Patent Grant
7803466
I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to expandable panel structures and methods of manufacturing such structures. Although not limited to a single field of use, expandable panel structures are particularly well-suited for use in the architecture and construction industries.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional structural approaches in the architecture and construction industries generally include rectangular frames, each frame having generally horizontal upper and lower beams, and generally vertical end beams connecting respective distal ends of the upper and lower beams. A plurality of substantially vertical studs may be fixed to the upper and lower beams, provided at spaced intervals between the two vertical end beams. Panels or sheathing, such as sheet rock, drywall, and gypsum board, are then fixed to the combination of upper and lower beams, end beams, and studs to define an internal wall. Alternatively, materials such as siding, brick, or the like are fixed to the frame to define an external wall.
Conventional materials and construction, however, suffer from many drawbacks. For instance, construction of each frame and attachment of the studs thereto generally must be performed at the construction site. This process is slow, labor-intensive, and often subject to weather and labor problems. The process also is subject to relative imprecision in comparison to prefabricated methods. As a result, conventional construction approaches are relatively slow, expensive, and inefficient. Moreover, the volume of materials that must be shipped to the job site to build according to standard practices occupies a relatively significant amount of space in transport vehicles used for the job. The resulting number of trips required to transport all of the necessary materials to the job site further adds to the overall job time, complexity, and cost.
It would be advantageous to provide, for instance, an expandable panel construction approach that can be easily manufactured and assembled, in a modular and cost-effective manner, in any one of a limitless variety of different configurations.
The advantages and purposes of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Moreover, the advantages and purposes of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
One aspect of the invention provides a panel structure including a sheet of material configured to move between a nonexpanded position, where the sheet of material forms a substantially flat shape, and an expanded position, where the sheet of material forms a substantially stepped shape. The panel structure includes a first side segment formed in the sheet of material and having an outer leg and an inner leg configured to allow the first side segment to bow when the sheet of material moves from the nonexpanded position to the expanded position. The panel structure further includes a second side segment formed in the sheet of material and having an outer leg and an inner leg configured to allow the second side segment to bow when the sheet of material moves from the nonexpanded position to the expanded position. The panel structure still further includes at least one inner segment formed in the sheet of material and having a first leg and a second leg configured to allow the inner segment to bow when the sheet of material moves from the nonexpanded position to the expanded position. The panel structure still further includes at least one spacer configured to maintain the sheet of material in the expanded position.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of forming a wall structure including providing a panel having a substantially planar portion having front and rear surfaces, right and left side edges, and first and second distal ends, with a central portion defined midway. The method includes forming a plurality of spaced parallel apertures through the panel portion from the front surface to the rear surface so as to define a pair of first and second panel surfaces facing each other. The method further includes pulling the panel in opposite directions by the right and left side edges, thereby spreading apart the panel along each cut, with the panel portions between the cuts bending apart to define front and rear planes. The method still further includes securing the panel in its expanded position and affixing sheathing to at least one of the front and rear planes of the panel.
Another aspect of the invention provides an expandable panel structure comprising a substantially planar portion having front and rear surfaces, right and left side edges, and first and second distal ends, with a central portion. The expandable panel structure includes a plurality of spaced parallel cuts penetrating the panel portion from the front surface to the rear surface. The plurality of spaced parallel cuts includes a first plurality of cuts spaced a predetermined distance apart, each cut of the first plurality of cuts extending from the first distal end to an aperture provided in the panel at a position spaced away from the central portion toward the first distal end, thereby defining a first plurality of apertures aligned with one another. The plurality of spaced parallel cuts further includes a second plurality of spaced parallel cuts, each cut of the second plurality of cuts extending from the second distal end to an aperture provided in the panel at a position spaced away from the central portion toward the second distal end, thereby defining a second plurality of apertures aligned with one another, each respective cut in the second plurality of cuts being substantially aligned with a corresponding cut in the first plurality of cuts. The plurality of cuts further includes a third plurality of cuts spaced from one another between the aligned first and second pluralities of cuts, each cut of the third plurality of cuts extending between an aperture of a third plurality of apertures and an aperture of a fourth plurality of apertures, the third and fourth pluralities of apertures being spaced inward from the first and second distal ends toward the central portion, each of the cuts defining a pair of edges that face each other. The expandable panel structure is configured to expand by moving the right and left side edges in opposite directions so as to spread apart portions of the panel along each cut and bend the panel portions between the cuts apart to define front and rear planes.
