US 6,494,654 B2Granted

Tie down building, system tie down, and method

OwnerThomas M. Espinosainventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A fastener assembly 10, in respect to forces which are subsequently applied, after the installation thereof, when forces is applied in one direction, this fastener assembly 10 is self adjusting incrementally, as needed in travel or actuation; yet when a force is applied in the opposite direction, this fastener assembly 10 is not self adjusting and there is no travel or actuation. The invention includes also the building structure and method.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A fastener assembly, comprising:

a) a circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member movable to a locked and unlocked position;
b) a first member being oriented in a specific direction and having a fully receiving volume to guide and fully receive said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member;
c) a second member being oriented in the direction of said first member and parallel thereto and having a partial receiving volume to guide and partially receive said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member;
d) at least one of first and second members movable with respect to each other's orientation, and spaced adjacent each other, and together substantially confining and surrounding said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member;
e) said first and second members being movable in a direction parallel to each other and having a locked position and unlocked position;
f) said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member in said locked position having less than half of its cross-sectional area located in the receiving volume of said second member thereby preventing movement of said first and second members when said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member is in locked position;
g) said circular in-cross-section deflectable member in said unlocked position having its entire cross-sectional area in the receiving volume of said first member, thereby permitting movement of said first and second members with respect to each other;
h) said first member receiving volume being fish-hook shaped in cross-section and having a substantially straight shank portion, a semi-circular portion substantially tangent to said shank portion and a substantially straight hook end substantially tangent to said semi-circular portion and substantially parallel to said substantially straight shank portion;
and
i) said hook end engagable with said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member below said less than half cross-sectional area to readily move said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member fully into said first member receiving volume thereby permitting said first and second members to move relative to each other.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/737,952Filed 18 Dec 2000 · continuation in part
Priority: 4 Nov 1996
Published: US 2001/0002524 A17 Jun 2001
Granted: 17 Dec 2002
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

E04H 9/023
Bearing, supporting or connecting constructions specially adapted for such buildings: and comprising rolling elements, e.g. balls, pins
E04C 5/08
Reinforcing elements, e.g. for concrete; Auxiliary elements therefor: members specially adapted to be used in prestressed constructions
E04H 9/14
Buildings, groups of buildings or shelters adapted to withstand or provide protection against abnormal external influences, e.g. war-like…
F16B 7/105
Telescoping systems: locking in discrete positions, e.g. in extreme extended position

Family

Application60/030,286Us provisional application · filed 4 Nov 1996
Application08/964,285Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Nov 1997
PCT/US97/20093Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Nov 1997
US 6,161,350 AParent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Dec 2000
US 2001/0002524 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Jun 2001
US 6,494,654 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Abstract

A fastener assembly, comprising:

a) a circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member movable to a locked and unlocked position;
b) a first member being oriented in a specific direction and having a fully receiving volume to guide and fully receive said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member;
c) a second member being oriented in the direction of said first member and parallel thereto and having a partial receiving volume to guide and partially receive said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member;
d) at least one of first and second members movable with respect to each other's orientation, and spaced adjacent each other, and together substantially confining and surrounding said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member;
e) said first and second members being movable in a direction parallel to each other and having a locked position and unlocked position;
f) said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member in said locked position having less than half of its cross-sectional area located in the receiving volume of said second member thereby preventing movement of said first and second members when said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member is in locked position;
g) said circular in-cross-section deflectable member in said unlocked position having its entire cross-sectional area in the receiving volume of said first member, thereby permitting movement of said first and second members with respect to each other;
h) said first member receiving volume being fish-hook shaped in cross-section and having a substantially straight shank portion, a semi-circular portion substantially tangent to said shank portion and a substantially straight hook end substantially tangent to said semi-circular portion and substantially parallel to said substantially straight shank portion;
and
i) said hook end engagable with said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member below said less than half cross-sectional area to readily move said circular in-cross-section deflectable locking member fully into said first member receiving volume thereby permitting said first and second members to move relative to each other.

7 more elements

Facts

Application

09/737,952Filed 18 Dec 2000 · continuation in part

Priority

4 Nov 1996

Published

US 2001/0002524 A17 Jun 2001

Granted

17 Dec 2002

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

E04H 9/023
Bearing, supporting or connecting constructions specially adapted for such buildings: and comprising rolling elements, e.g. balls, pins
E04C 5/08
Reinforcing elements, e.g. for concrete; Auxiliary elements therefor: members specially adapted to be used in prestressed constructions
E04H 9/14
Buildings, groups of buildings or shelters adapted to withstand or provide protection against abnormal external influences, e.g. war-like…
F16B 7/105
Telescoping systems: locking in discrete positions, e.g. in extreme extended position

Family

Application60/030,286Us provisional application · filed 4 Nov 1996

Application08/964,285Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Nov 1997

PCT/US97/20093Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Nov 1997

US 6,161,350 AParent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Dec 2000

US 2001/0002524 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Jun 2001

US 6,494,654 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.