Beam and joints for use in screened enclosure and method for designing screened enclosure

Abstract

A screened enclosure having aluminum structural members, joints interconnecting the structural members, and screen panels formed by the interconnected structural members. The structural members include two-piece box beams formed by two mating extrusions, wherein flanges of the extrusions continuously engage each other along their length by means of interlocking lips, and one-piece hybrid beams. The joints include rigid joints and hinged joints, wherein the hinged joints allow at least one degree of freedom between the interconnected structural members. A computer-implemented design method determines the reaction loads on the individual structural members and determines compliance with applicable building construction standards.

1 . A beam for use in a screened enclosure comprising: 
 a. a first extrusion having flanges; and    b. a second extrusion having flanges;    c. wherein the first and second extrusions are mated together to form the beam;    d. wherein each flange of the first extrusion is engaged at an end and supported along a length by an interlocking lip on the second extrusion; and    e. wherein each flange of the second extrusion is engaged at an end and supported along a length by an interlocking lip on the first extrusion.    
   
   
       2 . The beam of  claim 1  wherein at least the extrusions includes protrusions extending perpendicular to the flanges of the extrusion for receiving a reinforcing plate.  
   
   
       3 . The beam of  claim 1  wherein at least one flange of the first extrusion includes an offset to facilitate engagement with the interlocking lip on the second extrusion and wherein at least one flange of the second extrusion includes an offset to facilitate engagement with the interlocking lip on the first extrusion.  
   
   
       4 . A beam for use in a screened enclosure comprising: 
 a. a first extrusion having a first side flange and a second side flange; and    b. a second extrusion having a first side flange and a second side flange;    c. wherein the first side flange of the first extrusion and the first side flange of the second extrusion are each engaged at an end and supported along a length by a first flange extender, the first flange extender being engaged at a first end by an interlocking lip on the first extrusion and at a second end by an interlocking lip on the second extrusion;    d. wherein the second side flange of the first extrusion and the second side flange of the second extrusion are each engaged at an end and supported along a length by a second flange extender, the second flange extender being engaged at a first end by an interlocking lip on the first extrusion and at a second end by an interlocking lip on the second extrusion; and    e. wherein the first and second extrusions are mated together via the first and second flange extenders to form the beam.    
   
   
       5 . The beam of  claim 4  wherein at least one of the extrusions includes protrusions extending perpendicular to the flanges of the extrusion for receiving a reinforcing plate.  
   
   
       6 . A beam for use in a screened enclosure comprising a substantially hollow extrusion, wherein the extrusion has a generally square cross-section and severely rounded corners.  
   
   
       7 . The beam of  claim 6 , wherein an exterior surface of the beam includes a mark to indicate a wall thickness of the beam.  
   
   
       8 . The beam of  claim 6  further comprising a reinforcement plug within the substantially hollow extrusion, wherein the reinforcement plug includes at least one chamber.  
   
   
       9 . A method of constructing a screened enclosure having a plurality of roof beams, rafters, columns, purlins, K-braces, wind braces, chair rails, and eave rails, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. using a rigid joint for 
 i. each connection of a roof beam to another roof beam;  
 ii. each connection of a column to a roof beam or a rafter;  
 iii. each connection of a K-brace to a column;  
   b. using a hinged joint for 
 i. each connection of an eave rail to a column;  
 ii. each connection of a rafter to a side of a roof beam;  
 iii. each connection of a purlin to a roof beam; and  
 iv. each connection of a column to a footing of the screened enclosure.  
   
   
   
       10 . A screened enclosure comprising: 
 a. a plurality of interconnected two-piece beams, wherein each two-piece beam has 
 i. a first extrusion having flanges; and  
 ii. a second extrusion having flanges;  
   b. wherein the first and second extrusions are mated together to form the beam;    c. wherein each flange of the first extrusion is engaged at an end and supported along a length by an interlocking lip on the second extrusion; and    d. wherein each flange of the second extrusion is engaged at an end and supported along a length by an interlocking lip on the first extrusion; and    e. a plurality of one-piece beams connected to at least a portion of the two-piece beams, wherein each one-piece beam has a generally square cross-section and severely rounded corners.    
   
   
       11 . The screened enclosure of  claim 10 , wherein the one-piece beams comprise a plurality of first one-piece beams having a first wall thickness and a plurality of second one-piece beams having a second wall thickness, and wherein an exterior surface of the one-piece beams include a mark to differentiate the first one-piece beams from the second one-piece beams.  
   
   
       12 . A computer-implemented method for designing a screened enclosure comprising the steps of: 
 a. generating a finite element model of the screened enclosure that includes a plurality of structural members and a plurality of screen panels, wherein the structural members are connected by rigid joints;    b. calculating a first reaction load for each structural member based on at least one loading condition;    c. replacing at least one rigid joint in the finite element model with a hinged joint;    d. calculating a second reaction load for each structural member using the first reaction loads;    e. comparing the second reaction loads with a construction standard to determine whether the screened enclosure complies with the construction standard.