Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
JOINT MEMBER FOR PANELS
* * *
DESCRIPTION
This disclosure relates in general to the sector of constructions and in
particular the subject-matter of this disclosure is a joint member for panels.
One specific field of use of this disclosure is the building sector, in
particular
for wooden buildings.
According to one method currently used, the walls of a wooden building are
made using prefabricated panels, made of wood (for example multi-layered
wood or X-LAM type laminated wood panels), which are installed by
positioning them vertically and joining them to each other. Since the width of
each panel is limited by the production and transportation needs involved
and therefore the width of the panel is less than the desired width of the
wall,
each wall is formed by a plurality of panels alongside each other so as to
obtain the desired width.
The mechanical connections between the panels and the foundation base,
and between the panels themselves, are made for example by metal
brackets or plates to be fixed to the faces of the panels and by fixing screws
with various inclinations according to requirements.
In general there is the need for alternative solutions which allow the panels
to be joined together effectively in structural terms and which, if possible,
minimise the manpower necessary for assembling them during installation
and the risk of assembling errors or imperfections.
In particular, the prior art methods involve drawbacks regarding the
assembling of wooden walls in which there must be an opening for a door or
for a window. That opening is laterally delimited by two lateral panels, which
act as uprights, and is delimited at the top by a panel which acts as a
crosspiece or architrave and which is constrained to the two lateral panels.
The lateral panels hold the upper panel spaced from the ground and
discharge to the ground the load that the structures above apply on the
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upper panel.
Therefore, the mechanical connection between the lateral panels and the
upper panel is required to be strong, suitable for transferring loads and
carefully made.
One prior art method involves shaping the upper portion of the sides of the
lateral panels in such a way as to create supports for the upper panel.
Moreover, the upper panel is mechanically connected to the lateral panels by
fixing screws inserted from above into holes made in the thickness of the
panels and having an inclination of approximately 45 relative to the vertical
direction. The screws fix the upper panel to the lateral panels. See Figure 1A
with regard to this.
At least in the case of an opening for a window, the opening is also delimited
at the bottom by a lower panel which in turn is fixed to the lateral panels by
screws inserted into holes made in the thickness of the panels, at
approximately 45 relative to the vertical direction.
One drawback of this prior art method is that the precision required in
making holes for the fixing screws makes it difficult to prepare them in
advance before assembling: indeed the holes affect both the lateral panel
and the panel to be fixed and must precisely fit together in the panels during
installation. Consequently, in order to avoid risks of lack of alignment
during
assembling, the holes are usually made during installation, after the upper
panel has been positioned on the supports. Making the holes and positioning
the screws require working from above, which may be very awkward for
operators. Moreover, the holes are long holes which, starting from the top,
must pass through the height of the upper panel, therefore particular care by
the operators is required in order to make them correctly during installation.
Furthermore, the lateral panel shaping to create supports and the upper
panel shaping to match, which are operations to be performed at the factory,
may be at risk of working errors which are difficult to correct during
installation.
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In variants of the prior art method, the fixing screws may be positioned
differently: for example they may be inserted not from above but obliquely
from the faces of the panels, or from above but with a different angle. In
place of the fixing screws described above, it is possible to produce
different
fixing using pierced flat plates to be fixed to the faces of the panels,
straddling the face of one panel and the face of the other panel alongside it.
It should be noticed that all of these prior art methods have the disadvantage
that the obtained result greatly depends on the professional expertise of the
operators and on the precision of their assembling work during installation.
For example, holes made with incorrect inclinations or in unsuitable positions
may make the connection by fixing screws much weaker than expected.
Therefore, the result of an earthquake resistance test performed on a wall
specially built in the factory with the due care is in no way representative
of
the effective earthquake resistance behaviour of a corresponding wall
installed: if the operators have not been precise in their work, the wall
installed might not be capable of withstanding an earthquake which,
according to the design and testing, it should have been able to withstand.
In this context, the technical purpose of this disclosure is to provide a
joint
member for panels which allows the panels to be mechanically connected to
each other with methods which overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, or
at least to provide a joint member for panels which offers an alternative
solution to the currently known solutions.
The technical purpose specified and the aims indicated are substantially
achieved by a joint member for panels according to claim 1. Particular
embodiments are defined in the corresponding dependent claims. This
disclosure also relates to an assembly (in particular a wall of a building, or
a
floor of a building) comprising panels which are connected to each other by
joint members according to this disclosure.
