Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Composite construction element, in particular for making wall structures for
buildings and process for its manufacture
DESCRIPTION
Background of the invention
In a general aspect thereof, the present invention refers to a composite
construction
element, which has preferred although not exclusive use for making vertical or
horizontal wall structures or coating structures for housing units, industrial
warehouses
and buildings in general, as well for making external or dividing walls of
bodies for
lorries or similar containment structures.
' The present invention concerns, mole specifically, a composite construction
element
comprising:
a) a body made of expanded plastics material provided with opposite faces;
b) at least one reinforcing section bar, transversely extending in said body
between
said faces and incorporated in said expanded plastics material, said at least
one
reinforcing section bar comprising a central portion having at least one fin
extending in
a cantilevered fashion from said central portion and forming a longitudinal
edge
therewith.
Prior art
In the field of construction elements for making walls or containment
structures in
2 0 general and in particular in the. field of building constructions,
construction elements
made of expanded plastics material, preferably expanded polystyrene, in the
form of
sheets or sections of suitable shape and size, having the function of thermal-
and sound-
proofing elements, have been used for some time.
In several applications in the building sector and in order to impart adequate
self
2 5 supporting characteristics to such construction elements, it has become
common
practice to incorporate one or more suitably shaped reinforcing section bars
in the mass
of expanded plastics material.
In the following description and in the subsequent claims, the term "self
supporting" is
used to indicate the ability of the construction element to withstand without
structural
3 0 yields or permanent deformations the stresses undergone during
transportation and/or
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installation.
Thus, for example, in European patent EP 0 459 924 a self supporting
construction
element made of expanded plastics material is described, in particular a floor
element,
comprising a substantially parallelepipedic central body in which a
reinforcing section
bar, made of a thin metal sheet shaped as an I-beam, is integrated during the
molding
operations.
The Applicant has, however, noted that although the construction elements of
this kind
have on the one hand characteristics of lightness, relative ease of use and
low cost, they
could display, on the other hand, self supporting characteristics not always
adequate
and, more specifically, an insufficient resistance to bending loads near the
reinforcing
section bar.
The Applicant has in fact observed that when the zones of the construction
element
externally positioned with respect to its reinforcing section bars)
transversely extending
in the body of the construction element are bent, cracks or fissures may be
formed which
are capable of propagating to such an extent capable to cause, in the worst
case, the
detachment of entire portions of expanded plastics material.
Summary of the invention
The present invention therefore has the object of providing a composite
construction
element made of expanded plastics material which is provided with improved
self
2 0 supporting characteristics and, more specifically, with an improved
resistance to
bending loads applied to the construction element during transportation and/or
installation.
According to a first aspect of the invention, this problem is solved by a
construction
element of the type indicated above, which is characterized in that said at
least one
2 5 reinforcing section bar comprises a plurality of openings at least
partially formed in the
central portion of the section bar at said longitudinal edge.
According to a second aspect of the invention, this problem is also solved by
a
construction element of the type indicated above, which is characterized in
that said at
least one reinforcing section bar comprises a plurality of openings formed in
the central
3 0 portion of the section bar at a predetermined distance from said
longitudinal edge
comprised between about 1 % and about 4% and, more preferably, between about
2%
and about 3%, of the width of the central portion of the section bar.
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In the following description and in the subsequent claims, the distance
between the
openings formed in the central portion of the section bar and the
aforementioned
longitudinal edge is understood to be measured from the peripheral edge of the
openings
and along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal edge
itself.
The Applicant has perceived in particular that the desired improved self
supporting
characteristics and the improved characteristics of resistance to bending
loads of a
composite construction element of the type indicated above can be achieved by
improving the integration of the reinforcing section bar in the mass of
expanded plastics
material at the zones which may trigger possible cracks or fissures, i.e. at
the
longitudinal edge formed by the fin with respect to the central portion of the
section bar.
According to the invention, this improved integration of the reinforcing
section bar in
the mass of expanded plastics material can advantageously and effectively be
achieved
by forming a plurality of openings in the central portion of the section bar
at, or
immediately adjacent to, the aforementioned longitudinal edge.
