U.S. patent application number 09/972737 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-18 for building element, method for producing the same and method of making a wall construction.
Invention is credited to Bjorklund, Tonny, Larsson, Hans, Lundberg, Jonas.
Application Number | 20020092265 09/972737 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27354604 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020092265 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lundberg, Jonas ; et
al. |
July 18, 2002 |
Building element, method for producing the same and method of
making a wall construction
Abstract
A polygonal building element has an insulating means and a frame
structure extending along the circumference of the insulating means
and having a number of elongate sections that are essentially
U-shaped in cross section. The insulating means is made of
lightweight material (e.g. cellular plastic) and is
self-supporting, and the U-sections are arranged in such manner on
the peripheral edge portion of the insulating means that the
flanges of each U-section grasp the edge portion of the insulating
means.
Inventors: |
Lundberg, Jonas; (Ahus,
SE) ; Larsson, Hans; (Helsingborg, SE) ;
Bjorklund, Tonny; (Bastad, SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN, GAGNEBIN & LEBOVICI LLP
Ten Post Office Square
Boston
MA
02109
US
|
Family ID: |
27354604 |
Appl. No.: |
09/972737 |
Filed: |
October 5, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60298279 |
Jun 14, 2001 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/800.12 ;
52/792.1; 52/794.1; 52/800.11; 52/800.16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04C 2/384 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/800.12 ;
52/792.1; 52/794.1; 52/800.11; 52/800.16 |
International
Class: |
E04C 002/34; E04C
002/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 6, 2000 |
SE |
0003611-1 |
Claims
What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:
1. A polygonal building element comprising: an insulating means
having two opposite large faces, a circumference and a peripheral
edge portion with an edge surface, and a frame structure extending
along a major part of or the whole circumference of said insulating
means and comprising a number of elongate sections that are
essentially U-shaped in cross section, each U-section having
flanges and a web, wherein said insulating means is made of
lightweight material and is self-supporting, and wherein said
U-sections are arranged in such manner on said peripheral edge
portion of said insulating means that said flanges of each
U-section grasp said edge portion of said insulating means and are
located on an outside of said two large faces thereof, while said
web of said U-section is caused to abut against said edge surface
of said insulating means.
2. The building element of claim 1, wherein said U-sections are
interconnected at their ends.
3. The building element of claim 2, wherein said U-sections are
interconnected at their ends in a number of connection points.
4. The building element of claim 3, wherein said U-sections are
interconnected in said connection points by means of screw or rivet
joints.
5. The building element of claim 3, wherein said flanges of said
U-sections are arranged so as to overlap in said connection
points.
6. The building element of claim 1, wherein said webs of said
U-sections are provided with slots.
7. The building element of claim 1, wherein said U-sections are
identical in cross section.
8. The building element of claim 1, wherein a transverse distance
between said flanges of said U-sections corresponds to a thickness
of said insulating means in said peripheral edge portion.
9. The building element of claim 1, wherein said U-sections have
means for connecting adjacent building elements with each
other.
10. The building element of claim 1, wherein two opposite
U-sections are displaced along respective peripheral portions in
such manner that each form a protruding portion.
11. The building element of claim 1, wherein said U-sections are
made of sheet metal.
12. The building element of claim 1, wherein said insulating means
is made of cellular plastic.
13. The building element of claim 1, wherein said insulating means
consists of a parallelepiped block made of lightweight
material.
14. The building element of claim 1, wherein said insulating means
comprises a plurality of blocks made of lightweight material, which
are assembled so as to form a unit constituting said insulating
means.
15. The building element of claim 1, which has the shape of a
rectangular wall element with four U-sections, which are identical
in pairs.
16. A building element comprising: an insulating means having two
opposite large faces, a circumference and a peripheral edge portion
with an edge surface, and a frame structure extending along a major
part of or the whole circumference of said insulating means and
comprising a number of elongate sections that are essentially
U-shaped in cross section, each U-section having flanges and a web,
wherein said insulating means is made of lightweight material and
is self-supporting, wherein said U-sections are arranged in such
manner on said peripheral edge portion of said insulating means
that said flanges of each U-section grasp said edge portion of said
insulating means and are located on an outside of said two large
faces thereof, while said web of said U-section is caused to abut
against said edge surface of said insulating means, and wherein
said U-sections are identical in cross section.