According to one aspect of this disclosure, the joint member has a body
equipped with at least four connecting portions (or fixing portions) each
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having a respective seat intended to receive a fixing element. In use, each
seat represents a point at which the joint member is fixable to a panel and
the respective connecting portion is a body part which is configured for
receiving the fixing element and for mechanically operating in conjunction
with the latter and with the panel. The seats are spaced from each other and,
in a plan view of the joint member, are positioned at the vertices of a
quadrilateral. The connecting portions are fixable in pairs to the respective
panels: in use, the fixing member is positioned in a position interposed
between the first panel and the second panel, in a joint region in which a
side or edge of the first panel is alongside a side or edge of the second
panel; two connecting portions are fixed to the first panel; the other two
connecting portions are fixed to the second panel. The joint member is
shaped in such a way that its seats for the fixing elements are located, in
pairs, on opposite sides of its body and those sides are located on opposite
faces of the assembly formed by the panels which are alongside each other.
That is useful for facilitating assembling operations: the sides of the joint
member remain accessible when the latter is positioned between the panels
and therefore the operator can easily position the fixing elements in the
seats, if necessary also making the corresponding holes in the panels.
.. It should be noticed that these operations can be performed by acting on
the
opposite faces of the assembly, for example on the vertical faces of the wall,
not from above as in the prior art. This is easier for the operator.
Moreover, the holes to be made during installation have a limited depth,
determined by the length (variable according to requirements) of the fixing
element to be received. They do not extend at all from the top of the upper
panel and for a significant stretch of its height, as in contrast is necessary
for
the prior art shown in Figure 1A. This greatly simplifies the operations to be
performed during installation.
Furthermore, unlike the prior art mentioned above, the lateral panel shaping
to create the supports and the upper panel shaping to match can be
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completely avoided: indeed the joint member is usable for joining panels with
straight sides.
In particular, in the sides or edges of the panels hollows or recesses can be
made, in the thickness of the respective panel, for receiving a corresponding
part of the joint member. The joint member may be completely housed in
those hollows, without projecting from the faces of the assembly and without
constituting a thickness between the sides or edges.
The hollows or recesses can be easily made by milling and in particular can
be made in the factory, thereby minimising the operations to be performed
during installation.
It should be noticed that the simplification of the operations to be performed
during installation greatly reduces both the possibility of errors by the
operators, and the influence of their professional expertise and precision on
the obtained result. The risk of difference between the wall installed and the
design specifications is much reduced. Therefore, the use of a joint member
according to this disclosure is useful for ensuring that the wall installed
has,
in structural and earthquake resistance terms, characteristics which are
reproducible and corresponding to those of the design. This allows to
disengage the obtained result as far as possible from the margin of
uncertainty due to the work of the operators who assembled the wall during
installation.
It should be noticed that what has been described and commented on with
reference to a wall also applies with reference to a floor.
In some embodiments in which the connecting portions intended for the
same panel between them form a housing, it is possible to obtain substantial
interlocking between the joint member and the panels, by suitably sizing and
shaping the joint member and the hollows. That makes the connection even
more secure and stronger, in addition to what can be obtained by the fixing
elements, and may allow considerable earthquake resistance performance.
One specific field of use of the joint member according to this disclosure is
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that of wooden structures, in which the joint member is usable for multi-
layered wood or laminated wood panels, in particular of the X-LAM or CLT
(Cross Laminated Timber) type.
In this field, particular advantage may be gained from an embodiment of the
joint member in which, for each pair of connecting portions which are fixable
to the same panel, the seats for the fixing elements have central longitudinal
axes which are slanting (i.e., they are not in a same plane) relative to each
other and have projections which, in a view orthogonal to the plan view of
the joint member, diverge in the direction coming out of the faces which face
the same panel.
Indeed, compared to configurations with fixing elements which are
substantially coplanar, thanks to this configuration the fixing elements
inserted into the panel affect a greater volume of the panel, they involve a
greater number of fibres of the wood and they more effectively distribute the
stresses in a more extensive zone of the panel. Therefore, a very strong joint
is obtained.
However, it should be noticed that the joint member according to this
disclosure may be used for panels of any type and made of any material, not
necessarily in the building sector.
