Concrete paving stone, paving pattern and method for manufacturing a paving stone

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a concrete paving stone for laying in a composite according to the preamble of patent claim 1, a paving bond according to the preamble of patent claim 10 and a method for producing a concrete paving stone according to the preamble of patent claim 13.

[0002] Generic paving stones are well known in the art. Often, there is a desire to create paving stones with a natural stone appearance.

[0003] Such a paving stone is known, for example, from German utility model DE 81 31 881 U1. This concrete paving stone has a roughly rectangular basic shape and a flank profile that recedes behind the basic shape. The flanks are inclined inward from the supporting surface to the top of the paving stone and, at least at the top, taper off into an irregular contour. This gives the paving stone a soft, natural stone-like contour when viewed from above.

[0004] From the American patent US 8,231,304 B2, an artificial stone is known with a base section, wherein the base section is shaped as a cuboid for a patterned, matching arrangement of the flagstone with similar flagstones. The stone further comprises an upper section with a surface having an irregularly shaped upper contour that differs from the base contour. Furthermore, the stone includes an intermediate section that connects the upper section to the base section. The intermediate section has a sloped wall that extends between the upper section and a side wall of the base section. Stones of this construction can easily be arranged in a regular, repeating pattern to create a continuous coverage of an area. The irregular upper contours of the stones simulate the appearance of natural stone.

[0005] DE 198 01 980 A1 discloses a method and device for producing a shaped block, wherein the shaped block has cavities in the support surface, which can extend either partially or completely over the support surface of the shaped block. As a result, two or more adjacent or adjacent shaped blocks enclose a cavity on the underside of a surface covering, which is intended to accommodate so-called pull rails.

[0006] Although the paving stones known from the state of the art have a natural stone appearance stone by stone, when laid together they still create a very orderly, regular appearance.

[0007] Based on this, the object of the invention is to create concrete paving stones for laying in a bond pattern, which exhibit an irregular, natural stone-like appearance even when laid in a bond pattern. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to create a paving stone pattern with an irregular, natural stone-like appearance and a method for producing such paving stones.

[0008] The object is achieved by a concrete paving stone for laying in a composite according to patent claim 1, a paving bond according to patent claim 10 and a method for producing a concrete paving stone according to patent claim 13.

[0009] The proposal is for a concrete paving stone for laying in a bonded pattern or bonded pattern in a specified grid. Laying paving stones in a bonded pattern in a specified grid simplifies the installation of the paving stones, compared to, for example, laying natural stone, where each stone must be selected individually. It is even possible to have the bonded paving stones laid mechanically in a specified grid.

[0010] The paving stone consists of a paving stone body with an essentially cuboid-shaped lower paving stone section and an adjoining upper paving stone section. The lower paving stone section forms the underside of the stone and the upper paving stone section forms the top side of the stone, with the top side running parallel to the underside of the stone. The underside of the stone has a lower contour formed by four lower side edges and the top side of the stone has an upper contour formed by four upper side edges. The contour is understood to be the outline of the surface of the underside of the stone or the top side of the stone. Since the contour of the underside and the top side of the stone are each formed by four side edges, the underside and the top side of the stone are both square.

[0011] The lower contour is essentially rectangular or square and fits into the specified grid. This is important for easy installation of the paving stones. Fitting into the specified grid still allows for different paving stone formats. For example, the classic Roman bond requires four different paving stone formats, each of which fits into the specified grid.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the invention, the upper contour is designed such that, when projected onto a plane containing the underside of the stone, the upper contour is completely incorporated into the lower contour. This means that the upper contour does not protrude beyond the lower contour. The paving stones are therefore to be laid in a bond according to their lower contour. The joints resulting in the bond between the upper contours of adjacent paving stones are at least as wide as, but usually wider than, the joints between the corresponding lower contours of adjacent paving stones.

[0013] According to the invention, at least one of the upper side edges of the upper contour runs to the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour in such a way that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour encloses an acute angle with the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour. The lower side edge adjacent to an upper side edge is understood to be the lower side edge whose center point is the shortest distance from the center point of the projected upper side edge. An acute angle is an angle greater than 0° but less than 90°. The inventive course of the at least one upper side edge results in an irregularity, at least visually, in a pattern in which the paving stone is laid. This visual irregularity creates the impression of disorder and gives the paving pattern a natural stone-like appearance.The rectangular lower contour still makes it easy to lay the paving stones in a composite pattern and in a specified grid.

