Modular pedestrian tunnel

• US 8,904,714 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Big Astor Srl
• Original Assignee: Big Astor Srl
• Inventors: Montalto, Carmelo, Montalto, Daniele
• Primary Examiner(s): KWIECINSKI, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US13/080,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20120255256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 108/115, 108/125, 108/129, 108131-132, 108/69, 108/90, 108/35, 108/59, 108/180, 108/185, 108/186, 108/155, 108/158.12, 248/188.1, 403/49, 52/64, 52/791, 52/795, 52/799, 522/201, 522/202, 526/503, 527/822, 527/961.1, 527/961.2, 52D/IG.12, 182/186.6, 182/222, 182/130, 182/223, 14/24
• US Class Current: 52/64
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/3209 Temporary tunnels specially adapted against falling objects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 52/12 Temporary protective expedient

Abstract

A tunnel structure includes a frame; a continuous plate fixed to the frame in order to protect passing-through pedestrians; supporting legs hinged to the frame; and a connecting section supported by the frame, the connecting section configured to enable the combination of multiple tunnel structures.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a modular pedestrian tunnel comprising;

a first pedestrian tunnel module comprising;

a rectangular frame having a perimeter defined by a first side and a second side each having a first length, and a third side and a fourth side each having a second length,

a continuous plate fixed to the frame for protecting a pedestrian passing under the first pedestrian tunnel module,

a first profiled element extending continuously along the first side of the frame and having a length equal to the first length,

a second profiled element extending continuously along the second side of the frame and having a length equal to the first length, the second profiled element having a shape configured to interlock directly with a first profiled element of an adjacent pedestrian tunnel module,

a third profiled element extending continuously along the third side of the frame and having a length equal to the second length,

a fourth profiled element extending continuously along the fourth side of the frame and having a length equal to the second length, the fourth profiled element having a shape configured to interlock directly with a third profiled element of an adjacent pedestrian tunnel module, and

a plurality of supporting legs hinged to the frame,

wherein each of the four profiled elements is configured to withstand one or more of a bending moment and a twisting moment generated by a weight of at least the continuous plate,

wherein the first profiled element comprises a structure extending along the first side of the frame and having an L-shaped cross-section having a first segment extending outward from the frame and a second segment extending from the first segment in a first direction, and

wherein the second profiled element comprises a structure having a third segment extending outward from the frame and a fourth segment extending from the third segment in a second direction opposite the first direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of legs is hinged to the frame independently of each other leg in such a way that when the first pedestrian tunnel module is erected, an angular position of a first one of the legs relative to the frame can differ from an angular position of a second one of the legs relative to the frame.

3. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first pedestrian tunnel module is coupled to an adjacent second pedestrian tunnel module,

wherein the first pedestrian tunnel module comprises:

a first leg,

a second leg,

a third leg, and

a fourth leg, and

wherein the second pedestrian tunnel module comprises;

a fifth leg,

a sixth leg,

a seventh leg, and

a eighth leg,

wherein the first leg, the second leg, the fifth leg, and the sixth leg are adjacent to connecting elements coupling the first pedestrian tunnel module and the second adjacent pedestrian tunnel module,

wherein the first leg, the second leg, the fifth leg, and the sixth leg are raised, whereby the first pedestrian tunnel module and the second adjacent pedestrian tunnel module are supported only on the third leg, the fourth leg, the seventh leg, and the eighth leg.

4. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first profiled element comprises a structure extending along the first side of the frame and having an L-shaped cross-section having a first orientation, and

wherein the second profiled element comprises a structure extending along the second side of the frame and having an L-shaped cross-section having a second orientation opposite the first orientation.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pedestrian tunnel module is coupled to an adjacent second pedestrian tunnel module, wherein at least one of the profiled elements of the first pedestrian tunnel module directly engages a profiled element of the second tunnel module.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first profiled element of the first pedestrian tunnel module is configured to directly engage a profiled element of an adjacent second pedestrian tunnel module having the same structure as the second profiled element of the first pedestrian tunnel module.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modular pedestrian tunnel further comprises a second pedestrian tunnel module adjacent to the first pedestrian tunnel module, and wherein a first profiled element of the second pedestrian tunnel module is interlocked directly with the second profiled element of the first pedestrian tunnel module.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a modular pedestrian tunnel comprising;

a first pedestrian tunnel module comprising;

a rectangular frame having a perimeter defined by a first side and a second side each having a first length, and a third side and a fourth side each having a second length,

