US20140096456A1 - Building - Google Patents
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- US20140096456A1 US20140096456A1 US14/042,427 US201314042427A US2014096456A1 US 20140096456 A1 US20140096456 A1 US 20140096456A1 US 201314042427 A US201314042427 A US 201314042427A US 2014096456 A1 US2014096456 A1 US 2014096456A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- glass
- building
- panels
- panel
- circular arc
- 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.)
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Classifications
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- 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
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
- E04C2/30—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure
- E04C2/32—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure formed of corrugated or otherwise indented sheet-like material; composed of such layers with or without layers of flat sheet-like material
- E04C2/328—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure formed of corrugated or otherwise indented sheet-like material; composed of such layers with or without layers of flat sheet-like material slightly bowed or folded panels not otherwise provided for
-
- 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
- E04B1/02—Structures consisting primarily of load-supporting, block-shaped, or slab-shaped elements
- E04B1/12—Structures consisting primarily of load-supporting, block-shaped, or slab-shaped elements the elements consisting of other material
-
- 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
- E04B1/18—Structures comprising elongated load-supporting parts, e.g. columns, girders, skeletons
- E04B1/28—Structures comprising elongated load-supporting parts, e.g. columns, girders, skeletons the supporting parts consisting of other material
-
- 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
- E04B1/34—Extraordinary structures, e.g. with suspended or cantilever parts supported by masts or tower-like structures enclosing elevators or stairs; Features relating to the elastic stability
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B2/00—Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls
- E04B2/88—Curtain walls
- E04B2/90—Curtain walls comprising panels directly attached to the structure
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
- E04C2/54—Slab-like translucent elements
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
- E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
- E04C3/28—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of materials not covered by groups E04C3/04 - E04C3/20
- E04C3/285—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of materials not covered by groups E04C3/04 - E04C3/20 of glass
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
- E04C3/30—Columns; Pillars; Struts
- E04C3/36—Columns; Pillars; Struts of materials not covered by groups E04C3/32 or E04C3/34; of a combination of two or more materials
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
- E04C3/38—Arched girders or portal frames
- E04C3/46—Arched girders or portal frames of materials not covered by groups E04C3/40 - E04C3/44; of a combination of two or more materials
-
- 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
- E04B2001/0053—Buildings characterised by their shape or layout grid
- E04B2001/0061—Buildings with substantially curved horizontal cross-section, e.g. circular
Definitions
- the present invention relates to building panels and to a building made therefrom.
- exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to glass building panels and to a building made therefrom, where the panels are curved and the building is cylindrical in shape.
- Glass structures have been around for some time. Such structures must meet structural requirements for their particular operation, and must support loads and forces of expected magnitudes. Because of the structural requirements for supporting such loads and forces, glass pieces used in such glass structures may be formed of a laminate structure that includes layers of glass and bonding materials. A laminate structure is much stronger than any one layer by itself and thus it can support loads and forces of greater magnitude. For long spans of single, or monolithic, glass panels, however, the conventional laminate structure may deflect for lack of sufficient support, and may be unsuited to withstand some loads or forces of great magnitude. Such difficulties have conventionally prevented the creation of large buildings made of large glass panels and supports, because the structural properties needed to construct the buildings limited the size of the glass panels that could be used. This is particularly problematic in the case of structures with curved walls, such as a cylindrical shaped building.
- the invention relates, in one embodiment, to a building panel.
- the building panel may be glass and may include a plurality of glass layers.
- the building panel may also be curved.
- the invention relates, in another embodiment, to a building made using building panels
- the building panels may be glass, may include a plurality of glass layers, and may be curved.
- the building may include glass fins and glass beams for support, and a glass roof.
- the glass building panels, glass fins, glass beams, and glass roof may be connected together by a plurality of fittings.
- An embodiment of the present invention discloses a building panel, including a single, or monolithic glass piece, wherein the glass piece is substantially rectangular and includes two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and wherein the glass piece forms a circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.
- An embodiment of the present invention also discloses a building, including a plurality of panels, wherein each panel includes a single, or monolithic, glass piece, wherein each glass piece is substantially rectangular and includes two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and wherein each glass piece forms an identical circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a top view of the panel of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a front view of the panel of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of an edge profile of the panel of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a building incorporating the panel of FIG. 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the building of FIG. 5 , taken along line 6 - 6 .
- FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the building of FIG. 5 , taken along line 7 - 7 .
- FIG. 8 is a side view of the fin and beam construction of the building of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 9 is a top view of the building of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the building of FIG. 9 , taken along line 10 - 10 .
- FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the building of FIG. 9 , taken along line 11 - 11 .
- FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the roof of the building of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 13 is a schematic top view of the roof of the building of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 14 is a side view of a first roof panel of the roof of the building of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 15 is a top view thereof.
- FIG. 16 is a side view of a second roof panel of the roof of the building of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 17 is a top view thereof.
- FIG. 18 is an expanded reference view of the building of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building panel 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a top view of panel 100
- FIG. 3 is a front view of panel 100
- Panel 100 may include two short sides 110 , two long sides 120 , an inner surface 132 , and an outer surface 134 .
- Panel 100 may be formed of a single, or monolithic, glass piece, including a glass piece having a layered or laminate structure.
- the glass used to form panel 100 may be a tempered, low iron glass.
- Panel 100 may be formed of multiple layers of glass so as to form a laminated structure. Such an exemplary embodiment is described in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 4 .
