FOLDING HALL

Abstract: A structure consisting of an assembly of rigid panels having a relatively low weight, which are so connected as to form one or more arches spanning the bottom. An arch consists of flat panels, which are connected together convexly or concavely. The assembly is movable between a flat position and an erected position, in which flat position a flat surface is formed, and in which erected position the structure is formed.

Description: Title: Folding hall The invention relates to a structure consisting of an assembly of panels which are movable through a hinge joint between a flat position and an erected position, in which flat position a flat surface is formed, and in which erected position the structure is formed. Such a structure is known from British patent application GB-A-2 119 825. The structure can be assembled with connected panels on a floor surface and then be raised into an erected position. The structure can be used as a temporary span. The span can be folded together in periods of non- use. The angle between the panels can then vary between 0° and 180° so that the panels are folded, so to say, "flat" on each other. ' Because the panels can hingedly move with respect to each other, a substantial loss of rigidity is introduced which cannot be removed completely by fixing the structure to the ground. Consequently, the hinges must be fixed in the erected position so that the panels cannot be moved anymore. This has the result that in the case of larger dimensions of the structure the fixing of the individual hinge joints is difficult and labor-intensive. It is an object of the invention to remove this drawback by providing a structure which is easy to erect and yet provides the desired rigidity. This is achieved by a structure according to the opening paragraph, in which the panels in the erected position form an angle which is defined by the hinge joint. The end angle at which the panels in the erected position are connected together is then, because the hinge can hinge until a specific maximum angle, defined by the hinge joint. The construction can thus simply be brought into an erected form by raising it until the erected form with the maximum angle of the hinge joint is reached, with the fixed end angle providing the desired additional rigidity. The construction can be fixed in the erected position by means of a ground section or ground anchors which keep the panels in fixed connection with the floor surface, which ground section may be mobile. Moreover, additional rigidity can be obtained by closing and supporting the sides of the construction through side panels. The hinge joint may be water-sealing. Furthermore, at least a number of panels may be light-transmitting. The structure is thus suitable for serving as a temporary or semi-permanent span and, depending on the employed materials, for spanning substantial surfaces. Depending on the amount of employed light-transmitting panels, which may be made of, for instance, polycarbonate, constructions can be made which transmit a great deal of light, which, for instance, offers possibilities of serving as a greenhouse. The panels preferably consist of a sandwich material with a core having a low density and a high shearing modulus, enclosed by skin layers having a high modulus of elasticity, which are weatherproof and fire-resistant and have a high impact resistance. These properties give the advantages of sandwich constructions, that is to say a high strength/rigidity and a low weight. Weatherproof ess, fire and impact resistance make the panels suitable for use in a span. Additional advantages of using such materials are sound and heat insulating properties, in particular when using a core consisting of polystyrene or polyurethane foam being ca. 3-7 cm in thickness, 4 cm being preferred. Preferably, the skin layers consist of thin steel or aluminum plates. The effect thus achieved is that a relatively very high rigidity is obtained, without the need for the employed materials to be too thick. The use of aluminum as skin layer also has the advantage that it is corrosion-resistant. When the impact resistance plays an important role, the best glass polyester can be used as skin layer. Preferably, a panel has an edge section which encloses the core and skin layers of the sandwich, and which is glued to the panel with, for instance, a binary polyurethane glue. Such a section is favorable to the protection of the core. Moreover, the individual layers are prevented from loosening from each other. By using the above glue type, a strong glued joint is effected which completely fills the section, and which, because it is preferably a binary glue, properly hardens. It is further preferred that the panel has the shape of an isosceles triangle. Through this shape a structure with diamond-shaped facets can be constructed, which forms a self-supporting cylindrical span. Several of such panels can be connected by a hinge joint, with the edge section being of, for instance, steel with a PVC coating, and with the hinge formed by welding a strip of PVC cloth to the PVC coating of the edge section. Such a hinge has favorable properties with respect to watertightness, the capability of transmitting (torsional) forces and the possibility of disassembly, in view of using