Geodesic Patents

 

Since R. Buckminster Fuller received his first patent in 1954 many other geodesic-related patents were applied for and issued. Even Fuller received another patent for an improved geodesic dome in 1965. Many of the patents relate to hub connectors for metal but mainly timber geodesic domes.

 

 

 

About patents

Generally a patent is valid for 20 years but the clock starts ticking from the moment you file it with the patent office. If you are awarded the patent 2 years later you have 18 years left to exploit it exclusively. The 20 year patent is a non-provisional patent. You can also receive a “provisional patent” good for a year.

Non-provisional: application establishes filing date of your patent application and the examination process by the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) begins.

Provisional: establishes your filing date and expires automatically after a year. Used for when one is not ready for the regular examination process. Also allows “Patent Pending” to be applied to the invention.

The list below is far from complete but it will give you a good idea of what inventors filed to patent. Links are to Google Patents.

Patent description Issued/Filed Patent Number
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION (FULLER GEODESIC DOME) 29-Jun, 1954 2682235
SELF-STRUTTED GEODESIC PLYDOME (FULLER) 22-Sep, 1959 2905113
SYNERGETIC BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 30-May, 1961 2986241
TENSILE-INTEGRITY STRUCTURES 13 Nov, 1962 3063521
GEODESIC STRUCTURES (FULLER) 3 Aug, 1965 3197927
COLLAPSIBLE RETICULAR STRUCTURES 4-Mar, 1971 3766932
Dome joint structures 07-Jan-72 3635509
Dome joint 26-Dec-72 3810342
Modular dome structure 01-Jun-76 3959937
Hub for geodesic dome framework construction 09-Nov-76 3990195
Dome construction method 28-Feb-78 4075813
Domical structure 06-Jun-78 4092810
Dome structure and method of construction 10-Jul-79 4160345
Universal hub for geodesic domes 25-Mar-80 4194851
Hub and strut system for geodesic domes 20-May-80 4203265
Method of making metal beam for geodesic dome 02-Dec-80 4236473
Geodesic dome connector 21-Apr-81 4262461
Clustered geodesic structures 28-Apr-81 4263758
Complementary geometric modules 19-Jan-82 4310994
Connector hub 25-Jan-83 4370073
Junction plate 24-May-83 4384801
Geodesic dome-type building structure 27-Dec-83 4422267
Junction plate 12-Feb-85 4498800
Connector for geodesic dome 1 Mar 1982 4491437
Connector unit for geodesic dome frame strut 16-Apr-85 4511278
Portable shelter 24-Sep-85 4542759
Ledger hanger for geodesic domes 28-Jan-86 4566818
Combined truss strut and hub connector for dome structures 03-Jun-86 D284103
Ledger hanger for geodesic domes 03-Jun-86 4566818
Large span dome 16-Sep-86 4611442
Geodesic mold house 24-Mar-87 4651478
Dome-shaped building structure 26-Jan-88 4720947
Geodesic dome and method of making 08-Mar-88 4729197
Vaulted dome structure 30-May-89 4833843
Spiral helix tensegrity dome 20-Feb-90 4901483
Interconnected hexagonal building structures 18-Feb-92 5088245
Polyhedron building system 27-Jul-93 5230196
Joint-adapter for doubly curved lattice girders 21-Mar-95 5398475
Geodesic igloo constructor 12 Mar 1996 5497974
Modular construction for a geodesic dome 13-May-97 5628154
Child’s play shelter Jun 29, 1999 5916097
Prefabricated portable tornado shelter 28-Nov-00 6151841
Portable greenhouse structure and method 31-Dec-02 6499260
Interconnecting plate system 14-Jan-03 6505451
Geodesic dome connector 26-Jul-83 4395154
Hub for geodesic dome framework construction 12-Apr-83 3990195
Joint for geodesic dome 13-Jan-81 4244152
Connector for geodesic dome ]structures 28-Sep-10 7802404
Hub for geodesic dome construction 23-Feb-84 4534672
Connectors for geodesic dome structures 07-Aug-84 4464073
Geodesic domes and improved joints therefor 07-Dec-99 5996288
GEODESIC DOME STRUCTURE 22-Apr-69 3439460
Jig for precise measurement of panels for geodesic 12-Feb-80 4187613
Spherical dome 08 – Mar 2011 7900405
DEFORMABLE TUBULAR RODS WITH DEFORMABLE SHEET MATERIAL CONNECTORS Filed 9 Apr 1973 3830011
Geodesic dome assembly joint Filed 6 Jun 2002 App 10163906
Hub for geodesic dome construction Filed 13/06/2007 App 11762449

 

 

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