Structural member for a modular building

Abstract

A structural member for a building, the structural member comprising: at least two spaced apart sidewalls, each sidewall formed from at least one contoured metal sheet; and at least one connecting vertex through which the sidewalls are connected, each connecting vertex include at least one structural bend formed in at least one of the contoured metal sheets, the sidewalls being connected through the connecting vertex to form a structural span therebetween, wherein each structural bend is formed between a first sheet section and a second sheet section of the respective contoured metal sheet, the first sheet section and second sheet section being connected about a bend line with the first sheet section extending from the bend line at a selected angle relative to the second sheet section, and wherein the first sheet section has a contoured profile that is a symmetrical mirror of the contoured profile to the second sheet section about the bend line.

1 . A structural member for a building, the structural member comprising:
 at least two spaced apart sidewalls, each sidewall formed from at least one contoured metal sheet; and   at least one connecting vertex through which the sidewalls are connected, each connecting vertex include at least one structural bend formed in at least one of the contoured metal sheets, the sidewalls being connected through the connecting vertex to form a structural span therebetween,   wherein each structural bend is formed between a first sheet section and a second sheet section of the respective contoured metal sheet, the first sheet section and second sheet section   being connected about a bend line with the first sheet section extending from the bend line at a selected angle relative to the second sheet section,   and wherein the first sheet section has a contoured profile that is a symmetrical mirror of the contoured profile to the second sheet section about the bend line.   
     
     
         2 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one vertex includes at least two structural bends. 
     
     
         3 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vertex is formed between a first sheet section, an intermediary sheet section and a second sheet section of at least one contoured metal sheet, the first sheet section and intermediary sheet section being connected about a first bend line with the first sheet section extending from the bend line at a first angle relative to the intermediary sheet section, the intermediary sheet section being connected about a second bend line with the second sheet section with the intermediary sheet section extending from the bend line at a second angle relative to the second sheet section, and wherein the first sheet section is positioned relative to the second sheet section at a selected angle comprising the sum of the first angle and the second angle,
 and wherein the first sheet section has a contoured profile that is a symmetrical mirror of the contoured profile to the intermediary sheet section about the first bend line, the second sheet section has a contoured profile that is a symmetrical mirror of the contoured profile to the intermediary sheet section about the second bend line, and the contoured profile of the first sheet section is the same as the contoured profile of the second sheet section.   
     
     
         4 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein the selected angle between the first sheet section and the second sheet section of each structural bend is between 5 and 175°, preferably between 10 and 150°, and more preferably between 60 and 120°. 
     
     
         5 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls are connected about at least two vertices. 
     
     
         6 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls incorporate a roof structure formed between at least two, preferably at least three vertices. 
     
     
         7 . A structural member according to  claim 6 , wherein the roof structure comprises at least one of:
 a flat roof structure; or a peaked roof structure; or   a peaked roof structure having a vertex that includes at least one structural bend at the peak defining an angle between a first sheet section and a second sheet section of between 80 to 140°, preferably from about 90° to about 120°.   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls incorporate a roof structure formed between three of said vertices including at least one structural bend and the selected angle of the three structural bends respectfully comprising 135°, 90° and 135°. 
     
     
         10 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein each sidewall includes at least one vertically standing section relative to a surface across which the structural member spans. 
     
     
         11 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein the bend line is orientated 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the respective contoured metal sheet. 
     
     
         12 . A structural member  claim 1 , wherein each structural bend has a bend radius at the respective bend line of less than 5 mm, preferably less than 3 mm. 
     
     
         13 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein the structural member is comprised of:
 two or more connected contoured metal sheets; or   two or more parallel spaced apart contoured sheets, arranged to form a composite structure.   
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A structural member according to  claim 13 , wherein the composite structure comprises two or more parallel spaced apart contoured sheets sandwiching a spacer structure, and the spacer structure preferably comprises at least one of: insulative material, shaped metal sheet element, or wood reinforcement element. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein each contoured metal sheet is connected to an adjoining contoured metal sheet using a plurality of fasteners, preferably roofing fasteners. 
     
     
         18 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein the contoured profile of each metal sheet comprises a repeating cross-sectional shape that comprises repeating peaks and troughs, wherein the repeating peaks and troughs preferably form a curved wave form. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , wherein each contoured metal sheet comprises a corrugated metal sheet. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A structural member according to  claim 1 , further including a reinforcement structure attached to the contoured metal sheets comprising at least one elongate member that extends between the sidewalls, preferably at least one elongate bracing member. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A structural member according to  claim 23 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprises a framework attached to the contoured metal sheets. 
     
     
         26 . A module element for constructing a modular building, the modular element including at least one structural member according to  claim 1 , which preferably further including at least one of: reinforcement structure; wall cladding, ceiling cladding, flooring panels, and flooring structure. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A building comprising at least two connected structural members according to  claim 1 , or at least two connected module elements according to  claim 26 . 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled)