A CONSTRUCTION KIT FOR USE IN BUILDING A STRUCTURE

Abstract: A construction kit for use in building a structure (2), which construction kit comprises a plurality of members (4) held together by flexible sheet fasteners (6), the flexible sheet fasteners (6) being such that they comprise a matrix of interlocking plastics members (12) which are pushed together for fastening purposes and which are pulled apart for unfastening purposes, and the flexible sheet fasteners (6) being so secured to the members (4) that the members (4) are able to be held together and form at least a part of the structure (2).

Description: A CONSTRUCTION KIT FOR USE IN BUILDING A STRUCTURE This invention relates to a construction kit and, more especially, this invention relates to a construction kit for use in building a structure. The structure may be built to a wide variety of different designs for a wide variety of purposes, depending upon individual requirements . People often have a need for individually constructed building structures. For example, some people may require temporary shelters for use in areas that have suffered natural or man-made disasters. In the building trade, individually constructed building structures may be required to protect employees on building sites or to fit over manhole covers . Other people may have a requirement for small greenhouses, or cages to cage fruit to protect them from birds, or small animal runs. Often these structures will need to be varied with time. For example, small greenhouses may need to be made larger as plants within them grow. Similarly, fruit cages may need to be enlarged as plants grow. Even animal runs may need to be enlarged as animals grow or have young animals themselves. With the passage of time, the structures may need to be removed, for example for re-locating at another position, or for storage . It is an aim of the present invention to provide a construction kit which is sufficiently flexible to meet the above mentioned requirements. Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a construction kit for use in building a structure, which construction kit comprises a plurality of members held together by flexible sheet fasteners, the flexible sheet fasteners being such that they comprise a matrix of interlocking plastics members which are pushed together for fastening purposes and which are pulled apart for unfastening purposes, and the flexible sheet fasteners being so secured to the members that the members are able to be held together and form at least a part of the structure. With the construction kit of the present invention, the members can be very easily connected together simply by pushing appropriate flexible sheet fasteners together. Dismantling of the structure is just as simply effected since it only requires pulling the flexible sheet fastener members apart . Because the members are so easily connected together, the structure can easily be increased or decreased in size as and when required. The structure can be built to any suitable and. appropriate size and shape in accordance with the individual requirements of different persons . Preferably, the construction kit is one in which the flexible sheet fasteners are arranged to operate in pairs with a first flexible sheet fastener of a pair being secured over its entire area to a first member, and a second flexible sheet fastener of the pair being secured over only part of its entire area to a second member, whereby the unsecured part of the second flexible fastener is available for fastening to the first flexible sheet fastener in order to connect the first and the second members together. The part of the second flexible sheet fastener that is secured to the second member may be provided with flexible reinforcing material . The flexible reinforcing material may be canvas, an acrylic material, a polyester material, or any other suitable and appropriate sufficiently strong material . Advantageously, the unsecured part of the second flexible fastener is such that it can be folded back on itself and stuck to itself. This prevents the unsecured part of the second flexible fastener unexpectedly getting fastened to another flexible fastener, for example during assembly, dismantling or transportation from one place to another . The interlocking plastics members are preferably hook and loop interlocking plastics members. Such interlocking plastics members are well known under the registered trade mark VELCRO . Other types of interlocking plastics members may be employed. The construction kit may be one in which the members form at least one of side walls, a base and a roof of the structure . The members may be made of wood, a plastics material or a metal. The plastics material and the metal can be extruded. A presently preferred metal is aluminium since it is both light and non-rusting. Any suitable and appropriate plastics material may be employed. The members may be in the form of frames . The frames may each support a panel . The panels may be made of a plastics material, in which case they will usually be transparent but they may be non-transparent if desired. The panels may be mesh panels, for example made of a wire mesh or a plastics mesh. The panels may be solid panels, for example made of wood, a plastics material, or a metal. One or more of the panel members may be such that the panel is detachable from the frame. As indicated above, the construction kit may be used to build a wide variety of differently shaped structures. The construction kit may be one in which the members form the side walls, base and roof of the structure. Some structures may not require a roof. For example, whilst greenhouses and animal homes such for example as dog kennels and rabbit hutches will require a roof to keep out the rain, fruit cages may simply require a mesh covering. If desired, the structure can be formed simply as a frame, which is then covered with a loose covering. Advantageously, the construction kit includes posts for securing the structure to the ground. The posts are advantageously secured in position by more of the flexible sheet fasteners. Alternatively, nuts and bolts or screws may be used. The base can then easily be levelled simply by connecting the flexible sheet fasteners at desired positions along the length of the posts. Alternatively, the posts may be inserted to different depths. The base may be in two parts comprising a wooden base which can be secured to a solid base by direct fixing with screws or other suitable fastening means. The flexible sheet fasteners may be secured to the members, and to the posts when present, by any suitable fastener means such for example as staples and/or nails and/or an adhesive. The flexible sheet fasteners can be folded and appropriately secured in order to form hinges where desired, for example for doors and/or windows. The members can be produced in any suitable and appropriate shape so that, for example, the members may be straight lengths of material, or of square, rectangular, hexagonal and triangular shape . Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first building structure constructed using a construction kit of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates how members used in the building structure of Figure 1 are connected together; Figure 3 illustrates how posts used in the building structure shown in Figure 1 are connected to a base; Figure 4 illustrates how hinge connections can be made for the building structure shown in Figure 1, whereby two flexible sheet fasteners are held together by a metal clip which extends the full length of that fastener; Figure 5 shows how part of flexible sheet fasteners shown in Figure 1 can be folded back on themselves and connected to themselves; Figure 6 shows how a recess placed in a frame member allows the edges of members to be flat for close abutment; Figure 7 shows an alternative arrangement of how members may be recessed, thus allowing close abutment of two frame panels when attached by flexible fastener members ; Figure 8 shows an assortment of members in the form of panel members attached together, the panel members being shaped as shown and as an alternative to the connected square, rectangular and triangular shaped panel members shown in Figure 1, or others such as a hexagon; and Figure 9 is an exploded view of a panel member which is such that its panel is detachable from its frame. Referring to Figures 1 - 7, there is shown a construction kit for use by individuals in building structures to their individual requirements, one such structure being illustrated in Figure 1 as structure 2. The construction kit comprises a plurality of members in the form of panel members 4. The panel members 4 are held together by flexible sheet fasteners 6. As can be seen from Figure 1, some of the panel members 4 are of a square shape, some are of a rectangular shape, and some are of a triangular shape . Each panel member 4 comprises a frame 8 supporting a panel 10. The flexible sheet fasteners 6 are such that they comprise a matrix of interlocking plastics members 12 which are pushed together for fastening purposes and which are pulled apart for unfastening purposes. The flexible sheet fasteners 6 are so secured to the frames 8 of the panel members 4 that the panel members 4 are able to be held together with their frames 8 abutting each other as shown in Figure 1. As best appreciated from Figure 2, the flexible sheet fasteners 6 are arranged to operate in pairs with a first flexible sheet fastener 6A being secured over its entire area to a first frame 8A of a first panel member, and a second flexible sheet fastener 6B of the pair being secured only over part 14 of its entire area to a second frame 8B of a second panel member. As can be seen from Figure 2, this arrangement leaves an unsecured part 16 of the second flexible sheet member 6B available for fastening to the first flexible sheet fastener 6A in order to connect the first and the second frames 8A, 8B together. As also shown in Figure 2, the part 14 of the second flexible sheet fastener 6B that is secured to the second frame 8B is provided with a flexible reinforcing material 18. This flexible reinforcing material 18 is preferably canvas or another strong material . The flexible reinforcing material 18 is able to be secured to the second frame 8B by staples and/or an adhesive (not shown) . As can be seen from Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6 the interlocking plastics members 12 are hook and loop plastics members. Such hook and loop interlocking plastics members are well known under the registered trade mark VELCRO. Other constructions of interlocking plastics members may however be employed providing they operate in the same general manner as the VELCRO fasteners . The frames 8 may be made of any suitable materials such for example as wood, a plastics material or a metal. Aluminium is a presently preferred metal. The panels 10 are shown made of a plastics sheet material which may be clear or opaque as desired. The plastics material may be single skinned, double skinned or treble skinned depending upon the intended purpose of the structure 2. For some purposes of the structure 2, for example as a fruit cage, it may be desirable to have the panels 10 as mesh panels . The structure 2 shown in Figure 1 is in the shape of a greenhouse for use in growing plants. This structure has some of its panel members 4 forming side walls. Others of the panel members 4 form a roof . The apex of the roof can be sealed against rain with a strip of appropriate material secured along the length of the apex of the roof. The structure 2 has a base 20. The base 20 is provided with posts 22 for enabling the base 20 to be secured to the ground . Figure 3 shows how the base 20 can easily be secured to the posts 22 at an appropriate position along the length of the flexible sheet fastener 6 secured to each post 22. By appropriate positioning along the length of each flexible sheet fastener 6, the base 20 can easily be arranged to be level, even if the ground on which the structure 2 is built is not level. As can be seen from Figure 3, the base 22 is provided for each post with a pair of the flexible sheet fasteners 6 which then wrap around the flexible sheet fastener 6 on the appropriate post 22. Figure 4 shows how a flexible sheet fastener 6C can be folded back on itself and held together with one or more pieces of strong wire 24 bent in half, or attached at one end, in order to form a hinge. As shown in Figure 4, the left hand frame 8 can then open in relation to the right hand frame 8 in the direction of the arrow 26. Figure 5 shows how the unsecured part 16 of the second flexible sheet fastener 6B is mainly provided with interlocking plastics members in the form of hooks 28, but is also provided with a few plastics members in the form of loops 30. The loops 30 are then