CELLULAR PLATE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a cellular plate according to the preamble of claim 1 and particularly to a cellular plate comprising a first surface and a second surface as well as cellular parts extending between the first and the second surface. The invention further relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 13, and particularly to a method of manufacturing a cellular plate, the cellular plate comprising a first surface and a second surface as well as cellular parts extending between the first and the second surface.

[0002] Cellular plates are conventionally manufactured of two profile plates attached on top of each other to form a cellular plate. Alternatively, a cellular plate may be manufactured of one profile plate and a straight, even plate attached to the second surface. At first, this process comprises manufacturing of profile plates and possibly a straight plate, which are, after profiling, cut to desired size and attached to each other to provide a cellular plate. Such cellular plates are generally manufactured of sheet metal and used for intermediate floors in buildings, for example.

[0003] A problem with prior art cellular plates described above is that the dimensions of the cellular plates vary according to the object of use, and thus each cellular plate must, in practice, be manufactured individually according to particular dimensions. Hence, the profile plates and possible straight plates must typically be cut to appropriate size before they are attached to each other to form a cellular plate. This causes costs and slows down the manufacturing. Further, there must always be cellular plates of all sizes on standby in stock, so that they can be supplied to the building site according to an appropriate schedule.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] An object of the invention is thus to provide a cellular plate and a method of manufacturing a cellular plate in such a way that the above problems can be solved. The object of the invention is achieved with a cellular plate according to the characterizing part of claim 1 , characterized in that the cellular plate comprises two or more cellular profiles attached adjacently to each other. Further, the object of the invention is achieved with a cellular plate according to the characterizing part of claim 13, characterized by the method

comprising providing the cellular plate by attaching two or more separate cellular profiles adjacently to each other to form a cellular plate.

[0005] Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

[0006] The invention is based on manufacturing separate cellular profiles that are attached adjacently to each other. Thus, each cellular profile forms a part of the opposite surfaces of a cellular plate and of the cellular sections between the surfaces. Such cellular profiles are preferably elongated and their length determines the length of the cellular plates consisting of them. The width of the cellular plate is, in turn, determined by the number of cellular profiles attached adjacently to each other. Thus, the cellular plate may be provided by attaching a predetermined number of cellular profiles adjacently to each other, the cross-sectional shape of the cellular profiles being such that attaching cellular profiles to each other forms a cellular structure inside the cellular plate.

[0007] An advantage of the method and system according to the invention is that the cellular plate can be manufactured of separate ready- made parts according to the need in each particular case. Thus, cellular plates can be manufactured to desired size simply by combining ready-made parts to each other, and there is no need to keep cellular plates of all sizes on standby in stock. A cellular plate of a desired size can be made quickly and easily by attaching cellular profiles adjacently to each other. Further, the production line can be optimized because it can be formed for the manufacture of cellular profiles of a particular kind and size only, and there is no need to manufacture profile plates or other cellular plate parts of different sizes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0008] The invention will be now described in greater detail in connection with preferred embodiments, referring to the attached drawings, of which:

Figure 1 shows schematically a cellular plate according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows schematically a cellular plate according to another embodiments of the invention; and

Figure 3 shows schematically a cellular plate according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRPITION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Referring to Figure 1 , it shows a cross-section of a cellular plate 2 according to the present invention, the plate being formed of cellular profiles 10 attached to each other adjacently. In this embodiment, the cellular profiles 10 have a cross-sectional shape of a Z. These cellular profiles 10 can be attached to each other by welding, laser welding or other mechanical attaching means. In Figure 1 , the cellular profiles 10 are preferably made of sheet metal and attached to each other with laser welds 26, which are shown, for the sake of clarity, only in some of the seams between the cellular profiles 10. In accordance with Figure 1 , each cellular profile 10 comprises a first surface part 12 and a second surface part 14 as well as a cellular part 16 extending between them. The first surface parts 12 of the adjacent cellular profiles 10 form together a first surface of the cellular plate 2, and correspondingly, the second surface parts 14 of the adjacent cellular profiles 10 form together a second surface 6 of the cellular plate 2. Further, cellular parts 16 of two adjacent cellular profiles 10 form together a cell 24 in the cell plate.

[0010] In the embodiment according to Figure 1 , the cellular profiles 10 having the shape of a Z are attached to each other in such a way that the adjacent cellular profiles 10 are in opposite positions, i.e. mirror images of each other in accordance with Figure 1 , in such a way that the cell 24 that is brought about is substantially of the shape of a triangle or delta (δ). Alternatively, the cellular profiles 10 may be attached to each other adjacently in the same position but in this case the stiffness properties of the cellular plate are not symmetrical.

