Patent Application
20160325971
The present invention relates to an auxiliary tool to be employed when positioning elements, such as window and door frames in relation to an adjacent flat or plane, such as within wall openings, whereby the auxiliary tool comprises an inflatable air cushion member made of a strong and flexible respectively bendable, but substantially unstretchable material, which through a hose member is connected to an inflating device as well as a bleeding valve, and whereby the air cushion member is a flat bag unit, which exhibits mutually opposingly arranged flat bag sides, whereby the flat bag sides are composed of layers of the mentioned material placed face to face and being joined along their free edges to form reinforced double layer edges.
Such an auxiliary tool is known from EP 0 771 385. Through which an auxiliary tool is described as intended to be used while mounting frame elements into to these elements adapted wall openings in buildings. Thus, this will typically relate to the positioning of window and door frames into wall openings, where the individual frames need to be placed in a certain relation to the slightly larger wall opening. Earlier it was common practice as the introductory mounting procedure step to keep the frames in place in wall openings by means of wedges. By means of the auxiliary tool according to EP 0 771 385 a less complicated mounting procedure is achieved enabling the carrying out of this to be done by just one single person.
Thus, while employing selectively inflatable air cushion members which become inserted into the space between individual frames and the corresponding wall opening in such a manner that the position of the particular individual frame in the wall opening easily can be accurately adjusted to acquire the wanted accurate position in that the air cushion members being present at this mentioned one side of the wall opening thus become inflated more or less in respect to the pressure which simultaneously is being excerted through the other oppositely arranged flat bag units, so enabling a single person to easily position the frame precisely.
It is decisive, that the air cushion members “only” are purely flat bag units, because they then can be influenced to a controlled displacing of them in a single direction and thus simultaneously making it possible that the frame through a moderate air bag pressure is enabled to be displaced in other directions in order to achieve a final correct adjustment when the final fixation is taking place.
The flat bag units are able by means of a small activating force to exert a rather large pressure towards the external surfaces of the individual frames, of among other reasons the best solution may be to provide the flat bag units arranged somewhat close to the upper, respectively the lower, part of the individual frames. And besides, by employing an increased amount of flat bag units a straightening of possibly externally bulging sideportions of individual frames may furthermore be obtained.
It is very important that the flat bag units are embodied in such a manner that they are stable against any rolling movement, i.e. corresponding to the type of rolling which a rubber hose is able to perform, which has attained a “flat oval shaped” cross section by the application of a sidewardsly exerted pressure, and whereby in such case the flat bag units will not be able to carry the individual frames by means of the frictional pressure which is exerted against the side surfaces of the vertical oriented gaps being present between the individual frames and the receiving opening in the wall.
Such a kind of stabilizing can on the other hand easily be achieved preferably in such a way that the cushion members are being embodied in shape of a double layer of a strong and flexible, but substantially unstretchable, material, i.e. such as armoured plastic foil, whereby flat edges of this material are being joined at one or more of the side edge areas of the unit. The best and the most simple possibility is that the cushion member is provided by folding a single rectangular piece of the foil material including a subsequent welding together of the protruding three free edge areas, while at the folded edge area a required connecting hose is connected to the inflating ball and the included bleeding valve, because this is in practice made possible in that the folding edge is not required to exhibit a sharp bend folding.
Despite the fact that the cushion members belonging to the state of the art provide great advantages at the positioning of members in relation to an adjacent flat, the force which they are able to exert is limited due to the employed material. Furthermore, the auxiliary tool exhibits one single point of load and due hereto only does provide one point of attack which can be employed to provide straightening respective displacing.
Whenever it is wanted to provide a larger force more cushion members have to be employed. On the other hand, these may then mutually undergo displacements in relation to each other so that the wanted support does not appear at the spot, where it is wanted. This can make it difficult to achieve a correct support and levelling of the element which is supported.
For many years an auxiliary tool providing a larger force has been wanted and which furthermore provides a stable support and provides the possibility for an adjusting of the force at different points of attack.
