Aluminum connector hub for a steel tube

[0002] The disclosures herein relate generally to free span buildings, that is, buildings with no intermediate vertical supports, and more particularly to the connector hubs and steel tubes used in the space frame construction of such buildings.

[0003] In space frame construction, a generally cylindrical connector hub includes a plurality of outwardly directed slots extending along the peripheral surface of the connector hub. The slots have opposed ribbed surfaces. Tubular frame members are flattened and crimped at their opposed ends. The crimped ends include elongated flat surfaces extending outwardly, or away from each other. The crimped ends are ribbed in a pattern which can be mated into engagement with the ribs in the connector hub slots. In this manner, each end of a tubular frame member may be slidably inserted into a respective connector hub slot, and several tubular frame members may be connected at one end to a connector hub slot to form a spider, i.e., a connector hub having a plurality of tubes extending outwardly therefrom, each tube terminating at a free end.

[0004] The free end of each tube can be similarly connected to another connector hub. Thus, a framework of interconnected spiders formed of tubes and connector hubs can be joined to form a pre-assembled or modular section of a flat roof, a domed roof, a wall, etc., to be joined with other sections to eventually form a complete structure. The structure once completed is then covered with a selected cladding which is attached to the structural framework by means of an interfacing cladding support system.

[0005] The cladding may be fabric, corrugated metal sheets, glass, or other selected materials, and may include combinations of these materials for architectural design purposes.

[0006] It is important that each end of a tubular frame member be slidably inserted by hand into a respective connector hub slot, so that an entire building may be constructed without special equipment, and with unskilled labor. Prior art designs of connector hub slots do not account for the “flash” (a small fragment of metal) which the manufacturing process leaves at the flattened, crimped ends of the tubular frame members. Thus, often the persons assembling the space frame construction are unable to insert the end of a tubular frame member into a connector hub slot without using hammers and excessive force, or without first grinding off the extra fragment of metal at the ends of each tubular frame member.

[0007] Another problem with prior art designs is that load stresses cause the connector slot to open up and loose engagement of one or more teeth before the load reaches substantially the yield strength of the tube, resulting in non-ductile failure and reduced strength.

[0008] Another problem with prior art designs is that no account is made of differing material properties that may exist between the tubular member material and the connector material, again resulting in failure of one of these before the tube reaches substantially the yield strength of the tube, resulting in non-ductile failure and reduced strength.

[0009] What is needed is a connector hub slot that can accommodate the flash, and which will not release a tubular frame member before the load stresses reach at least 100% of the tubular frame member's load capacity as measured by its rated minimum yield strength times its area. Also, what is needed is an elongated tube end and connector slot combination that will produce ductile failure under tensile stresses.

[0010] One embodiment, accordingly, provides a free span building that has connector hubs having slots for mating with frame members. Each slot has a longitudinal axis, and at least one tooth symmetrically disposed on either side of the longitudinal axis. The area of the slot in shear is larger than the area of the frame member in tension by at least an approximate ratio of the unit strength of the material of the frame member in tension to the unit strength of the material of the frame slot in shear.

[0011] Advantageously, the area of the connector material in shear is to the area of the elongated member in shear, as an approximate ratio of the unit strength of the material of the elongated member in shear to the unit strength of the material of the connector in shear. The area of the connector material in shear is computed at the more critical slip plane of initial plastic failure for the connector material. An indentation is provided at the tip of the slot to receive the flash at the tip of the tube without causing material interference when the end of the elongated member is slidably inserted into the connector slot. The angle between a bearing face of the tooth and the longitudinal axis is within the range of 65 to 90 degrees. The teeth are disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis. A distance perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and between the teeth, is at least seventy percent of the throat length at the open end of the slot.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an embodiment of a clear span building using connector hubs and tubular frame members.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an isometric view illustrating an embodiment of a connector hub.

[0014] FIG. 3 is an isometric view illustrating an embodiment of a portion of a connector hub connected to a tubular support member.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a partial plan view illustrating an embodiment of an end of a tubular support member inserted into a slot of a connector hub.

[0016] Referring now to FIG. 1, a clear span building 10 uses many connector hubs 12 connected to tubular frame members 14, to form the sides or the top, or roof, or both of a free-form building, having no intermediate vertical supports. The connector hubs 12 are made of AA 6000 series aluminum alloy, or similar. The tubular frame members 14 are made of A500Grb or similar steel.

