U.S. patent application number 11/568923 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-27 for covered plastic lock.
This patent application is currently assigned to ACO SEVERIN AHLMANN GMBH & CO. KG. Invention is credited to Alfred Fuchs, Harald Gilbert, Heino Messerschmidt, Arne Stoltenberg.
Application Number | 20070223997 11/568923 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34967908 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070223997 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fuchs; Alfred ; et
al. |
September 27, 2007 |
Covered Plastic Lock
Abstract
The invention relates to a cover for a surface drainage device
or similar hollow body that is to be embedded in the ground and to
be opened. The cover comprises an upper surface over which
pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic can pass, and at least one
locking element that is attached to an underside of the cover such
that the upper side is closed over the locking element. The locking
element is disposed at a specified distance from the underside in
such a way as to form an air gap for thermal insulation between the
underside and the locking element.
Inventors: |
Fuchs; Alfred; (Hahnstatten,
DE) ; Gilbert; Harald; (Aarbergen, DE) ;
Messerschmidt; Heino; (Lutjenwestedt, DE) ;
Stoltenberg; Arne; (Budelsdorf, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD L.L.P.
ONE COMMERCE SQUARE
2005 MARKET STREET, SUITE 2200
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Assignee: |
ACO SEVERIN AHLMANN GMBH & CO.
KG
Am Ahlmannkai
Rendsburg
DE
24768
|
Family ID: |
34967908 |
Appl. No.: |
11/568923 |
Filed: |
May 12, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
May 12, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/05196 |
371 Date: |
November 10, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
404/25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D 29/1427
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/025 |
International
Class: |
E02D 29/14 20060101
E02D029/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 13, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 023 831.6 |
Claims
1. Cover for a hollow body that is to be embedded in the ground and
to be opened, comprising an upper surface over which pedestrian or
vehicular traffic can pass, an underside; and at least one locking
element that is attached to said underside such that the upper side
is closed over the locking element and that is disposed at a
determined distance from the underside in such a way as to form an
air gap for thermal insulation between said underside and said
locking element.
2. Cover according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined distance
is between 0.4 cm and 0.8 cm inclusive.
3. Cover according to claim 1, wherein said air gap is constructed
so that an air circulation is possible between ambient air and air
in said air gap.
4. Cover according to, claim 1, wherein a supplementary
thermal-insulation element is present between said underside and
said locking element.
5. Cover according to, claim 1, wherein said locking element is
made of a plastics material.
6. Cover according to claim 1, wherein said locking element is
moveable within a receptacle formed by the cover, between a removal
position and a fixation position.
7. Cover according to claim 1, wherein said locking element is made
of a thermoplastics material.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a cover for a surface drainage
device or similar hollow body that is to be embedded in the ground
and to be opened, with an upper surface over which pedestrian
and/or vehicular traffic can pass, having at least one locking
element that is attached to an underside of the cover.
[0002] Such surface drainage devices or similar hollow bodies that
are to be embedded in the ground and to be opened are employed, for
example, in traffic areas, where they serve to remove rain and
other water that falls onto the surface of the area. Preferably in
this case the cover is set into a frame, casing or similar seating
arrangement in such a way that it is flush with the adjacent
traffic surface. These covers are customarily such that vehicular
but also pedestrian traffic can pass over them.
[0003] A problem often encountered with such covers is that because
of the stresses associated with the traffic technology, they must
be fixedly connected to the substrate so that they cannot be
detached even under impulse-like impacts, such as are caused by
vehicles travelling over the cover. On the other hand, the covers
must nevertheless be opened at regular intervals so that, for
example, cleaning and maintenance work can be undertaken.
[0004] For this reason they usually comprise locking elements that
enable releasable locking to a frame or similar seating
arrangements in the substrate. These locking elements are
frequently made of plastic materials, because this allows a
flexible locking to be produced and furthermore is very
economical.
[0005] For instance, covers are known in practice in which the
associated locking elements are constructed as flexible hook
elements and are attached to an underside of the cover. After the
cover has been set into a frame or similar seating arrangement,
these flexible locking elements become engaged with catches or
similar projections and lock the cover in position with respect to
the substrate.