- it may be substantially transparent, but may alternatively be formed to be translucent or opaque, or variants thereof.
- Short sides 110 may be curved to form a circular arc shape and may be positioned parallel to each other and perpendicular to long sides 120 , so as to extend substantially in a width direction with respect to panel 100 .
- “Circular arc”, as used herein, may refer to a segment of the circumference of a circle.
- Long sides 120 may be straight and may be positioned parallel to each other and perpendicular to short sides 110 so as to extend in a height direction with respect to panel 100 .
- Short sides 110 and long sides 120 may be positioned such that panel 100 appears substantially rectangular in shape when viewed from the front (as, for example, in FIG. 3 ).
- Long sides 120 may have a length L 1 , where L 1 is, for example, greater than 26′ (e.g., 39′1 7/16′′, 40′, 40′10 3/16′′, 41′2 19/32′′, or 45′).
- Short sides 120 due to their circular arc shape, may have an inner edge arc, corresponding to inner surface 132 , and an outer edge arc, corresponding to outer surface 134 .
- the inner edge arc and the outer edge arc share the same center point. and subtend the same angle 01 .
- the inner edge arc has an inner radius r 1 with respect to the shared center point, and the outer edge arc has an outer radius r 2 with respect to the shared center point.
- Short sides 120 have an arc length corresponding to each of inner radius r 1 and outer radius r 2 .
- a thickness T 1 of panel 100 may be the difference between outer radius r 2 and inner radius r 1 .
- angle 01 may, for example, be 30′
- inner radius r 1 or outer radius r 2 may be between 15′ and 17′ (e.g., inner radius r 1 may, be 16′1 13/16′′ and outer radius r 2 may be 16′3′′)
- thickness T may be, for example, between 0.5′′ and 4′′ (e.g., 1 3/16′′).
- short sides 120 may have an arc length of, for example, between 8′ and 9′ (e.g., 8′51 ⁇ 2′′), which may correspond to inner radius r 1 , outer radius r 2 , or any length in between.
- Inner surface 132 and outside surface 134 may maintain a constant profile throughout a length of panel 100 , the constant profile corresponding to the circular arc shape of short sides 110 .
- FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of an edge profile of the panel of FIG. 1 .
- panel 100 may be composed of multiple layers. Such layers may include an outer surface layer 136 A corresponding to outer surface 134 and an inner surface layer 136 C corresponding to inner surface 132 . Panel 100 may further include intervening layer 136 B. Layers 136 A and 136 C may be made of glass and layer 136 B may be made of an adhesive. Layers 136 A through 136 C may be formed together through, for example, a laminating process while in a substantially flat state, and may acquire their arc shape through a slumping process by heating panel 100 over a mold.
- a layer of adhesive (corresponding to layer 136 B in FIG. 4 ) is disposed between adjacent glass layers.
- the adhesive is preferably transparent. Any suitable adhesive may be used as would be apparent to one of skill in the art.
- the adhesive may be polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or an adhesive such as that known as SentryGlas® Plus (SGP) interlayer, manufactured by Dupont of Wilmington, Del.
- PVB polyvinyl butyral
- SGP SentryGlas® Plus
- layers 136 A through 136 C may have a thickness independent of the others of layers 136 A through 136 C.
- layers 136 A and 136 C have an identical thickness
- layer 136 B has a thickness less than that of layers 136 A and 136 C.
- the thickness of layers 136 A and 136 C may be 9/16′′, and the thickness of layer 136 B may be 1/16′′.
- Panel 100 may have an edge profile 140 extending along short sides 110 and long sides 120 .
- edge profile 140 includes chamfers on each side of panel 100 .
- edge profile 140 can be configured in a variety of ways in order to accomplish a variety of ends, for example, increasing handling safety or facilitating mounting.
- Panel 100 may further include an edge seal 142 extending along short sides 110 and long sides 120 .
- an edge seal 142 may, for example, help maintain adhesion between layers of panel 100 , increase handling safety, or provide desired aesthetics.
- Panel 100 may further include anchor points (not shown). As would be appreciated by one of skill in the art, positions near the periphery of panel 100 may be integrally formed with fittings, including mounting or joining hardware, or a configuration for receiving such fittings, so as to facilitate use of panel 100 in a variety of operations, such as, for example, as an exterior panel in a building. For example the fittings may be laminated with the glass to as to be integrally formed therewith.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a building 200 incorporating a plurality of panels 100 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- Building 200 includes panels 100 , a roof 300 , fins 400 , first beams 510 , second beams 520 , a third beam 530 , and a cylindrical support 540 .
- FIG. 18 is an expanded reference view of building 200 in which building 200 is depicted in an “unrolled” state (i.e., panels 100 are positioned in a row, rather than as a cylinder).
- Building 200 includes 12 panels 100 arranged such that long sides 120 of adjacent panels meet, and together panels 100 form a vertical cylinder.
- the circular arcs of all panels 100 share a center point, corresponding to a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the vertical cylinder.
- the circular arcs of each panel 100 may subtend an angle ⁇ 1 (shown in FIG. 2 ).
- ⁇ 1 is, for example, 30°
- building 200 will include 12 panels 100 , in order to complete the cylinder.
- building 200 includes a plurality of rectangular fins 400 internal to building 200 , which act as supports for building 200 .
- Each fin 400 is aligned with a region where long sides 120 of adjacent panels 100 meet.
- Fins 400 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar to panels 100 , or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass.