[0011] Figure 2 shows schematically another embodiment according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the cross-sections of the cellular profiles 10 are substantially of the shape of a delta. The base of the delta-like cross-sectional profile of the cellular profile 10 forms the second surface part 14 of the cellular profile 10. The delta-like cross-sectional profile of the cellular profile 10 comprises two flange parts 20 extending laterally in opposite directions from the tip of the delta and forming the first surface part 12 of the cellular profile 10. Thus, the first surface part 12 of each cellular profile is formed of two separate surface parts, i.e. flange parts 20. The sides of the delta of the cellular profile 10 in Figure 2 form the cellular parts of the cellular profile 10. Thus, each individual cellular profile 10 forms a cell 24, and in

addition, two adjacent cellular profiles 10 form together a corresponding second cell between them.

[0012] Also in this embodiment, the adjacent cellular profiles are attached to each other with welds 26. Further, the sides 16 of the delta of each cellular profile can be attached to each other at the tip 28 of the delta, for example by welding. The ends of the flange parts 20 of the cellular profile 10 are further turned to extend away from the first surface 4 of the cellular plate 2 in such a way that they form bonds 22 at the seam points between the cellular profiles 10 for concrete casting. These bonds 22 arranged at the ends of the flange parts 20 can be provided with reinforcement or reinforcements, the bonding improvement of which to the surface casting upon the cellular plate. Thus, the bonds 22 may be, for example, provided with holes for receiving and attaching reinforcement bars or the like reinforcement means. In addition or alternatively, the bond 22 may be provided as an L shape, whereby the upper ends of the bonds 22 of the solutions according to Figures 2 and 3 may be provided with a fold extending substantially horizontally or in the direction of the cellular plate surface. One alternative for improving the bonding between the bonds 22 of the cellular plate and the surface casting provided upon the cellular plate 22 is to shape the bonds 22 wave-like or creased in their longitudinal direction. Further, the bonds 22 may be provided with a pattern or patterns forming protrusions and recesses on the surface of the bonds 22.

[0013] Figure 3 further shows an embodiment of the cellular plate 2 according to the present invention. The cross-sectional shape of the cellular profiles 10 is, in the embodiment of Figure 3, substantially a delta or triangle, and the profiles are attached adjacently to each other with welds 26 to form the cellular plate 2. The base of the delta of the cellular profile 10 forms the second surface part 14 in such a way that the second surface parts 14 of the adjacent cellular profiles 10 form together with the cellular plate 2 the second surface 6. The delta-like cross-sectional profile of the cellular profile 10 comprises a flange part 18 extending from the tip of the delta laterally in one direction, the flange part forming the first surface part 12 of the cellular profile 10. This flange part 18 extends, in accordance with Figure 3, to the tip of the delta of the cellular profile 10, whereby the flange parts 18 of the adjacent cellular profiles 10, i.e. the first surface parts 12, form the first surface 4 of the cellular plate 2. In accordance with Figure 3, the sides of the delta of the cellular profile 10 form the cellular parts 16. Thus, each individual cellular profile 10 forms a cell 24,

and further, two adjacent cellular profiles 10 form together another corresponding cell between them.

[0014] Also in this embodiment, the adjacent cellular profiles are attached to each other with welds 26. Further, the sides 16 of the delta of each cellular profile can be attached to each other at the delta tip by welding, for example. The end of the flange part 18 of the cellular profile 10 and the end of the second side 16 of the delta are further turned to extend away from the first surface 4 of the cellular plate 2 in such a way that they form bonds 22 at the seam points between the cellular profiles 10 for concrete casting.

[0015] The cellular plate 2 according to the invention may also comprise a profile plate or composite plate mounted on its first and/or second surface 4, 6 to increase the capacity of the cellular plate 2. The composite plate or profile plate may be any composite or profile plate of prior art, which may be attached to the cellular plate mechanically, for instance with screws or by welding. Further, the cellular plate according to the invention can be used to provide ready-made elements to be brought to the working site for mounting.

[0016] In accordance with the invention, separate cellular profiles are formed by, for example, profiling, edging, bending and/or cutting. The cellular profiles are longitudinally extending profiles, which comprise a first surface part forming a part of the first surface of the cellular plate, and/or the second surface part forming a part of the second surface of the cellular plate. Thus, it is to be noted that in the preceding embodiments it is not shown, one cellular profile may comprise a first surface part forming a part of the first surface of the cellular plate but no second surface part forming the second surface of the cellular plate. Thus, the cellular profile adjacent to it may comprise a second surface part forming a part of the second surface of the cellular plate but no first surface part forming the first surface of the cellular plate. Further, it is to be noted that the cross-sectional shapes of the cellular profiles may vary in a plurality of ways, and the invention is not restricted to any precise shapes of cellular profiles. What is essential is that each of the adjacent cellular profiles forms at least a part of the first and/or the second surface of the cellular plate as well as of the cellular structure between the surfaces. Furthermore, the cellular plate may comprise cellular profiles of different cross-sectional shapes, for example in such a way that the cellular profiles of the cellular plate edges are different compared with the cellular

profiles in the middle of the cellular plate. In other words, the cellular profiles of the cellular plate may be similar to or at least partly different from each other.

[0017] It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that as the technology advances, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in a plurality of ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the examples described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.