular element, within which another tubular element of smaller diameter is inserted as a sliding fit and whose extremity is inserted into the face of a similar universal joint.
  • the tubular element inserted into the face of the universal joint is fixed and is stopped against the opposed joint into which is inserted the extremity of element that slides inside.
  • This system also presupposes complex and onerous setting-up operations, as well as relatively long dismantling and assembly times.
  • USP 5,123,550 discloses collapsible lightweight frameworks consisting of substantially square modules disposed in side-by-side and/or super imposed relationship.
  • One purpose of the present invention is provision of a simple and rapid method of joining two or more structures of the type consisting of pairs of extended tubular shear-connected elements, whose extremity is hinged in universal joints and in which the universal joints are defined integral with equal and parallel larger faces and are preferably substantially parallelepiped in form and present four hinging seats set in one of the larger faces near a side face.
  • a second purpose of the present invention is the coupling of two or more superimposed structures of the type described above that furthermore present in the inside surface of the face of the universal joint, in which are seats for the hinging of the tubular elements, a fifth seat into which is fixed the extremity of an tubular telescopie extention element whose other extremity is fixed to the opposite underlying universal joint.
  • a further purpose of the present invention is a device that allows the coupling of the aforesaid structures.
  • the purposes of the present invention are achieved using the composite structure as disclose in claim 1
  • the purposes of the present invention are achieved using the universal joint described above that present grooves along the sides of the face, in which are scheduled seats for lodging the tubular elements in proximity to the edges of the type and parallel to the same edges, that cooperate with C-sectioned fixing elements (in the following also refered to as the C-shaped spring or C-spring) to hold two matching universal joints belonging to two superimposed structures together.
  • the C-shaped fixing elements are substantially rectangular sheets of flexible material with two opposite edges folded and inverted.
  • the folded and inverted edges of the C-shaped spring present dimensions and forms corresponding to those of the grooves cut into the faces of the universal joints.
  • the C-shaped springs with inverted edges cover most of the corresponding side faces of the superimposed universal joints and they could provide for, in some cases, grooves in correspondence with seats of lodgement of the tubular elements and they could take different configurations depending on their use.
  • the C-shaped springs could be applied to all the side faces of all the joints that are matched in the overlap or in coupling of multiple structures.
  • the faces of the matching joints could present one or more suitable- perforations for the housing pivots that prevent any movement of the joints on the contact pivot.
  • the universal joint 1 presents four seats 2,2',2" and 2"' on one of its larger faces in correspondence to the side face, that could accept hinged extended tubular elements not shown in the figure
  • grooves 6 which constitute seats to accept one of the extremities 8 of a C-spring 9 as shown in figure 4.
  • the insertion of the two extremities of the C-spring 9 into the grooves on the non-matching faces of two joints belonging to two superimposed structures allows the coupling of the structures to be maintained fixed.
  • the insertion of the springs is easily achieved after the structures have been superimposed by snapping the inverted extremities 8 of the C-springs 9 into said grooves, where they remain locked.
  • the operation of dismantling is performed quickly, for instance, by removing one of the two inverted extremities 8 of the C-springs from the groove.
  • Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention. This provides for the use of universal joints whose face opposite to that in which the grooves have been made contains the opening 10 that can accept pivots 11 that prevent any relative movement of the joints in the horizontal plane.
  • Figure 6 shows a side view of a support system for elevated loads according to the invention, obtained by joining two structures.
  • the said figure shows the tubular elements 12 joined with scissors-connection and hinged in seats 2 of the universal joint, as well as the extendible telescopie tubular elements 5, that assure resistance to loading of the structure.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Mutual Connection Of Rods And Tubes (AREA)
  • Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
  • Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
  • Forms Removed On Construction Sites Or Auxiliary Members Thereof (AREA)
  • Assembled Shelves (AREA)
  • Joints Allowing Movement (AREA)
  • Joining Of Building Structures In Genera (AREA)
  • Road Paving Structures (AREA)
  • Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)

Abstract

Composite structures obtained by joining two or more structures of the type which presents pairs of joined tubular elements (5), whose extremity is hinged in universal joints and in which the universal joints are substantially parallelepiped in form and present four seats of hinging corresponding to the sides faces, in which said universal joints present grooves (6) along the sides of the face, in which are scheduled the seats to hinge the extended elements, in proximity of the edges and parallel to the same edges, that cooperate with C-sectioned fixing elements (9) to hold united two matched universal joints belonging to two structures from join.

