초록 ▼

Self-supporting structures and panels of diverse shapes are disclosed in which basic assemblies of crossed rod elements are employed to achieve the desired shape. Further, the crossing points of crossed rod elements in the structure involved may include limited sliding connections which effect trans

Self-supporting structures and panels of diverse shapes are disclosed in which basic assemblies of crossed rod elements are employed to achieve the desired shape. Further, the crossing points of crossed rod elements in the structure involved may include limited sliding connections which effect transfer of collapsing force to other crossing points which are pivotally joined. An improved hub structure for pivotally joining ends of the rod elements at the outer and inner apical points is also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

A plurality of assemblies of crossed rod elements for forming a self-supporting structure, said assembly comprising, in combination: a first series of at least three rod elements pivotally connected at their inner ends to define a central inner apical point and lying substantially in a common plane;

A plurality of assemblies of crossed rod elements for forming a self-supporting structure, said assembly comprising, in combination: a first series of at least three rod elements pivotally connected at their inner ends to define a central inner apical point and lying substantially in a common plane; a second series of at least three rod elements pivotally interconnected at their inner ends to define a central outer apical point which is in spaced registry with said central inner apical point; the outer ends of said first series of rod elements defining further outer apical points and the outer ends of said second series of rod elements defining further inner apical points, said further outer apical points defining the corners of a polygon having a pair of opposite, parallel sides; and said first and second series of rod elements being disposed in crossed relations such that the two inner further apical points on each one of said pair of opposite, parallel sides are more closely spaced than the corresponding outer further apical points but with the inner further apical points on the remaining sides being spaced the same as the corresponding outer further apical points arranged in interconnected relation with alternate rows of said central outer apical points lying on the same side of the structure while the remainder of the rows of the central outer apical points lie on the opposite side of the structure, and with said opposite, parallel sides in parallel relation whereby to define a flat structure.