SHAPED BLOCK FOR FLOORS

Abstract

A shaped block for floors, including a main body having a top side, an underside and at least one side surface, wherein at least one spacer element for specifying a joint width is arranged on the at least one side surface, the at least one spacer element comprising a first rib and a second rib which is spaced apart from the first rib, the first rib and the second rib both extending from the underside toward the top side of the shaped block. A draining device can be formed by means of the spacer element and another, identically designed spacer element of an additional shaped block, the draining device including a water discharge channel which is delimited by the second rib, and the spacer element includes an additional discharge element for discharging liquids into the water discharge channel.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A shaped block for floors, comprising: a main body having a top side, an underside, and at least one side surface; wherein at least one spacer element for specifying a joint width is arranged on the at least one side surface, the at least one spacer element comprising a first rib and a second rib, the second rib being spaced apart from the first rib; wherein the first rib and the second rib both extend from the underside toward the top side of the shaped block; wherein a drainage device is configured to be formed by the at least one spacer element and a second spacer element of an additional shaped block, the second spacer element being substantially identical to the at least one spacer element; wherein the drainage device comprises a water discharge channel which is delimited by the second rib and a second rib of the additional shaped block, the water discharge channel extending toward the underside of the shaped blocks; wherein the spacer element comprises an additional discharge element for discharging liquids into the water discharge channel; wherein the drainage element is arranged on the at least one side surface so as to slope downward from the first rib to the second rib; and wherein the at least one discharge element extends from a first end region of the first rib to a first end region of the second rib.

12. The shaped block according to claim 11, wherein the at least one discharge element comprises an elevation projecting from the at least one side surface.

13. The shaped block according to claim 11, wherein a maximum extent of the discharge element from the side surface of the shaped block is smaller than a further maximum extent of the at least one spacer element from the side surface.

14. The shaped block according to claim 11, wherein: a gap for a further first rib of the additional shaped block is arranged in a first corner region on the at least one side surface; and a first rib for the gap of the additional shaped block is arranged in a second corner region of the at least one side surface opposite the first corner region.

15. The shaped block according to claim 11, wherein at least one of: the first rib comprises in a second end region a larger cross-sectional area than the first end region of the first rib; and the second rib in a further second end region a further larger cross-sectional area than the first end region of the second rib.

16. The shaped block according to claim 11, wherein edges arranged on the top side of the shaped block are stepped.

17. A shaped-block floor consisting of a plurality of shaped blocks according to claim 11.

18. The shaped-block floor according to claim 17, wherein: the shaped blocks are spaced apart from one another by their spacer elements with a predetermined joint width; the drainage device can be formed by the at least one spacer element of the first shaped block in combination with the at least one identically designed spacer element of the additional shaped block; and the second rib of the first shaped block and the second rib of the additional shaped block form the water discharge channel and delimit the same.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which only preferred embodiments are shown by way of example. In the drawings:

[0019] FIG. 1 is an exemplary representation of a first preferred embodiment of a shaped block in an axonometric view;

[0020] FIG. 2 is an exemplary representation of a second preferred embodiment of a shaped block in a plan view;

[0021] FIG. 3 is an exemplary representation of the second preferred embodiment of the shaped block in side view;

[0022] FIG. 4 is an exemplary representation of a preferred embodiment of a shaped-block floor in a plan view;

[0023] FIG. 5 is an illustration of detail Z from FIG. 4;

[0024] FIG. 5 is an illustration of detail Y from FIG. 4;

[0025] FIG. 7 is an exemplary representation of a drainage device formed by two spacer elements of two shaped blocks in an assembled state; and

[0026] FIG. 8 is an exemplary illustration of several drainage devices which are formed by multiple spacer elements of two shaped blocks in an assembled state.

[0027] Note that, for the sake of clarity, not all reference symbols have been included in each figure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] FIGS. 1 to 8 show at least parts of preferred embodiments of a shaped block 1 for floors, comprising a main body having a top side 2, an underside 3 and at least one side surface 4, wherein at least one spacer element 5 for specifying a joint width is arranged on the at least one side surface 4, the at least one spacer element 5 comprising a first rib 6 and a second rib 7 which is spaced apart from the first rib 6, the first rib 6 and the second rib 7 both extending from the underside 3 toward the top side 2 of the shaped block 1, it being possible for a draining device 16 to be formed by means of the spacer element 5 and another, identically designed spacer element 5 of an additional shaped block 20, the draining device 16 comprising a water discharge channel 17 which is delimited by the second rib 7, and the spacer clement 5 comprising an additional discharge clement 8 for discharging liquids into the water discharge channel 17.

[0029] Furthermore, a shaped-block floor 18 consisting of a plurality of shaped blocks 1 is provided.

