Apparatus For Providing An Interlocking Thermoplastic Building Blocks

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for providing

Description

SPECIFICATION

The present disclosure is generally related to the construction industry and more specifically the home, garage and small building industry, though the referenced Thermoplastic block may find many other structural uses. The disclosure is designed to highlight the advantages of the Thermoplastic block design versus the existing cement block designs.

The Thermoplastic Building block is designed to be injection molded utilizing recycled plastic from a waste stream, this may include some percentage of virgin materials to be utilized as necessary to help maintain structural requirements.

The use of Thermoplastic materials provides a substantial benefit in inherent insulating properties versus the common cinder block that has been used in construction for many years.

The advantage of injection molding process allows for the incorporation of “molded in” shapes that allow easier construction and alignment of the blocks by unskilled labor. The use of screw attachment device, as well eliminates the need for mixing mortar, as is the case with cinder block construction. The skill of “laying” block level and square as would normally be the case with cinder block construction is virtually eliminated with the new Thermoplastic block design and screw attachment.

Lastly, the interlocking capability of the blocks provides a more secure wall structure due to not only interlocking block to block but wall to wall. If additional structural stability or superior water proofing is required, a polymer adhesive may be added to the block perimeter contact areas.

BACKGROUND

A typical cement block construction consists of cement blocks and mortar to chemically and somewhat mechanically attach the blocks together. This cement block design has been used for many years with good success but does have inherent limitations as far as lack of sufficient mechanical attachment, inherent insulating capabilities, water resistance and ease of construction. Additionally the block and mortar attachment is inherently sensitive to moderate vibrations and tends to fail drastically under off-center compressive loads. The weak mechanical attachment of the mortar to block creates a brittle failure mode in the system.

The cinder block as well is a poor thermal insulator due to the material used in construction but as well because of the porous construction process of the block itself and therefore it's hygroscopic properties. Many improvement methods over the years have been identified and utilized to overcome these problems, but with little success basically due to the base material and process utilized.

Structural integrity typically has been managed by pouring the core of the block cavity with concrete and reinforcing with metal rod within the open column created in the inherent design. Additional cost is also created in this concrete cavity pouring process to manage the lack of structural integrity in the mortar to block design. A better mechanical attachment would be a good improvement in this design. The initial problem here is the brittle nature of the cinder block itself, relative to attaching any mechanical devices.

In order to overcome the thermal insulating problems the industry typically attaches a Styrofoam board between the cinder block wall and the earthen barrier. Prior to attaching the foam board the block must be water proofed, usually with a rolled or sprayed on pitch type material inclusive of a layer of thick polyurethane film. If any portion of the wall is above ground the wall should only require painting with a water-proofing material. All of the aforementioned methods of remedy add additional cost to the wall structure.

The cinder block method itself is considered a skilled method of construction as the existing cinder block construction provides for no self aligning features (other than it's rectangular geometry) and therefore must rely on the skill of the laborer to assure X, Y and Z alignment. This demands rigorous site preparation and great attention to squareness and level detail during the construction process and mixing and applying of mortar to the construction joint.

In summary, while most of the short comings of the standard cinder block construction can be addressed, all require excessive additional cost in materials and man hours. Most of the aforementioned solutions for the cinder block method of construction are considered a necessary remedy and not a solution to the root cause of the problem. Thus a heretofore-unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for providing an improved building block. The disclosure provides a block made from recycled or new thermoplastic materials, or other, that will provide superior insulating properties and thereby possibly utilize materials that would normally be designated to a land fill for disposal or to be burned for energy creation. The disclosed product will create a useful and greatly beneficial product while eliminating harmful disposal processes from the normal waste stream. This waste stream will now be closed circuit in process, as any required disposal of the disclosed block will allow said blocks to be re-ground and re-processed into new blocks, thereby providing a closed loop system of disposal.

The new block design also provides for a plurality of openings in the block design to lighten the block as well as provide for structural integrity. These openings can be aligned vertically in the block design so as to provide a column area for material to be poured into or injected as may be the case to reinforce the wall structure as well as to provide a path or void to further increase insulating capabilities of the block and therefore the wall.

These vertical voids may also be utilized to enhance wiring installations and HVAV capabilities within the wall structure. This will allow quicker and less costly installations of both wiring and HVAC components.

The new block design provides for interlocking capabilities from block to block, layer to layer and wall to wall via an Interlocking Post and screws. This Post will not only mechanically interlock the block system but will as well mechanically hold the block in position via a metal screw. This screw mechanically attaches the Post to the blocks or other substrate beneath it, whether it be wood, concrete, poly block or other via threads designed into the screw. The Post design provides for a geometric shape similar to wings on each side of the Post to provide an interlocking mechanism between two blocks and as well a downward geometric interference to hold the blocks in position once the screw has been installed. No glue, adhesive or filler of any type is necessary to build the wall with this system. Any glue, adhesive or fillers of any type would only be used as an additional option to make the wall more water resistant or increase strength, which may or may not be required depending on the application. Most importantly, the new Poly Block system has no requirements to mix mortar and no special skills required to install the cinder block as is required with the existing cinder block system.

The present disclosure provides for a much easier and quicker installation of the Poly Block wall system due to the geometric alignment features built into the block via the upper spline located in the top of the block and the reciprocating cavity located into the bottom of the block. The corner blocks as well are manufactured in 90 degree angle sections to provide for accurate corner to corner assembly without the need for pre-layouts with laser or other surveying equipment. And additionally, no need to constantly measure the wall structure for vertical acccuracy due to the spline and cavity geometric feature maintaining these dimensions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects for the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, greater emphasis being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. As well, in the drawings like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus for providing an improved building block system as disclosed herein. This block to be referenced to in the future as a “FULL SIZED BLOCK”.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus for providing an improved building block system as disclosed herein. This block to be referenced to in the future as a “CORNER BLOCK”.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus for providing an improved building block system as disclosed herein. This block to be referenced to in the future as a “HALF BLOCK”.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus for providing an improved building block system as disclosed herein. This block to be referenced to in the future as a “HALF CORNER BLOCK”.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus for providing an improved building block system as disclosed herein. This block to be referenced to in the future as an “INTERLOCKING POST”.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the “Mechanical Screw” provided to anchor and hold the block sub assemblies and components together. This component to be referenced to in the future as an “Attaching Screw”

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the partial assembly of the apparatus for providing an improved building block system as disclosed herein. This block to be referenced to in the future as “Enlarged View Interlocking Section”.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Having summarized the main aspects of the present disclosure, reference can now be made in detail to the description of the disclosure as illustrated in the drawings. While the disclosure will be described within these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which is a perspective view of an apparatus for providing an improved building block system. This system is comprised of FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The assemblies and sub-assemblies of these components can be used in any manner compatable with the geometry of the design. These component blocks share common design intents to allow them to be stackable, interlocking, self aligning and mechanically attachable to each other, not excluding other obvious design intentions. The rectangular shape should also be interpreted as capable of having a square, rectangular, or trapezoidal shape as well as others as may be re necessary.

The block design incorporates a female interlocking shape and attachment design 100, at each end of the block to allow a unique interlocking and mechanical holding of block to block attachment. The block are held together via a mechanical screw assembly provided in FIG. 5 of the embodiment that fits uniquely within 100 the female design embodiment. This unique design also allows for superior holding and attachment of one wall to opposite directional wall, thereby allowing block to block and layer to layer and wall to wall supporting attachment. In addition to this mechanical screw attachment. The blocks may also be additionally held together and further waterproofed with adhesive compatable with the polymer based materials. The adhesive properly applied to upper and lower perimeter surfaces prior to installation of the block and subsequent attachment of screws will securely hold the assembly in place while allowing the glue to dry. The proper installation of adhesive will make the wall water resistant as the polymer material itself is inherently resistant to water. Additionally, waterproofing repairs can as well be made from the outside of the wall after the wall is stacked and screwed into place. Best Manufacturing Practices should as well be implemented for best results.

