US20070199666A1

US20070199666A1 - Support System

Info

Publication number: US20070199666A1
Application number: US11/597,462
Authority: US
Inventors: Horst Neuwald
Original assignee: ATRIUM ENTERPRISES GmbH
Current assignee: ATRIUM ENTERPRISES GmbH
Priority date: 2004-06-01
Filing date: 2005-05-31
Publication date: 2007-08-30
Also published as: WO2005117646A1; AU2005249214A1; CA2566628A1; DE102004026920A1; EP1750547A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a support system which is used to place a support onto a wall, for example, a building wall (2) comprising at least one elongate, support, base element (3) which can be secured to the wall (2), whereon additional functional elements (4,7,23) can be fixed. The aim of the invention is to produce such a system which is particularly variable, can be produced in a simple manner and which is stable. Said aim is achieved by virtue of the fact that the base element (3) is produced as an elongate hollow body and comprises, on a front side (9) oriented away from the wall (2), at least three rows of securing openings (11) which are used to secure the functional elements (4, 7, 23) and which extend, respectively, in the longitudinal direction of the base element (3) and the rows of securing openings (11) are arranged in an offset manner about an angle in relation to the longitudinal axis of the base element (3).

Description

The invention relates to a support system for establishing a support on a wall, for example a wall of a building, comprising at least one elongate and load-carrying base element which can be secured to the wall, and whereon additional functional elements can be secured.
Support systems of this type are known in principle, for example in shelf form which are used in garages or in cellars for example. These support systems of the known type have bar-shaped base elements which are secured vertically to a wall, and are preferably screwed into position. These base elements are provided with insert openings, for example, into which carriers can be suspended and on which shelf boards or similar items can then be arranged.
These support systems known in various embodiments are essentially only suitable as plain supports and are less variable, meaning, they are not adaptable to varying types of usage.
The task assignment of the invention is to create a support system which is particularly variable and which can be established in an uncomplicated manner, whereby it is to be stable to the greatest possible degree.
This task assignment is solved, according to the invention, for a support system of the type mentioned in the introduction in such a way that the base element is manufactured as an elongate hollow body and has, on a front side facing away from the wall, at least three rows of securing openings for securing the functional elements, each row extending in the longitudinal direction of the base element whereby the rows of securing openings, with reference to the longitudinal axis of the base element, are each arranged at an angle offset against one another.
A support system is subsequently provided which is distinctly variable because each base element, in contrast to known support systems of this type, not only has one row of securing openings but rather has at least three rows which are preferably arranged symmetrically at an angle to one another, a fact that substantially increases the variability.
The base element is manufactured as an elongate hollow body from metal. For this reason, it is distinctly stable so that the support system is suitable without problems for holding heaving loads such as car tyres or similar.
It is particularly and preferably envisaged that the at least three securing rows are at an angle of 45°, or a multiple thereof, in an offset arrangement against one another. Particularly preferred are at least five securing rows. If the securing rows are each arranged at an angle of 45° offset against one another, room corners can also be purposefully utilised for example, in which, in the corresponding spacing distance, two base elements are secured to two rectangular arranged walls and connecting elements are then secured crosswise to the two base elements.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, it is envisaged that the base element on the front side has a bonnet-type front part with the rows of securing openings and, on the rear side, has a plate-shaped securing element for securing to the wall, which are connected to one another, in particular are welded together.
It is most particularly preferred and envisaged in this case that the base element has, within the hollow body, an elongate locking element that is adapted to the outer contour of the bonnet-type front part and joined to the securing element, where said locking element has flushing rows of securing openings with the rows of securing openings in the bonnet-type element.
The base element in this arrangement is particularly stable because it forms a complete hollow body. Most particularly purposeful in this case is the embodiment with the additional locking element. Rod-shaped functional elements which can hold heavy loads are first led all the way through the individual securing opening in the front part and are locked on the rear side in the flushing securing opening of the locking element. The locking element can be dispensed with if the support system does not have to be designed for heavy loads, or if the front part is dimensioned correspondingly.
Further advantageous embodiments result from the Sub-Claims 5 to 17.
The invention is explained as follows in greater detail, based on the drawing by way of example. The Figures show the following:
FIGS. 1 to 5: Support systems in various embodiments, partially in front view, top view as well as in side view;
FIGS. 6 to 8: A central base element of the support system in side view, top view, as well as in face-side view;
FIGS. 9 to 10: In the side and front view, a bonnet-type front part of the base element;
FIGS. 11 to 12: In the side and front view, a locking element of the base element;
FIGS. 13 to 13 a; In the front and top view, a rear-side plate-shaped securing element of the base element;
FIGS. 14 to 17: A centering element of a locking bar and screw connector of the support system in rear view, front view, side view and in cross-sectional view;
