RS61415B1 - Braking assembly for a safety structure and safety structure comprising one or more of said braking assemblies - Google Patents

Description

Description

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a stop assembly for a protective structure that contains two or more stop elements.

[0002] The mentioned stop assembly is suitable for connection with a safety protection, such as a protective net, to form a protective structure.

[0003] The invention can be applied to the construction of any protective structure that requires the dissipation of a large amount of energy or the limitation/retention of loads on structures. Non-limiting examples of such structures include rockfall protection, flood protection, consolidation structures, snow fences, and the like.

State of the art

[0004] The use of stop elements connected to the safety protection to absorb the kinetic energy of the material acting on the safety protection is known from the state of the art.

[0005] In the case of application to structures for protection against landslides, the use of the mentioned stop elements enables the absorption of the kinetic energy of the landslide material resulting from the subsidence of the ground, thus preventing the tearing of the protective net and the consequent sliding downwards of the said landslide material, e.g. into dangerous areas, such as mountain roads or settlements.

[0006] For the production of such stopping elements, the use of plastically deformable elements is known, which are plastically deformable elements attached on one side to a support that is anchored to the ground, and on the other side to a protective net or protection intended to stop the fall of landslide material. These stopping elements, thanks to their deformation, absorb the kinetic energy of the landslide and thus prevent damage - or even breaking - of the said protective net or protection. For example, these stop members may have a spiral profile, the spiral profile being straightened when subjected to tension along a direction passing through two points of attachment for the connection to the ground, i.e. the safety net or protection.

[0007] An example of a known stop element of this type is disclosed in WO 2014/075817. The stop element described in the aforementioned document comprises a body having two diametrically opposed attachment points, one for connection to the safety guard, and the other for anchoring to the ground. A predetermined tear line is provided on said body, which is formed by a series of fracture points arranged according to a double spiral arrangement, in which two spirals extend in opposite directions and converge towards the center of said body. By applying tension to the two attachment points, tearing of said body occurs along the predetermined breaking points and, as a consequence, said body changes from a helicoidal configuration to an elongated configuration, and the connection points move progressively away from each other until the maximum distance is reached when said tearing has passed through all said breaking points. The kinetic energy of rocks, trees, or other landslide material that slides onto said protector is converted into the energy needed to achieve the above-mentioned tearing.

[0008] The arresting elements of the type described above are based on tearing along the specified breaking points in order to "dissipate" (consume) the kinetic energy of the landslide material; consequently, the value of the deformation of the stop element is strictly related to the fact that these fractures occur exactly and according to the preset theoretical values. In the event that these fractures, although theoretically controlled, do not occur correctly, the kinetic energy of the landslide material cannot be absorbed according to the desired parameters.

[0009] WO 2008/046446 discloses a catch device, a climbing protection system for preventing a user from falling from a ladder, platform or the like. This catching device consists of a rotatably placed catch which, in the event of a fall, moves in the opposite direction to the conductors in the guide rail. The fastening element is attached to the buckle and the user can be attached to the fastening element with the help of a seat belt: the fastening element is connected releasably and in a fixed manner in terms of rotation to the fastener, and the coupling is released when a predetermined force is applied to the fastening element. This binding element can be implemented as a damping element that deforms when exposed to a predetermined force.

[0010] The solution disclosed in WO 2008/046446 could hardly be applied in the technical field of protective structures that contain a protective net or protection, such as landslide protection, flood protection, consolidation structures, snow fences and the like, where it is necessary to dissipate large amounts of energy as well as limit/retain the load on these structures.

[0011] As the purpose of arresting elements is to absorb the kinetic energy of landslides, arresting elements based on forms of energy dissipation other than tearing along predefined failure points have also been developed in the past. For example, other arresting elements of the known type rely on friction to absorb the kinetic energy of the sliding material. In this case, the value of the deformation of the stop element therefore depends on the friction between its components.

[0012] The disadvantage of this type of stop elements is the difficulty in guaranteeing reliable and constant performance over time. Otherwise, this difficulty is increased by the fact that the mentioned stopping elements are connected to protective constructions that are placed outdoors and exposed to weather and atmospheric agents. For example, in the event that over time liquid infiltration occurs within the stop elements or any damage to the components, there could probably be variations in the coefficients of friction between the various components, which would lead to a consequent change in the deformation value of the mentioned stop elements and a possible loss of the ability to properly absorb the kinetic energy of the landslide material.

