Abstract
A plastic multipurpose component that is suitable as a building block and is filled with filling bodies is used to form a sheet-like assembly from a plurality of components. The multipurpose component has double-walled outer frame parts (2) with an outer frame wall, an inner frame wall and a tread surface connecting them, at least one coupling device (6, 8) for connecting two adjacent components being provided on each of the outer lateral surfaces thereof. Where appropriate inner walls (4) divide the interior of the outer frame (2) formed by outer frame parts into a pattern of cellular lead-throughs (6). Inner bottom support frames (11), and where appropriate, bottom transverse struts on the double-walled outer frame and inner frame serve for stabilizing and supporting at least one filling body introduced in the plastic multipurpose part.
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. Multipurpose structural component made of plastic material, comprising a circumferential double wall exterior frame, formed by double wall exterior frame parts that have an exterior frame walls, and interior frame walls, and a tread surface that connects the exterior frame wall to the interior frame wall at upper ends thereof, at least one coupling device for connecting two adjacent structural components being provided at external side surfaces of the exterior frame wall, and inner support floor frame for supporting at least one filling element when inserted into the multipurpose structural component, wherein the coupling devices comprise hook parts on at least one exterior frame wall and a feed-through that is positioned at the same level in an exterior frame wall at a opposite side of the frame from the hook part, wherein the hook parts have a length which corresponds to a width of a hollow space between the exterior and interior frame walls, and the hook parts being engageable within the feed-throughs and the hollow space for coupling of one multipurpose structural component to another multipurpose structural component with at least a bottom side of the hook part flush with a bottom side of the exterior frame wall.
11. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, further comprising inner walls which divide inside of the exterior frame into a pattern of cell-shaped lead-throughs; and floor cross struts extending between the interior frame walls as means for stabilizing and supporting at least one filling element when inserted into the multipurpose structural component.
12. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, wherein spacer elevations are formed on the inner frame walls for facilitating draining of water along an inserted filling element.
13. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, wherein the tread surface of the exterior frame and the support frames have openings for passing of liquid.
14. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, wherein the double wall exterior frame parts taper in a frustoconical manner in a direction toward the tread surface.
15. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, wherein connecting struts are provided between the inner and outer frame walls of double wall exterior frame parts.
16. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, wherein the structural component is forms of a thermoplastic plastic material, selected from the group consisting of unprocessed plastic material, recycled plastic material, fiber-reinforced plastic material, filled plastic materials, biodegradable plastic materials, and mixtures and combinations thereof.
17. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, further comprising water-draining openings in at least one surface.
18. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, wherein the double wall exterior frame parts are elastically compressible and expandable.
19. Multipurpose structural component according to claim 10, wherein the inner frame wall of the double wall exterior frame parts has at least one snap-in device for holding step plates inserted into the structural component.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of an embodiment of a structural component according to the invention;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of the structural component according to FIG. 1
[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective top view of the structural component according to the invention as seen obliquely from above;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a detail of a cross section through the double wall area of a multipurpose structural component with an integrally formed hook part as well as a support frame;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention without inner walls and filled with a round stone;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention with two inner walls, as shown in FIG. 3, and filled with 4 paving stones;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of yet another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention without inner walls and filled with 4 round stones;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention with diagonally extending inner walls and filled with triangular stones;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention with two inner walls and filled with two paving stones and two plant containers;
[0035] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of still another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention without inner walls and filled with a marked paving stone;
[0036] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view through an exterior frame area of two multipurpose structural components that are stacked on top of each other;
[0037] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A′ through stacked multipurpose structural components with side walls that taper off in a trapezoid manner;
[0038] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a structural component according to the invention seen obliquely from above;
[0039] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 15;
[0040] FIG. 15 is a top plan view of two structural components of the embodiment of FIG. 11 that are arranged next to each other for the purpose of being connected;
[0041] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view through multipurpose structural components made of plastic material that are stacked on top of each other;
[0042] FIG. 17 shows planar placement of molded parts made of plastic material that have two adjoining double wall exterior frame parts and two edge areas without double wall exterior frame parts at their outer sides;
[0043] FIG. 18 shows another planar placement of molded parts made of plastic material, with their double wall exterior parts being chamfered in a bevel-shaped manner for the purpose of being connected to double wall exterior parts of further elements;
[0044] FIG. 19 is another embodiment of laid out molded parts made of plastic material, wherein molded parts having circumferential double wall exterior frame parts alternate with molded parts having double wall frame parts that extend in parallel to each other;
[0045] FIG. 20 schematically depicts a surface formed of multipurpose structural components that are embodied with circumferential double wall frame parts; and
[0046] FIG. 21 is a detail of a section through a double wall with a snap-in device for a filling element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0047] In the following, identical reference numbers refer to identical features in the individual figures. For reasons of clarity, features that appear multiple times in the individual figures are identified by the respective reference number only once.
