The present invention relates to a clamp for connecting panels in a surface coating structure.
In this type of structures the connection, which takes place between the panels and a base frame, is removable and is generally made by means of clamps. WO 2008/093383 A1 discloses a clamp as in the preamble of the following claim 1.
DE 297 07 884 U1 describes a clamp formed by two parts, a lower one that can be fixed with screws on the base frame, and an upper one rotatable on the lower part to protrude, with its ends, and pass from a disengagement position between two adjacent panels to a position of engagement of the same with the base frame. To achieve this engagement, the ends of the upper part are inserted into the longitudinal grooves, made for this purpose, in the panels. In the above German document it is shown that the upper part has a plurality of hook-like feet projecting downwards and engaged with a circular opening provided in a raised portion of the lower part. This arrangement allows the upper part of the clamp to rotate with respect to its lower part.
EP 3106585 A1 discloses a fastening system for decking boards including a series of supports connected to a frame. Each support has a stem with a semi-circular washer. The decking boards define slots which run along both sides of the board. The washer is rotated so that it extends into the slot in the side of the decking board. The washer is then fixed in place by a screw.
A drawback of the clamps of the prior art lies in the fact that the rotatable part does not have an efficient support on the base frame.
Another drawback of the clamps of the prior art is due to the fact that the rotatable part is not easily controllable in its position.
Furthermore, the insertion of the rotatable part in the longitudinal grooves of the panels is not facilitated.
Therefore, the general object of the present invention is to obviate the drawbacks of the prior art.
In particular, an object of the invention is to create a rotatable coupling that is stable and easy to be operated between the upper part and the lower part of a clamp for connecting panels in a surface coating structure.
Another object of the invention is to allow the rotation of the upper part with respect to the lower part with a tool for installing and removing panels.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a comfortable fastening of the clamp on the base frame.
A further object of the invention is to provide an effective simultaneous gripping of two adjacent panels.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved in a first embodiment of the invention as set forth in the following claim 1.
In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a clamp for connecting panels in a surface coating structure as set forth in claim 11.
Two embodiments are disclosed in the detailed description that follows, referring to the attached drawings in which:
First of all, reference is made to
Returning to
The fixable element 1, which is rectangular prismatic with central longitudinal axis x, has two communicating concentric cylindrical holes: an upper hole 10 of smaller diameter with respect to a lower hole 11. Moreover, the fixable element 1 has two through holes generally indicated as 12, having a truncated conical invitation from the top. The through holes 12 are offset with respect to the longitudinal symmetry plane of the fixable element 1. Furthermore, the fixable element 1 has two blind holes 13 made from the bottom towards its top. The long sides 14 of the fixable element 1 have a plurality of vertical ridges 15, preferably with a triangular cross-section. They have the function of spacers with respect to the adjacent panels. When the panels dilate due to weather changes, their deformations are compensated by their possibility of expansion against the clamps. Obtained on the top surface 16 of the fixable element 1, in the vicinity of the corners, are angular depressions indicated as 17 to facilitate rotation of the rotatable element 2 with respect to the fixable element 1. On the top surface 16 of the fixable element 1 there are shown a pair of arrows 18 indicating the positioning direction of the clamp 50 with respect to the panel to its left. Furthermore, two segments 37 being orthogonal to the arrows 18 indicate the correct positioning of the rotatable element 2 with respect to the fixable element 1, when the rotatable element 2 is in the closed position of the clamp. For clamping, the segments 37 must be in the same direction as slit between adjacent panels P.
The rotatable element 2 has an upper part 20 which, after the assembly of the clamp 50, protrudes upwardly with respect to the top surface 16 of the fixable element 1. The rotatable element 2 has the shape of a rectangular plate with size substantially equal to that of the fixable element 1. Conventionally, the rotatable element 2 engages, in its rotation, with its ends in lateral grooves of adjacent panels P, as shown in
Moreover, the rotatable element 2 has, preferably in one piece with the upper part 20, an intermediate part 28 in the form of a disc of such dimensions as to be rotatably received in the upper hole 10 of the fixable element 1. Finally, the rotatable element 2 has a disc-shaped lower part 29, with a diameter greater than the diameter of the intermediate part 28 but such to be rotatably received in the lower cylindrical hole 11 of the fixable element 1. The lower part 29 of the rotatable element 2 is received, as the intermediate part 28, with a wide coupling to allow rotation of the rotatable element 2 with respect to the fixable element 1. The joining of the intermediate part 28 with the lower part 29 can be by gluing, but preferably by ultrasonic welding, since the clamp 50 according to the present invention is made of plastic material. The central hexagonal hole 26 continues in the intermediate part 28 as well as in the lower part 29 of the rotatable element 2.
