WO2010016811A2

WO2010016811A2 - A modular structure on an elevated floor

Info

Publication number: WO2010016811A2
Application number: PCT/TR2009/000095
Authority: WO
Inventors: Akin Nalca
Original assignee: Akin Nalca Tanitim Ve Tasarim Hizmetleri Limited Sirketi
Priority date: 2008-08-05
Filing date: 2009-08-04
Publication date: 2010-02-11
Also published as: EP2318615B1; WO2010016811A3; EP2318615A2

Abstract

The invention relates to mounted modular structures which are to be fixed on to the horizontal or vertical surface of a space and can be dismantled, when required, to be constructed again. This modular structure consists of one or more panel components and the fixing parts used in the assembly of these components can be placed repeatedly. The invention, which is to used as a floor or display wall outdoors or indoors (e.g. in exhibition spaces such as trade fairs, exhibition galleries, in interior design of offices and showrooms), is composed of large sized floor panels, holes that can be provided on these panels and that provide the panels to be used with other exhibition units, and footing element which elevates the connectors, floor panel and the frame forming the substructure.

Description

A MODULAR STRUCTURE ON AN ELEVATED FLOOR

The invention relates to mounted modular structures which are to be fixed on to the horizontal or vertical surface of a space and can be dismantled, when required, to be constructed again. This modular structure consists of one or more panel components and the fixing parts used in the assembly of these components can be placed repeatedly. The invention, which is to used as a floor or display wall outdoors or indoors (e.g. in exhibition spaces such as trade fairs, exhibition galleries, in interior design of offices and showrooms), is composed of large sized floor panels, apertures that can be provided on these panels and that provide the panels to be used with other exhibition units, and footing element which elevates the connectors, floor panel and the frame forming the substructure.

PRIOR ART

Currently, there are various flooring systems used outdoors and indoors as an elevated floor on the existing floor for several purposes. An example of these purposes is to provide space for infrastructural supplies such as electricity, communication lines, water and ventilation, while preventing messy presentation since they are not visible.

In particularly in fair or exhibition areas, existing floor is not suitable to be used for exhibition. While several conventional solutions are applied on this floor as elevated flooring, there are also advanced elevated flooring systems. These techniques and applications are generally used to separate all the decorative work from the existing floor, to set out the borders of the space by a clean area and to hide the infrastructural supplies such as electricity, communication and water. Elevated flooring systems used in various space solutions (e.g. fair stands) besides offices and exhibition areas neatly hide the infrastructural facilities underneath the system, such as for electricity and communication lines, heating-cooling, and constitute a system which allows for access at a desired point when necessary.

Especially for the design of several fair stands floor is made up by putting, side by side, the wood plates, cut in specific dimensions, on the main floor. However, since this floor might be damaged easily, it is hard to use it more than once. This kind of floors are generally produced again and again for each new project and this causes a heavy amount of material consumption and cost increase. Furthermore, since it cannot support the weight of products which many companies would like to exhibit but are overweighted, it becomes necessary to choose other types of floor coverings (e.g. carpet) instead of the desired one, and this narrows down the options for the desired design.

Since other flooring systems, which are more advanced in comparison to those explained above, are intended to be used several times, the panels of these systems are not suitable to be drilled or screwed in accordance with the project. Since holes may not be provided on the surface of these systems, electricity lines, assembly of the exhibition elements on it etc. can only be made at the connection points instead of from the panel surface. This requires the use of wide areas. Yet, due to the same reason, these systems are not suitable to be used as a wall panel or a vertical supporter system other than flooring.

It is generally not acceptable to stick or screw the system components on the existing floor while assembling and upholstering the advanced flooring systems used today on the main ground (e.g. ground of the fair area). This usually constrains design possibilities and flexibility. Moreover, it is not possible to use the panels in existing flooring systems without the support of a metal frame to prevent bending of the panel with a dimension such as 12Ox 120cm. As explained in US 4 267 680 which is one of the prior art references, the moulded plastic material with a grid structure inside, is mounted on parallel tubes forming the frame, by clamps underneath. Although a stronger floor is formed compared to many others, it is very likely that the clamped locking system in assembly with the tubes in the frame may be damaged in time. Furthermore, the system only serves as a floor and cannot integrate with other elements on the area of application.