Further features and advantages are more apparent in the following detailed
description of several preferred, non-limiting embodiments of joint members
for panels and of their use. Reference will be made to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
- Figure 1A shows, in a front view, the making of a wooden wall according
to
the prior art;
- Figures 1B and 1C respectively show a front view and a perspective view
of a variant for making a wooden wall according to the prior art;
- Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a joint member
according to this disclosure;
- Figure 3 shows a view of one side of the joint member of Figure 2;
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- Figure 4 shows a plan view of the joint member of Figure 2;
- Figure 5 shows a side view of the joint member of Figure 2;
- Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the joint member of Figure 2,
equipped with fixing elements;
- Figure 7 shows a side view of the joint member of Figure 2, equipped with
fixing elements;
- Figure 8 shows a view of one side of the joint member of Figure 2,
equipped with fixing elements;
- Figure 9 shows a plan view of the joint member of Figure 2, equipped with
fixing elements;
- Figure 10 shows a perspective view of an assembly comprising two panels
connected by joint members of Figure 2;
- Figure 11 shows an enlarged detail from Figure 10;
- Figure 12 shows a front view of the assembly of Figure 10;
- Figure 13 shows an enlarged detail from Figure 12;
- Figure 14 shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the assembly of
Figure 10, in section along section line XIV - XIV in Figure 12 at a joint
member still without fixing elements;
- Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the assembly of
Figure 10, in section along section line XV - XV in Figure 12 at a joint
member equipped with fixing elements;
- Figure 16 shows a perspective view of an assembly comprising three
panels connected by joint members according to this disclosure, wherein
in particular that assembly is a wall with an opening for a door;
- Figure 17 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a joint
member according to this disclosure;
- Figure 18 shows a view of one side of the joint member of Figure 17;
- Figure 19 shows a plan view of the joint member of Figure 17;
- Figure 20 shows a side view of the joint member of Figure 17;
- Figure 21 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a joint
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member according to this disclosure;
- Figure 22 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a joint
member according to this disclosure;
- Figure 23 shows a plan view of a fifth embodiment of a joint member
according to this disclosure, equipped with fixing elements;
- Figure 24 shows a plan view of a sixth embodiment of a joint member
according to this disclosure, equipped with fixing elements.
With the sole purpose of putting this disclosure into context relative to a
prior
art in the wooden buildings sector, Figure 1A shows a known method for
making a wall made of wooden panels in which an opening for a door or for
a window is required. The wall in Figure 1A is shown during an assembling
step.
Two lateral panels 91, 93, one upper panel 92 and if necessary one lower
panel 94 delimit an opening 90 for a door or for a window.
Supports 95 are obtained in the sides of the lateral panels 91, 93 by shaping
the self-same sides. The upper panel 92 is rested laterally on the supports
95.
The upper panel 92 is constrained to the lateral panels 91, 93 by screws 96:
the screws 96 are inserted into holes 97, made at approximately 45 relative
to the vertical direction. The holes 97 pass through the height of the upper
panel 92 and penetrate the sides of the lateral panels 91, 93. The holes 97
are made and the screws 96 are inserted from above. The screws 96
inserted into the bottom of the holes 97 therefore connect the upper panel 92
to the lateral panels 91, 93. A similar fixing with screws 96 in inclined
holes
97 is also used for the lower panel 94.
Alternatively, the panels may be constrained to each other by pierced flat
plates 98. For example the lower panel 94 is constrained to the lateral
panels 91, 93 also by said pierced flat plates 98, which are fixed with screws
to the faces of the panels. Essentially, the flat plates 98 straddle the face
of
the panel 94 and the face of the other panel alongside 91, 93, parallel to the
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faces themselves.
In variants of the prior art method, the fixing screws 96 may be positioned
differently: for example they may be inserted not from above but obliquely
relative to the faces of the panels, or they may be inserted from above but
with a different inclination or a different position. Figures 1B and 1C should
be viewed with regard to this, since for illustrative purposes they show three
screws 96 with different directions of insertion: two will be inserted into
holes
which start from the face of the upper panel 92 or of the lateral panel 93,
the
other will be inserted into a hole which starts from the top of the lateral
panel
93 rather than from the top of the upper panel 92 as in Figure 1A.
