ES3015713T3 - Protection barrier - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel protective barrier comprising uprights (2) made of tubular section bars, crossbars (3) made of tubular section bars interposed between said uprights (2), fixing elements (1) designed to fix said uprights (2) to the ground, and wherein each upright (2) is provided, on two opposite sides, with one or more aligned series of holes (2.2), and wherein each crossbar (3) on one side of each upright (2) is connected to a corresponding crossbar (3) aligned with it and positioned on the opposite side of said upright (2) by means of a connecting element (4) passing through said holes (2.2) provided in said upright (2), so as to obtain mechanical continuity between two or more aligned crossbars (3) positioned between said uprights (2). (Automatic translation with Google Translate, no legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Protective barrier

This patent relates to barriers and in particular relates to a new protective barrier.

Current protective barriers essentially consist of vertical uprights anchored to the ground and one or more crossbars fixed to said uprights.

Uprights are anchored to the ground or floor along the perimeter of the area to be enclosed or near walls or areas to be protected at variable distances. The crossbars are made of box-shaped or profiled elements, generally fixed orthogonally to the uprights.

In the prior art, crossbars with the so-called double-wave section, round tubes, rectangular tubes, etc. are known.

These crossbars are connected, directly or indirectly, to the uprights. Depending on the height of each crossbar and the height of the barrier to be constructed, one or more crossbars are placed one above the other at a certain distance between each pair of uprights.

Barriers are made of various materials, typically wood, metal, or plastic. Various barriers are described in WO 2017/168017 A1, KR 20100132721 A, KR 101 434470 B1, US 5577714 A, KR 20120059683 A, and KR 100732916 B1.

When a barrier is subjected to physical stress, these are absorbed primarily by the crossbars and, consequently, by the uprights.

In particular, the tension applied to a cross member or to the cross members between two uprights is absorbed only by the cross members between said two uprights without any effect on the cross members present beyond the two uprights involved.

The subject of this patent is a new continuous barrier.

One purpose of the new barrier is, in the event that a physical force is applied, to involve the crossbar or crossbars directly affected by the force, as well as the crossbars on the sides of the two uprights supporting the crossbar or crossbars directly affected by the force itself.

Another objective of the new barrier is to involve, at least in part, the crossbars on the sides of the two uprights that support the crossbar or crossbars directly affected by the tension itself.

Another objective of the new barrier is to have adequate elasticity during stress absorption.

Another objective of the new barrier is to simplify and speed up the replacement of damaged parts.

These and other direct and complementary objectives are achieved through the new continuous barrier, which includes elements for anchoring the uprights to the floor, the crossbars, the elements for joining the crossbars, and the elements for fixing the crossbars to the uprights.

Each element anchoring the barrier to the ground comprises a flat portion for resting on the ground and a coupling portion.

The portion resting on the ground is flat, preferably square or rectangular, and has suitable through holes to allow fasteners, such as doweled screws, to anchor the flat portion to the ground. The coupling portion consists of a profiled linear element positioned and secured orthogonally to said flat portion.

This coupling portion is suitable for connecting and fixing an upright.

It is preferable that the external section of said coupling portion be suitable for internally housing said upright.

Each ground anchoring element is preferably made of a suitable metal.

Each upright consists of a tubular plastic profile, which has a height at least equal to the height of the barrier to be built.

Said upright has an internal section suitable to fit exactly into the coupling portion of said fixing element.

Said upright has a series of holes at various heights. Specifically, said through holes are located on two opposite sides of said upright.

Each crossbar is made up of a tubular section of plastic material that is at least long enough to cover the usual distance between two uprights.

Said cross member has, near each of its ends, two opposite through holes or multiple pairs of opposite through holes.

Each connecting element consists of a solid or hollow tubular profile, suitable for being inserted and housed in each pair of opposite holes in said upright.

Said connecting element may be made of a rigid material or a semi-rigid elastic material.

Near each end of said connecting element are two opposing through-holes or multiple pairs of opposing through-holes. In particular, said through-holes of said connecting element have a shape and dimensions substantially identical to the holes present at the ends of each of said crossbars.

Said connecting element has a section suitable for being housed within said holes of said upright and inserted into the end of a crossbar.

Said connecting element has a length greater than the section of said upright such that, when the connecting element itself is housed in said holes of said upright, its ends with holes are both external to said upright.

The fixing elements consist of rigid and/or elastic pins or other linear elements having a section identical to the through holes at the end of said cross members and to the through holes at the end of said connecting elements.

These fixing elements can be made of two or more materials to have differentiated elasticity in their different areas.