Another aspect of the invention provides a panel structure including a panel assembly having a pattern of cuts, a pattern of grooves, and a pattern of apertures. The pattern of cuts, pattern of grooves, and pattern of apertures are configured to move the panel assembly between a nonexpanded position, where the panel assembly forms a substantially flat shape, and an expanded position, where the panel assembly forms a substantially stepped shape. The panel structure further includes a support structure configured to fit within at least one of the pattern of grooves of the panel assembly and maintain the panel assembly in the expanded position.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,
Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
As broadly embodied herein and referring to
The panel 50 may preferably include a pattern of cuts 60, a pattern of apertures 63, 65, 69, 70, and a pattern of gaps 66, 72. Each pattern may penetrate through the front and rear surfaces 52, 53 of the panel 50. The pattern of cuts 60 may include a first series of generally parallel cuts 62 that may extend along a longitudinal direction of the panel 50. Each cut 62 may be spaced apart from one another by any suitable spacing so long as the panel 50 can be moved between a nonexpanded position and an expanded position.
The pattern of apertures may include a first series of apertures 63 that are spaced upward away from the central portion 57 of the panel 50. Each cut 62 may extend downward from the first distal end 58 of the panel 50 to be connected with a respective one of the first series of apertures 63. The first series of apertures 63 may be generally aligned with one another in a line parallel to the distal ends 58 and 59, and generally transverse to the side edges 54 and 56.
The pattern of cuts further may include a second series of generally parallel cuts 64, and the pattern of apertures may include a second series of apertures 65 that are spaced downward away from the central portion 57 of the panel 50. Each cut 64 may extend upward from the second distal end 59 to be connected with a respective one of the second series of apertures 65. The second series of apertures 65 may be aligned with one another in a line generally parallel to the distal ends 58 and 59, and transverse to the side edges 54 and 56.
The pattern of cuts further may include a third series of generally parallel cuts 68. Each cut 68 may be located between one of the cuts of the first and second series of cuts 62, 64. In other words, the first, second, and third series of generally parallel cuts 62, 64, and 68 may be interposed relative to one another. Each of the third series of generally parallel cuts 68 may extend between a respective one of a third series of apertures 69 and a respective one of a fourth series of apertures 70. Each of the third series of apertures 69 may be inwardly spaced away from the first distal end 58 toward the central portion 57. The third series of apertures 69 may define a row of spaced apart apertures 69 extending along a direction generally parallel to the first distal end 58 and transverse to the side edges 54 and 56 of the panel 50. Similarly, the fourth series of apertures 70 may be inwardly spaced away from the second distal end 59 toward the central portion 57. The fourth series of apertures 70 may define another row of spaced apart apertures 70 extending along a line generally parallel to the second distal end 59 and transverse to the side edges 54 and 56.
The pattern of gaps 66, 72 may include a first series of gaps 66 and a second series of gaps 72. Each of the first and second series of gaps 66, 72 may extend along a direction that is generally traverse to the longitudinal direction of the panel 50. The first and second series of gaps 66, 72 may form three rows of gaps that extend along a direction generally parallel to the distal ends 58 and 59 and a direction generally transverse to the side edges 54 and 56 of the panel 50. The first series of gaps 66 may be located at a position that is spaced inward from the distal ends 58, 59 of the panel 50 toward the central portion 57, respectively. The first series of gaps 66 also may be connected to the first series of cuts 62 and the second series of cuts 64. The second series of gaps 72 may be located in the central portion 57 of the panel 50. The second series of gaps 72 also may be connected to the third series of cuts 68. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the second series of gaps 72 is connected at a midpoint of each of the third series of cuts 68.