The present invention has the purpose to describe an auxiliary tool which makes use of the advantages associated with the flat bag units belonging to the state of the art and whereby the aforementioned drawbacks are avoided so that it becomes possible to achieve a stable support comprising possibility for an adjustment of the force at different points of attack.
According to the invention this is achieved by means of an auxiliary tool of the type according to the above mentioned ingress and is characterized in that the auxiliary tool further comprises a connecting element to the mutual fixation of an air cushion member comprising one or more adjacent air cushion members for the providing of an auxiliary tool comprising two or more mutually fixated air cushion members which selectively are inflatable and which are placed in a side by side relationship in a common plane so that the sides of the flat bag unit together provide opposing sides within the auxiliary tool.
According to the present invention it is thus possible to employ a desired number of beside each other arranged air cushion members which together form a stable support as they mutually in position are being kept fixed by means of the connecting elements. The air cushion members in relation to the other air cushion members thus can't be “displaced” away from their positions and the positions of each of the air cushion members in relation to the element being supported are furthermore also stabilized.
Thus a multipoint configured load comprising a number of load carrying points which correspond to the number of employed air cushion members is achieved. I.e. it is possible to operate by means of a stepless adjustment of force thus covering a larger area and making it possible to adjust respectively to press upon or to move the supported element. In this manner the auxiliary tool may also be employed together with elements which are not homogeneous or do not exhibit any homogeneous form and elements which to be brought upright in place at specific places do require extra force to the carrying out of this operation.
Though the invention primarily is based upon the employing of inflation to provide different pressures within the different air cushion members it is also possible to provide inflation which provide the same pressure in all or only in a part of the air cushion members comprised in an auxiliary tool.
The air cushion members of the auxiliary tool may in principle be identical to the air cushion members which are described in EP 0 771 385, the contents of which through this reference hereby are included. Those members may in certain cases be employed unaltered in shape or a modification of the double layer edges may be required in that they become provided with interconnecting means which can establish the cooperation with the corresponding interconnecting means belonging to the element of connection.
It is possible to provide an assembly of air cushion members which it is possible to handle as one single unit. This facilitates the handling in that only one operator is required even when very heavy and inhomogeneous elements are to be put in place, and whereby large forces and a varied amount of influencing forces are required due to either the kind of structure or the shape of the elements or due to varying demands to alignments or levellings of the elements.
The invention incorporates the great advantage that the air cushion members exert a very care taking influence on the elements, i.e. in that no kind of pressure markings are left over due to the preliminary use of the intermediate fixation means.
Furthermore, the employing of a “battery” of air cushion members does create an enhanced safety level for the user. Even in case a single air cushion member should malfunction or puncture the remaining air cushion members will safeguard that the member is not pressed against the flat or surface in relation to which flat or surface it is being placed respectively is put in position to. I.e. accordingly any risk of a squeezing pressure is reduced or is fully prevented thus also thereby including any risk of damaging of the element or of the flat which serves as support.
According to a further embodiment the container according to the invention is characterized in that the air cushion member comprises protruding edge flanges which at at least one corner comprises a hole or opening, and that the connecting element comprises at least one pin member for engaging the mentioned at least one hole or opening. The holes may alternatively be positioned at a long-side instead of at a corner. The hole may furthermore serve as a bore, through which pins for temporary fixation of the air cushion member to the external surface of the flat belonging to the element can be inserted.
According to a further embodiment the container according to the invention is characterized in that the connecting element is comprised of a substantially flat frame structure comprising frame side units which are provided with openings within which the air cushion members become arranged, so that these at least are protruding out over just one of the side surfaces belonging to the frame structure. A frame structure provides a simple way of providing a “grid” for the receiving of the air cushion members within the fields thus being provided by means of the frame side units.
The frame may be of rectangular shape or of other polygonal shapes, i.e. as of hexagonal shape. Or, the shape could be manufactured as curved, as by way of example circular or oval shapes.
