Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8096085 | Connection node for a three-dimensional framework, in particular for a geodesic structure The invention relates to a connecting node (10, 20) for constructing a three-dimensional framework (100), in particular a geodetic structure, wherein the connecting node (10, 20) has at least one connecting arrangement for connection by way of a... | 01/17/2012 |
| 7992353 | Space frame hub joint A hub joint includes a metal rod and pin for joining tubular members in three-dimensional space for assembling a frame structure. The hub joint enables rapid assembly, rapid reconfiguration, and rapid disassembly without using any specialized tools. Multiple hub joi... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7900405 | Spherical dome The invention is a spherical dome consisting of continuous prismatic members in three layers, an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The continuous prismatic members follow great circle arcs. The members of the three layers form a three-way grid, crossi... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7802404 | Connector for geodesic dome structures A dome connector including a hub portion and at least one pair of strut portions. The at least one pair of strut portions attached to and extending from the hub portion. Each of the strut portions has an upper end, a lower end and an intermediate region between the ... | 09/28/2010 |
| 7774992 | Tile and strut construction system for geodesic dome The present invention sets forth a tile and strut construction system for a geodesic dome. The tile has a generally triangular shape, with the corners cut out to accommodate hubs which retain supporting struts in position. The tile has a faceted 3-dimensional upper ... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7587862 | Movable support armature for a curved reflector A movable support armature for a curved reflector of electromagnetic radiation is defined substantially as a double layer grid space frame. The armature has plural parallel major chord framing members each having an elongate axis and disposed in a frame major surfac... | 09/15/2009 |
| 7530201 | Connection node for a universal truss joint and double layer grid A connection node for a double layer grid or truss system has at least one diagonal flange receiving a pair of diagonal framing members having surfaces that lie in a single diagonal plane parallel to the flange(s). Use of co-planar diagonal members that can be at va... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7497051 | Plastic-made greenhouse It is composed of a framework made up entirely of pieces of recycled plastic that basically comprises bearers (1-2), distributed in several sectors along the whole length of the greenhouse and made up of sections (3-4) that are fitted to ... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7434359 | Constructing geodesic domes with panels Techniques are described for constructing geodesic dome structures. For example, a method includes connecting a set of panels to form a geodesic dome. The panels have surface contours that conform to a surface contour of a geodesic dome having a dimension larger tha... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7253772 | Wide frequency band planar antenna A wide frequency band planar antenna comprises an elongated portion, substantially parallel to a circumferential edge of a ground pattern and comprising one end connected to a feeding transmission line, wherein there is a gap between the elongated portion and the ci... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7228671 | Top-down method of assembling dome structures A strutless building module comprising a polygon having a plurality of inclined faces that converge at the module center, said module center having a center connector, said module further having sides that angle downwardly from their respective module faces and incl... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7204064 | Structures which can be dismantled and folded, consisting of interconnecting tubular elements Composite structures obtained by joining two or more structures of the type which presents pairs of joined tubular elements, whose extremity is hinged in universal joints and in which the universal joints are substantially parallelepiped in form and present four sea... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7191566 | Eaves beam with internal drainage An internal drainage system for a conservatory roof which allows a conservatory to be used as dry living space. Condensation is channeled internally through the eaves beam and the supporting posts or mullions to an outlet outside of the conservatory. The condensed w... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7174851 | Animal display and habitat assembly An animal display and habitat assembly having a number of modular animal display units coupled together to enclose a common access area, each of the display units including an outwardly facing display frame with a viewing section between opposing upright members and... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7152384 | Dome kit, structure and method A new and useful Dome Kit, dome shaped structural system and method of assembling a dome shaped structural system are provided. The Dome Kit and method are used to form a dome shaped structural system comprising a compression ring, a lower ring that is larger than t... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7143550 | Double network reticulated frame structure Structural system and method are disclosed for building a simpler and more efficient double layer reticulated frame structure. The double layer reticulated frame structure includes an internal network that has a lower strut frequency than the external network. The l... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7100333 | Loop assemblies having a central link Improved reversibly expandable structures are formed from novel loop assemblies comprising a plurality of links, each of said links having at least one center pivot joint and a plurality of end pivot joints, each of at least two of said plurality of end pivot joints... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7069699 | Toroidal frameworks connection The present invention is a connection for joining toroidal frameworks of toroidal elements. The connector includes one or more arms, each of which can span a toroidal framework to be joined, and each of which may be joined to one or more of the other arms, or to a c... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7036277 | Modular building element A versatile modular building element, made from the agglutination of three pairs of symmetrical prisms in three overlapping tiers, provides an arched component that can be congruently meshed with a similar one in several different ways. The prism may have rectangula... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7024834 | Framework connection system A display framework connection system comprising a plurality of frame members, preferably tubular, a plurality of end flanges, and a hub system. The hub system can comprise a hub plate assembly and/or a hub casting assembly. In addition, at least one clamp assembly,... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7013608 | Self-guyed structures A series of static structures formed from a plurality of interconnected rigid compression members or struts and flexible tension members or guys (e.g. wire cables, chains or elastic cords) is disclosed. The struts are discontinuous in several embodiments of the inve... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6996942 | Constructing geodesic domes Techniques are described for constructing geodesic dome structures. For example, a method includes connecting a set of temporary spacers to a set of connectors. The spacers arrange the connectors in space so that the connectors are referenced with respect to one ano... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6944581 | Collimated visual display apparatus Collimated visual display apparatus comprising an aspheric screen (12) and a curved collimating mirror (16), characterised in that the aspheric screen (12) is not a surface of revolution about an axis, the aspheric screen (12) comprises f... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6901714 | Tensegrity unit, structure and method for construction Tensegrity units may be used to form a tensegrity structure. Each tensegrity unit may include n face tension members, n continuous tension members, and n compression members. A bracket for the tensegrity unit may allow for adjustment of position of portions of the t... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6869246 | Internodal connector architecture system A universally compliant and restorative internodal connector architecture system wherein a plurality of nodal members are interconnected by a spring and strut assembly in a manner that permits manual or actuated relocation of the nodal spacial definition using stand... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6854238 | Structural connection system for frameworks The present invention provides a modular frameworking system having various apparatuses and methods of attaching same. A framework built according to the present invention includes a plurality of hubs or nodes, each hub including a plurality of pairs of opposing fla... | 02/15/2005 |
| 6748712 | Scalable suspension system for dome shaped ceilings The present invention relates to a scalable suspension system for domed shaped ceilings that includes a framework of suspension members interconnected to a central hub. The framework of suspension members are used to support a domed shaped ceiling fabricated from pl... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6722086 | Modular structure system The present invention provides an improved modular system for constructing a tubular structure. The improved system allows the tubing to be assembled and disassembled in a direction perpendicular to a centerline of the tubing without having to move the tubing along ... | 04/20/2004 |
| 6711860 | Construction panel interconnection system A system for interconnecting construction panels suitable for modular construction has a hybrid connector, a receptor connector and locking connector. The hybrid connector is inserted into the aperture of the receptor connector which limit the displacement relative ... | 03/30/2004 |
| 6708455 | Polyhedral fabricated structure and method of constructing the same A polyhedron-like structural assembly comprises a plurality of polygonal frames installed in upright position on each of a pair of opposite sides of a structural assembly that is square-shaped in a plan view, a plurality of frames having H-shaped cross-sections and ... | 03/23/2004 |
| 6701691 | Dome constructing method A dome constructing method comprising the steps of assembling a triangular frame, which is the fundamental unit for a polyhedral skeleton, by using three joints and three frame members with the three joints used as the apexes and the three frame members u... | 03/09/2004 |
| 6688068 | Reconfigurable erectable truss structure A strut assembly includes a longitudinal member having a wall and at least a first substantially hollow end portion. A first threaded member is slidably mounted within the first end-portion and is capable of movement along a longitudinal axis of the threa... | 02/10/2004 |
| 6625938 | System and method for converting a hex-dominant mesh to an all-hexahedral mesh A modular approach to designing all-hex mesh conversion templates where triangular and rectangular subdivision patterns may arbitrarily be combined on the exterior faces of the templates. The templates can be created for any arbitrary-shaped, complex geom... | 09/30/2003 |
| 6615552 | Segmented articulated pole structure A segmented, articulated pole member structure is constructed of a plurality of pivotally interconnected, pole segments. The pole segments are arranged in an alternating or offsetting fashion such that in their disassembled state they may be folded into a... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6581343 | Prefabricated girder in two halves and roof structure The invention concerns a girder in reinforced concrete that has a flat intrados (11) and a flat or sloping extrados (12), which consists of two symmetrical halves or girders (13, 14) with adjacent parts that meet in a plane mid-way (15), perpendicular to ... | 06/24/2003 |
| 6536167 | Structural assembly A structural assembly has elongate members extending at angles to one another from connector members and forming with the connector members a lattice structure having open spaces defined by the elongate members, with the connector members at corners of th... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6457282 | Resilient spherical structure of interwoven rings in tensile loading A skeletal structure is provided, including a plurality of preferably resiliently flexible rings, each ring passing through and thus being interwoven with immediately adjacent rings, preferably five, so that the rings collectively form a flexible mesh, th... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6393793 | Beam end fitting and a method for realizing joints for wooden beams The invention concerns a beam end fitting and method for joining together wooden beams, the fitting comprising a tubular member adapted to be firmly secured by gluing inside a hole drilled in at least one of the two ends of a wooden beam, and connecting m... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6321502 | Method of making connector hub A method of making a connector hub to mate with tubular frame members, for use in constructing a free span building. The method includes constructing multiple slots, each slot having an open end, a closed end, and a longitudinal axis; and for each slot; d... | 11/27/2001 |
| 6295785 | Geodesic dome and method of constructing same A geodesic dome is created by the steps of: (a) generating a mathematical model of a geodesic dome, (b) fabricating components with which to form a geodesic dome according to the model; and (c) fastening the components to each other according to the model... | 10/02/2001 |
