Patent Application
20210115675
The present disclosure generally relates to exterior wall building systems and more particularly the present disclosure relates to exterior wall panel apparatus, systems and methods, which aid in the rapid construction of manufactured homes and commercial buildings, and which replace traditional building materials, such as wood, brick, block, etc. with a full composite system and materials, such as a fiberglass base, to extend and increase the protective capabilities of traditional residential, industrial and commercial structures.
Manufactured housing, modular homes, and modular commercial buildings are forms of prefabricated building structures that are largely assembled in factories and then transported to the site for use. Originally, these forms of building structures were marketed to those looking for mobility with their home or business; however, during the 1950's these building structures began to be marketed as an inexpensive form of housing or office space designed to be set up and left in a location for long periods of time, or even permanently installed with a masonry foundation. Older manufactured homes and commercial buildings came with the negative stereotype of cheap manufacturing practices and the tendency to rapidly depreciate in value.
Although manufactured homes are generally designed for permanent installation at a housing site, they suffer from many of the foundational problems associated with mobile homes. Mobile homes supported by concrete blocks or jacks have always been highly vulnerable to damage or destruction by high winds even when tie-downs are used. The open space beneath mobile homes allows excessive air circulation which can cause drafts and a dangerous lifting effect in strong winds. Furthermore, the open space can allow trash to drift in and collect beneath the home, causing a health and fire hazard as well as an unsightly appearance.
Modern manufactured homes, modular homes and commercial buildings however escape the aforementioned negative stereotypes, and in some cases are identical in appearance to site-built homes and commercial buildings. The on-site construction of various building structures can be a long process for many home and commercial buyers alike. New technologies have reduced the time of construction while increasing the structural integrity of the home or commercial building.
Along those lines, construction panels made from wood or concrete slabs mounted to a metal frame are known in the art. U.S. Patent Application No. 2017/0138044 to Malakauskas et al., titled Prefabricated Panel For A Building, discloses a prefabricated building element configured to be connected to a lateral side of a prefabricated building structure for forming a part of a building such that the building element forms a wall or a roof slab or a floor slab of a building. The building element includes a wooden core arranged adjacent to at least one insulating layer, and at least one engagement means for later engagement with the prefabricated building structure by means of a connecting device, wherein the building structure is a prefabricated module or another prefabricated building element.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,467 to Schilger, titled Thin Shell Concrete Wall Panel, discloses a building panel fanned from a supporting steel frame attached to a concrete slab. The attaching mechanism that connects the steel frame to the concrete slab is part of the stud members. The flange of one side of the stud member is punched and modified in various shapes intending to act as an anchor when its entire side is embedded into the concrete slab. Because of the stud's flange embedment into the concrete, the panel is considered a composite panel where both the concrete layer and the steel frame play an important role in carrying load.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,884 also to Schilger, titled Building Panel Assembly, discloses a building panel with a supporting steel frame attached to a concrete slab. The attaching mechanism that connects the steel frame to the concrete slab is part of the stud members. The attaching device of this panel is not one long section extending one whole side of the stud member like the '467 patent detailed above, but the multiple connecting devices are the intermittingly punched and bent portions in the C-section stud's flange. The punched and bent sections can be L-shaped, V-shaped, and T-shaped sections that run parallel to the stud member and extend into the concrete slab, acting as the connecting devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,858 to Ruiz et al., titled Building Construction System, discloses intermittingly punched and bent sections in the stud's flange that have a different shape and bent direction. The protruding L-shaped is narrower and bent differently and the punched tabs are the connecting devices that are part of the stud member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,007 to Bodnar, titled Steel Stud And Precast Panel, discloses one entire side of the C-section stud that is punched and bent into one L-shaped flange, forming one long integrated attaching device to be embedded into a concrete slab. The differences in Bodnar are the openings in the embedded L-shaped junction flange and the large opening in the stud web area. The openings in the embedded junction flange are claimed to enable material to flow through and form a stronger concrete in the local region. The large openings in the stud web are meant to limit the thermal conductivity from one side to the other through reducing the thermal pathway or steel area in the stud web.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,601,763B2 to Bui, titled Fastener For Lightweight Concrete Panel And Panel Assembly, discloses a lightweight concrete panel which is comprised of a thin concrete slab, a standard stud frame that can be load-bearing or non-load-bearing that is well studded. Bui discloses optional insulation strips to increase thermal performance in exterior wall applications, and novel anchoring rivets with protruding head as the preferred concrete-to-frame connecting device. Other optional concrete-to-frame connecting devices can be the combination of ordinary blind rivets and bent steel brackets that act as concrete anchors or screws with elastic covering that connect the concrete slab to the metal frame.
The prior art wall panel designs are limited in many ways. Most, if not all of the disclosed panels require specially designed machinery to create the integrated connecting means, which can be expensive and complex. Also, these panels provide poor thermal performance based on the direct material contact between the metal thermally conductive stud flange and the exterior concrete slab. Further, these designs will probably not meet current International Building Code specifications in many parts of the country.
