STIFFENING ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A stiffening assembly (10) for stiffening an article (12) is disclosed. The stiffening assembly comprises a plurality of main modules (14) arrangeable on the article. Each main module comprises a body (16) and a receiving formation (28) on the body for receiving a portion of the article therethrough. The stiffening assembly further includes a fastening arrangement for fastening the main modules to one another. The fastening arrangement comprises first and second fastening formations (24, 26).

Claims

1-103. (canceled)

104. A stiffening assembly for stiffening an article, the stiffening assembly comprising a plurality of main modules arrangeable on the article, each main module comprising: a body defining a longitudinal central axis and a longitudinally extending elongate outer opening to allow a portion of the article to be received within the body, wherein the body has opposite ends and the central axis extends between said opposite ends; a receiving formation within the body, the receiving formation defining an internal space for receiving the portion of the article therethrough; wherein the stiffening assembly further includes a fastening arrangement at said opposite ends for fastening said opposite ends of the bodies of the main modules to one another, the fastening arrangement comprising male fastening formations and female fastening formations to receive the male fastening formations.

105. A stiffening assembly according to claim 104, wherein the receiving formation and the internal space are elongate, the receiving formation and the internal space extending centrally through the body.

106. A stiffening assembly according to claim 104, further including a securing arrangement for securing the main modules to the article, wherein the securing arrangement comprises inner projections extending into the internal space, the projections being configured to engage the article when the article is received in the internal space.

107. A stiffening assembly according to claim 104, wherein the fastening arrangement comprises a coupling module to fasten the main modules to one another.

108. A stiffening assembly according to claim 107, wherein the first and second fastening formations comprise bayonet fittings, each bayonet fitting comprising a radially extending projecting portion on one of the main module and the coupling module, and each bayonet fitting comprises a circumferentially extending channel on the other of the main module and the coupling module.

109. A stiffening assembly according to claim 108, wherein the first fastening formation comprises the circumferentially extending channel, the channel extending radially outwardly, and the second fastening formation comprises the projecting portion, the projecting portion extending radially inwardly.

110. A stiffening assembly according to claim 108, wherein each first fastening formation comprises a substantially cylindrical portion, each main module comprising a pair of substantially cylindrical portions, wherein each substantially cylindrical portion is provided at a respective opposite end of the body.

111. A stiffening assembly according to claim 108, wherein the fastening arrangement comprises a plurality of the coupling modules to couple adjacent main modules to each other, and wherein the first and second fastening formations are provided respectively on the main and coupling modules, each main module comprising at least one of the first fastening formations, and each coupling module comprising at least one of the second fastening formations.

112. A stiffening assembly according to claim 111, wherein the main module has two of the first fastening formations, the body having opposite ends and a respective one of the first fastening formation at each of the opposite ends thereof, and wherein each of the coupling modules has two of the second fastening formations.

113. A stiffening assembly according to claim 111, wherein each coupling module comprises a holding portion provided between the fastening formations of the coupling module, the holding portion defining an aperture configured to receive the article therethrough, the aperture having a side opening, the side opening extending the length of the coupling module to allow access for the article to the aperture.

114. A stiffening assembly according to claim 113, wherein the holding portion comprises inner projecting members extending into the aperture, the inner projecting members being configured to engage the article when the article is received in the aperture.

115. A stiffening assembly according to claim 113, wherein the cylindrical portion extends axially from the body, each first fastening formation further includes a first securing arrangement, the first securing arrangement comprising a first part of the bayonet fitting.

116. A stiffening assembly according to claim 115, wherein the first securing arrangement comprises said circumferentially extending channel, said channel extending circumferentially around the cylindrical portion.

117. A stiffening assembly according to claim 116, wherein the first securing arrangement includes a stop member at one end of the channel, the stop member comprising a wall extending across the channel.

118. A stiffening assembly according to claim 117, wherein the receiving formation defines an inner opening to allow said portion of the article to be received within the internal space, the inner opening being elongate and extending the whole length of the receiving formation, and wherein the body defines a guide passage to guide the article to the inner opening defined by the receiving formation.

