EP0583563B1 - Modular cellular assembly of mutually insertable wall elements - Google Patents

Abstract

An interconnected unitised unit (1) comprising wall elements (2) which can be plugged one into the other is to provide a solution by means of which such an interconnected unitised unit can be configured without additional fixing means, it being possible to connect individual units or a plurality of individual units to form a unit assembly for different applications. This is achieved in that, for the self-fixing of the essentially rectangular wall elements (2) on one another, all the wall elements (2) are of identical design in their border region which effects the fixing. Each wall element (2) is provided, on the two shorter sides, with bent-off portions (4), and one of the wall elements is designed as an end mounting piece, formed from two part-elements (2a, 2b), with the expansion joint (10) through the shorter sides. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention is directed to a room cell network for forming individual room cells from at least partially identical wall elements which can be plugged into one another and for forming room structures from a plurality of individual room cells fixed to one another.

From BE-A-626 866 individual room cells of the generic type emerge, which can be combined to form a room cell structure by screwing. Since the individual room cells are partially provided with outward-facing edge webs, spatial structures can only be produced to a limited extent, since the edge webs interfere with the connection to a neighboring cell.

US-A-3 318 474 shows a packaging container which is formed from wall elements which are essentially similar in design, but without showing that such a container could also be formed from a multiplicity of such elements to form spatial structures. This reference also shows that a page can be designed as a divided element.

In other known solutions it is necessary to secure wall elements to one another with special fastening means, e.g. with screws, with clamping bolts or the like, which is unnecessary in the solution according to US-A-3 318 474.

The object of the invention is to provide a solution with which a spatial cell network can be designed without additional fixing means, single cells or a plurality of individual cells being able to be connected to form a cell network with different purposes without the need for further aids.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the characterizing features of claim 1.

With the invention it is achieved that all wall elements can be hooked into one another with their crankings, opposite wall elements of the spatial cell assembly embracing the edge regions of the wall elements standing perpendicularly without cranking or being encompassed by those on their own sides, whereby after joining together five side walls, the sixth of the side wall with corresponding material properties can be snapped in by slight bending or, in a modified embodiment of the invention, can be latched in as a divided end piece and thus finally fixes the overall dressing. No further assembly aids are required to form a composite space cell according to the invention.

With the invention it is also achieved that, on the one hand, very simple assembly of the wall elements is possible, since corresponding holding or clamping effects are achieved, and, on the other hand, the corners that are formed can be used for further functions.

US-A-2 231 065 shows, for example, US-A-2 231 065, interlocking walls, preferably in ships, shows DE-U-75 03 571, an intermeshing component, in particular, kits for forming smaller buildings in which the wall elements are fixed to one another DE-U-72 02 046 shows for game purposes, with the two last-mentioned solutions a cell assembly cannot be produced as a spatial cell, since the connections are designed in such a way that they are not fixed in at least one pulling-out or pivoting direction, which is exactly what is avoided in the present invention.

The invention also provides that each wall element in the edge regions effective for the assembly is partially provided with projections corresponding to the material thickness on two opposite edge regions, the projections on two opposite outer surfaces of the non-cranked ones Edge areas of the wall element or on the inner surfaces of the bend are provided. With this further embodiment according to the invention it is achieved that on the one hand a very simple assembly of the wall elements is possible, since corresponding holding or clamping effects are achieved, and on the other hand the corners that are formed can be used for further functions.

In order to enable a bandage of spatial cells in a simple manner, the invention provides in an embodiment that in the assembly position the offsets with the associated Protrusions form a latching joint for a neighboring room cell to be attached with its offset.

With this design, it is possible to connect neighboring room cells to all six room cell walls. Again, no additional assembly aids are required.