In patent no US7,360,343 Bl, which is another prior art reference, it is seen that there is a panel surface with several holes on it. However, the only purpose of these holes is to provide ventilation; it does not have the ability to hide the infrastructural requirements such as electrification and since it is not suitable for intervention in accordance with the project to be applied on and for other vertical applications, it provides no adequate solution for these problems. The closest prior art related to the invention is the system explained in WO 2007/129214 Al . In this system, there is a frame constituting the system structure on adjustable feet and panels mounted on this frame. However, like the panels mentioned above, no changes can be done on these panels and there are no holes provided for the requirements of the electrification and integration of other systems constituting the space. Another significant factor of this system is that it can only be used as an elevated flooring and to provide lighting particularly from under, it is not thought to be a vertical supporting element or a wall panel when necessary.

As for the prior art related to a wall shelving structure or vertical support system and of the profiles providing that, systems explained in patent Nos. GBl 0316 253 and EP 1 059 027 A2 may be given as examples. However, the profiles used in both of the systems only constitute vertical walls and do not have the property of being used both vertically and horizontally. Aligning the pins or extensions on the sides of the panels to the periodical holes on the profiles in these examples, wall installation is made. However, these panels do not allow forming of additional structures (such as shelving systems) on them. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to mounted modular structures which are to be fixed on to the horizontal or vertical surface of a space and can be dismantled, when required, to be constructed again. This modular structure is composed of one or more panel components and the fixing parts used in the assembly of these components can be mounted again and again.

The invention, which is to be used as a floor or display wall outdoors or indoors (e.g. in exhibition spaces such as trade fairs, exhibition galleries, in interior design of offices and showrooms), is composed of large sized floor panels, apertures that can be provided on these panels and that provide the panels to be used with other exhibition units, and feet elements which elevate the connectors, floor panel and the frame forming the substructure.

The main object of this invention is to provide an elevated flooring system to meet the flooring requirement in various spaces (such as fair areas, offices, exhibition halls, showrooms etc.) which is easily mounted and dismounted, is used for several times, allowing the application of various designs on it and which can hide various infrastructural supplies (electricity, communication lines etc.) providing a well-arranged utilization of them.

One of the objects of this invention is to constitute a flooring system with an easily mounted and dismounted modular structure and connectors, to be used again and again in trade fairs, exhibition halls, offices etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wide opportunity of design and movement for every type of project by display stands made of tubes, cubical platforms, straight or curved pipes all of which can be mounted on the floor panel thanks to the holes existing periodically; to provide the integration with various exhibition elements and systems by a screw changeable in metric dimensions. Another object of the invention is to provide the access to the underlying infrastructural supplies such as electrification, communication, heating-cooling from the desired points thanks to the holes on the floor panel.

Another object of the invention is, thanks to the holes mentioned, to strengthen the desired panels and to increase their resistance by mounting screwed pins meeting the pressure on defined intervals in addition to the feet surrounding the panels.

Another object of the invention is to form shelves, graphic surfaces, a structure which can operate in 30cm axis intervals when desired by continuation of the effect on the floor to the vertical surfaces, thanks to the connector and panel structure.

The system which is the subject of this invention will be explained by reference to the drawings attached below. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the modular structure subject to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the floor panel and structural components.

FIG. 3 is the side detail view of the floor panel.

FIG. 4 is the assembly drawing of the connectors. FIG. 5 is the corner detail perspective view of the floor panel.

FIG. 6 is the section view of the hole on the panel, connector mounted on it and connection of an exhibition unit with flange and connector.

FIG. 7 is the section view of the assembly of additional feet which can be attached to support the panel with the panel. FIG. 8 is the view of structures that can be mounted on an example of a floor system.

FIG. 9 is the perspective view of a wall panel (V) in vertical use.

FIG. 10 is the assembly drawing of connectors in vertical use.

FIG. 11 is the section view of profiles and the panels that they are mounted in, in vertical use.

The components that are used in the drawings are numbered as follows:

(1) Panel (1') Wall Panel

(2) Hole

(3) Profile

(4) Foot (5) Connection arm screw

(6) Connection arm

(6a) Gap on the connection arm

(6b) Hole on the connection arm

(6c) Pin on the connection arm (7) Plate

(7a) hole on the plate

(7b) hole on the plate

(8) Screw

(9) body (9a) hole on the body

(9b) holes on the body

(9c) body surface

(10) Flange

(11) Screwed tap (12) Supporting foot

(13) Connection profile

(14) Connection profile leaves

(15) corner of panel

(16) Connection elements (17) Panel cut section

(18) Panel corner

(19) exhibition unit pin

(20) arc shaped pipes

(21) modular tube systems (22) connection elements

(23) indent in the panel DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The modular structure subject to the invention, as seen in FIG. 1, consists of a panel (1) used for exhibiting, forming a defined area and mounting and fixing various structural elements on the floor and walls, a frame consisting of profiles (3) to mount this panel on and connection elements (16).