such a hinge in a temporary span. By cμtting through the PVC cloth, disassembly can easily be realized. A further advantage is the easy assembly of such a hinge joint, the strength and the relatively low cost thereof. Furthermore, the edge section preferably has one acute and one obtuse angle, and the strip of PVC cloth is welded to the section on the side of the acute angle. The effect thus achieved is that the hinge joint is movable from a flat position into a position in which the panels are at an angle with respect to each other. Furthermore, the sections are at a relatively small distance from each other. Thus a small slit is formed between the hinge, which is favorable to the hinge function. Preferably, the PVC cloth consists of fiber-reinforced soft polyvinyl chloride with a UV-stabilized upper layer. Such a material provides optimum strength and durability. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a hinge joint of a hinge as described above, which comprises placing the panels to be connected together at a distance from each other beside each other, arranging a strip of PVC cloth on the PVC coating of the edge section, heating the whole with hot air until the cloth begins to melt, and then fastening the strip to the section by rolling with a roller having a silicone surface so that the whole is pressed together during cooling. Such a method has the advantage that panels can readily be connected together so as to be watertight, through a hinge joint which is strong and durable. The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures la and lb show embodiments of a structure according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a modular strip of panels for composing a structure of Figure la; and Figure 3 diagrammatically shows an embodiment of a hinge with which the panels of a structure according to the invention can be connected. « Figures la and lb show embodiments of the invention, with the so-called diamond shape (1) shown in Figure la and the accordion shape (2) shown in Figure lb. Both embodiments consist of an assembly which is movable between a flat position and an erected position, in which flat position a flat surface is formed, and in which erected position the structure is formed. The shapes consist of connected panels, some of which are denoted in Figures la and lb by reference numerals (3) and (4), respectively. An embodiment as shown in Figure la is built up from panels (3) having the shape of an isosceles triangle, with acute angles of, for instance, 40° and an obtuse angle of, for instance, 100°. In Figure lb the panel (4) has a trapezium shape. For a better understanding of how to realize the structure, reference is made to Figure 2. Shown herein is a strip (5) with connected panels (6,7), which can form the foremost arch (5) of facets in Figure la. A second strip (8) is attached to the first strip in the direction of the arrows P. The panels (6) thus form concave, inwardly folded facets, while the panels (7) form convex, outwardly folded facets. The strip is bounded by half panels (8) which are placed on the floor surface, for instance in a ground section (not shown). The construction can be raised at the points (9) with, for instance, a crane. By properly guiding the construction during folding and unfolding of the panels, the right shape is introduced into the construction. By raising the construction at several points (9), too great stresses in the construction during raising can be avoided. In practice, the amount of required raising points can be slightly varied. The strips (5) can be pre-processed industrially, so as to form modular parts so that the construction of the structure can largely be built up from modular parts. Superfluous panels may subsequently be cut away from the surface by cutting through the hinge, which preferably has the shape as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 shows a hinge joint (10) , which connects the panels (3) together. The panels (3) are partly shown and are, in fact, sandwiches. Shown is the core (10) and skin layers (11). The core consists of polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam, selected because of its strength properties and further properties with respect to heat-sound insulation and weatherproofness and fire resistance. As far as this is concerned, polyurethane has a little more favorable properties but is somewhat more expensive. The core in Figure 3 is ca. 4 cm in thickness. The skin layers (11) are of fiber-reinforced plastic or metal, preferably steel plates, or of aluminum, in general materials having a high rigidity, which are further weatherproof and fire-resistant and have a high impact resistance. The panels are cut slantwise, at an acute angle α, with a hinge having a fixing end angle being provided, the edges of the panels of the outwardly folded facets of the structure supporting against each other. A good value for such an angle α is 70°. The panels (3) are further bounded by an edge section (12). The edge section (12) is glued to the panel (3) by means of a binary polyurethane glue. The section (12) is of metal, preferably steel, with a PVC coating. The metal section (12) provides a good protection for the panels, but particularly also serves to effect the connection, because on this