CONNECTORS FOR TWO COMPONENTS, ESPECIALLY WOODEN COMPONENTS

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector for two components, in particular wooden components. The connector comprises two fittings, each of which has a mounting side for mounting on one of the components and a contact side opposite the mounting side for contact with the other of the components. The two fittings can be hooked into one another at an end face connecting the mounting and contact sides. For this purpose, the end face has a shoulder flush with the contact side over its entire length running along the contact side, the width of which shoulder in the orthogonal direction to the contact side corresponds essentially to half the width of the end face.

[0002] Connectors of this type are particularly suitable for constructing heavy-duty connections in timber engineering, for example, for connecting main, secondary, or cross beams, transverse beams, trusses, columns, posts, walls, or the like. The fittings are made of metal, e.g., high-strength aluminum or steel, and the components to be connected are made of wood, particularly glued laminated timber (GLT), laminated beams, etc. At least one of the components can alternatively be made of concrete, stone, masonry, or even metal. For example, EP 3 985 189 A1 shows a connector with a similar shoulder on its front face.

[0003] Although the fittings of such connectors are usually high-strength, they are hardly elastic, so they are prone to breaking under strong load impacts, such as during an earthquake or a sudden load spike. Frequent alternating loads, even of a minor magnitude, can lead to fatigue fractures. Because the fittings are often screwed to their respective components multiple times, this does not always lead to immediate failure of the connector, but it does significantly weaken the connection, often unnoticed, leading to subsequent complete failure.

[0004] The invention aims to create a connector for a particularly durable connection of components, even under high alternating and peak loads on the components.

[0005] This aim is achieved with a connector of the type mentioned in the introduction, which is characterized according to the invention in that the fittings are made of wood, preferably of plywood, or of a wood-plastic composite material and each fitting has one or more generally cylindrical blind holes on its contact side, wherein the connector further comprises, for each blind hole, a shaped piece for removable insertion into the blind hole, which has a base surface, a cover surface parallel thereto, a substantially generally cylindrical outer surface connecting these two and an oblique bore for a mounting screw passing through the shaped piece at an acute angle to the base and cover surface.

[0006] When hooked together, the aforementioned end faces of the fittings are placed on top of each other, with the aforementioned shoulders engaging behind each other, resulting in a secure connection of the components. Despite their respective strengths, wood or wood-plastic composites (with plywood achieving particularly high strength values) are also elastic, so that fatigue phenomena and fractures are significantly less likely, and large load shocks are dampened, which significantly reduces the risk of fracture and extends the service life of the connector and the connection. Wood-plastic composites ("HKV", also "wood-plastic composites" or "WPC") are made from wood – usually wood flour – and plastics, as well as additives, including flame retardants, and are processed in a similar way to plastics.

[0007] Even though metal fittings are generally more durable, it should be noted that for fire protection reasons, metal fittings usually require fireproof cladding. When joining wooden components, cladding is usually achieved by countersinking the fittings, thus protecting them from heat and fire by the surrounding wood of the wooden components. On the one hand, countersinking complicates installation, and on the other hand, the cladding reduces the possible size of the fittings: the fittings must be smaller than the contact surfaces of the components by the thickness of the cladding. In contrast, wooden or HKV fittings can utilize the entire contact surfaces and are therefore larger than metal fittings for the same components, which benefits their strength.

[0008] The fittings could also be made of wood or HKV or of conventional plastic, e.g., a fiber-reinforced plastic. Preferably, however, each fitting is made of metal, particularly preferably steel. This design utilizes the strength of metal, especially steel. The solid metal fittings result in particularly good force transmission between the mounting screws and the fitting. Since each fitting is individually inserted into a blind hole in the (elastic) fitting in the installed position, the risk of breakage is extremely low, even under very high loads or due to fatigue.

[0009] To achieve good fire resistance of the connector, it is advantageous if each of the blind holes of each fitting has a minimum distance of 2 cm, preferably between 4 and 6.5 cm, from the circumference of its contact side. By selecting the minimum distance, any fire protection requirements can be easily met.

[0010] The fittings can be used with shaped pieces that vary in the size of the acute angle, as required, e.g., to accommodate different grain directions of wooden components. To facilitate rapid on-site assembly, however, it is advantageous if each of the blind holes in each fitting has a hole that extends through the mounting side, angled toward the aforementioned end face of the fitting. This hole is positioned and aligned in such a way that when a shaped piece is inserted, its angled hole can be aligned with it. This also facilitates the correct screwing in of the mounting screws.

