Field of application
[0001] The present invention is applicable to the building sector and refers to the construction
of raised floors.
[0002] More in detail, the present invention refers to support for raised floors structures.
State of the art
[0003] As is known, special ceilings and floors are used in many environments, especially
in work environments such as offices, warehouses or other. This allows to arrange
with ease the sub-services and to manage uneven floors or ceilings that would require
particularly expensive interventions.
[0004] Another situation in which special floors, often of the raised type, are used is
the case of temporary structures such as prefabricated sheds, tensile structures and,
in general, structures that must be assembled and disassembled on generally uneven
surfaces such as a field or similar.
[0005] Typically, raised floors have a load-bearing structure resting on the ground and
above which the floor is arranged. The latter is typically, but not necessarily, made
up of tiles.
[0006] The load-bearing structure comprises a plurality of feet on the head of which a beam
supporting the edges of adjacent tiles often tests.
[0007] Usually, the support beam is composed of two hollow longitudinal elements arranged
parallel and spaced from each other, joined by a bridge placed at about half the height
of the two longitudinal elements.
[0008] The bridge thus configured allows achieving the coupling of the beam with fins present
on the head of the feet.
[0009] This solution, however, has some acknowledged drawbacks.
[0010] In fact, in this case it is not possible to adjust the angle of the head of the feet
once the beam is rested.
[0011] It follows that in case of need to adjust the head of the feet, the user must necessarily
first identify the correct inclination of the heads, then lift the beam and fix the
heads in place and then rearrange the beam in the correct position.
[0012] It is clear that such manoeuvres, in addition to being cumbersome, involve a certain
amount of time.
[0013] It follows that the foregoing will result in higher labour costs being charged to
the customer, due to the time taken for the fixing described above.
[0014] Patent document
IT 2020 0000 0523 A1 is known which, however, does not solve the drawbacks highlighted above.
Presentation of the invention
[0015] The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the drawbacks
highlighted above by providing a support for raised floors that allows the adjustment
of the feet even at a time subsequent to the positioning of the beam.
[0016] In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a support for raised
floors that allows a saving of labour times for laying the same with respect to the
support structures of the prior art.
[0017] It follows that another object of the present invention is to provide a support for
raised floors that allows cost savings for the end user.
[0018] The aforesaid purposes, as well as others that will appear more clearly hereinafter,
are achieved by a support for raised floors in accordance with the claims that follow
which are to be considered an integral part of this patent.
[0019] In particular, the support for raised floors comprises two or more feet on which
at least one beam having at least two longitudinal hollow bodies joined together by
at least one bridge rests.
[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, the support comprises a plurality of through
holes made on the bridge.
[0021] Advantageously, the presence of the through holes allows the passage of at least
one instrument for the adjustment of the underlying feet.
[0022] Moreover, still advantageously, the presence of the through holes allows the positioning
of the beam perfectly horizontally even when it is already positioned on the feet.
As anticipated, in fact, raised floors can be made on any type of ground that often
appears sloping or not perfectly regular. To this end, as is known, on the upper end
of the feet there is often a tilting head so as to compensate for the inclination.
Similarly, still advantageously, the through holes made on the bridge also allow the
height of the foot itself to be adjusted.
[0023] The above adjustments are advantageously facilitated by the fact that, according
to another aspect of the invention, at least one of the through holes has longitudinal
and transverse extensions at least comparable with the respective extensions of the
portion for the adjustment of the height and/or of the inclination of the underlying
foot.
[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, the two hollow longitudinal bodies
are spaced from each other so as to allow the execution of the through holes by shearing
the bridge.
[0025] Advantageously, the shearing allows a considerable saving of time in realizing the
support of the invention.
[0026] It follows, again advantageously, that the shearing allows a considerable saving
of execution costs.
Brief description of the drawings
[0027] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent
in the light of the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment
of a support for raised floors according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting
example with the aid of the attached drawing tables in which:
FIG. 1 depicts a support structure of a raised floor according to the invention;
FIG. 2 depicts a detail of the support structure of FIG. 1 in a partially exploded
view.