Description

The present invention relates to folding structures consisting of interconnected extended tubular elements. More particularly, the present invention relates to portable folding structures which can be extended horizontally or vertically, that can be used for product display or as supports for raised loads, such as for instance platforms, walkway bases, technical pavements, rostrums, stands, boxes, comprising a plurality of interconnected parallelepiped cells in which the sides faces of the parallelepiped are defined by a pair of tubular elements interconnected by a scissors-connector. In these structures each extremity of the extended tubular elements which constitute the pair of scissors-connected elements, is inserted by rotation into a seat in an articulated universal joint, also parallelepiped in form. The universal joint presents, on one of the larger faces, a hinging seat corresponding to each side face, and can therefore accept up to four extremities of tubular elements. In the case of structures that must bear heavy loads a variation to the embodiment described above has been used for some time in which the universal joints provide for a fifth seat on the surface of said face into which is fixed a tubular element, within which another tubular element of smaller diameter is inserted as a sliding fit and whose extremity is inserted into the face of a similar universal joint. The tubular element inserted into the face of the universal joint is fixed and is stopped against the opposed joint into which is inserted the extremity of element that slides inside.
It is often necessary to arrange for exhibition structures or raised support higher than is attainable with the single structure. In this case, more identical (or similar) structures are superimposed such that, in the overlap, the upper faces of the universal joints of the underlying structure are matched to the corresponding lower faces of the upper structure.
Devices are known to increase the height of the exhibition or support systems mentioned above. For instance, an exhibition system that could give rise to structures of different height is described in EP-A-0 419 006.
The structure described in said patent is complex, provides for a plurality of articulated elements and therefore requires long assembly and dismantling times.
The system proposed in the EP-A-0 884 425 which is the more relevant prior art provides for joining the joints of two structures by connecting the extremities of the two telescopic elements, for instance by means of screw or pin systems.
This system also presupposes complex and onerous setting-up operations, as well as relatively long dismantling and assembly times.
USP 5,123,550 discloses collapsible lightweight frameworks consisting of substantially square modules disposed in side-by-side and/or super imposed relationship.
One purpose of the present invention is provision of a simple and rapid method of joining two or more structures of the type consisting of pairs of extended tubular shear-connected elements, whose extremity is hinged in universal joints and in which the universal joints are defined integral with equal and parallel larger faces and are preferably substantially parallelepiped in form and present four hinging seats set in one of the larger faces near a side face.
A second purpose of the present invention is the coupling of two or more superimposed structures of the type described above that furthermore present in the inside surface of the face of the universal joint, in which are seats for the hinging of the tubular elements, a fifth seat into which is fixed the extremity of an tubular telescopie extention element whose other extremity is fixed to the opposite underlying universal joint.
And a further purpose of the present invention is a device that allows the coupling of the aforesaid structures.
