EP4303374A1 - Longitudinal grate unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a grate unit 1 with a plurality of parallel support rods 4 and a plurality of parallel filling rods 2, the filling rods 2 being arranged in the longitudinal direction of the grate unit and fastened to the support rods 4. Here, an upper side of the plurality of filling rods 2 has at least one marking surface 7, the at least one marking surface 7 being visually recognizable and point-symmetrical to the center of the grate unit 1.

Description

The present invention relates to a grate, in particular to a longitudinal bar grate unit, as a cover for drainage channels. Such gutters and the grates used with them are used both inside and outside of buildings to collect and drain away excess liquids such as rainwater, cleaning agents or wastewater. The grates are usually designed to allow liquids to pass through while at the same time providing a stable floor section that can be walked on or driven over. The grates serve as a barrier, cover and/or cladding and are usually made as a grid made of parallel or crossed metal or wooden bars or of coarse wire mesh.

The publication is from the prior art JP 2-210127 A known, in which a grate made of plastic for covering channels in the area of swimming pools is described. The grate has first and second connecting means, which can be connected flush with one another via several grate.

DE 20 2014 102 436 U1 discloses a cover for a drainage channel, which can be made of plastic and in which at least one transverse rib arranged off-center in the longitudinal direction of the inlet grate is formed as an arched rib.

A variety of grates are commonly used when covering drainage channels. Such grates are so small and lightweight that they are easier to transport and easier to lay. Grates also usually have a pattern on their surface to make them easier to identify, especially from a distance. This can prevent people with heels, animals, small means of transport such as strollers, etc. from getting caught in the rust and causing damage.

The familiar grates already have a pattern. The patterns can be simpler or more complex. However, such a pattern on a grid is complete in itself. When several grates are put together, the result is always a sequence of the same pattern. This cannot be used to create patterns that span multiple grids.

The aim is to create a visually appealing pattern across several grates. The necessary areas that form the pattern are intended to serve as a visual guide. A position-oriented installation of the grate should be avoided, i.e. the grate should be able to be installed "foolproof" and always be used correctly regardless of its orientation.

The present invention relates to a grate unit according to claim 1. In detail, a grate unit is provided with a plurality of parallel support bars and a plurality of parallel filler bars, the filler bars being arranged in the longitudinal direction of the grate unit and attached to the support bars. A top side of the plurality of filler bars has at least one marking surface, the at least one marking surface being visually recognizable and point-symmetrical to the center of the grate unit.

The term “marking area” refers to areas that are primarily visually recognizable and/or marked for a natural person. Since the marking area(s) is/are point-symmetrical, there are always at least two areas or an even number of areas (as long as the marking area does not include the center of the grate unit). If there is only one marking area or an odd number of marking areas, at least one central filler bar is formed, with the filler bar passing through the center of the grate unit. The marking areas are preferred formed on at least one filler bar, several filler bars or even on each filler bar, since the filler bars usually form the highest elevation or surface of the grate unit and are therefore easier to recognize or visible in comparison to the lower-lying support bars.

The grate unit according to the invention has the advantage that the pattern is unchanged when rotated through 180 degrees about an axis that is perpendicular to the top or surface of the grate unit. This means that the grate unit can be immediately inserted lengthwise next to an identical grate unit without any problems and without instructions.

Another advantage of the grate unit according to the invention is the possibility of expanding the pattern, theoretically to infinity. The pattern can be continuously expanded and has an even and constant distribution, length and/or distance between the surfaces.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a distribution of the marking areas is 10 to 90 percent, in particular 30 to 70 percent, compared to the entire area on the top of the filler rods. The distribution can differ for the filler bars of a grate unit, with the distribution being such that point symmetry is always met. This configuration has the advantage that a clearly recognizable pattern is created.

It has also proven to be advantageous if a filler rod has at least two spaced or separate marking surfaces, the first surface ending on one end face of the grate unit and the second surface ending on the opposite end face of the grate unit. With two grate units arranged next to each other, this creates or reinforces the visual impression that the pattern continues uninterrupted and the grate unit appears to have no edge.

Preferably, the at least one marking surface is produced by surface processing of the filler rods and/or applied superficially to the filler rods or removed from the filler rods. The surface processing can be carried out, for example, by mechanical grinding, cutting or sawing of the filler rod. One applied superficially Marking area can be done with paint and/or a glued film. Other markings such as lighting are also conceivable. The lighting can be active, for example by LED, or passive, for example by fluorescence.