The frame may in principle exhibit a thickness which corresponds to the thickness of the non inflatable air cushion members, whereby the auxiliary tool may be insertable into the same narrow chinks or slots as those into which a single air cushion member may be inserted.
The container according to the invention may exhibit a further embodiment which is characterized in that the frame structure is shaped comprising a number of frame portions comprising connecting members which cooperate to connect the frame portions to a coherent frame structure. According hereto it in a simple way is made possible to provide a frame which exhibits a wanted size and shape.
The container according to the invention may exhibit a further embodiment which is characterized in that the connecting members are releasable connecting members, preferably cooperating pin members and recesses along side edges of the frame portions. By employing frame portions together with releasable connecting members then after being used these frame portions may be segregated and thereupon are ready to be reused and i.e. for the forming of a new configuration.
The container according to the invention may exhibit a further embodiment which is characterized in that the frame, as according to choice, is a frame manufactured with flexible frame side portions so that the frame structure is made to be resilient after the inflation of the air cushion members or it is manufactured with stiff frame side portions and flexible edge flanges so that the edge flanges are made able to give way after the inflation of the air cushion members.
The frame side portions may be manufactured of a stiff material which preserves a stable shape after the inflation by means of the air cushion members. This may be achieved in that within the interconnecting members between air cushion members and the frame structure a possibility for providing a flexibility has to be present which is able to compensate for the contraction of the side edges of the air cushion member which contraction is present during the inflation or otherwise the edge flanges may have to be resilient. Or, as an alternative the frame side portions may be resilient so these are pulled during the inflation.
The container according to the invention may exhibit a further embodiment which is characterized in that the connecting member is manufactured of a coherent tissue within which a number of pockets are provided whereby each pocket serves to occupy an air cushion member, and in that each pocket serves to the fixation of an air cushion member in relation to one or more adjacent air cushion members which are being positioned within one or more of the adjacent pockets, and which pockets may be provided as being arranged on one or on both sides of the tissue. Hereby it becomes possible to store the frame structure in roll shape on rolls and from which portions of tissue simply may be cut to fit a wanted configuration and wanted size as it may be required for the single tasks.
Within the present application the term tissue implies any material being lengthy or long stretched in shape. Thus, it does not need to be manufactured by weaving. It might also be an extruded lengthy or long stretched shaped material.
In case of employing a double layer tissue pockets are to be formed only at one side of the tissue for the mutual fixing of the air cushion members which in this manner become arranged as being mutually sidewardsly positioned within a common plane, i.e. together the flat bag unit sides are forming opposing sides within the auxiliary tool.
In case of employing a three-layer tissue it is possible to form pockets on both sides of the tissue. Such pockets are preferably positioned as two and two mutually arranged opposite each other, i.e. as opposing each other pairwise, so that the air cushion members become positioned while forming two layers. I.e. the pockets become “stacked” as two and two above each other. In this manner a larger working height is achieved as compared to employing air cushion members which are arranged as mutually sidewardsly positioned within a common plane. In this manner the flat bag unit sides together respectively being viewed as from one layer to the other mutually are providing opposing sides within the auxiliary tool.
The container according to the invention may exhibit a further embodiment which is characterized in that the tissue is manufactured with pockets whereby, as the pockets are provided with each an opening, these openings are facing in the same direction.
In certain situations it may be preferred that the pockets are provided with openings which are oriented in different directions to achieve a more easy access to the inflation device.
The container according to the invention may exhibit a further embodiment which is characterized in that the air cushion member is manufactured from a folded material layer.
The most simple possibility is that the air cushion member is manufactured by the folding of one singular rectangular shaped piece of foil material with subsequent welding together of the provided three free edge areas, and whereby a required connecting hose at the folded edge area is connected to the inflation device and the accompanying bleeding valve, whereby this possibility in practice can be carried out because no sharp bending of the folded edge is required.
