Patent Application
20180340331
This invention relates to a temporary wall system which provides a protective barrier against inclement weather and is particularly useful in the building construction field.
Building construction and building renovations may expose the interior of the building under construction or renovation to the outside due to the lack of a complete perimeter wall. For example, the façade of many buildings are frequently renovated to maintain their so-called “curbside appeal”. During renovation, the exterior walls are sometimes removed thereby exposing the interior space to the outside. Should there be inclement weather while the exterior walls are removed, the interior space is at risk of damage due to the entry of wind, rain and/or snow, for example. There therefore exists a need for a temporary, weather resistant wall structure which can be easily and quickly erected at a location outwardly of but adjacent the existing exterior wall structure which is about to undergo renovation, and likewise easy and quick to disassemble once renovations are complete.
The present invention addresses the above needs by providing a weather resistant temporary wall structure system which is easy and quick to both assemble and disassemble. The system includes modular wall panels which include profiles along their side edges to permit them to removably attach to support posts which themselves are secured in place from floor to ceiling. The panels further include edge profiles along their respective top and bottom edges which permit one panel to slidingly attach to an adjacent panel located above or below the first panel. The top and bottom edge profiles may be formed with geometries that will impede the entry of rain therebetween.
The panels may be formed of expanded polystyrene (EPS) or other material. The wall panels may further include a reinforcement structure integrated into each panel such as a furring channel, for example. The reinforcement could either be integrated into the panels when the panels are made or could be attached thereafter. A reinforcement structure such as a furring channel, for example, could easily slide into a complimentary shaped channel cut or otherwise formed in the panel, for example. The furring channel or other reinforcement structure can extend perpendicularly relative to the floor-ceiling support posts, or it may extend at other angles if desired. The wall panels may optionally be structurally reinforced with a string reinforced polyethylene applied to one or both of the opposite planar surfaces of the panel.
The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings:
Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Referring now to
By way of example and by no means limiting solely thereto, each support post 22 may include a generally U-shaped cross section profile thereby having the first side edge 32 include an edge profile defining a groove 36 and second side edge 34 having a planar edge profile. Alternatively, a support post 22 may include an I-shaped cross section profile having each first and second side edge 32, 34 defining opposing groove edge profiles.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the profile of each of the wall panel top and bottom edges 42, 44 may be complimentarily shaped such that the top edge 44a of a first wall panel 24a may be removably attached to the bottom edge 42b of a second wall panel 24b and when joined together, the top and bottom edges create a physical barrier to the passage of water therethrough and wall panels 24a, 24b extend substantially from floor 28 to ceiling 30.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the profile of each of wall panel top edge 44 may include first and second segments 50, 52 which traverse the length of a respective wall panel in adjacent, parallel relationship to each other with first segment 50 extending adjacent to the wall panel outside planar surface 38 and the second segment 52 extending adjacent to the wall panel inside planar surface 40. The first and second segments 50, 52 may be offset from each other to form a step 54 with the second segment 52 raised relative to the first segment 50 so as to create the physical barrier (see
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, each of first and second wall panels 24a, 24b may include a panel height H which is one-half the length L of support post 22. In this manner, second wall panel 24b may be rotated 180 degrees and flipped edge-over-edge. In such an instance, opposite outside and inside planar surfaces 38b, 40b, top and bottom edges 42b, 44b, and opposite first and second side edges 46b, 48b of side wall panel 24b may be redefined accordingly. Second wall panel 24b may then be joined together with first wall panel 24a as described above.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, one or more wall panels 24 may further include a reinforcement member attached to each wall panel. By way of example and by no means limiting solely thereto, as shown in
Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is understood that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the full spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow. While specific reference has been made to rotational movements of device components, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that such rotations may be reversed and that such teachings are within the scope of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62511722 | May 2017 | US |