The marking surface can preferably additionally have a micro-grip structure that is anti-slip for all weather conditions or can be designed accordingly. This design gives the marking surface an additional function and offers people or other objects better adhesion to the grate unit.

It has also proven to be advantageous if the grate unit is made entirely from an injection molding process. Plastic is particularly suitable as a manufacturing material for this, although other materials such as metal can also be used. An injection molding process allows the grate unit to be manufactured quickly with little post-processing.

In a further embodiment, the grate unit has on at least one side, preferably on two sides, one or more integrally formed locking elements, in particular in the form of L-shaped snap hooks, for locking with a channel. The locking elements are elastically deformable and can be inserted into the channel with little effort.

Preferably, a centrally arranged pair of support rods of the grate unit is thickened and V-shaped towards the edge. This embodiment leads to additional stabilization and is designed in particular with the locking elements. The V-shaped structure on the elongated edge of the grate unit has the ability to accommodate a locking element such as the L-shaped snap hook.

The support rods have a round or polygonal cross section and, as the name suggests, are rod-shaped. Alternatively or additionally, at least a subset of the support rods (or all) can be shaped as support ribs. These support ribs can have the same thickness as the support bars, but are equipped with a surface perpendicular to the surface of the grate unit. The side of the support rib that is attached to the filler rods can be straight and the opposite side can be curved.

The figures described below relate to preferred exemplary embodiments of the grate unit according to the invention, these figures not serving as a restriction but essentially as an illustration of the invention. Elements from different figures but with the same reference numbers are identical; Therefore, the description of an element from one figure is also valid for elements with the same name or number from other figures.

At this point it should be noted that all parts or features described above are viewed on their own and in any combination, in particular the details shown in the drawings, are claimed to be essential to the invention. Modifications to this are familiar to those skilled in the art.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht auf einen Längsstabrost gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform;

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf den Längsstabrost gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine vergrößerte perspektivische Ansicht auf den Längsstabrost gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

eine Schnittansicht auf ein Verriegelungselement des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 5

eine vergrößere Draufsicht auf die Deckfläche eines Verriegelungsbereichs des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 6

einen Blick auf eine Auflagefläche zwischen Längsstabrost gemäß Fig. 1 und einer Polymerbeton-Rinne;

Fig. 7

eine Ansicht von unten auf ein mittiges, beim Verriegelungsbereich ausgebildetes Tragrippenpaar des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 8

eine Ansicht auf eine erste Stirnseite des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 9

eine Ansicht auf eine zweite Stirnseite des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 10

eine vergrößerte Querschnittsansicht auf zwei übereinander angeordnete Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 11

eine Querschnittsansicht auf zwei übereinander angeordnete Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 12

eine Querschnittsansicht des Längsstabrosts mit einer vergrößerten Schnittdarstellung eines Füllstabs des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 13

eine vergrößerte Ansicht auf seitliche Nocken des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 14

eine Querschnittsansicht auf eine erste Auflagesituation des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 15

eine Querschnittsansicht auf eine zweite Auflagesituation des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1;

Fig. 16

eine perspektivische Schnittansicht auf seitliche Stützrippen des Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1; und

Fig. 17

eine Draufsicht auf zwei miteinander verbundene Längsstabrosts gemäß Fig. 1.

Show it

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a longitudinal bar grating according to a first embodiment;

Fig. 2

a top view of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

an enlarged perspective view of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4

a sectional view of a locking element of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 5

an enlarged top view of the top surface of a locking area of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 6

a look at a support surface between the longitudinal bar grating Fig. 1 and a polymer concrete gutter;

Fig. 7

a view from below of a central pair of support ribs of the longitudinal bar grate formed in the locking area Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 8

a view of a first end face of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 9

a view of a second end face of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 10

an enlarged cross-sectional view of two longitudinal bar gratings arranged one above the other Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 11

a cross-sectional view of two longitudinal bar gratings arranged one above the other Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 12

a cross-sectional view of the longitudinal bar grate with an enlarged sectional view of a filler bar of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 13

an enlarged view of the side cams of the longitudinal bar grate Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 14

a cross-sectional view of a first support situation of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 15

a cross-sectional view of a second support situation of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 16

a perspective sectional view of the side support ribs of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 ; and

Fig. 17

a top view of two interconnected longitudinal bar gratings Fig. 1 .

