EP3478907B1 - Modular panel for pool walls and corresponding pool - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of construction elements for pools and swimming pools. It relates in particular to modular panels intended to form the vertical walls of a basin.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to produce basin walls by means of identical modular panels assembled together.

The documents EP0382649 and FR2765909 describe modular plastic panels, generally rectangular in shape, whose width (of the order of a few tens of cm) is reduced relative to the height (of the order of 120cm). The panels comprise a main body having an inner face constituting the inner wall of the basin and an outer face provided with a vertical and hollow reinforcing element, suitable for receiving concrete and for forming a vertical column for holding the structure (also called fireplace).

The main body of each modular panel is designed from plastic injection molds having a flat face in the width and length direction to form the inner face of the main body; this is expected to be flat after assembly and laying, to ensure good flatness of the entire interior wall of the basin.

However, it was found that the interior faces of the basin walls manufactured with state-of-the-art modular panels, made of plastic, assembled and fitted, had flatness defects. Poor flatness results in particular in a rippling effect on the interior wall of the basin, a non-qualitative visual effect for the end user.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to propose a modular plastic panel making it possible to obtain good flatness of the interior walls of the basin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

• un corps principal de forme générale rectangulaire dont une première face est destinée à être orientée vers l'intérieur du bassin, les longueurs du corps principal définissant un plan de référence ;
• un corps complémentaire apte à se fixer sur une deuxième face du corps principal et définissant une colonne creuse destinée à recevoir du béton ;

The invention relates to a modular plastic panel for making basin walls, comprising:

• a main body of generally rectangular shape, a first face of which is intended to be oriented towards the interior of the basin, the lengths of the main body defining a reference plane;
• a complementary body capable of being fixed on a second face of the main body and defining a hollow column intended to receive concrete;

The panel is remarkable in that the first face has a convex transverse curvature over the width of the main body in a plastic injection mold, the maximum amplitude of the transverse curvature relative to the reference plane being chosen to compensate all or part deformations, occurring between the outlet of the mold and the setting of the concrete, in the transverse and longitudinal directions.

The modular panel according to the invention makes it possible to obtain interior walls of basin having good flatness due to the initial convex transverse curvature of the main body of the panel, a first face of which will form an interior face of the walls of the basin. Indeed, the initial convex transverse curvature makes it possible to compensate at least in part, the deformations occurring between the exit from the mold and the setting of the concrete, at the level of the first face of the main body, in both transverse and longitudinal directions.

• l'amplitude maximale de la courbure convexe est comprise entre 0,2% et 0,7% de la largeur du corps principal ;
• la première face présente une courbure longitudinale nulle sur la longueur du corps principal dans le moule d'injection plastique ou immédiatement après son extraction du moule d'injection ;
• le corps principal comporte des ailes périphériques longitudinales munies d'organes de fixation pour l'assemblage du panneau modulaire avec d'autres panneaux identiques ;
• le corps principal comporte des moyens de verrouillage coopérant avec des moyens complémentaires inclus sur le corps complémentaire.

According to advantageous characteristics of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

• the maximum amplitude of the convex curvature is between 0.2% and 0.7% of the width of the main body;
• the first face has a zero longitudinal curvature along the length of the main body in the plastic injection mold or immediately after its extraction from the injection mold;
• the main body comprises longitudinal peripheral wings provided with fixing members for assembling the modular panel with other identical panels;
• the main body comprises locking means cooperating with complementary means included on the complementary body.

The invention also relates to a swimming pool comprising walls formed of a plurality of modular panels as above, the interior faces of the walls having a deviation, with respect to their mean planes, of less than 1 mm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• les figures 1a et 1b présentent respectivement une coupe transversale et une coupe longitudinale d'un panneau modulaire après banchage selon l'état de l'art ;
• la figure 2 présente un corps principal de panneau modulaire conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 3 présente une vue en coupe transversale d'un corps principal de panneau modulaire conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 4 présente un corps principal et un corps complémentaire de panneau modulaire conforme à l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of the invention which will follow with reference to the appended figures in which:

• the Figures 1a and 1b respectively present a cross section and a longitudinal section of a modular panel after layering according to the state of the art;
• the figure 2 has a main body of a modular panel according to the invention;
• the figure 3 presents a cross-sectional view of a main body of a modular panel according to the invention;
• the figure 4 has a main body and a complementary body of modular panel according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the descriptive part, the same references in the figures may be used for elements of the same nature.

