Patent Application
20090226664
The invention relates to a connection element for light profiles in a sheet pile wall, with a base strip for attaching to a component of the sheet pile wall and a hook strip provided at the flat side of the base strip for engaging the interlock of a light profile, whereby the hook strip that encloses an inner chamber exhibits a straight connection section that originates at the base strip and runs at least approximately at a right angle to the longitudinal direction of the base strip, and a hook strip that follows the connection section and runs in an arc-like manner for at least 180°, where the end of said hook strip together with the flat side of the base strip define a jaw. The invention also relates to a sheet pile wall made of light profiles and potentially of provided carrier elements, whereby at least two light profiles and/or at least one light profile and one carrier element are connected to each other by such a connection element.
For some time now, sheet pile walls are also erected made of so-called light profiles. Light profiles are sheet piles that—in contrast to conventional sheet piles—are made by cold rolling. Due to the manufacturing process, only sheet piles with relatively thin walls can be manufactured, limiting the production of interlocks for connecting the light profiles to each other or even with other components of the sheet pile wall to simple interlock configurations. The term “other components of the sheet pile wall” refers, among others, to carrier elements, such as I-beams, T-beams, tubular piles and the like, hot-rolled sheet piles or also additional light profiles. To achieve a flexibility when erecting the sheet pile walls that is comparable to conventional sheet pile walls, the inventor of the connection element describe here has already developed connection elements that can be used to connect light profiles with differently designed sheet pile wall components, such as carrier elements, for example I-beams, T-beams, tubular piles and similar elements.
With the known connection elements for light profiles as described in EP 1 688 544 A1, the connection element is provided with a hook strip for engaging the interlock of the light profile, where the hook strip exhibits a connection section that protrudes from the base strip of the connection element and that is followed by a hook section that runs 180° in the shape of an arc and with its free end defines a jaw together with the flat side of the base strip. As has been shown that in principle this described basic shape of the hook strip is suited for engaging the interlocks of light profiles. However, light profiles are characterized by a multitude of variations, for example in the wall thickness of the light profiles, such that the known connection elements encountered problems when using connection elements for light profiles made by different manufacturers or with different dimensions.
It is, therefore, the objective of the invention to provide a connection element for light profiles in a sheet pile wall or to provide a sheet pile wall that contains light profiles, allows the use of light profiles of various manufacturers or with various dimensions for the application of said sheet pile walls or when applying the connection elements according to the invention.
According to the invention, this objective is realized by setting the ratio between the greatest inner width of the inner chamber of the hook strip viewed in the parallel direction to the longitudinal direction of the connection section to the greatest width of the jaw between the free end of the hook section and the flat side of the base strip viewed in the parallel direction to the longitudinal direction of the connection section is in a range between 2.6 and 2.9.
The connection element according to the invention provides a sufficiently large contact surface for the interlock of the light profile that engages with the hook strip while at the same time the hook strip exhibits a jaw that is dimensioned such that interlocks of various light profiles made by various manufacturers can be hung and that is designed sufficiently narrow that an unintentional separation of the interlocks from the hook strip is prevented. According to the invention, this is achieved by specifying the ratio between the greatest inner width of the inner chamber of the hook strip and the greatest width of the jaw as having a value in a range between 2.6 and 2.9. Test series have shown that when maintaining this ratio, the contact surface for the interlock of the light profile that engages with the hook strips provides sufficient support for the interlocks of the various light profiles in the connection element, even for differently dimensioned and differently designed interlock configurations. At the same time, the jaw of the hook strip is dimensioned such that interlocks of different light profiles can pivot in a range of ±25° while at the same time effectively preventing disengagement of the interlocks from the hook strips. Only when using the connection elements according to the invention is it possible to employ light profiles in the same manner as conventional hot-rolled sheet piles such that sheet pile walls can be erected with light profiles and carrier elements such as I-beams, T-beans or tubular piles.
The connection element according to the invention is manufactured by extrusion molding; however, it can also be manufactured by hot or cold rolling.
For example, it has proven to be particularly advantageous for the ratio between the greatest inner width of the inner chamber and the greatest width of the jaw to be at 2.75. Surprisingly, it has shown that when maintaining this ratio, the largest number of different light profiles available on the market can be coupled with the connection element according to the invention.
It is furthermore recommended to correlate the greatest width of the jaw, and thus indirectly also the greatest inner width of the inner chamber, with the material thickness of the hook section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hook section. In this manner, by integrating the material thickness of the hook section, a direct correlation between the section modulus of the connection element and the dimensioning of the hook strip is established. It has shown to be particularly advantageous if the ratio between the material thickness of the hook section viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hook section and the greatest width of the jaw is in a range from 0.4 to 0.8, preferably at 0.6. Maintaining this ratio on the one hand ensures a sufficient section modulus for the light profiles to be hung while on the other hand retains the desired flexibility when using light profiles of different manufacturers and of different dimensions.