[0014] According to the invention, at least one further of the upper side edges of the upper contour extends to the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour in such a way that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour is congruent with the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour or that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour extends parallel to, but offset from, the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour (8).

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, the upper contour is formed in the shape of a quadrilateral that deviates from a rectangular or square shape, i.e., the peripheral shape of the upper contour has four corners but deviates from a rectangular or square shape. This particularly advantageously significantly increases the degree of visual irregularity of a surface covering created using the paving stones according to the invention.

[0016] Particularly preferably, the lower contour and the upper contour are formed asymmetrically to one another, i.e., the peripheral shape of the lower contour differs from the peripheral shape of the upper contour. This further enhances the inventive effect of a visually irregular surface covering made of paving stones.

[0017] Advantageously, two, three or four of the upper side edges of the upper contour run in relation to the adjacent lower side edges of the lower contour in such a way that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour forms an acute angle with the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour. Different variations are possible, for example in the direction in which the upper side edge is turned or twisted compared to the lower side edge. The fact that two, three or four of the upper side edges run in this way increases the irregularity of the paving stone and thus the joints between paving stones in the bond. This results in a particularly natural stone-like appearance.

[0018] It is advantageous if exactly two of the upper side edges of the upper contour extend to the adjacent lower side edges of the lower contour in such a way that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour forms an acute angle with the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour, and these two upper side edges are adjacent side edges or opposite side edges. Here, too, the use of both variants results in increased irregularity of the paving stones in the bond, which enhances the natural stone-like appearance.

[0019] It is advantageous if each additional upper side edge of the upper contour runs to the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour in such a way that at least one projected upper side edge of the upper contour is congruent with the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour, or that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour runs parallel to, but offset from, the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour, or that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour encloses a predetermined angle of inclination with the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour. These simple options result in a large number of variations of the paving stones. The different variations encourage the irregularity between the paving stones, but limiting the options to the three upper side edges offers the viewer a pleasing overall appearance.

[0020] The specified angle of inclination is advantageously between 2° and 5°, preferably between 3° and 4°, and particularly preferably approximately 3.5°. Angles of inclination smaller than the specified range result in a barely noticeable or only slightly noticeable effect, thus compromising the natural stone appearance. Angles of inclination larger than the specified range, however, result in very wide joints, which are no longer visually appealing and impair the walkability or drivability of the paving.

[0021] It is advantageous if the upper paving stone section is essentially delimited by the stone top, the rectangular boundary between the upper paving stone section and the lower paving stone section, and four flanks, wherein each flank preferably has four corners and is a flat quadrilateral or an oblique quadrilateral consisting of two connected triangles. The first case, in which the flank is a flat quadrilateral, occurs when the four corners of the flank lie in one plane. Then, one of the edges of the flat quadrilateral coincides with one of the edges of the stone top, and another of the edges of the flat quadrilateral coincides with one of the edges of the rectangular boundary between the upper paving stone section and the lower paving stone section.If, however, the four corners of the flank do not lie in a plane, then the flank is an oblique quadrilateral, which also does not lie in a plane and is formed from two connected plane triangles. One edge of one triangle therefore coincides with an edge of the other triangle. Furthermore, one of the edges of one triangle coincides with one of the edges of the top of the paving stone, and one of the edges of the other triangle coincides with one of the edges of the rectangular boundary surface between the upper and lower paving stone sections. Given the four corners of the oblique quadrilateral, there are two different ways of selecting the triangles: so that the oblique quadrilateral forms a concave flank or a convex flank of the upper paving stone section. Due to the less sharp transitions between the boundary surfaces, the variant in which the oblique quadrilateral forms a convex flank is preferable here.By forming the flanks as flat and / or slanted rectangles, the number of surfaces bordering the upper paving stone section is kept to a minimum. This facilitates the production of the paving stones and avoids unnecessary lateral depressions and / or elevations.

