EP2225421B1

EP2225421B1 - Joining system for building elements

Info

Publication number: EP2225421B1
Application number: EP08851409A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Svein Berg
Original assignee: SB Produksjon AS; SVEIN BERG HOLDING AS
Current assignee: SB Produksjon AS; SVEIN BERG HOLDING AS
Priority date: 2007-11-23
Filing date: 2008-11-10
Publication date: 2011-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 2028-11-10
Also published as: WO2009067018A2; WO2009067018A3; EP2225421A2; ATE515602T1; NO20076034L

Abstract

The present invention relates to a joining system for two building elements, comprising a first part (10) mounted on a first building element (1,2), a second part (20) mounted on a second building element (2,1) and a movable bridge element (110) which in a joined condition of the system is located partly inside the first part (10) and partly inside the second part (20). According to the invention the system comprises devices for horizontal fastening of the bridge element in at least one direction relative to the first and the second part, and devices for reducing the sound transmission through the system.

Description

The present invention relates to a system for joining two building elements. The system comprises a first part mounted in the first building element, a second part mounted in the second building element and a bridge element which in a joined condition is located partly inside one part and partly inside the second part, thereby connecting the building elements.
There are described joining system in the publications FR-A-2056059 , DE 20 2005 006659 U1 , GB 408235 . In WO 03/097952 there is described a joining system according to the preamble of claim 1, the system essentially comprising a first part of a building element, a recess in a second building element and a movable bridge element, which in a joined condition is located party inside both building elements.
Known joining systems with bridge elements for joining two building elements do not provide a good enough solution for securing the building elements relative to each other. Another problem area is sound transmission through the joining system.
The object of the present invention is to provide a joining system which attempts to solve these problems. This is achieved with a joining system according to the attached independent claim and additional embodiments are specified in the dependent claims and the description set forth below.
According to the invention a joining system is provided for two building elements. These building elements may be a pillar and a beam, a step element and a stair well or a girder and floor elements or other building elements that have to be joined. The joining system comprises a first part cast in a first building element, a second part cast in a second building element and a bridge element which, in a joined condition of the system, is located partly inside one part and partly inside the second part. Before assembly and during the assembly process, the bridge element is movable relative to the first part from a withdrawn position where only a small part or none of the bridge element projects outside the first part to an extended position where the bridge element may interact with the second part. The first part comprises a box element designed with at least one open end and in such a manner that, in a withdrawn condition where the joining system is not joined, the bridge element is located almost internally in the box element. The parts of the joining system are mounted on the building elements by being cast into the building elements, for example building elements made of concrete, composites, etc. In this case the open end of the box element may be arranged flush with a surface of the building element. This permits the parts of the joining system to be cast into the building elements when they are made and transported to the user site without projecting parts. The bridge element may be mounted inside the box element when this is cast in the building element, or be provided in such a manner that it can be inserted in the box element immediately before the building element has to be used during the building process. The parts may also be envisaged attached to the building elements in different ways. The first part may be welded to a building element and the second part cast into a building element. The first part may be capable of insertion in a receiving element embedded in a building element, with a locking device for locking the first part to the receiving element and the second part is embedded in the second building element. According to the invention the system comprises devices for horizontal fastening of the bridge element in at least one direction relative to the first and the second part. The system further comprises devices for vertical fastening of the bridge element relative to the first and the second part. The system also comprises devices for reducing the sound transmission through the system,where the device for reducing sound transmission comprises at least one internal elastic portion in abutment between the bridge element and the box element at a rear end of the bridge element at a side facing vertically downwards and an external elastic portion in abutment between the bridge element and the box element at a side facing vertically upwards and near the open end of the box element.
According to an aspect of the invention devices for vertical fastening of the building elements relative to each other may be formed in many ways. One possible solution is where the devices for vertical fastening comprise features in which the box element has a minimum internal shape corresponding to an external shape of the bridge element. This interaction may be of such a nature that movement of the bridge element in a longitudinal direction of the bridge element is permitted, but only minimal movement across the longitudinal direction is permitted. The longitudinal direction of the bridge element will extend from one building element towards the second building element. The longitudinal direction of the bridge element is the direction in which the bridge element is moved from a withdrawn position to a joining position. Furthermore, the devices for vertical fastening may comprise a casting medium which fills out at least some of the spaces formed in and between the building elements in connection with the joining system when it is joined but not completed. The devices for vertical fastening may also comprise devices in the bridge element which interact with elements in the box element and/or the second part, thereby locking them against relative vertical movement, for example a rod inserted in grooves and/or holes in the individual parts, a snap-in device in the bridge element which engages with grooves, for example in the second part. A further possible solution is that there on the bridge element is mounted a rod or reinforcing element, which extends in a substantially horizontal direction out of the bridge element, where this rod and/or reinforcing element is cast into the part formed round this end of the bridge element.
