BUILDING BLOCKS WITH MATING COUPLING MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING WALL AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

Technical field

The present invention relates to a set of building blocks for constructing a wall according to the preamble of the first claim.

Background art

GB-A-338228 relates to a set of building blocks which have tongues and grooves on their top and bottom surfaces for interengagement. In order to effectively obtain a strong wall, the building blocks need to be attached to each other by supplying a grouting to grout- receiving recesses in the end surfaces and by interconnection by means of steel claws.

WO-A-2005010289 also relates to a set of building blocks with mating coupling members, which need to be reinforced by means of connecting rods. The building blocks here further comprise mating coupling members on their end planes.

These known building blocks have the disadvantage that one or more additional steps have to be performed after stacking the blocks on top of each other in order to obtain a wall with sufficient strength, namely the introduction of a grouting and/or steel reinforcements. This makes the construction of a wall with these blocks a laborious operation.

Disclosure of the invention

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a set of building blocks with which the need for additional steps for reinforcing the constructed wall can be avoided.

This aim is achieved according to the invention with a set of building blocks showing the technical characteristics of the characterising part of the first claim.

According to the invention, a set of building blocks for constructing a wall is provided, each building block comprising a first side with first coupling means and a second side with second coupling means. The first and second coupling means are adapted to mate with each other for coupling the building blocks to each other. This means that the first and second coupling means are complementary to each other and fit into each other with substantially no play. The first and second coupling means are furthermore shaped for enabling their coupling by a rotational movement around a first axis and preventing their disengagement by a linear movement along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The linear movement which is prevented is substantially in opposite direction of the rotational movement.

The fact that two blocks according to the invention can be coupled to each other by means of the rotational movement of course implies that the blocks can be disengaged from each other by the opposite rotational movement. However, disengagement under influence of the linear movement in substantially the opposite direction of the rotational movement for coupling is effectively counteracted by the shape of the coupling members with respect to each other. In view of the fact that the rotational movement for disengaging is more difficult to achieve than the linear movement and is also very unlikely to occur once the wall has been constructed, the risk of disengagement of the coupled building blocks of the invention is minimised, so a strong wall can be achieved.

Due to the particular shape of the coupling means, which prevents their disengagement by said linear movement, the blocks are instantly coupled firmly to each other upon being coupled to each other, so the need for introducing a grouting or a mortar in between layers of the blocks and also interconnecting reinforcements can be avoided. Furthermore, the shape adapted for coupling by a rotational movement facilitates the stacking of the blocks on top of each other, since the coupling movement is dictated by the shape of the coupling means. As a result, with the building blocks of the invention, a wall can be constructed quickly while avoiding the need for additional steps for reinforcing the connection between the blocks.

The first side of the building block, on which the first coupling means are provided, is preferably its top side and the second side, on which the second coupling means are provided, is preferably its bottom side. In this embodiment, the first axis around which the building blocks are rotated for coupling is a longitudinal axis of the building block and the second axis of the linear movement which is prevented is parallel to the height direction of the building block. However, the first and second coupling means may also be provided on other sides of the building block. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment the transverse sides or end- planes of the building block are provided with further mating coupling means, so that mating in height direction as well as in longitudinal direction of the wall is obtained and the strength of the wall may be further enhanced. In a preferred embodiment of the set of building blocks according to the invention, the first coupling means are substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane parallel to said first and second axes, whereas the second coupling means are asymmetrical with respect to this plane. The plane can for example be the plane extending in longitudinal direction perpendicular to the top side and dividing the block in two halves. This

combination of symmetry and asymmetry creates the capacity to couple the blocks by rotational movement from either side while maintaining the feature that the disengagement is counteracted. This has the advantage that for example the placement of each two adjacent building blocks of the same row can be alternated, which can severely enhance the strength of the constructed wall.

In a preferred embodiment of the set of building blocks according to the invention, the first coupling means comprise a cavity with a predetermined gap and the second coupling means comprise a protruding member for engaging in the cavity. The protruding member is dimensioned such with respect to the predetermined gap that, in corresponding orientation of the protruding member with respect to the cavity, the protruding member is wider than the predetermined gap and, when tilted over a given angle with respect to the cavity, the protruding member is slightly narrower than the predetermined gap. In this way, the protruding member can be rotated into the cavity, while lifting it from the cavity by linear movement in height direction is prevented, since in this orientation the protruding member is wider than the gap. This embodiment has the advantage that the capacity of coupling by rotational movement and counteracting disengagement under linear movement is created by means of relatively simple shapes of the coupling means, which can facilitate the manufacture of the building blocks of the invention.

In this preferred embodiment, the cavity preferably widens underneath said predetermined gap by means of at least one lateral recess and that the protruding member comprises at least one corresponding lateral protrusion for engaging in the at least one lateral recess. When coupled, the lateral protrusion engages in the lateral recess to prevent the disengagement by said linear movement.

