U.S. patent application number 11/338792 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-10 for intrusion-prevention enclosure.
This patent application is currently assigned to SATECH SAFETY TECHNOLOGY S.P.A.. Invention is credited to Daniele Fumagalli.
Application Number | 20060175590 11/338792 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36779063 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060175590 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fumagalli; Daniele |
August 10, 2006 |
Intrusion-prevention enclosure
Abstract
An intrusion-prevention enclosure, of the type which comprises a
plurality of modular panels, which can be mutually associated in an
orderly and predefined manner so as to provide a barrier structure,
and comprising a plurality of ground supporting uprights provided,
substantially proximate to a respective upper end, with detachable
engagement elements, which can engage in openings of the panels,
for the facilitated assembly of the enclosure by a single
operator.
Inventors: |
Fumagalli; Daniele;
(Galbiate, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MODIANO & ASSOCIATI
Via Meravigli, 16
MILAN
20123
IT
|
Assignee: |
SATECH SAFETY TECHNOLOGY
S.P.A.
|
Family ID: |
36779063 |
Appl. No.: |
11/338792 |
Filed: |
January 25, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
256/25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 17/161
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
256/025 |
International
Class: |
E04H 17/16 20060101
E04H017/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 8, 2005 |
IT |
BO2005A000061 |
Claims
1. An intrusion-prevention enclosure, comprising a plurality of
modular panels which are associatable to each other in an orderly
and predefined manner so as to provide a barrier structure; a
plurality of ground supporting uprights; and detachable engagement
means, which are engageable in openings of said panels, that enable
facilitated assembly of said enclosure by a single operator, said
detachable engagement means being arranged substantially proximate
to a respective upper end of said uprights.
2. The intrusion-prevention enclosure of claim 1, wherein each one
of said panels is constituted by a plurality of rods, which are
mutually associated so as to form a grid, said detachable
engagement means being engageable in meshes of said panel, so as to
support the panel hung from at least one said uprights.
3. The intrusion-prevention enclosure of claim 2, comprising fixing
means for detachably fixing said panels to said uprights, said
fixing means being arrangeable at preset heights along said
uprights.
4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said engagement means comprise
at least one wing, which is substantially L-shaped and associated
peripherally with said upper end of each one of said uprights, said
at least one wing having a free side directed substantially upward
and adapted to be inserted in an upper mesh of each one of said
panels.
5. The enclosure of claim 1, comprising a plurality of detachable
anchoring elements, each associated with a respective upper end and
provided peripherally with at least one wing for supporting said
panel, each said anchoring element being provided with at least one
folded tab, which is suitable to be fitted in a cavity of said
upright upper end, substantially so as to straddle the upper end
for engagement with said upright.
6. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein each one of said anchoring
elements is constituted by a plate, which is substantially folded
at 90.degree., each portion of the plate comprising a pair of said
wings and one of said folded tabs.
7. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein said upright upper end is
provided with at least one peripherally rigidly coupled said wing
for supporting said panel.
8. The enclosure of claim 7, wherein said upright upper end is
provided with a pair of said peripherally rigidly coupled wings on
each one of at least two adjacent sides of said upright upper
end.
9. The enclosure of claim 3, wherein each one of said uprights is
internally hollow and is provided with a plurality of slots, said
fixing means comprising: at least one screw element, which is
folded substantially in an L-shape and is insertable with a first
portion thereof in at least one said slot that is provided at a
predefined height along said hollow upright; at least one plate
having at least one hole for fitting on a second threaded portion,
which protrudes from said slot, of said screw element; and at least
one closure nut, which is suitable to be screwed onto said second
threaded portion for fastening between said plate and said upright
at least one said rod of at least one said panel, for detachable
fixing of said panel to said upright.
10. The enclosure of claim 9, wherein during the screwing of said
nut on said second threaded portion, said first portion abuts
inside said upright against one of adjacent sides of said upright
upper end which are adjacent to a side of said upright that is
provided with said slots for insertion of said respective screw
element, whereby to allow providing a rotation-preventing coupling
and therefore allowing a single operator to fasten said panels to
said uprights.
11. The enclosure of claim 10, wherein said at least one plate
comprises at least one folded edge, which is adapted to avoid the
extraction of said rod.
