LATTICE STRUCTURE

Abstract

A lattice structure comprising a series of connecting rings or half-rings on which a series of orienting elements are secured. The orienting elements being equipped with holes and a slot in which the connecting rings or half-rings are disposed, as well as comprising profiles that are solidly connected using joining elements that extend through holes in the profiles.

Claims

1-6. (canceled)

7. A lattice structure comprising: connecting rings or half rings, each consisting of a structural element allowing orienting elements and primary profiles and secondary profiles forming the node of said lattice structure to become solidly connected, being supported on, embracing or being embraced by said connecting rings or half rings, wherein said orienting elements, each consisting of an element that positions the connecting rings or half rings in a chosen three-dimensional plane, embracing or being supported on the chosen three-dimensional plane of said connecting rings or half rings by means of a slot, said orienting elements have a series of holes whereby said orienting elements are solidly connected to said primary profiles and secondary profiles such that the distance between said holes defines the angle of the primary profiles and the secondary profiles, and primary profiles that are flat and secondary profiles that are folded with a V-shaped section and with one face of the V-shaped section being longer than another of face of the V-shaped section, and in which the ends of both the longer face of the folded secondary profile and the flat primary profile have holes at the center of their profile width and slots towards the lateral edge of said primary profiles and secondary profiles, which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said primary profiles and secondary profiles if said primary profiles and secondary profiles are required to work under tensile or compressive forces, interchangeably, or with an angle other than 90 when working only under tensile force or only under compressive force.

8. The lattice structure according to claim 7, wherein the flat primary profiles or the folded secondary profiles are joined in pairs of the same type where both planes, in the case of the primary profile, or the longer faces, in the case of the folded secondary profile, overlap.

9. The lattice structure according to claim 7, wherein the folded secondary profiles form an angle of less than 90 between both faces of the V-shaped section, such that when a secondary profile (>) joins another secondary profile (<) which has been previously rotated 180 along the longitudinal axis of the profile and overlaps the longer flat face, both overlapping profiles form a profile with a Z-shaped section between them, the longitudinal edge of the longer flat face of a profile being supported on the inner area of the fold of the other secondary profile.

10. The lattice structure according to claim 8, wherein the folded secondary profiles form an angle of less than 90 between both faces of the V-shaped section, such that when a secondary profile (>) joins another secondary profile (<) which has been previously rotated 180 along the longitudinal axis of the profile and overlaps the longer flat face, both overlapping profiles form a profile with a Z-shaped section between them, the longitudinal edge of the longer flat face of a profile being supported on the inner area of the fold of the other secondary profile.

11. The lattice structure according to claim 7, wherein a central slot of the orienting element has a groove in the middle.

12. The lattice structure according to claim 7, further comprising: V-shaped plates that fit into a groove of a middle of a slot of the orienting element; having openings at the ends thereof where rods or profiles are affixed and which are embraced by said connecting rings or half rings in a groove.

13. The lattice structure according to claim 11, further comprising: V-shaped plates that fit into the groove of the middle of the central slot of the orienting element; having openings at the ends thereof where rods or profiles are affixed and which are embraced by said connecting rings or half rings in a groove.

14. The lattice structure according to claim 7, wherein the slot of the orienting elements is open on one side such that the rings or half rings are supported only on the side of this open slot.

15. The lattice structure according to claim 8, wherein in the case of the primary profile and in the case of the folded secondary profile, overlap, a profile has been previously rotated 180 along its longitudinal axis with respect to the other profile with which it overlaps, such that the holes for the joining elements match, and the slots provide a hole for the rings or half rings.

16. The lattice structure according to claim 7, wherein the flat primary profiles or the folded secondary profiles are joined in pairs of the same type where both planes, in a case of the primary profile, or the longer faces, in a case of the folded secondary profile, overlap, or in the case of the primary profile and in the case of the folded secondary profile, overlap, a profile has been previously rotated 180 along its longitudinal axis with respect to the other profile with which it overlaps, such that the holes for the joining elements match, and the slots provide a hole for the rings or half rings.

17. The lattice structure according to claim 7, wherein the flat primary profiles or the folded secondary profiles are joined in pairs of the same type where both planes, in a case of the primary profile, the longer faces, in a case of the folded secondary profile, overlap, and in the case of the primary profile and in the case of the folded secondary profile, overlap, a profile has been previously rotated 180 along its longitudinal axis with respect to the other profile with which it overlaps, such that the holes for the joining elements match, and the slots provide a hole for the rings or half rings.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to complement the description being made and with the object of helping to better understand the features of the invention, a set of figures has been attached to this specification as an integral part thereof, which represents the following in an illustrative and non-limiting manner:

[0034] FIG. 1: Views of the lattice structure profiles showing the profile (A) under tensile force and two images of the profile (B) under compressive force, one without the fold and the other with the fold.

