EP0298863A1 - Self-carrying plane reticular structure - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-supporting plane reticular structure comprising at least one network of long, thin elements (3) extending over a plane sheet in which they are assembled by their ends (5) according to the nodes (6) of the said network. The structure is characterised in that instead of the support (9) consisting only of a central core around which the arms (12) linking the structural elements (3) radiate, the said support (9) consists in at least one rigid plate on at least one of the opposing faces (15, 16) to which the linking arms (12) are anchored so as to radiate parallel to the said face (15, 16) and according to the required arrangement. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to means for the production of a self-supporting planar cross-linked structure comprising at least one lattice of elongate elements extending on a planar sheet in which they are assembled by their ends according to the nodes of the said fishnet.

It also relates to the structure provided with these means. More particularly but not limited to, this structure is intended to produce at least one section of wall and / or a roof slope of a building and / or of a habitable construction. More precisely but not exclusively, this structure is intended to withstand forces oriented in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the ply of elements such as those generated by the mass of these elongated elements or even that of covering and / or covering elements of the structure or the efforts generated by its association with other construction structures.

In particular, the present invention relates to a self-supporting building structure comprising one, two or three levels. It relates more particularly to modular and extendable residential buildings but also relates to constructions for other uses.

Prefabricated buildings currently existing have a number of drawbacks.

Even when they are in the form of assemblies deemed ready to assemble by a person not specialized in the building, the realization of the buildings is difficult because the different elements have significant weights and volumes so that their handling poses problems and requires a relatively large workforce, so much so that we have not yet succeeded in supplying prefabricated constructions, for example individual houses, which can actually be easily constructed by a person not specialized in the building trades.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make a modular construction so that its constituent elements are reduced to a very small number.

The present invention therefore relates to a self-supporting building structure which can be produced easily by a non-specialized person without handling problem.

One of the technical difficulties resolved by the invention lies above all in the fact that each planar reticulated sheet must withstand forces oriented orthogonally to the plane it defines and transmit forces along the axis of this plane.

However, in the idea of a person skilled in the art, a crosslinked structure with a single flat sheet must be used in such a way that the neutral axes of the elements which constitute it and the forces which act on it are located in the same plane.

When crosslinked structures with a single flat sheet must be stressed normally on the plane which they define, it is generally provided (US-A-3,354,590) that the stressed structural elements extend without discontinuity between the support points of each ply and provide a sufficient moment of inertia to withstand the flexing stresses.

The size of the structural elements then becomes incompatible with the limits imposed by construction without lifting equipment and by a non-specialized person.

Anyway, even if this construction technique gives good results, it offers very few architectural possibilities.

Faced with the drawbacks of structures with a single flat sheet, when for economic criteria one nevertheless wishes to use structures with a single sheet of elements, it is therefore preferable to give the sheet a curved surface shape.

In this area, there are also many achievements, the most common forms of which are cylindrical, parabolic or circular arches, domes or spherical domes, hyperbolic paraboloids.

By these achievements, in order to minimize the bending stresses at the knots, it is essential that the knots of the mesh are located on a surface with the greatest possible curvature compatible with the other constraints of the project, such as the height maximum, the area of the cover, the waterproofing, the interior volume.

However, attempts have also been made with success to produce framework frameworks for roofing, the payments of which are formed by a succession of inclined sides at a progressive angle (FR-A-2,378,145), but this type of roofing is criticized. cannot be covered with traditional roofing elements, which are always designed to provide a seal by cooperating in a plane.

In the field of cross-linked structures, a single flat tablecloth constructed of glued-laminated wood and normally stressed on its plane, it is however known (church of LIBRAMONT in BELGIUM) to assemble structural elements according to a mesh, in particular triangular mesh by constituting knots rigid between the elements.

In this specific case, each assembly node comprises a core around which radiates a plurality of plates, on the one hand, oriented according to the arrangement chosen for the structural elements and, on the other hand, each drilled in correspondence with arranged orifices in the ends of the structural elements.

The assembly of these parts can then be achieved by simple bolting.

This type of assembly node could be used in the case of the invention but its construction would be delicate and expensive since it should have small dimensions.

Specifically, in the case cited it is the importance of the height of the cross section of the laminated-glued wooden structural elements which are used which authorize the design and production of a rigid assembly node.

Indeed, the height of the core allows the connection by welding of the plates which must radiate around this core.

In the case of the invention, if one wishes to limit the dimensions and the mass of the constituent parts of the structure, that is to say assembly nodes and structural elements, it is necessary to limit the dimensions of said parts and especially the height of the cross sections which makes it impossible to develop an assembly node according to the above technique.

One result which the invention aims to obtain is a planar and self-supporting reticulated structure which can be produced by a non-specialized person and without the use of traditional lifting means.