[0022] It is advantageous if the paving stone has a vertical line that is perpendicular to both the top and bottom of the stone, and at least one of the flanks is designed such that the plane containing the flat quadrilateral or one of the triangles of the flank intersects the vertical line. This means that at least one flank or part of a flank of the paving stone is not vertically aligned. The angled alignment of the flank or part of the flank results in a widened joint to the adjacent paving stone, which enhances the natural stone-like appearance of the paving pattern.

[0023] Advantageously, the lower paving stone section consists of core concrete, while the upper paving stone section consists of core concrete in a lower section and facing concrete in an upper section. Only the uppermost section of the paving stone consists of facing concrete, while the rest consists of core concrete. The core concrete is designed to withstand the expected load on the paving stone, while the facing concrete determines the surface finish, for example, in terms of appearance and / or grip.

[0024] It is advantageous if the lower paving stone section is defined by the underside of the stone, the interface between the upper and lower paving stone sections, and four peripheral sides, and if the paving stone body has spacer elements on at least two of the peripheral sides. The spacer elements can be brought into contact with spacer elements or peripheral sides of the adjacent paving stones, whereby the spacing between the lower paving stone sections in the paving bond is precisely defined. By varying the depth of the spacer elements, i.e. by varying the distance created by the spacer elements, the joints between the lower paving stone sections and thus the joints between the stone tops are also varied, which in turn emphasizes the irregularity of the paving bond and thus the natural stone-like appearance.

[0025] Furthermore, a paving pattern is proposed, comprising a large number of paving stones to be laid in a grid pattern. Laying paving stones in a pattern according to a predetermined grid pattern simplifies the laying of the paving stones, for example compared to laying natural stone, where each stone has to be selected individually. It is even possible to have paving stones laid in a pattern according to a predetermined grid pattern by machine. Different paving stone formats are possible, provided they fit into the grid pattern. For example, the classic Roman pattern requires four different paving stone formats. A paving pattern with different paving stone formats appears more natural than a strictly regular paving pattern with only one type of paving stone.

[0026] According to the invention, at least one of the paving stones is designed according to the preceding description. At least one of the upper side edges of the upper contour of this paving stone thus runs to the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour in such a way that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour forms an acute angle with the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour. This course of the side edge results in an irregularity in the paving pattern, which creates the impression of disorder and gives the paving pattern a natural stone-like appearance. However, the paving stones are still easy to lay because they fit into the specified grid dimension. This creates a natural stone-like appearance without the difficulties associated with laying real natural stone.

[0027] Advantageously, at least two of the paving stones have different lower contours, meaning that at least two different paving stone formats are provided that fit into the specified grid. Different paving stone formats break up the appearance of the paving pattern and enhance the natural stone look. With four different lower contours, meaning four different paving stone formats, the classic Roman pattern can be laid, for example. Particularly preferred are several paving stones in a pattern that have different upper contours, each of which is asymmetrical to the respective lower contour of the paving stone.

[0028] It is advantageous if at least two of the paving stones are designed in such a way that their paving stone bodies have spacers on at least two of their peripheral sides, and these spacers are different from each other. This creates joints of varying width between the stone surfaces of adjacent paving stones, further enhancing the natural stone-like appearance of the paving pattern.

[0029] It is advantageous if the paving pattern is a braided pattern and / or a Roman pattern. Alternating paving stones of different sizes in these patterns also creates an irregularity that enhances the natural stone appearance of the paving pattern.

[0030] Furthermore, a method for producing a paving stone from concrete is proposed. A formwork is provided that defines a cavity, wherein the cavity comprises a stone body section corresponding to the paving stone body of the paving stone. The formwork can be provided in various forms known to those skilled in the art. As usual, it acts as a negative for the paving stone body of the paving stone. To produce the paving stone from concrete, concrete is then poured into the formwork, the concrete is compacted and cured, and the formwork is removed from the concrete.

