Rapid truss system

A system, kit, and method of providing a truss assembly is shown and described.

Trusses are widely used to create free span architectural features In architecture and structural engineering, a space frame or space structure is a rigid, lightweight, truss-like structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Trusses can be used to span large areas with few interior supports. The truss is strong because of the inherent rigidity of the triangle whereby flexing loads are transmitted as tension and compression loads along the length of each strut. Today's steel and aluminum trusses provide great freedom of expression and composition as well as the possibility to evenly distribute loads along each rod and external constraints. With these features, trusses can be used to achieve complex geometries with a structural weight lower than any other solution.

A typical two dimensional truss is comprised of two rails and triangular “struts” situated on the same plane. A typical three dimensional truss is composed of three rails and an internal triangle “strut” system. Existing Trusses employ a variety of metals that require fixed connections or welds at each of the strut and rail connection points. This creates a considerable amount of labor required to cut, weld, drill or otherwise create brackets or fixtures to fix the connection points so they do not move. In many cases, trusses are built to specification at a remote site and shipped to the location where they will be used. Shipping full truss assemblies is inefficient in both the time lead needed for fabrication and delivery, as well as in space utilization because assembled trusses are bulky and require an area significantly greater than would be needed for just the component parts.

Currently no system or method exists that will allow for rapid assembly of trusses, including efficient manufacturing, shipping and assembly in the field without the need for welding, solvent application or bolts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure can be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description, examples, and claims, and their previous and following description. Before the present system, devices, and/or methods are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific systems, devices, and/or methods disclosed, as such can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting.

Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that many changes can be made to the several aspects described, while still obtaining the beneficial results shown and described. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits can be obtained by selecting some of the features without utilizing other features. Accordingly, those who work in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the present disclosure. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of certain principles and not in limitation thereof.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to an “orifice” includes aspects having two or more orifices unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Terms used herein, such as “exemplary” or “exemplified,” are not meant to show preference, but rather to explain that the aspect discussed thereafter is merely one example of the aspect presented.

Additionally, as used herein, relative terms, such as “substantially”, “generally”, “approximately”, and the like, are utilized herein to represent an inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.

As used herein, “connection” or “connected” means both directly, that is, without other intervening elements or components, and indirectly, that is, with another component or components arranged between the items identified or described as being connected. To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is employed in the detailed description or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed in the claims (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both.” When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Similarly, when the applicants intend to indicate “one and only one” of A, B or C, the applicants will employ the phrase “one and only one.” Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (2d. Ed. 1995). To the extent that the phrase “one or more of A, B and C” is employed herein, (e.g., storage for one or more of A, B and C) it is intended to convey the set of possibilities A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, and/or ABC (e.g., the storage may store only A, only B, only C, A&B, A&C, B&C, and/or A&B&C). It is not intended to require one of A, one of B, and one of C. When the applicants intend to indicate “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C,” then the phrasing “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C” will be employed.

With reference now toFIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary two-dimensional truss10is illustrated. The truss10includes two rails12,14spaced and held approximately parallel by a series of reversible two-dimensional struts16. As further discussed below, each strut16may be identical to facilitate manufacturing and merely disposed in a one “forward,” one “backward” alternating arrangement on the rails to form a series of triangles. One rail,12passes through shaped openings in a head portion18of the rail while the other rail,14passes through shaped openings in an opposed head portion20of the rail. While the rails12,14and head portions18,20are illustrated as circular, in other embodiments, other rails and head portions may be shaped differently but complementarily. In one embodiment, the struts16are urged together by a user so that adjacent head portions18on the one hand, and adjacent opposed head portions20on the other hand, connect or otherwise engage as seen best inFIG. 2. Once head portions18,20are engaged, a user may fix the truss by moving a cap22into contact with one or more of the un-connected head portions18,20and fixing it in place. Alternately, or additionally, a user may set a stop24, such as a screw, pin, bolt or the like through at least one head portion18,20into contact with an external side of the respective rail12,14or alternately through the respective rail12,14and perhaps also through an opposed side of the head portion.

With reference now toFIG. 3, an exemplary strut16is shown. As can be seen, opposed head portions18,20are offset modestly by an angle of the strut while the head portions18,20themselves are disposed such that respective shaped openings (see,FIG. 4ref36A) lie in a parallel orientation. Additionally, head portions18,20may include a connecting flange30to be received in a complementary space on an adjacent head portion when urged into contact by a user.