- Each fin 400 may be mounted to its corresponding panels 100 , by, for example, fittings 210 positioned intermittently joining fin 400 with adjacent panels 100 .
- various other suitable mounting techniques or hardware may be used.
- Fins 400 may have a length L 2 , which may be, for example, 33′. Fins 400 may have a width W 2 , which may be, for example, 2′3 9/16′′. Fins 400 may have a thickness of, for example, 2 13/16′′.
- building 200 also includes a plurality of first beams 510 , a plurality of second beams 520 , third beam 530 , and cylindrical support 540 .
- Cylindrical support 540 may include a plurality of curved beams 550 .
- Third beam 530 may be positioned so as to align with regions where long sides 120 of adjacent panels 100 meet. Third beam 530 may, at one end, connect to a first set of adjacent panels 100 , and may extend across the diameter of building 200 to connect to a second set of adjacent panels, opposite to the first. Third beam 530 may be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar to panels 100 , or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass.
- Third beam 530 may have a length L 3 , which may be, for example, 32′1 ⁇ 8′′. Third beam 530 may have a width that may be, for example, 1′115 ⁇ 8′′ at at least one end. Third beam 530 may have a thickness of, for example, 2 13/16′′. Third beam 530 may be shaped so that its width increases gradually from its ends to its midpoint.
- Second beams 520 may be positioned to as to align with regions where long sides 120 of adjacent panels 100 meet. Second beams 520 may, at one end, connect to corresponding adjacent panels 100 , and may, at the other end, connect to third beam 530 at its midpoint. Building 200 may include two second beams 520 , positioned on opposite sides of third beam 530 and oriented so as to form 90° angles with third beam 530 when viewed from above. Second beams 520 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar to panels 100 , or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass.
- Second beams 520 may have a length L 4 , which may be, for example, 15′9 11/16′′. Second beams 520 may have a width that may be, for example, 1′115 ⁇ 8′′ at at least one end. Second beams 510 may have a thickness of for example, 2 13/16′′. Second beams 510 may be shaped so that their width increases gradually from the end connected to panels 100 to the end connected to third beam 530 .
- Cylindrical support 540 is a cylinder-shaped support that has its center point at the center point of building 200 , such that the circles formed by building 200 and cylindrical support 540 when viewed from above are concentric. Cylindrical support 540 may be attached to panels 100 through first beams 510 , second beams 520 , and third beam 530 . Cylindrical support 540 may be made up of a plurality of curved beams 550 . Cylindrical support 540 may include four curved beams 550 .
- Each curved beam 550 may be connected at one end to third beam 530 , and at the other end to a second beam 520 , so as to form a cylindrical shape bisected in a first direction by third beam 530 and in a second direction perpendicular to the first by second beams 520 .
- Curved beams 550 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar to panels 100 , or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass.
- Curved beams 550 may each form a cylindrical arc when viewed from above (as in, for example, FIG. 7 ).
- the cylindrical arc may subtend an angle of, for example, 90°, and may have a radius of, for example, 6′6′′.
- Curved beams 550 may have a width of 2′ 3 1 / 16 ′′.
- Curved beams 550 may have a thickness of 1′ 4/16′′.
- First beams 510 may be rectangular, and may be positioned so as to align with regions where long sides 120 of adjacent panels 100 meet. First beams 510 may, at one end, connect to corresponding adjacent panels 100 , and may, at the other end, connect to cylindrical support 540 . Building 200 may include eight first beams 510 . First beams 510 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar to panels 100 , or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass.
- First beams 510 may have a length L 5 , which may be, for example, 9′5 1/16′′. First beams 510 may have a width W 3 , which may be, for example, 1′115 ⁇ 8′′. First beams 510 may have a thickness of, for example, 2 13/16′′. First beams 510 may be shaped so that their width increases gradually from the end connected to panels 100 to the end connected to cylindrical support 540 .
- FIG. 12 is a perspective view of roof 300 of building 200 .
- FIG. 13 is a schematic top view of roof 300 .
- Roof 300 includes a plurality of first roof panels 310 and a plurality of second roof panels 320 . Roof 300 may be peaked at its center.
- FIG. 14 is a side view of a first roof panel 310 of roof 300 .
- FIG. 15 is a top view thereof.
- Each first roof panel 310 has a planar shape defined by an outer first circular arc 312 , an inner first circular arc 314 , and two straight first sides 316 connecting the ends of outer first circular arc 312 to the ends of inner first circular arc 314 .
- First sides 316 define lines that, if extended beyond the limits of first roof panel 310 , would cross at a point that corresponds to the center point of both outer first circular arc 312 and inner first circular arc 314 .
- First roof panels 310 may be each formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar to panels 100 , or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass.
- Outer first circular arc 312 may have a radius with respect to the center point of, for example, 16′3′′.
- Inner first circular arc 314 may have a radius with respect to the center point of, for example, 6′6′′.
- First sides 316 may have a length L 6 of, for example, 9′5 1/16′′.
- First roof panel 310 may have a thickness of 1 4/16′′. Outer first circular arc 312 and inner first circular arc 314 may subtend an angle with respect to the center point of 30°.
- FIG. 16 is a side view of a second roof panel 320 of roof 300 .
- FIG. 17 is a top view thereof.
- Each second roof panel 320 has a planar shape defined by a second circular arc 322 and two straight second sides 324 , where each of the two second sides 324 connects to one end of second circular arc 322 and to the other second side. Second sides 324 meet at a corner 326 , corresponding to the center point of second circular arc 322 .
