EP3864221B1 - Device for producing a ground surface cover by embedding pavestones - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for producing a covering comprising a honeycomb structure, in particular in the form of a grid, serving as a template for producing a paving, in particular serving to embed/interlock paving stones.

The invention is intended for a professional or an individual, and is intended in particular for applications of pedestrian crossing, vehicle rolling such as access roads to garages, pedestrian garden paths, public squares, sidewalks to name only these apps. The invention will in particular be applied to coatings from natural or reconstituted stone, solid or reconstituted wood, or concrete pavers, without however being limited thereto. Paving techniques are known, in particular techniques which consist in using solid self-supporting blocks such as paving stones reconstituted from concrete or solid paving stones, resulting from stone cutting.

The pavers are laid one by one and it is necessary to ensure the flatness of the whole.

These paving stones are laid on a support itself made of concrete according to the standards, but it has been observed that a number of users, even professionals, lay them on the ground on a simple bed of sand, which is only authorized in the case of a walkway. In this case, the user is exposed to sinking of the paving stones, independently of each other, depending on the loads exerted, the repeatability of the actions and the localized variations in ground resistance since the paving stones have no link between them.

Thus there is a process and products that use a template for laying stone pavers or any material with high wear resistance, pavers which are arranged according to a desired ornamental arrangement thanks to the template, glued to a concrete slab previously made and then jointed after removal from the template.

Thus the rolling surface is obtained with a very high resistance to wear, but using a very low thickness of material, thus reducing the price of the raw material, both in volume of material itself but also in transport.

However, if these installation templates represent a saving of time and material, it is still necessary to make joints.

Moreover, it is known from the patent FR2989699 a structure comprising juxtaposed cells, and in which a filling material is directly poured, the structure being left embedded in the material; the reinforcement of the structure which delimits the cells then directly forms the joints. Each cell of the structure comprises a foot to be in contact with the ground, and at least one communicating passage made in the lower part in each wall of a cell to ensure the passage of material from one cell to another and thus to link cells to each other. This clever structure nevertheless requires a cast material.

Another example of prior art can be found in the document KR200449175Y1 .

The present invention therefore aims to provide yet another device for producing a floor covering, in particular applicable outdoors, which is of an affordable cost price, and which is easy and quick to produce in order to provide a covering surface under the shape of jointed cobblestones, while guaranteeing a rolling surface for vehicles that is durable and flat over time.

The present invention therefore relates to a device for producing a floor covering as described in claim 1.

According to the invention, the device for producing a floor covering comprises at least one honeycombed structure (grid) provided with a plurality of honeycombs which are each delimited by walls and an upper opening plane, and comprise each at least one foot and communication passages from one cell to the other, and is characterized in that each cell comprises a support intended to support a covering element (rigid in the form of a block) such as a paving stone or tile to be arranged in the cell.

Thus, the support makes it possible to arrange a block in the cell, and this without risk of the block sinking over time, in particular by the repeated passage of vehicles.

Each covering element is removable relative to each cell.

The covering element (paving stone, tile) is held in the cell by interlocking. Advantageously, the invention uses no bonding (tile adhesive type), no sealing of the covering elements (mortar type). In addition, no joint in particular of cement is to be made since the structure (via the walls of the cells) forms the joints of the lining, technically and aesthetically. The walls of each honeycomb structure form the seals of the covering, in particular the covering has no sealing material between the structure and the covering element.

The structure of the invention avoids the prior production of a concrete slab or a bed of mortar. The honeycomb structure of the invention replaces a concrete slab.

According to one characteristic, the support comprises connecting elements which are integral with the walls and connected centrally to the cell. In particular, the support comprises a central zone, preferably forming a substantially square or rectangular resting surface (for a slab), and preferably elongated connecting elements also forming resting surfaces (for the slab) and connecting the zone central to the walls.

According to the invention, cavities/passages are made under the connecting elements which thus form bridges to allow passage for any cables that have to run between the cells.

According to another characteristic, the support forms a resting surface arranged at a depth relative to the upper opening plane of each cell which corresponds to the thickness of a block so that the block is coplanar or preferably projecting from report to said opening plan.

The support of the covering element in the cell is at a distance from the upper plane of the opening of the cell and at an appropriate distance with respect to the thickness of the covering element so that said covering element is protruding above the structure (above the opening plane). Said covering element is intended to protrude (above) the structure, preferably by around 2 mm, so that walking or rolling is not on the structure/grid. Thus one cannot slide on the grid, the foot or the wheel not being in contact with the grid.

Preferably, the device comprises several adjacent honeycomb structures and at least one connecting piece for assembling two laterally abutting structures, preferably the connecting piece cooperating by interlocking or clipping.

Advantageously, each structure to be butted comprises half-cells whose cutting plane divides a support in two providing a half-support, each structure being butted to the other by abutting two half-supports of two half-cells in vis-à-vis, the half-supports comprising means of mutual cooperation, such as female elements, with which the said at least one connecting piece cooperates by engagement.

