EP1718810A1

EP1718810A1 - Constructional element

Info

Publication number: EP1718810A1
Application number: EP05702907A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lucas Johannes Van Tonder
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-06
Filing date: 2005-02-07
Publication date: 2006-11-08
Also published as: ZA200607155B; WO2005075756A1

Abstract

This invention provides a constructional element (10) for erecting an assembly and comprises first, second, and third parallel extending elongate relatively flat side portions (12, 14) and (16); and first and second elongate connecting webs (18) and (20), extending parallel to the side portions. The first connecting web 18 connects the side portions (12) and (14). The second connecting web 20 connects the third side portion to the first connecting web. The arrangement of the side portions and connecting webs relative to each other is such that the first and second side portions, in combination with the first connecting web, forms an elongate H-bar, and the third side portion, in combination with the second connecting web (20), forming an elongate T-bar. The side portions each define a plurality of connecting formations, in the form of elliptical holes (22), along their length.

Description

CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENT

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a constructional element and to a method of erecting an assembly using a plurality of such constructional elements. This invention further relates to an assembly constructed from such constructional elements.

A plurality of different constructional elements are known. Examples of these are disclosed in USA patents numbers 3,969,867; 4,073,025; 4,095,912; 4,136,492; 4,294,051; and 4,429,507. These constructional elements all suffer from one disadvantage, or the other, primarily because: they are not suitable for a number of different applications without substantial costly alterations; a particular configuration of each constructional element must usually be pre-manufactured for each different application; and they are commonly resistive to a bending moment only in one or two directions, and not in all three dimensional directions.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an assembly, a constructional element, and a method of constructing an assembly, with which the aforesaid disadvantages of the known constructional elements can be overcome or at least minimised. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a constructional element for erecting an assembly, including: - first, second, and third parallel extending elongate side portions; first and second elongate connecting portions, extending parallel to the first, second, and third side portions; the first connecting portion, connecting the first and second side portions; and - the second connecting portion, connecting the third side portion to the first connecting portion.

The arrangement of the side and connecting portions, relative to each other, may be such that the first and second side portions, in combination with the first connecting portion, forms an elongate symmetric H-bar, and the third side portion, in combination with the second connecting portion, forming an elongate symmetric T-bar.

The constructional element may define a plurality of channel formations for receiving any one or more items, selected from the group consisting of panels, wall members, windowpanes, ducting, pipes, cables, and wiring. The said side portions may be provided with a plurality of connecting formations along their length. The connecting formations may each be in the form of a hole.

Each hole may be elliptical, for receiving a connecting member, provided with a head and a shaft having a frusto-conically tapered portion, extending from the head and a threaded portion, extending from the tapered portion. The holes may be disposed at a predetermined constant distance from each other.

Demarcations may be applied on the outside surfaces of the side portions. The demarcations may be metric and may be disposed at a predetermined constant distance from each other.

The side portions may be relatively flat, with the connecting portions each being in the form of an elongate web.

The constructional element may be specifically adapted for the construction of an assembly in the form of a building structure.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an assembly constructed from a plurality of constructional elements according to the first aspect of the invention. The assembly may further include at least one panel member, the arrangement being such that at least two edges of the panel are trapped in said channel formation, defined by the side portions of the H-bar of two constructional members.

The panels may be in the form of any suitable panel such as a pre-cast concrete-, wooden-, coated polystyrene-, steel-, glass-, or ceramic panels.

Preferably each edge of each panel is trapped in a channel formation as hereinbefore described.

Alternatively, each panel may itself define an elongate groove formation for receiving one of the edges of the third side portion of the T-bar.

The assembly may even further be provided with connecting and/or strengthening brackets for connecting to at least one and preferably two adjacent constructional elements.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of constructing an assembly, using a plurality of constructional elements according to the first aspect of the invention. According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of constructing an assembly including the steps of: capturing data of constructional elements according to the first aspect of the invention in a memory device; - capturing data of an assembly to be constructed from the said constructional elements in the said memory device; processing the said captured data by a processing device; and rendering an output from the processing device, the output containing data of the number and characteristics of the constructional elements to be used to construct the assembly.