The Applicant has observed, in particular, that such openings are able to
considerably
increase the resistance of the construction element to the bending loads
applied to the
zones of the body positioned at the outer sides of the reinforcing section
bars.
Within the framework of the first embodiment of the invention in which the
openings
formed in the central portion of the reinforcing section bar are made at the
2 0 aforementioned longitudinal edge, the openings are preferably formed
astride the
longitudinal edge so as to comprise a first portion extending in the
aforementioned at
least one fin and a second portion extending in the central portion of the
reinforcing
section bar, the first portion of the openings having an area lower than the
area of the
second portion.
2 5 In such a way, an optimal integration of the reinforcing section bar in
the body of
expanded plastics material of the construction element can advantageously be
achieved
with a substantial improvement of the resistance to the bending loads of the
construction
element itself without penalizing at the same time the mechanical
characteristics of the
fm(s) extending from the central portion of the reinforcing section bar.
3 0 Preferably, the area of the first portion of the openings is comprised
between about 10%
and about 40% of the total area of the openings formed astride the
longitudinal edge.
Still more preferably, such an area is comprised between about 20% and about
30% of
the total area of the openings formed astride the longitudinal edge.
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The Applicant, in fact, has noted that in such a case it is possible to
optimize the desired
improvement of the resistance to bending loads of the construction element.
Alternatively and still within the framework of the first embodiment of the
invention in
which the openings formed in the central portion of the reinforcing section
bar are made
at the aforementioned longitudinal edge, the openings can be substantially
tangent to
such an edge.
In the following description and in the subsequent claims, the expression
"openings
substantially tangent to the longitudinal edge", is used to indicate not only
openings
exactly tangent to such an edge but also openings formed at a maximum distance
from
the edge equal to about 1 % of the width of the central portion of the
reinforcing section
bar.
Within the framework of the second embodiment of the invention indicated above
in
which the openings are formed in the central portion of the section bar near
the
aforementioned longitudinal edge, it is preferred and advantageous that the
distance
between such openings and the longitudinal edge be comprised between about 2
mm
and about 5 mm and preferably between about 3 nun and about 4 mm.
Within the framework of the invention, the shape of the openings formed at or
near the
aforementioned longitudinal edge is not critical.
The openings, in fact, can have any suitable geometric shape such as for
example
2 0 circular, polygonal (for example triangular, rectangular, square),
elliptical and so forth.
For reasons of practicality and ease of realization the preferred shape is the
circular one.
Preferably, furthermore, the aforementioned openings have a transversal size,
measured
along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the
central
portion of the section bar, comprised between about 10 mm and about 60 mm and,
still
2 5 more preferably, comprised between about 20 mm and about 50 mm.
In such a way, it has been found that it i's possible to optimize the desired
improved
integration of the reinforcing section bar in the mass of expanded-plastics
material of the
construction element.
Preferably, furthermore, the aforementioned openings are longitudinally spaced
apart
3 0 pitchwise and can be arranged according to one or more rows parallel to
the longitudinal
edge formed by the aforementioned at least one fm of the reinforcing section
bar.
Preferably, the reinforcing section bar is made of any material having
suitable structural
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characteristics compatible with the expanded plastics material, for example
cold
laminated steel, preferably galvanized, rigid plastics materials such as for
example PVC;
polyester polymers, polycarbonate,- acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)
copolyrriers
and the like.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing section
bar is
transversely extending in the central body of the construction element along
the entire
thickness thereof. ~ .
Preferably, the reinforcing section bar also is longitudinally extending in
the central
body of the construction element along substantially the entire length
thereof.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing section
bar is
provided with a pair of fms perpendicularly extending from axially opposite
sides with
respect to the central portion of the section bar.
For clear reasons of simplicity of realization and to limit the manufacturing
costs, the
reinforcing section bar is preferably C-shaped, Z-shaped, S2-shaped or I-
shaped for
example by adjoining together two C-shaped elements making the respective
central
portions fit each other so that the openings formed at or in the immediate
vicinity of the
longitudinal edge are preferably coaxial with each other, so as to have the
desired
optimal structural continuity of the expanded plastics material at opposite
sides of the
reinforcing element.
