CORNER FORMWORK SYSTEM

Description

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention concerns a corner formwork system, which is configured to provide quick and easy disassembly, following the formwork, without the need to exert too much force to carry out such disassembly operation.

PRIOR STATE OF THE ART

There are known corner formwork systems that include the features mentioned in the preamble of Claim 1 of this invention, that is, systems that include:

• • at least one panel that is flat on its formwork face, and
  • at least one elongated corner element, with an L-shaped cross section and a longitudinal edge configured to be positioned adjacent to a longitudinal edge of said at least one panel;
  • wherein the respective outer sides of the at least one panel and the at least one elongated corner element are intended to form the formwork or mould of a concrete wall.

In such known formwork systems, the longitudinal edges of both the panel and the elongated corner element are orthogonal to their outer sides, and are also positioned end-to-end against each other, directly contacting, without the intermediation of any other element. They are joined together by means of detachable joining elements.

All this means that, in such known systems, after setting the concrete applied on the outer sides of the panel and the elongated corner element, it is very difficult to remove them, being especially difficult to remove the panels confined between two nearby corner elements, having in some cases to break them in order to remove them.

Therefore, an alternative to the state of the art must be offered that covers the gaps found therein, by providing a corner formwork system that does not suffer from the known drawbacks, and which therefore allows a quick and easy disassembly, after the formwork, without having to exert the necessary force for the systems of the state of the art or break any of the components included in the system, which can, therefore, be reused for subsequent formwork operations.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the present invention relates to a formwork system for corners, which comprises:

• • at least one flat panel on its formwork face (i.e. the face lying adjacent to the concrete), and
  • at least one elongated corner element, with an L-shaped cross section and a longitudinal edge configured to be positioned adjacent to a longitudinal edge of said at least one panel;
  • wherein the respective outer sides of the at least one panel and the at least one elongated corner element are intended to form the formwork or mould of a concrete wall, that is, the system is used to form the mould of the inner face of the concrete walls to be built.

Unlike the formwork systems of the state of the art, in the one proposed by the present invention:

• • the longitudinal edge of the at least one elongated corner element and/or that of the at least one panel comprises an oblique face that starts from said outer side and runs transversely to a respective inner side, forming an acute angle with said outer side, so that a space is defined between both longitudinal edges when they are placed adjacent;
  • the formwork system comprises at least one elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element configured to be removably located in said space from a region adjacent to the inner sides of said at least one elongated corner element and at least one panel, being trapped between said longitudinal edges of the at least one elongated corner element and of the at least one panel.

As an exemplary embodiment, at least one inner face of said inner side of the at least one elongated corner element and an inner face of said inner side of the at least one panel comprise at least one pair of recesses adjacent to each other, each pair of recesses being configured to receive a gripping jaw suitable to fixedly retain the at least one elongated corner element, the corresponding at least one panel and the at least one elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element positioned therebetween.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the at least one elongated corner element and the at least one panel comprise, at least in sections adjacent to the pair of recesses, locking portions because some ends of said gripping jaw are hook-shaped and are configured to be locked on said locking portions.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the at least one elongated corner element is an elongated profile, such as a profile manufactured by extrusion.

According to an exemplary embodiment, each of the aforementioned recesses of the at least one elongated corner element comprises a housing with at least horizontal walls that prevent the interior of the at least one elongated corner element from being filled with debris.

For an exemplary embodiment, the free ends of the at least one elongated corner element comprise the respective caps.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the at least one panel is a standard formwork panel and it is the at least one elongated corner element that comprises said oblique face, in this case the elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element having a single inclined face to be positioned end to end against the oblique face of the at least one elongated corner element.

For another exemplary embodiment, it is the panel that comprises the aforementioned oblique face, wherein case the elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element has a single inclined face to be positioned end-to-end against the oblique face of the at least one panel.

For yet another embodiment, both the panel and the elongated corner element comprise the respective oblique faces. In this case the elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element features two inclined faces, each configured to be positioned end-to-end against one of said respective oblique faces.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the corner formwork system of the present invention comprises joining means for joining the at least one elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element with at least said oblique face.

According to one implementation of said embodiment, the oblique face and the at least one elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element comprise at least one pair of holes configured to be coaxial in their condition of use and capable of receiving a screw and nut assembly included in the attachment means.

Instead of one or both of such a screw and nut, for an alternative implementation, the joining means may comprise other types of joining elements, such as a bolt and a pin or fork, or, instead of a nut, a threaded section defined in the housing itself or in a structural element.

According to a variant of said implementation, the at least one panel comprises at least one hole at one lateral end, configured to be coaxial in its condition of use with said pair of holes and able to receive the screw and nut assembly (or the mentioned other types of joining elements) for attachment with the at least one elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the hole of the at least one pair of holes relative to the at least one elongated corner element coincides with the corresponding recess of said pair of recesses.

