The invention generally relates to the installation and placement of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural components, architectural components, insulation and insulation access voids within panelized wall systems. More particularly, the invention relates to means and methods of analyzing building and architectural plans to produce printing upon studless panel walls, traditional panel walls and other construction components to guide in the placement of construction components.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,477,790 granted to Khanzode et al on Oct. 25, 2016 discloses a computerized system for placing building components within traditional stud wall framing. Neither Khanzode, or the other known prior art, provide means or methods for placement of construction components within hollow wall construction or studless wall construction. Thus, there is a shortfall in the art, especially after considering the benefits of hollow wall construction.
The superior qualities of studless load bearing hollow wall systems or other wall systems using hollow assemblies between panels or other types of panels are well documented and discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,161,697 (the '697 patent) issued to McDonald on Apr. 24, 2012.
The disclosed embodiments overcome shortfalls in the related art by presenting an unobvious and unique configuration and use of specialized database systems mapped to unique exterior and interior wall construction configurations, to produce hollow wall construction panels and traditional panels bearing printed placement, specification indicia, and instruction, the printed placement indicia used for the artful placement and attachment of construction components upon the panels. The database(s) comprises but is not limited to one or more of the following: architectural plans, structural plans, electrical plans, plumbing plans, mechanical plans, media and security plans, et cetera, along with residential or commercial building code requirements, parts and inventory listings and more.
Disclosed systems include means and methods of printing a partial, or full, floor plan upon an exposed face of a panel and the printing of indicia upon exposed wall surfaces as well as on the unexposed or cavity surfaces of panels. The printing of relative panel location speeds construction as construction workers are not required to decipher formal construction plans that are often not readily available. The use of hollow wall construction presents new challenges or new opportunities in the efficient placement of interior wall components such that the unexposed or cavity surfaces of panels become useful in component placement. In traditional stud wall construction, the interior surfaces of walls or exterior pieces of plywood are less useful, as studs and/or blocking prevent the seamless horizontal running of pipes, wires and other components. Thus, the presently disclosed embodiments are especially novel in that they enable new construction efficiencies presented by the relatively new art of hollow wall construction.
Disclosed systems overcome shortfalls in the art by providing for the artful placement of access holes used for filling walls with insulation. Disclosed systems calculate void volume within walls such that proper amounts of insulation may be prepared and scheduled.
Disclosed systems further the advances made in hollow wall construction by use of specialized database systems and computer systems wherein constraints of building materials, construction geometry, component interactions, building codes, sequences of construction and other factors influence the placement of component indicia upon panel walls. Disclosed embodiments overcome shortfalls in the art by producing unique outputs that include floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sheets, track plans, instructions, assembly details, composite parts lists and the physical printing of useful markings upon panel surfaces. System outputs include panels marked with component placement indicia that speeds up the construction process and further enables component placement upon interior or cavity surfaces of exterior walls, a location not well utilized in traditional construction.
Disclosed embodiments overcome shortfalls in the art by economically producing panels that are machine cut via Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) and machine printed, with such printing vitiating the need for construction workers to read and interpret traditional construction plans and/or to cut wood products at the construction site where level and stable cutting tools can be difficult to prepare. The disclosed embodiments help to shorten construction time and reduce labor costs and the need for on-site skilled labor as window, door, electrical and plumbing voids, pre-drilled fastener voids and the panels themselves are cut in a factory using CNC machines run by trained technicians. The panels for an entire building may be printed upon, cut and prepared for shipment in advance of site preparation, thus avoiding delay in onsite construction. Moreover, the disclosed panel design, marking and cutting allows for panels to be efficiently stacked and transported to a construction site.
Disclosed embodiment overcome shortfalls in the art by use of database systems, processors and non-transitory storage media to create a pre-plan using predefined databases and then refining the pre-plan by use of user defined databases or accepting input from local engineers, building officials and others to customize both the design and fabrication of the panels to comport with specific construction site conditions and local building rules.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the associated drawings.
The following detailed description is directed to certain specific embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in a multitude of different ways as defined and covered by the claims and their equivalents. In this description, reference is made to the drawings wherein like parts are designated with like numerals throughout.
Unless otherwise noted in this specification or in the claims, all of the terms used in the specification and the claims will have the meanings normally ascribed to these terms by workers in the art.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application.
