Demountable Frame Connector With Offset Shoulder for High Stacking Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing demountable frame buildings face limitations in strength due to complex connector members fabricated from multiple components, restricting the stacking capacity and requiring additional bracing.
Innovation Solution
A demountable frame building connection member with an integrally formed attachment and receiving portions, having a smaller and offset cross-section, and a shoulder for enhanced strength, allowing for greater stability and ease of assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If connector members are fabricated from multiple components welded together, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (attachment portion, receiving portion, shoulder, and bracing elements) into a single integrally formed connector member. This eliminates weak points from welding joints and creates a unified structure with continuous material flow, thereby significantly improving structural strength while maintaining manufacturing flexibility through integral forming processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector member is formed as a single piece from uniform material, eliminating the need for composite construction from different materials or components. This monolithic structure ensures consistent material properties throughout, maximizing strength and reliability while simplifying the manufacturing process to a single forming operation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If complex bracing structures are added to frame buildings, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of attachment portions, receiving portions, shoulders, and bracing elements into a single integrally formed connector member. This consolidation provides inherent structural stability through the interlocking geometry of the integrated components, eliminating the need for separate bracing structures and thereby reducing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector member features locally optimized geometry with varying cross-sectional areas and thicknesses at different locations. The shoulder portion provides localized reinforcement where needed, while other areas maintain appropriate proportions for their specific functions. This distributed local optimization achieves overall structural stability without requiring additional global bracing systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A connection member (60, 60′) for connecting two elongate frame members (93,120, 122, 126, 128) of a demountable frame building (168) has an attachment portion (62, 62′) for attachment to one frame member (120, 122, 126, 128) and a receiving portion (64, 64′) for sliding engagement with a hollow end of a second frame member (93). The attachment portion and receiving portion are integrally formed from a single piece of material. The receiving portion has a rectangular cross-section smaller than and offset relative to the rectangular cross-section of the attachment portion to define a shoulder (66, 66′) around the receiving portion on the attachment portion of greater depth (68, 68′, 72, 72′) on at least one side (70, 70′, 74, 74′) of the receiving portion. The receiving portion has a screw-threaded passage (86, 86′) for a locking member (150) to secure the receiving portion in the second frame member, the passage opening for receipt of the locking member on an opposite side (88, 88′, 90, 90′) of the receiving portion. One embodiment (60′) has a shim (108) for guiding the sliding engagement.