Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
052167300 | Cross bracing | 31 |
20080229683 | Buckling restrained brace for structural reinforcement and seismic energy dissipation and method of producing same - A buckling restrained brace includes a deformable core contained within an outer casing. Ends of the core protrude from the casing for connection to a frame or other structure. A length of the deformable core between its ends, referred to as the gauge or yielding section, is capable of deforming during an earthquake or blast loading. The gauge section is differentially heat treated from the ends so that the gauge section has a lower yield strength than the ends. The casing provides containment of the core to prevent buckling of the core. A metal foil interface or unbonding layer is provided between the deformable core and the casing so that the deformable core does not bind to the casing. The buckling restrained brace provides significant performance improvements over prior art BRBs coupled with simplified assembly. | 09-25-2008 |
20080250732 | Shock-absorbing tie brace - A shock-absorbing tie brace has a supporting member and two containment members. The supporting member has at least one central member. Each central member has a resilient body and at least two side members. The resilient body has at least one pair of-opposite nonlinear edges. The side members respectively have a straight edge and a nonlinear edge corresponding to one of the nonlinear edges of the resilient body. The side members are mounted at the nonlinear edges of the resilient body to define a gap between each side member and the corresponding nonlinear edge of the resilient body. The containment members are mounted respectively on the top and bottom of the supporting member and are attached to corresponding side members of the at least one central member. Each containment member has a stuffing material stuffed in the containment member. | 10-16-2008 |
20080289267 | SEISMIC STRUCTURAL DEVICE - A pin-fuse frame is used in a frame assembly that may be subject to extreme seismic loading. The pin-fuse frame includes of columns, beams, plate assemblies that extend between columns and beams, and may included a diagonal brace. The plate assemblies are fixed to the columns and attached to the beams and brace via pin joints. A joint includes a pin connection through outer connection plates connected to a column and inner connection plates connected to a beam. Connecting rods positioned about the pin maintain a coefficient of friction until exposed to extreme seismic activity, at which time the joint accommodates a slippage of at least one of the inner and outer connection plates relative to each other rotationally about the pin. The diagonal brace is separated into two segments connected together with connection plates. These connection plates accommodate a slippage of the segments relative to each other. | 11-27-2008 |
20080295420 | Frame damper bracing - A damper brace for use in a rectangular structural building frame pane which pane is defined by interconnecting beams and columns includes a formed rigid triangle having an apex, and a force-adjustable, relative-motion braking structure operatively interposed the rigid-triangle apex and one of the frame beams forming the pane. | 12-04-2008 |
20090025311 | Seismic support and reinforcement systems - The present invention includes a set of reinforcement and support devices for existing or new roof, ceiling and/or floor systems together with numerous variations that may be installed into existing buildings or new buildings to help prevent separation of wood or metal roof, ceiling and/or floor systems from the concrete, masonry or other types of wails supporting these systems in commercial, industrial and/or residential buildings. One embodiment includes a set of three brackets that are installed in a triangularly shaped arrangement along a side of a primary support beam and to the wall underneath a ledger, thus anchoring the support beam to the wall of the structure and stabilizing the roof, ceiling or floor it supports. Another embodiment includes a single integrated unit that attaches to the wall underneath the ledger and to an adjacent support board, thus anchoring the support board (and the system it supports) to the wall of the structure. Another embodiment includes an angle iron with predrilled holes that attaches through the ledger directly to the wall to reinforce the ledger and extend the area of horizontal support provided by the ledger. Other embodiments provide support structures that may be attached and arranged to provide specific structural support at designated locations, and/or to provide wall-to-wall structural support across the span of a roof, ceiling or floor. All embodiments may be adapted for use with ceilings, roofs or floors. | 01-29-2009 |
20090025312 | Seismic support and reinforcement systems - The present invention includes a set of reinforcement and support devices for existing or new roof, ceiling and/or floor systems together with numerous variations that may be installed into existing buildings or new buildings to help prevent separation of wood or metal roof, ceiling and/or floor systems from the concrete, masonry or other types of walls supporting these systems in commercial, industrial and/or residential buildings. One embodiment includes a set of three brackets that are installed in a triangularly shaped arrangement along a side of a primary support beam and to the wall underneath a ledger, thus anchoring the support beam to the wall of the structure and stabilizing the roof, ceiling or floor it supports. Another embodiment includes a single integrated unit that attaches to the wall underneath the ledger and to an adjacent support board, thus anchoring the support board (and the system it supports) to the wall of the structure. Another embodiment includes an angle iron with predrilled holes that attaches through the ledger directly to the wall to reinforce the ledger and extend the area of horizontal support provided by the ledger. Other embodiments provide support structures that may be attached and arranged to provide specific structural support at designated locations, and/or to provide wall-to-wall structural support across the span of a roof, ceiling or floor. All embodiments may be adapted for use with ceilings, roofs or floors. | 01-29-2009 |
