Cantilevered Pergola Bracket Assembly Without Ground Posts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pergolas and trellises require ground-level support posts that occupy space and disrupt open areas, necessitating a solution that allows for a cantilevered structure without ground interference.
Innovation Solution
A bracket system that attaches pergola beams directly to existing roof rafters, using a mounting assembly, support assembly, and connecting assembly to suspend the beams horizontally without vertical support, fabricated from a single piece of material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional pergolas use ground-level vertical supports, then structural stability is achieved, but space is occupied and discontinuities are created in open areas
Solution Approach 1:
The pergola structure transitions from ground-level support (vertical dimension) to roof-rafter support (horizontal dimension). The bracket system attaches to existing roof rafters and cantilevers the pergola beams outward, moving the support point from the ground plane to the roof plane, thereby eliminating ground space occupation while maintaining structural stability through the bracket's rigid connection to the roof structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical support posts that occupy ground space are extracted from the system. Instead of using ground-level posts, the invention utilizes the existing roof structure as the support element, removing the need for vertical posts that would interfere with ground space usage while maintaining the pergola's structural integrity.
2Area of stationary object
If pergola beams are cantilevered without vertical supports, then space and continuity are preserved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into three distinct functional assemblies: a mounting assembly for attaching to the rafter, a support assembly for holding the pergola beam, and a connecting assembly that links them. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying the overall manufacturing process, as each assembly can be fabricated separately and then joined to form the complete bracket.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket design incorporates universal features that allow it to accommodate different rafter configurations and pergola beam sizes. The mounting assembly can be adapted to various rafter orientations, and the support assembly can accommodate different beam dimensions, making the bracket system versatile and reducing the need for multiple specialized bracket designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket system, for suspending pergola beams from an existing structure, the existing structure having a vertical wall and roof rafters that each have a rafter top and a rafter end that extends beyond the vertical wall over a ground surface, each of the pergola beams having a supported end, including a plurality of brackets. Each bracket having a mounting assembly for attaching to one of the rafters, a support assembly for attaching the support end of one of the pergola beams, and a connecting assembly that suspends the support assembly from the mounting assembly. The pergola beams extend over the ground surface, away from the existing structure, supported only by the bracket at the support end and without any vertical supports.