The present invention relates to a novel method of framing and constructing a building wall for a structure such as a dwelling or commercial building, and more particularly a method utilizing engineered, prefabricated panels having insulating qualities and having grooves and channels therein to aid in the framing of the walls. The present invention also relates to a building wall assembled according to the method of the present invention. The present invention also relates to a novel insulated panel for use in framing and constructing a building wall for a commercial or residential structure. The present invention also relates to insulated floor assemblies and ceiling panels for use in framing and constructing a commercial or residential structure. The present invention also relates to a method of constructing a dwelling or commercial building using the engineered, prefabricated panels of the present invention.
There are various methods of constructing building structures using wood or metal framing “studs.” There are also various methods of constructing building structures using prefabricated walls or prefabricated panels having insulating qualities such as Expanded Polystyrene or Styrofoam. Examples of such methods and products include Thermobuilt®, Insul-Wall®, and Dynabuilt®. However, each of these products and methods require special connecting means to secure wallboard to the interior, require special connecting means for securing siding to the exterior, use a less efficient framing system, and/or comprise uniform panels that are cut onsite by a building crew having particularly high level of skills in framing and construction.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of constructing a building wall using engineered, prefabricated panels that provide insulating qualities to the structure, provide a simplified method of construction, provide a more efficient framing system, provide channels designed to received framing elements such as wood or metal studs and designed to act as a framing guide to the building crew thereby requiring only minimal skills for proper framing and construction, provide decreased labor costs, provide material efficiency and provide energy efficiency.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an insulated building wall assembled according to the method of the present invention.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an engineered, prefabricated insulated panel for use in the building method of the present invention.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an insulated ceiling panel for use in the building method of the present invention.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an insulated floor assembly for use in the building method of the present invention.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide any other building enclosure assemblies for use in the building method of the present invention.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a building structure and method of constructing a building structure using the engineered, prefabricated insulated panels, ceiling panels and floor assembly of the present invention.
A method of framing and constructing a horizontal wall upon a floor assembly surface of a building structure, the method comprising the steps of: providing a series of framing members each having a length, a width, and a depth; providing an engineered, prefabricated, insulated panel comprising an exterior surface, an interior surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, and recessed framing channels for receiving and pre-positioning framing members such as wood or metal studs, the framing channels being located on the exterior surface of the panel and being recessed inward from the exterior surface of the panel, the framing channel having a length, a width, and a depth corresponding to the length, the width, and the depth of the framing members, and having an upper insulated course extending from the top horizontal framing channel to the top edge of the panel and comprising truss spaces capable of receiving the bottom chord at or near the heel of the roof truss or stringers of the upper floor; providing an adhesive suitable for securing the framing members within the framing channels; applying the adhesive in conjunction with mechanical fasteners to the framing members; inserting the framing members into the framing channels; allowing the adhesive to set-up such that the framing members are secured within the framing channels; and elevating the panel such that the vertical framing members are substantially perpendicular to the horizontal flooring surface 132, and the horizontal framing members are substantially parallel to the horizontal flooring surface 132.
A building wall assembled according to the method of the present invention.
An insulated panel for use in the method of the present invention.
An insulated floor assembly for use in the method of the present invention.
An insulated ceiling panel for use in the method of the present invention.
A building structure constructed using the insulated panels of the present invention.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description which is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like designations are used to designate substantially identical elements, and in which:
A preferred embodiment of the present invention, building wall 1 is shown in
Referring to
Building wall 1 comprises a top edge 22, a bottom edge 23, framing channels 24, vertical side edges 25 which are substantially perpendicular to the top edge 22 and bottom edge 23, an interior surface 26, and an exterior surface 27. The building wall 1 comprises an insulated panel 2 comprising vertical framing channels 244 and horizontal framing channels 245. The vertical framing channels 244 are substantially perpendicular to the top edge 22 and bottom edge 23. The horizontal framing channels 245 are substantially parallel to the top edge 22 and bottom edge 23. The building wall 1 may comprise any number of vertical framing channels 244. The number of vertical framing channels 244 will be determined by the desired length of the building wall 1 and the desired spacing of the vertical framing members 3a.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the insulated panel 2 will comprise vertical framing channels 244 which extend beyond the top horizontal framing member 245 to the top edge 122 of the insulated panel 2. The portions of the vertical framing channels 244 that extend from the top horizontal framing member 245 to the top edge 122 will form truss channels 246. The truss channels 246 are capable of receiving trusses or rafters to form a second level, e.g., a roof assembly or a floor assembly.
