IMPROVED BUILDING MODULE , FLOOR COMPRISING SUCH MODULE AND BUILDING COMPRISING SUCH MODULE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the building field. PRIOR ART

Prior art buildings are usually constructed by means of reinforced concrete or steel structures made in-situ for such purpose.

Such structures are considerably strong, while being very heavy, such that the overall height they can reach is limited by the weight the ground, on which they are erected, can support.

Such limitation causes very big (and therefore heavy) structures to be built only after accurately inspecting the ground, to make sure that it can support the load. It results that if the available ground does not have suitable characteristics the construction of buildings having large size (and therefore high weight) is not possible.

Such limit is more evident with buildings ^' having ^' a great height development, for example due to ground occupancy and panoramic reasons.

Still another limit of current constructions with load- bearing structures made of reinforced concrete or steel is the fact that balcony slabs have a reduced development in a cantilever fashion from the main structure, due to the weight of the structure supporting the balcony; thus if balconies having a considerable development in a cantilever fashion are desired, it is necessary to support balconies also at the side opposite to the side connected to the main structure, for example by arranging load-bearing columns or similar arrangements.

Obviously this results in a further rise of the weight that could not be in line with the maximum weight of the ground, due to the above reasons.

For this reason, basically, currently installed balconies have reduced dimensions on the whole.

Moreover a further drawback is found when such structures are desired to be arranged at a great height, such as in skyscrapers: it is necessary, when constructing floors at higher level, to move to such level the reinforced concrete - or steel - beams having a considerable weight and size and that oblige to use particularly big cranes or lifting machines or to divide the beams into parts having a reduced size and weight (such that they can be moved by small equipment) but then requiring a long assembling operation .

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to overcome prior art drawbacks.

Particularly it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved building module with very limited weight , strong and versatile .

Another object of the invention is to provide a building, comprising one or more of such modules, having very ^" Wide spaces and a reduced weight ^" , such that it can be built even when ground characteristics do not allow a conventional building with steel or reinforced concrete structures, to be constructed.

These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a building module made, at least partially, of a composite material comprising carbon fiber.

Such composite material is a material known per se - no further reference is made thereto - having optimal mechanical characteristics together with a very small specific weight.

The construction of a prefabricated building module made of composite material, preferably a cantilever slab for balconies, allows the drawbacks mentioned above to be overcome, since the lightweight of the material, together with the particular box-like arrangement provided herein, allows the weight of the load-bearing structure, at least the one of the balconies, to be reduced, that therefore can have a considerable size (also in the order of 400 square meters), while not considerably worsening the weight of the load-bearing structure of the building since they can be mounted also in cantilever fashion or can be supported only by light cables or tension cables.

A further advantage is that such modules can be easily manufactured in locations remote from the construction location and then simply transported therein, lifted at height and mounted on the load-bearing structure, such operations not representing an obstacle (due to the considerably reduced weight) .

Therefore the present invention relates to a building module, a balcony and a building according to the respective independent annexed claims and optionally comprising the characteristics of the dependent claims, which are an integral part of the present description. More in details the building module of the invention comprises a case provided with at least one inner cavity and with per i metral walls made at- least partially, preferably completely, of a composite material comprising a matrix, preferably of resin, and carbon fiber; ^' the per i metral walls comprise a substantially continuous and flat upper wall and a rear wall, wherein the module is provided at least with devices for fastening to a load-bearing building structure preferably at the rear wall, such to allow the module to be mounted in a cantilever fashion on the load-bearing building structure.

According to a first optional characteristic, usable independently or in combination with the other characteristics, the upper wall of the module comprises two overlapped and spaced flat plates with interposed stiffening ribs, defining hollow spaces of the wall. According to a second optional characteristic, usable independently or in combination with the other characteristics, the rear wall and the upper wall are inclined with respect to each other, the angle between such walls being about 89°.

According to a third optional characteristic usable independently or in combination with the other characteristics, the upper wall comprises a water collecting slit in fluid communication with the cavity and the perimetral walls comprise a lower wall facing the upper wall and inclined with respect thereto, said lower wall being provided with at least one discharge hole.

