Patent ID: 7780371

Claim:
A supporting framework comprising: a plurality of connection nodes, each connection node comprising: a central core with an outer surface having a sphere or a polyhedron shape; a plurality of projections extending from the core and defining respective outer planar faces, each projection including a mating bore extending radially inward toward the core, the plurality of projections comprising six projections uniformly arranged around and extending from the core such that the planar faces of the projections lie on a corresponding plurality of sides of an imaginary cube; and a plurality of arms unitarily formed with and extending from each of the projections, the arms being uniformly spaced about a peripheral edge of each projection such that along each edge of the imaginary cube, adjacent arms of respective adjacent projections are aligned and extend toward one another and arranged orthogonal thereto to form a loop, each loop defining a receiving space radially between the respective adjacent arms and the outer surface of the central core; at least one strut, each strut having a first end inserted into a mating bore of one of the projections of a first one of said connection nodes and a second end inserted into a bore of a projection of another said connection node; and at least one diagonal strut, each diagonal strut having a connection element connected to a first end of the diagonal strut, the connection element being received and retained within the receiving space of one of the loops of said first one of said connection nodes, and a second end of the diagonal strut having a second said connection element received within the receiving space of a loop of another said connection node, producing a diagonal connection.