[0048] Reference number 1, in FIG. 1, indicates an embodiment of the structural component in its totality. The structural component comprises a hollow exterior frame 2, which can be square-shaped. In this embodiment, this hollow exterior frame 2, which comprises the exterior frame inner wall 14, exterior frame outer wall 5 and the tread surface 15, is connected at its internal side with multiple inner walls 3 (e.g., transverse walls as well as longitudinal walls) that divide the structural component 1 into individual cells. Here, lead-throughs 9 in the proximity of the transverse walls/longitudinal walls 3 in the hollow exterior frame outer wall 5 are used as the coupling device. Interior support frames 11 for filling elements are provided at the inner walls 3, 14. The fields that are thus created may, e.g., hold conventional paving stones, shaped stones of any kind, wood-block paving stones, rubber plates, plant containers or planted containers etc. as filling elements.
[0049] Coupling devices are positioned as hook parts 8 at the exterior frame lateral surfaces 5, which are located at the top and to the left in FIG. 1. The lead-throughs 9 inside the outer walls 5 of the neighboring structural component are provided in such a manner that they are placed at the same level as the hook parts 8, which are embodied so as to be open towards the bottom side in the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 1. This construction ensures that two structural components 1 can be connected together at adjoining external side surfaces 5 at the respective hook part 8 and feed-through 9. The arrangement of the individual lead-throughs is illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0050] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the structural component according to FIG. 1. Here, the lead-throughs 9 are open from the bottom side, as are the cell-like lead-throughs 6 in the bottom of the structural component 1. Also inside the support frames 11, passage openings 12 are provided for better water-draining, which are inserted into elevated areas 12 of the support frames 11 in this embodiment, as can be seen in FIG. 1. For the purpose of water-draining, rib-like spacers 3 for the inserted filling bodies are also provided on the walls 14, 4 inside the frame. In this manner, it is avoided that the filling bodies rest directly against the inner walls of the structural component 1, thus facilitating a good draining of the liquid along the walls. It is particularly preferred that the drainage openings of the structural component are provided with walls, which, on the one hand, avoid any slipping on the structural components and, on the other hand, prevent any clogging of the drainage openings.
[0051] FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a lateral perspective view, wherein an embodiment of the exterior frame inner wall 5 can be clearly seen, which has recesses for the hooks 8 in the area of the lead-throughs 9 inside of which the front area of the hook is located. The lead-throughs 9 can be clearly seen in the exterior frame outer wall 5, through which the hooks 8 of an adjacent structural component 1 can be hooked in.
[0052] FIG. 4 shows in detail a cross section through the double wall area of a structural component 1 with integrally formed hooks 8 and support frames 1. It can be seen that an opening 13 is provided in the support frame 11 and that the hollow exterior frame double wall 2 has approximately the width of a hook part 8.
[0053] FIG. 5 schematically shows a top view onto another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention without inner walls, with the connection elements not being shown, and with the structural component being filled with a round stone without inner walls. Here, too, simple usability and water-draining are ensured.
[0054] FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of an embodiment of the structural component according to the invention with inner walls and filled with customary square paving stones.
[0055] FIG. 7 shows a schematic top view of another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention with inner walls 4, filled with round stones, and FIG. 8 shows a top view of another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention with diagonally extending inner walls, and filled with triangular filling bodies.
[0056] FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention with inner walls 4, and partially filled with stones and partially with plants. FIG. 10 is a top view of another embodiment of the structural component according to the invention 1 without inner walls or with inner walls 4 of a strongly reduced height, and with a marked stepping stone.
[0057] FIG. 11 shows a cross section through an exterior frame area of two structural components 1 that are stacked on top of each other and in which it can be seen that the structural components according to the invention can be stacked very easily, so that a considerably improved transport behavior is thus achieved due to improved nestability.
[0058] FIG. 12 shows a detail of a section through a double wall exterior frame 2 in which struts for delimiting its expansion capacity are provided. This can in particular become necessary in the case that an elastic synthetic material may expand too far due to disadvantageous environment conditions (such as, e.g., extremely high temperatures), or may break as a result of overexpansion at low temperatures. Limiting the expandability of the wall may also be necessary if the structural components 1 are subject to strong loads in chamfered areas.
[0059] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a structural component according to the invention obliquely from above, wherein the openings 13 lie in the support frames 11 at the exterior frame inner walls 14 and are embodied without any elevations for the openings 13.
[0060] FIG. 14 is a cross section along the line A-A′ of FIG. 15 through a structural component of the embodiment of FIG. 13 from which it can be clearly seen how the hollow outer walls 2 are designed in such a manner that they can receive hook elements 8. FIG. 15 shows a top view onto two structural components 1 of the embodiment of FIG. 13 that are arranged adjacent to each other for the purpose of being connected.
[0061] FIG. 16 shows the nestability of the structural components 1 in a cross section through stacked structural components 1 having side walls 5, 14 that taper off in a trapezoid manner along the line A-A′ of FIG. 13. It can be clearly seen how the double wall frames 2 mesh up to the height of the hook part 8, and thus strongly facilitate storing, shipping and handling of the structural components 1. Thanks to this advantageous nestability of both parts, the space requirements of the structural components are considerably reduced during transportation. This is eco-friendly and efficient particularly also for the reason that many transport trips can be avoided in this way.
