Back to results
US 7,073,305 B2Granted
Compression ring horizontal bracing system for building structures
OwnerCharles K. Fonginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention provides a construction method having at least one compression ring and its bracing and reinforcing tension plane installed at a targeted floor level, where the compression ring and the tension plane form a structural bracing system to protect a new building or a existing building from an external horizontal impact.
Claims20
A method for strengthening a building structure to resist horizontal impact and/or substituting a building structure's traditional bracing and flooring systems, the method comprising:
- installing at least one continuous, curvilinear compression ring at a targeted story of the building structure so that the compression ring is coupled to more than two substantially vertical columns of the building structure whereby the compression ring can directly transfer structural loads between all of the more than two substantially vertical columns;
- and
- constructing within the compression ring at least one tension plane coupled to the compression ring and the more than two substantially vertical columns to brace and reinforce the compression ring and the more than two substantially vertical columns.
A method for strengthening an area of a building structure to withstand substantially horizontal structural loads, comprising:
- interconnecting columns located proximate an outer perimeter of the area by way of a continuous, curvilinear ring member so that the substantially horizontal structural loads can be transferred between more than two of the columns by way of the ring member;
- and
- stiffening the ring member by connecting a substantially planar member to the ring member and the columns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.