Modular Tensile Membrane Framing With Interlocking Extrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tensile membrane structures require significant custom manufacturing and extensive customization during assembly, limiting flexibility and ease of construction.
Innovation Solution
A tensile membrane structure building system using standard extruded structural members with interlocking channels and slots, along with standardized connectors and fasteners, allowing for modular assembly and reduced customization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If custom manufacturing and detailing of members and components is performed for each tensile membrane structure, then structural integrity and design specificity are improved, but manufacturing complexity and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing standard extruded structural members with universal channels and slots that can be used across multiple different tensile membrane structure configurations. The same basic member profile with standardized channel-slot geometry serves multiple structural purposes (beams, columns, trusses) and accommodates various membrane shapes and sizes, eliminating the need for custom manufacturing for each project while maintaining structural integrity through standardized connection geometries
2Manufacturing precision
If extensive drilling and customization is performed during manufacturing, then structural specificity is improved, but manufacturing time and on-site assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming channels and slots during the extrusion manufacturing process itself, rather than requiring subsequent drilling or customization operations. The structural members arrive at the construction site with ready-to-use connection features already integrated into their geometry, allowing for rapid assembly through simple connector insertion without time-consuming on-site drilling or customization operations
3Productivity
If standardized components are used for multiple structures, then manufacturing efficiency and flexibility are improved, but structural adaptability to specific designs may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the structural system into modular standardized members that can be combined in different configurations. The extruded members are segmented into standard lengths and orientations, with channels and slots positioned to allow various connection patterns. This modular segmentation enables efficient standardized manufacturing while providing flexibility to assemble different structural forms and accommodate specific design requirements through varied component arrangements
Data Source
AI summary
A tensile membrane structure building system (10) including several standard extruded structural members (12) of the same cross-sectional profile. These standard structural members (12) have a rectangular cross-sectional profile with four sides (50.1-50.4) oriented at right angles to each other at four corners (52.1-52.4), each side including formations that define at least one channel (54) extending along a length of the structural members. By means of fasteners (80) that cooperate with the channels, standard structural members may be interlocked so as to form a framework (14). Each side of the standard structural member also include two slots (58) located on either side of the channel or channels towards the corners, the slots configured to receive and hold an edge of a membrane (16).