Modular truss system
The present invention provides a truss system that can quickly and easily be field-assembled, through the interconnection of modular panels to form flat and box structural trusses. This system is intended for use across a broad spectrum of applications within the construction and home-improvement industries. At the heart of the invention is the panel composed of a metal tube or equivalent frame solidly connected at all four corners and a one piece structural web where triangular and/or arched geometric patterns are cut, stamped, or formed from sheet metal or equivalent material. The geometric patterns are often disguised within decorative patterns. The web is solidly anchored to the interior face of the frame on all sides. The assembled panel serves as a truss bay. When two or more panels are connected together in the same plane, or in multiple planes for box configurations, a structural truss is formed. The truss structures that are formed can be utilized in either single-end supported (cantilever) or double-end supported applications, without need of intermediate support. The flat and box truss structures that are formed during this assembly process can be used in a broad spectrum of structural applications where straight, curved, or circular trusses are employed, but more easily and economically assembled, transported and installed than traditional factory-built trusses. The present invention is composed of panels, their components, and various interconnection methods and devices that are utilized when truss structures are assembled and utilized in traditional application areas and non-traditional application areas such as, but not limited to, gates, fences, railings, and trusses.
Provisional Patent Application 60/786,863 Filing date Mar. 28, 2006
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the design concept in which interchangeable structural panels of various shapes are used to assemble structural/functional/decorative truss structures. These modular truss structures can be assembled in the field in the form of single (flat) and three dimensional (box) straight, bowed, or arched trusses. The trusses formed by this modular approach can be utilized in many applications where structural trusses have traditionally and are commonly utilized. In addition, the present invention relates to the utilization of this modular concept of truss formation for non-traditional uses in the design, fabrication and construction of gates, fences, railings, and other home improvement applications.
The definition of a truss is any of various structural frames based on the geometric rigidity of triangular and circular shapes and composed of straight and arched members' subject only to longitudinal compression, tension, or both. A truss, capable of long spans while carrying large amounts of weight, functions as a beam or cantilever to support bridges, roofs, floors, etc. Trusses are the most commonly used structural device in architecture today. A truss, as used in architecture and engineering, is most often made of steel and wood structural members. The open construction of a truss structure allows it to be lighter than a beam or structured platform, but just as strong. The parts of a truss are chords, vertical supports, and a repeating internal web pattern that provides cross bracing over the length of the truss structure. The distance over which the truss extends is called the span. A flat truss is formed by connecting the ends of straight or arched pieces of metal or wood to the members of the internal web lying in a single plane. A three-dimensional truss is formed by interconnecting the chords of three or more flat truss structures on different planes such that a three-dimensional shape is created. These three-dimensional trusses are commonly referred to as box trusses. The design of all trusses is based on the principal that the geometry of the internal web will not collapse or change its shape under applied loads.
2. Description of the Related Art
Trusses are an invention of man that is just as important as the invention of the wheel. The truss has allowed man to build bridges that cross huge bodies of water, construct tall and large buildings, and design the extremely strong and versatile machinery and scaffolds that aid in the construction and maintenance of these bridges and buildings. All of the original trusses were made of wood. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, cast and wrought iron began to be utilized in whole or in part. Later in the 19th century, steel became the most commonly utilized truss building material. In today's world, trusses are made from many different materials both natural and man-made. The fact is, without the invention of the truss, most of the infrastructure of our highways and cities would not exist.
Trusses utilized in the building industry today are normally factory-assembled and delivered to the job site for installation. The dimensions of these trusses, as manufactured, are unwieldy which makes loading, delivery, and off-loading at the job site cumbersome and expensive. In addition, special equipment is necessary at the job site to lift the truss structures into place.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a modular truss system for use in a broad spectrum of structural applications where trusses are employed, but more easily and economically assembled, transported and installed, than traditional factory-built trusses. Further, the present invention relates, but is not limited to, use in the home improvement industry for the building of fence, gate, railing, and truss systems. When modular components are securely connected together, a truss structure is formed that can, within stated guidelines, span distances and support loads just as those that are factory built. Modular trusses, just as factory-built trusses, can be utilized in either single-end supported (cantilever) or double-end supported applications without need of intermediate support.
The present invention is a modular truss system composed of a) a structural panel of various geometric shapes, with a non-obvious unique center web to provide the structural strength required by the panel when utilized as a bay module in a truss structure, b) methods and devices utilized for assembling the structural panel, and c) connecting devices and methods for interconnecting the structural panels together to form a flat truss capable of addressing traditional and non-traditional flat truss applications, and d) connecting devices and methods for interconnecting the formed flat truss structures into three dimensional geometric box truss structures (including those shaped like cubes, rectangular prisms, triangular prisms, or any other three-dimensional geometric shapes) capable of addressing traditional and non-traditional box truss applications.
The present invention, because of its modular nature, simplifies planning, shipping, handling, storage, and job site installation while addressing a wide variety of engineered and standardized structural applications.
The present invention may be better understood (and its numerous features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art) by referencing the accompanying drawings. For ease of understanding and simplicity, common numbering of elements (standard parts) within the illustrations is employed where a part appears in multiple drawings. The standard parts are listed immediately after the listing of Figures.
