EP0773331A1

EP0773331A1 - Domed building structure

Info

Publication number: EP0773331A1
Application number: EP96307810A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Brian V. Knight
Original assignee: ORFUS Ltd
Current assignee: ORFUS Ltd
Priority date: 1995-10-30
Filing date: 1996-10-29
Publication date: 1997-05-14
Also published as: GB2306978A; GB9522197D0

Abstract

A domed building structure comprising a plurality of substantially concentric parts 20, 22 disposed one above the other and including a central upper apex part 20 and one or more lower parts 22 each forming a respective frustum adjoining the parts immediately above. Each frustum 22 is formed of a plurality of straight-edged panels 1 - 5, 1X - 8X, 1A - 8A, each extending from the upper inner edge of the frustum to the lower outer edge. Successive frustums are so arranged that each junction between panel edges at each said upper inner edge of each frustum 22 is coincident with a respective junction between panel edges at the adjoining edge of the frustum 22 or central upper part 20 immediately above. Frustums close to the central part 20 comprise trapezoidal panels 1 - 5 of increasingly greater horizontal length. At a certain level the next lower frustum comprises both four-sided panels 1X and triangular panels 1A, with each triangular panel 1A having its apex coincident with a junction between four-sided panels 1X in the upper inner edge of the frustum, and having a base forming a respective part of the lower outer edge of the frustum. The following, lower frustums, comprise rectangular panels 2X, 3X, etc and trapezoidal panels 2A, 3A, etc. arranged alternately around the periphery of the structure. The arrangement of the invention allows large domed structures,to be built using panels of limited size and using panels of a limited number of different shapes and sizes.

Description

THIS INVENTION relates to a domed building structure assembled from a plurality of individual panels. Domed building structures of this general type are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent Specifications Nos. 4285174; 4665664; 4686801 and 5170599, to which reference should be had.
More particularly, the invention relates to a domed building structure comprising a plurality of substantially concentric parts disposed one above the other and including a central upper apex part and one or more lower parts each forming a respective frustum adjoining the part immediately above, and wherein each said frustum is formed of a plurality of panels each extending from the upper inner edge of the frustum to the lower outer edge.
The design of such domed structures is subject to various constraints, in addition to the normal physical and engineering constraints. Thus, whilst it is generally highly desirable, from the point of view of ease of manufacture and hence cost, that the individual panels making up such a structure should be substantially planar, with straight edges, this normally implies, in the case of a structure comprising a succession of tiered frustums, of the kind referred to above, that the number of panels in each frustum must be the same, with the consequence that the panels in the lower frustums are excessively large or at least excessively elongate in the circumferential direction of the frustum and/or that the panels of the upper frustums are unnecessarily narrow, both of which circumstances give rise to increased costs, including increased assembly costs and handling and transportation costs. Furthermore, with such an arrangement, each particular panel size and shape is, in effect, dedicated to a particular frustum in the structure so that a relatively large number of different sizes and shapes of panels must be manufactured for a complete dome structure.
It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved dome structure of the kind referred to.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a domed building structure comprising a plurality of substantially concentric parts disposed one above the other and including a central upper apex part and one or more lower parts each forming a respective frustum adjoining the part immediately above, and wherein each said frustum is formed of a plurality of straight-edged panels, each extending from the upper inner edge of the frustum to the lower outer edge and wherein each junction between panel edges at each said upper inner edge of the or each frustum is coincident with a respective junction between panel edges at the adjoining edge of the frustum or central upper part immediately above, and wherein, further, at least one said frustum comprises both four-sided and triangular panels, with each triangular panel lying between adjacent four-sided panels of that frustum and having an apex coincident with a junction between said adjacent four-sided panels in the upper inner edge of the respective frustum, each triangular panel having a base forming a respective part of the lower outer edge of the respective frustum.
Preferably at least one said frustum includes rectangular panels and triangular panels arranged alternately around the frustum.
An embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view illustrating a domed building structure in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to the drawing, the domed structure shown comprises a roof or skin formed by a plurality of individual, flat, straight-edged panels fitted together edge to edge. The panels may, for example, be individually glazed frames, with the frames forming the entire supporting structure of the dome, or the panels may be supported on an underlying supporting framework (not shown). The manner in which the individual panels are constructed or are supported within the dome structure itself forms no part of the present invention, but various possibilities in this regard will be evident to those skilled in the art.
The domed structure illustrated comprises a central, uppermost part 20 and, disposed outwardly from and below the part 20, a plurality of concentric rings or frustums, each comprising a ring of panels connected edge to edge, each panel extending from the upper inner edge of the respective frustum to the lower outer edge thereof. In the arrangement shown, the central portion 20 comprises a plurality (20 in the example shown) of triangular panels 6 arranged with their apices on the common vertical centre line of the structure and with their bases forming the periphery of the part 20, the panels 6 lying edge to edge so that the adjoining edges lie on respective "lines of longitude" of the dome structure. Disposed immediately outwardly of and below the part 20 is a frustum of interconnected trapezoidal panels 5, with the upper edge of each panel 5 being coincident with the base of a respective triangular panel 6 and with the lower edge, parallel with the upper edge, forming part of the lower edge of that frustum, the panels 5 meeting one another along respective "lines of longitude" of the structure. Likewise, disposed outwardly of and below the frustum of panels 5 is a further frustum made up of trapezoidal panels 4 each having a shorter edge, forming part of the inner and upper edge of the frustum, adjoining and coincident with the lower edge of a respective panel 5, each panel 4 having a parallel lower edge forming a respective part of the lower and outer edge of the respective frustum of panels 4. Likewise, successive frustums of similarly interconnected panels 3; 2 and 1 form successively lower and radially outer parts of the structure, the upper edge of each panel 3 being coterminous with the lower edge of the respective panel 4, the upper edge of each panel 2 being coterminous with the lower edge of each panel 3 and the upper edge of each panel 1 being coterminous with the lower edge of each panel 2. It will be appreciated that, in this structure, whilst the lengths of the panels 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 measured along a "line of longitude" may or may not be the same, the width, measured horizontally, (i.e. along a "line of latitude") of each panel 1 is greater than that of each panel 2 which is in turn greater than that of each panel 3 and so on. It will be appreciated that if the same procedure were followed in developing the structure downwardly, the panels closest to the ground would be of increasing horizontal length with increasing distance from the central part 20.
However, in the structure in accordance with the invention, the necessity for such progressive increase in length is prevented by following the frustum of panels 1 by a frustum of rectangular panels 1X and triangular panels 1A arranged alternately around the frustum, each panel, again, extending from the upper inner edge of the frustum to the lower outward edge thereof. Furthermore, the upper edge of each rectangular panel 1X adjoins and is coterminous with the lower edge of a respective one of the panels 1. Each panel 1A, on the other hand, interposed between two adjoining panels 1X, has its apex coincident with the junction between the two adjoining panels 1 in the frustum above and between the upper edges of the two panels 1X on either side of the triangular panel. The lower edge or base edge of each triangular panel 1A forms, with the lower edges of the panels 1X, the lower outer periphery of this particular frustum 22. Thus, whereas each frustum above that comprising panels 1X and 1A comprises 20 panels, the frustum comprising panels 1X and 1A has 40 panels, namely 20 panels 1X and 20 panels 1A.
Directly below and outward of the frustum of panels 1X, 1A, is a frustum formed by 20 rectangular panels 2X and 20 trapezoidal panels 2A being interposed between two adjoining panels 2X, each panel 2X having its upper edge co-terminous with the lower edge of a respective panel 1X and each panel 2A having its upper edge co-terminous with the base of a respective triangular panel 1A. Likewise, a frustum comprising 20 rectangular panels 3X and 20 trapezoidal panels 3A directly adjoins the frustum of panels 2X and 2A, each panel 3X having its upper edge co-terminous with the lower edge of a respective panel 2X and each panel 3X having its upper edge co-terminous with the lower edge of a respective panel 2A. Successive further frustums each comprise alternating rectangular and trapezoidal panels 4X ... 8X; 4A ... 8A, respectively. In the arrangement shown, the structure has a peripheral wall extending upwards from ground level and consisting entirely of rectangular panels 9X.
It will be understood that, if desired, each of the rectangular panels 1X to 9X may be of identical size and construction, substantially facilitating construction. Likewise, the panels 6 may be identical with the panels 1A, the panels 5 with the panels 2A, and so on, further facilitating construction. It may not, of course, be desired to adhere to such identity in every case, for aesthetic and engineering considerations may override that of ease of manufacture.
Furthermore, depending upon the dimensions selected for the individual panels, a variant dome structure may have more than one frustum which comprises rectangular panels and triangular panels, with the apices of the triangular panels in each case lying at the junction of the upper edges of adjoining rectangular panels between which the respective rectangular panel is located, so that, for example, the number of panels per frustum may double at a first latitude, double again at a second latitude, and so on.
It will be understood that it is quite possible for any frustum incorporating triangular panels to have trapezoidal rather than rectangular panels interposed between the triangular panels, for example to secure a particular desired shape and likewise a frustum directly or indirectly below one incorporating triangular panels may comprise only trapezoidal panels (for example of two shapes alternating around the frustum). Such arrangements, of course, increase the number of different shapes or sizes of panels required but may nevertheless be preferred for aesthetic reasons or from civil engineering considerations.
The structures embodying the invention may all, however, be implemented using straight-edged panels of relatively simple construction, since a junction between panels in any frustum never occurs at an intermediate position along an edge of a panel in an immediately adjoining frustum.
The domed structure illustrated in the drawing is preferably constructed frustum by frustum, finishing with the top of the structure. Thus, the peripheral wall comprising rectangular panels 9X is first erected, followed by the lowest frustum proper, comprising panels 8A, 8X, which is erected upon the upper edge of the peripheral wall comprising panels 9X. Thereafter, successively higher frustums 22 are erected in succession and finally the central upper apex part 20 is erected or installed, each said frustum 22 being fully erected before commencement or erection of the frustum 22 or said central upper apex part 20 above it and supported by it.
The features disclosed in the foregoing description, in the following claims and/or in the accompanying drawings may, both separately and in any combination thereof, be material for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

