ES2363741A1 - Deformable flat wedge - Google Patents

Abstract

Approximately U-shaped thin part, with a curved part and two approximately parallel prolongations, with sufficient flexibility to deform when the ends of the U are forced in combination, bringing them together while twisting them in the direction opposite to an axis approximately parallel to the prolongations. The flexibility shall be sufficient for the two prolongations of the U to bend and flex, while its semi-circular zone bends, resulting in a wedge-shaped deformation. The two prolongations shall be long enough to enable them to bend and flex, which shall cause the bending of the curved part. These prolongations may have T-shaped ends to apply the torsion more easily, and they may have curvilinear sides to adapt to the object to which the wedge is applied, better distributing the force.

Description

Flat deformable wedge.

The present invention relates to a piece of small thickness compared to its dimensions in length and width, reason why it is called "flat", and that it will be able to deform flexibly, losing its flatness, when submit forces in the right direction. Its shape will be basically and generically, that of the letter U, (figure 2) with two arms substantially parallel (details B1 and B2 in figure 2) and an area of union between them, which may have different forms depending on the case, but that, for the purposes of this description, we will consider semicircular (detail S in figure 2), referring in this way to the shape defined by the space between two concentric semicircles and a common diameter.

By applying forces on the free ends of the arms properly so that the request torsion and flexion in combination (figure 3, forces of torsion T1 and T2 in arm B1; torsion forces T3 and T4 in arm B2; bending force F1 in arm B1 and bending force F2 in arm B2), a deformed part will be obtained whose main characteristic it will be that, projected in a plane perpendicular to the plane that the contained before deformation, changes its flat shape to take a triangular shape (figure 4, elevation, plan and profile before deformation, and figure 5, elevation, plan and profile after deformation). This quality allows its use as a wedge, understanding as such a triangular shaped piece, with one of the sides significantly more Short than the other two, and inserted between two pieces or parts of the same piece that you want to separate or keep separate, keeping this side shorter on the outside at pieces.

Technical sector

The present invention fits within the sector of the object handling and handling technique. He initially planned design has direct application in the manipulation of manufactured natural stone planes from blocks, although applications in other sectors are expected, within the maintenance and handling sector.

State of the art

According to the more general description, it is called wedge to a piece of wood or metal finished in dihedral angle very acute, used to split or split solid bodies, to adjust or tighten with each other, to fit them or to fill some slit or hole. This being the definition that we can find in the dictionary, we will understand that, by extension, it can also be Made of materials other than wood or metal.

However, it is characteristic of a wedge the fact that its very sharp dihedral angle shape has permanent character, without it being designed for modification intentional Despite this, it will suffer or may suffer deformation for flexibility or elasticity, and even permanent deformations in its use. All the materials with which they can be manufactured will have characteristics of flexibility, elasticity and deformation more or less known and predictable, but to date, you are properties have not been used as a means to obtain a design that allows modifying the said dihedral angle.

The novelty of the flat wedge design to which refers to the present invention is that it allows modifying the dihedral angle, even until it becomes a null angle, is that is, in a flat piece, with the advantage of being inserted simple and effortless between solid bodies, for later exercise its wedge function after causing its deformation by wedge ends outside the solid bodies to separate.

Description of the invention

In a simple way, the invention here referred to consists of a piece of a deformable material, and with a so that two of its dimensions are significantly larger than the third, which is why we call it flat. In its design more simple, its shape within that plane will be that of the letter U, with two equal or similar longitudinal parts (figure 2: details B1 and B2), and another that unites them (figure 2: detail S). To both sides longitudinal we will call them arms, and the one that joins them semicircle.

By applying to these arms a torque in the opposite direction in each of them (Figure 3: details T1 and T2 on arm B1 and details T3 and T4 on arm B2), and a flexion towards each other (figure 3: detail F1 in arm B1 and detail F2 in arm B2), a deformation of the piece, losing its flat shape (figure 4) and taking a form such that its view in a direction parallel to the plane which contained it before will approach that of a triangle with one side much smaller than the other two, that is, wedge-shaped (figure 5).

It is necessary to clarify that the definition given above of wedge says that it is a piece finished at a very acute dihedral angle, without the two sides of the dihedral having to be flat. Thus, it is common for these faces to be convexly curved to facilitate greater resistance of the dihedral junction zone and greater ease of insertion once the introduction has begun (Figure 6). There are also applications in which concave curved wedges are convenient, sharpening the dihedral's contact area more, sacrificing its greater resistance due to a greater penetration capacity (figure
7).

The clarifications of the previous paragraph are convenient to explain that, although the invention referred to herein does not It has a flat shape on any of the faces of the dihedral, and even more, dihedral form some more than in the sense of projection in a plane perpendicular to the one that contained it before its deformation, It has the capacity to act as a wedge, and also with certain advantages.

Among the advantages it presents, the first is that can be introduced in its flat position, deforming it later, What is not possible with the traditional wedge. This assumes that it can separate the moment in which it is introduced from the one in which It performs its function.

The traditional way of working the wedge supposes, in most cases, a certain violence in their introduction, which is usually achieved by hitting on its side shorter. However, the invention referred to herein does not require I hit for its introduction. And yet, the fact that I don't require does not imply that you cannot admit it, since you can hit once deformed in the same way as a traditional wedge, or even before deformation.

Another inconvenience presented by the wedge traditional is that it stays in position thanks to the tightening that causes between the pieces to separate. This means that, if by some circumstance these two pieces are separated, the contact force with them, and you run the risk of stopping function, so that when the pieces get closer, it is very possible that the wedge is no longer in its working position, good because it has fallen or detached, good because it has entered more, or because it has been rotated or moved. The invention proposal, when done with an elastic material, will be able to maintain a tightening with the two parts to be separated, so that for small movements of separation or approach between them, it will deform elastically, varying the clamping force but maintaining contact, so that it does not fall off, or come off, or it is introduced more, nor is it turned.

Another advantage of the invention collected here with respect to the traditional wedge it is based on the fact that it, in its working position, exerts a force between the two pieces almost always unknown, and bases its operation on a very high resistance of the separate pieces with respect to that of the wedge itself. This is so except in the case where it is used to force the separation of two joined parts, that is, when used for split or split solid bodies. The present invention, with the knowledge support of the science of Resistance Materials, allows to know by calculation the force that is applied to the two pieces depending on the deformation suffered by the wedge, and also its relationship with the forces applied for torsion and flexion of the arms. This will allow you to adjust the force of separation between pieces at will, both to split or divide in the case of a solid body, such as to adjust or tighten when it is the case of two separate pieces. It will be possible to adjust the flat wedge design to the parts in contact to ensure that no unexpected damage occurs, both in the parts to be separated, as in the wedge itself, and it can also be calculated, depending on the elasticity of the material used and the wedge design, the separation and allowable approximation between the two parties separated by the wedge without damage, deformation permanent or detachment of the wedge itself.

Finally, it can be said that the invention here referred to has an additional advantage, consisting in that apply the separation force between the parts, not on the edge exterior or edge thereof, but on the inner face. While the traditional wedge, with its triangle shape, and assuming perfectly flat the faces of the parts to be separated, enters contact with the edges of the parties at first separate, (figure 8) the present invention, by design suitable of your arms, allows you to apply the force on the faces interiors of the parts, avoiding the application of efforts in the edges, which is usually the weakest part (figure 9).

To achieve this it will be necessary to adapt the design of the arms, so that they have a narrower shape in the outermost part than the inner part. It is a known fact and widely based on the science of Resistance of Materials that, for the different sections of the arms perpendicular to its axis, the twist produced by the torque is greater the closer the section is to the point of application of the effort. For the invention collected here, at the time of apply the rotational forces (T1 and T2 in B1, and T3 and T4 in B2 of the Figure 3), the torsion is applied at the free end of each of the arms, while the semicircular junction zone will be the one prevent the turn. For this reason the arms will be more turned The closer to its free ends. Seen in his projection of profile, this is what explains the wedge shape (figure 5). Without However, if the arms have greater section in the nearest part to the semicircular zone (figure 10, section EFGH versus section ABCD at the end), it will be possible to compensate for this effect, and the wedge, at the time of its deformation, and seen perpendicular to its plane of symmetry (figure 11), will take an allomated form, similar to a bullet or projectile, so that it will be the top of that spine the one that comes into contact with the inner faces of the parts pull apart.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows the embodiment that can be consider simpler flat wedge, in the form of letter U, in the that you can see the three views, elevation, plan and profile before its deformation, next to the three views of the same piece and distorted.

On the left side we have the views before deformation, where points A and B correspond to the free ends of one of the arms, while points C and D are correspond to the free ends of the other arm. It is appreciated that the elevation and the profile have very small thickness in sight, as corresponds to a flat piece.

On the right side we also have the three views, elevation, plan and profile of the deformed part, where points A, B, C and D above have moved, taking the positions A ', B', C 'and D'. It is observed in a simple way that segments A-B and C-D have their rotated position with respect to the original, being the turn of both segments of the same angle and opposite direction. This turn is due to the torsion request made at the free ends of the arms.

