Yield link brace connector
AssigneeSimpson Strong-Tie Company, Inc.
InventorsMary Nunneley, Patrick McManus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lateral bracing system incudes a frame and a brace assembly. The brace assembly may include at least one diagonal brace affixed to the frame by gusset plates. The diagonal brace may be affixed to the gusset plates at one or both ends by a yield link assembly. The yield link assembly may include various numbers of stacked fuse plates, depending on the required design strength of the lateral bracing system. Each fuse plate may include first and second ends, bolted respectively to the diagonal brace and gusset plate, and a central yield region including one or more mechanical fuses. The mechanical fuses are configured to distribute the inelastic strains throughout the yield region.
Claims20
A construction, comprising:
- a frame, comprising:
- a vertical column;
- a horizontal beam;
- a gusset plate affixed to the frame;
- a brace;
- and
- a yield link assembly coupling the brace to the gusset plate, the yield link assembly comprising:
- a set of two or more fuse plates of different sizes stacked on each other, the set of two or more fuse plates each comprising one or more mechanical fuses configured to plastically deform under lateral loads on the construction, a bottommost fuse plate of the set of two or more fuse plates mounted directly on the brace;
- a U-shim affixed to an uppermost fuse plate of the set of two or more fuse plates, the U-shim having an open central portion and legs in part defined by the open central portion, the legs aligning with edges of the set of two or more fuse plates;
- and
- a cover plate affixed to the U-shim, the U-shim preventing friction between the uppermost fuse plate and the cover plate as the mechanical fuses of the set of two or more fuse plates plastically deform out of plane.
A brace assembly mounted to a gusset plate on a frame of a construction, the brace assembly comprising:
- a brace;
- and
- a yield link assembly coupling the brace to the gusset plate, the yield link assembly comprising:
- a set of two or more fuse plates of different sizes stacked on each other, the set of two or more fuse plates each comprising one or more mechanical fuses configured to plastically deform under lateral loads on the construction, a bottommost fuse plate of the set of two or more fuse plates mounted directly on the brace;
- a U-shim affixed to an uppermost fuse plate of the set of two or more fuse plates, the U-shim having an open central portion and legs in part defined by the open central portion, the legs aligning with edges of the set of two or more fuse plates;
- and
- a cover plate affixed to the U-shim, the U-shim preventing friction between the uppermost fuse plate and the cover plate as the mechanical fuses of the set of two or more fuse plates plastically deform out of plane.
A brace assembly mounted to a gusset plate on a frame of a construction, the brace assembly comprising:
- a brace;
- and
- a yield link assembly coupling the brace to the gusset plate, the yield link assembly comprising:
- a set of two or more fuse plates of different sizes stacked on each other, the set of two or more fuse plates each comprising one or more mechanical fuses configured to plastically deform under lateral loads on the construction, a bottommost fuse plate of the set of two or more fuse plates mounted directly on the brace, wherein each mechanical fuse in each fuse plate comprises:
- a generally rectangular geometry with rounded edges, and a plurality of reduced diameter sections,
- a stability bar extending a length of each mechanical fuse of the one or more mechanical fuses transverse to a longitudinal axis of the fuse plate, the stability bar configured with a width such that the plurality of reduced diameter sections undergo plastic deformation before the stability bars undergoes plastic deformation;
- a U-shim affixed to an uppermost fuse plate of the set of two or more fuse plates, the U-shim having an open central portion and legs in part defined by the open central portion, the legs aligning with edges of the set of two or more fuse plates;
- and
- a cover plate affixed to the U-shim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.