Floor Span Connector With Diagonal Support Leg
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for interconnecting building members, such as coil straps, are inefficient due to installation limitations, material wastage, and high costs, particularly in accommodating offsets and withstanding natural forces like earthquakes and high winds.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece connector with diagonally-slanted support legs and obround openings, made from galvanized sheet steel, allows for internal installation and adjustable connections using standard all-thread rods, reducing material usage and installation complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If coil strap is used to tie studs together, then the connection can be made externally, but the strap cannot be installed within the wall and must be attached to outer faces
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed to be installed within the wall cavity, nesting the connection hardware inside the building envelope rather than exposing it externally. The connector fits between studs and attaches to sill plates from the interior side, eliminating the need for external strap attachment.
2Ease of operation
If coil strap is used for connection, then installation is simple, but the strap cannot accommodate offset in upper and lower studs
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates adjustable features including obround openings that allow positional adjustment to accommodate offsets between studs. The design enables dynamic adaptation to varying stud positions while maintaining a relatively simple installation process.
3Reliability
If vertically-paired holdowns are used to eliminate coil strap disadvantages, then connection reliability improves, but material waste increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into a single integrated connector piece that provides both attachment and reinforcement functions. This eliminates the need for separate holdown devices and reduces overall material usage while maintaining connection reliability.
4Strength
If diagonally-slanted support leg is added to reinforce seat member, then connection strength improves, but connector complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The diagonal support leg is integrated directly into the connector body as a single-piece construction rather than being a separate component. This provides the necessary structural reinforcement while minimizing overall complexity and material usage compared to multi-component assembly approaches.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector for connecting wall studs of two adjacent floors in a light frame building structure, the connector having a first attachment tab, a seat member, a diagonally slanted support leg, and a second attachment tab, all substantially planar. The connector is intended to be paired and the paired connectors joined by an elongated tie member that pierces the sill plates of the intervening floor structure.