Connector and structural system for light covers that uses the connector

Abstract

The present invention relates to a connector (1) to link ornamental or functional parts (101) between two supports (102), the connector (1) consisting of an element having a central portion (2) and two opposite terminal ends (3). The terminal ends (3) are curved over themselves forming at least one loop (31) and have a hook-shaped end piece (33), and the connector (1) is made of an elastically deformable material. The loop (31) is intended to be placed around and tightly clamping a support (102) allowing the hook-shaped end piece (33) to be manipulated in order to move same from a natural position (A), which leaves the loop (31) open, to a clamping position (B), for which purpose the connector (1) must be elastically deformed such that, by elastic reaction, the hook-shaped end piece (33) is locked in its clamping position (B).

Description

[0001]

[0002] “Connect and construction system for light roofs that uses the connect”

[0003] Technical sector of the invention

[0004] The invention relates to a connector and a construction system for lightweight coverings that utilizes the connector. The connector serves to connect ornamental or functional elements between supports, the whole forming a construction system that can be used for wall cladding, for example, as a curtain wall, ventilated façade, or latticework, but also specifically for lightweight coverings such as pergolas or parasols.

[0005] Background of the invention

[0006] Patent document EP 3635191 B1 discloses a construction system for wall cladding, which combines a series of studs and a series of connectors intended to be held between two vertically non-aligned studs, in which the connectors are elongated and have doubly bent ends. The studs and connectors are designed to be easily coupled without the need for auxiliary elements. To this end, the studs have recesses in the form of slots or holes spatially arranged in relation to the two bends at the ends of the connector, each of said bends being able to be gripped simultaneously in a recess of the stud. To do so, it is necessary to first elastically deform the connector and / or the stud such that, by elastic reaction and as the deformed parts tend to recover their original shape, the bends remain tight within the recesses.The ornamental or functional parts are attached to the central parts of the connectors, that is, between their ends, in a rigid or mobile manner.

[0007] The advantages of the system according to EP 3635191 B1 include, among others, the fact that no auxiliary elements such as screws, clamps, washers, etc. are required to connect the connectors to the uprights; and that part of the system can be assembled in the factory and transported to the destination pre-assembled. A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a system that retains the advantages of the system according to EP 3635191 B1 and that can be used for lightweight structures, such as pergolas or parasols, beneath which there are transit areas, for example, for pedestrians.

[0008] For this type of use, it's important that the system be lightweight. It's also important that the system not be rigid, so it can better adapt to adverse external conditions, such as wind.

[0009] It is also important that the system can use brackets not specifically designed to be part of the system. That is, it can use common, commercially available brackets without having recesses spaced the same distance apart as the distance between the bends at the ends of the connectors to be used.

[0010] Explanation of the invention

[0011] A connector that enables these objectives to be achieved is a connector according to claim 1.

[0012] The connector is formed by an elongated element having a central portion and two opposite terminal ends, each configured to be fastened to a support, the connector being characterized in that said terminal ends are curved on themselves forming at least one loop and have a hook-shaped ending. The connector being made of an elastically deformable material, each loop is intended to be placed around, and tightly embrace, a support of dimensions such that the hook-shaped ending can be manipulated to move it from a natural position, which leaves the loop open allowing said placement around the support, to a fastening position, in which the hook-shaped ending catches, by crimping, the connector at a point before the loop, closing it, being necessary to elastically deform the connector such that, by elastic reaction, the hook-shaped ending will be locked in its fastening position.Practice has shown that the loop thus closed is capable of gripping the support sufficiently to prevent its sliding, that is, preventing the connector from sliding or shifting along the support even if it is, as explained later, in the form of a cable.

[0013] This is why the object of the invention is also a system that combines elongated supports with connectors like the one described above, each connector being placed between two supports and embracing at least one loop of each terminal end to a corresponding support and its respective hook-shaped end adopting the fastening position, that is, the one in which the aforementioned hook-shaped end catches the connector, closing the loop.

[0014] Supports can be rigid or flexible and have various cross-sectional shapes, for example, circular or polygonal (such as triangular or rectangular).

[0015] The invention is practicable with supports made of various materials, such as, and only by way of example, wood, plastic, composite-based fibers (carbon, glass, etc.), natural fibers or metal.

[0016] As already mentioned, a variant of interest is that in which the supports are cables.

[0017] Cables can be laid in a known manner between two fixed points, and it is well known that the use of cables results in lighter and more flexible constructions, ideal for outdoor installations subject to, for example, inclement weather and especially wind.