119. A stiffening assembly according to claim 118, wherein the guide passage is configured to guide the article between the outer opening and the inner opening, and wherein the body comprises opposed walls extending between the inner opening and the outer opening, the opposed walls defining the guide passage.

120. A stiffening assembly according to claim 117, wherein the first fastening formations comprise the male fastening formations, and the second fastening formations comprise the female fastening formations, and wherein each female formation constitutes a socket formation comprising a hollow cylindrical portion and a radially inwardly extending second securing arrangement.

121. A stiffening assembly according to claim 120, wherein each second securing arrangement comprises a second part of the bayonet fitting.

122. A stiffening assembly according to claim 120, wherein the first and second securing arrangements are configured to dispose the main modules in an unaligned relationship when the main modules are coupled to one another to form the stiffening assembly.

123. A stiffening assembly according to claim 122, wherein adjacent main modules in said stiffening assembly are disposed at angle relative to each other of between 182° and 204°, and wherein each main module is disposed at an angle of between 91° and 102° relative to the, or each, adjacent coupling module.

124. A stiffening assembly according claim 117, wherein the stop member and/or the second part are positioned and/or configured so that when a plurality the main modules are coupled to one another by means of the coupling modules, the adjacent main modules and coupling modules are rotated relative to each other by between 91° and 102°.

Description

[0058] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a stiffening assembly comprising a plurality of main modules;

[0060] FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of the stiffening assembly with the main modules coupled to one another;

[0061] FIG. 3 shows the first embodiment of the stiffening assembly with an elongate article extending through the main modules;

[0062] FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment of the stiffening assembly secured to the elongate article;

[0063] FIG. 5 is a perspective view from a first end of one of the main modules;

[0064] FIG. 6 is a perspective view from a second opposite end of the main module;

[0065] FIG. 7 is a view of one of the main modules from the first end;

[0066] FIG. 8 is a close-up of the region marked VIII in FIG. 7;

[0067] FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of a stiffening assembly;

[0068] FIG. 10 shows the second embodiment of the stiffening assembly with an elongate article extending therethrough;

[0069] FIG. 11 shows the second embodiment of the stiffening assembly secured to the elongate article;

[0070] FIG. 12 shows a main module, being part of the second embodiment of the stiffening assembly;

[0071] FIG. 13 shows a coupling module, being part of the second embodiment of the stiffening assembly;

[0072] FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the coupling module;

[0073] FIG. 15 shows the main module and the coupling module of the second embodiment aligned with each other;

[0074] FIG. 16 is a top plan view showing a main module and a coupling module secured to each other; and

[0075] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a stiffening assembly.

[0076] FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings show a first embodiment of a stiffening assembly 10 for stiffening an elongate article in the form of a rod 12. The elongate article may be threaded and may comprise a threaded rod. The stiffening assembly 10 comprises a plurality of main modules 14 which can receive the rod 12 therethrough.

[0077] FIGS. 5 to 8 show an individual one of the main modules 14. Each of the main modules 14 comprises a substantially cylindrical body 16 having a longitudinal main central axis 18 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) extending along the longitudinal centre line of the body 16. The cylindrical body 16 also has opposite ends 20, 22 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). Each main module 14 also includes first and second fastening formations 24, 26 provided respectively on the opposite ends 20, 22.

[0078] The first fastening formation 24 comprises an externally threaded portion extending axially from the body 16. The second fastening formation 26 comprises an internally threaded portion extending axially from the body 16. The first fastening formation 24 on each main module 14 can be received by the second fastening formation 26 of the adjacent main module 14 to couple the adjacent main modules 14 to each other (see FIGS. 2 to 4).

[0079] The adjacent main modules 14 are rotated relative to each other about their central main axes 18 to screw the first fastening formations 24 into the second fastening formations 26, thereby fastening the adjacent main modules 14 to each other.

[0080] Each main module 14 comprises a receiving formation provided centrally within the body 16. The receiving formation is in the form of a substantially cylindrical tubular member 28 defining an elongate substantially cylindrical internal space 30. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the tubular member 28 has a longitudinal subsidiary central axis 32 extending along the longitudinal centre line of the tubular member 28.