- Second roof panels 320 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar to panels 100 , or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass.
- Second roof panels 320 are positioned as a part of roof 300 such that second circular arc 322 aligns with adjacent inner first circular arcs 314 , and such that each second side 324 of a second roof panel 320 meets a second side 324 of an adjacent second roof panel 320 . In such a configuration, the corners 326 of second roof panels 320 may meet.
- An arc length of second circular arc 322 may correspond to the arc length of the inner first circular arcs 314 of three adjacent first roof panels 310 .
- Roof 300 may include four second roof panels.
- the panels 100 , fins 400 , first beams 510 , second beams 520 , third beams 530 , curved beams 550 , first roof panels 310 , and second roof panels 320 may each be made of layered glass.
- the layered glass may include two opposing exterior glass layers connected by an adhesive layer (such as is depicted in, for example, FIG. 4 ).
- the layered glass may include at least one interior glass layer, connected to other interior glass layers or exterior glass layers by adhesive layers, as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art.
- the number of glass layers used may be from two to five.
- building 200 including panels 100 may optionally incorporate at least one panel 100 that is shorter (has a smaller L 1 measurement, for example 28′85 ⁇ 8′′) than the other panels 100 and that is positioned with its top short side 110 aligned with the top short sides 110 of the other panels 100 so as to create an opening 220 in the exterior of building 200 at a lower end thereof (see, for example, FIG. 5 ).
- a corresponding fin 400 may also be included that is shorter than the other fins 400 , and is positioned with its top end aligned with the top ends of the other fins 400 .
- Such a corresponding fin may be mounted to its corresponding panels 100 by fittings that are different from fittings 210 used to mount the other fins 400 .
- Opening 220 can be used as an entrance to building 200 .
- Opening 220 may be fitted with doors 230 , which may be glass, and which may be curved so as to match the profile of panels 100 .
- Building 200 may farther optionally include an awning 240 extending from the exterior of building 200 over an area corresponding to the opening. Awning 240 may also extend within building 200 and be attached to at least one fin 400 .
- Building 200 may also include various fittings 250 in addition to the fittings already described.
- first roof panels 310 , and second roof panels 320 are described above to some extent based on their orientation with respect to other elements of building 200 .
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Joining Of Glass To Other Materials (AREA)
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
Abstract
A building panel and a building formed therefrom, where the building includes a plurality of building panels arranged to form a cylindrical shape, where each panel comprises a single, or monolithic, glass piece, where each glass piece is substantially rectangular and includes two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and where each glass piece forms an identical circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/107,116, filed May 13, 2011, which is a nonprovisional application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/362,277, filed Jul. 7, 2010. Each of these applications is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to building panels and to a building made therefrom.
- More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to glass building panels and to a building made therefrom, where the panels are curved and the building is cylindrical in shape.
- 2. Background of the Invention
- Glass structures have been around for some time. Such structures must meet structural requirements for their particular operation, and must support loads and forces of expected magnitudes. Because of the structural requirements for supporting such loads and forces, glass pieces used in such glass structures may be formed of a laminate structure that includes layers of glass and bonding materials. A laminate structure is much stronger than any one layer by itself and thus it can support loads and forces of greater magnitude. For long spans of single, or monolithic, glass panels, however, the conventional laminate structure may deflect for lack of sufficient support, and may be unsuited to withstand some loads or forces of great magnitude. Such difficulties have conventionally prevented the creation of large buildings made of large glass panels and supports, because the structural properties needed to construct the buildings limited the size of the glass panels that could be used. This is particularly problematic in the case of structures with curved walls, such as a cylindrical shaped building.
- The invention relates, in one embodiment, to a building panel. The building panel may be glass and may include a plurality of glass layers. The building panel may also be curved.
- The invention relates, in another embodiment, to a building made using building panels where the building panels may be glass, may include a plurality of glass layers, and may be curved. The building may include glass fins and glass beams for support, and a glass roof. The glass building panels, glass fins, glass beams, and glass roof may be connected together by a plurality of fittings.
- Additional features of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
- An embodiment of the present invention discloses a building panel, including a single, or monolithic glass piece, wherein the glass piece is substantially rectangular and includes two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and wherein the glass piece forms a circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.
- An embodiment of the present invention also discloses a building, including a plurality of panels, wherein each panel includes a single, or monolithic, glass piece, wherein each glass piece is substantially rectangular and includes two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and wherein each glass piece forms an identical circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.