17. A wall construction comprising a number of juxtaposed building
elements according to any one of the preceding claims.
18. A method for producing a polygonal building element, wherein a
number of U-sections are arranged along a major part of or the
whole peripheral portion of a self-supporting insulating means made
of lightweight material, a frame structure for the insulating means
being formed of the U-sections, said U-sections being arranged in
such manner that flanges of each U-section are caused to grasp said
edge portion of said insulating means so that said flanges are
located on an outside of said large faces thereof, while webs of
the U-sections are caused to abut against said edge surface of the
insulating means.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein said U-sections are
interconnected at their ends.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein said U-sections are
interconnected at their ends in a number of connection points.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein said flanges of said U-sections
are arranged to overlap in the connection points.
22. A method of making a wall construction, wherein a number of
building elements according to any one of claims 1-15 are arranged
side by side on a base and interconnected by means of transverse
sections, which are connected with said building elements.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein said building elements are
connected with each other with the aid of mutually engaging
connecting means on the sides of said building element.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein said building elements are
arranged in a runner, which is U-shaped in cross section and
anchored in a base.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) to Provisional Patent Application serial No.
60/298,279 filed on Jun. 14, 2001, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a building element, a
method for producing the same and a method of making a wall
construction.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] In the building trade, it is known to use lightweight
materials, for example cellular plastic (EPS), in the construction
of different types of building elements. It is known, for instance,
to produce building blocks, in which a block of cellular plastic is
embedded in concrete. The cellular plastic, which is marketed for
example under the trademark FRIGOLIT, has many advantages: it is
light, it provides satisfactory insulation and it is relatively
insensitive to moisture, etc.
[0004] Recently, systems have also been developed in which
prefabricated blocks of cellular plastic are assembled by means of
steel sections or studs, which grasp the blocks together so as to
form an entire wall construction. A system of this type has been
introduced by the Swedish company System TEEG AB and is described
in an article by Lars Hamrebjork and Helena Burstrand published in
the magazine Bygg & Teknik, No. 8/98. According to this
prior-art system, the rectangular blocks of cellular plastic are
arranged on their ends and interconnected by means of vertical
U-sections made of sheet metal that are pressed into the blocks of
cellular plastic in such manner that the U-flanges engage the
blocks on both sides of the joint between two adjacent blocks. The
wall construction further comprises additional steel sections or
studs, to which both cladding and lining are to be attached. On the
inside, plasterboards are usually mounted on the studs.
[0005] A type of building element, which to some extent is similar,
is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,400, which describes how metal
sections are arranged around a block of cellular plastic to form an
element that is to be included in a wall construction. The sections
are U-shaped in cross-section, and their flanges are to be fitted
in special grooves made in the blocks of cellular plastic.
[0006] Further examples of how blocks of cellular plastic are used
in combination with metal sections to form wall constructions are
to be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,389 and 6,085,479.
[0007] It is also known to provide sandwich elements, which consist
of a core of cellular plastic and a surface material, such as
steel, glued thereto.
[0008] However, all the wall systems and building elements
mentioned above suffer from a number of disadvantages, some of
which will be stated below.
[0009] Assembling the prior-art systems is relatively
time-consuming, since, for example, the section flanges must be
fitted in special grooves in the blocks of cellular plastic, and
the need for such grooves adds to the cost of the system.
Furthermore, a plurality of vertical studs are needed to hold the
blocks together and support them. An additional disadvantage of
System TEEG is that the building elements, i.e. the blocks of
cellular plastic, do not have the stiffness required to withstand
the stress to which they are subjected during assembly of the wall
and when plasterboards are fitted. Moreover, many of the prior-art
building elements and wall constructions are unnecessarily heavy,
since they comprise a large number of metal sections.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Therefore, an object of the invention is to eliminate or at
least alleviate the inconveniences mentioned above, thereby
providing an improved building element, which in itself is light
and easy to mount in a wall construction. The building element
should also be easy to transport and store, and it should allow
versatile use. It is also a requirement that the building element
and the wall construction built thereof need as little maintenance
as possible.
[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide an improved
method for producing a building element, which is more rational
than prior-art methods.
[0012] A further object of the invention is to provide an improved
method of making a wall construction by means of building
elements.
