Space Structure

• US 20080110127A1
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uchida YOKO Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Uchida YOKO Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsuda, Tetsuya, Terada, Naoki, Tachikawa, Hideki, Kunishita, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,074,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/646
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/58 of bar-shaped building elements framework connections E04B1/21, E04B1/2403, E04B1/2604
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7435 Glazing details
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/761 L-connections
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/766 T-connections
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/78 characterised by special cross-section of the frame members as far as important for securing wall panels to a framework with or without the help of cover-strips
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/7818 of substantially rectangular form
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2496 Shear bracing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/5881 using an undercut groove, e.g. dovetail groove
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/749 Partitions with screw-type jacks
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/026 Braces
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/0421 comprising one single unitary part
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/0439 the cross-section comprising open parts and hollow parts
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/0478 X-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/02 Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; BracesE04C3/38 takes precedence; for structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts E04B1/343; braced purlins E04B7/024
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/06 with substantially solid, i.e. unapertured, web E04C3/10, E04C3/11 take precedence honeycomb girders E04C3/083
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1272 Exhibition stands
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5436 involving holes or indentations in the pane
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/0473 with hook-like parts gripping, e.g. by expanding, behind the flanges of a profile
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/185 with a node element
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 1/00 Frames or casings of engines, machines or apparatus; Frames serving as machinery beds
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 : around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/22 : with approximately constant height, e.g. with constant length of column or of legs F16M11/42 takes precedence

Abstract

A space structure is composed of a post member and a horizontal beam member. The post member has a post member groove portion that constitutes a semi-closed space having an opening portion in a cross section of the post member and extends along its axial direction. The horizontal beam member has one or plurality of horizontal beam member groove portions each of which constitutes a semi-closed space having an opening portion in a cross section of the horizontal beam member and extends along its axial direction. Connection of the post member and the horizontal beam member is achieved by connecting connection means that can be moved inside the post member groove portion that the post member has or the horizontal beam member groove portion that the horizontal beam member has to an arbitrary position along its axial direction and can be fixed at that position, with the post member or the horizontal beam member through the opening portion of the post member groove portion or the horizontal beam member groove portion. Thus, it is possible to design a new space structure easily to flexibly adapt it to newly developed information apparatuses or replacement of information apparatuses.

Claims

1. A space structure comprising from one to a plurality of post members extending upwardly from a floor and a plurality of horizontal beam members extending parallel to the floor, the post member(s) and the horizontal beam members being connected with each other and/or the horizontal beam members being connected with each other, characterized in that:

each said post member has from one to a plurality of post member groove portions each of which constitutes a semi-closed space having an opening portion in a cross section of the post member and extends along its axial direction all or partly along said post member;

each said horizontal beam member has one to a plurality of horizontal beam member groove portions each of which constitutes a semi-closed space having an opening portion in a cross section of the horizontal beam member and extends along its axial direction all or partly along said horizontal beam member;

connection of said post member(s) and said horizontal beam members is achieved by connecting connection means that can be moved inside the post member groove portion that each post member has or the horizontal beam member groove portion that each horizontal beam member has to an arbitrary position along its axial direction and can be fixed at that position, with the post member or the horizontal beam member in which said connection means is not present through the opening portion of the post member groove portion or the horizontal beam member groove portion in which said connection means is present; and

connection of said horizontal beam members with each other is achieved by connecting connection means that can be moved inside the horizontal beam member groove portion that either one of the horizontal beam members has to an arbitrary position along its axial direction and can be fixed at that position, with the horizontal beam member in which said connection means is not present through the opening portion of the horizontal beam member groove portion in which said connection means is present.

5. A space structure according to claim 1, wherein said connection means comprises a base member that can be moved inside said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion and a biasing member that biases said base member against a portion in the vicinity of the opening portion of said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion, wherein said base member and said biasing member can be separated from each other.

6. A space structure according to claim 1, wherein said connection means comprises a first contact portion that is in contact with one end face that constitutes one end of the opening portion of said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion, a second contact portion that is in contact with the other end face that constitute the other end opposed to said one end of the opening portion, and urging means for urging said first contact portion against said one end face and simultaneously urging said second contact portion against said other end face.

7. A space structure according to claim 1, wherein said horizontal beam member has at least two horizontal beam member groove portions with said opening portions opening vertically upwardly and vertically downwardly, each of said two horizontal beam member groove portions has opposed walls opposed to each other that extend along the axial direction of said horizontal beam member and project beyond said horizontal beam member groove portions, and the height of the opposed walls of the horizontal beam member groove portion that opens vertically upwardly is higher than the height of the opposed walls of the horizontal beam member groove portion that opens vertically downwardly.

