EP0940515B1 - Modular element for constructing a ceiling and a ceiling composed of such modular elements - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a modular element according to the preamble of claim 1 for the constitution of a ceiling, and a ceiling formed by an assembly of such elements.

The invention applies in particular to the production of a ceiling for accommodation spaces for ships.

FIGS. 1 and 1A show a known system for producing the ceiling of a ship's living room. It is made of an assembly of a plurality of modular elements such as blades 1 of metal sheet slightly embedded one behind the other with a hollow joint 12 between them allowing, by transverse displacement according to arrow F, individual disassembly of any of the blades.

The blades 1 are profiles whose section, perpendicular to their length, has a bottom 2 with two vertical edges 3 and 4, one of the edges being extended by a horizontal upper wing 5 facing outwards and the other edge being extended by a horizontal upper wing 6 facing inwards.

At each of its two ends, the blade also has a vertical edge but without wing. These blades have a length (perpendicular to the plane of the figure) of the order of three meters and are supported on the one hand at their ends by edge profiles to which they are fixed from below by means of screws 7 at the level of the hollow joint 12, and on the other hand by joists 8, distributed over the length of the blades 1, by means of hooks 9, obtained by "punctured" from the bottom of the profile of the joist, on which hang the rear wings 6 of the blades 1.

The joists 8, of which FIG. 1A shows the section, are themselves supported by suspension rods 10 fixed to the upper deck 11. This suspension system by joists and suspension rods is necessary, because the only support at the ends of the boards 1 by the edge profiles is insufficient given the flexibility of the blades, some of them must also support certain accessories such as fire detectors, lights, etc.

Document DE 4 403 403 describes a modular element according to the preamble of claim 1 for the constitution of a ceiling. This element is a metal profile, the section of which by a plane perpendicular to the length of the element has a flat bottom with two vertical edges: one at the front and one at the rear. The front edge is extended by a horizontal front wing facing outwards while the rear edge is extended by a first horizontal wing facing forward, followed by a hairpin return towards the rear extended by a second vertical rear edge disposed parallel to the first rear edge.

This second rear edge ensures greater stability in the blades and makes it possible to remove the joists and suspension rods. However, during the insulation of the ceiling formed by these modular elements, this second rear edge prevents the element from being completely filled, by insulating, over the entire length of its bottom, there is necessarily necessarily a void between this edge and the front edge of the next item.

The object of the present invention is to overcome this drawback.

The invention thus relates to a modular element for the constitution of a ceiling, said element being a metal profile whose section by a plane perpendicular to the length of the element has a flat bottom with two vertical edges: a front edge and a first rear edge, the front edge being extended by a horizontal front wing parallel to the bottom and facing outwards and the first rear edge being extended by a first horizontal rear wing facing forward, said first wing having, at beyond a certain margin x from each end of a said element, an extension, characterized in that said extension comprises at least a second vertical rear edge, provided essentially in the same plane as that of the first rear edge.

Advantageously, said extension comprises, before said second vertical rear flange, in direct extension of said first rear wing, a hairpin return face, said return face being directly extended by said second rear flange.

According to a particular embodiment, said second vertical rear edge is extended by a second horizontal rear wing facing forward.

The invention also relates to a ceiling consisting of the assembly, one behind the other, of modular elements as above, the front wing of each modular element, except that of the first element, partially fitting , so as to leave a free space between the first rear edge of the previous element and the front edge of the next element, said first element having its front wing fixed under and against a front profile linked to a first vertical partition, the last element being a special element whose section has a flat bottom, a front edge, a first rear edge, the front edge being extended by a front wing turned towards the front and the first rear edge being extended by a rear wing turned towards the rear, said rear wing of said last element being fixed under and against a front section linked to a second vertical partition parallel to said first partition and each of the two longitudinal ends of each element being fixed, at the level of the front wing, under and against an edge profile linked to a vertical partition arranged perpendicularly to the first partition and to the second partition.

• La figure 1, déjà décrite, montre un système connu de réalisation d'un plafond d'un navire.
• La figure 2 est une vue en coupe d'un plafond selon l'invention, par un plan perpendiculaire à la longueur des éléments modulaires.
• La figure 3 montre trois éléments modulaires, dont deux en coupe transversale et dans leur position respective, lorsqu'ils sont mis en place, et un, vue en bout non coupé, et montré isolément non encastré dans le précédent.
• La figure 4 est une vue partielle de dessus de la figure 3 ne montrant qu'une extrémité des éléments modulaires.
• La figure 5 est une vue en coupe selon V-V de la figure 6 montrant la fixation des éléments modulaires dans le plan perpendiculaire à celui de la figure 2.
• La figure 6 est une vue en coupe selon VI-VI de la figure 5.

