US4881350A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Anti-earthquake structure insulating the kinetic energy of earthquake from buildings
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-04-06
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Granted: 1989-11-21
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Expires: 2009-04-06
Abstract
Abstract An anti-earthquake structure insulating the kinetic energy of earthquake from buildings, which is constructed between a building and the construction site thereof, including a plurality of supporting layers having multiple ball seats, plural ball members correspondingly disposed on and pressed between said ball seats with extremely small rolling friction thereagainst, and a plurality of sliding block linkages disposed between the building and the supporting layers, whereby horizontal displacement of the construction site can apply no horizontal force to the supporting layers, and consequently, the building will remain stable and rigid, the sliding block linkages further converting vertical wobbling force into horizontal force, permitting the horizontal force to be absorbed by multiple buffer springs via lever devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Chyuang-Jong Wu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:18
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04H; E04H9/00; E04H9/02; E04H9/021; E04H9/023
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
An anti-earthquake structure constructed between a building and the construction site thereof, comprising: a plurality of supporting layers having upper and lower surfaces, both said upper and lower surfaces being provided with multiple ball seats; a plurality of ball members correspondingly disposed on and pressed between said ball seats with extremely small rolling friction thereagainst; a plurality of sliding block linkages disposed between the building and said supporting layers, said linkages including pivot blocks, multiple linkage bars pivoted on said pivot block, sliding blocks on which said linkage bars are pivoted, and guide means guiding said sliding blocks; levers each having two ends and a fulcrum, to which said sliding block is opposed; and buffer springs opposed to said lever for absorbing kinetic energy transmitted from said sliding blocks via lever motion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
An anti-earthquake structure constructed between a building and the construction site thereof, comprising: a plurality of supporting layers having upper and lower surfaces, both said upper and lower surfaces being provided with multiple ball seats; a plurality of ball members correspondingly disposed on and pressed between said ball seats with extremely small rolling friction thereagainst; a plurality of sliding block linkages disposed between the building and said supporting layers, said linkages including pivot blocks, multiple linkage bars pivoted on said pivot block, sliding blocks on which said linkage bars are pivoted, and guide means guiding said sliding blocks; levers each having two ends and a fulcrum, to which said sliding block is opposed; and buffer springs opposed to said lever for absorbing kinetic energy transmitted from said sliding blocks via lever motion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball members and ball seats are made from extremely rigid material, permitting the rolling friction therebetween to be extremely small, whereby when horizontal displacement of the construction site occurs due to an earthquake, said ball members will only roll on said ball seats with negligible friction, and thus apply no horizontal force to said supporting layers, and consequently, the building constructed above said supporting layers will remain stable and rigid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ball bearings each composed of a seat body and plural bearing balls disposed thereon, said ball bearings being mounted on the construction site to support said ball members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
85 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said ball seat is provided with a curved recess surface having a central top point and said ball members are formed in a precisely spherical shape, whereby said ball members will contact said central top points of said ball seats in normal state, and, when an earthquake is over, said ball members will roll back automatically and contact said central top points, thus permitting the building to be always in a lowest, most stable position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A structure as claim in claim 1, wherein said ball seats are formed in a plane shape, while said ball members are formed in an ellipsoidal shape having a minor axis with two ends.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seats are formed in a curved recess shape and said ball members are formed in a ellipsoid shape.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
129 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sliding block linkages each includes four first linkage bars each having two ends, a first pivot block, mounted under the building, on which one end of said first linkage bars are pivoted, four second linkage bars each also having two ends, and a second pivot block on which one end of said second linkage bars are pivoted, said first and second linkage bars being pivoted on said sliding blocks at their other ends, said guide means each including a guide rod and a guide rail, said sliding blocks being slidably guided by said guide means and restricted by said levers, said buffer springs being a kind of leaf bending springs and respectively disposed against said two ends of said levers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the distances between said sliding blocks and said fulcrums of said levers are always smaller than those between said leaf bending springs and said fulcrums of said levers, and stopper means are further disposed behind said levers to prevent excessive displacement thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sliding block linkages are used to convert possible vertical wobbling force caused by an earthquake into horizontal force via linkage motion, said horizontal force then being absorbed by said buffer springs to protect the building from damage or crack.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said supporting layers include multiple supporting layers whereby the horizontally wobbling kinetic energy transmitted from the construction site is upward reduced in geometric progression layer by layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A structure as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein after an earthquake and ellipsoidal ball members will roll back automatically and said two ends of said minor axis of said ellipsoidal ball members will contact said plane ball seat and curved recess ball seat, permitting the building to be in a lowest, most stable position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
A structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein when said ball members roll on said curved recess ball seats, the horizontal movement will be partially converted in vertical movement, which is further converted into the horizontal sliding movement of said sliding blocks of said sliding block linkages via linkage motion thereof, the kinetic energy of the horizontal sliding movement of the sliding blocks being absorbed by said buffer springs via said lever and converted into the elastic potential energy.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-11-20 | 1993-05-22 | 1993-11-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-11-20 | 1997-05-22 | 1997-11-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-11-20 | 2001-05-22 | 2001-11-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |