Paving stone with spacers

Abstract

The invention relates to a paving stone (1) comprising a main body (11) of polygonal shape having a plurality of lateral faces (111, 112, 113), characterized in that the paving stone (1) also comprises at least one spacer (12) projecting on each lateral face (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11), each spacer (12) comprising a flat lateral face (121) parallel to the lateral face (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11) for cooperating with a spacer carried by a similar paving stone arranged thereon, and in that, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the various spacers (12) of the paving stone (1) have the same projecting thickness, so that the flat lateral faces (121) of the spacers (12) define planes (21) of lateral faces of a polygonal volume (2) whose shape is equal to the polygonal shape of the main body (11) of the paving stone (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of kits for floor coverings, such as slabs or paving stones, and in particular to the field of manufacturing such kits.

[0002] Soil urbanization is generally expressed by the mineralization of surfaces, which can be achieved by creating paving or tiling. This mineralization allows for the creation of surfaces with a substantially constant, uniform flatness that is resistant to deformation under repeated loads or stresses caused by impacts associated with pedestrian or even vehicular movement on these surfaces, particularly when environmental humidity is high. A disadvantage of this mineralization of surfaces, however, is the barrier it creates to the flow and infiltration of rainwater into the soil, by creating low-permeability, even completely impermeable, paving. The rainwater is then drained by runoff along a slope of this surface to a facility specifically designed for its drainage.On the other hand, in the absence of a slope, this water is forced to collect on the mineral surfaces, even stagnating there until it evaporates, so that these surfaces on the ground may become impassable for a pedestrian, or even possibly for a vehicle.

[0003] Often, especially when its flow rate exceeds a certain threshold, rainwater runoff carries waste, garbage, or simple pollution present on mineral surfaces. In these cases, it is necessary to adequately maintain the drainage systems to maintain their effectiveness and prevent blockages that then lead to accumulation or flooding.

[0004] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a paving solution that allows effective drainage of water and runoff on mineralized surfaces while maintaining the qualities of a floor covering obtained by an arrangement of conventional paving stones.

[0005] The present invention relates to a paving stone comprising a main body of polygonal shape having a plurality of lateral faces, characterized in that the paving stone also comprises at least one spacer projecting on each lateral face of the main body, each spacer comprising a flat lateral face parallel to the lateral face of the main body to cooperate with a spacer carried by a similar paving stone arranged thereon, and that in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the various spacers of the paving stone have an equal projecting thickness, so that the flat side surfaces of the spacers define planes of side surfaces of a polygonal volume whose shape is equal to the polygonal shape of the main body of the paving stone.

[0006] The invention also relates to a paving comprising at least two paving stones according to the invention, characterized in that two of the at least two paving stones are arranged in contact with each other in the region of at least one section of the flat side surface of at least one spacer of the side surfaces opposite each of the main bodies of the paving stones arranged next to one another.

[0007] The invention will be better understood from the following description, which refers to the preferred embodiments given as non-limiting examples and explained with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which: Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of an example of a trapezoidal paving stone according to the invention according to a viewing angle positioned above the paving stone, Fig. 2 are schematic illustrations of an example of a trapezoidal paving stone according to the invention according to laterally positioned viewing angles, on the one hand on the side of the lateral surface of greatest length of the paving stone and on the other hand on the side of one of the two opposite inclined lateral surfaces of the paving stone, Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a paving example combining examples of trapezoidal paving stones according to the invention containing spacers of different thicknesses, Fig. Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of various paving examples combining trapezoidal paving stones according to the invention containing spacers of equal thicknesses.

[0008] The invention relates to a paving stone 1 comprising a main body 11 of polygonal shape having a plurality of lateral faces 111, 112, 113, characterized in that the paving stone 1 also comprises at least one spacer 12 projecting on each lateral face 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11, each spacer 12 comprising a flat lateral face 121 parallel to the lateral face 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11, in order to cooperate with a spacer carried by a similar paving stone arranged thereon, and in that, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the various spacers 12 of the paving stone 1 have the same projecting thickness, so that the flat lateral faces 121 of the spacers 12 define planes of lateral faces 21 of a polygonal volume 2, the shape of which is equal to the polygonal shape of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1 is.

