Expansion joints for bridges and elevated roads

Abstract

To provide an expansion joint for bridges and elevated roads that reduces deformation due to twisting of the rubber sealing member when the two support parts forming the joint move relative to each other along the direction of road traffic. [Solution] The bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 comprises two support sections 2 that are spaced apart and facing each other, and a rubber sealing member 3. The rubber sealing member 3 comprises a connecting section 21 that connects to each support section 2, two first sealing sections 4 that extend in the opposing direction of the support sections 2, and a second sealing section 5 that is connected between the two first sealing sections 4, has a predetermined spacing, extends downward, and has a folded shape. The support section 2 is formed by repeating a straight section in the direction along the longitudinal direction in which the joint extends, and an inclined section that extends at an angle to the straight section, in a wave-like pattern. The rubber sealing member 3 in the inclined section has an expanded spacing section 15 in which the spacing of the second sealing sections 5 is wider than the spacing of the second sealing sections 5 in the straight section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an expansion joint device for bridges and elevated roads installed at joints of bridges and elevated roads.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, expansion joint devices installed at joints of bridges, elevated roads, etc. have been proposed. For example, in the example described in Patent Document 1, a pair of vertical plates are provided at a joint portion of a road bridge so as to face each other with a joint play that allows expansion and contraction of the road bridge body, and the opposing inner surfaces of the two vertical plates are connected by a rubber seal member. In an expansion joint device for a road bridge joint portion where concrete for forming a road surface is placed on the back of the two vertical plates, the seal member includes a coupling portion coupled to the opposing inner surfaces of the two vertical plates respectively, a support portion protruding from each of the two coupling portions toward the center of the joint play, and a groove-shaped expansion and contraction portion suspended at the center of the joint play with both ends connected to the tips of the two protruding support portions. Further, the two vertical plates are corrugated plates extending in the longitudinal direction of the joint while bending alternately to the right and to the left, and face each other so as to form a corrugated joint play extending in the longitudinal direction of the joint while bending alternately to the right and to the left.

[0003] According to this, in an expansion joint for a road bridge joint in which the inner surfaces of a pair of opposing vertical plates with a joint gap are connected to each other, or the side end faces of a pair of opposing horizontal plates are connected to each other, or the side end faces of opposing horizontal plates and the plate surfaces of vertical plates are connected by a rubber sealing member, the sealing member comprises a connecting portion connected to the opposing surfaces of the vertical or horizontal plates, a support portion extending from each of the two connecting portions toward the center of the joint gap, and a groove-shaped expansion portion suspended from the center of the joint gap with both ends connected to the ends of each of the two extending support portions. The document states that, because of this design, the expansion and contraction of the road bridge body can be absorbed by the gap formed between the side wall of the channel-shaped expansion section and the inner surface of the vertical plate or the side end surface of the horizontal plate. In other words, deformation of the sealing member due to the expansion and contraction of the road bridge body can be tolerated, eliminating the bulging of filler material, and also eliminating noise and damage to the sealing member caused by the passage of vehicles. Furthermore, the groove of the sealing member does not open widely to the road surface, reducing the sense of unease for passersby, and even when filler material is to be packed into the groove, the amount of filler material to be packed can be reduced. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-273812 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, the configuration of Patent Document 1 has the following problems. The support parts that protrude from each of the two connecting parts toward the center of the joint gap, and the groove-shaped expandable parts that are connected at both ends to the ends of each of the protruding support parts and suspended in the center of the joint gap, are the same shape along the longitudinal direction of the joint. The two vertical plates are corrugated plates that extend in the longitudinal direction of the joint while bending alternately to the right and left, forming a corrugated joint gap that extends in the longitudinal direction of the joint while bending alternately to the right and left. When the road bridge body expands and contracts along the direction of traffic, the sealing member deforms accordingly, and in particular around the parts where the corrugated joint bends, twisting occurs in the sealing member, and there is a risk that it may partially protrude from the road surface.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an expansion joint for bridges and elevated roads that reduces deformation due to twisting of a rubber sealing member when two opposing support parts that form a joint move relative to each other along the direction of road traffic. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An expansion joint for bridges and elevated roads according to an aspect of the present invention is an expansion joint used at the joint between opposing road structures, and comprises two support parts installed on each of the road structures and facing each other with a gap between them, and a rubber seal member that expands and contracts between the support parts, wherein the rubber seal member comprises a connecting part that connects to each of the support parts, two first seal parts that connect to each of the connecting parts and extend in the opposing direction of the support parts, and a second seal part that connects between the two first seal parts, has a predetermined gap between it and extends downward and has a folded shape, wherein the support parts are formed in a wave-like manner, repeating a straight part in the direction along the longitudinal direction in which the joint extends and an inclined part that extends at an angle to the straight part, and the rubber seal member in the inclined part has an expanded spacing part in which the spacing of the second seal part is wider than the spacing of the second seal part in the straight part.

[0008] According to this, the rubber sealing member in the inclined section has an expanded spacing section where the distance between the second sealing sections is wider than the distance between the second sealing sections in the straight section. Therefore, when the two support sections move relative to each other, deformation due to twisting of the rubber sealing member in the inclined section can be reduced.

[0009] The expansion joint for the bridge or elevated road may have the expanded section of the inclined section positioned at the boundary between the inclined section and the straight section, and / or between the two boundary sections.