It can also be seen that these segments are have approached, subjecting the arms to a bending effort. This deformation is especially noticeable in its plan view, where the distance between points B 'and C' is clearly less than separate points B and C.

The profile view of the deformed part allows appreciate how the initially flat shape has changed, being precisely in this view in which the form of triangle with one side significantly shorter than the others two, that is, wedge-shaped.

Figure 2 shows the form that We consider the simplest embodiment of the present invention, on which the main parts have been detailed: arms B1 and B2, and the semicircular junction zone, S. Both arms, made straight here, like the junction zone, here in shape semicircular, they may have different shapes, keeping as main characteristic their behavior when the arms by simultaneous bending and torsion forces in the free ends, held together by opposite ends.

Figure 3 shows the forces that are due apply to achieve deformation of the flat wedge. So, T1, T2, T3 and T4 are forces of the same module, parallel directions and senses two to two opposites, which subject each of the arms to torque; T1 and T2 to arm B1, and T3 and T4 to arm B2. The flexural forces, F1 for arm B1 and F2 for arm B2, in such a way that they try to approximate both arms.

Figure 4 shows the three views, elevation, plan and profile of the piece of figure 2 before deformation, in which the extreme points of the arms have been indicated, A, B, C and D.

Figure 5 shows the same piece of the Figure 2 and 4 already deformed by the action of the forces of Figure 3, in which points A, B, C and D of Figure 2 have moved to occupy positions A ', B', C 'and D'. The comparison with the Figure 4 allows us to understand how the entire piece has been deformed, and the profile view of the deformed part of figure 5 allows to see how, seen parallel to the plane that contained it before the deformation, wedge shaped.

Figure 6 shows a traditional wedge with its convex faces, referred to in the first paragraph of page 5. Figure 7 shows a wedge with its concave faces, a the one referred to in the same paragraph.

Figure 8 shows the two wedges of the paragraph previous inserted between two pieces, and serves to appreciate how the contact between the wedges and the pieces begins at the edge of these Last, concentrating tensions on these points. Figure 9 shows the same situation for a flat wedge that has adapted to take form alomada, as mentioned in the second paragraph from page 7.

Figure 10 is a first example of how to they can modify the sides of the arms to compensate for the greater turn of the sections closest to the free end of each arm. It has been mentioned previously that, after applying an effort of torsion at the free end of the arms, the rotation of the various sections is getting smaller from this free end to the area semicircular junction, which results, when the turn is small, triangular wedge shape in the projection corresponding to the profile view. However, through the design proposed in figure 10, the length of the successive parallel sections, which means that, even the angle of rotation being smaller, the displacement of the points extremes will be greater, as corresponds to a larger turning radius.

Figure 11 is an attempt to show this effect, as well as its reflection in the profile view of the piece distorted. Although the interpretation of this figure is not simple, the importance of being able to design is highlighted here pieces, included in the present invention, that will be able to work as wedges without even needing to contact the edges of the separated parts, avoiding the concentration of tensions that this contact produces.

Figure 12 shows, by means of the three views plan, elevation and profile, and with the dimensions expressed in millimeters, the embodiment referred to in the section Exhibition of An embodiment. The two arms, B1 and B2, are detailed as well. as the semicircular junction zone or semicircle S.

Exhibition of an embodiment

A simple way to make this invention will be through a piece made of sheet steel, with letter U shape, the sheet being 1 mm thick (0.001 meter) and with measures 205 mm (0.205 meter) high and 100 mm (0.1 meter) wide. The width of the arms will be 30 mm (0.03 meter), this also being the difference between the radii of the two semicircles that delimit the semicircle of the area of union of the arms. The diameter of the semicircle outside will be 100 mm (0.1 meter) and the diameter of the Inner semicircle will be 40 mm (0.04 meter).

Claims (3)

1. Piece of thickness significantly less than its height and width, characterized by being formed by two equal or similar longitudinal parts, located parallel or approximately parallel, and joined by another transverse part, the three parts forming a single piece, made in a flexible material, capable of deforming when properly requested, and which, under that request, takes a form that, given its projection in a plane perpendicular to the one containing its dimensions of height and width, will have the shape very close to that of a triangle, with three sides that, while not being perfectly rectilinear, will have two of them significantly longer than the third, so that it will have a wedge shape. 2. A piece of thickness significantly less than its height and width, according to claim 1, characterized by having extensions of the longitudinal parts at their free ends and in a perpendicular direction, which will facilitate the application of torsional stresses of said longitudinal parts . 3. A piece of thickness significantly less than its height and width, according to claim 1, characterized in that its longitudinal parts have a slightly curved shape to facilitate contact with the pieces between which it acts as a wedge.