Modular structure for the construction of a wall

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular structure (1) for producing a wall, said structure comprising:- at least three annular elements (2) made of thermoplastic and by additive manufacturing; each annular element (2) has a side wall (2a) provided with an inward annular fold (2b) to act as a stiffener;- a connecting member (8) for attaching the annular elements (2) to each other, said connecting member (8) comprising two blocks (8a), each comprising at least three fixing claws (8b), each claw (8b) being provided to hook onto an edge of an annular element (2), the two blocks (8a) of the connecting member (8) being provided to bear on either side of the annular elements (2);- a screwing system (9) for bringing the two blocks (8a) of the connecting member (8) together and locking the assembly. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Modular structure for the construction of a wall Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a modular structure for the production of any type of wall, in particular flat, spherical or semi-spherical, usable in any construction element, such as partition, pergola, furniture, etc.

[0002] An advantageous application of the present invention lies in the construction of geodesic structures, for the production of domes or spheres, forming or forming part of architectural works. Prior art

[0003] Modular structures used for the construction of geodesic walls and assemblies are known from the state of the art.

[0004] These structures are generally designed to be easily assembled and disassembled, providing flexibility in designing and constructing various shapes and sizes.

[0005] The materials and manufacturing methods employed in the prior art vary, including wood, metal, and plastic structures, as well as manufacturing methods such as machining, injection molding, and extrusion.

[0006] In the prior art, modular structures are often made up of bar- or panel-shaped elements, which are assembled using various connection mechanisms, such as bolts, screws, clips or notches. These connection mechanisms generally allow a certain degree of adjustment and disassembly, but can sometimes be complex to assemble or require specific tools.

[0007] Geodesic structures, in particular, are based on polyhedra, such as icosahedrons or dodecahedrons, and consist, for example, of triangles, pentagons or other geometric shapes that are assembled to form a spherical or semi-spherical structure. These structures are known for their strength and lightness, and are used in various applications, such as the construction of domes, greenhouses, temporary shelters and architectural structures.

[0008] The prior art also includes the use of thermoplastic materials, such as polycarbonate, for the manufacture of modular structures. Polycarbonate is a lightweight, impact-resistant and transparent material, which makes it particularly suitable for applications such as the production of greenhouses, shelters and glass walls.

[0009] Additive manufacturing, including 3D printing, has also been used in prior art to produce modular structures, providing design flexibility and the ability to create complex shapes that would be difficult to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods.

[0010] However, despite the advantages offered by the prior art, there is still a need to improve the ease of assembly and disassembly, rigidity and recyclability of modular structures, particularly those manufactured from thermoplastic materials and by additive manufacturing. Statement of the invention

[0011] One of the aims of the invention is therefore to remedy the problems of the prior art by proposing a modular structure for the production of a wall allowing rapid and easy assembly / disassembly, increased rigidity and optimized recyclability.

[0012] For this purpose, a modular structure has been developed for the production of a wall, said structure comprising: - at least three annular elements manufactured from thermoplastic, such as polycarbonate, and by additive manufacturing; each annular element has a side wall provided with an inward annular fold to act as a stiffener; - a connecting member for attaching the annular elements to each other, said connecting member comprising two blocks, each comprising at least three fixing claws, each claw being provided to hook onto an edge of an annular element, the two blocks of the connecting member being provided to bear on either side of the annular elements; - a screwing system to bring the two blocks of the connection member together and lock the assembly.

[0013] In this way, the assembly of several of these modular structures allows walls to be made quickly and easily, with increased rigidity and optimized recyclability since the assembly is reversible. After disassembly, it is possible to store the structure for later reuse, or to recycle it with the thermoplastic on one side and the connection blocks and the screwing system on the other side.

[0014] The wall produced allows the construction of domes, greenhouses, pergolas, temporary shelters and architectural structures, such as geodesic structures.

[0015] Preferably, the annular elements are of polygonal shape, such as hexagonal, and are advantageously stackable to facilitate their storage before assembly or after disassembly.

[0016] According to a particular embodiment, the screwing system comprises a tube whose two ends are threaded and positioned between the two blocks of the connection member, and two screws, each passing through a shouldered orifice provided in the block. corresponding, and adapted to screw into the tube to bring together and tighten the two blocks of the connection member.

[0017] According to preferred embodiments, the inward annular fold has a cross-section in the form of an arc of a circle or a triangle, for example. This makes it possible to act as a stiffener, but also to create a kind of tubular beam portion running within the wall produced by assembling several structures, contributing to the rigidity of the assembly. These tubular portions also allow the passage of functional elements, such as cables or sheaths.