12. The enclosure of claim 10, wherein said at least one plate
comprises two mutually opposite folded edges and is adapted to
fasten to said upright two vertical lateral said rods, each one of
said rods belonging to a respective panel of two converging
panels.
13. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said panels are of a type
with a grid of rods and comprise a plurality of folds, which are
distributed substantially horizontally and are adapted for
structure stiffening.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Intrusion-prevention enclosures are known which are used to
prevent indiscriminate access to specific regions on the part of
individuals, animals, vehicles or others; this need usually arises
from two basic reasons: preventing uncontrolled access to locations
where dangerous or discomfort-causing situations occur for assigned
personnel (industrial ovens, presses, more or less rapidly rotating
working parts, machines with optical, acoustic, inhalable,
deafening emissions), or preventing intruders from removing or
damaging products, devices or equipment on sale or in operation
(theft, vandalism, unauthorized or dangerous uses).
[0002] These intrusion-prevention enclosures are usually
constituted by mutually associated modular panels, which are
installed on supporting means which can be fixed to the ground. In
the particular field, the general trend is to provide enclosures
which are easy and quick to assemble, but their assembly requires,
in known commercially available types, the combined intervention of
at least two operators, with corresponding high installation
costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The aim of the present invention is to meet the
above-mentioned requirements, by providing an intrusion-prevention
enclosure in which assembly is simple and can be performed even by
a single operator, with lower installation costs and short
execution times.
[0004] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to
provide an enclosure which, thanks to its particular constructive
characteristics, is capable of giving the greatest assurances of
reliability and safety in use.
[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide an
enclosure which is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice,
effective in operation, and also competitive from an economic
standpoint.
[0006] This aim and these and other objects that will become better
apparent hereinafter are achieved by an intrusion-prevention
enclosure, of the type which comprises a plurality of modular
panels which can be mutually associated in an orderly and
predefined manner so as to provide a barrier structure,
characterized in that it comprises a plurality of ground supporting
uprights provided, substantially proximate to a respective upper
end, with detachable engagement means, which can engage in openings
of said panels, for the facilitated assembly of said enclosure by a
single operator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Further characteristics and advantages of the present
invention will become better apparent from the following detailed
description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an
intrusion-prevention enclosure according to the invention,
illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an intrusion-prevention
enclosure according to the invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of an anchoring element,
associated with an upper end of an upright, of a second
embodiment;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a top view of an anchoring element, associated
with an upper end of an upright, of a second embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the detail IV of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the detail V of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the detail VI of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1
generally designates an intrusion-prevention enclosure, which
comprises a plurality of modular panels 2, a plurality of uprights
3 provided, proximate to a respective upper end 3a, with detachable
engagement means for the panels 2, and comprises fixing means for
detachably fixing the panels 2 to the uprights 3, for rapid
assembly by a single operator of the panels 2 on the uprights 3 in
a predefined and ordered manner, so as to provide a barrier
structure which is arranged appropriately according to
requirements.
[0015] The uprights 3 are provided with respective pedestals 4 for
resting on the ground, are internally hollow along their entire
length, and have a substantially square transverse cross-section;
the panels 2 are each constituted by a plurality of vertical and
horizontal rods 5, which are mutually associated so as to form a
net, and the detachable engagement means can engage in openings of
the panels 2, which are constituted by meshes 6 formed between the
rods 5.
[0016] Advantageously, said engagement means comprise at least one
substantially L-shaped wing 7, which is associated peripherally
with the upper end 3a of each upright 3, and preferably there are
two pairs of wings 7, one pair for each of two adjacent sides 3b of
the upright 3; conveniently, the free side 7a of each wing 7 is
directed upward for the insertion in a respective upper mesh 6 of a
panel 2, so as to support it hung from at least one upright 3, with
the last horizontally arranged rod 5 rested on the second side 7b
of the wing 7, comprised between the upright 3 and the free side
7a.
[0017] In a first embodiment, each upper end 3a is rigidly provided
peripherally with at least one wing 7 for supporting the panel 2
and preferably with two pairs of wings 7, one pair on each of two
adjacent sides 3b, as shown in FIG. 5; for example, the wings 7 can
be provided by stamping or blanking, or can be constituted by
contoured plates which are welded or fixed by means of screws to
the upper ends 3a of the uprights 3.