[0031] According to the invention, the paving stone is designed as described above. This means that the stone body section of the cavity, which is delimited by the formwork, is designed such that the paving stone resulting after the hardened concrete has been removed from the formwork consists of a paving stone body with a substantially cuboid-shaped lower paving stone section and an adjoining upper paving stone section. The lower paving stone section forms the underside of the stone and the upper paving stone section forms the top side of the stone, with the top side of the stone running parallel to the underside of the stone. The underside of the stone has a lower contour formed by four lower side edges and the top side of the stone has an upper contour formed by four upper side edges, with the lower contour being substantially rectangular or square and fitting into a predetermined grid dimension.The upper contour is designed in such a way that when the upper contour is projected into a plane containing the underside of the stone, the upper contour is completely incorporated in the lower contour and at least one of the upper side edges of the upper contour runs to the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour in such a way that the projected upper side edge of the upper contour forms an acute angle with the adjacent lower side edge of the lower contour. The irregularity of the resulting paving stone creates the impression of disorder and gives the paving pattern an appearance similar to natural stone. The rectangular contour of the lower paving stone section nevertheless allows the paving stones to be laid easily. According to the method according to the invention, the paving stone is manufactured in one piece, i.e. after its manufacture it already has an upper contour that is different from the lower contour.This is particularly advantageous as it eliminates the need for reworking a "paving stone blank" to produce an upper contour that differs from the lower contour.

[0032] Advantageously, the cavity further comprises an insertion section, which adjoins the block body section and, in particular, has the shape of a prism with a base area corresponding to the top of the block. The concrete can be poured into the formwork via the insertion section, thus preventing, for example, overflow of the concrete, even if only slightly more concrete is poured than fits into the cavity. Furthermore, the concrete can be compacted with a stamp, with the stamp flush with the insertion section. The stamp therefore preferably also has a base area corresponding to the top of the block and thus fits precisely into the insertion section.

[0033] It is also advantageous to first pour core concrete into the formwork. The core concrete provides the necessary load-bearing capacity for the paving stone, but can be relatively coarse, as it will not be visible later. The core concrete is then preferably pre-compacted, for example, by vibrating. Subsequently, face concrete is poured into the formwork, which is responsible for the desired surface appearance and texture of the paving stone. After the face concrete is poured, the concrete is compacted and then cured.

[0034] The terms "approximately," "essentially," or "about" within the meaning of the invention mean deviations from the exact value of + / - 10%, preferably + / - 5%, and / or deviations in the form of functionally insignificant changes. Further developments, advantages, and possible applications of the invention will also become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and the figures. All described and / or illustrated features, individually or in any combination, are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their reference back to them. The content of the claims is also incorporated into the description.

[0035] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the figures. They show: Fig. 1a a perspective view of a paving stone, Fig. 1b a top view of the paving stone from Figure 1a, Fig. 1c a longitudinal section through the paving stone from Figures 1a and 1b , Fig. 1 shows the lower contour and upper contour of the paving stone from Figures 1a to 1c , Fig. 2a - 2dLongitudinal sections through the paving stone from Figures 1a - 1d at various steps of its manufacture, Fig. 3a - 3d representations of the lower contour and upper contour of various embodiments of a paving stone, Fig. 3e - 3h representations of the lower contour and upper contour in non-inventive embodiments of a paving stone, Fig. 4a - 4d representations of the lower contour and upper contour of various further embodiments of a paving stone, Fig. 5 a plan view of a paving pattern, Fig. 6a a plan view of a further embodiment of a paving stone and Fig. 6b a longitudinal section through the paving stone from Figure 6a .

[0036] Identical reference numerals are used in the figures for identical or similarly functioning elements of the invention. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only those reference numerals are shown in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure.

[0037] Figure 1a shows a perspective view of a paving stone 1. The paving stone 1 consists of a paving stone body 2, which comprises a lower paving stone section 3 and an adjoining upper paving stone section 4. The interface 5 between the lower paving stone section 3 and the upper paving stone section 4 is shown as a dashed line.

[0038] The lower paving stone section 3 is essentially cuboid or cube-shaped. A stone underside 6, formed by the lower paving stone section 3, is bordered by four lower side edges 7, which form a substantially rectangular lower contour 8. If the four lower side edges 7 are of equal length, the lower contour 8 is square.

