AU2012201324A1

AU2012201324A1 - Multifunctional modular mother-beam

Info

Publication number: AU2012201324A1
Application number: AU2012201324A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Sergio Francisco Da Silva Matos
Original assignee: MODELING SOLUTIONS UNIPESSOAL
Current assignee: MODELING SOLUTIONS UNIPESSOAL Lda
Priority date: 2011-03-16
Filing date: 2012-03-05
Publication date: 2012-10-04
Also published as: FR2972785B1; CA2771957A1; FR2972785A1; MX2012002808A; DE202012013336U1; ES2406192R1; PL398473A1; PT105569A; PL125757U1; PL70433Y1; ES2406192A2; ES2406192B1; ITMI20120407A1; DE102012004806A1; AR085414A1

Abstract

[0088] Multifunctional modular mother-beam built in structural steel or in similar light, sturdy material, with an "U" configuration and provided with holes along its entire length, either on the backside (1 and I a), on the flanks (2 and 2-a) or on the edges (3 and 3-a), by which the said mother beams connect to one another either through their backsides, their flanks or their edges, in any angle. They are fastened with screws inserted into the said holes, with no need of any welding. The flanks and the edges are bended (2-b 3-b) in a way as to facilitate fitting and fastening the mother-beams. Mother-beams may connect by overlapping their backsides, by joining their edges, by joining their flanks, by joining flanks with edges, edges or flanks with the backside, either through direct or reversed connection, and it has the capability to take up the role of a beam, a pillar, a trussed beam or a bar, as desired, being especially recommended for the construction of large spans in pavilions or similar constructions. l. * * 2.a Fig. 1 2 2.a 4 *3 a Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 12 2.b Fig. 13

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INVENTION TITLE: MULTIFUNCTIONAL MODULAR MOTHER-BEAM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- MULTIFUNCTIONAL MODULAR MOTHER-BEAM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is a mother-beam which, besides allowing covering large spans as a result of its configuration and holes, also provides innovative features, enabling single or double pillars and overlapping in all sorts of angles and connection through either of its part. [0002] By using just one module of a single type, the new modular mother-beam allows to build structures that, so far and in quite a slow way, required numerous different structural elements. [0003] It can be connected in any angle from the backside or fixed by the flanks or edges, and the modular mother-beam object of invention can take up the role of a pillar, a beam, a trussed beam or a bar, and it can be reinforced or not depending on the purpose of the construction. [0004] Moreover, by allowing this kind -of practically limitless connection, the mother-beam does not require any welding at all, which means that now it will be possible to build large structures without using a drop of welding, and to build robust pillars, connect them to the beam structure, build all kinds of trussed beams and reinforcements solely by modular connection, with the mother-beams being fixed to each other by a single type of screws. [0005] In fact, up until now, all structural metal elements in buildings (like houses, pavilions, industrial facilities, and greenhouses), coverings and support structures (such as facades, sun farms, and parking lots) are implemented by using parts developed by the project. That fact has the main drawback of requiring the development of specific parts in order to build a given metal structure, from metal plates with huge thickness and weight to several components with high dimensional control.

