Patent ID: 8341893

Claim:
A seismic coupler, comprising: two coupling members each comprising a first receptacle at one end for securing to a reinforcing bar of a column of reinforced concrete, and an internally threaded second receptacle at the other end; two cup-shaped connecting members each comprising an internally threaded inner surface; two threaded bolts each threadedly secured to both the internally threaded inner surfaces of one of the connecting members and one of the internally threaded second receptacles to secure one of the coupling members to one of the connecting members; and a flexible assembly comprising a cylindrical core formed of alloy, a plurality of steel first rings put on the core, a plurality of flexible second rings put on the core in an alternating fashion with respect to the first rings, a flexible sleeve put on the first and second rings to have both ends of the sleeve flush with both ends of the core, two cup-shaped cap members engaging each other to conceal the core, the first and second rings, and the sleeve, and two sets of a plurality of fasteners driven through the connecting members and the cup-shaped cap members into the first rings.