[0039] The dimensions of the lower contour 8 are selected such that the paving stone 1 can be laid in a predetermined grid dimension. Different shapes and sizes of the lower contour 8 fit a predetermined grid dimension. For example, to lay a classic Roman pattern, paving stones 1 with four different formats and thus four different lower contours 8 are required. Because the lower paving stone section 3 is cuboid-shaped and has a lower contour 8 that matches the predetermined grid dimension, laying the paving stone 1 is not, or only slightly, more difficult than laying an overall cuboid-shaped paving stone. It is even conceivable to lay the paving stone 1 mechanically and / or using a robot.

[0040] The upper paving stone section 4 forms the stone top 9 of the paving stone 1, which is visible after laying the paving stone 1 and is walked on and / or driven over. The stone top 9 is limited by four upper side edges 10, which form a quadrangular upper contour 11. The stone top 9 is also in the Figure 1b This is clearly visible in the exemplary top view of paving stone 1. Furthermore, Figure 1d the lower contour 8 and a projection of the upper contour 11 into a plane containing the stone's underside 6. The lower contour 8 is shown as a dashed line, and the projected upper contour 11 is shown as a solid line. Where the lower contour 8 coincides with the projected upper contour 11, only the solid line is shown.

[0041] The projected upper contour 11 is completely incorporated into the lower contour 8, i.e., the upper contour 11 does not protrude beyond the lower contour 8. The paving stones 1 can therefore be laid in a bond according to their lower contour 8. The joints resulting in the bond between the upper contours 11 of adjacent paving stones 1 are at least as wide as, but usually wider than, the joints between the corresponding lower contours 8 of adjacent paving stones 1.

[0042] Furthermore, one of the upper side edges 10 - in Figures 1b and 1dthe left upper side edge 10 - in such a way that the projected upper side edge 10 forms an acute angle α with the adjacent lower side edge 7. The lower side edge 7 adjacent to an upper side edge 10 is understood to be the lower side edge 7 whose center point is the shortest distance from the center point of the projected upper side edge 10. In the case that a projected upper side edge 10 coincides with a lower side edge 7, this lower side edge 7 is also the adjacent lower side edge 7 to the upper side edge 10.

[0043] The acute angle α is greater than 0° but less than 90°. Preferably, however, the acute angle α corresponds to a predetermined angle of inclination which is between 2° and 5°, preferably between 3° and 4° and particularly preferably about 3.5°. In the figures (except Figure 5) the acute angle α is shown greatly enlarged to improve visibility.

[0044] The course of the upper side edge 10, the projection of which forms an acute angle α with the adjacent lower side edge 7, results in an irregularity in a pattern in which the paving stone 1 is laid. If further paving stones 1 in the pattern also have upper side edges 10 that run to the adjacent lower side edges 7 in such a way that the projected upper side edges 10 form acute angles α with the lower side edges 7, many such irregularities arise, creating the impression of disorder and giving the paving pattern a natural stone-like appearance. The lower contours 8 of the paving stones 1 are rectangular, allowing for easy laying of the paving stones 1.

[0045] The upper paving stone section 4 is bounded by the stone top 9, the boundary surface 5 between the upper paving stone section 4 and the lower paving stone section 3, and four flanks 14. The flanks 14 have four corners. Depending on the shape of the upper side edges 10, the flanks 14 are flat quadrilaterals 15 or oblique quadrilaterals 16. Oblique quadrilaterals 16 are quadrilaterals whose four corners do not lie in one plane. The oblique quadrilaterals 16 are formed from two connected flat triangles 17. In principle, two different configurations are conceivable, so that the upper paving stone section 4 is concave or convex in the area of ​​the oblique quadrilateral 16. To avoid sharp edges, the Figure 1a shown configuration was chosen, in which the upper paving stone section 4 is convex.

[0046] One triangle 17 is parallel to a vertical V, which is perpendicular to the stone top 9 and the stone bottom 6. The other triangle 17, however, lies in a plane that intersects the vertical V. The oblique alignment of this part of the flank 14 results in a widened joint to the adjacent paving stone 1 in the paving pattern, which supports the natural stone-like appearance of the paving pattern.