[0018] In a second embodiment, the enclosure 1 comprises a
plurality of detachable anchoring elements 8, each associated with
a respective upper end 3a and provided peripherally with at least
one wing 7 for supporting the panel 2. Each anchoring element 8 is
provided, in an upper region, with at least one folded tab 9, which
can be fitted in a cavity 10 of the upper end 3a so as to
substantially straddle it, for engagement to the upright 3. The
cavity 10 substantially coincides with the open upper end 3a of the
hollow upright 3. As shown in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3, each anchoring
element 8 is constituted by a plate 8a which is substantially
folded at 90.degree., each portion 8b, 8c of which preferably
comprises two wings 7 and one folded tab 9.
[0019] The fixing means comprise a plurality of screw elements 11,
which can be inserted in respective slots 12, which are distributed
at predefined heights along each hollow upright 3, and a plurality
of corresponding perforated plates 13 and closure nuts 14. Each one
of the screw means 11 is substantially L-shaped and can be inserted
with a first portion 11a in a corresponding slot 12, from which it
protrudes with a second threaded portion 11b; each one of the
plates 13 is affected by a hole 13a for fitting on the second
threaded portion 11b, on which it is possible to screw the closure
nut 14.
[0020] The nut 14, screwed onto the second threaded portion 11b of
the screw element 11, conveniently allows to fasten, between the
plate 13 and the upright 3, two vertical lateral rods 5, each of a
respective panel 2 of two converging panels, for detachably fixing
the panels 2 to the uprights 3.
[0021] Advantageously, during the screwing of the nut 14 onto the
second threaded portion 11b, the first portion 11 a abuts inside
the upright 3 against one of the sides 3b which are adjacent to the
side affected by the slot 12 for the insertion of the respective
screw element 11, thus allowing to provide a rotation-preventing
coupling and therefore allowing a single operator to fasten the
panels 2 to the uprights 3.
[0022] Advantageously, each plate 13 comprises two mutually
opposite folded edges 13b, which prevent the rods 5 from
accidentally disengaging.
[0023] Positively, the vertical rods 5 of the panels 2 are folded
so as to form, on each panel 2, a regular distribution of
horizontal folds 15 adapted to stiffen its structure.
[0024] In practical operation, a single operator, after arranging
the uprights 3 at the selected distance, fastens the last upper
horizontal rod 5 of each panel 2 to the wings 7 provided on the
uprights 3, arranging each panel 2 between two respective uprights
3. The panels 2, which rest with their last horizontal rod 5 on the
second side 7b of the respective pairs of wings 7, thus hang by
themselves from the uprights 3; in this manner, a single operator
can fix the panels 2 to the uprights 3, by inserting the screw
elements 11 in the respective slots 12 and then fastening the
lateral vertical rods 5 of two converging panels 2 between the
plates 13 and the uprights 3, by simply screwing the closure nut 14
onto the second threaded portion 11b of each screw element 11.
[0025] Effectively, depending on the contingent requirements, it is
possible to change, by reducing them, the dimensions of the panels
2, simply by cutting their rods 5 proximate to the intersections,
until the selected size is obtained.
[0026] In practice it has been found that the invention fully
achieves the intended aim and objects, since the
intrusion-prevention enclosure 1, advantageously constituted by a
small number of components which can be assembled conveniently, can
be installed easily and quickly by a single operator, with evident
gains in economic terms and in terms of installation times.
[0027] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous
modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of
the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with
other technically equivalent ones.
[0028] In the exemplary embodiments shown, individual
characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may
actually be interchanged with other different characteristics which
exist in other exemplary embodiments.
[0029] Terms as "upper" or "lower" are intended to only refer to
the arrangement shown on the exemplary drawings and therefore will
be interpreted as having no limiting effect on the subject-matter
disclosed and/or claimed.
[0030] Moreover, it is noted that anything found to be already
known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed
and to be the subject of a disclaimer.
[0031] The embodiment of the present invention shall be carried out
in the most scrupulous compliance with the statutory and regulatory
provisions related to the products of the invention or correlated
thereto and following any required authorization of the
corresponding competent authorities, with particular reference to
regulations related to safety, environmental pollution and
health.
[0032] In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and
the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the
state of the art without thereby abandoning the scope of the
protection of the appended claims.
[0033] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No.
BO2005A000061 from which this application claims priority are
incorporated herein by reference.
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