Patent Application
20180238042
The present disclosure generally relates to the field of support frames. More specifically, the present disclosure generally relates to a device for supporting an existing structure, usually a soft story structure that is in a weakened condition and might collapse.
Moment frames or moment-resisting frames are generally rectilinear assemblage of beams and columns, with the beams rigidly connected to the columns. The purpose of a moment frame is to resist lateral forces, typically caused by earth-quakes or high storm winds. The resistance to lateral forces is provided by rigid frame action, i.e. the development of bending moment and shear force in the frame joints, beams, and columns. Preferably, a moment frame is unable to be moved laterally without the beams or columns bending.
Moment-resisting frames in construction have been used since the late 1800's and led to the rise of tall buildings throughout the world. Importantly, these frames are cut to specification and are riveted or welded in a manner that is not adjustable.
After an earthquake, soft story buildings (building without steel frame constructions) often sustain damage, but are not destroyed. These damaged buildings may later collapse, which can cause further damage and injury. Before the device of the present disclosure, these soft story buildings, either before or after an earthquake, can be seismically retrofitted with supports that may prevent the collapse of the building. Examples of the support may be a moment column or a moment frame (columns and beams). Most moment frames include two vertical members (columns) that are connected by a horizontal member (beam), and the three members form a rigid and strong frame for whatever portion of the building they support. Before the device of the present disclosure, moment frames were not adjustable. If the frame arrives at the site and is too large, it has to be cut down or a smaller frame must be ordered. If the frame arrives at the site and it is too small, a larger frame must be ordered.
Accordingly, what is needed a new moment frame that is adjustable.
To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present specification discloses an adjustable moment frame.
One embodiment may be an adjustable moment frame, comprising: one or more base columns; one or more substantially vertical beams; one or more connectors; and at least one substantially horizontal beam. The connectors, columns, and beams may be fastened together with one or more fasteners on site and the parts may fit together in various configurations to allow the frame created to be adjustable in length and height.
Although the preferred use for the adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure is for soft story buildings, other structures might benefit from being retrofitted or supported by the adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure. Additionally, although the frame of the present disclosure may be most useful in retrofitting structures that have sustained damage and are in danger of collapse. The frame of the present disclosure may be used in new construction, retrofitting undamaged buildings, or for adding an industrial design flair to existing spaces.
The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure eliminates the need for exact size frame ordering and manufacturing due to the ability to be adjusted in the field at the building site. This significantly reduces the cost of manufacture as one adjustable moment frame set can be used at a variety of projects and in a variety of different-sized structures.
The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may be installed in buildings with imperfections due to out-of-level beams, ceilings, slabs, floors and vertically out-of-plumb walls, columns and posts. The adjustability allows for the adjustable moment frame to compensate for these imperfections and provide superior support.
The adjustable moment frame may be assembled using nuts, bolts, and washers at the building site. All that is needed is to ship the disassembled parts of the frame. Because the parts are separable, they are much easier to transport. The adjustable moment frame may be transported via a light duty commercial vehicle, such as a pickup truck. It may be off loaded by hand without the necessity of using a fork lift. Moment frames other than the frames of the present disclosure, are typically shipped in one very large piece and require large trucks and forklifts to transport and load/unload.
Although the adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may be welded once put together, it does not have to be welded and may eliminate the need for field welding, on site regulatory inspections, building evacuations (due to welding fumes and hazards), and a fire prevention observer during the welding.
The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may travel through and around confined areas, such as, building openings, hallways, windows, and doors. This is because it may be transported in disassembled pieces.
The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may substantially eliminate the need for ordering and manufacturing exact sizes of moment frames, because the frame of the present disclosure is adjustable and may be fitted to buildings, rooms, and structures of various heights and lengths.
These, as well as other components, steps, features, objects, benefits, and advantages, will now become clear from a review of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, and of the claim.
The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details which may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps which are illustrated. When the same numeral appears in different drawings, it refers to the same or like components or steps.
Before the present methods and systems are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the methods and systems are not limited to specific methods, specific components, or to particular implementations. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.
As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.
“Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.
Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word “comprise” and variations of the word, such as “comprising” and “comprises,” means “including but not limited to,” and is not intended to exclude, for example, other components, integers or steps. “Exemplary” means “an example of” and is not intended to convey an indication of a preferred or ideal embodiment. “Such as” is not used in a restrictive sense, but for explanatory purposes.
Disclosed are components that may be used to perform the disclosed methods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein, and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that while specific reference of each various individual and collective combinations and permutation of these may not be explicitly disclosed, each is specifically contemplated and described herein, for all methods and systems. This applies to all embodiments of this application including, but not limited to, steps in disclosed methods. Thus, if there are a variety of additional steps that may be performed it is understood that each of these additional steps may be performed with any specific embodiment or combination of embodiments of the disclosed methods.
The present methods and systems may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and the examples included therein and to the Figures and their previous and following description.
In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments. For purposes of the specification, unless otherwise specified, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, in one embodiment, an object that is “substantially” located within a housing would mean that the object is either completely within a housing or nearly completely within a housing. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking, the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. The use of “substantially” is also equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result.
As used herein, the terms “approximately” and “about” generally refer to a deviance of within 5% of the indicated number or range of numbers. In one embodiment, the term “approximately” and “about”, may refer to a deviance of between 0.001-10% from the indicated number or range of numbers.
Various embodiments are now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. It may be evident, however, that the various embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate describing these embodiments.
Various embodiments presented in terms of systems may comprise a number of components, modules, and the like. It is to be understood and appreciated that the various systems may include additional components, modules, etc. and/or may not include all of the components, modules, etc. discussed in connection with the figures. A combination of these approaches may also be used.
