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US 12,403,675 B2Granted
Pre-stressed plate or shell structures
AssigneeEnclos Corporation
InventorAustin Bensend
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pre-stressed structure and a method for forming a pre-stressed structure are provided. The pre-stressed structure comprises a panel including a first region pre-stressed into a condition of membrane tension, resulting in the panel having increased transverse stiffness. The pre-stressed structure may further comprise a second region pre-stressed into a condition of membrane compression. The panel may be a plate or a shell and may form part of an insulating glass unit, which in turn may form part of a curtainwall unit.
Claims16
A method of forming a pre-stressed structure, the method comprising:
- obtaining a panel in a first shape;
- elastically deforming the panel into a second shape;
- wherein the second shape of the panel comprises regions of membrane compression and regions of membrane tension,
- wherein the regions of membrane tension transition into the regions of membrane compression between a peak of membrane tension and at least one peak of membrane compression,
- wherein the peak of membrane tension is located at a center of the panel,
- attaching a support structure to the panel only along a perimeter of the panel;
- and
- maintaining the panel in the second shape by the support structure such that the membrane compression is carried within the panel rather than being carried by the support structure.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.