Other results of the invention will appear in the description which follows.

The subject of the invention is means for producing a reticulated structure of the aforementioned type, in particular characterized in that, instead of the support consisting only of a central core around which the branches connecting to the structural elements radiate. , said support consists of at least one rigid plate on at least one of its two opposite faces from which the connecting branches are anchored so as to radiate parallel to said face and according to the required arrangement.

• - figure 1 : vue de face, une structure réalisée selon l'invention,
• - figure 2 : vu de face et à plus grande échelle, un détail de la figure 1,
• - figure 3 : une vue selon III-III de la figure 2,
• - figure 4 : une vue de profil d'un élément structurel,
• - figure 5 : une coupe transversale d'une construction réalisée selon l'invention,
• - figure 6 : un détail à plus grande échelle de la figure 5,
• - figure 7 : une vue selon F de la figure 6,
• - figure 8 : vue en coupe transversale partielle, une variante de réalisation,
• - figure 9 : vue en coupe transversale partielle, une autre variante de réalisation.

It also relates to the structure provided with these means. This invention will be clearly understood on reading the description below made by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the appended drawing which schematically represents:

• FIG. 1: front view, a structure produced according to the invention,
• FIG. 2: seen from the front and on a larger scale, a detail of FIG. 1,
• - Figure 3: a view along III-III of Figure 2,
• - Figure 4: a side view of a structural element,
• FIG. 5: a cross section of a construction produced according to the invention,
• FIG. 6: a detail on a larger scale of FIG. 5,
• FIG. 7: a view along F of FIG. 6,
• FIG. 8: view in partial cross section, an alternative embodiment,
• - Figure 9: partial cross-sectional view, another alternative embodiment.

Referring to the drawing, we see a cross-linked structure 1 plane and self-supporting consisting of a mesh 2 of elongate structural elements 3 extending in a flat sheet 4 in which they are assembled by their ends 5 according to the nodes 6 of the said fishnet.

To constitute the meshes 7 of the mesh 2, the elements 3 are assembled in line with each node by a device 8 for rigid assembly, that is to say a device which guarantees a connection by embedding to a common support 9 of each of the elements structural.

This connecting device must guarantee the transmission of bending moments between the structural elements, particularly when the structure is intended to withstand forces oriented generally in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the ply 4, which is precisely the case since, in addition to the loads natural and of the mass of the structural elements provision is made in particular to make the sheet support the mass of a cover 10 and / or that of an interior covering 11 and the load of the floor 25 '. By covering, it will be understood any substantially flat, inclined or horizontal surface in order to seal the construction and / or allow the movement of people.

Although this is not evident in the drawing, the structural elements preferably have dimensions and a mass such that they remain maneuverable by a person.

Implicitly this limits the transverse dimensions of the structural elements and therefore the thickness of the connecting device 8 at the assembly node, that is to say its dimension measured in a plane normal to the plane of the web.

Anyway, each connecting device 8 comprises a plurality of branches 12 which are organized on the support 9 according to the arrangement of the structural elements which converge towards the node where the device must be located.

Also, the ends 13 of the branches 12 which are intended to cooperate with the ends 5 of the structural elements are equipped with connection means 14 by embedding with said ends 5 of the elements.

According to the invention, instead of the support 9 consisting only of a central core around which the branches connecting to the structural elements radiate, the said support 9 consists of at least one rigid plate on at least one of the two faces opposite 15, 16 of which the connecting arms are anchored so as to radiate parallel to said face and according to the required arrangement.

Advantageously, the plate and the branches are made of metallic materials of the same kind and are assembled by welding in the plane of the plate.

According to the invention, on the one hand the connecting branches 12 all have substantially the same thickness "e" in a plane normal to the face 15 of the plate 9 on which they are anchored and they generally all have a planar face 17, such as a song, parallel to said face 15 of the plate and on the other hand, the connection device comprises a counter plate 18 which in turn comprises at least one bearing face 19 on at least some of the flat faces 17 of the branches 12 and at least one anchoring means 20 to the plate 9 capable of developing a powerful clamping action of the counter plate on said faces 17 of the branches.

These technical features allow the quadratic moment of the connecting device 8 to be increased without significantly increasing its thickness.

For example, the anchoring means 20 consists of a plurality of bolts which pass through the plate and the counter plate and are locked by nuts which rest on the free face 16 of the plate 9 while the heads of the bolts support for their part on the free face 21 of the counter plate 18.

Preferably, when the connection device comprises an even number of connection branches 12, these branches are formed in pairs by means of a bent plate 22 substantially in V shape formed at the required angle between the branches and these plates are anchored on the face 15 concerned of the plate 9 in line with their folding zone 23 according to the arrangement chosen for the branches.