2 0 In this latter case, the construction element is also provided with
optimal supporting
characteristics.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fins) of the
reinforcing
section bar extends) flush with and substantially parallel to at least one
face of the body
made of expanded plastics material of the construction element.
2 5 According to an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention, the
fins) of the
reinforcing section bar is/are completely incorporated in the expanded
plastics material
of the body made of expanded plastics material of the construction element.
In such a case, the fin that extends flush with the construction element
carnes out the
function of providing an adequate supporting surface to which possible outer
finishing
3 0 elements may be fixed, whereas the fins) completely incorporated in the
expanded
plastics material carry out the advantageous function of increasing the
compression
resistance of the reinforcing section bar, increasing the self supporting
characteristics of
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the construction element.
Preferably, the fins) comprises) at least one first rectilinear portion,
substantially
perpendicular to the central portion of the reinforcing section bar and
possibly a second
inclined end portion forming an angle of predetermined value with the first
rectilinear
portion.
Preferably, this second end portion forms an angle comprised between about
40° and
about 120° and, still more preferably, equal to about 90° with
respect to the first portion
of the fin.
In the course of some tests carned out by the Applicant it has been noted that
such a
configuration of the fin contributes to further increase the stiffness of the
reinforcing
section bar, further increasing the self supporting and the compression-
resistance
characteristics of the construction element.
Preferably, the reinforcing section bar has a thickness comprised between
about 0.4 mm
and about 1.2 mm and, still more preferably, between about 0.6 mm and about
1.0 mm.
Preferably, the central portion of the reinforcing section bar has, after
formation of the
fins, a width comprised between about 50 mm and about 180 mm and, still more
preferably, between about 60 mm and about 120 mm, whereas the opposite fins)
of the
section bar have a width comprised between about 15 mm and about 60 mm and,
still
more preferably, comprised between about 30 mm and about 50 mm.
2 0 Should the fm(s) comprise a first rectilinear portion, substantially
perpendicular to the
central portion of the reinforcing section bar and a second inclined end
portion, such a
first portion has a width comprised between about 15 mm and about 60 mm and,
still
more preferably, comprised between about 30 mm and about 50 mm, whereas the
second portion has a width comprised between about 4 mm and about 10 mm and,
still
2 5 more preferably, comprised between about 4 mm and about 6 mm.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the reinforcing section bar is
advantageously
provided with a second plurality of openings formed in the central portion
thereof.
Such openings carry out the two-fold advantageous function of lightening the
reinforcing section bar improving the self supporting characteristics of the
construction
3 0 element, and of allowing an even more intimate integration of the
reinforcing section
bar in the mass of expanded plastics material.
Thanks to the presence of such additional openings, in fact, the mass of
expanded
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plastics material is able to interpenetrate with the reinforcing section bar
during
molding, integrating and stably holding in position the reinforcing section
bar in the
central body of the construction element.
This intimate integration of the reinforcing section bar in the mass of
expanded plastics
material, furthermore, contributes to prevent undesired deformations or
bending along
the transversal direction of the reinforcing section bar even if the latter
essentially
consists, as stated above, of a somewhat thin metal strip. , _
Preferably and in order to further increase the rigidity of the body of the
construction
element, these additional openings formed in the central portion of the
reinforcing
section bar can advantageously be equipped, along the peripheral edge thereof,
with a
protruding lip or, alternatively, with one or more protrusions distributed
along the
peripheral edge and angularly offset with one another, adapted to constitute
an
additional attaching means of the reinforcing section bar to the mass of
expanded
plastics material.
Such protrusions can extend either from a single side of the reinforcing
section bar or
from opposite sides thereof.
Preferably, these additional openings are formed astride the longitudinal axis
of the
central portion of the reinforcing section bar.
Preferably, the total area of all of the openings formed in the reinforcing
section bar is
2 0 comprised between about f0% and about 60% of the total area of the section
bar,
meaning with this term the area of the overall side surface of the section bar
including
that of its fm(s) (i.e. the area of the overall side surface before forming
the fins and the
openings).
Still more preferably, the total area of all the openings formed in the
reinforcing section
2 5 bar is comprised between about 30% and about 40% of the total area
thereof.