Furthermore in this preferred embodiment, the cavity is preferably delimited by two substantially parallel oblong protrusions which extend at

said predetermined gap from each other and have partly cylindrical outer surfaces for facilitating said rotational movement.

Furthermore in this preferred embodiment, the protruding member is preferably delimited by two substantially parallel oblong recesses, shaped in correspondence with the oblong protrusions to avoid play in coupled state.

The building blocks of the invention are preferably constructed in a substantially non-resilient material, such as for example concrete, so that walls can be constructed with the capacity to function as a bearing wall. However, for other purposes also building blocks according to the invention in materials with some resiliency may be used.

By means of the set of building blocks according to the invention as described above, a wall is preferably constructed by means of a method comprising the step of piling up said building blocks so that multiple layers of coupled building blocks are formed, a first number of said building blocks being placed by said rotational movement in a first direction and a second number of said building blocks being placed by said rotational movement in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Preferably, the first number of building blocks is alternated with the second number of building blocks. This means that preferably each two adjacent building blocks of the same row are alternated, which can severely enhance the strength of the constructed wall.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be further elucidated by means of the following description and the appended figures.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a building block according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a part of a wall constructed by means of building blocks according to figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a mould for constructing the building block of figure 1. Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the building block of figure 1.

Figure 5 shows an enlarged portion of the cross-section of figure 4.

Figures 6-8 show in successive steps how two building blocks according to figure 1 are coupled to each other.

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a more preferred embodiment of a building block according to the invention.

Figure 10 shows a bottom building block of a set according to the invention, intended for placement on the floor as lowermost layer of building blocks of the constructed wall.

Figure 11 shows a top building block of a set according to the invention, intended for placement underneath the ceiling as uppermost layer of building blocks of the constructed wall.

Modes for carrying out the invention

The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances

and the embodiments of the invention can operate in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. The terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention described herein can operate in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

The term "comprising", used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It needs to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising means A and B" should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.

The building block 1 of figure 1 comprises a first side 10 with first coupling means 11-13 and a second side 20 with second coupling means 21. The first and second coupling means are adapted to mate with each other for coupling the building blocks 1 to each other. More particularly the first and second coupling means are complementary to each other and fit into each other with substantially no play, as is for example clear from figure 2. The shape of the first coupling means 11-13 is in such a way complementary to that of the second coupling means 21 that their coupling by a rotational movement around a first axis, the longitudinal axis of the block 1 of figure 1 , is enabled and their disengagement by a linear movement along a second axis, the height axis of the block 1 of figure 1 ,

is prevented. The linear movement which is prevented is substantially in opposite direction of the rotational movement.

In figure 1 , the first side 10 is the top side and the second side 20 is the bottom side. So in this embodiment, the first axis around which the building blocks are rotated for coupling is a longitudinal axis of the building block and the second axis of the linear movement which is prevented is parallel to the height direction of the building block. However, the first and second coupling means 11-13 and 21 may also be provided on other sides of the building block 1. Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the building block 1. The first coupling means 11-13 are substantially symmetrical with respect to a plane parallel to said first and second axes, namely the plane dividing the block in half in vertical direction. The second coupling means 21 are asymmetrical with respect to this plane. This combination of symmetry and asymmetry creates the capacity to couple the blocks by rotational movement from either side while maintaining the feature that the disengagement is counteracted. This has the advantage that for example the placement of each two adjacent building blocks of the same row can be alternated, which can severely enhance the strength of the constructed wall.

The first coupling means comprise a cavity 13 with a predetermined gap D1 and the second coupling means comprise a protruding member 21 for engaging in the cavity 13. The protruding member 21 is dimensioned such with respect to the predetermined gap D1 that, in corresponding orientation of the protruding member 21 with respect to the cavity 13, the protruding member 21 has a width D2+D3 which is wider than the predetermined gap D1. In this respect, D2 is the width of the narrowest portion of the protruding member 21 and D3 is the additional width of a lateral protrusion 22 of the protruding member 21. In the coupled state, the narrowest portion of the protruding member 21 is located at the height

of the predetermined gap D1 , to which end the width D2 is slightly smaller than D1. The relative dimensions are furthermore such that when tilted over a given angle with respect to the cavity as shown in figure 7 the protruding member 21 is slightly narrower than the predetermined gap D1 , so that it can pass through the cavity 13. In this way, the protruding member 21 can be rotated into the cavity 13, while lifting it from the cavity by linear movement in height direction is prevented, since in this orientation the width D2+D3 of the protruding member 21 is wider than the gap D1 of the cavity 13. In this way, the capacity of coupling by rotational movement and counteracting disengagement under linear movement is created by means of relatively simple shapes of the coupling means, which can facilitate the manufacture of the building block 1.