[0047] Figure 1c shows a longitudinal section through the paving stone 1 along the Figure 1b shown line A - A'. The interface 5 between the lower paving stone section 3 and the upper paving stone section 4 is again shown as a dashed line. As in Figure 1cAs shown, the entire lower paving stone section 3 as well as a lower area of ​​the upper paving stone section 4 consists of core concrete 12, while an upper area of ​​the upper paving stone section 4 consists of facing concrete 13. The core concrete 12 is designed for the expected load on the paving stone 1, while the facing concrete 13 determines the properties of the stone's upper surface 9, for example with regard to its appearance and / or grip.

[0048] Figures 2a to 2d show longitudinal sections through the paving stone 1 from Figures 1a to 1d at various stages of its production. First, as in Figure 2aAs shown, a formwork 18 is provided which delimits a cavity 19. The cavity 19 comprises a stone body section 19.1, which corresponds to the paving stone body 2 of the paving stone 1. This means that the formwork 18 is the negative for the paving stone body 2. Adjoining the stone body section 19.1 is an insertion section 19.2 of the cavity 19, through which concrete is introduced into the formwork 18 and which is also important for compacting the concrete. The insertion section 19.2 has the shape of a prism, wherein the base area of ​​the prism corresponds to the top surface 9 of the stone.

[0049] Core concrete 12 is first introduced into the formwork 18. The formwork 18 with the introduced core concrete 12 is in Figure 2b Preferably, the core concrete 12 is then pre-compacted. Subsequently, facing concrete 13 is introduced into the formwork 18, whereby the formwork 18 with the introduced facing concrete 13 is Figure 2cAs an alternative to the use of core concrete 12 and facing concrete 13, only one type of concrete can be used. This affects the quality, appearance, and / or price of paving stone 1.

[0050] The concrete placed in the formwork 18 is then compacted. This is preferably done by means of a stamp 20, as shown in Figure 2d The stamp 20 fits snugly against the insertion section 19.2. This means that the base area of ​​the stamp 20 also corresponds to the top surface 9 of the stone. The underside of the stamp 20 can be smooth, have corners that round off the edges of the paving stone 1, and / or have a pattern that imparts a corresponding pattern to the top surface 9 of the stone. Finally, after the concrete has been compacted and hardened, the formwork 18 is removed from the concrete or from the finished paving stone 1.

[0051] The Figures 3a to 3hshow, for example, representations of the lower contour 8 and projected upper contour 11 of various embodiments of a paving stone 1. The lower contour 8, which is shown in dashed lines, is in the Figures 3a to 3h The same. However, corresponding embodiments of paving stones 1 can also be applied to paving stones 1 with other lower contours 8, in particular to paving stones 1 with square lower contours 8.

[0052] In Figures 3a and 3b three of the projected upper side edges 10 coincide with the adjacent lower side edges 7. The fourth projected upper side edge 10 forms an acute angle α with the adjacent lower side edge 7, wherein the acute angle α is shown enlarged in the figures and should be between 2° and 5°, preferably between 3° and 4°, particularly preferably approximately 3.5°. Figure 3athe lower side edge 7 adjacent to the fourth projected upper side edge 10 is a short edge of the rectangle, in Figure 3b a long edge of the rectangle.

[0053] Figures 3c and 3d show two embodiments of paving stones 1, in which exactly two of the projected upper side edges 10 enclose an acute angle α with the adjacent lower side edges 7. In Figure 3c These are upper side edges 10, which adjoin each other at a corner, in Figure 3d they are opposite upper side edges 10.

[0054] The Figures 3e and 3fThe paving stones 1 shown, not according to the invention, have exactly three upper side edges 10, which are formed such that the projected upper side edge 10 forms an acute angle α with the adjacent lower side edge 7. Various variations are possible here, in particular with regard to the direction of rotation in which the projected upper side edge 10 is rotated with respect to the adjacent lower side edge 7.

[0055] Furthermore, Figures 3g and 3h Paving stones 1 further embodiments not according to the invention with exactly four upper side edges 10, which are designed such that the projected upper side edge 10 forms an acute angle α with the adjacent lower side edge 7. Here too, various variations are possible, for example, as in Figure 3gshown, the upper contour 11 may be a rectangle that is rotated compared to the lower contour 8. However, the upper contour 11 may also be an asymmetrical quadrilateral, as shown for example in Figure 3h shown.

