EP0574344A1

EP0574344A1 - Improved grating frame

Info

Publication number: EP0574344A1
Application number: EP93500076A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Elias Lafuente Martinez
Original assignee: PLASTICAS ELME SL
Current assignee: PLASTICAS ELME SL
Priority date: 1992-06-08
Filing date: 1993-06-07
Publication date: 1993-12-15

Abstract

Improved grating frame consisting of an external strip (1) which defines a closed and hollow figure on which male appendages (7) and female appendages (8) are located with the conditions of being symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis and that for each male appendage (7) there is a female appendage (8) situated in symmetrical position so that by turning the body 180 degrees said part coincides with another identical one in order to form the grating frame.

In addition to the perimetric strip (1) there exist interior strips (2) also distributed in a symmetrical manner with respect to the symmetry axis of the body.

Description

The present invention, as indcated in its title, relates to an improved grating frame for glass, the function of which being securing glasses, plastics and the like with the purpose of forming a glazed space in a totally free and arbitrary manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present there exist an enormous variety of devices suitable for glazing hollow spaces, or creating hollow surfaces in which for ornamental purposes glasses or colored plastics etc may be placed, and all such devices consist essentially of more or less rigid structures which are superimposed on the glass or the plastic and are maintained fixed.
All such devices are expensive and require separate manufacturing of the two parts or structures which hold the material since said two parts or structures are not identical but symmetrical with respect to a plane. Essentially, one has to manufacture two different parts 50 that by coupling onto each other they hold the glass, the plastic or the like.
In order to avoid inconveniences as to the price, and the fact of having to manufactre two non-identical parts for forming a grating frame, the device suggested hereinbelow is proposed in which the two parts, that when joining each other hold firm the material, are identical. Therefore, there would only be the need for manufacturing one type of a part instead of two different types as it has been the usual practice until now.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The metioned single part consists of an external strip which defines a closed and hollow figure, the shape of which being totally free and arbitrary, said perimetric strip having an "L" shaped cross-section with the purpose of locating in the lower side of the "L " a series of male devices, being longitudinal appendages having any cross-section although preferably circular, and a series of female devices being other longitudinal appendages and being hollow, the cavity inside of which coinciding with the shape of the male appendage. The lower side of the "L" being understood to be the side which, after having joined the two grating frames to each other in order to hold the glass or the plastic or the like, faces towards the interior of the structure, facing the respective side of the second grating frame to which it is being joined.
Said male and female appendages are distributed on the lower side of the "L" and perpendicularly arranged thereto, in a totally arbitrary manner the only conditions to fulfil being, on the one hand, that the figure which the external and closed strip with an "L" shaped cross-section defines is symmetrical with respect the longitudinal axis and the cross axis, and on the other, that for each male appendage placed on the lower side of the "L" there exist a female appendage symmetrical to the former, with resepct to the longitudinal symmetry axis and the cross symmetry axis of the body.
In this manner, and having two identical parts, by turning one of them 180 degrees, it is achieved that the latter is completely facing the other part and each male appendage faces the corresponding female appendage, such that by exerting pressure the male and female appendages fit into each other, and so do therefore the two parts which should hold the material .
Inside the hollow space produced by the perimetric strip with "L" shaped cross-section where the appendages are located, there are other strips having a flat upper base such that said base is in the same plane as the one defined by the edges of the vertical side of the "L", said interior ribs or strips, which in turn define the corresponding hollow spaces, must also be symmetrically distributed with respect to the symmetry axes of the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a front upper view of the grating frame.
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of one of the identical parts which form the grating frame.
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the two identical parts, wherein one of which has turned 180 degrees to the assembling position.
Figure 4 shows a detail of the protuberance on the device.
Figure 5 shows a detail of a pin which is introduced between two female devices.

