U.S. patent application number 13/103534 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-01 for customized modular panel.
This patent application is currently assigned to Systems Norbec inc.. Invention is credited to Jean-Pierre Gingras.
Application Number | 20110209429 13/103534 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39672770 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110209429 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gingras; Jean-Pierre |
September 1, 2011 |
CUSTOMIZED MODULAR PANEL
Abstract
There is described a method for fabricating a modular panel, the
method comprising a continuous production cycle comprising:
providing a space between two parallel exterior faces continuously
supplied, the space also enclosed between two opposite outer edges;
positioning a fastener within the space, along at least one of the
two opposite outer edges, the positioning performed at a given rate
to form a customized and predetermined pattern, and while the space
is being provided; at least partially filling the space with an
insulation layer, the insulation layer being also used for holding
said fastener in place; and cutting at least the insulation layer
to form the modular panel, the cutting according to the customized
and predetermined pattern. There is also provided a modular panel
having two parallel exterior faces for enclosing a space and a
fastener, said fastener being positioned within said space during
the above-mentioned continuous production cycle
Inventors: |
Gingras; Jean-Pierre;
(Longueuil, CA) |
Assignee: |
Systems Norbec inc.
Boucherville
CA
|
Family ID: |
39672770 |
Appl. No.: |
13/103534 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11743861 |
May 3, 2007 |
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13103534 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/588.1 ;
52/794.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2002/725 20130101;
E04C 2/292 20130101; E04B 1/6183 20130101; E04C 2/296 20130101;
Y10T 29/49629 20150115; E04B 1/34321 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/588.1 ;
52/794.1 |
International
Class: |
E04C 2/38 20060101
E04C002/38; E04C 2/34 20060101 E04C002/34 |
Claims
1. A modular panel comprising: two opposite outer edges; two
parallel exterior faces having a space therebetween, said space
also enclosed within said two opposite outer edges; an insulation
layer at least partially filling said space; at least two opposite
cut ends perpendicular to said two opposite outer edges; and a
longitudinal V-shaped cavity formed from one of said two opposite
cut ends to the other one of said two opposite cut ends for folding
one of said parallel exterior faces along said longitudinal
V-shaped cavity for forming an angled modular panel.
2. The modular panel as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said
two parallel exterior faces comprises a sheet of material.
3. The modular panel as in claim 2, further comprising an adhesive
placed in the V-shaped groove for holding the modular panel in an
angled position.
4. The modular panel as in claim 3, further comprising a joint
placed in an inside corner formed by the folding along the V-shaped
groove.
5. The modular panel as in claim 3, wherein said sheet of material
comprises at least one of a sheet of plastic, a sheet of metal and
a sheet of aluminum.
6. The modular panel as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said
two opposite outer edges further comprises a groove.
7. An assembly of modular panels forming the perimeter of an
insulated room, each modular panel comprising two opposite outer
edges wherein a distance between the two opposite outer edges
defines a given fixed width; two parallel exterior faces having a
space therebetween, said space also enclosed within said two
opposite outer edges; an insulation layer at least partially
filling said space; and at least two opposite cut ends
perpendicular to said two opposite outer edges, the assembly
having: at least one of the modular panels comprising a
longitudinal V-shaped cavity formed from one of said two opposite
cut ends to the other one of said two opposite cut ends for folding
one of said parallel exterior faces along said longitudinal
V-shaped cavity for forming an angled modular panel.
8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein a single one of the modular
panels comprises two parallel cut edges resulting from the removal
of a longitudinal sectional portion from the single modular panel
from one of said two opposite cut ends to the other one of said two
opposite cut ends, thereby defining a closing panel which is of a
width that is different from the given width and which is used for
closing the perimeter of the insulated room.
9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein said two parallel cut edges
each comprises at least one groove, the assembly further comprising
at least one of a molding and an adhesive used in conjunction with
the at least one groove for securing said two parallel cut edges
together.
10. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the
modular panel further comprises a joint placed in an inside corner
formed by the folding along the V-shaped groove.
11. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the least one of the modular
panel further comprises an adhesive placed in the V-shaped groove
for holding the modular panel in an angled position.
12. The assembly of claim 7, wherein at least one of said two
parallel exterior faces comprises a sheet of material.
13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said sheet of material
comprises at least one of a sheet of plastic, a sheet of metal and
a sheet of aluminum.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation application and claims
priority of U.S. patent application Ser. 11/743,861, filed May 3,
2007, entitled "Customized Modular Panel", the specification of
which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1) Field
[0003] The invention relates to the construction of insulated rooms
and to prefabricated panels for the construction of insulated rooms
or walk-in refrigeration units.