[0006] It has been shown that locking elements consisting of
plastic develop weaknesses, sometimes only shortly after
installation and sometimes after rather longer periods of use.
[0007] The objective of the present invention is thus to develop a
cover for a surface drainage device or similar hollow body that is
to be embedded in the ground and to be opened, of the kind cited at
the outset, further in such a way as to ensure improved durability
of the locking elements.
[0008] This objective is achieved by a cover according to Claim
1.
[0009] The objective is insofar achieved by a cover for a surface
drainage device or similar hollow body that is to be embedded in
the ground and to be opened, with an upper surface over which
pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic can pass, that has at least one
locking element attached to an underside of the cover, such that
the upper side is closed above the locking element and the locking
element is disposed at a specified distance from the underside so
that an air gap is formed between the underside and the locking
element, for the purpose of thermal insulation.
[0010] A substantial point of the invention thus resides in the
fact that the locking element is disposed at a particular distance
from the underside of the cover. Customarily covers of this kind
are installed in traffic areas. The material with which these
traffic areas are coated--preferably bituminous materials--is
customarily applied while in a heated condition. The temperature of
the coating to be applied to the traffic area in this case is
approximately 150-170.degree. C. To prevent the materials, which
are usually viscous fluids at this stage, from flowing into the
hollow bodies, for example drainage devices, that have been
embedded in the unfinished traffic area, their cover arrangements
are installed before the coating layer is applied to the traffic
area. As a result, the during application the hot material comes
into direct contact with the cover, and in some cases flows over
its entire surface. Then it is only after cooling that the cover
can be exposed again. Because the coating material is so hot,
during the application procedure there is severe heating of the
cover and, of course, of the attached locking elements as well. The
locking elements made of plastic as described above are especially
vulnerable to severe damage by this heating.
[0011] Thus because the present locking element is not in direct
contact over its entire surface with the underside of the cover,
and moreover an air gap is formed between the underside of the
cover and the locking element, if a high temperature should be
imposed on the cover the locking element will not be excessively
heated. This improves its durability. The protective effect of
course not only operates when a temperature increase associated
with application of a heated surface-coating material occurs, but
is significant even with respect to warming of the initially cited
covers as a result of direct solar irradiation. A very effective
distance between the underside of the cover and the locking element
has been found to be a distance of substantially 0.4 to 0.8 cm.
[0012] Preferably the air gap between the underside of the cover
and the locking element is formed so as to permit circulation
between the ambient air and the air in the air gap. The exchange of
air in the air gap provides an additional degree of cooling, which
counteracts heating of the locking element, thus increasing its
durability and improving its usability.
[0013] To enhance the insulation, an additional thermally
insulating element is preferably provided between the underside of
the cover and the locking element. This thermal-insulation element
can be loosely inserted into the air gap, but can also have been
previously disposed on the underside of the cover or on the locking
element itself. Here it is conceivable to use any of the insulating
materials known in the state of the art.
[0014] Preferably the locking element is disposed within a
receptacle in the cover so as to be slidable between a removal
position and a fixation position. The removal position is used for
removing the locking element or exchanging it for another locking
element, for instance when there is a defect; in the fixation
position, the locking element is securely fixed to the cover. This
makes it possible, among other things, for a supplementary
thermal-insulation element to be easily inserted into the air gap.
Furthermore, such a design of course ensures that the required
distance between locking element and underside of the cover is
maintained.
[0015] Thermal insulation of the locking element with respect to
the underside of the cover is naturally especially advantageous in
the case of locking elements made of plastic, in particular
thermoplastic plastics, as has already been mentioned above. Here
it is conceivable not only to dispose an air gap between locking
element and underside of the cover, but rather in general to take
care that the holder attaching the locking element to the cover has
the lowest possible thermal conductivity, and/or is so constructed
that the transmission of heat is as slight as possible. This is
enabled by, among other things, a minimization of the cross
sections of the holder.
[0016] Additional embodiments of the invention will be apparent
from the subordinate claims.
[0017] In the following the invention is described with reference
to an exemplary embodiment, which is explained in greater detail
with reference to the drawings, wherein
[0018] FIG. 1 is an isometric, sectioned representation of a cover
arrangement in a first exemplary embodiment, and
[0019] FIG. 2 shows the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 in section,
in the installed state and after a coating has been applied to a
traffic area.
