Patent Document

[0001]    This application is entitled to the benefit of, and incorporates by reference essential subject matter disclosed in PCT Application No. PCT/EP2012/065993 filed on Aug. 16, 2012, which claims priority to Italian Application No. USD2011A000131 filed Aug. 18, 2011. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention concerns a safety device, which supplies a mechanical protection against, to give a non-restrictive example, the fall of service elements such as pipes, tubes, cable-conduits raceway and suchlike, to transport fluids or to contain other devices, such as electric cables, power lines, fluid-dynamic tubes or suchlike, which, passing through a suitable aperture, cross a floor or a work, support or bearing plane, in industrial environments, without excluding possible domestic applications. The present invention further concerns a method for manufacturing said safety device and a method for safely installing a service element passing through an aperture. 
         [0004]    2. Background Information 
         [0005]    It is known that, for the passage of service elements such as pipes, tubes, cable-conduits and suchlike, through a floor or a work, support or bearing plane, it is necessary to provide an aperture which, with respect to the bulk of the service element, defines an empty space which surrounds it. 
         [0006]    It is also known that, in both the industrial and domestic field, there is the possibility of falling both for people, who can trip or take a false step because of said aperture, and for objects, which can be heavy and dangerous, such as work tools, which can inadvertently fall through said empty space which surrounds the service element, causing accidents, even serious ones, to people. 
         [0007]    One known solution is to weld a vertical barrier or plate around the aperture to completely surround the empty space, with the purpose of solving the above drawbacks. However, this solution has proved to be only partial, in that it does not guarantee the complete safety of the apertures, both in terms of safety for the passage of people and in terms of falling objects. 
         [0008]    Document US-A-2006/027388 discloses a known flashing kit for sealing or waterproofing a hole in a wall with a conduit penetrating therethrough. 
         [0009]    Document U.S. Pat. No. 7,010,889 discloses a riser support clamp for pipe riser or conduit. Purpose of the present invention is to make a safety device which guarantees complete closing of the empty spaces associated to the apertures through which the above service elements pass. 
         [0010]    A further purpose is to provide a method for manufacturing said safety device and a method for safely installing a service element passing through an aperture. The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0011]    The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea. 
         [0012]    In accordance with the above purposes, a safety device according to the present invention is applied in association with an aperture made in a floor, or in a work, support or bearing plane, through which a service element with a substantially longitudinal, or axial, development passes, such as a pipe, tube, cable-conduit raceway and suchlike. 
         [0013]    The safety device of the present invention can be used to completely close an empty space defined between peripheral edges of said aperture and a transverse bulk of said service element, in this way preventing the accidental fall of objects through the empty space, guaranteeing safety. 
         [0014]    The safety device of the present invention is formed by a plurality of modular sections, configured to be located around the service element adjacently positioned each other to define, in an assembled condition, a base body suitable to completely cover said aperture and to surround, in said assembled condition, the service element passing through said aperture in its assembled condition. 
         [0015]    The base body functions, in said assembled condition, as a closing barrier of the empty space and can be configured to define an internal passage in order to house the service element to size, so that substantially there are no dangerous cracks or spaces remaining. The base body is configured shaping said modular sections by removing portions of the material of the modular sections such that said modular sections are adapted to the dimensions of the service element to be surrounded by said modular sections. The base body is mating with and is larger in size than the aperture, so that it can be stably positioned resting on the edges thereof, on the corresponding floor, work, support or bearing plane. 
         [0016]    The overall sizes of the base body are designed big enough to completely cover the aperture, including the empty space delimited between the peripheral edges of said aperture and the transverse bulk of said service element, and to overlap the floor, work, support or bearing plane, so as to rest safely thereon. 
         [0017]    In one form of embodiment, the modular sections of the safety device in question have a first open condition, in which they are separated or distanced so that they can be located around the service element, and a second closed or assembled position, in which the modular sections are coupled so as to completely surround the service element and define the internal through seating in which the service element is housed. 
         [0018]    In one form of embodiment, the modular sections can be shaped by removing one or more desired portions of material, so as to achieve, on each occasion and according to the service element to be surrounded in order to close the corresponding empty space, the internal passage to house the service element to size. 
         [0019]    In an advantageous variant, the modular sections comprise a first adapter element that can be shaped by removing a desired quantity of material, so as to define the passage to house the service element to size, and a second barrier element, outside the first adapter element, in order to close the empty space as above. 
         [0020]    Advantageously, the modular sections in question are of a substantially planar shape, able to be coupled with each other lying on a parallel or coincident lying plane to that of the floor, work, support or bearing plane through which the service element passes. 
         [0021]    In variant embodiments attachment means are provided, releasable or definitive, to reciprocally constrain the modular sections of the base body of the safety device in the closed condition. 