[0018] The invention also relates to a method of assembling a modular structure as mentioned above, comprising the steps of: - position the annular elements adjacent to each other; - fix the annular elements together using the connecting member; - tighten the two blocks of the connection member using the screwing system.

[0019] The invention also relates to a geodesic assembly formed by the assembly of a plurality of modular structures such as those mentioned above. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of a modular structure according to the invention.

[0021] [Fig.2] is a view similar to that of [Fig.l], seen from above.

[0022] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of an annular element composing the structure modular.

[0023] [Fig.4] is a view similar to that of [Fig.3], seen from the side.

[0024] [Fig.5] is a view of a geodesic assembly made by assembling structures according to the invention.

[0025] [Fig.6] is a view similar to that of [Fig.5], seen from the side.

[0026] [Fig.7] is a perspective view of a block of a connection member implemented in the present invention.

[0027] [Fig.8] is a detail view of the connecting member attaching together three annular elements of the structure.

[0028] [Fig.9] is a view similar to that of [Fig.l], in partial section. Detailed description of the invention

[0029] With reference to Figures 1 to 9, the invention relates to a modular structure (1) for the production of a wall, which offers a versatile, rigid and recyclable solution for various applications.

[0030] The structure is composed of annular elements (2) manufactured from thermoplastic, such as polycarbonate, in particular recycled, and by additive manufacturing.

[0031] The invention makes it possible to manufacture, by direct digital manufacturing, a very large number of shapes, both regular and irregular, and to attach them together to form walls, flat, spherical or semi-spherical, used for any type of construction.

[0032] The wall produced thus comprises a surface subdivision into cells, the annular elements (2), in the manner of Thiessen or Voronoi polygons which form an integral tiling, of the type of well-known geodesic structures.

[0033] The annular elements (2) are preferably designed to be stackable, which allows easy and economical transport and storage of the dismantled structure.

[0034] The implemented additive manufacturing technique uses a robotic arm, such as a six-axis robot for example, with an extruder of thermoplastic material, in this case preferably polycarbonate heated to a temperature between 230°C and 250°C. The nozzle of the extruder deposits a molten filament of polycarbonate onto a build platform, which is then cooled and hardened. Cooling can be carried out by a fan, ensuring rapid and homogeneous solidification of the material. This process is repeated layer by layer until the desired shape of the annular element is obtained.

[0035] The annular elements (2) are of any desired shape, circular or polygonal, for example hexagonal, octagonal or other, allowing modular assembly to create walls and structures of different sizes and shapes. The annular elements (2) can be identical, or have different shapes depending on the wall and the functional elements to be produced.

[0036] With reference to Figures 3 and 4, each annular element (2) has a side wall (2a) with an annular fold (2b) towards the inside, in particular in the median plane of the annular element (2), to serve as a stiffener. The cross-section of this side wall (2a) can be in the form of an arc of a circle, in several arcs of circles folded successively towards the inside and the outside of the annular shape, or else triangular according to the shape illustrated in the figures, thus offering different options for optimizing the rigidity of the structure and preventing the annular elements (2) from bending under their weight.

[0037] The arrangement of the different annular elements (2) against each other when a wall is made also makes it possible to place the stiffeners of each element opposite each other, thus creating a sort of tubular beam portion (7), see [Fig.9], running within the wall and contributing to the rigidity of the assembly. These tubular portions (7) also allow the passage of functional elements, such as electrical cables, sheaths or any other element.

[0038] The annular elements (2) can integrate other structural elements, such as shelves, windows, portholes, benches, armchairs, tables, openwork partitions also called moucharabieh, supports or reinforcements, providing additional functionalities to the structure, etc. With reference to figures 5 and 6 for example, we see shelves (3), table (4) and bench (5), as well as portholes (6). They can also be closed by walls or windows, creating glazed or semi-glazed spaces as required. The annular elements (2) include, for example, functional edges, allowing the fixing and holding of shelves, windows or other elements. These edges or shelves, worktops, etc., can form an integral part of the annular elements (2), i.e. manufactured at the same time by additive manufacturing, or can be added and designed to fit or be fixed to the annular elements (2) by means of clips, screws or other fixing mechanisms.

[0039] The modular structure (1) comprises a connecting member (8) specially designed to attach and hold the annular elements (2) to each other. These connecting members are not shown in Figures 5, 6 and 9, but are systematically provided between three annular elements (2), see Figures 1, 2 and 8. The connecting member (8) comprises two blocks (8a), in particular triangular, each comprising at least three or more fixing claws (8b), depending on the number of annular elements (2) to be attached together. Each claw (8b) is provided to engage with a rim of an annular element (2), and the two blocks (8a) of the connecting member (8) are designed to bear on either side of the annular elements (2), ensuring a secure and stable fit.