[0004] 2) Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Insulated rooms and refrigeration units are generally
constructed using prefabricated insulated modular panels made of an
insulating core enclosed within galvanized steel outer
surfaces.
[0006] Various modular panel fabrication techniques are found in
the prior art. In one example, each panel is fabricated manually
according to desired panel shapes and attributes. The panels are
thus produced to be able to build a customized insulated room. This
technique is quite time consuming and expensive however, as it
requires much labour. The locking devices, or fasteners, as well as
other joint features necessary for assembling the panels together,
are inserted during the manual fabrication process.
[0007] Another known fabrication technique seen in the prior art
employs an automated continuous manufacturing line to produce
panels having substantially fixed attributes. While this approach
reduces fabrication costs compared to the manual process, the
resulting panels have standard shapes and features, without any
built-in locking devices and custom junctions. Some panels are then
cut at the construction site in order to build a customized
insulated room. The assembly and the intersections are crafted
after pre-fabrication in order to assemble the panels together to
form panel junctions, intersectional walls, roof, floor and other
features of the room.
SUMMARY
[0008] There is therefore a need overcome the shortcomings of the
prior art as detailed herein above and to provide a continuous
fabrication process for creating modular panels capable of being
assembled together to create a customized insulated room.
[0009] According to one aspect, there is provided a modular panel
comprising: two opposite outer edges; a fastener positioned within
the space, along at least one of the two opposite outer edges; two
parallel exterior faces having a space therebetween, the space also
enclosed within the two opposite outer edges; an insulation layer
at least partially filling the space during a continuous
fabrication process, and for holding the fastener in place; and a
positioning device for positioning the fastener, the positioning
device being in contact with the fastener and with at least one of
the two parallel exterior faces.
[0010] According to another aspect, there is provided a method for
fabricating a modular panel, the method comprising a continuous
production cycle comprising: providing a space between two parallel
exterior faces continuously supplied, the space also enclosed
between two opposite outer edges; positioning a fastener within the
space, along at least one of the two opposite outer edges, the
positioning performed at a given rate to form a customized and
predetermined pattern, and while the space is being provided; at
least partially filling the space with an insulation layer, the
insulation layer being also used for holding said fastener in
place; and cutting at least the insulation layer to form the
modular panel, the cutting according to the customized and
predetermined pattern.
[0011] According to another aspect, there is provided a modular
panel having two parallel exterior faces for enclosing a space and
a fastener, said fastener being positioned within said space during
the above-mentioned continuous production cycle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Further features will become apparent from the following
detailed description, taken in combination with the appended
drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular panel according to
an embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross section view taken along cross-section
lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3a is a side view of a fabrication line according to
another embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 3b is a top view of the modular panel fabrication line
of FIG. 3a;
[0017] FIG. 4a is a perspective view of the modular panel of FIG.
1, with a fold line and a longitudinal V-shaped portion removed to
form an angled panel;
[0018] FIG. 4b is a perspective view of the panel of FIG. 4a once
folded along the fold line, glued and secured with a corner
molding;
[0019] FIG. 5a is a perspective view of the modular panel of FIG. 1
with a longitudinal sectional portion removed to reduce the
dimensions of the modular panel of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 5b is a cross-section view of the modular panel of FIG.
5a, once the panel is fused back together to from a modular panel
of a reduced size;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of a pair of modular panels
assembled together to form an intersection;
[0022] FIG. 7a is a cross-section view of a pair of modular panels
assembled together to form a roof-to-wall junction secured with a
fastener;
[0023] FIG. 7b is a cross-section view of a pair of modular panels
assembled together to form another roof-to-wall junction secured
with a screw;
[0024] FIG. 7c is a cross-section view of the wall panel of FIG.
7b, having an embedded screwing lath;
[0025] FIG. 8a is a cross-section view of the modular panel of FIG.
