CA2371152A1 - Panels made of wood pieces edge-fitted one into another - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to pieces of wood which can be used to manufacture panels, each comprising a lower surface, two lateral sides and tenons and mortises or hooks and notches on the two lateral sides so that (1) there is at least a tenon or hook on each side of each piece and at least one corresponding mortise or notch on the other; and (2) the tenons or hooks are positioned at the same height between the upper and lower surfaces of each piece of wood and the mortises or notches are positioned at another same height adapted to that where the tenons or hooks are located. When the pieces of wood are thus cut, it is then required that when a piece is placed flat in a given position with an upper surface and a lower surface, the adjacent piece is then placed in the inverted position, its lower surface then being placed above and the upper one below. The pieces of identical shape are therefore nestable one inside the other by alternately placing a piece upside down and another upside down. However, due to this configuration, each of the parts is orientable longitudinally in one direction or the other, at will. This is very interesting in the case where the pieces are cut in trunks or branches of generally conical shape, because they can then be positioned head to tail alternately to make a straight panel.

Description

PANELS MADE OF PI ~ THESE WOODEN BOXES
Field of the invention The subject of the invention is new panels made from pieces of wood arranged side by side and nested one inside the other.
The invention also relates to the pieces of wood used for the manufacture of the panels in question.
Brief description of the prior art The concept of making panels from parts of wood arranged side by side and glued to each other, is well known in itself.
As non-restrictive examples of such panels sometimes called "laminates "
we can refer to the content of the following US patents 1,924,240 from 1933 3,730,820 from 1973 5,050,653 from 1991 5,135,597 from 1992 5,888,620 from 1999 and 6.025.053 from 2000.
The concept of adding tenons and mortises on the lateral sides of the pieces of wood to allow interlocking of the pieces adjacent to each other and thus structurally strengthen the sign thus formed is also known per se. On this subject, we can refer, again at as examples, to the following US patents 369,216 from 1887 1,924,240 of 1933 and 4,624,295 from 1986.
We can also refer to the content of the Canadian patent application.
Next 3 0

2,328,338 from 2001.
Note that in all these previous documents, the tenons are always on the same side of each piece of wood, and the mortises of the other. When these tenons and mortises are placed opposite and so "Symmetrical" on each side of each room as is the case with all above listed patents except U.S. patent 369,216, it is then possible, when of the assembly, tilt the parts in one direction or the other in the direction illustrated by arrow "A" in Figure 1, to reverse their surfaces higher and lower. It is however impossible to return these parts by swivel to 180 ° C around the axis "B," in this same Figure 1 or modify then longitudinal orientation by rotating them 180 ° C around the Bz axis illustrated on the Figure 1, because, in such a case, the tenons or mortises of the adjacent parts are then face to face and would prevent nesting. The pieces of wood should therefore all be oriented in the same direction.
The concept of cutting the length of the trunks or large branches for making pieces of wood is also known. Of fact that some parts have the shape of trunks or branches of sides bevelled sides, their assembly to form a panel requires that they are placed once upside down once upside down. Ä as examples not limiting we can refer to the content of the following US patents 781.376 of 1905 and

3,961 .654 from 1976 One can also refer to the content of the international application.
Next 2 0 WO 97/1093

4 of 1997 Note, however, that in all of these prior documents, find no tenons or mortises on the lateral sides of the parts.
Finally, the concept of using hooks and notches or other similar means for rigidly hooking the lateral sides or ends of pieces of wood to each other is also known in the field.
On this subject, one can refer by way of nonlimiting examples, to the content of the following US patents 637,212 of 1899 3 0 2,389,944 from 1945 and