[0056] The Figures 4a to 4d The embodiments of a paving stone 1 shown have, in addition to upper side edges 10 which are designed such that the projected upper side edge 10 forms an acute angle α with the adjacent lower side edge 7, and / or upper side edges 10 which are designed such that the projected upper side edge 10 coincides with the adjacent lower side edge 7, also upper side edges 10 which are designed such that the projected upper side edge 10 runs parallel to, but offset from, the adjacent lower side edge 7. In Figures 4a and 4d two projected upper side edges 10 run parallel, but shifted to the adjacent lower side edge 7, in Figures 4b and 4cthis is only a projected upper side edge 10. Here, too, a wide variety of variants are conceivable.

[0057] Paving stones 1 of the Figures 3a to 3h and 4a to 4d They can be laid in a paving pattern, even in combination with conventional paving stones whose lower contours also fit the grid dimensions. Such a paving pattern has a natural stone-like appearance due to its irregularities.

[0058] A plan view of such a plaster bandage 21 is shown in Figure 5 shown. This paving pattern 21 is a braided pattern with three different formats, i.e., with three different lower contours 8. The paving stones 1 are formed according to the previous description. The differently thick, partially tapered joints 22 between the individual paving stones 1 result in the natural stone-like appearance of the paving pattern 21.

[0059] Finally, show Figures 6a and 6b a plan view of or a longitudinal section through a further embodiment of a paving stone 1. The paving stone body 2 of this paving stone 1 has spacer elements 24 on two of the four circumferential sides 23, which together with the stone underside 6 and the boundary surface 5 delimit the lower paving stone section 3. The spacer elements 24 are arranged on two adjacent circumferential sides 23 and are made in one piece with the paving stone body 2. When laying paving stones 1 with spacer elements 24, these are laid in such a way that the spacer elements 24 touch the lower paving stone sections 3 of the adjacent paving stones 1. By varying the thickness of the spacer elements 24, joints 22 of different widths can also be achieved between the paving stones 1. This can further enhance the natural stone-like impression of the paving pattern 21.

[0060] The invention has been described above using exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention and defined in the patent claims. List of reference symbols

[0061] 1 Paving stone 2 Paving stone body 3 Lower paving stone section 4 Upper paving stone section 5 Boundary surface 6 Stone underside 7 Lower side edge 8 Lower contour 9 Stone top 10 Upper side edge 11 Upper contour 12 Core concrete 13 Face concrete 14 Flank 15 Flat quadrilateral 16 Oblique quadrilateral 17 Triangle 18 Formwork 19 Cavity 19.1 Stone body section 19.2 Installation section 20 Stamp 21 Paving bond 22 Joint 23 Perimeter side 24 Spacer element α Acute angle A - A' Section line V Vertical

Claims

1. Paving block made of concrete (12; 13) for laying in bond in a predefined grid dimension, consisting of a paving block body (2) having a substantially cuboid lower paving block portion (3) and an adjoining upper paving block portion (4), wherein the lower paving block portion (3) forms the block underside (6), and the upper paving block portion (4) forms the block top side (9), wherein the block top side (9) runs parallel to the block underside (6), wherein the block underside (6) comprises a lower contour (8) formed by lower side edges (7), and the block top side (9) comprises an upper contour (11) formed by four upper side edges (10), wherein at least one of the upper side edges (10) of the upper contour (11) runs relative to the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8) such that an upper side edge (10) of the upper contour (11), when projected into a plane containing the block underside (6), encloses an acute angle (α) with the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8), characterised in that the lower contour (8) is formed by four lower side edges (7), wherein the lower contour (8) is substantially rectangular or square and fits into the predefined grid dimension, in that the upper contour (11) is designed such that, when the upper contour (11) is projected into a plane containing the block underside (6), the upper contour (11) is completely accommodated in the lower contour (8), in that at least one further of the upper side edges (10) of the upper contour (11) runs relative to the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8) such that the projected upper side edge (10) of the upper contour (11) is congruent with the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8), or that the projected upper side edge (10) of the upper contour (11) runs parallel but shifted relative to the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8).

