Pin Connection Nodes for Bridge Structural Assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pedestrian and vehicular bridges are complex and expensive to assemble, often requiring skilled labor and are permanent, making them prone to vandalism and aesthetic issues, while disassemblable bridges face susceptibility to accidental disassembly and lack of aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
A structural assembly featuring elongated members with internal spaces and pin connection nodes that conceal fasteners, allowing for secure and tamper-proof connections without welding, enabling easy assembly and disassembly while maintaining structural integrity and aesthetic appeal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welded components are used to construct bridges, then structural integrity and permanence are improved, but assembly complexity and cost increase, and aesthetic appeal deteriorates due to visible weld lines
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge structure is divided into modular components (chords, web members, nodes) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each node is a discrete assembly unit containing the pin connection mechanism, allowing for simplified on-site construction while maintaining overall structural integrity through standardized connection interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
A pin connection mechanism serves as an intermediary element between structural members, replacing direct welding. The pin acts as a mediator that transfers forces between members while avoiding the need for complex welded joints, thereby reducing assembly complexity and eliminating visible weld lines.
2Strength
If welded components are used to construct bridges, then structural integrity is improved, but cost and labor requirements increase due to need for skilled welders
Solution Approach 1:
The structure is segmented into pre-fabricated modules with standardized pin connection nodes. This segmentation allows components to be manufactured independently using simpler processes and assembled on-site through straightforward pin insertion, reducing the need for highly skilled labor while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin connection mechanism is designed to be self-aligning and self-securing, where the pin itself serves as both the connecting element and the locking mechanism. This self-service feature simplifies the assembly process, reducing dependency on skilled welders and specialized equipment.
3Device complexity
If disassemblable connections are used instead of welding, then assembly simplicity and aesthetic appeal are improved, but susceptibility to vandalism and accidental disassembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pin connection mechanism incorporates preliminary anti-tampering features, such as concealed pin locations within hollow chords and locking mechanisms that prevent unauthorized removal. These preventive measures are built into the design from the outset, addressing security concerns before they can be exploited.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin connection system utilizes a nested structure where pins are concealed within hollow chord members, and connection elements are nested within node assemblies. This nesting provides both aesthetic benefits by hiding connection details and security benefits by making tampering more difficult.
4Ease of operation
If pins are exposed at connection nodes, then assembly and disassembly ease is improved, but aesthetic appeal deteriorates due to visible fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
The pin connection mechanism employs a nested configuration where the pin is positioned inside the hollow chord member, with only a small portion accessible through a concealed opening. This nesting arrangement maintains assembly simplicity while hiding the fastener from view, preserving aesthetic appeal.
Solution Approach 2:
The visible portion of the pin connection is extracted and minimized, with the functional elements concealed within the structural members. Only the essential connection function remains exposed, while the aesthetically sensitive fastener components are removed from view through the hollow chord design.
Data Source
AI summary
Structural assemblies for constructing bridges and other structures. A structural assembly may comprise an elongated member defining an internal space. The structural assembly may also comprise a plurality of framing members connected to the elongated member at a plurality of pin connection nodes, each pin connection node comprising a pin interconnecting the elongated member, a first one of the framing members, and a second one of the framing members, the pin having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, at least one of the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end of the pin being located in the internal space of the elongated member.