Each cell comprises retaining means, in particular the retaining means are arranged on the walls and comprise projecting shapes and/or chamfered surfaces from the plane of the upper opening towards the inside of the structure, so as to provide blocking by wedging of a block in position in the cell. The retaining means have a mechanical retaining function (without any bonding). It is thus quick and easy to associate the blocks by positioning them in the cells and by striking them, for example using a mallet. The pavers are embedded in the cells.

According to another characteristic, the communication passages from one cell to another are arranged in the walls so as to allow the passage of electric cables and/or integrated garden hoses and/or to allow the passage of a tool from an open cell into an adjacent cell closed by a block in order to lift the associated block, in particular by leverage.

Advantageously, the support forms at least one housing (a cavity) capable of receiving lighting means and/or connectors for a lighting pad.

The support comes from the manufacture of the structure, preferably the structure is manufactured by molding plastic material, in particular based on polypropylene (PP) or polyurethane (PE) and resistant to wear and ultraviolet radiation.

The device of the invention comprises a covering/pavement element per cell, the walls forming joints and providing at least one interstice with the pave (in particular a clearance of the order of the order of 1 mm) to ensure a drainage.

In the rest of the description, the qualifiers “upper”, “lower”, of an element of the device are used within the framework of a normal installation of the device, that is to say relating to a vertical concept with respect to a ground on which the device would be placed.

• La figure 1 représente une vue de dessus d'un exemple de réalisation d'une structure alvéolée d'un dispositif de réalisation de revêtement pour sol selon l'invention ;
• La figure 2 est une vue de dessus d'une alvéole de la structure de la figure 1 ;
• La figure 3 est une vue partielle de la figure 1 montrant des pavés insérés dans les alvéoles ;
• La figure 4 est une vue en perspective de dessus d'un revêtement pavé à partir du dispositif de l'invention ;
• La figure 5 est une vue en perspective de dessus en cours d'assemblage de deux structures alvéolées adjacentes ;
• La figure 6 est une vue en perspective de dessus en cours de démontage d'un pavé.

The present invention is now described using only illustrative examples and in no way limiting the scope of the invention, and from the accompanying illustrations, in which:

• There figure 1 shows a top view of an embodiment of a honeycomb structure of a device for producing a floor covering according to the invention;
• There picture 2 is a top view of a cell structure of the figure 1 ;
• There picture 3 is a partial view of the figure 1 showing cobblestones inserted into the cells;
• There figure 4 is a top perspective view of a paver covering from the device of the invention;
• There figure 5 is a top perspective view during assembly of two adjacent honeycomb structures;
• There figure 6 is a top perspective view of a paver being dismantled.

The coating production device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, comprises one or more structures 10 intended to be placed on stabilized ground, the structure 10 comprising cells 2 which are intended to house paving stones 3, 3' by jamming.

The material used for making the structure 10 is advantageously a plastic material, such as PP or PE, and preferably resistant to wear and to ultraviolet radiation.

A structure 10 forms a plate advantageously made by molding in plastic material with a total thickness of the order of 4 cm. The plate can be easily cut to the desired contours to adapt to the surface profile to be coated.

The structures can have various geometric shapes.

Each cell 2 of structure 10 is delimited by walls 20 to 23 with at least one wall common to two cells.

Each cell is open in the upper part but also in the lower part, said structure being intended to come directly into contact with the ground.

Each cell has at least one foot 24, at least one passage 25 communicating from one cell to the other, at least one support 26 for carrying a block 3, retaining means 27 for the block, preferably the retaining means 27 providing at least one drainage gap 28 between at least one of the walls and a pavement.

Each cell 2 comprises at least one foot 24, preferably several feet 24 over part of its periphery, such as in line with each wall intersection and each wall middle. These feet are in contact with the ground.

Each of the cells 2 has at least one communicating passage 25, formed in each wall intended to serve as a common wall.

The passages 25 are used to route electrical power cables through the structure when certain blocks 3' are provided to be illuminating and/or pipes for integrated watering.

Furthermore, as seen in the figure 6 , a passage 25 makes it possible, from a cell without a paving stone, to introduce a tool under the paving stone of the adjacent cell and to lever it up to lift said paving stone. Dismantling is thus greatly facilitated and very quick. This technique allows complete dismantling of the entire coating, which is impossible with the techniques of the prior art. The solution of the invention makes it possible to modify the direction of laying grids/structures, to modify a decorative pattern or to replace a stained paver, and this without any breakage or joint to (re)make.

When the entire floor is paved, the dismantling of a first block is done by passing a thin tool blade at the level of a gap 28 between the block and one of the walls. Then, the dismantling continues via passages 25.

The support 26 is intended to receive/support the weight of a block. According to the invention, the support 26 comprises a central support zone 26-1 and lateral zones 26-2 to 26-9 connecting the central zone 26-1 to the walls 20 to 23. The block 3 rests flat on the part top of all of these central 26-1 and lateral zones 26-2 to 26-9.

