Patent Application
20090107075
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building panel assemblies. More particularly, the present invention relates to fluted decks that are secured to underlying support structures. Additionally, the present invention relates to fastening techniques for securing the deck section to end supports and intermediate supports.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
In the construction of modern buildings, there is erected a steel skeleton. It is necessary to have floors in the buildings. The floors are generally concrete floors. The steel buildings often have steel roofing. In the construction of these buildings, the steel skeleton has steel beams. Steel panels are placed on the steel beams so as to form the roofing of the building. It is necessary to definitely position the steel panels with respect to each other. These steel panels are typically in the form of fluted decking. In other words, this fluted decking is formed of corrugated sheets of steel. Each of the sheets of steel has a high flute and a low flute. On one side of the sheet, there is an upright edge. On the other side of the sheet of steel, there is an envelope to receive the upright edge of the adjacent sheet of steel. The adjacent steel panels are bonded together, typically by a manually-operated crimping tool. The operator actuates the crimping tool and makes a dent in each side of the envelopes of the steel form and also in the upright edge of the next adjacent steel panel. The dent definitely positions the panels with respect to each other. The welder tack welds the panels to the underlying beam so as to position the panels onto the beam.
During the formation of roofing, it is important that the joints are secured together so as to prevent one panel from lifting off the other. It is often important to prevent the panels from shifting laterally with respect to each other along the beam. In view of the inherent forces created by wind, it is important to place the panels on the underlying beam structure in such a manner so as to withstand the forces imparted by wind and also to satisfy the shear strength requirements for the roofing. Ultimately, the roof section must be joined together with sufficient integrity to prevent the panels from separating from each other or shifting laterally under the presence of strong shear forces.
In the past, techniques have been provided whereby the fluted decking is joined to the end supports and the intermediate supports of the building. Typically, the fluted decking is laid upon such end supports and intermediate supports. Fasteners are secured in the low flutes of the fluted decking so as to fasten the low flutes directly to the top surface of the underlying end supports and intermediate supports. In typical practice, the same number of fasteners are applied so as to join the fluted decking to the end supports as the number of fasteners used to join the fluted decking to the intermediate support. The side laps of the adjacent decks are joined together through various connection techniques, such as welding or penetrating clinch connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,108, issued on Apr. 4, 2006 to the present inventor, shows a punching tool for connecting the side laps of the decking sections together. This punching tool includes a frame, a die fixedly and non-pivotally supported by the frame, a punch arm pivotally mounted on the frame, a mating die affixed to the punch arm, and an actuator interconnected to the punch arm. The punch arm is movable between a position in which the mating die engages the die and a second position in which the mating die is spaced from the die. The actuator serves to move the mating die between the first and second positions. A handle is connected to the frame and extends outwardly therefrom. The tool has surfaces for holding inserts, such as male and female dies. The male die has a generally triangular cross section. The female die has a generally inverted V-shaped configuration. The die include a plurality of female dies arranged in spaced-apart linear alignment and generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the frame. The cooperation of the dies will create a “snake bite” cut in the adjoining sections of steel flooring, roofing and decking.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,781, issued on Jan. 31, 2006 to the present inventor, discloses a decking assembly having a first deck section with a male leg and a second deck positioned adjacent to and in overlapping relationship to the first deck section. The second deck section has a female leg overlying the male leg of the first deck section. The male leg and the female leg have a triangular tab formed therethrough such that the triangular tab extends outwardly on one side of the female leg so as to secure the edges of the sections together in secure relationship. A plurality of triangular tabs are formed in spaced relationship to each other.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a building panel assembly that effectively positions fluted decking onto end and intermediate supports.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a building panel assembly that minimizes the number of fasteners required so as to properly withstand shear forces.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a building panel assembly whereby the steel fluted deck can be used as a shear element in buildings.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a building panel assembly which improves the efficiency of building panel installation.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.
The present invention is a building panel assembly comprising a first end support, a second end support in generally spaced parallel relationship to the first end support, an intermediate support positioned between the end supports and in spaced parallel relationship thereto, a deck positioned on the end supports and the intermediate support, a plurality of first fasteners securing the deck to the first end support, a plurality of second fasteners securing the deck to the second end support, and a plurality of third fasteners securing the deck to the intermediate support. The deck has a plurality of low flutes extending in parallel relationship to each other and extending across the deck in transverse relationship to the first and second end supports. The plurality of first fasteners are affixed in the low flutes of the deck. The plurality of second fasteners are also affixed in the low flutes of the deck. The plurality of third fasteners are further affixed in the low flutes of the deck. In the present invention, the plurality of third fasteners is fewer in number than the number of the first fasteners or the number of second fasteners.
In the present invention, the plurality of first fasteners are affixed in each and every one of the plurality of low flutes of the deck. Similarly, the plurality of second fasteners are affixed in each and every one of the plurality of low flutes of the deck. The plurality of third fasteners are affixed in every other low flute of the plurality of flutes of the deck. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the deck has seven low flutes. The plurality of third fasteners is a total of four fasteners.
The deck has a first side lap extending transverse to the first and second end supports along one edge of the deck. The deck has a second side lap extending transverse to the end supports along an opposite edge of the deck. The deck has one of the plurality of low flutes adjacent the first side lap and another of the plurality of low flutes adjacent the second side lap. Each of the low flutes adjacent the side laps has one of the plurality of third fasteners affixed thereto. The deck also has a low flute on a side of the flute adjacent to the first side lap which has no fasteners therein. The deck has a low flute on a side of the low flute adjacent the second side lap which has no fastener from the plurality of third fasteners therein.
The deck has a plurality of high flutes that are positioned respectively between adjacent low flutes of the plurality of low flutes. The plurality of high flutes have no fasteners therein. Each of the plurality of first, second and third fasteners is a pin. Alternatively, each of the first, second and third fasteners is an arc spot weld.
In the building panel assembly of the present invention, there can be a second deck that is affixed in edge-to-edge relationship to the first deck. The second deck has a configuration identical to that of the first deck. The first side lap of the first deck is affixed to the first side lap of the second deck. The side laps of the first and second decks are joined together by a penetrating clinch connections. Alternatively, the side laps can be joined together by welding. The second deck also resides on the first and second end supports and the intermediate supports.
Referring to
A plurality of first fasteners 30 are affixed in the low flutes 20 of the deck 18. The plurality of first fasteners 30 serve to secure the deck 18 to the first end support 12. The first fasteners 30 are affixed in each and every one of the low flutes 20 so as to provide a secure connection with the top surface 32 of the first end support 12. A plurality of second fasteners 34 are affixed in the low flutes 20 of the deck 18. This plurality of second fasteners 34 serves to secure the opposite side of the deck 18 to the second end support 14. The second fasteners 34 are affixed in each and every one of the low flutes 20 of the deck 18. A plurality of third fasteners 36 are affixed in the low flutes 20 of the deck so as to secure the deck 18 to the intermediate support 16. As can be seen, the number of first fasteners 30 totals seven fasteners. The number of second fasteners 34 totals seven fasteners. The number of third fasteners 36 totals four fasteners. Ultimately, in the concept of the present invention, the number of third fasteners 36 should be less than the number of first fasteners 30 or the number of second fasteners 34. The third fasteners 36 are positioned in alternating low flutes 20. In other words, one of the third fasteners 36 is positioned adjacent to the side lap 26. Another of the third fasteners 36 is positioned in the low flutes 20 adjacent to the second side lap 28. The low flutes 20 adjacent to the low flute 20 that is next to the side lap 26 is free of any third fasteners 36. Similarly, the low flute adjacent to the low flute 20 that is next to the second side lap 28 is free of any third fasteners 36. The central low flute 20 is also free of any third fasteners 36.