According to an aspect of the invention the devices for horizontal fastening comprise an abutment shoulder formed by the box element and an abutment surface formed by the bridge element. The bridge element will be moved relative to the box element when the joining system has to be joined, by the bridge element being moved from the withdrawn position substantially internally in the box element and outwards, with the result that a large part of the box element extends outside the open end of the box element. This movement will cause after some time the abutment surface of the bridge element to come into abutment against the abutment shoulder of the box element and this abutment will prevent further movement of the bridge element relative to the box element in this direction, thereby preventing the bridge element from being withdrawn from the box element, while at the same time obtaining an anchoring of the bridge element relative to the box element in this direction. The abutment surface of the bridge element may be formed from a part which protrudes outside the main body of the bridge element, for example two attached blocks which protrude from the bridge element at a rear end thereof, or as a loop element which is secured to the bridge element and comprises at least one end portion which in a normal position protrudes outside the main body of the bridge element. A bar element may also be envisaged which protrudes outside the main body of the bridge element, for example on a side facing vertically downwards. The bridge element may be provided with elements which permit it to be inserted into the box element but prevent the bridge element from being withdrawn from the box element without a given manipulation of the system. An example of this may be a loop element attached to an inside of a box-shaped bridge element, where an end portion of the loop projects outside the bridge element and can come into abutment against an abutment shoulder of the box element. This loop element may nevertheless be so elastic that it can be moved to a position within an external cross section of the bridge element, thus enabling the bridge element to be inserted in the box element, if the loop is manipulated in a special manner. Another alternative is a type of element that act as barbs between the bridge element and the box element. The abutment shoulder formed by the box element may be in the form of an extension of the box element or an opening of the box element against a surface of the building element. The abutment shoulder will normally have an orientation across a longitudinal direction of the bridge element.
According to a second aspect devices for horizontal fastening may comprise a first locking device formed by the second part and an interacting second locking device formed by the bridge element. When the joining system is joined, these locking devices will prevent horizontal movement of the bridge element relative to the second part, at least in a horizontal direction, normally a direction corresponding to movement of the building elements away from each other. In a possible variant these locking devices comprise an opening formed by the bridge element, where this opening interacts with a locking element in the form of a pin or rod, mounted on the second part, or a rod which can be inserted in the second part and thereby also in the opening in the bridge element. The opening may form a closed opening such as a circle, or be an open opening such as a hook or the like. The opening may have an orientation which is such that by moving the bridge element in a vertical or horizontal direction, it will be engaged with the first locking device formed by the second part. It may also be envisaged that the bridge element has to be moved in both a vertical and horizontal direction in order to go into locking engagement with the second part. In a further variant a vertical movement is employed for locking the bridge element relative to the second part in one direction followed by insertion of a locking element in the second part and the bridge element for locking in a further direction. Alternatively, the devices for the horizontal fastening may comprise a rod element which can be inserted in the second building element and the bridge element in order to lock them relative to each other in a horizontal direction as well as the vertical direction. The devices for horizontal fastening may also comprise a rod or reinforcing element which is attached to an end of the bridge element and cast in the connection, thereby providing a horizontal anchoring of the bridge element. Any combination of these alternatives for devices for horizontal and vertical fastening is also conceivable.
According to the invention the system comprises a more elastic material in at least a portion of abutment surfaces between the bridge element and the box element, where the device for reducing sound transmission comprises at least one internal elastic portion in abutment between the bridge element and the box element at a rear end of the bridge element at a side facing vertically downwards and an external elastic portion in abutment between the bridge element and the box element at a side facing vertically upwards and near the open end of the box element. These portions may also extend from their respective ends of the bridge element towards the centre of the bridge element so that they are terminated at a portion of the bridge element which on the opposite side of the bridge element is covered by the second elastic portion. Many possible configurations of elastic portions between the bridge element and the box element may be envisaged here.This elastic material will reduce sound transmission between the elements in the joint. The elastic material is advantageously provided with a ribbed surface. The surface of the elastic material may comprise ridges and/or grooves, thereby forming spaces between the elastic material and the element against which it abuts. These ridges and grooves may be provided so as to form ribs, and thereby a ribbed surface. The ribs formed by the ridges and the grooves may, however, have any geometrical shape, where spaces are obtained between the elastic material and the element against which it abuts. The elastic portion may have a ribbed surface on one side or alternatively on both sides, where one side faces the bridge element and one side faces the box element. By having this at least one space, a limited flexibility has been attained in the system, preventing sound transmission. According to an embodiment the flexible portion may form a sleeve round the bridge element. According to another embodiment, several separate elastic portions are formed between the bridge element and the box element as defined above. According to an aspect the elastic portion may form a substantially low U-shape in a cross section across a longitudinal axis of the bridge element. The bottom of the U may cover one side surface of the bridge element and the legs of the U may extend a distance in over adjacent side surfaces of the bridge element. The at least one elastic portion may be secured to the bridge element or alternatively to the box element, or alternatively one elastic portion may be secured to the bridge element and another to the box element..
The invention will now be explained by a non-limiting embodiment with reference to the attached figures, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the joining system in a connected position where a first and second element are interconnected,
Fig. 2 is a view from above of the system in fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of a first part of a joining system according to the invention,
Fig. 4A is a side view of the box element in the part illustrated in fig. 3,
Fig. 4B is a view from below of the part in fig. 4A,
Fig. 4C is an end view of the part in fig. 4A,
Fig. 5A is a side view of the bridge element illustrated in fig. 3,
Fig. 5B is a view from above of the bridge element illustrated in fig. 3,
Fig. 5C is an end view of the part in fig. 5A, and
Figs. 6A-B illustrate the system in fig. 3 used in connection with a first and second building element.

