Hatch refined for building walls

Abstract

A hatch (1) refined for (9) building walls comprising: a subframe (2) having an essential bidimensional structure and attachable to the wall (9) at a related through-opening; a frame (3) capable of supporting a door panel (4) moveable relative to the subframe (2) between two end configurations, respectively, of intercepting or freely crossing the wall (9) ; means (5) of interconnecting the frame (3) and subframe (2), designed to allow transitions of the hatch (1) between said end configurations; and means (6) of locking the hatch (1) that are designed to close and open the hatch (1), operating elastically and being switchable upon a simple thrust action exerted against the door panel (4). The subframe (2) is provided with a three-dimensional, continuous, structurally strong truss (24), placed along its outline, and is integrated as a single body with the subframe (2) itself.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to building construction technologies and specifically concerns a hatch for inspecting and / or accessing cavities bounded by building, structural or furnishing walls.PRIOR ART TECHNOLOGY

[0002] To gain access to a cavity behind a building wall that is rather frequently exposed to view, it is customary to make an opening on the wall that is of a shape and size appropriate to need and to employ a closing hatch designed to be openable and closeable as needed while at the same time being able blend into the wall as much as possible so as not to alter the overall aesthetics.

[0003] Such hatches normally entail: a subframe, which can be inserted into the wall opening; and a frame, joined to the subframe and movable relative thereto, which is designed so as to receive and support, in the guise of a concealing cover, a door panel completely identical in material and aesthetic appearance to the structural or furnishing wall receiving the hatch. In order not to frustrate the aesthetic efficacy of the concealment, the opening and closing of the frame—not being implementable using handles, knobs, or equivalent or similar grip and actuation means—are achieved by a simple thrust of the frame toward the subframe, exercised by a manual press and release action applied in succession to the door panel, elastically counteracted by countering means, with a resilient structure, operatively positioned between the subframe and frame.

[0004] The technology in the sector already includes hatches of the type described above, which have been prefabricated from metal profiles, preferably from aluminium, which are conveniently cut to size, machined, assembled and equipped with prefabricated locks known for their general use. These prefabricated locks are manufactured as completely self-contained metal units, which are placed practically within the hatch structure by means of various brackets and adapters suitably shaped and designed for that purpose.

[0005] These hatches, while fulfilling their basic technical functions, suffer from a number of drawbacks, including, for example, that they are not totally concealable from view, and / or of being in colours and finishes that are not always entirely compatible with those of the receiving building wall; that they are relatively heavy and consequently unwieldy during installation; and / or that they are somewhat expensive due to the nature of the materials used and the inherent processing technology which they require.

[0006] To overcome these drawbacks, an alternative solution has been proposed, in document DE202016004549U1, in which at least the subframe and frame are made of plastic, injection-moulded material, the metal components of the product being, in practice, limited to standard lock systems only, which are kept unchanged and are placed in the hatch structure exactly as envisaged for metal hatches, the only difference being that the seats supporting and accommodating them are made of plastic.

[0007] However, the prior art mentioned above suffers from some fundamental drawbacks, which can be overcome.

[0008] One of these is that, in the context of a predominantly flat structure with a frame and subframe of limited thickness, the presence of locks of the type known in the prior art, regardless of their constituting material, means that the hatch is of large transversal dimensions in a line orthogonal to the plane in which it lies; that is, to the plane of the building wall receiving the hatch.

[0009] These large dimensions of the hatch as a whole are detrimental in several respects. Indeed, from a purely utilitarian point of view, it is negatively conditioned by the need to give the cavity a minimum depth below which there would not be sufficient space to accommodate the opening / closing systems of the hatch. From another point of view, this also leads to an unnecessary reduction in useful space in storage warehouses and in the loading volumes of transportation vehicles; this is detrimental to the product in that the overall cost of the product is negatively impacted due to the costs of non-negligible handling, operating and purchasing the lock as manufactured according to the prior art.

[0010] Another drawback, stemming from plastic hatches, is caused by the fact that the differing nature of the material constituting the hinges on the one hand and of the frame and subframe on the other entails a further increase in costs resulting from the assembly and fastening of the locks and, in parallel, at the end of the product's useful life, an additional cost of the disassembly and selective separation for sorting of parts for the collection of the relevant constituent materials.