- The invention may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 2 is a top view of the panel ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a front view of the panel ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of an edge profile of the panel ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a building incorporating the panel ofFIG. 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the building ofFIG. 5 , taken along line 6-6. -
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the building ofFIG. 5 , taken along line 7-7. -
FIG. 8 is a side view of the fin and beam construction of the building ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 9 is a top view of the building ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the building ofFIG. 9 , taken along line 10-10. -
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the building ofFIG. 9 , taken along line 11-11. -
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the roof of the building ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 13 is a schematic top view of the roof of the building ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 14 is a side view of a first roof panel of the roof of the building ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 15 is a top view thereof. -
FIG. 16 is a side view of a second roof panel of the roof of the building ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 17 is a top view thereof. -
FIG. 18 is an expanded reference view of the building ofFIG. 5 . - The following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention refers to the accompanying figures that illustrate the exemplary embodiments. Other embodiments are possible and may fall within the scope of the present invention. Modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not meant to be limiting. Further, it would be apparent to one of skill in the art that the exemplary embodiments described below can be implemented in many different embodiments. Any actual embodiment described is not intended to be limiting. The operation and behavior of the exemplary embodiments presented are described with the understanding that various modifications and variations of the exemplary embodiments may be within the scope of the present invention.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of abuilding panel 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 2 is a top view ofpanel 100, andFIG. 3 is a front view ofpanel 100.Panel 100 may include twoshort sides 110, twolong sides 120, aninner surface 132, and anouter surface 134. -
Panel 100 may be formed of a single, or monolithic, glass piece, including a glass piece having a layered or laminate structure. The glass used to formpanel 100 may be a tempered, low iron glass.Panel 100 may be formed of multiple layers of glass so as to form a laminated structure. Such an exemplary embodiment is described in greater detail below with reference toFIG. 4 . Depending on the properties of the materials used to formpanel 100, it may be substantially transparent, but may alternatively be formed to be translucent or opaque, or variants thereof. - U.S. Pat. No. 7,765,362 to Jobs et al., issued Jan. 23, 2007, describes laminated glass structures, and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
-
Short sides 110 may be curved to form a circular arc shape and may be positioned parallel to each other and perpendicular tolong sides 120, so as to extend substantially in a width direction with respect topanel 100. “Circular arc”, as used herein, may refer to a segment of the circumference of a circle.Long sides 120 may be straight and may be positioned parallel to each other and perpendicular toshort sides 110 so as to extend in a height direction with respect topanel 100.Short sides 110 andlong sides 120 may be positioned such thatpanel 100 appears substantially rectangular in shape when viewed from the front (as, for example, inFIG. 3 ).Long sides 120 may have a length L1, where L1 is, for example, greater than 26′ (e.g., 39′1 7/16″, 40′, 40′10 3/16″, 41′2 19/32″, or 45′). -
Short sides 120, due to their circular arc shape, may have an inner edge arc, corresponding toinner surface 132, and an outer edge arc, corresponding toouter surface 134. The inner edge arc and the outer edge arc share the same center point. and subtend thesame angle 01. The inner edge arc has an inner radius r1 with respect to the shared center point, and the outer edge arc has an outer radius r2 with respect to the shared center point.Short sides 120 have an arc length corresponding to each of inner radius r1 and outer radius r2. A thickness T1 ofpanel 100 may be the difference between outer radius r2 and inner radius r1. - In an exemplary embodiment,
angle 01 may, for example, be 30′, inner radius r1 or outer radius r2 may be between 15′ and 17′ (e.g., inner radius r1 may, be 16′1 13/16″ and outer radius r2 may be 16′3″), and thickness T may be, for example, between 0.5″ and 4″ (e.g., 1 3/16″). In some exemplary embodiments,short sides 120 may have an arc length of, for example, between 8′ and 9′ (e.g., 8′5½″), which may correspond to inner radius r1, outer radius r2, or any length in between. -
Inner surface 132 and outsidesurface 134 may maintain a constant profile throughout a length ofpanel 100, the constant profile corresponding to the circular arc shape ofshort sides 110. -
FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of an edge profile of the panel ofFIG. 1 . As discussed above,panel 100 may be composed of multiple layers. Such layers may include anouter surface layer 136A corresponding toouter surface 134 and aninner surface layer 136C corresponding toinner surface 132.Panel 100 may further include interveninglayer 136B.Layers layer 136 B may be made of an adhesive.Layers 136A through 136C may be formed together through, for example, a laminating process while in a substantially flat state, and may acquire their arc shape through a slumping process byheating panel 100 over a mold. - In some exemplary embodiments, a layer of adhesive (corresponding to layer 136B in
FIG. 4 ) is disposed between adjacent glass layers. The adhesive is preferably transparent. Any suitable adhesive may be used as would be apparent to one of skill in the art. For example, the adhesive may be polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or an adhesive such as that known as SentryGlas® Plus (SGP) interlayer, manufactured by Dupont of Wilmington, Del. Each oflayers 136A through 136C may have a thickness independent of the others oflayers 136A through 136C. In some exemplary embodiments,layers layer 136B has a thickness less than that oflayers layers layer 136B may be 1/16″. -
Panel 100 may have anedge profile 140 extending alongshort sides 110 andlong sides 120. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 4 ,edge profile 140 includes chamfers on each side ofpanel 100. As would be appreciated by one of skill in the art,edge profile 140 can be configured in a variety of ways in order to accomplish a variety of ends, for example, increasing handling safety or facilitating mounting. -
Panel 100 may further include anedge seal 142 extending alongshort sides 110 andlong sides 120. As would be appreciated by one of skill in the art, such anedge seal 142 may, for example, help maintain adhesion between layers ofpanel 100, increase handling safety, or provide desired aesthetics. -