[0013] These and other objects that will be apparent from the
following description are achieved by means of the invention in the
form of a polygonal building element comprising an insulating means
having two opposite large faces, a circumference and a peripheral
edge portion with an edge surface; and a frame structure extending
along a major part of or the whole circumference of the insulating
means and comprising a number of elongate sections that are
essentially U-shaped in cross section, each U-section having
flanges and a web; wherein the insulating means is made of
lightweight material and is self-supporting; and wherein the
U-sections are arranged in such manner on the peripheral edge
portion of the insulating means that the flanges of each U-section
grasp the edge portion of the insulating means and are located on
an outside of the two large faces thereof, while the web of the
U-section is caused to abut against the edge surface of the
insulating means.
[0014] Further, the invention concerns a method for producing a
polygonal building element, wherein a number of U-sections are
arranged along a major part of or the whole peripheral portion of a
self-supporting insulating means made of lightweight material, a
frame structure for the insulating means being formed of the
U-sections, the U-sections being arranged in such manner that
flanges of each U-section are caused to grasp the edge portion of
the insulating means so that the flanges are located on an outside
of the large faces thereof, while webs of the U-sections are caused
to abut against the edge surface of the insulating means.
[0015] Preferred embodiments and variants are defined in the
appended subclaims.
[0016] Several essential advantages are achieved by means of the
invention, for example the following:
[0017] The fact that the building element largely consists of
lightweight material makes it very light and thus easy to handle
both for the assembly personnel and for personnel in charge of
transport and storage of the building elements.
[0018] Because the insulating means of the building element is
self-supporting, the element has an excellent stiffness, which is
further promoted by the frame structure surrounding the insulating
means. The excellent stiffness allows the building elements to be
easily mounted in the wall construction. The assembly personnel can
handle the lightweight building elements themselves, without the
use of cranes. The self-supporting property of the insulating means
is also advantageous in the production of the building element,
since the U-sections can be easily arranged on and grasp the
peripheral edge portions of the insulating means.
[0019] The production of the building element itself is more
rational than in connection with previously known systems, since
the U-sections grasp the edge portion of the insulating means. The
flanges of the U-section do not have to be fitted in grooves in the
insulating means, as is the case in prior art.
[0020] Assembly of the wall construction is made extremely easy by
the fact that the lightweight building elements need only be
arranged side by side on a base and joined together in a simple
manner.
[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the U-sections are
inter-connected at their ends in a number of connection points,
which further promotes the stiffness of the building element.
[0022] By arranging the flanges of the U-sections, in a preferred
embodiment, to overlap in the connection points, the production of
the building element is simplified and it also becomes possible to
use identical U-sections for the frame structure.
[0023] Preferably, the webs of the U-sections are provided with
slots, which means that the risk of an undesirable thermal bridge
through the building element is reduced.
[0024] To ensure a secure engagement between the U-sections and the
insulating means, the distance between the flanges of the
U-sections is preferably chosen so as to correspond to the
thickness of the insulating means.
[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the U-sections have
means for interconnecting adjacent building elements, which
facilitates the building of the wall construction.
[0026] The U-sections preferably consist of metal, most
advantageously of sheet metal, so as to ensure a low total weight
of the building element.
[0027] The insulating means itself is advantageously made of
cellular plastic, preferably shaped as a parallelepiped block,
which is surrounded by the frame structure consisting of
U-sections. As stated above the cellular plastic in itself is
advantageous in that it is light and provides good insulation. In
addition, it is insensitive to moisture and mould, which is
advantageous in the event that the building elements are stored
outside or exposed to moisture in any other way. The cellular
plastic is also easy to work, which renders it easy to make holes
in the building element. The desired hole is simply cut out in the
cellular plastic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] The invention and its many advantages will be described in
more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings,
which, by way of example, illustrate currently preferred
embodiments of the invention.
[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building element according
to an embodiment of the invention.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the building element shown in
FIG. 1 taken along the line II-II.
[0031] FIG. 3 shows a building element similar to that of FIG. 1
but with a hole made therein.
[0032] FIG. 4 shows a wall construction made up of building
elements of the type shown in FIG. 1.
[0033] FIGS. 5-7 are perspective views, in which certain parts have
been removed, showing how the U-sections are joined and
interconnected in a connection point, i.e. a corner.
