CA1046223A - Building structures - Google Patents
Building structuresInfo
- Publication number
- CA1046223A CA1046223A CA258,616A CA258616A CA1046223A CA 1046223 A CA1046223 A CA 1046223A CA 258616 A CA258616 A CA 258616A CA 1046223 A CA1046223 A CA 1046223A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- panel
- layers
- panel according
- members
- framework
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B7/00—Roofs; Roof construction with regard to insulation
- E04B7/08—Vaulted roofs
- E04B7/10—Shell structures, e.g. of hyperbolic-parabolic shape; Grid-like formations acting as shell structures; Folded structures
- E04B7/105—Grid-like structures
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/32—Arched structures; Vaulted structures; Folded structures
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/32—Arched structures; Vaulted structures; Folded structures
- E04B2001/3235—Arched structures; Vaulted structures; Folded structures having a grid frame
- E04B2001/3241—Frame connection details
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/32—Arched structures; Vaulted structures; Folded structures
- E04B2001/3235—Arched structures; Vaulted structures; Folded structures having a grid frame
- E04B2001/3252—Covering details
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/32—Arched structures; Vaulted structures; Folded structures
- E04B2001/3294—Arched structures; Vaulted structures; Folded structures with a faceted surface
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
- Building Environments (AREA)
- Specific Sealing Or Ventilating Devices For Doors And Windows (AREA)
- Panels For Use In Building Construction (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The invention provides a modular building structure whose framework is constructed from a set of identical elongate members, each having identical connecting arrangements.
Various configurations for the framework resulting in respective dome like structures are disclosed.
Inflatable covering panels for the framework are also disclosed as providing desirable insulating and fatigue-resistant properties. A method of manufacturing such covering panels is also disclosed. The covering panels also have application in replacing existing glass panels in existing conventional structures.
The invention provides a modular building structure whose framework is constructed from a set of identical elongate members, each having identical connecting arrangements.
Various configurations for the framework resulting in respective dome like structures are disclosed.
Inflatable covering panels for the framework are also disclosed as providing desirable insulating and fatigue-resistant properties. A method of manufacturing such covering panels is also disclosed. The covering panels also have application in replacing existing glass panels in existing conventional structures.
Description
~ his invention relates to means for making struc-tures for use as buildings.
( There have been several attempts to devise strong light modular building structures which are simple and economical to construct. Many of these attempts have centred on the geodesic type of construction and have the disadvantage that such structures have required a plurality of differently sized building elements and become complicated to construct.
Also, the development of such modular building structures has been hampered by the somewhat restricted range of covering available for modular frameworks. Of particular interest is the application of modular struc-tures in horticulture where the most commonly used covering comprises glass panels. Glass panels are notoriously fragile, are becoming increasingly expen-sive to prod~ce and instal and suffer from several drawbacks with regard to obtaining and maintaining desired temperature levels within any given structure.
According toia first aspect of this invention ~ c there is provided means for making a modular framework and including a plurality of substantially identical elongate members each one of which has a connecting ;~
arrangement comprising at least one connecting member engaging the elongate member intermediate its ends, said connecting arrangement providing means for receiving the ends of two others of the elongate members whose longitudinal axes extend in directions across, on the same side of, said one elongate me~ber, said receiving means being arranged to hold the end of its associated other elongate member so that the latter forms a pre-determined acute angle with said one ` ` 1046223 elongate member in plan view.
Preferably said acute angle is 60 and the receiv-ing means are arranged to hold said other elongate members inclined to an apex through the plane of the smaller angle of which said one elongate member extends so that said other elongate members effectively form a segmented curve round said one elongate member.
The term "segmented curve" as used herein shall be understood to include any graphical, substantially con-tinuous (between its ends), line shape comprising a plurality of straight lines.
According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a dome-shaped structure including a modular framework made from substantially identical elongate members and connecting members and which, when viewed normal to the surface of the structure defines a major substantially equilateral triangle, at least a portion of each side of the major triangle being associated with, by forming at least portions of, two sides of respective substantially identical minor sub-stantially equilateral triangles, the sides of the major triangle being associated respectively with the sides of different pairs of minor triangles.
The structure may have a plurality of such major triangles arranged in rows extending between marginal portions of the structure, each of the minor triangles between the rows having its sides associated respect ively with sides of different major triangles.
According to a third aspect of this invention there is provided a dome-shaped structure including a modular framework made from substantially identical elongate members and connecting members and which, when viewed normal to the surface of the structure, defines a hex-agon, at least a portion of each side of the hexagon being associated with, by forming at least a portion of one side of a triangle, the sides of the hexagon being associated with different respective triangles.
The structure may have a plurality of such hexa-gons regularly distributed.
A preferred form of the structure consists of an elongate, or part-ellipsoidal shaped, dome in which consecutive rings of the hexagons are formed around a central linear arrangement comprising at least-two hexagons. A part-spherical dome results when a single hexagon is central to consecutively formed rings.
According to a fourth~aspect of this invention there is provided a covering panel for forming a -~
covering between inter-connected members of a frame-work and including a double layer of a plastics mat-erial sealed together along the margins of the layers, inflating means providing fluid communication through one of the layers and at least one of the layers being flexibly movable relative to the other layer to form an inflatable central portion of the panel, flattening means being provided for maintaining said central por-tion generally flat.
The covering panels may be secured to the connect-ing members of a structure according to any one of said first, second and third aspects and may comprise indiv-idual hexagonal and triangular covering panels which overlap and are secured together where they overlap.
.- . : ~ :
~04tjZ~3 Preferably the covering panel has at least one major face of -the central portion arranged to be cor-rugated when the panel is inflated the corrugations being curved due to the inflation while providing a generally flat central portion.
A preferred form of covering panel is rectangular for use in place of conventional glass panels and is provided with edge fastening means for fastening the edges of the panels to framework members or to each other.
The flattening means for maintaining the central portion generally flat preferably comprises a plurality of reed or web members having their longitudinal edges secured to the layers of plastics material. Also the plastics material is prefer~bly a reinforced material.
The covering panel may be provided with an auxili-ary layer of thermally absorptive material sealed to the ma~gins of said double layer to form a heating space between the thermally absorptive layer and the ad-jacent layer of said double layer, fluid communication valves being provided for communication with the heat-ing space so that a fluid can be passed through the heating space and heated (as by solar radiation) via i;
the thermally absorptive layer.
According to a fifth aspect of this invention th~e is provided a method of manufact~ring a covering panel according to said fourth aspect, said method including the steps of securing, by dielectric welding, central portions of two layers of plastics material to opposite sides of flattening means, securing inflating means to one of the layers so as to provide fluid communication through the layer to the space between said central portions, and sealingly securing, by dielectric welding, the layers together around their margins to form a double layer.
It is to be noted that'the term "dielectric welding" as referred to herein in relation to a work-piece means applying pressure to the workpiece between two electrodesbetween which a radio frequency electric field is generated.
Also, the inflating means may be secured to said one layer before the step of welding the layer to the flattening means.
Embodiments of this invention will now be descri~ed by way of examples only, with reference to the accompany-ing drawings wherein:-Fig. 1 is schematic diagram of a basic framework sub-assembly for a structure embodying this invention Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a portion of modular framework built up from the sub-sassembly shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the framework - shown in Figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is a diagram, partly in section, of a preferred form of connecting member which can be used in the modular frameworkishown in Fig. 3;
Figs. 5a and Sb are schematic diagrams of a portion of a barrel-shaped dome'framework, the rear portion -of the framework being omitted from Fig. 5a for clarity;
Fig. 5c is a schematic diagram of a portion of a "tri-angular-dome" framework;
~046223 Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of part of the modular framework of a structure forming another embodim~nt of this invention; -Figs. 7 and 8 are schematic plan views of covering panels for the framework shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 9 is a diagram of a web member used in constructing the covering panel shown in Fig. 8;
Fig. lO is a plan view of a rectangular covering panel that can be used to replace glass panels in existing structures;
Figs. ll and 12 are section views taken re~pectively on the lines ll-11 and 12-12 in Fig. lO;
Figs. 13 to 19 are diagrams illustrating various aspects of the manufacture and construction of the rectang-ular covering panel shown in Fig. 10; and Fig. 20 is a sectional veiw (similar to Fig. ll) of a modified form of the panel shown in Fig. lO;
It is to be noted that the relative dimensions of, and angles and clearances between, the various structur-al members illustrated have been exaggerated where necessary for the sake of clarity.
Referring to Figs. l to 6c of the drawings, a plurality of identical elongate members in the form of tubular rods l are interconnected by means of con-~,~ecting me~bers 2 as shown. Each rod l has its ends received and held in connecting members 2 as shown.
Each rod l has its ends received and held in connecting members 2 engaging other rods at their mid-lengths. Two rods partially cross each rod at its mid-length from substantially opposite directions. Thus each rod-car-ries two of the connecting members at its mid-length as well as having its ends held in respective connecting members. The connecting members can be adjusted around the mid-length of the rod to determine the angles of inclination of the partially crossing rods.
It is to be understood that the end of the rod received by its associated connecting member may be spaced longitudinally from or may partially cross (as in Fig. 3) or may cross completely the rod carrying the connecting member. However, the two rods must always form an acute angle between their longitudinal axes and this acute angle is preferably 60 . Also, the ratio of the effective rod to length to the spaci~
between the longitudinal axes has been found to pro-vide an i~dication of the capabiliti~s of the structures which can be built. The effective rod length is the distance between the centres of rise. A"centre of rise" is the intersection of the rod's longitudinal axis with the line of extended radius of riod (1) which passes through the apex formed by crossing rods (1' in Fig. 3) (where the crossing rods overlap the effective rod length is less than the actual rod length). The preferred ratios lie in the range 33:1 to 40:1.
In Fig. 1 is shown the basic part-spherical dome.
It will be seen that the rods 1 define a central hexa-gon 10 each of whose sides subtends a triangle 11. To this basic sub-assembly further rods and connecting mem-bers are added to form a ring of hexagons 10' around the central hexagon 10 as shown in Fig. 2. This process of building consecutive concentric rings of hexagons can be repeated until the desired size of modular frame-work is built. In Fig. 2 the circles 3' indicate where connecting members 2 are provided between the rods. Itwill be . . - .. : ~ . : .
seen from Fig. 2 that the modular dome framework has regularly spaced hexagons 10 and each side of each hexagon forms a side of a triangle 11 whose other sides are formed by sides of two other hexagons respec-tively.
It will be noted that for every hexagon in the framework there are two triangles.
In an alternative form ~f dome (partly shown in Figs 5a and 5b), the central basic arrangement is a line of hexagons 100 around which consecutive rings of hexagons 100' are formed. The direction of the line of hexagons 100 determines an elongation of the dome frame-work resulting in a barrel-shaped dome. It is to be noted tht as well as an elongation along one axis it is possible to employ a central arrangement of more than two hexagons (e.g., as in Fig. 5c three hexagons 200 having their centres forming the respective apices of a notignal triangle and surrounded by rings of hexagons 200' - in this case the dome has a shape in plan view which is generally triangular).
Simple formulae determine the number of rods needed for a particular dome construction. For example, con-sider a partspherical dome (i.e. a single central hex-agon in the basic subassembly as shown in Fig. 1). The basic sub-assembly has twelve rods and each consecutive ring of hexagons requires eighteen more rods than the preceding ring. Thus for a part-spherical dome:
g Ring No. of rods per ring Running total No. of rods
( There have been several attempts to devise strong light modular building structures which are simple and economical to construct. Many of these attempts have centred on the geodesic type of construction and have the disadvantage that such structures have required a plurality of differently sized building elements and become complicated to construct.
Also, the development of such modular building structures has been hampered by the somewhat restricted range of covering available for modular frameworks. Of particular interest is the application of modular struc-tures in horticulture where the most commonly used covering comprises glass panels. Glass panels are notoriously fragile, are becoming increasingly expen-sive to prod~ce and instal and suffer from several drawbacks with regard to obtaining and maintaining desired temperature levels within any given structure.
According toia first aspect of this invention ~ c there is provided means for making a modular framework and including a plurality of substantially identical elongate members each one of which has a connecting ;~
arrangement comprising at least one connecting member engaging the elongate member intermediate its ends, said connecting arrangement providing means for receiving the ends of two others of the elongate members whose longitudinal axes extend in directions across, on the same side of, said one elongate me~ber, said receiving means being arranged to hold the end of its associated other elongate member so that the latter forms a pre-determined acute angle with said one ` ` 1046223 elongate member in plan view.
Preferably said acute angle is 60 and the receiv-ing means are arranged to hold said other elongate members inclined to an apex through the plane of the smaller angle of which said one elongate member extends so that said other elongate members effectively form a segmented curve round said one elongate member.
The term "segmented curve" as used herein shall be understood to include any graphical, substantially con-tinuous (between its ends), line shape comprising a plurality of straight lines.
According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a dome-shaped structure including a modular framework made from substantially identical elongate members and connecting members and which, when viewed normal to the surface of the structure defines a major substantially equilateral triangle, at least a portion of each side of the major triangle being associated with, by forming at least portions of, two sides of respective substantially identical minor sub-stantially equilateral triangles, the sides of the major triangle being associated respectively with the sides of different pairs of minor triangles.
The structure may have a plurality of such major triangles arranged in rows extending between marginal portions of the structure, each of the minor triangles between the rows having its sides associated respect ively with sides of different major triangles.
According to a third aspect of this invention there is provided a dome-shaped structure including a modular framework made from substantially identical elongate members and connecting members and which, when viewed normal to the surface of the structure, defines a hex-agon, at least a portion of each side of the hexagon being associated with, by forming at least a portion of one side of a triangle, the sides of the hexagon being associated with different respective triangles.
The structure may have a plurality of such hexa-gons regularly distributed.
A preferred form of the structure consists of an elongate, or part-ellipsoidal shaped, dome in which consecutive rings of the hexagons are formed around a central linear arrangement comprising at least-two hexagons. A part-spherical dome results when a single hexagon is central to consecutively formed rings.
According to a fourth~aspect of this invention there is provided a covering panel for forming a -~
covering between inter-connected members of a frame-work and including a double layer of a plastics mat-erial sealed together along the margins of the layers, inflating means providing fluid communication through one of the layers and at least one of the layers being flexibly movable relative to the other layer to form an inflatable central portion of the panel, flattening means being provided for maintaining said central por-tion generally flat.
The covering panels may be secured to the connect-ing members of a structure according to any one of said first, second and third aspects and may comprise indiv-idual hexagonal and triangular covering panels which overlap and are secured together where they overlap.
.- . : ~ :
~04tjZ~3 Preferably the covering panel has at least one major face of -the central portion arranged to be cor-rugated when the panel is inflated the corrugations being curved due to the inflation while providing a generally flat central portion.
A preferred form of covering panel is rectangular for use in place of conventional glass panels and is provided with edge fastening means for fastening the edges of the panels to framework members or to each other.
The flattening means for maintaining the central portion generally flat preferably comprises a plurality of reed or web members having their longitudinal edges secured to the layers of plastics material. Also the plastics material is prefer~bly a reinforced material.
The covering panel may be provided with an auxili-ary layer of thermally absorptive material sealed to the ma~gins of said double layer to form a heating space between the thermally absorptive layer and the ad-jacent layer of said double layer, fluid communication valves being provided for communication with the heat-ing space so that a fluid can be passed through the heating space and heated (as by solar radiation) via i;
the thermally absorptive layer.
According to a fifth aspect of this invention th~e is provided a method of manufact~ring a covering panel according to said fourth aspect, said method including the steps of securing, by dielectric welding, central portions of two layers of plastics material to opposite sides of flattening means, securing inflating means to one of the layers so as to provide fluid communication through the layer to the space between said central portions, and sealingly securing, by dielectric welding, the layers together around their margins to form a double layer.
It is to be noted that'the term "dielectric welding" as referred to herein in relation to a work-piece means applying pressure to the workpiece between two electrodesbetween which a radio frequency electric field is generated.
Also, the inflating means may be secured to said one layer before the step of welding the layer to the flattening means.
Embodiments of this invention will now be descri~ed by way of examples only, with reference to the accompany-ing drawings wherein:-Fig. 1 is schematic diagram of a basic framework sub-assembly for a structure embodying this invention Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a portion of modular framework built up from the sub-sassembly shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the framework - shown in Figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is a diagram, partly in section, of a preferred form of connecting member which can be used in the modular frameworkishown in Fig. 3;
Figs. 5a and Sb are schematic diagrams of a portion of a barrel-shaped dome'framework, the rear portion -of the framework being omitted from Fig. 5a for clarity;
Fig. 5c is a schematic diagram of a portion of a "tri-angular-dome" framework;
~046223 Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of part of the modular framework of a structure forming another embodim~nt of this invention; -Figs. 7 and 8 are schematic plan views of covering panels for the framework shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 9 is a diagram of a web member used in constructing the covering panel shown in Fig. 8;
Fig. lO is a plan view of a rectangular covering panel that can be used to replace glass panels in existing structures;
Figs. ll and 12 are section views taken re~pectively on the lines ll-11 and 12-12 in Fig. lO;
Figs. 13 to 19 are diagrams illustrating various aspects of the manufacture and construction of the rectang-ular covering panel shown in Fig. 10; and Fig. 20 is a sectional veiw (similar to Fig. ll) of a modified form of the panel shown in Fig. lO;
It is to be noted that the relative dimensions of, and angles and clearances between, the various structur-al members illustrated have been exaggerated where necessary for the sake of clarity.
Referring to Figs. l to 6c of the drawings, a plurality of identical elongate members in the form of tubular rods l are interconnected by means of con-~,~ecting me~bers 2 as shown. Each rod l has its ends received and held in connecting members 2 as shown.
Each rod l has its ends received and held in connecting members 2 engaging other rods at their mid-lengths. Two rods partially cross each rod at its mid-length from substantially opposite directions. Thus each rod-car-ries two of the connecting members at its mid-length as well as having its ends held in respective connecting members. The connecting members can be adjusted around the mid-length of the rod to determine the angles of inclination of the partially crossing rods.
It is to be understood that the end of the rod received by its associated connecting member may be spaced longitudinally from or may partially cross (as in Fig. 3) or may cross completely the rod carrying the connecting member. However, the two rods must always form an acute angle between their longitudinal axes and this acute angle is preferably 60 . Also, the ratio of the effective rod to length to the spaci~
between the longitudinal axes has been found to pro-vide an i~dication of the capabiliti~s of the structures which can be built. The effective rod length is the distance between the centres of rise. A"centre of rise" is the intersection of the rod's longitudinal axis with the line of extended radius of riod (1) which passes through the apex formed by crossing rods (1' in Fig. 3) (where the crossing rods overlap the effective rod length is less than the actual rod length). The preferred ratios lie in the range 33:1 to 40:1.
In Fig. 1 is shown the basic part-spherical dome.
It will be seen that the rods 1 define a central hexa-gon 10 each of whose sides subtends a triangle 11. To this basic sub-assembly further rods and connecting mem-bers are added to form a ring of hexagons 10' around the central hexagon 10 as shown in Fig. 2. This process of building consecutive concentric rings of hexagons can be repeated until the desired size of modular frame-work is built. In Fig. 2 the circles 3' indicate where connecting members 2 are provided between the rods. Itwill be . . - .. : ~ . : .
seen from Fig. 2 that the modular dome framework has regularly spaced hexagons 10 and each side of each hexagon forms a side of a triangle 11 whose other sides are formed by sides of two other hexagons respec-tively.
It will be noted that for every hexagon in the framework there are two triangles.
In an alternative form ~f dome (partly shown in Figs 5a and 5b), the central basic arrangement is a line of hexagons 100 around which consecutive rings of hexagons 100' are formed. The direction of the line of hexagons 100 determines an elongation of the dome frame-work resulting in a barrel-shaped dome. It is to be noted tht as well as an elongation along one axis it is possible to employ a central arrangement of more than two hexagons (e.g., as in Fig. 5c three hexagons 200 having their centres forming the respective apices of a notignal triangle and surrounded by rings of hexagons 200' - in this case the dome has a shape in plan view which is generally triangular).
Simple formulae determine the number of rods needed for a particular dome construction. For example, con-sider a partspherical dome (i.e. a single central hex-agon in the basic subassembly as shown in Fig. 1). The basic sub-assembly has twelve rods and each consecutive ring of hexagons requires eighteen more rods than the preceding ring. Thus for a part-spherical dome:
g Ring No. of rods per ring Running total No. of rods
2 30 42
3 48 90 -
4 66 156 :' ~ n n 12 + (n-1)18 -5~-12 + (n-1)18 More generally for a dome having a basic linear subassembly of X hexagons:
Ring No. of rods per ring 1 12 + (~ -1)8 2 12 + (~ -1)8 + (18 + (~ -~1)12~
3 12 + (~ -1)8 + 2(18 + (~ - 1) 12) n 12 + (~ - 1)8 + n(l8 + (~ -1)12) which simplifies to (6n - 2) (2~ +1) Thus the total number of rods needed for a dome construction having a basic linear sub-assembly of hexagons is:
~- (6n - 2)(2 1+ 1) where n is the number of hexagon rings taking n = 1 to --be the basic sub-assembly.
,.
.
- 1~46223 As can be seen from Fig. 4., each connecting mem-ber 2 comprises a cylindrical sleeve 4 of a resilient material such as Delrin or nylon or PVC or rubber or high density polyethylene. A cup 5 of a relatively rigid plastics material is connected to the sleeve 4 via a frusto-concial spacer 6 (preferably made of a resiliently flexible material such as PVC) by means of a screw-threaded bolt 7 engaging a retaining nut 8 of the cup 5. A screw-threaded bolt 9, diametrically opposite the bolt 7 engages a retaining nut 12 and en-gages a shoulder 13" of an end-cap 14 secured by ad-hesive on the end of the rod 1~. Thus while the bolt 7 can be tightened to a required degree before a rod 1 is inserted into the sleeve 4, the withdrawal of the bolt 9 enables the capped end of the rod 1' to be inserted into the cup 5 to be trapped there when the bolt 9 is tightened.
The end-cap 14 has a groove 15 (shown in broken line in Fig. 4) which enables the portion of the bolt 7 projecting into the cup 5 to pass relative to the end cap during insertion of the rod 1 into the cup 5.
1`he rod can then be partially rotated before tightening of the bolt 9 to move the groove 15 out of alignment with the bolt 7 (as in a bayonet connection),.
The resilience of the sleeve 4 enables a small amount ofl~ovement of the cup 5 relative to the sleeve 4 and enables the rods to take up the forces in a dome-shaped structure (part of which is shown in Fig. 2) in an acceptable manner.
It is to be noted that the ends of the two rods partially crossing over the third rod arealmost aligned so that the rods form a substantially straight line in -- ~
1~46ZZ3 plan view. (Figs. 1 and 2). The cap S is provided with vent 16 to allow release of air trapped by in-sertion of the rod 1'.
- lla -If desired the ends of the rods whose axes extend on one side of their associated transverse rod can in-tercept the transverse rod at positions spaced symmet-rically on eit~her side of the mid-length of the trans-verse rod instead of at midlength as illustrated. It is clear that there are two alternative ways in which this divergence from the illustrated embodiment can take place. In one way, the hexagons 10 get larger and the triangles 11 smaller and in the other way the hexagons get smaller and the triangles larger. ~he intercepts may be movabl,e from mid-length by moving the sleeves 4 along the rods they engage. Means -may be provided for adjustably securing the sleeves 4 on their associated rods or the sleeves 4 may be suf-ficiently snugly fitting for friction to provide~lthe necessary anchorage. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the receiving means (such as the cups 5) may be secured to a single sleeve (4) fixedly positioned at the mid-length of its associated rod.
The connecting members 2 also have depending screw-threaded spigots 18 having nuts 19 for engaging and retaining a covering for the structure. Alternatively flexible nylon ties or cords may be used instead of the spigots 18 and nuts 19.
As is indicated in Fig. 3., the two rods partially crossing over the third, transverse rod are inclined so that a generally segmented curved outline round the third, transverse rod is obtained with an extensive structure of the type shown in Fig. 2.
Preferably the rods and connecting members are pro-vided in sufficient numbers to form a modular framework for a generally spherical dome constituting a portion of the sphere -- ~046223 slightly less than hemispherical. The volume within the dome will then depend on the length of rod supplied.
The fact that the dome is less than hemispherical means that the peripheral or marginal rings of hexagons are not lying normal to the ground or other base found-ation for the structure, but are sloping inwardly towards the top of the dome. It has been found thatthis dis-tributes the structural loads in a satisfactory manner.