The term “hollow wall” construction includes construction that contains one or more traditional framing members or construction components between or near the panel wall systems contemplated by the disclosed embodiments.
The term “studless construction” includes near studless construction that may comprise various construction components between the panels of the disclosed embodiments. The term may also include the use of panel stiffeners that may reach 50 to 100 percent of the panel height.
Referring to
Referring back to
Referring to
The relative placement of panels is show in
Disclosed printing and cutting systems include the use of single or double panel is laid horizontally as floor framing, not just as sheathing.
Referring to
Disclosed databases or modules include MEPI and MAP information on mass timber wall sections wherein a wall may be comprised of a single wall panel, that is comprised of wood layers laminated together. The mass timber panel being composed of wood layers laminated together using adhesive, dowels (wood or metal), or fasteners such as nails, screws, bolts), or bamboo layers laminated by these means, or a combination of wood and bamboo. Embodiments may include multiple pieces across the width of the panel, one or more layers through the thickness of the panel. Either all layers in the same direction, or layers alternating direction 90 degrees through the thickness.
Disclosed databases or modules include MEPI or MAP information applied to various forms of floor sheathing. Disclosed floor sheathing and floor sheathing systems include Floor sheathing of either a typical construction, or a bamboo-wood hybrid panel that allows for less framing in the floor.
Disclosed databases or modules include MEPI or MAP information include inventory modules or databases that record or otherwise track of panel and stiffener parts based on various characteristics, including structural properties, coating options, length, thickness, pre-cut options. Such embodiments that save CNC cut time in such tasks as edge profiling (where CNC time capacity is a large bottleneck in pre-fabrication currently), visual grade, fire properties, acoustic properties.
An inventory module also retains portions of panels that are left after a part is cut from them for a project, where the inventory information includes the dimensions of the remaining shape along with the original properties.
Disclosed embodiments include an inventory module and storage system where the number of distinct panel types with varying combinations of panel properties can excel the number of storage bays or storage bins, and the system optimizes the storage locations and retrieval of inventory based on the frequency of use, and forward looking project needs.
Inventory databases, rules or modules may include an inventory system having an inventory of a large number of properties that are chosen from, the CNC stage of the process also has the capability to revise the base properties of the panel, where this would reduce storage locations and retrieval time of specific panel types, reduce waste from cutting down stock lengths of panels, eliminate time anticipating future inventory requirements:
A. Can take a continual length of end jointed panels and use a sawing operation to cut panels to the length needed for the part;
B. Can have a tenoner operation that adds specific profiles to the edges and ends of the panel to match the part (which saves time over CNC cutting these profiles).
C. Can add fastener patterns that match pre-designated profiles, without having to use a CNC controlled printhead, which saves time.
D. Can add defect filling and patching if the part requires a certain surface quality.
E. Can add coatings to panels that need to have specific coatings, like fire coatings, coatings that add ease of painting (like primers or paper coatings), weather resistive barriers, vapor barriers.
F. Moreover, the inventory databases and/or inventory control modules may, 1) receive input of locations of existing inventory, command a robot or direct other means of transport of needed existing inventory for cutting, processing or assembly; 2) create or modify a product or component that is already partially or fully assembled with additional properties or attributes by the addition different input materials and/or cutting of the work in progress.
A panel or other object being constructed by a CNC cutter/printer or other assembly or cutting, or printing system may be referred to as a “work piece.” The disclosed embodiments include production runs of panels and other end products. During a production, a work in progress or work piece may be modified on the fly or as part of a preplanned production run. Such a modification of a work piece may include adding length to a panel, adding paper pieces or other modifications. Such modifications may be implemented by commutation and commands and material transport by the inventory control module, computer system, robotic system or other means of transport.
Furthermore, the inventory control module may be in communication with the computer system with the computer system receiving input to modify a work piece already constructed or in a CNC cutter/printer or other assembly or cutting or printing system. Thus, during an assembly or construction run of panels or other components, the inventory control module may cause different input materials to be added or subtracted from a panel or other workpiece. For example, a panel may be in the process of construction, and a last-minute change order may occur wherein a sheathing of paper or other modification is needed. Moreover, different variables to a work piece may be seamlessly added as the disclosed systems provide needed materials to the CNC cutter/printer or other assembly system.
