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AssigneeTate Architectural Products, Inc.
InventorsRobert S. Gladden, Jr., Richard J. Johnson, Michael J. Karmazyn, Donald L. Tate
Estimating the term…
A structural member comprising a sheet of industrial material in which is formed a plurality of dome-like projections of which at least the major portion of the configuration thereof in plan view is circular and said projections being located in the plane of said sheet in a structurally strategic geometric pattern which repeatedly blocks straight lines of vision across said sheet through said pattern of projections in all directions to form a one-piece rigid structural member capable of resistance to flexure and the intermediate portion of the sheet between said projections comprising arcuate continuous structural stress-resisting sections extending between the opposite edges of said member. Variations in patterns of projections comprise different embodiments of said member and, when fabricated, said member lends itself to a variety of end uses. When in the form of a composite panel, a flat sheet of planar material is affixed to the upper ends of said projections. The perimeter of said composite panel can also be provided with an integral bracing flange extending from the periphery of said member and terminating in an outwardly extending lip substantially within a plane common to the upper ends of said projections and when thus fabricated so lends itself particularly to a more specific and substantially more beneficial end use, such as in the art of access flooring.
A sheet of structural material having formed therefrom a plurality of similar dome-like projections extending from the plane of said sheet and of which at least a major portion of the configuration of each projection is circular in plan view, said projections in the plane of said sheet being arranged in a structurally strategic geometric pattern in which rows of equally-spaced pairs of in-line projections are interwoven perpendicularly with other such rows of pairs in a basket weave fashion so that the portion of a centerline of a row of pairs of projections that lies between two aligned pairs bisects the pairs thereof in transverse rows and has sufficient pattern density to block straight lines of clear vision repeatedly in all directions across said sheet to form a one-piece rigid structural member capable of resistance to flexure and the portions of said member which are intermediately between said projections comprising continuous structural ribbonlike stress sections of fluctuating width and arcuate in plan view capable of optimizing stress-resisting integrity.
A structural unit comprising a sheet of structural material having formed therein a plurality of similar dome-like projections of no greater thickness than said sheet and extending from the plane of said sheet and of which at least the major portion of the circumference of each projection is circular in plan view, said projections in the plane of said sheet being arranged in a structurally strategic geometric pattern in which rows of equally-spaced pairs of in-line projections are interwoven perpendicularly with other such rows of pairs in a basket weave fashion so that the portion of a centerline of a row of pairs of projections that lies between two aligned pairs bisects the pairs thereof in transverse rows and has sufficient pattern density to block all straight lines of clear vision repeatedly in all directions across said sheet, and the portions of said member which are intermediately between said projections comprising continuous structural ribbon-like sections of fluctuating width and arcuate in plan view, capable of optimizing stress-resisting integrity and said sections extending between the opposite edges of said sheet and being capable of maintaining resistance of the load stresses throughout said member and also capable of being maintained in the stated shape thereof when under stress by the circular configurations of said projections preventing movement thereof, said member being combined with a planar sheet fixedly secured to the outer terminal ends of said projections, thereby providing a composite structural unit in which the optimization of support versus strength-to-weight ratio and structural efficiency is achieved, whereby when said planar sheet is subjected to loading said projections serve as arches to resist flexure and the hemispherical shape of said projections providing resistance to collapse thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.