In figures 1B and 1C the screws 96 are used for the upper panel 92, which is
also laterally resting on supports 95 made in the lateral panels 91, 93,
whilst
flat plates 98 are used for the lower panel 94.
A first embodiment of a joint member for panels according to this disclosure
is shown in Figures 2 to 9, where the joint member is labelled with the
reference number I. The joint member 1 is intended to mechanically connect
a first panel and a second panel to each other. Basically, the joint member 1
is a structural connecting element, which is used for assembling a structure
formed by panels and remains incorporated in the structure itself,
constituting a joint which constrains the two panels to each other.
One method for use of the joint member 1 is illustrated in Figures 10 to 16,
which show, by way of example, an assembly comprising panels joined to
each other by joint members according to this disclosure. In those figures, a
first panel is labelled with the reference number 51, a second panel is
labelled with the reference number 52, a third panel is labelled with the
reference number 53.
Figure 16 shows a wall of wooden panels in which an opening for a door or
for a window is present. The differences compared with the prior art shown
in Figures 1A, 1B and 1C are immediately evident.
The joint member 1 is intended to be positioned in a position interposed
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between the first panel 51 and the second panel 52, in a joint region 50 in
which a side or edge 511 of the first panel 51 is alongside a side or edge 521
of the second panel 52.
The joint member 1 has stiffness and mechanical strength suitable for the
purpose of keeping the panels 51, 52 connected to each other in a
predetermined position and of transmitting between them the loads acting
once installed.
Depending on requirements, the joint member 1 may be made of suitable
material such as multi-layered or laminated wood (in particular X-LAM or
Cross Laminated Timber), metal, plastic or bioplastic material, composite
material (for example carbon fibre). The joint member 1 may be made as a
single piece or may be formed by multiple pieces which are joined to each
other.
The joint member 1 has a body 20 (which specifically is a rigid, substantially
non-deformable body) equipped with at least four connecting portions 21,
22, 23, 24 (which may also be referred to as fixing portions) each having a
respective seat 31, 32, 33, 34 intended to receive a respective fixing
element. The fixing element is for example a screw 5.
The seats 31, 32, 33, 34 are spaced from each other and, in a plan view of
the joint member 1, are positioned at the vertices of a quadrilateral. Figure
4
shows that plan view, in which moreover a quadrilateral (in particular a
rectangle) has been sketched: the vertices of the quadrilateral are at central
points of said seats.
Overall, the body 20 substantially has a prismatic shape, with two
substantially flat parallel faces 201, 202 (which are parallel to the plane of
said plan view). The body 20 has a height between the two parallel faces
201, 202. The connecting portions 21, 22, 23, 24 are contained between the
two parallel faces 201, 202; their seats 31, 32, 33, 34 extend in the material
between said parallel faces 201, 202 and open onto faces which connect
said parallel faces 201, 202.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-10-15
A first and a second of said connecting portions, labelled with the reference
numbers 21 and 22, form a first pair of connecting portions: they are on a
first part 27 of the body 20 and are intended to be fixed to the first panel
51.
A third and a fourth of said connecting portions, labelled with the reference
numbers 23 and 24, form a second pair of connecting portions: they are on a
second part 28 of the body 20 and are intended to be fixed to the second
panel 52. In particular, each pair is formed by two connecting portions on a
same part of the body 20, on the opposite side to the other pair.
Each connecting portion 21, 22, 23, 24 has a first face 41 which, in use, is
facing the respective panel 51, 52 (that is to say, facing the panel to which
the connecting portion is fixed) and a second face 42 which is on an
opposite side to the first face 41.
The second face 42 of the first connecting portion 21 and the second face 42
of the third connecting portion 23 are on a same first side 25 of the body 20
of the joint member 1. The second face 42 of the second connecting portion
22 and the second face 42 of the fourth connecting portion 24 are on a same
second side 26 of the body 20 of the joint member 1. The second side 26 is
opposite to the first side 25, that is to say, is on an opposite side of the
body
20.
In other words: the first connecting portion 21 and the third connecting
portion 23 are on a same part of the body 20 but are intended to be fixed to
different panels; the second connecting portion 22 and the fourth connecting
portion 24 are on a same part (opposite to that of the connecting portions 21,
23) of the body 20 but are intended to be fixed to different panels.
