BOLTLESS CONNECTION DEVICE FOR UPPER AND LOWER MODULAR BEAMS OF STEEL STRUCTURE MODULAR BUILDING

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure pertains to the field of upper and lower modular beam connection technology, particularly to a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building.

BACKGROUND

Modular steel structure building systems are attracting industry attention due to their distinct advantages over conventional building structures. These advantages include rapid construction with shorter project timelines; factory-based prefabrication, which ensures quality control, minimizes resource waste, and significantly reduces carbon emissions; as well as the ability to conduct interior finishing work such as laying internal pipelines and mounting equipment can be performed in advance, thereby significantly shortening the overall building construction period.

The modular steel structure building represents a new structural system, which involves dismantling the building structure into separate modular units, with each room serving as one such unit. Firstly, these modular units are produced industrially in a factory; secondly, they are transported to the construction site; finally, the modular units are connected together to form an overall building through a reliable connection.

The manner among the modular units will directly affect the overall load-bearing capacity, stiffness, seismic behavior, mounting efficiency, and design approach of the modular steel structure buildings.

At present, inter-module connections in modular steel structure buildings are predominantly achieved through welding or bolting at beam-column joints. This conventional method poses several challenges. Firstly, the beams connecting upper and lower modules are required to bear vertical loads (such as dead and live loads) as well as horizontal loads (wind and seismic forces), whereby the strength and stiffness of the connecting joints are critical to overall structural stability. Secondly, the connection between these upper and lower modular beams needs to withstand the composite action of bending moment, shear force, and axial force; conventional welded or bolted joints can easily form weak links. Furthermore, alignment errors that may occur during on-site module mounting can lead to connection failures, often necessitating compensatory reinforcement in the design to accommodate such deviations. Long-term dynamic loads (e.g., wind-induced vibrations) or environmental corrosion can degrade joint performance, so it is necessary to enhance the local fatigue resistance. Welding suffers from low construction efficiency, tends to generate residual stress in the heat-affected zone, and requires stringent field-work conditions. Bolt connections, reliant on pre-tightening force and precise hole alignment, often exhibit insufficient seismic ductility, making them prone to slippage or fracture under major seismic events. As modular construction extends to high-rise applications (e.g., exceeding 30 stories), requirements for joint stiffness and lateral displacement resistance rise significantly. Additionally, in earthquake-prone areas, connection joints are further required to possess ductile energy-dissipation capacity, which is difficult to meet with traditional rigid connections.

SUMMARY

An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, to address the problems existing in the above-mentioned welding or bolt connection of the upper and lower modular beams.

In order to achieve the above objective, the present disclosure provides a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, the device includes a modular beam reinforcement structure, a large gear, a pinion gear bolt, an elongated pressure block, a gear sliding plate and a push-pull sliding plate;

• • the modular beam reinforcement structure is a monolithic C-shaped channel structure, and two symmetrically arranged sliding grooves are provided on a side surface of the monolithic C-shaped channel structure;
  • the large gears are arranged oppositely on an inner side surface of the modular beam reinforcement structure, are connected to the modular beam reinforcement structure by bolts, and are symmetrically distributed on the modular beam reinforcement structure;
  • the pinion gear bolts are arranged at upper and lower relative positions of the modular beam reinforcement structure, and are symmetrically arranged upper and lower on the modular beam reinforcement structure, the pinion gear bolts are connected to the modular beam reinforcement structure in a threaded manner, and form a gear transmission fit with the large gears;
  • the elongated pressure blocks are provided with two, and each is fixedly connected to the pinion gear bolts which are symmetrically arranged upper and lower through bolts, and the two elongated pressure blocks are relatively moved under the drive of the pinion gear bolts;
  • the gear sliding plate and the push-pull sliding plate are arranged on both sides of a side surface of the modular beam reinforcement structure, respectively, the push-pull sliding plate is slidably connected to the sliding groove of the modular beam reinforcement structure, the gear sliding plate and the large gear form a gear transmission fit, and the gear sliding plate and the push-pull sliding plate are fixedly connected by bolts.

