Patent Application
20090154987
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protection element for use with a fastening element anchorable in a hardenable mass and having a pass-through position for the fastening element and which defines a lead axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fastening elements such as, e.g., anchor rods, steel studs, and reinforcing iron are anchored in existing constructional components or in bedrock in preliminary formed boreholes which are filled, e.g., with a hardenable mass such as, e.g., mortar or glue.
In particular, at an overhead job, during insertion of a fastening element in a borehole, which is filled with the hardenable mass, the forced-out mass can soil the environment and/or the operator.
German Utility Model DE 94 03 384 U1 discloses a protection element which is formed as splash-guard element that is pushed over a fastening element before the fastening element is inserted in a borehole which is filled with a glass cartridge containing a hardenable mass in form of a multi-component glue. Upon insertion of the fastening element in the borehole, a section of the protection element, which lies in a plane extending perpendicular or transverse to the lead axis, prevents glass chips and the excess mass, which can be forced out of the borehole upon insertion of the fastening element, from soiling the environment or the operator.
The drawback of the above discussed protection element consists in that the mass volume, which is caught by the section of the protection element is very small, and the removal of the protection element after the end of a setting process is rather difficult.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is a protection element for use with a fastening element anchorable in a hardenable mass and which would have a receiving volume sufficient to catch the forced-out mass.
Another object of the present invention is a protection element that can be easily mounted on and dismounted from a fastening element.
These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a protection element formed as a bowl-shaped member having a circumferential outer surface, and a pass-through position for the fastening element and which defines a lead axis.
By formation of the protection element as a bowl-shaped member, there is provided a receiving space which is limited by a bottom and at least an outer wall and which has a volume sufficient for receiving the hardenable mass that is forced out from a borehole during a setting process of the fastening element. The outer wall prevents sidewise flow of the forced-out mass, so that no soiling of the environment takes place. Thus, the operator is protected from the exiting hardenable mass during a setting process. The height of the outer wall defines, together with the sum of surfaces in the plane, the available receiving volume.
If a borehole is filled with a glass cartridge, the protection element according to the invention ensures the protection of the operator from the falling-out glass chips.
Advantageously, a distance of the outer wall from the lead axis increases in a direction of a bowl opening at least in some regions. Thus, the receiving volume, which is provided by the bowl-shaped protection element, widens toward the free end of the outer wall, so that the slightly sidewise sprayed mass, which leaves the borehole, is also reliably catched, and the danger of soiling of the environment and/or the operator is avoided to a most possible extent.
Advantageously, the outer wall extends radially and circumferentially relative to the lead axis, thus being arranged coaxially with the lead axis. With such round cross-section of the protection element, a simple handling of the protection element is ensured.
Advantageously, the outer wall is provided with reinforcing elements, which ensures an adequate stability and, e.g., with larger dimensions of the protection element, the protection element cannot inadvertently cave in or fall down.
Advantageously, the reinforcement elements are arranged radially and circumferentially with respect to the lead axis. Preferably, the reinforcement elements are formed as circumferential grooves. The grooves can be easily formed during manufacturing of the protection element and increase in advantageous manner the stability of the outer wall.
Preferably, at least the outer wall of the inventive protection member is made transparent. Thereby, at an overhead job, the entire setting process of the fastening element can be followed. More advantageously, the entire protection element is made transparent. Even more advantageously, the protection element is made of the plastic material, which ensures its economical production.
Advantageously, there is provided an inner wall, which extends centrally with respect to the lead axis and surrounds the pass-through position. The inner wall limits the receiving space of the bowl-shaped protection element inwardly. The inner wall surround the pass-through position in a chimney-like manner. Advantageously, the inner wall is coaxial with the pass-through position. The inner wall provides an inner limitation of the receiving space, which prevents, to a most possible extent, adhesion or clinging of the exiting, from the borehole in the region of the fastening element, mass to the fastening element. This, in turn, ensures a simple removal of the protection element from the fastening element when the setting process ends.
Advantageously, the pass-through position is formed in the inner wall, so that it is advantageously circumferentially closed by the free rim of the inner wall. At least the inner wall of the protection element is advantageously formed of an elastic or resilient material, so that the size of the pass-through position can be adapted to a corresponding diameter of the fastening element. Alternatively, or in addition, longitudinal slots can be formed in the inner wall, extending from the free end of the inner wall. This ensures a lamella-like deflection of the inner wall and an easy mounting or dismounting of the protection element on or off the fastening element as well as displacement of the protection element along the fastening element.
Advantageously, the distance of the inner wall from the lead axis decreases in the direction of the bowl opening, at least in some regions. Thus, the inner wall tapers, at least in some regions, toward its free end. The pass-through position is formed advantageously at the free end of the inner wall. When the protection element is pushed on the fastening element, the free rim of the inner wall engages circumferentially the outer profile of the fastening element and seals a possible gap between the free rim of the inner wall and the outer profile of the fastening element. After the end of the setting process of the fastening element, the protection element still can be easily removed, as no exiting mass can adhere to the outer profile of the fastening element in a region between the inner wall of the fastening element and the outer profile of the fastening element. Further, the protection element can be used with fastening elements having different outer diameters.
Advantageously, the region of the inner wall section, proceeding from the free end of the inner wall is provided with steps. The steps form cut-off marks which show the operator preferable diametrical regions for passing of a predetermined fastening element. Advantageously, the steps are matched to conventional outer diameters of the fastening elements. Dependent on the type of the fastening element and the selected outer diameter, the operator shortens the free end of the inner wall section, e.g., directly on the constructional site.
The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The drawings show:
A protection element according to the present invention, which is shown in
The protection element 11 further has a circumferential inner wall 31 coaxial with the lead axis 13 and surrounding the pass-through position 12. The inner wall 31 limits the receiving space 14 radially inwardly. The distance of the inner wall 31 from the lead axis 13 is continuously reduced in the direction of the bowl opening 15. The free end 32 of the inner wall 31 extends axially beyond the free end 22 of the outer wall 21, with a region 33 of the inner wall 31 projecting from the free end 22 of the outer wall 21. The projecting region 33 is formed with a plurality of steps 34-37.
By decreasing the length of the free end 32 of the inner wall 31, a through-opening for a fastening element is provided. If the inner wall 31, e.g., is cut off at the step 36, the obtained pass-through position would have a maximal diameter C which is smaller than an outer diameter of an insertable fastening element.
The entire fastening element 11 and, thus, the outer wall 21, are formed of a transparent plastic material.
When, finally, the fastening element 8 is inserted in the borehole 6 already filled with the hardenable mass 7, the falling-out mass 10 is received in the receiving space 14 of the protection element 11. After completion of the setting process, the protection element 11 is removed from the fastening element 8 by being pushed in the direction of the free end 9 of the fastening element 8 and can be easily disposed. With the protection element 11 being transparent, the entire setting process can be followed.
Though the present invention was shown and described with references to the preferred embodiment, such is merely illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as a limitation thereof and various modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore not intended that the present invention be limited to the disclosed embodiment or details thereof, and the present invention includes all variations and/or alternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2007 055 835.1 | Dec 2007 | DE | national |
