Hexoid arch and shelter structure

Abstract

An arch and a shelter structure made from at least one arch. The arch is made up of two ribs, each having a curved top portion beginning at said top end of the arch that follows a curve of an ellipse having a major axis equal in length to the span of the arch and a minor axis equal in length to the height of the arch. A curved side portion is joined to each rib by a fillet blend section. The curved top portions of the two ribs contact one another and are attached to one another to form an arch having a half-hexoid shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An arch for use in a shelter structure comprising:
 a span extending between right and left end points;   a height extending between a top end and halfway between said right and left end points;
 two first ribs, wherein each of said first ribs comprises: a curved top portion beginning at said top end of said arch, wherein said curved top portion approximately follows a curve of an ellipse having a major axis equal in length to said span of said arch and a minor axis equal in length to said height of said arch, wherein the ellipse is superimposed such that the minor axis of the ellipse is over said height of said arch; 
 a curved side portion ending at one of said right and left end points of said arch; and 
 a fillet blend section disposed between and joining said curved top portion and said curved side portion and having a fillet blend radius; and 
   wherein said curved top portions of said two first ribs contact one another and are attached to one another; and   wherein said arch has a half-hexoid shape.   
     
     
         2 . The arch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a length of half of said span is between 1.1 and 1.5 times a length of said height. 
     
     
         3 . The arch as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each of said first ribs further comprises an inner layer comprising a copper mesh. 
     
     
         4 . The arch as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said copper mesh comprises at least 12 strands per inch and is disposed 0.06 inches from an inside surface of said arch. 
     
     
         5 . The arch as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an inner layer comprising a copper mesh with a thin layer of polyester resin within said inner layer, and wherein said polyester resin further comprises titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         6 . The arch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said first ribs further comprises a cross-section comprising a convex half-hexagon shape with no flat surfaces and a width. 
     
     
         7 . The arch as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a ratio of said width of said cross-section of said first rib and said span of said arch is between 0.22 and 0.31. 
     
     
         8 . A substructure for a shelter structure comprising at least one base;
 wherein said base is precast, made of composite, and comprises two pedestals, each comprising a top, a bottom, a height between said top and said bottom, and an inner and outer side;   wherein at least said tops of said pedestals are coated in fiberglass; and   wherein said tops of said pedestals are sized, dimensioned, and equipped to securely affix a rib of the shelter structure thereon.   
     
     
         9 . The substructure as claimed in  claim 8 :
 wherein said inner sides of said tops of said pedestals comprise lips;   wherein said substructure further comprises a fiberglass corrugated floor segment that rests on said lips of said pedestal; and   wherein a recess is defined by said fiberglass corrugated floor segment and said height of said pedestals.   
     
     
         10 . The substructure as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said fiberglass corrugated floor segment comprises two equally sized floor panels sealed together. 
     
     
         11 . The substructure as claimed in  claim 9  comprising at least two of said bases and two of said fiberglass corrugated floor segments, wherein:
 said bases are positioned with a ¼ inch space between them; 
 said fiberglass corrugated floor segments are bolted together with gaskets; and 
 all seams between said bases and said fiberglass corrugated floor segments are sealed with a flexible sealant. 
 
     
     
         12 . The substructure as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said recess houses at least one of a group consisting of sewer lift stations, air ducts, plumbing, electrical lines, and sump pumps. 
     
     
         13 . A half-hexoid shelter structure comprising:
 a plurality of arches joined together, wherein each arch comprises:
 a span extending between right and left end points; 
 a height extending between a top end and halfway between said right and left end points; 
 two first ribs, wherein each of said first ribs comprises:
 a curved top portion beginning at said top end of said arch, wherein said curved top portion approximately follows a curve of an ellipse having a major axis equal in length to said span of said arch and a minor axis equal in length to said height of said arch, wherein the ellipse is superimposed such that the minor axis of the ellipse is over said height of said arch; 
 a curved side portion ending at one of said right and left end points of said arch, wherein said curved side portion comprises a base end at the one of said right and left end points; and 
 a fillet blend section disposed between and joining said curved top portion and said curved side portion and having a fillet blend radius; 
 wherein said curved top portions of said two first ribs contact one another and are attached to one another; and 
 wherein each of said arches has a half-hexoid shape; 
 
