CONSTRUCTION KIT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PANEL ELEMENTS
A construction kit comprising a plurality of panel elements (1, 2, 3), each one of which has a thickness (t1) and, in the extension plane thereof, an area that comprises a number of mutually equal square part areas (a1), connecting elements (5, 6) for mutual connection of panel elements, and fastening devices (8) for mutual attachment of connecting elements (5, 6) and panel elements, characterized in that, in panel elements (2, 3) having two or more square part areas (a1), nearby edge-parallel part areas (a1) aligned with each other are spaced-apart by a distance (s3) that at least corresponds to the thickness (t1) of the panel element, that the outer edges of the panel elements (1, 2, 3) in the extension plane coincide with the edges of the adjacent square part areas (a1), and that the connecting elements (5, 6) are arranged to hold adjacent interconnected panel elements at a distance along their planes parallel to the extension plane, amounting to the distance (s3) between nearby panel element part areas (a1).
The invention relates to a construction kit, which comprises a plurality of panel elements, which mutually have substantially equal thickness, and which, in the extension plane thereof, have an area that comprises a number of mutually equal square part areas, connecting elements for mutual connection of panel elements, as well as fastening elements for attachment of the panel elements to the connecting elements.
Construction kits are previously known in many different embodiments, and have their advantages and failings.
Construction kits having plane panel elements and mutually equal thickness are often preferable, and then it is known to form the panel elements with a rectangular area that is formed of a number of mutually equal square part areas. Each panel element has a centre plane that is parallel to and at equal distance from the two main surfaces of the panel element. If two or more such panel elements are to be joined and connected in a common plane, it is naturally desirable to retain the division of the part areas across the joint, by arranging the connecting elements in the corresponding manner. In this case, the connecting elements should clamp the panel elements in butt-joint relation. But if it is desired to join an additional panel element perpendicular thereto, in the joint region between two panel elements, and in such a way that the centre plane of the additional panel element lies at the joint, the problem occurs that the edge of the additional panel element cannot be brought down to the centre plane of adjoining panel elements. This means that the distance between nearby panel elements along their centre planes cannot be made equal to the distance between nearby panel element part areas, because of said interference. Further, other problems arise in structures composed of a plurality of panel elements that are built together at a mutual angle.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a construction kit that obviates said problems, and without interferences allows the construction of three-dimensional regular structures, wherein the structures can be further added with panel elements belonging to the construction kit without special solutions having to be resorted to.
The object is attained by the invention.
The invention is defined in the appended independent claim 1.
Embodiments of the invention are defined in the appended dependent claims and in the embodiment accounted for below, which is described with reference being made to the appended drawing.
In
As a further example,
Once again, nearby part areas a1 are spaced-apart by a distance s3, and the part areas al that are closest to the outer edges of the rectangular panel element 3 have at least one side edge coinciding with the outer edge of the panel element 3. Such as shown in
As is seen in
By means of fittings 5, it is for instance possible to attach a panel element 2 to a panel element 3 in the way that is illustrated in
In
As an example, it may be mentioned that the branches 51, which in the regions thereof situated around the openings 19 indeed should be plane and perpendicular to each other, may have a curved transition, which means that a panel element that abuts the inside of a branch 51 cannot come down to the region of the extension plane of the other branch 51. Concerning the connecting element according to
The invention is naturally not limited to construction kits that embrace one or more of one or more of the shown panel elements 1-3, but may comprise many other types of panel elements constructed in accordance with the principle taught, so that they comprise a number of square areas that have adjacent edges in parallel and right opposite to each other, and spaced-apart by a distance s3 corresponding to the thickness t1 of the panel elements. In a further development of the invention, which is shown in
The bores do not necessarily have to be in the centre of the respective part area, and neither need to be present in each part area of a panel element. As an alternative to a central bore, a bore may for instance be present at the longitudinally central region of the respective part-area edge, at an equal and short distance from the same. Alternatively, two or more bores may be present along each edge at mutually equal distance along the edge, the hole pattern preferably being mirror-symmetrical along the edge. The connecting elements are naturally adapted according to this and have at least some hole that has been adjusted according to the holes in the part areas.