As used herein, the first fasteners 30, the second fasteners 34 and the third fasteners 36 can be pins or arc spot welds. Each of the end supports 12 and 14 is an I-beam. Similarly, the intermediate support 16 is an I-beam. Each of the fasteners 30, 34 and 36 secures the deck 18 to the top surface of each of the supports 12, 14 and 16.
The building panel assembly 10 of the present invention is the result of testing. This testing indicated that the number of fasteners to the intermediate support 16 are not a source of diaphragm failure in shear for the building panel. Unlike the prior art, the present invention does not utilize the same number of third fasteners 36 as compared with first fasteners 30 and second fasteners 34. The testing shows that the reduction of the number of third fasteners 36 does not reduce the shear capacity of the deck 18.
The following table illustrates a comparison of shear performance between deck assemblies of prior art and assemblies of the present invention. Prior art assemblies have the number of third fasteners 36 equal to the number of first fasteners 30 and second fasteners 34 (shear values in the column labeled “Shear 2”). The present invention assemblies have the number of third fasteners 36 less than the number of first fasteners 30 and second fasteners 34 (shear values in the column labeled “Shear 1”).
The “Test” column identifies a number of different tests that were performed using decks 18 having low flutes 20 and upper flutes 22 as described above. The decks 18 in each test had a length of thirty-six inches. Each deck also had a gage, the value being indicated in the “Gage” column, ranging from 16-22. The different varieties of fasteners used to fix the decks 18 to the support beams for purposes of testing are indicated in the “Fastener” column. The last two rows indicate that the deck 18 was affixed to the supports 12, 14, and 16 by arc spot welds and not fasteners.
Shear 1 is the shear tolerance of the assembly of the present invention. Shear 2 is the shear tolerance of the prior art assembly. The value of Shear 1 is the shear tolerance of the deck 18 fastened to supports 12, 14, and 16 using four third fasteners 36 to fix the deck 18 to intermediate support 16, and seven first and second fasteners 30 and 34 to fix the deck 18 to each of first and second supports 12 and 14, respectively. The value of Shear 2 is the shear tolerance of the deck 18 fastened to supports 12, 14, and 16 using seven third fasteners 36 to fix the deck 18 to intermediate support 16, and seven first and second fasteners 30 and 34 to fix the deck 18 to each of first and second supports 12 and 14, respectively.
As can be seen in Table I, the performance of the present invention is almost identical to the performance of the prior art. That is, when the differences between Shear 1 and Shear 2 are compared, using four third fasteners 36 decreases the shear strength of the deck 18 by only a small percentage, ranging from −1% to −14%. In tests “H2-07” and “W1-07,” the shear tolerance is actually increased by using only four third fasteners 36, valuing 30% and 19%, respectively. The results in Table I above show the assembly of the deck 18 onto the supports 12, 14 and 16 according to the present invention is just as strong, if not stronger, and simpler, requires fewer fasteners, and requires less labor in installation than prior art assemblies.
The second deck 40 also includes a plurality of low flutes 44 that are joined by first fasteners 30 to the top surface 32 of first end support 12. The second deck 40 also includes high flutes 46 extending between adjacent low flutes 44. A second side lap 48 is formed at the edge of the second deck 40 opposite to the first side lap 42. The second side lap 48 is in the form of an upright member suitable for joining to the U-shaped envelope of a side lap of another panel.
In
In order to effect the joining of the decks 200 and 209 together at the side laps 207 and 223, a punch tool is applied so as to create the punches 206, 208 and 210. The punches 206, 208 and 210 assure a proper connection between the decks 200 and 209. The formation of these triangular-shaped cuts associated with punches 206, 208 and 210 will prevent any lateral shifting of the decks 200 and 209 with respect to each other. Also, the punches 206, 208 and 210 will establish a suitable connection to prevent the sections 200 and 209 from pulling away from each other. As such, this method of crimping and joining, in the nature of penetrating clinch connections, assures a proper connection between the adjacent deck sections.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction can be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.