Advantageously, at least one of the parts 9, 18 that constitute the plate 9 and the counter plate 18 has at least one anchoring means 24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d for a member 25 of postponement and / or recovery efforts, in particular: - on the plate 9, an anchoring means 24a, 24b, 24c which takes up the bending forces which come from the load orthogonal to the flat face to transmit it via at least one cross member 25 substantially horizontal to an opposite structure such as another ply,
- On the counter-plate 18, an anchoring means 24d which makes it possible to associate the framework of a window niche or an external extension with the construction carried out.

The anchoring means can be a simple weld or a tab whose dimensions and orientation are obviously adapted to each type of construction (Figures 6 and 8) and thus allow, relative to the knot, to carry variable heights a member 25 and for example the floor 25 'which it carries.

In the case where the anchoring piece 24b descends much lower than the node 8, its base can be provided with lugs 24c for support on the side opposite to the crosspiece 25 and, for example, on the elongate elements 3 of the ply 4.

As shown in the drawing, when a construction comprises two crosslinked structures arranged for example along the slopes 26 of a roof 27, the forces generated by the mass of the structural elements of each ply and / or by the mass of the roof 10 and / or the internal coating of the ply can be taken up by the anchoring means 24 and the crosspieces 25 such as beams which extend in a horizontal plane at least between some of the opposite plates of the two plies.

The structural elements which allow the construction of the structure 1 are also particular in that they comprise at least one face 28, 29 intended to be disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the sheet and which each carries a plurality of means at a predetermined pitch. anchor 30 for a part 31, 32 for fixing the cover 10 or an inner covering of the sheet.

These structural elements are for example made from iron in I.

According to the invention, at least some of the parts 31 for fixing the cover 10 to the structural elements 3 each consist of a column 33 intended to extend substantially orthogonally to the ply and which comprise:
a fixing foot 34 on one of the anchoring means 30 that each structural element 3 carries for this purpose,
at a certain distance d adjustable above the foot 34, a plate 35 substantially orthogonal to the column,
interposed between the plate 35 and the column, a means 36 for adjusting the distance d between the fixing foot and the plane of the plate,
- beyond the plate, that is to say in the vicinity of the free end of the column, a means 37 for fixing the cover 10.

The role of the columns 33 is essentially to separate the cover 10 from the plane of the sheet of structural elements and at least to allow the establishment of a layer 38 of insulation against the elements and of a waterproof film 39 resting on the plate 35 at a certain distance above the said insulating layer.

According to the invention, the cover comprises grids 40 of battens 41 and each grid 40 comprises, on the one hand, at least two frames 42 to which the battens are fixed substantially by their ends 43 and between which these battens 41 extend parallel between them with a pitch determined in particular by the covering elements 44 such as the tiles and, on the other hand, these two members 42 together comprise at least three members 45 arranged in order to cooperate each with one of the fixing means 37 provided on columns 33.

In a preferred embodiment, the mesh of structural elements which constitutes the structure has a triangular mesh and this mesh is deduced from the geometric characteristics of a pyramid having faces arranged at the same inclination relative to the vertical as those of the slopes main features of the construction.

Although the nodes represented carry legs distributed in a star all around their axis, it is obvious that the invention also applies to nodes whose legs only start out at a certain angle, taking into account their situation for example. at the edge of the tablecloth or even in one of its angles (Figure 9).

For the assembly of the neighboring ends 5 of structural elements 3 which extend in plies situated along intersecting planes, each device support, on the one hand, comprises at least as many rigid plates 9 as plies of elements at the right of the node 6 of assembly considered and, on the other hand, these plates are rigidly connected together according to the arrangement and the angles induced by the situation of the plies in which the elements extend at the right of the node considered.

A habitable construction produced according to the invention will include for example:
a plurality of vertical columns fixed to a foundation, for example combined with a reinforced concrete footing so as to constitute the perimeter of the building along which perimeter they are distributed equidistantly according to the module chosen,
- beams at least some of which are of determined length to connect two adjacent columns while the others have dimensions determined according to their position in the construction so as to respect the fixed module, these beams being assembled with each other way of forming planar networks of triangles, each network being fixed on said columns with a slope or in continuity with the plane of the columns and,
- horizontal sleepers fixed on the anchoring means to the plates of the nodes so as to constitute a floor structure.

For the connection (not shown) of the structural elements to the columns, connecting members are provided which essentially comprise a plate intended to rest on the top of the column and, on the one hand, on one face of this plate, two parallel plates intended to be placed on either side of the bar of the profile for example in I which constitutes the column and to be fixed there by bolting and, on the other hand, on the opposite face of the plate, at least one set two parallel plates arranged to cooperate each with the end of one of the structural elements which converge towards the column.