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a longitudinal bar grate 1 according to a first embodiment. The longitudinal bar grate 1 is rectangular in shape, with the grate unit 1 having four parallel filling bars 2 in the longitudinal direction and two has laterally arranged side filling rods 3. The filler rods 2 have a U-shaped cross section and the side filler rods 3 have an L-shaped cross section. The bars mentioned are fastened to one another with support bars 4 arranged in parallel in the form of support ribs. Free spaces are formed between the filler rods 2, the side filler rods 3 and the support ribs 4, which serve as a passage for liquids such as rainwater or the like. A locking element 5 in the form of snap hooks is integrally formed in each of the side filling rods.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of the longitudinal bar grate 1 according to Fig. 1 . In addition to the two locking elements, two cams 6 are formed on the sides of the side filling rods 3. These cams are also designed for locking, but are not very elastically deformable compared to the snap hooks 5.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of the longitudinal bar grate 1 according to Fig. 1 . In addition to the previously described elements such as filler rod 2, side filler rod 3 and support rib 4, the marking area 7 is marked on the filler rods 2. The marking surfaces 7 are manufactured as a micro-grip structure and have different lengths. Following the marking surfaces 7, untreated surfaces 8 are formed on the filler rods 2.

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of a locking element 5 of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 , wherein the locking element 5 has an L-shaped snap hook 9. Both the L-shaped snap hook 9 and the thinner area in the top surface serve as spring elements to ensure a secure, elastic locking. The side filler rod 3 itself has a ceiling section 18 and a wall section 19, with the offset area of the snap hook 9 in the top surface extending parallel to the ceiling section 18. In the corner that is formed between the ceiling section 18 and the wall section 19, three triangular support ribs 20 are formed. Since the side filler bars 3 are used as support elements and, in use, support the weight of both the grate unit 1 and an object or a person positioned on the grate unit, the support ribs 20 help with stabilization and reinforcement. Several such support ribs 20 can be formed in a grate unit.

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged top view of the top surface of a locking area of the longitudinal bar grate 1 according to Fig. 1 . In order to form the locking element 5 with the snap hook 9 integrally and to further provide a stable grate unit, a V-shaped reinforcing structure 10 is formed between the side filling rod 3 and the adjacent filling rod 2 (with the marking surface 7). The structure replaces the extension of the support rods 4, as this would otherwise block the locking area. The central pair of support ribs made of support rods 4 is thickened and V-shaped towards the edge in order to transfer the load to the recessed support surface in the best possible way. The additional material applied to the support ribs compensates for the weakening of the grate in the middle, as the locking interrupts the support structure.

Fig. 6 shows a view of a support surface between longitudinal bar grating according to Fig. 1 and a polymer concrete channel 11. In addition to the support ribs 4 and the reinforcing structure 10, the snap hook 9 is marked, which is inserted into a groove in the channel 11 and is thus locked to it.

Fig. 7 shows a view from below of a central pair of support ribs of the longitudinal bar grate 1 formed in the locking area Fig. 1 . Here, the reinforcing structure 10 is shown on both sides of the grate unit 1 on the side filler bars 3. On the tapered side of the reinforcing structure 10, two support rods 4 are formed, which are shortened in comparison to the remaining support rods 4.

Fig. 8 shows a view of a first end face of the longitudinal bar grate 1 according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 9 a view of a second end face of the longitudinal bar grate opposite the first Fig. 1 . Recesses 12 are formed in the filler rods 2 on the first end face and pins are formed in the filler rods 2 on the second end face. In a further embodiment, pins and recesses are each present on the end faces, which are arranged point-symmetrically to the center of the grate unit. This simplifies the handling of the grate unit.

Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 each show a cross-sectional view of two longitudinal bar grids 1 arranged one above the other Fig. 1 . One or more extensions 14, 15 are formed on at least two support ribs 4 of the grate unit 1 in order to place the grate unit stably on another grate unit. The extension 14 only protrudes minimally beyond the lowest point of the support rib 4 so that the volume of the grate unit remains low.

Fig. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of the longitudinal bar grate with an enlarged sectional view of a filler bar of the longitudinal bar grate according to Fig. 1 . This is intended to illustrate that the filler rod 2 has an inverted U-shape. This shape formed a surface on the top, particularly for a marking area (not directly visible), and a cavity in the middle to save weight and material. The cavity is divided by the crossing support ribs.