In an alternative form of structure to the hexagon-altriangular framework described above, the hexagons ( can be replaced by substantially equilateral major tri-angles each of whose sides is associated with two sub-stantially equilateral minor triangles, as shown in Fig. 6. This can be done by arranging that the two rods crossing the thi~rd, transverse rod form an acute angle between them on one side of the transverse rod instead of extending in substantially opposite direc-tions. The major triangles 300 extend in rows between the margins of the dome. As with the hexagonal-triang-ular arrangement the connections between crossing rods may be at the mid-length of the rod carrying the con-necting members or may be at symmetrical positions on either side of mid-length. Thus ~t least a portion of each of the sides of the major triangles forms at least portions of two sidés of eespectlve minor triangles 301.
Referring to Figs. 7 to 9,, a preferred form of surfacting for the modular framework comprises hexagonal and triangular inflatable covering panels 101, 102 res-pectively, made for èxample of a transparent plastics material. As in the rectangular covering panel described below each panel 101, 102 comprises an air-tight double layer of rein-forced laminated vinyl material, the layers being welded together and reinforced by PVC edge stiffeners at their margins. The welded marginal portions are provided with apertures for engaging the spigots 18 of the connecting members.
The -transparent vinyl material may comprise a I
double layer of PVC reinforced by means of a 100 denier nylon fibre mesh laminated between the layers of PVC.
Each PVC layer may be 13.335xlO m.m. thick. Altern-atively the vinyl material may be polyvinylfluoride (PVF) each layer being between 7.62xlO m.m. and 10.16xlO 2 m.m. thick.
Between the layers are provided transverse layer-spacing webs or reeds 103 coated with a reflective metallic material so that light transmitted by the tr~ns-parent layers is reflected into the dome instead of tending to pass along the chords of the dome and emerg-ing through other panels. The webs can fold flat, similarly to venetia~ blinds, when the panels are de-flated. The basic material from which the webs are made is PVC or other suitable vinyl ma-terial and where the metallic coating is provided the vinyl material is laminated with a polyester material carrying the met-allic coating.
As can be seen from Fig. 7 in the hexagonal panel, the webs 103 are elongate. The webs have their longitu-dinal edges secured to the respective layers. By arrang-ing the webs in three groups of parallel webs as shown all the webs can be made of the same length, greatly facilitating assembly of the panel.
104~223 Referring particularly to Figs. 8 and 9 ., the triangular panel is provided with a unified web member 104 formed for example from the same type of ma-terial -as the layers of the double layer.
The web member 104 comprises four discs 105,106, 107 and 108 interconnected in chain fashion by webs 109. Discs lOS, 107 are superimposed and secured (as be dielectric welding) to the inner surface (to be) of one of the layers of the double layer. Discs 106,108 are then superimposed and secured to the inner surface (to be) of the other layer of the double.la~e~ The result is (as indicated in Fig. 8) that the discs form parts of the layers of the d~uble layer and the webs 109 'ex-tend longitudinally between the layers. By marking the discs with stars 110 (as shown), the superposition of the discs, in such a way as to prevent the webs 109 becoming twisted, is facilitated. The star of one disc 105, 106 is then aligned with the star of its asso-ciated disc 107,108 respectively before being secured to the appropriate layer of the double layer.
In a preferred form the transparent panels have their vinyl layers tinted to exclude radiation, e.g.
denaturing radi~ation and radiation that inhibits germ-ination, so that the surfaced domed can be used as an intensive cultivation housing.
Referring to Figs. 10 to 20., there are illustrated the constructional and manufacturing aspects of a rect-angular covering panel that can be used to replace glass panels in existing buildings and other structures.
The rectangular cover panel 20 (Fig. 10) comprises a double layer of flexible plastics material (such as one of the - 15 _ vinyl materials mentioned above). The double layer com-prises a top layer 21 and a box layer 22 (so called be-cause the layer is formed by gathering the corners of a rectangular sheet to provide an open-topped box shape).
Along two parallel edges of the panel, stiffening mem-bers 23 are provided while edge fastening means in the form of zips 24 (such as those sold under the Trade Mark FLEXIGRIP) are secured to the other two parallel edges.
Two inflation valves 25,26 (or which at least one is~a non-return valve) are secured to the top layer and pro-vide fluid communication through the top layer into an inflatable central portion 27 of the panel. Webs or reeds 28 similar to the webs 103 in Fig. 7 are secured between the layers 21, 22 and extend parallel to each other between the zips 24.
As can be seen from Fig. ll., the inflated panel is generally flat in that the webs 28 restrain the layers from adopting their natural convexity due to inflation forces. However, this convexity does impart a corrugated appearance to the panel. The general flattening of the central portion by the webs enables the panel to be used in relatively conventional struc-tures as well as providing strength. The zips 24 en-able the panels to be secured to each other and to framework members where the latter are also provided with zips.
During manufacture, the vinyl material is taken from a roll and cut into portions of the correct size which are marked for subsequent operations ~using a silk-screen process.
Where "welding" is referred to below it is to be understood that dielectric welding is used.
, One of the zips 24 is then welded to one edge portion of the top layer leaving a free portion of the top layer at each end of the zip.
The stiffening members 23 are then each tack-welded to the top layer along a line spaced from the edge of the top layer leaving a free edge portion 29 (Fig. 13) Electrodes E of the dielectric welding machine are shown for completeness. The margin of the top layer is then over, tightly about the stiffening member and the edge portion 29 is welded to the top layer to form a -pocket 30 containing the stiffening member.
The other zip 24 is then welded to that edge por-tion of the box layer to be welded to the, as yet, free edge portion of the top layer. It is to be noted that although reference has been made to the zips 24 being welded to the "edge portions" of the top and box layers in fact the zips are spaced from the edges to leave free edge portions 31,32 of the top and box layers respec-tively. (See Fig. 15).
The webs (or reeds) 28 (Fig. 16) are then welded to the box layer. As can be seen from Fig. 16 the webs are provided with eyelets 33 to provide fluid com-munication through the webs. Also the eyelets are arranged so as to present least resistance to flow at the centre of the web. The purpose behind providing the eyelets 33 is that a flow of gas under pressure (such as CO2) can be maintained through the panel (using the valves 25,26)`to inhibit the undesirable convention currents. The use of carbon dioxide as the inflating gas (instead of air) provides significant ad-vantages in thermal insulation.
After the webs have been welded to the box layer, the webs are welded to the top layer and the top and box layers are welded together round their edge porti~s 31,32. It will be understood that until this point the box layer has been in the form of a flat sheet since its corners need only be gathered immediately prior to welding to the top layer. Fig. 19 illustrates the way in which the corners are gathered by folding upwardly from the plane of the drawing on the line 34 and down-wardly on the lines 35 which are at an angle e of, approximately, 11 from the perpendicular to the edge of the box layer. The choice of angle e determines the size of a corner flap which projects upwardly and can be folded over to secure the gather.
As an alternative to the separate operations for welding the reflective webs to the top and box layers, a single operation can be carried out (Figs. 17 and 18) using webs creased and folded along their longi-tudinal axes. The webs are each provided on one side with metallised coating 36 to provide reflection and folded with~,the coating 36 innermost. The coatings 36 resist being welded together during dielectric welding due to their metallic nature. Both top and box layers can then be simultaneously welded to the PVC of the web (as illustrated in Fig. 17) without welding together of the coatings 3~.In addition, all the webs can be welded in a single operation using a multi-electrode tool, each electrode welding a respec-tive one of the webs. Where the webs are not provided with metallic coatings, a removable metal foil strip may be provided between the surface of the folded web to prevent the web being welded into a permanently folded state.
The welding together of the top and box layers can be done as a plurality of` edge welding operations or c can be done in a single operation using a rectangular electrode into which the box layer is fitted with its edge portions overlapping the electrode. The edge por-tions of the top layer are then applied under pressure to the edge portions of the box layer while welding is carried out in a single operation.
It should be noted that the spacing of the zips imwardly of the layer-to-layer welds ensunes that the inflation of the central portion causes the zip to take up a corrugated outline following the corrugations of the top layer. This reduces any tendency for the zips to splay the ends of the panel which would cause varying and unreliable end dimensions of the panel.
Also, in the triangular panel shown in Fig. 8 elongate web members such as 28 may be provided instead of, or in addition to, the unified web member .
Referring now to Fig. 12., there is shown in broken line a modified form of covering panel for use in heat-ing water. An auxiliary, thermally absorptive layer 37 (preferably of a fungus-resistant material) is weld-ed to the top layer 21 and has two inflation valves 38 (one of which is a non-return valve) secured to it at diagonally opposite corners of the panel.