The central zone 26-1 extends in area, for example in the form of a square or a rectangle, while the side zones 26-2 to 26-9 are elongated and, according to the invention, form rigid link arms.

The lower part of the support 26, and therefore of the central and lateral zones, is intended to bear against the ground.

The upper part of the support 26, and therefore the central and lateral zones, constitute a reception plane for a block 3, which is distant from the plane of the upper opening of the cell to correspond to the thickness of a block, for example of the order of 2 cm.

The block/coating element is intended to protrude above the structure 10 (above the opening plane of each cell). For example, the pavers protrude from the structure by about 2 mm.

According to the invention, cavities are made under the connecting arms 26-2 to 26-9 which thus form bridges to allow passage for any cables that have to run between the cells.

Each block 3 is held in a cell 2, on the support 26, by interlocking/wedging by cooperating with the retaining means 27.

Each block 3 is placed in a cell 2 and is pushed in by tapping on it with a mallet. The walls 20 to 23 of the cells form the seals of the coating.

The retaining means 27 are arranged in the upper part of the cell without protruding above the plane of the opening. They are arranged in a localized manner, for example centrally to each wall.

The retaining means 27 form mechanical retaining means. There is interlocking of each paving stone, without the need for bonding means.

With particular regard to the figure 5 , the retaining means 27 form elements projecting from the vertical plane of a wall, such as spikes or ribs, and/or chamfers in each wall 20 to 23 with an inclination from the plane of the opening top of the cell towards the bottom and the center of said cell.

Preferably, a structure 2 presents its external edge for lateral abutment with another structure which passes through the median plane of the central zone 26-1 of several supports 26 ( figure 1 And 5 ); each structure has half-cells which are placed face-to-face to form cells in abutting manner. The assembly of two structures 2 is done by connecting pieces 4 which cooperate by mechanical insertion in female elements 29 provided in each central zone 26-1. The female elements 29 are for example at least two notches whose opening faces the upper opening of a cell, and are arranged facing each other with respect to the median assembly plane. Two notches 29 facing each other, which are respectively secured to two structures 2 abutting laterally, form a groove in which a slender connecting piece 4 is fitted.

Preferably, each central support zone 26-1 of a cell has four sides parallel to the respective walls 20 to 23 of a cell, and each side has a spaced pair of female elements/notches 29.

Finally, the support 26 can constitute a housing/a cavity which makes it possible to accommodate the connectors of an illuminating or luminescent pad.

Claims (12)

1. Device (1) for producing a ground covering, comprising at least one honeycomb structure (10) provided with a plurality of cells (2) which are each delimited by walls (20, 21, 22, 23) and an upper opening plane and each comprise at least one base (24) and communication passages (25) from one cell to another, each cell (2) comprising a support (26) which is intended to support a covering element (3), such as a paving stone or a tile, to be arranged in the cell, characterized in that the support (26) comprises a central region (26-1) which is central in the cell, as well as connecting elements (26-2 to 26-9) which connect the central region to the walls in the form of rigid connecting arms, and in that cavities are provided under the connecting elements (26-2 to 26-9) which form bridges.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the central region (26-1) of the support is substantially square or rectangular, and the connecting elements (26-2 to 26-9) are elongate.
3. Device according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the support (26) forms a resting surface which is arranged at a depth relative to the upper opening plane of each cell (2) corresponding to the thickness of a paving stone which is intended to be supported by the support so that the paving stone is coplanar or preferably projects relative to said opening plane.
4. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of adjacent honeycomb structures (10) and at least one connecting part (4) for assembling two laterally abutting structures, preferably the connecting part cooperating by interlocking or clipping.
5. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each structure (10) comprises half-cells, the cutting plane of which divides a support into two to procure a half-support, each structure abutting another by abutting two half-supports of two half-cells which face one another, the half-supports comprising mutual cooperation means, such as female elements (29), with which said at least one connecting part cooperates by engagement.
6. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the communication passages (25) from one cell to another are arranged in the walls so as to allow the passage of electrical cables and/or integrated hose pipes and/or to allow a tool to pass from an open cell into an adjacent cell which is closed by a paving stone in order to raise the associated paving stone, in particular by a lever effect.
7. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each cell comprises retaining means (27), in particular the retaining means are arranged on the walls and comprise projecting shapes and/or chamfered surfaces from the plane of the upper opening in the direction of the interior of the structure.
8. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (26) forms at least one recess which is suitable for receiving lighting and/or connectivity means.
9. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support comes from the production of the structure, preferably the structure is produced by molding plastics material, in particular based on polypropylene (PP) or polyurethane (PE).
10. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises one covering element per cell, the walls forming seals and at least one gap (28) is provided to ensure drainage.
11. Ground covering, such as slab paving, paving or tiling, comprising a device according to any of the preceding claims, each cell comprising a covering element, such as a slab, a paving stone or a tile, which is mounted by interlocking.
12. Ground covering according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the walls of each honeycomb structure form the seals of the covering, in particular the covering is devoid of sealing material between the structure and the covering element.

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