Patent Application
20060260256
The disclosures made herein relate generally to building blocks configured for use in constructing residential, industrial and commercial structures and, more particularly, to building block systems configured for building such structures.
The practice of building structures such as, for example, homes from structural building blocks is well known. Examples of such structural building blocks include stone blocks, cinder blocks and Adobe blocks. Generally speaking, such structural building blocks are relatively strong, are relatively inexpensive to make and install, provide excellent thermal mass and offer a high yield rate in production and construction. Accordingly, these attributes make structural building blocks a preferred building material in many construction applications.
In fact, there are two factors that have contributed to the growing use of structural building blocks for constructing walls in buildings and homes. The first factor is that the cost of wood building materials has increased dramatically due to their decreasing availability. Wood building materials such as, for example, wood wall studs have become less available and, accordingly, more expensive. Additionally, in many instances, this decreasing availability has lead to a corresponding decrease in overall quality of such wood building materials. For example, straightness of wood wall studs has decreased as their availability has decreased. The second factor contributing to the growing use of structural building blocks is that structural building blocks generally are capable of providing better protection in severe weather than is wood building materials. For example, in a hurricane, a home having walls constructed from structural building blocks will typically offer a higher degree of protection from high wind speeds than would a wood studs.
Because of the mass and volume of typical structural building blocks, they provide for a relatively large thermal mass attributes. However, one limitation of structural building blocks is that they provide less than desirable and/or suitable insulating attributes. This limited thermal insulation often results in the need to add an insulation layer to the building block structure for applications where the interior space of a building structure is climate controlled (e.g., a house) with the expectation of maintaining a comfortable interior environment. In some cases, forming a double wall provides the insulation layer and the air space between the two walls (i.e., spaced apart wails) of the double wall serves as the insulating layer. In other cases, some form of insulating material is placed in the air space between the two walls of the double wall or on an interior or exterior face of a structural building block wall.
Two shortcoming of the practice of building double walls from structural building blocks are the difficulty in maintaining relatively uniform spacing between the two walls and maintaining structural integrity between the two walls. It is desirable for the space between a double wall to be relatively uniform and of a specified width such that aesthetic and architectural attributes (e.g., visual appearance and architectural dimensions) are maintained to a suitable degree of accuracy. Similarly, it is desirable for multiple layers of a double wall to be suitably interlocked to provide for structural rigidity. Conventional structural building blocks are limited in their ability to create uniform spaces between spaced apart walls and to uniformly connect multiple layers of the double wall. For example, it is common for double walls built from structural building blocks to be joined only at the upper-most layer via a masonry bond beam, which leaves the remainder of the two walls unsupported from lateral movement.
Therefore, a structural building blocks system and associated arrangement configured for building walls in a manner that overcomes drawbacks associated with conventional approaches for building walls using structural building blocks would be useful, advantageous and novel.
Embodiments of the present invention advantageously overcome one or more shortcomings associated with conventional approaches for building walls using structural building blocks. More specifically, embodiments of structural building blocks in accordance with the present invention include integral means for creating uniform spaces within the walls (i.e., uniformly and consistently spaced apart building blocks) and for uniformly interconnecting multiple layers of the walls. Additionally, structural building blocks in accordance with the present invention offer traditional desirable attributes of structural building blocks such as being relatively strong, being relatively inexpensive to make and install, providing excellent thermal mass, and offering a relatively high yield rate in production and construction.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a building block arrangement is configured for constructing residential, industrial and commercial structures. The building block arrangement comprises alternating layers of a first configuration of building block and a second configuration of building block. A layer of the first configuration of building block includes spaced apart rows of the first configuration of building block such that a space is provided between adjacent side faces of the first configuration of building block of the spaced apart rows. A layer of the second configuration of building block includes at least one row of the second configuration of building block. The at least one row of the second configuration of building block laterally spans at least a portion of the space provided between the adjacent side faces of the layer of the first configuration of building block.