[0010] In this case, the enlarged spacing is formed at the boundary between the inclined section and the straight section, and / or between the boundary sections, where twisting is likely to occur in the rubber sealing member. Therefore, when the two support sections move relative to each other, deformation due to twisting of the rubber sealing member can be further reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing an expansion joint 1a for bridges and elevated roads according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing an expansion joint 1b for bridges and elevated roads according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing an expansion joint 1c for bridges and elevated roads according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figures 1 to 3 are cross-sectional views showing section II, where (a) shows the first connection configuration and (b) shows the second connection configuration. [Figure 5] Figures 1 to 3 show section II-II, Figure 13 shows section VI-VI, and Figure 14 shows section VII-VII, with (a) showing the first connection configuration and (b) showing the second connection configuration. [Figure 6] Figures 1 to 3 show section III-III, and Figure 14 shows section VIII-VIII, where (a) shows the first connection configuration and (b) shows the second connection configuration. [Figure 7]Figure 4(a) shows the state in which the two support parts 2 have moved relative to each other along the road traffic direction. (a) shows the state in which the distance between the two support parts 2 has increased, and (b) shows the state in which the distance between the two support parts 2 has decreased. [Figure 8] The fourth embodiment of the present invention shows an expansion joint 1d for bridges and elevated roads, where (a) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to section II shown in Figures 1 to 3, and (b) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to section II-II shown in Figures 1 to 3. [Figure 9] This shows an expansion joint 1e for bridges and elevated roads according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged view of the portion corresponding to part A in Figure 1. [Figure 10] (a) is a cross-sectional view showing section IV-IV in Figure 9, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing section VV in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Figure 10(a) shows the state in which the two support parts 2 have moved relative to each other along the road traffic direction, with (a) showing the state in which the distance between the two support parts 2 has increased and (b) showing the state in which the distance between the two support parts 2 has decreased. [Figure 12] Figure 10(b) shows the state in which the two support parts 2 have moved relative to each other along the road traffic direction, with (a) showing the state in which the distance between the two support parts 2 has increased and (b) showing the state in which the distance between the two support parts 2 has decreased. [Figure 13] This is a plan view showing an expansion joint 1f for bridges and elevated roads according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a plan view showing a bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51, which is a comparative example to the bridge / elevated road expansion joints 1a to 1e of the present invention. [Figure 15] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view showing section VII-VII, illustrating the state in which the two support parts 2 have moved relative to each other along the road traffic direction. (a) shows the state in which the distance between the two support parts 2 has increased, and (b) shows the state in which the distance between the two support parts 2 has decreased. [Figure 16]The drawing shows the expansion joint device 40 for bridges and elevated roads of the prior art, and is a sectional view showing section VI-VI in FIG. 13, section VII-VII or section VIII-VIII in FIG. 14. [Figure 17] FIG. 16 shows a state where the support part 2 moves relatively along the road traffic direction. (a) shows a state where the distance between the support parts 2 becomes wider, and (b) shows a state where the distance between the support parts 2 becomes narrower.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, referring to the drawings, the expansion joint device 1 for bridges and elevated roads embodying the present invention will be described. The embodiments for carrying out the invention and the drawings referred to are used to explain the technical features that the present invention can adopt. The present invention is not limited thereto. The configurations shown in the drawings are not intended to be limited thereto only, but are merely illustrative examples.

[0013] <Configuration Common to Each Embodiment> Referring to the drawings, the expansion joint device 1 for bridges and elevated roads according to an aspect of the present invention will be described. First, the configuration common to each embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 and the like, the expansion joint device 1 for bridges and elevated roads is an expansion joint device used for the joint 30 between opposing road structures, and is installed on each of the road structures, and includes two support parts 2 facing each other with a gap therebetween, and a rubber seal member 3 that connects the space between the support parts 2 so as to be expandable and contractible. As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the direction in which the two support parts 2 face each other is defined as the width direction. As shown in FIG. 4 and the like, the two support parts 2 extend in the vertical direction and extend along the direction of the joint 30 in a state of being installed on the road structure.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 4 and the like, the rubber seal member 3 includes a connecting portion 21 that extends vertically and is connected to each support portion 2, and an expansion and contraction portion 6 connected to each connecting portion 21. The connecting portion 21 is connected to the expansion and contraction portion 6 at a connecting portion 23 below the upper end position 22 of the connecting portion 21, and / or the connecting portion 21 is disposed at a distance from the upper end 16 of the support portion 2, and the separation distance 26 between the connecting portion 21 and the upper end 16 of the support portion 2 is three times or more the thickness of the expansion and contraction portion 6 of the rubber seal member 3.

[0015] Among the above configurations, the first connection portion configuration shown in Figs. 4(a), 5(a), and 6(a) is such that the expansion and contraction portion 6 is connected at a connection portion 23 below the upper end position 22 of the connection portion 21, and a connection portion 21a is formed between the upper end position 22 and the connection portion 23. In the illustration, a separation distance 26 is shown between the upper end position 22 of the connection portion 21 and the upper end 16 of the support portion 2, but the first connection portion configuration includes those without the separation distance 26.

[0016] Among the above configurations, the second connection portion configuration shown in Figs. 4(b), 5(b), and 6(b) is such that the upper end position 22 of the connection portion 21 is at a position of a separation distance 26 below the upper end 16 of the support portion 2. In a state where the expansion device 1 for bridges and elevated roads is installed on a road structure, the rubber seal member 3 is located below the upper end 16 of the support portion 2 including the first seal portion 4 and the second seal portion 5 described later. The separation distance 26 is preferably set so that when the two support portions 2 move relatively and the expansion and contraction portion 6 expands and contracts, the rubber seal member 3 does not protrude above the upper end 16 of the support portion 2. As an example, when the thickness of the rubber forming the expansion and contraction portion 6 is 3 mm, the separation distance 26 is 9 mm or more, which is three times or more the rubber thickness. In the second connection portion configuration, a connection portion 23 may be formed at the upper end position 22 of the connection portion 21, and the connection portion 21a may be absent. Also, the lower side of the connection portion 23 may be connected to the first seal portion 4 and the connection portion 21 by a curved surface 19.

[0017] The first and second connection configurations described above may be either one or both.

