Structural joists and methods to manufacture the same

Abstract

A joist is disclosed. The joist includes a first leg portion, a second leg portion, and a central portion, wherein each of the first leg portion and the second leg portion define a first side, a second side, and a distal side, and one or more stiffeners defined within each of the first side, the second side, and the distal side of the first leg portion and the second leg portion.

1 . A method of producing a joist, comprising:
 bending an elongated metal plate in a first direction;   bending the elongated metal plate in a second direction opposite the first direction;   repeatedly bending the elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction until a first part of the joist is formed, the first part of the joist comprising a first leg portion defining a first side, a second side, and a distal side, wherein each of the first side and the second side define a first stiffener therein, and wherein the distal side defines two second stiffeners and two third stiffeners therein, each stiffener created by bending the elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 bending a second elongated metal plate in the first direction;   bending the second elongated metal plate in the second direction opposite the first direction;   repeatedly bending the second elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction until a second part of the joist is formed, the second part of the joist comprising a first leg portion defining a first side, a second side, and a distal side, wherein each of the first side and the second side define a first stiffener therein, and wherein the distal side defines two second stiffeners and two third stiffeners therein, each stiffener created by bending the second elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 connecting the first part of the joist to a central joist component at a first end; and   connecting the second part of the joist to the central joist component at a second end.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the connecting steps are performed using welds. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the connecting steps are performed using rivets. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the connecting steps are performed using nuts and bolts. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bending steps are performed to create the first part of the joist based upon information provided by software that has received a plurality of parameters and processed the same to generate a configuration of the first part of the joist. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 additionally bending the elongated metal plate to create an elongated central joist component; and   further bending the elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction until a second part of the joist is formed, the second part of the joist comprising a first leg portion defining a first side, a second side, and a distal side, wherein each of the first side and the second side define a first stiffener therein, and wherein the distal side defines two second stiffeners and two third stiffeners therein, each stiffener created by bending the second elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of repeatedly bending the elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction until a first part of the joist is formed is performed to define the two second stiffeners that have a depth different than that of the first stiffener. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of repeatedly bending the elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction until a first part of the joist is formed is performed to define the two third stiffeners that have a depth different than that of the two second stiffeners. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of repeatedly bending the elongated metal plate in the first direction and the second direction until a first part of the joist is formed is performed to define the distal side whereby a longest flat portion of the distal side is located at a relative middle of the distal side. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , performed without an increase in temperature.