1 with a floor cover to form a floor panel;
[0026] FIG. 8b is a cross-section view of a pair of modular panels
assembled together to form a floor-to-wall junction;
[0027] FIG. 8c is a cross-section view of the assembled pair of
modular panels of FIG. 8b, with a floor spacer;
[0028] FIG. 8d is a cross-section view of the assembled pair of
modular panels of FIG. 8c, with spacers to provide a curved
interior floor-to-wall junction;
[0029] FIG. 9a is a perspective view of an insulated room
constructed using a plurality of modular panels as shown in FIGS. 1
through 8d, and assembled according to a customized
configuration;
[0030] FIG. 9b is a top cross-section view of an assembly of
modular panels forming outside walls or the perimeter of an
isolated room;
[0031] FIG. 10a is a block diagram illustrating the steps involved
in the method for fabricating the modular panel of FIG. 1 in
accordance with another embodiment, along with subsequent steps for
modifying and assembling the modular panels together to build an
isolated room; and
[0032] FIG. 10b is a block diagram illustrating other steps for
assembling the modular panels together, continued from FIG.
10a.
[0033] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like
features are identified by like reference numerals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0034] The fabrication process of a customized modular panel as
described herein is automated such that the overall fabrication
cost, fabrication time, on-site complexity of assembly and amount
of waste material may be reduced. In effect, the proposed modular
panel fabrication and assembly aims at improving the limitations
found in the prior art.
[0035] An embodiment of a modular panel is initially described,
followed by a the explanation of an automated fabrication process
used to fabricate the modular panel. Further modifications of the
resulting pre-fabricated, customized modular panels are then
described, along with their assembly for the construction of a
structure herein described as an insulated room. It is understood
that the described customized modular panels can be used to
assemble other similar structures
[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, a modular panel 100 for making an
isolated room 900 or a refrigeration unit (see FIG. 9a) is shown.
The modular panel 100 has two opposite outer edges, 101 and 102,
distanced by a width 106. The modular panel 100 also has a height
103 defined by the distance between the two opposite cut ends, 104
and 105, of the modular panel 100. The two opposite cut ends 104
and 105 are substantially perpendicular to the two opposite outer
edges 101 and 102. The modular panel 100 also has two parallel
exterior faces, 107 and 108, defining a space 109 therebetween also
referred to as a panel thickness. The space 109 between the to
parallel exterior faces, 107 and 108, is at least partially filled
with an insulation layer 110.
[0037] The two parallel exterior faces, 107 and 108 are not
necessary, although they are usually composed of a sheet of
material made of a plastic substance for example, or a metal such
as aluminum and galvanized steel.
[0038] The modular panel 100 has fasteners 111 and 112, which are
placed between the two parallel exterior faces, 107 and 108,
substantially near at least one of the two opposite outer edges,
101 and 102. The fasteners 111 and 112 are positioned by a
positioning device 113 during an automated continuous fabrication
process. For example, the fasteners can be positioned while or
before the insulation layer 110 is being inserted, in a way that
they remain in place while the panel is filled with the insulation
layer 110.
[0039] Still referring to FIG. 1, the fasteners 111 and 112 are
placed along at least one of the two opposite outer edges 101 and
102. A number of female fasteners 111 are placed along one of the
two opposite outer edges 101, and a number of male fasteners 112
are positioned along the second opposite outer edge 102. Another
possibility, as shown, is to alternate female fasteners 111 and
male fasteners 112 along the same outer edge (101 or 102). The
number of fasteners 111 and 112, as well as their type and position
along either one of the two opposite outer edges 101 and 102, is
predetermined according to a given pattern based on the customer's
desires, for example.
[0040] Alternatively, a given modular panel height 103 (the
distance between the two opposite cut ends 104 and 105) can also be
used to determine the exact positions of the fasteners once the
number of fasteners to be placed along one outer edge (102 or 103)
is set. Other schemes may also be used to determine how the
fasteners are placed within the modular panel 100. For example, a
customized or predetermined pattern setting the number of male and
female fasteners, and a series of given fastener positions, can be
pre-established using a customizing software run on a computer
connected to an automated continuous fabrication line. The software
determines where the fasteners 111 and 112 should be placed in the
modular panel and when they should be positioned during the
fabrication process, such that the panels can later be assembled
together to form the desired insulated room. The given pattern is
then used by the computer and an encoder during the fabrication
process. The encoder sends signals to the appropriate fabricating
devices of the automated continuous fabrication line, in accordance
with the given pattern
[0041] Now referring to FIG. 2, which shows a cross-section view of
the modular panel 100 of FIG. 1 along the lines 2-2, either one of
the two opposite cut ends (not shown) or either one of the two
opposite outer edges, here 102, can have grooves 200 for assembling
with a second modular panel (not shown) having correspondingly
fitting grooves such that both modular panels can be assembled
together.