   a substructure comprising:
 a base for each of said plurality of arches, wherein each of said bases is precast, made of composite, and comprises:
 two pedestals, each comprising a top, a bottom, a height between said top and said bottom, and an inner and outer side; and 
 a lip on said inner sides of said tops of said pedestals; 
 wherein at least said tops of said pedestals are coated in fiberglass; and 
 wherein said base ends of said first ribs that form said at least one arch are securely affixed to said tops of said pedestals; 
 
 at least one fiberglass corrugated floor segment that rests on said lips of said pedestal; 
 wherein a recess is defined by said fiberglass corrugated floor and said height of said pedestals; and 
 two end panels sized and dimensioned to be sealable to one of said arches. 
   
     
     
         14 . The half-hexoid shelter structure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein a cross-section of each of said first ribs of each of said plurality arches comprises a convex half-hexagon shape and a base flange and a lip flange on either side of said convex half-hexagon shape; and
 said lip flanges of adjacent first ribs are sealable.   
     
     
         15 . The half-hexoid shelter structure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein each of said first ribs further comprises an inner layer comprised of copper mesh. 
     
     
         16 . The half-hexoid shelter structure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein a length of half of said span of said arch is between 1.1 and 1.5 times a length of said height of said arch. 
     
     
         17 . A hexoid shelter structure comprising:
 a plurality of second ribs joined together, wherein each of said second ribs comprises:
 a span extending between right and left end points; 
 a total height extending between a top end and a bottom end; 
 two curved top portions beginning at said top end of said second rib and extending away from said top end on either side, wherein each of said curved top portions approximately follow a curve of an ellipse having a major axis equal in length to said span of said second rib and a minor axis equal in length to half of said total height of said second rib, wherein the ellipse is superimposed such that the minor axis of the ellipse is over an upper half of said total height of said second rib; 
 two curved bottom portions beginning at said bottom end of said second rib and extending away from said bottom end on either side, wherein said curved bottom portions approximately follow a curve of an ellipse having a major axis equal in length to said span of said second rib and a minor axis equal in length to half of said total height of said second rib, wherein the ellipse is superimposed such that the minor axis of the ellipse is over a lower half of said total height of said second rib; 
 a left curved upper side portion ending at said left end point of said second rib; 
 a right curved upper side portion ending at said right end point of said second rib; 
 a left curved lower side portion ending at said left end point of said second rib; 
 a right curved lower side portion ending at said right end point of said second rib; 
 a left upper fillet blend section disposed between and joining one of said curved top portions and said left curved upper side portion and having a fillet blend radius; 
 a right upper fillet blend section disposed between and joining one of said curved top portions and said right curved upper side portion and having a fillet blend radius; 
 a left lower fillet blend section disposed between and joining one of said curved bottom portions and said left curved lower side portion and having a fillet blend radius; and 
 a right lower fillet blend section disposed between and joining one of said curved bottom portions and said right curved lower side portion and having a fillet blend radius; 
   wherein each of said second ribs has a hexoid shape;   
       a floor; and 
       two end panels sized and dimensioned to be sealable to one of said second ribs. 
     
     
         18 . A shelter structure comprising:
 a substantially watertight hull that is sized and dimensioned to accommodate at least one human;   wherein said hull is infused with a copper mesh having a sufficient number of strands per inch to withstand an electromagnetic pulse generated by a high altitude nuclear weapon detonation.   
     
     
         19 . The shelter structure as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said copper mesh comprises at least 12 strands per inch. 
     
     
         20 . The shelter structure as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising a thin layer of polyester within said copper mesh. 
     
     
         21 . The shelter structure as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said hull further comprises titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         22 . The shelter structure as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said copper mesh is disposed 0.06 inches from an inside surface of said shelter structure.