In this way, by connecting the various aligned crossbars, a continuous barrier is obtained consisting of crossbars connected to each other so that the resistance of the barrier itself is increased.

In the following description, an embodiment of the new protective barrier will be illustrated with reference to the drawings, attached as a non-limiting example.

Figure 1 illustrates the various separate parts that make up the new barrier:

• fixing element (1) to the ground,

• upright (2),

• crossbar (3),

• connecting elements (4) of the crossbars (3),

• fixing elements (5) of the crossbars (3).

Each fixing element (1) to the ground comprises a support portion (1.1) on the ground and a coupling portion (1.2).

The support portion (1.1) on the floor has a flat shape, square in this example, and has holes (1.3) for screws or other elements for fixing to the floor.

The coupling portion (1.2) consists of a linear, profiled element, positioned and fixed orthogonally to said support portion (1.1).

This coupling portion (1.2) is suitable for connecting and fixing an upright (2).

In particular, said coupling portion has a section and dimensions such as to be inserted and housed in the lower end (2.1) of said upright (2).

Each upright (2) is formed by a tubular profile of plastic material that has an internal section, or in any case the lower part (2.1), suitable for fitting exactly into the coupling portion (1.2) of said fixing element (1).

Said upright (2) has a series of through holes (2.2) arranged on two opposite sides of said upright (2).

Said holes (2.2) are located at the heights provided for said crossbars (3) with respect to the ground.

Each crossbar (3) is formed by a tubular section of plastic material that has a length at least adequate to cover the usual distance between two uprights (2).

Said crossbar (3) has, near each of its ends (3.1), two opposite through holes (3.2).

Each connecting element (4) consists of a solid tubular or hollow profiled element, suitable for being inserted and housed in each pair of opposite holes (2.2) of said upright (2). In particular, the external section of said connecting element (4) is identical to the section of each hole (2.2) of said upright (2).

Near each end (4.1) of said connecting element (4) there are two opposite through holes (4.2). In particular, said through holes (4.2) of said connecting element (4) have a shape and dimensions substantially equal to the holes (3.2) present at the ends (3.1) of each cross member (3).

Said connection element (4) has a section such that it is housed within said holes (2.2) of said upright (2) and is inserted into the end (3.1) of a crossbar (3).

The length of said connecting element (4) is greater than the section of said upright (2) such that, when the connecting element (4) itself is housed in said holes (2.2) of said upright (2), its ends (4.1) with holes (4.2) are both external to said upright (2). The fixing elements (5) consist of pins or other linear elements having a section identical to the through holes (3.2) in the ends (3.1) of said cross members (3) and to the through holes (4.2) in the ends (4.1) of said connecting elements (4).

The assembly of the new barrier essentially comprises the following operations.

The various fixing elements (1) are placed and fixed to the floor at regular intervals.

The relative uprights (2) are inserted and fixed in said fixing elements so that the through holes (2.2) of said uprights (2) are oriented towards the front or rear upright (2).

A connecting element (4) is inserted into each pair of through holes (2.2) of each upright (2) so that it protrudes substantially equally from both sides of said upright (2) and so that the holes (4.2) of said connecting element (4) are external to the upright (2) and preferably horizontal.

Each crossbar (3) is inserted into two connecting elements (4) of two consecutive uprights (2).

In particular, one end (3.1) of the cross member (3) is inserted into one end (4.1) of a connecting element (4) of an upright (2), while the opposite end (3.1) of the same cross member (3) is inserted into the end (4.1) of a connecting element (4) of a rear upright (2).

An equivalent embodiment consists of inserting one end (3.1) of the crossbar (3) into the end (4.1) of a connecting element (4) of an upright (2), aligning the other end (3.1) of the same crossbar with the holes (2.2) of the next upright (2) and finally inserting a connecting element (4) into the holes (2.2) of said upright (2) until it also fits into the end (3.1) of the crossbar (3).

Both the crossbar (3) and each of the two connecting elements (4) move coaxially, in a manner compatible with the space between the two lateral uprights (2) of the crossbar (3), until the holes (4.2) of the connecting element (4) and the holes (3.2) of the crossbar (3) are aligned.

At this point, a fixing element (5) is inserted into the aligned holes (3.2, 4.2) of the crossbar (3) and the connecting elements (4), thus locking said crossbar (3) between said two uprights (2).

The barrier of the invention provides a closing element (6) suitable for being inserted into the upper end (2.3) of each upright (2).

It also provides terminal crossbars (3a) suitable for being inserted into the free ends (4.1) of the connection elements (4) of the two uprights (2) at the two ends of the barrier, as well as relative closing elements (7) suitable for being inserted into the open ends of said terminal crossbars (3a).

