U.S. patent application number 09/877327 was filed with the patent office on 2002-12-12 for insulated building panel and method.
Invention is credited to Crowder, Jack Leslie.
Application Number | 20020184846 09/877327 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25369741 |
Filed Date | 2002-12-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020184846 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Crowder, Jack Leslie |
December 12, 2002 |
Insulated building panel and method
Abstract
Disclosed is a building system with an unusual combination of
foam plastic and common structural members. Flanged steel
structural members are inserted through openings in wire trusses
and the resulting assembly is fused together with foam plastic
inside a large mold. Multiple copies of said assemblies are molded
into a single large block of polystyrene. This method provides for
subsequent separation of the panels using conventional hot wire
cutting equipment. The separated assemblies have flat flanges that
project toward the panel faces but are hidden under a thin layer of
foam plastic. Access to these flanges allows mechanical attachment
of panel-joining membranes and a wide variety of surface finish
materials. This method simultaneously provides smooth polystyrene
surfaces for adhesive attachment of some finishes, including those
that utilize glass fiber mesh.
Inventors: |
Crowder, Jack Leslie;
(Bernalillo, NM) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JACK L. CROWDER
P.O. BOX 250
BERNALILLO
NM
87004
US
|
Family ID: |
25369741 |
Appl. No.: |
09/877327 |
Filed: |
June 11, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/507 ;
52/762 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/80 20130101; E04C
2/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/507 ;
52/762 |
International
Class: |
E04B 002/00; E04B
001/38 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A structural building panel and the method of simultaneously
manufacturing multiple copies of it wherein multiple assemblies of
wire trusses and steel reinforcing members are embedded inside a
foam plastic block in large molds.
2. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the wire trusses are
comprised of multiple triangles made of round wire with the wide
segment on each triangle and the apex of an adjacent triangle
having straight wires welded across them to form multiple aligned
triangles into a longitudinal truss, and the reinforcing members
comprising flanged structural members with the correct dimensions
to fit into and through the truss triangles to form a structural
assembly with the structural members being strategically spaced to
strengthen the triangle at its point of widest span, and the
reinforcing member flanges positioned for use as a screw base when
attaching siding to both panel faces.
3. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the wire trusses are
comprised of "H" or "ladder" trusses made of round wire with each
segment having multiple straight wires welded across them to form
multiple rectangles of a longitudinal truss, and with flanged
reinforcing members of correct dimensions to fit into and through
the truss openings, with the reinforcing members positioned to
strengthen the truss at the point of widest span, and the
reinforcing member flanges situated for use as a screw base when
attaching siding to both panel faces.
4. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the multiple copies of
said structural assembly are placed inside a mold, separated and
held in position from each other by spacer blocks made of the same
foam plastic in a cured state, and fused inside a molded block of
foam plastic.
5. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the foam plastic molding
machinery is comprised of the common and widely distributed
machinery used in factories to make large blocks of foam
plastic.
6. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the multiple copies of
said panels are separated from each other by the same methods and
equipment routinely used to cut foam plastic blocks into marketable
segments.
7. The building panel of claim 1, comprising a separated panel with
concealed structural members inside, said members being wire
trusses and reinforcing members with 2 flanges projecting toward
the 2 faces of the panel, said flanges being hidden under a thin
layer of foam plastic, the foam plastic being configured with
smooth surfaces.
8. The building panel of claim 1, comprising a method of joining
separate panels together in a building structure by adhesively
attaching 1 or more layers of a membrane such as glass fiber mesh
over the smooth faces of the foam plastic and onto adjacent panels,
the membrane, adhesive and process developing the full strength of
the membrane and exceeding the tensile strength of the foam
plastic, said adhesive and membrane also comprising a weather
barrier.
9. The building panel of claim 1, comprising a method of joining
separate panels to adjacent panels in a building structure by
mechanically attaching steel mesh or other membrane to multiple
reinforcing member flanges on the panels using a plurality of
mechanical fasteners such as self-tapping screws, the membrane
being capable of resisting stresses at least equal to the design
loads of the end use configuration of the panel in the building
structure.
10. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the locations of the
hidden flanges are identified by markings using a stencil on both
faces of the panel.
