Holding mat for placing clinker bricks on a surface in an outdoor environment

Abstract

Retaining mat (1) for placing clinker bricks (5) on a substrate in an outdoor environment, comprising an alternating pattern of clinker receiving units (2) and gaps (3) between the clinker receiving units (2), wherein the clinker receiving units (2) are each provided to receive a single clinker brick (5) and thereby surround a perimeter of a lower part of the clinker brick (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates generally to the placement of clinker bricks on a substrate in an outdoor environment. The invention relates in particular to a holding mat for placing clinker bricks on a substrate in an outdoor environment, a composite holding mat comprising holding mats connected to one another.

[0002] In the area of ​​paving with clinker bricks on streets, in gardens, driveways, etc., there is a growing trend to opt for so-called permeable paving. Permeable paving allows rainwater to be distributed more effectively, thus reducing the strain on the sewer system. This helps prevent the sewer system from becoming overloaded during prolonged and / or heavy rainfall.

[0003] Permeable pavement can be achieved in various ways. First, clinker bricks can be laid in an open pattern, leaving gaps between them. Second, the clinker bricks can be shaped with one or more gaps and / or have recesses in their edges. Third, the clinker bricks can be made of a porous material.

[0004] The invention relates to the laying of clinker bricks in an open pattern. This is also referred to as road paving with a water-permeable clinker brick laying pattern. Thanks to the gaps between the clinker bricks, rainwater can easily drain into the subsoil. Grass or other ground cover is often planted in these gaps, or a gravel material such as crushed stone, shells, or tree bark is placed in them.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to simplify the laying of clinker bricks in an open pattern. For this purpose, the invention provides an aid in the form of a retaining mat. In particular, the retaining mat comprises an alternating pattern of clinker receiving units and gaps between the clinker receiving units, wherein the clinker receiving units are each designed to receive a single clinker brick and thereby encircle the circumference of a lower part of the clinker brick. The application of the retaining mat comprises the following steps: providing the retaining mat, placing the retaining mat on the subgrade, and placing the clinker bricks into the clinker receiving units of the retaining mat, with one clinker brick being placed into each clinker receiving unit. The retaining mat thus remains part of the ultimately constructed road surface.

[0006] Using the holding mat according to the invention, it is very easy to create a pattern with clinker bricks. The pattern is already defined by the holding mat, so that the person laying the clinker bricks does not have to think about it. Once the holding mat is in place on the substrate, the placement of the clinker bricks is automatic. The only thing the person has to do is place the clinker bricks correctly on the holding mat, that is, in the clinker brick receiving units.

[0007] The dimensions of the retaining mat can be chosen to accommodate various known types of clinker bricks. Furthermore, the retaining mat itself can have any arbitrarily suitable dimensions with respect to the rows and columns of clinker receiving units and the gaps between them. For example, the retaining mat can comprise at least two rows and at least two columns with clinker receiving units and gaps alternating both in the row and column directions.

[0008] An effective water-permeable pattern of clinker bricks is obtained when the design of the retaining mat is such that the clinker receiving units do not make up more than 60% of the surface of the retaining mat.

[0009] In one practical embodiment, the retaining mat comprises a base and a pattern of upright walls on the base. The height of the upright walls can be less than the height of the bricks to be held. The pattern of upright walls on the base can be shaped in various ways. For example, this pattern may consist of rectangular wall units with two short upright walls and two long upright walls. In this case, the upright walls of the wall units can be connected to each other, forming an integral whole. The brick-holding units can then be located outside the wall units and therefore be bounded by different wall units.Implementing the pattern of upright walls using rectangular wall units that occupy spaces between the brick receiving units is an efficient way to delineate the brick receiving units with a minimum number of separate upright walls.

[0010] It is not necessary for the base section to be completely closed at the location of the brick mounting units. Instead, it can be advantageous to have at least one gap in the base section of the retaining mat instead of individual brick mounting units. This allows water flowing under laid bricks, or which eventually seeps out from the underside of porous bricks, to drain into the subsoil.