The purposes of the present invention are achieved using the composite structure as disclose in claim 1 In particular, the purposes of the present invention are achieved using the universal joint described above that present grooves along the sides of the face, in which are scheduled seats for lodging the tubular elements in proximity to the edges of the type and parallel to the same edges, that cooperate with C-sectioned fixing elements (in the following also refered to as the C-shaped spring or C-spring) to hold two matching universal joints belonging to two superimposed structures together.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the C-shaped fixing elements are substantially rectangular sheets of flexible material with two opposite edges folded and inverted. The folded and inverted edges of the C-shaped spring present dimensions and forms corresponding to those of the grooves cut into the faces of the universal joints.
The C-shaped springs with inverted edges cover most of the corresponding side faces of the superimposed universal joints and they could provide for, in some cases, grooves in correspondence with seats of lodgement of the tubular elements and they could take different configurations depending on their use.
The C-shaped springs could be applied to all the side faces of all the joints that are matched in the overlap or in coupling of multiple structures.
It has been found, however, that to get sufficient stability in most cases it is sufficient to apply the C-springs only on the external faces of the universal joints that are on the external surface of the structure. The application of the C-springs to only the external faces of the joints enormously simplifies the operation of assembly and dismantling of the coupled structures.
To further guarantee the stability of the joined structure, the faces of the matching joints could present one or more suitable- perforations for the housing pivots that prevent any movement of the joints on the contact pivot.
The present invention will now be illustrated in more detail making reference to preferred embodiments of the same that are described with the aid of the attached drawings. These sketches and the embodiments are by way of example and must not be interpreted as limiting the invention.
In the sketches:
  • figure I shows a view in perspective of a universal joint according to the invention;
  • figure 2 shows a side view of the C-sectioned spring that could cooperate with the joint of figure 1;
  • figure 3 is a view in perspective of the spring of figure 2;
  • figure 4 shows a side view of two joints belonging to two superimposed structures fixed together by means of the springs of figures 2 and 3.
  • figure 5 is an exploded view of a preferred system of connection of structures according to the invention.
  • figure 6 is a simplified scheme of two superimposed structures coupled according to invention.
With reference to figures 1 to 4, the universal joint 1 presents four seats 2,2',2" and 2"' on one of its larger faces in correspondence to the side face, that could accept hinged extended tubular elements not shown in the figure On face 3 of the universal joint that presents the four seats 2,2',2" and 2"' there is an opening 4 to fix the extremity of an extendible telescopie tubular element 5, within which another tubular element slides, not shown in the figure and connected with a corresponding universal joint. Along the edges of said face of the universal joint are grooves 6 which constitute seats to accept one of the extremities 8 of a C-spring 9 as shown in figure 4.
The insertion of the two extremities of the C-spring 9 into the grooves on the non-matching faces of two joints belonging to two superimposed structures allows the coupling of the structures to be maintained fixed. The insertion of the springs is easily achieved after the structures have been superimposed by snapping the inverted extremities 8 of the C-springs 9 into said grooves, where they remain locked. The operation of dismantling is performed quickly, for instance, by removing one of the two inverted extremities 8 of the C-springs from the groove.
Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention. This provides for the use of universal joints whose face opposite to that in which the grooves have been made contains the opening 10 that can accept pivots 11 that prevent any relative movement of the joints in the horizontal plane.
Figure 6 shows a side view of a support system for elevated loads according to the invention, obtained by joining two structures.
The said figure shows the tubular elements 12 joined with scissors-connection and hinged in seats 2 of the universal joint, as well as the extendible telescopie tubular elements 5, that assure resistance to loading of the structure.

