Member-to-member laminar fuse connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11346121-B2
Application number	US-201816604477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2018
Priority date	Apr 13, 2017
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

A member-to-member planar connection bracket that includes multiple repeated fuse element configurations that each provide a pre-determined inelastic load-carrying capacity and a reliable inelastic deformation capacity upon development of one or more inelastic hinge locations within the fuse elements. The fuse configurations are interconnected in series such that the total deformation accommodated between first end of the bracket and second end of the bracket is the sum of deformations accommodated by the individual fuse configurations. Multiple brackets are configured in laminar configurations and interconnected to create a connection assembly that provides increased strength or increased deformation capacity as compared to an individual bracket. The connection assembly is used to connect a first structural member and second structural member. The pre-determined maximum inelastic load-carrying capacity of the assembly is less than the elastic load-carrying capacity of the first structural member and the second structural member.

First claim

We claim:

1. A member-to-member connection assembly comprising:
at least two planar connection brackets configured adjacently in a laminar configuration, the at least two planar connection brackets comprising first and second connection brackets, the first connection bracket being longer than the second connection bracket, the second connection bracket configured adjacently on the first connection bracket such that first and second end sections of the first connection bracket extend out beyond first and second ends of the second connection bracket;
each of said connection brackets comprised of at least one first connection member for coupling said connection bracket to a first structural member or an adjacent connection bracket;
each of said connection brackets comprised of at least one second connection member for coupling said connection bracket to a second structural member or an adjacent connection bracket;
each of said connection brackets comprised of at least one fuse configuration disposed between said first connection member and said second connection member, said at least one fuse configuration being operable to deform upon application of a pre-determined loading condition;
said at least one fuse configuration comprised of at least one fuse element being able to form at least one inelastic flexural hinge location allowing for inelastic deformation between said first connection member and said second connection member upon application of a pre-determined loading condition.

2. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said hinge location comprises a reduced thickness of the said fuse element.

3. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said fuse elements are of geometry including straight, sloped, tapered, or curved.

4. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said pre-determined load is less than the elastic yield load of said first structural member and said second structural member.

5. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 1 wherein guide elements are disposed on multiple sides of the assembly to resist deformation nominally orthogonal to the direction of the applied load.

6. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 5 wherein said guide elements are of geometry such as straight, sloped, skewed, stepped, or curved.

7. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 5 wherein said guide elements are coupled to, or of unitary construction with, said first structural member or said second structural member.

8. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 5 wherein said guide elements are of coupled to, or of unitary construction with, one or more of said connection brackets.

9. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said fuse elements partially or fully define a void, wherein said void is filled with a material that is one of elastomeric, fiber reinforced polymer, concrete, cementitious, and piezoelectric to provide increased elastic stiffness, inelastic stiffness, and/or damping.

10. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said first structural member is one of a beam or a brace and said second structural member is one of a column or a gusset.

11. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said first connection member of each of said connection brackets is coupled to said first structural member, and said second connection member of each of said connection brackets is coupled to said second structural member.

12. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said first connection member of said first planar connection bracket is coupled to said first structural member;
said second connection member of said first planar connection bracket is coupled to said second structural member.

13. A member-to-member connection assembly comprising:
at least two planar connection brackets configured adjacently in a laminar configuration, the at least two planar connection brackets comprising first and second connection brackets, the first connection bracket being longer than the second connection bracket, the second connection bracket configured adjacently on the first connection bracket such that first and second end sections of the first connection bracket extend out beyond first and second ends of the second connection bracket;
a first structural connector configured to fit through first aligned holes in each of the first and second planar connection brackets to connect the first and second planar connection brackets to a first structural member;
a second structural connector configured to fit through second aligned holes in each of the first and second planar connection brackets to connect the first and second planar connection brackets to a second structural member;
each of said connection brackets comprised of at least one fuse configuration disposed between said first connection member and said second connection member, said at least one fuse configuration being operable to deform upon application of a pre-determined loading condition;
said at least one fuse configuration comprised of at least one fuse element being able to form at least one inelastic flexural hinge location allowing for inelastic deformation between said first connection member and said second connection member upon application of a pre-determined loading condition.

14. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 13 , further comprising:
a third structural connector configured to fit through a hole in the first end section of the first planar connection bracket to connect the first planar connection bracket to the first structural member; and
a fourth structural connector configured to fit through a hole in the second end section of the first planar connection bracket to connect the first planar connection bracket to the second structural member.

15. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 13 , wherein said hinge location comprises a reduced thickness of the said fuse element.

16. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 13 , wherein said fuse elements are of geometry including straight, sloped, tapered, or curved.

17. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 13 , wherein said pre-determined load is less than the elastic yield load of said first structural member and said second structural member.

18. The member-to-member connection assembly of claim 13 , wherein said fuse elements partially or fully define a void, wherein said void is filled with a material that is one of elastomeric, fiber reinforced polymer, concrete, cementitious, and piezoelectric to provide increased elastic stiffness, inelastic stiffness, and/or damping.

Assignees

• Novel Structures Llc
• Simpson Strong Tie Co Inc

Inventors

• Mcmanus Patrick
• Puckett Jay
• Petersen Jack

Classifications

• E04H9/0237

  Structural braces with damping devices · CPC title

• E04C2003/0465

  square- or rectangular-shaped · CPC title

• E04H9/021 Primary

  Bearing, supporting or connecting constructions specially adapted for such buildings · CPC title

• E04H9/0235

  Anti-seismic devices with hydraulic or pneumatic damping · CPC title

• E04B2001/2415

  Brackets, gussets, joining plates · CPC title