[0009] Within the scope of the invention, the paving stone 1 is configured such that, thanks to the presence of one or more spacers 12, the lateral faces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1 remain spaced from the lateral face of a similar paving stone arranged adjacent to it. The polygonal volume 2 of each paving stone 1 according to the invention, defined in particular by the lateral faces 121 of the various spacers 12 of the paving stones 1, thus creates a volume comprising, on the one hand, a solid volume formed by the main body 11 and the spacers 12 of the paving stone 1, and, on the other hand, an empty volume formed by depressed areas in the region of the lateral faces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11.Along a surface of the paving stone 1, the total length of the at least one spacer 12 is less than that of the lateral surface 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11, so that the recessed zones of the polygonal volume 2 realize at least one surface continuity between the two upper and lower surfaces of a same paving stone 1, in particular through one of the lateral surfaces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11.

[0010] Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, bringing the paving stone 1 into contact with a paving stone arranged adjacent to it is carried out in particular by bringing the polygonal volumes of each of the arranged paving stones 1 into contact, so that these polygonal volumes are in contact with each other in the region of a plane common to the lateral faces 21 of these polygonal volumes 2. Under these conditions, the juxtaposition of two paving stones 1 and their polygonal volumes 2 makes it possible to create, thanks to at least one spacer 12, one or more openings 3 between the two arranged paving stones 1. These openings 3 then establish a connection between the two faces, the upper and lower, of the paving stones 1 and thus of the paving.During rainfall, the rainwater present on the upper surface of the paving stone 1 can then flow along the height of one of the lateral surfaces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11, which forms the inner surface of one of the openings 3. It should be noted that the quality of the rainwater drainage from the upper surface of the paving stone 1 and through these openings 3, which are available thanks to the spacers 12 between two adjacent paving stones 1, is increased in particular by increasing the cross-sectional dimension of the openings 3 and thus by the thickness of the spacers 12 and / or the distance between the lateral surface 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 and the lateral surface 21 of the corresponding polygonal volume 2. According to a preferred construction example, the spacers 12 are manufactured such that their thicknesses are between 2 and 20 millimeters, preferably of the order of 15 millimeters.

[0011] According to an example relating to a particular feature of the spacers 12, their position on the relevant lateral face 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1 is at a distance from the end of the corresponding lateral face 21 of the polygonal volume 2 of the paving stone 1. Such positioning of the spacers 12 makes it possible to create openings 3 in the connection zone, in a paving, between more than two paving stones 1 arranged side by side, in particular in the region of the corners of the polygonal volumes 2 of the paving stones 1.

[0012] It should be noted that the free volumes of the polygonal volume 2 of the paving stone 1, which create the various openings 3 made possible by the at least one spacer 12 positioned on the lateral faces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1, can be at least partially filled with a material chosen so as not to constitute an obstacle to the drainage of rainwater from the upper surface of the paving stone 1 along the height of at least one of the lateral faces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1. For example, this material can correspond to at least one material forming or contributing to the formation of the bed on which the paving stone 1 according to the invention is positioned on the ground.Also, for example, this material corresponds to sand, a silicate such as a zeolite or an equivalent, earth, or even natural growths such as moss and / or herbs or plants, even a combination of several of these materials or varying materials with equivalent properties.

[0013] Preferably, if not conventionally, the upper and / or lower surfaces of a paving stone 1 are arranged to be in mutually parallel planes and generally configured to be arranged in substantially horizontal planes when the paving stone 1 is installed on site. Also, according to an example relating to a construction variant of the paving stone 1 according to the invention, the lateral surfaces 121 of the various spacers 12 of the paving stones 1 are arranged in vertical planes substantially perpendicular to the plane of the upper and / or lower surfaces of the paving stone 1.Within the framework of this preferred construction variant, the lateral surfaces 121 of the various spacers 12 are compatible with surfaces supported by similar paving stones and make it possible to withstand and transmit forces, stresses or tensions through the paving stone 1 in a substantially horizontal plane, which are then distributed in a substantially balanced or homogeneous manner over the entire contact surface of the lateral surfaces 121 of the spacers 12, so that the risk of displacement due to inclination or tipping of the paving stone 1 is limited or even eliminated.It should also be noted that, since the side faces 121 of the various spacers 12 of the paving stones 1 establish contact and bearing surfaces against the side faces of adjacent paving stones, it is not necessary for the side faces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1 to be arranged in vertical planes and / or planes parallel to the vertical side faces 121 of the spacers 12.