Each seat 31, 32, 33, 34 is, or comprises, a through hole which extends in a
thickness of the respective connecting portion 21, 22, 23, 24 between the
first face 41 and the second face 42. The through hole has a central
longitudinal axis 30. In practice, the respective fixing element (in
particular a
screw 5) is insertable into the seat from the side on which the second face
42 is and, coming out of the seat on the side on which the first face 41 is,
the
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fixing element engages with the respective panel.
In particular, the seats 31, 32, 33, 34 open onto the first faces 41 in
positions
substantially coplanar with each other in a plane parallel to the parallel
faces
201, 202 of the body 20. More specifically, each seat 31, 32, 33, 34 opens
onto the first face 41 in a position halfway up the height of the body 20,
that
is to say, equidistant from the two parallel faces 201, 202.
Depending on structural and assembling requirements: the through hole may
be a smooth hole, into which the screw 5 is simply insertable with
substantially free sliding and therefore the transfer of the longitudinal
forces
between the joint member 1 and the screw 5 is only at the head of the screw
5; as an alternative, the through hole may be a threaded hole, having a
thread engageable by the thread of the screw 5, therefore the transfer of
longitudinal forces between the joint member 1 and the screw 5 is also along
the whole thread of the threaded hole. The choice between one or the other
solution may also depend on the forces in play, to which the assembly is
subjected once installed, and on the material used to make the joint member
1.
As will be made clearer below, in use the first faces 41 are facing towards
the respective panels and are hidden by the latter, whilst the second faces
42 remain free and accessible for an operator who is assembling the
assembly (or structure) comprising the panels. Therefore the operator, acting
from the first side 25 and from the second side 26 of the body 20, can
position the fixing elements 5 in the respective seats 31, 32, 33, 34 and, by
the fixing elements 5, fix the joint member 1 to the first panel 51 and to the
second panel 52.
In the embodiments illustrated, with reference to the first side 25 and to the
second side 26 of the body 20, the second faces 42 of the connecting
portions on the same side form a cavity between them: a first cavity 35 is
present between the second faces 42 of the first connecting portion 21 and
of the third connecting portion 23; a second cavity 36 is present between the
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second faces 42 of the second connecting portion 22 and of the fourth
connecting portion 24. For example, as shown in Figures 2 to 9, the second
faces 42 of the connecting portions on the same side are at least partly
facing towards each other: they are inclined relative to each other and form
an angle between them in the plan view (see Figure 4).
The seats 31, 32, 33, 34 open onto the second faces 42 and face those
cavities 35, 36, which in use are interposed between the alongside sides or
edges 511, 521 of the first panel 51 and of the second panel 52. The heads
of the fixing elements 5 may remain housed in those cavities 35, 36 and do
not project from the respective side 25, 26 of the body 20.
For each connecting portion, an extension of the central longitudinal axis 30
of the respective seat beyond the second face 42 does not intersect the
other connecting portion on the same side 25, 26. This feature is useful for
facilitating assembling operations: the operator is not obstructed by the
other
connecting portion during insertion of a fixing element 5 into the seat or
during use of a tool such as a drill for making a corresponding hole in the
panel or a screwdriver or a screwer for screwing the fixing element 5 into the
seat and into the panel.
Said feature is obtainable with a suitable shape of the connecting portions,
for example by suitably selecting the position of the seats, the inclination
of
their longitudinal axis and the relative inclination between the second faces
of the connecting portions.
In the embodiment illustrated, said feature is also obtained with the
following
device: the other connecting portion on the same side 25, 26 has a hollow
29 (or a hole) through which said extension of the central longitudinal axis
30
travels or passes. In practice, the extension of the central longitudinal axis
meets and travels through that hollow 29 (corresponding to an absence
of material) rather than through the material which constitutes the body 20.
As regards the first pair and the second pair of connecting portions, in the
30 embodiment illustrated the first faces 41 of the connecting portions of the
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same pair between them form a housing which, in use, is intended to receive
a region of the side or edge of the respective panel: a first housing 37 is
present between the first faces 41 of the first connecting portion 21 and of
the second connecting portion 22 and is intended to receive a region of the
side or edge 511 of the first panel 51; a second housing 38 is present
between the first faces 41 of the third connecting portion 23 and of the
fourth
connecting portion 24 and is intended to receive a region of the side or edge
521 of the second panel 52. In practice, each pair forms a sort of fork.
For example, as shown in Figures 2 to 9 and similarly to what is described
above for the cavities 35, 36 formed between the second faces 42, the first
faces 41 of the connecting portions of the same pair are at least partly
facing
towards each other: they are inclined relative to each other and form an
angle between them in the plan view (see Figure 4).
In the embodiment illustrated, the sides 511, 521 of the panels 51, 52 have
hollows or recesses 55, for example obtained by milling, which are intended
to receive the respective connecting portions of the joint member 1. In
particular, each hollow or recess 55 has a region with a shape that
substantially matches the respective housing 37, 38 in which the region is
received in the assembled condition. See specifically Figure 10 in
combination with Figure 4.
That is useful for increasing the contact surface area and the strength of the
constraint between the panel and the joint member 1, thereby producing a
more secure and stronger connection.
As can be seen in the figures for the embodiments illustrated, the connecting
portions 21, 22, 23, 24 are wings (or arms) which extend from a central
region of the body 20 of the joint member 1. In particular, the connecting
portions are in a radial arrangement.
In the plan view, as shown in Figure 4, the joint member 1 substantially has
the shape of an X or a cross, where the connecting portions form the arms of
that shape. In other words, the two parallel faces 201, 202 of the body 20
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-10-15
have that shape.
An X or cross shape appears to be advantageous both as regards the use of
the joint member 1 (see what has already been mentioned above in relation
to the cavities 35, 36 and to the housings 37, 38), and as regards production
of the joint member 1 itself, since this allows the consumption of material
and the weight of the joint member 1 obtained to be limited.
For the first pair and the second pair of connecting portions, in said plan
view the projections of the central longitudinal axes 30 of the seats of the
connecting portions of the same pair converge in the direction coming out of
the first faces 41, that is to say, they converge with each other towards the
respective panel. With regard to this, in addition to Figure 4, Figure 9
should
also be viewed, where the screws 5 housed in the seats extend along the
central longitudinal axes 30 of the self-same seats. In practice, the screws 5
which fix the joint member 1 to a panel are not parallel to each other and
they converge, engaging oblique stretches of the thickness of the panel.
That is useful for achieving a satisfactory distribution of the longitudinal
and
shearing stresses and of the twisting moments acting on the joint. Moreover,
the insertion of the screws 5 into the seats is easy thanks to the inclination
of
the central longitudinal axes 30 beyond the second faces 42.
Moreover, again for the first pair and the second pair of connecting portions,
the central longitudinal axes 30 of the seats of the connecting portions of
the
same pair are slanting (i.e., they are not in a same plane) relative to each
other and have projections which, in a view orthogonal to said plan view,
diverge in the direction coming out of the first faces 41, that is to say,
they
diverge towards the respective panel.
With regard to this, Figure 8 should be viewed, where the screws 5 housed
in the seats extend along the central longitudinal axes 30 of the self-same
seats.
Basically, the fixing elements 5 in the seats 31, 32, 33, 34 extend along the
respective central longitudinal axes 30, so that the fixing elements 5 of the
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-10-15
connecting portions of the same pair are slanting (i.e., they are not in a
same
plane) relative to each other and have projections which, in the view
orthogonal to said plan view, diverge in the direction coming out of the first
faces 41.
This is useful, on one hand, for improving the resistance of the joint to
longitudinal and shearing stresses and to twisting moments, and on the
other hand for preventing the two screws 5 from being able to interfere with
each other if they converge in plan view (as described above).
One method for use of the joint member 1 is described below.
The joint member 1 is usable for joining, that is to say, for mechanically
connecting, a first panel 51 and a second panel 52 to each other.
The first panel 51 and the second panel 52 are positioned side by side, so
that a side or edge 511 of the first panel 51 is alongside a side or edge 521
of the second panel 52. In practice, a thin face of the first panel 51 (that
is to
say, the face substantially corresponding to the thickness of the panel and
which connects the two opposite main faces) is facing towards a thin face of
the second panel 52. If the panels have the same thickness, the main faces
of one panel are substantially a continuation of the main faces of the other
panel.
The joint member 1 is positioned in a position interposed between the first
panel 51 and the second panel 52 (in particular between their sides or edges
511, 521) in the joint region 50.