[0030] This provides the advantage that, by means of the easy-to-manufacture shaped blocks 1 according to the invention, a shaped-block floor 18 with good water drainage and good retention of the joint material in the joints between the shaped blocks 1 is achieved. By means of the drainage elements 8, liquids, such as water in particular during heavy rainfall, are drained in a targeted manner into the water discharge channel 17, which is formed by the spacer elements 5 of two shaped blocks 1 placed against one another. The drainage elements 8 also ensure that the joint material arranged below the drainage elements 8 is retained and is not blown or washed upward out of the joints by wind or rain. Furthermore, the drainage elements 8 prevent the joint material from being washed out downward. In addition, the spacer elements 5, which engage with one another when at least two shaped blocks 1 are assembled, increase the resistance of the shaped blocks 1 to transverse displacement under load.

[0031] The shaped block 1 can also be referred to as a paving stone and is preferably made of concrete. To form a shaped-block floor 18, shaped blocks 1 are generally placed against one another on a flat surface, pressed into the surface with a predeterminable pressure if necessary, and then the joints 19 arranged between the shaped blocks 1 are filled with a loose jointing material such as jointing sand. The shaped block 1 has a base body with a top side 2, an underside 3, and at least one side surface 4, with at least one spacer element 5 being arranged on the at least one side surface 4 to specify a joint width. Preferably, the shaped block 1 can have four side surfaces 4. In the case of a triangular shaped block 1, it would have a triangular base body with three side surfaces 4. In the case of a pentagonal shaped block 1, it would have five side surfaces 4. In the case of a round shaped block 1, this would have a circumferential side surface 4.

[0032] The spacer element 5 is arranged on at least one side surface 4. This means that it can be arranged on every side surface 4, but if there are multiple side surfaces 4, it does not necessarily have to be arranged on every side surface 4. For example, a shaped block 1 with four side surfaces 4, which is intended for arrangement in a corner of the shaped block base 18, can have two smooth side surfaces 4 which are adjacent to one another and separated by an edge and two adjacent side surfaces 4 with the at least one spacer element 5, the smooth side surfaces 4 being arranged so as to fit to the greatest possible extent in the corner, for example against a house wall. The smooth side surfaces 4 are those side surfaces 4 which do not have a spacer element 5.

[0033] A joint width between two shaped blocks I can be specified by means of at least one spacer element 5. For this purpose, the joint width is determined by the maximum extent of the spacer element 5 away from the shaped block 1, or, in other words, by the maximum cross section of the spacer element 5.

[0034] The at least one spacer element 5 comprises a first rib 6 and a second rib 7 arranged at a distance from the first rib 6, the first rib 6 and the second rib 7 each extending from the underside 3 toward the top side 2 of the shaped block 1. The first rib 6 and/or the second rib 7 can preferably extend away from the edge delimiting the underside 3 from the side surface 4.

[0035] A provision can be preferably made that the first rib 6 has a greater or longer longitudinal extent than the second rib 7. The first rib 6 is preferably longer than the second rib 7, which is shown as an example in FIGS. 1 and 7.

[0036] The first rib 6 and the second rib 7 are preferably designed as elongate and narrow extensions which project from at least one side surface 4 of the shaped block 1. Here, elongate and narrow means that the longitudinal extent of the ribs 6, 7 is at least three times, preferably at least five times, in particular at least six times, the width of the ribs 6, 7.

[0037] The height of the first rib 6 and the second rib 7 can be different depending on the height of the shaped block 1. A higher shaped block 1 preferably has longer ribs 6, 7 with a greater height than a shaped block 1 with a lower height.

[0038] The cross section of the ribs 6, 7 can, in particular, be semicircular or at least partially oval-shaped. Preferably, the ribs 6, 7 are at least partially rounded. At least partially rounded means that the ribs 6, 7 can be rounded over part of their longitudinal extent or over their entire longitudinal extent.

[0039] Alternatively, a provision can be made that the ribs 6, 7 have a cross section comprising comers, in particular a rectangular cross section.

[0040] The drainage device 16 can be formed by means of the spacer element 5 and an identically designed additional spacer element 5 of a additional shaped block 20, which is shown by way of example in FIGS. 7 and 8. The drainage device 16 comprises a water discharge channel 17 that is delimited by the second rib 7, which is shown by way of example in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0041] The water discharge channel 17 can also be referred to as a liquid drainage channel, since all kinds of liquid can be drained through it.

[0042] The spacer element 5 further comprises an additional drainage element 8 for draining liquids into the water discharge channel 17. The drainage element 8 serves to drain liquids from a near-surface region into the water discharge channel 17. The near-surface region is in particular the region which, when the shaped block 1 is in an assembled state, extends above the discharge element 8 up to the top side 2 of the shaped block 1.

[0043] It can have a different number of spacer elements 5 depending on the width of the shaped block 1.

