Connecting piece for wood component

Abstract

A connector, a kit of parts, a modular building, and related methods. The connector comprises: a first wood member; a first connector assembly associated with the first wood member, the first connector assembly comprising: a plurality of elongate anchor members, each anchor member comprising a first end extending into and fixed relative to the first wood member; and a second end protruding from the first wood member, where each anchoring member defines a bore perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the anchoring member to receive a bolt; the connector further comprises: a plate connected or connectable to the second member, the plate defining at least one aperture for receiving the bolt; at least a plurality of bolts, the or each bolt configured to extend through at least one of the anchoring member and the plate; wherein, for the or each bolt, at least one of the respective anchoring member hole or plate hole is oversized to receive the respective bolt in a clearance fit; the or each bolt is configured to clamp the plate and the anchoring member such that relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is prevented by friction caused by a clamping force provided by the plurality of bolts. Figure 1A will be published together with the abstract.

Description

Background Art

[0001] There is a growing desire to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, so buildings constructed from wood are becoming increasingly attractive to developers.

[0002] Wood has different mechanical properties than steel and concrete, and therefore steel and concrete are often preferred over wood when constructing large buildings. Given the higher carbon footprint of these materials, there is a need to improve the possibilities of large-scale wood frame construction. To do so, it is necessary to increase the maximum floor span that a wood frame can support. Known techniques have sought to increase the resistance of connectors to moments applied between connected wood members. Improving the moment resistance of connectors between wood members can also improve the stability of wood frames, thereby improving the stability of buildings. Traditionally, efforts to increase the resistance of wood connectors to moments have involved increasing the size of wood beams or columns. However, this increases the weight, cost, and construction complexity of the building, which is undesirable. Other solutions include installing diagonal truss braces or shear walls, but these solutions impose significant limitations on the design of the building itself.

[0003] Some existing wood connections designed to resist moment include multiple bolts threaded through tight-fitting holes that extend through the full thickness of a wood column or beam. The bolts are then tightened on both sides of the column or beam. As temperature and humidity change, these fits often become too tight or too loose due to the differential expansion and contraction of the wood and connectors. This results in poor connection performance.

[0004] Existing moment-resisting connectors typically have low stiffness. They also suffer from an inability to dissipate significant amounts of energy. Low stiffness prevents these connectors from supporting larger spans, and the inability to dissipate energy puts the connectors at risk of catastrophic failure when exposed to high cyclic loads, such as those experienced during earthquakes. As a result, these connectors are not suitable for use in earthquake-prone areas.

[0005] Another drawback of existing connectors is the time and complexity of their assembly. Typically, existing connectors require extensive assembly on site to connect wood components – such as drilling holes on site, using adhesives, or screwing multiple connectors directly into the wood components. This is not only prone to error (given the environment in which such connections are assembled), but also very time-consuming and therefore expensive in terms of labor costs.

[0006] Another key consideration for large buildings is their modularity - that is, the ability to change and reconfigure the defined spaces within a building. For example, the location of internal floors or walls may need to be changed to meet the changing needs of occupants over time. Existing timber connectors cannot be easily disassembled and reassembled. In order to disassemble existing timber connectors, the connectors, timber members, or both are damaged or destroyed, preventing their reuse. It would be desirable to provide a connector suitable for assembly, disassembly and reassembly to enable modular buildings. This would extend the life of the building and avoid expensive, time-consuming and carbon-emitting development work to modify the building over time. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention overcomes the defects of the prior art.

[0008] The present invention relates to a connector for connecting wood components. The connector can be used to connect one, two, three, four or more wood components. Using wood instead of steel or concrete in buildings can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the building and is therefore considered to be crucial to the sustainability of the construction industry moving forward.

[0009] The invention also relates to a connector for use with structural members including concrete members.It has been found that there are also benefits associated with connectors for timber members when used with members made from other materials.

[0010] The connector is configured for easy assembly and disassembly, allowing wood components to be easily connected and disconnected. This provides flexibility for use as partitions within a building, allowing interior spaces within a building to be reconfigured to accommodate a range of different uses. The connector thus opens the door to modular buildings and architectural spaces. Doing so can increase the longevity and usefulness of a building and reduce the carbon footprint of a building over its lifecycle. This improvement is achieved in part by using connector components that are interconnected by bolts located in oversized holes.

[0011] In addition, the connector of the present invention can be easily assembled and disassembled, allowing the user to partially assemble the connector before arriving at the site and complete the assembly in a very short time on site. This greatly reduces the time associated with the construction of such connectors and buildings as a whole, thereby reducing costs.

[0012] Further to improve the speed and ease of assembly and disassembly, connectors according to the present invention provide improved mechanical properties compared to existing timber connectors. Specifically, the present invention provides connectors having the desired moment resistance, but with much greater stiffness than existing solutions. The improved mechanical properties allow larger spans to be supported - thereby increasing the range of buildings that can be constructed using timber connectors - and increase the stiffness of the building. The use of elongated anchoring members that extend into and are fixed relative to the timber members helps to improve performance. Such connector components are less susceptible to degradation due to humidity and temperature fluctuations and the resulting differential expansion and contraction that would cause connectors to loosen in existing systems.

[0013] The connector according to the present invention employs an oversized hole that is configured to accommodate a friction preloaded bolt in a clearance fit arrangement. This arrangement provides additional mechanical performance improvements in the form of increased energy dissipation. Many existing solutions rely on rigid connections using bolts with an interference or contact fit. The resulting joints are typically rigid but relatively brittle and therefore susceptible to failure during cyclic loads, such as those experienced during earthquakes. The connector of the present invention - among other things - improves upon existing designs by using clearance fit friction preloaded bolts, which improves energy dissipation characteristics and thereby improves mechanical performance, for example, under cyclic seismic loads.