Panel 100 may further include anchor points (not shown). As would be appreciated by one of skill in the art, positions near the periphery ofpanel 100 may be integrally formed with fittings, including mounting or joining hardware, or a configuration for receiving such fittings, so as to facilitate use ofpanel 100 in a variety of operations, such as, for example, as an exterior panel in a building. For example the fittings may be laminated with the glass to as to be integrally formed therewith. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of abuilding 200 incorporating a plurality ofpanels 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Building 200 includespanels 100, aroof 300,fins 400,first beams 510,second beams 520, athird beam 530, and acylindrical support 540.FIG. 18 is an expanded reference view of building 200 in whichbuilding 200 is depicted in an “unrolled” state (i.e.,panels 100 are positioned in a row, rather than as a cylinder). - Building 200 includes 12
panels 100 arranged such thatlong sides 120 of adjacent panels meet, and togetherpanels 100 form a vertical cylinder. The circular arcs of allpanels 100 share a center point, corresponding to a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the vertical cylinder. The circular arcs of eachpanel 100 may subtend an angle θ1 (shown inFIG. 2 ). In the case where θ1 is, for example, 30°, building 200 will include 12panels 100, in order to complete the cylinder. - Referring to
FIG. 5 ,FIG. 6 , andFIG. 8 , building 200 includes a plurality ofrectangular fins 400 internal to building 200, which act as supports for building 200. Eachfin 400 is aligned with a region wherelong sides 120 ofadjacent panels 100 meet.Fins 400 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar topanels 100, or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass. Eachfin 400 may be mounted to itscorresponding panels 100, by, for example,fittings 210 positioned intermittently joiningfin 400 withadjacent panels 100. As would be appreciated by one of skill in the art, various other suitable mounting techniques or hardware may be used. -
Fins 400 may have a length L2, which may be, for example, 33′.Fins 400 may have a width W2, which may be, for example, 2′3 9/16″.Fins 400 may have a thickness of, for example, 2 13/16″. - Referring to
FIG. 5 ,FIG. 7 ,FIG. 8 ,FIG. 9 ,FIG. 10 , andFIG. 11 , building 200 also includes a plurality offirst beams 510, a plurality ofsecond beams 520,third beam 530, andcylindrical support 540.Cylindrical support 540 may include a plurality ofcurved beams 550. -
Third beam 530 may be positioned so as to align with regions wherelong sides 120 ofadjacent panels 100 meet.Third beam 530 may, at one end, connect to a first set ofadjacent panels 100, and may extend across the diameter of building 200 to connect to a second set of adjacent panels, opposite to the first.Third beam 530 may be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar topanels 100, or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass. -
Third beam 530 may have a length L3, which may be, for example, 32′⅛″.Third beam 530 may have a width that may be, for example, 1′11⅝″ at at least one end.Third beam 530 may have a thickness of, for example, 2 13/16″.Third beam 530 may be shaped so that its width increases gradually from its ends to its midpoint. -
Second beams 520 may be positioned to as to align with regions wherelong sides 120 ofadjacent panels 100 meet.Second beams 520 may, at one end, connect to correspondingadjacent panels 100, and may, at the other end, connect tothird beam 530 at its midpoint. Building 200 may include twosecond beams 520, positioned on opposite sides ofthird beam 530 and oriented so as to form 90° angles withthird beam 530 when viewed from above.Second beams 520 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar topanels 100, or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass. -
Second beams 520 may have a length L4, which may be, for example, 15′9 11/16″.Second beams 520 may have a width that may be, for example, 1′11⅝″ at at least one end.Second beams 510 may have a thickness of for example, 2 13/16″.Second beams 510 may be shaped so that their width increases gradually from the end connected topanels 100 to the end connected tothird beam 530. -
Cylindrical support 540 is a cylinder-shaped support that has its center point at the center point of building 200, such that the circles formed by building 200 andcylindrical support 540 when viewed from above are concentric.Cylindrical support 540 may be attached topanels 100 throughfirst beams 510,second beams 520, andthird beam 530.Cylindrical support 540 may be made up of a plurality ofcurved beams 550.Cylindrical support 540 may include fourcurved beams 550. Eachcurved beam 550 may be connected at one end tothird beam 530, and at the other end to asecond beam 520, so as to form a cylindrical shape bisected in a first direction bythird beam 530 and in a second direction perpendicular to the first bysecond beams 520.Curved beams 550 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar topanels 100, or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass. -
Curved beams 550 may each form a cylindrical arc when viewed from above (as in, for example,FIG. 7 ). The cylindrical arc may subtend an angle of, for example, 90°, and may have a radius of, for example, 6′6″.Curved beams 550 may have a width of 2′3 1/16″.Curved beams 550 may have a thickness of 1′ 4/16″. -
First beams 510 may be rectangular, and may be positioned so as to align with regions wherelong sides 120 ofadjacent panels 100 meet.First beams 510 may, at one end, connect to correspondingadjacent panels 100, and may, at the other end, connect tocylindrical support 540. Building 200 may include eightfirst beams 510.First beams 510 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar topanels 100, or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass. -
First beams 510 may have a length L5, which may be, for example, 9′5 1/16″.First beams 510 may have a width W3, which may be, for example, 1′11⅝″.First beams 510 may have a thickness of, for example, 2 13/16″.First beams 510 may be shaped so that their width increases gradually from the end connected topanels 100 to the end connected tocylindrical support 540. -
FIG. 12 is a perspective view ofroof 300 ofbuilding 200.FIG. 13 is a schematic top view ofroof 300.Roof 300 includes a plurality offirst roof panels 310 and a plurality ofsecond roof panels 320.Roof 300 may be peaked at its center. -
FIG. 14 is a side view of afirst roof panel 310 ofroof 300.FIG. 15 is a top view thereof. Eachfirst roof panel 310 has a planar shape defined by an outer firstcircular arc 312, an inner firstcircular arc 314, and two straightfirst sides 316 connecting the ends of outer firstcircular arc 312 to the ends of inner firstcircular arc 314.First sides 316 define lines that, if extended beyond the limits offirst roof panel 310, would cross at a point that corresponds to the center point of both outer firstcircular arc 312 and inner firstcircular arc 314.First roof panels 310 may be each formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar topanels 100, or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass. -
First roof panels 310 are positioned as a part ofroof 300 such that outer firstcircular arc 312 of afirst roof panel 310 aligns with ashort side 110 of acorresponding panel 100, and such that eachfirst side 316 of afirst roof panel 310 meets afirst side 316 of an adjacentfirst roof panel 310. An arc length of first outercircular arc 312 may correspond to the arc length ofpanel 100.Roof 300 may include twelvefirst roof panels 310. - Outer first