[0034] FIG. 8 shows a building element according to an alternative
embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0035] With reference now to FIGS. 1-2, a building element
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in
the form of a rectangular wall element having a block-shaped
insulating means 1 and a frame structure 2 extending along the
circumference thereof and consisting of four elongate sections 3-6,
which are U-shaped in cross-section. The U-sections 3-6 are
identical in pairs, i.e. sections 3 and 4 are identical, and
sections 5 and 6 are identical. All U-sections 3-6 have the same
cross section.
[0036] The insulating block 1 is a parallelepiped and comprises two
opposite large faces 1a and 1b as well as an edge portion 1c, which
extends along the circumference of the block 1. The edge portion 1c
includes by definition the edge surface 1d facing the frame
structure 2 and the section of the block 1 that is held by the
U-sections 3-6.
[0037] The block 1 is made of lightweight material, namely
polystyrene foam (EPS) with a density of about 20 kg/m.sup.3.
Persons skilled in the art often use the name FRIGOLIT, which is a
trademark, for this type of blocks of cellular plastic.
[0038] Furthermore, the block 1 is self-supporting or at least
semi-rigid in order to maintain a vertical position by itself,
which facilitates the production of the wall element and gives this
a satisfactory stiffness. In this context, self-supporting thus
means primarily that the block 1 does not fold or collapse when
placed on its end.
[0039] FIGS. 5-7 show how two of the U-sections 4, 5 are connected
in one corner of the wall element. Both U-sections 4, 5 have two
flanges 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b respectively, and a horizontal web
portion 4c, 5c between them. The U-sections 4, 5 are further
provided in per se known manner with slots 7 arranged in rows, the
slots serving to reduce the risk of undesirable thermal bridges
arising through the wall element. The U-sections 3-6 are preferably
made of sheet metal and of the type shown in the catalogue
Tak-vggkatalogen-98, published by Lindab AB in 1998, in which a
slotted external wall runner labeled SKY is shown on page 150.
[0040] The ends of the U-sections 4, 5 are arranged to overlap at
the corner connections of the wall element in such manner that the
flange 5a is located on the outside of the flange 4a while the
flange 5b is located on the inside of the flange 4b. This overlap
corner connection has proven to be particularly advantageous
because on the one hand it allows the use of identical profiles
and, on the other hand, the stiffness of the frame structure 2 at
the corners becomes very good, which in turn promotes the stiffness
of the entire wall element. It will be appreciated, however, that
several other variants of overlap corner connections are
conceivable. The flanges 4a, 5a and 5a, 5b respectively are
connected to each other in any appropriate way, for example by
means of screw or rivet joints as indicated schematically with
reference numeral 8, or by gluing.
[0041] The transverse distance between the flanges of the
U-sections 3-6 is preferably such that it corresponds to the
thickness of the block 1 at its edge portion 1c. Alternatively, the
thickness of the block 1 at this edge portion may be slightly
larger than said distance, so that the block 1 is compressed
between the flanges, which in some cases may facilitate the
assembly.
[0042] The U-sections 4, 5 grasp on the block 1 is particularly
strong in the corners, since the inner distance between the flanges
4a and 5b is "reduced" by one sheet thickness measure.
[0043] Owing to the fact that the U-sections 3-6 grasp the edge
portion 1c of the block 1, an excellent stiffness in the wall
element is obtained. The flanges of the U-sections 3-6 extend
across and abut against the two large faces 1a and 1b of the block
1, and their webs 4c, 5c abut against the edge surface 1d of the
block 1, which results in a very advantageous grasp.
EXAMPLE
[0044] The dimensions and parameters of a wall element that has
provided very good results when put to practical tests are detailed
below.
1 Insulating block Finished wall element Height: 2195 mm Height:
2200 mm Width: 1195 mm Width: 1200 mm Thickness: 200 mm Thickness:
200 mm (203 mm) Density: 20 kg/m.sup.3
[0045] The frame structure consists of four U-sections, which are
identical in pairs (2 pcs 1200 mm, 2 pcs 2200 mm) and made of sheet
metal manufactured by Lindab Profil AB (slotted external wall
runner SKY with a distance between the U-flanges of 200 mm). The
sheet thickness is 1.5 mm. This wall element weighs only about 35
kg, which is considerably less than the corresponding wall elements
used in prior-art systems.