[0062] FIG. 17 schematically shows multiple multipurpose structural components that are coupled to each other and that respectively have only one angle-like double frame exterior part. Thus, when the multipurpose structural components 1 are coupled to each other, what results is not a doubled double frame, but a simple double frame, the filling space being defined by the coupled components instead of being within a single component as in the prior embodiments.
[0063] FIG. 18 schematically depicts another embodiment of multipurpose structural components with a non-circumferential double exterior wall. In this embodiment, the angle-like double frame exterior parts end in oblique end surfaces. In this manner, there are different options of attaching the structural components to each other as compared to the embodiment of FIG. 17, and there is also a larger common contact surface of the double wall end surfaces.
[0064] FIG. 19 shows an arrangement of different multipurpose structural components that are coupled to one another so as to form a surface. On the one hand, multipurpose structural components with a circumferential double wall frame are used, and on the other hand, such multipurpose structural components that only have two opposite double walls that are coupled to double wall surfaces of adjacent multipurpose structural components that have four walls. This embodiment uses less synthetic material and leads to a high share of filling element occupancy of the surface that is covered by the multipurpose structural components.
[0065] FIG. 20 explains how a surface is covered with multipurpose structural components 1 that are coupled to each other and have a circumferential double exterior frame. The adjoining double exterior frame walls of the parts can be clearly seen.
[0066] FIG. 21 shows a detail of an embodiment of a double exterior frame with a snap-in device, which is shown schematically here as an indentation 18 in the inner wall of a double exterior frame part made of plastic. An elevation of the filling element 20 meshes into this indentation when the multipurpose structural component is installed, and thus, secures it against being tilted, pulled out, or stolen.
[0067] It is pointed out that, although the trapezoid cross-sectional shape and elasticity of the outer walls is advantageous in many cases, there may already be sufficient play for accommodating the expandability changes in the structural components due to the double walls 2 as well as the hooks 8 received therein. This depends on the circumstances in the individual case, on the material used, as well as on the environment conditions under which the structural components are laid out.
[0068] The multipurpose structural component 1 can be used as a component of the floor covering, e.g., of a stable, a public surface, of paths (in particular also paths for golf carts or riding grounds, or of a moisture-draining surface), as liquids can be quickly drained thanks to the feed-throughing openings in the structural components.
[0069] In order to lay out the multipurpose structural components according to FIG. 1, adjacent structural components 1 are pushed together with a certain amount of physical effort with the front end hook part 8 being inserted into the open side of the feed-through 9, so that multiple structural components are connected to form a structural component compound. Insertion of the front end of hook parts 8 into the openings 9 inside the frame outer walls 5 causes two adjacent structural components to lock, so that they can only be unlocked if an increased force is exerted.
[0070] According to the invention, the structural components are, e.g., used for stabilizing a surface, such as, e.g., a parking lot, a garage entrance, or another kind of surface that is to be covered with walkable structural components. For this purpose, the structural components have to be laid out in a one-dimensional manner as a composite, and are subsequently filled with stones or tiles, or the like. The structural components according to the invention can be combined into transportable stacks, with the double walls meshing, so that the structural components can be easily stacked, transported in this state, and placed on site by being connected as structural component compounds.
[0071] However, the structural components are also suitable for being laid out in paddocks, outdoor facilities of riding grounds, soccer fields and other kinds of sports fields. Thanks to the elastically compressible double walls, the side walls can also accommodate strong expansions, e.g., in the event of different thermal expansions. Here, it is preferable for some applications if closed containers are used that can serve as a liquid reservoir, and thus avoid any drying out and undesired dust formation for a longer time. When it comes to the (temporary) construction of transportable/temporary buildings, such as stables or the like, where a quick draining of urine or other liquids is desired, the cells are embodied so as to be open at the bottom. In any case, the astonishing elasticity of the structural component represents an advancement and preserves the natural underfoot feeling of the subsurface it is placed upon. Usually, paving does not yield. Now, this can be achieved to a certain degree thanks to the structural component according to the invention.
[0072] Also, the inner walls 4 of the multipurpose structural components 1 preferably taper off from the standing surface upwards. For one thing, unproblematic filling of the multipurpose structural components 1 with molded parts is obtained in this manner. Moreover, any lifting of a structural component compound, which may, e.g., be filled with stones, due to disadvantageous force conditions during the loading is avoided in this embodiment, i.e., no undesired lifting pressure is created at the time the load is acting. The support surfaces are enlarged as compared to known structural components 1, and the structural component compound can be filled more easily. In addition, the special shapes of the support frame as well as of the hollow outer walls have the advantage that structural components provided with molded parts can be handled more easily, and that, where a planting unit is used, it cannot easily fall through inside the structural component compound or the structural component arrangement. These special structural components can be manufactured so that the structural component is manufactured in one mold half in its entire depth, with the other mold half merely forming the end cover.
[0073] Although the invention has been described based on a preferred embodiment of a structural component, it is by no means limited to the same, but rather to what the person skilled in the art implicitly understands from reference to the description and the figures.