[0014] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the paving stone 1 according to the invention, which can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, at least one spacer 12 is positioned near at least one of the lateral faces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11, so that, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, at least a portion of the flat lateral face 121 of the spacer 12 is positioned at the center of the corresponding lateral face 21 of the polygonal volume 2. This positioning of at least a portion of the face 121 of the spacer 12 at the center of the lateral face 21 of the polygonal volume 2 ensures the presence of at least one contact point near a geometric equilibrium point of the polygonal volume 2 into which the paving stone 1 according to the invention is fitted.When bringing two paving stones 1 into contact, it is preferable that the contacted surfaces 21 of the polygonal volumes 2 have substantially equal or equivalent widths. Furthermore, a contact portion of surface 121 of spacer 12 positioned at least in the region of the center of the lateral surface 21 of the polygonal volume 2 ensures contact between two spacers 12 supported by different paving stones and whose lateral surface widths 121 are different. It should be noted that this arrangement, which specifically positions at least a portion of the lateral surface 121 of a spacer 12, is particularly useful when the lateral surfaces 111, 112 of a main body 11 of the paving stone 1 are provided with a single spacer 12.Even if two side faces 111, 112 of a paving stone 1 supporting only a single spacer 12 are positioned opposite each other, this particular structure of the paving stones 1 ensures that the respective spacers 12 of these paving stones 1 are able to share a contact surface realized by at least the portion of the side face 121 of the spacers 12 positioned in the center of the side face 21 for bringing the polygonal volumes 2 of the paving stones 1 into contact.Complementarily, it can be noted that the construction of a contact surface of a spacer 12, positioned centrally in the region of the lateral surface 21 of the polygonal volume 2, in the region of the lateral surface of the paving stone 1, contributes to compensating the transmission of forces or stresses in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the upper and lower surfaces of the paving stone 1 and / or the paving into which this paving stone 1 is integrated. This also reduces, or even eliminates, the risks of the paving stone 1 pivoting in such a plane.

[0015] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the paving stone 1 according to the invention, which can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, in the region of at least one of the lateral faces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11, the ratio between, on the one hand, the length of the flat lateral face 121 of the at least one spacer 12 and, on the other hand, the length of the corresponding lateral face 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 lies in an interval between 0.25 and 0.5, even preferably of the order of 0.33. Such ratios of the length of the flat lateral face 121 of the at least one spacer 12 make it possible to guarantee, for the paving stone 1 according to the invention, the combination of two characteristics whose optimal qualities are obtained by counteracting technical solutions.This combination of properties of the paving stone 1 thus relates, on the one hand, to a sufficient drainage quality through openings 3 present along at least one lateral surface 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 and, on the other hand, to ensuring a quality of stability of the paving stone 1 in the region of the lateral surface 121 of the spacer 12, which forms a contact with a paving stone arranged thereon, this stability making it possible to withstand and transmit forces, stresses or tensions in a substantially horizontal plane through the paving stone 1 and, at the same time, limiting the risk of displacement of the paving stone in this plane.

[0016] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the paving stone 1, which is in accordance with the invention and can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, in the area of at least one of the lateral surfaces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11, the ratio between, on the one hand, the length of the flat lateral surface 121 of the at least one spacer 12 and, on the other hand, the length of the corresponding lateral surface 21 of the polygonal volume 2 lies in an interval between 0.25 and 0.5. As in the previous construction variant, such ratios of the length of the flat lateral surface 121 of the at least one spacer 12 allow the paving stone 1 to guarantee a combination of two properties, the optimal qualities of which are achieved through counteracting technical solutions.This combination of properties of the paving stone 1 thus relates, on the one hand, to a sufficient drainage quality through openings 3 present along at least one lateral surface 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 and, on the other hand, to ensuring a quality of stability of the paving stone 1 in the region of the lateral surface 121 of the spacer 12, which forms a contact with a paving stone arranged thereon, this stability making it possible to withstand and transmit forces, stresses or tensions in a substantially horizontal plane through the paving stone 1 and, at the same time, limiting the risk of displacement of the paving stone in this plane.

[0017] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the paving stone 1, which is in accordance with the invention and can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, the at least one spacer 12 projects over the entire height of the lateral surface 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1, which supports this spacer 12. Such an arrangement of the spacer 12 over such a height makes it possible to achieve optimized contact between the lateral surface 121 of the spacer 12 of the paving stone 1 and a paving stone adjacent to it, so that possible forces, stresses, or tensions are distributed in a substantially horizontal plane through the spacer 12 over the entire height of the paving stone 1. The risk of possible tilting of the paving stone 1 about a horizontal axis is thus limited, if not eliminated.

[0018] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the paving stone 1, which is in accordance with the invention and can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, the at least one spacer 12 projects to a height less than the height of the lateral surface 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 that supports it, so that, in a vertical cross-sectional plane, the area of the upper surface of the spacer 12 is positioned below the area of the upper surface of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1. According to this embodiment, a space-forming gap is formed between, on the one hand, the upper surface of the spacer 12 and, on the other hand, the upper surface of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1.It should be noted that, within the framework of this arrangement, the free polygonal volume 2 of the paving stone 1 is capable of being at least partially filled with a material selected so as not to constitute an obstacle to the drainage of rainwater from the upper surface of the paving stone 1 along the height of at least one of the lateral surfaces 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1. Likewise, the space left free between the upper surface of the spacer 12 and the region of the upper surface of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1 is capable of being filled with such a drainage-allowing material, for example, up to the region of the upper surface of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1.In this way, in the context of a paving incorporating a paving stone 1 according to the invention, the paving surface comprises a combination of the upper surfaces of the main bodies 11 of the paving stones 1 and materials allowing rainwater drainage. For an observer positioned above the upper surface of the paving stones 1, the draining material is distributed over the perimeter of the upper surface of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1 in the region of the upper surface of the polygonal volume 2 of the paving stone 1, so that this draining material forms a connecting material between the paving stone 1 and a second paving stone arranged adjacent to it and positioned in contact with a paving stone 1 according to the invention by means of at least one spacer 12.According to such an arrangement, the upper surface of the spacer 12, covered by the material allowing water drainage into the depths of the soil, is concealed, so that the spacer 12 is no longer visible to an observer positioned above the upper surface of the paving stones 1. Preferably, the ratio between the height of the spacer 12 and the height of the side surface 111, 112, 113 of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1, which supports this spacer 12, is at least 0.5, ideally more than 0.7, ideally more than 0.8.

[0019] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the paving stone 1, which is in accordance with the invention and can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, the paving stone 1 comprises a hexagonal main body 11 and, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the various spacers 12 of the paving stone 1, which have an equal projecting thickness, the flat lateral surfaces 121 of the spacers 12 defining planes of lateral surfaces 21 of a hexagonal volume 2, whose angles are equal to the angles of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1. Such a hexagonal configuration of the paving stone 1, when the hexagonal shapes are regular, i.e. with equal side lengths, makes it possible to create a paving with a single type of paving stone 1, and in which the entirety of a floor area can be covered with paving stones 1.Furthermore, in the context of a paving made with hexagonal paving stones 1, each paving stone 1 is inserted laterally by one of its corners between two other paving stones 1 adjacent to it, within the 60° angle formed by the faces of these two other adjacent paving stones 1. Such an arrangement makes it possible to create cohesion between the various paving stones 1 in a paving by facilitating the transmission of forces, stresses or tensions in a substantially horizontal plane through the paving stones 1 of the paving, thereby limiting, if not preventing, the risks of displacement of the paving stones 1 in such a plane.

[0020] According to an example relating to another construction variant of the paving stone 1, which is in accordance with the invention and can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, the paving stone 1 comprises, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, a trapezoidal main body 11 comprising, on the one hand, two mutually parallel lateral faces 111, 113 and, on the other hand, two lateral faces 112 of equal length, such that the main body 11 comprises a vertical plane of symmetry passing through the centers of two parallel lateral faces 111, 113, and, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the various spacers 12 of the paving stone 1 having the same projecting thickness, the flat lateral faces 121 of the spacers 12 define planes of lateral faces 21 of a trapezoidal volume 2, the angles of which are equal to the angles of the main body 11 of the paving stone 1.Such a trapezoidal configuration of the paving stone 1 allows two paving stones 1 to be juxtaposed by side faces of equal or similar lengths, so that the juxtaposition of these two trapezoidal paving stones 1 creates a hexagonal assembly making it possible to benefit from a substantial part of the properties provided by hexagonal paving stones 1, as explained in detail in particular for the previous construction example, while at the same time having, for the same paving surface, an additional drainage zone arranged in the region of the junction of the two trapezoidal paving stones 1, that is to say across the hexagonal assembly created by these two paving stones 1.This connection between the two trapezoidal paving stones 1 is thus made by at least one spacer 12 carried by the lateral face of at least one of the two adjacent paving stones 1, ideally by the spacers 12 carried by each of the lateral faces of the two paving stones 1 positioned opposite each other.

[0021] According to an example relating to a construction variant of a trapezoidal paving stone 1 according to the invention, the longest lateral face 113, in the region of the two mutually parallel lateral faces 111, 113 of the main body 11, comprises, on the one hand, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, two spacers 12 positioned symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane of symmetry of the trapezoidal arrangement of the paving stone 1, and, on the other hand, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the shortest lateral face 111 comprises a single spacer 12, at least a portion of the lateral face 121 of which is positioned near the center of the corresponding lateral face 21 of the trapezoidal volume 2. According to this construction variant, the longest lateral face 113 comprises, between the two spacers 12 it supports, a space capable of creating an opening 3 for drainage and the flow of rainwater.The symmetrical arrangement of the spacers on the longest side surface 113 allows for simplified opposing positioning of the spacers 12 supported by the corresponding side surfaces 113 of two adjacent paving stones 1 when the side surfaces 21 of the trapezoidal volumes 2 of these paving stones 1 are positioned opposite each other. According to a preferred embodiment of this construction variant, in the region of the longest side surface 113, at least a portion of the flat side surface 121 of each of the spacers 12 is positioned in the center of one half of the side surface 21, which is defined by the vertical plane of symmetry of the paving stone 1, which passes through the centers of two parallel side surfaces 111, 113.This preferred embodiment of the spacers 12 on the lateral face 113 of greatest length makes it possible to string together various similar or identical trapezoidal paving stones 1 by means of their spacers 12 carried by the lateral face 113 of greatest length, which ensures contact by means of the spacers 12, on the one hand, when the lateral faces 21 of the trapezoidal volumes 2 of these paving stones 1 are positioned opposite one another, and on the other hand, when the lateral faces 21 of the trapezoidal volumes 2 of the paving stones 1 arranged in a row are positioned with an offset along the axis of the lateral faces 121 of the spacers 12, this offset being of the order of half the length of the lateral face 21 of the trapezoidal volume 2 in the region of the lateral face 113 of greatest length of the paving stones 1.It should be noted that, within the framework of this preferred embodiment of the construction variant, this bringing into contact of the adjacent paving stones 1 by means of their spacers 12 is effective regardless of the lengths of the spacers 12, even if the lengths of the spacers 12 are different between the paving stones 1.