FIGS. 18 and 19: An interlocking element of the locking bar and screw connector in top view as well as in side view;
FIGS. 20 to 22: A nut thread piece of the interlocking, in the form of a rod and/or a nut;
FIGS. 23 to 24: A console secured to the base element with the use of a locking bar—screw connection
FIGS. 25 and 26: A further functional element of the support system according to the invention
The FIGS. 1 to 3 show in simplified illustration a front view, top view and side view of a support system designated in these Figures generally as 1, where said support system was secured to a vertical building wall 2 (building inner wall), for example to a cellar wall or to the inner wall of a garage and was established with the use of elements of the support system according to the invention.
The central element of the support system 1, described as follows in yet greater detail, is the elongate base element 3 manufactured as a hollow body from steel plate where said base element 3, with its longitudinal extension orientated in vertical direction, is secured to the wall 2 with suitable means, such as for example with the help of screws and dowels. The base element 3 serves the purpose of securement of various functional elements of the support system which stand away radially from the base element 3.
These functional elements in the support system of the FIGS. 1 to 3 are essentially frame-type supporting structures formed from rods 4 and supporting arms 5 running radially to these rods, onto which said supporting structures objects can then be suspended and/or can be put into the shell-type elements of the support system. The rods 4 in the support system 1 are, with their longitudinal extension, parallel to the surface of the wall 2 and orientated with a spacing distance from this. The supporting arms 5 can have varying forms, for example in the form of angular pieces which are then secured two-fold with a shank to the base element 3 and with a further shank vertical to the plane of the wall 2, standing away from this.
For this purpose, the rods 4 and supporting arms 5 are secured to two sides of the base element 3 which are facing away from each other and running parallel towards one another.
There is also and furthermore the possibility for securing the supporting arms 5, formed as an angular piece, by hanging these in at the rods 4 held immediately at the base element 3, as implied for example in the FIGS. 2 and 3 for the supporting arms 5 and 5 a, respectively at that location.
The FIGS. 4 and 5 show in an illustration such as FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively, a support system 1 a as a further option which is again realised with the use of a base element 3.
At this base element, rods 4 are secured again to two surfaces facing away from one another and orientated parallel to one another, where said rods stand away radially from the base element 3 and are joined at their ends in a suitable manner, for example by means of screwing to a diagonal trussing running parallel to the longitudinal extension of the base element. Car tyres, for example, can be suspended onto the frame elements established in this way and/or on the holders standing away from the diagonal trussings 6.
Furthermore, three consoles 7 are secured above to the base element 3 in such a way that these consoles are offset around the longitudinal axis of the base element by an angle of 90° in each case. Therefore, with a mounted support 1 a, two consoles 7 standing away from the sides of the base element 3 facing away from each other and running parallel to one another, and therefore arranged parallel to the plane of the wall, whereas one console 7 stands away from the front side of the base element 3 in FIG. 4. A support board is secured on the consoles 7 in such a way that it is lying in a horizontal plane with its surface sides, in the illustration of FIG. 4 standing away over both sides of the base element 3 and also from the wall 2, as shown in particular also by the side view of the support system 1 a according to FIG. 5.
The base element 3 is illustrated in detail in the FIGS. 6 to 13. As shown by the Figures, the base element 3 is formed as an elongate hollow body and consists preferably of three different parts, namely a bonnet-type front part, a rear-side plate-shaped securing element 10 and an elongate locking element 17 arranged within the base element 3 and adapted to the outer contour of the bonnet-shaped front part 9. All parts 9, 10, 17 are manufactured preferably from steel plate, by means of the punching and bending methods. The element 9 is executed in a bonnet-shaped manner, with a total of five plane surfaces 9.1-9.5, each extending over the entire length of the base element 3, where said surfaces each have the same width transversely to the longitudinal extension and join to one another in the cross-section of the base element 3 (FIG. 8) corresponding to the sides of an octagon, so that the adjacent surfaces in each case enclose an angle of 135° with one another.
The two sides 9.1 and 9.5 form the sides of the front part 9 which are facing away from each other and parallel to one another. The side 9.3 forms the front side of the front part 9, lying in the plane vertical to the sides 9.1 and 9.5, and the two sides 9.2 and 9.4 each connect the front side 9.3 with one of the sides 9.1 and 9.5, respectively.
In each side 9.1-9.5, securing openings 11 are envisaged in successive order in the middle and in the same raster dimension in the longitudinal direction of the base element 3. The securing openings 11 are formed identically and have a cross-section which is made up of a slotted hole, with its elongation orientated in the longitudinal direction of the base element 3 and rounded off on both ends, and a round opening whose diameter is larger than the width of the slotted hole and that is envisaged in the middle of the elongation of the slotted hole so that every securing opening 11 has a mean and essentially circle-shaped section 11.1 and, arranged diametrically from the mean section 11.1, two route-extending continuances 11.2 whose width is smaller than the diameter of the section 11.1 and, with their ends in each case, are arranged on a central axis M, extending in the longitudinal direction of the base element, of the surface 9.1-9.5 concerned.
The axes of all openings 11 cut a common longitudinal axis of the base element 3, as implied in the FIG. 8 with the dashed lines. For the embodiment form as illustrated, the openings on the sides 9.2 and 9.4 are each offset opposite the openings of the remaining sides by half the raster clearance in the longitudinal direction of the base element 3.
At the element 9 furthermore, there is envisaged on the surface 9.3 a spirit level 12, with which it is possible to align and secure the base element 3 to the wall 2 exactly in the vertical direction.
On the side opposite the surface 9.3, the element 9 is closed off by means of the plate-shaped securing element 10 serving as a cover base. The securing element 10 is formed in such a way that it has in the middle and in the cross-section (FIGS. 8, 13 a) a rectangular-shaped section 10.1 extending in the longitudinal direction of the base element 3 and protruding over the rear side of the element 10 facing away from the surface 9.3, where said section 10.1 forms an exact contact surface of the base element 3, and has in the peripheral areas in each case retracted sections 10.2, going over into angular bends from the front part 9, at which the front part 9 and the securing element 10 are joined together, for example by means of spot-welding.
At the section 10.1, boreholes for fastening screws are envisaged at both ends of the base element 3. In order to ensure the accessibility of the securing holes 13, the element 9 is bevelled at both ends of the base element 3. The two ends of the base element 3 can be closed off by means of a cover made from plastic (not shown).
In order to increase the stability of the base element 3 it is particularly envisaged that, within the hollow body, an elongate locking element 17 joined to the securing element 10 is arranged and adapted to the outer contour of the bonnet-shaped front part 9, that is shown in detail in the FIGS. 11 and 12. In adaptation to the front part 9, this locking element 17 has five plane surfaces 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4, 17.5, each of which extends over the entire length, and are arranged parallel to the surfaces 9.1 to 9.5 of the front part 9. In these surfaces 17.1 to 17.5, and with the securing openings 11 of the front part 9, flushing rows of securing openings 28 are envisaged which are formed preferably in a keyhole manner. If, for example, rods 4 are to be secured to the base element 3 which are to be suitable for holding heavy loads, the end of a rod 4 is put all the way through a securing opening 11 of the front part 9 and secured on the end side in a borehole 28, flush to it, of the locking element 17 of the base element 3, as implied in FIG. 8.
With the formation of the base element 3 as already described, it is possible to secure to the surfaces 9.1 and 9.2 and/or at the surface 9.3, functional elements which extend away parallel to the plane of the wall 2 and/or parallel to the securing plane, or even vertical thereto from the base element 3, whereas at the surfaces 9.2 and 9.4 the securement of functional elements is possible which extend away in an angle of 45° opposite the securing plane (wall 2) from the base element. In this way it is also possible to utilise the corners of buildings or rooms for the arrangement of support systems.
The FIGS. 14 to 19 show the formation of a special binder for securing the rods 4 and/or the console 7 at the base element 3 in the zone of the securing openings 11 at that location. The binder consists of a locking-bar-type clamp screw 14 with a threaded shaft 14.1 having an outer thread, and locking-bar-type head piece 14.2 secured to one end of this shaft, for example by means of welding (butt welding). This has a flat and fishplate form and the ends are rounded off in such a way that, with its longitudinal extension orientated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the base element 3, it is guided into a securing opening 11 in each case and then, by means of turning around the axis of the threaded shaft 14.1, for example by 90° in the securing opening, it can be locked in such a way that it grips behind the base element 3 on its inner side in the zone of the respective securing opening 11.
Allocated to the clamp screw 14 is a centering flange 15 which is essentially disk-shaped and is made from plastic for example, having in the middle and/or axis-aligned with its axis, a borehole 15.1 for the threaded shaft. On one side, the centering flange 15 is envisaged with two guide sections 16 which are envisaged offset at 180° around the axis of the borehole 15.1, each having on the outside a circular-cylindrical surface 16.1 whose axis is envisaged axis-aligned with the axis of the borehole 15.1. The diameter of the circular cylinder, on which the outer-located and curve-shaped surfaces 16.1 are arranged, is equal to or slightly smaller than the diameter which the section 11.1 of the securing openings 11 has, so that the centering flange 15 with its end having the guide pieces 16 can be inserted, in each case, into such a securing opening from the outside of the base element 3. Located on the inside, the guide pieces 16 form two straight-line surfaces 16.2 which are parallel to one another and spaced at a distance from one another, where each surface is also orientated parallel to the axis of the borehole 15.1, and their clearance is equal to the width of the head piece 14.2, so that each centering flange 15 is supplemented by a clamp screw 14 in such a way to the binder that the head piece 14.2 is taken up between the two guide pieces 16 and the threaded shaft 14.1 projects all the way through the borehole 16 over the side of the centering flange 15 facing away from the guide pieces 16. In order to prevent the clamp screw 4 from falling out of the centering flange 15, lock noses 16.3 are formed on the surfaces 16.2, behind which the head piece 14.2 locks into position.
On the side facing away from the guide pieces 16, the centering flange 15 is provided with a circular-shaped recess 18, axis-aligned to the borehole 15.1, and the diameter of the recess is equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rods 4.
