VARIABLE PITCH CORRUGATED SUPPORT SURFACE WITH ACCOMPANYING SUPPORT BEAM

PLAN D'APPUI ONDULE A PAS VARIABLE AVEC BRAS SUPPORT ASSOCIE

English Abstract

A variable pitch corrugated support sheet with accompanying support beam
consists in a
bearing sheet having a corrugated pattern and by varying the angle, or pitch,
of the
corrugated pattern of the bearing sheet, its load carrying capacity can be
altered. In order to
maintain a given angle, a series of accompanying structural beams with
specific angles are
designed to receive the bearing sheet and give it its angle. With the
structural beam imparting
an angle to the corrugated pattern of the sheet, that given angle is
maintained and a top layer
can be applied to the corrugated support sheet such as concrete, foam, plywood
or any other
such covering suitable for the function of that structure whether a floor, a
ceiling or a roof.

Claims

8
CLAIMS:
1. A variable pitch corrugated support sheet with accompanying support beam
comprising:
a durable flexible material which can be elongated according to a set of
predetermined angles determined by the preset angle of said support beam;
said variable pitch corrugated support sheet having a base, a top, and sides
joining
said base with said top;
said base, said top, and said sides all joined integrally and multiplied to
create said
variable pitch corrugated support sheet;
said support beam having a sawtooth pattern configured and sized for any given
one
of a plurality of possible preset angles that will impart a desired angle to
said variable
pitch corrugated support sheet.
2. A variable pitch corrugated support sheet with accompanying support beam as
in
claim 1 wherein:
said support beams being made of material selected from the group comprising
but
not limited to woods, metals, polymers, or composites.
3. A variable pitch corrugated support sheet with accompanying support beam as
in
claim 1 wherein:
the relative angle between said base and any one of the two the sides can be
from
between 90 to 180 degrees.

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4. A variable pitch corrugated support sheet with accompanying support beam as
in
claim 1 wherein:
said support beam made of metal and having a receiving surface laying on the
upper
edge of said sawtooth cut and an "L" shaped base.
5. A variable pitch corrugated support sheet with accompanying support beam
having
the following method of installation:
at least one support beam having a sawtooth cut generally laid, positioned,
and
affixed to a load bearing structure such as a foundation wall or a supporting
wall;
a variable pitch corrugated support sheet being laid over said at least one
support
beam, and any of a variety of finishing or prefinishing materials being
applied over
said variable pitch corrugated support sheet.

Description

CA 02492929 2004-12-17
Variable pitch corrugated seaport sheet with accompan~na support beam
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the invention
The invention relates generally to construction material but more particularly
to a
corrugated supporting sheet which can vary its load bearing capacity by
varying the
pitch of its corrugated configuration.
Background of the Invention
There are a number of inventions related to structural support means such as:
An improved louvered ceiling construction in which louver channel members are
suspended from runner channel members by means of outwardly bent tabs on the
ends of the channel merr~bers,
A louvered ceiling construction especially suited for parabolic louvers.
Runners, of the
same hollow channel shape as the louver members, are provided with openings
into
which extensions carried by the louver members are secured.
A modular unit for use in constructing a framework of a building consisting of
a
plurality of modular units in connected relationship having a floor portion
with
longitudinal and lateral perimeter members.

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2
A modular structural section for use in support structures such as load
bearing decks
or highway bridges. The modular structural section includes at least one beam
and a
load bearing deck preferably formed of a polymer matrix composite material.
The
deck includes a core having elongated core members having side walls
positioned
generally adjacent one another.
The prior art does not teach a simple singular structural system capable of
altering its
load bearing capabilities just prior to installation. There is therefore a
need for an
improved load bearing sheet structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Although the use of corrugated panels has been known for years, a fundamental
aspect of the accordion shape of such a structure has never been exploited. By
varying the angle, or pitch, of the corrugated pattern of the bearing sheet,
its load
carrying capacity can be altered. In order to maintain a given angle, a series
of
accompanying structural beams with specific angles are designed to receive the
bearing sheet and give it, its angle. With the structural beam imparting an
angle to the
corrugated pattern of the sheet, that given angle is maintained and a top
Payer can be
applied to the corrugated support sheet such as concrete, foam, plywood or any
other
such covering suitable for the function of that structure whether a floor, a
ceiling or a
roof.