According to a fourth optional characteristic usable independently or in combination with the other characteristics, the coupling device comprises a plate, preferably a metal plate, coupled to said rear wall and intended to be fastened to said load-bearing building structure by screw connections.

According to a fifth optional characteristic usable independently or in combination with the other characteristics, the module comprises at least one cable-clamp sleeve.

The balcony of the invention is a cantilever balcony of a building comprising at least one module according to the invention, preferably a plurality of said aligned and adjacent modules coupled to each other.

According to an optional characteristic of the balcony, usable independently or in combination with the other characteristics, the end modules of the balcony are provided each one with a cable-clamp sleeve intended to couple the balcony to a cable of the building.

Preferably the cable is made of steel or composite material .

The building of the invention comprises a supporting building structure and at least one balcony of the invention mounted in a cantilever fashion on the supporting structure.

According to an optional characteristic of the building, usable independently or in combination with the other characteristics, the building comprises a cable, preferably two cables extending from the building structure to the ground, said balconies being fastened to said cable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described herein below with reference to not limitative examples, given by way of explanatory and not limiting example in the annexed drawings. These drawings show different aspects and embodiments of the invention and, where appropriate, reference numerals showing similar structures, components, materials and/or elements in different figures are denoted by similar reference numerals.

In the annexed figures:

Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a balcony comprising modules according to the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are sections of the module of the invention taken along planes AA and BB of fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a partial section of the building with the modules of the invention being installed;

Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of a building with modules of the invention being installed;

Figure 6 is a side view of a building comprising the modules of the invention;

Figure 7 is a side view of a balcony of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions,- some preferred embodiments are shown in the drawings and will be described in details herein below.

It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific disclosed embodiment but, on the contrary, the invention intends to cover all the modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents that fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims .

The use of "for example", "etc.", "or" denotes nonexclusive alternatives without limitation, unless otherwise indicated.

The use of "includes" means "includes, but not limited to", unless otherwise indicated. Terms as "vertical" and "horizontal", "upper" and "lower" (with no other indications) have to be read with reference to the assembling (or operating) conditions and with reference to standard terminology used in common speech, where "vertical" means a direction substantially parallel to that of the vector of the force of gravity "g" and horizontal means a direction perpendicular thereto.

The annexed figures show a module 1 according to the invention, installed in various manners.

The building module 1 comprises a hollow case 2 defined by perimetral walls characteristically made at least partially, preferably completely, of a composite material comprising a matrix, preferably made of resin, and carbon fiber.

This type of composite material, comprising a carbon fiber fabric impregnated with a resin is known per se in prior art and it will not be described here in details, suffice here to note that, depending on objects, the person skilled in the art can select the resins, as well as the characteristics of the fiber and/or the thicknesses more suitable for the specific application .

As regards resins these are preferably epoxy or vinyl resins .

Generally the case 2 can be completely closed (meaning that its inner cavity C is not open to the outside) or more preferably it can have perimetral walls provided with at least a slit or an aperture, for purposes that will be explained shortly.

The case 2 is preferably provided with two outer continuous side walls 12, 13 a lower wall 14 that is continuous and inclined with respect to the upper wall 11 (for example straight or curved, as in annexed figures) a rear continuous wall 15 and a front wall 16 opposite to the rear wall 15.

It has to be noted that in order to form the box-like structure of the module, each side wall 12, 13 is arranged substantially at 90° to the upper wall 11 and to the rear wall 15.

The module has a wedge-like shape, the rear wall being higher than the front one.

The upper wall 11, as it can be seen in section along plane AA of fig.l shown in fig.3, has the outer face (the one facing the side opposing the cavity C) substantially continuous and flat.

Preferably such wall 11 is composed of two overlapped and spaced flat plates 11' and 11' ' made of carbon fiber composite material.

Stiffening ribs 51 are provided between the flat plates 11' and 11', thus forming hollow spaces in the wall 11; therefore the upper wall 11 is a kind of "double" wall. In the shown embodiment the two outer side walls 12, 13, the lower wall 14, the rear wall 15 and the front wall 16 delimiting the hollow inner volume are made as one piece (monolithic) with the wall 11.