2. Paving block according to claim 1, characterised in that two, three or four of the upper side edges (10) of the upper contour (11) run relative to the adjacent lower side edges (7) of the lower contour (8) such that the projected upper side edge (10) of the upper contour (11) encloses an acute angle (α) with the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8), and / or that the upper contour (11) is in the form of a quadrilateral deviating from the rectangle shape or square shape.

3. Paving block according to claim 2, characterised in that exactly two of the upper side edges (10) of the upper contour (11) run relative to the adjacent lower side edges (7) of the lower contour (8) such that the projected upper side edge (10) of the upper contour (11) encloses an acute angle (α) with the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8), and these two upper side edges (10) are adjacent side edges (10) or mutually opposing side edges (10).

4. Paving block according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that each further one of the upper side edges (10) of the upper contour (11) runs relative to the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8) such that the projected upper side edge (10) of the upper contour (11) is congruent with the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8), or in that the projected upper side edge (10) of the upper contour (11) runs parallel but shifted relative to the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8), or in that the projected upper side edge (10) of the upper contour (11) encloses a predefined inclination angle with the adjacent lower side edge (7) of the lower contour (8).

5. Paving block according to claim 4, characterised in that the predefined inclination angle is between 2° and 5°, preferably between 3° and 4°, particularly preferably approximately 3.5°.

6. Paving block according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the upper paving block portion (4) is delimited substantially by the block top side (9), a rectangular boundary face (5) between the upper paving block portion (4) and the lower paving block portion (3), and four flanks (14), wherein each flank (14) preferably comprises four corners and is an even quadrilateral (15) or an oblique quadrilateral (16) consisting of two cohesive triangles (17).

7. Paving block according to claim 6, characterised in that the paving block (1) comprises a vertical (V) standing perpendicularly on the block top side (9) and the block underside (6), and at least one of the flanks (14) is designed such that the plane in which the even quadrilateral (15) or one of the triangles (17) of the flank (14) lies, intersects the vertical (V).

8. Paving block according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the lower paving block portion (3) consists of core concrete (12), and the upper paving block portion (4) consists of core concrete (12) in a lower region and of face concrete (13) in an upper region, and / or in that the lower contour (8) and the upper contour (11) are asymmetrical to one another.

9. Paving block according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the lower paving block portion (3) is delimited by the block underside (6), the boundary face (5) between the upper paving block portion (4) and the lower paving block portion (3), and four perimeter sides (23), and the paving block body (2) comprises spacer elements (24) on at least two of the perimeter sides (23).

10. Paving arrangement comprising a plurality of paving blocks (1) to be laid in a grid dimension, characterised in that at least one of the paving blocks (1) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Paving arrangement according to claim 10, characterised in that at least two of the paving blocks (1) have different lower contours (8), and / or in that at least two of the paving blocks (1) are designed according to claim 9 and comprise different spacer elements (24).

12. Paving arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the paving bond (21) is a braided arrangement and / or a Roman arrangement.

13. Method for producing a paving block (1) from concrete (12; 13), wherein a formwork (18) is provided, which delimits a cavity (19), wherein the cavity (19) comprises a block body portion (19.1) that corresponds to the paving block body (2) of the paving block (1); concrete (12; 13) is introduced into the formwork (18); the concrete (12; 13) is compacted and set; and the formwork (18) is removed from the concrete (12; 13), characterised in that the paving block (1) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 9.

14. Method according to claim 13, characterised in that the cavity (19) also comprises an introduction portion (19.2), which adjoins the block body portion (19.1) and in particular comprises the shape of a prism with a base face that corresponds to the block top side (9), wherein the concrete (12; 13) is introduced via the introduction portion (19.2) into the formwork (18), and / or the concrete (12; 13) is compacted with a stamp (20), wherein the stamp (20) terminates with the introduction portion (19.2).

15. Method according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that first core concrete (12) is introduced into the formwork (18), the core concrete (12) is preferably pre-compacted, and then face concrete (13) is introduced into the formwork (18).