Title of Invention

COMPOSITE STRUCTURE OBTAINED BY COUPLING TWO OR MORE STRUCTURES

Abstract Composite structures obtained by joining two or store structures of the type which presents pairs of joined tubular elements (5), whose extremity is hinged in universal Joints and in which the universal joints are substantially parallelepiped in fora and present our seats of hinging corresponding to the side faces, in which said universal joints present grooves (6) along the sides of the face, in which are scheduled the seats to hinge the extended elements, in proximity of the edges and parallel to the same edges, that cooperate with C-sectioned fixing elements (9) to hold united two matched universal joints belonging to two structures from join.
Full Text "STRUCTURES WHICH CAN BE DISMANTLED AND FOLDED, CONSISTING OF INTERCONNECTING TUBULAR ELEMENTS))

The present invention relates to composite structure obtained by coupling
two or more structures.
More particularly, the present invention relates to
portable folding structures which can be extended horizontally or vertically, that
can be used for product display or as supports for raised loads, such as for instance
platforms, walkway bases, technical pavements, rostrums, stands, boxes,
comprising a plurality of interconnected parallelepiped cells in which the sides
faces of the parallelepiped are defined by a pair of tubular elements interconnected
by a scissors-connector. In these structures each extremity of the extended tubular
elements which constitute the pair of scissors-connected elements, is inserted by
rotation into a seat in an articulated universal joint, also parallelepiped in form.
The universal joint presents, on one of the larger faces, a hinging seat
corresponding to each side fece, and can therefore accept up to four extremities of
tubular elements. In the case of structures that must bear heavy loads a variation
to the embodiment described above has been used for some time in which the
universal joints provide for a fifth seat on the surface of said face into which is
fixed a tubular element, within which another tubular element of smaller diameter
is inserted as a sliding fit and whose extremity is inserted into the face of a similar
universal joint. The tubular element inserted into the face of the universal joint is

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fixed and is stopped against the opposed joint into which is inserted the extremity
of element that slides inside.
It is often necessary to arrange for exhibition structures or raised support higher
than is attainable with the single structure. In this case, more identical (or similar)
structures are superimposed such that, in the overlap, the upper faces of the
universal joints of the underlying structure are matched to the corresponding lower
faces of the upper structure.
Devices are known to increase the height of the exhibition or support systems
mentioned above. For instance, an exhibition system that could give rise to
structures of different height is described in EP-A-0 419 006.
The structure described in said patent is complex, provides for a plurality of
articulated elements and therefore requires long assembly and dismantling times.
The system proposed in the EP-A-0 884 425 provides for uniting the joints of two
structures by connecting the extremities of the two telescopic elements, for
instance by means of screw or pin systems.
This system also presupposes complex and onerous setting-up operations, as well
as relatively long dismantling and assembly times.
One purpose of the present invention is provision of a simple and rapid method of
joining two or more structures of the type consisting of pairs of extended tubular
shear-connected elements, whose extremity is hinged in universal joints and in
which the universal joints are defined integral with equal and parallel larger faces
and are preferably substantially parallelepiped in form and present four hinging
seats set in one of the larger faces near a side face.

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A second purpose of the present invention is the coupling of two or more
superimposed structures of the type described above that furthermore present in
the inside surface of the face of the universal joint, in which are seats for the
hinging of the extended elements, a fifth seat into which is fixed the extremity of
an extendible telescopic tubular element whose other extremity is fixed to the
opposite underlying universal joint.
And a further purpose of the present invention is a device that allows the coupling
of the aforesaid structures.'
The purposes of the present invention are achieved using the universal joints
described above that present grooves along the sides of the face, in which are
scheduled seats for lodging the extended elements in proximity to the edges of the
type and parallel to the same edges, that cooperate with C-sectioned fixing
elements to hold two matching universal joints belonging to two superimposed
structures together.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the C-shaped fixing
elements are substantially rectangular sheets of flexible material with two opposite
edges folded and inverted, in the following also referred to as the C-shaped spring
or C-spring. The folded and inverted edges of the C-shaped spring present
dimensions and forms corresponding to those of the grooves cut into the faces of
the universal joints.
The C-shaped springs with inverted edges cover most of the corresponding side
faces of the superimposed universal joints and they could provide for, in some

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cases, grooves in correspondence with seats of lodgement of the extended elements and they could take different configurations depending on their use. The C-shaped springs could be applied to all the side faces of all the joints that are matched in the overlap or in coupling of multiple structures. It has been found, however, that to get sufficient stability in most cases it is sufficient to apply the C-springs only on the external faces of the universal joints that are on the external surface of the structure. The application of the C-springs to only the external faces of the joints enormously simplifies the operation of assembly and dismantling of the coupled structures.
To further guarantee the stability of the joined structure, the faces of the matching
joints could present one or more suitable perforations for the housing pivots that
prevent any movement of the joints on the contact pivot. The present invention will now be illustrated in more detail making reference to
preferred embodiments of the same that are described with the aid of the accompanying
drawings. These sketches and the embodiments are by way of example and must
not be interpreted as limiting the invention.
In the sketches:
- figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a universal joint according to the
invention;
- figure 2 shows a side view of the C-sectioned spring that could cooperate with
the joint of figure 1;
- figure 3 is a view in perspective of the spring of figure 2;

