EP0398068B1 - Connection for beams - Google Patents

Abstract

A bearer joint which can be made without the use of tools consists of at least two bearers and a joint unit of at least one rod-like or tubular joint component (3), acting in telescopic fashion with the end sections of the bearers (A, B) to be joined.

Description

The invention relates to a carrier connection consisting of at least two carriers and a connecting unit, the connecting unit consisting of at least one connecting element which interacts telescopically with the end sections of the carriers to be connected.

Support structures are used for numerous purposes, which are made up of a large number of interconnected supports. For example, it is widespread in trade fair construction to design complete trade fair stands as support structures. Such support structures allow a high degree of flexibility with regard to the structure and structure of the exhibition stand, particularly with regard to the arrangement of the various functional areas, such as Presentation areas, meeting rooms, etc. Furthermore, support structures using generic support connections are used, for example, for the installation of lighting fixtures, etc.

A generic carrier connection is known from US-A-3 786 612. The carriers of the known carrier connection are constructed in a double box shape. Two legs of the connecting element, which are likewise box-shaped, protrude into the two corresponding cavities of the carriers. The carrier can on the legs of the connecting element in the longitudinal direction shifted and fixed in different positions with respect to each other by means of rivets which pass through corresponding holes in the carriers and the legs of the connecting element.

Further known carrier connections are constructed in such a way that threaded screws are arranged at the ends of the carriers, several carriers being connected to one another by means of a connecting unit having a plurality of threaded bores. In addition, it is known to provide threaded bores at the ends of the supports, into which threaded bolts arranged on the connecting unit are screwed.

Carrier connections are also known in which a plurality of supports are connected to one another by means of pins.

The carrier connection known from US-A-3 786 612 has the disadvantage that, apart from the length compensation, the position of the carriers relative to one another cannot be changed, i.e. that the design options are very small. The known carrier connection thus has only very little flexibility in use.

In the other known carrier connections, it is disadvantageous that the effort for assembling the carrier connection is very high. This results in correspondingly high assembly costs, which in particular with trade fair stands, which are frequently assembled and disassembled, is a noticeable disadvantage. In addition, the individual supports must be precisely matched to the planned support structure so that their connection ends lie against the respective connection unit without length compensation being possible. Finally, the other known carrier connections also allow only a limited number of different angular positions of the carriers with respect to one another.

The invention has for its object to provide a generic carrier connection, which allows a quick, easy and inexpensive assembly. In addition, the flexibility in the design of support structures is to be increased; in particular, an easy adjustment of the angle between two beams of a beam connection should be possible. After all, the higher degree of design options should not lead to an increase in the number of individual parts required for this.

According to the invention the object is achieved in that the telescopically interacting sections of the carrier and the connecting element / the connecting elements are rod-shaped or tubular with a circular cross-section, so that the carriers can be rotated or twisted with respect to their axis and with respect to the connecting element / the connecting elements. In the context of the present application, a telescopic interaction of the connecting element with the end sections of the carrier to be connected is understood to mean that the connecting element and the carrier connected to it or by this can be displaced relative to one another in the longitudinal direction of the respective carrier. It is equally possible that the connecting element is accommodated in a cavity of the carrier or that the connecting element is tubular and encompasses the entire end section of the carrier or a correspondingly designed part thereof. The assembly of the carrier connection is carried out by axially plugging the connecting element and the carrier and thus requires only very little effort. In addition, the telescopic interaction between the connecting elements and the carriers allows a limited length compensation, so that distances of different sizes between two connecting points can be bridged within certain limits even with carriers of the same length.

Even if the beams are designed as triangular or square beams for stability reasons and accordingly three or four connecting elements are provided, the connecting sections of which each enclose the same angle, it is possible, for example, in the corner connection formed in this way that if one of the beams is arranged vertically is a mast, while the second carrier is arranged horizontally, the horizontally arranged second carrier can be pivoted about its longitudinal axis in any direction within a horizontal plane, even when the first carrier is stationary; In addition, a corresponding adjustment of the height of the horizontal plane in which the horizontal beam runs is possible through the telescopic mounting of the connecting elements in the vertical beam.