By passing water through the heating space between the layers 21 and 37, solar radiation received via the box layer and reflective webs 28 be used to heat the water. If carbon dioxide is passed through the panel between the top and box layers and subsequently bubbled through water further extraction of heat energy can be obtained. Thus the modified ~046ZZ3 covering panel can be used as a solar heating panel.
In an alternative form of covering panel the top layer may be made of a reflective material while the box layer is made of an opaque material. Such a panel would be used wit~ the reflective top layer inhibiting the passage of solar ~adiation through the panel while the opaque box layer could provide an inner decorative surface for a building. In this case the panel would serve as an insulator from the sun. The webs or reeds in such a panel need not be metallised and can be of PVC along.
The covering panels may take other forms and can for example have one or both sides of the central in-flatable portion formed by semi-rigid material. The semi-rigid material of one of the layers may extend to the margins of the panel so as to form a substan-tially flat surface. The marginal portions of one or both layers are formed by a flexible plastics material welded to the semi-rigid material. Where dielectric welding is used to attach the webs to the layers of plastics material, at least one of the layers is pre-ferably flexible for ease of construction.
Referring to Fig. 20, there is shown an example of a coveringl~panel 40 having its top and box layers 41, 4Z f.ormed of a semi-rigid material (such as a 1.1 m.m.
thick sheet of the reinforced, laminated PVC mentioned earlier). The marginal portions 43 of the layer 42 are formed of flexible material such as the reinforced lam-inated PVC used for the panels shown in Figs. 7 to 9.
Webs 44 are provided between the layers 41, 42 as in the layers 41,42 as separate halves (divided longitudinally of the web) and the halves are welded together as at 45 when .
~ 1~462Z3 they have all been secured to their respective layers 41, 42. It will be seen from Fig. 20 that the corruga-tions evident from Fig. 11 are not present due to the additional degree of rigidity of the material used for the layers 41, 42. The lack or currugation enhances optical accessibility through the panel where the lat-ter is to act as a viewing window. Otherwise, the panel 40 is similar in construction to the panel 20.
lt is to be noted that in all the forms of inflat-able panel, the inflation serves to inhibit fatigue of flexible surfacing materials used.
When the covering panels are provided on a modular framework (as sllown in Figs. 1 to 6c) the nuts 19 are used to retain the co"vering panels in place on the spi-gote 18. The spigot-engaging means take the form of reinforced-edge apertures 111 in the welded marginal portions of the covering panels. The welded marginal portions may be provided with fastening,~means other than the zips 24 for sealingly interconnecting the covering panels. A suitable type of,fastening means is the hook-and-loop-,type of fastening strip (as sold under the ~rade Mark VELCRO).
It is to be understood that while the spigots 18 depend from the-connecting members in the example des-cribed above, the spigots could be arranged to project upwardly between the cups 5. By suitable overlapping of the marginal portions of the covering panels a water-shed arrangement can be achieved.
Alternatively, otheri~lmeans can be provided -to act as a watershed and draught excluder, the inflatable covering panels mainly providing thermal insulation be-tween the interior and - 1~)46223 exterior of -the dome. In this case the framework is outside the surface provided by the covering panels and so, while providing support for the construction, does not intrude into the interior, nor take up heat and light there, nor gather dirt. Also the overlap-ping of the covering panels to form a watershed is more simply done on the inside since the outermost panels are at the centre of the dome and are put on firts whereas if the panels were mounted on to the outside of the framework the outermost central panels can only be put on after all the other panels have been put on.
It is to understood that the periphery of the dome framework can be provided wiht a conventional ground foundation or be provided wiht a modular cylindrical foundation for ease of disassembly.
It is intended that the form of modular framework described above will provide a structure having the i following characteristics:-1. It is a structure with low weight and low bulk to be easily transported with modest means (disassem-bled).
2. It is an efficient structure, modular, every strut is identical to every other strut, which allows it to be produced en masse.
3. It is a dome with the low surface to volume ratio -of the spherical (or nearly spherical) form and the advantage of a large clear span achieved with mem-bers of modest dimension.
4. It is able to be erected in a matter of hour provid-ing shelter which can be disassembled again and moved. No specia] tools are required.
Ring No. of rods per ring 1 12 + (~ -1)8 2 12 + (~ -1)8 + (18 + (~ -~1)12~
3 12 + (~ -1)8 + 2(18 + (~ - 1) 12) n 12 + (~ - 1)8 + n(l8 + (~ -1)12) which simplifies to (6n - 2) (2~ +1) Thus the total number of rods needed for a dome construction having a basic linear sub-assembly of hexagons is:
~- (6n - 2)(2 1+ 1) where n is the number of hexagon rings taking n = 1 to --be the basic sub-assembly.
,.
.
- 1~46223 As can be seen from Fig. 4., each connecting mem-ber 2 comprises a cylindrical sleeve 4 of a resilient material such as Delrin or nylon or PVC or rubber or high density polyethylene. A cup 5 of a relatively rigid plastics material is connected to the sleeve 4 via a frusto-concial spacer 6 (preferably made of a resiliently flexible material such as PVC) by means of a screw-threaded bolt 7 engaging a retaining nut 8 of the cup 5. A screw-threaded bolt 9, diametrically opposite the bolt 7 engages a retaining nut 12 and en-gages a shoulder 13" of an end-cap 14 secured by ad-hesive on the end of the rod 1~. Thus while the bolt 7 can be tightened to a required degree before a rod 1 is inserted into the sleeve 4, the withdrawal of the bolt 9 enables the capped end of the rod 1' to be inserted into the cup 5 to be trapped there when the bolt 9 is tightened.
The end-cap 14 has a groove 15 (shown in broken line in Fig. 4) which enables the portion of the bolt 7 projecting into the cup 5 to pass relative to the end cap during insertion of the rod 1 into the cup 5.
1`he rod can then be partially rotated before tightening of the bolt 9 to move the groove 15 out of alignment with the bolt 7 (as in a bayonet connection),.
The resilience of the sleeve 4 enables a small amount ofl~ovement of the cup 5 relative to the sleeve 4 and enables the rods to take up the forces in a dome-shaped structure (part of which is shown in Fig. 2) in an acceptable manner.
It is to be noted that the ends of the two rods partially crossing over the third rod arealmost aligned so that the rods form a substantially straight line in -- ~
1~46ZZ3 plan view. (Figs. 1 and 2). The cap S is provided with vent 16 to allow release of air trapped by in-sertion of the rod 1'.
- lla -If desired the ends of the rods whose axes extend on one side of their associated transverse rod can in-tercept the transverse rod at positions spaced symmet-rically on eit~her side of the mid-length of the trans-verse rod instead of at midlength as illustrated. It is clear that there are two alternative ways in which this divergence from the illustrated embodiment can take place. In one way, the hexagons 10 get larger and the triangles 11 smaller and in the other way the hexagons get smaller and the triangles larger. ~he intercepts may be movabl,e from mid-length by moving the sleeves 4 along the rods they engage. Means -may be provided for adjustably securing the sleeves 4 on their associated rods or the sleeves 4 may be suf-ficiently snugly fitting for friction to provide~lthe necessary anchorage. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the receiving means (such as the cups 5) may be secured to a single sleeve (4) fixedly positioned at the mid-length of its associated rod.
The connecting members 2 also have depending screw-threaded spigots 18 having nuts 19 for engaging and retaining a covering for the structure. Alternatively flexible nylon ties or cords may be used instead of the spigots 18 and nuts 19.
As is indicated in Fig. 3., the two rods partially crossing over the third, transverse rod are inclined so that a generally segmented curved outline round the third, transverse rod is obtained with an extensive structure of the type shown in Fig. 2.
Preferably the rods and connecting members are pro-vided in sufficient numbers to form a modular framework for a generally spherical dome constituting a portion of the sphere -- ~046223 slightly less than hemispherical. The volume within the dome will then depend on the length of rod supplied.
The fact that the dome is less than hemispherical means that the peripheral or marginal rings of hexagons are not lying normal to the ground or other base found-ation for the structure, but are sloping inwardly towards the top of the dome. It has been found thatthis dis-tributes the structural loads in a satisfactory manner.