able to fasten to the hooks 28 so that the unsecured part 16 is able to be bent back on itself and fastened to itself. This prevents the unsecured part 16 of the second flexible sheet fastener 6B from unexpectedly securing itself to another flexible sheet fastener 6 and thus becoming a nuisance, for example during construction or dismantling of the structure 2. Figure 6 illustrates how edges 32 of a frame 8 are allowed to be flat by recessing the panel for the provision of one or both parts of the flexible sheet material, thus enabling close abutment of different panel members 4. Figure 7 illustrates the effect of recesses 34 when abutting two frame members 8 for receiving the flexible sheet fasteners 6. Figure 8 gives examples of other shapes 36, 38, 40 and 42 which can be employed for the panel members 4. Referring now to Figure 9, there is shown a panel member 4 comprising a frame 8 and a panel 10 which is detachable from the frame 8. The panel 10 may be made of any suitable and appropriate material and it may be transparent or opaque. The panel 10 has a strip 44 of Velcro (registered trade mark) attached around its edge as shown. This strip 44 then connects with another strip 46 of Velcro (male or female) . The strip 46 is attached in a recess 48 on the inner edge of the frame 8. The panel 10 may itself be composed of several sub-panels secured together by Velcro strips. The sub-panels may be used for any of the panels used in the construction kit of the invention. At one corner, there is provided a tab 50 for easy handling and thus easier separation of the panel 10 from the frame 8. In some embodiments of the invention, as indicated in Figure 9, there may be more than one of the tabs 50. As shown in Figure 9, the frame 8 is made in four separate parts 52 which are then secured together by fastening devices 54 such for example as nails or screws. The structure 2 can be easily erected and dismantled. It can be inexpensively produced. It is light to handle. Relocation of the structure 2 can easily be effected as can storage. The structure 2 can be made from lightweight non- rusting materials and it can easily be expanded or reduced in size as may be required. Thus the structure 2 provides an extremely flexible structure which is able to meet varying individual requirements at varying times . It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the structure 2 may be any suitable and appropriate type of structure for a wide variety of different purposes. If desired, the posts 22 can be omitted. An alternative construction kit of the present invention may be such that the members that are held together by the flexible sheet fasteners are simply frame members . The structure can then be completed by draping one or more sheets of appropriate material over the assembled frame members. Such a structure may be especially advantageous as a temporary structure for persons in disaster regions. Further designs of structure include, for example, garden structure such as cold frames or lean-to greenhouses, furniture such as tables, and children's toys such as play houses, play forts and play tunnels. Yet further designs of structure include sleeping structures with frames supporting mosquito netting. Advantageously, the sheet fasteners work in pairs for extra strength.

Claims: O 01/04431 CLAIMS 1. A construction kit for use in building a structure, which construction kit comprises a plurality of members held together by flexible sheet fasteners, the flexible sheet fasteners being such that they comprise a matrix of interlocking plastics members which are pushed together for fastening purposes and which are pulled apart for unfastening purposes, and the flexible sheet fasteners being so secured to the members that the members are able to be held together and form at least a part of the structure . 2. A construction kit according to claim 1 in which the flexible sheet fasteners are arranged to operate in pairs with a first flexible sheet fastener of a pair being secured over its entire area to a first member, and a second flexible sheet fastener of the pair being secured over only part of its entire area to a second member, whereby the unsecured part of the second flexible fastener is available for fastening to the first flexible sheet fastener in order to connect the first and the second members together. 3. A construction kit according to claim 2 in which the part of the second flexible sheet fastener that is secured to the second member is provided with flexible reinforcing material . 4. A construction kit according to claim 3 in which the flexible reinforcing material is canvas, an acrylic material or a polyester material . 5. A construction kit according to any one of claims 2 - 4 in which the unsecured part of the second flexible fastener is such that it can be folded back on itself and stuck to itself. 6. A construction kit according to any one of the preceding claims in which the interlocking plastics members are hook and loop interlocking plastics members. 7. A construction kit according to any one of the preceding claims in which the members form at least one of side walls, a base and a roof of the structure. 8. A construction kit according to any one of the preceding claims in which the members are made of wood, a plastics material or a metal. 9. A construction kit according to any one of the preceding claims in which the members are in the form of frames . 10. A construction kit according to claim 9 in which the frames each support a panel . 11. A construction kit according to claim 10 in which the panels are made of a plastics material. 12. A construction kit according to claim 10 or claim 11 in which the panels are transparent. 13. A construction kit according to claim 10 in which the panels are mesh panels. 14. A construction kit accorcding to claim 10 in which the panel is a solid panel . 15. A construction kit according to any one of claims 10 - 14 in which the panels are detachable from their frames. 16. A construction kit according to any one of the preceding claims and including posts for securing the structure to the ground. 17. A construction kit according to claim 16 in which the posts are secured in position by more of the flexible sheet fasteners .

Inventors: HOBBS ERIK FRANCIS, HOBBS, ERIK, FRANCIS
Applicants: HOBBS ERIK FRANCIS, HOBBS, ERIK, FRANCIS
Application year: 2000
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: A01G9, E04B1, E04B2