[0014] The friction characteristics of the mating surfaces in the friction coupling can be adjusted by surface treatment. Examples of suitable surface treatments include sandblasting, polishing or adding a surface layer. The surface layer can be added by painting, zinc plating, aluminum plating or plating with other metal alloys, or adding a layer between the friction surfaces (sheets or shims) of some metal alloys, etc.

[0015] The connector according to the present invention may have a first operating range within which the mechanical loads are borne by friction within the joint - this is achieved through a combination of bolts and oversized holes. Within the first operating range, there may be no contact between the outer circumference of the bolt and the inner circumference of the hole. The first operating range may be the main range used for most, if not all, of the operating life of the connector. As described above, it can provide the mechanical properties required for standard everyday use and, due to the energy dissipation characteristics of the friction connection, can provide better performance than existing connectors. However, the connector of the present invention can also achieve a second operating range within which the mechanical loads are borne by direct contact between the bolt and the inner circumference of the oversized hole in which the bolt is located. The second operating range can only be used in special circumstances, such as in a one-time peak load situation.

[0016] Another benefit of using oversized holes is that it improves the ease, reliability, and speed of installing connections on site. By increasing the size of the holes—and doing so in a way that still allows for proper mechanical properties—fabricants can more easily assemble the connections. Given the large number of connections that may be present in a building, this significantly reduces the time required to construct the entire building.

[0017] According to the present invention is a connector, for example, a connector for connecting a wood member to a second member. The connector may include a first wood member; a first connector assembly, a plate and at least one bolt. The first connector assembly may be associated with the first wood member; the first connector assembly includes: a plurality of longitudinal anchoring members, each anchoring member including a first end extending into the first wood member and fixed relative to the first wood member; and a second end protruding from the first wood member. Each anchoring member may define a hole perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchoring member to accommodate a bolt. The plate may be connected or connectable to the second member and may define at least one hole to accommodate a bolt. The bolt or each bolt may be configured to extend through at least one of the anchoring member and the plate. Wherein, for the bolt or each bolt, at least one of the corresponding anchoring member holes or plate holes may be oversized to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit. The bolt or each bolt may be configured to clamp the plate and the anchoring member so that the relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is resisted, for example, by friction caused by the clamping force provided by the plurality of bolts.

[0018] The at least one bolt may be a plurality of first bolts.

[0019] The connector may connect a wood member to a second member, wherein relative motion is resisted primarily by friction. The friction may result from a clamping force between the anchor member and the board. The bolt may provide this clamping force. The bolt may be or function as a friction preloaded bolt. As discussed elsewhere herein, utilizing friction to provide mechanical properties within a connector has many benefits.

[0020] The connector can be between two or more adjacent components, such as wood components. The connector can generally be applied to any connection between adjacent components, and can be suitable for connecting two, three, four, five or more proximal components.

[0021] The members may be arranged perpendicular to each other so that one forms a column and the other forms a beam. Alternatively, the members may be arranged parallel or aligned with each other. The connector is suitable for connecting members regardless of their relative orientation.

[0022] The connector may also include: a second wood member; and a second connector assembly associated with the second wood member. The second connector assembly may include a plurality of second elongated anchor members, each anchor member including a first end extending into and fixed relative to the second wood member, and a second end protruding from the second wood member. Each anchor member may define a hole perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchor member to accommodate a bolt. The connector may also include a plurality of second bolts, each of the plurality of second bolts being configured to extend through at least one of the second anchor member and the board.

[0023] In the above example, the connector is between two wood members, and the board is connected to the second wood member by the second connector assembly. In other examples, the board can be connected to the second wood member in other ways - for example, the board can be integrally formed with the member, at least partially embedded in the member, or adhered to the member.

[0024] A connection between two wood members may include two connector assemblies - one connector assembly associated with each member and having an anchor member extending therein. Where more than two members are connected, the connection may include additional connector assemblies - for example one for each member.

[0025] For each second bolt: at least one of the corresponding anchor member hole or plate hole can be oversized to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit; each bolt can be configured to clamp the plate and the anchor member so that relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is resisted, for example by friction caused by the clamping force provided by the multiple bolts.

[0026] The connector assemblies of the various members may be connected to each other via a plate. The connection between at least one (optionally a plurality) of the connector assemblies and the plate is achieved by clamping the respective anchoring members and the plate together such that friction forces resist relative movement. This method for withstanding the forces applied in such a connector provides an arrangement which not only meets the necessary mechanical performance requirements but also provides significant benefits in terms of increasing the supportable span and improving seismic performance.

[0027] The use of oversized holes allows mechanical loads to be carried by friction rather than by direct abutment of the bolt with the hole. This can be achieved when only one of the plate and anchor member has an oversized hole, or when both the plate and anchor member have oversized holes. In some examples, only one of them has an oversized hole, and in some cases both do.

[0028] Use of the term "oversized" may refer to a hole having a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the bolt it receives - e.g., such that there is a clearance fit with the bolt and the outer periphery of the bolt does not interfere with the inner surface of the hole in normal use.

[0029] The plate may be detachably connected to, or connected to (eg, integrally formed with, welded to, embedded in) the second member.

[0030] The plate may define a plurality of holes aligned with the holes of the anchor member of the first connector assembly.For each bolt, the corresponding first connector anchor member hole and the plate hole may be oversized to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit.

[0031] In the presence of a second connector assembly, the plate may define a plurality of holes aligned with the holes of the anchor member of the second connector assembly.For each bolt, the corresponding first connector anchor member hole and the plate hole may be oversized to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit.

[0032] In some examples, the connector may include multiple plates, each plate being associated with a portion of the anchoring member. Each plate may have one hole or multiple holes as described herein. When multiple plates are present, each plate may be in other ways as described herein.

[0033] In one assembly, each bolt extends through at least one (optionally two, or more than two) anchoring members and the plate (or one of the plates if there are multiple plates).