In a preferred embodiment of the carrier connection according to the invention it is provided that truss girders with tubular or rod-like belts are used as the carrier, the number of connecting elements and the belts being the same. Truss girders with tubular belts are particularly preferably used, each connecting element having at least two rod-like connecting sections has, which are received in tubular end sections of belts to be connected. With a configuration of the carrier connection of this type, despite the particularly high degree of flexibility, it is sufficiently compact but nevertheless optically unobtrusive, which, among other things, meets the need for exhibition stands that are as light as possible. It is an external characteristic of the connecting element according to the invention that there is a clear view in the connection area, ie a direct connection of the supports to be connected is not provided.

In addition to straight connecting elements, one-piece, curved connecting elements, the connecting sections of which are angled relative to one another, are preferably used. As an alternative to this, the connecting elements can also contain a joint, which preferably connects two rectilinear sections. Such angled connecting elements allow the design of spatial support structures. Connecting elements that have at least three connecting sections that point in different spatial directions serve the same purpose.

In order to increase the stability of the supporting structure, it is advantageous if the truss girders can be fixed in their position with respect to the connecting elements. On the one hand, it is possible to fix the truss girder in any position with respect to the connecting elements, for example by means of a clamping mechanism; this can be done, for example, by means of a union nut on slotted end sections of tubular belts of truss girders. The advantage of the stepless positioning is the particularly high degree of flexibility in the design of the entire supporting structure.

In another, particularly preferred embodiment, it is provided that the connecting elements have bores or bores at their connecting portions and each strap of a truss has milled bores or bores at the end portions serving for the connection, the fixing of the belts relative to the connecting elements by means of mounts or bores in the bores Brackets or pens are made. As brackets the so-called "sail rings" are particularly well suited. This form of fixation requires only a slight machining of the prefabricated parts of the carrier connection and is therefore particularly inexpensive to manufacture; in addition, the time required for assembly is minimal.

The flexibility in the design of support structures from such supports can be increased further by the fact that at each connecting section of the connecting elements there are several mutually spaced recesses or bores, which increases the number of possible fixed positions between the supports and the connecting element accordingly. A fixation of the carrier and the connecting elements at least in one direction can also take place in that the inner portion of the connecting elements lying between the connecting portions has a larger cross section than the connecting portions themselves, the inner portion being separated from the connecting portions by shoulders; the inner section preferably has one External cross-section, which corresponds to that of the straps of the truss, so that a smooth transition is created between the truss and the connecting element.

In a further, particularly preferred embodiment of the carrier connection according to the invention, at least two connecting elements are provided, the carriers each having as many mutually parallel tubular or rod-like receptacles for the connecting elements and for a telescopic interaction with them at their end sections to be connected. By using several connecting elements, the stability of the support connection according to the invention can be increased accordingly without the flexibility in the design of a supporting structure being impaired. Carriers of any design can be connected to one another, triangular or quadrangular carriers with tubular belts being particularly preferred. The straps form the receptacles for the connecting sections of three or four connecting elements. Such triangular or square beams have a high stability at a low weight and are also correspondingly inexpensive as commercially available goods. Since the tubular straps of the carrier can serve as receptacles for the connecting sections of the connecting elements without further processing steps, the manufacturing effort for producing such a carrier connection is minimal.

A particularly stable but nevertheless pivotable corner connection of two triangular or square beams has three or four connecting elements, the connecting sections of which each form the same angle with one another. If, for example, one of these girders is arranged vertically and forms a mast, while the second girder is arranged horizontally, the horizontally arranged second girder can be pivoted in any direction within a horizontal plane even when the first girder is stationary; in addition, a corresponding adjustment of the height of the horizontal plane in which the horizontal beam runs is possible through the telescopic mounting of the connecting elements in the vertical beam.

The connecting elements can also have branches, in particular in the form of T-pieces. This enables three beams to be connected at a node. Such a branch connection can also be quickly assembled by simply plugging it in without tools, the telescopic connection between the connecting elements and the carriers creating additional variation options and compensating for possible manufacturing tolerances. In the same way, connecting elements designed as X-pieces and for connecting five or more carriers in a node can be used to connect connecting elements with five or more connecting sections.

According to a particularly variable and flexible embodiment during assembly, it is provided that the connecting sections form the ends of a rectilinear inner section and that the inner section is divided into two partial sections which are connected to one another via a joint. This allows the connection for almost any angular position the connected carrier can be realized, while the prefabricated arcuate inner section allows only a certain angle.

