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US 7,921,613 B2Granted
Terraced structured land joint and assembly system
OwnerKoichi Paul Niiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Terraced structured land joint and assembly system is disclosed, and includes a plurality of ball joints, each providing monolithic anchors for a plurality of compression and tension members. Tension members reside within compression members. Compression/tension members are linked between ball joints by couplers and turnbuckles, defining structured land including planar space frames, horizontal truss members, and vertical truss members. Structural forces are transferred through the ball joints into horizontal and vertical truss members, with resultant loads transferred to the ground.
Claims19
Terraced structured land joint and assembly for structured land comprising, in combination:
- a) a plurality of ball joints having outer surfaces, each ball joint having a plurality of monolithic tenons disposed on the ball joint outer surface at predetermined locations and angles, each such monolithic tenon having a monolithic tension member of predetermined diameter centered on the tenon and extending orthogonally therefrom for a predetermined length along a longitudinal axis and having a swelled end portion;
- b) a plurality of compression members of predetermined length defining a uniform compression member cross-sectional area and uniform compression member interior volume for receiving and housing at least one tension member, and having two compression ends sized to receive and house a monolithic ball joint tenon;
- c) a plurality of tension members of predetermined length along a longitudinal axis, at least one first tension member having a diameter of uniform cross-sectional area, two equal sized swelled end portions of even diameters and orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis, and a third, larger swelled portion proximal to one of the smaller, swelled end portions and orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis, and at least one second one tension member having a diameter of uniform cross-sectional area, one smaller swelled end portion orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis and one larger swelled end portion orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis and having a threaded extension along the longitudinal axis, each such tension member sized to be housed within a compression member interior;
- d) a plurality of means for first tension coupling sized to reside within an compression member interior and to couple one first tension member swelled end portion without threaded extension to a monolithic tension member swelled end portion;
- e) a plurality of means for turn buckle sized to reside within a compression member interior and to couple and house one second tension member swelled end portion with threaded member to a first tension member swelled end portion;
- f) a plurality of means for second tension coupling sized to reside within a compression member interior and to house one turn buckle coupling a first tension member swelled end portion to a second tension member swelled end portion with threaded member;
- and
- g) a plurality of means for compression coupling sized to connect and house a first compression member end and a second compression member end;
- whereby the plurality of ball joints, tension members, and compression members, means for first tension coupling, means for second tension coupling, means for compression coupling, and means for turn buckle are assembled to provide at least one means for space frame, at least one means for horizontal support of at least one means for space frame, and at least one means for vertical support of at least one means for horizontal support of at least one means for space frame.
6 more elements
Terraced structured land joint and assembly for structured land comprising, in combination:
- a) a plurality of ball joints having outer surfaces, each ball joint having a plurality of monolithic mortises disposed on the ball joint outer surface at predetermined locations and angles, each such monolithic mortise having a monolithic tension member of predetermined diameter centered in the mortise and extending orthogonally therefrom for a predetermined length along a longitudinal axis and having a swelled end portion;
- b) a plurality of compression members of predetermined length defining a uniform compression member cross-sectional area and uniform compression member interior volume for receiving and housing at least one tension member, and having two compression ends sized to engage and reside within a monolithic ball joint mortise;
- c) a plurality of tension members of predetermined length along a longitudinal axis, at least one first tension member having a diameter of uniform cross-sectional area, two equal sized swelled end portions of even diameters and orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis, and a third, larger swelled portion proximal to one of the smaller, swelled end portions and orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis, and at least one second one tension member having a diameter of uniform cross-sectional area, one smaller swelled end portion orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis and one larger swelled end portion orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis and having an threaded extension along the longitudinal axis, each such tension member sized to be housed within a compression member interior;
- d) a plurality of means for first tension coupling sized to reside within a compression member interior and to couple one first tension member swelled end portion without threaded extension to a monolithic tension stub swelled end portion;
- e) a plurality of means for turn buckle sized to reside within a compression member interior and to couple and house one second tension member swelled end portion with threaded member to a first tension member swelled end portion;
- f) a plurality of means for second tension coupling sized to reside within an compression member interior and to house one turn buckle coupling a first tension member swelled end portion to a second tension member swelled end portion with threaded member;
- and
- g) a plurality of means for compression coupling sized to connect and house a first compression member end and a second compression member end;
- whereby the plurality of ball joints, tension members, and compression members, means for first tension coupling, means for second tension coupling, means for compression coupling, and means for turn buckle are assembled to provide at least one means for space frame, at least one means for horizontal support of at least one means for space frame, and at least one means for vertical support of at least one means for horizontal support of at least one means for space frame.
6 more elements
A structured land system, comprising:
- a) means for space frame;
- b) horizontal support means for supporting means for space frame;
- and
- c) vertical support means for transferring loads from said horizontal support means for supporting means for space frame to the earth, wherein said means for space frame comprises a series of interlocking chords and joints in a horizontal, planar geometric pattern, and wherein the cords and joints comprise, in combination:
- i) a plurality of ball joints having outer surfaces, each ball joint having a plurality of monolithic tenons disposed on the ball joint outer surface at predetermined locations and angles, each such monolithic tenon having a monolithic tension member of predetermined diameter centered on the tenon and extending orthogonally therefrom for a predetermined length along a longitudinal axis and having a swelled end portion;
- ii) a plurality of compression members of predetermined length defining a uniform compression member cross-sectional area and uniform compression member interior volume for receiving and housing at least one tension member, and having two compression ends sized to receive a monolithic ball joint tenon;
- iii) a plurality of tension members of predetermined length along a longitudinal axis, at least one first tension member having a diameter of uniform cross-sectional area, two equal sized swelled end portions of even diameters and orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis, and a third, larger swelled portion proximal to one of the smaller, swelled end portions and orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis, and at least one second one tension member having a diameter of uniform cross-sectional area, one smaller swelled end portion orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis and one larger swelled end portion orthogonally disposed to the longitudinal axis and having an threaded extension along the longitudinal axis, each such tension member sized to be housed within a compression member interior;
- iv) a plurality of means for first tension coupling sized to reside within a compression member interior and to couple one first tension member swelled end portion without threaded extension to a monolithic tension stub swelled end portion;
- v) a plurality of means for turn buckle sized to reside within a compression member interior and to couple and house one second tension member swelled end portion with threaded member to a first tension member swelled end portion;
- vi) a plurality of means for second tension coupling sized to reside within an compression member interior and to house one turn buckle coupling a first tension member swelled end portion to a second tension member swelled end portion with threaded member;
- and
- vii) a plurality of means for compression coupling sized to connect and house a first compression member end and a second compression member end.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.