To ensure that the interlock of the light profile that engages in the hook strip does not disengage from the hook strip even in extreme installation positions, it is additionally recommended that the ratio of the greatest inner width of the inner chamber to the greatest width of the inner chamber viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the connection section is in a range between 2.3 and 2.5 preferably at 2.4. Compared to the state-of-the-art, this achieves a long and at the same time slim dimensioning of the inner chamber of the hook strip that is accompanied by a good support of the interlock and allows also for taking up long dimensioned interlocks.
With one particularly advantageous embodiment of the connection element according to the invention, the hook section is formed of one first arc-shaped section that directly follows the connection section and exhibits a uniform smaller inner curvature radius and a second arc-shaped section that follows said first section and exhibits a uniform greater inner curvature radius, where the ratio between the greater inner curvature radius and the smaller inner curvature radius is in a range between 4.1 and 4.4, preferably at 4.25. The result of the lightly curved contour of the second section of the hook strip is that the interlocks that engage in the hook strip are always supported at the curved inner side of the second section, regardless of slight differences in the dimensions of the interlocks. At the same time, the connection element according to the invention also takes into account the dimension of the hook strip itself through the correlation between the designs of the first arc-shaped section, in particular its curvature radius, and the design of the second arc-shaped section.
With this design, it is of particular advantage when the more than 180° arc-shaped contour of the hook strip is achieved, with the first arc-shaped section exhibiting an arc length of max. 165° and the second arc-shaped section an arc length of max. 65°. This achieves that here too the design of the first arc-shaped section directly influences the design of the second arc-shaped section creating a protracted arc as the hook section.
To achieve a stress pattern at the transition from the base strip into the connection section of the hook strip that is as uniform as possible, it is recommended at one particularly advantageous embodiment of the connection element according to the invention that the base strip transitions into the connection section at its inside that defines its inner chamber under formation of a radius. It is of particular advantage if the nominal value of the radius corresponds at least approximately to the nominal value of the width of the jaw. Dimensioning the radius and the width of the jaw equally ensures a sufficient freedom to pivot for the interlock of the engaged light profile.
Preferably, the radius at the transition of the base strip into the connection section of the hook strip is 2.0 to 2.5 times the smaller inner curvature radius of the first arc-shaped section.
In one particular advantageous embodiment of the connection element according to the invention, it is designed as a weld-on profile, where the rear side of the base strip that points away from the hook strip serves as a weld-on surface for welding to a component of the sheet pile wall, for example for welding to the lateral surface area of a tubular pile, whereby the weld-on surfaces are provided at the longitudinal edges of the base strip, preferably with two additional weld-on elevations that run parallel to each other and extend across the entire length of the connection element, which additionally facilitates the welding procedure.
If the connection element is to be attached by welding at a plane surface, for example at the end of the crossbeam of an I-beam, it is recommended to design the connection element as a weld-on profile, where a weld-on strip protrudes at an at least approximately right angle from the back side of the base strip that points away from the hook strip and extends preferable originating at one of the two longitudinal edges of the base strip. The connection element according to the invention can then be placed with the weld-on strip onto that surface, where the connection element is to be welded.
If the connection element according to the invention is to be connected to an additional sheet pile wall component that is not designed as a light profile, it is further recommended to provide the connection element at the back side of the base strip that points away from the hook strip with a connection profile for connecting to the component, for example a carrier element of the sheet pile wall.
If the sheet pile wall component to which the connection element is to be attached is a carrier element with a fastening section exhibiting a rectangular cross-section, two holding strips are provided as attachment profiles that protrude at least approximately at a right angle from the base strip, are at a distance from each other and between which the fastening section of the carrier element is to be inserted for fastening purposes.
If, on the other hand, the fastening section expands towards its free end and towards the outside in a wedge-shaped manner, then the connection element is provided with an attachment profile, which exhibits a first support strip that protrudes from the base strip at an angle of less than 90° and a second support strip at a certain distance from the first protruding from the base strip at least approximately at a right angle, between which the fastening section of the carrier element is to be inserted.
At another preferred embodiment of the connection element according to the invention, the connection element is used to connect two light profiles under an angle of approximately 90°.
To this end, the connection element at this embodiment is provided with a second base strip that protrudes at least approximately at a right angle from the flat side of the first base strip that points away from the first hook strip. Provided at the free end of the second base strip is a second hook strip that is designed at least approximately identical to the first hook strip and that has a jaw defined by the flat side of the second base strip.
With one particularly advantageous development of this embodiment of the connection element according to the invention, the one free end of the first base strip transitions into the connection section of the first hook strip while the other free end of the first base strip transitions into the second base strip, preferably by forming a radius. The jaw of the second hook faces the flat side of the first base strip that points away from the first hook strip. In this manner, a particularly compact and thus dimensionally stable connection element can be provided.
If two light profiles are to be connected to each other in one plane, two hook strips are provided in an additional preferred embodiment of the connection element according to the invention, where the one free end of the first base strip transitions into the connection section of the first hook strip while the connection section of a second hook strip that is designed at least approximately identical to the first hook strip protrudes from the flat side of the base strip that points away from the first hook strip at least approximately at a right angle. The jaw of the first hook strip is defined by the free end of its hook section and by the base strip that it shares with the first hook strip.