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- figure 4 shows a side view of two joints belonging to two superimposed
structures fixed together by means of the springs of figures 2 and 3.
- figure 5 is an exploded view of a preferred system of connection of structures
according to the invention.
- figure 6 is a simplified scheme of two superimposed structures coupled
according to invention.
With reference to figures I to 4, the universal joint 1 presents four grooves 2, 2',

2" and 2'' on one of its larger faces in correspondence to the side face, that could accept hinged extended tubular elements not shown in the figure. On face 3 of the universal joint that presents the four grooves (2, 2', 2" and 2'' there is an opening 4 to fix the extremity of a tubular extended element 5, within which another tubular element slides, not shown in the figure and connected with a corresponding universal joint Along the edges of said face of the universal joint are grooves 6 which constitute seats to accept one of the extremities 8 of a spring 9 as shown in figure 4.
The insertion of the two extremities of the spring 9 into the grooves on the non-matching faces of two joints belonging to two superimposed structures allows the coupling of the structures to be maintained fixed. The insertion of the springs is easily achieved after the structures have been superimposed by snapping the inverted extremities 8 of the springs 9 into said grooves, where they remain locked. The operation of dismantling is performed quickly, for instance, by removing one of the two inverted extremities 8 of the C-springs from the groove.

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Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention. This provides for the
use of universal joints whose face opposite to that in which the grooves have been
made contains the opening 10 that can accept pivots 11 that prevent any relative
movement of the joints in the horizontal plane.
Figure 6 shows a side view of a support system for elevated loads according to the
invention, obtained by joining two structures.
The said figure shows the extended elements 12 joined with scissors-connection
and hinged In seats 2 of the universal joint, as well as the telescopic extension
elements 5, that assure resistance to loading of the structure.

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I CLAIM
Composite structure obtained by coupling two or more structures of the type which present pairs of scissors-connected tubular elements whose extremities are hinged in universal joints and in which the universal joints are integral delimited by large, equal and parallel faces preferably substantially parallelepiped in form
and which present four seats corresponding to the side faces to accept hinged
elements, characterized by the universal joints having grooves (6) along the sides of
the face on which the four seats are provided, close to the edge and parallel to the
same edge, which cooperate with C-sectioned fixing elements (9) to hold united two
matching universal joints from the two structures to be coupled.
2. Composite Structures according to Claim 1, characterized by the structures
joined being superimposed and presenting, besides, in the inside surface of the
face of the universal joint in which there are seats for hinging the extended
elements, a fifth seat in which is fixed the extremity of an extendible telescopic
tubular element whose other extremity is fixed to the opposed joint of the
underlying universal joint.
3. Structures joined according to Claims 1 or 2, characterized by the C-shaped
fixing elements being substantially rectangular sheets of flexible material with two
opposite folded and inverted edges.
4. Structures joined according to the Claims 1 to 2, characterized by the folded and
inverted edges of the C-shaped fixing elements presenting dimension and shape
corresponding to the grooves on the faces of the universal joint.

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5. Composite structures according to Claims I to 4, characterized by the C-shaped
fixing elements being applied only on the external faces of the universal joints that
are on the external surface of the structure.
6. Composite structures according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized by the C-shaped
fixing elements with inverted edges covering most of the corresponding side faces
of the superimposed universal joints and providing for cut-outs corresponding to
the seats for the hinged extended elements,
7. Composite structures according to Claims 1 to 6, characterized by the matching
faces of the joints of the joined structures presenting one or more suitable
perforations to house pivots that prevent any movement on the surfaces of contact
of the joints.
8. Universal joints of substantially parallelepiped form providing in one of the
larger faces for four hinging seats, corresponding to the side faces, for fixing the
extremities of extended elements, characterized by presenting grooves along the
sides of the face in which are scheduled seats for hinging the extended elements,
in proximity of the edges and parallel to the same edges, that could cooperate with
C-sectioned fixing elements to unite two matched universal joints.
9: Universal joints according to Claim 8, characterized by presenting internally to the face carrying the grooves, a fifth seat into which is fixed the extremity of an extendible telescopic tubular element.
Composite structures obtained by joining two or store structures of the type which presents pairs of joined tubular elements (5), whose extremity is hinged in universal Joints and in which the universal joints are substantially parallelepiped in fora and present our seats of hinging corresponding to the side faces, in which said universal joints present grooves (6) along the sides of the face, in which are scheduled the seats to hinge the extended elements, in proximity of the edges and parallel to the same edges, that cooperate with C-sectioned fixing elements (9) to hold united two matched universal joints belonging to two structures from join.

Documents:


Patent Number 201696
Indian Patent Application Number IN/PCT/2001/00888/KOL
PG Journal Number 08/2007
Publication Date 23-Feb-2007
Grant Date 23-Feb-2007
Date of Filing 28-Aug-2001
Name of Patentee CAZZOLARO, SERGIO
Applicant Address LOCALITA VILLA, IVANA, I-26823 CASTIGLIONE, D'ADDA, ITALY
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 CAZZOLARO, SERGIO LOCALITA VILLA, IVANA, I-26823 CASTIGLIONE, D'ADDA, ITALY
PCT International Classification Number E04B 1/344
PCT International Application Number PCT/IT00/00053
PCT International Filing date 2000-02-18
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 MI99A000393 1999-02-26 Italy