OSB WITH MULTI-PURPOSE BLOCK GRID

Abstract

A manufactured or engineered wood panel, including, but not limited to, oriented strand board (OSB), with a block grid cut or engraved on one side. The block grid comprises a plurality of parallel longitudinal and parallel lateral grooves at certain spacings (e.g., quarter-inch, half-inch or one-inch), intersecting to form a block grid. The depth of all grooves may be the same and constant, or the depth may vary between grooves, or within a groove. The grooves allow a builder or other user to cut the board in desired dimensions along corresponding grooves. The grooves may be deep enough (i.e., greater than half the thickness of the board) so that the board may be broken or snapped into the desired dimensions. In several embodiments, the board may be broken or snapped by human hand pressure alone.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a manufactured or engineered wood panel, such as oriented strand board (OSB), with a multi-purpose block grid cut or engraved into one surface.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

This invention relates a manufactured or engineered wood panel, including, but not limited to, oriented strand board (OSB), with a block grid cut or engraved on one side. The block grid comprises a plurality of parallel longitudinal and parallel lateral grooves at certain spacings (e.g., quarter-inch, half-inch or one-inch), intersecting to form a block grid.

The depth of the grooves may vary. The depth of all grooves may be the same and constant, or the depth may vary between grooves, or within a groove. In some embodiments, the grooves are one-half the thickness of the panel, or deeper.

The grooves allow a builder or other user to cut the board in desired dimensions along corresponding grooves. The grooves may be deep enough (i.e., greater than half the thickness of the board) so that the board may be broken or snapped into the desired dimensions. In several embodiments, the board may be broken or snapped by human hand pressure alone.

Thus, a panel may be cut or broken into a rectilinear panel of a desired length and width. In some embodiments, the panel may be cut or broken (or a combination thereof) into a non-rectilinear shaped, depending on the end use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a panel in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 2A-B show side cutaway views of a simple groove and multi-step groove.

FIG. 3A shows a top view of the panel of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3B shows a top view of a panel with a 1:2 (longitudinal:lateral) spacing ratio.

FIG. 3C shows a top view of a panel with constant longitudinal spacing and variable lateral spacing.

FIGS. 4A-C show top views of alternative grid arrangements with examples of variable lateral and/or longitudinal spacing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In various exemplary embodiments, as seen in FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a manufactured or engineered wood panel 2, including, but not limited to, oriented strand board (OSB), with a block grid cut or engraved on one side. The block grid comprises a plurality of parallel longitudinal grooves 10a and parallel lateral grooves 10b at certain set spacings (e.g., quarter-inch, half-inch, or one-inch between adjacent parallel), intersecting to form a grid of rectilinear blocks 20.

The shape and depth of the grooves 10 may vary. The depth of all grooves may be the same for all grooves and constant for their length, or the depth may vary between grooves, or the depth may vary within a groove. In one exemplary embodiment, the depth of the parallel longitudinal grooves 10a may be different from the depth of the parallel lateral grooves 10b. In some embodiments, the grooves are one-half the thickness of the panel, or deeper, as seen in FIG. 2.

Similarly, the spacing between the grooves may be the same for all grooves in both orientations, as seen in FIG. 1, or may differ. In one exemplary embodiment, the spacing of the parallel longitudinal grooves 10a may be different from the spacing of the parallel lateral grooves 10b. Thus, for example, the spacing of the lateral grooves may be 1 inch, while the spacing of the longitudinal grooves may be one-half inch, as seen in FIG. 3B, or vice versa. Similarly, the spacing for a set of parallel grooves may vary, so that the spacing is wider at one end of the panel and narrower at the other end, or is wider in the middle of the panel and narrower at the two ends, or is narrower in the middle of the panel and wider at the two ends, as seen in FIGS. 3B and 4A-C.

The grooves allow a builder or other user to cut the board in desired dimensions along corresponding grooves. The grooves may be deep enough (i.e., greater than half the thickness of the board) so that the board may be broken or snapped into the desired dimensions. In several embodiments, the board may be broken or snapped by human hand pressure alone (i.e., without the use of tools or mechanical devices).

Thus, a panel may be cut or broken into a rectilinear panel of a desired length and width. In some embodiments, the panel may be cut or broken (or a combination thereof) along multiple grooves into a non-rectilinear shape, depending on the desired end use and configuration.

