Patent ID: 6253501
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: E04B

Abstract:
A structural element comprising a plurality of compression members which are toroidal in shape, each of said compression members having two sides, a first half, and a second half diametrically opposite the first half, said compression members being arranged on a surface, side-to-side, in a curved array, with the second half of each of said compression members being on said surface and being fixed in position, and each of said compression members being tilted into the curve of said curved array, said curve being a single curve without any reverse; wherein the positions of said first halves of each of said compression member in said curved array lie substantially in a plane; so that said compression members are forced together by the application of a load, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the curve of said curved array, on the first half of each of said compression members, whereby said curved array of compression members coheres as a structural element for bearing said load.