[0017] Referring now to FIG. 2, the connector hub 12 includes a plurality of slots 20 into which the ends of the tubular frame members insert. The slots 20 are formed to extend axially along a peripheral surface 22 of the connector hub 12. The slots 20 are keyed with a plurality of slot teeth 24 on a pair of opposed slot sides 20aand 20bwhich face inwardly or toward each other. The connector hub 12 may be of a shape other than cylindrical. The slots 20 may also be outwardly directed without being radially directed.

[0018] Referring now to FIG. 3, a tubular support member 32 slides into each slot 20, and the slot 20 retains it in the following manner. Opposite ends 34 of the tubular support member 32 are flattened, and have several outwardly facing tube teeth 36 crimped into the ends 34, for mating engagement with the slot teeth 24. When the clear span building 10 is complete, and in service, many of the forces on the tubular support members 32 are tension forces, trying to pull the ends 34 out of the slots 20.

[0019] In order to retain tubular structural members 32 in the connector hub 12, a bolt 150, and nut 51 are provided for extending through an axially extending bores 28. A pair of end plates or washers 52 are maintained in abutment with opposed ends 54a, 54bof the connector hub 12 by bolt 150 and nut 51. This captures the ends 34 within the slots 20.

[0020] Referring now to FIG. 4, the slot 20 and the end 34 share a common longitudinal axis 50. The slot teeth 24aand 24b, and the tube teeth 36aand 36bare symmetrically or asymmetrically disposed on either side of the longitudinal axis 50. For either side of the longitudinal axis 50, the area of the slot 20 in shear would appear to be proportional to the sum of distances 52 and 54. However, the slot tooth 24bhas an initial slip plane distance 55 that is actually the portion of the slot tooth 24bin shear. The initial slip plane distance 55 has a length that is approximately half the length of the distance 54.

[0021] The area of the end 34 in tension is proportional to a throat width 56. The throat width 56 is determined by making it at least the ratio of the yield strength to the ultimate strength of the tubular members material. In the case of A500Grb steel, this would be 70%. The seventy percent standard is used because the typical ratio of yielding strength of the steel, 42 ksi, divided by the ultimate strength of the steel, 60 ksi, is seventy percent. And though there is work-hardening in fabrication, keeping this ratio as minimum assures yield failure in gross section before ultimate failure in the reduced section of the elongated member, resulting in ductile behavior.

[0022] The yield strength of the steel in the region between the slot teeth 24aand 24bis increased by work-hardening, thus allowing a further reduction in that area, without a decrease in the strength of the steel.

[0023] The sum of the distances 52 and 55 is approximately 2.5 times larger than one-half of the throat width 56, which ratio is the approximate ratio of the strength of the steel of the tubular frame member 14 in tension to the strength of the aluminum of the connector hub 12 in shear. In an alternate embodiment, the slot 20 and the end 34 include only the slot teeth 24aand the tube teeth 36a. In the alternate embodiment, the distance 52 (proportional to the area of the aluminum in shear) is more than three times a one-half throat width 58.

[0024] Thus, for example, $\frac{\mathrm{A500Grb}\text{steel-tension-strength}}{6061\mathrm{T6}\text{aluminum-shear-strength}}=\frac{60}{24}=2.5$

[0025] The tube teeth 36bhave a bearing face 60. The angle 62 between the bearing face 60 and the longitudinal axis 50 is approximately seventy-five degrees. The gap, or tolerance, between the slot 20 and the end 34 is greater in the length than the width. Thus, a length tolerance 70 is greater than a width tolerance 72. In addition to the length tolerance 70, the slot 20 also has, at its closed end, a tip indentation 74 to accommodate the flash which is left on the end 34 in the flattening process. Also, a tolerance 76 between the slot teeth 24band the tube teeth 36bis less than a tolerance 78 between the slot teeth 24aand the tube teeth 36a. The purpose of this difference in tolerance is so that when the tubular frame member 14, and thus the end 34, is in tension, the slot teeth 24band the tube teeth 36bengage before the slot teeth 24aand the tube teeth 36aengage. By so doing, the tension load is better spread through the end 34.

[0026] Although illustrative embodiments have been described, a wide range of modification, change, and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure. In some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly, and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.