In the case of prefabricated connecting elements, the rod-shaped connecting sections in turn preferably have a plurality of recesses spaced apart from one another, as a result of which the straps of the carriers can be fixed in different positions. By fixing the connecting elements with respect to the end sections of the straps of the triangular or square beams connected to one another, the above-described pivotability of the two beams of a corner connection to one another is prevented, as a result of which a high stability of the finished beam structures is achieved.

• Fig. 1 eine isometrische Ansicht einer Eckverbindung zweier Dreiecksträger mit gebogenen Verbindungselementen,
• Fig. 2 eine isometrische Ansicht einer T-Verbindung dreier Dreiecksträger,
• Fig. 3 einen Endabschnitt eines Fachwerkträgers mit einem gebogenen Verbindungselement,
• Fig. 4 eine Ausführungsform des Verbindungselements als T-Stück und
• Fig. 5 eine isonometrische Ansicht einer Eckverbindung zweier Dreiecksträger, mit gelenkigen Verbindungselementen.

Various exemplary embodiments of the support connection according to the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows

• 1 is an isometric view of a corner connection of two triangular beams with curved connecting elements,
• 2 is an isometric view of a T-connection of three triangular beams,
• 3 shows an end section of a truss with a bent connecting element,
• Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of the connecting element as a T-piece and
• Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a corner connection of two triangular beams, with articulated connecting elements.

1, two triangular beams A, B are connected to one another, the longitudinal axes a, b of the two beams intersecting at an angle α of 90 °. The triangular girders each consist of three tubular belts 1, two of which are connected to each other in a known manner with a zigzag strut 2, so that a type of truss girder is created which has a high degree of rigidity.

To connect the two triangular beams A, B to each other, there are three connecting elements 3, which consist of angled rods 4. Corresponding to the angle α, at which the triangular beams A, B to each other stand, the legs 4a, 4b of each angled rod 4 also form an angle of 90 °. The outer diameter d₁ of the angled rods 4 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular straps 1 of the triangular beams A, B. This ensures that the connecting elements 3 can be moved easily in the tubular straps 1. The assembly of the carrier connection can thus be done without tools.

The carrier connection shown in FIG. 1 allows the horizontal carrier A to be pivoted in a horizontal plane about the axis b of the vertical carrier B, as indicated by the arrow X. At the same time, when the carrier A is pivoted, the carrier A is rotated with respect to its longitudinal axis a, as is indicated by the arrow Y; at the same time, the position of the legs of the connecting elements 3 changes with respect to the tubular straps 1 of the two triangular supports A and B, ie some of them are slightly pulled out of them, while others are pushed slightly into them. Such pivotability is possible in the same way for beam connections in which the angle α between the beams A and B to be connected is different from 90 °.

Fig. 2 shows the connection of three triangular beams C, D and E, the two beams C and D are in extension to each other and the carrier E forms a branch. The three supports C, D and E are connected to one another by means of three connecting elements designed as T-pieces 5. The legs 5c, 5d and 5e of the T-pieces 5 are accommodated in the tubular straps 1 of the triangular beams C, D and E in the same way as was described for the corner connection according to FIG. 1. With this support connection, in the same way as described in connection with FIG. 1, joint pivoting of the two supports C and D with respect to the axis e of the vertical support E is possible; with simultaneous rotation of the two horizontal supports C and D about their common axis, this can be aligned almost anywhere within a horizontal plane.

The pivoting movement is clearly only limited by the fact that, in certain positions, vertical legs 5e and horizontal legs 5c and 5d of the T-pieces 5 abut one another. The angle through which pivoting of the horizontal supports C, D about the axis e of the vertical support E is possible increase that in the arrangement according to FIG. 2 two T-pieces 5 are replaced by angled connecting elements, for example as shown in FIG. 1, one of which supports C with supports E and the other supports D with supports E. connects.

Fig. 3 shows a possibility of connecting a tubular support 6 or a single strap of a truss, such as 1, 2 and 5, with a curved connecting element 3. The connecting element designed as a 90 ° angle has on its connecting section 7, i. on the area which is intended to be received in the tubular carrier 6, three indentations 8. The tubular support 6 has two mutually opposite milled grooves 9. The width of the milled grooves 9 and the recesses 8 and their depth is matched in a known manner to the dimensions of a clamp effecting the fixation in the manner of a known, so-called.