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4(a), 5(a), and 6(a), the expandable portion 6 of the first configuration described above is formed such that its thickness gradually increases towards the joint portion 21 in the portion adjacent to the connecting portion 23. The expandable portion 6 is connected to the joint portion 21 by an upper curved surface 13 and a lower curved surface 19 in the portion adjacent to the connecting portion 23. Note that the expandable portion 6 may have a form in which the thickness increases in a step-like manner, in addition to the form in which the thickness increases gradually as shown by the curved surfaces 13 and 19. Alternatively, the lower curved surface 19 may be omitted, and only the upper curved surface 13 may be present. As shown in Figure 4, the joint portion 21 is formed so that its lower part extends below the bottom surface 9 of the second seal portion 5.

[0019] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the expandable portion 6 may also include two first sealing portions 4 extending in the width direction, and a second sealing portion 5 connected between the two first sealing portions 4, extending downward and having a folded shape. In this case, the expandable portion 6 has the first sealing portions 4 connected to the joint portion 21 at the connection portion 23, and the distance 26 between the joint portion 21 and the upper end 16 of the support portion 2 is three times or more the thickness of the first sealing portions 4 and the second sealing portions 5 of the rubber sealing member 3.

[0020] Here, the problems of the prior art example will be explained with reference to Figures 16 and 17. In the prior art example described in Patent Document 1, as shown in Figure 16, the rubber seal member 47 consists of a first seal portion 44 that constitutes an expandable portion 46 and corresponds to an overhanging support portion, a second seal portion 45 that corresponds to a groove-shaped expandable portion, and a connecting portion 41. The first seal portion 44 is connected to the connecting portion 41 at its upper end portion 43. The upper end portion 43 of the connecting portion 41 is located at a distance 48 downward from the upper end portion 16 of the support portion 2. The distance 48 does not take into account the amount of deformation of the rubber seal member 47.

[0021] As the road bridge body expands and contracts along the direction of traffic, the first seal portion 44 and the second seal portion 45 deform, as shown in Figure 17, to adjust the change in the gap between the opposing vertical plates corresponding to the support portions 2. Since the first seal portion 44 is directly connected to the support portion 2 at the upper end portion 43 of the joint portion 41, there is no part that acts as a damper to suppress upward deformation. Therefore, as shown in Figure 17(a), when the distance between the opposing support portions 2 widens, the first seal portion 44 is prone to deforming so as to spring upward from the joint portion 41. Furthermore, since the separation distance 48 is shorter than the amount of deformation of the rubber seal member 47, there is a risk that the first seal portion 44 and the second seal portion 45 will rise and protrude from the road surface.

[0022] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17(b), when the distance between the opposing support parts 2 narrows, the first sealing part 44 bends downward, and the bottom surface 49 of the second sealing part 45 hangs down.

[0023] <Effects of the configuration common to each embodiment> The configuration common to each embodiment described above provides the following effects. As shown in Figures 4(a), 5(a), and 6(a), in the first connection configuration, the joint 21 is connected to the expandable section 6 at a connection 23 located below the upper end position 22 of the joint 21. That is, the joint 21 is connected to the support section 2 at a connection 21a located further above the connection 23 with the expandable section 6. When the rubber seal member 3 attempts to deform upward, a reaction force is generated against the compression between the connection 23 and the joint 21a. Therefore, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 can reduce the upward deformation of the rubber seal member 3 when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4(b), 5(b), and 6(b), in the second connection configuration, the connecting portion 21 is positioned spaced apart from the upper end 16 of the support portion 2, and the distance 26 between the connecting portion 21 and the upper end 16 of the support portion 2 is three times or more the thickness of the expandable portion 6 of the rubber seal member 3. In this case, since the distance 26 is three times or more the thickness of the expandable portion 6, the amount that the expandable portion 6 protrudes above the upper end 16 of the support portion 2 when it expands or contracts is reduced.

[0025] As mentioned above, the first and second connection configurations are effective even when used individually, but when both are used together, the effect is further enhanced, and the upward deformation of the rubber seal member 3 can be reduced even more effectively.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the thickness of the first seal portion 4 gradually increases towards the joint portion 21. Therefore, when the rubber seal member 3 attempts to move vertically, a reaction force is generated at the connection portion 23 against the compression between the expandable portion 6 and the joint portion 21. In particular, when the joint portion 21a is formed, a greater reaction force is generated when the expandable portion 6 attempts to deform upward. Thus, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 can reduce the vertical deformation of the rubber seal member 3 at the connection portion 23 when the two support portions 2 move relatively. Note that, as shown in Figures 4(b), 5(b), and 6(b), the effect of reducing deformation of the rubber seal member 3 is also achieved even when the joint portion 21a is absent.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the expandable portion 6 is equipped with a first sealing portion 4 and a second sealing portion 5, allowing it to expand and contract more in response to changes in the distance between the two opposing support portions 2. Therefore, when the two support portions 2 move relative to each other, the deformation of the rubber sealing member 3 in the vertical direction is further reduced.

[0028] Furthermore, the configuration common to each embodiment described above is applicable to all of the bridge / elevated road expansion joints 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3, Figures 9 and 14, and Figure 13, and produces the same effects. Specifically, the support portion 2 of the bridge / elevated road expansion joints 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3, Figures 9 and 14 is formed by repeating a wave-like pattern of a straight portion 11 in the direction along the longitudinal direction in which the joint 30 extends, and an inclined portion 12 that extends at an angle to the straight portion 11. In addition, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 shown in Figure 13 has a configuration in which the joint 30 extends linearly in a direction intersecting the direction of road traffic.

[0029] <Common configuration from the first embodiment's bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a to the fifth embodiment's bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e> Next, referring to the drawings, the common configurations of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a of the first embodiment to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e of the fifth embodiment, according to the aspects of the present invention, will be described. Note that the content described in the configurations common to each embodiment will be omitted.