2. A space structure comprising:

from one to a plurality of post members extending upwardly from a floor and each having from one to a plurality of post member groove portions each of which constitutes a semi-closed space having an opening portion in a cross section of the post member and extends along its axial direction all or partly along said post member;

from one to a plurality of horizontal beam members extending parallel to the floor each having one from one to a plurality of horizontal beam member groove portions each of which constitutes a semi-closed space having an opening portion in a cross section of the horizontal beam member and extends along its axial direction all or partly along said horizontal beam member; and

connection means that can be moved inside the post member groove portion that said post member has or the horizontal beam member groove portion that said horizontal beam member has to an arbitrary position along its axial direction and can be fixed at that position,

wherein in the case where said connection means is present in said post member groove portion, it is connected to said horizontal beam member through the opening portion of the post member groove portion, and/or in the case where said connecting member is present in said horizontal beam member groove portion, it is connected to said post member or another horizontal beam member that is different from said horizontal beam member through the opening portion of the horizontal beam member groove portion.

3. A space structure according to claim 2 further comprising an optional member other than said post members and said horizontal beam members, said optional member constituting a part of said space structure, wherein in the case where said connection means is present in said post member groove portion, it is connected to said optional member through the opening portion of the post member groove portion, and/or in the case where said connection means is present in said horizontal beam member groove portion, it is connected to said optional member through the opening portion of the horizontal beam member groove portion.

4. A space structure according to claim 3, wherein said optional member is a member that is suspended downwardly, said horizontal beam member has a horizontal beam member groove portion having said opening portion that opens vertically downwardly, and said connection means is present in said horizontal beam member groove portion and connected to said optional member through the opening portion of said horizontal beam member groove portion.

8. A space structure according to claim 2, wherein said connection means comprises a base member that can be moved inside said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion and a biasing member that biases said base member against a portion in the vicinity of the opening portion of said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion, wherein said base member and said biasing member can be separated from each other.

9. A space structure according to claim 3, wherein said connection means comprises a base member that can be moved inside said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion and a biasing member that biases said base member against a portion in the vicinity of the opening portion of said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion, wherein said base member and said biasing member can be separated from each other.

10. A space structure according to claim 4, wherein said connection means comprises a base member that can be moved inside said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion and a biasing member that biases said base member against a portion in the vicinity of the opening portion of said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion, wherein said base member and said biasing member can be separated from each other.

11. A space structure according to claim 2, wherein said connection means comprises a first contact portion that is in contact with one end face that constitutes one end of the opening portion of said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion, a second contact portion that is in contact with the other end face that constitute the other end opposed to said one end of the opening portion, and urging means for urging said first contact portion against said one end face and simultaneously urging said second contact portion against said other end face.

12. A space structure according to claim 3, wherein said connection means comprises a first contact portion that is in contact with one end face that constitutes one end of the opening portion of said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion, a second contact portion that is in contact with the other end face that constitute the other end opposed to said one end of the opening portion, and urging means for urging said first contact portion against said one end face and simultaneously urging said second contact portion against said other end face.

13. A space structure according to claim 4, wherein said connection means comprises a first contact portion that is in contact with one end face that constitutes one end of the opening portion of said post member groove portion or said horizontal beam member groove portion, a second contact portion that is in contact with the other end face that constitute the other end opposed to said one end of the opening portion, and urging means for urging said first contact portion against said one end face and simultaneously urging said second contact portion against said other end face.

14. A space structure according to claim 2, wherein said horizontal beam member has at least two horizontal beam member groove portions with said opening portions opening vertically upwardly and vertically downwardly, each of said two horizontal beam member groove portions has opposed walls opposed to each other that extend along the axial direction of said horizontal beam member and project beyond said horizontal beam member groove portions, and the height of the opposed walls of the horizontal beam member groove portion that opens vertically upwardly is higher than the height of the opposed walls of the horizontal beam member groove portion that opens vertically downwardly.

15. A space structure according to claim 3, wherein said horizontal beam member has at least two horizontal beam member groove portions with said opening portions opening vertically upwardly and vertically downwardly, each of said two horizontal beam member groove portions has opposed walls opposed to each other that extend along the axial direction of said horizontal beam member and project beyond said horizontal beam member groove portions, and the height of the opposed walls of the horizontal beam member groove portion that opens vertically upwardly is higher than the height of the opposed walls of the horizontal beam member groove portion that opens vertically downwardly.

16. A space structure according to claim 4, wherein said horizontal beam member has at least two horizontal beam member groove portions with said opening portions opening vertically upwardly and vertically downwardly, each of said two horizontal beam member groove portions has opposed walls opposed to each other that extend along the axial direction of said horizontal beam member and project beyond said horizontal beam member groove portions, and the height of the opposed walls of the horizontal beam member groove portion that opens vertically upwardly is higher than the height of the opposed walls of the horizontal beam member groove portion that opens vertically downwardly.