The present invention relates to a lattice support structure having lattice bars pivotally connected to one another.
Lattice support structures are used, for example, in the form of constructions or as components of constructions which have to take over a support function or a carrying function. It is conceivable in this respect for the lattice support structures only having to be set up for a temporary time and having to be dismantled again for transport. It is also conceivable to provide lattice support structures which remain permanently in situ. It is disadvantageous in any case that known lattice support structures require a comparatively large amount of space since they have large cross-sections as a rule. These disadvantages do not only result on transport, but naturally also on the storage or other provisioning of the lattice support structures.
The object of the present invention is to further develop a lattice support structure of the initially named kind such that it is movable, starting from a folded apart operating position into an inwardly folded state, and conversely, from the inwardly folded state into the folded apart state.
This object is solved by a lattice support structure having the features of claim 1. Provision is accordingly made for the lattice support structure to have lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction of the lattice supports structure and lattice bars connecting them, with the connecting lattice bars being connected directly or indirectly to the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction such that the spacing of the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction of the lattice support structure can be decreased on the inward folding of the lattice support structure and can be increased on the folding apart of the lattice support structure.
In this respect, the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction can form the outer edges of the lattice support structure. It is particularly advantageous for the connecting lattice bars to be disposed in the outer surfaces of the lattice support structure at least in the folded apart state of the lattice support structure.
It is, for example, conceivable to make the cross-section of the lattice support structure square or rectangular, with the outer edges of the lattice support structure being formed by the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction and with the connecting lattice bars extending in the side surfaces of the lattice support structure.
Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for the connecting lattice bars to be made in one part or also in multiple parts.
It is conceivable that first connecting lattice bars are provided which extend in the folded apart state of the lattice support structure in a first direction with respect to the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction and which comprise two or more than two parts directly or indirectly pivotally connected to one another and that second connecting lattice bars are provided which extend in the folded apart state of the lattice support structure obliquely to the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction, with two lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction being connected to one another by at least one first lattice bar and at least one second lattice bar.
Provision is preferably made for two lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction to be connected to one another by two second connecting lattice bars which are arranged such that they extend cross-ways in the folded apart state of the lattice support structure. Two lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction are furthermore preferably connected to one another by two first connecting lattice bars.
Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for the second connecting lattice bars to have a two-part or multipart structure, with a first part being connected to the second part by means of a joint, for the two parts to be pivotable relative to one another, with the first part being arranged such that it is pivotably connected to the lattice bar extending in the longitudinal direction, and with connection struts being provided which comprise two or more than two parts pivotably relative to one another and which connect a second connecting lattice bar, i.e. a lattice bar extending obliquely, to a first connecting lattice bar and are pivotally connected to both lattice bars.
Provision can furthermore be made for the first connecting lattice bars to extend perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction in the folded apart state of the lattice support structure.
The named connection strut can be connected to the joint which connects the first part to the second part of an obliquely extending lattice bar.
The joint by means of which the first part of an obliquely extending lattice bar is connected to its second part can be made such that only a pivot movement, preferably a pivot movement away from the adjacent lattice bar extending in the longitudinal direction is possible. An inward folding of this section of the second obliquely extending lattice bar is thus only possible away from the adjacent lattice bar extending in the longitudinal direction in this embodiment. The joint thus not only forms a pivotable connection of the parts of the obliquely extending lattice bar, but also defines the end position of the pivot movement or the folding apart movement of the second connecting lattice bars.
It is conceivable that the first or the second part has a groove and a groove base and that the other part has a projection which is pivotably received in the groove, with the groove base bounding the pivot angle of the projection.
It is, for example, conceivable that the two parts are pivotable with respect to one another such that they are disposed on a line in the outwardly pivoted and folded apart state of the lattice support structure and can be kinked by means of the joint on the folding together of the lattice support structure away from the lattice rod extending in the longitudinal direction.
The parts of the connection strut which can be pivoted with respect to one another can be pivotally connected to one another such that the parts are pivotable in a first spacing with respect to one another and are not pivotable with respect to one another in a second spacing which is smaller than the first spacing.
It is inter alia possible in this manner to carry out locking in the folded apart state of the lattice support structure.