Fig. 13 shows an enlarged view of a laterally formed cam 6 of the side filling rod 3 of a longitudinal bar grate Fig. 1 . The cam 6 is elongated on the edge of the ceiling section of the side filler rod and triangular in cross section. The grate 1 has four side cams for locking in the Hexaline plastic channel, as shown in Fig. 15 will be shown. The cams engage in cutouts in the channel and support the central snap hook lock as anti-lifting protection.

Fig. 14 shows a cross-sectional view of a first support situation of the longitudinal bar grate 1 according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 15 a cross-sectional view of a second support situation of the longitudinal bar grate 1 according to Fig. 1 . In the first situation, the grate unit with the ceiling section 18 of the side filler rod 3 rests on a channel 16, a Euroline 2.0. Under load, the vertical web 19 sits on the inner step of the channel 16 and transfers the forces that occur into the channel body. In the second situation, the wall section 20 of the side filler rod 3 is in contact with the channel 17, the Hexaline 2.0. Under load, the side edge can be supported on the top of the standing dimple 21. The support ribs 20 can interact with the dimples 21 and thus prevent the grate unit 1 from moving. The two channels 16 and 17 are shaped in such a way that their inside is aligned with the inside of the wall section 19 and water that runs off can therefore flow unhindered into the channel.

Fig. 16 shows a perspective sectional view of lateral support ribs 20 of a wall section 19 of a side filler bar of the longitudinal bar grate 1 according to Fig. 1 . The grate has triangular support ribs 20, which are supported laterally on the dimples 21 of the plastic channel 17 when the grate is moved longitudinally. This prevents the grate from shifting and reinforces the horizontal edge, ie the side filler bars of the grate unit.

Fig. 17 shows a top view of two interconnected longitudinal bar gratings according to Fig. 1 . The marking surfaces 7 of a grate unit 1 as well as the untreated or unmarked surfaces 8 on the filler bars are clearly marked. As an example, a first marking area 7a and a second marking area 7b of a first filler bar of a grate unit were marked. As can be seen, the two grate units arranged next to one another form a pattern, with the first marking surface 7b of the left grate unit 1 and the second marking surface 7a of the right grate unit 1 forming a common surface.

Reference symbol list

1

Longitudinal bar grating unit

2

Matted filler rod, U-shaped

3

Matted side filler rod, L-shaped

4

Frosted support rod

5

Locking area

6

Cam for locking

7

Micro-Grip structure (marking surface of a filler rod)

7a

first marking area

7b

second marking area

8th

Untreated/matt surface of a filler rod

9

Snap hook (of the locking area)

10

Reinforcement structure (of the locking area)

11

Polymer concrete gutter

12

Deepening/blind hole (of a filler rod)

13

tenon (of a filler rod)

14

1. Extension of a supporting rod

15

2. Extension of a support rod

16

Drainage channel, 1st example

17

Drainage channel, 2nd example

18

Ceiling section (of the side filler bar)

19

Wall section (of the side filler bar)

20

triangular support ribs (of the side filler rod)

21

Dimpel (a drainage channel) as a displacement stopper

Claims (9)

Grate unit (1) with a plurality of parallel support rods (4) and a plurality of parallel filling rods (2), the filling rods (2) being arranged in the longitudinal direction of the grate unit and attached to the supporting rods (4),
characterized in that
a top side of the plurality of filler bars (2) has at least one marking surface (7), the at least one marking surface (7) being visually recognizable and point-symmetrical to the center of the grate unit (1). Grate unit (1) according to claim 1,
characterized in that
on the top of at least one, several or each filler rod (2), the at least one marking area (7) makes up 10 to 90 percent, in particular 30 to 70 percent, of the surface of the corresponding filler rod. Grate unit (1) according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that
at least one filler rod (2) has at least two spaced marking surfaces (7), the first marking surface (7a) ending on one end face of the grate unit and the second marking surface (7b) ending on the opposite end face of the grate unit. Grate unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that
the at least one marking surface (7) is produced by surface processing of the filler bars and/or is removed or applied to the surface of the filler bars. Grate unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that
the at least one marking surface (7) is designed as a micro-grip structure that is anti-slip in all weather conditions. Grate unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that
the grate unit is made entirely from an injection molding process, in particular from plastic. Grate unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized in that
the grate unit (1) has integrally formed locking elements on at least one side, in particular in the form of L-shaped snap hooks (9), for locking with a channel (11). Grate unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized in that
a centrally arranged pair of support rods of the grate unit is thickened and V-shaped towards the edge. Grate unit (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized in that
at least some of the support rods (4) are designed as support ribs.

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