US20030159397A1

US20030159397A1 - Elongated hollow member for suspending objects

Info

Publication number: US20030159397A1
Application number: US10/369,893
Authority: US
Inventors: Ulrich Birnbaum
Original assignee: Hilti AG
Current assignee: Hilti AG
Priority date: 2002-02-22
Filing date: 2003-02-20
Publication date: 2003-08-28
Also published as: CA2416743A1; DE10207625A1; EP1338716A1

Abstract

An elongated hollow member for suspending objects is formed of two first walls (1) running parallel to each other in the elongated direction (L) and two second walls (2) disposed perpendicularly to the first walls (1) and running in the elongated direction (L) with a wall thickness (w). The second walls (2) and the first walls (1) form a substantially rectangular cross-section having transverse widths (h) and (b). In order to assure economical manufacturing of the hollow member with a high torsional rigidity, the member has at least one elongated web (5) running in the plane of at least one second wall (2) and extending in the elongated direction (L) and perpendicular to the first wall (1) and extending outwardly beyond the corresponding first wall (1).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an elongated hollow member for suspending objects having two first walls extending in the elongated direction and parallel to each other and two parallel second walls extending in the elongated direction and, having a width arranged perpendicular to the elongated direction, wherein the first walls and the second walls form a substantially rectangular cross-section.

Elongated hollow members of the above type are used, for example, for fastening loads, which can be fixed to the hollow member using threaded rods. Furthermore, such hollow members are used also for stiffening a floor or a wall.

Hollow members are generally known that have a substantially rectangular cross-section with two side walls extending in the elongated direction parallel to each other and two other walls disposed perpendicularly to the side walls and running in the elongated direction. Side walls and/or other walls have grooves and/or recesses for fastening objects or a further member, in particular a hollow member. In order to assure economical manufacture of the hollow member, it is fabricated for example out of one or a plurality of metal sheets.

The drawback in the case of known hollow members is that they have insufficient torsional rigidity and, as a result, their application is limited.

Furthermore, the drawback in the known hollow members is that precise positioning of an object to be suspended is very time-consuming, because positioning aids, in particular a stop surface, are lacking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a hollow member that is economical to manufacture having a substantially rectangular cross-section and high torsional rigidity as well as low intrinsic weight.

Such object is achieved by the invention in that the hollow member has at least one elongated web running at the level or in the plane of at least one second wall and whose height projects over a first wall.

By virtue of the fact that at least one elongated web is arranged on the hollow member, a high torsional rigidity is assured. Furthermore, the elongated web can be used as a stop surface for a part fastened to the hollow member. Preferably, the elongated web has a uniform height extending perpendicularly to the first wall, in order to make possible a simple and optimal positioning of a part to be fastened or suspended. The configuration of the elongated web(s) in the plane of the second wall makes possible for example a flat contact of one or both second walls with the elongated web(s) in a planar surface of another hollow member according to the invention.

Preferably, the elongated web is formed by folding the material, which is shaped open towards the inside space of the hollow member and so assures economical manufacturing of the hollow member. Advantageously, a metal sheeting is used for manufacturing the hollow member, the sheeting having a wall thickness that corresponds to that of the wall thickness of the second wall. The folding of the material is, for example, formed by a single folding or multiple folding of the metal sheeting.

In order provide aid for optimal positioning of a part to be secured or suspended, both second walls each have at least one elongated web that are arranged opposite to each other. The two corresponding elongated webs provide a guide for one or a plurality of other hollow members that can be connected with each other, for example, using one or a plurality of fasteners.

Advantageously, the oppositely disposed elongated webs run in the elongated direction parallel and at a distance from each other, whereby the separation or spacing is preferably approximately equal to the width of one first wall and of the double height of one of the elongated webs, so as to provide precise guiding for connecting one or a plurality of hollow members according to the invention having a second wall with two longitudinal webs in the plane of such second wall. If the hollow member to be connected has only one elongated web in the plane of one second wall, the spacing, too, of the opposing elongated webs corresponds to the extension of the hollow member in the plane of the corresponding second wall perpendicular to the elongated direction. In this fashion, precise guiding is afforded.

By way of example, a first hollow member according to the invention having a first wall between the two elongated webs arranged opposite to each other abuts on the first walls corresponding to the elongated webs. In that the width corresponds to the spacing of the elongated webs, an optimal guiding of the first hollow member transverse to the elongated direction of the second hollow member is assured. Particularly in the case of application of the hollow member according to the invention for creating mounting systems, this configuration for guiding of hollow members that are to be connected with each other has been shown to be advantageous. In particular, the spacing of elongated webs arranged opposite to each other provides high torsional rigidity in the connection or connections, because the contacting elongated webs prevent a twisting of the two hollow members against each other.

Preferably the thickness of the elongated webs corresponds to two to six times the wall thickness of the second wall in order to provided a torsional rigidity corresponding to the hollow member loads. Furthermore, such a dimensioning of the thickness of the elongated webs assures an optimal relationship between the intrinsic weight of the hollow member and the torsional rigidity.

