ITRC20080005A1 - ELECTRO-WELDED NETWORK WITH PERIMETER EYELETS FOR MODULAR SELF-SUPPORTING STRUCTURES, AND STRUCTURES OBTAINED WITH THIS NETWORK. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION of the invention having as title:

"ELECTRO-WELDED NET WITH PERIMETER EYELETS FOR SELF-SUPPORTING MODULAR STRUCTURES, AND STRUCTURES OBTAINED WITH THIS NET"

The present invention relates to a metal mesh consisting of electro-welded metal rods (iron, stainless steel, etc.) provided with eyelets at both ends, so as to form panels with eyelets along the edges.

These eyelets are obtained by ring bending of the two ends of each welded rod (except for the perimeter ones), so as to constitute a sequence of holes perfectly aligned and suitable for hosting a "pin" on each side of the panel for the entire length of this. Said pin, also bearing an eyelet at one end only, acts as an anchoring pin for two or more panels, the same or of different sizes and shapes, provided they are characterized by the same eyelet system.

The edge of the eyelets is normally closed, but it can also be slightly open; open just enough, that is, to allow the "lateral" insertion of a reticular rod, but not of the spine. This, in fact, has a diameter greater than that of the rods of the net, which is why it must always be inserted or extracted axially.

The aforementioned eyelet has the purpose of conferring on the electro-welded meshes also the important requirement of "modularity" in addition to those already possessed of strength and lightness. A requirement, that of modularity, which opens up fields of application of considerable interest from both a technical and commercial point of view. With the eyelet nets, in fact, et it is possible to go into areas hitherto unexplored by the current state of the art.

In fact, it is known that common electro-welded nets are used both in the raw state (in the construction sector as reinforcement for reinforced concrete) and in many other production sectors (for the production of various types of products: bird cages, shopping trolleys, fences for construction sites, etc.). Their intrinsic strength, due to the welding on each contact point of the rods (which are normally superimposed at right angles), is accompanied by an equally intrinsic lightness. Strength and lightness make the electro-welded mesh an artifact of the iron and steel industry in great demand and appreciated in various fields. It is usually marketed both in rolls and in panels. These are of various sizes and have "spikes" on each side, or are sold with finished edges. The meshes generally have a square shape whose width varies according to the diameter of the rods (ranging from 3-4 millimeters to 2 centimeters and more).

By virtue of their non-deformability and abundant availability on the market, over time the electro-welded meshes have become real protagonists in the world of industry, and a product that is sometimes irreplaceable in certain sectors. They find particular application not only in the poultry sector (poultry cages, aviaries for birds, etc.), but also in other qualitatively more demanding ones such as furniture, accident prevention, shipbuilding, etc.

Despite all this, their fields of use are however very limited compared to their real potential. This is because the electro-welded mesh is considered as any basic material (such as wood, for example) that must be worked in certain ways (cut, folded, welded, edged, etc.) in order to obtain very specific products. That is, products that must be designed and manufactured on the basis of specific needs which, as can be understood, must be met with specific projects.

Yet, this artifact of the steel industry has a value that no one seems to have ever noticed. In short, a hidden value. This is a peculiarity that, despite its great evidence, has escaped the attention of all to this day. If not, you should see eyelet nets all over the place. Instead, of these, not even the shadow ...

It is therefore legitimate to think that the electro-welded mesh is considered only under its most conspicuous aspect: that of being a “partial obstacle <*>. That something, that is, which constitutes a barrier for some (people or things does not matter) and not for others. That is an obstacle that is insurmountable only for everything that fails to pass through its meshes. All i! rest (air, water, dust, small objects, etc.) can instead go back and forth between the stitches.

In short, the meshes are seen only as holes for "crossing <*> and have never been considered as providential and free" anchoring "holes. Well, this would seem to be the" queen "function of the net. it is another of equal (if not greater) importance.

In fact, no one seems to have so far realized that electro-welded meshes are, unique in the inanimate world of 'things *, both "male" and "female" in terms of modularity.

It is known that those who design (or build) modular structures (in the field of furniture, for example) must take the utmost care for the coupling points of each element, ensuring that their location is perfect, so that male and female go to coincide with millimeter exactness when they will be coupled: every slightest mistake in this sense is of high success of the entire work!

