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US 11,657,738 B2Granted
Foldable spaceframe and method of setting up spaceframe structure
AssigneeProduction Resource Group, LLC
InventorsFrederic Opsomer, Marc Fichefet, Mario Hosten
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Foldable spaceframes that can be easily collapsed and unfolded to construct structurally stable (temporary) walls, for instance for events (concerts, shows, etc.) upon which (digital) display elements can be deployed, as well as a method for the construction of overlying structures comprising the spaceframes.
Claims17
A foldable modular spaceframe comprising:
- a polygonal front frame having at least one holding structure;
- a rigid and planar first truss frame, said first truss frame comprising at least first and second hinge arms and a first longitudinal connector beam, whereby said first truss frame is hingedly attached with the first and second hinge arms to the front frame at one end of the first and second hinge arms, each of the hinge arms being attached at said one end to the front frame towards opposite edges of the front frame, whereby said first connector beam rigidly connects other ends of the hinge arms opposite to the one end of the hinge arms, where the other ends of the hinge arms are not attached to the front frame,
- a first hinge connection connected to the first and second hinge arms, around which the first truss frame hinges, and forming a first hinge axis, that is parallel to the first connector beam;
- a first locking element on a first end of said first connector beam;
- a rigid and planar second truss frame, said second truss frame comprising at least third and fourth hinge arms, and a second longitudinal connector beam, whereby said second truss frame is hingedly attached with the third and fourth hinge arms to the front frame at one end of the third and fourth hinge arms, each of the hinge arms being attached at said one end to the front frame towards opposite edges of the front frame, whereby said second connector beam rigidly connects other ends of the hinge arms opposite to the one end of the hinge arms, where the other ends of the hinge arms are not attached to the front frame;
- a second hinge connection connected to the third and fourth hinge arms, around which the second truss frame hinges, and forming a second hinge axis, parallel to the first hinge axis, and whereby other ends of the third and fourth hinge arms opposite to the one end of the hinge arms, where the other ends of the hinge arms are not attached to the front frame, detachably interlock with the locking elements of the connector beam of the first truss frame,
- a second locking element on a first end of said second connector beam, the first end of said second connector beam facing to said first end of said first connector beam and said second locking element facing to said first locking element;
- whereby said other ends of the hinge arms comprise locking elements for said detachable interlocking;
- wherein the first hinge axis of the first truss frame lies in a first plane, and the second hinge axis of the second truss frame lies in a second plane, where both said first frame and said second frame are parallel to the front frame, thereby allowing the first and the second truss frame to be folded towards the front frame to a substantially parallel position to said front frame,
- and where said first hinge connection moves said first connector beam in a first direction, and said second hinge connection moves said second connector beam in a second direction opposite to the first direction, until the first connector beam is collinear to the second connector beam, and where the first locking element on the first connector beam connects to the second locking element on the second connector beam when the first connector beam is collinear to the second connector beam.
7 more elements
A method of erecting a wall from a foldable modular spaceframe comprising:
- Providing at least two folded spaceframes, each said spaceframe having:
- a. a polygonal front frame having holding structure;
- b. a rigid and planar first truss frame, said first truss frame comprising at least two hinge arms and a longitudinal connector beam, whereby said first truss frame is hingedly attached with the hinge arms to the front frame at one end of the hinge arms, each of the hinge arms being attached at said one end to the front frame towards opposite edges of the front frame, whereby said connector beam rigidly connects the ends of the hinge arms not attached to the front frame,
- c. whereby the first truss frame hinges around a first hinge axis to which the connector beam is substantially parallel, and whereby said connector beam comprises at least two locking elements;
- d. a rigid and planar second truss frame, said second truss frame comprising at least two hinge arms, whereby said second truss frame is hingedly attached with the hinge arms to the front frame at one end of the hinge arms, each of the hinge arms being attached at said one end to the front frame towards opposite edges of the front frame,
- e. whereby the second truss frame hinges around a second hinge axis, to which the first hinge axis is substantially parallel, and whereby the ends of the hinge arms not attached to the front frame, are adapted for detachably interlocking with the locking elements of the connector beam of the first truss frame, whereby said unattached ends of the hinge arms comprise locking elements for said detachable interlocking;
- and
- whereby the hinge axis of the first truss frame lies in a first plane, and the hinge axis of the second truss frame lies in a second plane, where both said first frame and said second frame are parallel to the front frame, thereby allowing the first and the second truss frame to be folded towards the front frame to a substantially parallel position to said front frame,
- aligning said spaceframes and positioning said spaceframes substantially vertically, whereby the first and the second hinge axes are positioned substantially vertical,
- unfolding a first spaceframe from first and second sets, where each set includes a first truss frame and a second truss frame, by unfolding the first truss frame, unfolding the second truss frame and interlocking the first truss frame with the second truss frame at the longitudinal connector beam of the first truss frame;
- laterally interlocking the unfolded spaceframes with neighboring unfolded spaceframes, thereby creating a row of laterally interlocked spaceframes by hinging said connector beam of the first set in a first direction, and hinging said connector beam of the second set in a second direction, said second hinge connection moves said second connector beam in a second direction, until the connector beam of the first set is collinear to the connector beam of the second set, and where a locking element on the connector beam of the first set connects to another locking element on the connector beam of the second set when the connector beam of the first set is collinear to the connector beam of the second set;
- lifting the row of laterally interlocked spaceframes vertically to a position hanging closely above the sets of the remaining spaceframes;
- repeating unfolding and interlocking on other spaceframes, thereby creating a new row of laterally interlocked spaceframes;
- vertically interlocking the new row of laterally interlocked spaceframes to the row of laterally interlocked spaceframes hanging closely above the new row to create vertically interlocked rows;
- and
- lifting the vertically interlocked rows of laterally interlocked spaceframes vertically to a position hanging closely above the sets of the remaining spaceframes.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.