According to the invention, also the shape of the openings of this second
plurality -
obtainable in a way known per se, such as for example by punching - is not
critical;
however, it is preferably circular for clear reasons of simplicity of
realization.
Preferably, furthermore, the aforementioned additional openings have a
transversal size,
3 0 measured along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis of the
central portion of the section bar, comprised between about 15 mm and about
100 mm
and, still more preferably, comprised between about 30 mm and about 80 mm.
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_g_
In a preferred embodiment, the openings are formed in the reinforcing section
bar
according to three parallel rows: a first central row of circular openings,
having a
prevailing diameter, arranged pitchwise along the longitudinal axis of the
central portion
of the reinforcing section bar and two lateral rows of circular openings of
smaller
diameter, arranged pitchwise at opposite sides of the aforementioned central
row and
formed at or near the longitudinal edge formed by the fins with the central
portion of the
section bar.
Preferably, the circular openings of the lateral rows have parallel axes and
are positioned
between two consecutive openings of the central row, as shall become clearer
in the
following description.
Advantageously, it is possible in this way to distribute in a particularly
effectively
manner the aforementioned void areas in the various portions of the
reinforcing section
bar, lightening its structure without harming its characteristics of
mechanical resistance
and at the same time obtaining an optimal integration of the reinforcing
section bar in
the expanded plastics material.
Preferably, the pitch of the openings of the central row is proportional to
their size and is
equal to that of the lateral rows and is comprised between about 80 mm and
about 100
mm and, still more preferably, is equal to about 90 mm.
Within the framework of this preferred embodiment, the openings formed at or
at a
2 0 predetermined distance from the aforementioned longitudinal edge have an
overall area
comprised between about 15% and about 40% of the total area of all of the
openings
formed in the reinforcing section bar.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the construction
element
can further comprise at least one rigid covering element associated to the
reinforcing
2 5 section bar.
Preferably, such a covering element is a panel of plasterboard, wood, rigid
plastics
material or another suitable material having a decorative and/or structural
function and
optionally coated with ceramic tiles.
The construction elements of the invention can also achieve advantageous
supporting
30 characteristics, i.e. be able to autonomously support possible static loads
applied
thereon, as a function of the predetermined covering element chosen, having or
not
structural characteristics.
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According to the invention, the construction elements described above
comprising a
plurality of openings formed in the central portion of the section bar at or
near the
longitudinal edge formed between the aforementioned at least one fin and said
central
portion, can be obtained by means of a process as defined in the attached
claim 22 or 23,
respectively.
Advantageously, such. processes can be carned out by means of shearing,
profiling and
molding apparatuses which are conventional per se and known in the art.
Preferred features of these processes are disclosed in dependent claims 24-32.
According to a third aspect thereof, the invention also relates to a wall
structure for
buildings comprising at least one composite construction element of the type
described
above and, preferably, comprising a plurality of such construction elements
arranged
next to each other.
According to a fourth aspect thereof, the invention finally relates to a
coating structure
for covering buildings comprising a plurality of composite construction
elements of the
type described above arranged next to each other on a supporting structure.
Brief description of the drawings
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become more readily
apparent
from the description of some preferred embodiments of a construction element
according to the invention, given hereinafter, for illustrating and not
limiting purposes,
2 0 with reference to the attached drawings.
In the drawings:
- Fig. 1 shows a perspective view, in partial cross-section, of a first
embodiment
of a construction element according to the invention;
- Fig. 2 shows an enlarged scale perspective view of some details of the
2 5 reinforcing section bar incorporated in the construction element of figure
1;
- Fig. 3 shows a perspective view, in partial cross-section, of a further
embodiment of a construction element according to the invention;
- figs. 4 and S show respective enlarged scale perspective views of some
details of
some alternative embodiments of the reinforcing section bar incorporated in
the
3 0 construction element according to the invention;
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- Fig. 6 shows a perspective view, in partial cross-section, of a further
embodiment of a construction element according to the invention;
- Fig. 7 shows a cross section view of a further embodiment of a construction
element according to the invention;
- Fig. 8 shows a plan view of a strip of structural material that can be used
for
making a construction element according to the invention;
- Fig. 9 shows an enlarged scale plan view of a detail of the strip of figure
8.
Detailed description of the preferred embodiments
With reference to figures 1 and 2, a composite construction element made of
expanded
plastics material, for example expanded polystyrene, according to a first
embodiment of
the present invention is generally indicated at 1.
The construction element 1 of the illustrated example can advantageously be
used for
making supporting and dividing walls for buildings and comprises a body 2, in
which a
plurality of parallel recesses 3 are longitudinally defined.
Alternatively, the construction element 1 of the illustrated example can also
be
advantageously used for making bodies for lorries or similar structures.
In a way known per se, the body 2 is also laterally equipped with opposite
sides 4, 5
respectively provided with a groove 6 and, respectively, with a rib 7, having
a mating
shape, longitudinally extending along the entire length of the construction
element 1.
2 0 In such a way, a plurality of construction elements 1 can be stably
connected with each
other by means of a substantially mating joint.
The construction element 1. is also provided with opposite, upper and
respectively lower,
faces 8, 9 and incorporates two structurally identical reinforcing section
bars 10, 11,
arranged in a mirror-like fashion with respect to a longitudinal plane of
symmetry Y-Y
2 5 of the construction element 1.
Although in the illustrated example the faces 8, 9 are substantially planar,
it goes
without saying that their shape is not critical for the purposes of the
invention; the shape
of the faces, in fact, may assume any other geometrical configuration useful
for the
intended purposes.
3 0 The reinforcing section bars 10, 11 are longitudinally extending in the
body 2 of the
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construction element 1 along substantially the entire length thereof between
the
aforementioned upper and lower faces 8, 9.
According to the illustrated embodiment, the reinforcing section bars 10 and
11 are
substantially C-shaped and each comprise a central portion 12 and a pair of
upper and,
respectively, lower fms 13, 14, extending in a cantilevered fashion from the
central
portion 12 and forming axially opposite longitudinal edges 1 Sa, 15b
therewith.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the fins 13, 14 are extending from
the ends of
the central portion 10 substantially perpendicularly to the same.
Preferably, the reinforcing section bars 10 and 11 are obtained by suitably
shaping a
sheet of cold laminated galvanized steel having a thickness of about 0.8 mm,
by means
of apparatuses knownper se and as will be better apparent in the following.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the reinforcing
section bars
10, 11 are transversely extending in the body 2 of the construction element 1
substantially along the entire thickness thereof, so that - as illustrated in
figure 1 - the
fms 13, 14 extend substantially flush with the faces 8, 9 of the body 2.
Preferably, the opposite fins 13, 14 comprise a first portion 13a, 14a
substantially
perpendicular to the central portion 12 of the reinforcing section bars 10, 11
and a
second inclined end portion 13b, 14b forming an angle having a predetermined
value
with the first portion 13a, 14a.
2 0 Preferably, furthermore, the central portion 12 of the reinforcing section
bars 10, 11 has
a width equal to about 80 mm, whereas the first portion 13a, 14a of the fms
13, 14 has a
width equal to about 45 mm, whereas the end portion 13b, 14b has a width equal
to
about 5 mm and forms an angle equal to about 90° with respect to the
first portion 13a,
14a.
2 5 Some tests carried out by the Applicant, showed that a construction
element reinforced
with section bars shaped in this way has self supporting and compression-
resistance
characteristics totally comparable to those possessed by a similar
construction element
reinforced with section bars having a thickness of about 1.2 mm but not having
bent fms
13, 14.
3 0 In this preferred embodiment, the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 comprise
two rows of
openings respectively indicated with reference numerals 16 and 17,
substantially parallel
to each other and to the longitudinal axis X-X of the central portion 12.
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Preferably, the openings 16 and 17 are circular holes obtained by punching and
are
longitudinally spaced apart pitchwise.
According to the invention, the openings 16 and 17 are at least partially
formed in the
central portion 12 of the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 at the longitudinal
edges 15a,
1 Sb.
Such openings carry out the advantageous function of providing the expanded
plastics
material W hich constitutes the body 2 of the construction element 1 with a
structural
continuity that substantially completely eliminates the problems of
insufficient
resistance to bending loads which affect the composite construction elements
of the
prior art.