The connecting portions 21, 22, that is to say, the connecting portions of the
first pair, are fixed to the first panel 51 by respective fixing elements 5 in
the
seats 31, 32; the connecting portions 23, 24, that is to say, the connecting
portions of the second pair, are fixed to the second panel 52 by respective
fixing elements 5 in the seats 33, 34.
Therefore, an assembly 57 is obtained, comprising the panels 51, 52, one or
more joint members 1 and a plurality of fixing elements 5.
In particular, in order to join the two panels 51, 52 it is possible to use a
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plurality of joint members 1, which are positioned one after another along the
sides or edges 511, 521 of the panels. Figures 10 to 16 for example show a
joint between the panels 51, 52 which is produced with three joint members
1, spaced from each other and evenly distributed along the joint region 50.
As already indicated above, in the embodiment illustrated the side or edge
511 of the first panel 51 and the side or edge 521 of the second panel 52
have respective hollowed regions (that is to say, hollows or recesses 55) in
the thickness of the self-same panel for receiving a corresponding part of the
joint member 1 (that is to say, the corresponding connecting portions 21, 22,
23,24).
That allows the panels 51, 52 to be drawn near each other so that the side
or edge 511 of the first panel 51 is substantially adjacent to (or even in
contact with) the side or edge 521 of the second panel 52, except in said
hollowed regions 55 where the joint member 1 is located. Therefore,
between the two panels 51, 52 there may be a substantial surface continuity,
except at the hollowed regions 55.
It should be noticed that each hollowed region 55 opens both on the side or
edge (that is to say, on said thin face), and on the two opposite faces (or
main faces) of the panel. Moreover, the hollowed region 55 may be shaped
to match the portion of joint member 1 received in it.
The joint member 1 is positioned in the hollowed regions 55 in such a way
that the first side 25 and the second side 26 of the body 20 are on opposite
faces of the assembly 57, that is to say, on opposite faces of the panels
joined.
Therefore, the first side 25 and the seats 31, 33 are accessible from the side
shown in Figures 10 to 13, through the openings of the hollowed regions 55
on the face from that side; the second side 26 and the seats 32, 34 are
accessible from the other side (which is hidden in those figures) through the
openings of the hollow regions 55 on the face from that other side.
The plane of said plan view of the joint member 1 (Figure 4) is substantially
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orthogonal to said opposite faces of the assembly 57, that is to say, is
substantially orthogonal to the plane of the sheet of Figure 12. In
particular,
the parallel faces 201, 202 of the body 20 are substantially orthogonal to
said opposite faces of the assembly 57.
The width of the joint member 1 (measured between the sides 25, 26) is
roughly equal to (or slightly less than) the thickness of the panels 51, 52
(measured between said opposite faces). Therefore, the joint member 1
occupies practically the whole thickness of the hollowed regions 55, but
without projecting from the opposite faces of the assembly 57.
Using a suitable number of joint members 1 it is possible to connect multiple
panels to each other. For example the assembly 57 may comprise a third
panel 53 and at least one other joint member 1, as shown in Figure 16.
In addition to the first side or edge 521 to which the first panel 51 is
connected, the second panel 52 has a second side or edge 522 which is
alongside a side or edge 531 of the third panel 53. The third panel 53 is
connected to the second panel 52 by at least one other joint member 1, with
methods completely similar to those already described. The second panel 52
is interposed between the first panel 51 and the third panel 53.
The joint member 1 can be used in particular for multi-layered wood or
laminated wood panels, in particular of the X-LAM or CLT (Cross Laminated
Timber) type.
One specific field of use is the construction of buildings which have wooden
walls and/or wooden floors. For example, a wall 58 for a building is formed
by a plurality of panels (in particular wooden panels, more specifically multi-
layered wood or laminated wood panels, such as X-LAM or CLT) which are
connected to each other using joint members 1. That wall 58 therefore
comprises at least one assembly 57.
One example of use, which corresponds to what is shown in Figure 16,
relates to a wall 58 for a building, in which the wall 58 is required to have
an
opening for a door or for a window.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-10-15
For this purpose at least three panels 51, 52, 53 are used which, as
described above, are joined to each other by joint members 1 in such a way
that the second panel 52 is interposed between the first panel 51 and the
third panel 53.
