Reinforced building wall using compression rod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12385276-B2
Application number	US-202017069806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2020
Priority date	Oct 14, 2019
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A reinforced building wall includes a first stud wall disposed above a foundation; the first stud wall including a bottom plate, a top plate and first and second vertical studs extending between the bottom plate and the top plate; a first threaded rod having a first end portion embedded in the foundation and a second end portion extending through the bottom plate; a compression rod having a first end portion operably attached to the second end portion of the first threaded rod and a second end portion operably bearing onto a bottom surface of the top plate, the compression rod is configured to handle compression forces from the top plate without buckling; an anchor embedded in the foundation, the anchor is operably attached to the first end portion of the first threaded rod.

First claim

I claim:

1. A reinforced building wall, comprising:
a) a first stud wall disposed above a foundation;
b) the first stud wall including a first bottom plate and a first top plate;
c) a second stud wall disposed above the first stud wall, the second stud wall including a second bottom plate and a second top plate;
d) a compression rod having a first end with a first threaded bore and a second end with a second threaded bore, the first threaded bore and the second threaded bore being formed in and monolithic with the respective first end and the second end of the compression rod, the first end being operably attached to the foundation;
e) a horizontal first member disposed in and operably attached to the first stud wall, the first member being operably attached to the compression rod to transfer compression forces to the compression rod and the foundation; and
f) a horizontal second member operably attached to the second stud wall and operably attached to the compression rod to transfer tension forces to the compression rod.

2. The reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein the first member includes a first bearing plate engaging an underside of the first top plate.

3. The reinforced building wall as in claim 2 , wherein:
a) a first threaded rod is operably attached to the second threaded bore of the compression rod; and
b) a first fastener is threaded to the first threaded rod and bears on an underside of the first bearing plate.

4. The reinforced building wall as in claim 3 , wherein:
a) a second bearing plate is disposed on the first top plate; and
b) a second fastener is threaded to the threaded rod and bears on the second bearing plate.

5. The reinforced building wall as in claim 2 , wherein:
a) a threaded rod is operably attached to the second threaded bore of the compression rod; and
b) the first bearing plate is threaded to the threaded rod.

6. The reinforced building wall as in claim 2 , wherein the first threaded bore and the second threaded bore include respective sight holes.

7. The reinforced building wall as in claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first threaded bore and the second threaded bore includes multi-diameter threads.

8. The reinforced building wall as in claim 2 , wherein a coupling is operably attached to the compression rod and bears on the first bearing plate.

9. The reinforced building wall as in claim 2 , wherein a first stud includes a first top end engaging an underside portion of the first bearing plate.

10. The reinforced building wall as in claim 9 , wherein:
a) a threaded rod is operably attached to the second threaded bore of the compression rod; and
b) a first fastener is threaded to the threaded rod and bears on the first bearing plate.

11. The reinforced building wall as in claim 9 , wherein a second stud includes a second top end engaging another underside portion of the first bearing plate.

12. The reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein the first threaded bore is operably attached to a first threaded rod anchored in the foundation.

13. The reinforced building wall as in claim 12 , wherein:
a) a bearing plate is disposed on the first bottom plate; and
b) the first threaded rod extends through the first bottom plate and the bearing plate.

14. The reinforced building wall as in claim 13 , wherein a first stud includes a first bottom end bearing on one end the bearing plate.

15. The reinforced building wall as in claim 14 , wherein a second stud includes a second bottom end bearing on an another end of the bearing plate.

16. The reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein the first member includes a bearing plate disposed on the first bottom plate.

17. The reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein:
a) a coupling is attached to the compression rod; and
b) the coupling includes a flange portion engaging an underside of the first top plate.

18. The reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein the first member includes a cross member operably attached to the second end of the compression rod and operably attached to the first stud wall.

19. The reinforced building wall as in claim 18 , wherein:
a) a threaded rod is operably attached to the second threaded bore of the compression rod; and
b) a first fastener is threaded to the threaded rod and bears on the first member.

20. The reinforced building wall as in claim 19 , wherein:
a) a first bearing plate engages an underside of the first top plate; and
b) a second fastener is threaded to the threaded rod and bears on the first bearing plate.

21. The reinforced building wall as in claim 18 , wherein:
a) a threaded rod is operably attached to the second threaded bore of the compression rod; and
b) the threaded rod is threaded to the first member.

22. The reinforced building wall as in claim 18 , wherein a first stud and a second stud include top ends engaging an underside of the first member.

23. The reinforced building wall as in claim 22 , wherein a third stud and a fourth stud include bottom ends disposed on top of the first member.

24. The reinforced building wall as in claim 18 , wherein the first member is hollow metal.

25. The reinforced building wall as in claim 18 , wherein the first member includes wood.

26. The reinforced building wall as in claim 18 , wherein the first member is supported on the second end of the compression rod.

27. The reinforced building wall as in claim 26 , wherein the compression rod includes a reduced diameter portion disposed inside an opening in the first member.

28. The reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein the compression rod includes a first section and a second section operably joined end-to-end with a first free end having the first threaded bore and a second free end having the second threaded bore.

29. The reinforced building wall as in claim 28 , wherein the first section and the second section include respective opposite threaded bores and a threaded rod is threaded to the opposite threaded bores.

30. The reinforced building wall as in claim 29 , wherein the first member is disposed between the first section and the second section.

31. The reinforced building wall as in claim 30 , wherein the threaded rod is threaded to the first member.

32. The reinforced building wall as in claim 29 , wherein the opposite threaded bores include respective sight holes.

33. The reinforced building wall as in claim 28 , wherein the first section is threaded into a threaded bore in the second section.

34. The reinforced building wall as in claim 28 , wherein a coupling joins the first section to the second section.

35. The reinforced building wall as in claim 34 , wherein the first section and the second section are tubular.

36. The reinforced building wall as in claim 28 , wherein the first section is in bearing engagement with the second section.

37. The reinforced building wall as in claim 1 , wherein a horizontal third member is operably attached to the compression rod to transfer compression forces to the compression rod.

38. The reinforced building wall as in claim 37 , wherein:
a) a threaded rod is operably attached to the second threaded bore of the compression

Assignees

• Cetres Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Espinosa Thomas M

Classifications

• E04B2/706

  with supporting function · CPC title

• E04H9/14 Primary

  against other dangerous influences, e.g. tornadoes, floods · CPC title

• E04B2001/2684

  with metal connectors · CPC title

• E04B1/2604

  Connections specially adapted therefor (shear dowels E04B1/486, E04B1/49) · CPC title

• E04B2001/2696

  Shear bracing · CPC title