Subject matter of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a construction method for street furniture, said
street furniture being of the type with flat surfaces. It is applicable in the field
of construction for street furniture with porcelain elements and the construction
elements are both functional and decorative elements.
Background of the invention
[0002] In the state of the art, a multitude of street furniture items that meet a series
of needs of the inhabitants of the population nuclei (temporary waste storage, rest
areas, plant sites, etc.), which are made up of highly resistant materials, both to
weather and to the daily use thereof, are easy to maintain, accessible and long-lasting.
[0003] The most frequently used materials in the construction of the elements that make
up street furniture are concrete, iron, steel, natural stone and wood with special
outdoor treatments.
[0004] Known street furniture is manufactured in two ways, either in a single piece of solid
material or manufactured in various pieces that are subsequently assembled to form
the street furniture. Likewise, the street furniture may be manufactured from a single
material or from pieces of different materials.
[0005] Street furniture is often subject to acts of vandalism where said street furniture
is damaged or even rendered useless. These acts of vandalism make the maintenance
of street furniture expensive and at times must even be replaced, further raising
the cost of maintaining street furniture.
[0006] In relation to the subject matter of the invention, document
ES 1 072 065 U is known, which discloses street furniture formed from a superposition of ceramic
layers.
[0007] Document
ES 1 075 419 U is also known, which discloses street furniture also made up of a superposition of
ceramic layers.
[0008] Due to the large stock of pieces of porcelain material stored, currently without
outlet due to lack of construction, alternative uses for said stock of pieces of porcelain
material are being sought. The alternative uses of the pieces of porcelain material
give rise to the subject matter of the invention, which discloses a construction method
for porcelain street furniture.
[0009] No document that discloses a construction method for street furniture that produces
porcelain street furniture is known.
Description of the invention
[0010] The invention described discloses a construction method for street furniture that
comprises the following steps:
- placing at least two pieces of porcelain material adjacent and in parallel;
- joining the at least two pieces of porcelain material by means of an adhesive, thus
forming a solid body;
- performing at least one machining operation of the solid body;
- inserting at least one securing profile during machining such that the pieces of porcelain
material that form the solid body are joined to said securing profile;
- fixing the at least one securing profile to an external structure, in such a manner
that the external structure forms the support of the street furniture item.
[0011] In the construction method for street furniture, object of the invention, the adhesive
forms a connecting body between the pieces of porcelain material that form the solid
body, such that the pieces of porcelain material are separated therebetween by the
volume occupied by said connecting body.
[0012] In the construction method for street furniture, object of the invention, the support
structure comprises a securing profile with a prismatic cross-section and pieces of
porcelain material disposed around said securing profile with a prismatic cross-section.
[0013] In the construction method for street furniture, object of the invention, the support
structure is manufactured from a metal material.
[0014] Another object of the invention is a street furniture item constructed in accordance
with the previously defined construction method for street furniture.
Description of the drawings
[0015] In order to easily understand the present description, the invention is complemented
by a set of drawings wherein the following has been represented by way of illustration
and not limitation:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a street furniture item that offers a flat surface
manufactured according to the construction method, object of the invention;
Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the street furniture item of figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of two ways of joining the pieces of porcelain
material that form a module for the street furniture according to the construction
method, object of the invention;
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a table-type street furniture item constructed
according to the construction method, object of the invention;
Figure 5 shows a side view of the street furniture item of figure 4;
Figure 6 shows a side view of the street furniture item similar to that of figure
4 wherein the support structure has been changed with respect to that of figure 5;
and
Figure 7 shows a side view of a bench-type street furniture item constructed according
to the construction method, object of the invention.
[0016] A list of the different elements represented in the figures that are included in
the invention is provided below:
1.- ceramic piece,
2.- adhesive,
3.- solid body,
4.- machining,
5a, 5b.- securing profile,
6.- connecting body,
7a, 7b.- support structure,
S.- flat surface.
Preferred embodiment of the invention
[0017] The subject matter of the invention is a construction method for street furniture
items constructed from porcelain material, said construction method resulting in a
street furniture item having a very high finish quality with minimum maintenance and
very high durability.
[0018] The construction method for street furniture items arises as an alternative use of
pieces of porcelain material (1), due to the large stock of these pieces of porcelain
material (1) accumulated in factories which cannot be used for traditional construction
applications because new building projects are not being executed.
