Buckling-restrained braces and frames including the same
OwnerPaul William Richardsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example buckling restrained brace (“BRB”) includes a casing exhibiting a hollow cross-sectional shape defining an interior region. The BRB also includes a core and at least a portion of the core is disposed in the interior region of the casing. For example, the casing may exhibit a first length and the core may exhibit a second length that is greater than the first length such that a portion of the core extends from the casing. The core is separated from the casing by an minimum gap distance along at least a portion of the first length of the casing and a corresponding portion of the second length of the core.
Claims14
A buckling restrained brace, comprising:
- a casing exhibiting a hollow cross-sectional shape defining an interior region, the casing exhibiting a first length, the casing including substantially only a steel or aluminum hollow structural section;
- and
- a core disposed in the interior region of the casing, the core exhibiting a generally I cross-sectional shape, the core exhibiting a second length that is greater than the first length;
- wherein the casing is configured to restrain buckling of the core;
- and
- wherein the core is separated from the casing by an unoccupied space along at least a portion of the first length of the casing and a corresponding portion of the second length of the core, and wherein the unoccupied space is present between a minimum gap measured from flanges of the core and the casing when the core is disposed at or substantially near the middle of the interior region, and wherein the minimum gap distance is at least about 2.54 cm.
A buckling restrained brace, comprising:
- a single casing exhibiting a hollow cross-sectional shape defining an interior region, the single casing exhibiting a first length;
- and
- a single core disposed in the interior region of the single casing, the single core exhibiting a second length that is greater than the first length;
- and
- wherein the single casing is configured to restrain buckling of the core;
- wherein the single core is separate from the single casing along at least a portion of the first length of the single casing and a corresponding portion of the second length of the single core by a minimum gap distance between the single core and the single casing that is about 2% to about 49% of at least one outer dimension of the single casing, the at least one outer dimension of the casing measured from an outer surface of the casing to an opposing outer surface of the casing, the at least one outer dimension of the casing measured perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the casing, and wherein the minimum gap distance is an unoccupied space, and wherein the minimum gap distance is at least about 2.54 cm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.