Patent Application
20190211557
The present invention relates generally to a panel for use in the construction of a building, and more particularly to a lightweight structural panel that utilizes a space frame assembly with a pair of truss members arranged in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of sinusoidal support members arranged in a lateral direction with a lightweight foam filler layer and outer skin.
A known type of construction method for load-bearing side walls is the sandwich panel in which prefabricated panels separated by perpendicular elements are filled with concrete. In certain embodiments mesh made of metal is inserted between the panels which offers additional reinforcement and support. The creation of these panels requires a great deal of equipment and time which is undesirable in the manufacturing process. Furthermore, increased labor costs often occur in order to produce panels in this manner.
Another common type of panel construction includes modular wall panels that can be prefabricated and connected in a specific order in order to construct the building. These wall panels have been constructed of wood, concrete, foamed material, and plastic, to name a few. None of these materials is ideal, however, as concrete is extremely heavy and foam is too light to support a necessary weight load. Reinforcing the panels with steel requires more time and money to weld the reinforcement rods in the required form. Panels have also been made of heavy materials that make it difficult to construct off-site and to transport.
Historically, it was also been difficult to produce a load bearing wall that also has a finished exterior as the wall panel needs to be able to receive wiring, duct work, and plumbing. Either the panels have been made without enough space for the necessary additions or they are produced without a finished exterior in order to add the wiring and pipes after installation.
The instant series of system and apparatuses, as illustrated herein, are clearly not anticipated, rendered obvious, or even present in any of the prior art mechanisms, either alone or in any combination thereof. The instant versatile systems (which combine lightweight materials and superior performance, in conjunction with increased weight bearing capabilities) and series of devices introduce a structural panel for building construction clearly surpassing what is available in the marketplace.
A primary object of the instant invention is to provide a structural panel that is easy to assemble and lightweight with the ability to support an increased weight load. Thus, the several embodiments of the instant invention are illustrated herein.
In one aspect, the present invention introduces a modular precast lightweight structural panel that may be carried by an individual for use in building construction as a structural load bearing member or alternatively as part of a nonstructural partition wall, floor and/or roof.
Another aspect of the present invention introduces a structural panel, which comprises a pair of truss members and a plurality of sinusoidal support members, wherein the truss members are welded to the plurality of sinusoidal support members, and wherein the structural panel is covered by a planarly extended outer skin, and provides an inexpensive, easy, and effective means for creating a structural panel for a building construction.
In an additional aspect, the present invention introduces a structural panel that is made of lightweight material.
In an additional aspect, the present invention introduces a structural panel that has an increased load-bearing capacity.
In one aspect, the present invention introduces a structural panel that is lightweight and easy to assemble for the purpose of off-site assembly and easy transfer to the building project.
Another aspect of the present invention is a construction that allows for easy insertion of utilities without the need to cut the exterior or to repair the exterior after installation of the panels.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a lightweight structural panel that possesses high processing capabilities including resistance to heat, fire, moisture, noise and rodents.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a lightweight structural panel is versatile in design to be arranged as a load bearing wall, horizontally as a floor structural panel or on an angle as a roof structural panel.
These together with other objects of the system and apparatus, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the system and apparatus, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the system, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated several embodiments of the system.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be practiced and all aspects and equivalents thereof are intended to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently exemplary embodiments of the apparatus and does not represent the only forms in which the present apparatus may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the apparatus in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.
In this embodiment, the sinusoidal support member 18 comprises a top support member 26A and a bottom support member 26B. Additionally, a sinusoidal element 25 extends along a length of the top and bottom support members 26A and 26B of each sinusoidal support member 18. Furthermore, each sinusoidal element 25 is welded to the top and bottom support members 26A and 26B where they come into physical contact with each other.
In this embodiment, each reinforcing element 22 comprises a top reinforcing element 28A and a bottom reinforcing element 28B, wherein each top reinforcing element 28A is in mechanical communication via welding with each top support member 26A of each sinusoidal support member 18. Correspondingly, each bottom reinforcing element 28B is in mechanical communication via welding with each bottom support member 26B of each sinusoidal support member 18.
In certain other embodiments, the structural panel 100 may be formed of a combination of suitable material such as metal, concrete plastic, or any combination thereof. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the disclosure described herein may be employed in practicing the disclosure. Elements of an implementation of the systems and methods described herein may be independently implemented or combined with other implementations. It is intended that the claims to follow with the utility application define the scope of the disclosure and that systems, methods, and devices within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
