Patent ID: 6308469
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: E04B,E04C

Abstract:
A shear wall panel for a building comprising,(I) outer rectangle members comprising,a) a pair of spaced apart vertical members having upper ends and lower ends;b) an upper horizontal member extending between and secured to the upper ends of the vertical members; and,c) a lower horizontal member extending between and secured to the lower ends of the vertical members wherein the outer rectangle members form an outer rectangle; and,(II) inner polygon members comprising,d) at least four continuous diagonal members secured together end to end to form an inner polygon having at least a first, a second, a third and a fourth vertex,wherein(e) the inner polygon is located inside of the outer rectangle;(f) the ends of the diagonal members of the first vertex abut each other and are secured to one of the vertical members;(g) the ends of the diagonal members of the second vertex abut each other and are secured to the upper horizontal member;(h) the ends of the diagonal members of the third vertex abut each other and are secured to the other vertical member;(i) the ends of the diagonal members of the fourth vertex abut each other and are secured to the lower horizontal member;(j) when more than four continuous diagonal members are present, any remaining ends of the continuous diagonal members abut the end of another continuous diagonal member and are secured to a first end of an extender member wherein the extender member has a second end secured to at least one outer rectangle member at a corner of the outer rectangle;(k) the diagonal members, in combination with the outer rectangle members and any extender members, are adapted to resist lateral and vertical loads applied to the shear wall panel; and,(l) the shear wall panel is connected to a foundation or laterally stabilized wall or floor of the building below the shear wall panel so as prevent the vertical members from lifting away from the foundation or laterally stabilized wall or floor and transmit a lateral reaction force from the foundation or laterally stabilized wall or floor to the shear wall panel in response to an external lateral force applied to the upper horizontal member.