More specifically, the openings 16 and 17 maximize the resistance of the
construction
element to bending loads applied on the zones 2a, 2b of the body 2 that are
positioned at
the outer sides of the reinforcing section bars 10, 11.
The openings 16 and 17 also carry out the additional advantageous functions of
lightening the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 and of fixing them as tightly
as possibly to
the mass of expanded plastics material.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the openings 16
and 17 are
formed astride the respective longitudinal edges 15a, 15b and comprise a first
portion
16a, 17a extending in the fins 13, 14 and a second portion 16b, 17b extending
in the
2 0 central portion 12 of the reinforcing section bars 10, 11.
Preferably, the first portion 16a, 17a of the openings 16, 17 has in this case
an area
lower than the area of the second portion 16b, 17b.
More specifically, the area of the aforementioned first portion 16a, 17a of
the openings
16, 17 is equal to about 30% of the total area of the openings themselves.
2 5 According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the
reinforcing
section bars 10, 11 are advantageously provided with an additional plurality
of openings
18, preferably circular holes obtained by punching, formed in the central
portion 12.
The additional openings 18 carry out both the two-fold advantageous function
of
lightening the reinforcing section bars 10, 1 l and of fixing them as tightly
as possible to
3 0 the mass of expanded plastics material and the advantageous function of
contributing to
increase the resistance of the construction element 1 to bending loads.
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In the preferred embodiment illustrated in figures 1 and 2, therefore, the
reinforcing
section bars 10, 11 are provided with three parallel rows of openings: a first
central row
including the circular openings 18, having a prevailing diameter, pitchwise
arranged
astride the longitudinal axis X-X of the central portion 12 of the section
bars, and two
lateral rows including the circular openings 16, 17 having a smaller diameter,
positioned
at opposite sides of the aforementioned central row.
Preferably, the circular openings 16, 17 of the lateral rows have parallel
axes and are
positioned between two consecutive openings 18 of the central row, as
illustrated in
figure 1.
Preferably, the openings 18 have a diameter equal to about 60 mm, whereas the
openings 16 and 17 have a diameter equal to about 30 mm; whereas the pitch of
all of
the rows of holes 16-18 is equal to about 90 mm.
The aforementioned openings 16-18, therefore, define a perforated area or void
area
equal to about 30% of the total area of the reinforcing section bars 10 and
11, meaning
with the term "total area" the area of the overall side surface of the section
bars (central
portion 12 and fms 13, 14).
Preferably, furthermore, the openings 16, 17 have an overall area equal to
about 30% of
the total area of all of the openings 16-18 formed in the reinforcing section
bars 10, 11.
Advantageously, the construction element 1 described above is able to achieve
the
2 0 desired improved self supporting characteristics imparted to the same by
the reinforcing
section bars 10, 11 suitably integrated without any substantial interruption
in the
structural continuity of the mass of expanded plastics material ensured by the
openings
16, 17.
In a further preferred embodiment, the construction element 1 can further
comprise a
2 5 rigid covering element, such as for example a panel of plasterboard,
indicated with
reference numeral 19 and illustrated with dotted and dashed lines in the
figures,
associated to one or both the fins 13, 14 of the reinforcing section bars 10,
11.
Preferably, the construction element 1 comprises a pair of panels 19
associated to the
fins 13, 14 of the reinforcing section bars 10,,11 on the faces 8, 9 of the
construction
3 0 element 1 in a way known per se, for example by means of a series of
screws or pegs
which are not shown.
In this case, the construction element 1 of the invention is capable to
achieve
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advantageous supporting characteristics, i.e. is capable of autonomously
supporting
possible static loads applied thereon.
In figures 3-7 additional embodiments of the construction element 1 according
to the
present invention are schematically illustrated.
In the following description and in such figures, the components of the
construction
element 1 structurally and functionally equivalent to those illustrated with
reference to
the previous embodiment shall be indicated with the same reference numerals
and shall
not be described any fiurther.
According to the embodiment illustrated in figure 3, the reinforcing section
bars 10, 11
of the construction element 1, fins included, are completely incorporated in
the
expanded plastics material of the body 2.
Advantageously, the fms 16, 17 carry out in this case the advantageous
additional
function of increasing the compression resistance of the reinforcing section
bars 10, 11,
increasing the self supporting characteristics of the construction element 1.
