System and Method Having an Improved Beam and Beam Coupling System

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/545,027, filed Dec. 19, 2023, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/343,936, filed Jun. 10, 2021, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,891,792, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/829,560, filed Mar. 25, 2020, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,072,922, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/014,384, filed Jun. 21, 2018, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,640,968, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

This invention relates to a building system, and more particularly, to a system that utilizes an improved beam and coupling system for building a frame or structure.

The aluminum enclosure industry and patio screen enclosure roof systems typically utilized beams comprising two identical halves. The halves simply overlap and were stitched or screwed together with a plurality of screws to make one complete self-mating beam. In some applications, an entire extruded one-piece beam was used.

One problem with the prior art beam structures is a high failure rate during strong winds, especially hurricane-force winds. The box beam failed for many reasons including the fact that the beam web was simply overlapped and laid on top of each other. An improved beam system that overcame some problems of the prior art is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,877,962; U.S. Design Patent Nos. D620,618; D620,619; D636,095; D666,743; D713,054 and D791,342, all of which are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

The beam structures of the prior art had to use a plurality of horizontal and vertical beams to create a frame onto which a mesh screen was mounted. Typically, a top spanning horizontal beam could only span approximately six to ten feet before a vertical column support or column beam had to be used to support the weight of the top beam. One problem with the designs and structures of the prior art is that the number of vertical and horizontal beams obstructed the view of persons inside the structure who were looking out. For example, if the structure was a lanai structure, it is not uncommon that people in the lanai like to view the scenery outside of the lanai, whether it be a scenic water view, a golf course view or a wooded area view, but the vertical and horizontal columns were aesthetically unpleasing and at least partially obstructed that view.

Another problem is that oftentimes main spanning beams typically did not have spline grooves and a separate beam having the spline grooves had to be secured thereto and used, adding parts and manufacturing costs to the structure. For example, it was not uncommon that a 1″×2″ beam having at least one or a plurality of spline grooves for receiving and securing the screen to the beams had to be mounted on top of a primary support beam that would be used for building the structure frame. The additional lanai screen beam was typically mounted onto the primary support beam and provided the spline groove or channel that was necessary to mount the mesh screen onto the frame. Of course, the additional 1″×2″ beam having the spline groove also added additional material and installation cost to the framing structure.

To overcome some of these problems, some attempts have been made to make the beams more robust by, for example, making the beam walls much thicker, so that they withstand longer span lengths. Several problems arise with increasing the size of the beams, including increased weight and cost to name a few. As the length of the beams increased along with the need to carry heavier loads, bigger and heavier beams had to be created. As enclosure sizes and span lengths increase, the box and hollow beams that were used to make the enclosures in the past had to be made with much thicker and heavier extrusions in order to achieve the span lengths desired. Unfortunately, these extrusions were typically more expensive and resulted in increased costs.

Some homeowners or builders are building larger and more dynamic structures, such as pool enclosures and lanais, with the same historical products, resulting in structures that have undesirable viewing obstructions, failure rates and/or costs.

Another problem with the typical beams of the past is that they had to utilize through-bolts and fascia fasteners to secure the beams together or to another structure. The through-bolts and fascia fasteners are aesthetically unpleasing.

Still another problem is that a typical building structure that was framed using a prior art beam system had to utilize steel cables or tie-downs for lateral structural support. The lateral tie-downs added material and installation costs to the overall structure.

Still another problem with the prior art framing structures is that the beams typically had to be mounted to other structures, such as a patio deck, floor or wall using a plurality of L-shaped brackets situated on opposite sides of the beam and fastened thereto and to the other structure. These brackets and fastenings all added additional installation time and cost. Some people found the mounting brackets to be aesthetically unpleasing as well.

There is, therefore, a need to provide an improved building structure having an improved beam and coupling system that overcomes one or more of the problems of the prior art.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved beam and coupling system for building a structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a beam and coupling system that can span greater lengths.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a stronger beam and coupling system that has a large viewing area that is uninterrupted by horizontal or vertical support beams of the type used in the prior art.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a beam and coupling system that eliminates the need for fasteners on the fascia sides of the beam.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a beam and coupling system for making a frame that reduces or eliminates the need for through-fasteners or fasteners that are screwed into the fascia sides of the beam.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved beam and coupler system for creating a frame that reduces or eliminates the need for tie-down cables.

Another object of the invention is to provide a corner coupler for securing a plurality of beams together to form a corner of the framing structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated coupler for coupling or splicing two beams together.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a coupler having at least a portion that can be mounted to a support structure, such as a patio deck, concrete slab, building wall, structure or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system and method for coupling beams together to form a frame wherein a dimension of at least one coupler used with at least one beam and wherein a length of the coupler is directly proportional to a span length of the beam, such that a length of the coupler is directly proportional to a span length of the beam.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved couplers and a coupling system for coupling beams together or to a surface or structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved beam that reduces or eliminates the need for additional screen support beams or systems.

In one aspect, one embodiment of the invention comprises a universal reinforcement coupling for use with at least one support beam used in building a structure, comprising a coupling for inserting into the at least one support beam, the coupling comprising a plurality of coupling surfaces that become positioned in operative relationship with a plurality of internal surfaces of the at least one support beam, and the at least one support beam being adapted and sized to receive the coupling.

In another aspect, another embodiment of the invention comprises a building system comprising at least one support beam having a plurality of beam walls defining a plurality of internal wall surfaces, respectively, that cooperate to define a beam aperture, and at least one coupling adapted and dimensioned to be received in the beam aperture, the at least one coupling comprising a plurality of coupling surfaces that become positioned in operative relationship with the plurality of internal wall surfaces, respectively, of the at least one support beam to facilitate enhancing a performance or characteristic of the at least one support beam.