Equivalent elements are given the same numeral references in all figures. The joining system for joining a first element 1 and a second element 2 as illustrated in figures 1 and 2 comprises a first part 10 and a second part 20 which are mounted in the first element 1 and the second element 2 respectively which have to be joined. The first part 10 comprises a box element 100 mounted in the first element 1, with an open side 101 of the box element flush with a lateral surface of the first element 1, which lateral surface of the element is facing the second element 2 with which the first element has to be joined. The box element 100 has a hollow internal cavity and comprises an end plate 103 at the opposite side of the box element relative to the open side 101. The end plate 103, which acts as a securing and fastening element for the box element 100 when it is cast into the first element 1, has a size which is larger than a cross section of the box element 100 and is secured thereto by, for example, welding, is terminated at an edge flush with a second side of the first element 1, which second side will normally form an upper side of the first element 1. In the illustrated embodiment the box element also comprises an opening element 102, which together with the end plate 103 forms an opening from the upper side of the first element 1 down into a rear end of the box element 100, which end is an internal end of the box element 100, which is closed by the end plate 103.
The first part further comprises a bridge element 110, which is mounted movably inside the box element's 100 internal cavity, from a withdrawn position where it is located substantially inside the box element 100 to an advanced position as illustrated in figures 1 and 2. The bridge element 110 is also in the form of a box element with four sides, two open ends and an internal cavity 115. The bridge element has an external end 111 located outside the box element 100 in an advanced position, where the end 111 will abut the second element 2 in a joined position, transferring forces between the first and second element, as illustrated in fig. 1. The bridge element 110 also comprises a second internal end 112 located inside the box element 100, and where the second end 112 is visible and accessible via the opening formed by the opening element 102 to the outside of the first element 1. This offers the possibility of moving the bridge element 110 from a withdrawn to an advanced position and possibly back again if necessary. In this embodiment the bridge element 110 also comprises a hole 113 for insertion of a stopper element 114 in the form of a screw device, which is screwed into the hole 113 when the bridge element 110 is inserted in the box element 100. The stopper element prevents the bridge element 110 from being moved beyond the advanced position as illustrated in fig. 1, and therefore acts as a device for horizontal fastening of the bridge element relative to the box element.
In the illustrated embodiment there is further illustrated a loop element 120 internally in the bridge element 110. In the illustrated embodiment the loop element 120 constitutes a loop element where the external end of the loop forms a portion which is located outside the external end 111 of the bridge element 110. The loop is formed by a portion 121 which is substantially parallel to the open end 101 of the box element 100 and two deflector portions 122, 123 which are also located outside the external end of the bridge element 110, bending the loop element in such a manner that it further extends in the longitudinal direction of the bridge element 110. The portions 121, 122, 123 together with the external end 111 of the bridge element 110 form a receiving opening 116 for receiving the locking element of the second part 20. The receiving opening 116 has a length in the longitudinal direction of the bridge element 110 and a width across it, where the width is greater than the length, in order to facilitate insertion of the locking element in the receiving opening 116. Two legs 124, 125 in the extension of the deflector portions 122, 123 extend further into the internal cavity 115 of the bridge element 110. The two legs 124, 125 are terminated in a termination 126, 127 which deflects from the longitudinal direction of the legs 124, 125 and extends in a mounted state up and out of the internal cavity 115 of the bridge element 110 and out into the internal cavity in the box element 100 and up into the opening formed by the opening element 102. The loop element 120 is connected to the bridge element 110, with the result that the external portion 121, 122, 123 will be close to a relatively lower side of the bridge element 110, while a portion of the legs 122, 124 near the termination 126, 127 is located relatively near an upper side of the bridge element 110, which side is opposite the relatively lower side, as illustrated in the figures. This gives a relatively slanting orientation of the loop element 120 relative to the bridge element 110, as illustrated in fig. 1. The attachment and shape of the loop element 120 are such that when the bridge element 110 has to be inserted in the box element 100, the termination 126, 127 can be pushed down so that it has a position which is relatively inside an external circumference of the bridge element 110, thus enabling it with the loop element 120 to be easily inserted in the box element 100. When the bridge element 110 is inserted in the box element to a position inside an extended position, on account of the slanting orientation of the loop element 120, the termination 126, 127 will be moved up in the opening formed by the opening element 102 due to its inbuilt resistance to being inside an external circumference of the bridge element 110. In such a position the stopper element 114 will also be screwed into the bridge element 110, and the bridge element 110 cannot be removed from the box element 100 until the stopper element 114 is dismantled. In other words, with a manipulation of the system the bridge element can be removed from the box element.