[0034] The plate may be arranged perpendicular to the end surface of the first and / or second member.The plate may be arranged in the same plane as the plane in which the first and second members extend.

[0035] The board may include a set of holes for each connector assembly. A first set of holes may be provided on a first end of the board and a second set of holes may be provided on a second end of the board. The holes of each set may be evenly spaced on one side of the board, or alternatively may be provided in groups.

[0036] The plate may include a greater number of holes than corresponding anchoring members, the additional holes being used to connect to auxiliary members or connectors to provide additional functionality.

[0037] The plate may have any geometric shape, for example, a triangle, a rectangle, a circle, an oval, a polygon or a polygon with a cutout.

[0038] The board may comprise an assembly with flat plates. The flat plates may form a polyhedron (such as a tetrahedron or a pyramid). Each (sub)plate may have a different plane orientation (having a different surface normal vector). This may allow the fastening of wood elements oriented in different planes in space.

[0039] The aperture of the or each connector assembly may be defined in the second end of the anchor member such that each bolt extends through the plate and the second end of the anchor member.

[0040] The anchoring member may be rigidly fixed relative to the first wood member by means of an elongated rod extending into the wood member. Such an arrangement may provide a particularly stable connection and is not susceptible to degradation due to expansion / contraction of the components caused by moisture and / or temperature fluctuations.

[0041] The anchoring member may be screwed into the first wood member, or adhered to the first wood member using a chemical adhesive.

[0042] Each anchoring member may include a rod and a bracket. The rod may include threads for screwing into a corresponding wood member. The bracket may be located at the second end of the rod. The bracket may define a hole perpendicular to the axis of the rod.

[0043] The bracket may be screwed onto the second end of the rod, away from the end extending into the wood member. The bracket threads may be different and separate from the threads used to attach the anchor member to the wood member. The bracket may be provided with threads on two opposing sides, which may allow the brackets to be connected in series.

[0044] The length to diameter ratio of the elongate anchoring member may be at least 10:1. The length of the elongate anchoring member may be equal to or longer than 200mm, 400mm, 600mm, 800mm or 1000mm. The length of the anchoring member may be between 5 and 50 times the diameter of the elongate anchoring member. An anchoring member fixed relative to the first wood member by threads may benefit from being longer than an anchoring member glued to the wood member.

[0045] The anchoring member may comprise a pair of anchoring members arranged on the side of the plate, so that each bolt extends through a pair of anchoring members. The anchoring members may be arranged in pairs by two anchoring members per bolt.

[0046] Each anchoring member can extend into the corresponding wood member at any angle. The anchoring member can extend into the corresponding wood member perpendicular to the surface or grain direction of the wood member, which arrangement may be particularly interesting when the anchoring member is glued into the wood member. The anchoring member can extend into the corresponding wood member at an oblique angle to the surface or grain direction of the wood member, which arrangement may be particularly interesting when the anchoring member is screwed into the wood member. Each anchoring member can extend into the corresponding wood member at any angle relative to the grain direction or surface of the corresponding wood member. For example, each anchoring member can extend into the corresponding wood member at one of approximately 50°, 55°, 60°, 65°, 70°, 75° or 80° relative to the grain direction or surface of the corresponding wood.

[0047] The angle at which the anchoring members are arranged within their respective wood members will affect the performance of the connector. Importantly, controlling the angle of each member avoids collisions between adjacent members of the same connector assembly or another connector assembly.

[0048] The anchor members of at least one pair of anchor members may have the same orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the respective wood member.The anchor members of at least one pair of anchor members may be arranged such that their first ends are spaced apart from each other (eg when they extend into the respective wood member).

[0049] One of the connector assemblies may include two pairs of anchor members, each pair of anchor members may have the same orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the first wood member, and the two pairs of anchor members may be symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the first wood member. Another of the connector assemblies may include four pairs of anchor members, each pair of anchor members may be arranged so that their first ends are separated from each other (e.g., when they extend into the corresponding wood member).

[0050] The first connector assembly may include at least four adjacent anchor members. The first and fourth anchor members may be arranged at a first angle to the surface of the first wood member; and the second and third anchor members located between the first and fourth anchor members may be arranged at a second angle to the surface of the first wood member.

[0051] The anchor members of one of the connector components may be arranged so that another connector component having the same arrangement can be provided on an adjacent or opposing face of the first wood member without collision between the anchor members of the first connector component and the other connector component.

[0052] The anchor members of one of the connector assemblies may also be arranged so that another connector assembly having a similar arrangement may be provided on an adjacent or opposing face of the first wood member without interference between the anchor members of the first connector assembly and the other connector.

[0053] The connector may include another connector component associated with the first wood member. The other connector component may be used to connect to the third member. The other connector component may include a plurality of elongated anchoring members. Each anchoring member may include a first end extending into the first wood member and fixed relative to the first wood member; and a second end protruding from the first wood member. The anchoring members of the other connector component may be arranged to avoid collision with the anchoring members of the first connector component.

[0054] The arrangement of the anchoring members of the first connector assembly may be the same as the arrangement of the anchoring members of the other connector assembly.

[0055] Where the connector assembly is arranged with pairs of anchor members located on the sides of the board, the anchor members on one side of the board may be arranged in a first orientation and the anchor members on the other side of the board may be arranged in a second orientation. For example, the anchor members on one side of the flat board surface may extend away from the board in a generally "upward" direction and the anchor members on the other side of the flat board surface may extend away from the board in a generally "downward" direction. The anchor members may be substantially parallel to other anchor members on the same side of the board.

[0056] This arrangement allows the same connector assembly arrangement to be employed on opposing surfaces of a wood member without the anchor members colliding within the wood member. An "upwardly" extending anchor member on a first side of the board does not interfere with a "downwardly" extending anchor member of another connector assembly located on the same side of the board. The same principle applies to the "downwardly" and "upwardly" extending anchor members on the second side of the board.

