Tile And Strut Construction System For Geodesic Dome
The present invention sets forth a tile and strut construction system for a geodesic dome. The tile has a generally triangular shape, with the corners cut out to accommodate hubs which retain supporting struts in position. The tile has a faceted 3-dimensional upper surface, integrally molded reinforcing ribs, and a recess in the lower surface at each of its 3 edges.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/879,582, filed on Jul. 18, 2007, now allowed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to geodesic domes, and more specifically to a prefabricated plastic tile and a strut designed for use together to create a strong, yet easy-to-assemble, geodesic dome.
2. Background of the Invention
Structures in the form of geodesic domes have been being built since their invention by Buckminster Fuller in the 1950's, however their construction, until now, has involved a complicated and difficult procedure. A geodesic dome comprises a configuration of repeating geometric shapes, such as triangles, which form the dome's surface. The architecture of the dome structure is typically a series of struts which link to hubs to create the dome's framework. The area, or space, created between any three contiguous struts, i.e. the area of the triangles formed by these repeated struts and hubs, must necessarily be sub-divided, enclosed, and covered, as they are of a sizable dimension which is interdependent with the diameter of the dome itself.
In some prior art domes, a plurality of geometric tiles are secured together to form a three-dimensional geometric shape, which is assembled with other such secured-together three-dimensional geometric shapes in order to form the dome. This method of assembly is arduous and inefficient.
One prior art method of constructing geodesic domes involves manipulating polygonal panels of the dome so that they slide into lateral pockets formed on each side of a generally I-beam shaped strut. Such manipulation may not be difficult when inserting a first side of the panel, but once a first side is locked into place, it appears impractical, if not impossible, to angle and manipulate subsequent sides of the panel into place within the pockets of other struts.
Some prior art panels for geodesic domes are manufactured in layers, with inner and outer faces secured to intermediate support structure. Such a manufacturing method is more complicated and costly than desired.
In some prior art domes, in order to finish the interior of the dome after assembling the outer structure, panels of sheetrock or some other finishing material must be individually and precisely cut to fit the unique shape of each geometric section of the dome, and then taped and painted. This is a very time consuming and difficult process.
Prior art geodesic domes are manufactured by a process that involves many steps, and includes a complex structure to attach adjacent tiles to the struts that support them. The tiles of the prior art are not designed for, nor capable of, supporting significant amounts of weight, as would be necessary if the dome is to be earth-sheltered.
It is known that earth-sheltering a structure provides advantages in the energy needs for heating and cooling that structure. In order to be earth-sheltered, a structure must be capable of supporting the significant weight of the dirt located above the structure. Prior art panels and systems for building geodesic domes are not designed to bear such heavy loads.
There is a need in the art for a strong, lightweight preformed, easy-to-manufacture tile designed to support a significant amount of weight. There is a need for the tile and the struts which support it to be capable of being assembled to form a geodesic dome quickly and easily, with a minimal amount of skill and tools required. In addition, the tile should either be provided with an interior surface that is manufactured as a finished surface, or have a system that enables a finished surface to be quickly and easily attached thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention sets forth a tile for use in building a geodesic dome. The tile is a preformed plastic panel having a polygonal, typically triangular, footprint.
In a first embodiment of the tile, the superior surface of the panel has a non-planar, three-dimensional surface, formed with planar surfaces extending up at an angle from respective side walls of the panel until they meet at a high point at the geometric center of the panel. The inferior surface of the panel includes a stepped recessed portion extending along at least a portion of each side edge of the panel at the juncture of an inferior surface of the side wall and an exterior surface of the side wall.
The panel may also include any combination of a variety of additional features, including beveled side edges, internally located molded reinforcing ribs for increased strength, an embedded reinforcing member of steel or some other suitable material, a flange extending outwardly from the upper surface of the panel at each of its side edges, and cut-away portions where each of two adjacent sides of the panel meet to accommodate a hub that joins supporting struts of the geodesic dome. Further, the underside of the panel may either comprise a finished interior surface, molded integrally with the rest of the tile, or the underside could comprise a separate sheet of finishing material sized and shaped to cover the exposed molded reinforcing ribs and including connecting structure on the separate sheet of finishing material and on the underside of the rest of the panel, whereby the separate sheet can snap into place on the underside of the panel to quickly and easily provide a finished interior surface of the dome.