EXAMPLE OF A PREFERED EMBODIMENT

As it is indicated in figure 2, the single part to be manufactured so that by a 180 degrees turn it can be assembled onto another part indentical thereto so that the two joined to each other constitute the grating frame, consists of an external strip (1) which defines a closed and hollow figure, the shape of which being totally free and arbitrary, in the case of the drawings being rectangular. The perimetric strip (1) having a an "L" shaped cross-section with the purpose of locating on the lower side (3) of the "L" a series of male devices (7) being longitudinal appendages of any cross-section, although preferably circular, and a series of female devices (8) which are other appendages being longitudinal and hollow, the cavity of which coinciding with the shape of the male appendages (7).
Said appendages male (7) and female (8) are distributed on the lower side (3) of the "L" being perpendicularly arranged thereto and in a totally arbitrary form only with the conditions that, on the one hand, the figure which defines the closed external strip (1) with an "L" shaped cross-section is symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal axis A-A and a cross axis B-B, and on the other, that for each male appendage (7) situated on the lower side (3) of the "L", there exist a female appendage (8) symmetrical thereto with respect to the longitudinal A-A and cross B-B symmetry axes of the body.
In this manner, and having two identical parts, by turning one of them 180 degrees, it is achieved that the latter is completely facing the other part and each male appendage (7) faces the corresponding female appendage (8) such that by exerting pressure the male (7) and female (8) appendages fit into each other and so do, therefore, the two parts which should hold the material.
Inside the hollow space produced by the perimetric strip (1) with "L" shaped cross-section, there are other strip (2) having flat upper base (6) such that said base is in the same plane defined by the edges (5) of the vertical side of the "L".
Said interior ribs or strips (2) must also be symmetrically distributed with respect to the symmetry axis A-A of the body.
The male appendages may have small lateral protuberances or salients (9) so that by pushing one part towards the other the male appendages (7) remain prefectly fitted inside the cavity or the empty space of the female appendage (8).
Likewise, the appendages of both sides to be assembled in order to hold the glass may be female such that said sides join onto each other by means of a pin (10) which is inserted between two female appenadages (8) by means of pressure exerted on them.
Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention as well as one way of putting it into practice it only remains to be added that in the invention as a whole or in parts it is composed of it is possible to introduce changes of form, material and disposition as long as such alterations do not substantially vary the characteristics of the invention which are claimed as follows.

Claims

1.- Improved grating frame, characterized in that it consists of an external strip (1) which defines a closed and hollow figure the shape of which being totally arbitrary and free, said perimetric strip having an "L" shaped cross-section with the purpose of locating on the lower side (3) of the "L" a series of male devices (7) being longitudinal appendages having any cross-section although preferably circular, and a series of female devices (8) being other longitudinal and hollow appendages the cavity of which coinciding with the shape of the male appendage (7) and that said male and female appendages are distributed on the lower side (3) of the "L" being perpendicularly arranged thereto in a totally arbitrary manner having only to fulfil the conditions, on the one hand, that the figure defined by the external closed strip with an "L" shaped cross-section is symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal A-A axis and a cross B-B axis; and on the other, that for each male appendage situated on the lower part of the "L" there exists a female appendage symmetric to the former with respect to the aforementioned longitudinal and cross symmetry axes of the body (1) such that in this manner and having two identical parts, by turning one of them 180 degrees, it faces completely towards the other part and each male appendage (7) faces the corresponding female appendage (8) so that by exerting pressure, the male and the female appendages, and therefore the two parts which should hold the material, fit into each other.

2.- Improved grating frame, according to the previous claim, characterized in that, inside the hollow space produced by the perimetric strip (1) with an "L" shaped cross-section there exist other strips (2) having a flat upper base (6) such that said base (6) is in the same plane defined by the edges of the vertical side of the "L", and that said interior ribs or strips (6) must also be symmetrically distributed with respect to the symmetry axes of the body.

3.- Improved grating frame, according to claim 1, characterized in that the male appendages have small protuberances (9) or lateral salients so that by pushing one part on to the other the male appendages fit perfectly into the cavity or the empty space of the female appendages.

4.- Improved grating frame, according to claim 1, characterized in that the appendages on the two sides which are joined to each other in order to hold the glass may be female, the two sides joining each other by means of pin (10) which is inserted in the two female appendages (8) and by pressure exerted on the two sides.