[0018] The cables can also be coiled or folded onto themselves, and can be coiled with the connectors attached. This preserves the advantage of allowing the system to be transported pre-assembled. In one case, the system uses supports with an unsmooth outer surface. A "unsmooth surface" can be understood as having rough edges, ornaments, raised edges, or wrinkles. A characteristic example, and one that is the subject of a preferred embodiment of the invention, is one in which the supports are braided metal cables.

[0019] Ornamental and / or functional parts are attached to connectors in known ways. These attachment methods can be rigid or allow freedom of movement, as explained later.

[0020] In any case, in the system of the invention the replacement or assembly of a part can be carried out without affecting the rest of the parts.

[0021] In a particular area of ​​interest, connectors are made up of elements whose opposite terminal ends are filiform and curved on themselves.

[0022] Preferably, the connectors are made of a single piece and are filiform along their entire length, not just at the terminal ends. However, it is contemplated that the connectors may be machined, pressed, or worked in their central portion to obtain shapes with a non-circular cross-section, such as flattened, oblong, or polygonal.

[0023] The invention contemplates variable shapes for the terminal ends of the connectors. For example, the terminal ends are contemplated as being curved around themselves, forming two loops, each intended to embrace a single support, for example, a cable, at two adjacent points.

[0024] So in an optimal cable vahante, the two loops on the same terminal end are essentially parallel loops.

[0025] The provision of two parallel loops is of interest for systems in which the connector does not require degrees of freedom relative to the supports, even when these are in the form of cables. In a vahante with two loops, the hook-shaped termination is configured to engage the connector at a point located between two loops.

[0026] The connector is preferably a single piece. A suitable material is metal, and a shape of interest is one in which the connector consists of a thread-like element.

[0027] The invention also provides that the connector has at least its terminal ends a surface finish that gives it anti-slip properties.

[0028] Brief description of the drawings

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a parasol obtained with a construction system according to the invention;

[0030] Fig. 2a and 2b show a detail of a connector of a construction system that uses said connector, all according to a first variant of the invention;

[0031] Fig. 3a and 3b show a detail of a connector of a construction system that uses said connector, all according to a second variant of the invention;

[0032] Fig. 4a and 4b show a detail of a connector of a construction system that uses said connector, all according to a third aspect of the invention; and

[0033] Fig. 5a and 5b show a detail of a connector of a construction system that uses said connector, all according to a fourth variant of the invention.

[0034] Detailed description of the invention

[0035] A construction system 100 according to the invention is exemplified in Fig. 1.

[0036] The system 100 is formed by a bundle of supports 102 in the form of braided steel cables extending, taut, in a parallel arrangement; a set of connectors 1, each of which extends between and is gripped by its terminal ends 3 to two adjacent supports 102; and various ornamental pieces 101, joined to the connectors 1, in the form of platelets or the like. The system 100 exemplifying the invention is a sort of parasol, suitable for covering pedestrian traffic areas on promenades, avenues or the like.

[0037] It is characteristic of system 100 that the connectors 1 are filiform elements that have a central portion 2 that serves as a connection with the pieces 101; and two opposite terminal ends 3, which are curved on themselves forming one or more loops and have a hook-shaped end.

[0038] Connectors 1 are made of an elastically deformable material. A suitable material is a metallic material, with steel or its alloys being a suitable candidate, and a suitable cross-sectional shape is a circular cross-section.

[0039] The dimensions of the loop or loops will be adequate to be able to place said loop or loops around and tightly embrace a support 102, a cable in the example, without expanding excessively to allow the hook-shaped end to be manipulated to move it from a natural position, which leaves the loop open allowing the aforementioned placement around the support, to a fastening position, in which the hook-shaped end catches the same connector 1 at a point before the loop, closing it, being necessary to do so elastically deform the connector 1 by traction or compression, as explained based on the examples, such that, by elastic reaction, the hook-shaped end will be locked in its fastening position.

[0040] Specific examples of connectors 1 and their combination with cable-shaped supports 102, such as in system 100 of Fig. 1, are shown in Figs. 2a and 2b; 3a and 3b; 4a and 4b; and 5a and 5b, in which the respective systems are shown without ornamental parts for ease of understanding.

[0041] Figs. 2a and 2b refer to a first variant of the invention.

[0042] Fig. 2a shows the shape of a terminal end 3 curved on itself forming a single loop 31 and distinguishing the hook-shaped end 33. The terminal end 3 is shown adopting its natural position A, with the loop 31 open which will allow its placement around a support 102, preferably in the cable form referred to above.