Fig. 4 shows a T-shaped connecting element 3, which in its connecting sections 7 and in the area between the connecting sections different Has diameter. The connecting sections, which are to be accommodated in the tubular supports 6, have the outer diameter d 1, which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular supports 6. On each shoulder 11, the diameter of each of the legs of the connecting element 3 expands to the diameter d 2 , which corresponds to the outer diameter of the tubular carrier 6. The shoulders 11 form stops for the ends of the supports 6 and thus define their position relative to one another and with respect to the connecting element 3.

FIG. 5 shows a connection between two triangular beams A, B in the manner of FIG. 1. Instead of the bent connecting elements 3 used there, articulated connecting elements are provided here, each consisting of straight rod sections 12 which are connected to one another by means of a joint 13. A fixation of the connecting elements in the tubular belts 1, as shown in FIG. 3, is also possible here. The joints 13 allow any angle to be set between the two triangular beams A, B, the angle adjustment being made possible by a different insertion depth of the rod sections 12 into the straps 1.

Claims (17)

1. Support connection consisting of at least two supports and one connecting unit, the connecting unit consisting of at least one connecting element (3), which cooperates telescopically with the end sections of the supports (A, B; C, D, E; 6) to be connected, characterised in that the telescopically cooperating sections of the supports and of the connecting element(s) are constructed in the shape of rods or tubes with a circular cross-section, so that the supports can be rotated or twisted with regard to their axis and with regard to the connecting element(s).
2. Support connection according to Claim 1, characterised in that as the supports lattice supports with tube or rod-shaped chords (1) are provided and that the number of connecting elements (3) and of chords (1) is the same.
3. Support connection according to Claim 2, characterised in that each connecting element (3) comprises at least two rod-shaped connecting sections, which are received in tubular end sections of chords (1) to be connected.
4. Support connection according to Claim 3, characterised in that the connecting sections (7) of the connecting element (3) are bent in opposite directions.
5. Support connection according to Claim 3, characterised in that the connecting element (3) comprises three connecting sections (7), which point in different spatial directions.
6. Support connection according to Claim 2, characterised in that a fixing is provided for fixing the position of the chords (1) with respect to the connecting element (3).
7. Support connection according to Claim 6, characterised in that on its connecting sections (7), the connecting element (3) comprises recesses (8) or bores and on its end section serving for the connection, each chord (1) comprises milled recesses (9) or bores and that the fixing of the chords (1) with respect to the connecting element (3) takes place by means of clips (10) or pins received in the milled recesses (9) or bores.
8. Support connection according to Claim 7, characterised in that on each connecting section (7), the connecting element (3) comprises a plurality of recesses (8) or bores spaced apart.
9. Support connection according to Claim 3, characterised in that the outer cross-section of the inner section of the connecting element (3) lying between the connecting sections (7) corresponds to that of the chords (1) and that the connecting sections(7) pass respectively into the adjoining inner section by way of a shoulder (11) forming a stop face.
10. Support connection according to Claim 1, characterised in that at least two connecting elements (3) are provided and that on their end sections to be connected, the supports (A, B; C, D, E) comprise respectively just as many tube-shaped or rod-shaped holders for the connecting elements (3), which holders are parallel to each other.
11. Support connection according to Claim 10, characterised in that as supports, triangular or rectangular supports with tube-shaped chords (1) are provided, the end sections of the chords (1) forming the holders for the connecting sections (7) of three or four connecting elements (3).
12. Support connection according to Claim 11, characterised in that two supports (A, B) are provided and that all the connecting elements (3) comprise two connecting sections (7), which form the same angle with each other.
13. Support connection according to Claim 4 or Claim 12, characterised in that the connecting sections (7) form the end sections of a curved inner section.
14. Support connection according to Claim 4 or Claim 12, characterised in that the connecting sections (7) form the end sections of a rectilinear inner section and that the inner section is divided into two partial sections, which are connected to each other by way of a joint (13).
15. Support connection according to Claim 11, characterised in that three supports (C, D, E) are provided and that at least one of the connecting elements (3) is constructed as a T-piece (5).
16. Support connection according to Claim 15, characterised in that three triangular supports are provided, which are connected by means of three connecting elements (3) constructed as T-pieces (5).
17. Support connection according to Claim 11, characterised in that four supports are provided and that at least one of the connecting pieces is constructed as an X-piece.

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