[0057] The connection piece may also include a plurality of connector components associated with the first wood member, the plurality of connector components being arranged in parallel in the first wood member.

[0058] The connection piece may include a plurality of independent connector components, which are configured to be connected to the same second wood member. Increasing the number of connector components and arranging them in parallel can improve the mechanical performance of the entire connection piece.

[0059] The holes (eg, oversized holes) of the plates and / or anchoring members may be non-circular.

[0060] The at least one hole of the anchoring member and / or the plate may be non-circular, for example oval.

[0061] All holes or oversized holes in the plate and / or anchoring member may be non-circular, such as elliptical. In some cases, the hole may be oval or rectangular. In the case of an ellipse, the longitudinal axis of the ellipse may be arranged in the direction of the main load applied to the connector (e.g., vertical direction). The use of non-circular (e.g., elliptical) holes can improve energy dissipation performance in critical directions and can reduce the chance of the bolt contacting the inner surface of the hole when acting along the axis of the ellipse.

[0062] Also according to the present invention is a kit of parts for a connector as defined herein. The kit of parts may include: a first connector assembly configured to be connected to a first wood member. The first connector assembly may include a plurality of longitudinal anchoring members, each anchoring member including a first end configured to extend into the first wood member and fixed relative to the first wood member; and a second end configured to protrude from the first wood member. Each anchoring member may define a hole perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchoring member to accommodate a bolt. The kit of parts may also include a plate connectable to the second member, the plate defining at least one hole for accommodating a bolt. The kit of parts may also include a plurality of bolts, each bolt being configured to extend through at least one of the anchoring member and the plate. For each bolt, at least one of the corresponding anchor hole or plate hole is larger in size so as to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit; each bolt may be configured to clamp the plate and the anchoring member so that relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is resisted by the clamping force provided by the plurality of bolts.

[0063] A kit of parts according to the present invention comprises any or all of the components providing the connector described herein.

[0064] Also according to the invention is a modular building comprising a plurality of connectors as described herein. As previously mentioned, connectors according to the invention can be assembled and disassembled, thereby allowing a building using such connectors to be reconfigured - for example by disconnecting and moving internal partitions such as walls. This not only makes the use of such buildings more flexible, but can also serve to increase the service life of such buildings. It also allows wood to be used as a building product for buildings that were not previously suitable for wood.

[0065] The connector may be configured to support partitions to divide a building space into a plurality of interior spaces; the connector may be configured to be assembleable and disassembleable to allow the position of the partitions to be adjusted to reconfigure the interior space.

[0066] Also according to the present invention is a method of constructing a building, which comprises using the connector described herein in a prefabricated panel or component forming part of the building, or using the kit of parts described herein to connect two components when constructing a building.

[0067] Also according to the present invention is a method of connecting two adjacent wood members using the connector described herein or the kit of parts described herein. The method may include: installing an anchor member of a first connector assembly in a first wood member; positioning a plate near the anchor member; inserting one of a plurality of bolts through the corresponding anchor member and the plate; tightening the bolt to provide a friction fit with the plate and the anchor member; and connecting the plate to a second wood member.

[0068] Connecting the board to the second wood member may include: installing an anchor member of the second connector assembly in the second wood member; positioning the board adjacent the anchor member of the second connector; inserting one of a plurality of second bolts through the corresponding anchor member and the board; and tightening the bolt to provide a friction fit with the board and the anchor.

[0069] Constructing a building by connecting panels and members using the connectors described herein can greatly increase the speed of construction and reduce the time workers must spend on site, thereby reducing costs and risks.

[0070] Also according to the present invention is a method of disassembling two adjacent wood members connected using the connector described herein or the kit of parts described herein. The method may include: loosening each bolt to disconnect the board from the anchor member of the first connector assembly; pulling out each bolt; disconnecting the first wood member from the board.

[0071] The fact that the joints can be disassembled opens the door to using wood in buildings that were previously unsuitable for it. It also greatly increases the flexibility of the use of space in a building throughout its life cycle, thereby increasing its service life.

[0072] The invention also relates to a connector for connecting structural members. The structural members can be made of materials other than wood. The connector can be used to connect one, two, three, four or more structural members.

[0073] Therefore, according to the present invention, a connector is provided, for example, for connecting a structural member to a second structural member. The connector may include a first structural member; a first connector assembly, a plate and at least one bolt. The first connector assembly may be associated with the first structural member; the first connector assembly includes: a plurality of longitudinal anchoring members, each anchoring member including a first end extending into the first structural member and fixed relative to the first structural member; and a second end protruding from the first structural member. Each anchoring member may define a hole perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchoring member to accommodate a bolt. The plate may be connected or connectable to the second structural member and may define at least one hole for accommodating a bolt. The bolt or each bolt may be configured to extend through at least one of the anchoring member and the plate. Wherein, for the bolt or each bolt, at least one of the corresponding anchoring member holes or plate holes may be oversized to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit. The bolt or each bolt may be configured to clamp the plate and the anchoring member so that relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is resisted, for example, by friction caused by the clamping force provided by the bolt or each bolt.

[0074] Similar advantages apply to the use of connectors with structural members as with timber members. Using structural materials such as concrete can make buildings more fire resistant, as concrete is non-combustible, and can also reduce the risk of mold, which can reduce the strength and load-bearing capacity of the members. The present invention provides connectors with the desired resistance to moments, but with much greater stiffness than existing solutions. The improvement in mechanical properties can support longer spans - reducing the use of intermediate connectors and thus reducing the overall use of materials.

[0075] This improvement is facilitated by the use of elongate anchor members extending into and fixed relative to the structural member.

[0076] The features described above with respect to connectors for wood components are equally applicable to connectors for connecting structural components made of materials other than wood - such as concrete.