In FIG. 20, the end of one of the rods 4 is illustrated. At that location the rod 4 is provided with a threaded bore 19, arranged axis-aligned with the rod axis and accessible on the face side, into which said threaded bore the threaded shaft 14.1 of the clamp screw 14, that is pre-mounted in the centering flange 15, can be screwed. For the securement of a rod 4 at the base element 3, this is therefore provided with the pre-mounted centering flange 15 with the clamp screw 14 at the respective end, by means of partial screwing-in of the threaded shaft 14.1 into the threaded bore 19. Following this, the centering flange 15 with its guide pieces 16 and the lock bar or head piece 14.2, arranged between these guide pieces, is inserted into the appropriate securing opening 11 and then, for example, turned at 90° around the axis of the threaded shaft 14.1.
While restraining the centering flange 15 and then turning tightly the rod 4 on the threaded section 14.1, the clamp screw 14 as well as the rod 4 can be fixed-positioned on the base element by means of interlocking and tight-clamping.
Two such binders formed in each case by a clamp screw 14 and a centering flange 15 are used for securing the individual console 7.
This console which is, for example, manufactured as a form part from a suitable synthetic material has, on the rear side of a rearward securing section, two circular-cylindrically shaped projections 19, each having an opening 20. The axis clearance of the projections 19 here is equal to the axis clearance of the securing openings 11 on one of the sides 9.1-9.5. The outer diameter of the projections 19 is equal to the diameter of the recesses 18 of the centering flange 15. Securement is again effected in such a way that the individual centering flange 15, pre-mounted with a clamp or lock screw 14, is inserted into the appropriate securing opening 10 and then a temporary interlocking takes place by means of a turning of the centering flange 15. Following this, the respective console 7 with its projections 19 and the related openings 20 are mounted onto the threaded shaft 14.1 of one clamp screw 14 in each case, so that each projection 19 is accommodated in one recess 18 of a centering flange 15. The final fixation is then effected by screwing on the nut 21 (FIGS. 21 and 22) onto the free end of the threaded shaft 14.1 of each clamp screw 14, while restraining the centering flange 15 at the same time.
It was described above that the connection between the base element 3 and a further functional element of the support system is effected, for example, with a rod 4 or with a console 7 with the use of a binder formed from a clamp screw 4, a centering flange 15 and a nut threaded piece, where the nut threaded piece is formed either from an axial threaded bore in the appropriate rod 4 or instead from a nut 22.
Instead of the disk-shaped centering flange 15, however, another centering piece having the guide pieces 16 can also be envisaged. The FIGS. 20 and 21, for example, show a supporting arm or a boom 23 which is made from a synthetic material for example, offset on one end at the rear side by a borehole 24 at that location, having two guide pieces 25 corresponding to the guide pieces 16.
On the opposite side the boom 23 is provided with a recess 26 corresponding to the recess 18 so that, for example, the fixation of a rod 4 in the manner described beforehand can also be effected with the use of a clamp screw 14 and the boom 23, whereby the head piece 14.2 with its longitudinal extension is then arranged axis-aligned with the longitudinal extension of the boom 23 and is accommodated between the two guide pieces 25. After inserting the guide pieces 25, and the head piece 14.2 arranged between them, into the appropriate securing opening 11, the temporary interlocking at the base element 3 is then effected by swiveling the boom 23 around the axis of the threaded shaft 14.1, and then the final solid clamping by tightly turning the rod 4 with its threaded bore 19 on the threaded section 14.1, whereby the respective end of the rod 4 is again accommodated in the recess 26. Likewise, the final fixation of the boom 23 can also be effected by screwing on the nut 22 onto the threaded shaft 14.1 of the clamp screw 14, whereby the nut 22 is also then accommodated by the recess 26.
In order to secure the boom 23 after final fixation against undesirable swiveling at the base element 23, a wing-type projection 27 is formed on the rear side of the boom 23 in the zone of the guide pieces 25 and the borehole 24, and this projection stands away on both ends over the guide pieces 25 and engages in the individual securing opening 11.
The invention was described above on the basis of embodiment examples. It goes without saying that numerous alterations, variations and modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concept upon which the invention is based.
In the above, it was assumed that the individual support unit is formed from a base element 3 and several functional elements secured thereto by means of interlocking and clamping. There is, of course, the possibility of providing several base elements 3 with functional elements secured thereto, for example, in an axis direction, in vertical direction over one another and/or parallel to one another in a corresponding clearing distance. Furthermore, two base elements 3 can be arranged in a cross-corner manner which are then, for example, connected together diagonally by way of rods 4. In this way, a corner area of a room can also be purposefully utilised. Furthermore, and instead of rods 4 or similar, plane hooks or elements with hook-shaped supporting bodies can be hung into the securing openings 11.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18: A support system for establishing a support on a wall, for example a wall (2) of a building with at least one elongate and load-carrying base element (3) that is securable to the wall (2), onto which further functional elements (4, 7, 23) are securable, whereby the base element (3) is manufactured as an elongate hollow body and has on the front side (9) facing away from the wall (2) at least three rows of securing openings (11), each extending in the longitudinal direction of the base element (3) for the purpose of securing the functional elements (4,7,23), whereby the rows of securing openings (11), with reference to the longitudinal axis of the base element (3), are arranged at an angle offset against one another,