In an alternative form of structure to the hexagon-altriangular framework described above, the hexagons ( can be replaced by substantially equilateral major tri-angles each of whose sides is associated with two sub-stantially equilateral minor triangles, as shown in Fig. 6. This can be done by arranging that the two rods crossing the thi~rd, transverse rod form an acute angle between them on one side of the transverse rod instead of extending in substantially opposite direc-tions. The major triangles 300 extend in rows between the margins of the dome. As with the hexagonal-triang-ular arrangement the connections between crossing rods may be at the mid-length of the rod carrying the con-necting members or may be at symmetrical positions on either side of mid-length. Thus ~t least a portion of each of the sides of the major triangles forms at least portions of two sidés of eespectlve minor triangles 301.
Referring to Figs. 7 to 9,, a preferred form of surfacting for the modular framework comprises hexagonal and triangular inflatable covering panels 101, 102 res-pectively, made for èxample of a transparent plastics material. As in the rectangular covering panel described below each panel 101, 102 comprises an air-tight double layer of rein-forced laminated vinyl material, the layers being welded together and reinforced by PVC edge stiffeners at their margins. The welded marginal portions are provided with apertures for engaging the spigots 18 of the connecting members.
The -transparent vinyl material may comprise a I
double layer of PVC reinforced by means of a 100 denier nylon fibre mesh laminated between the layers of PVC.
Each PVC layer may be 13.335xlO m.m. thick. Altern-atively the vinyl material may be polyvinylfluoride (PVF) each layer being between 7.62xlO m.m. and 10.16xlO 2 m.m. thick.
Between the layers are provided transverse layer-spacing webs or reeds 103 coated with a reflective metallic material so that light transmitted by the tr~ns-parent layers is reflected into the dome instead of tending to pass along the chords of the dome and emerg-ing through other panels. The webs can fold flat, similarly to venetia~ blinds, when the panels are de-flated. The basic material from which the webs are made is PVC or other suitable vinyl ma-terial and where the metallic coating is provided the vinyl material is laminated with a polyester material carrying the met-allic coating.
As can be seen from Fig. 7 in the hexagonal panel, the webs 103 are elongate. The webs have their longitu-dinal edges secured to the respective layers. By arrang-ing the webs in three groups of parallel webs as shown all the webs can be made of the same length, greatly facilitating assembly of the panel.
104~223 Referring particularly to Figs. 8 and 9 ., the triangular panel is provided with a unified web member 104 formed for example from the same type of ma-terial -as the layers of the double layer.
The web member 104 comprises four discs 105,106, 107 and 108 interconnected in chain fashion by webs 109. Discs lOS, 107 are superimposed and secured (as be dielectric welding) to the inner surface (to be) of one of the layers of the double layer. Discs 106,108 are then superimposed and secured to the inner surface (to be) of the other layer of the double.la~e~ The result is (as indicated in Fig. 8) that the discs form parts of the layers of the d~uble layer and the webs 109 'ex-tend longitudinally between the layers. By marking the discs with stars 110 (as shown), the superposition of the discs, in such a way as to prevent the webs 109 becoming twisted, is facilitated. The star of one disc 105, 106 is then aligned with the star of its asso-ciated disc 107,108 respectively before being secured to the appropriate layer of the double layer.
In a preferred form the transparent panels have their vinyl layers tinted to exclude radiation, e.g.
denaturing radi~ation and radiation that inhibits germ-ination, so that the surfaced domed can be used as an intensive cultivation housing.
Referring to Figs. 10 to 20., there are illustrated the constructional and manufacturing aspects of a rect-angular covering panel that can be used to replace glass panels in existing buildings and other structures.
The rectangular cover panel 20 (Fig. 10) comprises a double layer of flexible plastics material (such as one of the - 15 _ vinyl materials mentioned above). The double layer com-prises a top layer 21 and a box layer 22 (so called be-cause the layer is formed by gathering the corners of a rectangular sheet to provide an open-topped box shape).
Along two parallel edges of the panel, stiffening mem-bers 23 are provided while edge fastening means in the form of zips 24 (such as those sold under the Trade Mark FLEXIGRIP) are secured to the other two parallel edges.
Two inflation valves 25,26 (or which at least one is~a non-return valve) are secured to the top layer and pro-vide fluid communication through the top layer into an inflatable central portion 27 of the panel. Webs or reeds 28 similar to the webs 103 in Fig. 7 are secured between the layers 21, 22 and extend parallel to each other between the zips 24.
As can be seen from Fig. ll., the inflated panel is generally flat in that the webs 28 restrain the layers from adopting their natural convexity due to inflation forces. However, this convexity does impart a corrugated appearance to the panel. The general flattening of the central portion by the webs enables the panel to be used in relatively conventional struc-tures as well as providing strength. The zips 24 en-able the panels to be secured to each other and to framework members where the latter are also provided with zips.
During manufacture, the vinyl material is taken from a roll and cut into portions of the correct size which are marked for subsequent operations ~using a silk-screen process.
Where "welding" is referred to below it is to be understood that dielectric welding is used.
, One of the zips 24 is then welded to one edge portion of the top layer leaving a free portion of the top layer at each end of the zip.
The stiffening members 23 are then each tack-welded to the top layer along a line spaced from the edge of the top layer leaving a free edge portion 29 (Fig. 13) Electrodes E of the dielectric welding machine are shown for completeness. The margin of the top layer is then over, tightly about the stiffening member and the edge portion 29 is welded to the top layer to form a -pocket 30 containing the stiffening member.
The other zip 24 is then welded to that edge por-tion of the box layer to be welded to the, as yet, free edge portion of the top layer. It is to be noted that although reference has been made to the zips 24 being welded to the "edge portions" of the top and box layers in fact the zips are spaced from the edges to leave free edge portions 31,32 of the top and box layers respec-tively. (See Fig. 15).
The webs (or reeds) 28 (Fig. 16) are then welded to the box layer. As can be seen from Fig. 16 the webs are provided with eyelets 33 to provide fluid com-munication through the webs. Also the eyelets are arranged so as to present least resistance to flow at the centre of the web. The purpose behind providing the eyelets 33 is that a flow of gas under pressure (such as CO2) can be maintained through the panel (using the valves 25,26)`to inhibit the undesirable convention currents. The use of carbon dioxide as the inflating gas (instead of air) provides significant ad-vantages in thermal insulation.
After the webs have been welded to the box layer, the webs are welded to the top layer and the top and box layers are welded together round their edge porti~s 31,32. It will be understood that until this point the box layer has been in the form of a flat sheet since its corners need only be gathered immediately prior to welding to the top layer. Fig. 19 illustrates the way in which the corners are gathered by folding upwardly from the plane of the drawing on the line 34 and down-wardly on the lines 35 which are at an angle e of, approximately, 11 from the perpendicular to the edge of the box layer. The choice of angle e determines the size of a corner flap which projects upwardly and can be folded over to secure the gather.
As an alternative to the separate operations for welding the reflective webs to the top and box layers, a single operation can be carried out (Figs. 17 and 18) using webs creased and folded along their longi-tudinal axes. The webs are each provided on one side with metallised coating 36 to provide reflection and folded with~,the coating 36 innermost. The coatings 36 resist being welded together during dielectric welding due to their metallic nature. Both top and box layers can then be simultaneously welded to the PVC of the web (as illustrated in Fig. 17) without welding together of the coatings 3~.In addition, all the webs can be welded in a single operation using a multi-electrode tool, each electrode welding a respec-tive one of the webs. Where the webs are not provided with metallic coatings, a removable metal foil strip may be provided between the surface of the folded web to prevent the web being welded into a permanently folded state.
The welding together of the top and box layers can be done as a plurality of` edge welding operations or c can be done in a single operation using a rectangular electrode into which the box layer is fitted with its edge portions overlapping the electrode. The edge por-tions of the top layer are then applied under pressure to the edge portions of the box layer while welding is carried out in a single operation.
It should be noted that the spacing of the zips imwardly of the layer-to-layer welds ensunes that the inflation of the central portion causes the zip to take up a corrugated outline following the corrugations of the top layer. This reduces any tendency for the zips to splay the ends of the panel which would cause varying and unreliable end dimensions of the panel.
Also, in the triangular panel shown in Fig. 8 elongate web members such as 28 may be provided instead of, or in addition to, the unified web member .
Referring now to Fig. 12., there is shown in broken line a modified form of covering panel for use in heat-ing water. An auxiliary, thermally absorptive layer 37 (preferably of a fungus-resistant material) is weld-ed to the top layer 21 and has two inflation valves 38 (one of which is a non-return valve) secured to it at diagonally opposite corners of the panel.