[0081] The longitudinal subsidiary central axis 32 is substantially parallel to the main central axis 18 of the body 14. The longitudinal subsidiary central axis 32 of the tubular member 28 is offset from the main central axis 18 of the body 16. As a result, the tubular member 28 is offset from the main central axis 18 of the body 16. The reason for this is explained below.

[0082] The tubular member 28 has an elongate inner opening 34 in the form of a first slot. The elongate inner opening 34 extends the whole length of the tubular member 38.

[0083] The body 16 defines an elongate outer opening 36 in the form of a second slot. The elongate outer opening 36 extends the whole length of the body 16 and is aligned with the inner opening 34 defined in the tubular member 28. The rod 12 can be received in the internal space 30 via the first and outer openings 34, 36.

[0084] A guide formation 38 is provided between the inner opening 34 and the outer opening 36. The guide formation 38 comprises a pair of parallel walls 40 extending from the tubular member 28 to the body 16. The parallel walls 40 define a guide passage 42 therebetween.

[0085] The guide passage 42 guides the rod 12 from the elongate outer opening 36 via the inner opening 34 to the internal space 30 defined by the tubular member 28.

[0086] A plurality of straightening formations 44 in the form of substantially planar members extend from the body 16 to the tubular member 28.

[0087] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of the main modules 14 can be mounted on the rod 12 by passing the rod 12 into each of the main modules 14. Thus, the rod 12 passes through the elongate outer opening 36 of each main module 14 to the elongate internal space 30 via the guide passage 42 and the inner opening 34.

[0088] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a desired number of the main modules 14, for example 4, can be provided on the rod 12, with the rod 12 extending through the tubular members 28 of all of the main modules 14.

[0089] The main modules 14 can be secured to the rod 12 by screwing the first fastening formations 24 into the second fastening formations 26 of the adjacent main modules 14. As the first and second fastening formations 24, 26 are screwed into each other, the tubular members 28 are moved to positions where the central axes 32 are not aligned with each other. This causes the tubular members 28 to be offset from one another thereby causing the tubular members 28 to engage tightly with the rod 12. As a result, the fastening formations 24, 26 and the offset tubular members 28 constitute a securing arrangement for securing the stiffening assembly 10 to the rod 12. Thus, by screwing the first and second fastening formations 24, 26 of adjacent main modules 14 into each other, the main modules 14 are secured to the rod 12.

[0090] There is thus described a stiffening assembly 10 which can be used for stiffening an elongate article in the form of a rod. The stiffening assembly 10 has the advantage that it can be used for seismic protection in areas prone to earthquakes to reduce the flexibility of the rods when earthquakes occur. In addition, the stiffening assembly 10 has the advantage that it can be used for blast protection, for example in embassies, or in military or government facilities. It also has the advantage of being suitable for use for force protection, for example in the case of hurricanes or tornadoes.

[0091] Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0092] FIGS. 9 to 16 show a second embodiment of the stiffening assembly, generally designated 110, for stiffening the rod 12. The stiffening assembly 110 comprises a plurality of main modules 114, each having a substantially cylindrical body 116. The substantially cylindrical body 116 has a central main axis 118 (see FIGS. 12 and 16) which extends longitudinally through the body 116.

[0093] The cylindrical body 116 also has opposite ends 120, 122. Each main module 114 also includes a respective first fastening formation 124 extending axially from each of the opposite ends 120, 122. The first fastening formation 124 comprises a projecting formation in the form of a male fastening formation.

[0094] Each first fastening formation 124 comprises a substantially cylindrical portion 126 extending axially from the body 116. Each first fastening formation 124 further includes an outwardly projecting first securing arrangement 128 comprising first parts of a bayonet fitting. The first securing arrangements 128 are in the form of channels 129, which extend circumferentially around the cylindrical portions 126. The first securing arrangements 128 include stop members 131 at one end of each channel 129, the purpose of which is described below. The stop members 131 are in the form of walls extending across the channels 129.

[0095] The stiffening assembly 110 further includes a plurality of coupling modules 130 to couple the main modules 114 to one another when the main modules 114 and the coupling modules 130 are mounted on the rod 12. Gaps 129A are defined between the channels 129 to receive second parts 138 (see below) of the bayonet fitting when the main module 114 is secured to the coupling module 130. The second parts 138 are in the form radially inwardly extending projections.