In some embodiments, in the above-described boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, the large gear and the pinion gear bolt are fitted through the gear transmission, and a diameter of the large gear is larger than a meshing end diameter of the pinion gear bolt to form a reduction transmission structure.

In some embodiments, in the above-described boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, the upper and lower surfaces of the inner side of the modular beam reinforcement structure are provided with inward threaded grooves corresponding to positions of the pinion gear bolts, and a bolt end of the pinion gear bolt is matched with the threaded grooves in a threaded manner, to rotate and drive the elongated pressure block to extrude to a middle part of the modular beam.

In some embodiments, in the above-mentioned boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, an axial displacement compensation space is arranged inside the large gear, so that when the pinion gear bolt drives the elongated pressure block to move, a displacement deviation is generated without failure.

In some embodiments, in the above-mentioned boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, the bolt connection holes of the gear sliding plate and the push-pull sliding plate are all standard prefabricated holes, thereby eliminating the need for on-site drilling.

In some embodiments, in the above-mentioned boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, a construction method of the connection device for upper and lower modular beams is as follows:

• • hoisting the upper module directly above the lower module, and placing the assembled connection device for upper and lower modular beams at the upper and lower modular beams through a preliminary alignment of positioning pins at ends of the upper and lower modular beams;
  • moving the push-pull sliding plate to drive the gear sliding plate to mesh with the large gear to rotate, and arranging the large gear and pinion gear bolt in a transmission configuration, thereby driving the pinion gear bolt to rotate;
  • when the pinion gear bolt rotates, matching the bolt end with the threaded groove inside the modular beam reinforcement structure to drive the upper and lower symmetrical elongated pressure blocks to move synchronously to the middle part of the modular beams; and
  • forming relative forces on the upper and lower modular beams through the upper and lower symmetrical elongated pressure blocks, thereby achieving the connection of the upper and lower modular beams, and finally confirming that all components are mounted in place.

Therefore, the present disclosure adopts a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, and has the following beneficial effects:

• • (1) boltless extrusion-type connection: the elongated pressure block is extruded to the middle part of the modular beams driven by the pinion gear bolt to form a tight mechanical interlock, which replaces the conventional single-point stress mode of bolts and welding, and can effectively resist the combined effect of bending moment, shear force and axial force, thus preventing the joint from forming a structural weak point. Gear-driven load transmission enhancement: the reduction transmission structure of the large gear and the pinion gear bolt (the diameter of the large gear is larger than the meshing end diameter of the pinion gear bolt) can amplify the extrusion torque. This action produces a stable, continuous compressive force from the elongated pressure block, which improves nodal stiffness and bearing capacity, thereby meeting the lateral displacement resistance requirements for joints in high-rise modular buildings.
  • (2) The displacement compensation space designed inside the large gear allows the pinion gear bolt to adapt to a certain degree of alignment deviation during the movement of the elongated pressure block, thereby avoiding connection failure caused by on-site mounting errors, which in turn reduces the additional cost of reinforcement design.
  • (3) Fully prefabricated standardized design: the bolt connection holes of all components (including the modular beam reinforcement structure, gear sliding plate, push-pull sliding plate, etc.) feature standardized prefabricated holes. This eliminates the need for on-site drilling or welding, thereby avoiding issues of residual stress in the welding heat-affected zone, reducing on-site labor time and manual error, and satisfying the requirements for high efficiency and low carbon emissions inherent to industrial prefabrication. Non-welded connection: by abandoning conventional welding processes, this approach addresses the issues of low welding efficiency and high operating requirements. It further avoids the impact of welding defects on joint performance, thereby enhancing quality controllability.
  • (4) Compared with the point contact inherent in bolted connections, the surface contact stress mode between the elongated pressure block and the modular beam effectively disperses stress concentration under dynamic loads (e.g., wind-induced vibrations), mitigates local fatigue damage, and enhances the joint's service life. Furthermore, the non-rigid connection structure (achieved through gear transmission and sliding compensation) can dissipate energy via controlled deformation during major seismic events, thereby avoiding the slippage or fracture in bolted connections, improving the joint's ductile energy dissipation capacity, and fulfilling the seismic performance requirements of earthquake-prone areas.
  • (5) By adopting factory prefabricated production, on-site resource waste and carbon emissions are reduced, a practice which aligns with the national objectives for low-carbon and green building construction. Furthermore, the structure featuring symmetrically distributed gear bolts and elongated pressure blocks is adaptable to standardized modular units. This adaptability facilitates the rapid alignment and connection of upper and lower modules, thereby shortening the overall construction timeline.