Many local building codes require frame structures to have vertical framing members or studs spaced with a maximum distance between the centerpoint of each stud and the adjacent stud(s). For example, many local building codes require that studs be spaced at a maximum distance of sixteen (16) inches between the centerpoint of each stud and the adjacent stud(s), i.e., sixteen (16) inches on center. The vertical framing members of the present invention may be spaced any distance that is suitable for the desired construction and/or required by local building codes. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vertical framing members 3a and, therefore, the vertical framing channels 244 will be spaced twenty-four (24) inches on center.
The building wall 1 may comprise any number of horizontal framing channels 245. The number of horizontal framing channels 245 will be determined by the desired height of the building wall 1 and the desired spacing of the horizontal framing members 3b. The building wall 1 will preferably comprise at least two horizontal framing members 3b and, therefore, will comprise at least two horizontal framing channels 245. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the building wall 1 will comprise two (2) horizontal framing members 3b positioned in two (2) horizontal framing channels 245. In the particularly preferred embodiment of building wall 1, one horizontal framing member 3b will run along the bottom edge 23 of the building wall 1 and the other horizontal framing member 3b will be near the top edge 22 of the building wall 1.
Referring to
Referring to
The insulated panel 2 may comprise any number of horizontal framing channels 245. The number of horizontal framing channels 245 will be determined by the desired height of the building wall 1 and the desired spacing of the horizontal framing members 3b. The building wall 1 will preferably comprise at least two horizontal framing members 3b and, therefore, will comprise at least two horizontal framing channels 245. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the building wall 1 will comprise two (2) horizontal framing members 3b positioned in two (2) horizontal framing channels 245 with one horizontal framing member 3b running along the bottom edge 123 of the building wall 1 and the other horizontal framing member 3b being positioned near the top edge 122 of the building wall 1.
Referring to
The insulated panel 2 may be comprised of any material suitable for use in the construction of commercial or residential buildings, and which provides insulating qualities. A particularly preferred material for use in constructing the insulating panel 2 is Expanded Styrene Foam. Other suitable materials for the construction of the insulated panel 2 are well known to one skilled in the art and will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. Examples of other suitable materials include other types of Polystyrene Foams such as Extruded Polystyrene, Polyurethane foams, cementitious foams, phenolic foams or any type of rigid insulating material having suitable properties, and capable of being formed, machined or tooled into the panels as described herein.
The framing members 3 may be comprised of any material suitable for use in the framing of commercial or residential buildings and should provide and structural support to the building wall 1 and, thereby, provide structural support to the finished building. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the framing members 3 will be comprised of wood, such as a wooden stud. A particularly preferred wooden stud for use as the framing member 3 of the present invention is a wooden stud known to those skilled in the art as a “2×4.” A 2×4 stud may have a measurement of two (2) inches by four (4) inches, but most often has measurements slightly smaller than that, and usually has measurement of one and three quarter (1 ¾) inches by three and a half (3 ½) inches. Although the preferred embodiment of the framing members 3 of the present invention comprise standard 2×4 wooden studs, other sizes of wooden stud and materials other than wood are also envisioned. For example, the framing members 3 may be comprised of 1×3 wooden studs, 2×6 wooden studs, or any other wooden studs having suitable measurements for a particular building need. In addition, it is envisioned that non-wooden studs may also be used as the framing members 3 of the present invention. For example, studs constructed of metal, fiberglass, or other suitable materials are contemplated.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the framing members 3 will comprise wooden studs cut to length and assembled and secured in the framing channels 24 of the insulated panel 2. However, a framing member(s) which are engineered and manufactured from a single piece of material are also contemplated.