In a joined position of the system, the external portion 121, 122, 123 of the loop element is engaged with the second part 20 and the locking element 200, in the form of a locking pin, of this part. As illustrated in fig. 1, the second part 20 is preferably mounted in a cut-out in the second element 2. The second part further comprises an abutment plate 201, which forms a bottom in the cut-out and the bridge element 110 in a joined position abuts the abutment plate 201. The locking element 200 is illustrated mounted perpendicularly relative to the abutment plate 201 and passing through it, with the result that a portion 202 will be located extending a distance into the second part 2 underneath the abutment plate 201, as illustrated in the figure. The second part 20 also comprises attachment elements 203, which extend from the abutment plate 202 into the second element 2 for attachment of the second part 20 to the second element 2, as illustrated in fig 1. As illustrated in fig. 1 the cut-out may be slanting in its upper side for easier insertion of the bridge element with the loop element so that it comes into engagement with the locking element and thereby secures the elements 1, 2 in the extension direction of the joining system. When they are joined, all the cavities in the joining system will be grouted and filled up, thus enabling the joining system to also absorb pressure forces in the joint. A horizontal fastening of two elements which are joined is thereby achieved for normal use. In this embodiment the bridge element may be provided with an external elastic sleeve (not shown), which forms devices for reducing the sound transmission in the system.
In figures 3-5 a second embodiment is illustrated of the first part 10 with the bridge element 110. In this embodiment the first part 10 also comprises a box element 100 with an internal end surface 103, which in this embodiment is not larger than the external circumference of the box element 100. The box element 100 may comprise devices 105 for fastening it to the building element as indicated, for example, adjacent to the internal end surface 103. The bridge element 110 is illustrated in an extended position in the box element 100, where an external end 111 projects some distance outside the open end 101 of the box element 100. An internal end 112 of the bridge element 110 is located inside the box element 100. The bridge element can be moved between a withdrawn and an advanced position, for example by line devices as described in the applicant's own patent NO 316180 . How movement of the bridge element is achieved is not relevant to the invention as such and therefore no further explanation of this is given here.
In contrast to the other embodiment, the bridge element 110 comprises at least one stopper element 132 mounted on the bridge element. This stopper element 132 forms an abutment surface 134 (see fig. 5B) which in an extended position of the bridge element 110 will abut an abutment shoulder 105 formed by a wall of an extension of the box element 100 (see fig. 4B). The bridge element 110 further comprises an internal elastic portion 130 which in a joined position will be located at the internal end 112 of the bridge element 110, vertically in the lower edge thereof. The internal elastic element has an internal edge 138 which is edge-to-edge with an internal termination of the internal end 112 of the bridge element 110. The internal elastic element 130 extends further over a length of the bridge element in the longitudinal direction thereof to an edge 137. The box element 100 also comprises an adaptation of its shape which forms a stopper surface 106, adapted to the edge 137 of this internal elastic portion 130 in an extended position of the bridge element 110. The stopper surface 106 forms a step in the surface of the side of the box element 100 which forms an underside. The underside portion of the box element 100 inside the stopper surface 106, i.e. near the internal end surface 103, is located relatively below the underside portion of the box element 100 which is located outside, i.e. from the stopper surface out to the open end 101 of the box element 100. The underside of the box element (when the joining system is in use) is composed of these two underside portions and the stopper surface 106.
The bridge element 110 further comprises an external elastic portion 131 which in an extended position of the bridge element 110 has an external edge 135 located near the open end 102 of the box element 100 and extending a length inwards from this edge 135, with the result that an internal edge 136 of this external elastic portion 131 is located relatively inside the termination edge 137 of the internal elastic portion 130.
The elastic portions 130, 131 are provided with a cross section which forms a low U-shape with two leg portions of the U extending a distance down adjacent sides of the bridge element 110, as indicated in fig. 5C. The elastic portions 130, 131 furthermore also have grooves 140 and/or ridges 141 which form spaces between the elastic portion 130, 131 and the box element 100 in a joined position. In the illustrated embodiment the grooves extend in the longitudinal direction of the bridge element, but other configurations of these grooves may be envisaged. They may further be provided at an inside of the elastic element facing the bridge element. In this embodiment the bridge element 110 also comprises a hole 133 which in a joined position of the system interacts with holes in the second part and a rod element inserted in the holes for fastening the bridge element relative to the second part. It is conceivable that these fastening devices may comprise snap-in solutions which during insertion are pressed into the hole 133 in the bridge element. Corresponding devices may be envisaged at the internal end of the bridge element.
In figs. 6A-6B the system is illustrated used for joining a first building element 1, for example a hallway or landing and a second building element 2, for example a floor or wall. The box element 100 is provided cast into one of the building elements 1. The bridge element 110 is located partly inside the box element 100 and partly inside the second part 20 of the joining system which in this case also forms a portion of the second building element 2. At its external end the bridge element 110 has a second locking device in the form of a through-going hole 133. In this case the first locking device is composed of a reinforcing rod 205, which is U-shaped and is passed through the through-going hole 133 in the bridge element. This reinforcing rod 205 will be cast into the second building part 2, thereby forming a device for fastening the bridge element in both a vertical and horizontal direction relative to the second building part.
The invention has now been explained with reference to embodiments. A person skilled in the art will understand that both alterations and modifications may be made to these embodiments which are within the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