Further detailed descriptions of the technical scheme of the present disclosure can be found in the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overall structural schematic diagram of a connection device for upper and lower modular beams of an embodiment of a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a split structure of a gear sliding plate and a push-pull sliding plate with a modular beam reinforcement structure of an embodiment of a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a detailed schematic diagram of a large gear and a pinion gear bolt of an embodiment of a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a pinion gear bolt of an embodiment of a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a connection between a connection device for upper and lower modular beams and a modular beam according to an embodiment of a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a connection between a large gear and a pinion gear bolt of an embodiment of a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a threaded groove of an embodiment of a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an overall structure after connecting a connection device for upper and lower modular beams with a modular beam according to the embodiment of a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building according to the present disclosure.

Reference numerals in figures: 1, a modular beam reinforcement structure; 11, a sliding groove; 12, a threaded groove; 2, a large gear; 3, a pinion gear bolt; 4, an elongated pressure block; 5, a gear sliding plate; 6, a push-pull sliding plate; 7, a modular beam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The following provides a detailed explanation of the above technical solution in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments described in the specification. Apparently, the described embodiments are only some but not all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without involving any creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are intended solely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “said,” and “the” used in the embodiments of the present disclosure and the attached claims are also intended to include plural forms, and unless the context clearly indicates another meaning, “multiple” generally includes at least two.

Further clarification is needed: the terms “including,” “contains,” or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion. Accordingly, goods or devices comprising a series of elements not only include those elements but also encompass other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such goods or devices. Unless further restrictions are specified, elements qualified by the phrase “including one . . . ” do not preclude the presence of additional identical elements within the goods or devices containing the aforementioned elements.

The present disclosure provides a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building, the device includes the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, the large gear 2, the pinion gear bolt 3, the elongated pressure block 4, the gear sliding plate 5 and the push-pull sliding plate 6;

• • the modular beam reinforcement structure 1 is the monolithic C-shaped channel structure, and two symmetrically arranged sliding grooves 11 are provided on the side surface of the monolithic C-shaped channel structure;
  • the large gears 2 are arranged oppositely on the inner side surface of the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, are connected to the modular beam reinforcement structure 1 by bolts, and are symmetrically distributed on the modular beam reinforcement structure 1;
  • the pinion gear bolts 3 are arranged at upper and lower relative positions of the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, and are symmetrically arranged upper and lower on the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, the pinion gear bolts 3 are connected to the modular beam reinforcement structure 1 in a threaded manner, and form the gear transmission fit with the large gears 2;
  • the elongated pressure blocks 4 are provided with two, and each is fixedly connected to the pinion gear bolts 3 which are symmetrically arranged upper and lower through bolts, and the two elongated pressure blocks 4 are relatively moved under the drive of the pinion gear bolts 3;
  • the gear sliding plate 5 and the push-pull sliding plate 6 are arranged on both sides of the side surface of the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, respectively, the push-pull sliding plate 6 is slidably connected to the sliding groove 11 of the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, the gear sliding plate 5 and the large gear 2 form the gear transmission fit, and the gear sliding plate 5 and the push-pull sliding plate 6 are fixedly connected by bolts.

Specifically, the modular beam reinforcement structure 1 adopts a monolithic C-shaped channel structure, offering enhanced reinforcement capabilities. This design improves the stability and load-bearing capacity of the modular beam. Simultaneously, the prefabricated sliding grooves 11 within the structure provide tracks for subsequent sliding devices, thereby ensuring the sliding functionality and precision of the connection devices.