[0011] Another advantageous option is for the retaining mat to include connecting areas along its perimeter. These connecting areas are configured to allow the retaining mat to be joined with other mats to form a composite mat. This makes it easy to create the desired open brick pattern on any substrate and in any size. Providing the retaining mat in a fixed size, combined with the ability to connect multiple mats, offers a high degree of simplicity and flexibility in its application.

[0012] For connection to other retaining mats, the retaining mat can be shaped in any suitable way at its perimeter. In the case mentioned above, where the retaining mat comprises a base and a pattern of upright walls on the base, it is possible, for example, for the retaining mat to include connection areas that define a recess to receive an upright wall at the perimeter of another retaining mat to be connected from above. It is also possible for the retaining mat to include connection areas that encompass a groove in an upright wall at the perimeter of the retaining mat. This simplifies the insertion of the upright wall into a recess as described.

[0013] In light of the above, joining the retaining mats to form a composite retaining mat is another possible step. It is possible to first form a composite retaining mat and then place it on the substrate, but it is also possible to join one retaining mat to another while one of them is already in place. The bricks can then be placed on a retaining mat once it is positioned on the substrate. The work of placing the retaining mats and placing the bricks into the retaining mats can be carried out either sequentially or alternately.

[0014] In an advantageous embodiment, the retaining mat is molded as a single, integral whole from plastic. The retaining mat can then be manufactured cost-effectively and in mass production.

[0015] After the retaining mat has been placed on the substrate and the clinker bricks have been fitted into it, the spaces between the clinker bricks can be filled if desired, for example with gravel material.

[0016] The aforementioned and further aspects, properties and advantages of the invention are further illustrated by the following description, with reference to the drawing in which the same reference numerals denote the same or comparable elements, and in which: Fig. various perspective views of a holding mat according to one embodiment of the invention are shown; Fig. a perspective view of a composite retaining mat, comprising a number of interconnected retaining mats; and Fig. shows a perspective view of the assembled retaining mat with clinker bricks placed within it.

[0017] Fig. Figure 1 shows a retaining mat according to an embodiment of the invention. The retaining mat 1 serves to place clinker bricks on a substrate in an outdoor environment. Key aspects of the retaining mat 1 are that it comprises an alternating pattern of clinker receiving units 2 and gaps 3 between them, and that each clinker receiving unit 2 is designed to receive a single clinker brick, enclosing a portion of its lower edge. In this example, the retaining mat 1 comprises two columns k and eight rows r of clinker receiving units 2 and gaps 3.

[0018] The retaining mat 1 is provided at one of its circumferential edges in order to be connected to other retaining mats 1. For illustration, in Fig. A composite retaining mat 4 is shown, comprising an arbitrary number of six interconnected retaining mats 1. The number of retaining mats 1 can be freely chosen, and as many retaining mats 1 as necessary to cover a specific surface of the substrate can be used. Fig. The figure shows how the composite retaining mat 4 is filled with clinker bricks 5. It is clearly visible that instead of gaps 3 in the retaining mats 1, there are spaces 6 between the clinker bricks 5. This creates a configuration in which precipitation, such as rain, can drain into the subsoil via the spaces 6 between the clinker bricks 5 and the gaps 3 in the retaining mats 1 between the clinker brick receiving units 2. Fig. The clinker bricks 5 are shown, which fit exactly into the clinker receiving units 2. This does not preclude the possibility that the retaining mats 1 may also be used for smaller clinker bricks 5.

[0019] In the current example, the retaining mat 1 is made of plastic and comprises a base section 7 and a pattern of upright walls on the base section 7. Specifically, the pattern of upright walls on the base section comprises rectangular wall units 8 with two short upright walls 9 and two long upright walls 10, wherein the upright walls 9, 10 of the wall units 8 are connected to one another and form an integral whole. In this embodiment of the retaining mat 1, the brick receiving units 2 are located outside the wall units 8. Instead of the brick receiving units 2, there is a gap 11 in the base section 7 of the retaining mat 1, which, like the gaps 3 between the brick receiving units 2, serves to allow water to pass through to the substrate.