On the other hand, in the case of electro-welded meshes, all this is not necessary, as these, by their intrinsic nature, are "female" (the meshes) in any point of their surface, and "male" (the spikes) in any perimeter point, so the couplings can take place at any point of contact between two or more panels! Not only that, but these can be joined (within certain limits) in any direction and / or inclination! . · -A very important feature that makes the welded mesh panels the modular elements par excellence. This is of great importance in consideration of the fact that, as you can well imagine, the fields of use can not only be innumerable, but some of these contain highly respectable development potential on an industrial level. Just think, for example, of certain self-supporting scaffolding structures (for open-air shows, for shipbuilding protection, etc.) or of modular elements for the quick setting up of exhibition stands, barriers, shelving, geodetic coverings (or d other type), of (light) perimeter walls, and so on ...

All this is possible with the adoption of that "little <*> device mentioned earlier: it is enough that the panels have, on each side, eyelets instead of the usual spikes. Eyelets obtained from the spikes themselves by folding them into a ring shape As we will see later with the description of the various explanatory figures, the linear coupling between panels is achieved by sliding, inside the eyelets of each of them, a single pin that it will act as anchoring pin In the case of transversal coupling, instead, the eyelets of a panel will be put together (p.

male) to the links of the other (female) in the desired position, making sure that the eyelets come out from the other side of the female panel so that the plug can be inserted. The union will be stable and very resistant as long as the plug remains in place. To disconnect the panels, just unplug.

As can easily be seen, this is a very simple, fast and, in some ways, even fun operation, because you can create all kinds of structures even in fields such as model making or modular toys. Naturally in these cases the modular and modular elements will be much smaller (scale 1:10 for example) and the materials may be quite different from iron or steel (plastic, wood, etc.).

Since the basic material of the normal electro-welded mesh is sufficiently strong (the strength is given both by the type of steel used and by an adequate diameter of the electro-welded rods), we can very well speak of "self-supporting" structures. to support themselves they do not need any additional support element (such as beams, pillars, or other consisting of tubes, angles, beams, etc.)

It should also be emphasized that the structural stability is ensured not only by the consistency of the electro-welded metal weave of the rods (the diameter of these is adequate to the extent of the efforts), but also by the fact that the panels are mutually integral because they are anchored for " contact lines and not only in certain "nodal points", as is usually the case with traditional scaffolding where so-called "joints" are used. This makes the entire reticulated structure a highly homogeneous and compact whole.

The purpose of the present invention therefore concerns the introduction of a small device which is precisely the creation of an eyelet at the ends of the rods - to give the electro-welded meshes the possibility of being joined together by means of a "plug passing through the eyelets themselves in such a way as to constitute a sort of anchoring pin comparable (relative to the sole function) to the hinges of doors and frames in general.

It being understood that said eyelets are economically advantageous if they are made directly in the factory, i.e. in the electro-welding phase, the possibility is not excluded that they can be obtained in a subsequent phase, by mechanical bending of the spikes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide structured configurations that effectively use such electrowelded mesh panels, which will thus be able to assume a role of primary importance, both in the field of metal carpentry, as well as in other sectors hitherto unexplored by traditional meshes. electrowelded.

One of these can be, for example, that consisting of renewable energies, in particular wind power, in which the electrowelded grid can be conveniently used for the construction of latest generation wind power plants (patent application no. MI2007 002061), based on rotating or fixed parts consisting of metal mesh, even flexible, and whose meshes are partially or totally occluded by plastic film (or other material) impermeable to air or water. The metal mesh, therefore, for the purposes of applying the present invention, should not always and in any case be understood in terms of structural solidity, but also of its flexibility, which must be more or less accentuated according to the uses.

Said objects are described in their essential features in the attached independent claims, the secondary claims relate to some preferred peculiarities of the invention.

Advantages and characteristics of the invention will however be better evident from the detailed description below of its preferred embodiments, given by way of example and illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

fig. tA is a perspective view of an electrowelded mesh panel provided with closed side eyelets;

fig. 1B is the same perspective view of a panel with open eyelets;

fig. 1C is a schematic view of an axial anchoring pin, also provided with an eyelet or hook;

fig. 1D is a schematic view of a panel with lateral eyelets where the arrangement of the anchoring pins is highlighted;

fig. 1E, 1F and 1G are perspective figures where some of the many possible combinations between panels are highlighted;

fig. 2A is the perspective and plan view of panels folded at right angles and examples of their possible combinations;

fig. 2B is the view of a strip of mesh with a central reinforcement function between two panels as shown in fig. 2D;

fig. 2C is the perspective view of a trellis, with a triangular section, formed by three strips of net similar to that of fig. 2B;

fig. 2D is the exploded image of a structural “sandwich”.

Therefore, as well represented in figs. 1A and 1B, the basic element of the invention consists of electrowelded mesh panels equipped with eyelets (1) on each side. These are none other than the same rods suitably folded in the shape of a ring at both ends.

As can be seen, they are not directly attached to the edges of the panel, but spaced from these - which are the outermost rods (4) - by a small section corresponding to the thickness of the panels; this expedient is necessary to leave the plug (3), as shown in fig. 1F, sufficient space to be inserted in the eyelets of one panel when these, intersecting with the links of the other, are on the opposite face of the latter. The eyelets must therefore be perfectly aligned, and wide enough to allow easy insertion of the pin.

The eyelets are normally closed (as shown in fig. 1A), but they can also be slightly open. Also this expedient is necessary to allow the possible “lateral <*> hooking to one of the rods of the other panel, so that the opening of the eyelets must be slightly greater than the diameter of the reticular rods and less than that of the plug. This, in fact, must always be inserted or extracted axially inside the eyelets, and never from the side,

Figure 1C schematically indicates a possible configuration of the pin (3) having the function of holding firmly joined together two or more panels, the contact points of which can be: side to side, side with surface, surface with surface (the latter case occurs when a panel, or both, have a surface with a fold such as to allow the passage of the "pin" between the mutually intersected meshes as shown in ftg. 2A),

The plug is equipped with a ring or hook (like an umbrella handle). These have the function not only of a handle (for easy insertion and removal of the plug), but also as a substitute for the missing eyelet in the corners (6) of the panels. This expedient is useful, as schematically highlighted in fig. 1D, to give the thorns the possibility of interlocking (if necessary) with each other, especially in cases where the! “solidity” factor plays an important role.

As has already been mentioned, among the possible uses of the electro-welded mesh equipped with eyelets it is possible to insert that of the reticular spatial structures, which, in a high state of the art, are currently the prerogative of steel pipes of various thicknesses and diameters connected together by multi-directional "joints" of various kinds. As highlighted in figs. 1E, 1F, 1G and 2A, with the use of the panels of the present invention it is possible to obtain objects and structures even of a certain complexity despite the fact that the elements used, from the point of view of variety, are relatively few. This translates into considerable savings, not only on production costs (by virtue of the so-called "economy of scale") but also and above all for the ease and speed with which the various elements can be assembled and disassembled.

In fig. 2A are shown, both in perspective and in plan, panels folded at right angles. As can be seen, the possible assembly solutions are very interesting, both in terms of quantity and quality. With particular reference to the latter, these panels represent, in terms of structural solidity, the non plus ultra of what can be obtained from modular elements which, in addition to strength, offer unsurpassed lightness. Strength and lightness still highlighted in figs. 2C and 2D in which two other possible uses are schematised; that of pillars and beams which, thanks to the "ribbed" panels just mentioned (or others of the same kind), and to the "flat" ones of fig. 2B, can be made directly on site, without having to resort to welded pylons whose transport alone, to cite a few examples, involves significant costs.

Fig. 20, on the other hand, highlights the various possibilities of assembling panels having different dimensions and in any case perfectly functional to the success of an innumerable variety of applications not only from an engineering point of view, but also from an architectural one. In this last aspect, an important role will be played by stainless steel panels, by means of which exhibition stands and other similar structures can be set up in a hurry, without however conceding anything to the possible idea of improvisation.

However, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated above, which constitute only non-limiting examples of the scope of the invention, but that numerous variants are possible. All within the reach of a person skilled in the art, without for this to go beyond the scope of the invention itself.

Claims (2)

CLAIMS 1) Electro-welded mesh (1) characterized by eyelets (2) arranged at regular distances on each side of the mesh. 2) Eyelets as in 1) arranged perpendicularly on the plane of the net, and perfectly aligned, 3) Eyelets as in the previous claims, whose hole is large enough to be easily pierced by a "pin" of equal length, or slightly shorter, to the side of the network in which it is inserted. 4) Eyelets as in the preceding claims consisting of closed or even open rings. 5) Mesh panels as per the preceding claims joined together by pins, both at the sides and in the internal parts. 6) Self-supporting modular and modular structures made up of panels as per claim 5). 7) Panels as per claim 6) of reduced dimensions (example; scale 1: 10) made of material other than electro-welded mesh (plastic, wood, eco) for the realization of demonstration models or even modular toys. 8) Mesh as per claim 1) which is rigid (or semi-rigid) for the realization of flat structural elements, and flexible for curved structural elements. 9) Mesh panels as per the preceding claims characterized by all or part of their surface occluded with plastic film (or other material). aim to obtain light products, and at the same time robust, in fluid dynamics fields such as wind energy. 10) Mesh panels as per the preceding claims characterized by being bent at an angle, and / or bearing ribs, for greater rigidity.