As shown, the cavity 13 widens underneath the predetermined gap D1 by means of lateral recesses 14, 15 on both sides. The protruding member 21 comprises a corresponding lateral protrusion 22 for engaging in one of the lateral recesses 14, 15. When coupled (see figure 8), the lateral protrusion 22 engages in the lateral recess 14, 15 to prevent the disengagement by the linear movement in height direction of the block 1.

The cavity 13 is delimited by two substantially parallel oblong protrusions 11 , 12 which extend at the predetermined gap D1 from each other and have partly cylindrical outer surfaces for facilitating the rotational movement. The protruding member 21 is delimited by two substantially parallel oblong recesses 23, 24, shaped in correspondence with the oblong protrusions 11 , 12 to avoid play in coupled state. The radius R1 of the oblong protrusions 11 , 12 is slightly shorter than the radius R2 of the oblong recesses 23, 24.

The building block 1 is preferably constructed in a substantially non-resilient material, such as for example concrete, so that the walls which are constructed with building blocks 1 have the capacity to function as bearing walls. However, for other purposes also materials with some

resiliency may be used. Figure 3 shows a suitable mould 30 for constructing the building block 1 in concrete. It comprises top and bottom members 31 , 32 complementary to the desired shapes of the top and bottom sides 10, 20 of the block 1 as described above and side plates 33, 34 detachably fixable to the top and bottom members 31 , 32, for example by means of screws.

By means of building blocks 1 , a wall is constructed by means of the method successively illustrated by figures 6-8. In figure 6 on top half of a building block 2 is shown and at the bottom half of a building block 3. Both blocks 2 and 3 have substantially the same shape and dimensions as building block 1 of figure 1. First, the building block 2 is brought above building block 3 and moved downwards in the direction of the arrow 4. Then, the block 2 is tilted, placed with the oblong recess 23 (the one at the side of the lateral protrusion 22) around the oblong protrusion 11 and rotated around this protrusion 11. As a result of this rotation, the protruding member 21 at the bottom of the upper block 2 is rotated into the cavity 13 at the top of the lower block 3 until the protruding member 21 rests on the bottom side of the cavity 13. In this state, which is shown in figure 8, the lateral protrusion 22 on the protruding member 21 engages in the lateral recess 14 of the cavity 13, as a result of which removal of the upper block 2 from the lower block 3 by a linear movement in height direction is prevented.

Due to the particular shape of the coupling means 11 -13 and 21 , which prevents their disengagement by said linear movement, the blocks 2, 3 are instantly coupled firmly to each other upon being placed onto each other, so the need for introducing a grouting or a mortar in between the blocks and also interconnecting reinforcements can be avoided. Furthermore, the placement by a rotational movement facilitates the stacking of the blocks 2, 3 on top of each other, since the coupling movement is dictated by the shape of the oblong protrusions 11 , 12. As a

result, with the building blocks 1 , 2, 3, a wall can be constructed quickly while avoiding the need for additional steps for reinforcing the connection between the blocks. Figure 2 shows a part of a wall constructed by means of building blocks 1 , 2, 3. As a result of the symmetry of the top side of the blocks, the upper block 2 can also be placed on the lower block 3 from the other side, i.e. by placing the oblong recess 23 on the oblong protrusion 12 and then of course rotating in the opposite direction. Then, the lateral protrusion 22 on the protruding member 21 will finally engage in the lateral recess 15 of the cavity 13.

The ability to place an upper block 2 on a lower block 3 from both sides has the advantage that a wall can be constructed by means of the following method. In piling up the building blocks, multiple layers of coupled building blocks are formed. A first number of the building blocks can be placed by the rotational movement in a first direction and a second number of the building blocks can be placed by the rotational movement in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Preferably, the first number of building blocks is alternated with the second number of building blocks. This means that preferably each two adjacent building blocks of the same row are alternated, which can severely enhance the strength of the constructed wall.

Figure 9 shows a preferred embodiment of a building block 6 according to the invention. The shape is the same as that of the building block of figure 1 , except for the transverse sides 61 , 62 or end-planes of the building block 6 which are provided with further mating coupling means, more particularly a protruding square member 63 adapted to fit in a square recess 64. As a result of these additional coupling means 63, 64, mating in height direction as well as in longitudinal direction of the wall is obtained and the strength of the wall may be further enhanced.

Figure 10 shows a bottom building block 70 intended for placement on the floor as lowermost layer of building blocks of the constructed wall. This bottom building block 70 has a top side 71 corresponding to that of the block 1 of figure 1. Figure 11 shows a top building block 80 intended for placement underneath the ceiling as uppermost layer of building blocks of the constructed wall. This top building block 80 has a bottom side 81 corresponding to that of the block 1 of figure 1.