[0030] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, 8, and 10, the rubber seal member 3 is provided with a connecting portion 21 that connects to each support portion 2. Furthermore, it is provided with two first seal portions 4 that are connected to each connecting portion 21 and extend in the opposing direction of the support portion 2, and a second seal portion 5 that is connected between the two first seal portions 4, has a predetermined distance apart, extends downward and has a folded shape. The support portion 2 is formed by repeating a straight portion 11 in the direction along the longitudinal direction in which the joint 30 extends, and an inclined portion 12 that extends at an angle to the straight portion 11, in a wave-like manner. The rubber seal member 3 of the inclined portion 12 has an expanded spacing portion 15 in which the spacing of the second seal portions 5 is wider than the spacing of the second seal portions 5 in the straight portion 11. As shown in Figure 1, etc., the direction in which the two support portions 2 face each other is the width direction. As shown in Figure 4, etc., the spacing of the second seal portion 5 is the distance between the joints with the two first seal portions 4 in the width direction, and corresponds to the roughly U-shaped outer dimension between the arrows illustrating the expanded spacing portion 15.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the enlarged spacing portion 15 of the inclined portion 12 is positioned at the boundary portion 20 between the inclined portion 12 and the straight portion 11, and / or between the two boundary portions 20. The specific location where the enlarged spacing portion 15 is positioned will be described later for each embodiment.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the width direction is such that the two support parts 2 face each other at their respective positions, and the direction differs between the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12. The rubber seal member 3 is provided with a plurality of expandable sections 6 that expand and contract when the two support parts 2 move relative to each other as the joint 30 moves along the direction of road traffic. The connecting section 21 is vulcanized and bonded to the support parts 2 and extends vertically to each support part 2.

[0033] The expandable section 6 comprises a first expandable section 7 and a second expandable section 8. Each section is formed to be expandable and retractable, with two first sealing sections 4 and two second sealing sections 5. As shown in Figure 4, in the first expandable section 7, the second sealing section 5 is an expanded spacing section 15. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in the second expandable section 8, the second sealing section 5 is a reference spacing section 25, which is closer in spacing to the second sealing section 5 of the first expandable section 7. That is, the second sealing section 5 shown in Figure 4 has a longer distance in the width direction than the second sealing section 5 shown in Figures 5 and 6. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the first expandable section 7 is positioned at the boundary section 20 between the inclined section 12 and the straight section 11, and / or between the two boundary sections 20. The first expandable section 7 and the second expandable section 8 are formed alternately along the direction in which the inclined section 12 and the straight section 11 extend.

[0034] Next, the material of the rubber seal member 3 will be described. The material of the rubber seal member 3 is, for example, chloroprene rubber, with a rubber hardness of 60 degrees. The rubber hardness is a value measured in accordance with the durometer hardness of JIS K6253-3. As shown in Figure 4, the thickness of the first seal part 4, excluding the connecting part 23, and the second seal part 5 is, for example, 3 mm. It is also possible to use rubber other than chloroprene rubber for the rubber seal member 3, and a material that is not porous and does not allow rainwater to penetrate is desirable. The rubber hardness may be other than 60 degrees, and the thickness of the first seal part 4, excluding the connecting part 23, and the second seal part 5 may be other than 3 mm.

[0035] Next, the support section 2 and its related members will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the two support sections 2 extend in the vertical direction, and their lower ends are joined to a base plate 32 that extends in the direction in which the two support sections 2 are spaced apart from each other. As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the multiple deformed reinforcing bars 31 are attached outward on the outer surfaces in the direction in which the two support sections 2 are spaced apart from each other, and are spaced apart in the direction of the joint 30. The portions of the two support sections 2 that form the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12 may be formed by bending plate-like members, or they may be joined by welding or adhesive. The deformed reinforcing bars 31 are welded to the support section 2 or attached by adhesive. As shown in Figure 1, the base plate 32 extends in the direction of the joint and is formed in a range corresponding to the road width of the road structure on which the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 is installed. The base plate 32 and the deformed reinforcing bars 31 are fixed to the road structure or the road.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6 and Figure 8, the first telescopic section 7 and the second telescopic section 8 are connected in the direction in which the inclined section 12 and the straight section 11 extend, with the bottom surface 9 of the second seal section 5 being formed at the same depth 29, as shown in Figure 1, etc.

[0037] <Effects of the common configuration from the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a of the first embodiment to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e of the fifth embodiment> The following effects are achieved by the common configuration from the first embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a to the fifth embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e described above. As shown in Figure 4, the rubber seal member 3 of the inclined section 12 has an expanded spacing section 15 in which the spacing of the second seal section 5 is wider than the spacing of the second seal section 5 of the straight section 11. Therefore, when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other, deformation due to twisting of the rubber seal member 3 in the inclined section 12 can be reduced.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the first expandable portion 7 having the expanded interval portion 15 is formed at the boundary portion 20 between the inclined portion 12 and the straight portion 11, where twisting is likely to occur in the rubber seal member 3, and / or between the boundary portion 20. Therefore, when the two support portions 2 move relative to each other, deformation due to twisting of the rubber seal member 3 can be further reduced.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the first telescopic section 7 and the second telescopic section 8 are formed alternately along the direction in which the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12 extend. Therefore, when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other, deformation due to twisting of the rubber seal member 3 can be further reduced.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, 8, and 10, the bottom surface 9 of the second seal portion 5 is connected at a constant depth 29 regardless of whether it is a straight section 11 or an inclined section 12. Since the second seal portion 5 has no vertical steps in the direction of the joint, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of water or gravel accumulating and becoming blocked. Therefore, in addition to reducing deformation due to twisting of the rubber seal member 3 when the two support portions 2 move relative to each other, it is possible to reduce the partial accumulation of water or gravel on the rubber seal member 3.

[0041] <Explanation of the manufacturing method for expansion joint 1 for bridges and elevated roads> Next, the manufacturing method of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 will be described. The manufacturing methods of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a of the first embodiment to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e of the fifth embodiment comprise three steps. The first step is the process of forming the support portion 2 which is installed to correspond to each of the road structures. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the first step is to form the support portion 2 so that, when the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 is installed on the road structure, the support portion 2 extends in the vertical direction, and the joint 30 extends by alternately connecting a straight portion 11 and an inclined portion 12 that is inclined relative to the straight portion 11. As already explained, the two support portions 2 may be formed by bending plate-shaped members in the portions that form the straight portion 11 and the inclined portion 12, or they may be formed by joining or bonding by welding or the like. Note that the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1f of the sixth embodiment omits the first step and comprises the second and third steps.