According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in figure 4, the
openings 16,
17 formed in the central portion 12 of the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 -
only the
upper part of which being shown in such a figure for clear reasons of symmetry
- are
substantially tangent to the longitudinal edges 15a, 15b.
The Applicant, in fact, has observed that also with this construction the
desired
2 0 improvement in the characteristics of resistance to bending loads of the
construction
element 1 can advantageously be achieved.
According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in figure 5, the
openings 16,
17 are formed in the central portion 12 of the reinforcing section bars 10, 11
- only the
upper part of which being shown here as well in such a figure for clear
reasons of
2 5 symmetry - at a predetermined distance d from the longitudinal edges 15a,
1 Sb
comprised between about 1 % and about 4% of the width of the central portion
12 of the
section bars themselves.
Preferably, such a distance d is equal to about 3 mm.
The Applicant has observed that also with this alternative construction the
desired
3 0 improvement in the characteristics of resistance to bending loads of the
construction
element 1 can advantageously be achieved.
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According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in figure 6, the
reinforcing
section bars 10, 11 of the construction element 1 are substantially Z-shaped
and each
comprise a pair of lower and, respectively, upper fins 16, 17 perpendicularly
extending
from the ends of the central portion 12 from opposite sides thereof.
Preferably, the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 are transversely extending in
the body 2
of the construction element 1 substantially for its entire thickness, so that -
as illustrated
in figure 6 - the fins 13, 14 extend substantially flush with the opposite
faces 8, 9 of the
body 2.
In the same way as the embodiments illustrated hereinabove, the fins 13, 14
comprise
also in this case a first rectilinear portion 13a, 14a substantially
perpendicular to the
central portion 12 of the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 and a second
inclined end
portion 13b, 14b forming an angle of predetermined value with the first
portion 13a,
14a.
Preferably, the first portion 13a, 14a of the fins 13, 14 has a width equal to
about 45
mm, whereas the end portion 13b, 14b has a width equal to about 5 mm and forms
an
angle equal to about 90° with respect to the first portion.
Advantageously, the characteristics of resistance to bending loads of the
construction
element 1 are further improved in this additional embodiment.
According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in figure 7, the
substantially Z-
2 0 shaped reinforcing section bars 10, 11 of the construction element 1 are
completely
incorporated in the expanded plastics material of the body 2.
Advantageously, the fms 13, 14 carry out also in this case the advantageous
additional
function of increasing the compression resistance of the reinforcing section
bars 10, 11,
increasing the self supporting characteristics of the construction element 1.
2 5 With reference to the embodiments of the construction element 1 described
above and to
figures 8 and 9, a preferred embodiment of a process according to the
invention shall
now be described, for example for manufacturing the construction element 1
illustrated
in figures 1 and 2. -
In a preliminary step, carried out in a way knownper se, a strip 20 of rigid
structural
3 0 material, for example galvanized steel, intended to form the reinforcing
section bars 10,
11, is provided.
Advantageously, the strip 20 has a predetermined thickness and width for
example equal
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to about 0.8 mm and to about 180 mm, respectively.
The strip 20 comprises a central portion 21 and a pair of side portions 22, 23
extending
from axially opposite sides with respect to the central portion 21, which
portions are
intended to constitute the central portion 12 and, respectively, the fms 13,
14 of the
reinforcing section bars 10, 11 being manufactured, as shall become clearer
hereafter.
In a subsequent step, the process according to the invention comprises the
formation in
the strip 20 of the openings 16 and 17 extending at least partially in the
central portion
21 at the opposite side portions 22 and 23.
Preferably, the openings 16 and 17 are circular and form a pair of parallel
rows
extending in the longitudinal direction along the strip 20.
In this preferred embodiment, furthermore, the additional row including the
openings
18, also preferably circular, is also simultaneously formed astride the
longitudinal axis
X-X of the strip 20.
Such a forming operation of the openings 16-18 can be carried out in a
conventional
way knownper se , for example by punching.
In an alternative embodiment of the process of the invention, it is also
possible to
manufacture the construction element 1 starting from a pre-perforated strip
wound in a
reel and positioned upstream of the bending station.
