Deflect-plate for wood construction frame

Abstract

A deflect-plate for a frame of a building includes a lower wall, an upper wall above the lower wall and in spaced apart facing relation with the lower wall, and a plurality of spring members connecting the lower wall to the upper wall. In some embodiments, a first one of the spring members deflects inwardly in response to a vertical force on the upper wall, and a second one of the spring members deflects inwardly in response to a vertical force on the upper wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A deflect-plate for a wooden frame of a building that includes a top-plate, the deflect-plate comprising:
 a lower wall configured to be secured to the top-plate of the wooden frame;   an upper wall above the lower wall and in spaced apart facing relation with the lower wall; and   a plurality of spring members connecting the lower wall to the upper wall, each spring member configured to deform in response to a force applied to the upper wall to limit deflection of the top-plate.   
     
     
         2 . The deflect-plate of  claim 1 , wherein each spring member is configured to deform from an uncompressed shape to a compressed shape in response to a compressive force applied on the upper wall, wherein the uncompressed shape does not extend beyond a volume bounded by the lower wall and the upper wall, and wherein the compressed shape does not extend beyond a volume bounded by the lower wall and the upper wall. 
     
     
         3 . The deflect-plate of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spring members include
 a first spring member configured to deform inwardly in response to a vertical force applied on the upper wall; and   a second spring member configured to deform inwardly in response to the vertical force applied on the upper wall.   
     
     
         4 . The deflect-plate of  claim 3 , wherein the first spring member includes a first planar portion connected to the lower wall and oriented at an angle with respect to a second planar portion connected to the upper wall, and the second spring member includes a first planar portion connected to the lower wall and oriented at an angle with respect to a second planar portion connected to the upper wall. 
     
     
         5 . The deflect-plate of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of spring members further includes a tubular portion, the tubular portion being connected to the lower wall by a first planar portion extending upwardly from the lower wall, and the tubular portion being connected to the upper wall by a second planar portion depending downwardly from the upper wall. 
     
     
         6 . The deflect-plate of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of spring members further includes a tubular portion, the tubular portion being connected to the lower wall by a first planar portion extending upwardly from the lower wall, and the tubular portion being connected to the upper wall by a second planar portion depending downwardly from the upper wall. 
     
     
         7 . The deflect-plate of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spring members includes a tubular portion, the tubular portion being connected to the lower wall by a first planar portion extending upwardly from the lower wall, and the tubular portion being connected to the upper wall by a second planar portion depending downwardly from the upper wall. 
     
     
         8 . The deflect-plate of  claim 1 , wherein the deflect-plate is made of a material comprising rubber. 
     
     
         9 . The deflect-plate of  claim 8 , wherein the rubber includes a dye. 
     
     
         10 . The deflect-plate of  claim 8 , wherein the rubber is at least one of an extruded rubber, a 3D printed rubber. 
     
     
         11 . The deflect-plate of  claim 10 , wherein the rubber includes a dye. 
     
     
         12 . The deflect-plate of  claim 8 , wherein the deflect-plate has nominal outer dimensions of one of:
 2 inches by 4 inches,   2 inches by 6 inches,   2 inches by 8 inches,   2 inches by 10 inches, and   2 inches by 12 inches.   
     
     
         13 . The deflect-plate of  claim 1 , wherein the lower wall of the deflect-plate is configured to be secured to a top-plate of a frame by at least one fastener. 
     
     
         14 . A deflect-plate for a wooden frame of a building that includes a top-plate, the deflect-plate comprising:
 a lower wall that is configured to be secured to the top-plate of the wooden frame;   an upper wall above the lower wall and in spaced apart facing relation with the lower wall; and   a means for dampening a force applied to the upper wall, the means being configured such that the means does not extend beyond a volume bounded by the upper wall and the lower wall due to the dynamic force.   
     
     
         15 . The deflect-plate of  claim 14 , wherein the means for dampening a force includes at least one spring member. 
     
     
         16 . The deflect-plate of  claim 14 , wherein the deflect-plate is made of a material comprising rubber. 
     
     
         17 . A wooden framing system comprising:
 at least one wooden stud;   at least one wooden bottom-plate;   at least one wooden top-plate, wherein each stud is oriented vertically between a single one of the wooden bottom plates extending horizontally at a lower end of the stud and a single one of the wooden top plates extending horizontally at an upper end of the stud;   at least one deflect-plate, each deflect-plate comprising:
 a lower wall configured to be secured to the top-plate of the wooden frame; 
 an upper wall above the lower wall and in spaced apart facing relation with the lower wall; and 
 a plurality of spring members connecting the lower wall to the upper wall, each spring member configured to deform in response to a force applied to the upper wall to limit deflection of the top-plate. 
   
     
     
         18 . The framing system of  claim 17 , wherein each spring member is configured to deform from an uncompressed shape to a compressed shape in response to a compressive force applied on the upper wall, wherein the uncompressed shape does not extend beyond a volume bounded by the lower wall and the upper wall, and wherein the compressed shape does not extend beyond a volume bounded by the lower wall and the upper wall. 
     
     
         19 . The framing system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of spring members in the at least one deflect-plate includes
 a first spring member configured to deform inwardly in response to a vertical force applied on the upper wall;   a second spring member configured to deform inwardly in response to the vertical force applied on the upper wall; and   a central spring member that includes a tubular portion, the tubular portion being connected to the lower wall by a first planar portion extending upwardly from the lower wall, and the tubular portion being connected to the upper wall by a second planar portion depending downwardly from the upper wall.   
     
     
         20 . The framing system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one deflect-plate is made of a material comprising a fire-rated rubber.