HOLLOW ELONGATE BUILDING ELEMENT

Abstract

A hollow elongate building element (1) made of composite wood is described. It has a polygonal peripheral structure (3) around the void. Each side of the polygonal peripheral structure (3) is formed of at least a pair of elongate strips (5) of triangular or trapezoidal cross section, which are juxtaposed and reversed relative to one another. The polygonal peripheral structure (3) also exhibits strip-form butting-together means (7, 9) in its corner regions. The various strips (5, 7, 9), which are obtained by radial cuts into logs, are bonded together.

Claims

1. A hollow elongate construction element (1), comprising composite wood having a polygonal peripheral structure (3) around a hollow, wherein each side of the polygonal peripheral structure (3) is formed by at least one pair of elongate strips (5) with a triangular or trapezoidal cross-section juxtaposed and inverted one with respect to the other, and in that the polygonal peripheral structure (3) further has abutment means in the form of strips (7, 9) in its corner zones, the various strips (5, 7, 9), which were obtained by radial cutting from log (13), being bonded to each other.

2. The construction element according to claim 1, wherein the element is configured as a beam or column.

3. The construction element according to claim 1, wherein the element has a constant cross-section over its entire length.

4. The construction element according to claim 1, wherein the polygonal peripheral structure is quadrilateral.

5. The construction element according to claim 4, wherein the polygonal peripheral structure is rectangular.

6. The construction element according to claim 1, wherein the abutment means in the form of strips (7, 9) have a triangular or trapezoidal cross-section and comprise, in each corner zone, a central elongate strip (7) and at least one elongate strip forming an abutment (9) disposed on either side of the central strip (7), the cross-sections of the central strip (7) and of the strips forming abutments (9) being oriented so as to produce a cone effect.

7. The construction element according to claim 6, wherein the central strip (7) and the strips forming abutments (9) have a trapezoidal cross-section, and in that the large base of the central strip (7) and the small base of the strips forming an abutment (9) are turned towards the hollow of the construction element (1).

8. A building with maximized useful space, the building comprising a structure comprised of a plurality of hollow elongate building elements (1), comprising composite wood having a polygonal peripheral structure (3) around a hollow, wherein each side of the polygonal peripheral structure (3) is formed by at least one pair of elongate strips (5) with a triangular or trapezoidal cross-section juxtaposed and inverted one with respect to the other, and in that the polygonal peripheral structure (3) further has abutment means in the form of strips (7, 9) in its corner zones, the various strips (5, 7, 9), which were obtained by radial cutting from log (13), being bonded to each other.

9. The building of claim 8, wherein the element is configured as a beam or column.

10. The building of claim 8, wherein the element has a constant cross-section over its entire length.

11. The building of claim 8, wherein the construction element according to claim 1, wherein the polygonal peripheral structure is quadrilateral optionally rectangular.

12. The building of claim 8, wherein the abutment means in the form of strips (7, 9) have a triangular or trapezoidal cross-section and comprise, in each corner zone, a central elongate strip (7) and at least one elongate strip forming an abutment (9) disposed on either side of the central strip (7), the cross-sections of the central strip (7) and of the strips forming abutments (9) being oriented so as to produce a cone effect.

13. The building of claim 12, wherein the central strip (7) and the strips forming abutments (9) have a trapezoidal cross-section, and in that the large base of the central strip (7) and the small base of the strips forming an abutment (9) are turned towards the hollow of the construction element (1).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] These aspects as well as other aspects of the invention will be clarified in the detailed description of a particular embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the drawings of the figures, in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a construction element of the invention in the form of a beam with a rectangular cross-section;

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates the strength of the wood in shrinkage during drying according to the way in which it is taken from a log.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a hollow construction element 1 made from composite wood configured as a beam with a rectangular cross-section that is constant over its length. The beam 1 also has a rectangular peripheral structure 3 around the hollow. The structure 3 as illustrated is formed by five elongate strips 5 (i.e. 2.5 pairs) with a trapezoidal cross-section, juxtaposed, inverted and adhesively bonded for the length of the peripheral structure, and three strips 5 (i.e. 1.5 pairs) for its width. A contiguous means 11 connects the strips 5 longitudinally.

[0031] Furthermore, the rectangular peripheral structure 3 has abutment means in each of its corner zones. These comprise, in each of these zones, a central elongate strip 7 with a trapezoidal cross-section and, on either side thereof, an elongate strip forming an abutment 9 also with a trapezoidal cross-section. It should be noted that the trapezia of the strips 9 are inverted with respect to that of the strip 7 and are oriented so as to produce a cone effect in each corner zone: the small bases of the strips 9 and the large base of the strip 7 are turned towards the hollow of the beam 1.

[0032] The function of the strips 7, 9 configured in the corner zones is to assist the bonding of the strips 5, 7, 9 constituting the beam 1. This is because, during bonding, a pressure is generated by pressure chambers (not shown) in the hollow of the beam 1 to be assembled and acts on the whole of its strips 5, 7, 9 held for example by hoops (not shown). This pressure then causes, by the cone effect in the corner zones, high reaction forces and consequently strong clamping on the faces of all the strips 5, 7 and 9. This clamping provides a particularly effective bonding of the assembly, which increases the mechanical strength of the beam 1.

[0033] The various strips 5, 7, 9 are obtained by radial cutting from logs. Other abutment means could of course be imagined, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The strips 9 may for example be divided into 2 strips with a smaller size.

[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates the advantages relating to this cutting. A log 13 is subjected to three different cuts. In addition to a radial cut 15, conventional non-radial cuts 17 and 19 are carried out respectively close to the pith and halfway between the pith and the bark.

[0035] The cut 17, unlike the radial cut 15, has the double drawback on a mechanical level of containing a relatively large amount of old wood, since it is close to the pith, and therefore much less strong, and having annular rings with opposite orientations.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the non-radial cuts 17 and 19 warp on shrinkage during drying, which is not the case with the radial cut 15. This warping is disadvantageous since it involves subsequent machining and therefore loss of material.

[0037] It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the examples illustrated and described above. The invention comprises each of the novel features as well as a combination thereof. The presence of reference numbers cannot be considered to be limitative. Use of the term “comprises” can in no way exclude the presence of elements other than those mentioned. Use of the definite article “a” for introducing an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The present invention has been described in relation to a specific embodiment, which has a purely illustrative value and must not be considered to be limitative.