In a second embodiment of the tile, intended for use in a dome that, once completed, has cement sprayed on its exterior surface to improve its ability to support the load of the earth that will be used to bury the dome, the superior surface of the panel has a non-planar, three-dimensional surface, formed with trapezoidal planar surfaces extending up at an angle from a lower end of respective side walls of the panel, with the long edge of each trapezoid being joined to a lower, interior edge of a respective side wall and the short sides of the trapezoids being connected by a small planar top segment having an identical, but smaller, shape to the overall shape of the tile. The angled sides of each of the trapezoidal surfaces are joined to the angled sides of each adjacent trapezoidal surface. The superior surface of the panel has a plurality of ribs thereon, the ribs either being of uniform height or tapering from a larger thickness at the point where the superior surface meets the side walls to a smaller thickness at the highest point of the superior surface. The ribs may either cover the planar top segment, or the planar top segment may be free of ribs. The inferior surface of each of the side walls of the panel includes a stepped recess formed at the juncture of an exterior surface of the side wall and the inferior surface of the side wall, the stepped recess extending along at least a portion of each side edge of the panel. The inferior surface of the panel may be a closed in solid that is planar, or the inferior surface may recessed in a shape that mirrors the superior surface, but without the ribs, thereby increasing the volume of the completed dome's interior.
The second embodiment of the panel may also include any combination of a variety of additional features, including beveled side edges and cut-away portions where each of two adjacent sides of the panel meet to accommodate a hub that joins supporting struts of the geodesic dome.
The present invention further sets forth a strut for use with the inventive tile. A first configuration of the strut has a cross-section in the shape of an I-beam, with an L-shaped bracket seated upon a portion of the length of the lower lateral member of the “I”, such that one leg of the bracket rests along the vertical central member of the “I”, and the other leg of the bracket rests along and extends beyond the lower lateral member of the “I”. A second configuration of the strut has a cross-section substantially in the shape of an inverted “T”, with the two lateral legs of the “T” forming an obtuse angle with the longer, vertical leg of the “T”.
In use, once the framework for a geodesic dome is built, by connecting together a series of the inventive struts using a plurality of hubs which support the struts at their respective free ends to thereby create polygonal openings bound by a plurality of struts and hubs, the size and shape of the polygonal openings corresponding to the size and shape of the inventive tiles, the tiles of the invention are dropped into respective openings in the framework and secured thereto.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a tile for use in building a geodesic dome, wherein the tile is easy to manufacture and light weight, yet strong enough to support substantial loads.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tile for use in building a geodesic dome, wherein the tile includes ribs on its superior surface to provide support and a means of retention for a cement shell to be sprayed on the completed dome.
It is another object of the invention to provide a strut which can, when linked together with additional struts, provide a bound opening designed to easily receive and securely support a tile of the invention thereon.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a strut and tile system, wherein once the struts are assembled to form a dome structure, the tiles can quickly and easily be dropped into openings bound by the assembled struts, and be secured to the struts.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
The strut 200 shown in
As seen in
It is desirable for the interior surface of the dome to be a smooth, finished surface that is aesthetically pleasing. As seen in
If a builder prefers to provide some other form of finished surface, they need merely forego use of the separate sheet of finishing material 120 and attach whatever other form of finishing is desired, such as drywall or paneling, to the underside of the tile 100. This is not difficult to do because the tile 100 of the invention may be screwed or nailed into.