In still another aspect, another embodiment of the invention comprises a building system for building a structure, the building system comprising at least one first support beam, at least one second support beam, and at least one coupler for coupling the first support beam to the second support beam together, the at least one coupler having at least a portion defining a predetermined configuration defining a first end adapted to be inserted into an end of the at least one first support beam and a second portion adapted to be inserted into an end of the second support beam, the at least one coupler facilitating improving at least one performance characteristic of the joined beams.

In yet another aspect, another embodiment of the invention comprises a coupler for use with at least one support beam of a building structure, the coupler comprising a body having at least a portion that is sized and adapted to fit into at least one end of the at least one support beam and to engage the internal walls thereof in order to buttress or support the at least one support beam, the body comprising a web having a first flange on a first end of the web and a second flange on a second end of the web, the first and second flanges each having a primary flange surface and at least one flange wall surface integrally or monolithically formed with the primary flange surface, and the at least one first flange wall surface being generally perpendicular to the primary flange surface.

In another aspect, another embodiment of the invention comprises a structure comprising a plurality of beams, and a plurality of internal couplers for coupling the plurality of beams together, the plurality of internal couplers each having a first end dimensioned and sized to be press fit or received in a first end of a first one of the plurality of beams and having a second end that is at least one of: adapted to be fixed to a support to mount the first end of the first one of the plurality of beams to a support surface or is sized to be press fit or received in a first end of a second one of the plurality of beams in order to secure the first one of the plurality of beams to a second one of the plurality of beams.

In another aspect, another embodiment of the invention comprises a beam comprising a body having a plurality of spline grooves, the plurality of spline grooves being oriented in order to support a roof screen and a wall screen.

In another aspect, another embodiment of the invention comprises a building system comprising at least one fastener for securing at least one support beam to at least one coupling, at least one fastener passing through only one of at least one plurality of beam walls before engaging the at least one coupling and does not pass through another of the at least one of the plurality of beam walls.

In another aspect, another embodiment of the invention comprises a building system comprising at least one support beam having a plurality of beam walls defining a plurality of internal wall surfaces, respectively, that cooperate to define a beam aperture, and at least one coupling adapted and dimensioned to be received in the beam aperture, the at least one coupling comprising a plurality of coupling surfaces that become positioned in operative relationship with the plurality of internal wall surfaces, respectively, of the at least one support beam to facilitate enhancing a performance or characteristic of the at least one support beam, the at least one coupling increasing an operation performance of the at least one support beam, thereby reducing or eliminating a need for cable tie-downs.

This invention, including all embodiments shown and described herein, could be used alone or together and/or in combination with one or more of the features covered by one or more of the following list of features:

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein the coupling is a corner coupler, a splicing coupler or a support coupler.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein each of the support coupler, the splicing coupler and the corner coupler have at least a portion that is generally in the shape of an I in cross-section.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein the coupling comprises at least a portion generally shaped as an I in cross-section and has a first flange, a generally opposing second flange and a web for joining the first and second flanges, the first and second flanges being generally U-shaped in cross section.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein each of the generally U-shaped in cross-section first and second flanges comprise at least one beveled corner.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein each of the generally U-shaped in cross-section flanges comprise a plurality of beveled corners.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein the coupling comprises a web and a first flange located on a first end of the web and a second flange located on a second end of the web, each of the first and second flanges being generally perpendicular to the web and generally parallel to each other, at least one of the first flange or the second flange having a flange wall that extends generally parallel to the web.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein at least one of the first flange or the second flange has at least one flange wall that extends generally parallel to the web.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein at least one of the first flange or the second flange has a plurality of flange walls that extend generally parallel to the web and cooperate with a generally planar portion of the first flange or a generally planar portion of the second flange define a general U-shape in cross-section at each end of the web, the general U-shape of the first flange being generally opposed to the general U-shape of the second flange.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein the coupling is sized and adapted to received inside an end of the at least one support beam.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein the coupling comprises a beam generally shaped as an I-beam having a first flange and a generally opposing second flange, the first and second flanges each being generally U-shaped in cross section and each comprising a flange having a first flange wall, a second flange wall and a joining flange portion for joining the first and second flange walls, the first and second flange walls having at least one wall surface that becomes generally opposed and adjacent to a first internal beam wall surface and a second internal beam wall surface, respectively.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein at least a portion of the coupling generally defines an I-beam in cross-section, the coupling being generally L-shaped and defines a corner coupling for coupling the at least one support beam to a second support beam such that their axes are not co-axial.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein at least a portion of the coupling generally defines an I-beam shape in cross-section having a first end that is received in the I-beam and a second end that is fixed or mounted to a support surface, the first end being dimensioned and adapted for receipt in the at least one support beam.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein the coupling is a splice coupling and at least a portion of the coupling comprises a first flange and a generally opposing second flange, the coupling being adapted to splice and support the at least one support beam to a second support beam such that their axes are coaxial and define an elongated beam.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein the at least one support beam comprises an internal beam structure extending at least part of a length into the at least one support beam, at least a portion of the coupling having a predetermined shape to cooperate with at least one internal surface of the at least one support beam to define an aperture into which the internal beam structure may be received.

The universal reinforcement coupling wherein at least a portion of the coupling generally has a first flange and a generally opposing second flange, the first and second flanges having at least one recessed area, beveled corner or edge adapted to cooperate with at least one wall of the at least one support beam to define an internal channel.

The building system wherein the at least one coupling is a corner coupler, a splicing coupler or a support coupler.

The building system wherein each of the support coupler, the splicing coupler and the corner coupler have at least a portion that is generally in the shape of an I in cross-section.