We consider here modular panels of injected plastic, of substantially rectangular shape, having a length (along the z axis in the figures) and a width (along the x axis in the figures). The length of the panel defines the height of the basin wall resulting from the assembly of a plurality of modular panels. The longitudinal direction is that extending along the length of the panel and the transverse direction is that extending along the width of the panel.

The modular panels considered are shuttering panels, that is to say comprising a longitudinal compartment for pouring concrete. They also have a first face corresponding to the inner face of the wall of the basin.

The applicant has noted that the interior faces of the basin walls made with modular panels 10 of the state of the art, made of plastic, assembled and fitted, have undulations. These deformations result in a concave curvature, that is to say forming a hollow, at the level of the first face 1a of the panel 10 corresponding to the interior face of the wall. The Figures 1a and 1b illustrate by views respectively in cross section and in longitudinal section, the type of curvature observed. The first face 11 of the modular panel 10 of the state of the art is deformed according to a concave curvature (along the axis y in the figures), both in the transverse direction (FIG. 1a) and in the longitudinal direction ( figure 1b ).

For example, starting from a first face, the plane, in the plastic injection mold, of a modular panel 10 of length 1.2m and width 0.25m, the transverse concave curvature of the first face the after layering can be of the order of 1.5mm to 2mm and the longitudinal concave curvature can be of the order of 2mm to 5mm .

The applicant has also found that the addition of reinforcing ribs at the rear of the first face 1a, countermeasure logic to stiffen the structure, was not effective in preventing these deformations.

After multiple tests, the applicant has determined that the first face 1a of the modular panel 10 is subjected to several mechanical stresses inducing successive concave and convex deformations, of various amplitudes, in the transverse and longitudinal directions: a first deformation inducing a curvature concave takes place after drying of the injected plastic panel, typically 24 hours after its removal from the injection mold; a second deformation inducing a convex curvature takes place during the introduction of the concrete into the paneling compartment of the panel; finally, a third deformation, inducing a concave curvature, takes place during the drying of the concrete due to the shrinking of the concrete which heats up appreciably, making the plastic material of the panel 10 more deformable.

From these observations, the depositor was able to design a modular panel 100 made of plastic material making it possible to eliminate all or part of the undulations observed on the interior assembled walls of a basin.

The modular panel 100 according to the invention comprises a main body 1 of generally rectangular shape, a first face 1a of which is intended to be oriented towards the interior of the basin ( figure 2 ). The lengths L of the main body 1 define the height of the walls of the basin. In the following description, the longitudinal direction is that extending along the length L of the main body 1 and the transverse direction is that extending along the width A of the main body 1. By way of example , the length L may be between 1m and 1.5m; the width A may be between 0.2 and 0.5m.

According to the invention, the first face 1a of the main body 1 has a convex transverse curvature over the entire width A of the main body 1, in the plastic injection mold or immediately after its extraction from the injection mold. By convention, we will qualify as “initial” the convex transverse curvature of the main body 1 in the injection mold or immediately after its extraction from the injection mold.

Considering a reference plane P defined by the lengths of the main body 1, a convex shape corresponds to a domed curvature (as opposed to a hollow curvature) of the first face 1a, as illustrated in the figure 3 . The maximum amplitude, denoted C _i , of the initial convex transverse curvature of the main body 1 corresponds to the deviation between the reference plane P and a central point of the width A of the main body 1. This maximum amplitude is chosen to compensate for all or part of a deformation generated when the concrete sets. Advantageously, the maximum amplitude of the initial transverse convex curvature of the main body 1 is between 0.2% and 0.7% of the width of the main body 1. For example, for a modular panel 100 of length 1 , 2m and 0.25m wide, the initial transverse convex curvature of the main body 1 is advantageously of the order of 1.2mm.

Advantageously, the first face 1a of the main body 1 has a zero or very small longitudinal curvature (typically less than 0.4 mm) over the entire length L of the main body 1, in the plastic injection mold.

The main body 1 advantageously comprises longitudinal peripheral wings 1c, that is to say extending along its lengths L. The longitudinal wings 1c are provided with fastening members 1d which will allow the assembly of the modular panels 100 two by two ( figure 3 ). The fastening members 1d may for example be of the snap-on type or compatible with a screw / nut system.

Advantageously, the longitudinal peripheral wings 1c are also provided with centering and sealing means. They are formed along the two longitudinal wings 1c, by a male profile 1c of substantially triangular section, and by a female profile 1e 'of substantially triangular section, complementary to the male profile. Preferably, the male and female sections 1e 'extend over the entire length (height) of the longitudinal peripheral wings 1c.