20090183443 | UNIVERSAL STRUCTURAL ATTACHMENT FOR SEISMIC BRACE - A structural attachment fitting for bracing includes a clamp, and a bracket pivotally coupled to the clamp. The structural attachment fitting is part of a sway brace assembly for providing sway bracing for a conduit, pipe, or other system. The clamp is a generally C-shape clamp having a slot for receiving different types of sway braces, such as pipe, angle, or strut. The slot has multiple sections or parts configured to receive different thicknesses of material. A lower leg of the clamp may have a rounded top surface that better engages a pipe used as a sway brace. A set screw of the clamp is tightened to presses the sway brace against a step on the lower leg of the clamp. The set screw is angled toward a closed end of the slot. The pressing of the set screw tip against the sway brace deforms the sway brace material. | 07-23-2009 |
20100005737 | BUCKLING RESTRAINED BRACE - A buckling restrained brace includes an axial member and a restraining unit. The axial member extends along an axial direction, and has two coupling sections for connecting respectively to two connecting plates of a framework of a building, and a middle section connected between the coupling sections. Each coupling section has a supplying plate portion coplanar with an elongated plate body of the middle section, and a contacting plate portion extending perpendicularly from the supporting plate portion. An outer end of the supplying plate portion of each coupling section has a groove formed therethrough along a transverse direction of the axial member, extending along the axial direction, and permitting a respective one of the connecting plates to engage fittingly therewith and contact the corresponding contacting plate portion. | 01-14-2010 |
20100018134 | SHOCK-ABSORBING TIE BRACE - A shock-absorbing tie brace has a central member and an outer frame. The central member has two ends and multiple neck portions. Each neck portion has a dimension of cross section smaller than that of the ends to form multiple enlarged portions beside the neck portions on the central member. The outer frame is mounted around and encloses the central member. Accordingly, the shock-absorbing tie brace has an excellent capability for bearing buckling load and is not easily bent or buckled. | 01-28-2010 |
20100058681 | HOLD DOWN CONNECTOR - A hold down connector is provided for securing together multiple building members. The hold down connector resists movement of the building members when connected to an elongated tie member. In one embodiment, the hold down connector includes a transverse portion connected to first and second elongated legs with at least one aperture at elongated connections between the transverse portion and the first leg and between the transverse portion and second leg. In another embodiment, the hold down connector includes a transverse portion connected to first and second elongated legs with the transverse portion partially supported by transverse extensions of the first and second legs. A hold down connector in accordance with embodiments results in increased load bearing properties, construction from thicker materials, and easy installation. | 03-11-2010 |
20100107518 | SEISMIC ATTACHMENT MEMBER - A seismic bracing assembly has a first subassembly and a second subassembly that are connected by a sleeve. The first subassembly has a structural yoke used to secure the first subassembly to a structural member. The second subassembly has another yoke used to secure the second subassembly to an anchoring member. The first and second subassembly have a sufficient length to allow rough in assembly of the two subassemblies with the sleeve that couples them together. | 05-06-2010 |
20100192485 | SEISMIC STRUCTURAL DEVICE - A pin-fuse frame used in a frame assembly that may be subject to extreme seismic loading. The pin-fuse frame includes of columns, beams, plate assemblies that extend between columns and beams, and may included a diagonal brace. The plate assemblies are fixed to the columns and attached to the beams and brace via pin joints. A joint includes a pin connection through outer connection plates connected to a column and inner connection plates connected to a beam. Connecting rods positioned about the pin maintain a coefficient of friction until exposed to extreme seismic activity, at which time the joint accommodates a slippage of at least one of the inner and outer connection plates relative to each other rotationally about the pin. The diagonal brace is separated into two segments connected together with connection plates. These connection plates accommodate a slippage of the segments relative to each other. | 08-05-2010 |
20100205876 | CAST STRUCTURAL YIELDING FUSE - A yielding fuse device is provided for use in association with a brace member in a bracing assembly for a structural frame. The device includes arms or elements that yield flexurally when a bracing member moves in an axial direction, with the bracing assembly under either tension or compression loading conditions. The device of the present invention is particularly useful as a mass customized cast device. The device is well suited for seismic bracing applications. | 08-19-2010 |
20100313496 | ENERGY DISSIPATION DAMPER SYSTEM IN STRUCTURE SUBJECT TO DYNAMIC LOADING - A damper system for installation in a structure to dissipate seismic and wind energy transmitted to the structure, includes first and second pairs of elongated members forming an outer parallelogram, third and fourth pairs of elongated members forming an inner parallelogram, and a pair of energy dissipating devices connected between the parallelograms for dissipating the energy transmitted to the structure. | 12-16-2010 |
20100319274 | SHOCK-ABSORBING TIE BRACE - A shock-absorbing tie brace has a central member and an outer frame. The central member has two ends and multiple neck portions. The neck portions are formed between the ends to form at least one enlarged portion between the neck portions. Each neck portion has a height (Hn) relative to the central line smaller than a height (He) of each one of the at least one enlarged portion, and a proportion of the height (Hc) of each neck to the height (He) of any one of the at least one enlarged portion is o.1 to 0.99. The outer frame is mounted around and encloses the central member. Accordingly, the shock-absorbing tie brace has an excellent capability for bearing buckling load and is not easily bent or buckled. | 12-23-2010 |
20110041425 | BUCKLING RESTRAINED BRACE FOR STRUCTURAL REINFORCEMENT AND SEISMIC ENERGY DISSIPATION - A buckling restrained brace includes a deformable core contained within an outer casing. Ends of the core protrude from the casing for connection to a frame or other structure. A length of the deformable core between its ends, referred to as the gauge or yielding section, is capable of deforming during an earthquake or blast loading. The gauge section is differentially heat treated from the ends so that the gauge section has a lower yield strength than the ends. The casing provides containment of the core to prevent buckling of the core. A metal foil interface or unbonding layer is provided between the deformable core and the casing so that the deformable core does not bind to the casing. The buckling restrained brace provides significant performance improvements over prior art BRBs coupled with simplified assembly. | 02-24-2011 |
20110131896 | REINFORCING BRACE FRAME - A reinforcing brace frame for providing lateral and seismic support when used in a multi-story light-gauge steel/wood framed building is disclosed. The reinforcing brace frame comprises a horizontally extending upper metallic frame member, a pair of spaced metallic frame members having a lower end and an upper end, at least one metallic diagonal member, a plurality of slots and at least one abutting tube having a proximal end and a distal end. The pair of spaced metallic frame members is vertically extended and rigidly connected at opposite ends of the upper metallic frame member to form a rigid upright tubular frame. The reinforcing brace frame is stacked and connected by means of the at least one abutting tube which is then bolted in place using at least one attachment means to secure subsequent reinforcing brace frames to resist lateral seismic loads. | 06-09-2011 |
20110239551 | Self-centering compact damper unit applicable to structures for seismic energy dissipation - The damper unit | 10-06-2011 |
20120060432 | FORCE-RESISTING DEVICES AND METHODS FOR STRUCTURES - In accordance with the present invention there is provided a force-resisting device for transmitting forces and dissipating and absorbing energy across a discontinuous structural element of a structure. The device includes at least one active element, the active element having defined force versus deflection properties and able to transmit force and dissipate and absorb energy, one end of the active element configured to be connected to a structure, and at least one frame element disposed about a discontinuous structural element, wherein the frame is configured to be connected to a second end of the active element, wherein the active element and the frame element configured to resist forces applied to the structure by transmitting forces across the discontinuous structural element. | 03-15-2012 |
20120167490 | STRUCTURAL PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR BUILDINGS - A structural protection system of buildings is described, comprising at least one bearing structure ( | 07-05-2012 |
20120266548 | SELF-CENTERING ENERGY DISSIPATIVE BRACE APPARATUS WITH TENSIONING ELEMENTS - The present invention generally relates to a self-centering energy dissipative brace apparatus. A bracing system is often needed to stabilize, strengthen or stiffen structures such as buildings which are subjected to severe or extreme conditions. The brace apparatus may be installed in a structure to dissipate input energy and minimize residual deformations related to exceptional loading imposed on the structure by winds, earthquakes, impacts or explosions. The apparatus integrates self-centering properties and energy dissipative capacities which help minimize structural damage. | 10-25-2012 |
20130139452 | BUCKLING RESTRAINED BRACE - A buckling restrained brace includes an axial member, a plurality of restraining members, and a plurality of securing units. The axial member includes a middle section extending in an axial direction, and two coupling sections extending respectively from opposite ends of the middle section and coupled fixedly to two connecting plates of a framework of a building. The restraining members extend in the axial direction and are disposed around and contact the axial member. Each securing unit secures an adjacent pair of the restraining members together. Each restraining member cooperates with an adjacent one of the restraining members to define an opening therebetween through which a portion of the axial member is exposed for viewing. | 06-06-2013 |