[0013] In general, with known stop elements, the deformation value is strictly related to their dimensional characteristics and the materials used. As a result, in order to achieve different deformation values, it is necessary to change the material used for the production of the stop element or to change the dimensions or the spatial arrangement of said stop element.

[0014] This implies that, in the event that it is intended to produce a stop element set to absorb a wide range of kinetic energy values, that stop element would be too large, with significant space requirements and obvious economic costs.

[0015] The main objective of the invention is to provide a stop assembly, made by combining two or more stop elements, which is suitable for absorbing a wide range of kinetic energy values.

[0016] This and other objectives are achieved by means of a stop element for a protective structure and a stop assembly comprising one or more of said stop elements as claimed in the appended patent claims.

Summary of the invention

[0017] the stop elements of the stop assembly according to the invention consist of an elongated body with appropriate connection points at its opposite ends for connection to the protection or network on one side and the ground on the other side, wherein said body is provided for the transition from an undeformed configuration to a deformed configuration. In said undeformed configuration, the body has an annular profile, in which two opposite ends of said body face each other. In said deformed configuration, the body has an elongated profile with its two opposite ends spaced apart from each other. The undeformed configuration is the configuration in which the stop element is installed. The deformed configuration is the configuration after tension has been generated, for example by the fall of landslide material on said protective netting or protection, which has been applied to the stop member.

[0018] It is desirable that the deformation value of these stop elements does not depend on the tearing of predetermined breaking points or on friction. As a consequence, said stop elements are reliable and their performance remains reliable over time.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the body has a plurality of connection openings positioned at different locations on each of its opposite ends. Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to select the desired opening for connection each time, which modifies the deformation value for the same size and material of the stop element.

[0020] The present invention relates to a stop assembly formed by a combination of two or more interconnected stop elements.

[0021] The possibility of combining several stop elements allows that the total deformation value of the stop assembly can vary and that the invention can be applied to a wide range of different situations in which different deformation values are required.

[0022] In this sense, it should be noted that the known stop elements described above would not be suitable for combining to obtain a stop assembly.

[0023] First, these known stopping elements are constructed as individual units, so that the combination of said individual units would be difficult, if not impossible in some cases, and would imply significant spatial requirements.

[0024] Secondly, even if it were possible to combine the mentioned known stopping elements, it would not be possible to guarantee a uniform distribution of the included tensions.

[0025] The stop assembly according to this invention can be obtained by combining the stop elements according to different arrangements, among which are:

- serial connection, in which said stop elements are sequentially arranged and connected to each other by means of a connecting element, for example a screw or a dowel, at the corresponding end; - parallel connection, wherein said stop elements are placed next to each other and connected to each other by connecting elements, for example screws or dowels, at both respective ends.

[0026] Advantageously, more complex realizations of the stop assembly according to the invention can be obtained by combining series and parallel connections of the said stop elements.

Brief description of the drawing

[0027] Some preferred embodiments of the invention will be described by way of non-limiting examples, referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Sl. 1 shows the stop element of the stop assembly according to the invention in an undeformed configuration;

Sl. 2 shows the stop element of Fig. 1 in a deformed configuration;

Sl. 3 shows the stop assembly according to the first embodiment of the invention;

Sl. 4 shows a stop assembly according to another embodiment of the invention;

Sl. 5 shows the stop assembly according to the third embodiment of the invention;

Sl. 6 shows the stop assembly according to the fourth embodiment of the invention;

Sl. 7 shows the stop assembly according to the fifth embodiment of the invention;

Sl. 8 schematically shows a protective structure containing several stop assemblies according to the embodiment of FIG. 3

Description of some Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

[0028] With reference to FIG. 1 and 2, a stop element for a stop assembly for a protective structure according to the invention is shown. The stop element as a whole is marked with the reference number 11.

[0029] The stop element 11 consists of an elongated body 13 with two opposite ends 13a, 13b. Said opposite ends 13a, 13b are free and are in no way connected to each other and/or to the middle part of the body 13.

[0030] Appropriate connection openings 15a, 15b, at least one per side, are provided on said body 13, near each opposite end 13a, 13b. The first connection hole 15a is intended for connecting, either directly or indirectly, the stop element to the shielding net or protection, while the opposite connection hole 15b is intended for anchoring, either directly or indirectly, the stop element to the ground.

[0031] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the stop element 11, the body 13 has a plurality of connection openings 15a, 15b arranged on both ends 13a, 13b of said body, at different distances from the corresponding end.