11. The building panel of claim 1, comprising the adaptation and
joining together of 4-inch-deep wire triangular trusses with
nominally 16 inch spacing on the wide segment of the triangles, and
common steel "C" studs, 35/8 inches wide, both said trusses and
said studs being manufactured and widely used for different and
separate functions, and fusing the joined assembly with multiple
copies of it together with foam plastic in a mold.
12. The building panel of claim 11, wherein the multiple copies of
said panels are separated from each other by the same methods and
equipment routinely used to cut foam plastic blocks into marketable
segments
13. The panel configuration of claim 11, wherein the finish system
on 1 face of the panel is gypsum wall board, and the finish on the
other face is stucco, and providing temporary mechanical attachment
of a weather barrier on the face receiving stucco, such as
asphalt-impregnated paper, and providing for permanent attachment
of exterior finish system components such stucco lath, woven wire
netting or diamond mesh by inserting sheet metal screws through the
mesh, weather barrier and the concealing layer of foam plastic into
the hidden stud flanges.
14. The building panel of claim 11, comprising a method of joining
a separate panel to adjacent panels by mechanically attaching steel
mesh or other membrane to multiple stud flanges on the panels using
a plurality of fasteners such as self-tapping screws, the membrane
being capable of resisting stresses at least equal to the design
loads of the end use configuration of the panel in the building
structure.
15. The building panel of claim 11, comprising a method of joining
panels together by adhesively attaching 1 or more layers of a
membrane such as glass fiber mesh over the smooth faces of the foam
plastic and onto adjacent panels, the adhesive and process
developing the full strength of the membrane and exceeding the
tensile strength of the foam plastic, said adhesive and membrane
also comprising a weather barrier.
16. The building panel of claim 11, wherein the locations of the
hidden flanges are identified by markings using a stencil on both
faces of the panel.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The invention relates to wall, roof and floor panels used in
buildings.
[0002] Description of Prior Art
[0003] EIFS
[0004] The building industry has developed what is known as
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems,(EIFS) which are primarily
non-loadbearing curtain walls. A descriptive monograph by the
Construction Specifications Institute is cited. EIFS panels
typically consist of steel or wood studs, exterior and interior
gypsum boards with polystyrene boards attached with an adhesive to
the exterior face. The polystyrene boards are covered with a
lightweitht glass fiber mesh, a polymer-based adhesive and
synthetic stucco. The stud cavity is filled with fiberglass
insulation. These systems are found to deteriorate due to the
formation of moisture inside the stud cavity, which has caused the
water-sensitive gypsum to deteriorate. Corrective measures include
drainage systems, such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. No.
5,826,388.
[0005] Foam Plastic Concrete Forms.
[0006] Many wall systems consist of concrete molds made of
polystyrene to hold columns of concrete. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,855
Berrenberg discloses fusing polystyrene to steel diamond mesh
inside special molds. Other patents have been granted that disclose
similar end products and methods, with novel differences in the
reinforcing members and their relationship to other members. Each
design uses a custom mold in factories with procedures for
controlling variables in raw materials and the environment.
Building Code acceptance of these products generally requires
special factory inspections by approved inspection agencies. The
continuing acceptance of the products of the Berrenberg and similar
patents teach that steel reinforcing members can be successfully
bonded to polystyrene in molds.
[0007] TRIANGULAR WIRE TRUSS SYSTEMS similar to those in this
invention are used with other foam plastic systems. U.S. Pat. No.
4,297,820 describes one of these systems. The trusses are typically
not more than 4 inches deep and vertically spaced 3 to 6 inches
apart with strips of polystyrene manually placed between the
trusses. The relatively low load resistance of the individual
trusses dictates this close spacing of the trusses. After
installation of the polystyrene wire mesh is clipped or welded onto
the truss wires to cover both faces of the panels. The panels are
joined together at the building site with strips of wire mesh,
typically using "C" rings crimped onto the mesh covering the panel
faces. The mesh is then covered with sprayed concrete to create
load-bearing panels. The panels are heavy, strong, lightweight and
provide good insulation, but the wire mesh is typically installed
at the factory without a weather barrier, and field attachment is
not possible because the round wire mesh does not accept required
mechanical fasteners. Sprayed concrete has been known to crack, and
water has penetrated through these systems. U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,375
criticizes these systems, and references U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,820.