5,899,251 from 1999.
It should be noted here that the hooks or other means used in these previous documents are always placed so that the parts are can be tilted in either direction or be turned, but not both (see Figure 2 where the arrow “C” shows a possible overturning of the parts but the "D," and "D2" arrows for horizontal tilting or pivoting impossible).
Presentation of the invention The Applicant has now been discovered, and this is the subject of the invention, which solves many of the problems encountered up to present during the manufacture of the pieces of wood used to make panels, when we have tenons and mortises or hooks and notches on the two opposite side sides of each of the pieces so that (1) there is at least one stud or hook on each side of each part and at least one corresponding mortise or notch the other; and (2) the tenons or hooks are positioned at the same height between the top and bottom surfaces of each piece of wood and the mortises or notches are positioned at another same height adapted to that where the studs or hooks are located.
When the pieces of wood are cut so that their tenons and mortises or their hooks and notches are positioned as indicated above it is then required that when a piece is placed flat in a position given with an upper surface and a lower surface, the part adjacent is then placed in the inverted position, its lower surface then being placed above and the upper one below. Identically shaped parts are therefore nestable into each other by alternately placing a part to the place and another upside down. In addition, due to this configuration, each parts can be rotated longitudinally in one direction or the other, with will. This is very interesting if the pieces are cut in trunks or branches of generally conical shape, because we can then position Alternating head to tail to make a straight panel.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pieces of wood have bevelled side sides. This is usually inherent in cuts of pieces in trunks or branches (see earlier patents above mentioned as examples). The advantage of the invention lies in the fact than the tenons and mortises or hooks and notches being respectively positioned symmetrically, one can, by choosing specific heights, avoid the maximum "waste" of wood and / or give "space" to eliminate of the defects in the parts, which is often the case in the part adjacent to the bark of the trunk or branch. In addition, in the case of cut parts in trunks or forms, we have a beveling effect in both directions, viz, sure sides and lengthwise, with the advantage that we follow always the orientation and the shape of the wood fibers and from there we reinforce to the maximum the structure of the panel that we manufacture.
The invention will be better understood on reading the description not restrictive which follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Presentation of the drawings Figure 1 identified as "prior art", is a view in perspective of pieces of wood of known type, provided with a tenon on one side and one mortise on the other;
Figure 2 also identified as "prior art", is a view perspective of two pieces of wood of known type, provided with a hook of a side 2 0 and a notch on the other;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a usable piece of wood for manufacturing a panel according to the invention;
Figure 4 is a view of one end of a panel according to the invention made using pieces of wood as illustrated in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a view of one end of a piece of wood whose lateral sides are bevelled and which is also usable according to the invention;
FIG. 6 is a view of a panel according to the invention made with pieces of wood as illustrated in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a piece of wood similar to 3 0 that of FIG. 5, but which is also bevelled in the direction of the length;
Figure 8 is a top view of a panel according to the invention made with pieces of wood as illustrated in Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a panel according to the invention made of pieces of wood with hooks and notches;
Figure 10 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of parts of the panel illustrated in Figure 9;
Figure 1 1 is an end view of a panel according to the invention made 5 of two pieces of wood whose hooks and notches are in a form different from that of FIGS. 9 and 10;
Figure 12 is a view of the end of a log showing the how the pieces of wood shown in Figure 1 1 can be cut;
Figure 13 is a view of the end of a panel according to the invention according to another version different from those of Figures 9, 10 and 1 1;
Figure 14 is a view of the end of a piece of wood provided with hooks and notches similar to those of FIGS. 9 and 10 but with edges rounded and provided with a “snap” system;
Figure 15 is a view of the end of a panel according to the invention made from two pieces of wood as shown in Figure 14; and Figure 16 is a view of the end of a variant of the part of wood illustrated in figure 14.
Description of several embodiments of the invention 2 0 Figure 3 illustrates a piece of wood 1 usable to make a panel according to the invention. This piece of wood 1 includes a surface higher 3, a lower surface 5 and two opposite lateral sides 7, 9. The side lateral 7 is provided with a tenon 11 and a mortise 15. The opposite lateral side 9 is also provided with a tenon 13 and a mortise 17.
As illustrated, the pins 11 and 13 are positioned in a same plane P1 which extends parallel to the upper 3 and lower surfaces of the piece of wood. Similarly, the mortises 1 5 and 17 extend in the same plane P2 which is parallel to the upper 3 and lower 5 surfaces of the piece of wood and therefore on plane P1. The heights at which the tenons and mortice are positioned in the planes P1 and P2 on the lateral sides 7.9 of the piece of wood are chosen so that pieces of wood 1 of identical shape can be nested together to form the panel desired, in