An input of framing rules 220 may comprise data pertaining to building codes, design and engineering construction and part lists. A framing design and plan 240 may be produced and result in preliminary plan output pertaining to a preliminary framing map 410.
Framing rules, databases or modules may include processing also optimizes the part cutting order for palletizing the material in the correct order, so that when the parts arrive at the job site they are offloaded in an order for faster installation.
Disclosed databases or modules include framing capabilities such that the structural and architectural plans can feed the system design loads and other wall requirements and the system chooses wall panels from the inventory database that can meet the various properties outlined in the inventory module.
Framing rules, databases or modules may include
Printing and cutting may be performed on a floor framing or sheathing panel. The location of the wall panels may be printed on the floor panels, or grooves could even be cut in the floor panels for wall panels to fit into.
Printing and cutting may be used to create voids air pressure or vacuum or for the entry of insulation.
Disclosed databases or modules include an instruction system that that interfaces with the framing module and the operators to indicate which parts to use.
Disclosed databases or modules include a quality control system that interfaces with the inventory module and shop drawing module to keep long term records of manufacturing information for each panel placed in a project.
Disclosed database or modules include construction indicia systems wherein the indica can also add information such as product labeling, quality control tracking information, location specific labeling that is linked to a shop drawing module for installation ease, printing location of structural fasteners, or mechanical fastening devises such as clips, straps, hangers and others, which are used to attach other structural members to the panels in the two panel system, or in the mass timber panel, or other type of panel.
Disclosed databases or modules include an instruction system or construction module linked to the CNC cutting/fabrication system that gives real-time updates of cutting status and updates on shipping estimates.
Detailed component information 300 may also be processed by the system to derive a preliminary Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Insulation (MEPI) Map 430. Preliminary plan output 400 may comprise a preliminary framing map 410 and preliminary a MEPI Map 430. The preliminary plan output 400 may be used in or revised by a conflict check and resolution system 450. After a counterparty review 470, a final plan output 500 may be produced by the system and be used to create outputs 550. Such outputs may include floor, wall, track plans, panel cut sheets, wall sections, composite parts list, pallet lists, pallet loading order and pallet placement plan. An advantage of the disclosed embodiments over the known prior art, is the system's ability to accept secondary input after a counterparty review.
System outputs may also include the production of machine executable instructions which are delivered to a specialized computer system wherein the machine readable instructions create a transformation in matter in the form of cut and printed panels and framing. The transformation in matter of the disclosed embodiments may include the cutting of panels with panels sometimes comprising bamboo products, the creating of blocking components 1000 that may be configured to be disposed between an outer panel and an inner panel. The novel integration between construction plans generated and execution of the plans by CNC machines, sometimes specially purposed, creates panels ready for onsite assembly. Embodiments may add posts and full height framing in addition to hollow wall with stiffeners, as required construction documents or construction requirements.
Panel Stiffeners
The disclosed systems also overcome shortfalls in the related art by specifying and providing wall stiffeners that do not run continuously from a mudsill to a top plate which is in contraction to the related art. The wall or panel stiffeners may be disposed in a vertical orientation, may be secured to both outer and inner panels and the panel stiffeners reduce deflection of the panels while defining interior voids used for accepting horizontal placement of electrical wire, plumbing and other components contained between the studless walls. The disclosed embodiments provide an improvement to studless wall construction by the machine design, machine construction panel stiffeners that reduce panel defection while supporting the horizontal disposition of electrical wire and plumbing without onsite cutting and while facilitating the unimpeded application of blown in insulation. Panel stiffeners may be comprised of bamboo products.
The disclosed embodiments overcome shortfalls in the art by the automated design and cutting of insulation fill voids 870, see
Various figures depict an exterior wall instantiation for ease of illustration. But, the disclosed embodiments are equally applicable and useful with interior walls without the inside/outside panel run orientation.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while steps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps in a different order. For example, while the example above was of an exterior dual panel wall system, equally valuable instantiations include interior wall systems, floor and subfloor systems and roof systems. The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not only the systems described herein. The various embodiments described herein can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the detailed description.
All the above references and U.S. patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and concepts of the various patents and applications described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.
This utility application is a Continuation in Part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/523,106 filed on Nov. 10, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 17523106 | Nov 2021 | US |
Child | 18074816 | US |