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a building block arrangement is configured for constructing residential, industrial and commercial structures. The building block arrangement comprises a first layer of building blocks and a second layer of building blocks. The first layer of building blocks includes two spaced apart rows of building blocks whereby a space is provided between adjacent side faces of the building blocks of the first layer. The second layer of building blocks includes two spaced apart rows of building blocks whereby a space is provided between adjacent side faces of the building blocks of the second layer. The second layer of building blocks is positioned on top of the first layer of building blocks. The second layer of building blocks spans across at least a portion of the space in the first layer of building blocks.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system of building blocks is configured for use in constructing residential, industrial and commercial structures. The system of building blocks comprises a plurality of different configurations of building blocks. A first configuration of building block has an interlock structure provided at an upper face thereof and provided at a lower face thereof. A second configuration of building block has at least two adjacent spaced apart interlock structures provided at an upper face thereof and provided at a lower face thereof. The interlock structure provided at the upper face of the first configuration of building block and the interlock structure provided at the lower face of the first configuration of building block are each configured, respectively, for being interlockably engaged with each one of the interlock structures provided at the lower face of the second configuration of building block and for being interlockably engaged with each one of the interlock structures provided at the upper face of the second configuration of building block.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of constructing structures comprises forming a first layer of building blocks such that the first layer includes spaced apart rows of the building blocks. A space is provided between adjacent side faces of the building blocks of the first layer. The building blocks of the first layer are interlockable with building blocks of adjacent layers of building blocks. During or after forming the first layer, a utility article and/or a barrier material is disposed within at least a portion of the space. After at least a portion of the first layer is formed, a second layer of building blocks is formed on top of the first layer of building blocks. The building blocks of the second layer are interlockably engagable with building blocks of adjacent layers of building blocks. The second layer of building blocks spans at least a portion of the space in the first layer of building blocks. Forming the second layer includes interlocking at least a portion of the building blocks of the first layer with at least a portion of the building blocks of the second layer.
These and other objects, embodiments advantages and/or distinctions of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification, associated drawings and appended claims.
As will be discussed in greater detail below, it is disclosed herein that the exterior wall 102 and the interior wall 104 may use one or more different configurations of single-engagement building blocks and multiple-engagement building blocks. However, in a broad interpretation the single-engagement building blocks 106 are an embodiment of a first configuration of building block in accordance with the present invention and the multiple-engagement building blocks 108 are an embodiment of a second configuration building block in accordance with the present invention.
Each layer of single-engagement building blocks 106 of the interior wall 104 includes spaced apart rows of single-engagement building blocks 106. In this manner, an interior wall space 110 is provided between adjacent side faces 112 of the single-engagement building blocks 106. Each layer of multiple-engagement building blocks 108 of the interior wall 104 includes a single row of multiple-engagement building blocks 106. The multiple-engagement building blocks 108 of the interior wall 104 laterally span the interior wall space 110 of the adjacent layers of the interior wall 104. In doing so, structural integrity between the spaced apart rows of the single layer building blocks 108 is enhanced. A barrier material 114 such as, for example, segments of rigid insulation, expanding foam, granulised foam or the like is optionally disposed in the interior wall space 110 for enhancing noise and/or thermal insulating properties of the interior wall 104.
The spaced apart rows of the single-engagement building blocks 106 and the multiple-engagement building blocks 108 in the exterior wall 102 provide an exterior wall space 116 between adjacent side faces 112 of the single-engagement building blocks 106 and side faces 118 of the multiple-engagement building blocks 108. The multiple-engagement building blocks 108 of each layer of the exterior wall 102 laterally span the exterior wall space 116 of the adjacent layers of the exterior wall 102. In doing so, structural integrity between the spaced apart rows of the building blocks of the exterior wall 102 is enhanced. Barrier material 114 (e.g., segments of rigid insulation, expanding foam, granulised foam or the like) is preferably disposed in the exterior wall space 116 for enhancing noise and/or thermal insulating properties of the exterior wall 102. To further enhance noise and/or thermal insulating properties of the exterior wall 102, it is disclosed herein that a layer of barrier material is provided either integrally (provided on an upper face and/or lower face of each multiple-engagement building block 108) or discretely between mating faces of each multiple-engagement building block 108 (i.e., a sheet of a barrier material).