[0043] Fig. 2b shows a connector 1 with the terminal ends 33 opposite each other according to Fig. 2a in a fastening position B, in which after placing each loop 31 embracing a corresponding cable, its hook-shaped ends 33 have been manipulated to catch the connector 1 at a point before the loops 31 , closing said loops, having been necessary to do so elastically deform the connector 1, such that, by elastic reaction, the hook-shaped ends 33 are locked in their fastening position B. As a graphic resource to be able to show this fastening position B in Fig. 2b, some transparencies have been used to show parts that would be hidden by the cables or the loops themselves.

[0044] In this particular example, the hook-shaped end piece 33 extends, in the natural position A of one terminal end 3, in a direction essentially normal to that of the loop, i.e., in a direction similar to that which the cable will follow, and the hook is oriented upwards. In this first vahante in the mooring position B, the hook-shaped end piece 33 will behave like a spring under tension.

[0045] Figs. 3a and 3b refer to a second variant of the invention.

[0046] Fig. 3a shows the shape of a terminal end 3 curved on itself forming two loops 31, 32 and distinguishing the hook-shaped finish 33. The terminal end 3 is shown adopting its natural position A, with the loops 31 and 32 open which will allow its placement around the same support 102, preferably also in the cable form referred to above.

[0047] Fig. 3b shows a connector 1 with the opposite terminal ends 3 according to Fig. 3a in a fastening position B, in which after placing each pair of loops 31 , 32 embracing a corresponding cable, its hook-shaped ends 33 have been manipulated to catch the connector 1 at a point between the loops 31 , 32 closing the loop 31 that precedes the hook-shaped end 33, having been necessary to elastically deform the connector 1, so that, by elastic reaction, the hook-shaped ends 33 are locked in their fastening position B. As a graphic resource to be able to show this fastening position B in Fig. 3b, some transparencies have been used to show parts that would be hidden by the cables or the loops themselves.

[0048] In this particular example, the loops 31 and 32 are substantially parallel and the hook-shaped end 33 extends, in the natural position A of one terminal end 3, in a direction at an angle to the direction that the cable will follow, and the hook is oriented towards the position that said cable will adopt, that is, with its throat oriented towards said cable. In this second variant in the mooring position B the hook-shaped end 33 will behave like a spring subjected to tension.

[0049] This second variant is of particular interest when you want to restrict the connector from any movement relative to the cables, especially when you want to restrict connector 1 from rotating around its longitudinal axis.

[0050] Figs. 4a and 4b refer to a third variant of the invention.

[0051] Fig. 4a shows the shape of a terminal end 3 curved on itself forming a single loop 31 and distinguishing the hook-shaped end 33. The terminal end 3 is shown adopting its natural position A, with the loop 31 open which will allow its placement around a support 102, preferably in the cable form referred to above.

[0052] Fig. 2b shows a connector 1 with the opposite terminal ends 3 according to Fig. 4a in a fastening position B, in which after placing each loop 31 embracing a corresponding cable, its hook-shaped ends 33 have been manipulated to catch the connector 1 at a point before the loops 31, closing said loops, having been necessary to do so elastically deform the connector 1, such that, by elastic reaction, the hook-shaped ends 33 are locked in their fastening position B. As a graphic resource to be able to show this fastening position B in Fig. 4b, some transparencies have been used to show parts that would be hidden by the cables or the loops themselves.

[0053] In this particular example, the hook-shaped termination 33 extends, in the natural position A of a terminal end 3, in a direction essentially longitudinal with respect to the length dimension of the connector 1 , that is, in a direction perpendicular to that which the cable will follow, and the hook is oriented outwards. Unlike the first vane, in this third vane in the mooring position B the hook-shaped termination 33 will behave like a spring subjected to compression.

[0054] Figs. 5a and 5b refer to a fourth variant of the invention.

[0055] Fig. 5a shows the shape of a terminal end 3 curved on itself forming a single loop 31 and distinguishing the hook-shaped end 33. The terminal end 3 is shown adopting its natural position A, with the loop 31 open which will allow its placement around a support 102, preferably in the cable form referred to above.

[0056] Fig. 5b shows a connector 1 with the opposite terminal ends 3 according to Fig. 5a in a fastening position B, in which after placing each loop 31 embracing a corresponding cable, its hook-shaped ends 33 have been manipulated to catch the connector 1 at a point before the loops 31, closing said loops, having been necessary to do so elastically deform the connector 1, such that, by elastic reaction, the hook-shaped ends 33 are locked in their fastening position B. As a graphic resource to be able to show this fastening position B in Fig. 5b, some transparencies have been used to show parts that would be hidden by the cables or the loops themselves.