This can take place, for example, in that the first or the second part has a groove and the other of the parts has a bolt which is displaceably received in the groove, with the groove having a proximal and a distal end and with locking means being provided which prevents the parts from pivoting with respect to one another when the bolt is in the proximal end of the groove. A pivoting of the parts with respect to one another is thus no longer possible in the state of the bolt pushed into the groove. If the lattice support structure should be folded together, the spacing of the two parts with respect to one another increases and an inward folding of the connection strut is thus possible.
The two connecting lattice bars can be made in one part or in multiple parts.
It is conceivable that the second connecting lattice bars are not connected to one another at their point of intersection.
It is, however, also conceivable for the second connecting lattice bars to be connected to one another at their point of intersection.
Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for the lattice support structure to include one or more guide rods on which a sleeve is arranged longitudinally displaceably and to which second connection lattice bars are pivotally connected. It is, for example, conceivable that the lattice bars are made in two parts and are pivotably connected in their one end region to lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction and are pivotably connected at their other end region to the named sleeve. The sleeve is moved in the longitudinal direction on the guide rod on the unfolding and folding closed of the lattice support structure. The guide rod preferably extends parallel to the lattice rods of the lattice support structure extending in the longitudinal direction.
Provision is made in a further aspect of the invention for the lattice support structure to have two-part or multipart lattice bars which are pivotally connected to the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction and connect them such that they form a triangle whose tip is formed by a joint connecting the two parts or more than two parts of the lattice bar.
It is feasible that two such lattice bars forming a triangle are provided which converge toward with one another or are arranged such that their tips extend in a directed manner with respect to one another in the state of the lattice support structure folded apart. It is possible to bolt the two triangles in the region of their tip in the folded apart state of the lattice support structure to ensure that these connecting lattice bars are loadable or maintain their position on strain.
Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for the second, obliquely extending lattice bars to be made in two parts or in multiple parts, with the two parts or more than two parts being connected to one another by means of a rotatable disk to which they are pivotally connected. It is, for example, conceivable that the obliquely extending lattice bars are made in two parts, with each of the parts being pivotably connected in an end region to the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction and being pivotably connected in the other end to the named disk.
It is particularly advantageous for two disks to be provided which can rotate in opposite senses and of which the parts of a lattice bar are pivotally connected to one disk and the parts of a lattice bar crossing it are pivotally connected to the other disk.
In a further embodiment of the invention, locking means are provided by means of which the rotation of the disks can be suppressed.
It is particularly advantageous in this respect for the locking means to be formed by a section of the named guide rod or by a component arranged thereat. Provision is preferably made in this respect for the guide rod—to be connected to the disks or to engage into them in the spread apart state of the lattice structure such that their rotation is not possible. If the structure should be folded together, the guide rod is moved such that it is no longer in engagement with the disk or disks so that said disks can be rotated and be released for the folding together of the structure or for the inward pivoting of the connecting lattice bars.
In a further embodiment of the present invention the folding and unfolding of the lattice bars takes place in two dimensions, i.e., regarding the cross section of the lattice support structure vertically and horizontally.
The present invention is further directed to a lattice support structure having lattice bars pivotally connected to one another, wherein the support structure has lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction of the lattice support structure as well as further lattice bars being connected to the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction of the lattice support structure, wherein said further lattice bars form at least one pyramid structure within the space defined by the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction at least in the situation when the lattice support structure is folded apart. Those bars may further be able to form a pyramid structure in the position in which the lattice support structure has been folded together.
The further lattice bars forming the at least one pyramid structure may be pivotally connected with the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction of the lattice support structure.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the number of lattice bars forming a single pyramid structure corresponds to the number of lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction of the lattice support structure. The lattice bars forming the pyramid structure may be linked to the lattice bars extending in the longitudinal direction in their end portion.
In accordance to a further embodiment of the present invention the peak of the pyramid structure is located in the centre of the lattice support structure. The pyramid structure, preferably the peak thereof may be connected with or may part of a mechanism for folding and unfolding the lattice support structure.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention there may be provided pairs of pyramid structures which are directed in different longitudinal directions of the lattice support structure. Preferably those pairs of pyramid structures share the same base area. In this case the peaks of the pyramids are directed to different directions of the lattice support structure.