The main body 1 preferably comprises reinforcing ribs 1f on a second face 1b ( figure 4 ). They can extend over its entire length L. They can also form a mesh by also extending over all or part of its width A.

The modular panel 100 also includes a complementary body 2 able to be fixed on the second face 1b of the main body 1 and defining a hollow column 2a intended to receive concrete ( figure 4 ). The main body 1 thus advantageously comprises locking means 1g cooperating with complementary means 2b included on the complementary body 2. By way of example, the locking means 1g can consist of lugs comprising a shoulder at their free ends. The complementary means 2b consist of strangled lights. The shoulders of the pins are inserted first in the widest part of the lights; the complementary body 2 is then pressed against the second face 1b of the main body 1. Finally, a longitudinal downward movement of the complementary body 2 allows the pins to be wedged in the strangled parts of the slots; the shoulders of the lugs, wider than the choked parts, allow the complementary body 2 to be locked on the main body 1.

The main body 1 and the complementary body 2 are made of plastic and are formed by injection and molding of a thermosetting plastic as previously mentioned. For example, the thickness of the main body 1 in the part constituting its first la and second 1b faces is of the order of 2 to 3 mm.

To manufacture the walls of a basin, a plurality of modular panels 100 can be assembled according to a closed contour. The set of first faces 1a of main bodies 1 of the plurality of panels 100 constitutes the inner face of the walls of the basin. After this assembly, a material of the type concrete is poured into the hollow column 2a of each modular panel 100.

The initial convex transverse curvature of the first face 1a of the main body 1 of the panel 100 makes it possible to compensate for at least part of the deformations occurring between the exit from the mold and the setting of the concrete, not only in the transverse direction but also, surprisingly , in the longitudinal direction. The amplitude of the initial convex transverse curvature depends, among other things, on the dimensions of the panel but can be easily determined by making a reduced number of prototypes.

By way of example, starting from a first face of the initial convex transverse curvature (in the plastic injection mold) of 1.2 mm and of zero initial longitudinal curvature, of a modular panel 100 of length 1.2 m and 0.25m wide, the first face after the concrete has dried is flat or substantially flat in the transverse and longitudinal directions. By substantially planar is meant a transverse and longitudinal curvature less than 1mm, advantageously less than 0.5mm.

The swimming pool according to the invention comprises walls formed from a plurality of modular panels 100: the interior faces of the walls thus have a deviation, with respect to their mean planes, of less than 1 mm. The mean plane of an interior wall face can be defined by the plane passing through the 4 corners of the substantially rectangular shape of the interior face. The deviation in the transverse direction as well as the deviation in the longitudinal direction of the inner face (corresponding to each first face of a main body 1 of the modular panels 100 assembled) are less than 1mm. Advantageously, the deviations are less than 0.5 mm.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and it is possible to make variant embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims (6)

1. A modular panel (100) made of plastic material for manufacturing pool walls, comprising:

   • a generally rectangular main body (1) of which a first surface (1a) is intended for being oriented towards the inside of the pool, the lengths of the main body (1) defining a reference plane (P);

   • a complementary body (2) capable of being attached to a second surface (1b) of the main body (1) and defining a hollow column (2a) intended for receiving concrete;

   the panel (100) being characterised in that the first surface (1a) has an initial convex transverse curve on the width of the main body (1) in a plastic injection mould, the maximum amplitude of the transverse curve relative to the reference plane (P) being selected to compensate for all or part of the deformations that occur between the removal from the mould and the setting of the concrete, in the transverse and longitudinal directions.
2. A modular panel (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the maximum amplitude of the initial convex transverse curve ranges from 0.2 to 0.7% of the width of the main body (1).
3. A modular panel (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first surface (1a) has a null initial longitudinal curve along the length of the main body (1), in the plastic injection mould or immediately after the removal thereof from the injection mould.
4. A modular panel (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body (1) comprises longitudinal peripheral wings (1c) provided with fastening members (1d) for assembling the modular panel (100) with other identical panels.
5. A modular panel (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body (1) comprises locking means (1g) which cooperate with complementary means (2b) included on the complementary body (2).
6. A swimming pool comprising walls comprising a plurality of modular panels (100) according to one of the preceding claims, the inner faces of the walls having a deviation, with respect to their median planes, of less than 1mm.

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