[0057] In this particular example, the hook-shaped termination 33 extends, in the natural position A of a terminal end 3, in a direction essentially longitudinal with respect to the length dimension of the connector 1, that is, in a direction perpendicular to that which the cable will follow, and the hook is oriented outwards. As in the first vane, in this fourth vane in the mooring position B the hook-shaped termination 33 will behave like a spring subjected to compression.

[0058] In the exemplified variants, the connectors have a section of 2.5 mm in diameter and the supports 102, in the form of braided steel cable, have a section of 8 mm in diameter.

[0059] Naturally, the invention can be practiced with connectors and / or supports with other dimensions or shapes, as has been anticipated.

[0060] As regards the joining of the parts 101 to the connectors 1 , the invention allows to practice known joining modes or to combine joining modes in the same system 100. This means that the system can combine parts that are each joined to a single connector, firmly or with the possibility of movement, with parts that are joined to more than one connector.

[0061] Possible joining solutions, by way of example only, are described in documents ES1291911 U or ES1205486U.

[0062] In the exemplified variants of the invention, a joining solution is practiced in which each connector 1 is folded over itself in a central portion 2 to form a handle 2a (although it could be more than one) with a piece 101 being attached to the connector 1 in coincidence with said handle by means of clamps or pins with the possibility of tightening, the handle 2a being sufficiently pronounced to prevent said clamps or pins from sliding along the connector 1 outside the handle.

[0063] In a particularity of the system 100 illustrated by way of example in Fig. 1, remember that it is suitable for covering pedestrian traffic areas in promenades, walkways or the like, that the pieces 101 are provided on their rear face, the face which when the system is installed faces upwards and is therefore hidden from passers-by, with spacers for joining them to the supports 1 on the handles 2a referred to above, this joint being not rigid, allowing the pieces to rotate around the associated connector 1. In order to avoid unwanted loads due to the effect of the wind, it is of interest, as shown in the exemplified system, that the pieces 101 do not present symmetry with respect to the virtual axis around which they are articulated to the associated connector 1.

[0064] 101 pieces can be ornamental, as in the case of the pergola that serves as an example, and / or functional. The connector and the system that uses it can have industrial uses. Just as an example, the connector and the system that uses it can be used in conveyor belts, filters, or sieves, among others.

Claims

1.- A connector (1) for linking ornamental or functional pieces (101) between two supports (102), the connector (1) being constituted by an element that has a central portion (2) and two opposite terminal ends (3), characterized in that - said terminal ends (3) are curved on themselves forming at least one loop (31) and have a hook-shaped end (33); - the connector (1) being made of an elastically deformable material; - the loop (31) being intended to be placed around and tightly embracing a support (102) allowing the hook-shaped end (33) to be manipulated to move it from a natural position (A), which leaves the loop (31) open allowing the aforementioned placement around the support (102), to a fastening position (B), in which the hook-shaped end (33) catches the connector (1) at a point before the loop (31) closing it, being necessary to do so elastically deform the connector (1) such that, by elastic reaction, the hook-shaped end (33) will be locked in its fastening position (B). 2.- A connector (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the terminal ends (3) are filiform. 3.- A connector (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it is filiform throughout its length dimension. 4.- A connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the terminal ends (3) are curved on themselves forming two loops (31, 32). 5.- A connector (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the two loops (31, 32) are essentially parallel loops. 6.- A connector (1) according to claims 4 or 5, characterized in that The hook-shaped end (33) is configured to engage the connector (1) at a point located between the two loops (31, 32). 7.- A connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a single piece. 8.- A connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is metallic. 9.- A connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has at least its terminal ends (3) a surface finish that gives it non-slip properties. 10.- A system (100) that combines pairs of elongated supports (102) between which connectors (1) are placed according to any one of the preceding claims, embracing at least one loop (31) of each terminal end (3) of each connector to a corresponding support (102) and its hook-shaped finish (33) adopting the fastening position (B), that in which the aforementioned hook-shaped finish (33) catches the connector (1) closing the loop (31). 11.- A system (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that the supports (102) are cables. 12.- A system (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that the cables are cables whose outer surface is not smooth. 13.- A system (100) according to claim 12, characterized in that the cables are braided metal cables. 14.- Pergola or cover, characterized in that it comprises a system (100) that combines pairs of elongated supports (102) between which connectors (1) are placed, according to any of claims 10 to 13.

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