In this modular structure there are profiles (3) and connection elements (16). These connection elements (16) as seen in FIG. 3, consist of body (9), plate (7) that is mounted on the body constituting connection holes on corners aligned with the surface of the panel, foot (4) adjusting the height of the panels, supporting foot (12), flange (10) which is to hold the foot and tubes by being mounted through underneath the panel holes (2) which are on the panels (1) to be upholstered as a floor and which provide the connection and integration of various exhibition units and systems in accordance with the aimed project and screwed tap which is to help make a solid assembly of the said exhibition units by being mounted through these holes (2) and flange (10) from above.

The floor panel may be manufactured in various dimension relative to the area and purpose of use, however for the arrangement preferred in the invention a panel (1) of dimensions 120xl20cm or 60xl20cm is used. The panel (1) may be produced from various materials such as wood, plastic etc., however in the preffered arrangement of the invention, the panel (1) is to be produced by placing PVC layer on fiberboard. The profiles (3) supporting the panels (1) can be made in various sections, in the invention 30x30cm tubular steel is used. In order to provide stability, the preferred position of the profile (3) in the invention is the section in 45 degrees to the floor, however, there may be alternatives where the section is straight or rotated in different angles. Where there is a rotation like this, the section (17) of the panel (1) should be made inclined to adjust this rotation, as seen in FIG. 3. When the profile (3) is to be used with a straight section, a straight section of panel should be produced instead of an inclined one. On the panel (1) there are one or more holes (2) as seen in FIG. 2. These holes (2) may be positioned in regular or irregular intervals or no intervals according to the area and purpose of the use, in the preffered application of the invention, the intervals between the holes (2) are defined and equal and are preferably 30cm long, however in accordance with the purpose of the use different interval lengths may be used. These holes (2) are obtained to integrate the desired exhibition units or exhibition systems to the panels (1) according to the project to be applied. As seen in FIG. 6, the threads in the interior surface of the flange (10) which is mounted to the holes (2) from below hold the exterior surface of screwed tap (11), foot (4) and supporting foot (12) of the pipes. The screwed tap (11) which is mounted to the holes (2) from above provides a safe and solid connection of the pipes of exhibition units (19) to the panel. Another function of these holes (2) on the panels (1) is, as seen in FIG. 7, to provide the mounting of additional supporting foot (12) in several points under the panel (1) thanks to the flange (10) inside the holes (2) and thus to provide the increase of the stability and resistance of the panel and the ability to cany heavier loads.

The corners of the panels (1) are cut inclined so that the plate (7) is alligned to the surface to panel (1), as seen in FIG. 5. In this way, the plate (7) positioned on the surface can function like the holes on the panel (1) by the hole (7b) in the middle. In relation to the geometrical shape of the body (9) which is a connection element, there are possible alternatives so that the section of the panel corner (18) is straight 90 degrees. The assembly drawing of the connection elements constituting the structure of the panels (1) is shown in FIG. 4. According to this, connection elements consist of body (9), connection arm (6) which is mounted to the body by connection of its pins (6c) through the holes on the body (9a) and which, after it is made stable by connection arm screw (5), provide the assembly of the profile (3) by fitting out of it, and the plate (7) whose function is described above and on which is connected to the body (9) by the help of two screws (8) through the holes (7a). The connection arm (6) is fixed inside the profile through the holes on it (6b).

The holes (9b) positioned on the body (3);

- Overlap the hole (7b) of the plate and assist in the connection of various units with panel.

- Provide the connection arm screw (5) enter through the hole on the arm (6a) while connecting with the connection arm (6). - Provide the mounting and height adjustment of foot (4) and supporting foot (12).

- Provide the vertical application of the profile (3) by mounting of the connection arms (6) in vertical use.

These connection elements may be in various geometrical shapes, however in accordance with preferred profil positioning and the section of the floor panel related to that in the invention, they have the shapes seen in FIG. 4.