[0077] Brief description of the accompanying drawings

[0078] Figure 1A is a partial transparent perspective view of the connector as viewed from the first side;

[0079] Figure 1B is a transparent perspective view of the connector as viewed from the second side;

[0080] Figure 1C yes Figure 1B A side view of a connecting member;

[0081] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the parts of the connector;

[0082] FIG3A is Figure 2 A perspective view of a plate of a connector;

[0083] FIG3B is a perspective view of a 2-sided polyhedral plate;

[0084] FIG3C is a perspective view of a 4-sided tetrahedral plate;

[0085] FIG4A is Figure 2 A perspective view of a bracket of a connecting member;

[0086] FIG4B is a perspective view of a bracket having threaded connectors on opposite sides;

[0087] Figure 5 including two side views of a portion of an elongated anchoring member of a connector as viewed from a first side and a second side;

[0088] Figure 6 is a side view of a portion of an elongated anchoring member of a connector;

[0089] Figure 7 It is a perspective view of the connections between the four wood members;

[0090] Figure 8 is a perspective view of alternative connections between four wood members;

[0091] Fig. 9 It is a perspective view of the connection between the steel member and the wood member;

[0092] Fig.10 It is a side view of the connection between three wood members;

[0093] Fig.11 is a perspective view of the connection between two wood members;

[0094] Fig. 12A and 12B are side and top views of another connector arrangement; and

[0095] Fig.13 is a perspective view of a modular building frame including a plurality of connectors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0096] Figures 1A to 1C A connector 10 is shown. The connector 10 is located between two wood members, a first wood member 12 and a second wood member 14. In this example, the first wood member 12 is a beam and the second wood member 14 is a column. However, in other arrangements, the connector may be located between members other than beams and columns, such as an arched span or at a connection between more than two wood members.

[0097] exist Figures 1A to 1C In the example of FIG. 1 , the first wood member 12 and the second wood member 14 are connected by a first connector component 16, a second connector component 18, and a plate 20. The first connector component 16 is associated with the first wood member 12. The second connector component 18 is associated with the second wood member 14. In this example, the first connector component and the second connector component each include a plurality of longitudinal anchoring members. The plate 20 is connected to the first connector component 16 and the second connector component 18. In other embodiments, the second connector component 18 can be omitted, and the plate 20 can instead be directly fixed to the second wood member 14.

[0098] The first connector assembly 16 is fixed to the first wood member 12 and the second connector assembly 18 is fixed to the second wood member 14. In use, the first connector assembly 16 and the second connector assembly 18 can be attached to their respective wood members 12, 14 before, during or after the wood members are transported to the site. The connector 10 can then be assembled on site by inserting a plurality of bolts (discussed below) to connect the two connector assemblies 16, 18 to the board 20. Therefore, the connection can be completed in a very short time on site.

[0099] In this example, each anchor member of the first and second connector assemblies includes an elongated threaded rod 22, 28 and a bracket 24, 30 (in Figure 2 14). The threaded rods 22, 28 are located at the first end of the anchor member and extend into the respective wood members 12, 14. The brackets 24, 30 are located at the second end of the anchor member and protrude from the respective wood members 12. The elongated threaded rods 22a-22d of the first connector assembly are fixed relative to the first wood member 12. The elongated threaded rods 28a-28h of the second connector assembly are fixed relative to the second wood member 14.

[0100] In this example, the anchoring member is fixed relative to its corresponding wood member 12, 14 by threads, and the threaded rod is screwed into the corresponding wood member 12, 14 to form a secure connection. However, in other examples, the anchoring member can be glued to its corresponding wood member 12, 14.

[0101] The brackets 24, 30 of the anchoring members are located at the second ends of their respective anchoring members. The brackets 24, 30 are screwed onto the respective threaded rods 22, 28. Each bracket 24, 30 includes a through hole 34, 36 suitable for receiving a bolt 26, 32 (described in more detail below). The brackets 24, 30 are configured so that the holes 34, 36 are perpendicular to the respective threaded rods 22, 28.

[0102] When the connector 10 is assembled, the plate 20 is disposed between the first connector component 16 and the second connector component 18. The plate 20 connects the first connector component 16 to the second connector component 18, thereby connecting the first wood member 12 to the second wood member 14.

[0103] The plate 20 is arranged in a plane parallel to the threaded rods 22, 28. In this example, the plane is perpendicular to the end faces of the wood members 12, 14. The plate 20 includes a series of holes 38, 40 (in the plane parallel to the threaded rods 22, 28) that align with the holes 34, 36 of the brackets 24, 30. Figure 3a When assembled, bolts 26, 32 extend through brackets 24, 30 and plate 20 to secure the first and second connector assemblies 16, 18 relative to each other.

[0104] The holes 34, 36 defined by the brackets 24, 30 and the holes 38, 40 defined by the plate 20 have a larger diameter than the bolts 26, 32 extending therethrough. In the present embodiment, all of the holes 34, 36, 38, 40 of the brackets 24, 30 and the plate 20 are the same size; the bolts 26, 32 are also the same size. The bolts 26, 32 and the holes 34, 36, 38, 40 are configured to provide a clearance fit. That is, the outer peripheral surface of the bolts 26, 32 does not engage and interfere with the inner peripheral surface of the holes 34, 36, 38, 40 to resist the load applied to the connection.

[0105] In order to rigidly secure the brackets 24, 30 relative to the plate 20, the bolts are friction-loaded bolts. A friction-loaded bolt is a bolt that is configured to resist relative movement of the plate 20 and brackets 24, 30 by friction caused by high clamping forces between the components. Relative movement is thereby directly counteracted by contacting the bolt shaft instead. In this example, all of the bolts 26, 32 used to connect the first connector assembly and the second connector assembly are identical.