In a subsequent step, the strip 20 is bent in a way knownper se - for example
by means
2 0 of a profiler - along a pair of longitudinal bending lines 24, 25
substantially parallel to
each other and intersecting the openings 16 and 17.
In such a way, the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 are formed comprising the
aforementioned central portion 12 and the fins 13, 14 extending in a
cantilevered
fashion from the same both below or above the lying plane of the strip 20 and
forming
2 5 the opposite longitudinal edges 15a and 15b.
Preferably, the bending step is carried out in such a way that the fins 16 and
17 form an
angle of about 90° with respect to the lying plane of the central
portion 21 of the strip
20.
Preferably, the bending lines 24, 25 extend parallel to the row of openings
16, 17 at a
3 0 distance d' from the longitudinal axis Z-Z of the row comprised between
about 15% and
about 50% of the maximum transversal size D of the aforementioned openings (in
this
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case equal to the diameter of the circular openings) measured along a
direction
substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X-X of the central
portion 21 of the
strip 20.
In the case of the construction element 1 illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the
distance d' is
preferably equal to about 5 mm.
It goes without saying that the alternative embodiments of the construction
element 1 of
the invention, in which the openings 16 , and 17 are substantially tangent to
the
longitudinal edges 15a and 15b or are positioned in their immediate vicinity,
can be
produced by bending the strip 20 along bending lines 24, 25 that are suitably
positioned
with respect to the aforementioned openings.
In the case in which it is desired to position the openings 16 and 17 in the
immediate
vicinity of the longitudinal edges 15a and 15b of the reinforcing section bars
10, 11, it is
preferable and advantageous that the distance between the longitudinal bending
lines 24
and 25 and the openings 16, 17 is between about 1 % and about 4% of the width
of the
central portion 12 of the resulting section bar, in this case coinciding with
the width of
the central portion 21 of the strip 20.
In the case of the reinforcing section bar illustrated in figure 5, the
distance d is
preferably equal to about 3 mm.
Preferably, furthermore, the bending step of the strip 20 can be carried out,
still using
apparatuses knownper se, in such a way as to further bend the fms 13, 14 by
about 90°
so as to obtain the aforementioned first portion 13a, 14a substantially
perpendicular to
the central portion 21 of the strip 20 and the second inclined end portion
13b, 14b
forming an angle of predetermined value with respect to the first portion 13a,
14a.
In an alternative preferred embodiment, the bending step of the strip 20 can
be carried
2 5 out, still using apparatuses knownper se , in such a way as to further
bend the fins 13, 14
respectively over and under the lying plane of the strip 20 itself, so as to
obtain the
construction element structures 1 illustrated in figures 6 and 7.
In a subsequent step, the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 thus obtained are
positioned in a
molding seat of a suitable apparatus for molding plastics material that is
conventional
3 0 per se and not shown.
Once the positioning of the reinforcing section bars 10, 11 in the molding
seat has taken
place, the steps of feeding granules of expandable plastics material into said
space and
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of subjecting the granules of plastics material in the molding seat to
expansion and
subsequent welding are then carned out, so as to form the body 2 of the
construction
element 1 incorporating reinforcing section bars 10, 11.
In a preferred embodiment, the forming step of the body 2 made of expanded
plastics
material is carned out in such a way that the fins 13, 14 of the reinforcing
section bars
10, 11 extend flush with and substantially parallel to the faces 8, 9 of the
body 2 itself,
so as to obtain the construction element structures 1 illustrated in figures
1, 2 and 6.
In an alternative preferred embodiment, the forming step of the body 2 made of
expanded plastics material can be carried out in such a way that the fms 13,
14 of the
reinforcing section bars 10, 11 are completely incorporated in the body 2
itself, so as to
obtain the construction element structures 1 illustrated in figures 3 and 7.
Should the manufacture of the construction element 1 be carried out
continuously, the
process finally comprises a final step, also carned out with apparatuses
knownper se, in
which the body 2 is cut to size so as to obtain a construction element having
the desired
length.
Obviously, a man skilled in the art may introduce changes and variants to the
invention
described above in order to satisfy specific and contingent application
requirements,
changes and variants which anyway fall within the scope of protection as
defined by the
following claims.