In an exemplary embodiment, the panel is a non-structural panel. The panel may then be broken or cut into one or more pieces of desired size and shape to fill areas or spaces that need air-sealing in a home or building construction or framework. The resulting sealing panel(s) are inserted into the space and attached by adhesive or mechanical means as known in the art, and may then be sealed along the edges with an appropriate sealing material (such as, but not limited to, caulking or a spray or liquid applied sealant).

In other embodiments, grooves may not be as deep, but sufficient to allow the panel to be bend in a curve or arc without breaking, so the panel may be bent in a curve or arc for use with archways or other curved structural components. In some embodiments, as seen in FIG. 2B, which shows an example of a single groove (the figure is shown without adjacent grooves), the groove 10a,b has two or more steps 52, 54, each with a different depth, such that the first step permits some bendability without breaking, to a point where when bent sufficiently, the break occurs cleanly along the second step (or “inner groove”). For example, the groove in FIG. 2B has a first step 52 with a wider width and shallower depth (e.g., 7/16″ wide, 3/16″ depth), while the second step 54 forms an “inner groove” below the first and centered in the bottom thereof. The “inner groove” extends ⅛″ below the bottom of the first step, and thus has an actual depth from the top surface of the panel of 5/16″, which is more than half the thickness of the half-inch-thick panel shown, while the depth of the first step is less than half the thickness of the panel. The width of the “inner groove” is ¼″, which leaves 1/16″ horizontal steps 58 on the level of the bottom of the first step.

In one embodiment, the depth of the grooves, whether with a step or no step, is such that the board can be bent 20 to 30 degrees (from a flat configuration) prior to breaking along one or more grooves. In another embodiment, the board can be bent up to and including 45 degrees prior to breaking along one or more grooves. In a further embodiment, the board can be bent up to and including 60 degrees prior to breaking along one or more grooves. In yet another further embodiment, the board can be bent up to and including 90 degrees prior to breaking along one or more grooves.

Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments and examples described herein have been chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited for particular uses contemplated. Even though specific embodiments of this invention have been described, they are not to be taken as exhaustive. There are several variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An air-sealing product, comprising: a non-structural panel with a first face, a length, a width, a first edge, a second edge parallel to the first edge, a third edge orthogonal to the first edge and second edge, and a fourth edge parallel to the third edge;a first set of parallel grooves cut or inscribed in the first face with first spacing therebetween; anda second set of parallel grooves cut or inscribed in the first face with second spacing therebetween;wherein the first set of parallel grooves are parallel to the first edge and extend from the third edge to the fourth edge;wherein the second set of parallel grooves are parallel to the third edge and extend from the first edge to the second edge;wherein the non-structural panel is configured to be cut or broken into one or more pieces, at least one of said pieces having specific desired dimensions.

2. The product of claim 1, at least two of said pieces having specific desired dimensions.

3. The product of claim 1, at least one of said pieces configured to be inserted as an air-sealing component into a space in a building construction or framework.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein the first spacing and second spacing are constant.

5. The product of claim 4, wherein the first spacing and second spacing are the same.

6. The product of claim 4, wherein the first spacing is greater than the second spacing.

7. The product of claim 1, wherein the first spacing is variable.

8. The product of claim 1, wherein the second spacing is variable.

9. The product of claim 1, wherein each groove has a depth.

10. The product of claim 9, wherein the depth of the grooves in the first set of parallel grooves is the same.

11. The product of claim 10, wherein the depth of the grooves in the second set of parallel grooves is the same.

12. The product of claim 1, wherein each groove has a V-shape, with a width that lessens with depth.

13. The product of claim 1, wherein each groove has a rectilinear shape, with a width that is constant with depth.

14. The product of claim 1, wherein one or more of the grooves is stepped with an upper section with a width and a lower section with a width, wherein the upper section extends from the surface of the first face to a step at a step depth, and the lower section extends from the step to a bottom at a bottom depth, wherein the bottom depth is greater than the step depth, and the width of the lower section is less than the width of the upper section.

15. The product of claim 1, wherein the non-structural panel is configured to be broken into one or more pieces without the use of tools or mechanical devices.

16. The product of claim 1, wherein the non-structural panel is configured to be broken into one or more pieces without the use of tools or mechanical devices.

17. The product of claim 1, wherein the non-structural panel is configured to be bent along a groove at least 20 degrees without breaking.

18. The product of claim 1, wherein the non-structural panel is configured to be bent along a groove at least 45 degrees without breaking.