[0096] Each coupling module 130 comprises a pair of opposed second fastening formations 132. Each of the second fastening formations 132 is in the form of a female fastening formation.

[0097] Each of the second fastening formations 132 comprises a socket formation in the form of a hollow cylindrical portion 134 and a radially inwardly extending second securing arrangement 136 in the form of the second parts 138 of the bayonet fitting. The second fastening formations 132 are axially aligned with each other. Each coupling module 130 has a central main axis 139 (see FIG. 14)

[0098] In another embodiment, the first and second fastening formations 128, 132 may comprise corresponding threads on the cylindrical portions 126, 134.

[0099] Each of the main modules 114 has a receiving formation 140 comprising an elongate axially extending member 142 defining an elongate recess 144 extending inwardly from an elongate opening 146 extending the length of the body 116.

[0100] The recess 144 extends from the opening 146 to a region beyond the central main axis 118 of the main module 114 and can receive the rod 12 therethrough. The recess 144 and the opening 146 also extend through the first fastening arrangements 124. The rod 12 can be inserted into the recess 144 via the opening 146.

[0101] The receiving formation 140 includes a plurality of inner projections in the form of gripping elements 148 projecting inwardly from the axially extending member into the recess 144. The function of the gripping elements 148 is to engage the rod 12 when it is inserted into the recess.

[0102] Each of the coupling modules 130 has a holding portion 150 between the opposed second fastening formations 132. The holding portion comprises a separator 152, which separates the second fastening formations 132 from each other.

[0103] The hollow cylindrical portions 134 define an opening 154 which extends the whole length of the coupling module 130. The separator 152 defines a recess 156 which extends across the separator 152 from the opening 154 to a region beyond the central main axis 139 of the coupling module 130. Thus, the recess 156 can receive the rod 12 therein. The rod 12 can be inserted into the recess 156 via the opening 146.

[0104] The holding portion 150 includes a plurality of inner projecting members in the form of gripping elements 158 projecting inwardly from the separator 152 into the recess 156. The function of the gripping elements 158 is the same as the function of the gripping elements 148, i.e. to engage the rod 12 when it is inserted into the recess 156.

[0105] In the embodiment described herein, the gripping elements 148, 158 provide the advantage that they allow rods 12 of different diameters to be held in the receiving formation 140. In the case of larger diameter rods 12, the gripping elements 148, 158 are crushed by the rod 12 when it is received in the recess 144 and the modules 114, 130 rotated relative to each other to secure them together (see below). In the case of smaller diameter rods 12, the gripping elements 148, 158 simply engage the rod 12.

[0106] As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the stiffening assembly 110 is arranged on the rod 12, so that the rod 12 is received in the recesses 144, 156 and is engaged by the gripping elements 148, 158. The main modules 114 and the coupling modules 130 are arranged so that their central main axes 118, 139 are aligned with each other. When so received, the rod 12 extends along the central main axes 118, 139.

[0107] When the stiffening assembly 110 is assembled, the main modules 114 alternate with respect to the coupling modules 130. The first fastening arrangements 128 of the main modules 114 are received within the second fastening arrangements 132 of the coupling modules 130, as shown in FIG. 10. When the first fastening arrangements 128 are received within the second fastening arrangements 132, the inwardly extending second parts 138 of the bayonet fitting are received in the gaps 129A between the channels 129.

[0108] The main modules 114 and the coupling modules 130 can then be rotated or twisted, for example by 90°, relative to each other about the central main axis 118, as shown by the arrows A and B in FIG. 10, to the positions shown in FIG. 11. The first and second fastening arrangements 128, 132 cooperate with each other, so that the inwardly extending second parts 138 move along the channels 129 until the inwardly extending second parts engage the stop members 131. In this position, the main modules 114 are secured to the coupling modules 130. Thus, the main modules 114 are coupled to one another by means of the coupling modules 130.