[0011] In addition, a further drawback of plastic hatches is that, when having the same dimensions as metal hatches, the former have a much lower overall stiffness, which makes them somewhat deformable and poorly capable of resisting warping, meaning that if they have not been, or could not be, installed in a perfectly workmanlike manner, the correct operation of the metal locking means themselves would also be compromised.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks highlighted above by designing a solution that allows for lightweight hatches which can be put in place effectively and quickly with great convenience even when they have to be installed in horizontal building walls (e.g. false ceilings) where operators are required to operate for as long as necessary with their arms raised above their heads; and which at the same time is able to ensure indispensable conditions for the optimal operation of the locking means at all times and under all circumstances.

[0013] In accordance with the invention, this result is achieved by a hatch with the technical features defined in the claims attached.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Further technical characteristics and advantages of the invention will be made clear in the following description of an exemplary, non-limited contraption illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 is an overall isometric view of a hatch according to the invention, shown fully assembled in one of its open configurations;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to that in FIG. 1, in which the hatch is shown in the closed configuration.BEST WAY TO IMPLEMENT THE INVENTION

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the accompanying drawings, the reference number (1) has been assigned as a whole to a hatch (1) prefabricated to fit building walls (9), delimiting, for example, interspaces, cavities, building compartments made for general construction purposes.

[0018] The hatch (1) essentially comprises: a subframe (2); a frame (3); interconnecting means (5) relating thereto; and locking means (6).

[0019] The subframe (2) has an essentially two-dimensional structure, preferably quadrilateral, and is intended to be attached to the building, structural or furnishing wall (9) along a perimeter edge (27) of a corresponding through opening made in the same wall (9).

[0020] The frame (3) is shaped in such a way as to support a door panel (4), which may be advantageously, but not only, implemented with panels completely identical in structure and / or superficial and physical appearance to panels constituting the cladding of the building wall (9), irrespective of the structural and furnishing uses for which they are intended.

[0021] Using suitable and conventional interconnecting means (5), the frame (3) is joined to the subframe (2) such as to be movable relative thereto between two end configurations: in a first of which, where the hatch (1) is closed, said door panel (4) intercepts the through opening of the building wall (9) and, in a second end configuration, where the hatch (1) is open, said frame (3) is instead positioned and oriented relative to the subframe (2) in such a way as to allow the through opening of the furnishing wall (9) to be traversed.

[0022] More particularly, said interconnecting means (5) comprise tabs (5a) and complementary prismatic seats (5b), open in shape, which are coupled together in the guise of half-hinges, wherein the tabs (5a) carry two degrees of freedom: one in the rotational direction and the other in the translational direction relative to their respective seats (5b).

[0023] The hatch (1) further comprises locking means (6) for closing and opening said hatch (1), which are designed to operate elastically, being switchable by a simple thrust action exerted against the door panel (4) and directed orthogonally to the plane in which the same panel (4) lies.

[0024] As can be seen from accompanying FIGS. 1 and 2, the subframe (2) is provided with one three-dimensional truss (24), elongated in structure, which is integrated in a single body with said subframe (2), on all relative contouring sides (11,12).

[0025] The three-dimensional truss (24) has a polylateral cross-section, preferably quadrilateral. It is also structured in such a way as to include at least one pair of plate-like, parallel, elongated beams (13), which are connected by interposed plates (14), suitably distributed transversely to the beams (13).

[0026] Some plates (14) are orthogonal to the beams (13), others are oblique relative to the beams (13) and are neatly alternated with the orthogonal plates (14); all preferably have heights identical to each other and to that of the beams (13).

[0027] From this geometric configuration, the subframe (2) obtains a highly non-deformable very rigid structure, both in respect to bending and torsion actions that applied to the subframe (2), which allows the frame (4) inserted in said subframe (2) to move with total regularity relative to the interconnecting means (5) and as the hatch (1) transitions between the closed and open configurations; and to support the door panel (4) in adequate and strict coplanarity and continuity with the building wall (9) that houses the hatch (1).As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the truss (24) is structured in such a way as to incorporate the open prismatic (5b) seats of the interconnecting means (5), which are shaped and sized in such a way as to prevent the frame (3) from assuming an oblique orientation relative to the subframe (2) such as to render it accidentally disengageable from the subframe (2) itself.