[0020] In the following description, the same reference numerals
are used for identical parts or parts with identical actions.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a cover arrangement 1 for a surface drainage
device, consisting of a frame 20 and a cover 10 set into said
frame. The cover 10 is seated on seating regions 22; 22', which are
formed in the frame 20. So as to lock the cover 10 against the
frame 20, the cover comprises two locking elements 11; 11', which
are disposed on an undersurface 19 of the cover 10. It is of course
also possible to attach more than two locking elements 11; 11' to
the cover 10, in order to enhance the locking capability.
[0022] Because the locking elements 11; 11' are identical, as are
their means of attachment to the cover 10, here only the locking
element 11 with its associated attachment to the cover 10 will be
explained in greater detail, to serve as an example for all the
additional locking elements 11; 11' that might possibly be
provided.
[0023] The locking element 11 is engaged with a receptacle 12 that
is integrally disposed on the cover 10. For this engagement, the
locking element 11 comprises on each side a guide groove 15, into
which is inserted a guide lug 14 formed on each side of the
receptacle 12. This construction enables the locking element 11 to
be pushed into the receptacle 12, i.e. to be shifted between a
removal position and a fixation position.
[0024] The receptacle 12 and locking element 11 are constructed so
that when the locking element 11 has been pushed into place, an air
gap 30 is formed. For this purpose the locking element 11 is
separated from the underside 19 of the cover 10 by a distance d.
This air gap 30 is so formed that it makes possible circulation of
air along the path L.sub.Z, between the air gap 30 and the ambient
air. Hence this assists the thermal insulation of the locking
element 11. In addition, to improve the insulating performance, a
thermal-insulation element 19 is formed on the locking element 11.
It would furthermore be possible to increase the resistance to heat
transfer between cover 10 and locking element 11 by reducing the
cross-sectional areas of the receptacle 12.
[0025] In FIG. 2 the cover arrangement 1 previously described is
shown in the installed state, in section and shortly after the
coating 2 has been applied to the traffic area. The cover
arrangement 1, consisting of frame 20 and cover 10, is here
disposed on a shaft structure 3. This shaft structure 3 can be, for
example, an inspection chamber or also a collecting shaft for the
removal of water. The substrate adjacent to the shaft structure 3
here consists of the coating 2 for the traffic area, an underlying
carrier layer 4, and the ground 6 on which these constructions are
based. The traffic-area coating 2 has preferably been applied to
the carrier layer 4 while in a heated state, after the cover
arrangement 1 has already been installed. After the traffic-area
coating 2 has been rolled in, any excess coating material 7 above
the cover 1 is punched out at the edge regions 5 and removed. The
cover 1 is lifted to the level of the coating surface. After the
covering material 7 has been cut out, access to the cover 1 and the
shaft structure 3 is again ensured. Because customarily the
traffic-area coating 2 is applied while in the heated state (ca.
170.degree. C.), the cover 1 is also severely heated. In accordance
with the invention, therefore, the cover 1 comprises the air gap
30, which serves for thermal insulation of the locking element 11;
11'. This ensures that the locking element 11; 11' will not be
damaged by heating of the cover 10.
[0026] At this juncture it should be pointed out that all of the
parts described above are claimed as essential to the invention,
individually or in any combination, in particular the details shown
in the drawings. Modifications thereof are familiar to a person
skilled in the art.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0027] 1 Cover arrangement
[0028] 2 Coating for traffic area
[0029] 3 Shaft structure
[0030] 4 Carrier layer
[0031] 5 Edge region
[0032] 6 Ground
[0033] 7 Coating material above cover
[0034] 10 Cover
[0035] 11, 11' Locking element
[0036] 12, 12' Receptacle
[0037] 14 Guide lug
[0038] 15 Guide groove
[0039] 16 Thermal-insulation element
[0040] 17 Upper surface
[0041] 19 Underside
[0042] 20 Frame
[0043] 22, 22' Seating region
[0044] 30 Air gap
[0045] d Distance
[0046] L.sub.Z Air circulation path
* * * * *