EP0041044B1 - Hexagonal structures - Google Patents

Description

The subject of the present invention is a system of structures formed by cells with a hexagonal cross section constituted essentially by unitary elements comprising planar parts and forming an angle of 120 ° between them, said elements constituting walls common to several adjacent cells.

We already know some examples of hexagonal structures having some similarities with one or the other type of structures according to the present invention. An example close to the alveolar type (DE-A-2 359 977), however, consists only of elements which have only two planes forming an angle of 120 ° and therefore does not have the stability to do without were temporary, nor the simple and uniform repetition of the assembly operations of the structures according to the present invention. Another example, close to the honeycomb type (GB-A-601 957) consists of elements with three planes forming a pyramidal cap, each plane having two sides in common with the other planes. These elements do not allow the production of cells having a certain depth or, if they have additional planes to constitute the side walls, they are no longer stackable in a small volume as is the case with all the elements according to the present invention.

The object of the present invention is to allow the easy realization of the structures formed by cells with a hexagonal section and to increase the stability of these.

The first type of hexagonal structure according to the present invention, called honeycomb structure, is characterized in claim 1.

It is distinguished by the fact that it comprises unit elements each constituting at least one wall of three adjacent hexagonal cells, by the fact that these unit elements are stackable in a small volume and by the fact that they comprise formations of assembly for fixing them to each other in their assembled service position to create said structure.

This alveolar type allows in particular the constitution of storage structures, such as a bottle, or a support structure particularly useful for the realization of steep anti-noise embankments, or very decorative claustras or sunbreakers.

The second type of structure according to the present invention, called honeycomb structure, is characterized in claim 2.

The third type of hexagonal structure according to the present invention, called rhombohedral structure, is characterized in claim 3.

The rhombohedral structure completes the series of structures with a hexagonal section. It has for its object, still by means of elements stackable in a small volume, a structure made of closed hexagonal cells juxtaposed, all the consecutive walls of which form angles of 120 ° between them. The transmission of forces through and in a construction made according to this type of structure therefore takes place under the best conditions of resistance of the materials which can thus be implemented as economically as possible.

A construction made according to this type of structure can develop in space along six main axes, orthogonal two by two, and six secondary axes, or in twenty-four different directions.

The purpose of this third type of living room structure of the present invention is to allow the easy realization of multiple constructions such as: viaducts, dikes, light and rigid rafts for foundations in very bad ground, floating caissons, silos and tanks, or even platform satellite built in orbit, etc. of practically unlimited dimensions, in particular by avoiding formwork and concrete pouring operations on the site, or the transport of bulky and unwieldy elements.

This type of structure is distinguished by the fact that it comprises unitary elements composed of six flat diamond-shaped parts each constituting three and four consecutive walls of two cells juxtaposed plus five times a wall belonging to five other contiguous cells, namely: twelve walls per element or six times two faces, ie a complete cell per element.

It is also distinguished by the fact that these elements are stackable and that they comprise assembly formations making it possible to fix them to each other to create said structure.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une structure du type alvéolaire. Elle est formée d'éléments unitaires 1, 2, assemblés les uns aux autres et reposant sur une semelle 3 et entre deux murs d'extrémité 4, 5.
• La figure 2 en est une coupe transversale à plus grande échelle.
• Les figures 3 et 4 illustrent deux éléments unitaires formant ce type de structure.
• La figure 5 est une vue en perspective d'un morceau de structure du type nid d'abeilles. aaa, bb, ccc, ee, fff, hhh, sont des éléments unitaires.
• La figure 6 comporte une vue de face et une coupe transversale de la structure.
• La figure 7 illustre en perspective un élément unitaire formant la structure tandis que les figures 8 et 9 représentent des demi-éléments de finition pour le raccordement avec des surfaces rectilignes.
• Les figures 11 à 14 exposent un mode de réalisation du troisième type de structure dit: rhomboédrique.
• La figure 11 est une vue en perspective d'un morceau de structure. AAAAA, BBBBBB, CCCCCC, DDDDDD, sont des éléments unitaires entiers.
• La figure 12 est un élément unitaire entier.
• La figure 13 montre le développement à plat d'un élément unitaire entier dans le cas de réalisation en matériau laminé et plié.
• Enfin, la figure 14 représente des éléments fractionnaires de finition.

These three types of structure according to the invention are explained below in more detail with the aid of drawings representing only one embodiment.