[0011] Depending on the material and the load on the components, e.g., the wood grain direction of wooden components, the specified acute angle is preferably between 15° and 60°, particularly preferably between 25° and 50°. This results in a reliable, secure connection between the components.

[0012] To ensure even force transfer from one component to the other, it is advantageous for each fitting to have at least two blind holes. These blind holes are arranged mirror-symmetrically to an axis of the contact side that is orthogonal to and bisects the aforementioned end face. A larger number of mounting screws not only transfers forces more evenly to the respective component, but in the case of a wooden component, also strengthens the wood in the area of ​​the fittings.

[0013] It is also advantageous if each fitting has a central bore on the said end face, orthogonal to the end face, into which a pin or screw can be inserted. The fittings are thus secured against slipping along the shoulder, i.e. parallel to both the end face and the contact side. If the pin (or screw) is inserted into the bore of a fitting before the fittings are hooked together, it also has a centering effect when hooked together. Alternatively, in an advantageous embodiment, the pin or screw can only be inserted after hooking, for which purpose at least one of the fittings is completely penetrated by the said bore.

[0014] It is particularly advantageous if the width of the shoulder on the end face of each fitting decreases with increasing height, and at half height corresponds to half the width of the end face. The contact surfaces of the shoulders that come into contact when the two fittings are hooked together are thus angled, in such a way that the components are pulled together when hooked together. This simplifies hooking and ensures that the components fit together securely.

[0015] To protect the fittings from sharp-edged stress, the angled bore of each fitting preferably extends through its base without touching the edge between the base and the outer surface. This edge thus runs around the base of the fitting without any angular or sharp-edged interruptions, thus resting gently in the blind hole even under high tensile loads from the fitting's mounting screw.

[0016] It is advantageous if the fittings are flush with the contact side after insertion into the blind holes. For this purpose, the blind holes have a depth that corresponds to the thickness of the fittings from their base to their top surfaces. This allows the contact side to fully abut the other component after assembly, thus stabilizing the connection. On the other hand, no installation space is left unused and the strength of the fittings is not reduced by excessively deep blind holes.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, each fitting can be positively received in the blind hole, and the blind hole has a recess for screwing in the mounting screw in an area facing away from the aforementioned end face. The blind hole is thus adapted to the generally cylindrical shape of the fitting, and the fitting rests against the blind hole with its base and, to a large extent, its lateral surfaces, resulting in good force transmission from the mounting screw via the fitting into the blind hole and the fitting. Nevertheless, the mounting screw can be screwed in unhindered.

[0018] It is also advantageous if the base of each fitting is round. A complementary blind hole in the fitting is particularly easy to create by milling or drilling. Furthermore, the force transfer from a round fitting to the fitting is particularly uniform, as local force peaks that would occur, for example, at the corners of a square fitting are avoided.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, each fitting is penetrated by at least one straight hole for a tension screw, orthogonal to the mounting side and adjacent to the aforementioned end face. Such straight tension screws are screwed in before the angled mounting screws when mounting a fitting to the component, thereby significantly facilitating the angled screwing without offsetting the fitting to the component and ensuring correct seating. Furthermore, the tension screw, which is subjected to a purely tensile load, prevents the fitting from lifting off the component when tensile load is applied between the two components.

[0020] To further increase the strength of the connection, it is advantageous if the connector also has at least two additional holes flanking the angled hole of each fitting, penetrating the fitting approximately orthogonally to the base and top surfaces, each for an additional screw. These additional screws help strengthen the components, especially wooden components, in the area of ​​the fittings.

[0021] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to examples shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: the Fig 1a und 1b a connector according to the invention with two components to be connected in a non-connected (Fig. la) and a connected position ( Fig. 1b ), each in a perspective view from the front; the Fig. 2a und 2b a fitting of the connector according to the invention in a perspective view from the front ( Fig. 2a ) or from behind ( Fig. 2b ); Fig. 3 a shaped piece of the connector according to the invention for the fittings of the Fig. 2a und 2b in a perspective view from above; Fig. 4 a variant of the fitting of the Fig. 2a und 2b with mounting screws inserted in perspective view from behind; Fig. 5 a variant of the connector according to the invention in the connected position without the components in a perspective view from the front; Fig. 6 a variant of the shaped part of the connector according to the invention in a perspective view from above; and Fig. 7 a further variant of the connector according to the invention with inserted fittings in connected position without the components according to Fig. 6 in a perspective view from the front.

