Geodesic frame connector system and method

A geodesic frame connector system for a geodesic frame, comprising:

• a discontinuous ring pair comprising a first discontinuous ring having a first discontinuous ring upper face and a first discontinuous ring lower face, and a first discontinuous ring inner ring perimeter and a first discontinous ring outer ring perimeter and a second discontinuous ring having a second discontinuous ring upper face and a second discontinuous ring lower face, and a second discontinuous ring inner ring perimeter and a second discontinuous ring outer ring perimeter, the first discontinuous ring lower face being adjacent the second discontinuous ring upper face, and the first discontinuous ring inner ring perimeter and the second discontinuous ring inner ring perimeter defining a discontinuous ring pair inner opening;
• a wedge portion sandwiched between the lower face of the first discontinuous ring and the upper face of the second discontinuous ring such that the wedge portion extends beyond at least one of the first and second discontinuous ring outer perimeters, the wedge portion having a wedge portion opening extending through the wedge portion along a wedge portion major axis,
• a wedge anchor portion, including a threaded wedge anchor opening, inserted in the discontinuous ring pair inner opening with the wedge anchor opening substantially aligned with the wedge portion opening;
• a fastener having a head portion with a cross section greater than the wedge portion opening and a threaded portion compatible with the threaded wedge anchor opening;
• at least two elongated struts, each strut of the at least two elongated struts including a first end and a second end and a strut opening proximate the first end, each strut opening of the at least two elongated struts being greater than a cross section of the discontinuous ring pair and including an upper edge and lower edge;
• wherein
• each elongated strut of the at least two elongated struts is capable of being coupled with the discontinuous ring pair, by inserting the discontinuous ring pair through each strut openings of the at least two elongated struts, and where
• insertion of the fastener through the wedge opening and turned through the wedge anchor opening draws the wedge portion toward the wedge anchor portion, thereby causing the first discontinuous ring upper face to contact the upper edge of each elongated strut opening of the at least two elongated struts, and the second discontinuous ring lower face to contact the lower edge of each elongated strut opening of the at least two elongated struts to separate the first discontinuous ring from the second discontinuous ring.

A method for constructing a geodesic frame using a geodesic frame system, comprising:

• aligning discontinuities of a first and second discontinuous rings that form a discontinuous ring pair to form aligned discontinuities, with the aligned discontinuities exposing a cross section face of the discontinuous ring pair;
• inserting a first end of a first elongated strut into the aligned discontinuities of the discontinuous ring pair such that a first elongated strut opening aligns with the cross section face;
• rotating the discontinuous ring pair through the first elongated strut opening;
• inserting a first end of a second elongated strut into the aligned discontinuities of the discontinuous ring pair such that a second elongated strut opening aligns with the cross section face;
• positioning the first and second elongated struts to desired respective positions along the discontinuous ring pair;
• and
• inserting a fastener into the discontinuous ring pair, to force the first discontinuous ring away from the second discontinuous ring, such that a first discontinuous ring upper face contacts an upper edge of the first elongated strut opening and an upper edge of the second elongated strut opening, and a second discontinuous ring lower face contacts a lower edge of the first elongated strut opening and a lower edge of the second elongated strut opening.