Construction members for three-dimensional assemblies
AssigneeUniversite Laval
InventorsThierry Laliberte, Clement Gosselin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A construction member, comprising an elongated body having a longitudinal dimension with a first end and a second end. Complementary end rotational joint portions are provided at the first end and at the second end of the elongated body, for interconnecting first end to second end a plurality of the construction member so as to form a polygon with construction members. A longitudinal rotational joint portion is provided in the longitudinal dimension of the elongated body for interconnecting two longitudinally adjacent ones of the construction member so as to interconnect polygons of the construction member at a common edge of the polygons to form a polyhedron.
Claims18
A construction member, comprising:
- an elongated body having a longitudinal dimension with a first end and a second end;
- complementary end rotational joint portions at the first end and at the second end of the elongated body, for interconnecting end to end a plurality of the construction member so as to form a polygon with at least three ones of the construction member;
- and
- a longitudinal rotational joint portion in the longitudinal dimension of the elongated body and coplanar with the end rotational joint portions for interconnecting two longitudinally adjacent ones of the construction member so as to interconnect polygons of the construction member at a common edge of the polygons to form a polyhedron.
A method for assembling polyhedra with a plurality of identical construction members, comprising the steps of:
- providing identical construction members each having a longitudinal dimension with a longitudinal rotational axis, and a pair of end rotational axes at opposed ends of the identical construction members, the pair of end rotational axes intersecting the longitudinal rotational axis, each of the identical construction member connectable to at least one other identical construction member at said longitudinal dimension and two other identical construction members at said ends;
- forming an edge by interconnecting a longitudinal pair of the identical construction members at said longitudinal dimensions, with the edge defined by coinciding longitudinal rotational axes of the identical construction members of the longitudinal pair of identical construction members to provide one rotational degree-of-freedom to the longitudinal pair of identical construction members;
- and
- forming a vertex by interconnecting an end pair of the identical construction members at one of said ends by superposing one of the end rotational axes of each identical construction member of the end pair of identical construction member to provide a one rotational degree-of-freedom between the end pair of identical construction members, the vertex being defined by an intersection of the coinciding end rotational axes and the longitudinal rotational axes of the identical construction members of the end pair of identical construction members;
- wherein the steps are repeated in any suitable order to form a polyhedron with a plurality of the edge and the vertex.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.