In the shown embodiment the two outer side walls 12, 13 the lower wall 14, the rear wall 15 and the front wall 16 delimiting the inner hollow volume are made as single-layer, namely with only one layer of carbon fiber, having a thickness suitable to the application. In one alternative embodiment the two outer side walls 12, 13 the lower wall 14, the rear wall 15 and the front wall 16 delimiting the hollow inner- volume are made all with double walls with stiffening ribs interposed therebetween, similarly to wall 11.

Irt other embodiments, together with the upper wall 11, also the two outer side walls 12, 13 are formed with double walls with stiffening ribs arranged therebetween, similarly to wall 11.

In another particularly advantageous embodiment, together with the upper wall 11, even the rear wall 15 and the front wall 16 are formed with double walls with stiffening ribs arranged therebetween, similarly to wall 11; this allows hollow spaces created between the ribs to be used as technical rooms for housing and the passage of at least a part of technical services (eg. electrical services, air conditioning, heating system, sanitary water, irrigation water, etc.)

Thus it is possible to provide a building module that can be produced in locations remote from the location of installation, and that can also be provided, upon its manufacture, with at least pipes and/or cables of technical services, that are pre-assembled.

Thus it is possible to mount such pipes and/or cables in a location remote from the location of installation, for example in the plant producing the modules.

The modules eguipped in this manner therefore can be moved to the installation location and mounted there, as the parts of technical services housed therein are already available and installed, thus reducing time and difficulties in mounting such parts met when, as usual, they are produced in-situ.

Such arrangement allows modules 1 to be produced characterized by a high stiffness and lightweight, able to support even high mechanical loads.. In some alternative embodiments the upper wall 11 is on the contrary formed with a simple composite material plate, with no ribs 51.

The latter, if any, - as in the preferred shown embodiment - are arranged preferably on planes parallel to those of the side walls 12, 13 such to be arranged lengthwise .

The ribs 51, with the module 1 in the installed condition, are inclined (with respect to a reference horizontal axis) by some degrees towards a water collecting slit 56 formed in the upper wall 11 in a region thereof near the front wall 16 of the module 1 and visible in details in figs. 1 and 7.

To this end advantageously the rear wall 15 and the upper wall 11 are provided not to be perfectly perpendicular, but to be slightly inclined: particularly, preferably, the angle between the two walls 15 and 11 is about of 89°, such that a user cannot perceive it.

The water collecting slit 56 is in fluid communication with the cavity C, such that rainwater can be conveyed inside the module 1 and by the inclination of the lower wall 14, up to the discharge hole 57 provided on the lower wall 14 and shown in figs.l and 2.

With reference again to double walls provided with ribs, such as for instance wall 11, they avoid ribs from being provided inside the module, that can be left completely (or at least mostly) hollow: this not only reduces its weight, cost and the overall production difficulties, but this results in the cavity C being used inside it for discharging rainwater entering the slit 56 and flowing up to the only discharge hole 57. Should ribs be housed in the cavity 57, it would be necessary to provide passage holes for rainwater therein, or (depending on the plan orientation of possible ribs inside the cavity C) it would be necessary to provide a plurality of discharge holes 57, one for each hollow space between two adjacent ribs; this would reduce the overall strength of the module, and it would also involve additional treatments. Such drawbacks are overcome by providing ribs only at the perimetral walls (at least at the wall 11 and optionally at one or more of the other walls, as mentioned above) .

The hollow spaces between ribs 51 can be advantageously used for housing components of home services (electrical, water, ventilation services etc.); to this end dedicated slits for the access to hollow spaces could be provided, not shown in the annexed figures. To the upper wall 11, installed on the balcony T, such as shown in fig.l, it is possible to fasten functional components of the floor, such as a floor support 52, in the non-limitative example represented by a plurality of transverse joists 52, upon which the floor finish 53 is later laid, in this non-limitative example the so called raised type.

In order to give an idea of size, not as a limitation, each module 1 of fig.l (in plan view) has a width of about 3 meters and a length of about 10 meters; it has to be noted that a similar module possibly made of reinforced concrete, steel or other materials conventionally used in building industry, would have such a high weight that it could not be installed in a cantilever fashion. On the contrary by using the module 1 made of a composite material of the invention it is possible to construct a substantially cantilever balcony T where the whole floor base, made of the same composite material, is the load-bearing structure of the balcony, considerably saving weight, due to both the lightweight of the used composite material, and to the internally hollow box-like structure.