Reference is now made to the vertical cavities 102 designed into the block thus allowing the lightening of the block vs. a conventional concrete block without sacrificing any structural strength. These cavities also provide a path to pour concrete into vertical columns after the walls have been stacked. Here again, the design of the screwed together block system will provide adequate strength in most cases to allow pouring without additional internal or external “wallforms” being fabricated, thereby saving considerable time and material. These PolyBloks, at approximately half the weight of a concrete block will be greatly appreciated by the industry as half the weight equates to considerable savings in shipping costs.

One of the most revolutionary capabilities of the design eliminates the need for mixing mortar and skilled labor to create a wall structure. The unique system utilizes a male spline and female corresponding cavity design 101, which allows the accurate alignment of the blocks. This spline/cavity design as well provides for additional centerline mass as well as a structurally capable area to attach screws for holding the blocks. The spline/design also plays into the overall design by creating a barrier for blocking wind and moisture. The design should as well minimize any extreme failure modes such as splintering/cracking and total failure of the wall. The wall structure is designed to perform better in earthquake situations relative to it's superior failure mode characteristics and mechanical attachment capabilities. While the design is not limited to the aforementioned polymer material, the ability to injection mold the recycled or virgin material vs. other materials is a critical advantage in the performance as well as the economics of the PolyBlok design.

In further reference to the design, FIG. 2 depicts all of the aforementioned design characteristics mentioned in reference of FIG. 1. In addition, this right angle geometry of the corner block FIG. 2, provides an accurate 90 degree right angle corner for the wall. This feature also eliminates any measuring or special layout for accurate wall

CLAIMS

It should be emphasized that the above described embodiments of the present disclosure, particularly the illustrated embodiments, are merely examples of possible implementations to help determine a better understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications to these embodiments may be made to this disclosure without departing from the spirit and principles of this disclosure.

All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.

Claims

1) A new apparatus of a construction block FIG. 1, that is designed to utilize recycled plastic material in part or in whole. The geometry of the structural block may be in the form of a rectangular box as depicted in FIG. 1, of or in other shapes such as square cubes, parallelogram cubes or other shapes as required. The apparatus is designed to repurpose what would normally be waste stream plastic material (and other) for use as a natural insulator for an injection molded structural block. The aforementioned other materials could possibly be chemical additives (to make it more fire retardant), fiber additives, such as glass fibers or carbon fibers to make the block stronger and less resistant to polymer creep. Once the recycled material is repurposed into this closed loop system, blocks can be continuously reground into new material and remolded into blocks. It should be mentioned here, as well, that the described embodiments in no way are intended to limit the use of materials, plastic or other, in fact the reverse is true. New design applications will require the use of different geometry, possibly different base materials, both new and used, such as other plastics, steel, wood, man-made fibers, etc.

2) The apparatus of claim 1, further provides openings 102, to be molded into the structural block that will allow the block to be much lighter in weight, while maintaining adequate structural integrity. These molded openings 102, as well provide for an open column when blocks are stagger-stacked, thus providing a vertical column opening for concrete or other reinforcement to be poured or additional insulation to be added.

3) The apparatus of claim 1, further provides for these vertical openings, 102 to serve as new options as paths for electrical wiring, heating and air conditioning systems to be routed, constructed and assembled. As these openings, 102 are molded into each block, the open paths naturally provided by molding eliminate the need for technicians to cutaway what would be existing structural wall fabrication in either wood form or concrete form to create a path for wiring, HVAC or other. This new method creates an obvious major times savings, and therefore dollar savings for these services to be installed. This new method insulates and protects the service components within the wall by enclosing them within the boundaries of the block and said openings, 102 molded into the block.

4) The apparatus of claim 1, further provides for a spline and cavity self alignment system, 101 molded into the structural blocks. A spline and corresponding bottom cavity, FIG. 2, 103 apparatus not only aligns the blocks in construction process but provides a unique positioning and anchoring mechanism for the screw. Furthermore, this spline, 101 design arrangement provides a critical surface to mechanically anchor the block together with the Interlocking Post, FIG. 5 and typical industry metal screws designed for use in plastic materials. This top spline and bottom cavity, 101 and 103 geometry in the block design serve as functional wind and moisture barrier on both the top and bottom surfaces of the blocks. These surfaces, 101 and 103 are molded directly into the structural blocks for strength, ease of assembly and accurate placement of the blocks.

5) The apparatus of claim 1, further provides for a molded in “T” shaped cavity 100, interlocking apparatus to mechanically hold structural blocks together as well as interlock one wall to a connecting perpendicular wall at the wall corners. This “T” shaped cavity, 100 molded into each end (lengthwise) of the block provides for connection of these structural blocks devoid of any special industry skills as is now required for cinder block and mortar construction. Time and labor savings are a direct result of this alignment and attachment system, along with other obvious construction saving techniques that are not available today in cinder block construction. This system is uniquely stronger than conventional cinder block wall construction, is easier to construct and mechanically attaches block together rather than relying heavily on a rather weak chemical attachment and mechanical attachment.

6) The apparatus of claim 6, further provides for an “Interlocking Post”, FIG. 5 that interlocks and holds block to block and wall to wall via the geometry of the molded in cavities, 100 incorporated into individual blocks at each end and the corresponding shape molded into the Interlocking Post. The Interlocking Post, FIG. 5 also fills the vertical cavity left when two blocks are positioned “end to end” for construction, thereby eliminating voids and cracks that would normally allow air and moisture to penetrate through the wall at the joining location.

7) The apparatus of claim 6, further provides for a vertical thru hole and counter-bored shape into the Interlocking Post, 502 “molded in” to access the attachment of a metal screw or other and to attach and anchor the Interlocking Post to the molded in cavity shape of the blocks. This creates a sturdy mechanical attachment at each end of the blocks lengthwise but as well anchors a block layer to the layer below it.

8) The apparatus for claim 6, further provides for the designed continuation of the Interlocking Post spline shape to match the geometry of the splines and cavities, 102 molded into the blocks, This design geometry is intended as well to minimize wind and moisture penetration through the wall. As a final precaution, adhesive caulking can be installed into the block joint assembly, either prior to or after stacking of the blocks. Here again, it should be emphasized that the above described embodiments of the present disclosure, particularly the illustrated embodiments, are merely examples of possible implementations to help determine a better understanding of the principles of the disclosure.

9) The apparatus of claim 6 further provides for wing shaped out-board structures, FIG. 5, 500 molded into the main body of the Interlocking Post, FIG. 5. These wing shapes, for lack of a better term, allow the post to attach and hold two blocks 100, together in the X and Y positions and in alignment.

10) The apparatus of claim 6, further provides surfaces and geometry to hold two blocks together in the Z position by utilizing the bottom surface of the wing structure of the Interlocking Post. A permanent holding of the Interlocking Post, FIG. 5 in the X,Y,Z position is accomplished by the mechanical attaching screw.

11) The apparatus of claim 6, further provides for a thru hole, 502 in the Interlocking Post, FIG. 5, that is vertically positioned in the center of the block. This thru hole, 502 is counter-bored near the top of the Interlocking Post, FIG. 5 and is located centrally within the post to allow the mechanical screw, FIG. 6 to apply equal force from the bottom of the winged structure, 501 and as well centrally position and hold the blocks via the molded in cavities, 100 via a force from the screw, FIG. 6.

12) The apparatus of claim 12, further provides for a designed metal screw, FIG. 6 to mechanically attach (via threads in the screw) and hold in position the Interlocking Post, FIG. 5, and thereby hold and position the blocks via their injection molded cavities, 100.

13) The apparatus of claim 6 further provides for a designed and injection molded barrier structure FIG. 5, in the top of the block designed to restrict any wind, moisture or other contaminants from penetrating the wall structure. This barrier, 503 is designed to be of a common height as adjacent block splines, 101 thereby continuing the interlocking and aligning spline, 101 geometry through the block system.