2 [0006] On the other hand, such system requires great amounts of connecting parts and in the constructive and assembly stage it requires a great amount of welding, pickling and painting. The workmanship is enormous and expensive. Furthermore, due to the nature of structures, often of large dimensions, they can only be lifted with the use of heavy cranes. [0007] The construction of large industrial facilities has always met with a number of problems. First of all, it is necessary to overcome large distances or gaps between pillars. The traditional solution is to increase the number of pillars, which limits the amount of usable space. Moreover, longitudinal overlapping of beams and their juxtaposition with other perpendicular beams, at 90 degrees, are the existing solutions. [0008] The proposed invention wishes to go much further: the beam or mother-beam should have the following capabilities: [0009] The capability of being longitudinally superimposed upon another one, allowing to overcome larger spans, which solution is similar to other existing ones, although it also enables overlapping throughout the whole backside. [0010] The ability to be superimposed upon another one in any angle, thus allowing an infinity of orientations of the mother-beams, which greatly enhances their use; [0011] The ability to transform itself into a plain or reinforced pillar, playing a role for which it did not seem to be suited for; [0012] The ability to connect both through the backside (in direct or reversed connection), as well as through the edges or flanks; [0013] The ability to connect the backside with the flank or the edge; the flank with the flank; or the flank with the edge, enabling practically all mounting solutions in normal circumstances when building a given structure; 3 [0014] The ability to cross over, to be juxtaposed and to connectto beam-structures or trussed beams in any angle. [0015] Essentially, the proposed invention increases the ability to overcome large spans with enormous reduction in the amount of material being used, by simplifying the assembly process and by allowing the addition of modular material, while providing the multipurpose use of the same element: as a beam, as a bar, as a trussed beam or as a solid pillar. [0016] More elements can be added at any time (more beams, pillars, trussed beam or bars) without the need of any change or of moving structural elements in the construction. [0017] On the other hand, the invention highly facilitates storage and transportation; it does not require any welding or any surface treatment to the structures; and it enables a much faster execution. [0018] The proposed invention starts off from a beam with the general appearance of a U-shaped profile, with multiple folds on the flanks and edges which makes connecting, overlapping and fastening much, much easier. [0019] It is made out of structural steel and, in its most common version the mother-beam is a light and sturdy object. [0020] It has holes along its entire length, both on the backside, as well as on the flanks and edges, and it makes it possible to fasten, to connect and to juxtapose several elements in different ways, enabling the construction of pillars, bars and beams of variable length, and to make the anchoring from any angle. [0021] The configuration of the mother-beam is crucial to its m u It i functionality: the positioning of the holes throughout the whole backside, flanks and edges, as well as its U-shaped profile with a specially configured angled structure, enable a huge diversity of functions.