The criticism includes the requirement for expensive manufacturing
machinery to make the trusses and the special wire mesh.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,345, discloses a series of "zigzag
shaped reinforcing rods" which are inserted into slits cut or
melted into foam plastic panels prior to attachment of wire mesh.
The tips of the rods are joined to a wire mesh that is sprayed with
a cementitious material in the end use configuration. Use of
weather barrier and choice of surface finish materials are both
inhibited by the difficulty in attaching screws or other fasteners
to round wires.
[0009] Steel Bonded to Foam Plastic
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,555 discloses a panel with steel members
bonded onto surfaces of a foam plastic panel. In this invention one
panel is molded at time in a special mold. This disclosure
demonstrates that thin strips of metal adhere to previously cured
polystyrene when both are placed in a special mold.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,768 discloses a panel with steel
structural members and wire-reinforced paper bonded to foam plastic
that is in a liquid state prior to molding. Urethane foam may be
the only foam plastic suitable for this process. These panels have
vertical and horizontal support members exposed on the exterior
faces. One panel is produced from each molding cycle.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,718 discloses a special mold that
produces a single panel with steel reinforcing members molded
inside. The process includes the attachment of metal strips
pre-treated with an heat-activated adhesive and a wire mesh
extending from the foam plastic core into a cavity formed on 1
panel surface. This patent demonstrates the validity of fusing a
variety of metal reinforcing members with polystyrene in a special
mold.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,569 discloses a method of fusing
structural members with polystyrene to make a single panel in a
special mold. The use of a supplemental adhesive to ensure
effective bonding is described. Part of the panel framing members
are utilized as the mold assembly, becoming part of the panel, and
remaining exposed in the end use configuration.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,728 discloses a building panel utilizing
folded metal sheets, wires, wire mesh, steel ribbons and other
components assembled and combined either with foam plastic in a
special mold or laminated together. The process includes an
automated system of spool feeding wires, which may be computerized,
pins, adhesives and other complexities. One claim discloses use of
a synthetic corrugated structural sheet that is first coated with a
heat-activated adhesive and fused inside a special mold that is
described as being portable. The disclosure claims use of any
generic or custom structural shapes, a wide variety of membranes
for use on panel exteriors. This disclosure teaches that a wide
variety of rigid shapes can be successfully bonded with foam
plastic in a mold, including many of the shapes bonded inside molds
in patents cited above. This disclosure does not claim any
combination of wire trusses with flanged reinforcing members, the
option of using either mechanical or adhesive attachment methods,
the use of standard equipment to make and separate multiple panels,
and other novel features of the present invention.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0015] It is the object of this invention to provide novel
solutions to a variety of problems that have been recognized in the
following described systems since the building industry began
extensive use of foam plastics.
[0016] EIFS
[0017] The problem of moisture in EIFS panels is overcome by this
invention because the stud cavity, with its condensation, is
replaced with reinforced foam plastic.
[0018] Concrete Forms
[0019] This invention provides adequate structural strength,
acceptance of a wide variety of wall, floor and roofing finish
materials without the need for heavy concrete required by the
concrete forms systems.
[0020] Structural Members Bonded to Foam Plastic
[0021] Problems inherent in these systems include quality control
of the bonding process, which, if done in molds, requires highly
specialized equipment and careful quality control by highly
experienced personnel. The typical process used to bond structural
members involves use of adhesives on foam plastic panel exteriors.
An adhesive coating is placed on one or both surfaces being joined,
pressure is applied, and curing time is allowed before the panels
are moved. The materials and the processes require skilled workers
capable of making adjustments to problems which inevitably arise.
Some systems require complex cutting and shaping of the foam
plastic in order to properly insert the steel members. These
systems are typically have limited applications due to rigidity of
the designs. In this invention building panels with adequate
strength to resist a variety of axial, transverse and racking load
requirements are produced without detailed fitting and bonding of
each structural member. The load resistance and insulation values
of the panels in this invention are altered according to the
materials selected. The steel industry produces many sizes of wire
trusses and flanged structural members that fit into the design of
this invention. In this invention larger trusses, with larger
flanged members fitted into them provide increased load-carrying
capacity and greater resistance to heat transfer without adversely
effecting the versatile attachment advantages or limiting choices
of finish materials.