[0022] The Fig. 1a und 1b show a connector 1 for two components 2, 3. One component 2 is, for example, a column, a wall, or similar, here: a post. The other component 3 is, for example, a main, secondary, or cross member, a transverse beam, a truss, or similar, here: a beam. The components to be connected are made of wood, in particular glued laminated timber (GLT), laminated beams, etc. At least one of the components is optionally made of another material, for example, concrete, stone, masonry, or even metal.

[0023] The connector 1 comprises two fittings 4, 5 made of wood, optionally plywood, or wood-plastic composite. Wood-plastic composites ("WPC"), also known as "wood-plastic composites" ("WPC") or "wood (fiber)-polymer composites," are made of wood—usually wood flour—and plastics, as well as additives (here: particularly flame retardants) and can be processed in a similar way to plastics. It is understood that, optionally, one of the two fittings 4, 5 could be made of wood and the other of WPC.

[0024] Each fitting 4, 5 has the shape of an optionally rectangular plate with a (in the Fig. 1a und 1b not visible) mounting side 6 ( Fig. 2b ), a contact side 7 opposite the mounting side 6 and a front side 8 connecting the mounting and contact sides 6, 7; in the case of the rectangular shape, the fittings 4, 5 also have two lateral sides 9 and a further front side 8* opposite the said front side 8, which is not of further interest here, which each connect the mounting and contact sides 6, 7. Each fitting 4, 5 is mounted with its mounting side 6 on one of the components 2, 3, ie in the example of the Fig. 1a the left fitting 4 with its mounting side 6 on the left component 2 and the right fitting 5 with its mounting side 6 on the right component 3.

[0025] At the mentioned front side 8, which is in Fig. 1a on the left fitting 4 at the top and on the right fitting 5 at the bottom, the two fittings 4, 5 can be hooked into each other. In the hooked position ( Fig. 1b ) the contact sides 7 of each fitting 4, 5 rest on the other of the components 3, 2, ie on that component 3, 2 on which the fitting 4, 5 is not mounted.

[0026] In the Fig. 2a und 2b only one of the components 4, 5 (here: component 4) is shown, since the two fittings 4, 5 in this example are identical. According to the Fig. 1a, 1b , 2a und 2b In order to hook them together, the end face 8 of each of the fittings 4, 5 has, over its entire length L running along the contact side 7 - which also corresponds to the width of the contact side 7 - a shoulder 10 of height H which is flush with the contact side 7; as a result, the contact side 7 at the end face 8 projects beyond the mounting side 6 by the height H of the shoulder 10. The width B of the shoulder 10, i.e. its extension in the orthogonal direction RN to the contact side 7, essentially corresponds to half the width w of the end face 8, i.e. half of its extension W in the same direction. The said end face 8 thus has a higher half (by the height H) bordering the contact side 7 and a lower half bordering the mounting side 6.As a result, when mounting one fitting 4 (with its front side facing upwards) on one component 2 and the other fitting 5 (with its front side facing downwards) on the other component 3, an undercut is created behind the shoulders 10, into which undercuts the shoulders 10 engage when hooked into one another and thus connect the components to one another.

[0027] The fact that the width B of the shoulder 10 "essentially" corresponds to half the width w of the end face 8 means that with increasing height of the shoulder 10, its width optionally decreases and, at half height h, corresponds to half the width w of the end face 8. In this case, the mutual contact surface 10' of the shoulders 10 of the two fittings 4, 5 is inclined, so that the fittings 4, 5 are aligned when hooked into each other and the components 2, 3 are pulled together.

[0028] For mounting on the respective component 2, 3, each fitting 4, 5 has a single or several generally cylindrical blind holes 11 on its contact side 7. In the examples shown, the fittings 4, 5 have at least two blind holes 11. The blind holes are arranged mirror-symmetrically to an axis A of the contact side 7, which is orthogonal to the aforementioned end face 8 and bisects it, i.e. half of its length L emanates from the end face 8. In the rectangular fittings 4, 5 shown, the aforementioned axis A is thus perpendicular to the end face 8 and runs centrally over the contact side 7. If in this variant at least one of the fittings 4, 5 has an odd number of blind holes 11, at least one of the blind holes 11 is arranged on the axis A.

[0029] For fire protection reasons, if necessary, each of the blind holes 11 of each fitting 4, 5 is optionally spaced from the perimeter of its contact side 7; depending on the fire protection requirement, it has a minimum distance δ of at least 2 cm, and between 4 and 6.5 cm for higher fire protection. The minimum distance δ of a blind hole 11 is the distance that the blind hole 11 has from the nearest section of the perimeter of the contact side 7.