[0032] Providing a plurality of differently positioned connection openings 15a, 15b at each end of the body 13 of the stop element 11 enables the connection of said stop element with said protective net or protection and for anchoring said stop element to the ground at different distances from the ends 13a, 13b of the body 13 and, therefore, provides the possibility of obtaining different deformation values depending on the selected connection opening. Therefore, with the same size and material of the stop element 11, the deformation value of the stop element can be advantageously changed according to the specific requirements of each application.

[0033] The cross-section of the body 13 of the stop element 11 is larger in the central part around the middle point and decreases going from the said middle point towards the ends.

[0034] In the embodiment shown, the body 13 of the stop element 11 has a basically rectangular section. The body of the stop element 11 can also have a cross-section of a different shape.

[0035] It is preferable that the body 13 of the stop element 11 is made of steel, more precisely of structural steel S235 - 275 - 355. However, other materials can also be used, such as for example stainless steels, microalloyed steels, aluminum alloys, and other metals and metal alloys. In general, it is desirable that the material used has a low modulus of elasticity and a high elongation at break.

[0036] Said stop element 11 can pass from the undeformed configuration (Fig. 1) to the deformed configuration (Fig. 2).

[0037] When installing the protective structure, the stop element is placed between the protective net or the protection and the ground in the specified undeformed configuration (Fig. 1): in the mentioned configuration, the body 13 of the stop element 11 is bent into a ring configuration, and the opposite ends 13a, 13b are turned towards each other at a short distance from each other.

[0038] In the case of impact of the material in the protective net or protection (for example, in the case of application to landslide structures, in the case of sliding of the landslide on the protective net or protector), the kinetic energy of the said material is transformed into the deformation energy of the stop element 11, which passes from the undeformed configuration to the deformed configuration (Fig. 2).

[0039] In the last configuration, the body 13 of the stop element 11 is elongated, and the opposite ends 13a, 13b are maximally distant from each other.

[0040] As can be seen from the comparison of FIG. 1 and 2, the kinetic energy is converted into the strain energy of the stop element and the resulting stopping effect of the material acting on the protective mesh or protection is independent of factors, such as tearing at predefined breaking points or friction between the components of the stop element, which could require margins of unreliability and unpredictability of the performance of the stop element itself.

[0041] It is desirable that the stop element 11 can be used to obtain complex stop assemblies.

[0042] Referring now to FIG. 3 to 6, some preferred embodiments of the stop assembly 21 for the protective structure according to the invention, which contain a plurality of stop elements 11, are shown.

[0043] In general, said stop assembly 21 is obtained by combining two or more stop elements connected together. The mentioned stop elements 11 can be connected in series and/or in parallel.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 3, in a preferred embodiment of said stop assembly 21, two or more stop elements (two in the example shown in Fig. 3) are connected in series: said stop elements 11, 11' are sequentially arranged and the bodies 13, 13' of said stop elements are mutually connected at the corresponding end 13a, 13'b by means of a connecting element 17, for example a screw or a dowel, which passes through the corresponding holes for connecting 15a, 15'b.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 4, in another preferred embodiment of said stop assembly 21, two or more stop elements (two in the example shown in Fig. 4) are connected in parallel: said stop elements 11, 11' are placed next to each other, and bodies 13, 13' of said stop elements are connected to each other at both respective ends 13a, 13'a and 13b, 13'b by connection elements 17a, 17b, for example by means of screws or dowels, which pass through the respective connection openings 15a, 15'a and 15b, 15'b.

[0046] It should be noted that in the case of parallel connection of the stop elements, the connection elements 17a, 17b preferably have ends that have a cross-section equal to or smaller than the cross-section of the opening for connecting the mentioned stop elements and a middle part whose cross-section is greater than the cross-section of the mentioned opening for connection, in order to ensure the maintenance of a predetermined distance between the bodies of the different stop elements.

[0047] Series connection and parallel connection can be advantageously combined to obtain stop assemblies of more complex structures.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 5, the next preferred embodiment of the stop assembly 21 foresees the connection of three stop elements 11, 11', 11", wherein the two mentioned stop elements 11', 11" are connected to each other in parallel, and again at one end, they are connected in series with the third stop element 11.