[0022] Wire Truss Triangle Systems
[0023] This invention overcomes multiple problems inherent in
systems using wire trusses and round wire mesh on panel exteriors,
such systems being generally limited to one finish material, which
is concrete. The need for custom-cutting foam plastic segments and
hand-fitting them between closely spaced trusses is overcome in
this invention by fusing the foam plastic around the structural
members and producing a monolithic panel. The use of reinforcing
members provide support in the spaces between the trusses, allowing
wider spacing.
[0024] In the typical wire truss systems the vertical joints that
occur at each truss provide a path for water leakage, which problem
is aggravated by the omission of a weather barrier. The outer
surface of these systems is typically wire mesh, which does not
allow screw attachment of weather barriers or conventional siding
using mechanical fasteners.
[0025] Such systems depend on specialized wire-bending and
fabricating machinery at each factory. This invention uses wire
trusses and common steel framing members that are mass-produced for
other uses and available at building material outlets all over the
world.
[0026] This invention provides flat surfaces ideal for the
installation of a weather barrier. In this invention the foam
plastic is quickly molded around the steel structural members,
eliminating joints inside each panel to invite water
penetration.
[0027] The construction of special molds is eliminated by using the
same molds that regularly make large foam plastic blocks. The same
cutting equipment used to segment the blocks is used to separate
the panels in this invention.
[0028] This invention provides convenient use of screws or other
mechanical fasteners at proper spacing for the installation of
gypsum boards, expanded metal lath, stucco, vinyl siding, hardboard
siding and many other common mechanically fastened finish
materials.
[0029] In this invention the insulation is not hand-placed but is
properly located and firmly retained in place by total
encapsulation in foam plastic. This invention also invites the use
of adhesive finishes that serve as a weather barrier. Adhesive
attachment is obtained because the flat steel screw bases (flanges)
are concealed under a thin layer of foam plastic, and do not
interrupt the smooth panel surfaces. The present invention
comprises only 3 parts: 1. Off-the-shelf wire triangular trusses,
2: off -the-shelf steel flanged members, and 3: foam plastic. The
machinery required to produce the panel in the present invention is
the same foam plastic molding equipment used to produce and cut
large foam plastic blocks, which are primarily polystyrene and
urethane. Because expanded foam plastic is relatively inexpensive
and bulky it is not economically feasible to ship it over long
distances. The unexpanded styrene monomer and liquid urethane
components are twenty 5 to 40 times more dense than the expanded
end-use product. Consequently, foam plastic concentrates are
shipped in the dense form to local plants where they are expanded
and molded into large blocks. The blocks are then cut into
marketable board sizes. The standardized foam plastic molding and
cutting equipment used to produce the panels in this invention are
located in permanent factories with effective quality control
programs. The equipment used in this invention is widely
distributed and in daily use. It is highly developed and
efficiently operated with trained crews who overcome numerous
quality-control problems caused by variables in raw materials,
temperature, humidity, and other unpredictable circumstances.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 displays a structural framework consisting of welded
wire trusses with steel studs inserted into wide-angle triangular
openings. At the ends the truss wires are bent and inserted into
the end-plate cavity.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a view of studs inserted into truss triangles with
45-degree openings.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a view of an "H" truss with steel studs inserted
at the center point between welded cross wires.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a view of an alternate method of joining wire
trusses to end plates.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a view of 8 steel reinforcing assemblies held into
position for molding by foam plastic spacer blocks.
[0035] FIG. 6 is a view of a finished panel with sections cut away
for clarity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0036] With reference to FIG. 1, a structural framework is
displayed, consisting of steel studs 4, fitted into welded wire
trusses 3. The truss wires spread from the apex 3 to spacing 16
inches wide 2. These 4 inch-deep wide angle triangle trusses are
manufactured for reinforcing masonry walls, in which application
they are embedded in wet mortar placed between horizontal layers of
concrete blocks. When hardened, the mortar braces the trusses. In
this invention steel structural members 4 brace the triangles at
the point of widest span 5. The structural members in this example
are 35/8-inch "C" studs 4 that, by coincidence, closely fit into
this particular truss at point 5. Other structural members of the
correct dimensions, having 2 flat flanges 6, including the track
made to fit over the ends of studs, perform satisfactorily. In
addition to bracing the trusses the studs provide resistance to
loads in the area between the trusses allowing wider truss spacing.