a continuous plate fixed to the frame for protecting a pedestrian passing under the first pedestrian tunnel module,

a first profiled element extending continuously along the first side of the frame and having a length equal to the first length,

a second profiled element extending continuously along the second side of the frame and having a length equal to the first length, the second profiled element having a shape configured to interlock directly with a first profiled element of an adjacent pedestrian tunnel module,

a third profiled element extending continuously along the third side of the frame and having a length equal to the second length,

a fourth profiled element extending continuously along the fourth side of the frame and having a length equal to the second length, the fourth profiled element having a shape configured to interlock directly with a third profiled element of an adjacent pedestrian tunnel module, and

a plurality of supporting legs hinged to the frame,

wherein each of the four profiled elements is configured to withstand one or more of a bending moment and a twisting moment generated by a weight of at least the continuous plate,

wherein the first profiled element comprises a structure extending along the first side of the frame and having an L-shaped cross-section having a first segment extending outward from the frame and a second segment extending from the first segment in a first direction,

wherein the second profiled element comprises a structure extending along the second side of the frame and having an L-shaped cross-section having a third segment extending outward from the frame and a fourth segment extending from the third segment in a second direction opposite the first direction,

wherein the third profiled element comprises a structure extending along the third side of the frame and having an L-shaped cross-section having a fifth segment extending outward from the frame and a sixth segment extending from the fifth segment in a third direction, and

wherein the fourth profiled element comprises a structure extending along the fourth side of the frame and having an L-shaped cross-section having a seventh segment extending outward from the frame and an eighth segment extending from the seventh segment in a fourth direction opposite the third direction.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a modular pedestrian tunnel comprising;

a first pedestrian tunnel module comprising;

a rectangular frame extending along a first axis and a second axis, the first and second axes perpendicular to a third axis, the rectangular frame having a continuous cover fixed to the frame for protecting a pedestrian passing under the first pedestrian tunnel module, and

a plurality of supporting legs hinged to the frame,

wherein the frame comprises first and second flanges securing the cover therebetween, the first and second flanges extending along a direction parallel to the first axis beyond the cover and connected to each other by a connecting portion parallel to the third axis, thereby defining a top portion of a profiled element, the profiled element extending along the third axis and having a bottom portion connected to the top portion of the profiled element via a main body,

wherein a first connector is connected to the top portion of the profiled element and extends continuously along a direction parallel to the second axis, the first connector having an L-shaped cross-section that is shaped to directly interlock with a first connector of an adjacent pedestrian tunnel module, the L-shaped cross-section comprising;

a first segment that extends along the first axis away from the profiled element, and

a second segment joined to the first segment and extending in a direction parallel to the third axis, and

wherein a second connector is connected to the bottom portion of the profiled element and extends continuously along a direction parallel to the second axis, the second connector having an L-shaped cross-section that is shaped to directly interlock with a second connector of an adjacent pedestrian tunnel module, the L-shaped cross-section comprising;

a first segment that extends along the first axis away from the profiled element, and

a second segment joined to the first segment and extending in a direction parallel to the third axis,

wherein the spacing between the first and second connectors along the third axis enables the profiled element to withstand one or more of a bending moment and a twisting moment generated by a weight of the continuous cover.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the profiled element is a first profiled element disposed along a first side of the rectangular frame, and further comprising:

a second profiled element disposed along an opposite side of the rectangular frame, the second profiled element comprising;

a first connector connected to the top portion of the second profiled element and having an L-shaped cross-section comprising;

a first segment that extends along the first axis away from the second profiled element, and

a second segment joined to the first segment and extending in a direction parallel to the third axis and opposite to the direction of the second segment of the first connector of the first profiled element, and

a second connector connected to the bottom portion of the second profiled element and having an L-shaped cross-section comprising;

a first segment that extends along the first axis away from the profiled element, and

a second segment joined to the first segment and extending in a direction parallel to the third axis and opposite to the direction of the second segment of the second connector of the first profiled element.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the modular pedestrian tunnel comprises a second pedestrian tunnel module,

wherein the second pedestrian tunnel module is joined to the first pedestrian tunnel module through (1) a direct interlocking connection between the first connector of the first pedestrian tunnel module and a first connector of the second pedestrian tunnel module and (2) a direct interlocking connection between the second connector of the first pedestrian tunnel module and a second connector of the second pedestrian tunnel module.