Patent Issued for Light Gauge Steel Beam-To-Column Joint with Yielding Panel Zone (USPTO 9464427)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Journal of Engineering -- A patent by the inventor Karns, Jesse (Mission Viejo, CA), filed on January 23, 2015, was published online on October 11, 2016, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by VerticalNews correspondents.

Patent number 9464427 is assigned to Columbia Insurance Company (Omaha, NE).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: "Shear walls and moment frames are often used in the construction of buildings. The shear walls and moment frames are configured to handle and transmit forces in a specified manner depending on the desired outcome. Moment frames are typically governed by bending forces. Conventionally, moment frames are not made of light gauge steel because the sections are so thin they will easily buckle and not have a useful bending load capacity. Heavy gauge steel moment frames are seldom used in wood structures because the moment frames are too heavy for the structure. Plywood shear walls are costly and labor intensive to install, and are also subject to variable and unreliable performance because of installation errors."

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, VerticalNews journalists also obtained the inventor's summary information for this patent: "In one aspect, a beam-to-column joint comprises a beam including first and second longitudinal ends and a panel zone located adjacent to the first end of the beam. The panel zone includes a yielding member and reinforcing structure at least partially bounding the yielding member. The reinforcing structure is configured to concentrate stresses to within the yielding member. A column includes a bottom end and a top end, the top end of the column being attached to the panel zone. The panel zone is configured to resolve external lateral forces on the beam and column into shear force in the yielding member so that the yielding member will fail prior to failure of the beam and column.

"In another aspect, a light weight boxed wall frame comprises first and second columns extending generally parallel to each other in spaced relation. First and second panel zones are attached to the respective first and second columns at top ends thereof. Each of the panel zones includes a yielding member and reinforcing structure at least partially bounding the yielding member, the reinforcing structure being configured to concentrate stresses to within the yielding member. A beam extends between the first and second panel zones and generally perpendicular to the first and second columns. The panel zones are each configured to resolve external lateral forces on the columns and beam into shear force in the panel zones so that the yielding members will yield prior to significant yielding of the beam and the columns.

"In yet another aspect, a multi-story boxed wall frame system comprises first and second boxed wall frames, the first boxed wall frame being configured for positioning below the second boxed wall frame. Each boxed wall frame comprises first and second columns extending generally parallel to each other in spaced relation, first and second panel zones attached to the respective first and second columns at top ends thereof, and a beam extending between the first and second panel zones and generally perpendicular to the first and second columns. Each of the panel zones includes yielding members and reinforcing structure at least partially bounding the yielding members, the reinforcing structure configured to concentrate stresses to within the yielding member. The boxed wall frame is configured to resolve external forces into shear force in the yielding member such that the yielding members will yield prior to yielding of the beam and the columns. At least one tie-down rod is configured to extend between and connect the first and second boxed wall frames to each other.

"Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter."

URL and more information on this patent, see: Karns, Jesse. Light Gauge Steel Beam-To-Column Joint with Yielding Panel Zone. U.S. Patent Number 9464427, filed January 23, 2015, and published online on October 11, 2016. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=9464427.PN.&OS=PN/9464427RS=PN/9464427

Keywords for this news article include: Columbia Insurance Company.

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