Detailed description of some preferred embodiments
[0028] With reference to the cited figures, a support
1 for raised floors according to the invention is described. In particular, like other
supports of the prior art, it comprises several feet
2 on which a beam
3 having two hollow longitudinal bodies
4 joined together by a bridge
6 rests.
[0029] As can be seen in detail in fig. 2, in the embodiment described, the bridge
6 is placed at the base of the beam
3.
[0030] Advantageously, the fact that the bridge
6 rests directly on the feet
2 makes the beam
3 more resistant to impacts and the weight that it must support.
[0031] Moreover, still advantageously, the foregoing allows to increase the rest surface
of the beam
3.
[0032] It follows, advantageously, that the foregoing makes the beam
3, and therefore the support
1, more stable than the supports of the prior art.
[0033] However, this characteristic of the arrangement of the bridge
6 with respect to the beam
3 is not to be considered limiting for different embodiments according to which, for
example, the bridge is in an intermediate position with respect to the height of the
beam exactly as it is the case in the beams of the prior art.
[0034] According to one aspect of the invention, the beam
3 comprises a plurality of through holes
7 made on the bridge
6. In particular, some through holes
7, as can be seen in detail in fig. 2, have a predominantly longitudinal development
while others have longitudinal and transverse extensions comparable with the respective
extensions of a regulation portion
2a that each foot
2, according to another aspect of the invention, has. In fact, like for other feet of
the prior art, the feet
2 of the invention have on the upper part a regulation portion
2a thereof accessible to a user. In fact, as known, since raised floors can be laid
on the most varied types of grounds, sometimes even not perfectly regular or sloping,
there is a need to make the rest surface of the floor perfectly horizontal. In light
of this, the feet
2 of the invention are adjustable in height and/or with reference to the inclination
thereof.
[0035] Hence, the presence of the through holes
7 made on the bridge
6 having an extension equal to the extension of the regulation portion
2a of the feet
2 advantageously allows to adjust the positioning thereof even when the beam
3 is already arranged resting on the feet
2 themselves.
[0036] Moreover, still advantageously, this allows an easy passage of an instrument for
the adjustment of the feet
2 without the user being forced to perform particular manoeuvres to perform the aforementioned
adjustments as is the case with the supports of the prior art.
[0037] It follows, advantageously, that the foregoing allows a considerable saving of time
in laying the floor with respect to the support structures of the prior art.
[0038] Moreover, still advantageously, this entails considerable cost savings for the end
customer in terms of the labour employed for laying the floor.
[0039] According to one aspect of the invention, the hollow longitudinal bodies
4 have a distance between them such as to allow the execution of the through holes
7 by shearing the bridge
6.
[0040] Advantageously, the shearing of the bridge
6 allows the through holes
7 to be made quickly and precisely. It is known, in fact, that shearing is much simpler
and less onerous than other techniques for drilling laminar bodies.
[0041] Moreover, the realization of the through holes
7 by shearing the bridge
6 is also facilitated by the fact that the bridge
6, in the embodiment described, is arranged on the basis of the beam
3.
[0042] This aspect, however, should not be considered limiting for different embodiments
of the invention according to which the through holes are made by means of other techniques
such as, by way of example only and not limited to, laser shearing.
[0043] With reference to the through holes
7 with predominantly longitudinal development, they advantageously allow the passage
of fins that are present on the head of the feet
2.
[0044] Still advantageously, the foregoing allows coupling the beam
3 with the feet
2.
[0045] Moreover, still advantageously, the presence of the through holes
7 allows the drainage of any water that should penetrate from the raised floor and
should accumulate on the beams
3. Think, for example, of raised floors that are made on the courtyards or outdoors
that, as such, are exposed to rain.
[0046] Obviously, the presence of the through holes
7 with a predominantly longitudinal development must not be considered a limiting characteristic
for different embodiments according to which, by way of example and not exhaustively,
on the bridge only through holes are made with the longitudinal and transverse extension
comparable with the extension of the regulation portion and/or the bridge itself is
arranged at an intermediate height of the hollow longitudinal bodies. In this case,
of course, any fins on the heads of the feet can still get into the through holes
or, given the position of the bridge, they can simply be accommodated in the space
between the two longitudinal bodies below the bridge.
