Patent Application
20190100917
The present embodiment relates generally to prefabricated/modular building systems, and more particularly, to a panelized building system having a plurality of building section utilizing structural panels with integrated insulation.
A panelized building system is a form of construction in which all components of a building are prefabricated at a climate-controlled factory, and then shipped to a building site for construction. Panelized building is a form of “prefabricated” or “modular” building. In most instances of panelized buildings, the weather-tight shell can be assembled in a matter of days. Penalization is commonly used in most buildings for roof, wall and floor panels. Choosing a panelized building system allows for completely customized building design that can fit virtually any need. However, these panelized building systems face a number of challenges.
One of these challenges is market acceptance. Some home buyers and some lending institutions resist consideration of modular homes as equivalent in value to site-built homes. While the homes themselves may be of equivalent quality, entrenched zoning regulations and psychological marketplace factors may create hurdles for buyers or builders of modular homes and should be considered as part of the decision-making process when exploring this type of home as a living and/or investment option. Panelized homes have become accepted in some regional areas; however, they are not commonly built in major cities. Panelized homes are becoming increasingly common in Japanese urban areas, due to improvements in design and quality, speed and compactness of onsite assembly, as well as due to lowering costs and ease of repair after earthquakes. Recent innovations allow modular buildings to be indistinguishable from site-built structures. Surveys have shown that individuals can rarely tell the difference between a modular home and a site-built home.
Wood is likely still the most common structural building material. However, recently more and more building owners, designers, architects, and general contractors have opted for metal in construction projects over other materials for its energy efficiency, low maintenance, and durability. Increasingly, however, metal's other key attributes like its striking beauty, clean look, and versatility in both new and retrofit construction are increasing the popularity of metal as a material of choice for many building projects.
Metal holds a number of advantages over other building materials in addressing day-to-day concerns. For example, metal walls help save on cost, or can be custom-engineered to quickly comply with on code requirements. Further, metal products are flexible which makes it suitable for designing tight or complex spaces. An array of metal types are available, both coated and uncoated which provide endless building design options. Moreover, metal structures are tougher and so require fewer repairs when compared to other conventional building materials. There is less wear and tear, which increases the longevity of the buildings. The components of a metal building are created inside a factory giving a much higher quality level. Each piece is checked prior to shipping; thus, the overall quality of the building is generally superior to buildings made of other materials. Since they are created in factories and shipped to the assembly site, metal building goes together in a fraction of the time compared to that required for other structures. Also, bad weather has far less effects on metal construction, as the majority of the work is done indoors, prior to assembly. Another significant advantage of metal structures is that they can be recycled. Once metal buildings have outlived their purpose, they can be recycled. Even though there are numerous benefits, building with metal does face some drawbacks.
One drawback of utilizing metallic panelized building systems is providing proper insulation. Unlike wood, which is classified as an insulative material, most metals are certainly heat conductors.
Condensation is a major concern in metal and steel buildings. Insulation serves to protect a metal building from condensation, which can cause damage over time. Insulation creates a vapor barrier to reduce the amount of condensation taking place directly on the steel panels. Another issue with a steel or metal building is humidity. A concrete foundation that is not fully cured can be a contributing factor to increased humidity and condensation. Steel or metal buildings located in colder climates can experience condensation from exposure to ice and frost. A regular pattern of freezing and thawing can cause frost to melt, drip water and produce condensation. Insulation placed around the red iron before metal sheeting is installed creates a “thermal break” between outside sheeting and internal framing to prevent condensation.
Protection from mold is another major challenge facing metal building. Insulation that is not properly installed may trap mold within the walls of a metal building. Improper maintenance is another common cause of mold in steel buildings. Animals and birds may damage insulation in metal buildings as they try to create a home. It is not always possible to prevent every possible cause of mold. The best defense is to be aware of what is going on inside the walls of a building. This is accomplished with regular inspections using special equipment to detect possible insulation issues. Once an issue is inspected, the area in question needs to be opened to correct the issue. This may include replacing insulation that is damaged.
One of the existing insulation provides loose fill insulation. This type of insulation consists of loose fibers or fiber pellets. These fibers are blown into building cavities with special equipment. Loose-fill insulation can be more expensive, but does fill corners better and reduces air leakage. Additionally, this type of insulation provides a better sound barrier. Cellulose fiber is made from recycled newspapers that have been chemically treated to be flame retardant and resistant to moisture. This is a good option when looking to take advantage of green construction perks. Loose fill insulation is generally used in walls, attics and floors where it is applied through a moist-spray technique or a dry-pack process. Rock wool or fiberglass provides fuller coverage that is better for steel or metal buildings where it is applied using a Blow-in-Blanket system that blows the insulation into open stud cavities.
Another existing insulation provides mineral fiber consisting of rock wool or processed fiberglass. This insulation is usually the most inexpensive of the insulation available for use in walls. However, it has to be installed carefully to be effective. This type of insulation is generally used in floors, ceilings and walls. This insulation works best for stud spacing of 16-24 inches or a standard joist. Some other forms of insulation include a radiant barrier backing. However, this is especially effective in steel or metal buildings due to the lack of natural insulation.
Certain existing insulation provides a rigid board insulation usually made from polyurethane, fiberglass or polystyrene. It can be cut to the desired thickness and is best for reproofing on flat roofs. It is also good for use on basement walls or as perimeter insulation in cathedral ceilings. It can also be used on concrete slab edges. However, this insulation needs to be covered with ½-inch gypsum board or other flame-retardant materials when applied to interior spaces. Moreover, weather-proof facing is required for exterior applications. Local municipalities may require additional covering.
Fiberglass is often used to insulate in steel and metal buildings. Black or white vinyl fencing laminated on one side is usually a feature of the insulation to prevent moisture. White facing is sometimes used to counter the impact of ambient light by reflecting it away from the surface of the building.
Another existing insulation provides a spray foam insulation which is a liquid having a foaming agent and a polymer such as polyurethane. The liquid mixture is sprayed into walls, floors and ceilings. Spray foam insulation expands as it is applied and turns into a solid cellular plastic consisting of air-filled cells. This type of insulation is good for steel and metal buildings because it fills every space, no matter how small. This type of insulation is ideal for usually shaped designs or getting around obstructions. Spray foam insulation is more expensive than batt insulation, but provides a better air barrier. This is a major plus for metal and steel buildings. Additionally, spray foam insulation does not require caulking and other additional barriers since it is already airtight. However despite the above mentioned insulations, there still exists a substantial unmet need for techniques to efficiently and effectively provide insulation with regard to panelized metal buildings.
Therefore there is a need for a panelized metal building system having an integrated insulation which can efficiently and effectively provide insulation. Such a panelized metal building system would increase structural integrity and reduce or eliminate costly and cumbersome onsite labor. This system would provide protection from mold, protection from condensation, and increase market acceptance. This system would not cause any weather damage during construction as the building is prefabricated in an indoor climate controlled facility and would be precision engineered to highest quality. Such a system would be environmental friendly and would be adaptable to service at remote locations. This system would be stronger than traditional buildings and are often easier to add on to. The present embodiment overcomes the existing shortcomings in this area by accomplishing these objectives.
To minimize the limitations found in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will be apparent upon the reading of the specification, the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a panelized building system having a plurality of building sections having structural panels with integrated insulation.
The panelized building system of the present invention comprises at least one structural roof panel with integrated insulation and a load bearing structure, at least one structural wall panel with integrated insulation, at least one structural floor panel with integrated insulation, at least one structural corner post, a structural foundational component and a plurality of alignment components. The roof panel, the wall panel, the floor panel, the corner post, and the foundational component are configured to mechanically lock with each other to form a panelized building. The mechanical interlocking system of the present invention eliminates or at least reduces the typical need for connective elements such as nails, screws, bolts etc. The mechanical interlocking system of the present invention also substantially reduces the amount of labor necessary to put together the panelized metal building. Optionally, the mechanical interlocking system may comprise a tongue-and-groove mechanical interlocking system. In this optional embodiment, one component includes a female groove along its edge and a second component includes a male tongue component configured to insert into the female groove and mechanically lock. The interlocking system provides restrain to prevent two connecting components from shifting. This embodiment may further include a foldable roof panel with an offset hinge system. A spandrel floor panel with an interlocking metal spandrel beam may also be included, the beam being capable of mechanically interlocking with one of the wall panels in the manner described above. A number of different kinds of metal could be used with the present invention. Steel is most likely to be used due to its strength and durability. Importantly, the present invention may optionally function using recycled metals, to create an environmental friendly building system.