With this development of the connection element according to the invention, the connection section of the second hook strip is provided at the base strip offset from the connection section of the first hook strip preferably in such a manner that the two light profiles that are to be hung into the two hook strips run at least approximately in one plane.
If the interlocks of the light profiles are arranged in relation to each other such that the interlocks extend in opposite directions, then one variation of the embodiment of the connection element according to the invention described above is used, where the jaw of the first hook strip and the jaw of the second hook strip open in opposite directions. Alternatively, the two jaws can also open pointing in the same direction, with the two connection sections of the two hook strips protruding in the same plane from the base strip, i.e., are designed mirror-symmetrical to each other.
It is furthermore recommended to design the embodiments of the connection elements according to the invention described above and their developments for connecting three light profiles. With this embodiment, the base strip of the connection element is extended beyond the connection section of the second hook strip and forms the connection section of third hook strip that is designed at least approximately identical to the first and second hook strip, whereby the jaw of the third hook strip is formed by the free end of its hook section and the flat side of the connection section of the second hook strip that points away from the hook section of the second hook strip.
As has already been stated, the first, second and potentially provided third hook strips are designed at least approximately identical. This means that the second and third hook strips are designed at least approximately identical in their dimensions to the respective dimensions of the first hook strip, for example the greatest inner width of the inner chamber, the width of the jaw, the greatest width of the inner chamber or the various radii. However, slight dimensional deviations can exist between the two hook strips if this appears advantageous.
In order to prevent the interlock from slipping out of the hook strip, in particular when using light profiles with thin walls, it is furthermore recommended to equip the connection element according to the invention at its base strip with a support strip that protrudes at least approximately at a right angle from said base strip and that protrudes at a distance from the jaw of the hook strip in the same direction as the hook strip.
According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a sheet pile wall made of light profiles and potentially of carrier elements arranged between them, whereby at least two light profiles and/or at least one light profile and one carrier element are connected to each other by a connection element according to the invention.
a to 2c show three top views of the connection profile shown in
a to 3c show three top views of the connection profile shown in
The connection element 10 features a base strip 12 with a hook strip 14 protruding at least approximately at a right angle from the longitudinal edge of said base strip as shown at the bottom of
The hook strip 14 features a straight connection section 20 that transitions flush into the longitudinal edge of the base strip 12 and that transitions at its end into an arc-shaped hook section 22. The inner side of the base strip 12 that defines the inner chamber 15 transitions into the connection section 20 under formation of a radius R1.
The hook section 22 is formed of one first arc-shaped section 24 that directly follows the connection section 20 and exhibits a uniform smaller inner curvature radius R2 and a second arc-shaped section 26 that follows said first section and exhibits a uniform greater inner curvature radius R3. In the shown preferred embodiment, the ratio between the greater inner curvature radius R3 to the smaller inner curvature radius R2 is at 4.25. The arc length of the first arc-shaped section 24 is at 155° while the arc length of the second arc-shaped section 26 exhibits an arc length of 45° to 50°.
Due to the design of the two arc-shaped sections 24 and 26, the end of the hook strip 14 points to the flat side of the base strip 12 and defines with it a jaw 28 for engaging the interlock of a light profile, as will be explained below, whereby the hook strip 14 exhibits a slightly curved contour and is slightly curved in the direction of the connection section 20.
The inner chamber 16 of the hook strip 14 is dimensioned such that the ratio of the greatest inner width a of the inner chamber 16 to the largest width b of the inner chamber 16 viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the connections section 20 is at 2.4 in the preferred embodiment shown.
The jaw 28 of the hook strip 14 in turn is dimensioned such that the ratio between the greatest inner width a of the inner chamber 16 of the hook strip 14 viewed in the parallel direction to the longitudinal direction of the connection section 20 to the greatest width c of the jaw 28 between the free end of the hook section 22 and the flat side of the base strip 12 viewed in the parallel direction to the longitudinal direction of the connection section 20 is at 2.75 in the shown preferred embodiment.
The width c of the jaw 28 is adjusted to the material thickness d of the hook section 22, whereby the ratio between the material thickness d of the hook section 22 viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hook section 22 and the greatest width c of the jaw 28 is at 0.6 in the shown preferred embodiment, while the nominal value of the radius R3 with which the base strip 12 transitions into the connection section 20 corresponds at least approximately to the nominal value of the width c of the jaw, which is at 15 mm in the shown preferred embodiment.
As is shown below with reference to
In
The light profile 30a has a material thickness of 4 mm and can pivot in one direction by up to 23° and in the other direction by 4°.
The light profile 30 shown in
The light profile 30c shown in
In
This results in max. pivoting angles of 16° or 24° (
As
In addition, the connection section 72 of the second hook strip 74 is provided at the base strip 12 offset from the connection section 20 of the first hook strip 14 such that the two light profiles 30 that are hung into the two hook strips 14 and 74 run at least approximately in one plane with their differently designed interlocks 32 and 34.
Furthermore, with the connection element 70 shown in
The preferred embodiments shown in
Furthermore, the basic shape of the connection element according to the invention can also be adapted to other uses.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2008 013 443.0 | Mar 2008 | DE | national |