The container according to the invention may exhibit a further embodiment which is characterized in that the length of the inflatable air cushion member exhibits the same order of size as the width of it, preferably abt. 15 cm and furthermore that the air cushion member is inflatable to achieve a thickness of up to 50 through 60 mm. Herethrough it becomes possible to operate the tool at slotwidths with sizes of up to 50 through 60 mm.
Below the invention is described in more detail under reference to the drawing within which:
Within this more specifique portion of the present specification elements which either are identical elements or are corresponding elements carrying the same signs of reference. And no repeated descriptive explanation is given below for each single element within the different figures which belong to the drawing.
The air cushion member 6 shown in
In
The stud or hose 10 may, optionally, protrude while forming an acute angle with the folding edge at 24, so that the ball 12 may be located as downwards pointing from the air cushion member.
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The manifold 32 is provided with output studs 34 which may be provided with hose quick lock coupling elements. The manifold comprises furthermore a hose connecting stud 36 for the connection to hoses 11, which either can be connected to a ball 12, or to a foot pump 38 or to an electric driven air pump 40.
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In the embodiment which is shown the air cushion member 6 is arranged fixed at each corner. Alternatively this fixation may only be provided at one or two of the corners of the frame module.
The frame module 42 exhibits a flat structure of an open kind. When the air cushion member 6 is inflated by pumping it will thus protrude to either side viewed in relation to the flat frame.
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The frame modules which are shown in
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The material of the top portion may be stiff or flexible. The air cushion member 6 may be put loosely in position inside the shaped box.
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The frame modules 42 are provided with tongues or flaps 72 comprising an opening 74. By means of this arrangement a number of frame modules can be connected together by putting a pin member through the openings 74 thereby coupling sidewardsly adjacent frame modules together.
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The air cushion member 6 may be arranged at one or more of the corners of it through cooperation between an opening in the air cushion member 6 and a pin member 50 being connected with the frame 76.
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Within both embodiments the frame is shaped so flat that an inflated air cushion member 6 will protrude above the frame. When the air cushion member 6 is in non-inflated condition it is able to be held in place within the frame so that the height 80 of the frame will be decisive for the interspace or slot into which the auxiliary tool can be inserted.
The height 80 may be adapted so that it approximately corresponds to the height of a non-inflated air cushion member 6.
The frame 76 may be manufactured of a stiff material or of a material which is flexible.
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The frame 76 comprises a depression within which a number of tubes 86 are provided in that each of them is leading forward for the connection of an air cushion member 6 each of these including an appropriately adapted kind of ball member 12. In this manner a possibility for pumping the air cushion members 6 within the frame 76 becomes provided.
It is possible to provide a marking, for instance by means of colour, to indicate which pumping providing ball member 12 does belong to which cavity within the frame 76.
Even though the frame is shown as comprising four cavities another number of cavities may be employed.
In
Thus the pin members 88 will provide a direct fixing in place of adjacent air cushion members by means of the grips through the incorporated openings 20 within the edge weldings 4.
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The tissue 96 thus may be cut to provide suitable shaped patterns such as by way of example being shown in
The tissue 96 may be manufactured as a three-layer-structure, implying, that a pocket will be located at the opposing side as viewed in relation to the illustrated pockets 98.
The tissue may be manufactured of a non-stretchable material at that one side which is connected with stretchable material for the forming of pockets to achieve that an expansion of the pocket is made possible when pumping the air cushion member.
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Within all the shown embodiments an air cushion member 6 is mounted within the frame module 42 for cooperation between openings 20 and pin members 50. At the embodiments which are shown the coupling together is provided at each of the four corners of the air cushion member.
In principle in
The mutual fixing of the frame modules 42 may be provided through any suitable joining means. Also hereto may be employed protrusions or recesses. Alternatively at the surface of the frame modules openings for the reception of penetrating pin members may be provided. Also other appropriate joining means may be employed.
Within all the embodiments being shown the air cushion member is shown in shape of a rectangular body. On the other hand, other executions of the air cushion member are also possible.
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| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA 2014 70478 | Aug 2014 | DK | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DK2015/050231 | 8/6/2015 | WO | 00 |