We will now describe an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

• Figure 1, already described, shows a known system for producing a ceiling of a ship.
• Figure 2 is a sectional view of a ceiling according to the invention, by a plane perpendicular to the length of the modular elements.
• FIG. 3 shows three modular elements, two of which in cross section and in their respective position, when they are put in place, and one, seen in uncut end, and shown in isolation, not embedded in the previous one.
• Figure 4 is a partial top view of Figure 3 showing only one end of the modular elements.
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view along VV of FIG. 6 showing the fixing of the modular elements in the plane perpendicular to that of FIG. 2.
• FIG. 6 is a sectional view along VI-VI of FIG. 5.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, we will first describe the modular elements according to the invention used for the constitution of a ceiling.

Thus seen in section, Figure 3, and in partial top view, Figure 4, three modular elements 13 according to the invention.

Each modular element 13 is a metal profile with a length of the order of three meters, for example, and the section of which is that which can be seen in FIG. 3 comprising a flat bottom 14, a first vertical rear edge 15 , a vertical front edge 16. The front edge 16 is extended by a horizontal front wing 17 parallel to the bottom 2 and facing outward, that is to say forward according to the convention used subsequently. The first rear edge 15 is also extended by a first rear wing 18 also horizontal and facing forward and therefore inward. According to the invention, the first rear wing 18, beyond a certain margin x, see FIG. 4, from each end of the modular element, is extended by a return face 19 in a hairpin to plumb with the first rear edge 15, then by a second rear edge 20 also vertical and finally by a second rear wing 21 horizontal and turned towards the front.

At each end of the modular element, the front wing 17 has a hole 22 for fixing the elements against a bank profile as will be seen later. The margin, of length x, devoid of return face 19, of the second rear edge 20 and of the second rear wing 21, is intended to allow the support of the modular element 13 at the level of the first rear wing 18 against this same edge profile so that the bottom 14 remains in a horizontal position, as seen in Figure 6 described below.

In Figures 3 and 4, the two elements 13, located to the right of the figure, are positioned relative to each other as they actually are when they are assembled to form a ceiling, as see it in FIG. 2. Thus, the front wing 17 of each element is introduced only partially into the case formed by the first rear wing 18 and the return face 19 of the preceding element so that there is between the front edge 16 of an element and the first rear edge 15 of the preceding element a free space 23 called "hollow joint".

In Figure 3, the modular element 13, located to the left of the figure, and in isolation, is shown seen at the end. This view shows that the longitudinal end of the element, and this at each end, is closed by a vertical rim 24. This rim is constituted by an extension of the bottom 14 folded vertically at each end of the element to form this rim .

The hollow joint 23 allows the individual disassembly of any element 1 from the ceiling by simple sliding backwards or forwards of this element to release its front wing from the case 18-19 of the preceding element, or well the case 18-19 of this element of the front wing 17 of the next element, after having unscrewed at each end of the element, the fixing screw screwing into the edge profile which has been discussed more high and which can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 described below, screw which passes through the hole 22 of the front wing 17 and which is located at the level of the hollow joint 23, at 25.

Figure 2 shows the constitution of a ceiling with such elements 1.

The first element 13, referenced 13 (1), has its front wing 17 fixed against and under a front profile 26 commonly called head profile, which covers a room end partition 27, and which is connected to the upper deck 28 by rods 29. The wing 17 is fixed to this front profile 26 for example every 400 mm by screws in 30. Then come the other elements 13. Figure 2 shows only the first, referenced 13 (1) and the last three referenced 13 (n-2); 13 (n-1) and 13S (n).

This last element 13S (n) is a special element comprising, like all the other elements, a bottom 14, a front edge 16, a first rear edge 15, and a front wing 17. On the other hand, the first rear edge 15 is extended by a rear wing 31 turned towards the rear. This last special element 13S (n) has its rear wing 31 fixed under and against a front profile 32 (head profile) which covers, as on the other side, a room end partition 33. Like the front profile 26, this front section 32 is connected to the upper deck 28 by rods 34.