As will be understood by one of skill in the art, the expandable panel 50 may include any variety of additional reinforcements or cut-out features for mitigating the effects of stress, and thereby increasing the load-bearing capabilities of the panel 50. For instance, the expandable panel 50 may include reinforcing plates or reinforcing ribs located at points of relatively high stress. The expandable panel 50 also may include rounded edges, filleted interior corners, drilled apertures, or any other feature known for use in preventing fracture at points of high stress propagation, or impeding the formation of fold lines that may impede the structural integrity of the panel 50. In one embodiment, the expandable panel 50 may include stress-mitigating structures located adjacent to or around the pattern of cuts 60, the pattern of apertures 63, 65, 69, 70, and/or the pattern of gaps 66, 72. For example, in one embodiment, the expandable panel 50 may be affixed to another expandable panel 50 in a layered configuration for the purpose of providing additional load-bearing functionality. The expandable panel 50 also may be manufactured to have any particularly suitable size or shape, such as a relatively larger or smaller panel than illustrated, and may include a greater or lesser number of spaced generally parallel cuts 60, depending on the expected use and loading. For instance, the thickness of the panel 50 can be selectively increased at certain locations (e.g., adjacent to or around the pattern of cuts 60, the pattern of apertures 63, 65, 69, 70, and/or the pattern of gaps 66, 72) to improve the structural integrity of the panel 50. Moreover, the shapes and orientations of the spaced generally parallel cuts 60 may be optimized based on various stress profiles, as desired.
According to the embodiment of
Moreover, the inner leg 121 of the first side segment 110 may be joined to the first leg 120 of an adjacent inner segment 114 by their respective midpoint portions 124. Similarly, the second leg 122 of the adjacent inner segment 114 may be joined to the first leg 120 of a still further adjacent inner segment 114 by their respective midpoint portions 124. Finally, the second leg 122 of the inner segment that is adjacent to the second side segment 112 may be joined to the inner leg 121 thereof by their respective midpoint portions 124. This pattern of joints can be applied to virtually any number of segments.
Each of the cuts 60 of the expandable panel 50, and thus, each of the first and second legs 120, 122, and inner and outer legs 121, 123, may form at least a part of a first panel surface 76 and at least a part of a second panel surface 78. When the expandable panel 50 is in a nonexpanded position, as depicted in
As illustrated in
Sheathing consistent with the present invention may be manufactured from one or more of any suitable type of material. In one embodiment, sheathing 90 may include one or more of plywood, drywall, sheet rock, gypsum board, metal, cloth, foam, insulation, honeycomb, steel, or any composite material. In another embodiment, sheathing 90 may be manufactured from a transparent or translucent material, including but not limited to glass, frosted glass, and plastics such as acrylic. By this embodiment, elements of the expanded panel 50 may be angled or louvered in consideration of the directional orientation of the panel 50 relative to the sun. Accordingly, sunlight into a corresponding structure may be at least partially controlled, as desired.
Alternatively, the embodiment of
In yet another embodiment, insulation may be incorporated into gap 92 by one of several embodiments. For example, insulation may be a spray-in foam variety, such as Icynene®, which expands to fill the gap 92. Insulation may alternatively include loose fill insulation, which is installed to fill specific voids between the expandable panel 50 and sheathing 90. In one preferred embodiment, insulation may be custom, batt insulation, which is preformed to infill the particular shape created upon expansion of the expandable panel 50. Insulation may also include sheets of insulation which are installed, such as by adhesive, to the outer or inner face of sheathing 90. By such embodiments, installation of insulation may be substantially easier and more cost effective in terms of reduced man-hours.
As an alternative to bending a portion of the expandable panel 50 about a crease, the panel 50 may be manufactured to naturally form an arched canopy or roof support portion. For example, as depicted in
The expandable panel 50, consistent with the present invention, may be manufactured from one or more of any suitable type of material. For example, expandable panels may be made out of plywood, such as birch, fir, meranti, or bamboo plywood. Plywood may be selected depending on various levels of quality, taking into consideration factors such as knots, gap widths between plys, glue quality, and supplier. Plywood may be selected having relatively thinner plys and high-quality glue in the interest of increased panel flexibility. Plywood that has a thickness of approximately 0.25″ to 0.75″ may be used depending on the nature of its use (e.g., interior versus exterior wall). In some embodiments, several sheets of thinner plywood may be layered to increase its load-bearing functionality. Moreover, plywood may be selected depending on grain orientation. In a preferred embodiment, plywood may be selected having wood grain running in a longitudinal axis of the expandable panel, in order to strengthen the panel against transverse bending.
Expandable panels also may be made from plastics such as polyethylene, polycarbonate, and the like. Expandable panels may, in some embodiments, be made from metals or metal alloys, including steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. In another embodiment, expandable panels may be made from composite materials, such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, or composites of plastics or wood. In a still further embodiment, expandable panels may be made from recycled materials of one or more of the aforementioned materials.
Methods for manufacturing expandable panels consistent with the present invention may include conventional and/or relatively advanced techniques. For example, any suitable technique may be selected depending on factors such as materials, costs, blank size, and time constraints. Expandable panels may be initially designed using a computer. For example, software operating on a computer, such as computer aided drafting (“CAD”) software, may be used to create drawing files of preferable shapes for expandable panels. In some embodiments, CAD software may be used in combination with computer aided manufacturing (“CAM”) software. Cutting paths and speeds may be input by a user on the computer or the cutting machine, or automatically generated by software operating on either device. In one embodiment, particularly designed cuts may be programmed using CAD modeling software. Resulting drawing files may be transferred to a cutting machine.
In one embodiment, expandable panel 50 may be manufactured by a CNC milling machine. By this embodiment, well-tested methods may be used to program and cut slots into the expandable panel 50. However, due to substantial material loss from a saw, sometimes as much as 0.5 inches, more advanced techniques may be desired. For example, in other embodiments, expandable panel 50 may be manufactured with a water jet-cutting machine or laser-cutting machine, both of which offer material loss approximately one-tenth (e.g., approximately 0.032″ in certain water jet-cutting machines) of that experienced with CNC machines. Such precise manufacturing may be advantageous in embodiments of the present invention in which cuts and gaps approach relatively small dimensions. Moreover, reduced material loss may be desired when forming precise stress-propagation inhibiting features, such as at apertures 63, 65, 69, and 70. Expandable panel 50 also may be manufactured in mass-production by one or more radial dies.
Once manufactured and assembled, the exemplary expandable panel 50 may be oriented such that the cuts 60 extend either vertically or horizontally. For example, the expandable panel 50 may form a large wall section that extends from floor to ceiling. The expandable panel 50 may have formed therein spaces for elements such as windows and doors. In certain embodiments, the expandable panel 50 may be expanded by varying amounts at distinct locations along the length of the panel 50 to account for these features.
The characteristics and features of the presently disclosed exemplary expandable panel and assembly provide numerous advantages. For instance, in their unassembled (i.e., nonexpanded) position, numerous expandable panels 50 may be stacked in relatively lesser volume due to the initially flat sheet configuration of the panels 50. Accordingly, storage and shipping costs are reduced, and fewer trips are required for transporting building materials to the job site.
In addition, because the exemplary expandable panels 50 may be mass-produced in a machine shop or factory, and because they require little further assembly, relatively unskilled labor may be employed in the final stages of panel assembly and installation. For example, assembly may include a relatively simple method of snapping together panels and connectors without the need for material removal processes. Furthermore, use of the expandable panel 50 may be advantageous in applications requiring eventual un-installation since the panel 50 may be retracted and re-stored in its nonexpanded position. Therefore, the disclosed expandable panel 50 may be particularly well-suited for use in structures, such as emergency shelters, low-income housing, temporary barriers, signage, tents, stages, and pavilions. For example, a structure formed from the expandable panels 50 may be covered by a canvas tarpaulin or additional sheets of plywood with relative ease and cost-efficiency.
Moreover, because an assembly including the expandable panel 50 may be relatively flexible, a wall or other support including it may be particularly well-suited in applications subject to substantial vibrations, such as those in construction and earthquake zones. For example, upon selection of the appropriate materials and inclusion of particular stress-mitigating features, an earthquake-proof structure may be formed by assembly of one or more of the expandable panels 50.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true spirit and scope of the invention being indicated by the following claims. Thus, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrative examples in this specification. Rather, the invention is intended to cover all modifications and variations that come within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/789,871, filed on Apr. 7, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference.
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