4 [0022] Thus, with the same mother-beams, during the process of assembly or construction of pavilions or other large size areas, it will be able to build and assemble all the structural elements - and not merely the beams in longitudinal or perpendicular alignments - by simply choosing the anchorage angle according to the holes, making the process much quicker and simple. [0023] The process, besides being simple, becomes much more economic, not only because it is faster and needs much less workmanship, but also because it uses only one kind of mother-beam, which will perform all the functions that were performed either by the beams, the bars, the trussed beams or the pillars. STATE OF THE ART [0024] The use of profile beams made of lightweight material and with holes that allow their juxtaposition to overcome large spans is relatively recent. [0025] Essentially, the present state of the art only knows beams with holes in the terminal area that enable longitudinal overlapping. [0026] Namely, there are beams with a U-shaped profile, with holes on the ends, which are able to connect longitudinally on the backside of each other and to overcome large spans. [0027] However, the features of such beams are much more limited than the ones of the invention now being proposed: [0028] They do not allow overlapping in angles different from 90 degrees; [0029] They do not allow any other alignment than longitudinally, by aligning a beam with a corresponding one, back to back, in a straight line; [0030] They do not allow the construction of pillars; 5 [0031] They do not allow the crossing and juxtaposition of elements with different sections; [0032] They do not allow further modular increases in any direction. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: [0033] Drawing 1 represents the mother-beam, highlighting the holes in the backside (I and I-a), the flank (2 and 2-a) and the edge (3 and 3-a); [0034] Drawing 2 shows the more conventional crossing of two mother-beams, in mirror and in a 90 degree angle, with screw fastening (4) in the holes of the edges (3-a); [0035] Drawing 3 represents a crossing between two beams in a 45 degree angle, fastened by screws (4) in the same way as in the previous drawing; [0036] Drawing 4 shows an external connection, in which the mother-beam is perpendicularly connected to another one through the holes on the edges (3-a); [0037] Drawing 5 shows an internal connection, perpendicularly connecting the mother-beam to another one through the holes on the flanks and the edges (2-a and 3-a); [0038] Drawing 6 shows a tubular connection between two mother beams in mirror fixed through their edges (3), which is a particularly suited solution for pillars; [0039] Drawing 7 shows a reinforced tubular connection, recommended for more robust pillars, in which two beams overlap in mirror, fixed through their edges (3); [0040] Drawing 8 shows a star structure, consisting in four mother-beams fastened together by connecting the edges (3) with the flanks 6 (2), which is a suitable solution for reinforced pillars and beam-framework which allows several unions; [0041] Drawing 9 shows an inverted tubular union in which the mother-beams are connected through the backside (1), a suitable solution for duplicating pillars and for beam- framework with multiple connexions; [0042] Drawing 10 shows an inverted star union, with connexions through the flanks (2) and edges (3) with the use of four mother-beams, a recommended solution for the construction of pillars or reinforced beams with direct lateral assembly of other elements; [0043] Drawing 11 shows a double inverted union, in which two mother-beams are connected by the edges (2), longitudinally in an asymmetric mirror; [0044] Drawing 12 shows some possible uses or placements arising from uniting orjuxtaposing the mother-beam object of the invention, of which: [0045] 12-a shows a cross-section of the mother-beam in a simple application; [0046] 12-b shows a cross-section of the mother-beam in a double application (back-side overlapping); [0047] 12-c shows a cross-section of the mother-beam in a tubular application; [0048] 12-d shows a cross-section of the mother-beam in a double inverted connexion, fastened through the holes on the flanks; [0049] 12-e shows a cross-section of the mother-beam in a star assembly, by using four modules and by connecting edges and flanks; [0050] 12-f shows a cross-section of the mother-beam in a star assembly, by using four modules and connecting edges to flanks; 7 [0051] 12-g shows a cross-section of the mother-beam assembled in an inner corner anchorage, by using two modules connected through the flank and the edge; [0052] 12-h shows a cross-section of the mother-beam assembled in an outer corner anchorage, by using two modules connected through the flank and the edge. [0053] Drawing 13 represents a profile cross-section of the mother beam, showing in greater detail the bending of the flanks (2-b) and edges (3-b). DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST WAY TO EXECUTE THE INVENTION [0054] The invention starts-off from a mother-beam made of structural steel or a similar succedaneum light, sturdy material with a general U-shaped configuration. This "U" is the result of successive folds from the backside to the edges. Specifically, such folds are present between the flanks (2-b) and the edges (3-b) along its entire length. [0055] In fact, only the backside (1) has a flat surface, which facilitates coupling and modular fastening. [0056] The flanks (2) have more or less pronounced folds (2-b) that award a certain convexity along the entire length of the mother-beam. The edges (3), on the other hand, have positive bending (3-b), also along the entire length of the mother-beam. [0057] Such bending facilitates coupling the modules and provides strength to the anchorage. Accordingly, when connecting edge to edge (Pict. 11, by way of example), or edge with flank (Pict. 5 and Pict. 8, as examples), the slight bending of the edge - present along its whole extension - will provide an increased tension and strength when tightening the screws (4). The same happens when coupling flank with flank (Pict. 12-d, for example).

8 [0058] The mother-beam receives three types of holes throughout its entire length: On the backside (1-a), on the flanks (2- a), and on the edges (3-a). Such holes are all in longitudinal alignment. [0059] The holes on the backside are used, namely, to overlap two beams or mother-beams in longitudinal alignment, allowing a variety of lengths, suitable to overcome spans of very different dimension. For that purpose, it is enough to overlap a mother-beam upon another, along any point of its length. [0060] But they can also be fastened through the backsides with reverse orientation (Pict. 9). As the holes are present along the entire length of the mother beam, they allow juxtaposition or another type of longitudinal fastening with any intended length. [0061] As they are made of lightweight and highly resistant material, mother-beams can be overlapped only on the borders, overcoming large spans, or may be overlapped along larger sections, for smaller spans. [0062] Mother-beams can even be fully overlapped upon one another, in order to create stronger structures (Pict. 12-b). [0063] If the mother-beams are reversed, by turning the two posterior faces in mirror, they can be crossed at 90 degrees (Pict. 2), in its most current version; or with the intended bending (Pict. 3) without the limitation of perpendicular orientation. [0064] In fact, the above described possibility comes from the positioning of the holes. Thus, the holes along the entire length of the edges enable the reversed placement and fixation of the mother-beams at any point (Pict.2 and Pict.3). [0065] The configuration of the mother-beams also determines its exceptional functionality. Indeed, with the use of this new type of metal structures, the same element can be a bar, a beam or a trussed beam, or it may sometimes turn into a pillar.