In use, a framework for a geodesic dome will be constructed by taking a plurality of the struts 200 of the invention and supporting them at their free ends using hubs (not shown), with each hub typically supporting 4, 5, or 6 struts 200, whereby the struts and hubs together form a series of substantially triangular openings all over the framework of the dome. A tile 100 of the invention is dropped into each of the substantially triangular openings with the flanges 110 of each tile 100 sealing to an upper surface of the adjacent struts 200 and the weight of each tile 100 being supported by the L-brackets 208 on the adjacent struts 200. Each tile 100 is then secured to its adjacent struts 200 using a plurality of fasteners, such as nails or screws, through the lateral members of the struts 200. The interior surface of the dome will be finished, either by securing the separate sheet of finishing material 120 to the underside of the tile 100 using the structural elements 118, 122 provided, or by securing an alternative finishing material to the underside of each tile using an alternative means of fastening, such as screws.
A variation of the first embodiment of the tile and strut construction system of the invention is seen in
As seen in
In use, a framework for a geodesic dome will be constructed by taking a plurality of the struts 400 of the invention and supporting them at their free ends using hubs (not shown), with each hub typically supporting 4, 5, or 6 struts 400, whereby the struts and hubs together form a series of substantially triangular openings all over the framework of the dome. A tile 300 of the invention is dropped into each of the substantially triangular openings with each lateral leg 404 of each strut 400 being received within a respective recess 314 of the tile, with the weight of each tile 300 being supported by the lateral legs 404 of the adjacent struts 400. Each tile 300 is then secured to its adjacent struts 400 using a plurality of fasteners, such as nails or screws, through the lateral members of the struts 400. If the tile 300 includes an integrally molded smooth finishing surface on its underside, then no further finishing work need be done. If the tile 300 does not include an integrally molded smooth finishing surface on its underside, then the interior surface of the dome will be finished, either by securing the separate sheet of finishing material to the underside of the tile 100 using mating structural elements provided, or by securing an alternative finishing material to the underside of each tile using an alternative means of fastening, such as screws.
In use, the second embodiment of the inventive tile is used to construct a dome in the same manner as is described above with respect to tile 300 and strut 400. Once construction of the dome has been completed, it is possible to spray a shell of concrete onto the exterior surface of the dome, with support and adherence of the cement onto the dome being supported by the presence of the ribs on the superior surfaces of the tiles. Concrete, being a material that is capable of supporting very large loads in compression, enhances the ability of the dome to support the significant weight of the earth that will ultimately be sheltering the dome.ff.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A tile for use in constructing a geodesic dome, said tile comprising a preformed unitary panel having a substantially polygonal shape having a predetermined number of side edges, said panel having:
- a plurality of side walls corresponding in number to said predetermined number of side edges, said side walls defining a central portion of the tile which is bound by said side walls, each side wall comprising an outer side, an inner side, and an upper side and a lower side, and each of said side walls having a stepped recess formed therein along the juncture of a lower edge of said outer side of said side wall and said lower side of said side wall;
- a superior surface connected to each of said side walls, said superior surface having a non-planar, three-dimensional surface formed with planar surfaces extending up at an angle, with lower edges of said planar surfaces being located toward respective side edges of the panel, said planar surfaces extending upward as they approach the center of the panel;
- a plurality of reinforcement ribs formed of the same material used to form said side walls and said superior surface, said reinforcement ribs being formed unitarily with said side walls and said superior surface.
2. A tile, as defined in claim 1, wherein said panel further includes at each of the corners where two sides of said polygonal shape meet, a cut-away portion sized and shaped for accommodating a strut-retaining hub of a frame of a geodesic dome.
3. A tile, as defined in claim 1, wherein said planar surfaces of said superior surface extend upwardly from said upper side of said side walls and meet at a high point at the center of the panel, and said side walls, together with said superior surface, form an interior cavity.
4. A tile, as defined in claim 3, wherein said plurality of reinforcement ribs are located within said interior cavity.
5. A tile, as defined in claim 1, wherein said panel further includes reinforcement elements embedded in the material thereof.
6. A tile, as defined in claim 1, wherein said side walls are beveled, such that, when viewed from the side, the side walls are each wider at the top than at the bottom.