The method may include the further steps of communicating the output to a manufacturer and/or supplier of the constructional elements; and to a site where the assembly is to be assembled.

The method may include the further steps of supplying the constructional elements in accordance with the said output to the said site; and constructing the assembly also in accordance with the said output, using the supplied constructional elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of two constructional elements according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for erecting an assembly;

Figures 2 and 4 are perspective explosive views of part of an assembly constructed from the constructional element of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is an assembled view of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an end view of two constructional elements of figure 1 , in use.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, a constructional element according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for erecting an assembly, is generally designated by reference numeral 10. Although the constructional element 10 is particularly suitable for erecting building structures, the application and use thereof is by no means limited to buildings. For example, depending on the scale and dimensions, the constructional element 10 can be used for lift cages, scaffolding, packaging structures, shelving, staging structures, window framing, partitioning (figure 5), channelling, railing, tracking, etc., with the capacity of being supported or assembled in a variety of three dimensional dispositions.

It will further be appreciated that the constructional element 10 can be manufactured from any suitable material such as perspex, plastic, resin, composite materials, aluminium, steel and other metals. The constructional element 10 comprises first, second, and third parallel extending elongate relatively flat side portions 12, 14 and 16; and first and second elongate connecting portions in the form of webs 18 and 20, extending parallel to the first, second, and third side portions 12, 14 and 16. The first connecting web 18 connects the first and second side portions 12 and 14. The second connecting web 20 connects the third side portion 16 to the first connecting web 18.

The arrangement of the side portions and connecting webs relative to each other is such that the first and second side portions 12 and 14, in combination with the first connecting web 18, forms an elongate H-bar, and the third side portion 16, in combination with the second connecting web 20, forms an elongate T-bar.

The constructional element 10 therefore defines a plurality of channel formations 28.1, 28.2 and 28.3 for receiving panels, ducting, pipes, cables, wiring and the like. It will be appreciated that wiring and pipes, for example, are accommodated out of view and protected in these passages 28, in use. Further for example, referring to figure 5, a channel formation 28.1 for receiving a wall member 30 is defined between side portions of the H-bar. The wall member 30 may be in the form of any suitable panel such as a pre-cast concrete-, wooden-, coated polystyrene-, steel-, glass-, or ceramic panel. The side portions 12 to 16 each define a plurality of connecting formations in the form of elliptical holes 22, along their length. The holes 22 are disposed at a predetermined constant metric distance from each other.

A plurality of demarcations in the form of transverse extending elongate groove or ridge formations 24 are demarcated on the outside surfaces of the side portions 12 to 16, at a predetermined constant metric distance from each other.

The constructional element 10 is provided with a plurality of separate joining components 26 shown in figures 2 to 4. The joining components are provided with elliptical holes corresponding to the holes 22 of the constructional elements 10, for receiving a fastening means for connecting two adjacent constructional elements 10 to each other, at right angles, as illustrated in figure 2.

In use, data regarding the constructional elements 10 and joining components 26 are captured in the memory of a computer or the like. A building structure, of which a portion is shown in figures 2 and 3 for example, is designed using a suitable computer program on the said computer.

After the building structure has been designed, the computer program issues, to a manufacturer and/or supplier of the constructional elements 10 and joining components 26, an output in the form of a material list indicating exactly how many of the constructional elements 10 and joining components 26 are required and what their respective characteristics are. The manufacturer and/or supplier then supplies the items on the material list to a building site where the assembly is to be constructed.

The material list and construction plan issued by the computer is also supplied (preferably in electronic format via electronic communication means) to the building site, so that the building structure could be constructed, using the supplied components in accordance with the building plan, by aligning the holes 22 of adjacent constructional elements 10 with each other and bolting the constructional elements 10 to each other, with fastening means such as bolts, rivets or the like. For example, the constructional elements could be connected by a fastening means such as a bolt (not shown) provided with a head and a shaft having a frusto-conically tapered portion extending from the head and a threaded portion extending from the tapered portion, in combination with a nut. The frusto-conically tapered portion of the shaft assists in aligning the holes 22 of two separate constructional elements 10 that are being connected to each other, whilst allowing adjustment along one axis of the constructional elements 10 relatively to each other. Similarly, the frusto-conically tapered portion of the shaft aligns the hole 22 of a constructional element 10 with the hole of a joining component 26, whilst allowing adjustment along one axis of the joining component 26 relative to the constructional element 10. It will be appreciated that at certain joints and intersections of the constructional elements 10, the joining components 26 are used to strengthen or connect the joints between two constructional elements 10, particularly where the constructional elements 10 are connected at right angles in the same plane.