6 alternately placing one piece upside down and another upside down, as that it is illustrated in figure 4.
As we can appreciate, because the tenons are in the same plane P1 parallel to the upper and lower surfaces of the parts and the mortice in a plane P2 also parallel to the upper and lower surfaces of the pieces of wood 1, it is possible to orient longitudinally each of the rooms as well in one direction as in the other at will. In other words, if that is necessary or wanted, you can rotate 180 ° C each of the pieces 1 around of axis E illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be noted here that this possibility of change to will the longitudinal orientation of the pieces around an axis E such as illustrated on figure 3 is something impossible with existing parts, such than those illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 identified as "prior art".
FIG. 5 illustrates a possible variant of the piece of wood 1 illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. This variant numbered 21 includes a surface upper 23, a lower surface 25 and opposite lateral sides 27 and which, unlike surfaces 7 and 9 of part 1, are angled at an angle.
A
such beveling usually occurs when the pieces of wood 21 are graven from trunks or branches. For illustrative purposes, reference may be made to the figure 12 or to American patents Nos. 781.376 and 3.961.654 to which it already has summer 2 0 refers previously.
According to the invention, the parts 21 also include studs 31 and 33 arranged in the same plane P1 and mortises 35 and 37 arranged in a other P2 plan at heights suitably chosen so that the post and the mortise arranged on one of the lateral sides of a room can come fit into the mortise and tenon of an adjacent part positioned at upside down, as shown in Figure 6 which shows a panel 39 thus obtained from parts 21. Again, it will be appreciated that the same part 21 can to be used either upside down or upside down, the only requirements being that adjacent pieces are arranged one upside down the other and of course Their lateral sides are bevelled at the same angle. We will appreciate also that the part 21 illustrated in FIG. 5 can also be rotated around a vertical axis similar to the E axis illustrated in Figure 3.
In fact, the possibility of such a pivoting around a vertical axis which

7 would change the longitudinal orientation of each of the parts 21 is makes an extremely important feature of the invention. Indeed, when the pieces of wood 21 are cut from trunks or branches, the sides side 27 and 29 of these are not only bevelled in one direction vertical but also in the longitudinal direction. By being able to pivot each of the rooms at will around a vertical axis E as illustrated in FIG. 7, we are so in measure of being able to arrange them alternately, as illustrated on the figure 8, this which allows to obtain a rectilinear shaped panel from parts beveled.
Of course, once the parts have been assembled and fixed together to the other, cuts can be made on L1 and L2 cross lines such as illustrated in Figure 8 to hold the panel of known size.
There is a great advantage to this possibility of pivoting around the E axis to orient each of the pieces as desired, which is in the direction longitudinal associated with the possibility for each of the parts to be used either "normal" position, ie in the inverted position, it being understood that a piece normal position must be adjacent to a part in the inverted position and reciprocally. In fact, this saves wood as much as possible, since can cut trunks or branches following as much as possible their conical shape natural. Another advantage is that the bevelling of the lateral sides being 2 0 in both directions, namely vertically and lengthwise, the cut of a trunk or branch to get coins always follows the orientation and the forms wood fibers. From there, we do not cut the fibers transversely and we therefore strengthens as much as possible the structure of the panel that is manufactured.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, the parts 21 do not necessarily have 2 5 need to have the same widths for their two opposite ends. II
is therefore possible, when we cut a long branch that goes away narrowing, to use several sections whose widths vary but the orientation is always the same. On this subject, we can refer in particular to pieces of wood arranged in the center of Figure 8, which are very much smaller than those who 3 0 are placed on both sides and therefore could only be in their extension when pruning a branch.
Rather than using pieces of wood with tenons and mortises as illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 8, the pieces of wood used for the oh manufacturing of the panels according to the invention can be provided with hooks and notches positioned so that they can fit into each other.
As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the pieces of wood 31 with hooks and notches include a top surface and a surface indoor 35 and two lateral sides 37 and 39. On each lateral side 37 or 39 there is at minus a hook 41 or 43 arranged at the same height and symmetrically.
The hooks in question define notches 45, 47 (see FIG. 10) of which the size is adequately chosen to allow the hook of one of the pieces adjacent arranged upside down can fit into it as it is illustrated.
It will be understood that, again, the pieces of wood can be pivoted to change their longitudinal orientation when desired, which allows optimum use of pieces cut from branches or trunks conical.
The advantage also of using hooks and notches shaped to be able nesting into each other is that it ensures greater rigidity at panel once assembled.
Rather than having a single hook and a single notch of each side, the pieces can be provided with several hooks and notches each side as shown in Figure 1 1.
In the embodiment thus illustrated in Figure 11, it can be seen that by the recessed shape of a hook relative to the other on the same side, the room 33 can be shaped with bevelled side sides not only in the longitudinal but vertically. This again allows improve the manufacture of parts from trunks or branches as illustrated on the figure 12 which shows how the parts seen in FIG. 11 can be cut from a small branch.
It will be appreciated by examining in FIG. 12 that the shape of the pieces allows to insure and recover a maximum of "wood". Indeed, only the bark or the periphery of the trunk or branch is removed.
In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12, the 30 hooks have been shown to be positioned in one position perfectly vertical. It will however be understood that the hooks in question can be arranged at an angle, as illustrated in FIG. 13.
Hooks and notches can also have edges rounded as shown in figures 15 to 16. This facilitates assembly. Of more, if necessary, small ribs 51 and grooves 53 can be scheduled to appropriate places on each of the sides 37 and 39 of each of the parts 31 so as to ensure a "snapping" effect when two adjacent rooms are assemblies. On this subject, we can refer to figure 15 which shows two rooms provided with such grooves and ribs when assembled.
It will be understood that the number of hooks and notches or, in the case of the first embodiment described above, of tenons or mortises, is not an important characteristic. The only important conditions are those already listed in the presentation of the invention, namely the fact than - there is at least one lug or hook on each side of each part and at least one corresponding mortise or notch the other; and - the tenons or hooks are positioned at the same height between the top and bottom surfaces of each room and the wooden notches or mortises are positioned at another same height adapted to that of the studs or hooks so as to allow fitting of adjacent parts in position one to the place, the other upside down, and whatever their orientation 2 0 longitudinal.
It will also be understood that the shape of the tenons and mortises and / or hooks and notches is not important. The only condition again is the fact they are "compatible" to allow nesting of the parts each adjacent to the others in the inverted position.
The panel according to the invention as just described and exemplified in the various embodiments from pieces of wood which can to be pruned from branches or trunks so as to recover the maximum of wood. Due to the particular shape that these parts can have, in particular with bevelled sides oriented at the same angle, we can remove the two corners or angles of the same surface (upper or lower? and from there adjust the known flash issues in the industry. Because the possibility to reverse parts also in the longitudinal orientation, we can manufacture straight panels with generally conical shaped pieces of wood.
This again allows maximum recovery of trunks or branches.
Of course, other modifications or other possible modes of realization could be made to the invention as it has just been described without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (6)

1. A piece of wood that can be used to make a panel, comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, two lateral sides and like and mortises or hooks and notches arranged on the two lateral sides, characterized in that (1) there is at least one lug or hook on each side and at the minus a mortise or corresponding notch on the other side lateral; and (2) the posts or hooks are positioned at the same height between the top and bottom surfaces of each piece of wood and the mortises or notches are positioned at another same height adapted according to that where the pins or hooks are located;
so that when said piece of wood is used with other similar it is possible to nest them in each other by placing alternately a piece upside down and another upside down, while being able to modify at will the longitudinal orientation of each part in one direction or the other. 2. The piece of wood according to claim 1, characterized in that it has its lateral sides bevelled in the vertical direction. 3. The piece of wood according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that that it has its lateral sides bevelled lengthwise. 4. The piece of wood according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that whether it is cut from a trunk or branch. 5. The piece of wood according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a single tenon or hook and a single mortise or notch on each of its lateral sides. 6. A panel characterized in that it is manufactured by assembling pieces of wood according to any one of claims 1 to 5.