In order to further optimize the above technical solution, the large gear 2 and the pinion gear bolt 3 are fitted through the gear transmission, and the diameter of the large gear 2 is larger than the meshing end diameter of the pinion gear bolt 3 to form the reduction transmission structure.

It should be noted that the large gear 2 is positioned on the inside surface of the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, engaging in gear transmission with the pinion gear bolt 3. Since the diameter of the large gear 2 is larger than the meshing end diameter of the pinion gear bolt 3, the system avoids instability caused by excessive movement during transmission, while providing a high control precision.

In order to further optimize the above technical solution, the upper and lower surfaces of the inner side of the modular beam reinforcement structure 1 are provided with inward threaded grooves 12 corresponding to positions of the pinion gear bolts 3, and the bolt end of the pinion gear bolt 3 is matched with the threaded grooves 12 in a threaded manner, to rotate and drive the elongated pressure block 4 to extrude to the middle part of the modular beam 7.

Specifically, the rotational motion generated by the large gear 2 via a gear transmission fit drives the pinion gear bolt 3, which in turn drives the elongated pressure blocks 4 to move synchronously. The pinion gear bolt 3 is matched with the threaded groove 12 on the inside of the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, enabling precise control over the pushing action of the elongated pressure blocks 4.

In order to further optimize the above technical solution, an axial displacement compensation space is arranged inside the large gear 2, so that when the pinion gear bolt 3 drives the elongated pressure blocks 4 to move, a displacement deviation is generated without failure.

It should be noted that during gear transmission, displacement of the pinion gear bolt 3 may cause axial deviation. To address this issue, an axial displacement compensation space is designed inside the large gear 2. This compensation space ensures that displacement deviations generated by the pinion gear bolt 3 when driving the elongated pressure block 4 will not cause transmission failure, thereby ensuring stable operation of the device. The elongated pressure block 4 is connected to the pinion gear bolt 3. Through the rotation of the pinion gear bolt 3, the elongated pressure block 4 is pushed to move along the middle part of the modular beam 7. The synchronized movement design of the elongated pressure block 4 ensures uniform pressure distribution between the upper and lower modular beams, thereby achieving a stable connection for the modular beam 7. The design of the elongated pressure block 4 enables uniform pressure application, preventing deformation or loosening caused by non-uniform forces, thus enhancing the overall structural stability.

In order to further optimize the above technical solution, the bolt connection holes of the gear sliding plate 5 and the push-pull sliding plate 6 are all standard prefabricated holes, thereby eliminating the need for on-site drilling.

Specifically, the gear sliding plate 5 is engaged in gear transmission with the large gear 2, ensuring that the rotation of the large gear 2 can be accurately transmitted to the pushing devices of the elongated pressure block 4. The gear sliding plate 5 is capable of effectively controlling the movement of the pressure block by combination with the large gear 2. The push-pull sliding plate 6 is connected to the sliding groove of the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, allowing the push-pull sliding plate 6 to move freely along the track, the meshing angle of the gear sliding plate 5 can be flexibly adjusted, thereby controlling the rotation of the large gear 2. The combination of the push-pull sliding plate 6 and the gear sliding plate 5 can work together so that the entire connection process becomes accurate and efficient.

In order to further optimize the above technical solution, the construction method of the connection device for upper and lower modular beams is as follows:

• • the upper module is directly hoisted above the lower module, and the assembled connection device for the upper and lower modular beams is placed at the upper and lower modular beams through the preliminary alignment of positioning pins at ends of the upper and lower modular beams;
  • the push-pull sliding plate 6 is moved to drive the gear sliding plate 5 to mesh with the large gear 2 to rotate, and the large gear 2 and pinion gear bolt 3 are arranged in a transmission configuration, thereby driving the pinion gear bolt 3 to rotate;
  • when the pinion gear bolt 3 rotates, the bolt end is matched with the threaded groove 12 inside the modular beam reinforcement structure 1 to drive the upper and lower symmetrical elongated pressure blocks 4 to move synchronously to the middle part of the modular beams 7; and
  • the relative forces are formed on the upper and lower modular beams through the upper and lower symmetrical elongated pressure blocks 4, thereby achieving the connection of the upper and lower modular beams, and finally confirming that all components are mounted in place.