[0030] Fig. 3 shows an example of a fitting 12. The connector 1 comprises such a fitting 12 for each blind hole 11, which can be removably inserted into the blind hole 11. The fittings 12 are usually made of a different material than the fittings 4, 5, in particular of a plastic (optionally fiber-reinforced) or metal, preferably steel or aluminum. Even if the fittings 12 could be made of wood in individual cases, they are always separate from the fittings 4, 5.

[0031] Each fitting 12 has a base surface 13, a cover surface 14 parallel thereto and a lateral surface 15 connecting the base and cover surfaces 13, 14, which is essentially generally cylindrical; "essentially" generally cylindrical because each fitting 12 has an oblique bore 16 for a mounting screw 17 ( Fig. 4 ) which penetrates the fitting 12 at an acute angle α to its base and cover surfaces 13, 14, which is why the cover and shell surfaces 14, 15 have an optional bevel 18 transverse to the inclined bore 16 for better engagement of a head of the assembly screw 17.

[0032] The acute angle α is between 15 and 60 degrees depending on the requirements and material of the components 2, 3; in most cases it is between 25 and 50 degrees, for the fitting 12 the Fig. 3 at about 45° ( Fig. 4 ).

[0033] In order for the contact sides 7 of the fittings 4, 5 to lie flat against the other component 2, 3 in the interlocking position, the blind holes 11 optionally have a depth which corresponds to or is greater than the thickness D of the shaped pieces 12 from their respective base to their cover surfaces 13, 14.

[0034] In the example of Fig. 3 The inclined bore 16 penetrates the base surface 13 of the shaped piece 12 without touching or penetrating the edge 19 between the base surface 13 and the outer surface 15. The edge 19 thus runs continuously around the base surface 13.

[0035] Furthermore, the Fig. 3 The illustrated fitting 12 has a round base 13; other shapes, e.g., oval, kidney-shaped, or polygonal, are also possible. Optionally, the blind holes 11 are not only adapted to the thickness D, but also to the shapes of the fittings 12, in particular the shapes of their bases 13, so that each fitting 12 is positively received in the blind hole 11. The blind hole 11 can have a recess 20 in an area facing away from the end face 8 of its fitting 4, 5 to facilitate screwing in the mounting screw 17. In the example of the Fig. 2a For this purpose, each blind hole 11 is made by two overlapping blind holes, so that it has an approximately 8-shaped cross-section, in the part of which facing the end face 8 (here: upper) the shaped piece 12 with its Fig. 3 round base area 13 and in whose other (here: lower) part the recess 20 remains.

[0036] Following the example of Fig. 2b und 4 the fittings 4, 5 (here: the fitting 4) have bores 21 which, starting from the blind hole 11, are inclined in the direction of the end face 8 and penetrate the mounting side 6. These inclined bores 21 are arranged and aligned in the blind holes 11 in such a way that when a fitting 12 is inserted, its inclined bore 16 can be aligned with the inclined bore 21, ie the inclined bore 16 and the inclined bore 21 run at the same acute angle α, so that the mounting screw 17 can be rotated straight and unhindered through the fitting 12 and the inclined bore 21 into the component 2, 3.

[0037] Optionally, each fitting 4, 5 has at least one - in the example of the Fig. 2b und 4 : two straight bores 22, orthogonal to the mounting side 6, each for a tension screw 23, which are adjacent to the front side 8 of the fitting 4, 5, i.e. close to, and penetrate the fitting 4, 5. With the tension screws 23, the fitting 4, 5 is fixed to the respective component 2, 3, for example, before screwing in the mounting screws 17.

[0038] Alternatively or additionally, the fitting 4, 5 can be glued to the respective component on its mounting side 6.

[0039] According to the Fig. 4 In the example shown, each fitting 4, 5 can have a front bore 24 on its end face 8, which is set in the center of the end face 8, orthogonal to the end face 8, in the fitting 4, 5. The front bore 24 can in particular be a blind bore. A pin 25, for example, can be inserted into the optional front bore 24, so that the two fittings 4, 5 are centered when hooked into one another and are then locked in the longitudinal direction of the end face 8 by the pin 25.

