Ring Building Complex Floor Offset Connectivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multi-storey ring buildings with trapezoidal sectors and central stairwells face challenges in connecting multiple ring buildings without relying on central stairwells for exit and entrance, limiting the extension of advantages from individual ring buildings to a larger complex.

Innovation Solution

Ring buildings are arranged in corner points of polygons based on the number of corners, with even-numbered polygon rings placed in the same number of corners and odd-numbered rings in twice the number of corners, and connected by transitions between sectors with matching storey offsets, allowing direct floor-to-floor connections between neighboring buildings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If multiple ring buildings are connected using central stairwells for exit and entrance, then vertical access between floors is enabled, but horizontal connectivity between buildings is restricted and movement efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemovement between buildingsVSAvoidconnection structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from vertical-only access through central stairwells to horizontal connectivity at floor level by creating passageways between adjacent buildings. This dimensional shift allows movement across buildings without ascending or descending, effectively adding a horizontal dimension to the access system and eliminating the need to use stairwells for inter-building traversal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediate connecting structures (passageways, bridges, or corridors) that mediate between adjacent ring buildings. These intermediaries provide direct horizontal access between buildings at matching floor levels, serving as a mediator that eliminates the need to return to ground level through central stairwells for inter-building movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If ring buildings are arranged in a polygonal configuration, then spatial efficiency and land use are improved, but aligning floor offsets between adjacent buildings becomes increasingly difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveland use efficiencyVSAvoidfloor offset alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies equipotentiality by ensuring that connecting sectors of adjacent ring buildings are positioned at the same vertical level (matching floor offsets). This creates equipotential connection points between buildings, allowing horizontal movement without elevation changes and simplifying the alignment requirement despite the polygonal arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes by systematically adjusting the positioning and orientation of connecting sectors in each ring building to achieve matching floor offsets with adjacent buildings. By modifying the geometric parameters (rotation angles, positional offsets) of connecting sectors, the patent enables precise alignment across multiple polygonal buildings while maintaining land use efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If each sector of a ring building has uniformly offset floors, then structural simplicity and construction ease are improved, but direct horizontal access between adjacent buildings without stairwell usage becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstruction simplicityVSAvoidinter-building connectivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by designating specific sectors of ring buildings as connecting sectors that serve the dual function of maintaining the uniformly offset floor structure while providing horizontal access to adjacent buildings. This segmentation allows the majority of sectors to maintain simple construction with uniform floor offsets, while selected connecting sectors are positioned to enable direct inter-building connectivity at matching levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universality by designing connecting sectors that perform multiple functions: they maintain the structural pattern of uniformly offset floors while simultaneously providing horizontal access between buildings. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate access structures, allowing the same sector design to serve both construction simplicity and inter-building connectivity requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3596285B1Building complex
Publication Date: 2021.05.19 ZITTMAYR JOHANNES
  • EP3596285B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3596285B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3596285B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a building complex formed by multistorey ring buildings (R) having sections (1) which, in the ground plan, are trapezoidal, form a regular polygon ring and surround a courtyard with a central stairwell (4), wherein the storeys (3) thereof are evenly offset from one another in the vertical direction and are joined to the stairwell (4) by spoke-type passages (5), which stairwell has a staircase running around in the direction of the ascending storeys and having an ascending height (a) corresponding to the storey offset (h) between the passages (5). In order to join the individual ring buildings (R) to one another, according to the invention, in ring buildings (R) with an even-numbered polygon ring, the identical ring buildings (R) are each alternately arranged offset at an angle of 180° at the vertices of a polygon corresponding to the polygon ring, and in ring buildings (R) with an uneven-numbered polygon ring, the identical ring buildings (R) are each alternately arranged offset at an angle of 180° at the vertices of a polygon with twice the number of vertices, and the successive ring buildings (R) along the polygon are connected by passages (6) running between the storeys (3) of opposing connection sections with a corresponding storey offset.