[0049] In this case, it is preferable that the cross-section of the parallel-connected stop elements 11', 11" is basically equal to half of the cross-section of the stop element 11 which is connected in series with the said stop elements 11', 11" and the distance between the parallel-connected stop elements 11', 11" is basically equal to the thickness of the stop element 11 which is connected in series with the said stop elements 11', 11", so that the stop assembly 21 is obtained in a basically symmetrical configuration.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 6, an alternative preferred embodiment of the stop assembly 21 foresees the connection of four stop elements 11, 11', 11", 11"', whereby two of the mentioned stop elements 11', 11" are connected in parallel and are connected in series, at their first ends, with the third stop element 11, and at the other, opposite ends, with the fourth stop element 11"'.

Advantageously, by arranging a pair of stop elements 11', 11" connected in parallel between two individual stop elements 11, 11"' connected in series, it is possible to reduce the total space requirement for the resulting stop assembly 21 in the undeformed configuration.

[0052] It should be noted that for the same geometric arrangement of stop elements of the type shown in Fig. 6 will be able to provide two functionally different configurations for the stop assembly 21. Actually, in the first configuration it is possible to ensure that the stop elements 11', 11" are simply placed in parallel, but separately from each other and individually connected to the stop elements 11, 11"', while in the second configuration it is possible to ensure that the stop elements 11', 11" are rigidly connected in parallel to each other and further connected to the next stop elements 11, 11'", whereby the two configurations have - the same geometric layout - different performances.

[0053] Also in this case, it is desirable that the cross-section of the parallel-connected stop elements is basically equal to half of the cross-section of the series-connected stop elements, and the distance between the parallel-connected stop elements is basically equal to the thickness of the stop elements 11 connected in series, so that the stop assembly 21 is obtained which basically has a symmetrical configuration.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 7, another preferred embodiment of the stop assembly 21 is shown, which can be considered a variant of the embodiment of FIG. 4. Also in the realization of Fig. 7, two or more stop elements 11, 11' are placed next to each other, and the bodies 13, 13' of said stop elements are equipped with connection openings 15a, 15'a and 15b, 15'b at their respective ends 13a, 13'a and 13b, 13'b. In this embodiment, the stop elements 11, 11' are not simply placed next to each other, but are interconnected by means of a connecting element 19, which is placed between them and extends along a given length from the central part of said stop elements towards their ends.

[0055] Advantageously, in this embodiment the performance of the stop assembly can be modulated by acting not only on the characteristics (number, size, material, etc.) of the stop elements 11, 11', but also on the choice of characteristics of the connecting element (elongation, material, and so on).

[0056] In this way, the overall retention effect of the stop assembly according to the invention can be modulated in a wide range of different values, which can be selected each time according to the specific requirements of each application.

[0057] More precisely, the possibility of obtaining a stop assembly by choosing each time the number of stop elements and their arrangement (serial and/or parallel connection) makes it possible to provide, for each application, a stop structure with optimal characteristics in terms of the amount of load that can be retained and/or the amount of energy that can be dissipated and the corresponding elongation of the stop elements.

[0058] On the basis of (non-limiting) examples from Fig. 3 - 6, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the number of different possible combinations - thus different resulting stop assemblies - is very large.

[0059] Referring now to FIG. 8, an example of application of a number of stop assemblies 21 according to the invention to a protective structure 31 containing safety protection 33, especially in the form of a protective net 33 for protection against landslides, is shown.

[0060] Said protective net 33 is made of metal wire in order to be able to withstand and retain the fall of landslide material. Corresponding support posts 35 are located on two opposite sides of said protective net 33. These support posts 35 are anchored to the ground, for example via cement bases, and serve as a support for said protective net 33, in order to keep it in position and prevent it from being carried down by landslide material. These support posts 35 are made of steel so that they have a very high deformation value and withstand the possible fall of said landslide directly on them and not on the protective net 33. The supporting ropes 37 can be inserted into said protective net 33 or tied to said supporting posts 35. More precisely, the supporting ropes 37 can be inserted into the protective net 33 at its lower edge, next to the ground and on its upper edge, and inserted into said supporting pillars 35 by means of corresponding hooks placed on the lower part and upper part of said supporting pillars; the supporting ropes 37 can also be wrapped around said supporting posts 35, without passing through the protective net 33.

[0061] As shown schematically in FIG. 8, the supporting ropes 37 are not directly anchored to the ground, but on the contrary are connected at their free ends to corresponding stop assemblies 21 according to the present invention, which are again anchored to the ground. The mentioned supporting ropes 37 are made of metal cables in order to avoid tearing under deformation during the fall of the mentioned landslide material.

