CA1291626C - Joint for space frame - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A joint for a structural space frame. The joint includes a first, outer hollow spherical member. The first spherical member fixedly receives the ends of the components of the space frame. A plurality of second members are disposed within the interior of the first spherical member. The second members each contact the first spherical member as well as two or more adjoining second members to provide a rigid joint.

Description

~ 916Z6 `-~
~ur Hoference WSU-112-~ PAT~NT

JOINT FO~ SPAC~ FR~ME
~CXGROUND QF T}~ INVRNTION
Fiold of the I-~v-Q~tion The pre~ent invention relute~, in general, to Hpace frame ~tructuros ~nd, ~ore ~pecifically, to joint~ or connector~
for ~pace frame ~tructure4 Deocription of tho Prior ~rt Structure~ known a~ ~pace frame~ are well known in the buildin~ induotry Such ~paco frameo ore formed of a nu~bor of ~trut~ or nembor~ which are joined ot their end~ at H three dimensional array Tbin en~bloo a dome or orch to be con~tructed which cover~ a lur~e area without the need for intermediate co 1 umn~ .
The connectoro or joint~ between the endo o~ each trut ure critlcal to the con~truction o~ tho ~pace fr~me Such connection~ ~u~t be ~trongO but li~ht in wei~ht Preoently, the jointo take tho form of a Hpherical body witb connection~ for attschment of tho ~rame ~embero to the 301nt, Such ~phorlc~l jolnt- oro typ~cally ~olid for o~ller fra~e- and hollow for lar~er frameo Ao the nucber of trutc per 30int incroa~o and/or tho dl~on~lon~ of th~ ~trut decroa-~, the joint ~u-t neco~ rlly be ~ado lar~er Thlo lncrea~oH the weight of the ~oint and tho over~ll opoco fra~o tructure The wei~ht increaoe of the ~oint may be partially overco~e by the u~e of hollow 30into; but thio le4do to conoideration~ concerning the 2~ wall thicknes~e~ necev~ary to pr0verve the overall ~tren~th oi the joint snd opace fra-e Whst is needed i~ a ~olnt or connector for a ~pace frame which hao the foature~ of li~htweight and hiyh ~tren~th It would al-o be de~irable to h~ve ~ch a Joint or connector which provide~ eary connection to the adjoinin~ fra~o ~e~b-r~

1;2~1626 Finnlly, it would be desirable to provide a joint or connector for ~ ~p~ce frn~e which can be oa~ily con~tructed in various ~ize~ ~or different londH and fra~e con~igur~tiGnH.
S~UMM~ Y OF TH~_INVI~NTION
6 Tho pro~ont invantio~ i~ o jolnt ~or a cpace ~rame ~tructuro whloh connoctc th6 ond~ oi a number Or ~tructural ~ro~e ~trutc or bor~ to~ether in o tbroo d~onsional Hrrsy. Tho ~oint i~ for~ed of o firct, outer phericol body. The fir~t cpllericol member i~ hollow and includee connection~ ior attHc11ment to tho fromework ~trut~. The joint al~o include~ e plurality of ~econd ~e~bers which are di~po~sd within the interior of the first outer ~phericol body. Rach Or the ~econd we~bers i8 dispo~ed in contact with tho firct outer Hpherical body and with two or ~ore Or the other ~econd member~ ~uch thnt a rigid structure i~
16 creotud. Howovor, due to the vold~ batwoon tho ~econd ~e~bqr-, c li~htwei~ht ~olnt i- el~o cr~ated.
Tho eecond me~bero, while proferubly ~phorical ln ~hape may hHve sny other for~ ond may alco be hollow or solid depending upon tho pertlculnr applicotion. Further, the vold~ or ~puce~ between tbe t~econd mecber~ wlthin the flr~t ~yberic~l tnember wey be ~illed with o ~oteriel, uch a~, for exa~plo, a foumed plaetic, to increotle over~ll ri~idity end to improve the dampin~ re~poneo oi' the ~oint.
The ~oint of the present invention overcome~ ~eny of 26 the ptoblem~ oncountorod with prevlou~ly devi~ed ~oint~ or ~pace fromu ~tructure~ in thet it provide~ a ~trong end li~htweight joint for cucll HtrUcture~. The precent ~oint iH alco ver~atile in applic~tion in that it~ ~ize c~n be e~ily vnried for dif-feront epplicetionN. Further ~everol of the jointe cnn be connected to~ether to provide ver~ntility in the de~ign of the tipace frame.