In the balcony T shown in fig.l there are provided three modules 1 that are adjacent and in side-to-side relation, such that the walls 11 of the three modules are at the same height and in mutual contact, substantially forming the whole support base for the functional components of the floor (joists 52 and floor 53) as just described.

The module 1 further comprises coupling devices 81 for a load-bearing building structure at the rear wall 15 of the module 1, for mounting the module 1 in a cantilever fashion from a conventional structure S (e.g. steel or reinforced concrete beams), such as for example shown in figs. 4 and 5.

Such coupling devices 81, generally, can be of different type, for example threaded steel bushings embedded in the wall 15 of the module 1 or others.

A preferred coupling device 81 comprises a plate, preferably a metal one (for example steel) that is then fastened to the conventional structure S of the building by bolts or the like.

As regards the balcony T and the building E of the invention, comprising the modules 1 just described, and with reference to figs. 4, 6, and 7 in the building E it can be useful to fasten the balconies T also at the side opposite to that coupled to the conventional structure S, for example such to avoid elastic oscillation phenomena due to wind or possible earthquakes .

To this end at least the end modules 1 of the balcony T are provided each one with a cable-clamp sleeve 82, a cable 80 passing therethrough (actually being a part of the building E) connected to the conventional structure S thereof (for example a steel or reinforced concrete structure) .

The building E shown in one not limitative embodiment in fig.6 and in some of its parts in fig.4 and 5 therefore comprises a supporting building structure S, preferably made of reinforced concrete or steel, extending up to foundations in the ground, on which the balconies T of the type described above are fastened in a cantilever fashion; the balconies T are fastened (at least at the side provided with the coupling device 81 for the modules 1 that are a part thereof) to the structure S and optionally, at least a cable 80, preferably two cables 80, part of the building E, extending from its top substantially up to the ground. Although the modules 1 have been described so far with reference to balconies T, it is understood how their use can be extended also to other parts of the building, for example also mezzanines of the building E, such as shown in figs. 4 and 5, wherein, in addition to balconies T, also mezzanines are made in a cantilever fashion and comprise the modules 1 with advantages similar to those described above.

Even if from a theoretic point of view, some of the walls of the module 1 can be made of materials different from the carbon fiber composite set forth above, preferably all the walls (upper, side, lower, front and rear) are formed with plates of said material: thus a real hollow box-like structure is created, whose inner cavity is completely defined by walls made of composite material comprising a matrix, preferably resin, and carbon fiber.

In one optional embodiment, the module is constructed in two steps, the first forming the upper double wall 11 and preferably the lower one, it being a double wall too .

In such step the two ends are provided with the cavities arranged for the passage of services and along the perimeters the snap seats are provided for exactly matching the upper wall and the lower wall.

The second step provides to fasten the two parts causing the module to become a monolithic prefabricated element ready to be installed in the building yard.

As regards the fastening of the module of the invention to the load-bearing building structure, for example made of reinforced concrete, as an alternative to the solution described above it is possible to provide on the reinforced concrete structure a steel plate provided with a supporting tooth (shaped as a reversed L) on which the lower corner of the module is engaged, joining the rear wall with the lower wall. By the tooth the module is thus supported from below since it rests on the tooth. Then the installation provides a plate made of metal too placed astride the module and the supporting structure; particularly the plate extends parallel to the upper wall 11 and it engages it for a given length, protruding from the rear side of the module, past the rear wall thereof, to engage the load- bearing building structure.

As an alternative it is possible to provide the module to be made such to have snap sections, such as teeth or the like resting on the load-bearing building structure .

Actually this module of the invention with respect to other existing structures combines the lightweight of the module of the invention with an easy installation, in addition to a prefabrication concept that provides in the building yard a finished module equipped with the technical service part, that, in use, is housed in the module.

Thus costs are reduced, even if exhibiting performances comparable, if not better, with other solutions similar as regards structural characteristics. Thus the above objects are achieved.

Obviously several variants to what described up to now are possible.