By passing water through the heating space between the layers 21 and 37, solar radiation received via the box layer and reflective webs 28 be used to heat the water. If carbon dioxide is passed through the panel between the top and box layers and subsequently bubbled through water further extraction of heat energy can be obtained. Thus the modified ~046ZZ3 covering panel can be used as a solar heating panel.
In an alternative form of covering panel the top layer may be made of a reflective material while the box layer is made of an opaque material. Such a panel would be used wit~ the reflective top layer inhibiting the passage of solar ~adiation through the panel while the opaque box layer could provide an inner decorative surface for a building. In this case the panel would serve as an insulator from the sun. The webs or reeds in such a panel need not be metallised and can be of PVC along.
The covering panels may take other forms and can for example have one or both sides of the central in-flatable portion formed by semi-rigid material. The semi-rigid material of one of the layers may extend to the margins of the panel so as to form a substan-tially flat surface. The marginal portions of one or both layers are formed by a flexible plastics material welded to the semi-rigid material. Where dielectric welding is used to attach the webs to the layers of plastics material, at least one of the layers is pre-ferably flexible for ease of construction.
Referring to Fig. 20, there is shown an example of a coveringl~panel 40 having its top and box layers 41, 4Z f.ormed of a semi-rigid material (such as a 1.1 m.m.
thick sheet of the reinforced, laminated PVC mentioned earlier). The marginal portions 43 of the layer 42 are formed of flexible material such as the reinforced lam-inated PVC used for the panels shown in Figs. 7 to 9.
Webs 44 are provided between the layers 41, 42 as in the layers 41,42 as separate halves (divided longitudinally of the web) and the halves are welded together as at 45 when .
~ 1~462Z3 they have all been secured to their respective layers 41, 42. It will be seen from Fig. 20 that the corruga-tions evident from Fig. 11 are not present due to the additional degree of rigidity of the material used for the layers 41, 42. The lack or currugation enhances optical accessibility through the panel where the lat-ter is to act as a viewing window. Otherwise, the panel 40 is similar in construction to the panel 20.
lt is to be noted that in all the forms of inflat-able panel, the inflation serves to inhibit fatigue of flexible surfacing materials used.
When the covering panels are provided on a modular framework (as sllown in Figs. 1 to 6c) the nuts 19 are used to retain the co"vering panels in place on the spi-gote 18. The spigot-engaging means take the form of reinforced-edge apertures 111 in the welded marginal portions of the covering panels. The welded marginal portions may be provided with fastening,~means other than the zips 24 for sealingly interconnecting the covering panels. A suitable type of,fastening means is the hook-and-loop-,type of fastening strip (as sold under the ~rade Mark VELCRO).
It is to be understood that while the spigots 18 depend from the-connecting members in the example des-cribed above, the spigots could be arranged to project upwardly between the cups 5. By suitable overlapping of the marginal portions of the covering panels a water-shed arrangement can be achieved.
Alternatively, otheri~lmeans can be provided -to act as a watershed and draught excluder, the inflatable covering panels mainly providing thermal insulation be-tween the interior and - 1~)46223 exterior of -the dome. In this case the framework is outside the surface provided by the covering panels and so, while providing support for the construction, does not intrude into the interior, nor take up heat and light there, nor gather dirt. Also the overlap-ping of the covering panels to form a watershed is more simply done on the inside since the outermost panels are at the centre of the dome and are put on firts whereas if the panels were mounted on to the outside of the framework the outermost central panels can only be put on after all the other panels have been put on.
It is to understood that the periphery of the dome framework can be provided wiht a conventional ground foundation or be provided wiht a modular cylindrical foundation for ease of disassembly.
It is intended that the form of modular framework described above will provide a structure having the i following characteristics:-1. It is a structure with low weight and low bulk to be easily transported with modest means (disassem-bled).
2. It is an efficient structure, modular, every strut is identical to every other strut, which allows it to be produced en masse.
3. It is a dome with the low surface to volume ratio -of the spherical (or nearly spherical) form and the advantage of a large clear span achieved with mem-bers of modest dimension.
4. It is able to be erected in a matter of hour provid-ing shelter which can be disassembled again and moved. No specia] tools are required.
5. It is as universal a design as possible to allow di-verse - 22 -1~)462Z3 local materials to be adapted to the design of the elongate members of the framework, e.g., wood, bamboo, fibreglass reinforced epoxy, ferro~cement~, steel aluminium, etc.
Claims (46)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A covering panel for the framework of interconnect-ed structural members, said panel comprising a double layer of a plastics material sealed peripherally to enclose an internal space of the panel between the layers of the double layer, at least one of the layers being light-transmissive, inflating means providing fluid communication between said internal space and the exterior of the panel, at least a portion of one of the layers being flexible movable relative to the other of the layers to form a portion of the panel that can be inflated by means of pressure-fluid supplied to the internal space via said inflating means, said inflatable portion having means constraining said layers so as to determine spacing between the layers of the inflatable portion, when inflated, by restricting said flexible relative movement of the layers, and means being provided on the exterior of the panel for securing the panel to the framework.
2. A panel according to Claim 1 wherein both said layers are light-transmissive.
3. A panel according to Claim 1 wherein at least one of said layers is reflective.
4. A panel according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the light-transmissive layer or at least one of the light-transmissive layers is transparent.
5. A panel according to Claim 1, 2 oe 3 wherein the light-transmissive layer or at least one of the light-transmissive layers is tinted.
6. A panel according to Claim 1 wherein said con-straining means extends between the layers.
7. A panel according to Claim 6 wherein said con-straining means has at least one reflective outer surface.
8. A panel according to Claim 7 wherein said con-straining means is provided with a reflective coating to form said at least one reflective outer surface.
9. A panel according to Claim 6 wherein said con-straining means is secured to respective surfaces of the layers that are within said internal space.
10. A panel according to Claim 9 wherein said con-straining means is secured to said layers by means of dielectric welding.
11. A panel according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the panel is triangular or hexagonal in shape when viewed normally to the major face of the double layer.
12. A panel according to Claim 1 wherein said con-straining means includes a web member extending between said layers.
13. A panel according to Claim 12 wherein the web member is a unified web member having three straps extending between the layers of the double layer.
14. A panel according to Claim 12 wherein said web member is elongate and has its longitudinal edges secured to the respective layers of the double layer.
15. A panel according to Claim 14 wherein eyelets are provided in said web member to enable fluid flow through the web member, the eyelets being arranged to provide least flow resistance near the longitudinal centre of the web member.
16. A panel according to Claim 14 wherein the panel is hexagonal in shape when viewed normally to the major face of the double layer, three groups of parallel identical web members being provided, the respective groups being arranged parallel with alternate sides of the hexagon.
17. A panel according to Claim 14, 15 or 16 wherein said web member comprises two longitudinal portions secured respectively to the layers of the double layer; the two longitud-inal axis of the web member.
18. A panel according to Claim 1 wherein said inflating means includes two inflation valves spaced so that a flow of fluid can be maintained through the central portion of the panel from one of the inflation valves to the other.
19. A panel according to Claim 18 wherein at least one of the inflation valves is a non-return valve.
20. A panel according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said plastics material is a laminated material.
21. A panel according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said double layer has its periphery sealed by means of dielectric welding.
22. A panel according to Claim 1 wherein fastening means are secured to edge portions of the panel to enable the panel to be secured to at least one other similar panel.
23. A panel according to Claim 22 wherein corrugations are provided on at least one major face of the inflatable portion, the corrugations each being arranged to adopt a curved con-figuration when the panel is inflated.
24. A panel according to Claim 23 wherein the fastening means comprise strip fasteners extending along the edge portions and arranged inwardly from the edges relative to the sealed periphery of the double layer so that the strip fasteners are subjected to inflation forces and tend to take up said corrugations.
25. A panel according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein stiffening members are provided along edge portions of the panel.
26. A panel according to Claim 1 and further including an auxiliary layer and associated valves, the auxiliary layer being secured to an associated one of the layers of the double layer to form a heating space between the auxiliary layer and its associated one layer of the double layer, the valves enabling fluid flow through the heating space.
27. A panel according to Claim 26 wherein the auxiliary layer is made of a thermally absorptive material.
28. A panel according to Claim 1 wherein said inflatable portion includes a semi-rigid portion of at least one of the layers of the double layer.