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3
Applications in walls, bearing or not, can also be considered. The advantage
of being
able to vary the angle is that the more the angle is flattened, the larger the
sheet area
covered which lowers cost in material when the need for strength is not high.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of
the
invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be
better
understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be
better
appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be
described
hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended
hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in
detail, it
is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to
the details of
construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the
following
description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Alsa, it
is to be
understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the
purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon
which this
disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of
other
structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the
present
invention. (t is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as
including such
equivalent constructions insofar .as they do not depart from the spirit and
scope of the
present invention.

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a
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various
features of
novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity
in the
claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better
understanding of
the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by
its uses,
reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in
which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESGRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1a Orthogonal view of the variable pitch corrugated support sheet
contracted.
Fig. 1b orthogonal exploded view of the variable pitch corrugated support
sheet
protracted with two support beams resting on a foundation waif.
Figs. tab Show two extreme angles that the variable pitch corrugated support
sheet
can have.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A variable pitch corrugated support sheet (10) is made of a durable flexible
material
whether a polymer or a metal and can be elongated according to a set of
predetermined angles determined by any given one of a plurality of possible
preset
angles of a support beam (12). Load bearing capacity is determined by two
ways: the
given angle of the variable pitch corrugated support sheet (10) and the
inherent
strength of the material selected to make the variable pitch corrugated
support sheet

CA 02492929 2004-12-17
(10). Factors such as cost of raw material and specific application needs
dictate the
choice of material and pitch angle, therefore, although steel may appear a
good
choice costwise newer material could replace steel as technology allows.
Moreover
steel may not be recommended in highly corrosive environments and even if
replacement material is more costly, it may be the only option possible.
The support beams (12) can be made of a variety of strong and resilient
materials
selected from the group comprising but not limited to woods, metals, polymers,
or
composites and have a sawtooth pattern configured and sized for a given angle
that
will impart the desired angle to the variable pitch corrugated support sheet
(10). The
distance between each support beams (12), the material they are made of, their
overall thickness along with the angle that they impart to the variable pitch
corrugated
support sheet (10) (itself having its intrinsic strength as described above),
all
contribute to providing a specific load bearing capacity.
The variable pitch corrugated support sheet (90) comprises a base (24) a top
(26) and
sides (28) joining the base (24) with the top (26), alt joined integrally in a
repeating
pattern to create the variable pitch corrugated support sheet (10}. The
relative angle
between the base (24) and any one of the two the sides (28) can be from
between 90
to 180 degrees as illustrated in Figs. tab wherein fig. 2b shows angles
substantially
close to 180 degrees. Of course, the closer to 90 degrees the variable pitch
corrugated support sheet (10) is, the stonier its supporting strength.

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In one embodiment, the support beams (12) are made of metal and have a
receiving
surface (14} which lays on the upper edge (16) of a sawtooth cut (18). In this
particular embodiment the base of the support beams (12) creates an "L" shaped
base (20}. A thicker support beam (not shown) would have its entire thickness
like the
receiving surface (14) and would not need an "L" shaped base (20). This would
be
likely for a wooden beam exhibiting a uniform thickness throughout and having
a
sawtooth cut (18) to receive the variable pitch corrugated support sheet (10).
The
type and specific stucture of the support beams (12) can vary depending upon
the
material used to create it but the common element to all support beams (12) is
the
sawtooth cut (18) which is cvnfrgured and sized to receive and give the
desired angle
to the variable pitch corrugated support sheet (10).
The variable pitch corrugated support sheet (10) is installed according to the
following
method: At least one support beam (12) having a sawtooth cut (18) is generally
laid,
positioned, and affixed to a load bearing structure (22) such as a foundation
wall or a
supporting wall and then, the variable pitch corrugated support sheet (10) is
laid over
the support beam. Finally, any of a variety of finishing or prefinishing
materials can be
applied over the variable pitch corrugated support sheet, this last step being
generally
welt known in the construction trade.
As to a further di cussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present
invention, the same should be apparent from the above description.
Accordingly, no
further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be
provided.

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With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the
optimum
dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to inctude
variations in size,
materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use,
are
deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all
equivalent
relationships to these illustrated in the drawings and described in the
spec~cation are
intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the
invention. further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily
occur to
those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the
exact construction
and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications
and
equivalents rnay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Representative Drawing