[0046] Construction of a wall
[0047] The prefabricated wall elements 1-2 are arranged on their
ends on a base 20, side by side, for making a wall construction,
generally referred to by reference numeral 9, as shown in FIG. 4.
The wall elements 1-2 are interconnected by means of transverse
sheet metal sections 10, which are attached to the frame structures
of the wall elements. Cladding or lining of prior-art type, for
example plasterboards on the inner side of the wall (not shown),
can then be arranged on the finished wall 9.
[0048] It will be appreciated here that the wall elements 1-2 may
be interconnected in other ways, for instance by means of boards of
gypsum or plywood, which are attached directly on the wall elements
1-2.
[0049] To facilitate the erection of the wall 9, the vertical
U-sections 5, 6 of the wall elements are provided with
schematically illustrated connecting means 11 (see FIG. 1), which
allow interconnection of two adjacent wall elements. Thus,
engagement is to be established between two adjacent, vertical
U-sections of two wall elements in the wall 9.
[0050] Another way of connecting two adjacent wall elements is
illustrated in FIG. 8. The sections 3 and 4 of the wall element 1-2
according to this alternative embodiment are thus displaced
laterally in such manner that each forms a protruding portion 17
and 18 respectively, which can be caused to grasp part of the edge
portion 1c of the adjacent wall element, which is indicated by
means of dashed lines. In this case, it has to be ensured,
naturally, that the sections 3, 4 are displaced only to such an
extent that they can still be connected to both section elements 5
and 6.
[0051] Thus, a wall element 1-2 of the type described above may be
produced in a very rational way. The U-sections 3-6 are arranged
along the peripheral portion of the self-supporting insulating
block 1, thereby forming its frame structure 2. The secure grasp of
the U-sections 3-6 on the block 1 is then established, as described
above.
[0052] The wall construction 9 as such is also easy to achieve by
placing the wall elements side by side on a base and
interconnecting them two by two by means of the connecting means 11
and all together, for example, by means of the transverse sections
10 (see FIG. 4). Owing to this rational and easily assembled
construction, the work can be done in a short period of time and
with a smaller work force than would have been necessary in
prior-art wall systems. Considerable ergonomic advantages are also
obtained, since the wall elements are lightweight and thereby easy
to handle. No cranes are needed to build this wall. Furthermore,
the need for traditional, vertical studs is reduced or even
eliminated, since the vertical U-sections 5, 6 of the wall elements
serve this purpose, for example as attachment points for
plasterboard lining.
[0053] Particular advantages are obtained owing to the fact that it
is very easy to make holes in the wall element. This is illustrated
in FIG. 3, which shows a wall element having a circular hole 12,
which has been cut out in the block 1 of cellular plastic in a
simple way.
[0054] Additional embodiments
[0055] It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to
the embodiments described above and that modifications are
conceivable within the scope of the inventive concept as expressed
in the appended claims.
[0056] It can be mentioned, for example, that the choice of
insulating material is not critical as long as it is sufficiently
light and fulfils other general requirements for such building
parts, such as moisture resistance etc. Different types of cellular
plastic may be used, the density of which should, however,
preferably be in the range 15-30 kg/m.sup.3 in order to obtain the
desired light building element. It should also be noted that the
insulating means may comprise several lightweight blocks,
preferably made of cellular plastic, which are joined in the
direction of the plane and/or the direction of the thickness to
form a unit. It is also possible to build the insulating means as a
sandwich element consisting of different materials, such as
plywood/gypsum in combination with cellular plastic/mineral
wool.
[0057] The choice of sections is not critical either as long as the
sections ensure sufficient stiffness in the building element and
are light enough to ensure a low total weight.
[0058] In the wall application, the frame structure 2 need not
necessarily extend along the whole circumference of the wall
element; a variant is to leave out the lower U-section 4 and
instead arrange the wall element in a U-shaped runner, which is
anchored in the base 20. Such a "floor runner" is schematically
indicated by means of dashed lines in FIG. 4 and referred to by
reference numeral 15. It is of course also possible to let the
frame structure 2 extend along the whole circumference of the wall
element and still arrange the wall element in a U-shaped runner
anchored in the base 20.
[0059] Naturally, the shape of the building element is not critical
either, but several different polygonal embodiments are
conceivable. Furthermore, the building element may be use in many
ways, i.e. also for roof and floor constructions.
* * * * *