[0042] The second step is to weld the deformed reinforcing bars 31, which are fixed to the road structure, to the support section 2. As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the second step involves welding the deformed reinforcing bars 31 to the outer surfaces of the support sections 2 that are opposite to each other's opposing surfaces, when the two support sections 2 are arranged side by side in the direction of road traffic, so that they extend along the direction of road traffic. As shown in Figure 4, the third step is to attach the rubber sealing members 3 to the support sections 2. The third step involves vulcanizing and bonding the rubber sealing members 3 to the inner surfaces of the two opposing support sections 2 after the second step. Note that the deformed reinforcing bars 31 may be attached to the support sections 2 by adhesive as well as by welding.

[0043] <Effects of the manufacturing method of expansion joint 1 for bridges and elevated roads> The manufacturing method for the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 described above provides the following effects. In the second step, when the deformed reinforcing bar 31 is welded to the support part 2, the heat generated by welding is transferred to the part of the support part 2 where the rubber seal member 3 is attached. As shown in Figure 6, the position where the deformed reinforcing bar 31 is attached is the position where the joint 21 of the rubber seal member 3 is formed. If the third step were performed before the second step, heat would be applied to the part of the support part 2 where the rubber seal member 3 is vulcanized and bonded, which could reduce the adhesive strength. In contrast, by performing the third step after the second step, the rubber seal member 3 is vulcanized and bonded to the support part 2 after the effect of the heat generated by welding has been removed, so the subsequent decrease in adhesive strength can be reduced.

[0044] <<Configuration specific to each embodiment>> <Configuration of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a in the first embodiment> Next, the configurations specific to each embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1 according to the present invention will be described. Referring to Figure 1 and Figures 4 to 7, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a of the first embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a has a first expansion section 7 formed in the inclined section 12. Furthermore, the first expansion section 7 is formed to a predetermined length along the direction in which the inclined section 12 and the straight section 11 extend, at the boundary section 20 between the inclined section 12 and the straight section 11, or at a position adjacent to the boundary section 20 in the inclined section 12.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the first telescopic section 7 is formed approximately in the center of the direction in which the inclined section 12 extends, and three such sections are formed for each inclined section 12 along the direction in which the inclined section 12 extends. A second telescopic section 8 is formed between the first telescopic sections 7. The lengths of the first telescopic section 7 and the second telescopic section 8 in the direction in which the inclined section 12 extends are approximately equal as an example, but their lengths may be different.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the distance of the first seal portion 34 in the width direction may be longer in the second extension portion 18 of the straight portion 11 than in the first seal portion 24 of the second extension portion 8 of the inclined portion 12 shown in Figure 5. In other words, the distance at which the two support portions 2 face each other in the straight portion 11 may be longer than the distance at which the two support portions 2 face each other in the inclined portion 12.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the first telescopic section 7, the second telescopic section 8, and the second telescopic section 18 are symmetrical with respect to the center in the width direction. The expanded interval section 15 of the first telescopic section 7 and the reference interval section 25 of the second telescopic section 8 and the second telescopic section 18 have, for example, a roughly U-shaped cross-section.

[0048] Figure 7 shows the state of the first expandable section 7 shown in Figure 4(a) when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other along the direction of road traffic. As shown in Figure 7(a), when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other so that the distance between them widens, the first sealing section 14 bulges upward as it deforms to widen the expanded spacing section 15. As shown in Figure 7(b), when the two support sections 2 move so that the distance between them narrows, the expanded spacing section 15 moves downward while narrowing the gap, and the first sealing section 14 bends downward as the expanded spacing section 15 moves.

[0049] <Effects of the expansion joint 1a for bridges and elevated roads in the first embodiment> The configuration of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a of the first embodiment of the present invention described above provides the following effects. The rubber seal member 3 is prone to twisting near the boundary 20 between the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12. This is because the rubber seal member 3 is bent in the direction of the joint, and when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other, distortion occurs near the boundary 20. As shown in Figure 1, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a has a first expansion section 7 formed in the inclined section 12. Furthermore, the first expansion section 7 is formed at the boundary 20 between the inclined section 12 and the straight section 11, or at a position adjacent to the boundary 20 in the inclined section 12. Therefore, the first expansion section 7 can easily absorb deformation due to twisting of the rubber seal member 3 when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other, and vertical movement can be further reduced. The bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1b of the second embodiment shown in Figure 2 also provides the same effects.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the first expandable portion 7 is formed in three locations along the direction in which the inclined portion 12 extends. Since the twisting of the rubber seal member 3 that occurs near the boundary portion 20 is also absorbed near the center in the direction in which the inclined portion 12 extends, deformation due to twisting in the inclined portion 12 can be further reduced.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the second expandable portion 18 of the straight portion 11 has a longer first sealing portion 34 in the width direction than the inclined portion 12, which allows the distance between the two opposing support portions 2 to be widened while keeping the width direction length of the reference interval portion 25 constant. This makes it possible to make the distance between the two support portions 2 in the straight portion 11 and the distance between the two support portions 2 in the inclined portion 12 the same in the direction of road traffic. Therefore, in addition to reducing the twisting that occurs in the rubber sealing member 3 when the two support portions 2 move relative to each other, the distance of the gap that occurs in the direction of traffic can be kept constant regardless of whether it is the straight portion 11 or the inclined portion 12. Note that when the distance in the width direction of the straight portion 11 and the distance in the width direction of the inclined portion 12 are the same, the cross-section of the straight portion 11 will be the same as in Figure 5.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the first telescopic section 7, the second telescopic section 8, and the second telescopic section 18 are symmetrical with respect to the center in the width direction. Therefore, when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other, the rubber seal member 3 expands and contracts continuously along the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12, thereby reducing deformation due to twisting.

[0053] <Configuration and effects of the second embodiment of the expansion joint 1b for bridges and elevated roads> Next, with reference to Figure 2, the specific configuration of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1b of the second embodiment will be described. The first expansion joint 7 is formed in two locations for a single inclined section 12, at the inclined section 12, or at the boundary 20 between the inclined section 12 and the straight section 11, with a second expansion joint 8 formed in between. The lengths of the first expansion joint 7 and the second expansion joint 8 in the direction in which the inclined section 12 extends are, for example, approximately equal, but they may be of different lengths. The configuration of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1b is applied when the length of the inclined section 12 is shorter than that of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a. The cross-sectional views shown in Figures 4 to 7 are the same as those of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a. The effect of the configuration of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1b is the same as that of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a already described, but even when the length of the inclined section 12 is short, it is possible to absorb twisting and reduce deformation at locations where twisting of the rubber seal member 3 is likely to occur.

[0054] <Configuration and effects of the third embodiment of the expansion joint 1c for bridges and elevated roads> Next, with reference to Figure 3, the specific configuration of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1c of the third embodiment will be described. The first expansion joint 7 is formed at one location for each inclined section 12. In the example shown in Figure 3, the position where the first expansion joint 7 is formed is approximately in the center in the direction in which the inclined section 12 extends, and its length is approximately 1 / 3 of the length in the direction in which the inclined section 12 extends. The length of the first expansion joint 7 in the direction in which the inclined section 12 extends can be set arbitrarily, and for example, it may be formed to extend to the boundary section 20 in the direction in which the inclined section 12 extends. The bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1c is applied when the inclined section 12 is even shorter than that of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1b. The cross-sectional views shown in Figures 4 to 7 are the same as those of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a.

[0055] According to the configuration of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1c of the third embodiment described above, the first expansion joint 7 is formed even when the inclined section 12 is short, so deformation due to twisting of the rubber seal member 3 that occurs when the two support sections 2 move relative to each other can be reduced.

[0056] <Configuration and effects of the fourth embodiment of the expansion joint 1d for bridges and elevated roads> Next, with reference to Figure 8, the specific configuration of the fourth embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d will be described. The enlarged spacing section 15 of the first expansion joint 7 shown in Figure 8(a), and the standard spacing section 25 of the second expansion joint 8 shown in Figure 8(b), have a roughly V-shaped cross-section. The same applies to the second expansion joint 18 in the straight section 11 corresponding to Figure 6, although it is not shown. The example of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d shown in Figure 8 only shows the cross-sectional shape of the rubber seal member 3 and the two support sections 2, but it is applicable to the first expansion joint 7 and second expansion joint 8 of any of the bridge / elevated road expansion joints 1a of the first embodiment to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1c of the third embodiment, and the fifth embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e, which will be described later.

[0057] According to the configuration of the fourth embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d described above, when the two support parts 2 move relative to each other, the expanded spacing part 15 expands and contracts in a substantially V-shape, thereby reducing the vertical movement of the rubber seal member 3. The effect of reducing the vertical movement of the rubber seal member 3 is the same as that of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a of the first embodiment to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1c of the third embodiment.

[0058] <Configuration of the fifth embodiment of the expansion joint 1e for bridges and elevated roads> Next, with reference to Figures 9 to 12, the specific configuration of the fifth embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e will be described. The bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e differs from the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a in the following respects. Specifically, of the first expansion joint 7 formed in the inclined section 12, the expansion gap 15 of the first expansion joint 7 formed at the boundary 20 between the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12, or at a position adjacent to the boundary 20 in the inclined section 12, is formed with a bias in the width direction toward the side on which the inclined section 12 is inclined when viewed from the straight section 11.

[0059] As shown in Figure 10(a), the expanded spacing section 15 of the first expansion joint 17 is formed at a position biased to the right in the width direction. The expanded spacing section 15 has the same shape as the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d, as shown in Figure 4 or Figure 8(a). In the first seal section 14, the left first seal section 14a is longer in the width direction than the right first seal section 14b. For example, if the width direction length of the first seal section 14b is set to be less than or equal to the width direction length of the first seal section 24 shown in Figure 5, the expanded spacing section 15 will always maintain a shape that bulges outward from the center in the width direction compared to the reference spacing section 25.

[0060] As shown in Figure 10(b), the expanded spacing section 15 of the first expansion joint 27 is formed at a position biased to the left in the width direction. The expanded spacing section 15 has the same shape as the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d, as shown in Figure 4 or Figure 8(a). In the first seal section 14, the left-side first seal section 14a is shorter in the width direction than the right-side first seal section 14b. For example, if the width direction length of the first seal section 14a is set to be less than or equal to the width direction length of the first seal section 24 shown in Figure 5, the expanded spacing section 15 will always maintain a shape that bulges outward from the center in the width direction compared to the reference spacing section 25. Also, in the example shown in Figure 10, the cross-sectional shape of the expanded spacing section 15 is approximately U-shaped, but as shown in Figure 8, it may be approximately V-shaped.

[0061] As shown in Figure 9, the first expandable sections 17 and 27, which are formed at the boundary 20 between the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12, or at positions adjacent to the boundary 20 in the inclined section 12, have the expanded spacing section 15 formed at a position that is biased in the width direction. However, the first expandable section 7 and second expandable section 8, which are formed at other positions, have a symmetrical shape with respect to the center in the width direction.

[0062] <Effects of the fifth embodiment of the expansion joint 1e for bridges and elevated roads> The configuration of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e of the fifth embodiment described above provides the following effects. As shown in Figures 9 to 12, at the boundary 20 between the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12, or at a position adjacent to the boundary 20 of the inclined section 12, the expanded gap section 15 is formed biased toward the side where twisting of the rubber seal member 3 is more likely to occur, thereby reducing deformation due to twisting.

[0063] Furthermore, if the expanded spacing section 15 maintains a shape that always bulges outward from the center in the width direction compared to the reference spacing section 25, distortion is less likely to occur at the first expandable section 17 and the boundary between the first expandable section 27 and the second expandable section 8, thus further reducing deformation due to twisting.

[0064] <Configuration and effects of the sixth embodiment of the expansion joint 1f for bridges and elevated roads> Next, with reference to Figure 13, the specific configuration of the road joint expansion joint 1f of the sixth embodiment will be described. Unlike the other embodiments, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1f has a configuration in which the joint 30 extends linearly in a direction intersecting the road's direction of travel. There is only one type of expansion section 6. The cross-sectional shape of the expansion section 6 is the same as in Figures 4 to 6 and Figure 8.

[0065] In the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1f, unlike the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a of the first embodiment to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e of the fifth embodiment, the joint 30 is straight rather than corrugated, so there is less partial twisting of the rubber seal member 3 when the two support parts 2 move relative to each other. However, the rubber seal member 3 moves in the vertical direction as the expansion and contraction of the expansion part 6 occurs.

[0066] In contrast, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1f of the sixth embodiment provides the following effects. The configuration of the connecting portion 23 is the same as the configuration described with reference to Figures 4 to 6 and Figure 8. That is, the connecting portion 21 is connected to the expansion portion 6 at the connecting portion 23 below the upper end position 22 of the connecting portion 21, and / or the connecting portion 21 is positioned spaced apart from the upper end 16 of the support portion 2, and the distance 26 between the connecting portion 21 and the upper end 16 of the support portion 2 is three times or more the thickness of the expansion portion 6 of the rubber seal member 3. Therefore, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1f can reduce the vertical deformation of the rubber seal member 3 when the two support portions 2 move relative to each other, and / or reduce the rubber seal member 3 from protruding above the upper end 16 of the support portion 2.

[0067] Furthermore, since the thickness of the first sealing portion 4 gradually increases towards the joint portion 21, a reaction force is generated against the compression that occurs between the connecting portion 23 and the joint portion 21a and the joint portion 21 when the rubber sealing member 3 attempts to move in the vertical direction. Therefore, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1f can reduce the vertical deformation of the rubber sealing member 3 at the connecting portion 23 when the two support portions 2 move relative to each other.

[0068] <<Comparison of each embodiment with comparative examples: bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 and conventional example 40>> Next, we will compare and evaluate each embodiment from the first embodiment's bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a to the fifth embodiment's bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e with a comparative example, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51, and the conventional bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40. The subject of evaluation is the amount of vertical deformation of the rubber seal member 3 in the expansion joint 6 when the two support parts 2 move relative to each other.

[0069] Figure 7 shows the deformation of the rubber seal member 3 from the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a of the first embodiment to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1c of the third embodiment. The same applies to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d of the fourth embodiment. Figures 11 and 12 show the deformation of the rubber seal member 3 in the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e of the fifth embodiment. Figure 15 shows the deformation of the rubber seal member 53 in the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51, which is a comparative example. Note that in the comparative example, the cross-sectional shape of the rubber seal member 53 when the two support parts 2 are not moving relative to each other is the same as the shape of the rubber seal member 3 shown in Figure 5. Figures 16 and 17 show a conventional bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40, and the plan view is the same as in Figure 14.

[0070] <Comparison of bridge / elevated road expansion joints 1a to 1d and comparative example bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51> Figure 7 compares the bridge / elevated road expansion joints 1a to 1d with the comparative example bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 shown in Figure 15. Regardless of whether it is a straight section 11 or an inclined section 12, the cross-sectional shape of the reference interval section 25 in the expansion joint 56 of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 is the same. Therefore, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, the rubber seal member 3 is prone to deformation due to twisting at the boundary section 20 between the straight section 11 and the inclined section 12, or at a position adjacent to the boundary section 20 in the inclined section 12. As shown in Figure 15(a), when the distance between the two support sections 2 widens, it tends to deform upward. As shown in Figure 15(b), when the distance between the two support sections 2 narrows, the reference interval section 25 tends to deform downward more.

[0071] From bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a to bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d, as shown in Figure 7(a), when the distance between the two support parts 2 widens, the twisting of the rubber seal member 3 is reduced, and the amount of upward deformation is smaller than that of the comparative example shown in Figure 15(a). In the example of Figure 7(a), the rubber seal member 3 does not protrude above the upper end 16 of the support part 2. As shown in Figure 7(b), when the distance between the two support parts 2 narrows, the expanded spacing part 15 is formed to widen in the width direction compared to the reference spacing part 25, so downward deformation is reduced. Note that Figure 7 shows the first connection configuration, or the case where the first connection configuration and the second connection configuration are combined. The first expansion part 7 of the second connection configuration shown in Figure 4(b) is not shown. In this case, the rubber seal member 3 in the state corresponding to Figure 7(a) is located at a lower position than that of the comparative example shown in Figure 15(a).

[0072] As explained above, when the two support parts 2 move relative to each other along the road direction, the amount of vertical deformation of the rubber seal member 3 is smaller from bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a to bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d than from the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 of the comparative example. This is because the first expansion joint 7 is formed in the inclined section 12 from bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a to bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1d.

[0073] <Comparison of bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e with bridge / elevated road expansion joints 1a through 1d> Next, we compare the fifth embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e shown in Figures 11 and 12 with Figure 7, which shows the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a, etc. In the examples shown in Figures 11 and 12, the expanded spacing section 15 maintains a state of being widened in the width direction, and the amount of upward deformation of the first sealing sections 14a and 14b is smaller compared to the example shown in Figure 7.

[0074] Figures 10(a) and 11 are cross-sectional views showing section IV-IV in Figure 9, and show a cross-section adjacent to the boundary section 20 where the inclined section 12 is tilted to the right in the figure relative to the straight section 11. At this position, when the expandable section 6 expands or contracts, twisting is likely to occur in a position biased to the right in the figure. As shown in Figure 10(a), the expanded spacing section 15 is formed biased to the right in the figure, so it absorbs the twisting of the rubber seal member 3 and reduces vertical deformation compared to Figure 7.