Following the fixing of these connection elements (16), by profiles (3) being mounted to the connection elements (16), the structure corresponding the panel (1) is constructed. The floor panels (1) are put on this structure. Thanks to the inclined section (17) of the panel which is produced according to the rotational positioning of the profile (3) preferred in the invention, in the final product, profiles (3) are not seen from outside, it is only the panels (1) and the plates (7) on the corners that are visible.

In FIG. 8, possible elements that are arranged as an example after the floor system subject to the invention is maintained are seen. According to this, various exhibition units such as systems consisting of various modular tubes (21), arc shaped pipes (20) etc., being mounted on the floor through the holes (2), form an architectural space.

In another embodiment of the invention, profiles (3) that are used as a structure of the floor panels (1) horizontally, can be used to form an exhibition wall in vertical positioning. This arrangement can be seen in FIG. 9. According to this, in vertical positioning, there is a wall panel (1'), profiles (3) that constitute a vertical structure to this panel and connection elements (22).

As seen in FIG. 10, in vertical position, the connection elements consist of body (9), the plate (7) which mounted as described on the floor panels, connection arms (6) which provide the profiles (3) to be mounted vertically and the connection arm screw (5) which fixes the arm to the body (9). In order to hold the panels (1 '), connection profile (13) is positioned on vertical profile (3). While panels (1') used as exhibition walls can be manufactured in various dimensions according to the purpose, in the preferred application MDF (medium density fiberglass) panels with a dimension of 120xl80cm are used.

These panels (1 ') are the same as floor panels (1) in terms the material, positioning of the holes (2) on them and the structure and function of these holes (2) and the general outer section, the only difference is that in the section of the wall panels (1 ') there is a cut (23) inside through the whole panel and through this cut (23) the leaves of the connection profile (13) pass. On these wall panels (P), there are holes with regular, irregular or no interval such as floor panels (1), for the purpose of consistency with the floor here the holes are positioned in 30cm intervals however this dimension may vary. These holes provide the exhibition shelves or other existing exhibition units in applications in exhibition halls, offices and showrooms etc. to connect to the wall panel

While by elevating the floor panels by feet (4), floor system is constructed on areas such as trade fairs, offices and showrooms, infrastructural supplies such as electricity, heating-cooling, communication etc are hidden under the panels. When there is a requirement for a cable laid out, it can come out on surface by the nearest hole (2) of the panel to that point.

Claims

1. A modular structure comprising a frame made up of profiles (3) to place and mount various structural elements on it, connection elements (16) to connect the profiles (3) to each other and a panel (1) that is placed into the frame; characterized in that holes (2) are provided on said panel (1) into which flange (10) and connectors (11) are attached each other ; feet and support feet (4,12) are provided to elevate said panel (1) on the ground; the structure has one or more connection arms (6) and/or one or more plates (7), pins or holes (6b, 6c) to snap fit mounting to the body (9) with a screw (5,8) provided with holes (9a, 9b) on said connection elements that are provided to attach profiles (3) or various units to each other.

2. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein said body (9) is provided as a polyhedral shape.

3. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein feet (4) that provide elevation on the floor are mounted onto said holes (2).

4. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein said connection elements (16) are positioned at the corners of the frame constructed by the said profiles (3).

5. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein the said flange (10) and connector (11) have a hole inside.

6. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein one or more corners of said panel (1) is cut inclined.

7. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein the said panels are produced from materials such as wood, metal, fiberboard, plastic, glass.

8. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein the said panels may be produced in various dimensions but preferably 12Ox 120cm or 69x120cm size.

9. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein the section of the said profile (3) is inclined 45 degrees angular to the ground.

10. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein the section of the said profile (3) is provided by 90 degrees angular to the ground.

11. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein the section of the said profile (3) is provided by various angles to the ground.

12. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein the interior surface of the said flange (10) and/or connector is threaded.

13. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein the said panel (1) is elevated from the ground by feet (4, 12) mounted into said holes (2).

14. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein an indent (23) is obtained on the said panels.

15. The modular structure defined by claim 1 wherein said holes (2) are provided more than one.

16. The modular structure defined by claim 15 wherein the said holes (2) are arranged at equal intervals.

17. The modular structure defined by claim 15 wherein the said holes (2) are arranged at irregular intervals.

18. The modular structure defined by claim 15 wherein the diameters of the said holes (2) are equal in size.

19. The modular structure defined by claim 15 wherein the diameters of the said holes (2) are different in size.

20. The modular structure which is produced by the assembly of more than one of the said modular structure defined in claims 1 through 19.