Method and device for the rigid connection of two thin elements

This application is a national filing of PCT application Serial No. PCT/FR2013/000074, filed Mar. 18, 2013.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for the rigid connection, via the opposing edges thereof, of two thin elements which are, for example, planar or cylindrical.

Although not exclusively, the present invention is most particularly appropriate for use with thin elements, of which at least one is produced from a composite fibre/resin material.

In order to assemble in a rigid manner, via the edges thereof, thin elements of composite fibre/resin material, it is known to provide the edges with flanges by means of adhesive bonding or by means of machining. In the first instance, the adhesive constitutes a weak point of the assembly whilst, in the second instance, the machining brings about the sectioning of fibres of the composite material and therefore also local weakening of the assembly.

An object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages.

To this end, according to the invention, the method for the rigid connection, via the opposing edges thereof, of two thin elements, which are, for example, planar or cylindrical, is remarkable in that:

a flange is prepared which has a cavity having a flared cross-section which is at least approximately trapezoidal;

a counter-flange is prepared which has a protrusion which has a convergent cross-section which is at least approximately trapezoidal and which has a shape which complements that of the cavity of the flange;

the edges of the thin elements are at least partially formed to the shape of the protrusion of the counter-flange;

the flange and the counter-flange are moved closer to each other with the formed edges being interposed between the cavity of the flange and the protrusion of the counter-flange; and

the flange and the counter-flange are clamped in the direction of each other so that they press between them the formed edges of the elements, the depth of the cavity of the flange and the thickness of the edges of the elements being selected so that, at the end of clamping of the flange and the counter-flange, there is a gap between the base of the cavity of the flange and the edges of the elements.

In this manner, owing to the present invention, it is possible to assemble together in a rigid manner two thin elements, simply by clamping the opposing edges thereof which have been previously formed, without any weakening adhesive bonding or machining operation. Furthermore, it is ensured that the clamping is optimal, without being limited by any abutment contact between the edges of the elements and the base of the cavity of the flange.

The present invention further relates to a device for the rigid connection, via the opposing edges thereof, of two thin elements which may be planar or cylindrical, which is remarkable in that it comprises:

a flange which has a cavity having a flared cross-section which is at least approximately trapezoidal;

a counter-flange which has a protrusion which has a convergent cross-section which is at least approximately trapezoidal and which has a shape which complements that of the cavity of the flange; and

clamping means for clamping the flange and the counter-flange in the direction of each other so that they can press, between the cavity of the flange and the protrusion of the counter-flange, the edges of the elements which are at least partially formed to the shape of the protrusion of the counter-flange.

Preferably, the protrusion of the counter-flange comprises an abutment face at the side of the small base of the convergent, at least approximately trapezoidal cross-section. In this manner, at least one of the formed edges can abut the abutment face in order to strengthen the connection and to prevent any tilting of one of the elements relative to the other.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the counter-flange is an integral portion of the edge of one of the elements.

Advantageously, the clamping means are screws which are either supported on the counter-flange and screwed into the flange, or are supported on the flange and screwed into the counter-flange.

The screws may comprise heads which are accommodated in recesses which are formed in the counter-flange or the flange, respectively, and on which the heads are supported.

When the counter-flange is an integral portion of the edge of one of the elements, it may comprise a partial housing for the flange.

A particularly advantageous implementation of the present invention is the end-to-end assembly of two cylindrical portions of a container, the container portions being able to be produced from a composite fibre/resin material.

The Figures of the appended drawings will provide a good understanding of how the invention can be produced. In these Figures, identical reference numerals refer to elements which are similar.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 1 to 4 are schematic cross-sections of four embodiments of the present invention, respectively.

Each of these four embodiments I to IV comprises:

a flange 1 which has a cavity 2 having a flared trapezoidal cross-section with a base 2 A,

a counter-flange 3 which has a protrusion 4 which has a convergent trapezoidal cross-section and which has a shape which complements that of the cavity 2 of the flange 1 , the protrusion 4 having a small base 4 A, and

clamping means, for example, screws 5 for clamping the flange 1 and the counter-flange 3 in the direction of each other.

Furthermore, each of the four embodiments I to IV is intended to assemble in a rigid manner two thin elements 6 and 7 which are, for example, planar or cylindrical, via the opposing formed edges 6 A and 7 A thereof. In a specific embodiment of the invention, the elements 6 and 7 are cylindrical portions of a container which are produced, for example, from a composite fibre/resin material.

In the embodiments I, II and III, the head 5 A of the screws 5 is accommodated in a recess 8 of the counter-flange 3 and the screws 5 are supported on the counter-flange 3 and are screwed into the flange 1 . In the embodiment IV, however, the head 5 A of the screws 5 is accommodated in a recess 9 of the flange 1 and the screws 5 are supported on the flange 1 and are screwed into the counter-flange 3 .

The edges 6 A and 7 A of the embodiment I of FIG. 1 are formed in an identical manner, each of them comprising an oblique portion 6 A 1 , 7 A 1 having the same shape as the oblique edges of the protrusion 4 , and a portion 6 A 2 , 7 A 2 corresponding to the base 4 A of the protrusion 4 . In this manner, when the opposing edges 6 A and 7 A are arranged between the flange 1 and the counter-flange 3 , the oblique portions 6 A 1 , 7 A 1 thereof may be in contact with the oblique portions of the flange 1 and the counter-flange 3 , whilst the portions 6 A 2 , 7 A 2 thereof may be in contact with the base 4 A. After the screws 5 have been positioned and screwed, the edges 6 A and 7 A are assembled together in a rigid manner by means of clamping between the flange 1 and the counter-flange 3 . So that this clamping can be optimal, the depth of the cavity of the flange 1 and the thickness of the edges 6 and 7 are such that, at the end of the clamping operation, there is a gap 10 between the base 2 A of the cavity 2 of the flange 1 and the portions 6 A 2 , 7 A 2 of the edges 6 A and 7 A. This situation of optimal clamping is what is illustrated in FIG. 1 .

In the production variant II of FIG. 2 , the edge 7 A of the element 7 is formed to correspond to the entire shape of the protrusion 4 of the counter-flange 3 and the edge 6 A of the element 6 has a shape which is similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1 , but it is applied to the edge 7 A, instead of being applied directly to the counter-flange 3 . In this instance again, at the end of clamping using the screws 5 (situation illustrated in FIG. 2 ), there is a gap 10 between the base 2 A of the cavity 2 and the edges 6 A.

The embodiment III of FIG. 3 is similar to the embodiment I of FIG. 1 , with the exception that the counter-flange 3 is an integral portion of the edge 7 A of the element 7 . Consequently, in this embodiment, the base 4 A is a part of the element 7 and only the edge 6 A of the element 6 presses thereon.

In the same manner, in the embodiment IV of FIG. 4 , the counter-flange 3 is an integral portion of the edge 7 A of the element 7 . Furthermore, the flange 1 is accommodated in a partial recess 11 of the edge 7 A. This results in a thinning of the edge and the formation of a hollow portion at the side of the edge 6 A of the element 6 , which hollow portion can be closed by means of a filling 12 .

Of course, although it has not been illustrated in the drawings, sealing joints (of any type) may be arranged, anywhere it is necessary, between the flange 5 , the counter-flange 3 , the screws 5 and the formed edges 6 A and 7 A.