The studs also provide flat flanges 6 for attachment of metal
self-tapping screws. These flanges project toward the two faces of
the panels for attaching a wide variety of interior and exterior
finish materials. At the ends of the trusses the truss wires 1 are
bent ninety degrees and fitted into the cavity of the end plates 7
at both ends of the panel assembly. Friction against the end plate
cavity 7 holds the trusses in position until the assembly is fused
together in a foam plastic mold. This fusing holds the end plates
to the body of the panel during transport and installation.
Mechanical fastening of interior and exterior finish materials,
which span multiple structural members, augments the attachment of
the trusses to the end plates. This attachment is further
illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0037] FIG. 2 is a view of structural members 8 inserted into
45-degree truss triangles 9. The studs in this example are placed
in alternating triangles, but spacing is a useful option of the
builder. The economy of wider spacing is acquired at the cost of
reduced load resistance. Trusses with different dimensions are
readily available, as are a wide variety of other structural
members with two flanges 11. The triangles are closed with 10-gauge
wire 10, which is welded to the apex of each triangle. The
triangular trusses displayed were manufactured for reinforcing
concrete masonry walls, in which application they are embedded in
wet mortar placed between horizontal layers of concrete blocks. In
this example the trusses are 10 inches deep.
[0038] FIG. 3 is a view of flanged reinforcing members 13 installed
through "H" trusses 14. The reinforcing member flanges 15 fit
tightly into the truss opening 16 at the point of widest span,
bracing the truss and providing load resistance in the space
between the trusses. The flat flanges 15 project toward the 2 faces
of the panel. The truss wires 14 and the reinforcing member flanges
are hidden under a thin layer of foam plastic after molding, but
accessible for installing screws that easily penetrate through the
finish material and into the flanges 15. FIG. 4 is a view of
another method of joining wire trusses 20 to end plates 17, in
which holes 18 are drilled through the end plates with truss wires
19 inserted through the holes and bent ninety degrees. FIG. 5 is a
view of panels stacked into position in a mold, wherein the checked
line on the outside of the drawing 21 represents the interior of
the mold. Molded blocks are made with one or more inches of excess
material, represented by the space 23 that is irregularly shaped
and trimmed away from the central block. The dark sections of the
drawing 22 represent cured foam plastic spacer blocks that hold the
structural steel assemblies in place during molding. The spacing is
enlarged for clarity. Actual spacing is less than one inch. After
molding the panels are separated using conventional hot wire or
other cutting equipment which cuts the new foam plastic and the
spacer blocks with equal ease. The molding operation illustrated in
this figure produces eight panels measuring 4 feet wide by 8 feet
long and less than 6 inches thick.
[0039] FIG. 6 is a view of a partially dissected panel reinforced
with 4 inch-deep truss wires 24. This panel has been separated from
other panels that were molded simultaneously in a typical
polystyrene mold. Using the hot wire method that routinely cuts
large polystyrene logs into segments, multiple panels 4 feet wide,
8 feet long and less than 6 inches thick were produced. Wire
trusses and steel structural members are hidden inside. The stud
flanges 25 were hidden beneath smooth polystyrene nominally 1/2
inch thick after separation, allowing the use of short metal screws
26 to attach finish materials 27 and panel joining devices 28. The
ends of the studs 25 were also concealed, but have been cut away to
allow viewing. Finish materials are displayed 27, with lines of
screw heads visible along the studs 26. The end plate is
mechanically fastened to the next stud 25 by the finish material
27. In this example the finish material substrate is steel metal
lath 28, also called diamond mesh. It is attached with self-tapping
metal screws 26 spaced 8 inches apart in accordance with building
code standards. Joining plates 28 are used to connect adjacent
panels. These plates augment the attachment of the end plates to
other panel structural members. The plates shown are wire mesh.
Other substrate materials include stucco netting, plywood, gypsum
sheathing and expanded metal lath. The exposed polystyrene surface
in this example reveals markings 29 applied at the factory to
locate hidden stud flanges.
[0040] The descriptions provided have disclosed components and
methods that reveal a general description of this invention. It is
reasonable to assume that other components and methods that perform
like or similar functions are also within the sphere of this
invention.
* * * * *