[0044] In FIGS. 7 and 8, a shaped block 1 and an additional shaped block 20 are placed against one another in an assembled state. The spacer element 5 of the shaped block 1 comprises a first rib 6, 1 and a second rib 7, 1, a spacer element 8, 1 being arranged between the first rib 6, 1 and the second rib 7, 1. The additional shaped block 20 comprises a first rib 6, 20 and a second rib 7, 20, a spacer element 8, 20 being arranged between the first rib 6, 20 and the second rib 7, 20.

[0045] Preferably, no rib 6, 7 or no obstacle formed on the shaped blocks 1, 20 is arranged in the water discharge channel 17 which prevents or disturbs the drainage of liquids toward the subsoil. The water discharge channel 17 is delimited by the second rib 7, 1 of the shaped block 1 and the second rib 7, 20 of the additional shaped block 20 and extends in the direction of the underside 3 of the shaped blocks 1, 20. During a rain shower, water collects on the top side 2 of the shaped block 1 or the additional shaped block 20, which, upon reaching a certain amount, runs into the joint 19 between the shaped blocks 1, 20, where it meets the drainage elements 8, 1 and 8, 20 and is drained by means of the drainage elements 8, 1 into the water discharge channel 17, in which it can run off toward the subsoil and seep away there.

[0046] Preferably, a provision can be made that, a plurality of spacer elements 5 are arranged against one another and spaced apart from one another on the at least one side surface 4 of the shaped block 1, which is shown by way of example in FIG. 1. When the spacer elements 5 of a shaped block 1 interact with identical spacer elements 5 of the additional shaped block 20, which is arranged so as to be rotated by 180 in a shaped block base when the shaped block 1 is in an assembled state, a plurality of mutually adjacent drainage devices 16 and water discharge channels 17 are formed, which is shown by way of example in FIG. 8.

[0047] A provision can be especially preferably made that the at least one discharge element 8 is designed as an elevation protruding from the at least one side surface 4.

[0048] The elevation may in particular be rod-shaped and may in particular have the shape of a semicircle in cross section.

[0049] Furthermore, a provision can be preferably made that the maximum extent of the discharge element 8 from the side surface 4 of the shaped block 1 is smaller than the maximum extent of the at least one spacer element 5 from the side surface 4. The at least one spacer element 5 thus preferably projects farther from the side surface 4 of the shaped block 1 than the discharge element 8. This ensures that a free space remains between the drainage elements 8 of two shaped blocks 1 in the assembled state and that a liquid can be drained into the water discharge channel 17.

[0050] A provision can be preferably made that the sum of all cross-sectional areas of the at least one discharge element 8 transversely to the longitudinal extent of the side surface 4 is smaller than the sum of all cross-sectional areas of the first rib 6 and/or smaller than the sum of all cross-sectional areas of the second rib 7.

[0051] Preferably, a provision can be made that an upper edge of the at least one discharge element 8as seen in the direction of the top side 2 of the shaped block 1is arranged above the first rib 6 and/or second rib 7.

[0052] A provision can be preferably made that the discharge element 8 is arranged on the at least one side surface 4 so as to slope downward from the first rib 6 to the second rib 7.

[0053] In a sequence of alternating first ribs 6 and second ribs 7, a provision can be made that the spacer element 8 is arranged between, above, or on those rib pairs of first ribs 6 and second ribs 7 which form a first large gap. In FIG. 1, for example, first ribs 6 are arranged alternately with second ribs 7; on the one hand, a first large gap is arranged between a first rib 6 and a second rib 7 and, adjacent thereto, a second small gap is arranged from the second rib 7 to the next adjacent first rib 6. In the first large gap, the distance from the first rib 6 to the second rib 7 is greater than in the second small gap. For this purpose, a provision can be made that the distance between the second rib 7 and the first rib 6 in the second small gap corresponds substantially to the width of a rib 6, 7.

[0054] Preferably, a provision can be made that the first rib 6 and the second rib 7 have the same width.

[0055] A provision can also be made that the spacer element 5 comprises multiple, for example two, discharge elements 8.

[0056] A provision can be preferably made that the at least one discharge element 8 has a sloping, in particular an oblique, upper edge. This allows liquid to be drained particularly well toward the downwardly sloping upper edge.

[0057] A provision can be especially preferably made that the at least one discharge element 8 extends from a first end region 9 of the first rib 6 to a first end region 10 of the second rib 7. This allows a runoff liquid to be drained particularly well and in a targeted manner into the water discharge channel 17.

[0058] A provision can be preferably made that the discharge element 8 projects from the at least one side surface 4 and is flat. For this purpose, a provision can be preferably made that the discharge element 8 at least partially spans the region between the first rib 6 and the second rib 7, which is shown by way of example in FIG. 1.

[0059] This makes it simple to manufacture the discharge element 8.

