Modular structure with improved connection for the construction of a wall

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular structure (1) for constructing a wall, said structure comprising: - at least two polygonal elements (2) manufactured from thermoplastic by additive manufacturing; each polygonal element (2) has at least two lateral walls, each nested within a lateral wall of an adjacent polygonal element (2); a connecting member (3) positioned between the polygonal elements (2) for laterally attaching the polygonal elements (2) to one another; clamping means, each of which, on the one hand, engages with the connecting member (3) and, on the other hand, is fixed within a lateral wall of a polygonal element (2), to bring the polygonal elements (2) together and lock the assembly. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Modular structure with improved connection 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

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[0016] 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. Thus, 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 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, optimized recyclability as well as a gain in adaptability. 1. For this purpose, a modular structure has been developed for the construction of a wall, said structure comprising: - at least two polygonal elements manufactured from thermoplastic and by additive manufacturing; each polygonal element has at least one side wall fitted into a side wall of an adjacent polygonal element; - a connecting member positioned between the polygonal elements to laterally attach the polygonal elements to each other; - clamping means which each, on the one hand, engage with the connecting member and, on the other hand, are fixed in a side wall of a polygonal element, to bring the polygonal elements closer to each other and lock the assembly. In this way, the assembly of several of these modular structures allows walls to be created quickly and easily, with increased and reinforced rigidity as well as optimized recyclability since the assembly is reversible. After disassembly, the structure can be stored for later reuse, or recycled with the thermoplastic on one side and the connecting elements and clamping means on the other. Furthermore, the assembly also offers a gain in adaptability thanks to the simplicity of connection. The wall made allows the construction of domes, greenhouses, pergolas, temporary shelters and architectural structures, such as geodesic structures. The connecting member has one or more orifices and / or recesses allowing sectors around which the clamping means engage. When the connecting member has a single orifice and / or recess, for example in the form of a ring, the clamping means engage in sectors all around the orifice. However, when the connecting member has several orifices and / or recesses, each orifice and / or recess defines a sector for the engagement of one or more clamping means.

[0017] Preferably, each clamping means comprises a rod passing through the side wall of the polygonal element and comprising, on one side of the wall, a threaded end receiving a nut and, on the other side, a hooked end engaged with the connecting member.

[0018] This particular characteristic makes it possible to exert tension between the polygonal elements by screwing the nut so that the polygonal elements become integral with their interlocking walls.

[0019] According to a particular embodiment, the connection member has branches defining sectors around which the hooks engage in a solid and secure manner.

[0020] According to preferred embodiments, the connection member is in the form of two complementary parts fitted into one another, leaving a free space between them to define the branches and the sectors, in order to be able to engage the hooked ends within the connection member when the two complementary parts are not yet fitted together, then to fit them together in order to contain these hooked ends securely in the connection member. This characteristic also has the advantage of simplifying the assembly of the structure.

[0021] The connection member preferably has a number of branches corresponding to the number of polygonal elements to be joined, to allow adaptation to the different assembly configurations of the polygonal elements.

[0022] Thus the member can have at least two branches, up to several branches, in order to secure the assembly of the structure and the joining of the polygonal elements whether they are within the structure or on the external edges. The connection member thus produced also has the advantage of using less material for its design.

[0023] Preferably, the thermoplastic is polycarbonate, for its advantageous mechanical properties.

[0024] The polygonal elements may also have walls having cross-sections of different profiles. Thus, by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples, these cross-sections may be in the shape of an arc of a circle, a triangle, have a concave, convex, sinusoidal, periodic or other more complex profile allowing engagement with a wall of another polygonal element whose profile is complementary. These different examples of profiles have the advantage of acting as a stiffener and providing stability and rigidity to the modular structure.

[0025] The polygonal elements can also be of the male type. The side walls have a projecting section to fit into a side wall with a hollow section of a female-type element. Hermaphroditic-type elements can also be designed with male side walls and female side walls.

[0026] 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

[0027] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of a modular structure according to the invention.

[0028] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of a modular structure according to the invention, in a free configuration.

[0029] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of a connection member according to the invention.

[0030] [Fig.4] is a perspective view of a connection member integral with elements po lygonal.

[0031] [Fig.5] is a view similar to [Fig.4], where the connecting member has two branches.

[0032] [Fig.6] is a view similar to [Fig.4], where the connecting member has three branches.

[0033] [Fig.7] is a perspective view of connection members during assembly of the two complementary parts.

[0034] [Fig.8] is a perspective view of one of the two complementary parts of the connection member.

[0035] [Fig.9] is a perspective view of a geodesic assembly produced from the modular structure according to the invention.

[0036] [Fig. 10] is a view of another embodiment of the connecting member. Detailed description of the invention

[0037] With reference to Figures 1 to 10, the invention relates to a modular structure (1) for the production of a wall, which offers a versatile, rigid, adaptable and recyclable solution for various applications.

[0038] The structure is composed of polygonal elements (2) manufactured from thermoplastic, such as polycarbonate, in particular recycled, and by additive manufacturing.

[0039] 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.

[0040] The wall produced thus comprises a subdivision of the surface into cells, the polygonal elements (2), in the manner of Thiessen or Voronoi polygons which form an integral tiling, of the type of well-known geodesic structures.

[0041] The polygonal elements (2) are preferably designed to be stackable, which allows easy and economical transport and storage of the dismantled structure.

[0042] 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 strand 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.

[0043] The polygonal elements (2) are of any desired shape, for example hexagonal, octagonal or other, allowing modular assembly to create walls and structures of different sizes and shapes.