[0106] The disclosed arrangement of plates 20, bolts 26, 32, and brackets 24, 30 with oversized holes provides an arrangement that is particularly good at dissipating energy. Thus, this connection is particularly advantageous for eliminating large cyclic deformations of the building in which the connector 10 is located. Therefore, the connector 10 is suitable for use in earthquake-prone areas.

[0107] exist Figures 1A to 1C In the connector 10 of FIG. 1 , the anchoring members (i.e., rods 22, 28 and brackets 24, 30) are arranged in pairs. Each bolt 26, 32 extends through a pair of brackets 24, 30 - one on each side of the plate 20.

[0108] Referring to the anchoring member of the first connector assembly 16, two rod pairs are provided, each with a corresponding bracket 24. Rod pairs 22a and 22b and their corresponding brackets 24 are connected to the same bolt 26 and are arranged parallel and symmetrically in the longitudinal plane of the first wood member 12 with the same orientation. The same applies to rod pairs 22c and 22d. The first rod pair 22a and 22b and the second rod pair 22c and 22d are concentrated towards the center of the first wood member 12 in the direction towards the first end of the anchoring member. This arrangement of rod members is particularly good at resisting moments applied to the connector 10.

[0109] Referring to the anchoring members of the second connector assembly 18, four rod pairs are provided. Rod pairs 28a and 28b and their corresponding brackets 30 are connected to the same bolt 32 and are arranged to be separated from each other along the length of the rod. Each rod pair 28c and 28d, 29e and 28f, and 28g and 28h are also each arranged on a single bolt 32 and are separated along the length of the rod. This rod arrangement is also good at resisting the moment applied to the connector 10. This rod arrangement also allows multiple adjacent connectors in one wood member without interference and collision of the anchoring members.

[0110] Figure 2 2 is a close-up view of the plate 20, the first connector assembly 16, and the second connector assembly 18. For clarity, the bolts 26, 32 are removed. Oversized holes 34, 36 can be seen in the brackets 24, 30.

[0111] In this example, nuts 35 are used to attach rods 22, 28 to brackets 24, 30. Nuts 35 are used to prestress rods 22, 28, thereby avoiding slippage between rods 22, 28 and brackets 24. This improves the performance of the rod bracket portion. In other examples, rods 22, 28 and brackets 24, 30 can be formed as a single component, such as by forging or stamping.

[0112] Figure 3a is a perspective view of a plate 20. The plate 20 has two sets of through holes. The two through holes 38 on a first side of the plate 20 are configured to connect to the bracket 24 of the first connector assembly 16. The four through holes 40 on a second side of the plate 20 are configured to connect to the bracket 30 of the second connector assembly 18. The holes 38, 40 of all plates 20 are the same size and are oversized relative to the bolts 26, 32 to provide a clearance fit. In another embodiment, the holes and bolts on the same plate may have different sizes.

[0113] Figure 3b is a perspective view of a board 61. The board 61 is formed by two rectangular sub-boards 62 connected at the edges. The first of the sub-boards is connected to the other sub-board at a certain angle, so that the board 61 has two planar orientations, thereby allowing the fastening of wood members oriented in different planes in space. As elsewhere herein, the four through holes 70 of the board 61 are arranged to be connected to the brackets of the connector assembly.

[0114] Figure 3c 81 is a perspective view of another plate 81. Plate 81 is formed by four triangular sub-plates 82, 83 connected at the edges to form a tetrahedron shape. Plate 81 has four planar orientations, allowing for fastening of wood members oriented in four different planes in space. As described elsewhere herein, the six through holes 90, 91 of plate 81 are provided to connect to brackets of a connector assembly.

[0115] Figure 4aBrackets 24, 30 are shown. In this example, the brackets 24, 30 of the connector 10 are all identical, so the brackets 24, 30 described are suitable for use with the first connector assembly 16 and the second connector assembly 18. Brackets 24, 30 include first holes 34, 36 for accommodating bolts 26, 32 that connect the brackets 24, 30 to the plate 20. In this example, the first holes 34, 36 have the same diameter as the holes 38, 40 in the plate and are oversized relative to the bolts 26, 32 to provide a clearance fit. However, in other examples, the sizes of the holes 38, 40 in the plate and the brackets may be different. In seismic applications, the diameter of the holes 38, 40 in the plate may be increased to increase the ductility and energy dissipation of the joint. Brackets 24, 30 also include second holes 42 to accommodate the ends of the elongated threaded rods 22, 28, thereby connecting the brackets 24, 30 to the rods 22, 28. In other examples, the brackets 24, 30 may be integrally formed with the rods 22, 28.

[0116] Figure 4b and Figure 4a Similar, but the bracket 24, 30 includes two holes 42 on two opposite sides. These two holes are used to receive the ends of the longitudinal threaded rods for serial connection.

[0117] Figure 5 The threaded rods 28 of the second wood member 14 and the second connector assembly 18 are shown viewed from two opposite sides. As described above, the pairs of rods 28 can be arranged separately. In this example, the rods 28 are arranged so that all the rods 28 on the first side of the wood member 14 are angled in a first direction (e.g., "downward"), and all the rods 28 on the second side of the wood member 14 are angled in a second direction (e.g., "upward"). Figure 5 As shown, the orientation of the rods 28 on the first side of the wood member 14 may be staggered relative to one another, and the orientation of the rods 28 on the second side of the wood member 14 may be staggered relative to one another.

[0118] Steering Figure 5 On the left hand side and referring only to the "downward" oriented rod 28, the first rod 28b, the second rod 28d, the third rod 28f and the fourth rod 28h are angled 44b, 44d, 44f and 44h with respect to the vertical downward direction and are approximately equal to 80°, 75°, 65° and 55°, respectively. Figure 5 , and only with reference to the rods 28 oriented "upward", the first rod 28a, the second rod 28c, the third rod 28e and the fourth rod 28g are angled 44a, 44c, 44e and 44g relative to the vertical upward direction, and are approximately equal to 55°, 65°, 75° and 80°, respectively. For example, the splaying of the rods 28 can improve the load and moment resistance performance and prevent the rods from colliding when beams are connected on both sides of the column.