[0062] In the case of the supporting ropes passing through the protective net 33, the free ends of said ropes are located on the opposite sides of the protective structure 31 and are connected to the corresponding stop assemblies. Instead, in the case of the supporting ropes wrapped around the supporting posts 35, the free ends of said ropes are located on the same side of the protective structure 31 and they can be connected separately to the respective stop assemblies or to one common stop assembly.

[0063] In any case, the free end of each rope 37 is connected to the stop assembly 21 at the opening for connecting the end stop element of the stop assembly; on the opposite side of the stop assembly, the connection hole of the second end stop element of the stop assembly is anchored to the ground.

[0064] In the example with Fig. 8, all shown stop assemblies 21 consist of a pair of stop elements connected in series (see Fig. 3). However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that stop assemblies with different configurations can be used in different locations of the protective structure 31 according to specific requirements.

[0065] It is also obvious that the fall of the landslide material on the protective net 33 leads to the generation of the tension of the mentioned protective net 33 and the supporting columns 35, which tension is transmitted through the supporting ropes 37 to the stop assemblies 21, which are deformed and consequently absorb the kinetic energy of the aforementioned landslide material.

[0066] Therefore, the stop assembly according to the invention enables efficient achievement of the above objectives.

[0067] Realizations as described and shown must not be limited in any limiting sense, and some variants and modifications are possible which are within the domain of experts in this field and in any case fall within the scope of protection from the presented invention as defined in the attached patent claims.

Claims (8)

Patent claims 1. A stop assembly (21) for a protective structure (31) of the type that includes a protective net or protection (33), wherein said stop assembly consists of two or more stop elements (11, 11', 11", 11"'), characterized in that each of said stop elements has an elongated body (13) containing two opposite ends (13a, 13b) and at least one connection opening (15a, 15b) located near each of said ends (13a, 13b), said ends (13a, 13b, 13b) of said body (13) are free and said body (13) from an undeformed configuration, in which said body (13) is bent into a ring configuration and said ends (13a, 13b) are facing each other at a small distance, that pass into a deformed configuration, in which the body is mentioned (13) in an elongated configuration, and said ends (13a, 13b) are at the greatest distance from each other, the cross-section of said body (13) is larger in its central part, around its center point, and decreases going from said central point towards said ends (13a, 13b) and because said stop elements (11, 11', 11", 11"') are connected to each other with another in series and/or parallel by means of one or more connecting elements (17; 17a, 17b). 2. Stop assembly (21) according to patent claim 1, wherein said stop assembly (21) is made of two or more said stop elements (11, 11') connected in series, wherein said bodies (13, 13') of said stop elements are arranged sequentially with respect to each other and interconnected at their respective ends (13a, 13'b) by means of a connecting element (17). 3. Stop assembly (21) according to patent claim 1, wherein said stop assembly (21) is made of two or more said stop elements (11, 11') connected in parallel, wherein said bodies (13, 13') of said stop elements are placed next to each other and are connected to each other at both their respective ends (13a, 13'a, 13b, 13'b) by connecting elements (17a, 17b). 4. Stop assembly (21) according to patent claim 1, wherein said stop assembly (21) is made of two or more said stop elements (11', 11") which are connected to each other in parallel, and then connected in series, at one of its ends or at both ends, to one or more of said stop elements (11; 11, 11"). 5. Stop assembly (21) according to patent claim 3, wherein said parallel connected stop elements (11', 11") are connected to each other by means of a connecting element (19) which is sandwiched between the bodies (13, 13') of said stop elements and extends along a certain length from the central part of said bodies to their ends. 6. The stop assembly (21) according to patent claim 3, wherein said connecting elements (17a, 17b) are screws or bolts, which have ends whose cross-section is equal to or smaller than the cross-section of said connection openings (15a, 15'a, 15b, 15'b) of said stop elements and the middle part whose cross-section is greater than the cross-section of said openings for connection. 7. Stop assembly (21) according to patent claim 1, wherein a plurality of connection openings are provided at each of said ends (13a, 13b) of said body (13) of said stop elements (11, 11', 11", 11'"), wherein said openings are placed at different distances from the corresponding end of said body (13) of said stop elements (11, 11', 11", 11'"). 8. A protective structure (31) consisting of a protective net or protection (33), supporting poles (35) arranged on opposite sides of said protective net or protection (33) and supporting ropes (37) for connecting said protective net or protection to said supporting poles and for anchoring said protective net or protection to the ground, characterized by the fact that it contains one or more stop assemblies (21) according to any of patent claims 1 to 7, and said stop assemblies (21) placed between the end of the corresponding supporting rope (37) and the ground.