Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8146300 | Buckling restrained brace for structural reinforcement and seismic energy dissipation A buckling restrained brace includes a deformable core contained within an outer casing. Ends of the core protrude from the casing for connection to a frame or other structure. A length of the deformable core between its ends, referred to as the gauge or yielding se... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8146301 | Method of forming a buckling restrained brace for structural reinforcement and seismic energy dissipation A buckling restrained brace includes a deformable core contained within an outer casing. Ends of the core protrude from the casing for connection to a frame or other structure. A length of the deformable core between its ends, referred to as the gauge or yielding se... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8136309 | Energy dissipation damper system in structure subject to dynamic loading A damper system for installation in a structure to dissipate seismic and wind energy transmitted to the structure, includes first and second pairs of elongated members forming an outer parallelogram, third and fourth pairs of elongated members forming an inner paral... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8117788 | Energy dissipating assembly for frame walls Lateral motion devices are used in conjunction with relatively rigid shear assemblies to further dissipate shear forces on frame construction buildings. In one embodiment, the lateral motion device is interposed between the shear assembly and the upper portion of th... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8099914 | Perforated plate seismic damper The present invention relates to apparatus and systems for absorbing seismic energy to prevent non-linear displacement in a structure. A seismic damper according to embodiments of the present invention includes at least one flat plate which can be perforated to incl... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8037647 | Perforated plate seismic damper The present invention relates to apparatus and systems for absorbing seismic energy to prevent non-linear displacement in a structure. A seismic damper according to embodiments of the present invention includes a flat plate which can be perforated to include a plura... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8001734 | Moment frame links wall A lateral bracing system having high initial stiffness and including yield links capable of effectively dissipating stresses generated within the lateral bracing system under lateral loads. ... | 08/23/2011 |
| 7987639 | Fork configuration dampers and method of using same A new configuration damper, for interconnecting two elements of a structure that undergo relative movements and deformations, that increase the level of damping when the overall structure is subjected to a loading condition is disclosed. The new configuration damper... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7762026 | Bearing brace apparatus The present invention is directed to a brace apparatus having a core member configured to absorb energy generated by seismic or other forces by undergoing plastic deformation. A buckling restraining assembly is included for maintaining the structural integrity of th... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7707788 | Buckling restrained brace for structural reinforcement and seismic energy dissipation and method of producing same A buckling restrained brace includes a deformable core contained within an outer casing. Ends of the core protrude from the casing for connection to a frame or other structure. A length of the deformable core between its ends, referred to as the gauge or yielding se... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7703244 | Joint structure using a gusset plate, a building using the joint structure and a method of assembling or reinforcing a building A joint structure includes a splice plate and a gusset plate, which can prevent out-of-plane buckling of the gusset plate without the necessity of welding a stiffening rib plate thereon. The joint structure includes a gusset plate and at least one splice plate conne... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7654043 | Retrofit attachment yoke The invention relates to a retrofit connector for fast attachment to an existing system that supports a suspended load below a ceiling, beam or floor without the need to disassemble or disconnect any components of the system. Advantageously, the connector is easy to... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7647734 | Seismic structural device A link-fuse joint resists bending moments and shears generated by seismic loading. A joint connection includes a first plate assembly having a first connection plate including a first diagonal slot formed therethrough. A second plate assembly has a second connection... | 01/19/2010 |
| 7461481 | Shock-absorbing tie brace A shock-absorbing tie brace has a central member and two primary containment members. The central member has a top, a bottom, a resilient body with two nonlinear edges and two lateral containment members separately mounted at the two nonlinear edges of the resilient... | 12/09/2008 |
| 7458187 | Force-resisting devices and methods for structures In accordance with the present invention there is provided a force-resisting device for transmitting forces and dissipating and absorbing energy across a discontinuous structural element of a structure. The device includes at least one active element, the active ele... | 12/02/2008 |
| 7373758 | Seismic brace with a removable restraining member disposed around a middle portion of an elongated central brace unit A seismic brace includes an elongated central brace unit and a rigid restraining member. The central brace unit has two ends adapted to be connected fixedly to a framework of a building, and a middle portion interconnecting the ends and having a cross-sectional area... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7367075 | Girder bridge protection device using sacrifice member A girder bridge protection device. The girder protection device includes a sacrifice member having girders installed on an upper surface of a bridge seat of an abutment or pier to support a bridge floor, a symmetrical main support member connecting two of the girder... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7328874 | Supporting device for non-averaged force A supporting device for non-averaged force in a pipeline comprised of a frame that is fixed to a supporting portion and a fixing mechanism for fixing a pipe body to the frame, wherein wedge bodies capable of blocking movements of the pipe body in a pipe axial direct... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7305799 | Bearing brace apparatus A brace apparatus having a core member adapted to absorb energy by undergoing plastic deformation and a buckling restraining assembly that maintains the structural integrity of the brace apparatus once the core member has undergone plastic deformation. A core member... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7303184 | Isolator mount for shock and vibration mitigation A passive isolator mount capable of dissipating shocks and vibrations as either heat or magnetic energy is presented. The passive isolator includes a pair of L-shaped or C-shaped brackets capable of withstanding repeated deflections and strains, energy dissipating l... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7284358 | Methods of manufacturing bearing brace apparatus The present invention is directed to a brace apparatus having a core member configured to absorb energy generated by seismic or other forces by undergoing plastic deformation. A buckling restraining assembly is included for maintaining the structural integrity of th... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7281287 | Prop-type damping device There is disclosed a prop-type damping device which effectively consumes energy of up-and-down vibration on a main girder of a bridge caused by earthquakes, winds, passing vehicles or the like to prolong a life of the bridge and improve comfort for bridge users with... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7251920 | Lateral force resisting system A lateral force resisting system includes a rigid structural panel and holdowns. A foundation bolt placement template may be used to locate and support the foundation bolts during fabrication of the foundation and to further secure the frame foundation interface. Th... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7231742 | Structural braced frame wall panel system A metal panelized wall system having a plurality of generally parallel vertical wall studs with an opening formed in each one. A top horizontal member is connected to a top end of each of the vertical wall studs and a bottom horizontal member is connected to a botto... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7231743 | Buckling restrained braces and damping steel structures The present invention relates to a buckling restrained brace capable of absorbing vibration energy produced by an earthquake, wind power and the like, in a building and a steel structure. The buckling restrained brace of the present invention is accomplished ... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7225588 | Damping brace and structure A damping brace having an axial force member for providing bearing forces against tensile or compressive forces, a constraining member for constraining the axial force member, and a stiffening part for supplementing the stiffness of the axial force member. An adhesi... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7191987 | Sway brace fitting A versatile sway brace fitting, includes a pair of spaced jaws, for firmly and deformingly gripping a brace, and a method for manufacturing the fitting. The fitting can withstand substantial loads and is adaptable to receive a variety of braces such as bracing pipes... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7188452 | Sleeved bracing useful in the construction of earthquake resistant structures A buckling restrained brace includes an elongate, hollow sleeve, an elongate yielding core extending substantially through the length of the sleeve, and a buckling constraining element between the yielding core and the inner surface of the hollow sleeve and spaced a... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7185462 | Double core brace The present invention relates to structural braces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a brace apparatus that has an effective length capable of undergoing plastic deformation that is greater than the length of the brace apparatus. The brace apparat... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7178296 | Structural joint connection providing blast resistance and a beam-to-beam connection resistant to moments, tension and torsion across a column At a beams-to-column connection of two beams to a column, in which the joint connection comprises both a gravity load-carrying capability and a moment-resisting capability between each beam and column, there is added a beam-to-beam connection across the column, usin... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7174680 | Bearing brace apparatus The present invention is directed to a brace apparatus having a core member configured to absorb energy generated by seismic or other forces by undergoing plastic deformation. A buckling restraining assembly is included for maintaining the structural integrity of th... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7162842 | Structural element system and structural elements of such system for curtain facades, facade linings, sun rooms, soundproofing walls, fair buildings and the like A structural element system for the construction industry has post sections, framed flat elements, holding sections, and seals, wherein, for thermal insulation of the post sections and the framed flat elements, the holding sections are attached on the post sections,... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7150132 | Continuous hold-down system A hold-down system used to secure a building structure to the foundation, thereby enabling the building to better withstand forces like high winds and earthquakes because these forces may then be distributed to the foundation. The hold-down system is characterized a... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7140155 | Joints for constructing a shear wall Joints for constructing a shear wall. The joints include a least an intermediate base joint, and a combination ceiling and floor joint. Each joint includes a bracket, a track wall, an optional base late, a stud, and at least two diagonal braces. The bracket is integ... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7140157 | Foundation system for beam of manufactured home A foundation system 50 for supporting a support beam 80 of a manufactured home and for preventing longitudinal movement of the beam; beam 80 having a longitudinal axis defining the longitudinal direction. Ground support pan 52 including b... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7131238 | Method of testing seismic braces Braces for bracing objects in structures against forces due to earthquakes are tested by subjecting components of the braces for attaching the braces to the object or structure to cyclic loading of approximately 15 cycles. The cyclic forces are applied to different ... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7131786 | Process and device for the damping of motion between two cylindrical parts sliding with one another in translation and friction This invention relates to a process and a device for the damping of motion between two cylindrical parts sliding with one another in translation and friction. According to this invention, the damping is performed by the application of a force exerted radially... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7080487 | A-frame shear assembly for walls Lateral motion devices are used in conjunction with shear assemblies to further dissipate shear forces on buildings. In one embodiment, the lateral motion device is interposed between the shear assembly and the upper portion of the wall to permit relative motion the... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7073298 | Solid shear panel for supporting a light-framed structure A solid shear panel for supporting a structure having an upper edge, a lower edge and two side edges. The upper edge is secured to a horizontal double plate mounted beneath a beam underneath a floor surface of a structure, while the lower edge rests on a sill plate ... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7065927 | Seismic braces including pin and collar connection apparatus A connection apparatus includes a frame-side member securable to a steel structural frame, a brace-side member securable to a seismic brace, and a coupling element that secures frame-side and brace-side members to each other. By way of example, the connection elemen... | 06/27/2006 |