wherein

the base element (3) has on the front side (9) a bonnet-type front part (9) with the rows of securing openings (11) and, on the rear side, a plate-shaped securing element (10) for securing at the wall (2), which are joined together, in particular are welded together.

19: Support system according to claim 18,

wherein

the at least three rows of securing openings (11) are each at an angle of 45°, or a multiple thereof, in an offset arrangement against one another.

20: Support system according to claim 18,

wherein

the base element (3) within the hollow body has an elongate locking element (17) adapted to the outer contour of the bonnet-type front part (9) and secured to the securing element (10), where said locking element has, with the rows of securing openings (11) in the bonnet-type element (9), flushing rows of securing openings (28).

21: Support system according to claim 18,

wherein

the front part (9) in the zone of the rows of the securing openings (11) has in each case a plane or an essentially plane surface (9.1-9.5).

22: Support system according to claim 21,

wherein

the locking element (17) adapted to the front part (9) has in each case a plane or an essentially plane surface (17.1-17.5).

23: Support system according to claim 18,

wherein

the front part (9) and/or the locking element (17) has a polygon-type cross-section.

24: Support system according to claim 18,

wherein

at least one spirit level (12) is arranged on the base element (3).

25: Support system according to claim 18,

wherein

the base element (3) is manufactured from steel plate.

26: Support system according to claim 18,

wherein

the securing openings (11, 28) of adjacent rows are offset to gap.

27: Support system according to claim 18,

wherein

the securing openings (11) each have a cross-section deviating from the circle form in such a way that a cross-sectional axis of every opening (11) is larger than a cross-sectional axis running vertically to it and that, for connecting the functional elements (4,7,23), has connecting elements with a locking bar (14.2) applicable in the appropriate securing opening (11) and can be anchored at that location by means of a turning movement.

28: Support system according to claim 27,

wherein

the locking bar (14.2) is envisaged at one end of a threaded shaft (14.1) over which the locking bar (14.2), with the use of a nut threaded piece, is capable of being pressed against the inner surface of the base element (3) surrounding the securing opening (11).

29: Support system according to claim 27,

wherein

the locking bar (14.2) is envisaged in a receptacle of a centering or holding piece (15, 23) that can be inserted into the securing opening (11), into which said centering or holding piece a clamping piece (14) formed by the locking bar (14.2) and the threaded shaft (14.1) is accommodated while being secured against turning at the same time.

30: Support system according to claim 29,

wherein

the centering or holding piece is a centering flange (15).

31: Support system according to claim 30,

wherein

the centering or holding piece is a boom (23).

32: Support system according to claim 28,

wherein

the nut threaded piece is formed from an end of a rod (4) provided with a threaded bore (19).

33: Support system according to claim 28,

wherein

the nut threaded piece is a nut (22).