[0028] As for the locking means (6), these are of a known type and, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprise two pairs of locking partners (19,20), which can be reversibly snapped elastically together, according to a plane of action orthogonal to the door panel (4).

[0029] These locking partners (19, 20) have geometrically complementary shapes and are carried: one pair by respective arms (8) cantilevered from one of the three-dimensional trusses (24), while the other pair of partners (20) is carried by the frame (3) of the hatch (1).

[0030] As for the shape of the lock partners (19,20), it can be seen from the drawings that these comprise conjugated roulette-based kinematic mechanisms in which a roulette (16) carried by an arm (17), swinging around an equilibrium configuration, is reversibly switchable relative to a base (16) upon thrusting said door panel (4) in a line orthogonal to the plane in which it lies.

[0031] Preferably, both the subframe (2) and the frame (3) of the hatch (1) are made of plastic, either virgin or recycled, by injection moulding.

[0032] The invention fully achieves the stated purposes and is also suitable by providing a structure that is relatively simple, reliable in use and low-cost and the total recoverability of the constituent materials at the end of the useful life of the product.

Claims

1. A hatch (1) refined for building walls (9), comprising:a subframe (2) and a frame (3) made from plastic, wherein the subframe (2) has an essentially two-dimensional structure and is capable of attaching to a furnishing wall (9) at a corresponding through opening, and the frame (3) is capable of supporting a door panel (4) and movable relative to said subframe (2) between two end configurations, in a first of which, where closed, said door panel (4) intercepts the through opening of the building wall (9) and, in a second end configuration, where open, said frame (3) is able to allow the through opening of the building wall (9) to be traversed;means (5) of interconnecting said frame (3) and subframe (2), comprising tabs (5a) and complementary prismatic seats (5b), open in shape, which are coupled together in the guise of half-hinges, designed to allow said hatch (1) to transition between said end configurations; andmeans (6) of locking said hatch (1) designed to close and open said hatch (1), operating elastically, and switching upon a simple thrust action exerted against the door panel (4);said hatch (1) being characterised in that said frame (3) is capable of supporting a door panel (4) conforming to the building wall (9) receiving said hatch (1); and that said subframe (2) is provided with a three-dimensional, continuous, structurally strong truss (24), positioned along its own outline, which is integrated as a single body with said subframe (2) to support said door panel (4) in due coplanarity with said building wall (9) construction, said truss (24) incorporating the open prismatic (5b) seats of said interconnecting means (5), which are shaped in such a way as to prevent the frame (3) from assuming an oblique orientation relative to the subframe (2) such as to render it accidentally disengageable from the subframe (2) itself.

2. A hatch, according to claim 1, characterised in that said one or each three-dimensional truss (24) has a polylateral cross-section.

3. A hatch, according to claim 2, characterised in that said cross section has a quadrilateral shape.

4. A hatch, according to claim 1, characterised in that said one or each truss (24) includes at least one pair of plate-like, parallel, elongated beams (13), which are connected by interposed plates (14), suitably distributed transversely to the beams (13).

5. A hatch, according to claim 4, characterised in that said plates (14) are oblique to the beams (13).

6. A hatch, according to claim 4, characterised in that said beams (13) and said plates (14) have essentially identical heights to each other.

7. A hatch, according to, claim 1, characterised in that said locking means (6) of said frame (3) and subframe comprise locking partners (19,20) reversibly engageable elastically, operating along a plane of action orthogonal to the door panel (4).

8. A hatch, according to claim 7, characterised in that said lock partners (19,20) have geometrically complementary shapes, at least one of which is carried by a respective arm (8) cantilevered by at least one said three-dimensional truss (24), at least one other lock partner (20) being carried by said frame (3).

9. A hatch, according to claim 8, characterised in that said lock partners (19,20) comprise a conjugated roulette-based kinematic mechanism in which a roulette (16) carried by an arm (17), swinging around an equilibrium configuration, is reversibly switchable relative to a base (16) upon thrusting said door panel (4).

Images