20130152490 | BUCKLING-RESTRAINED BRACE - Disclosed is a buckling restrained brace which is a core plate inside a tube, with the plate prevented from buckling by being surrounded by the tube. The core plate is provided with a layer of discrete springs adjacent the core plate, with the interior of the tube otherwise filled with cement. The layer of discrete springs may be cardboard of other material. The layer of discrete springs defines a space between the core plate and the concrete, to allow for expansion of the core plate under compression from the ends. | 06-20-2013 |
20130205690 | BUCKLING-RESTRAINED BRACE - Disclosed is a buckling restrained brace which is a core plate inside a tube, with the plate prevented from buckling by being surrounded by the tube. The core plate is provided with a layer of discrete springs adjacent the core plate, with the interior of the tube otherwise filled with cement. The layer of discrete springs may be cardboard of other material. The layer of discrete springs defines a space between the core plate and the concrete, to allow for expansion of the core plate under compression from the ends. | 08-15-2013 |
20140020311 | BRACED FRAME FORCE DISTRIBUTION CONNECTION - A structural framework that includes a column, a beam, a brace beam coupled at an angle to the column and the beam, and a gusset plate to connect the brace beam with the column and the beam. The framework also includes a shear plate with horizontally slotted holes to couple to the column to the beam. The structural framework may also include double framing angles or a flex plate coupled to the gusset plate and to the beam via spacer plates to provide for a semi-rigid connection. | 01-23-2014 |
20140041320 | SEISMIC-INCURRED-RUPTURE-RESISTANT DEFORMATION-RECORDABLE BUCKLING-RESTRAINED BRACE AND FABRICATING METHOD THEREOF - The present invention provides a seismic-incurred-rupture-resistant deformation-recordable buckling-restrained brace and a fabricating method thereof, which includes a concrete filled steel tubular outer sleeve. A core plate is disposed in the concrete filled steel tubular outer sleeve, and an end portion of the core plate is provided with a core plate stiffening rib. A brace deformation recording device includes two toothed racks, a ratchet gear, a first cord spool, and a second cord spool. The two toothed racks are fixed on the core plate stiffening rib, and ratchet pawls in the length direction thereof face opposite directions. The ratchet gear is fixedly connected to the concrete filled steel tubular outer sleeve. The ratchet gear is disposed between the two toothed racks. A tooth on the ratchet gear is engaged with a ratchet pawl. The first cord spool is fixed on the ratchet gear. The second cord spool is fixed on the core plate stiffening rib. A dual-function part is formed of a steel cable, a PVC bushing, and an anchorage device, and in addition to having a function of preventing the brace core plate reaching the fatigue limit from rupturing under tension, this part further has a function of compensating asymmetric tension and compression. Compared with a regular buckling-restrained brace, the present invention achieves greater safety, and can record the accumulated deformation and the maximum deformation of the buckling-restrained brace. | 02-13-2014 |
20140059950 | Buckling-Restrained Brace Assembly - The disclosed subject matter is directed to a building structural bracing apparatus having an inner core element sandwiched between an upper and a lower containment web. The brace frame being useful in the construction of earthquake and blast resistant structures where energy dissipation is desired. | 03-06-2014 |
20140311059 | MOMENT FRAME LINKS WALL - A lateral bracing system having high initial stiffness and including yield links capable of effectively dissipating stresses generated within the lateral bracing system under lateral loads. | 10-23-2014 |
20150135611 | STAGGERED TRUSS SYSTEM WITH CONTROLLED FORCE SLIP JOINTS - A truss for use in a staggered truss system in provided. The truss includes at least one slip joint for allowing relative movement between the top chord of the truss and the bottom chord of the truss. The staggered truss system may be suitable for use in seismic regions. | 05-21-2015 |
20160017625 | Self-Centering Braced Frame for Seismic Resistance in Buildings - An elongated tension-only or centering brace for a structural frame is provided where the brace is anchored at a first attachment point and to a second attachment point that is removed from the first attachment point. The elongated tension-only brace has one or more elastic restoring force elements that have effective lengths greater than the length of the tension only brace between the attachment points. | 01-21-2016 |
20160060888 | STRUCTURAL BRACES AND RELATED METHODS - A structural device includes a first deformable member configured to absorb at least a portion of a load resulting from relative displacement between structural members of a building. The first deformable member exhibits elastic deformation when subjected to tensile and/or compressive forces within a first range of forces, and exhibits plastic deformation when subjected to tensile and/or compressive forces within a second range of forces. A second deformable member is affixed to a portion of the first deformable member, and is configured to absorb at least another portion of the load resulting from the relative displacement between the structural members of the building. The second deformable member exhibits elastic deformation when subjected to tensile and/or compressive forces within a third range of forces, and exhibits plastic deformation when subjected to tensile and/or compressive forces within a fourth range of forces. Methods relate to forming structural devices. | 03-03-2016 |