Tubular structure and modular building assembly using the same

• US 7,155,874 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dae-Jun Lee
• Original Assignee: Dae-Jun Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Dae-Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman; Jeanette
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, YVONNE MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US10/468,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 527/301, 527/304, 527/311, 527/312, 527/314, 527/321, 527/322, 527/361, 527/371, 527/376, 521/277, 527/306, 527/317, 527/263, 526/96
• US Class Current: 52/843
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/24 the supporting parts consisting of metal
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2406 Connection nodes
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2415 Brackets, gussets, joining plates
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2418 Details of bolting
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2451 Connections between closed section profiles
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2457 Beam to beam connections
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2463 Connections to foundations
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/2472 Elongated load-supporting part formed from a number of parallel profiles
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/0413 being built up from several parts
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/043 the hollow cross-section comprising at least one enclosed cavity
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/0439 the cross-section comprising open parts and hollow parts
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/0452 H- or I-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2003/0465 square- or rectangular-shaped
• 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: E04C 3/32 of metal E04C3/36 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention relates to an elongated hollow non-deformable structure that can be used as beams and pillars of modular building structures. The structure includes first and second elongated C-shaped channels (20) with inwardly bent flanges (25) and means for holding the two channels (20) together so that the flanges (25) contact each other. The first and second C-shaped channels (20) may be formed without flanges (25). L-shaped (42) and T-shaped (40) and H-shaped flanges of appropriate design are provided with holes in the flanges at predetermined locations to correspond to the holes in the end portions of the beams and pillars. There are plugable holes (21) provided in the end portions of the beams and pillars so that workers can easily access inside the hollow space to use nuts (72), washers, and bolts (70) to couple the elongated hollow structures together. Instead of the C-shaped channel (20) structure two identical L-shaped channels (20b) may be used.

Claims

1. A hollow elongated tubular structure comprising:

a first elongated C-shaped channel having a central, main section and two integral end sections, and integral, inwardly extending flanges only along the length of said main section,

a second elongated C-shaped channel having a central, main portion and two integral end portions with flanges only along the length of said main portion, said second channel being of the same configuration as said first elongated C-shaped channel, and

a holding member located in each channel end section and fixedly connecting said first and second channels together so that the flanges located in the main section of said first channel contact the flanges located in the main section of said second C-shaped channel,

wherein the flanges of said first and second C-shaped channels have an inward bend and the surfaces of the flanges coming in contact with each other are planar and form an airtight seal along the length thereof.

2. A tubular structure according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second channels are made of rigid material so that the tubular structure is substantially non-deformable and further comprising

detent means to maintain the spatial distance between opposing inside faces of the two C-shaped channels a predetermined distance as said holding means is placed to couple and tighten said two C-shaped channels together.

3. A tubular structure according to claim 1, wherein said channels are made of steel.

4. A tubular structure according to claim 1, wherein said means for holding said first and said second C-shaped channels together comprises bolting means having a bolt with a head, threaded stem and a nut, and whereby said detent means maintains the spatial distance between the opposing inside faces of the two C-shaped channels as said bolt is placed and said nut is rotated.

5. A building assembly comprising hollow tubular structures according to claim 2,

wherein a plurality of said structures are adopted for use as beams and as pillars selectively,

and further comprising means for anchoring bottom ends of selected ones of said pillars on a support foundation for a building and

means for coupling a second pillar on top of said first pillar, end to end, and

means for coupling said beams to said pillars,

thereby resulting in a framework for a modular building.

6. A building assembly according to claim 5, wherein said anchoring means comprises a flange of a predetermined design with a plurality of holes at predetermined positions, an end of the hollow tubular structures used as pillars provided with a plurality of holes at predetermined positions for alignment with the holes in the flange, and a plurality of nuts, washers and bolts for bolting the one end of the pillar to the flange and the other end of the flange to the foundation.

7. An assembly according to claim 6, including said anchoring means for the pillar including an L-shaped flange, with a first leg portion provided with holes for receiving threaded rod of bolts, the heads of which are embedded in a solid foundation for the building, and a second leg portion having holes to align with holes provided through the sides of the bottom end of the pillar, nuts, bolt and washer means for bolting the end portion of the pillar to the second leg portion of the flange and for bolting the first leg portion of the flange to the foundation, for anchoring the pillar to the building foundation.

