Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Openwork; e.g. – truss – trellis – grille – screen – frame – or... – Curvilinear or peaked truss
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-12
2001-11-20
Stephan, Beth A. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Openwork; e.g., truss, trellis, grille, screen, frame, or...
Curvilinear or peaked truss
C052S644000, C052S643000, C052S082000, C052S081100, C052S081200, C052S640000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318043
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is generally related to building structures. In particular, this invention pertains to readily assembled and disassembled modular shelters and shelter supports and associated trusses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Construction of buildings generally requires expertise in the on-site assembly of the load-bearing structure, or frame, of the building. Combinations of vertical pilasters and horizontal roof trusses generally form this frame for receiving wall and roof coverings.
A wide range exists in the designs, dimensions and load bearing requirements for building frames. These differences occur from building design to building design and also for particular structural members within one building design. In addition, structural members, such as a horizontal roof trusses, tend to be too large in many instances to be transported to the building site preassembled. Consequently, it is generally not practical to have pre-assembled structural members for building frames, especially not of standardized construction and design.
Similarly, placement of utilities, like electrical power, lighting, water, and wiring for telecommunication and entertainment systems, also vary greatly. Consequently, additional expertise is required for electricians and plumbers to incorporate these utilities into the building structure at an appropriate phase in the construction.
By contrast, portable structures such as camping tents and special occasion pavilions use sets of shelter supports that are readily erected by individuals having minimal expertise in building construction. Generally, easily assembled portable tents are limited to small dimensions as well as being limited in their load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, these portable structures lack provisions for utilities such as electrical wiring, relying instead upon portable powered devices.
Between the extremes of large permanent buildings and small, portable structures, there are a number of types of shelters. Examples of shelters includes enclosed residential porches, attached greenhouses, gazebos, and picnic shelters. Conventional shelters suffer from a number of disadvantages if assembled in a fashion similar to permanent buildings or portable structures.
The relatively complex assembly of structural supports for large permanent buildings requires carpentry, concrete, architectural and related expertise as well as a significant number of specialized tools and building materials of various dimensions. Often, these shelters are desired by home owners and businesses who lack these requisite tools and expertise. Moreover, the relatively small size of such projects makes them economically unattractive to builders. Consequently, the home owners and businesses may have to pay a relatively high price to have a shelter assembled.
Often, it would be desirable to have the ease, convenience and expedience of assembly and disassembly of portable tents. However, shelters often require greater structural integrity to withstand weather extremes or to be of larger dimensions than conventional tents. Furthermore, shelters, such as gazebos, often benefit from the aesthetics of a more permanent appearance.
Consequently, a significant need exists for a shelter that lends itself to be readily assembled and disassembled with a minimum of expertise and tools, yet provides sufficient structural integrity, utility and aesthetics for long-term and/or varied use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention addresses these and other problems associated with the prior art by providing an apparatus and method of forming a shelter from a number of shelter supports configured to be interchangeably used as both a column support (or pilaster) and roof support. In one particular embodiment of this invention, two identical shelter supports form a truss that may be readily assembled with other trusses into a frame for a shelters of various shapes and uses and then readily disassembled.
In one embodiment of the invention, a shelter support includes divergently spaced inner and outer beams that are capped at their convergent ends by a first end member and at their divergent ends by a second end member. The second end member of the shelter support forms an acute angle with the first end supporting the shelter support so that a truss is formed by engagement of the second member to a second end member of a second shelter support.
In another aspect consistent with the invention, a plurality of trusses form a shelter, each truss in outward alignment to support an apex portion of the shelter. The apex portion is formed by coupling the first end members of a number of trusses together.
The shelter supports are advantageously utilized as the basic building component to form a wide variety of building structures, gazebos, shelters and the like. The truss formed by joining two support members together, one as a column support, pilaster or ground engaging leg and another as a roof support, can be conveniently and easily assembled and disassembled with other similar trusses to form temporary or more permanent structures for a wide variety of leisure, commercial, business, residential and/or emergency on-site structures. Further, since the shelter support is the basic component, the need for a large inventory of building components is avoided while still offering flexibility and variety for many types of structures.
These and other advantages and features, which characterize the invention, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and forming a further part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, and of the advantages and objectives attained through its use, reference should be made to the Drawings, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is described exemplary embodiments of the invention.
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Nguyen Chi
Stephan Beth A.
Wood Herron & Evans LLP
LandOfFree
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