29. A method for manufacturing a covering panel for a framework of interconnected structure members, said method including the steps of securing constraining means to two layers of a plastics material, at least one of the layers being light-transmissive, such that at least a portion of one of the layers is flexibly movable relative to the other of the layers, per-ipherally sealing the layers to form a double layer enclosing an internal space of the panel, providing inflating means enabling fluid communication between said internal space and the exterior of the panel so as to form a portion of the panel that can be inflated by means of pressure fluid supplied to the internal space via said inflating means, and providing means on the exterior of the panel for securing the panel to the framework.
30. A method according to Claim 29 wherein said constraining means is secured to said layers by means of dielectric welding.
31. A method according to Claim 29 wherein said double layer is peripherally sealed by means of dielectric welding.
32. A method according to Claim 29, 30 or 31 wherein the constraining means is secured to surfaces of said layer which are to provide internal surfaces of the panel bounding said internal space.
33. A housing structure comprising a framework of inter-connected members and a covering for the framework that extends across spaces between said interconnected members, said covering comprising a plurality of covering panels according to Claim 1.
34. A housing structure according to Claim 33 wherein said framework includes a plurality of substantially identical elongate members, a plurality of identical connecting arrange-ments and receiving means of each of said connecting arrange-ments, each of said connecting arrangements being mounted on an associated one of the elongate members and having its receiving means arranged to receive the ends of two others of the elongate members whose longitudinal axes extend in directions across, on the same side of, said one elongate member, and also being arranged to hold the end of each of said other elongate members so that the latter forms a predetermined acute angle with said one elongate member in plan view.
35. A housing structure according to Claim 34 wherein each of said connecting arrangements is mounted on its associated elongate member in such a position that the ratio of effective length of each of said other elongate members when held in the receiving means of said connecting arrangement, to the spacing between the longitudinal axis of said one and said other elongate members is in the range 33:1 to 40:1.
36. A housing structure according to Claim 34 wherein said acute angle is substantially 60°.
37. A housing structure according to Claim 34, 35 or 36 wherein the receiving means of the connecting arrangement are arranged to receive elongate members from substantially opposite directions.
38. A housing structure according to Claim 34, 35 or 36 wherein each of said connecting arrangements comprises two connecting members and respective receiving means of the connect-ing members, the receiving means of each of said connecting members being arranged to receive one of said other elongate members, said connecting members being movable independently of each other along said one elongate member.
39. A housing structure according to Claim 34, 35 or 36 wherein the receiving means of each of said connecting arrangements are arranged to hold said other elongate members inclined to an apex through the plane of the smaller angle of which said one elongate member extends so that said other elongate member effectively form a segmented curve round said one elongate member.
40. A housing structure according to Claim 34, 35 or 36 wherein respective end caps are provided on the ends of each of the elongate members.
41. A housing structure according to Claim 34 wherein said framework is modular, comprising substantially identical elongate members and connecting members, at least one substant-ially equilateral major triangle as seen when viewed normal to the surface of the structure and a plurality of substantially equilateral, identical, minor triangles as seen when viewed normal to the surface of the structure, at least a portion of each side of the major triangle being associated with, by form-ing at least portions of, two sides of respective ones of the minor triangles, the sides of the major triangle being associated respectively with the sides of different pairs of minor triangles.
42. A housing structure according to Claim 44 wherein a plurality of said major triangles is arranged in rows extending between marginal portions of the structure, each of the minor triangles between the rows having its sides associated respect-ively with the sides of different major triangles.
43. A housing structure according to Claim 34 wherein said framework is modular and comprises substantially identical elongate members and connecting members, at least one hexagon of the framework as seen when viewed normal to the surface of the structure and a plurality of triangles of the framework as seen when viewed normal to the surface of the structure, at least a portion of each side of the hexagon being associated with, by forming at least a portion of, one side of one of the triangles, the sides of the hexagon being associated with different respective triangles.
44. A housing structure according to Claim 43 and including a plurality of regularly distributed hexagons, one of the hexagons being central and rings of hexagons being provided consecutively around the single central hexagon to form a part-spherical shaped dome.
45. A housing structure according to Claim 43 and including a central linear arrangement of at least two hexagons and consecutive rings of hexagons formed around the central linear arrangement to form an elongate part-ellipsoidal shaped dome.
46. A housing structure according to Claim 43 and including a central group of at least three hexagons and consecutive rings of hexagons formed round the central group.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB33117/75A GB1564111A (en) | 1975-08-08 | 1975-08-08 | Building structures |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1046223A true CA1046223A (en) | 1979-01-16 |
Family
ID=10348784
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA258,616A Expired CA1046223A (en) | 1975-08-08 | 1976-08-06 | Building structures |
Country Status (18)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS5252425A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU1669476A (en) |
| BE (1) | BE844947A (en) |
| BR (1) | BR7605167A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1046223A (en) |
| DD (1) | DD126508A5 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2635724A1 (en) |
| DK (1) | DK355176A (en) |
| ES (3) | ES450517A1 (en) |
| FI (1) | FI762232A (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2320399A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1564111A (en) |
| LU (1) | LU75562A1 (en) |
| NL (1) | NL7608750A (en) |
| NO (1) | NO762733L (en) |
| OA (1) | OA05408A (en) |
| SE (1) | SE7608745L (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA764568B (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP6101686B2 (en) | 2011-07-04 | 2017-03-22 | ベトコンフレーム インターナショナル ピーティーワイ リミテッド | An upwardly convex three-dimensional frame and its construction method |
| US9970189B2 (en) * | 2016-08-31 | 2018-05-15 | Christopher Szymberski | Tension compression structural unit and method of assembling the same |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CH543010A (en) * | 1971-08-13 | 1973-10-15 | Zenhaeusern Heinrich | Lanyard |
-
1975
- 1975-08-08 GB GB33117/75A patent/GB1564111A/en not_active Expired
-
1976
- 1976-07-29 ZA ZA00764568A patent/ZA764568B/en unknown
- 1976-08-04 FI FI762232A patent/FI762232A/fi not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1976-08-04 SE SE7608745A patent/SE7608745L/en unknown
- 1976-08-06 ES ES450517A patent/ES450517A1/en not_active Expired
- 1976-08-06 BE BE2055228A patent/BE844947A/en unknown
- 1976-08-06 DK DK355176A patent/DK355176A/en unknown
- 1976-08-06 OA OA55906A patent/OA05408A/en unknown
- 1976-08-06 NL NL7608750A patent/NL7608750A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1976-08-06 CA CA258,616A patent/CA1046223A/en not_active Expired
- 1976-08-06 BR BR7605167A patent/BR7605167A/en unknown
- 1976-08-06 NO NO762733A patent/NO762733L/no unknown
- 1976-08-06 JP JP51094422A patent/JPS5252425A/en active Pending
- 1976-08-06 LU LU75562A patent/LU75562A1/xx unknown
- 1976-08-09 FR FR7624256A patent/FR2320399A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1976-08-09 DD DD194250A patent/DD126508A5/xx unknown
- 1976-08-09 AU AU16694/76A patent/AU1669476A/en not_active Expired
- 1976-08-09 DE DE19762635724 patent/DE2635724A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
1977
- 1977-09-14 ES ES462343A patent/ES462343A1/en not_active Expired
- 1977-09-14 ES ES462342A patent/ES462342A1/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| SE7608745L (en) | 1977-02-09 |
| BR7605167A (en) | 1977-08-02 |
| ES462342A1 (en) | 1978-06-01 |
| ZA764568B (en) | 1978-03-29 |
| JPS5252425A (en) | 1977-04-27 |
| ES450517A1 (en) | 1978-01-01 |
| FI762232A (en) | 1977-02-09 |
| BE844947A (en) | 1976-12-01 |
| LU75562A1 (en) | 1977-03-28 |
| DD126508A5 (en) | 1977-07-20 |
| OA05408A (en) | 1981-02-28 |
| NO762733L (en) | 1977-02-09 |
| AU1669476A (en) | 1978-02-16 |
| GB1564111A (en) | 1980-04-02 |
| NL7608750A (en) | 1977-02-10 |
| FR2320399A1 (en) | 1977-03-04 |
| DE2635724A1 (en) | 1977-02-17 |
| ES462343A1 (en) | 1978-06-01 |
| DK355176A (en) | 1977-02-09 |
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