Reinforced truss structure

Abstract

A truss structure for a scene for shows, wherein the truss structure is adapted for supporting equipment for scenes or stages. The truss structure consists to an elongated structure having four sides; and reinforcement members made of a single component, preferably a plate, that are secured to the sides of the elongated structure. The reinforcement members are covering a substantial portion of the sides of the truss structure, while comprising recesses distributed along the longitudinal edges of the reinforcement member for mounting a piece of equipment to the truss structure. The reinforcement members are enhancing rigidity of the truss structure and resistance of the truss structure to torsion or shearing forces.

1 . A truss structure for a scene for shows, the truss structure being for supporting pieces of equipment for scenes or stages, the truss structure comprising:
 an elongated structure having a plurality of sides; and   a reinforcement member, the reinforcement member secured to one of the plurality of sides of the elongated structure, the reinforcement member covering a substantial portion of the corresponding truss side,   wherein the reinforcement member is enhancing rigidity of the truss structure and resistance of the truss structure to torsion or shearing forces.   
     
     
         2 . The truss structure of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement member is embodied as a unitary plate. 
     
     
         3 . The truss structure of  claim 1 , wherein each reinforcement member has a planar surface. 
     
     
         4 . The truss structure of  claim 1 , wherein each reinforcement member includes a plurality of recesses along its edges, creating a plurality of void spaces suitable for attaching the pieces of equipment to the truss structure. 
     
     
         5 . The truss structure of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure comprises a plurality of longitudinal chords. 
     
     
         6 . The truss structure of  claim 5 , wherein the elongated structure comprises link chords coupling adjacent longitudinal chords and cross-link chords coupling non-adjacent longitudinal chords. 
     
     
         7 . The truss structure of  claim 6 , wherein the reinforcement member is secured to a plurality of the link chords. 
     
     
         8 . The truss structure of  claim 5 , wherein the longitudinal chords have a substantially cylindric profile comprising at least one non-protruding flat surface. 
     
     
         9 . The truss structure of  claim 1 , where the truss structure provides a substantially hollow conduit between the sides. 
     
     
         10 . A truss assembly for scenes or shows, comprising:
 an elongated truss structure having longitudinal chords and a plurality of sides extending between the longitudinal chords; and   reinforcement members comprising longitudinal edges, each one of the reinforcement members being secured along one of the plurality of sides of the truss structure such that each one of the reinforcement members is covering a substantial portion of a corresponding side of the truss structure, the reinforcement members comprising a plurality of recesses along their longitudinal edges to facilitate attachment of pieces of equipment to the truss structure,   wherein the reinforcement member is increasing resistance against torsion or shearing forces.   
     
     
         11 . The truss assembly of  claim 10 , wherein each reinforcement member is embodied as a unitary plate. 
     
     
         12 . The truss assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the truss structure comprises a plurality of cross-link chords coupling non-adjacent longitudinal chords. 
     
     
         13 . The truss assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the truss structure comprises a plurality of side-link chords coupling adjacent longitudinal chords. 
     
     
         14 . The truss assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the reinforcement members are superposed over at least part of the side-link chords. 
     
     
         15 . The truss assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the reinforcement members are riveted to the side-link chords. 
     
     
         16 . The truss assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the reinforcement members provide, over one of its longitudinal edge, a ratio of lengths of recesses over lengths of edges adjacent to the longitudinal chords of the truss structure of at least 1.25:1. 
     
     
         17 . The truss assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal chords have a generally cylindrical profile over more than 50% of its periphery, and a first flat side not protruding relative to the cylindrical profile of the longitudinal chords. 
     
     
         18 . The truss assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the longitudinal chords comprise a second flat side, wherein the first flat side and the second flat side distributed orthogonally relative to one another. 
     
     
         19 . A method for reinforcing a truss structure used in scenes or shows, comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated truss structure having a plurality of sides; and   securing reinforcement members, embodied as a unitary plate, to a plurality of the sides of the truss structure, the reinforcement members comprising two longitudinal edges and recesses distributed along these longitudinal edges,   wherein each one of reinforcement member covers a substantial portion of one of the sides, and wherein the recesses allow to secure pieces of equipment to the truss structure without compromising structural integrity of the truss structure.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the truss structure comprises chords, wherein the method further comprises the step of attaching the pieces of equipment to the truss structure by clamping the pieces of equipment onto one of the chords through one of the recesses.