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a honeycomb type structure. It is formed by unitary elements 1, 2, assembled to each other and resting on a base 3 and between two end walls 4, 5.
• Figure 2 is a cross section on a larger scale.
• Figures 3 and 4 illustrate two unit elements forming this type of structure.
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a piece of structure of the honeycomb type. aaa, bb, ccc, ee, fff, hhh, are unitary elements.
• Figure 6 includes a front view and a cross section of the structure.
• Figure 7 illustrates in perspective a unitary element forming the structure while Figures 8 and 9 show half-finishing elements for connection with rectilinear surfaces.
• Figures 11 to 14 show an embodiment of the third type of structure called: rhombohedral.
• Figure 11 is a perspective view of a piece of structure. AAAAA, BBBBBB, CCCCCC, DDDDDD, are whole unit elements.
• Figure 12 is a whole unit element.
• Figure 13 shows the flat development of an entire unitary element in the case of laminated and folded material.
• Finally, Figure 14 shows fractional finishing elements.

The whole elements, Figure 12, have six flat parts of diamond shape forming between them angles of 120 °. The obtuse angles of the diamonds having an opening of 109 ° 28'16 "according to the calculation, ie practically 109030 '.

The fractional finishing elements, FIG. 14, comprise respectively five, four, two and a plane part of lozenge shape forming between them angles of 120 °. They allow construction to be stopped by closed rhombohedra, without the primers for extending the structure.

The honeycomb structure illustrated in FIG. 1 in perspective is a hexagonal structure formed by unitary elements 1, 2, assembled to each other and resting on a flange 3 and between two end walls 4, 5.

This hexagonal structure occupying a large volume is produced by the assembly of two types of unitary elements 1,2. The unitary elements 1, used at the beginning and at the end of the structure, comprise two plane parts forming between them an angle of 120 ° while the elements 2, comprise three parts also forming between them angles of 120 °, the two end parts being located in parallel planes.

These unit elements 1, 2 are therefore easily stackable for their transport and, in this stacked position, occupy only a fraction, approximately one sixth in the case of a concrete version, of the volume of this type of mounted structure.

Each flat part of a unitary element constitutes the wall separating two adjacent cells. In addition, the two parts of a unitary element 1 belong to three adjacent cells while the three parts of a unitary element 2 belong to four adjacent cells.

The structure illustrated in Figure 1 rests on a base 3, and is laterally limited by walls 4, 5, made of concrete. The sole 3, can be horizontal or inclined and the side walls 4, 5, vertical or oblique.

Such a structure can constitute an anti-noise retaining wall as illustrated in section in FIG. 2.

The sole 3 is inclined backwards and the elements 1, 2 are stacked to form the cells. The earth 6 is maintained at the rear of this structure and takes its natural slope, around 30 °, inside the cells. It is thus possible to create a retaining or anti-noise wall much steeper than the 30 ° of the natural slope. Thus, for a given height, it is possible to use much less ground while improving the interception angle with respect to the source of the noise which, on the other hand, is picked up and damped in the cells. The latter, partially filled with soil, can receive plants which is important for integrating such structures into the landscape and absorbing noise.

In the construction of retaining walls or anti-noise elements 1, 2, are made of concrete, possibly reinforced.

In FIG. 2, it has been shown that the superimposed elements 2 can be offset to increase the stiffness of the retaining wall. In this case, narrower elements 2 'are used to prevent the earth from running off. We manage, by this device, to make embankments having a practically vertical front face.

These elements 1, 2, include assembly formations which can be constituted by holes 7, and embedded rods 8, (FIG. 3) or embedded sleeves and bolts. It is obvious that other assembling formations can be envisaged.

This is the case of the element 2, also made of concrete, illustrated in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the element comprises reinforcements 9, preventing it from breaking along its edges.

The assembly formations here consist of projections 10, (tenons) respectively of the recesses 11, (mortises) in the form of pyramids located on the edges 12, respectively 13, of the element 2. During the assembly of two elements the male formations engage in the female formations and fix the elements. This assembly method can be done dry or using a binder or glue.

In another application, the elements of the structure can be made of plastic, agglomerated wood, fiber cement or metal, and the structure obtained can be used for storage, in particular as a bottle. In this case, the assembly formations can be formed by grooves and tongues, staples, rivets, etc.