[0109] The lengths of the main modules 114 and of the coupling modules 130 are selected to provide the maximum coverage of any length of the rod 12 leaving a minimum length of the rod protruding from the ends of the stiffening assembly 110. In order to ensure maximum coverage of the rod 12, the user can choose the number of main modules 114 and coupling modules 130, and whether or not coupling modules 130 are provided at the top or bottom of the stiffening assembly 110.

[0110] The provision of the main modules 114 and the coupling modules 130 of different lengths allows as much as possible of the length of the rod 12 to be covered by the stiffening assembly 110.

[0111] The stiffening assembly 110 includes opposite male fastening formations 124 on the main modules 114, and opposite female fastening formations 132 on the coupling module 130, to facilitate coupling the modules 114, 130 to one another. The main modules 114 and the coupling modules 130 can be fastened to each other by means of a bayonet fitting which effects the aforesaid fastening by a relative rotation of the modules 114, 130 by 90° to allow easier coupling.

[0112] In the embodiment described herein, the recesses 144, 156 have a width to receive rods 12 of differing diameters, for example from ⅜″ (9.5 mm) to ½″ (12.7 mm). The provision of the gripping elements 148, 158 allows the stiffening assembly 110 to be secured to the rods 12 of different diameters, as explained above.

[0113] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the stop members 131 and the inwardly extending second parts 138 are positioned so that when the second portions 138 engage the stop members 131, the elongate recesses 144 of adjacent main modules 114 are 180° out of alignment with each other. This means that alternate main modules 114 are in alignment with each other.

[0114] In a further modification, shown in FIG. 17, the stop members 131 and the inwardly extending second parts 138 are positioned so that when the main modules 114 and the coupling modules 130 are secured to one another, the adjacent main modules 114 and coupling modules 130 are rotated relative to each other about the main axis 118 by between 95° and 100°, for example substantially 98.5°. This provides the effect that adjacent main modules 114 are out of alignment by between 190° and 200° relative to each other, for example 197°, Alternate main modules are between 4° and 40° out of alignment, for example, substantially 34°.

[0115] In the embodiment described herein, the stop members 131 and the inwardly extending second parts 138 can be positioned so that the adjacent main modules 114 and coupling modules 130 are rotated relative to each other about the main axis 118 by substantially 98.5°. Adjacent main modules 114A are therefore disposed at substantially 197° out of alignment with each other, and alternate main modules 114A and 114B are disposed substantially 34° out of alignment.

[0116] This is shown in FIG. 17 by the use of broken lines, which represent the identical planes P extending through each of the main modules 114. As can be seen from FIG. 17, the planes P are out of alignment with each other. The planes P of adjacent main modules 114 extend longitudinally of each main module 114 through the main axis 118 and the respective elongate opening 146. When the main modules 114 are coupled to one another by the coupling members 130, the planes P of adjacent main modules 114 are disposed at an angle of substantially 17° relative to each other, and the planes P of alternate main modules 114 are disposed at an angle of 34° relative to each other. Thus, the planes P are successively twisted in the same direction relative to each other.

[0117] The arrangement described in the immediately preceding paragraph provides the advantage that biplanar stiffness is avoided. Biplanar stiffness can be explained as follows with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 to 16. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 to 16, the main modules 114 are aligned with each other, so that all of the planes P are aligned with each other.

[0118] Where the modules 114 are aligned, the stiffening assembly 10 formed therefrom develops two mutually perpendicular planes, namely a stronger plane that can resist lateral bending forces perpendicular thereto along the length of the stiffening assembly 10, and a weaker plane that is less able to resist the lateral bending forces perpendicular thereto. As a result, the stiffening assembly 10 so formed has a tendency to bend in the weak plane.

[0119] In contrast, the arrangement of the stop members 131 and the inwardly extending second parts 138 as described above with reference to FIG. 17, so that the planes P of adjacent main modules 114 are successively out of alignment with each by substantially 17°, no biplanar stiffness develops. With such an arrangement, the main modules 114 and the coupling modules 130 are disposed successively out of alignment with each other, so that mutually perpendicular stronger and weaker planes do not develop; in effect, the stronger and weaker planes are twisted about the main axis of the stiffening assembly so that the stiffening assembly can resist lateral bending forces substantially equally around its circumference.