[0022] Furthermore, a trapezoidal paving stone 1 according to the construction variant explained in detail in the previous paragraph also includes parallel and opposite lateral surfaces 111, 113 of the main body 11 with a distribution of spacers 12 that makes the positioning relative to one another, along an axis of symmetry common to two similar paving stones 1 arranged side by side, incompatible with the positioning relative to one another of a lateral surface 113 of the longest length of a first paving stone 1 and the lateral surface 111 of the shortest length of the second paving stone 1. With such a distribution of spacers 12, the opposing arrangements of the lateral surfaces 121 of the spacers 12 may encounter difficulties interacting with one another by bearing contact.This difficulty of interaction makes it possible to limit the possibilities of positioning the paving stones 1 among each other during the production of a paving and thus to guide an employee in handling such paving stones 1 on a laying site.

[0023] According to an example relating to another construction variant of a trapezoidal paving stone 1, which is in accordance with the invention and can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane in the region of the two mutually parallel lateral surfaces 111, 113 of the main body 11, the ratio between, on the one hand, the lateral surface 113 of greatest length and, on the other hand, the lateral surface 111 of smallest length is equal to 2. Such a construction variant allows a multiplication of the arrangement possibilities of the paving stones 1 of a similar trapezoidal shape by means of their lateral surfaces 113 of greatest length.Thus, the positioning of the shortest side face 111 of a first paving stone 1 relative to a first half of the longest side face 113 of a second paving stone 1 makes it possible to leave the second half of this side face 113 free for the positioning of a possible third paving stone 1, this third paving stone 1 then being inserted in the region of the angle formed by the two first paving stones 1 resting against each other. According to a preferred embodiment of this construction variant, in the region of the longest side face 113, at least a portion of the flat side face 121 of each of the spacers 12 is positioned in the center of one half of the side face 21 defined by the vertical plane of symmetry of the paving stone 1, which passes through the centers of two parallel side faces 111, 113.In the context of a combination of this preferred positioning of the spacers 12 with a ratio of the lengths of the two parallel lateral surfaces 111, 113 of the main body 11 which is of the order of 2, in addition to the properties explained in detail above, such trapezoidal paving stones 1 also guarantee the bringing into contact of two paving stones 1 by means of the spacers 12, as long as one of the ends of the lateral surface 111 of the smallest length of a first paving stone 1 is arranged opposite one of the ends of the lateral surface 113 of the greatest length of a second paving stone 1.

[0024] According to an example relating to another construction variant of a trapezoidal paving stone 1 according to the invention, which can be combined with one or other of the variants explained in detail above, the trapezoidal shape of the paving stone 1 is balanced in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, i.e., the trapezoidal shape of the paving stone 1 includes, on the one hand, three lateral faces 111, 112 of equal length and, on the other hand, two parallel lateral faces 111, 113, such that the ratio between, on the one hand, the lateral face 113 of greatest length and, on the other hand, the lateral face 111 of shortest length is equal to 2. When the paving stone 1 has a balanced trapezoidal shape, it allows the parallel lateral face 111 of shortest length and the two inclined opposite lateral faces 112 of a first paving stone 1 to be positioned relative to one or other of these equal faces 111, 112 of a second, similar paving stone 1.This arrangement of paving stones 1 among each other thus allows for a multiplication of conceivable paving patterns. Furthermore, taking into account the equilongation of the shortest parallel lateral surface 111 and the two inclined opposite lateral surfaces 112 in the various paving stones 1, contact is ensured by means of at least one spacer 12 supported by each of these surfaces, thanks to the positioning of at least a portion of the surface 121 of each of the spacers 12 in the center of each of the corresponding lateral surfaces 21 of the trapezoidal volume 2 into which the paving stones 1 are fitted.It should also be noted that such a configuration with trapezoidal paving stones 1 makes it possible to fully benefit from the properties offered by paving stones of regular hexagonal shape, while simultaneously incorporating, within the same paving area, an additional drainage zone located in the area where the trapezoidal paving stones 1 join. Thus, such a construction variant of a paving stone 1 according to the invention makes it possible to create a paving with a single type of paving stone 1, and in which the entire floor area can be covered by these paving stones 1.

[0025] The invention also relates to a paving comprising at least two paving stones 1 according to the invention, characterized in that two of the at least two paving stones 1 are arranged in contact with each other in the region of at least one section of the flat side surface 121 of at least one spacer 12 of the opposite side surfaces 111, 112, 113 of each of the main bodies 11 of the paving stones 1 arranged next to one another.