The present invention is further directed to a lattice support structure with structures which can be spread apart, in particular a lattice support structure in accordance with the description herein, wherein the lattice support structure has pivotally arranged lattice bars, wherein the pivot connection is made such that one of the parts pivotally connected to one another has a projection and in that the other one of the pivotally connected part has a groove which is bounded on three sides by walls and in which the projection of the other part is pivotally received.
The lattice bars may have the projection at their one end region and the groove at their other end or the lattice bars may have grooves or projections at their two end regions.
A braking device may be provided which is adapted to fix the lattice bars in a specific pivot position. The braking device may be made as a drum brake or as a shoe brake.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention the shoe brake is arranged at one of the parts pivotally connected to one another and has two projections which, on the actuation of the brake, simultaneously come into contact with the other of the parts pivotally connected with one another.
Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing. There are shown:
The actual lattice support structure is quadrilateral in cross-section, with the corners being formed by lattice bars 10 which extend in the longitudinal direction and which extend parallel to one another. Two respective first connecting lattice bars 20 are located per surface on the four side surfaces of the lattice support structure, are made in multiple parts and are arranged pivotably at the lattice bars 10 extending in the longitudinal direction in one end region and can be pivotally connected to a guide bar 60 in their other end region whose function will still be explained later. The guide rod 60 is provided once per side of the lattice support structure and preferably extends on the side center parallel to the lattice rods 10 extending in the longitudinal direction. The first connecting lattice bars 20 extend perpendicular to the lattice rods 10 extending in the longitudinal direction as well as to the guide rod 60 in the folded apart state shown in
The first connecting lattice rods and the second connecting lattice rods can preferably be loaded with tension and compression in the lattice support structure of the present invention.
Furthermore, a respective two second obliquely extending lattice rods 30 are located at each side of the lattice support structure and extend cross-ways, as can be seen from
As can furthermore be seen from
The reference numeral 35 marks a lug by means of which a connection strut 40 is pivotally connected which can be seen from
The connection strut 40, which is also shown in
As was stated above,
The triangular linkage shown at the top in
In contrast,
As can furthermore be seen from
As can furthermore be seen from
To prevent the disks 100, 110 from starting a rotary movement when the lattice support structure is erected, locking means are provided which are formed by the guide rod 60 in the embodiment in accordance with
As was stated above, an apparatus is shown in
Provision can be made on the dismantling of the lattice support structure for a piston to be provided which acts on the apparatus shown in black for erection and dismantling such that it can only be moved comparatively slowly, which has the result for safety reasons that the lattice support structure is only folded together comparatively slowly.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
20 2006 014 789 U | Sep 2006 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2007/002260 | 3/14/2007 | WO | 00 | 3/26/2009 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2008/037300 | 4/3/2008 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2540169 | Kanaval | Feb 1951 | A |
2767812 | Boger | Oct 1956 | A |
3235038 | Nesslinger | Feb 1966 | A |
3354596 | Schafer | Nov 1967 | A |
5490533 | Carter | Feb 1996 | A |
5765248 | Ono | Jun 1998 | A |
5794640 | Jang | Aug 1998 | A |
5819492 | Konicek | Oct 1998 | A |
6055999 | Grey | May 2000 | A |
6158187 | Nakajima | Dec 2000 | A |
6161359 | Ono | Dec 2000 | A |
6321501 | Ignash | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6374843 | Zou | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6412507 | Carter | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6772458 | Ellen et al. | Aug 2004 | B2 |
7367348 | Tsai et al. | May 2008 | B2 |
7673644 | Carter | Mar 2010 | B2 |
7766024 | Rottmann | Aug 2010 | B2 |
20020074031 | Morgante et al. | Jun 2002 | A1 |
20030024203 | Kuo | Feb 2003 | A1 |
20040050008 | Mintie et al. | Mar 2004 | A1 |
20040111999 | Schipani et al. | Jun 2004 | A1 |
20090032079 | Choi | Feb 2009 | A1 |
20090188540 | Mallookis et al. | Jul 2009 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
3832546 | Apr 1989 | DE |
0390149 | Oct 1990 | EP |
2063959 | Jun 1981 | GB |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20100071299 A1 | Mar 2010 | US |