US-20260125903-A1 - CHORD ASSEMBLY FOR TRUSS STRUCTURES

US20260125903A1US 20260125903 A1US20260125903 A1US 20260125903A1US-20260125903-A1

Abstract

A chord assembly for a truss structure includes a first chord section and a second chord section. The first chord section includes a first elongate member defining a first shape in cross section of a longitudinal axis of the first elongate member. The first shape includes a first cap portion including two opposing sides and a connector extending therebetween. The first shape further includes a first leg extending away from the first cap portion and defining a depression of the first chord section. The second chord section includes a second elongate member defining a second shape in cross section of a longitudinal axis of the second elongate member. The second shape includes a second cap portion including two opposing sides and a connector extending therebetween. The second shape further includes a second leg extending away from the cap portion and defining a protrusion of the second chord section.

Inventors

Michael Alex PELLOCK

Assignees

Michael Alex PELLOCK

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251027

Claims (20)

1 . A chord assembly for a truss structure, the chord assembly comprising: a first chord section comprising a first elongate member, the first elongate member defining a first shape in cross section of a longitudinal axis of the first elongate member, the first shape comprising: a first cap portion including two opposing sides and a connector extending therebetween, and a first leg extending away from the first cap portion and defining a depression of the first chord section, and a second chord section comprising a second elongate member, the second elongate member defining a second shape in cross section of a longitudinal axis of the second elongate member, the second shape comprising: a second cap portion including two opposing sides and a connector extending therebetween, and a second leg extending away from the cap portion and defining a protrusion of the second chord section.
2 . The chord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the depression defined by the first chord section is configured to receive the protrusion defined by the second chord section such that the first leg and second leg may be coupled together to assemble the chord assembly.
3 . The chord assembly of claim 1 , wherein, once the first chord section and second chord section are coupled together, a neutral axis of the chord assembly is defined approximately at an interface of the first leg and the second leg.
4 . The chord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first shape of the first longitudinal member further comprises a first transition portion coupled between one of the opposing sides of the first cap portion and the first leg.
5 . The chord assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first transition portion defines two curved portions, each connected to one of the opposing sides of the first cap portion or the first leg as respective distal ends, the two curved portions connecting to each other in the middle of the first transition portion.
6 . The chord assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first shape of the first longitudinal member further comprises a first flange coupled to the first leg and extending away from the other of the opposing sides of the first cap portion not coupled to the first transition portion.
7 . The chord assembly of claim 6 , wherein the depression of the first chord section is further defined by the first transition portion and the first flange.
8 . The chord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second shape of the second elongate member further comprises a second transition portion coupled between one of the opposing sides of the second cap portion and the second leg.
9 . The chord assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second transition portion defines two curved portions, each connected to one of the opposing sides of the second cap portion or the second leg as respective distal ends, the two curved portions connecting to each other in the middle of the second transition portion.
10 . The chord assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second shape of the second elongate member further comprises a second flange coupled to the second leg and extending toward the other of the opposing sides not coupled to the second transition portion.
11 . The chord assembly of claim 10 , wherein the protrusion of the second chord section is further defined by the second transition portion and the second flange.
12 . The chord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first leg of the first shape is positioned between the opposing sides of the first cap portion such that the depression is defined with respect to one of the opposing sides of the first cap portion.
13 . The chord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second leg of the second shape is positioned outside of the opposing sides of the second cap portion such that the protrusion is defined with respect to one of the opposing sides of the second cap portion.
14 . The chord assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first chord section and the second chord section comprises a cold-formed steel material.
15 . A truss structure comprising: an upper chord assembly and a lower chord assembly each including: a first chord section comprising a first elongate member, the first elongate member defining a first shape in cross section of a longitudinal axis of the first elongate member, the first shape comprising: a first cap portion including two opposing sides and a connector extending therebetween, and a first leg extending away from the first cap portion and defining a depression of the first chord section, and a second chord section comprising a second elongate member, the second elongate member defining a second shape in cross section of a longitudinal axis of the second elongate member, the second shape comprising: a second cap portion including two opposing sides and a connector extending therebetween, and a second leg extending away from the cap portion and defining a protrusion of the second chord section; a plurality of web members extending between the upper chord assembly and the lower chord assembly, wherein the truss structure is configured such that coupling upper ends of the plurality of web members to the first leg and second leg of the upper chord assembly and coupling lower ends of the plurality of web members to the first leg and second leg of the lower chord assembly results in structural stability of the truss structure.
16 . The truss structure of claim 15 , wherein coupling the upper ends of the plurality of web members to the first leg and second leg of the upper chord assembly comprises coupling the first leg and the second leg of the upper chord assembly together to assemble the upper chord assembly.
17 . The truss structure of claim 15 , wherein coupling the lower ends of the plurality of web members to the first leg and second leg of the lower chord assembly comprises coupling the first leg and the second leg of the lower chord assembly together to assemble the lower chord assembly.
18 . The truss structure of claim 15 , wherein the upper chord assembly and the lower chord assembly are configured to mirror each other with respect to a plane positioned at a midpoint between the upper chord assembly and the lower chord assembly.
19 . The truss structure of claim 15 , wherein, for each of the upper chord assembly and the lower chord assembly, the depression defined by the first chord section is configured to receive the protrusion defined by the second chord section such that the first leg and second leg may be coupled together to assemble the respective upper or lower chord assembly having a neutral axis defined approximately at an interface of the first leg and the second leg.
20 . The truss structure of claim 15 , wherein each of the first chord section and the second chord section of each of the upper chord assembly and the lower chord assembly and the plurality of web members comprises a cold-formed steel material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/715,771, filed Nov. 4, 2024, and entitled “CHORD ASSEMBLY FOR TRUSS STRUCTURES,” and United States provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/854,715, filed Jul. 31, 2025, and entitled “CHORD ASSEMBLY FOR TRUSS STRUCTURES,” the contents of each of which are incorporated in full by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to the field of truss structures. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a chord assembly suitable for use in a truss structure. BACKGROUND Buildings, roofs, decks, and the like often include or are associated with truss structures providing foundation or support for such structure or various building materials and other structures. Such truss structures typically include at least partially or fully horizontal chords at a top and bottom with web members connected between. Many current chords are integral components, which increases manufacturing and logistical costs, especially in the context of cold-rolled steel. As such, a need exists in the art for a truss chord and truss structures that overcome the above limitations. This background is provided as an illustrative contextual environment only. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the systems and methods of the present disclosure may be implemented in other contextual environments as well. SUMMARY Therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a chord assemblies for truss structures and truss structures that overcome the limitations of the known art. Generally, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a chord assembly and associated truss structures allowing for the stiffness and structural support of an integral chord while reducing the cost of manufacture and distribution of the same. Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosed chord assembly and truss structures allow for simple assembly via the interface of depressions, protrusions, cap structures, and/or flanges defined by the components of the chord assembly. In several embodiments, a depression of a first chord section may receive a protrusion of a second chord section allowing legs of the first chord section and second chord section to be coupled together to form the chord assembly. Thus, assembly of the chord section together may be made easier via interface of the depression and protrusion of the first chord section and the second chord section, respectively. In some embodiments, the interface of the depression and protrusion of chord sections may make further attachment or fixing means unnecessary and/or optional. Such configurations may allow for a neutral axis of the chord assembly to be defined at or approximately at an interface of the legs of first and second chord sections. Transition portions between the respective caps and legs of chord sections may be utilized to position the interface between the legs of the first and second chord sections at the neutral axis of the chord assembly. In some embodiments, each transition portion may include one or more curvatures coupled between the cap portion and the leg of the respective chord assembly. In other embodiments, each transition portion may include a straight or approximately straight portion coupled between the cap portion and the leg of the respective chord assembly. Embodiments with straight transition portions may reduce the cost of manufacture of the chord sections, and thus the chord assembly, relative to transition portions including the curvature(s). Configurations with the neutral axis of the chord assembly defined at the interface of the legs may reduce or eliminate stress, strains, bending moments, twisting strains or stresses, and the like at such interface. The resulting chord assembly may thus provide the structural stability, stiffness, and/or the like of an integral chord and the cost savings of a chord assembly. Furthermore, the location of the interface along such neutral axis may allow for fastening the respective legs of the chord sections to be optional or unnecessary, as mentioned above, and/or allow for a reduced thickness of the chord sections while maintaining the strength of the assembly. To achieve the foregoing and other objects and advantages, in one aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a chord assembly for a truss structure including a first chord section and a second chord section. The first chord section includes a first elongate member defining a first shape in cross section of a longitudinal axis of the first elongate member. The first shape includes a first cap portion including two opposing sides and a connector extending therebetween. The first shape further includes a first leg extending away from the first cap portion and defining a depression of the first chord section. The second chord section includes a second elongate member definin