         [0022]    In further variants, other mechanical connection means are provided to constrain the safety device to the floor, work, support or bearing plane. In other variants, the safety device may not be constrained to the floor, work, support and bearing plane, so as to be free to move slightly, remaining however disposed around the service element and without determining dangerous spaces, if the service element vibrates. 
         [0023]    It comes also within the spirit of the present invention a method for manufacturing a safety device applicable in association with an aperture made in a floor, a work, support or bearing plane, through which a service element passes with a substantially longitudinal development, such as a pipe, tube, cable-conduit and suchlike Said safety device is usable to completely close an empty space defined between peripheral edges of said aperture and a transverse bulk of said service element. The method provides to form said safety device by means of a plurality of modular sections configured to be located around the service element, adjacently positioned each other to define, in an assembled condition, a base body, to completely cover said aperture and to surround, in said assembled condition, said service element passing through said aperture. 
         [0024]    The base body functions, in said assembled condition, as a closing bather of said empty space, and is configured to define an internal passage in order to house the service element to size. The base body is configured shaping said modular sections by removing portions of the material of the modular sections such that said modular sections are adapted to the dimensions of the service element to be surrounded by said modular sections. 
         [0025]    It is a further aspect of the present invention a method for safely installing a service element passing with a substantially longitudinal development, such as a pipe, tube, cable-conduit and suchlike, through an aperture made in a floor, a work, support or bearing plane, by completely closing an empty space defined between peripheral edges of said aperture and a transverse bulk of said service element. 
         [0026]    The method provides:
       to use a plurality of modular sections defining, in an assembled condition, a base body, completely covering said aperture,   to define an internal passage trough the base body defined by said modular sections in order to house the service element to size, shaping said modular sections by removing portions of the material of the modular sections such that said modular sections are adapted to the dimensions of the service element to be surrounded by said modular sections and to assemble said base body functions, to obtain a closing barrier of said empty space,   to locate said modular sections around the service element, adjacently positioned each other to define said base body, surrounding, in said assembled condition, said service element passing through said aperture and through said internal passage.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]    These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some forms of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein: 
           [0031]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view in separate parts of a safety device according to the present invention in a first open condition; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the safety device in  FIG. 1  in a second closed condition; 
           [0033]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a component of a part of a safety device in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of two coupled components of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of two components of  FIG. 3  coupled in a first application used for the passage of a tubular service element; 
           [0036]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of two components of  FIG. 3  coupled in a second application used for the passage of two pipes; 
           [0037]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of two components of  FIG. 3  coupled in a third application used for the passage of a cable-conduit raceway; 
           [0038]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the safety device in  FIG. 1  of the first application of  FIG. 5 , in the first open condition; 
           [0039]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the safety device in  FIG. 1  of the first application of  FIG. 5 , in the second closed condition; 
           [0040]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the present invention of the second application in  FIG. 6 , in the first open condition; 
           [0041]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the present invention of the second application in  FIG. 6 , in the second closed condition; 
           [0042]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the present invention of the third application in  FIG. 7 , in the first open condition; 
           [0043]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the present invention of the third application in  FIG. 7 , in the second closed condition. 
       
    
    
       [0044]    To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one form of embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other forms of embodiment without further clarifications. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0045]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a safety device  10  according to the present invention can be used to define a covering, or closure of the empty space between an oblong element, such as a tubular service element  12 , a pair of pipes  14 , a through cable-conduit raceway  16 , and the edges  18  of a through aperture  20  made on a support or bearing plane  22 , such as a grill plane or similar plane, for example which functions as a walkway, also elevated, in industrial plants and suchlike, through which aperture  20  the oblong element passes ( FIGS. 8-13 ). 
         [0046]    The device  10  comprises a base body  11  formed by a plurality of modular sections, of which, in this case, at least a first central adapter element  24 , which can be configured to allow the passage of said oblong element, and a second barrier element  26 , which peripherally surrounds the first adapter element  24 , sized in a way so as to define, an effective and reliable closure of the aperture  20 , preventing the passage or fall of objects and thus guaranteeing safety. 
         [0047]    The first adapter element  24  is formed by a pair of first semi-elements  28  of an identical shape. 
         [0048]    The second barrier element  26  is formed by a pair of second semi-elements or semi-shells  48 , identical in shape and which can be coupled with each other as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  9 ,  11 ,  13 . 
         [0049]    With reference to the first adapter element  24 , each of the first semi-elements  28  comprises a shaped frame  30 , made of plastic, metal or suchlike, comprising a first central concave wall  32 , which defines a first housing space  34  able to contain the oblong element and which is associated to a second wall  36  transverse to the first central concave wall  32  and disposed to close the first housing space  34  at the upper part, in correspondence to the top edge of the first central concave wall  32 . The second wall  36  is made of material which can be shaped, plastic, metal or suchlike, by the user, in such a way as to adapt it, creating suitable windows, passages and apertures, to contain the desired oblong passage element to be housed, as explained in more detail hereafter in conjunction with  FIGS. 8-13 . The shaped frame  30  also comprises a third attachment wall  38 , made of plastic, metal or suchlike, from which the central concave first wall  32  centrally projects. 
         [0050]    The third wall  38  of each first semi-element  28  functions as a first connection flange, cooperating with an equal third wall  38  of another first semi-element  28  to be connected ( FIGS. 4-7 ). 
         [0051]    The third wall  38  is also made of a material which can be shaped by the user, such as plastic, metal or suchlike, so as to adapt it, creating suitable windows, passages and apertures, in a similar way to that of the transverse second wall  36  associated to the first central concave wall  32 . 
         [0052]    In this case, the third wall  38  has a central passage  40 , with a width substantially equal to that of the first housing space  34 , defining two lateral segments  42  of the third wall  38 , with a height slightly higher than the first central concave wall  32  and a central segment  44  which overlaps the central passage  40 , connecting the two lateral segments  42 . The first central concave wall  32  connects the lateral edges of the central passage  40  of the third wall  38 . 
         [0053]    The third wall  38  has a first face  39  able to be put adjacent to a corresponding first face  39  of the third wall  38  of a similar first semi-element  28 , in the closed condition, and a second face  41  able to be put adjacent to a corresponding second semi-element  48  of the second barrier element  26 , again in the closed condition. The upper edge of the third wall  38  has first housing holes  46  for attachment means to constrain the two first semi-elements  28  in a closed condition of the device  10  ( FIGS. 4-7 ,  9 ,  11 ,  13 ). 
         [0054]    Moreover, in this case, the third wall  38  of each first semi-element  28  has, on the second face  41 , a ridge  43  which acts as both a lead-in element and as a holding element, in positioning each first semi-element  28  in association to the corresponding second semi-element  48 . 
         [0055]    With reference to the second barrier element  26 , each second semi-element  48  which makes it up comprises a fourth barrier wall  50  of a correlated part of the aperture  20  ( FIG. 1 ), which has a lateral edge  52  able to cooperate, in the closed condition, with the second face  41  of a corresponding first semi-element  28  adjacent to it. 
         [0056]    On the lateral edge  52 , centrally, a second housing space  54  is made, of a shape mating with the first central concave wall  32  of a corresponding first semi-element  28 , so as to house the latter inside it in the closed condition. On the lateral edge  52 , laterally to the second housing space  54 , fifth attachment walls  58  are provided, made of plastic, metal or suchlike, which act as second connection flanges, cooperating both with the pairs of third walls  38  of the connected first two semi-elements  28 , and with the identical fifth walls  58  of another second semi-element  48  to be connected. The upper edge of the fifth walls  58  has second housing holes  66  for attachment means to constrain the two second semi-elements  48  in a closed condition of the device  10  ( FIGS. 4-7 ,  9 ,  11 ,  13 ). 
         [0057]    The lateral edge  52  has a groove, or notch  63  ( FIG. 1 ) of a shape mating with the ridge  43  and able to cooperate with it, acting as a guide, or insertion lead-in, and as a holding seating in positioning each first semi-element  28  in association to the corresponding second semi-element  48 . 
         [0058]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show, respectively in an open and closed condition, a first application of the device  10  in which the second wall  36  of each first semi-element  28 , as well as the corresponding central segment  44  of the third wall  38 , are completely removed to create a suitable passage window  76  ( FIG. 5 ) for a tubular service element  12 . In this first application it shows, by way of example, how if there is an aperture  20  of a regular shape, in this case circular, the fourth wall  50  of each second semi-element  48  determines an efficient and complete closing of the aperture  20  in the closed condition, preventing the accidental fall of objects. 
         [0059]      FIGS. 10 and 11  show, respectively in an open and closed condition, a second application of the device  10  in which the second wall  36  of each first semi-element  28 , as well as the corresponding central segment  44  of the third wall  38 , are only partly shaped, by removing suitable portions of material to define two passage holes  78  ( FIG. 6 ) for the passage of a pair of pipes  14 . The second application shows, by way of example, how if there is an aperture  20  of an irregular shape, the fourth wall  50  of each second semi-element  48  determines, in any case, an efficient and complete closing of the aperture  20  in the closed condition, preventing the accidental fall of objects. 
         [0060]      FIGS. 12 and 13  show, respectively in an open and closed condition, a third application of the device  10  in which the second wall  36  of each first semi-element  28  is only partly shaped, by removing suitable portions of material, and in which the corresponding central segment  44  of the third wall  38  is removed, to define a crack  80  ( FIG. 7 ) for the passage of a cable-conduit raceway  16 . The third application shows, by way of example, how if there is a rectangular aperture  20 , the fourth wall  50  of each second semi-element  48  determines, in any case, an efficient and complete closing of the aperture  20  in the closed condition, preventing the accidental fall of objects. 
         [0061]    Whilst specific embodiments of the invention are described herein, it will be appreciated that a wide range of modifications and alterations may be made to the arrangements described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention.

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