In a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, the building wall 1 will be assembled by laying the insulated panel 2 on the flooring surface 132 of the structure to be built such that the insulated panel 2 is laying horizontal with the exterior surface 27 facing upward, the bottom edge 123 positioned substantially along the corresponding edge of the flooring surface 132. The framing members 3 are then placed into the framing channels of the insulated panel 2. In a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, the framing members 3 are secured within the framing channels 24. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the framing members 3 are secured within the framing channels 24 using an adhesive in conjunction with mechanical fasteners. The insulated panel 2 with the framing members 3 positioned therein is then raised to the vertical position and secured to the flooring surface 132 to form a building wall 1 of the intended building structure. The same method is then used to form each of the subsequent walls of the intended building structure. When the four walls of the building structure are erected upon and secured to the flooring surface 132, the second level is then installed upon the four walls. The second level may be a second floor or may be a roof. If the second level is a roof, the trusses or rafters of the roof will interface with the truss channels 246 of the upper insulated course 28. Likewise, if the second level is another floor, the stringers of the second floor will interface with the truss channels 246 of the upper insulated course 28.
It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that there are numerous means of securing the framing members within the framing channels including, for example, epoxies, screws, nails, or the like. Although in the preferred embodiment of the present invention the framing members are secured within the framing channels using an adhesive in conjunction with mechanical fasteners, other means of securing the framing members within the framing channels are also contemplated. As used herein the description of “applying adhesive” to a particular element shall encompass circumstances where adhesive is applied directly to the particular element which is then affixed to another element, as well as circumstances where adhesive is indirectly applied to a particular element by applying the adhesive directly to another element and affixing the particular element thereto. For example, the phrase “applying adhesive to the framing member” shall encompass circumstances where adhesive is applied directly to the framing member which is subsequently inserted into a framing channel, as well as circumstances where adhesive is applied directly to the framing channel into which the framing member is inserted.
As used herein the term “flooring surface” shall refer to any form of horizontal building surface. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that there are many forms of horizontal building surfaces. For example, flooring surface 132 may refer to a concrete slab, a wooden floor, or the like. The flooring surface 132 will preferably be an insulated floor assembly of the present invention.
Referring to
In a preferred embodiment, the window opening will comprise a header panel 127 and a footer panel 128. The header panel 127 and footer panel 128 will comprise vertical framing channel 244 and horizontal framing channel 245 which will align with and be a continuation of the vertical framing channel 244 and horizontal framing channel 245 of the insulated panel 2. The header panel 127 and footer panel 128 will function as continuations of the insulated panel 2 along the upper and lower portions of the insulated panel 2. The header panel 127 and footer panel 128 will preferably be comprised of the same material as the insulated panel 2.
Although
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/749,867, entitled “Method of Framing and Constructing a Building Structure and Walls and Panels for Use in Such Construction,” filed Jan. 7, 2013, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
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http://www.insulwall.com/ Insulwall product A website which describes a product they call Insualwall which are insulation that are inserted into a studded wall framed on-site in a traditional manner. The panels are small, sized to the size of a standard wall cavity, and are designed as an insert component in a standard wall. |
http://www.themobuilt.com/Home—Page.html Thermobuilt product A website which describes a product called Thermobuild which is product very similar to the Insulwall product. Thermobuilt consists of components that are inserted into wall cavities as the wall is built on-site. |
http://www.dynabilt.com/ Dynabilt Product A website which describes a product they call Dyanbilt which is a standard wall built in factory, using foam as the insulation material. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20140190105 A1 | Jul 2014 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61749867 | Jan 2013 | US |