Cold formed beam for structures and method of forming the cold formed beam

Abstract

A cold formed beam formed from a single sheet of steel having an upper member and a lower member (e.g., square, rectangular, other shape) separated by a web. The web may include stamped apertures and/or embossments around at least a portion of the stamped apertures. The cold formed beam may include beam connections that operatively couple the ends of the steel sheet used to form the beam to a portion of the beam (e.g., the web). The beam connections may by interference connectors formed from deformation of two or more layers of beam (e.g., clinching, or the like). Among other benefits, forming the cold formed beam from a single sheet, stamping of the web, and/or the using deformation connections (e.g., clinching, or the like) of the ends of the sheet allows for the pre-coating (e.g., galvanized, painting, or the like) of the sheet before the forming.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cold-formed beam comprising:
 an upper member;   a lower member; and   a web between the upper member and the lower member;   wherein the upper member, the lower member, and the web are formed from forming a sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The beam of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is a single sheet that is rolled to form the upper member, the lower member, and the web. 
     
     
         3 . The beam of  claim 1 , wherein upper member comprises an upper web flange that extends over at least a portion of the web. 
     
     
         4 . The beam of  claim 3 , wherein the lower member comprises a lower web flange that extends over at least a portion of the web. 
     
     
         5 . The beam of  claim 4 , wherein the upper web flange is operatively coupled to the web and the lower web flange is operatively coupled to the web through the use of a plurality of beam connectors. 
     
     
         6 . The beam of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of beam connectors comprise:
 an interference connector formed by deforming a portion of the upper web flange and the web, and a portion of the lower web flange and the web.   
     
     
         7 . The beam of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of beam connectors comprise:
 welding the upper web flange to the web and the lower web flange to the web, or assembling fasteners through the upper web flange and the web and the lower web flange and the web.   
     
     
         8 . The beam of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of beam connectors are formed between a range of 2 inches to 24 inches along the length of the beam. 
     
     
         9 . The beam of  claim 1 , wherein the upper member or the lower member comprises:
 a square member or a rectangular member.   
     
     
         10 . The beam of  claim 9 , wherein the square member or the rectangular member comprises:
 a first flange extending from the web;   a second flange extending from the first flange;   a third flange extending from the second flange; and   a fourth flange extending from the third flange;   wherein a web flange extends from the fourth flange over at least a portion of the web.   
     
     
         11 . The beam of  claim 1 , wherein the web comprises:
 a plurality of stamped apertures extending through the web.   
     
     
         12 . The beam of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of stamped apertures comprise circular apertures. 
     
     
         13 . The beam of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of stamped apertures comprise triangular apertures, square, or diamond apertures. 
     
     
         14 . The beam of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of stamped aperture comprise polygonal apertures. 
     
     
         15 . The beam of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the web around the plurality of stamped apertures comprise at least one embossment. 
     
     
         16 . The beam of  claim 1 , wherein the upper member comprises and upper extension member on at least one end, wherein the upper extension member extends past the web. 
     
     
         17 . The beam of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 at least one seat support operatively coupled to the at least one upper extension member.   
     
     
         18 . A structural system, the system comprising:
 a plurality of support members;   a plurality of cold formed beams, wherein the plurality of cold-formed beams comprise:
 an upper member; 
 a lower member; and 
 a web between the upper member and the lower member; 
 wherein the upper member, the lower member, and the web are formed from forming a sheet; 
   wherein ends of the plurality of cold formed beams are operatively coupled to two of the plurality of support members.   
     
     
         19 . The structural decking system of  claim 18 , wherein the sheet is a single sheet that is rolled to form the upper member, the lower member, and the web. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a cold formed beam, the method comprising:
 rolling a steel sheet to form an upper member, a lower member, and a web between the upper member and the lower member;   stamping the web to form a plurality of apertures in the web; and   forming a plurality of beam connectors between an upper flange and the web and a lower flange and the web.