For example, and referring toFIG. 4, each head portion includes a flange30and a complementary space32. In this embodiment, a user will urge flange30A into space32B, while at the same time flange30B is urged into complementary space32A (not shown). Optionally, the user may affix the head portions18A and18B together with a screw (not shown) tapped into screw hole38A and a corresponding location on head portion18B. In other embodiments, adjacent head portions may be affixed with a snap lock, hook and groove or other arrangement instead of the flange/space and screw arrangement described. In still other embodiments, the head portions18,20may not include any interlock for the head portions substituting instead a flush surface connection between adjacent head portions.

In practice, a number of identical struts are manufactured and packed compactly for delivery to and assembly at a location where a truss is desired. Various different struts can provide variation in strength, truss size, particular rail size and the like. In one embodiment, struts, end caps and connectors (screws, pins, etc) are shipped to the location. Off the shelf stock sized tubing, I-beams or the like are purchased near the desired location reducing shipping costs and lead time needed to begin truss assembly and use. Desired size, shape and strength trusses can be quickly formed on location and put into use immediately. Further, unlike welded or other more permanent trusses, the truss may also be quickly disassembled and moved compactly to a new location or to a new use. While the rails may be moved as well, it may be economical to abandon, sell or recycle them and purchase new rails near the new location.

With reference now toFIG. 5, an exemplary three-dimensional truss40is shown. The truss40includes three rails42,44,46spaced and held approximately parallel by a series of reversible three-dimensional struts48. Each strut48is preferably identical to the others to facilitate manufacturing and to permit an alternating arrangement on the rails to form a series of roughly equal geometric shapes. Each rail42,44,46passes through shaped openings in a head portion at a vertex50of respective vertices of the strut while other rails pass through shaped openings at other vertices50of each strut48. To be certain, as illustrated the rails42,44,46and vertices50are illustrated inFIG. 5as circular, in other embodiments, other rails, head portions and vertices may be shaped differently but complementarily.

In one embodiment, the struts48are urged together along the rails by a user so that adjacent vertices50along each rail connect or otherwise engage as described and shown. Once adjacent vertices50are engaged, a user may fix the truss by moving a cap22(see e.g.FIG. 1) into contact with one or more of the end vertices50and fixing it in place. Alternately, or additionally, a user may set a stop24(see e.g.FIG. 2), such as a screw, pin, bolt or the like through at least one vertex50into contact with an external side of the respective rail or alternately through the respective rail and perhaps also through an opposed side of the vertex.

With reference now toFIG. 6, optionally, the user may connect adjacent vertices50together with a screw52tapped into screw hole (not shown) with a corresponding location of an adjacent vertex. In other embodiments, adjacent vertices may be affixed with a snap lock, hook and groove or other arrangement instead of the flange/space and screw arrangement described. In still other embodiments, the vertices50may not include any interlock substituting instead a flush surface connection between adjacent ones. It can be appreciated that in the illustrated arrangement, the struts48have at least one, but less than all, vertices in a contacting arrangement; whereas the struts48may alternately be compactly arranged, for example when in shipment, to have all vertices in contact. Similar dual alternating arrangements—i.e. aligned, compact shipping in a first arrangement and opposed, spread second arrangement for deployment or use—may be obtained regardless of the number of head portions or vertices in a strut.

With reference now toFIG. 7, an exemplary two-dimensional truss60is shown although the concepts are amenable to a three-dimensional or larger dimensional assembly. The truss60includes fabrication, delivery and assembly concepts describe in connection with other embodiments disclosed or as would be understood by an artisan. A set of reversible struts,62are connectable together at end points (not shown) and support opposed slide rails64,66in a substantially parallel configuration. In one embodiment, the slide rails64,66engage with and lie external to head portions68of the struts62. The slide rails may include a longitudinal channel70or other connection means for attaching items to the assembled truss60. In one embodiment, the attached items may include solar panels, electrical connection points and the like. Additionally, the attached items may include lifting or connection hard points to other structural features. In yet other embodiments, conventional tube or off the shelf rails as described may be used to further provide structural support to the truss60. In still other embodiments, the head portions may be shaped, solid or in other configurations but capable of connecting to slide rails.

The concepts disclosed are, in part, unique and non-obvious because no other fastening, welding or locking mechanisms are required once the truss is assembled. At the end of the desired span, the end struts are clamped in place or otherwise secured from movement. The result is that internal struts are held in place, for example, via compression, resulting in a fully assembled truss configuration that is both stable and strong. In embodiments, the snap lock or variously described connection features at the ends of the truss and/or any bolts that may be added are simply to enhance the structural integrity and to facilitate ease of assembly.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the teachings herein. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments described herein may be employed. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that methods and structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.