Depending on the material of the room cell walls and the selected dimensions, there are different uses of the room cells. This can be used, for example, in a plurality of interconnected room cells as a supporting structure, for example as bridges, as pedestrian bridges made of steel and wood, as cable bridges, ventilation ducts and the like. Like., For example, from steel or aluminum sheet, as billboard towers, in the area of trade fair construction u. the like

As a single cell, it can be used as packaging for all kinds of shipping goods, as an aid for protective walls, as lost or reusable formwork in concrete construction, as a floating bridge, as a floating container and the like. The space cell can be used as a floor cell, as a kiosk, as a pavilion or the like. For example, from composite panel materials, in which the cranking of steel angles is formed.

In the daily need area, the composite can be used, for example, as a storage box open or closed, coupled together as a wall unit or free shelf, as a frame for a table, as a seat cube and the like. Like., There are a variety of materials from which these cells can be formed, plastic, aluminum, wood, textile-covered frame elements, glazed frame elements or the like.

Another area of application is in the design as a toy for children who can create building structures from a variety of elements or in the open towers, bridges or the like.

Fig. 1

eine Ausgestaltung einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung mit zum Teil rahmenartigen Wandflächen,

Fig. 2

in gleicher Darstellungsweise ein abgewandeltes Ausführungsbeispiel,

Fig. 3a und 3b

in Explosionsdarstellung je eines bereits montierten Raumzellenverbundes mit Elementen eines benachbarten, daran festzulegenden Raumzellenverbundes nach zwei Ausführungsvarianten,

Fig. 4a bis 4f

unterschiedliche Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten eines Wandelementes,

Fig. 5

mit einer Tabelle einen Schnitt durch ein Wandelement mit einer Maßtabelle,

Fig. 6

eine Aufsicht auf vier aneinander fixierten Raumzellen sowie in

Fig. 7 und 8

Eckbereiche von benachbarten Raumzellen in zwei Ausführungsvarianten.

Embodiments of the invention result from the further subclaims. The invention is explained below with reference to the drawing, for example. This shows in

Fig. 1

an embodiment of an embodiment of the invention with partially frame-like wall surfaces,

Fig. 2

a modified embodiment in the same representation,

3a and 3b

in an exploded view of an already assembled room cell network with elements of an adjacent room cell network to be fixed according to two design variants,

4a to 4f

different design options for a wall element,

Fig. 5

with a table a section through a wall element with a dimension table,

Fig. 6

a supervision of four room cells fixed to each other as well as in

7 and 8

Corner areas of neighboring room cells in two versions.

In the following description, a single room cell is generally described, which is also referred to above as a room cell network, wherein a plurality of individual cells is also referred to as a room cell network.

The space cell generally designated 1 in the example according to FIG. 1 consists of wall elements 2. Five of these wall elements can in principle be completely identical, but they are shown differently in FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to be able to show different structures of these elements. The large-area, basically identical wall surface elements are designated by 2a; the sixth wall panel element consisting of two sub-elements bears the reference symbol 2b.

In the example shown in Fig. 1, the wall surface elements 2a are designed as frame elements, for example in the configuration shown in Fig. 4a, i.e. Each side surface frame is slightly different from the square shape in its main plane, the two longer, opposite sides with outwardly projecting projections 3 and the two slightly shorter sides with right-angled bends 4, which are used as an uninterrupted bend, as shown in the front right in Fig 1, can be formed or, for example, as partial bends 4a, as indicated at the front left in FIG.

The projections 3 can also be designed as sub-elements. This is indicated in Fig. 4b. 4a to 4f different design options of the projections 3 are shown, the respective projections each after figure numbering 3a (Fig. 4a), 3c (Fig. 4c), etc. are designated.

For the sake of simplicity of the illustration, different wall elements 2a and 2b are provided with dots, triangles or circles in FIGS. 1 and 2. At this point, this wall surface is additionally provided with a Roman numeral as follows:

The floor area of the room cell 1 symbolized by circles in the depiction example of FIG. 1 bears the reference number 2 I, the wall area below this floor area 2 I, shown dotted at the front left, bears the reference number 2 II, the opposite wall surface, not shown in more detail, has the reference number 2 III, the wall surface also bearing the reference number 2a and shown at the front on the right is the reference number 2 IV and the opposite wall surface, likewise not shown in more detail, the reference number 2 V, while the two partial surfaces forming the ceiling have the reference number 2b and are identified by small triangles.

