US 5,565,257 AGranted

Method of manufacturing wood structural member with synthetic fiber reinforcement

OwnerDaniel A. Tingleyinventor

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Abstract

An elongated wood structural member or beam for bearing predetermined loads transverse to the lengths of the members preferably includes multiple elongate wood segments bonded together with their lengths generally aligned with the beam length as in a glue-laminated members. The predetermined load corresponds to a resisting moment that produces compressive and tensile stresses in the structural member in respective compression and tension portions of the beam on opposite sides of a neutral axis. A synthetic tension reinforcement having multiple synthetic fiber strands held within a resin matrix is adhered to at least one of the wood segments in the tension portion of the structural member and is selected to be substantially capable of bearing the tensile stress produced by the resisting moment and cooperates with the wood segments to position the neutral axis within the beam. As a result, the width and depth of the structural member and relative positions of the neutral axis and reinforcement may be selected to establish a compression portion of the structural member in which compressive stress from the resisting moment does not exceed a predetermined maximum compressive stress.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method of constructing a reinforced wood structural member comprised of plural panels of a predetermined variety and grade of wood for bearing a predetermined load applied along a first axis, the reinforced wood structural member having a depth along the first axis, a length along a longitudinal axis transverse to the first axis, and a width along a second axis transverse to the first and longitudinal axes, and the reinforced wood structural member including compression and tension portions positioned on either side of a neutral axis, compressive and tensile stresses created by the predetermined load in the respective compression and tension portions, and a synthetic reinforcement placed in a predetermined position in the tension portion, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a synthetic reinforcement having a modulus of elasticity, length, thickness, and tensile strength, the tensile strength withstanding the tensile force caused by the load:
determining a depth of the reinforced wood structural member having a nominal starting width, the depth being of a value that is, at minimum within a predetermined margin of depth that is sufficient to prevent the compressive stress created in the compression portion of the reinforced structural member from exceeding a predetermined stress level;
modifying, if necessary, the nominal starting width of the reinforced wood structural member to derive a width sufficient to prevent the compressive stress created in the compression portion from exceeding the predetermined stress level, and the depth and width of the reinforced wood structural member and the modulus of elasticity, length, and thickness of the synthetic reinforcement providing a reinforced wood structural member having a predetermined stiffness;
assembling a stack of plural elongate laminae with the lengths generally aligned with the longitudinal axis, the laminae including plural panels of the predetermined variety and grade of wood and the synthetic reinforcement placed in the predetermined position, and the stack having the depth determined and width derived for the reinforced wood structural member;
and
bonding together the laminae in the stack to form the reinforced wood structural member.

3 more elements

A method of constructing, from a predetermined variety and grade of wood, a wood structural member for bearing a predetermined load along a first axis, the wood structural member having a depth along the first axis, a length along a longitudinal axis transverse to the first axis, a width along a second axis transverse to the first and longitudinal axes, and in which the predetermined load creates compressive and tensile stresses in the structural member in respective compression and tension portions on opposite sides of a neutral axis, the method comprising:

assembling a stack of plural elongate laminae with their lengths generally aligned with the longitudinal axis, the laminae having widths and including panels of the predetermined variety and grade of wood and a synthetic reinforcement placed in the tension portion, the stack having in the compression portion an area that prevents the compressive stress created in the compression portion by the load from exceeding a predetermined level, the compressive stress defining a compressive force in the area, and the synthetic reinforcement having a thickness and a width selected to withstand a tensile force caused by the compressive force created in the compression portion;
and
adhering together the laminae of wood panels and the synthetic reinforcement to form the reinforced wood structural member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/269,004Filed 30 Jun 1994 · continuation in part
Priority: 24 Mar 1993
Granted: 15 Oct 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification37 codes

B32B 21/10
Layered products comprising a layer of wood, e.g. wood board, veneer, wood particle board: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
B27N 3/06
Manufacture of substantially flat articles, e.g. boards, from particles or fibres: making particle boards or fibreboards, with preformed covering…
B29C 37/0082
Measures or configurations for obtaining anchoring effects in the contact areas between layers: mechanical anchoring
B29C 59/00
Surface shaping of articles