[0019] Said method comprises a first stage, wherein the pieces of porcelain material (1)
are placed parallel therebetween and the pieces of porcelain material are joined together
by one of the flat faces of the pieces of porcelain material (1), such that the portion
of the piece of porcelain material (1) that remains visible once joined together is
the edge of the piece of porcelain material (1). An adhesive (2) is used to join the
pieces of porcelain material (1), which may be distributed between the pieces of porcelain
material (1), such that the two pieces of porcelain material (1) are joined together,
being in contact with each other, or creating a connecting body (6) between the pieces
of porcelain material (1) such that the pieces of porcelain material (1) are not in
contact with each other (the two options can be observed in figure 3).
[0020] Joining the pieces of porcelain material (1) forms a solid body (3) having at least
one flat surface (S), which is that offered by the edges of the pieces of porcelain
material (1) placed next to each other forming the solid body (3).
[0021] Next, in the construction method for street furniture items, object of the invention,
the solid body (3) is subject to machining to obtain at least one slot (4) in the
solid body (3) longitudinally to the solid body (3), i.e. each piece of porcelain
material (1) of the solid body (3) receives said machining and, therefore, at least
one slot (4) is made in each piece.
[0022] Next in the construction method for street furniture items, object of the invention,
at least one securing profile (5) is inserted in the at least one slot (4), such that
all the pieces of porcelain material (1) are fixed, ensuring the formation of the
solid body (3).
[0023] Lastly in the construction method for street furniture items, object of the invention,
the at least one securing profile (5) is fixed to a support structure (7a, 7b), such
that the street furniture item is completely configured.
[0024] According to the shape of the securing profile (5) and the support structure (7a,
7b), the construction method for street furniture items produces rounded street furniture
items, for example a bench (as can be observed in figure 6). In order to adapt the
pieces of porcelain material (1) to rounded shapes, the adhesive (4) that forms the
adhesive union between said pieces of porcelain material (1) must create the aforementioned
solid body (6) between pieces of porcelain material (1).
[0025] The support structure (7a, 7b) is embodied in two different ways, by means of a metal
structure to which the at least one securing profile (5) is fixed, such as to obtain
a metal support structure (7a). And, in an alternative embodiment, it is in turn formed
by a prismatic securing profile (5b) with a polygonal cross-section, around which
the pieces of porcelain material (1) are fixed, in such a way as to obtain a ceramic
support structure (7b) which is disposed in an upright position and, in this position,
can be equated with a vertical foot on which to place the solid body (3).
[0026] The construction method, object of the invention produces a street furniture item
which is also the subject matter of the invention, which offers a multitude of chromatic
possibilities since, according to the colour of the pieces of porcelain material (1)
used to form the solid body (3), it will be the colour or colours of the solid body
(3) formed.
[0027] As porcelain material is a hard material whose colour remains unchanged over time,
the construction method, object of the invention, produces a street furniture item
whose maintenance is inexpensive, that is practically indestructible and has an infinite
number of chromatic options.
[0028] The invention should not be limited to the particular embodiment described herein.
Persons skilled in the art may develop other embodiments in light of the description
made herein. Consequently, the scope of the invention is defined by the following
claims.
1. A construction method for street furniture
characterised in that it comprises the following steps:
A. placing at least two pieces of porcelain material (1) adjacent and in parallel;
B. joining the at least two pieces of porcelain material (1) by means of an adhesive
(2), thus forming a solid body (3);
C. performing at least one machining operation of the solid body (3), obtaining at
least one slot (4) in the solid body (3) with the machining;
D. inserting at least one securing profile (5) in the longitudinal slot (4) such that
the pieces of porcelain material (1) that form the solid body (3) are joined to said
securing profile (5);
E. fixing the at least one securing profile (5) to a support structure (7), such that
the support structure (7) forms the support of the street furniture item.
2. The construction method for street furniture, according to claim 1, characterised in that the adhesive (2) forms a connecting body (6) between the pieces of porcelain material
(1) that form the solid body (3), such that the pieces of porcelain material (1) are
separated therebetween by the volume occupied by said connecting body (6).
3. The construction method for street furniture, according to any of the preceding claims,
characterised in that the support structure (7) comprises a securing profile (5b) with a prismatic cross-section
and pieces of porcelain material disposed around said securing profile (5b) with a
prismatic cross-section.
4. The construction method for street furniture, according to any of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the support structure (7) is manufactured from a metal material.
5. A street furniture item constructed according to the construction method for street
furniture defined in any of the preceding claims.