9 [0066] Although it can take up the function of a beam in its most conventional application, simply by overlapping along a mother-beam the backside of the other, the invention has many other possibilities which have already been duly tested: [0067] Thus, with the same mother-beam, one can build a pillar, simply by connecting in a mirror two mother-beams by the edges (Pict. 6); while it is also possible to overlap the whole set with the same type of fasting by the edges, with the purpose of creating a more reinforced pillar (Pict. 7); or the star union of four mother-beams (Pict. 8), by joining the flanks of two of them (2) to the edges of the other two (3) with screws. [0068] Besides its longitudinal juxtaposition, as stated above, the mother-beam enables an outer lateral fastening (Pict. 4) in which a mother-beam is connected perpendicularly to the other, fastening the top of an edge (3) to the other with screws (4) into the respective holes (3-a). [0069] And the same would occur with an inner fastening perpendicularly between two mother-beams (Pict. 5), this time with the attachment being made between the edges of one and the flanks of the other through the respective holes (2-a). [0070] Pictures 9, 10 and I I show us some possibilities of this versatile mother beam. By choosing the holes and attaching the edges, flanks or tops it is possible to use it in multiple roles in structural construction of large structures, such as pavilions, industrial facilities, warehouses or other. [0071] Picture 12, which merely exemplifies the possibilities ofjuxtaposing or connecting mother-beams, shows us some solutions ranging from the use of a single mother-beam (12-a) or with backside overlapping (12-b), for beams or bars; to its connexion for pillars (12-c, 12-and 12-f) or other solutions (12-d, 12-g, andl2-h) with numerous possibilities of connexions. [0072] Any modules are always fastened with screws. These screws can be equally applied to the edges (for example, in Pict.2, Pict.3 and Pict.

10 I I), or to the flanks (see for example Pict. 5, Pict. 8, Pict. 10 and Pict. 12 d), or to the backside. [0073] In fact, the whole invention uses a single type of mother- beam and a single type of screw. Thus, the same mother-beam can take up the role of a beam, a bar, a trussed beam or a pillar, and the same screw cam be applied in every hole. [0074] The construction is finished after everything is tightened with screws. There is no need for welding in any moment, and structural elements are built with a single type of beams. [0075] As described above, the construction, transportation, assembly and disassembly become much faster, more economic and much simpler: [0076] Construction is limited to a single type of modular mother beam, which significantly decreases production costs. The screws are also of a single type; [0077] Transportation becomes much simplified and economic, as it is possible to accommodate a single type of modular mother-beam, perfectly matching with one another and taking up less space; [0078] Assembly is simple and takes up less workmanship: modular mother-beams are lightweight, easy to handle and easily attached and fastened together; [0079] The same modular mother-beam can perform several functions in the structure to be built; [0080] At any time the structure can be increased simply by connecting more modular beams; [0081] Coupling can be internal or external, and so any section of the mother beam can be connected to any section of another mother-beam; 11 [0082] Assembly can be made in any angle made by two or more beams; [0083] It requires no welding at all; [0084] It does not require the construction of structural elements according to the specified work; [0085] Disassembly is simple, as it is limited to just loosening screws since there are no welded elements. [0086] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. [0087] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Claims

1. A multifunctional modular mother-beam characterized by an overall "U" configuration, made out of structural steel or in a similar light, sturdy material; provided with holes along its entire length, either on the backside, on the flanks or on the edges, by which the said mother-beams connect to one another, in any angle; they are fastened with a single type of screw introduced into its holes, and are bended in the flanks and edges.

2. The multifunctional modular mother-beam, according to claim 1, characterized by only having a flat surface on the backside.

3. The multifunctional modular mother-beam, according to claim I or claim 2, characterized by having bended flanks or edges along its entire length.

4. A multifunctional modular mother-beam, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.