Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.

Yukio Kurita

Satoshi Nakagawa

Hajime Kojima

Kazuhiko Hirata

Takahira Ueoka

A method of forming a structural column wherein a plurality of formed inner and outer column layer halves are integrally constructed from flat sheets of wooden laminate simultaneously bonded together and molded into a triangularly shaped wave pattern.

Method of forming a structural column

The coupler portion of a connector assembly for interconnecting vertical columns and horizontal beams includes a rectangularly shaped hollow block member having a vertical row of slots formed along the height of each of its sidewalls. The block member is connectable to the top or bottom of a vertical column or between two abutting vertical columns by a joiner insert composed of a flat flange section and a transverse stud section extending normally outwardly from one side of the flange to engage within a central hole provided in the end wall of the hollow block member. The joiner insert also includes a plug section extending normally outwardly from the flange section in a direction opposite the stud section to engage within a socket formed in the end portion of each column. The connector assembly also includes a T-shaped bracket engageable within a vertical slot formed in each end portion of the horizontal beams. The bracket includes a plurality of vertically spaced apart downwardly open hooks which slidably engage within, and securely lock with, the block member slots to thereby interconnect the horizontal beams with the end portion of a column or between the ends of two vertically abutting columns.

Column-to-beam connector

A structural column (10) for use in the assembly of a framework (12) for a building (14) includes an outer member (16) constructed from a plurality of very thin sheets of wood material laminated together, and an inner member (18) also constructed from a plurality of very thin sheets of wooden material laminated together. Outer member (16) is composed of two substantially identical, preformed halves (20) bonded together along their longitudinal marginal shoulder portions (22) to form a closed cross-sectional shape. Correspondingly inner member 18 is constructed from two substantially identical, preformed halves 30 bonded together along their longitudinal marginal shoulder portions (31) to form a closed cross-sectional shape snugly fitting within the hollow interior of outer member (16). The marginal shoulder portions (22) and (31) may be arcuate to form rounded corners with the marginal shoulder portion of the other half of the corresponding outer and inner members, or the shoulder portions may be planar and disposed diagonally to the adjacent sections of the outer and inner members to cooperatively form a continuous, planar, diagonal corner with the shoulder portion of the corresponding opposite outer or inner member.

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Neyagawashi, Japan

Yukio Kurita