[0119] exist Figure 6 , a different arrangement of the rods 28 for the second connector assembly is shown. Figure 5 The arrangement shown, in Figure 6 In the arrangement of the rods 28, the second and third rod pairs 28 are closer together. Figure 6 In the arrangement of rods 28, the first and second "upward" oriented rods 28a, 28c form an angle of 30° with the horizontal plane. The third and fourth "upward" oriented rods 28e, 28g form an angle of 20° with the horizontal plane. The first and second "downward" rods 28b, 28d form an angle of 20° with the horizontal plane. The third and fourth "downward" rods 28f, 28h form an angle of 30° with the horizontal plane.

[0120] Figure 6 Also shown is an example rod 22 arrangement for the first connector assembly 16. In this arrangement, the first rod 22a and the third rod 22c each form an angle of 10° with the horizontal plane and converge in a direction towards the first end of the anchoring member.

[0121] Figure 7 The connection of four wood members 112, 113, 114, 115 is described. Each of the wood members 112, 113, 114, 115 includes a corresponding connector assembly, which includes four threaded rods 122 ( Figure 7 only some of which are mentioned) and corresponding brackets 124 ( Figure 7 1 and 12. The rods 122 and brackets 124 are as described above. The connector assembly of each of the wood members 112, 113, 114, 115 is connected to the center cross plate 120 in a manner corresponding to the above description. That is, friction preloaded bolts arranged in oversized holes in the brackets 124 and the plate 120 are used.

[0122] Figure 8 A connection is shown between four wood members 612, 613, 614, 615 and a common board 620. In this example, the board 620 is circular. As described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, each of the four wood members is connected to the board 620 by two first connector components and corresponding two longitudinal threaded rods 622. This connection largely corresponds to the connection of Figures 1 to 4 except for those mentioned.

[0123] Fig. 9 Two connections are shown between a steel I-beam 213 and wood members 212, 214. Each connection between the steel I-beam 213 and one of the wood members 212, 214 includes a connector assembly as described above. As described above, the connector assembly includes a threaded rod 222 and a bracket 224 ( Figure 8The flange of the I-beam 213 is connected to the rest of the I-beam (which is the second member) using friction bolts and oversized holes.

[0124] Fig.10 A connector between three wood members 312, 313, 314 is shown. The connector is similar to the connector described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, except that an additional wood member 313 is arranged at an angle to the first wood member 312 (which is also arranged at a certain angle). Two of the wood members 312, 313 include a connector assembly that is substantially the same as the first connector assembly described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The third wood member 314 includes a connector assembly that is substantially the same as the second connector assembly described with reference to FIG. 1. In order to accommodate the additional wood member 313, the board 320 is hexagonal. In addition to the above aspects, the connector corresponds to the connector of FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0125] Fig.11 A connection between two wood members 412, 414 is shown. The first wood member 412 is connected to the board 420 by the first connector assembly described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The board 420 is fixed to the second wood member 414 by four longitudinal threaded rods 437. The four longitudinal threaded rods 437 are in direct contact with the second wood member 414 and the board 420. That is, the second wood member 414 is not connected to the board 420 by the bracket 38 as in the connection 10 of FIGS. 1 to 4, but is directly connected to the board 420.

[0126] Any of the connectors described herein may be provided as a kit of parts—that is, in a disassembled form suitable for assembly into the connectors described—with or without wood components.

[0127] Fig. 12A and 12B An alternative arrangement of a connector 500 is shown. The connector 500 has a first connector assembly 516 that includes two anchoring members including a threaded rod 522 and a bracket 524. As described above, the threaded rod 522 is connected to the bracket 524 by a threaded nut 535. The board 520 of this example is fixed relative to a second wood member (not shown) by a second connector assembly 518, which includes a threaded rod 527, which is similar to the threaded rod used as part of the anchoring member. As described above, the anchoring members (i.e., the threaded rod 522 and the bracket 524) of the first connector assembly 516 include oversized holes and are connected to the board 520 by bolts 526.

[0128] In actual operation, the connector may include multiple Fig. 12A and 12B The parallel arrangement shown in .

[0129] Fig.13 A modular building 600 is schematically shown. The modular building 600 comprises a plurality of first wood members 512 and second wood members 513 in the form of beams and columns ( Fig.13 ). The beams and columns 512, 514 support the floors and walls and thus serve to separate the volume of the building into separate interior spaces. A plurality of connectors 10 as described herein are provided to connect the beams and columns.

[0130] The connector 10 is configured for easy assembly and disassembly. In this way, beams and columns can be easily and securely connected and disconnected by a user. This allows the user to move partitions (e.g., floors and / or walls) of a modular building to reconfigure interior spaces. This is beneficial because it allows a building to be more easily reused for a different purpose without the need for labor and carbon emission intensive processes.

[0131] The present invention has been described above by way of example only. The invention may be modified in detail within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the features of one example may be combined with another alternative example, unless the combination is explicitly excluded.

Claims

1. A connecting piece comprising: First wooden component; a first connector assembly associated with the first wood member, the first connector assembly comprising: a plurality of elongated anchor members, each of the anchor members comprising a first end extending into the first wood member and fixed relative to the first wood member; and a second end protruding from the first wood member, wherein each of the anchor members defines a hole perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchor member to accommodate a bolt; The connecting piece also includes: a plate connected or connectable to the second member, the plate defining at least one hole for receiving a bolt; at least one bolt, the or each bolt being configured to extend through at least one of the anchor member and the plate; wherein, for the or each bolt, at least one of the respective anchor member aperture or plate aperture is oversized to accommodate the respective bolt with a clearance fit; and The or each bolt is configured to clamp the plate and the anchor member such that relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is resisted by friction forces caused by the clamping force provided by the or each bolt.