The assembly of a room cell, which also results from FIG. 3 a, is carried out as follows: the floor element 2 I is placed with its long sides, which carry the outwardly facing projections 3, on an offset 4 of the wall surface 2 II or 2 III. Now the two side surfaces 2 IV and the opposite surface 2 V with its long sides down so placed behind the cranks 4 of the bottom surfaces 2 I that at the same time the cranks 4 of these two wall surfaces encompass the previously set up wall surfaces II and III on the outside. The dimensional adjustments, which are described in more detail below, ensure that a comparatively firm association is now formed.

Now first a partial ceiling surface 2b is inserted from above so that its cranked portions overlap the parts of the longitudinal walls of the side panels 2 IV or 2 V and, on the other hand, its own longitudinal wall engages under the offset 4 of the side panel 2 II or the opposite side 2 III. Finally, the last partial ceiling surface 2b is created, so that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 results. If the corresponding tolerances are observed, all side surfaces are now connected to one another without play.

As can also be seen from FIG. 1, the corresponding special dimensioning of the projections 3 or the cranking 4, which will be specified further below, at the same time ensures that latching joints are formed in the corner regions, into which the marginal edge regions, in FIG. 1 with 6 designates, the bends 4 and 4a can engage. 3a, it follows that For example, in the case of a room cell 1 which has already been formed, two side wall elements 2 II and 2 III are first latched into these latching joints from the outside with their offsets 4, which is indicated by long arrows 7. Now another wall element 2 I is placed, which is indicated by smaller arrows 8. Subsequently, as described above, the wall surfaces 2 IV and 2 V are inserted, the overall assembly finally being secured by adding and inserting the sub-elements 2 b, which was indicated by the angle arrows 9. Then another cell can be added, it being completely irrelevant to which of the six available areas the additional element is to be attached.

In Fig. 2 modified embodiments of the wall surfaces are shown. There, the projections 3 are not formed on the longer side walls, but rather on the somewhat shorter side walls, which carry the bends 4 and 4a. The same reference numerals have been chosen in FIG. 2 for the functionally identical elements. In addition, it is also shown there that in the parting plane 2 of the partial elements 2a and 2b in the cranking region 4, an edge-side notch 11 can be introduced in order to facilitate the assembly depending on the material of these two end partial surfaces. Can also be seen there these two wall elements 2a and 2b are shown in the same representation as in Fig. 1 as closed surfaces.

In the figures it is also indicated that projections, part or all of the offsets do not have to be designed continuously, for reasons of illustration, the type of design of the offsets or projections and recesses is shown differently in part within an element, for the variety to make clear the design options of the present invention.

3b shows a different type of mounting option, which is appropriate when deformable wall materials can be used. The deformability of the last element to be latched is shown in dashed lines in Fig. 3b above, the bending is indicated by small arrows 9 '.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3b, all the wall elements 2 are recognizably identical, the method of assembly essentially corresponding to that described above for FIG. 3, the last element being, for example, the wall element 2 'IV being latched in, one of the overlapping wall elements 2'V or 2'VI is bent back according to 9 '. The wall elements are in the order of their assembly as in Fig. 3a with ', supplemented by Roman numerals.

4a and 4f different wall designs are indicated, without the invention being limited to this. 4a and 4b, similar representations have been selected as in the examples according to FIG. 1, while FIGS. 4c and 4d show an element with a round window 12 in the latter case, while the surface element in FIG. 4d is completely closed is shown. 4e shows the possibility of designing the projections as projection strips 3e. If, for example, the element shown there is folded from sheet metal, the offsets 4 and the offsets 3e can be folded out of a single blank in two folding steps, of course all the elements can be made from other materials, in particular from plastic.