1~9162~ ~

~flI~F D~SCRIPTION OF Tl~ DR~AWINC
Th~ varioua used, advantage~ and other Yeature~ of the pre~ent invention will beco~e ~ore upparent by r~ferrln~ to the followill~ detHiled de~cription and drowing in which:
Fi~ure 1 1H U portially cectioned view of the joint of the pre~ent invention; and Fi~ure 2 io a plan view o~ the interconnection of multiple jointe of the pres0nt invention.
D~SCRIPTION OF_THE PRRF~RR~D EM~ODIM~NTS
Throughout the ~ollowing de~cription, an identical reference number is u0ed to refer to the ~ame component ~hown in multiple fi~urec of the dr~wiog.
He~erring now to the drnwin~, und to Flgure 1 ~n particular, there ic illu~trated e ~oint 10 which i~ used to 16 interconnect u plur~lity o~ elon~ated trut~ or b~r~, ~uch nc ~trut~ 12, 14 and 16, which for~ a pHrt of a ~tructural pace fra~e u4ed to make domeo und arche~, etc. The ~olnt enable~ tho end~ of the various 0trut~, 12, 14, and 16, for example, to be lnterconnected in a three di~en~ional arroy to eneble cuch trut~
to bpun lar~e ~reu~ wlthout the need for lntermedlute colu~no.
The ~olnt 10 include~ u firnt ~yhericelly 0h0ped ember lB. The Yir~t ~pherically ~haped member 18 hu~ ~ hollow interior. Also, the first ~pherical ~e~ber lc provided with o 0eries of aperture~ 20 for receivin~ suitable connectorc, Z5 de~crlbed hercufter, ~or attachin~ tho trut~ 12, 14 and 16 to the fir~t cphericul member 18. Any ~uitable connectlon ~uy be e~ployed to attach the end~ of the strut~ 12, 14 und 16 to the fir~t ~pherical member 18. ~y way of exa~ple only and not limitation, the ends of the ctrut0 12, 14 und 16, ouch a~ ~trut lZ, ~re provided with an internally thre~ded bore 22 which 1~916~6 J

receive~ the threAded portion of a bolt 24 which i~ ~ecurely mounted within th~ interior o~ the ~ir~t ~pherical member 18.
The joint or connection 10 of the pres~nt invention al~o includ~ u plurality o~ ~econd me~berA 26 wllich may be pro~ide~ in any convenient number co~menaurate with the internal volu~e o~ the first spherical member 18. The ~econd 0ember~ 26 may be Or hollow or oolid construction dependin~ upon the particular load requir~ment~ for each con~truction application.
Furthar, whlle the ~scond memberu are illuutrated and profer to be o~ ~pheric~l form, they ~ay al~o bo conatruct~d ln other shape~, such a~ ovsl, oblong, etc. Aluo, the ~econd member~ are errHn~ed within thc interior o~ the rir~t ~pheric~l member 18 ~uch that their center~ are at the verticec of an equilateral trianglo. Th~ placea each o~ the ~econd members 26 in contact with th~ interior Hurface of the fir~t out~r ~pherical member 18 and al~o in contact with two or ~ore other qecond membere. Thi~
re~ult~ in a ri~id joint ~tructure; but which hae n lightweight due to the voidu exi~tin~ wlthin the interior o~ the fir~t outer member 18 around the ~qcond De~buru 26. If de~ired, Huch interior flpace- ~ay be rilled with a uitable material, ~uch a-, for example, a foamed plautic, whicll would provlde increaued overall rl~ldity and dumpin~ o~ tho Jolnt and to prevent movement of tlle uecond me~ber~ 26.
Althou~h Figure 1 ~howo the applicHtion o~ the joint 10 witll individual connectionu to ~eparate utrut~ 12, 14 and 16, it iu al~o poHHible, au ~hown in Fi~ure 2, to connect identical jointu 30, 32 ~nd 34, identical to joint 10, ~hown in ~i~uro 1, in an interconnect manner, with ~eparute attachment~ to utrut~, 36, 3~ and 40 extending outward iro~ each o~ the interconnected joint~ 30, 32 al)d 34. Further, it Hhould be noted that the individual jointu 30, 32 and 34 are al80 connected to each other via suitnble connector~ 42 ~ymbolically ~hown in Figure 2. ThiH
aguin re~ult~ in a rigicl etructure uuitable for ~pace t'rame con~truction applicationc.
The joint oP the pre~ent invention is ideully ~uited for u8e in con~tructing cpace frame~ uince it provide~ a rigid joint connection for the individual ~rame work o-f the Hpace frame and yet ie li~htweight and csn be eacily adapted to dif~erent sizes. The joint i~ ea~ily con~tructed Hnd may b~ provlded in different ~izee depending upon load~, de~igu~ und applicationo.

Claims (8)

1. A joint for a structural framework including a plurality of elongated struts interconnected at their ends comprising:
a first spherical member, the first spherical member having a hollow interior;
means for attaching the ends of certain of the elongated struts to the first spherical member; end a plurality of second members disposed internally within the first spherical member.

2. The joint of Claim 1 wherein the centers of the second members are positioned at the vertices of an equilateral pyramid.

3. The joint of Claim 1 wherein the second members are hollow.

4. The joint of Claim 1 wherein the second members are solid.

5. The joint of Claim 1 wherein the spaces between the second members within the first spherical members are filled with a filler material.

6. The joint of Claim 1 wherein substantially all of the second members are in registry with the first spherical member.

7. The joint of Claim 1 wherein the second members are spherical in shape.

8. A joint for a structural frame work including a plurality of elongated struts interconnected at their ends comprising:
a first spherical member, the first spherical member having a hollow interior;

means for attaching ends of certain of the elongated struts to the first spherical member; and a plurality of second spherical members disposed internal within the first spherical member, the centers of the second spherical members being disposed at the vertices of an equilateral pyramid within the first spherical member.