Thus, it can be seen that there is a need for exterior wall panel that facilitate the quick construction of manufactured homes and commercial buildings, and which replace traditional building materials with a full composite system and materials, such as a fiberglass base, to increase the protective capabilities of traditional residential, industrial and commercial structures.
The foregoing is intended only to illustrate the present technical field and background art and should not be taken as a limitation or disavowal of any claim scope.
The following summary of the disclosure is included to provide a basic understanding of certain aspects and features of the disclosure. The summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and as such, it is not intended to particularly identify key or critical elements of the disclosure or to define or limit the scope of the disclosure. The purpose of the summary is to present certain concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the detailed description of the disclosure presented below.
The present disclosure relates to exterior wall panel apparatus, systems and methods, which allow for the rapid construction of manufactured homes and commercial buildings, and which replace traditional building materials, such as wood, brick, concrete, block, etc. with a full composite system and materials, such as fiberglass, to provide improved protective capabilities over traditional residential, industrial and commercial structures.
The preferred and alternative embodiments provided herein relate to a structural building system. In particular, these embodiments relate to an exterior wall panel apparatus, system and the related methods thereof comprising a plurality of building materials of various shapes, sizes, and configurations, with the intent of being connected to one another and to other structures via connection elements to form a complete structure, as further described herein.
The present disclosure pertains to building structures that comprise a composite material, and in the preferred embodiment a fiberglass composite. This configuration reduces the weight of the exterior wall panel and improves the integrity of the structure by increasing the protective capabilities from the environment and increases the resiliency over that of standard residential and commercial structures that do not contain the disclosed wall panels.
The present disclosure allows for a substantial decrease in the amount of time to construct a structure, as compared to other methods known in the art. The lighter weight building material and integrated connections facilitate the construction and transport of the structure, while greatly increasing the structures resistance to wind damage and other environmental hazards. Additionally, due to the reduced weight, smaller construction equipment is required when assembling or constructing the structures described herein.
The present disclosure incorporates panels made from fiberglass ballistic armor plate sheathing, along with fiberglass composite studs. The panels are held in place with stainless steel screws to allow time for a composite epoxy to be applied on the vertical studs to bond the studs to the sheathing.
As understood by one having ordinary skill in the art, most epoxies are a two-step process, the epoxy is first combined with a hardener, then applied and allowed time to cure. The stainless steel screws hold the sheathing in place, and one cured, the epoxy creates an unbreakable bond between the composite studs and the composite ballistic armor plate sheathing. With this process, the unbreakable bond between the epoxied parts creates a sealed unit, which is very different than the connection made using wood or metal, as the sealed unit is better capable of addressing lateral stress on the system.
The present disclosure, in an embodiment, comprises a ventilation air gap in which air can flow up through the ventilation air gap, for example, into an attic or other space to be discharged through the attic's ventilation system.
The present disclosure, in an embodiment, comprises connectors or connector elements that are separate or integral with the wall panels and system to simplify the connection from one wall panel to another, or from one wall panel to a floor or ceiling. In an embodiment, at least one of the connection elements is a c-channel connector.
Additional objectives and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art after reading the specification in light of the drawing figures, however, the spirit and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
A complete understanding of the present embodiments and the advantages and features thereof will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
As stated herein, the objective of the present disclosure is to provide an improved exterior wall panel apparatus and system for improving the process of the building of a residential, industrial and/or commercial structure, along with the improvements to the stability and protection of that structure once built. The objective of the present disclosure is to further provide the improved methods for building and transporting the novel exterior wall panel, and building the entire structure using the novel wall panels.
The specific details of the preferred embodiment or to alternative embodiments described herein are to the described system. Any specific details of these embodiments are used for demonstration purposes only, and no unnecessary limitations or inferences are to be understood therefrom.
Before describing in detail exemplary embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of components and procedures related to the system. Accordingly, the system components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
In general, the embodiments provided herein relate to structural building systems and in particular to exterior wall panel apparatus and systems, and the techniques that greatly reduce the amount of time to construct a structure. The system allows for constructing the exterior wall panels at the factory before transporting to the site, transporting the exterior wall panels to the site for constructing on-site, or a combination of both, while increasing the structural integrity of the structure.
Additionally, the embodiments provided herein disclose the methods for manufacturing, transporting and building structures utilizing novel exterior wall panel apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure.
As used herein, the term “structure” relates to a building, which includes but is not limited to residential homes and industrial and commercial structures, which may include on-site or factory built homes and commercial buildings, premanufactured homes and buildings, mobile homes and buildings, modular homes and commercial buildings, and multi-unit homes or commercial buildings.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar features in the various views,
Each wall panel 12, 14, 16 is approximately 4′ by 8′, so the exterior wall panel system 20 made up of the first 12, second 14 and third 16 wall panels is 8′ by 12′. Accordingly, different size exterior wall panel systems 20 can be assembled from smaller exterior wall panels 10. The composite material front is located on the front side 22 of each exterior wall panel apparatus 10.