The honeycomb structure illustrated in perspective in FIG. 5 is also a structure with a hexagonal section. In application of the same principle: decomposition into stackable elements under a small volume, it has for its object a double-sided honeycomb structure, similar to the hexagonal structure of cells in a honeycomb with its median partition, being able in particular to constitute anti screens -noise in concrete of a significant height without requiring excessive foundations, arches or light domes and a large span, metal frames or other materials, flat, cylindrical or peripheral, in particular aircraft hangar doors , locks, etc. which, due to their size, must be assembled on site.

The type of honeycomb structure according to the present invention is a structure similar to the structure of hexagonal cells in a honeycomb. It is distinguished by the fact that it comprises unitary elements each killing twice a wall common to two adjacent cells, on either side of the central partition, plus a proportional part of this partition closing the bottom of the cells. It is also distinguished by the fact that these elements are stackable and that they comprise assembly formations making it possible to fix them to each other to create said structure.

As for the rhombohedral structure illustrated in perspective in FIG. 11, it is a development of the honeycomb structure in which the lateral walls of the cells, which have become diamonds similar to the facets of the median partition, are in turn extended by other similar diamonds so as to obtain closed cells with twelve faces, parallel two by two, and juxtaposed perfectly, so as to be able to fill all the necessary space. This structure is also broken down into elements which can be stacked in a considerably reduced volume for storage and transport.

Claims (10)

1. Structures formed by hexagonal cells made merely by unitary elements (2) comprising flat portions and making an angle of 120° between them, the said elements constituting walls which are common to several adjacent cells, characterized in that the said elements (2) are formed of three plan portions of which a central portion makes with the two end portions, which are located in two parallel plans, angles of 120° and that the said elements are located in such a manner as to form angles of 120° between them, the end edges resting on the edges limiting the central portion of an adjacent element.

2. Structures according to the preamble of claim 1 characterized by the fact that the said elements (figure 7) are made of three plane portions of which a central portion makes with the two end portions, located in two parallel plane angles of 120°, the central portion being a parallelogram having obtuse angles of 109°30', the end portions being quadrilaterals the angles of which adjacent to the obtuse angles of the central parallelogram are also of 109°30', and that said elements are located in three directions of 120°, so that the obtuse angles of the parallelograms of three adjacent elements have a common summit.

3. Structures according to the preamble of claim 1, the plane portions having the shape of lozenges, characterized by the fact that the said elements (figures 12, 13) are formed by 6 lozenges (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) having only one common side the one with the other, of which 4 peripheral lozenges (2, 3, 4, 5) are adjacent to the sides of a central lozenge (1), the opposite lozenges (2, 3 and 4, 5) being inclined towards the same side of the central lozenge and a sixth lozenge of which (6) has a common edge with a peripheral lozenge (5) and the summit of one of its acute angles common with an acute angle of the central lozenge (1) and that the said elements are disposed in such a manner as to obtain closed cells comprising twelve faces parallel two to two having a lozenge shape.

4. Structures according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that they comprise several types of unitary elements or farctions of elements, the ones intended to the construction of plane structures, or with a small curvature with interposition of calibrated wedges, such as anti-noise walls, nervurated slabs, vault and domes of wide range, and the ones intended for the construction of structures having a greater curvature.

5. Structures according to one of the preceeding claims characterized by the fact that the elements are made of concrete, or other aglomerat- ed, reinforced or not, and that they have reinforcements along their edges.

6. Structures according to one of the preceeding claims, characterized by the fact that the unitary elements are made of metal or in plastic material, laminated and folded, or moulded or forged as long profiles and cut to length.

7. Structures according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the assembling formations are formed of recesses (slots), respectively projections (pins), having a pyramidal shape or a frusto-conical shape, located on the edges of the elements or (and) by threaded sleeves embedded in the edges and bolts threaded in said sleeves through the reinforced edges.

8. Structures according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the assembling formations are made by grooves, respectively ribs, or cliped, screwed, riveted or welded angulas.

9. Use of the structures according to one of claims 1 to 3 for the construction of anti-noise wallings with or without application of a layer intended to ameliorate the coefficent of reduction of the noise propagation, or for the construction of civil work needing properties of lightness and of rigidity of the said structures such as vaults, domes, ribed slabs, viaducts, dams, fundation slabs in bad ground, floating cases, siles, containers, etc.

10. Use of structures as claimed in claims 1 to 3 for the realization of locksmith's works and metallic constructions, such as storing structures (for bottles), metallic frames or frames in other material, planes, cylindricals or hemisphericals (doors for aircraft shelters, seelock, etc.) solar captors, orbital stations, etc.

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