Advantageously, the second wall(s) has (have) a plurality of recesses that, for example, provide a simple and economical fastening possibility for a further part, such as, a further hollow member. Naturally, other fastening possibilities are also possible in lieu of bore holes such as welded threaded pins or eyelets, for example.

Preferably the first and second walls each have a plurality of recesses.

Advantageously, at least one first wall has a bead, corrugation or stiffening recess running in the elongated direction, in order to provide a guide independent of the elongated web for a C-shaped mounting rail, for example.

In a further embodiment at least one second wall exhibits a bead, corrugation or stiffening recess running in the elongated direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will now be more completely explained using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the appended drawings, wherein: [0018]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hollow member according to the invention; and [0019]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines II-II of the hollow member represented in FIG. 1.[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MEMBER INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 represent a hollow member according to the invention having two [0021] first walls 1 running parallel to each other in the elongated direction L and two second walls 2 disposed perpendicular to the first walls 1 in the elongated direction L and having a wall thickness w. The two first walls 1 and the two second walls 2 form a substantially rectangular cross-section having a height h and a width b. The hollow member is, for example, made of one or a plurality of metal sheets with an essentially constant wall thickness w.
The hollow member has in the [0022] plane 3 of the two second walls 2 at both elongated edges 4 an elongated web 5 extending in the elongated direction L and perpendicularly to the first walls 1 and projecting beyond the corresponding second wall 2 by a height c, the elongated web 5 having a thickness d, as is can be seen particularly in FIG. 2. For the formation of the elongated web 5, the sheet metal part in the area of the elongated web 5 is folded once so that it is confgured open to an inside space 6 formed by the first walls and the second walls 2. This material folding has a thickness d, which corresponds approximately to 3 times the wall thickness w of the second wall 2 or the wall thickness w of the sheet metal material. In order to assure versatile application of the hollow member, the two outer walls 5 a, 5 b forming the elongated web 5 extends parallel to each other and parallel to the corresponding second wall 2.
As can be seen particularly in FIG. 1, the [0023] second walls 2 and the first walls 1 have a plurality of recesses, in particular through holes 7, which are disposed successively uniformly over the entire length or elongated direction of the hollow member. Furthermore, both the first walls 1 and the second walls 2 each have a bead, or corrugation recessed inwardly by a depth t and a width running approximately centrally in the elongated direction L. The depth t corresponds approximately to the wall thickness w of the second wall 2 and the width hs of the bead or corrugation 8 corresponds approximately to 0.5 times the width b of the second wall.
The height or width h of the cross-section of the hollow section corresponds approximately to 1.2 times the width b of the cross-section that is the width perpendicular to the width h. Furthermore, the width b of the cross-section can correspond approximately to the 6 times the dimension c of the [0024] longitudinal web 5 extending outwardly from the first wall. The spacing a of two elongated webs 5 arranged opposite to each other on a second wall 2 corresponds to the overall width b+c+c of the cross-section of the hollow member, that is, the outside dimension between the outer surfaces of the elongated webs 5.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An elongated hollow member for suspending objects comprising a pair of first walls (1) extending in the elongated direction and in laterally spaced parallel relation and a pair of second walls (2) arranged perpendicularly to said first walls (1) and extending in the elongated direction and in laterally spaced parallel relation, each said second walls (2) having a width (b) transverse to the elongated direction and a wall thickness (w), said first walls (1) and second walls (2) form a substantially rectangular cross-sectional space (6), said hollow member has at least one web (5) extending in the elongated direction projecting outwardly from one of said first walls by a dimension (c) and located in a plane of at least one said second wall (2).

2. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 1, where said web (5) is formed of a material forming said first and second walls (2) folded over upon itself and forming a fold open to said space (6).

3. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said pairs of second walls have at least one said elongated web (5) arranged opposite to one another.

4. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said elongated webs (5) disposed opposite to one another are parallel to one another and spaced apart by a dimension (a).

5. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the dimension (a) corresponds approximately to the width (b) and double a width (c) of said web projecting outwardly from said first wall (1).

6. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the dimension (d) of the web (5) measured in a plane of said first walls is in a range of two times to six times the wall thickness (w) of said second wall (2).

7. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second walls (2) have a plurality of openings (7) therethrough.

8. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first walls (1) each have a plurality of openings (7) therethrough.

9. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 8, wherein at least one said first wall has one of a bead or corrugation (8) extending in the elongated direction.

10. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 9, wherein at least one said second wall has one of a bead or corrugation (8) extending in the elongated direction.

11. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said one bead or corrugation (8) is formed by an inwardly recessed portion of said first and second walls (1, 2).

12. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 11, where said bead or corrugation has a dimension (hs) extending transversely of the elongated direction.

13. An elongated hollow member, as set forth in claim 2, wherein one said web is located at each corner of said space (6).