The panels are selected with sizes such that the first side or edge 521 and
the second side or edge 522 of the second panel 52 have a length which is
less than the respective sides or edges 511, 531 of the first panel 51 and of
the third panel 53, whereby there is an open region 59 between the first
panel 51 and the third panel 53. In other words, the second panel 52 has a
height which is less than the height of the panels 51, 53.
Once installed, the first panel 51 and the third panel 53 are the lateral
uprights of the opening for a door or for a window, whilst the second panel
52 is a crosspiece or an architrave of the opening for a door or for a window.
In practice, the opening for a door or for a window is at least one part of
said
open region 59 or itself corresponds to said open region 59.
Alternative embodiments of a joint member according to this disclosure are
shown in Figures 17 to 24. Only the differences compared with the first
embodiment of Figures 2 to 9 are commented on herein, it being understood
that all of the other features and methods of use described for the first
embodiment are also similarly applicable for these alternative embodiments.
In the embodiment of Figures 17 to 20, the first faces 41 are curved instead
of flat as in the first embodiment. In particular, each first face 41 has a
convex surface which may be considered similar to a portion of a cylindrical
surface. This embodiment may be useful because making hollows or
recesses 55 in the sides of the panels 51, 52, with concave curved surfaces
that are also shaped to match the connecting portions, may be easier than
hollows with flat surfaces.
In the embodiment in Figure 21, the body 20 of the joint member has a
central region 205 which is elongate, so that the connecting portions in each
pair (that is to say, the connecting portions for the same panel) are further
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-10-15
away from each other than in the first embodiment. Moreover the central
region 205 has flat faces intended to be contained between the sides of the
panels. This embodiment may be useful for thicker panels.
In the embodiment in Figure 22, the joint member is formed by two pieces
20a, 20b which are made separately and which, once fitted together, form
the body 20. A first piece 20a comprises the first connecting portion 21 and
the third connecting portion 23; a second piece 20b comprises the second
connecting portion 22 and the fourth connecting portion 24.
Essentially, each piece 20a, 20b is one half of the body 20 of the
embodiments previously described: the two halves correspond to the pieces
which would be obtained by "cutting" the body 20 with a cutting plane which
cuts the housings 37, 38 separating the connecting portions intended to be
fixed to the same panel.
The two pieces 20a, 20b are fitted together for example by a threaded bar
207 or a stud (or other connecting element) which allows the distance
between the two pieces 20a, 20b to be set at a selected value.
That is useful for adapting the size of the joint member to the thickness of
the panels. In other words, the joint members according to the embodiment
in Figure 22 have an adjustable length and therefore they can be used for
panels which, on each occasion, have different thickness: compared with the
other embodiments, it is not necessary to produce joint members which are
different and which have specific dimensions for each panel thickness.
In particular embodiments of a joint member according to this disclosure, the
first face of each connecting portion has a stepped shape. The first faces of
the connecting portions of the same pair between them form the housing
which, in use, is intended to receive the region of the side or edge of the
respective panel.
Examples of those particular embodiments are the embodiments in Figures
23 and 24, which are only shown in plan view and equipped with fixing
screws 5. The first faces 41 have a stepped shape: as shown in Figures 23
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-10-15
and 24, in the plan view the profile of each first face 41 is a jagged line.
The
housings 37, 38 therefore have a faceted shape which has a plurality of
edges. That may be useful for promoting an improved interlocking of the joint
member in the respective recesses 55 (shaped to match the housings 37,
38), obtaining better earthquake resistance performance.
Obviously, the differentiating aspects of each embodiment may be combined
with each other to obtain other embodiments.
The joint member according to this disclosure has so far been illustrated as
usable for producing walls of a building, that is to say, for connecting
panels
which are substantially vertical.
The joint member is also similarly usable for producing a floor, which is
formed by panels (in particular wooden panels, more particularly multi-
layered wood or laminated wood panels, such as X-LAM or CLT) which are
horizontal, drawn near each other and connected by the joint members.
.. Therefore, a floor which includes the joint members described herein is
also
subject matter of this disclosure. In order to produce a floor, which could
require greater thickness than a wall, the joint members according to the
embodiments of Figures 21 and 22 may be particularly advisable.
The subject of this disclosure may be modified and adapted in several ways
without thereby departing from the scope of the appended claims.
All details may be substituted with other technically equivalent elements and
the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions of the various
components, may vary according to requirements.
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