Working principle: the positioning pins at the ends of the upper and lower modular beams provide preliminary alignment, ensuring the accurate relative position of the connection device and the modular beam and reducing subsequent adjustment difficulty. Then an external force drives the push-pull sliding plate 6 to move horizontally along the sliding groove 11. The gear sliding plate 5 moves synchronously with the push-pull sliding plate 6, its tooth profile meshing with the large gear 2 and forcing the large gear 2 to rotate about its fixed shaft. The large gear 2 drives the pinion gear bolt 3 to rotate. The bolt end of the pinion gear bolt 3 engages with the threaded groove 12 inside the modular beam reinforcement structure 1, causing it to move axially as it rotates. This axial movement drives the upper and lower symmetrical elongated pressure blocks 4 to synchronously extrude toward the middle part of the modular beam 7. Through this bidirectional pressure, the elongated pressure blocks 4 tightly clamp the upper and lower modular beams, forming a mechanical connection that requires no bolt holes and relies on friction and extrusion forces to transfer load. Standard prefabricated holes and the symmetrical structural design together ensure component mounting accuracy, minimize on-site processing steps, and fulfill the “factory prefabrication+rapid on-site assembly” requirements of modular construction.

Therefore, the present disclosure adopts a boltless connection device for upper and lower modular beams of a steel structure modular building of the above structure, the elongated pressure block is extruded to the middle part of the modular beams driven by the pinion gear bolt to form a tight mechanical interlock, which replaces the conventional single-point stress mode of bolts and welding, and can effectively resist the combined effect of bending moment, shear force and axial force, thus preventing the joint from forming a structural weak point. Gear-driven load transmission enhancement: the reduction transmission structure of the large gear and the pinion gear bolt (the diameter of the large gear is larger than the meshing end diameter of the pinion gear bolt) can amplify the extrusion torque. This action produces a stable, continuous compressive force from the elongated pressure block, which improves nodal stiffness and bearing capacity, thereby meeting the lateral displacement resistance requirements for joints in high-rise modular buildings. The displacement compensation space designed inside the large gear allows the pinion gear bolt to adapt to a certain degree of alignment deviation during the movement of the elongated pressure block, thereby avoiding connection failure caused by on-site mounting errors, which in turn reduces the additional cost of reinforcement design.

The design employs full prefabrication and standardization, wherein the bolt connection holes of all components (including the modular beam reinforcement structure, gear sliding plate, push-pull sliding plate, etc.) feature standardized prefabricated holes. This eliminates the need for on-site drilling or welding, thereby avoiding issues of residual stress in the welding heat-affected zone, reducing on-site labor time and manual error, and satisfying the requirements for high efficiency and low carbon emissions inherent to industrial prefabrication. Non-welded connection: by abandoning conventional welding processes, this approach addresses the issues of low welding efficiency and high operating requirements. It further avoids the impact of welding defects on joint performance, thereby enhancing quality controllability.

Compared with the point contact inherent in bolted connections, the surface contact stress mode between the elongated pressure block and the modular beam effectively disperses stress concentration under dynamic loads (e.g., wind-induced vibrations), mitigates local fatigue damage, and enhances the joint's service life. Furthermore, the non-rigid connection structure (achieved through gear transmission and sliding compensation) can dissipate energy via controlled deformation during major seismic events, thereby avoiding the slippage or fracture in bolted connections, improving the joint's ductile energy dissipation capacity, and fulfilling the seismic performance requirements of earthquake-prone areas.

By adopting factory prefabricated production, on-site resource waste and carbon emissions are reduced, a practice that aligns with the national objectives for low-carbon and green building construction. Furthermore, the structure featuring symmetrically distributed gear bolts and elongated pressure blocks is adaptable to standardized modular units. This adaptability facilitates the rapid alignment and connection of upper and lower modules, thereby shortening the overall construction timeline.

Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely used for describing the technical solutions of the present disclosure, rather than limiting the same. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the preferred examples, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present disclosure may still be modified or equivalently replaced. However, these modifications or substitutions should not make the modified technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present disclosure.