Alternatively, the system does not comprise said joining means, and the structural components thereof (elongated corner element(s), elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element(s), and panel(s)) are positioned adjacent, and are held together solely with the gripping jaws.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the at least one elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element consists of an elongated profile, such as a profile manufactured by extrusion.

For an exemplary embodiment, the free ends of the at least one elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element comprise respective caps.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the system of the present invention comprises at least two panels, with at least one elongated corner element with its two longitudinal edges configured to be positioned adjacent to a respective one of the longitudinal edges of each of the two panels, with intermediation (removably) of respective elongated wedge-shaped intermediary elements.

For another exemplary embodiment, the system of the present invention comprises at least two elongated corner elements, with at least one panel with its two opposite longitudinal edges configured to be arranged adjacent to the respective longitudinal edges of each of the two elongated corner elements, with intermediation (removably) of the respective elongated wedge-shaped intermediary elements, and, for one implementation, at least one other panel with a longitudinal edge configured to be positioned adjacent to the free longitudinal edge of one of the two elongated corner elements, with intermediation (removably) of another elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element.

Although the system of the present invention has been called a corner formwork system, it is obviously also configured to form part of a modular system of formwork panels, whatever their length, both the portions thereof close to the elongated corner element or elements and the farthest ones, or existing between two corner elongated elements (when two or more of such elongated corner elements are arranged), regardless of whether such portions can be said to form part of a corner or not.

A preferred application of the formwork system of the present invention is that of the formwork of elevator shafts or other confined spaces between concrete walls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other advantages and characteristics will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of some examples of embodiment with reference to the attached drawings, which are provided for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the corner formwork system of the present invention, once assembled, for an exemplary embodiment comprising an elongated corner element, two panels and two elongated wedge-shaped elements.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the corner formwork system of the present invention, once assembled, for the same embodiment of FIG. 1, but having omitted the gripping jaws, for clarity.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the corner formwork system of the present invention, once assembled, similar to that of FIG. 2, but for another example of embodiment for which the system comprises two elongated corner elements, three panels and four elongated wedge-shaped elements.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the corner formwork system of the present invention, for the same embodiment of FIG. 2, but in an initial transport situation wherein the two elongated wedge-shaped elements have been joined to respective longitudinal edges of the elongated corner element, as seen in the enlarged detail of the figure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the corner formwork system of the present invention, for the same embodiment of FIG. 4, but in a subsequent assembly situation, wherein the two panels have been placed, each supporting one of its longitudinal edges against a respective one of the free longitudinal edges of the elongated wedge-shaped elements, and the gripping jaws are illustrated in a pre-assembly situation. The arrows indicate the direction to be followed by the gripping jaws for fixing.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the corner formwork system of the present invention, for the same embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, but in a final assembly situation, wherein the gripping jaws have already been assembled, fixedly retaining at least one elongated corner element, the two panels and the two elongated wedge-shaped intermediary elements. The arrows indicate the direction to be followed by the gripping jaws to remove them and disassemble the system after setting.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the corner formwork system of the present invention, for the same embodiment of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, but in a disassembly state. In this state, the two elongated wedge-shaped elements have been detached from the longitudinal edges of the elongated corner element and attached to the longitudinal edges of the panels. As seen in the enlarged detail of the figure, the gripping jaws have been removed, and the two sets of panel and elongated wedge-shaped element have been separated from the elongated corner element (and from the set concrete, if illustrating a situation of normal use of the system).

FIG. 8 shows an expanded detail of a partial schematic view of a cross-section of the system of FIG. 6, according to a horizontal cutting plane (parallel to that of the drawing), for an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic partial exploded view of the elongated corner element of the system of the present invention, for an exemplary embodiment for which it comprises housings that protect its interior from being filled with debris.

FIG. 10 is a partial schematic view of the elongated corner element of the system of the present invention, for an exemplary embodiment for which it includes the elongated corner element of FIG. 9, with a longitudinal edge already attached to an elongated wedge-shaped element, and another longitudinal edge in a pre-attachment situation to another elongated wedge-shaped element, by means of the screw and nut therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENT

As schematically illustrated in the accompanying figures, the corner formwork system of the present invention comprises:

• • one or more panels 1, and
  • one or more elongated corner elements 2, with an L-shaped cross-section and a longitudinal edge configured to be positioned adjacent to a longitudinal edge of a panel 1;
  • wherein the respective outer sides of each panel 1 and of each elongated corner element 2 are intended to form the formwork surface.

As can be seen in the attached figures, particularly in FIGS. 7, 9 and 10, the longitudinal edge of each elongated corner element 2 comprises an oblique face 2a, which, as seen in FIG. 9, starts from the outer side 2e and extends transversely to a respective inner side 2i, forming an acute angle (identified as α in FIG. 9) with the outer side 2e, so that when positioned adjacent to the longitudinal edge of the panel 1, a space is defined between them.

In the figures, the oblique face 2a is not uniformly flat but, transversely, has two aligned flat end sections, both forming such an acute angle α, and a recessed central one (including hole 10 as illustrated in FIG. 7). For another exemplary embodiment, not illustrated, such an oblique face 2a is uniformly flat, without recesses.

The corner formwork system of the present invention also comprises one or more elongated wedge-shaped intermediary elements 3, each configured to be removably inserted into a respective one of said spaces, from a region adjacent to the inner sides 2i, 1i of the elongated corner element(s) 2 and of the panel or panels 1 (i.e., from the side where no concrete is applied), becoming trapped between the longitudinal edges of an elongated corner element 2 and of a panel 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 8 and 9, an inner face of the inner side of the elongated corner element 2 and an inner face of the inner side 1i of each adjacent panel 1 comprise several pairs of recesses 4 adjacent to each other, each pair of recesses 4 being configured to receive a gripping jaw 5 suitable for fixedly retaining the elongated corner element 2, the corresponding adjacent panel 1 and the elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element 3 arranged between them, i.e. as illustrated in detail in FIG. 8, for two gripping jaws 5, each of them retaining the elongated corner element 2 with the corresponding panel 1 and with the elongated intermediary element 3 trapped between them.

FIG. 8 shows how the elongated corner element 2 and each panel 1 comprise, in sections adjacent to the pair of recesses 4, locking portions 6, and how ends 5a of each gripping jaw 5 are hook-shaped and are configured to be locked in the locking portions 6.

For an exemplary embodiment, the locking portion 6 of the elongated corner element 2 is constituted by a bulging portion, seen from the left of FIG. 8, defined by the aforementioned central recessed section of the oblique face 2a. Analogously, for the embodiment of FIG. 8, the locking portion 6 of panel 1 is also constituted by a bulging portion, seen from the right of FIG. 8.

As shown in FIG. 9, for the embodiment illustrated therein, the elongated corner element 2 is an elongated profile, the free ends of which (only the upper one has been illustrated) comprise, i.e. are covered by, respective caps 8.

Likewise, as can be seen in FIG. 810, the elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element 3 consists of an elongated profile, the free ends of which (as seen in FIG. 1 for the upper free end) comprise, i.e. are covered by, respective caps 13.

As can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, each recess 4 of the elongated corner element 2 comprises a housing 7 with horizontal, and also vertical walls, which prevent the interior thereof from being filled with debris.

The formwork system comprises, for the illustrated embodiments, joining means 9 for joining each elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element 3 with the oblique face 2a of the elongated corner element 2, which in particular comprise a screw 9a and nut 9b assembly, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 10.

The oblique face 2a elongated corner element 2 and the elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element 3 comprise the respective holes 10, 11 configured to be coaxial in their condition of use and to be able to receive said screw 9a and nut 9b assembly, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 10, to facilitate their transport. Before use on site, the screw 9a is unscrewed and the nut 9b is removed. Each elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element 3 is fixed, through its non-inclined face 3b (see FIG. 10), to the longitudinal edge of the adjacent panel 1, by means of the aforementioned screw 9a and nut 9b assembly, as can be seen in the enlarged detail of FIG. 7, inserting the nut 9b (or analogous piece) into a recess 4, and the screw 9a through holes 11 and 12.

Thus, for the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the system is assembled by fixing each elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element 3, through its inclined face 3a (see FIG. 10), to the face 2a of a respective elongated corner element 2, by means of the aforementioned screw 9a and nut 9b assembly, as can be seen in the enlarged detail of FIG. 4, inserting the nut 9b (or analogous piece) into a housing 7, and the screw 9a through holes 11 and 10, as can be seen especially in FIG. 10, and also the hole 7a of housing 7, as can be seen in FIG. 9.

Likewise, the assembly is completed, arranging the panel or panels 1, and fixing it(them) to the components joined by means of the gripping jaws 5, according to the direction indicated in FIG. 5. The system is assembled as illustrated in FIG. 1, for two panels 1, and therefore prepared to support the concrete on its outer faces.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, the panel 1 comprises a hole 12 at one side end configured to be coaxial in its condition of use with the pair of holes 10, 11 and to be able to receive the screw 9a and nut 9b assembly for joining with the elongated wedge-shaped intermediary element 3.

Thus, once the concrete has set, and in order to be able to disassemble the system, the gripping jaws 5 are removed, according to the direction indicated in FIG. 6, and each said joined assembly is removed, pulling inwards, i.e. towards the inner side 1i, sliding the facing inclined surfaces, i.e. 3a and 2a (see FIG. 10), after which the elongated corner element 2 is removed, thus disposing of the components of the corner formwork system of the present invention to be reused for subsequent formwork operations.

A person skilled in the art could make changes and modifications to the examples of embodiment described without going beyond the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims.