Flexible modular building framework

Abstract

A building framework includes metal columns (e.g., tubular or I-beam), wood-product beams, and bracket connectors for joining the beams to the columns to form a building joint of sufficient strength and durability for buildings suitable for human occupation. First mechanical fasteners (such as bolts and nuts) secure a selected connector to the column, and second mechanical fasteners (such as lag bolts) secure a selected beam to the connector. The columns include double rows of holes. A plurality of different connectors with differently angled flanges are provided, such that beams can be connected at a wide variety of different angles. Further, the system allows columns and / or beams to be cut at the construction site, or at a building supply company. Thus, basic building components can be inventoried in a manner not previously possible, yet the system supports a wide variety of different building frames for on-site customization and adaptability.

Description

[0001]This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 887,461, filed Jan. 31, 2007, entitled FLEXIBLE MODULAR BUILDING FRAMEWORK, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]The present invention relates to a building framework made from columns, beams, and bracket connectors, where the components are fastened together in a manner allowing flexible, low-cost, on-site adaptability when constructing a building. Further, the present invention relates to a building framework made from columns, beams, and bracket connectors, where the columns and beams are basic components that can be stocked and cut to length at a supply company or at a construction site, and where the bracket connectors can be selected to allow assembly for customized buildings suitable for human occupancy.[0003]Buildings have been made of block and wood (sometimes called “bricks and sticks”) for years. Part of the attraction of these ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The present invention focuses on flexible modular building structures with different junctures for use in a building frame, where the structures can be assembled by bolting beams together. Separate connectors are used to connect wood-product beams to tubular metal columns, with the connectors defining an angle of the beams to the columns. By the present invention, separate brackets do not need to be welded to the beam ends. The present invention saves considerable cost by reducing separate components, by reducing the use of skilled manpower, by reducing secondary operations, and by making for a more efficient assembly, including the ability to make adaptations at the construction site. Further, a more basic set of components can be inventoried at a common location, such as at a building supply company, thus making it more likely that necessary building supplies are available yet at a reasonable cost.

[0013]In another aspect, the present invention concerns a steel column with a double row of holes for connection. The double row of holes allows for strategic placement and attachment of beams due to load direction, and / or proximity to a wall.

[0015]The combination of steel columns, wood-product beams (e.g., glulam beams), and a plurality of structural connectors is novel, and is believed to provide surprising and unexpected results in terms of supporting construction of a strong building frame suitable for human occupancy (i.e., meets building codes), yet allows customization and also allows use of basic components that can be cut to length at a local supply company or cut to length on site. This combination allows the building frame to include exposed wood trusses for optimal appearance and aesthetics. It also provides a versatile attachment to the steel tube columns. It also provides a plurality of bracket connectors that are structural, and that provide more than mere hanging of a truss. The bracket connectors screw up tight to opposing sides of the wood-product beams (e.g., glulam beams), even with width variation of the beams, thus allowing a tight connection for optimal torsional strength despite width variations of the beams.

[0017]The present invention combines with structural insulated panels (SIPs) to provide a building system that is well insulated, highly cost-effective in material cost and construction cost, and yet that is flexible to support customization and individualization of the housing structure.

Problems solved by technology

This results in considerable on-site construction cost and time due to the need for skilled labor.

Also, it is noted that welding is a secondary operation that is expensive, time-consuming, manually-intensive, and that requires significant quality assurance to insure that quality long-lasting welds are made.

It is noted that welded metal beams are not easily adapted, but instead must be accurately made to specification, which results in every construction having custom-configured or nearly-custom-configured components.

It is not cost-effective for most building supply companies to inventory a large number of these “configured components” since such a large number of them would be required.

. . since welds and weld-adjacent beam walls can develop stress cracks and fail over time.

In traditional welded steel beam constructions (e.g., plates welded to ends of columns), it is difficult to form highly accurate joints using traditional saw cutting operations, since saw blades tend to wander and wear, making them difficult to control with high accuracy.

Other factors also affect inconsistent cutting, such as the need to repeatedly loosen and re-fixture a tubular beam for successive cuts.

All of this leads to inconsistent cut locations and higher-than-desired tolerances, which in turn leads to additional concerns about juncture stresses and integrity of junctures in an assembled / connected beam arrangement of building structures.

Images