[0020] The possibility of connecting the retaining mats 1 to form a composite retaining mat 4 can be implemented in different ways. In the current example, the retaining mat 1 is provided with two different types of connection areas 12, 13 along its perimeter. A first type of connection area 12 defines a recess 14 and has a specially shaped upright element 15 with an outermost connecting element 16. A second type of connection area 13 defines a groove 17 in an upright wall 9, 10. During the connection of the retaining mats 1, the upright walls 9, 10 with the groove 17 in them of the second type of connection area 13 are lowered from above into the recess 14 of the first type of connection area 12 of the other retaining mat 1.Here, one retaining mat 1 is hooked into the connection area 13 of the first retaining mat 1 at the location of the groove 17 behind the outermost connecting elements 16 of the connection area 12 of the first type of the other retaining mat 1.

[0021] The retaining mat 1 provides a simple tool for creating water-permeable road surfaces. Using the retaining mat 1 eliminates the need for measuring or counting to lay the clinker bricks 5 in a regular, open pattern.

[0022] It should be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed above, but that various modifications and alterations thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

[0023] A possible summary of the invention is as follows. In the context of constructing water-permeable road surfaces, a retaining mat 1 is provided, which is suitable for serving as an aid in placing clinker bricks 5 on a substrate in an outdoor environment. The retaining mat 1 comprises an alternating pattern of clinker receiving units 2 and gaps 3 between the clinker receiving units 2, wherein the clinker receiving units 2 are each designed to receive a single clinker brick 5 and thereby surround the circumference of a lower part of the clinker brick 5. When the retaining mat 1 is placed on the substrate and the clinker bricks 5 are placed within it, a convenient open pattern of the clinker bricks 5 is directly obtained.In an advantageous embodiment, the retaining mat 1 is arranged in such a way that it can be easily connected to other retaining mats 1, so that a connected whole of retaining mats 1 can be formed.

Claims

[1] Holding mat (1) for placing clinker bricks (5) on a substrate in an outdoor environment, comprising an alternating pattern of clinker receiving units (2) and gaps (3) between the clinker receiving units (2), wherein the clinker receiving units (2) are each provided to receive a single clinker brick (5) and thereby surround a perimeter of a lower part of the clinker brick (5). [2] Holding mat (1) according to claim 1, comprising at least two rows (r) and at least two columns (k) with clinker receiving units (2) alternating both in the row and column direction and gaps (3) between the clinker receiving units (2). [3] Holding mat (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clinker receiving units (2) do not constitute more than 60% of a surface of the holding mat (1). [4] Holding mat (1) according to one of claims 1-3, comprising a base part (7) and a pattern of upright walls (9, 10) on the base part (7). [5] Holding mat (1) according to claim 4, wherein the pattern of upright walls (9, 10) on the floor part (7) comprises rectangular wall units (8) with two short upright walls (9) and two long upright walls (10). [6] Holding mat (1) according to claim 5, wherein the upright walls (9, 10) of the wall units (8) are connected to each other and form an integral whole. [7] Holding mat (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the clinker receiving units (2) are located outside the wall units (8). [8] Holding mat (1) according to one of claims 4-7, wherein instead of respective clinker receiving units (2) there is at least one gap (11) in the bottom part (7) of the holding mat (1). [9] Holding mat (1) according to one of claims 1-8, comprising connection areas (12, 13) provided on a circumferential edge of the holding mat (1), which connection areas (12, 13) are configured to enable a connection of the holding mat (1) with other holding mats (1) to form a composite holding mat (4). [10] Holding mat (1) according to claim 8, depending insofar as it depends on one of claims 4-8, comprising connection areas (12) that define a recess (14) to receive an upright wall (9, 10) at the circumferential edge of another holding mat (1) to be joined from above. [11] Holding mat (1) according to claim 10, further comprising connection areas (13) which include a groove (17) in an upright wall (9, 10) at the circumferential edge of the holding mat (1). [12] Holding mat (1) according to one of claims 1-11, formed as a single integral whole made of plastic. [13] Composite retaining mat (4) comprising interconnected retaining mats (1), wherein each of the retaining mats (1) is a retaining mat (1) according to any one of claims 1-12.

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