Referring now to
Mating interlocking structures of the single-engagement building blocks 106 and the multiple-engagement building blocks 108 enable such interlocking engagement with the building blocks of one or more adjacent layers. Each face (120, 126) of the single-engagement building blocks 106 include a single set of interlocking structures, thus enabling each single-engagement building block 106 to form a single row of building blocks within a wall (i.e., a single-engagement building block). Each face (122, 128) of the multiple-engagement building blocks 106 include two sets of interlocking structures (i.e., a plurality of interlocking structures), thus enabling each multiple-engagement building block 108 to engage multiple rows of adjacent building blocks within a wall (i.e., a multiple-engagement building block). Through such interlocking engagement, the first configuration interlocking structure 124 and the second configuration interlocking structure 130 jointly locate respective engaged building blocks laterally and longitudinally. Furthermore, the interlocking engagement provided by the interlocking structures (124, 130) serves to maintain a relatively uniform spacing between the two spaced apart rows of building blocks and maintaining structural integrity between such spaced apart rows.
It is disclosed herein that an interlocking structure preferably, but not necessarily, locates building blocks laterally and longitudinally. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention, the interlocking structure comprises an elongated channel that engages a mating interlocking member (e.g., a longitudinal ridge, discrete protruding features, etc) for facilitating constrained lateral locating and at least partially user selectable longitudinal locating.
With respect to the exterior wall 102, a first set of upper face interlocking structures of each multiple-engagement building block 108 of a first layer 131 is engaged with a first set of lower face interlocking structures of a corresponding multiple-engagement building block 108 of a second layer 132. Similarly, the upper face interlocking structures of each single-engagement building block 106 of the first layer 131 is engaged with a second set of lower face interlocking structures of the corresponding multiple-engagement building block 108. In this fashion, adjacent layers of the exterior wall 102 are interlocked, spaced apart building blocks of each layer are uniformly interlocked and spaced apart rows are uniformly spaced apart from each other. With respect to the interior wall 104, a first set and second set of upper face interlocking structures of each multiple-engagement building block 108 of the first layer 131 is engaged with the lower face interlocking structures of corresponding spaced apart single-engagement building blocks 106 of the second layer 132. In this fashion, adjacent layers of the interior wall 104 are interlocked, spaced apart building blocks of each layer are uniformly interlocked and spaced apart rows are uniformly spaced apart from each other.
Still referring to
It is disclosed herein that interlocking structures in accordance with the present invention may be fully or partially shearable. In such embodiments of the present invention, sufficient lateral movement causes at least a portion of the interlocking structure to shear, thereby allowing lateral and/or longitudinal displacement of adjacent layers of building blocks. The interlocking structures may be configured to be asymmetrically shearable such that they shear to enable the building blocks to displace in a desired direction (i.e., longitudinally more than laterally) of displacement in a desired Such shearing functionality is particularly useful and valuable in environments where soil is prone to shift and where earthquakes are probable.
As depicted in
Turning now to a discussion of building block systems, building blocks in accordance with the present invention are elements of a system of building blocks in accordance with the present invention. Such building blocks are configured for enabling walls in accordance with the present invention to be constructed in a manner that is predictable, efficient and consistent. As discussed above in reference to
In one embodiment, a system of building blocks in accordance with the present invention includes a standard multiple-engagement building block 202 (
Typical use of the standard multiple-engagement building block 202 (
Typical use of the offset-side multiple-engagement building block 204 (
A longitudinal centerline L5 of a first set of the interlocking structures 218 is laterally spaced apart from a longitudinal centerline L6 of a second set of the interlocking structures 218 by a distance D5. A first one of the side faces 220 is offset from the longitudinal centerline L5 by a first distance D6, which is substantially the same as the distance D2 of the standard multiple-engagement building block 202. A second one of the side faces 220 is offset from the longitudinal centerline L6 by a second distance D7, which is less than the first distance D6. A lateral centerline L7 of a first interlocking structure of each set of interlocking structures 226 is longitudinally spaced apart from a lateral centerline L8 of a second interlocking structure of each set of the interlocking structures 226 by a distance D8, which is substantially the same as the distance D3 of the standard multiple-engagement building block 202. Each end face 222 is offset from the lateral centerline (L7, L8) of the adjacent interlocking structures 226 by a distance D9, which is substantially the same as the distance D4 of the standard multiple-engagement building block 202. Thus, the offset-face multiple-engagement building block 204 is laterally asymmetric and longitudinally symmetric. End faces 222 of the offset-side multiple-engagement building block 204 each include a utility passage channel 228.