A joining system for two building elements, comprising a first part (10) cast in a first building element (1,2), a second part (20) cast in a second building element (2,1) and a movable bridge element (110), movable relative to the first part from a withdrawn position where only a small part or none of the bridge element projects outside the first part to an extended position where the bridge element may interact with the second part and which in a joined condition of the system is located partly inside the first part (10) and partly inside the second part (20), where a first part comprises a box element (100) provided with at least one open end (102) and in such a manner that, in a withdrawn condition, the bridge element (110) is located almost internally in the box element (100), wherein the system comprises devices for horizontal fastening of the bridge element in at least one direction relative to the first and the second part, devices for vertical fastening of the bridge element relative to the first and the second part (10,20) and devices for reducing the sound transmission through the system, characterised in that the devices for horizontal fastening comprise an abutment shoulder (105,102) formed by the box element (100) and an abutment surface (134,126,127) formed by the bridge element; and in that the device for reducing sound transmission comprises at least one internal elastic portion (130) in abutment between the bridge element (110) and the box element (100) at a rear end of the bridge element (110) at a side facing vertically downwards and an external elastic portion (131) in abutment between the bridge element (110) and the box element (100) at a side facing vertically upwards and near the open end of the box element (100).
A joining system according to claim 1,
characterised in that devices for horizontal fastening comprise a first locking device (200) formed by the second part and an interacting second locking device (133,116) formed by the bridge element (110).
A joining system according to claim 1,
characterised in that the devices for reducing sound transmission comprise at least one portion (130,131) of a more elastic material than the material in the bridge element (110) and the box element (100) in abutment between the bridge element (110) and the box element (100).
A joining system according to claim 3,
characterised in that the elastic portion (130,131) is provided with a ribbed surface (140,141).
A joining system according to claim 3 or 4,
characterised in that the elastic portion (130,131) substantially forms a low U-shape in a cross section across a longitudinal axis of the bridge element (110), with the result that the bottom of the U covers one side surface of the bridge element (110) and the legs of the U extend a distance in over adjacent side surfaces of the bridge element (110).