Construction members for three-dimensional assemblies
AssigneeUniversite Laval
InventorsThierry Laliberté, Clément Gosselin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A construction member, comprising an elongated body having a longitudinal dimension with a first end and a second end. Complementary end rotational joint portions are provided at the first end and at the second end of the elongated body, for interconnecting first end to second end a plurality of the construction member so as to form a polygon with construction members. A longitudinal rotational joint portion is provided in the longitudinal dimension of the elongated body for interconnecting two longitudinally adjacent ones of the construction member so as to interconnect polygons of the construction member at a common edge of the polygons to form a polyhedron.
Claims18
A polyhedron constructed of identical construction members each having a longitudinal dimension with a first end and a second end, with complementary end rotational joint portions at the first end and at the second end, and a longitudinal rotational joint portion in the longitudinal dimension, the polyhedron comprising:
- polygons, each said polygon having at least three of the identical construction members connected first end to second end so as to form end rotational joints with the complementary end rotational joint portions;
- edges, each said edge being formed by a pair of the identical construction members of adjacent polygons being connected side-by-side so as to form a longitudinal rotational joint with the longitudinal rotational joint portions, each said edge being colinear with a longitudinal rotational axis of the longitudinal rotational joint;
- and
- vertices, each said vertex being formed by an intersection of at least three of the longitudinal rotational axes of three or more of said polygons.
A method for assembling a polyhedron with a plurality of identical construction members, comprising the steps of:
- providing identical construction members each having a longitudinal dimension with a longitudinal rotational axis, and opposed ends, each of the identical construction members being connectable to one other identical construction member at said longitudinal dimension and one other identical construction member at each said end to form rotational joints;
- forming polygons, each polygon being formed by interconnecting end to end at least three of the identical construction members so as to form an end rotational joint between each interconnected pair of identical construction members;
- and
- forming edges and vertices by interconnecting pairs of the identical construction members of adjacent polygons at said longitudinal dimensions such that the longitudinal rotational axes of the pair are superposed, with any one of the edges defined by the superposed longitudinal rotational axes of any one of the pairs of identical construction members, and with any one of the vertices each defined by an intersection of at least three of the edges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.