[0075] Figures 10(b) and 12 are cross-sectional views showing the cross-section VV in Figure 9, and represent a cross-section adjacent to the boundary 20 where the inclined portion 12 is tilted to the left in the figure relative to the straight portion 11. At this position, when the expandable portion 6 expands or contracts, twisting is likely to occur in a position biased to the left in the figure. As shown in Figure 10(b), the expanded spacing portion 15 is formed biased to the left in the figure, so it absorbs the twisting of the rubber seal member 3 and reduces vertical deformation compared to Figure 7.

[0076] Figures 10 to 12 show examples of the first connection configuration, and the case of the second connection configuration is not shown. Even when the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e and the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a are each configured with the second connection configuration, the deformation amount of the rubber seal member 3 is less in the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e.

[0077] As explained above, the fifth embodiment of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1e exhibits less deformation of the rubber seal member 3 when the two support parts 2 move relative to each other, compared to the bridge / elevated road expansion joints 1a to 1d shown in Figure 7. This is because the first expansion part 7 has been changed to the first expansion part 17 and the first expansion part 27 to match the shape of the boundary part 20.

[0078] <Comparison between bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 (comparative example) and conventional bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40> Next, referring to Figures 15 and 17, we will compare the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 of the comparative example with the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40 of the conventional example. The structural difference between the two lies in the connection part 23 of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 and the connection part 42 of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40.

[0079] The configuration of the connection portion 23 in the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 of the comparative example has already been described. In the conventional bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40, as shown in Figure 16, the expansion portion 46, which corresponds to the expansion portion 6 of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 1a, etc., consists of a first seal portion 44 and a second seal portion 45. The joint portion 41 is connected to the support portion 2 with the upper end portion 43 of the joint portion 41 as its upper end, and there is no joint portion 41 above the upper end portion 43. The upper end portion 43 of the joint portion 41 is located at a distance 48 downward from the upper end portion 16 of the support portion 2. The distance 48 does not take into account the amount of deformation of the rubber seal member 47. The configuration of the connection portion 42 is similar to the second connection portion configuration already described, but the distance 48 is significantly different from the distance 26 of the comparative example. The first seal portion 44 is directly connected to the support portion 2 at the upper end portion 43 of the joint portion 41.

[0080] Comparing Figure 15 and Figure 17, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 reduces the vertical movement of the first seal portion 24 at the connection portion 23 compared to the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40. As already explained, when the rubber seal member 53 attempts to deform upward, a reaction force is generated against the compression that occurs between the connection portion 23 and the joint portion 21a. Therefore, the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 can reduce the upward deformation of the rubber seal member 53 when the two support portions 2 move relative to each other. Furthermore, the first seal portion 24 is formed with curved surfaces 13 and 19 such that its thickness gradually increases towards the joint portion 21, thus suppressing vertical deformation.

[0081] Furthermore, the connecting portion 21 is positioned spaced apart from the upper end 16 of the support portion 2, and the distance 26 between the connecting portion 21 and the upper end 16 of the support portion 2 may be three times or more the thickness of the expandable portion 56 of the rubber seal member 53. In this case, since the distance 26 is three times or more the thickness of the expandable portion 56, the amount that the expandable portion 56 protrudes above the upper end 16 of the support portion 2 when it expands or contracts is reduced.

[0082] In contrast, as shown in Figure 17, in the conventional bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40, the first seal portion 44 is prone to bending at the upper end 43 of the joint portion 41. Furthermore, because the separation distance 48 is short from the upper end 16 of the support portion 2, as shown in Figure 17(a), the first seal portion 44 tends to spring upward, and in the illustrated example, the rubber seal member 47 protrudes above the upper end 16 of the support portion 2. Also, as shown in Figure 17(b), the first seal portion 44 tends to bend downward, and the bottom surface 49 of the second seal portion 45 is sagging downward.

[0083] In addition, although the comparative example of the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 was described as having both a first connection configuration and a second connection configuration as shown in Figure 15, even in the case of either the first connection configuration or the second connection configuration alone, the amount of deformation of the rubber seal member 3 is less than that of the conventional bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40.

[0084] As explained above, when comparing the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51 of the comparative example with the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 40 of the conventional example, the deformation of the rubber seal member 3 is less in the bridge / elevated road expansion joint 51. This is due to the difference in the configuration of the connection part 23 and the upper end portion 43 of the joint part 41. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0085] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f Expansion device for bridges and elevated roads 2 Support part 3. Rubber sealing member 4, 14, 14a, 14b, 24, 34 First seal section 5, 15, 25 Second seal section 6 Telescopic part 7, 17, 27 First expansion and contraction part 8, 18 Second telescoping section 11. Straight section 12 Slope 15 Enlarged spacing section 20 Boundary 21, 21a joint part 30th condition

Claims

1. This is an expansion joint used at the joint between opposing road structures. Each of the aforementioned road structures is provided with two support parts that are spaced apart and facing each other, The system includes a rubber sealing member that connects the support parts in an expandable and expandable manner, The aforementioned rubber sealing member is Each of the aforementioned support parts is connected to a joint, Each of the aforementioned joints is connected to two first sealing portions that extend in the opposite direction of the support portion, A second seal portion is provided, connected between the two first seal portions, having a predetermined distance apart, extending downward and having a folded shape, The support portion is formed by alternating straight sections along the longitudinal direction in which the joint extends and inclined sections extending at an angle to the straight sections, in a wave-like pattern. The rubber sealing member of the inclined portion has an expanded spacing portion in which the spacing of the second sealing portion is wider than the spacing of the second sealing portion in the straight portion, and is an expansion joint for bridges and elevated roads.

2. The expansion joint for bridges and elevated roads according to claim 1, wherein the enlarged interval portion of the inclined portion is positioned at the boundary between the inclined portion and the straight portion, and / or between the two boundary portions.

Images