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US 2011/0030306 A1Published application
Readily Configured and Reconfigured Structural Trusses Based on Tetrahedrons as Modules
OwnerJ.P. Claypoolinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Truss structures assembled from modules comprising one hinge link, four spacer links and four apex joinders, one at each end or each hinge link. The second hinge link to complete a tetrahedron is missing from the module, and is provided by the hinge link of a next in line module so as to provide a series of joined tetrahedrons. When the strut is assembled, the apex joinders enable the strut to be formed into a wide variety of shapes.
Claims18
A module for joining into a sequence of complementary said modules to form a truss of selectable configuration, said module comprising:
- a rigid hinge link;
- a first and a second apex joinder at a respective first and second end of said hinge link, the first apex joinder and second apex joinder respectively comprising a first radial surface and a second radial surface, the first radial surface and the second radial surface each comprising a plurality of apertures;
- four rigid spacer links, a first pair of said spacer links being rigidly attached to said first apex joinder by the insertion of an end of each link into an aperture of the first radial surface, and the second pair of said spacer links being rigidly attached to said second apex joinder by the insertion of an end of each link into an aperture of the second radial surface;
- a third and a fourth apex joinder,
- one spacer link of said first pair and one spacer link from said second pair extending from respective first and second apex joinders to converge on and be rigidly attached to said third apex joinder;
- the other spacer links of said first and second pair extending from respective first and second apex joinders to converge on and be rigidly attached to said fourth apex joinder;
- all of said apex joinders having a respective central axis of hinge rotation, the axes of said first and second apex joinders being coincident on a first rotation axis and the axes of said third and fourth apex joinders being coincident on a second rotation axis;
- said first and second rotation axes being skew to one another, and normal to each other in a plane that includes the mid-point of said hinge link and the said second rotation axis;
- there being an unobstructed spacing between said third and fourth apex joinders for reception, engagement and rotation relative to a second module with a similar hinge link, said first and second apex joinders facing axially away from each other, and said third and fourth apex joinders facing axially toward one another.
6 more elements
A module for joining into a sequence of complementary said modules to form a truss of selectable configuration, said module comprising:
- a rigid hinge link;
- a first and a second apex joinder at a respective first and second end of said hinge link, the first apex joinder and second apex joinder respectively comprising a pair of registration notches and an aperture;
- four rigid spacer links, a first pair of said spacer links being rigidly attached to said first apex joinder by the insertion of an end of each link into a respective registration notch and the second pair of said spacer links being rigidly attached to said second apex joinder by the insertion of an end of each link into a respective registration notch of the second radial surface;
- a third and a fourth apex joinder,
- one spacer link of said first pair and one spacer link from said second pair extending from respective first and second apex joinders to converge on and be rigidly attached to said third apex joinder;
- the other spacer links of said first and second pair extending from respective first and second apex joinders to converge on and be rigidly attached to said fourth apex joinder;
- all of said apex joinders having a respective central axis of hinge rotation, the axes of said first and second apex joinders being coincident on a first rotation axis and the axes of said third and fourth apex joinders being coincident on a second rotation axis;
- said first and second rotation axes being skew to one another, and normal to each other in a plane that includes the mid-point of said hinge link and the said second rotation axis;
- there being an unobstructed spacing between said third and fourth apex joinders for reception, engagement and rotation relative to a second module with a similar hinge link, said first and second apex joinders facing axially away from each other, and said third and fourth apex joinders facing axially toward one another.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.