In
The connecting elements included in the construction kit may naturally also comprise a corner element embracing three plates attached perpendicularly to each other, such as illustrated in
In
From
In the embodiment examples according to
In the embodiment, the panel elements are shown to be perpendicularly cut off at the border of the part areas where the panels have said thickness, but it will be appreciated that in special embodiments, it is possible to choose to let the panel elements have an outwardly tapering extension past said border, wherein the extension, as an example, could be generally triangular and have a tip height that is at most equal to t3/2, wherein panel elements having several part areas naturally should have recesses at least in the region between the part areas, in order to be able to receive therein such an extension of the edge of a panel element attaching perpendicularly thereto. Furthermore, a recess that is formed between edge extensions facing each other of two panel elements joined in a common plane has to be able to receive the edge extension of a panel element attaching perpendicularly thereto. The appended claim 1 defines the basic design of the invention and should also be regarded to cover the previously mentioned embodiments.
Claims
1. A construction kit comprising a plurality of panel elements (1, 2, 3), each one of which has a thickness (t1) and, in the extension plane thereof, an area that comprises a number of mutually equal square part areas (a1), connecting elements (5, 6) for mutual connection of panel elements, and fastening devices (8) for mutual attachment of connecting elements (5, 6) and panel elements, characterized in that, in panel elements (2, 3) having two or more square part areas (a1), nearby edge-parallel part areas (a1) aligned with each other are spaced-apart by a distance (s3) that is greater than or equal to the thickness (t1) of the panel element, that the outer edges of the panel elements (1, 2, 3) in the extension plane coincide with the edges of the adjacent square part areas (a1), and that the connecting elements (5, 6) are arranged to hold adjacent interconnected panel elements at a distance along their centre planes parallel to the extension plane, amounting to the distance (s3) between nearby panel element part areas (a1).
2. Construction kit according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance (s3) is at most 3×the thickness (t1) of the panel element and is preferably substantially equal to the thickness (t1) of the panel element.
3. Construction kit according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening devices (8) comprise fastening elements, preferably screw-nut joints, which extend through appurtenant mutually aligned holes in the connection device and the panel element part area, respectively.
4. Construction kit according to claim 1, characterized in that each panel element has at least one hole in a part area and preferably in each part area.
5. Construction kit according to claim 3, characterized in that the hole in the panel element is centrally placed in the part area.
6. Construction kit according to claim 1, characterized in that the part area has a plurality of holes, the holes being situated at equal distance from the edge of the part area and at equal distance from the edge ends.
7. Construction kit according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting elements (5, 6) comprise a first type of connecting elements (6) embracing a plane piece of sheet metal having through bores (19), and a second type of connecting elements, which have two flat branches (51) that form a, preferably, right angle with each other.
8. Construction kit according to claim 7, characterized in that the mutual distance (v) between the bores (19) in the first type of connecting element (6) corresponds to the centre distance between central bores in two adjacent part areas (a1) of a panel element, and that the bores (19) in the branches of the second type of connecting element is situated at a distance from the intersecting line between the plane of the branches (51), corresponding to the half edge length (s2) of a part area (a1).
9. Construction kit according to claim 3, characterized in that the fastening devices (8) are in the form of screw-nut joint the e screw extending through a bore (19) in a connecting element and the opening (9) in a panel element and co-operating with a nut, wherein the connecting element (6) and the panel element (1, 2, 3) can be clamped together between the head of the screw and the nut.
10. Construction kit according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance (s3) between nearby part areas (a1) of the panel elements (2, 3) amounts to at least the thickness (t1) of the panel element plus the thickness (t3) of at least one, preferably two connecting elements (5, 6).
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 23, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 25, 2010
Inventor: Björne Johansson (Taby)
Application Number: 12/444,815
International Classification: E04B 1/61 (20060101);