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The at least one bolt is a plurality of first bolts; the connecting member further comprises: a second member, wherein the second member is a second wood member; a second connector assembly associated with the second wood member, the second connector assembly comprising: a plurality of second elongated anchor members, each of the anchor members comprising a first end extending into and fixed relative to the second wood member, and a second end projecting from the second wood member, wherein each of said anchor members defines a hole perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said anchor member to receive a bolt; The connecting piece also includes: A plurality of second bolts, each of the plurality of second bolts is configured to extend through at least one of the second anchor member and the plate.

3. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: for each of said second bolts: at least one of the corresponding said anchor hole or said plate hole is oversized to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit; Each of the bolts is configured to clamp the plate and the anchor member such that relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is resisted by frictional forces caused by the clamping force provided by the plurality of the bolts.

4. A connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: The plate defines a plurality of holes aligned with the holes of the anchor member of the first connector assembly, and for each of the bolts, the corresponding first connector anchor member hole and the plate hole are oversized to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit.

5. A connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: Each of the anchoring members includes a rod and a bracket, wherein a first end of the rod includes threads for screwing into a corresponding wood member, and the bracket is located at a second end of the rod and defines one of the holes.

6. A connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that: The length to diameter ratio of the elongate anchoring member is at least 10:

1.

7. A connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that: The anchoring member includes anchoring members disposed in pairs at sides of the plate such that each bolt extends through a pair of the anchoring members.

8. The connector according to claim 7, characterized in that: The anchor members of the at least one pair of anchor members have the same orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the respective wood member; and / or The anchor members of the at least one pair of anchor members are arranged such that the first ends are spaced apart from each other.

9. A connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that: The first connector assembly includes an array of at least four anchor members; first and fourth anchoring members, each arranged at a first angle to a surface of the first wood member; and The second and third anchoring members are located between the first and fourth anchoring members and are each arranged at a second angle to the surface of the first wood member.

10. A connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that: The anchor members of one of the connector components are arranged so that another connector component having the same arrangement can be provided on an opposite face of the first wood member without collision between the anchor members of the first connector component and the other connector component.

11. A connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that: Further including: another connector assembly associated with the first wood member, the another connector assembly being adapted to connect to a third member; The other connector assembly comprises: a plurality of elongated anchor members, each anchor member including a first end extending into and fixed relative to the first wood member; and a second end projecting from the first wood member; Wherein, the anchoring member of the other connector component is arranged to avoid collision with the anchoring member of the first connector component.

12. The connector according to claim 11, characterized in that: The arrangement of the anchoring members of the first connector component is the same as the arrangement of the anchoring members of the other connector component.

13. A connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that: A plurality of connector assemblies are associated with the first wood member, and the plurality of connector assemblies are arranged in parallel in the first wood member.

14. A kit of parts for a connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The parts kit includes: A first connector assembly configured to be connected to a first wood member, the first connector assembly comprising: a plurality of elongated anchoring members, each anchoring member comprising a first end configured to extend into the first wood member and be fixed relative to the first wood member; and a second end configured to protrude from the first wood member, wherein each of said anchor members defines a hole perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said anchor member to receive a bolt; The parts kit also includes: a plate connected or connectable to the second member, the plate defining at least one hole for receiving a bolt; at least one bolt, the or each bolt being configured to extend through at least one of the anchor member and the plate, wherein for the or each bolt, at least one of the corresponding anchor member holes or plate holes is oversized to accommodate the corresponding bolt with a clearance fit; and the or each bolt is configured to clamp the plate and the anchor member so that relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is resisted by a clamping force provided by the at least one bolt.

15. A modular building comprising a plurality of connectors according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

16. A method of constructing a building comprising any of: Using a connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13 in a prefabricated panel or element forming part of the building; or The kit of parts according to claim 14 is used to connect two components when constructing a building.

17. A method for connecting two adjacent wood members using the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13 or the kit of parts according to claim 14, the method comprising: installing the anchor member of the first connector assembly in a first wood member; positioning the plate adjacent the anchoring member; inserting one or more bolts into respective ones of the anchor members and the plates; tightening the bolt to provide a friction fit with the plate and the anchor member; and The board is connected to a second wood member.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that: Connecting the board to the second wood member comprises: installing the anchor member of the second connector assembly in the second wood member; positioning the plate adjacent the anchor member of the second connector; inserting one of a plurality of second bolts through a corresponding one of the anchor member and the plate; The bolts are tightened to provide a friction fit with the plate and the anchor member.

19. A method for disassembling two adjacent wood components connected by using the connecting piece according to any one of claims 1 to 13 or the parts kit according to claim 14, the method comprising: loosening each of the bolts to disconnect the plate from the anchor member of the first connector assembly; pulling out each of said bolts; as well as The first wood member is disconnected from the board.

20. A connector, comprising: a first structural member; a first connector assembly associated with the first structural member, the first connector assembly comprising: a plurality of elongated anchor members, each anchor member comprising a first end extending into and fixed relative to the first structural member; and a second end projecting from the first structural member, wherein each of the anchor members defines a hole perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anchor member to accommodate a bolt; The connecting piece also includes: a plate connected or connectable to the second structural member, the plate defining at least one hole for receiving a bolt; at least one bolt, the or each bolt being configured to extend through at least one of the anchor member and the plate; wherein, for the or each bolt, at least one of the respective anchor member aperture or plate aperture is oversized to accommodate the respective bolt with a clearance fit; and The or each bolt is configured to clamp the plate and the anchor member such that relative movement of the plate and the first connector assembly is resisted by friction forces caused by the clamping force provided by the or each bolt.

21. The connector according to claim 20, characterized in that: The first structural member is a first concrete member; and / or the second structural member is a second concrete member.

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