Claims (9)

  1. Composite structure obtained by coupling two or more structures of the type which present pairs of scissors-connected tubular elements whose extremities (8) are hinged in universal joints (1) and in which the universal joints (1) are integral, delimited by large, equal and parallel faces, preferably substantially parallelepiped in form and which present four seats corresponding to the side faces to accept said hinged elements, characterized by the universal joints (1) having grooves (6) along the sides of the face on which the four seats are provided, close to the edge of said face and parallel to the same edge, which grooves cooperate with C-sectioned fixing elements to hold united two matching universal joints (1) each from one of the two structures to be coupled.
  2. Composite Structures according to Claim 1, characterized by the structures joined being superimposed and presenting, besides, in the face (3) of the universal joint (1) in which there are seats for hinging the tubular elements, a fifth seat in which is fixed the extremity of an extendible telescopic tubular element (5) whose other extremity is fixed to the opposed joint of the underlying universal joint (1).
  3. Composite structure according to Claims 1 or 2, characterized by the C-sectioned fixing elements being substantially rectangular sheets of flexible material with two opposite folded and inverted edges.
  4. Composite structure according to the Claims 1 to 2, characterized by the folded and inverted edges of the C-sectioned fixing elements presenting dimension and shape corresponding to the grooves on the faces of the universal joint (1).
  5. Composite structures according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized by the C-sectioned fixing elements being applied only on the external faces of the universal joints (1) that are on the external surface of the structure.
  6. Composite structures according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized by the C-sectioned fixing elements with inverted edges covering most of the corresponding side faces of the superimposed universal joints (2) and providing for cut-outs corresponding to the seats for the hinged tubular elements.
  7. Composite structures according to Claims 1 to 6, characterized by the matching faces of the joints of the joined structures presenting one or more suitable perforations to house pivots that prevent any movement on the surfaces of contact of the joints.
  8. Universal joints (1) of substantially parallelepiped form each comprising in one of its larger faces four hinging seats, corresponding to the side faces, for fixing the extremities of tubular elements, characterized by presenting grooves along the sides of the face in which are scheduled the seats for hinging the tubular elements, in proximity of the edges of said face and parallel to the same edges, that could cooperate with C-sectioned fixing elements to unite two matched universal joints (1).
  9. Universal joints (1) according to Claim 8, characterized by presenting in the face carrying the grooves, a fifth seat into which may be fixed the extremity of an extendible telescopie tubular element.
EP00909623A 1999-02-26 2000-02-18 Structures which can be dismantled and folded, consisting of interconnecting tubular elements; and a joint for such structures Expired - Lifetime EP1155200B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI990393 1999-02-26
IT1999MI000393A IT1309643B1 (en) 1999-02-26 1999-02-26 REMOVABLE AND FOLDABLE STRUCTURES CONSISTING OF INTERCONNECTED TUBULAR ELEMENTS
PCT/IT2000/000053 WO2000050702A1 (en) 1999-02-26 2000-02-18 Structures which can be dismantled and folded, consisting of interconnecting tubular elements

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1155200A1 EP1155200A1 (en) 2001-11-21
EP1155200B1 true EP1155200B1 (en) 2005-09-07

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00909623A Expired - Lifetime EP1155200B1 (en) 1999-02-26 2000-02-18 Structures which can be dismantled and folded, consisting of interconnecting tubular elements; and a joint for such structures

Country Status (13)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1155200B1 (en)
JP (1) JP2002538377A (en)
CN (1) CN1143040C (en)
AT (1) ATE304088T1 (en)
AU (1) AU767178B2 (en)
BR (1) BR0010271A (en)
CA (1) CA2362225A1 (en)
DE (1) DE60022485D1 (en)
ES (1) ES2248052T3 (en)
HU (1) HUP0200146A2 (en)
IT (1) IT1309643B1 (en)
RU (1) RU2250967C2 (en)
WO (1) WO2000050702A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106055826B (en) * 2016-06-14 2019-04-05 清华大学 A kind of node hardware for three-dimensional modeling

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB8520605D0 (en) * 1985-08-16 1985-09-25 Alpha Technics Ltd Collapsible display stand
AU8200487A (en) * 1986-12-10 1988-06-16 Wichman, W.J. Folding display frame
DK160349C (en) * 1988-03-23 1991-08-19 Preben Noedskov COMPARATIVE LIGHT WEIGHT STAND NAME FOR EXHIBITION USE
US4942686A (en) 1988-07-29 1990-07-24 Kemeny Matthias D Portable display system
IT1292139B1 (en) * 1997-06-12 1999-01-25 Gilberto Braghieri VERTICAL COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT STRUCTURE PARTICULARLY FOR PLATFORMS AND PLANKS

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITMI990393A1 (en) 2000-08-26
JP2002538377A (en) 2002-11-12
BR0010271A (en) 2002-01-22
DE60022485D1 (en) 2005-10-13
HUP0200146A2 (en) 2002-05-29
EP1155200A1 (en) 2001-11-21
CN1341187A (en) 2002-03-20
ES2248052T3 (en) 2006-03-16
WO2000050702A1 (en) 2000-08-31
AU3190100A (en) 2000-09-14
RU2250967C2 (en) 2005-04-27
AU767178B2 (en) 2003-11-06
IT1309643B1 (en) 2002-01-30
CA2362225A1 (en) 2000-08-31
CN1143040C (en) 2004-03-24
ATE304088T1 (en) 2005-09-15

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