Structural Frame
| United States Patent |
5,660,003 |
| Inventors: |
Owens; Charles R. |
| Related U.S. Application Data |
| Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 338,408, Nov. 14, 1994 |
| Intl. Cl.: |
E04B 7/08, E04B 1/18 |
| Current U.S. Cl.: |
52/81.1; 52/311.1; 52/638; 52/648.1; 52/741.1; 52/745.2; 52/DIG. 0 |
| Field of Search: |
52/81.1, 311.1, DIG. 10, 741.1, 745.2, 82.2, 638, 648.1 |
Primary Examiner: Kent; Christopher T.
Attorney: McAulay Fisher Nissen Goldberg & Kiel, LLP
Abstract
A structural frame is composed of a series of struts which are arranged in a particular fashion that steers the stress applied to the frame so as to minimize development of tension and maximize the resolution of the stress in terms of compression. The frame is composed of a plurality of unicubes which are twelve equal length struts arranged to form the edges of a cube and eight additional equal length struts extending out from each corner of the cube. Each of the eight outwardly extending struts forming an equal angle with each of the three cube edge struts to which it is connected. The outboard ends of these outwardly extending struts are connected together so that sets of four such outboard strut ends are connected to form a network of these unicubes, which network constitutes the structural frame.
19 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures
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