Joints and connections – Articulated members – Pivoted
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-10
2001-05-08
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Articulated members
Pivoted
C403S143000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227751
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a mount for plate-shaped components and more particularly glass plates, with a socket element, which penetrates a recess in the plate-shaped component, thereby fixing the component, and a hinged bolt, which at its first end comprises a ball element, which is rotatably mounted in a recess of the socket element, and with its opposite second end can be secured to a support structure, thereby fixing the socket element.
Mounts of this type can be secured by way of a socket element to plate-shaped components and by way of a hinged bolt to a support structure. In this respect, the hinged bolt is rotatably mounted in the socket element by means of a ball element and can be pivoted to a limited degree in all directions. Consequently, the securing point of the plate-shaped component has a degree of freedom of movement relative to the rigid support structure.
The mount according to the invention can basically be used in any desired manner for all types of plate-shaped components, for example wooden boards, light metal plates, plastic material plates or the like, whether these are single layer or multi-layer plate elements in the form of sandwich structures, in particular where the aim is to mount the plate-shaped components in a manner which is substantially free of bending moments. However, the field of application is preferably with glass plates, in particular in the construction industry, which as a result of their structure are particularly prone to breakage when bending moments occur.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Usually, the mounts are arranged at the corner points of the plate-shaped components. If a surface load, for example caused by a wind flow, acts upon the plate-shaped components once they are fitted, then the plate is elastically buckled by the surface load and the securing points at the corners of the plate pivot about the center of rotation of the hinged journal. Since the securing points are therefore freely pivotable in mounts of this type, it is possible for the plate to freely elastically deform. This deformation is not prevented at the securing points, which would generate high bending moments. The tensile and compressive stresses acting within the plate material can therefore be reduced as compared with a rigid securing in known manner.
In many applications of this type of mount, in particular in the formation of building facades, it is necessary to secure plate-shaped components having increasingly large surface areas. With the increase in the surface area of the plate-shaped components, there is a considerable increase in the loading of the mounts at the individual securing points as a result of the increasing intrinsic weight and the increasing surface area which can be acted upon by wind flows. If the loading of the mounts at the individual securing points is to be kept within certain limits, then it is necessary to increase the number of securing points to correspond to the increase in the surface area of the plate-shaped components. Thus, in order to secure plate shaped components having a large surface area, it is no longer sufficient to provide securing points solely in the corners of the plates. It is additionally necessary to arrange securing points on the periphery or in the internal region of the plates.
A disadvantage of the mounts known according to the state of the art is that these only have one degree of freedom of movement. The hinged bolt can only be pivoted in the socket element. If a plate-shaped component is fixed using mounts of this type which are only pivotable in a plurality of securing points which are not all arranged in the corners of the plate-shaped component, then the plate- shaped component can no longer freely elastically buckle when acted upon by a surface load. Instead, a plurality of buckled areas form in the plate-shape-shaped component, which areas extend into one another at connecting lines between the different securing points. Consequently, this type of securing of plate-shaped components does not allow for a deformation of the components in the transition region between the various buckled regions. Since no deformation is possible in this area, peak stresses build up here, which can easily mean that the permissible strength values of the plate-shaped components are exceeded.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Proceeding from this state of the art, it is the primary object of the invention to provide a mount of the initially mentioned type, which has a second degree of freedom of movement in order to reduce or completely rule out the build up of peak stresses.
According to the invention, a mount for plate-shaped components is provided, more particularly glass plates, with a socket element, which penetrates a recess in the plate-shaped component, thereby fixing the component. A hinged bolt is rotatably mounted in a recess of the socket element. The hinged bolt has a first end which comprises a ball element. At its opposite second end the bolt can be secured to a support structure, thereby fixing the socket element. The ball element is at least slightly linearly displaceable in the recess of the socket element along the longitudinal axis of the hinged bolt, and at least one spring element acts indirectly or directly upon the ball element.
In the mount according to the invention, which in particularly suitable for glass plates, the ball element can be at least slightly linearly displaced in the socket element in which it is pivotably mounted along the longitudinal axis of the hinged bolt. Within the context of the present invention, the term “ball element” does not necessary signify an entire ball, but a component which has spherical partial surfaces at least in the region in which an intended hinged pivoting or rotation occurs. As a result of the fact that the ball element can be linearly displaced in the recess of the socket element, the hinged bolt is provided with an additional axis of freedom relative to the socket element. The hinged bolt can thus be pivoted to a limited degree and can also execute a linear movement along its longitudinal axis,. Furthermore, the mount according to the invention comprises at least one spring element, which acts indirectly or directly upon the ball element. As a result of this spring element, the ball element is elastically clamped in the recess of the socket element. Consequently, the hinged bolt has clearance-free contact with the socket element at all times, in spite of the additional linear axis of freedom of the ball element in the recess of the socket element.
If the plate-shaped component is deformed as a result of a surface load and as a result produces the various buckled regions, then the securing points of the plate can not only be pivoted in the mount, but also linearly displaced. As a result of the linear displacement of the securing points, the deformation of the plate-shaped components in the transition regions between the individual buckled regions is made possible, resulting in a smooth transition between the individual regions, which leads to a reduction in the peak stresses in these areas. If the mounts allow for sufficient linear displacement of the individual securing points, it can be attained that the plate-shape component no longer produces a plurality of buckled regions, but again only a single buckle in the event of surface loading. In this case, there is a uniform stress path in the plate material and peak stresses are avoided.
In order to attain the desired effect, it is sufficient in principle for a single spring element to act upon the ball element in the recess of the socket element. In this case, the ball element rests in the recess, which has a matching shape or function, rigidly against one side of the recess in the non-loaded state and is clamped in the recess on the opposite side of the ball element by the spring element. However, this type of design only allows for linear displacement of the ball element in the recess of the socket element in one direction along the longitudinal axis of the hinged bolt. P
Kemmer Wolfgang
Stühler Wolfgang
Browne Lynne H.
Cottingham John R.
McGlew and Tuttle , P.C.
Mero Systeme GmbH & Co. KG
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