The pieces, portions, or parts of the adjustable moment frame may be made from high strength steel and are interconnected via connectors, such as high strength bolts or rivets. The joints and side pieces may removeably interconnect in many ways, such as channel guided or hollow structural section (HSS) tube. The bolts may be combined with nuts and washers to secure the parts together.
Although the Figures show embodiments designed for single or double story structure, the adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may be used for multistory structures and multiple sections. Although only T and corner connectors are shown, it should be understood that other connection configurations may be used, including diagonal and pyramidal. The term “connector”, as used herein, refers to a structure that connects a vertical column with a horizontal, substantially horizontal, or diagonal beam, or that connects two of the following: horizontal beam, substantially horizontal beam, and a diagonal beam. A connector may also connect two or more beams to a column. The term “beam”, as used herein, refers to a vertical, substantially vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or substantially horizontal length of rigid material. The term “column” or “base column”, as used herein, refers to a vertical or substantially vertical length of rigid material that connects to a vertical or substantially vertical beam and a surface. The adjustable moment frame may use multiple connectors to the beams, posts, columns in any direction, including six (6) directions or more.
Although the word adjustable is used to describe how the pieces of the adjustable moment frame fit together, the frame may also be described as extendable, expandable, telescopes, telescopic, telescoping, expandable, lengthening, on-site adjustable, etc.
The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may be an adjustable, extendable, expandable, telescopic, or telescoping moment frame. The adjustable moment frame may comprise parts called pieces, portions, connectors, connections, sections, bases, plates, posts, columns, beams, fasteners, bolts, attachment points, washers, nuts, wood, platings, or coatings.
The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may be a structural steel frame that is fabricated in pieces and assembled on the site of usage, and then attached to an existing building to strengthen the building. The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may help protect a building from collapse and or heavy damages caused from a seismic event. The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure parts may have multiple connection points allowing the frame to adapt to various heights and widths of a structure allowing the frame to be field fitted to a variety of building/room/frame sizes.
The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may be adjusted in the field to various building dimensions making it easily adaptable to an existing building's frame, and to strengthen the structure, thereby preventing heavy damage and or collapse from a past, current, or future seismic event. The variety of connection points that may be manufactured into the adjustable moment frame's parts allow the adjustable moment frame to adjust to various widths and heights.
These attachment points 190, as shown in
In some embodiments, after the beams are bolted to the connectors and columns, the parts may be welded, such that frame is permanently set and extra strength is provided. If no welding is used, then the frame may be unbolted and removed to be used on a different project or it may be adjusted to fit the structure better.
The base columns 150, 151, 152, which are shown as bolted to the substantially vertical beams 130, 131, 132, may be bolted to the surface 160, 161, 162. The surface may be concrete foundation block as shown, or some other reinforced base, floor, or surface. The base columns 150, 151, 152, may be bolted to the surface with fasteners, such as bolts and nuts, four fasteners as shown. The base columns 150, 151, 152, may sit on a layer of non-shrink grout. The bolts may include or be combined with nuts and washers to secure the parts together.
The variability of the length and width of the frame 100 is determined by how many attachment points the substantially horizontal beams 110, 120, substantially vertical beams 130, 131, 132, connectors 140, 141, 142, and base columns 150, 151, 152, have. The more attachment points there are that are spaced longitudinally at the ends of the parts, the more variability there is in the height 195 and length 196, 197. The frame 100 shown is an exemplar that may adjust between 8-10 feet in height 195, 14-16 feet in length 196, and 8-10 feet in length 197.
Although
In one embodiment, the top part of the frame 100 is assembled by determining how long the frame 100 needs to be, connecting the one or more substantially horizontal beams 110, 120, to one or more of the connectors 140, 141, 142, wherein the attachment points of the beams and connectors are selected based on the desired length of the frame 100. The needed height of the frame is then determined and the connectors that are used may be then connected to one or more of the substantially vertical beams 130, 131, 132, by the fasteners, at the attachment points, such that the desired height is achievable. The base columns 150, 151, 152 may then be connected to the substantially vertical beams 130, 131, 132 and the surface 160, 161, 162. Because the height and length of the frame 100 is adjustable, the frames made from the parts of the adjustable moment frames may be adapted to fit a very wide variety structure sizes. Moreover, the frame may be made from as few as one substantially horizontal beam, two corner connectors, two substantially vertical connectors, and two base columns. The T-connector provides the ability to have the length be even more flexible and can essentially allow for numerous connections and an endless length. Because the frame may be assembled at the structure or site, the various parts of the adjustable moment frame may be shipped in small batches, which means a heavy truck, crane, and or forklift are not necessary for transporting and moving the frame.
When the beams connect with the connectors, multiple beam/connector configurations may be formed. When the beams connect with the base columns, multiple beam/column configurations may be formed. The configurations are based on the changeable alignment of the holes of the beams, columns, and connectors.
The adjustable moment frame of the present disclosure may comprise: a base connector, one or more columns, one or more intersection connectors, and substantially horizontal beam section. The parts may be fastened together using nuts, bolts, and washers. These parts can be fastened at various connection points (holes, notches, etc.) to be fitted to a specific height and width of the building/structure to be supported.
The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a specific order. Accordingly, where a method claim does not actually recite an order to be followed by its steps or it is not otherwise specifically stated in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is in no way intended that an order be inferred, in any respect. This holds for any possible non-express basis for interpretation, including: matters of logic with respect to arrangement of steps or operational flow; plain meaning derived from grammatical organization or punctuation; the number or type of embodiments described in the specification.
It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope or spirit. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
This U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/460,204, filed Feb. 17, 2017, entitled “ADJUSTABLE MOMENT FRAME”, by inventor Robert J. L. Collins, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference as though set forth in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62460204 | Feb 2017 | US |
