Dual-phase vibration damping building coupling member with lock-up
AssigneeKinetica Dynamics Inc.
InventorsMichael Stewart Montgomery, Constantin Christopoulos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A building structure including a plurality of elements extending from a ground surface with at least a first of the elements connected to a second of the elements by a coupling member, the coupling member including a damping element for damping vibrations in the building structure and a means for limiting the deformation of the damping element when the relative movement exceeds a maximum displacement at which damage occurs to the damping element.
Claims12
An assembly for installation in a building structure for damping vibrations caused by a lateral load applied to the building structure, the assembly comprising:
- a first connecting element for connecting the assembly to a first element of the building structure and a second connecting element for connecting the assembly to a second element of the building structure, the assembly further comprising a damping element, the damping element comprising first and second sets of plates, the first set of plates of the damping element connected to the first connecting element and the second set of plates of the damping element connected to the second connecting element, the plates of the first set interdigitated with the plates of the second set with a damping material disposed between the plates thus interdigitated,
- the assembly comprising a plurality of slots in the first connecting element and a plurality of bolt holes in a cover plate connected to the second connecting element, with a bolt passing through each corresponding slot and bolt hole,
- wherein each bolt is displaceable along a length of its corresponding slot in response to an increase in shear deformation of the damping material, and at a maximum displacement the bolt engages an inner wall of its corresponding slot to prevent a further increase in shear deformation of the damping material.
A building structure including first and second elements extending from a ground surface with the first element connected to the second element by a coupling member, the coupling member comprising a first connecting element connected to the first element and a second connecting element connected to the second element, the coupling member further comprising a damping element for damping vibrations in the building structure, the damping element comprising first and second sets of plates, the first set of plates of the damping element connected to the first connecting element and the second set of plates of the damping element connected to the second connecting element, the plates of the first set interdigitated with the plates of the second set with a damping material disposed between the plates thus interdigitated,
- the coupling member comprising a plurality of slots in the first connecting element and a plurality of bolt holes in a cover plate connected to the second connecting element, with a bolt passing through each corresponding slot and bolt hole,
- wherein each bolt is displaceable along a length of its corresponding slot in response to an increase in shear deformation of the damping material, and at a maximum displacement the bolt engages an inner wall of its corresponding slot to prevent a further increase in shear deformation of the damping material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.