[0040] A screwing system (9) is used to bring the two blocks (8a) of the connecting member (8) together and lock the assembly, thus ensuring the stability and rigidity of the structure. This system may comprise a tube (10) whose two ends are threaded, for example by means of nuts welded to the ends, and positioned between the two blocks (8a) of the connecting member (8), and two screws (12), each passing through a shouldered orifice (13), not shown in [Fig.7], formed in the corresponding blocks (8a), and adapted to be screwed into the tube (10) to bring together and tighten the two blocks (8a) of the connecting member (8). Each claw (8b) has an internal wall inclined towards the center of the block to promote the compression and tightening effect of the annular elements.

[0041] The screwing system (9) allows a certain degree of adjustment, providing the possibility of modifying the tension and rigidity of the structure according to needs or environmental conditions. The screwing system (9) allows the compression of the coplanar faces of the annular elements (2), allowing a tight, compressed joint.

[0042] The invention makes it possible to produce both flat surfaces, in which case the annular elements (2) fit into a cylinder, and spherical or semi-spherical surfaces, in which case the annular elements (2) fit into a truncated cone-shaped volume.

[0043] In the case of the construction of a spherical or semi-spherical wall, the annular elements (2), the walls of which converge towards the same centre, hold in place alone, thus facilitating the assembly of the structure.

[0044] The contraction of the thermoplastic, and in particular of the polycarbonate during printing, gives a spherical cap shape to the surface placed on the printing bed, which allows it to better follow the curvature of the geodesic sphere once assembled.

[0045] Furthermore, the modular design of the annular elements (2) allows for easy and rapid assembly, as well as effortless disassembly when necessary. The possibility of reusing or recycling the annular elements (2) made of thermoplastic on the one hand, and the connecting members which are for example made of recycled aluminum, on the other hand, contributes to the durability and versatility of this invention.

[0046] The assembly of a plurality of such structures can give rise to geodesic assemblies, such as domes, greenhouses, temporary shelters and architectural structures. Geodesic structures offer high resistance to external forces and efficient use of materials, which makes them an ideal solution for various applications.

[0047] It is clear from the above that the invention provides a structure for producing a wall composed of annular elements (2) made of thermoplastic by additive manufacturing. The modular design, the increased rigidity thanks to the side wall (2a) acting as stiffeners and the innovative connecting member (8) allow for rapid and secure assembly. The possibility of integrating structural elements and closing the annular elements (2) with glass panes offers great flexibility in terms of functionality and aesthetics.

[0048] Finally, the ease of assembly, disassembly and recycling of the elements makes this invention particularly suitable for a wide variety of applications and environmentally friendly.

Claims

Claims

1. Modular structure (1) for producing a wall, said structure comprising: - at least three annular elements (2) manufactured from thermoplastic and by additive manufacturing; each annular element (2) has a side wall (2a) provided with an annular fold (2b) towards the inside, said annular fold (2b) having a cross section in the shape of an arc of a circle or a triangle, to act as a stiffener;- a connecting member (8) provided between the annular elements for attaching the annular elements (2) to each other intended to place the annular folds (2b) acting as stiffeners opposite each other in order to produce tubular beam portions (7), said connecting member (8) comprising two blocks (8a), each comprising at least three fixing claws (8b), each claw (8b) has an internal wall inclined towards the center of the block and is provided to hook onto an edge of an annular element (2), the two blocks (8a) of the connecting member (8) being provided to bear on either side of the annular elements (2); - a screwing system (9) for bringing the two blocks (8a) of the connecting member (8) together and locking the assembly.;

2. Structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermoplastic is polycarbonate.

3. Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the annular elements (2) are of polygonal shape.

4. Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screwing system (9) comprises a tube (10) whose two ends are threaded, and positioned between the two blocks (8a) of the connection member (8), and two screws (12), each passing through a shouldered orifice (13) formed in the corresponding block (8a), and adapted to be screwed into the tube (10) to bring together and tighten the two blocks (8a) of the connection member (8).

5. Structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inward annular fold (2b) has a cross section in the form of an arc of a circle or a triangle.

6. A method of assembling a modular structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the steps of has : - position the annular elements (2) adjacent to each other; - fixing the annular elements (2) together using the connecting member (8); - tighten the two blocks (8a) of the connection member (8) using the screwing system (9).

7. Geodesic assembly formed by the assembly of a plurality of modular structures according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images