FIG. 4f shows an edge profile design of a different type, which is shown in a knot formation in FIG. 8.

5 shows a wall element 2 with a projection 3 attached on the longer side and angled-off edge regions 4. At the same time dimensions are given with examples in the one shown below Table 1, where all dimensions are derived depending on the module "m" and the width dimension "b" of a wall element, the selected material thicknesses and depending on the width of the bend 4. This dimension is designated in Fig. 5 with bA, the The thickness of the bend is indicated by dA and the thickness of the wall by dW. It can be seen that when the wall elements are plugged together, a latching joint 5 results, the thickness of which corresponds to the thickness of the offset 4.

In the table assigned to FIG. 5, a few dimensional examples are given, for example in rows 1 and 2 those of an ABS injection molded part, in each case in millimeters, while in rows 3 and 4 examples of wall elements according to FIG. 4f made of plastic or metal, Line 5 a stamped sheet metal element and line 6 a wood composite element was dimensioned.

6 shows the side view of four room cells which are connected to one another and to which any number of further room cell assemblies can be connected, which is indicated by the dash-dotted arrows. In Fig. 6, the individual room cells have the short designation 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d.

Depending on the design of the bends 3 and 4, a continuous cavity can form in the directly adjoining knot area; enlarged knots are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

In the hollow channels that are formed, for example, tie rods in a building design or in bridge structures and the like. Like. Be introduced, but they can also be used as reinforcement and cable channels. A central node reinforcement is indicated in FIG. 7 and designated by 13.

In Fig. 8 a further variation is shown, from which it follows that additional channels 14 can be formed at the profile boundaries by an edge design, as also shown in Fig. 4f, which can also be used as reinforcement or cable channels .

Claims (8)

1. A space cell assembly for forming individual space cells (1) comprising wall elements (2) which can be fitted one into the other and which are at least in part identical and for forming space structures comprising a plurality of individual space cells (1) which are secured to each other, characterised in that for self-fixingly securing the substantially rectangular wall elements (2) to each other all wall elements (2) at the six surfaces of the space cell assembly (1) are identical in their edge region which is operative for fixing purposes, wherein each wall element (2) is provided at the two shorter sides with cranked portions (4) about the edges of said sides, which in the assembled position are fitted from the outside over the longer side walls of adjacent wall elements (2), wherein in the four edge regions which are operative for assembly at two oppositely disposed edge regions each wall element (2) is partially provided with projections (3) which correspond to the material thickness (d1) of the wall element and which are provided at the outside surfaces of the non-cranked edge regions of the wall element or at the inside surfaces of the edge regions provided with cranked portions.
2. A space cell assembly according to claim 1 characterised in that one of the six wall elements (2) is in the form of an end portion formed from two sub-elements (2a, 2b), for the purposes of assembly, with a separating gap (10) through the shorter sides of the wall element (2).
3. A space cell assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that besides the cranked portions (4) the projections (3) are also in the form of cranked portions.
4. A space cell assembly according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that with a predetermined outside width dimension (bA) for the cranked portions (4) and with a predetermined thickness dimension (dA) of said cranked portions the edge-to-edge spacing of the projections (3), that is to say the depth of the engagement gap (13) corresponds at least to double the material thicknesses plus the width of the cranked portions (2dA + bA) (Figure 5).
5. A space cell assembly according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the overall length (11) of a wall element (2) corresponds to the length of the projection regions (12) plus the depths (13) of the engagement gaps at both sides.
6. A space cell assmbly according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that with a predetermined width (b) of a wall element the length (11) corresponds to said width (b) plus four times the cranked portion material thickness (4dA) and twice the wall thickness of the edge regions (2dW).
7. A space cell assembly according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the projections (3) are provided at two oppositely disposed inside or outside surfaces of the non-cranked edge regions of the wall element (2) or at the inside surfaces of the cranked portions (4).
8. A space cell assembly according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that at least a part of the edge regions (2) are in the form of channel-forming hollow profiles (14).

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