[0040] An alternative to this is shown Fig. 5 , in which the pin 25 of the example of the Fig. 4 is characterized by a (in Fig. 5 not visible, as it is countersunk) screw, which is screwed into the front hole 24. The front hole 24 penetrates the Fig. 5 upper fitting 5 from top to bottom. Instead of the screw, a pin 25 could also be inserted into the front hole 24 in this example.

[0041] It should be noted that for the aforementioned locking and also to protect against unwanted lifting of one fitting 4, 5 from the other and to further strengthen the connection of the components 2, 3, the contact sides 7 of the fittings 4, 5 can optionally be glued to the other component 3, 2.

[0042] The Fig. 6 und 7 show a further embodiment of the connector 1, in which each fitting 12 is penetrated by at least two (here: exactly two) further bores 26 flanking the oblique bore 16 and passing through the fitting 12 approximately orthogonally to the base and cover surfaces 13, 14, each for a further screw 27. Fig. 7 shows the interlocked position of the two fittings 4, 5 - for better visibility without the components 2, 3. The acute angle α in this case is approximately 30°.

[0043] The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, but includes those variants, modifications and combinations thereof that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A connector for two components (2, 3), in particular wooden components, comprising two fittings (4, 5), each of which has a mounting side (6) for mounting on one of the components (2, 3) and an abutment side (7) opposite the mounting side (6) for contact against the other of the components (3, 2), wherein the two fittings (4, 5) may be hooked into one another at an end face (8) connecting the mounting and abutment sides (6, 7), for which purpose the end face (8) has, over its entire length (L) running along the abutment side (7), a shoulder (10) which is flush with the abutment side (7) and the width (B) of which in the orthogonal direction (RN) to the abutment side (7) corresponds substantially to half the width (w) of the end face (8), characterised in that the fittings (4, 5) are made of wood, preferably of plywood, or of wood-plastic composite and each fitting (4, 5) has one or more generally cylindrical blind holes (11) on its abutment side (7), wherein the connector (1) further comprises, for each blind hole (11), a molding (12) for removable insertion into the blind hole (11), said molding having a base surface (13), a top surface (14) parallel thereto, a substantially generally cylindrical lateral surface (15) connecting the two, and a slanted bore (16) for a mounting screw (17), wherein said slanted bore penetrates the molding (12) at an acute angle (α) to the base and top surfaces (13, 14).

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterised in that each molding (12) is made of metal, preferably steel.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each of the blind holes (11) of each fitting (4, 5) has a minimum distance (δ) of 2 cm, preferably between 4 and 6.5 cm, from the periphery of the abutment side (7) of the fitting.

4. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that from each of the blind holes (11) of each fitting (4, 5) there extends a bore (21) which is inclined in the direction of said end face (8) of the fitting (4, 5) and which penetrates the mounting side (6) and which is arranged and oriented in such a way that, when a molding (12) is inserted, its slanted bore (16) may be brought into alignment with the bore.

5. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that said acute angle (α) is between 15° and 60°, preferably between 25° and 50°.

6. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that each fitting (4, 5) has at least two blind holes (11), wherein the blind holes (11) are arranged in mirror symmetry with respect to an axis (A) of the abutment side (7), said axis being orthogonal to and bisecting said end face (8).

7. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that each fitting (4, 5) has, at said end face (8), a central end-face bore (24) which is orthogonal to the end face (8) and into which a pin (25) or a screw may be inserted.

8. The connector according to claim 7, characterised in that at least one of the fittings (4, 5) is completely penetrated by said end-face bore (24).

9. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that as the height of the shoulder (10) at the end face (8) of each fitting (4, 5) increases, its width decreases and at half height (h) corresponds to half the width (w) of the end face (8).

10. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the slanted bore (16) of each molding (12) penetrates the base surface (13) of the molding without touching the edge (19) between the base and lateral surfaces (13, 15).

11. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the blind holes (11) have a depth corresponding to the thickness (D) of the moldings (12) from their base to their top surfaces (13, 14).

12. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that each molding (12) may be received in the blind hole (11) with a form fit and the blind hole (11) has a recess (20) for screwing in the mounting screw (17) in a region facing away from said end face (8).

13. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the base surface (13) of each molding (12) is round.

14. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that each fitting (4, 5) is penetrated by at least one straight bore (22) for a tension screw (23), said straight bore being orthogonal to the mounting side (6) and adjacent to said end face (8).

15. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised by at least two further bores (26) for one further screw (27) each, said further bores flanking the slanted bore (16) of each molding (12) and penetrating the molding (12) approximately orthogonally to the base and top surfaces (13, 14).