Figures
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- Part 1 Horizontal frame member
- Part 1a Horizontal frame member tab slots
- Part 2 Vertical frame member
- Part 2a Vertical frame member tab slots
- Part 3 Frame corner connector
- Part 4 Frame corner connector
- Part 5 Square corner
- Part 6 Triangular corner
- Part 7 Web
- Part 8 Border
- Part 9 Geometric pattern
- Part 10 Web fastening tab
- Part 11 Modular truss anchor post
- Part 11a Modular truss anchor post T-shaped slot
- Part 12 Modular truss quick connect panel connector
- Part 12a Modular truss quick connect panel T-shaped slot
- Part 13 Bolt (stud, pin, rivet, etc.)
- Part 14a Modular truss chord connector Bowed
- Part 14b Modular truss chord connector Polygon
- Part 14c Modular truss chord connector Straight
- Part 14d Modular truss chord connector Arched
- Part 15 Modular truss box truss connector
- Part 16 Assembled structural panel (also
FIG. 1 )
The following is a detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the present invention. As these embodiments of the present invention are described, with reference to the aforementioned drawings, various modifications or adaptations of the methods and or specific structures described may become apparent to those skilled in the art. All of these teachings of the present invention (and through which these teachings have advanced the art), are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the devices set forth herein have been characterized as structural building, fence, and truss system components, but it is apparent that other construction, structural, decorative, professional, and training uses may be found for these devices. Hence, these descriptions and drawings are not to be considered in a limiting sense as it is understood that the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments illustrated.
During assembly of a panel, the web tabs are inserted into slots that have been cut into the inside face of the frame. These slots are shown in
The basic design of the web is critical to the structural strength of the panel and its ability to perform. The basic geometric pattern shown within the web in
The frame corner connector (
The modular box truss structures depicted in
Whether the panels are direct-connected or quick-connected, the truss structures that are formed must be anchored at each end. Two basic forms of anchoring are offered by the present invention. They are post anchoring, panel anchoring, and post and panel anchoring. Post anchoring is depicted in
In many truss panel structures, especially in applications for gate, fence, railing, and truss systems, different panel shapes can be combined to provide aesthetic interest and artstic diversity. The combining of shapes is shown in
Not obvious in the overall description of the present invention is that new technological approaches are being applied to truss design, fabrication, and assembly. Specifically; a) stamping, cutting or forming a structurally sound pattern with dimensions that provide the strength necessary to replace traditional web components and that additionally have aesthetic appearance, b) forming, forging, or machining corner and chord connectors that replicate the strength given to flat and box truss structures using traditional chord, vertical post, and web interconnection methods, and c) fabricating panel interconnection hardware with ‘T’ shaped slots that allow for the quick, secure interconnection of panels when utilized in gate, fence, railing and other lighter duty flat truss applications.
The present invention utilizes Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology to economically cut, stamp, or form all panel parts. This technology has only in very recent years become readily available to small-part fabricators. It is because of CNC technology that the present invention is possible. CNC technology provides the ability to make mass-produced interlocking parts and components essential to truss structural strength. The present invention utilizes this technology to invent a new and innovative modular design concept for building flat and box truss structures.
Claims
1. A modular flat truss system comprised of a structural panel, and panel interconnecting hardware;
- said interconnected panels form a structural flat truss of predetermined strength and load carrying capacity when utilized for stated purposes.
2. The structural panel of claim 1 wherein said panel has predetermined, form, dimensions, material specifications, and components;
- said form, dimensions, material specifications, and components gives said panel a predetermined strength and load carrying capacity when utilized by its self and when utilized as a modular component or bay of a flat truss structure.
3. The structural panel of claim 2 wherein said components include a solid or tube frame made of steel or equivalent, including frame corner connector, and structural web;
- said components provide the means of assembly and contribute to the composite strength when all components are assembled into the finished panel.
4. The frame of claim 3 wherein said frame members include, as a preferred embodiment for attachment, slots along the inside face of all frame members;
- said slots serve to mate with the tabs on the outside edges of the structural web, the size and number of these slots correspond to the number of tabs on the structural web panel.
5. The frame of claim 3 wherein said frame corner connector, as a preferred embodiment for connection, is installed at the ends of the frame's vertical member;
- Said corner connector, in conjunction with bolts, structurally serves to draw and damp the frame members together at the frame corners.
6. A structural web of claim 3 wherein said form, dimensions and attributes include outside perimeter dimension equal to the inside dimensions of the frame of claim 2, a predetermined web material gauge thickness, single sheet construction, a border or margin, a geometric center pattern, and panel to frame connections as described in claim 4;
- Said form, dimensions and attributes gives said structural web inherent predetermined strengths that keeps the frame of claim 2 from distorting or collapsing and prevents the structural web its self from moving, twisting, or deforming when the panel is placed under structural loads and stresses.
7. The panel interconnecting hardware of claim 1 wherein said hardware is known as the post and panel connector;
- Said post and panel connector provide the means to efficiently and solidly interconnect the structural panels of claim 1 into a structural flat truss structure and provide the means to solidly anchor a single panel or a flat truss structure at its end points.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 28, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 13, 2007
Inventors: Tony Leroy Whyte , Diana Joy Whyte
Application Number: 11/729,061