metal the PVC coating can be united with a strip of PVC cloth (13) by melting. The thermal conductivity of the metal is favorable to effecting the hinge joint (10) by means of so-called thermofast welding. The PVC cloth (13) consists of fiber- reinforced soft polyvinyl chloride and a UV-stabilized upper layer, to obtain great strength and durability during use. Figure 3 shows that the panels (3) have a small distance with respect to each other, of 1-3 mm. A drier, at a temperature of ca. 450°C, is directed to the whole until the cloth begins to shine and then begins to melt. The welded joint has the best quality if the cloth has melted half a millimeter. The PVC coating on the plate has the same effects when it is heated. A good welding result is obtained by directing the drier rather to the section than to the PVC coating (13). By rolling with a roller having a silicone surface, the PVC coating (13) is then fixed to the section so that the whole is pressed together during cooling. It is further noted that it is not necessary that the surfaces form a continuous rectangle, as shown, for instance, in Figure 2. Such a rectangular surface leads to Figures la or lb, but, for instance, parts may be omitted from this surface so that, for instance, pyramidal shapes (for instance shapes in which the floor surface has the shape of a regular polygon) may also belong to embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, panels may be omitted, or special provisions may be made, to provide door or window openings. Also, the constructions may be further strengthened or fixed, by applying extra tension ropes, supports, trusses or arches.

Claims: Claims 1. A structure consisting of an assembly of panels which are movable through a hinge joint between a flat position and an erected position, in which flat position a flat surface is formed, and in which erected position the structure is formed, characterized in that the panels in the erected position form an angle which is defined by the hinge joint. 2. A structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure in the erected position is fixed by means of a ground section or ground anchors, which keep the panels in fixed connection with the floor surface, which ground section is mobile. 3. A structure according to at least one of claims 1-2, characterized in that the structure is closed and supported on the sides through side panels. 4. A structure according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hinge joint is water-sealing. 5. A structure according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a number of panels is light-transmitting. 6. A structure according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the panels are formed from sandwich material with a core having a low density and a high shearing modulus, enclosed by skin layers having a high modulus of elasticity, which are weatherproof and fire- resistant and have a high impact resistance. 7. A structure according to claim 6, characterized in that the core of the panels consists of polystyrene or polyurethane foam being ca. 3-7 cm in thickness. 8. A structure according to at least one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the skin layers of the panels consist of thin steel or aluminum plates or plates of a fiber-reinforced plastic. 9. A structure according to at least one of claims 6-8, characterized in that the panels have an edge section which encloses the core and skin layers of the sandwich, and which is glued to the panel with a binary polyurethane glue. 10. A structure according to at least one of claims 6-9, characterized in that the panels have the shape of an isosceles triangle. 11. A structure according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the panels have an edge section to which a PVC coating is applied, with the hinge joint formed by welding a strip of PVC cloth to the PVC coating of the edge section. 12. A structure according to claim 11, characterized in that the edge section is of metal. 13. A structure according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the edge section has one acute angle and one obtuse angle, and that the strip of PVC cloth is welded to the section on the side of the acute angle. 14. A structure according to claims 11-13, characterized in that the sections are at a relatively small distance from each other. 15. A structure according to at least one of claims 11-14, characterized in that the PVC cloth consists of fiber-reinforced soft polyvinyl chloride and a UV-stabilized upper layer. 16. A method for manufacturing a structure, which comprises placing panels to be connected together beside each other, which panels, at least on the sides directed towards each other, have an edge section to which a PVC coating is applied; arranging a strip of PVC cloth so that it covers the two edge sections, heating the whole with hot air until the cloth begins to melt; and fastening the strip to the section by rolling with a roller having a silicone surface so that the whole is pressed together during cooling.

Inventors: DE KRUIJK HENDRIK, DE KRUIJK, HENDRIK
Applicants: KRUIJK HENDRIK DE, TNO, DE KRUIJK, HENDRIK, NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO
Application year: 2000
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: E04B1