[0044] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the polygonal elements (2) are arranged so as to form a modular structure (1) in the form of a paving. These polygonal elements (2) have at least one side wall which is engaged / nested in a complementary side wall of an adjacent polygonal element (2). In the present figures, a wall of a first polygonal element (2) has a projecting section such as a rib (4) engaged in a recessed section such as a groove (5) of a second adjacent polygonal element (2). These recessed and projecting sections act as stiffeners.

[0045] The polygonal elements (2) may 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. The polygonal elements (2) include, for example, functional edges, allowing the fixing and holding of shelves, windows or other elements. These edges or shelves, worktops, etc., may form an integral part of the polygonal elements (2), i.e. manufactured at the same time by additive manufacturing, or may be added and designed to fit or be fixed to the polygonal elements (2) by means of clips, screws or other fixing mechanisms.

[0046] According to the invention, a connecting member (3) is positioned between the polygonal elements (2) to laterally attach the polygonal elements (2) to each other, and clamping means each, on the one hand, engage with the connecting member (3) and, on the other hand, fix themselves in a side wall of a polygonal element (2), to bring the polygonal elements (2) closer to each other and lock the assembly.

[0047] Each clamping means comprises for example a rod passing through the side wall of the polygonal element (2) and comprising, on one side of the wall, a threaded end (7) receiving a nut (8) and, on the other side, a hooked end (6) engaged with the connecting member (3).

[0048] According to the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 3], 7 and 8, the connection member (3) is in the form of two complementary parts fitted into one another, leaving a free space between them to define branches and sectors around which the hooks engage.

[0049] In practice, the hook ends (6) are engaged in the connection member (3) when the latter is in the open position, that is to say when the two complementary parts of the connection member (3) are not yet fitted together; the hook ends (6) are then placed at the level of the half-branches (15) of a first complementary part (10) and firmly secured to the connection member (3) during the fitting with a second complementary part (11) of the connection member (3) forming branches (9), in a number corresponding to the number of polygonal elements (2) to be secured together.

[0050] With reference to [Fig.4], the connecting member (3) holds the polygonal elements (2) of the modular structure (1) firmly engaged by traction exerted by the clamping means. The threaded end (7) is screwed into a side wall of the polygonal elements (2), which then receives a nut (8) located on the internal face of the polygonal elements (2). The hooked end (6) is engaged in the connecting member (3). Joints as well as an additional nut on the external wall of the polygonal elements (2) may optionally be used. The polygonal elements (2) are then secured and held together with each other, the screwing of each nut (8) onto each threaded end (7) locking the assembly.

[0051] With reference to Figures 5 and 6, the connection member (3) is presented with two and three branches (9) respectively. These connection members thus produced are notably used for the external edges of a geodesic assembly formed with the modular structure (1) of the present invention, presenting the same assembly properties.

[0052] With reference to Figures 7 and 8, the connection member (3) is shown during its assembly. The connection member (3) comprises two complementary parts, each part being provided with half-branches (15). A first complementary part (10) has at the ends of its half-branches (15) bosses (16) as shown in [Fig.8], intended to fit into hollows made in the ends of the half-branches (15) of a second complementary part (11). The two complementary parts are then fitted together to form the connection member (3) and thus held by screwing or any other means of securing, forming the branches (9) intended to receive the hooked ends (6) of the clamping means. The connection member (3) also has a central tapped orifice (13) intended to receive a screw (14).

[0053] According to [Fig. 10], the connection member (3) has a single orifice and is in the form of a ring, the clamping means engage in sectors all around the orifice.

[0054] With reference to [Fig.9], there is shown a miniature of a geodesic assembly formed by modular structures according to the present invention.

[0055] The invention makes it possible to produce both flat surfaces, in this case the polygonal elements (2) fit into a cylinder, and spherical or semi-spherical surfaces.

[0056] In the case of the construction of a spherical or semi-spherical wall, the polygonal elements (2), whose walls converge towards the same center, hold in place alone, thus facilitating the assembly of the structure.

[0057] 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.

[0058] Furthermore, the modular design of the polygonal elements (2) allows for easy and rapid assembly, as well as effortless disassembly when necessary. The possibility of reusing or recycling the polygonal 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] It is clear from the above that the invention provides a structure for producing a wall composed of polygonal elements (2) made of thermoplastic by additive manufacturing. The modular design, the increased rigidity thanks to the side wall acting as stiffeners and the innovative connecting member (3) allow for rapid and secure assembly. The possibility of integrating structural elements and closing the polygonal elements (2) with glass panes offers great flexibility in terms of functionality and aesthetics.

[0061] Finally, the ease of assembly, disassembly and recycling of the elements; as well as the gain in adaptability 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 two polygonal elements (2) manufactured from thermoplastic and by additive manufacturing; each polygonal element (2) has at least one side wall fitted into a side wall of an adjacent polygonal element (2); - a connecting member (3) positioned between the polygonal elements (2) for laterally attaching the polygonal elements (2) to each other; - clamping means which each, on the one hand, engage with the connecting member (3) and, on the other hand, fix themselves in a side wall of a polygonal element (2), to bring the polygonal elements (2) together and lock the assembly.

2. Modular structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each clamping means comprises a rod passing through the side wall of the polygonal element (2) and comprising, on one side of the wall, a threaded end (7) receiving a nut (8) and, on the other side, a hooked end (6) engaged with the connection member (3).

3. Modular structure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection member (3) has branches (9) defining sectors around which the hooks engage.

4. Modular structure (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the connection member (3) is in the form of two complementary parts fitted into one another, leaving a free space between them to define the branches and the sectors.

5. Modular structure (1) according to one of claims 3 to 4, characterized in that the connection member (3) has a number of branches (9) corresponding to the number of polygonal elements (2) to be joined.

6. Modular structure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thermoplastic is polycarbonate.

7. Geodesic assembly formed by the assembly of a plurality of modular structures according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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