As an alternative to said terminal crossbars (3a), to said closing elements (7) and to said connection elements (4) present at the ends of the barrier, specific terminal connection elements (8) are provided, each of which comprises:

• a portion (8.1) having a section such that it is housed within said holes (2.2) of said upright (2) and is inserted into the end (3.1) of a crossbar (3),

• a terminal portion (8.2) which is larger than said holes (2.2) of said upright (2) and serves as a stop. In said section (8.1) of said terminal connection element (8) there are two opposite through holes (4.2) for connection with the fixing elements (5) of the crossbars (3).

Figure 2 illustrates the various assembled parts of the new barrier. This figure also shows said terminal crossbars (3a) with said relative closing elements (7), as well as said terminal connecting elements (8). The new barrier configured as described above has significant advantages.

The new barrier absorbs impacts not only through the crossbars (3) located between the two uprights (2) between which the impact occurs, but also through the crossbars (3) located on the sides of the aforementioned two uprights (2).

The new barrier allows the impact to be absorbed not only through the crossbars (3) on which the impact occurred, but also through the uprights (2) adjacent to the point of impact.

In the event of damage to one or more crossbars (3) and/or one or more uprights (2), their replacement is very simple and quick, as it is sufficient to remove the fixing elements (5) from the crossbars (3) and the connection elements (4) and, if necessary, separate the uprights (2) from the fixing elements (1) to the floor to replace the damaged crossbars (3) and/or uprights (2).

These specifications are sufficient for the skilled person to construct the protective barrier of the invention, and as a result, in practical application there may be variations without prejudice to the substance of the innovative concept.

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawing, the following claims are made.

Claims (8)

1. Protective barrier comprising uprights (2) made of tubular section bars, crossbars (3) made of tubular section bars and interposed between said uprights (2), fixing elements (1) suitable for fixing said uprights (2) to the ground, and in which each upright (2) is provided, on two opposite sides, with one or more series of aligned holes (2.2) at various heights, and in which each crossbar (3) on one side of each upright (2) is suitable to be connected to the corresponding crossbar (3) aligned therewith and positioned on the opposite side of said upright (2) through a connection element (4) passing through each pair of said opposite holes (2.2) of said upright (2), in order to obtain mechanical continuity between two or more crossbars (3) aligned and positioned between said uprights (2), and in which said uprights (2), said crossbars (3) and said connecting elements (4) are made of a plastic material, characterized by each cross member (3) is provided, in proximity to each of its ends (3.1), with at least two opposite through holes (3.2), and wherein each connection element (4) is provided, in proximity to each of its ends (4.1), with one or more opposite through holes (4.2) suitable for aligning with said holes (3.2) provided in said cross member (3) installed in said connection element (4), and in which the length of said connection element (4) is greater than the section of said upright (2) such that, when the connection element (4) itself is housed in said holes (2.2) of said upright (2), its ends (4.1) with said holes (4.2) are both exterior to said upright (2). 2. Protective barrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross-section of said holes (2.2) of each upright (2) is identical to the external cross-section of each connection element (4). 3. Protective barrier according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more fixing elements (5) suitable for constraining each end (3.1) of each crossbar (3) to one end (4.1) of each connection element (4). 4. Protective barrier according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said fixing elements (5) are suitable to be inserted and locked in said holes (3.2) provided in said crossbar (3) and at the same time in said holes (4.2) provided in the connection element (4) inserted at the end of the crossbar (3) itself. 5. Protective barrier according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a closing element (6) suitable for fitting into the upper end (2.3) of each upright (2). 6. Protective barrier according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises terminal crosspieces (3a) suitable for being fitted into the free ends (4.1) of the connection elements (4) of the two uprights (2) at the two ends of the barrier. 7. Protective barrier according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, characterized in that it comprises terminal connection elements (8), each terminal connection element (8) comprising: - a portion (8.1) having a cross-section such that it can be fitted into said holes (2.2) of said upright (2) and suitable for being inserted into the end (3.1) of a crossbar (3), - a terminal contact portion (8.2) which is larger than said holes (2.2) provided in said upright (2), and in which in said portion (8.1) of said terminal connection element (8) there are two opposite through holes (4.2) suitable to allow its connection to the fixing elements (5) of the cross members (3), and in which each terminal connection element (8) is suitable to be inserted into a hole (2.2) provided in said upright (2) and suitable to be connected and joined to a cross member (3) on the opposite side of said upright (2) through one or more fixing elements (5). 8. Protective barrier according to claim 1, characterized in that said uprights, said crossbars and said connecting elements are made of PVC.