[0035] FIG. 2: Views of the ring and the half ring of the lattice structure.

[0036] FIG. 3: Views of the orienting element of the lattice structure.

[0037] FIG. 4: Views of another preferred embodiment with the plate and the secondary orienting element of the lattice structure.

[0038] FIG. 5: View of a detail of the node of the lattice structure.

[0039] FIG. 6: View of a part/module of the lattice structure.

[0040] FIG. 7: View of another detail of the node of the lattice structure.

[0041] FIG. 8: Plan view of a variation of the orienting element with the slot open on one side.

[0042] FIG. 9: View of a section of the two secondary profiles paired and affixed by means of the joining element.

[0043] FIG. 10: View of a plan detail of the end of two primary profiles under tensile force and paired with their slots.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0044] As shown in the figures attached hereto, the lattice structure is composed of a series of connecting rings (1) or half rings (2), a series of orienting elements (3) and a series of primary profiles (A) and secondary profiles (B).

[0045] Each of the connecting rings (1) or half rings (2) consists of a structural element allowing the orienting elements (3) and the primary profiles (A) and secondary profiles (B) forming the node of said lattice structure to become solidly connected by being supported on, embracing or being embraced by said connecting rings (1) or half rings (2).

[0046] The nodes of the lattice structure which require the structure to be as flat as possible is where the half rings (2) oriented towards the interior of the structure are used, to prevent half of the ring from protruding from the structure assembly if a full ring (1) were to be used.

[0047] Each of the orienting elements (3) consists of an element that positions the connecting rings (1) or half rings (2) in the chosen three-dimensional plane, embracing or being supported on the plane of said connecting rings (1) or half rings (2) by means of a slot (10); said orienting elements (3) have a series of holes (4) whereby they are solidly connected by means of joining elements (8) to said primary profiles (A) and secondary profiles (B) such that the distance between said holes (4) defines the angle of the primary profiles (A) and the secondary profiles (B) joined in a node and modifies the overall shape of the lattice structure.

[0048] The orienting elements (3) have a variation in which the slot (10) is open on one of its sides, as shown in FIG. 8, such that the ring instead of being inserted inside the slot is only supported on the side thereof.

[0049] The primary profiles (A) and the secondary profiles (B) have flat ends, with holes (9) at the centre of their width and diameter greater than the section of the connecting ring (1) or half ring (2), and slots (5) towards the lateral edge perpendicular to the length of said primary profiles (A) and secondary profiles (B) (if they are required to work under tensile or compressive forces, interchangeably) or with an angle in a direction opposite to their working shape (inwards for tensile force, outwards for compressive force).

[0050] The primary profiles (A) or the secondary profiles (B) are joined in pairs by means of the 180 rotation along the longitudinal axis of one of them with respect to the other profile such that the holes (9) for the joining elements (8) and the slots (5) towards the sides match when they face each other as a consequence of the rotation of one profile with respect to another, providing a hole for the rings (1) or half rings (2).

[0051] The separation between the holes (4) of the orienting elements (3) can vary to modify the shape of the lattice structure, such that the angle between the primary profiles (A) or secondary profiles (B) and their length is modified. This way, a flat lattice structure could have undulations when the length of the profiles and the angle between them resulting from the separation between the holes (4) of the orienting elements (3) varies.

[0052] The secondary profiles (B) can be folded longitudinally at an angle greater than 90 such that when a secondary profile (B) is solidly connected to another secondary profile (B) by means of a 180 rotation along its longitudinal axis and with the joining elements (8) through the holes (9), the entire edge of said secondary profile (B) is supported on the fold of the other secondary profile (B). Thus, if the joining between two profiles is under compressive force, the rigidity is much greater because these folds of the secondary profiles (B) form a Z-shaped element between two of them.

[0053] In another preferred embodiment to form formwork structures, V-shaped plates (6) with openings (4) at the ends thereof are included in which corrugated steel rods are affixed; said plates (6) are embraced by the connecting rings (1) or half rings (2) by means of a groove (11) and fit into the orienting element (3) by means of a protrusion (13).

[0054] The orienting element (3) of this preferred embodiment has a series of openings (4) and a slot (10) in its central part with a groove (16) in the middle to which the protrusion (13) of the V-shaped plates (6) is anchored.

[0055] Having thus adequately described the nature of the present invention, as well as how to put it into practice, it must be added that the shape and materials of said invention may be modified, provided that it does not imply altering the characteristics claimed below.