Typical uses of the offset-side single-engagement building block 206 (
A first one of the side faces 230 is offset from a longitudinal centerline L9 of the interlocking structures 236 by a first distance D10. A second one of the side faces 230 is offset from the longitudinal centerline L9 of the interlocking structures 236 by a second distance D11, which is less than the first distance D10. Thus, the offset-side single-engagement building block 206 is laterally asymmetric (i.e., spaced apart side faces that are substantially non-equidistant from a longitudinal centerline of the interlock structures).
Longitudinally, the offset-side single-engagement building block 206 is substantially the same dimensionally as is the standard multiple-engagement building block 202 and the offset-side multiple-engagement building block 204. As depicted in
Typical use of the offset-end single-engagement building block 208 (
Use of an offset-end single-engagement building block 208 in the interior wall 200 or the exterior wall 201 results in an exposed gap 248. The nailing plug 210, which is made from a material that a nail or screw can be suitably driven into, is configured for being disposed within the exposed gap 248. For example, the nailing plug 210 includes a first portion 250 sized for fitting within the exposed gap 248 and a second portion 252 sized for fitting in the interior wall space 238. Optionally, the offset-end single-engagement building block 208 is configured such that the exposed gap 248 receives a standard size electrical box.
It is disclosed herein that the system of building blocks may include two versions of the offset-end single-engagement building block 208, which have offset end faces at the opposite end thereof. In this manner, the adjacent use of two such offset-end single-engagement building block 208 results in the exposed gap 248 being twice as wide as when the offset end of the offset-end single-engagement building block 208 is adjacent the standard position end of the offset-side single row building block 206.
As will be appreciated from the inventive disclosures made herein, one aspect of the present invention is creation of a space between spaced apart rows of building blocks. Discussed above are means configured for accomplishing such a space through the use of offset faces of building blocks. It is disclosed herein that such a space can be created through the use of laterally symmetric building blocks. Thus, the present invention is not limited to building blocks with offset side faces. For example, a multiple-engagement building block having a distance between spaced apart interlocking structures (e.g., 13 inches) that is substantially more than twice the width of a mating laterally symmetric single-engagement building block (i.e., 6 inches) would result in a space (e.g., 1-inch wide space) between spaced apart rows of the mating laterally symmetric single-engagement building block interlockably engaged with such an extended-width multiple-engagement building block.
It is disclosed herein that the present invention is not limited to creation of planar walls. The structure of the present invention that enables interlocking functionality and the structure of the present invention that enables creation of interior wall spaces may be applied to non-rectangular blocks. For example, a system of tapered thickness building blocks as depicted in
Similarly, a system of tapered thickness building blocks having a wedge-shape profile in the plan view provides for fabrication of domes in accordance with the present invention. However, such blocks for a dome require that each layer of building blocks be configured for providing a smaller diameter circle, as required for creating a generally spherical shape. Another distinction of a system of building blocks configured for fabricating a dome is that interlocking structures of the building blocks preferably locates adjacent blocks radially in a fully constrained manner, but not fully laterally constrained. A ridge and a mating channel on upper and lower faces of such building blocks, respectively, is an example of an interlocking structure useful with such system of building blocks specifically configured for fabricating domes. In this manner, spacing between adjacent building blocks may be adjusted at least a prescribed amount.
In the preceding detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the present invention may be practiced. These embodiments, and certain variants thereof, have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that other suitable embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, chemical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of such inventive disclosures. To avoid unnecessary detail, the description omits certain information known to those skilled in the art. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