circular arc 312 may have a radius with respect to the center point of, for example, 16′3″. Inner firstcircular arc 314 may have a radius with respect to the center point of, for example, 6′6″.First sides 316 may have a length L6 of, for example, 9′5 1/16″.First roof panel 310 may have a thickness of 1 4/16″. Outer firstcircular arc 312 and inner firstcircular arc 314 may subtend an angle with respect to the center point of 30°. -
FIG. 16 is a side view of asecond roof panel 320 ofroof 300.FIG. 17 is a top view thereof. Eachsecond roof panel 320 has a planar shape defined by a secondcircular arc 322 and two straightsecond sides 324, where each of the twosecond sides 324 connects to one end of secondcircular arc 322 and to the other second side.Second sides 324 meet at acorner 326, corresponding to the center point of secondcircular arc 322.Second roof panels 320 may each be formed of a single, or monolithic, piece of glass, similar topanels 100, or may be formed in segments by multiple pieces of glass. -
Second roof panels 320 are positioned as a part ofroof 300 such that secondcircular arc 322 aligns with adjacent inner firstcircular arcs 314, and such that eachsecond side 324 of asecond roof panel 320 meets asecond side 324 of an adjacentsecond roof panel 320. In such a configuration, thecorners 326 ofsecond roof panels 320 may meet. An arc length of secondcircular arc 322 may correspond to the arc length of the inner firstcircular arcs 314 of three adjacentfirst roof panels 310.Roof 300 may include four second roof panels. - Second
circular arc 322 may have a radius with respect to the center point of, for example, 6′6″.Second sides 324 may have a length L7 of, for example, 6′4 10/16″.Second roof panel 320 may have a thickness of 1 4/16″, Secondcircular arc 322 may subtend an angle with respect to the center point of 90°. - The
panels 100,fins 400,first beams 510,second beams 520,third beams 530,curved beams 550,first roof panels 310, andsecond roof panels 320 may each be made of layered glass. The layered glass may include two opposing exterior glass layers connected by an adhesive layer (such as is depicted in, for example,FIG. 4 ). Alternatively, the layered glass may include at least one interior glass layer, connected to other interior glass layers or exterior glass layers by adhesive layers, as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art. The number of glass layers used may be from two to five. As an example,panels 100 may include two glass layers,fins 400 may include five glass layers,first beams 510 may include five glass layers,second beams 520 may include five glass layers,third beams 530 may include five glass layers,curved beams 550 may include three glass layers,first roof panels 310 may include three glass layers, andsecond roof panels 320 may include three glass layers. - The glass layers described above may have various thicknesses, as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art. For example, the glass layers may range from ⅜″ to 9/16″ in thickness. Additionally, the glass layers may have been subject to various treatments as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art. For example, the glass layers may be fally tempered, heat strengthened, or annealed. As described above with reference to
FIG. 4 , the adhesive used between adjacent glass layers may be polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or SGP interlayer. An adhesive layer may have a thickness of 1/16″. - In some exemplary embodiments, building 200 including
panels 100 may optionally incorporate at least onepanel 100 that is shorter (has a smaller L1 measurement, for example 28′8⅝″) than theother panels 100 and that is positioned with its topshort side 110 aligned with the topshort sides 110 of theother panels 100 so as to create anopening 220 in the exterior of building 200 at a lower end thereof (see, for example,FIG. 5 ). Acorresponding fin 400 may also be included that is shorter than theother fins 400, and is positioned with its top end aligned with the top ends of theother fins 400. Such a corresponding fin may be mounted to itscorresponding panels 100 by fittings that are different fromfittings 210 used to mount theother fins 400. - Opening 220 can be used as an entrance to building 200. Opening 220 may be fitted with
doors 230, which may be glass, and which may be curved so as to match the profile ofpanels 100. Building 200 may farther optionally include anawning 240 extending from the exterior of building 200 over an area corresponding to the opening.Awning 240 may also extend within building 200 and be attached to at least onefin 400. Building 200 may also includevarious fittings 250 in addition to the fittings already described. - The positions of
panels 100,fins 400,first beams 510,second beams 520,third beams 530,curved beams 550,first roof panels 310, andsecond roof panels 320 are described above to some extent based on their orientation with respect to other elements of building 200. In many cases, edges or sides ofpanels 100,fins 400,first beams 510,second beams 520,third beams 530,curved beams 550,first roof panels 310, andsecond roof panels 320 are described as proximate to other edges or sides ofpanels 100,fins 400,first beams 510,second beams 520,third beams 530,curved beams 550,first roof panels 310, andsecond roof panels 320. As would be appreciated by one of skill in the art, building 200 may include fittings to connect these elements to one another. These fittings may include, for example, clamps, threaded elements, adhesive elements, anchors, holes, or any combination thereof. These fittings may be separable from the other elements of building 200, or may be integrally formed therewith. For example, portions of the fittings may, in the case of glass building elements, be laminated with the glass to as to be integrally formed therewith. - The numbers, values, amounts, ranges, and the like that have been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments of the present invention are presented as examples, and are not limiting. As one of skill in the art would appreciate, the numbers, values, amounts, ranges, and the like presented above may be varied within appropriate ranges without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
- The various elements of building 200, including
panels 100,fins 400,first beams 510,second beams 520,third beams 530,curved beams 550,first roof panels 310, andsecond roof panels 320 have been described above in exemplary positions relative to each other, and in exemplary shapes, numbers, sizes, dimensions, and other qualities. It will be appreciated by one of skill in the art that the elements of building 200 may be configured in a wide variety of positions, shapes, numbers, sizes, dimensions, and other qualities and that the configuration used may depend on many factors, including, for example, the overall size and dimensions of the building and available area for the building, the aesthetic appearance desired, or the structural specifications desired. - While various exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above, they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. The elements of the exemplary embodiments presented above are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but may be interchanged to meet various needs as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art.