[0060] Alternatively, a provision can be made that the discharge element 8 completely spans or forms the region between the first rib 6 and the second rib 7. As a first boundary of the surface of the discharge element 8, a provision can be preferably made that the surface extends to the lower edge of the shaped block 1, which delimits the at least one side surface 4 from the underside 3 of the shaped block 1, and that the surface of the discharge element 8 extends to at least the first end region 10 of the second rib 7. Preferably, the surface of the discharge element 8 extends to an upper limit which is delimited by an imaginary line from the first end region 9 of the first rib 6 to the first end region 10 of the second rib 7.

[0061] By virtue of the flat design of the drainage element 8, the free space and thus the joint width between two adjacent shaped blocks 1 is reduced in this region, whereby joint material can be better retained against environmental influences due to a smaller attack surface.

[0062] A provision can also be preferably made that the shaped block 1 has a gap for a first rib 6 of the additional shaped block 20 in a first corner region 11 on the at least one side surface 4, and a first rib 6 for the gap of the additional shaped block 20 is arranged in a second corner region 12 of the at least one side surface 4 opposite the first corner region 11, which is shown by way of example in FIGS. 1 to 3. In this way, the resistance of two shaped blocks 1 to transverse displacement can also be increased at their corners or in their corner regions 11, 12. Furthermore, this also reduces the probability of joint material being blown or washed out of the joints 19 formed at the corner regions 11, 12.

[0063] Furthermore, a provision can be especially preferably made that the first rib 6 has in its second end region 13 and/or the second rib 7 in its second end region 14 a larger cross-sectional area than in its first end region 9, 10. In other words, a provision can be preferably made that the first rib 6 and/or the second rib 7 are thicker in their second end regions 14 than in their first end regions 9, 10. In a region of the at least one side surface 4 arranged adjacent to the underside 3 of the shaped block 1, the joint width is thereby reduced in comparison to a region of the at least one side surface 4 adjacent to the top side 2 of the shaped block 1. Due to the thickening in the second end regions 13, 14, the joint in the lower region of the shaped blocks 1 is narrowed. This further enhances the retention of the joint material in this region.

[0064] A provision can also be preferably made that edges 15 arranged on the top side 2 of the shaped block 1 are stepped. This allows for better water drainage from the top side 2 of the shaped block 1 into the joints 19. This is due to the surface tension of water and its behavior on conventional 90 edges and on stepped edges.

[0065] For this purpose, a provision can be made that the stepped edge 15 has at least one step, a flank angle of the flank of the step to the top side 2 of the shaped block preferably being at least 30, in particular at least 35, preferably at least 38.

[0066] A provision can also be made that the stepped edge 15 has multiple steps. The steps can preferably each have the same flank angle of the flank of the step to the top side 2 of the shaped block and/or to the adjacent step of preferably at least 30, in particular at least 35, preferably at least 38.

[0067] A provision can also be preferably made that the top side 2 of the shaped block 1 is structured. For this purpose, a provision can be made that the structures have channels which are arranged in the direction of the spacer elements 5 arranged on the at least one side surface 4. These channels are not shown in the figures.

[0068] Furthermore, a shaped block base 18 is provided in which the shaped blocks 1, 20 are spaced apart from one another by their spacer elements 5 with a predetermined joint width, the drainage device 16 can be formed by the at least one spacer element 5 of the first shaped block 1 in combination with the at least one identically designed spacer element 5 of the additional shaped block 20, and the second rib 7, 1 of the first shaped block 1 and the second rib 7, 20 of the additional shaped block 20 form the water discharge channel 17 and delimit the same.

[0069] A provision can be preferably made that jointing material, in particular jointing sand, is arranged in the joints 19 formed by the spacer elements 5 between the shaped blocks 1.

[0070] A preferred embodiment of a shaped-block floor 18 is shown by way of example in FIG.

[0071] 4. For better clarity, no joint material is shown in FIG. 4 in the joints between the individual shaped blocks 1, 20, since the ribs 6, 7 would otherwise not be visible.

[0072] FIGS. 5 and 6 show detailed views Y and Z from FIG. 4, with ribs 6, 7 of the spacer elements 5 of multiple shaped blocks 1, 20 each engaging with one another and forming drainage devices 16.

[0073] The following are principles for understanding and interpreting the present disclosure.

[0074] Features are usually introduced with an indefinite article a, an, one. Unless the context indicates otherwise, a, an, one should therefore not be understood as constituting a numeral.

[0075] Insofar as not otherwise established by the disclosure of the invention, a feature X and an object Y are differentiated in multiple embodiments by means of an ordinal number such as first, second, or third. In particular, a feature X or object Y with an ordinal number in a claim does not mean that an embodiment of the invention falling under this claim must have an additional feature X or an additional object Y.

[0076] For value ranges, the end points are included insofar as not otherwise indicated by the context.