Figure 5 is a partial view in which we see a partition 35, which is a partition perpendicular to the partitions 27 and 33 of Figure 2. In this figure, we see an end of an element 13. Figure 6 is a section according to VI-VI of Figure 5 and this Figure 5 is a section along VV of Figure 6. The partition 35, like the partitions 27 and 33 is "capped" with a head section 36 connected to the upper deck 28 by rods 37. On a horizontal wing 38 of the head section 36, is mounted an edge profile 39 which comprises a series of hooks 40. Each element 13 has its first rear wing 18, in the portion of length x devoid of return face 20, second rear edge 20 and second rear wing 21, which is hooked to such a hook 40 while the front wing (see Figure 6) which is introduced into the case 18-19 at its end which is fixed against the edge profile 39 by means of a screw, not shown, the placement of which ent is referenced at 25 at the hollow joint 23. This screw is screwed into the edge profile 39 and also into the wing 38 of the head profile 36. This screw passes through the hole 22 (FIG. 4) which exists at each end of the front wing 17 of each modular element 13.

In FIG. 5, on the left of the partition 35 where a neighboring cabin is located, there is shown an edge profile 39 not mounted on the wing 38 of the head profile 36.

In Figures 2, 3 and 6, the two faces 18 and 19 are shown separated from each other by a certain distance, in reality it is a simple fold and the "elbow" connecting these two faces is therefore not, as shown, a kind of vertical face. On the other hand, the second rear edge 20 is a true vertical face whose height is similar to that of the first rear edge 15 and in any case sufficient to ensure, taking into account the length of the element, sufficient longitudinal rigidity of the element .

Thus, thanks to the elements 13 of the invention having sufficient rigidity thanks to these additional faces 19, 20 and 21, it is possible to produce a ceiling without any joist or joist support, unlike FIG. 1 illustrating the prior art, all having, seen from below, an absolutely identical aspect of the ceiling.

It will also be noted that the rigidity of the elements 13, according to the invention, in which the second vertical rear edge 20 is in the same plane as the first rear edge 15, is greater than that of the elements of document DE 4 403 403. In Indeed, there is a better mechanical inertia of the profile because the material of this rim 20 is carried further from the neutral fiber of the element 13 than in the cited document.

Finally and above all, as can be seen in FIG. 3, the bottom 14 of the elements 13 can from one end to the other, from the front edge 16 to the rear edge 15, be covered by an insulating material since there is no rim of a next element to enter the "tank" formed by the element.

Furthermore, the filling of the “tank” with insulation does not interfere in any way with the assembly or disassembly of the adjacent element 13.

We also have the same ease of dismantling the elements and much faster assembly of the assembly. Such a ceiling allows better sound insulation, since there are no longer any obstacles between the ceiling and the upper deck for installing the insulation, and there is also no longer a "short-circuit" of sound consisting of the support rods 10 of the joists 8 of FIG. 1. To increase the longitudinal rigidity of the modular elements 13, one could possibly not have a return face 19, but directly have a second rear edge 20. Similarly, this second rear edge 20 could possibly not be followed by a second rear wing 21.

Claims (5)

1. A modular element (13) for making up a ceiling, said element being a metal section member whose section on a plane perpendicular to the length of the element has a flat bottom web (14) with two vertical flanges: a front flange (16) and a first rear flange (15), the front flange (16) being extended by an outwardly-extending front horizontal limb (17) parallel to the web, and the first rear flange (15) being extended by a first frontwardly-extending horizontal rear limb (18), said first flange presenting, beyond a certain margin (x) from each end of said element, an extension, said modular element being characterized in that said extension comprises at least a second rear vertical flange (20) essentially provided in the same plane as that of the first rear flange (15).
2. A modular element (13) according to claim 1, characterized in that, in front of said second rear vertical flange (20), and extending directly from said first rear limb (18), said extension includes a hairpin return face (19), said return face being directly extended by said second rear flange (20).
3. A modular element according to claim 2, characterized in that said hairpin return face (19) is extended to a position vertically above said first rear flange (15).
4. A modular element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said second rear vertical flange (20) is extended by a second rear horizontal limb (21) extending frontwards.
5. A ceiling made up of modular elements (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, assembled together one behind the other, the front limb (17) of each modular element, except for the front limb of the first element [13(1)], being engaged in part so as to leave an empty space (23) between the first rear flange (15) of the preceding element and the front flange (16) of the following element, said first element [13(1)] having its front limb (17) fixed under and against an edge section member (26) associated with a first vertical bulkhead (27), the last element [13S(n)] being a special element whose section has a flat bottom web (14), a front flange (16), and a first rear flange (15), the front flange (16) being extended by a frontwardly-extending front limb (17), and the first rear flange (15) being extended by a rearwardly-extending rear limb (31), said rear limb of said last element being fixed under and against an edge section member (32) associated with a second vertical bulkhead (33) parallel to said first bulkhead (27), and each of the two longitudinal ends of each element being fixed at the front limb (17) under and against a bordering section member (39) associated with a vertical bulkhead (35) disposed perpendicularly to the first bulkhead and to the second bulkhead.