The demarcations 24 assist in the aligning of the constructional elements relative to each other.

A first advantage of the constructional element 10 is that an assembly constructed therefrom can be assembled and disassembled with relative ease, using workers having a relatively low level of skills.

A second advantage is that an assembly constructed from the constructional elements 10 can be moved, relocated, expanded, partitioned, and adapted with relative ease.

Further advantages thereof are that the constructional elements 10 facilitate ducting and cabling within the assembly, out of view, and the attachment of prefabricated panels or other cladding and elements. It will be appreciated that variations in detail are possible with an assembly, a constructional element and a method of erecting an assembly according to the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A constructional element for erecting an assembly, including first, second, and third parallel extending elongate side portions; first and second elongate connecting portions, extending parallel to the first, second, and third side portions; the first connecting portion, connecting the first and second side portions; and the second connecting portion, connecting the third side portion to the first connecting portion.

2. A constructional element according to claim 1 wherein the arrangement of the side and connecting portions, relative to each other, is such that the first and second side portions, in combination with the first connecting portion, forms an elongate symmetric H-bar, and the third side portion, in combination with the second connecting portion, forming an elongate symmetric T-bar.

3. A constructional element according to claim 2 which defines a plurality of channel formations for receiving any one or more items, selected from the group consisting of panels, wall members, windowpanes, ducting, pipes, cables, and wiring.

4. A constructional element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the side portions are provided with a plurality of connecting formations along their length.

5. A constructional element according to claim 4 wherein the connecting formations are each in the form of a hole.

6. A constructional element according to claim 5 wherein each hole is elliptical, for receiving a connecting member, provided with a head and a shaft having a frusto-conically tapered portion, extending from the head and a threaded portion, extending from the tapered portion.

7. A constructional element according to any one of claims 5 and 6 wherein the holes are disposed at a predetermined constant distance from each other.

8. A constructional element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein demarcations are applied on the outside surfaces of the side portions.

9. A constructional element according to claim 8 wherein the demarcations are disposed at a predetermined constant distance from each other.

10. A constructional element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the side portions are relatively flat, with the connecting portions each being in the form of an elongate web.

11. An assembly constructed from a plurality of constructional elements according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. An assembly according to claim 11 which further includes at least one panel member, the arrangement being such that at least two edges of the panel are trapped in said channel formation, defined by the side portions of the H-bar of two constructional members.

13. An assembly according to claim 12 wherein the panels are in the form of any suitable panel selected from the group consisting of pre-cast concrete-, wooden-, coated polystyrene-, steel-, glass-, or ceramic panels.

14. An assembly according to claim 12, insofar as it is dependant on claim 3, wherein each edge of each panel is trapped in one of the channel formations defined by the constructional elements.

15. An assembly according to claim 12, insofar as it is dependant on claim 2, wherein each panel defines an elongate groove formation for receiving one of the edges of the third side portion of the T-bar.

16. An assembly according to claim 12 which is provided with connecting and strengthening brackets for connecting to at least one constructional element.

17. A method of constructing an assembly including the step of connecting a plurality of constructional elements according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

18. A method of constructing an assembly including the steps of capturing data of constructional elements according to any one of claims 1 to 10 in a memory device; capturing data of an assembly to be constructed from the said constructional elements in the said memory device; processing the said captured data by a processing device; and rendering an output from the processing device, the output containing data of the number and characteristics of the constructional elements to be used to construct the assembly.

19. A method according to claim 18 including the further steps of communicating the output to a manufacturer and/or supplier of the constructional elements; and to a site where the assembly is to be assembled.

20. A method according to claim 19 including the further steps of supplying the constructional elements in accordance with the said output to the said site; and constructing the assembly also in accordance with the said output, using the supplied constructional elements.

21. A constructional element substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

22. A method of constructing an assembly, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.