- It therefore will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The phraseology or terminology herein is used for description and not for limitation. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims (20)
1. A building panel, comprising:
a monolithic glass piece,
wherein the glass piece is substantially rectangular and comprises two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and
wherein the glass piece forms a circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.
2. The panel of claim 1 , wherein the two opposing long sides each have a height greater than approximately 26′.
3. The panel of claim 1 , wherein the two opposing long sides each have a height of approximately 41′2 19/32″.
4. The panel of claim 2 , wherein the circular arc has an arc length of between approximately 8′ and 9′.
5. The panel of claim 4 , wherein the circular arc has a radius of between approximately 15′ and 17′.
6. The panel of claim 3 , wherein the circular arc has a radius of between approximately 16′1 13/16″ and 16′3″.
7. The panel of claim 1 , wherein the glass piece has a thickness of between approximately 0.5″ and 4″.
8. The panel of claim 1 , wherein the glass piece has a thickness of approximately 1 3/16″.
9. The panel of claim 1 , wherein the glass piece is comprised of a plurality of laminated glass layers.
10. The panel of claim 9 , wherein the glass piece is further comprised of at least one adhesive layer, and wherein the at least one adhesive layer is disposed between adjacent glass layers.
11. The panel of claim 10 , wherein the glass layers each have a thickness of approximately 9/16″ and wherein the at least one adhesive layer has a thickness of approximately 1/16″.
12. The panel of claim 11 , further comprising anchor points for mounting the panel, wherein the anchor points are laminated integrally with the glass layers.
13. A glass building, comprising:
a plurality of curved glass panels placed adjacent to each other to form a cylinder,
wherein each panel comprises a monolithic glass piece,
wherein each glass piece is substantially rectangular and comprises two opposing long sides extending in a height direction and two opposing short sides extending substantially in a width direction, and
wherein each glass piece forms an identical circular arc when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides.
14. The building of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of panels are disposed such that the circular arc of the glass piece of each panel shares a center point with the circular arcs of the glass pieces of the other panels when viewed from either of the two opposing short sides of each glass piece.
15. The building of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of panels is disposed adjacent to two other panels of the plurality of panels so as to together form a building having a substantially cylindrical shape.
16. The building of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of fins for supporting the panels, the fins being formed of glass and positioned to correspond to regions where adjacent panels meet.
17. The building of claim 16 , wherein the fins have the same length as the panels and are formed of a monolithic glass piece.
18. The building of claim 17 , farther comprising:
a cylindrical support positioned about a central longitudinal axis of the building;
a plurality of first beams formed of glass, each extending from the panels to the cylindrical support member;
a plurality of second beams formed of glass, each extending from the panels to the central longitudinal axis of the building; and
a third beam fonned of glass, extending across the building through the central longitudinal axis of the building.
19. The building of claim 18 , further comprising a roof, wherein the roof comprises:
a plurality of first glass roof panels; and
a plurality of second glass roof panels,
wherein each of the first glass roof panels has a planar shape defined by an outer first circular arc, an inner first circular arc, and two straight first sides connecting the ends of the outer first circular arc to the ends of the inner first circular arc,
wherein each of the second glass roof panels has a planar shape defined by a second circular arc and two straight second sides, each of the two second sides connecting to one end of the second circular arc and to the other second side, and
wherein the plurality of first glass roof panels and the plurality of second glass roof panels are disposed in a plane such that each outer first circular arc, each inner first circular arc, and each second circular arc share a center point.
20. The building of claim 19 , wherein the roof further comprises twelve first glass roof panels and four second glass roof panels.
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CN108331169B (en) * | 2018-02-05 | 2023-08-29 | 苏州太丰玻璃饰品有限公司 | Hemispherical hollow glass structure and production method thereof |
CN111997198B (en) * | 2019-05-27 | 2021-04-27 | 浙江大学 | Can open up annular stretch-draw overall structure |
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---|---|---|---|---|
DE112016004088T5 (en) | 2015-09-09 | 2018-06-07 | Cypress Semiconductor Corporation | MULTI-PHASE FINGERPRINT SENSOR LAYOUT AND CONSTRUCTION |
USD887579S1 (en) | 2018-04-19 | 2020-06-16 | Frolic & Revelry, Llc | Building |
Also Published As
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US20120090251A1 (en) | 2012-04-19 |
US8544217B2 (en) | 2013-10-01 |
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