Patent ID: 6871456

Claim:
A system for reducing the effects of lateral and vertical shear forces on a building structure comprising: a wall comprising a plurality of vertical studs and at least one upper horizontal plate interconnecting the plurality of vertical studs wherein the wall further comprises a lower portion wherein the upper horizontal plate is adjacent the upper portion of the building and the lower portion of the wall is adjacent a foundation of the building; a shear assembly that fits within a space defined by two adjacent studs of the wall, the upper horizontal plate, and the lower portion of the wall, such that the shear assembly couples the upper portion of the wall to the foundation wherein the shear assembly comprises: a head assembly that couples the shear assembly to the horizontal plate of the wall; an anchor assembly that couples the shear assembly to the foundation; an interconnecting member having a first end that is mechanically coupled to the head assembly and a second end that is mechanically coupled to the anchor assembly, wherein the interconnecting member transfers forces between the first and second ends and wherein the interconnecting member comprises a panel member; and a lateral motion damping device that is mechanically coupled to the shear assembly so as to be interposed between the building structure and the shear assembly so as to permit limited relative movement between the shear assembly and the building structure such that at least a portion of the lateral shear forces exerted on the upper portion of the wall are dissipated by lateral damping device.