Claims (10)

1. Means for producing a planar and self-supporting reticulated structure consisting of a mesh (2) of elongate structural elements (3) extending into a planar sheet (4) in which they are assembled by their ends (5) along the nodes (6) of said mesh to form its meshes (7), and this by means of embedding connection devices which each essentially comprise a plurality of branches (12) organized on a common support (9 ) and each provided with an embedding connection means with the end (5) of a structural element,
which structure is further intended to support the natural loads as well as the mass of a covering (10) and / or an interior covering (11) and / or the load of the floor, said means being CHARACTERIZED in that instead of the support (9) of the connecting device consisting only of a central core around which the connecting branches radiate to the structural elements, the said support (9) consists of at least one rigid plate on at least one opposite faces (15, 16) from which the connecting branches are anchored so as to radiate parallel to said face and according to the required arrangement. 2. Means according to claim 1 characterized in that, for the assembly of the neighboring ends (5) of structural elements (3) which extend in sheets situated along intersecting planes, each device support, of a on the one hand, comprises at least as many rigid plates (9) as there are plies of elements in line with the assembly node (6) considered and, on the other hand, these plates are rigidly connected together according to the arrangement and the angles induced by the situation of the sheets in which the elements extend to the right of the node considered. 3. Means according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the connecting device, on the one hand, has its connecting branches (12) which all have substantially the same thickness (e) in a plane normal to the face ( 15) of the plate (9) on which they are anchored and generally have all a flat face (17), such as a song, parallel to said face (15) of the plate and on the other hand, comprises a counter plate ( 18) which in turn comprises at least one bearing face (19) on at least some of the planar faces (17) of the branches (12) and at least one anchoring means (20) to the plate (9) capable of develop a powerful clamping action of the counter plate on said faces (17) of the branches. 4. Means according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that, when the connecting device comprises an even number of connecting branches (12), its branches are formed in pairs by means of a plate (22 ) bent substantially in V shape formed according to the required angel between the branches and these plates are anchored on the face (15) concerned of the plate (9) in line with their folding zone (23) according to the arrangement chosen for the branches. 5. Means according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that at least one of the parts (9, 18) that constitute the plate (9) and the counter plate (18) has at least one anchoring means (24 , 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) for a member (25) of postponement and / or recovery of efforts, that is to say in particular:
- On the plate (9), an anchoring means (24a, 24b, 24c) which takes up the bending forces which come from the load orthogonal to the flat face to transmit it via at least one crosspiece (25) substantially horizontal to an opposite structure like another sheet,
- On the counter-plate (18), an anchoring means (24d) which makes it possible to associate the framework of a window niche or an external extension with the construction carried out. 6. Means according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the elongated structural elements comprise at least one face (28, 29) intended to be disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the sheet and which each carries in a predetermined pitch a plurality of anchoring means (30) for a part (31, 32) for fixing the cover (10) or an inner covering of the sheet. 7. Means according to claim 6 characterized in that at least some of the fixing parts intended to equip an element each consist of a column (33) intended to extend substantially orthogonally to the face (28, 29) and which comprise :
a fixing foot (34) on one of the anchoring means (30) that each structural element (3) carries for this purpose,
- at a certain distance (d) adjustable above the foot (34) a plate (35) substantially orthogonal to the column,
- interposed between the plate (35) and the column, a means (36) for adjusting the distance (d) between the fixing foot and the plane of the plate,
- Beyond the plate, that is to say in the vicinity of the free end of the column, a means (37) for fixing the cover or flat surface (10). 8. Flat and self-supporting reticulated structure made up of a mesh (2) of elongated structural elements (3) extending into a flat sheet (4) in which they are assembled by their ends (5) according to the nodes (6) of said mesh to form its meshes (7), and this by means of embedding connection devices which each essentially comprise a plurality of branches (12) organized on a common support (9) and each provided with a means of built-in connection with the end (5) of a structural element,
which structure is further intended to support the natural loads as well as the mass of a cover (10) and / or an interior covering (11) and / or the load of the floor, this structure being characterized in that it comprises the means according to any one of claims 1 to 7. 9. Structure according to claim 8 characterized in that it carries cover supports which consist of grids (40) of battens (41) and in that each grid (40) comprises, on the one hand, at least two frames (42) to which the battens are fixed substantially by their ends (43) and between which these battens (41) extend parallel to each other with a pitch determined in particular by the covering elements (44) such as tiles and, on the other hand, these two frames (42) together comprise at least three members (45) arranged to cooperate each with one of the fixing means (37) provided on the columns (33). 10. Structure according to claim 8 characterized in that it carries cover supports which consist of panels and in that each panel comprises, on the one hand, two members (42) to which is fixed a fixing plate of roofing elements such as slates and, on the other hand, these two frames (42) together comprise at least three members (45) arranged to cooperate each with one of the fixing means (37) provided on the columns ( 33).

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