A domed building structure comprising a plurality of substantially concentric parts disposed one above the other and including a central upper apex part and one or more lower parts each forming a respective frustum adjoining the part immediately above, and wherein each said frustum is formed of a plurality of straight-edged panels, each extending from the upper inner edge of the frustum to the lower outer edge and wherein each junction between panel edges at each said upper inner edge of the or each frustum is coincident with a respective junction between panel edges at the adjoining edge of the frustum or central upper part immediately above, and wherein, further, at least one said frustum comprises both four-sided and triangular panels, with each triangular panel having an apex coincident with a junction between four-sided panels in the upper inner edge of the respective frustum, and having a base forming a respective part of the lower outer edge of the respective frustum.
A domed building structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one said frustum includes rectangular panels and triangular panels arranged alternately around the frustum.
A domed building structure according to claim 2 wherein said rectangular panels are of identical size, and wherein the length of the base of any said triangular panel is equal to or less than the base length of each said rectangular panel.
A domed building structure according to claim 3 further including trapezoidal panels, and wherein the length of the base of any said trapezoidal panel is equal to or less than the base length of each said rectangular panel.
A domed building structure according to any preceding claim wherein said central upper apex part comprises a plurality of similar straight-edged triangular panels arranged with their apices meeting in a common apex of the structure, with their adjoining edges contiguous and thereby radiating from said common apex and with their base edges together defining a regular polygonal periphery of said central upper apex part, adjoining said upper inner edge of the adjoining said frustum.
A domed building structure according to claim 3, comprising a plurality of said frustums incorporating such rectangular panels and in which said rectangular panels in at least two different said frustums are of identical size.
A domed building structure according to any preceding claim including at least two said frustums having rectangular panels which are of different heights but have horizontally extending edges of the same length.
A domed building structure according to any preceding claim, which has a peripheral wall extending from ground level and supporting along its upper edge, an adjoining said frustum, said peripheral wall consisting entirely of rectangular panels identical with one another and each having vertically extending sides contiguous with the vertical sides of adjoining ground level rectangular panels and each having horizontally extending sides of a length equal to that of the horizontally extending sides of the rectangular panels in the frustums above said base wall, the upper horizontal edge of each panel in said peripheral wall being contiguous with a lower horizontal edge of a respective panel in the adjoining said frustum with each junction between upper horizontal edges of panels in said wall being coincident with a respective junction between panel edges at the adjoining edge of said adjoining frustum.
A method of constructing a domed building structure in accordance with any preceding claim, comprising erecting successively higher frustums in succession and erecting said central upper apex part after erection of said frustum, each said frustum being fully erected before commencement or erection of the frustum or said central upper apex part above it and supported by it.