The support plate 3 has a rectangular plan with through holes 32 concentric with the through holes 12 of the fixable element 1, and furthermore a pair of mounting pins 33 concentric with the blind holes 13 of the same fixable element 1. The support plate 3 extends in two opposite side arms 34, centrally formed on the long sides 35 of its rectangular plan.
According to the invention, a manufacturing process of the clamp 50 for connecting panels in a surface coating structure is provided. The prismatic fixable element 1 is molded in plastic material with the two concentric holes, the upper one 10 having a smaller diameter than the lower one 11. The rotatable element 2 is also molded in plastic material with its upper part 20 in one piece with the intermediate part 28 constituted by a disc of diameter such as to be rotatably received in the upper cylindrical hole 10 of the fixable element 1. The intermediate part 28 of the rotatable element 2 is inserted into the upper cylindrical hole 10 of the fixable element 1 while the lower part 29 of the rotatable element 2 is rigidly joined to its intermediate part 28. Alternatively, the intermediate part 28 and the lower part 29 could be made in one piece and subsequently joined rigidly to the upper part 20, when positioned on either side of the fixable element 1.
The rigid joining between the lower part 29 of the rotatable element 2 and the intermediate part 28 can be achieved by means of an ultrasonic welding sonotrode. As previously stated, the fixable element 1 has two through holes 12 near its short sides being offset with respect to the central longitudinal axis x of the fixable element 1, and the rotatable element 2 has a double pair of opposite recesses 27 in the its long sides. The recesses 27 have a circular sector shape. When the rotatable element 2 is rotated about the axis y (
The fixable element 1 has superiorly the triangular depressions 17 on the top surface 16 at each corner. The depressions serve to facilitate the rotation of the rotatable element 2 with respect to the fixable element 1, which has inferiorly projections 36 (
Carved superiorly in the fixable element 1 are two parallel arrows 18 orthogonal to the lateral grooves of the panels. The arrows 18 serve to indicate the positioning direction of the clamp 50 and are directed towards the panel to its left with respect to its longitudinal direction.
The fixable element 1 has at its bottom two blind holes 13 which receive the pins 33 of the support plate 3 for a precise and stable positioning of the fixable element 1 on the base frame. The opposite lateral arms 34 of the support plate 3 serve to widen the gripping surface of the clamp 50 since they are placed under the panel opposite to the wings 21, 22 of the upper part 20 when the clamp 50 is in the closed position. In this way, the panels are sandwiched by the clamps.
This is shown in the aforementioned
Reference is made now to
The clamp of the second embodiment of the invention, indicated as 51, differs from the clamp 50 of the first embodiment in the connection of the rotatable element, indicated as 200, with the fixable element, indicated as 100.
The difference of this connection lies in the fact that the disc of the intermediate part 280 of the rotatable element 200 is cylindrical, while the disc of the lower part 290 is tapered downwards, having a diameter larger than the intermediate part 280; moreover, the fixable element 100 has the upper hole 101 that is tapered downwards and the lower hole 111 that is cylindrical.
The lower part 290 of the rotatable element 200 and the upper hole 101 of the fixable element 100 are correspondingly tapered for the forced insertion of one in the other, with the possibility that the two parts may have a relative movement. For this purpose, the dimensions in which the above cooperating parts are made are important. Preferably, the cylindrical disc of the intermediate part 280 has a thickness of 3.1 mm and a diameter of 20 mm, while the disc tapered downwards of the lower part 290 has a thickness of 2.7 mm and a maximum diameter of 21 mm
The taper of the downwardly tapered disc of the lower part 290 is 69.16 degrees. The fixable element 100 has the upper hole 101 that is tapered downwardly with a maximum diameter slightly smaller than the maximum diameter of the tapered disc of the lower part 290 and a lower hole 111 that is cylindrical with a diameter of 21.3 mm and a thickness of 2.8 mm. However, these measures are to be considered indicative and not characterizing.
It should be understood that the insertion of the rotatable member 200 in the fixable element 100 is allowed by the elastic deformation of the material with which they are made. The insertion is stable because the two parts can be scarcely stressed to a traction that can determine an accidental separation thereof.
The second embodiment is certainly more convenient thanks to a substantial reduction of the time necessary for its manufacture, and therefore of its cost.
It is understood that the intended objects have been achieved by the invention: to create a stable and comfortable rotatable coupling to be operated between the rotatable element and the fixable element of a clamp for connecting panels in a surface coating structure; to allow the rotation of the upper part with respect to the lower part with a tool for installing and removing panels; to make the fixing of the clamp on the base frame more comfortable; and finally to make the simultaneous gripping of two adjacent panels more effective. Furthermore, the dimensions of the slits between one panel and the next one are considerably reduced.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102017000133473 | Nov 2017 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2018/059080 | 11/18/2018 | WO | 00 |