[0026] Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, particularly with regard to the design of the various elements or by replacement with technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

[1] Paving stone (1) comprising a main body (11) of polygonal shape having a plurality of side surfaces (111, 112, 113), characterized by in that the paving stone (1) also comprises at least one spacer (12) projecting on each lateral surface (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11), each spacer (12) comprising a flat lateral surface (121) parallel to the lateral surface (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11) for cooperating with a spacer carried by a similar paving stone arranged thereon, and in that, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the various spacers (12) of the paving stone (1) have the same projecting thickness, so that the flat lateral surfaces (121) of the spacers (12) define planes (21) of lateral surfaces of a polygonal volume (2) whose shape is the same as the polygonal shape of the main body (11) of the paving stone (1). [2] Paving stone (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that in the region of at least one of the side surfaces (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11) at least one spacer (12) is positioned such that in a horizontal cross-sectional plane at least a section of the flat side surface (121) of the spacer (12) is positioned in the middle of the corresponding side surface (21) of the polygonal volume (2). [3] Paving stone (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that in a horizontal cross-sectional plane in the region of at least one of the side surfaces (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11), the ratio between, on the one hand, the length of the flat side surface (121) of the at least one spacer (12) and, on the other hand, the length of the corresponding side surface (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11) lies in an interval between 0.25 and 0.

5. [4] Paving stone (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that in a horizontal cross-sectional plane in the region of at least one of the side surfaces (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11), the ratio between, on the one hand, the length of the flat side surface (121) of the at least one spacer (12) and, on the other hand, the length of the corresponding side surface (21) of the polygonal volume (2) lies in an interval between 0.25 and 0.

5. [5] Paving stone (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one spacer (12) projects over a lesser height than the height of the side surface (111, 112, 113) of the main body (11) which supports it, so that in a vertical cross-sectional plane the region of the upper surface of the spacer (12) is positioned below the region of the upper surface of the main body (11) of the paving stone (1). [6] Paving stone (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized bythat the paving stone (1) comprises a hexagonal main body (11) and that in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the various spacers (12) of the paving stone (1) having an equal projecting thickness, the flat lateral surfaces (121) of the spacers (12) define planes of lateral surfaces (21) of a hexagonal volume (2) whose angles are equal to the angles of the main body (11) of the paving stone (1). [7] Paving stone (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized byin a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the paving stone (1) contains a trapezoidal main body (11) which, on the one hand, contains two mutually parallel side surfaces (111, 113) and, on the other hand, two side surfaces (112) of equal length, so that the main body (11) contains a vertical plane of symmetry which passes through the centers of the two parallel side surfaces (111, 113), and in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the various spacers (12) of the paving stone (1) having the same projecting thickness, the flat side surfaces (121) of the spacers (12) define planes of side surfaces (21) of a trapezoidal volume (2) whose angles are equal to the angles of the main body (11) of the paving stone (1). [8] Paving stone (1) according to claim 7, characterized byin that, in the region of the two mutually parallel side surfaces (111, 113) of the main body (11), on the one hand, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the side surface (113) of greatest length contains two spacers (12) which are positioned symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane of symmetry of the trapezoidal arrangement of the paving stone (1), and on the other hand, in a horizontal cross-sectional plane, the side surface (111) of smallest length contains a single spacer (12), of which at least a portion of the side surface (121) is positioned in the region of the center of the corresponding side surface (21) of the trapezoidal volume (2). [9] Paving stone (1) according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized by that in a horizontal cross-sectional plane in the region of the two mutually parallel side surfaces (111, 113) of the main body (11), the ratio between, on the one hand, the side surface (113) of greatest length and, on the other hand, the side surface (111) of smallest length is 2. [10] Paving comprising at least two paving stones (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that two of the at least two paving stones (1) are arranged in contact with each other in the region of at least one section of the flat side surface (121) of at least one spacer (12) of the respective side surfaces (111, 112, 113) opposite each of the main bodies (11) of the lined-up paving stones (1).

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