An epoxy 56 can be applied to the space between the top 54 of the exterior wall panel 10 and the ceiling joist 50. The epoxy 56 will also be placed between the back side 28 of the vertical composite stud 24 and the back side 58 of the composite material front 18. In the preferred embodiment, the epoxy 56 is a 3M Scotch—Weld Multi-Material Composite Urethane Epoxy.
An air gap 64 is located between the two composite heads 46 to allow air to circulate through and out of the vertical composite stud 24.
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In some embodiments, the exterior wall panel apparatus is constructed of a fiberglass composite 18. The fiberglass composite 18 is beneficial as it facilitates rapid assembly. Further, the wall panel system 20 includes a ventilation air gap 64 in which the composite head 46 provides a channel for air to flow up through the ventilation air gap 64, into an attic space (not shown) to be discharged through the attic's ventilation.
In some embodiments, the fiberglass composite 18 structure is highly resistant to wind damage and other common environmental damage such as earthquakes when compared to traditional systems known in the arts.
The present disclosure provides a process of determining uniform sizes for the exterior wall panels 10, as shown by example in
These sizes, along with other standard and custom sizes, facilitate the assembly of any size residential home or commercial building at a factory or on-site. These sizes also allow for easier transport to the job site, and require less effort when managing the exterior wall panels 10, whether at the job site or in the factory.
In order to manufacture the various size wall panels 10, specially designed construction tables 72 can be incorporated.
Further, a modified forklift truck with an extendable arm can be configured to pick up any size exterior wall panel 10, turn it over as needed to access both sides and all edges, stand the wall panel 10 up for easier access, and release it once it has been properly located and secured, greatly simplifies the manufacturing and construction process.
The present disclosure further includes a composite tongue system comprising fiberglass I beams in the preferred embodiment, with a secondary I beam inserted beneath the main beams for support. The tongue system was finished with a metal female hitch epoxied together. Additional L channels ran the length of the beams to help secure the beams to the trailer. Anti-twist brackets assisted in stabilizing the beams.
Additionally, the present disclosure provides for quick attach additions to decrease assembly time for the residential or commercial buildings. These quick attach additions include, but are not limited to, master closets and bathrooms, guest rooms, laundry rooms and/or offices, which could be delivered and attached to the building with little or no re-construction needed. The additions are configured to be connected or “hooked” into or on an existing building.
Likewise, a utility unit is disclosed that would “hang” on the end of the building. These utility units include, but are not limited to, heating and air conditioning units, hot water units, even electrical and pumps can be configured to be attached to the outside of the building, and configured to be all in one unit, to increase the interior space of the building. By placing these utility devices outside, any repair or replacement of the unit can be done from the outside, eliminated any mess or disruption by having those that repair the units outside the building. The same process could be used for solar panels, and multi-fuel generators, which may be used where those services may not be available. As such, these units can stand alone or be powered as necessary without reconfiguring the building utilities once it is built.
To the extent there is a need for concrete walls in a particular design, the present disclosure allows for a separate wall, for example 2′ by 6′, and using L brackets to allow for a 2-3″ slurry coat of concrete to be poured into the wall during manufacturing or construction at the factory. This process provides the advantages of both the composite material and concrete, although it adds to the weight of the wall panels 10.
With this disclosure, modular units can be coupled together to build stand-alone hospitals quickly as needed for emergencies (or for permanent construction). For example, eight to twenty modular units can be assembled quickly anywhere in the world in emergency situations, where traditional brick and mortar or steel buildings would cost too much and take too much time to build.
Additionally, the present disclosure allows for break-down storage units to be shipped flat and constructed on site. These temporary storage units could offer temperature control, electricity, and protection from exterior elements and environments, and be bullet proof, if necessary.
Reference throughout the specification to “various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “one embodiment,” or “an embodiment”, or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in one embodiment,” or “in an embodiment”, or the like, in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Further, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined, in whole or in part, with the features structures, or characteristics of one or more other embodiments without limitation given that such combination is not illogical or non-functional. Although numerous embodiments of this disclosure have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure.
All directional references (e.g., plus, minus, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the any aspect of the disclosure.
As used herein, the phrased “configured to,” “configured for,” and similar phrases indicate that the subject device, apparatus, or system is designed and/or constructed (e.g., through appropriate hardware, software, and/or components) to fulfill one or more specific object purposes, not that the subject device, apparatus, or system is merely capable of performing the object purpose. Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements and relative movement between elements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure as defined herein in the appended claims.
Any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated materials does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.
Many different embodiments have been disclosed herein, in connection with the above description and the drawings. It will be understood that it would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to describe and illustrate every combination and sub combination of these embodiments. Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any way and/or combination, and the present specification, including the drawings, shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of all combinations and sub combinations of the embodiments described herein, and of the manner and process of making and using them, and shall support claims to any such combination or sub combination.
An equivalent substitution of two or more elements can be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element can be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements can be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination can be directed to a sub combination or variation of a sub combination.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present embodiment is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 62/885,707, filed Aug. 12, 2019, entitled STRUCTURAL BUILDING SYSTEMS, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as though fully set forth herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62885707 | Aug 2019 | US |