7. A tile, as defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses extend along the full length of the lower edge of their respective side wall.
8. A tile, as defined in claim 1, further including an inferior surface comprising a smooth, solid finished surface unitarily formed with the remainder of said panel.
9. A tile, as defined in claim 1, further comprising an inferior surface formed by a separate sheet of finishing material, said separate sheet comprising an upper surface, a lower surface having a desirable finish, and side edges,
- said separate sheet having a size and shape whereby said side edges of said separate sheet correspond with said side walls of said tile;
- said upper surface of said separate sheet having a plurality of first structural elements located thereon;
- said inferior surface of said panel having a plurality of second structural elements located thereon;
- each of said plurality of first structural elements being located in a corresponding position a respective one of said plurality of second structural elements and being designed to mate therewith,
- whereby placing said separate sheet of finishing material against said inferior surface of said tile enables said plurality of first structural elements to mate with said plurality of second structural elements to thereby retain said separate sheet of finishing material in position under the tile to provide a desirable finish on the underside of the tile.
10. A tile, as defined in claim 1, wherein a flange extends from said superior surface on each of the side edges of the panel, said flange extending outwardly beyond each of said side walls of said tile.
11. A tile, as defined in claim 1, wherein said recesses do not extend the full length of the lower edge of their respective side wall.
12. A tile, as defined in claim 1, wherein said planar surfaces of said superior surface are trapezoidal planar surfaces each having a longer parallel edge, a shorter parallel edge and two non-parallel side edges, the trapezoidal planar surfaces being equal in number to said number of side walls and having the longer parallel edge of each trapezoid abutting a lower end of the inner side of a respective side wall of the panel, the trapezoid planar surfaces each extending up at an angle until the shorter parallel edge of each of the trapezoids all abut side edges of a polygonal planar top segment that has the same number of side edges as the number of side walls, said top segment serving to connect said trapezoidal planar surfaces.
13. A tile, as defined in claim 12, wherein said plurality of reinforcement ribs are located on top of said superior surface of said panel.
14. A tile, as defined in claim 13, wherein said reinforcement ribs are of uniform height.
15. A tile, as defined in claim 13, wherein the height of said reinforcement ribs tapers from a larger height for the portion of the ribs nearest to the side walls of the panel to a smaller height for the portion of the ribs closest to the center point of said panel.
16. A tile, as defined in claim 13, wherein said ribs are located over the entire superior surface of said panel.
17. A tile, as defined in claim 13, wherein said ribs are located over only said trapezoidal planar surfaces, and the central polygonal planar top segment is free from ribs.
18. A tile, as defined in claim 12, wherein said recesses extend along the full length of the lower edge of their respective side wall.
19. A tile, as defined in claim 12, wherein the longer parallel sides of each of said trapezoidal planar surfaces extend along the entire length of the side walls of the panel and the non-parallel side edges of adjacent trapezoidal planar surfaces abut one another.
20. A tile, as defined in claim 12, wherein the longer parallel sides of each of said trapezoidal planar surfaces extend along only a portion of the length of the side walls of the panel, leaving gaps between the non-parallel side edges of adjacent trapezoidal planar surfaces, each of said gaps being respectively filled with first and second substantially triangular pieces,
- wherein said first substantially triangular piece is located in the same plane as the lower side of the side walls with two of its three sides abutting respective adjacent side walls and the third of its three sides abutting a first side of said second substantially triangular piece,
- and wherein said second substantially triangular piece is oriented at an angle, with its first side in the same plane as the lower side of the side walls, and said second substantially triangular piece extending upwardly with its second and third sides abutting the non-parallel side edges of respective adjacent trapezoidal planar surfaces, with the highest point of said second substantially triangular piece contacting a corner of said polygonal planar top segment.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 8, 2010
Publication Date: Jul 7, 2011
Inventors: James Charles Garofalo (Hadley, NY), James William Garofalo (Lexington, SC)
Application Number: 12/832,336
International Classification: E04C 2/30 (20060101);