8. A building assembly comprising

a plurality of hollow tubular structures, each structure comprising

a first elongated C-shaped channel with flanges along the length thereof,

a second elongated C-shaped channel with flanges along the length thereof of the same design as said first elongated C-shaped channel, wherein said first and said second channels are made of rigid material so that the tubular structure is substantially non-deformable,

means for holding the two channels together so that the flanges of said first C-shaped channel contact the flanges of said second C-shaped channel, and

detent means to maintain the spatial distance between opposing inside faces of the two C-shaped channels a predetermined distance as said holding means is placed to couple and tighten said two C-shaped channels together,

wherein the flanges of said first and second C-shaped channels are respectively inwardly bent and the surfaces of the flanges coming in contact with each other are planar and form an airtight seal along the length thereof and thereby forming a hollow elongated tubular structure, and wherein a plurality of said structures are adopted for use as beams and as pillars selectively;

a means for anchoring bottom ends of selected ones of said pillars on a support foundation for a building;

a first means for coupling a second pillar on top of said first pillar, end to end,

wherein the first coupling means includes an H-shaped type flange of a size such that it fits inside the hollow space of the pillars and being positioned so that one end thereof being fitted inside the top end portion of the first pillar, the other end thereof being fitted inside the bottom end of a second pillar, said H-shaped flange and the end portions of said first and second pillars are provided with a plurality of holes at predetermined positions, nuts, bolts and washers for bolting the first and the second pillars to the H-shaped flange through the holes; and

a second means for coupling said beams to said pillars, for building a framework of a modular building.

9. An Assembly according to claim 8, wherein said H-shaped flange is positioned to provide continuity of empty space between the two pillars, whereby utility lines such as water pipe, communications or power supply cable lines can be run through the hollow spaces provided by the first and the second hollow tubular pillars, said H-shaped flange and said top end portion of first pillar and the bottom end portion of the second pillars are provided with holes at predetermined positions.

10. An Assembly according to claim 8, wherein said second coupling means includes T-shaped flanges designed to fit inside the hollow space of the beam made of the pillar structure, wherein said T-shaped flanges and an end portion of the beam are provided with a plurality of holes at predetermined positions, nut, bolt and washers or fastening the T-shaped flange to the H-shaped flange and to the beam through the plurality of holes provided therein for mounting the beam transverse to the pillar.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the flanges of the beam toward the end thereof are eliminated to accommodate the T-shaped flange being inserted into the hollow beam.

12. An assembly according to claim 8, comprising a pair of T flanges having a base portion and a leg portion connected perpendicularly to said base portion, each said T flange having a plurality of holes therein at predetermined positions, said pair of T flanges dimensioned and positioned so that their respective base portions are in parallel and the leg portions of said flanges meeting the inner surface at the end section of the C-shaped channel, and nuts, washers and bolts which bolt together the beam end to the H-shaped member that couples two pillars.

13. An assembly according to claim 12, wherein said beams and said pillars are provided with plugable access holes adjacent the holes in the ends of the tubular means used as pillars and as beams for facilitating the access into the inner hollow space of the pillars and beams for facilitating the bolting operations for mounting the bolts and nuts and washers, to couple and tighten pillars to the building foundation, pillars to pillars, and beams to pillars, for facilitating the assembly of a building.

14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein an insulating means is inserted between the T flanges and the end portions of the two pillars such that the hollow space inside of the two pillars is insulated from the exterior.

15. In a tubular structure:

a first elongated C-shaped channel having a central, main section and two integral end sections, said first C-shaped channel comprising

a first centrally disposed web portion,

a first upper flange, and

a first lower flange, each of said first upper and lower flanges having outer edges disposed away from said web portion, and

a first lip located only in said main channel section having inner and outer edges and inner and outer surfaces, said outer edge of said first lip connected substantially at right angles to said outer edge of said first upper flange along longitudinal lengths thereof, and

a second lip located only in said main channel section having inner and outer edges and inner and outer surfaces, said outer edge of said second lip connected substantially at right angles to said outer edge of said first lower flange along longitudinal lengths thereof;

a second elongated C-shaped channel having a central, main section and two integral end sections, said second C-shaped channel comprising

a second centrally disposed web portion,

a second upper flange, and

a second lower flange, each of said second upper and lower flanges having outer edges disposed away from said web portion, and

a third lip located only in said main channel section having inner and outer edges and inner and outer surfaces, said outer edge of said third lip connected substantially at right angles to said outer edge of said second upper flange along longitudinal lengths thereof, and

a fourth lip located only in said main channel section having inner and outer edges and inner and outer surfaces, said outer edge of said fourth lip connected substantially at right angles to said outer edge of said second lower flange along longitudinal lengths thereof;

wherein inner edges and outer surfaces of said first and second lips face towards each other, and inner edges and outer surfaces of said third and fourth lips face towards each other;

a holding member located in each channel end section and fixedly connecting said first and second channels together so that the flanges located in the main section of said first channel contact the flanges located in the main section of said second channel,

a holding member located in each channel end section and fixedly connecting said first and second channels together so that the surfaces of respective flanges located in the main section of said first C-shaped channel are held to touch corresponding surfaces of flanges located in the main section of said second C-shaped channel, planar surfaces of the first and second flanges being in contact with corresponding planar surfaces of the third and fourth flanges, whereby an airtight seal is formed there between along a length thereof;

and further comprising a detent means disposed between respective inside faces of said central web portions of said first and second C-shaped channels that space said inside faces of the two C-shaped channels from each other by a predetermined distance;

whereby a hollow elongated tubular structure is formed.