[0047] According to another aspect of the invention, the support
1 for raised floors comprises anti-slip and/or anti-noise elements
8 stably coupled to a first portion
9 of the beam
3 opposite to a second portion
10 intended to be arranged resting on the feet
2.
[0048] Advantageously, the presence of anti-slip and/or anti-noise elements
8 allows to avoid the involuntary movement of the floor covering element and, at the
same time, allows to reduce the noise deriving from floor vibrations with respect
to the support
1 which, in case of absence, would be amplified.
[0049] More in detail, in the particular embodiment of the invention that is described,
the anti-slip and/or anti-noise elements
8 are two, one for each hollow longitudinal body
4.
[0050] Moreover, according to a further aspect of the invention, the support
1 comprises a recess
11 obtained on each upper surface of the hollow longitudinal bodies
4, which moreover corresponds to the first portion
9 of the beam
3, as well as a shank emerging from each anti-slip and/or anti-noise element
8 shaped so as to be received in the recesses
11.
[0051] Advantageously, the presence of the recesses
11 allows the coupling of the anti-slip and/or anti-noise elements
8 to the beam
3 without the need to use substantial adhesives.
[0052] However, the presence of the recesses
11 for retaining the anti-slip and/or anti-noise element must not be considered a limiting
feature for different embodiments of the invention. In fact, according to an embodiment
variant not depicted here, the support for raised floors comprises a plurality of
retaining holes obtained on each upper surface of the hollow longitudinal bodies and
a plurality of corresponding pegs emerging from the anti-slip and/or anti-noise elements
and shaped in such a way as to be received each in a respective one of the retaining
holes.
[0053] Obviously, such a feature is not to be considered limiting for the present invention.
In fact, it is not excluded that the anti-slip and/or anti-noise elements do not have
emerging shanks or pegs and that they can therefore be glued to the upper surface
of the hollow tubular bodies. In the same way, it is possible that the latter does
not comprise recesses, without leaving the scope of the invention.
[0054] According to another aspect of the invention, although not depicted in the figures,
the anti-slip and/or anti-noise element
8 comprises a plurality of groovings made on its surface capable of receiving elements
of a raised floor restingly.
[0055] Advantageously, the anti-slip and/or anti-noise elements provided with groovings
allow cost savings with respect to the same elements having a smooth surface since
they can be made with less noble materials. In fact, the smooth execution of these
elements would force them to be made with particularly yielding materials in order
to ensure their functionality. However, such materials are typically expensive as
they must maintain this characteristic over time.
[0056] Moreover, still advantageously, they allow a greater grip compared to smooth ones.
In fact, in the case of smooth anti-slip and/or anti-noise elements on the surface,
the possible presence of dust could reduce the ability to avoid slipping.
[0057] The foregoing, however, is not to be considered a limiting characteristic for different
embodiments of the invention.
[0058] Operationally, the beam
3 is made through a suitable method for the execution of a support
1 for raised floors. In particular, the method of the invention comprises a step of
executing the two longitudinal hollow bodies
4 joined together by the bridge
6. The latter, as mentioned above, is suitably wide.
[0059] According to one aspect of the invention, the method comprises a step of making the
through holes
7 on the bridge
6 by shearing which is allowed, precisely, by the spacing between the hollow longitudinal
bodies
4.
[0060] Advantageously, the shearing allows a considerable saving of time compared to the
techniques for making the holes on the supports of the prior art which, as is known,
are carried out by milling.
[0061] Advantageously, this also results in considerable cost savings.
[0062] In light of the foregoing, it is understood that the support for raised floors of
the invention achieves all of the intended purposes.
[0063] In particular, the support allows the adjustment of the feet even at a later stage
after positioning the beam.
[0064] Moreover, the support of the invention allows a saving of labour times for laying
raised floors with respect to the support structures of the prior art.
[0065] As a result, it allows for cost savings for the end user.
[0066] Moreover, the support for raised floors of the invention is obtained by rapid and
inexpensive realization techniques compared to what happens for the supports of the
prior art.
[0067] The invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all falling
within the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may furthermore be replaced
by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials may be different depending
on needs, without departing from the protection scope of the invention defined by
the appended claims.