One embodiment of the present invention comprises an integrated composite insulation and non-composite insulation. The integrated composite insulation building panel comprises a structural framing attached to a layer of reinforcing element. The layer of reinforcing element is selected from a group consisting of, but not limited to: expanded metal, perforated metal, welded wire mesh, woven wire mesh, carbon fiber, glass fiber and other suitable material. The layer of reinforcing element is infused with a foam insulation to form a composite solid piece, i.e. the composite foam insulated structural panel. The foam insulation can be polyurethane or other suitable materials common in the art. The composite foam insulation contributes to the strength, load bearing quality and structural integrity of the panel in addition to providing insulation. The composite foam insulation also reduces or eliminates the labor needed to add insulation to the building onsite. In the present invention, the insulation is installed into the panels prior to field construction rather than having to be added afterwards at a job site. This enhances one of the key advantages of panelized/prefabricated building and avoids costly and cumbersome onsite labor. The insulated modular building panel may optionally be further encapsulated with spray-on composite foam insulation thereby providing even greater insulation. A reflective thermal insulation covering at least one side of the panel may be optionally utilized.
In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a building panel for use in a panelized building system. The building panel includes an exterior layer element. The exterior layer element may comprise any material suitable for a building façade. Examples include, without limitation, wherein the exterior layer may include element selected from the group comprising a solar panel, plywood, sheet metal, glass, plastic, vinyl, and felt paper. This embodiment may further include a structural frame element having an exterior side, a lateral side, and an interior side. Composite insulation encapsulates the exterior side of the structural frame element, fills a space between the metal frame element and the exterior layer, and bonds to the exterior layer element. In this present disclosed invention, this type of insulation as disclosed in this embodiment is referred as integrated composite insulation.
Optionally, this embodiment may include a perforated reinforcing element attached to the exterior side of the structural frame element such that the perforated reinforcing element is parallel to the exterior layer element, the perforated reinforcing element is encapsulated by foam insulation that is installed between the exterior side of the structural frame and the exterior layer. The insulation with reinforcing element is referred as integrated reinforced composite insulation in the present invention.
It is a first objective of the present invention to provide a panelized structural building system having an integrated insulation which can efficiently and effectively provide insulation.
A second objective of the present invention is to provide a panelized structural building system that increases structural integrity and reduces or eliminates cost and cumbersome onsite labor.
A third objective of the present invention is to provide a system that provides protection from mold, insect damage, condensation and increased market acceptance.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a system minimizes any weather damage during construction.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to create a structural building system that integrates the strength of structural framing elements and encapsulated insulation to increase the overall strength and integrity of the building.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a system that is environmental friendly and adaptable to service at remote locations.
These and other advantages and features of the present invention are described with specificity so as to make the present invention understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Elements in the figures have not necessarily been shown to scale in order to enhance their clarity and improve understanding of these various elements and embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, elements that are known to be common and well understood to those in the industry are not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the various embodiments of the invention, thus the figures are generalized in form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be best understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like designations denote like elements throughout the figures, and wherein:
In the following discussion that addresses a number of embodiments and applications of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying figures that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. However, any single inventive feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or only address one of the problems discussed above. Further, one or more of the problems discussed above may not be fully addressed by any of the features described below.
As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. “And” as used herein is interchangeably used with “or” unless expressly stated otherwise. As used herein, the term ‘about” means+/−5% of the recited parameter. All embodiments of any aspect of the invention can be used in combination, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
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 the sense of “including, but not limited to”. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural and singular number, respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “wherein”, “whereas”, “above,” and “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 the application.
The description of embodiments of the disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. While the specific embodiments of, and examples for, the disclosure are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the disclosure, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize.
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The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intended that the scope of the present invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.
