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US 7,802,404 B2Granted
Connector for geodesic dome structures
OwnerBlair F. Wolframinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dome connector including a hub portion and at least one pair of strut portions. The at least one pair of strut portions attached to and extending from the hub portion. Each of the strut portions has an upper end, a lower end and an intermediate region between the upper end and the lower end. The intermediate region has a greater thickness than the upper end and the lower end.
Claims17
A dome connector comprising:
- a hub portion;
- and
- at least one pair of strut portions attached to and extending from the hub portion, wherein each of the strut portions has an upper end, a lower end and an intermediate region between the upper end and the lower end, wherein sides of the strut taper from the intermediate region to the upper and lower regions so that the intermediate region has a greater thickness than the upper end and the lower end.
A dome structure comprising:
- a plurality of dome connectors comprising:
- a hub portion;
- and
- a plurality of strut portions attached to and extending from the hub portion, wherein each of the strut portions is defined by a plurality of edges, wherein each of the strut portions has a plurality of apertures formed therein and the apertures oriented in an array, wherein the sides of the strut taper from an intermediate region to the upper and lower ends so that the intermediate region has a greater thickness than the upper and lower ends, wherein a distance between centers of adjacent apertures is approximately twice a distance from a center of each aperture to one of the edges of the strut portion;
- a plurality of elongated dome members;
- and
- at least one fastener attaching one of the elongated dome members to each of the strut portions to define an enclosure, wherein a distance between edges of the strut portion and edges of the elongated dome member is at least as large as a distance from the center of each aperture to one of the edges of the strut portion.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.