[0042] FIG. 2 also illustrates the two parallel exterior faces 107
and 108, the insulating layer 110, and the fastener (111 or 112;
here 112) placed along an outer edge (101 or 102; here 102). The
key 201 of the fastener 112 is near the outer edge 102, and the two
wings 203 of the fastener 112 are inserted further inside the
insulation layer 110 of the modular panel 100. The key 201 of a
male fastener is a hook-like device, whereas the key of a female
fastener (not shown) is a device having an element for attaching to
the key 201 of a male fastener, such as a latch pin.
[0043] Still referring to FIG. 2, a positioning device 113 is used
during the fabrication process to at least partially hold the
fastener 112 in place within the space 109 or between the two
parallel exterior faces 107 and 108. The positioning device 113 can
be a simple supporting block of material, as illustrated.
Alternatively, a portion of the fastener (111 or 112), can be made
to extend from the fastener or one of its two wings 203, for
example. Such an extension or block of material supports the
fastener within the space 109 or on one of the two exterior faces
107 and 108. The positioning device can be secured to the fastener
(111 and 112) or to one of the two exterior faces 107 and 108 using
adhesives (not shown). Yet another alternative is to simply secure
the fastener in place using adhesives.
[0044] Now referring to FIG. 3a, there is illustrated an automated
continuous fabrication line 300 used for fabricating the modular
panel 100 according to one embodiment. The side view of the
fabrication line shows the two parallel exterior faces 107 and 108
being continuously provided by unrolling two wheels of sheet
material 301 and 302. The exterior faces 107 and 108 may form part
of the modular panel 100 or only be used during the fabrication to
enclose the space 109 such that it is filled by an insulating
material.
[0045] The two wheels of sheet material 301 and 302 provide for the
two parallel exterior faces 107 and 108 of the panel 100. The
double conveyor belts 303 and 304 continuously unroll the wheels
301 and 302 to provide the enclosed space 109 which is also
continuously being filled with the insulating material.
[0046] Referring to FIG. 3b, which is a top view of the continuous
fabrication line 300 of FIG. 3a, two side conveyor belts 305 and
306 are placed along each of the two opposite outer edges 101 and
102 of the modular panel 100 being fabricated. The two side
conveyor belts 305 and 306 are therefore separated by the width
307.
[0047] The side conveyor belt 305 and 306 can have continuous and
flexible side molding device (not shown) to create the grooves 200
of the modular panel 100 (refer to FIG. 2). Alternatively, and as
illustrated, the side conveyor belt 305 and 306 can have small
blocks of material 308 each having molding grooves to form
corresponding grooves 200 within the outer edges (101 and 102) of
the panel 100 (refer to FIGS. 1 and 2).
[0048] The fabrication line 300 also has two manipulating arms 309
for inserting at least the fasteners in place along the two
opposite outer edges 101 and 102 and within the space 109 of the
modular panel 100 (refer to FIG. 3a). Positioning devices 113 can
be used to hold the fasteners in place at least while the space 109
is being filled with the insulation layer 110. The insulation layer
110, once inserted, will secure the fasteners 111 and 112 in
place.
[0049] Still referring to the fabrication line 300 of FIGS. 3a and
3b, a computer (not shown) controls the fabrication line 300 by
executing a customizable fabrication software (not shown). The
computer controls several industrial programmable logic controllers
(not shown), and at least one encoder (not shown) for measuring a
length of material passing through the fabrication line 300. The
length is measured and encoded by the encoder, and sent to the
central computer. The central computer uses the encoder's
information to direct the manipulating arms 309 such that they
place the fasteners 111 and 112 at the appropriate positions. These
steps are all performed while the panel passes through the
fabrication line 300. The length measured by the encoder is thus
the length of the panel being fabricated. This fabrication
technique can be customized and the panel can be fabricated
according to a given pattern.
[0050] The filling or the injection of the insulation layer
material 110 between the two parallel exterior faces 107 and 108,
as shown in FIG. 3a, is performed on a continuous basis,
concurrently with the positioning of the fasteners and the
unrolling of the two exterior faces. The steps in the continuous
fabrication process are thus all performed simultaneously, although
a certain cycle or sequence of events is followed with respect to a
fixed position on the panel as it passes through the fabrication
line 300.
[0051] Still referring to FIGS. 3a and 3b, cutters 310 cut the
panel at the end of the fabrication line 300 (FIG. 3a). The cutting
action is controlled by the encoder and the central computer. A
signal is sent to the cutters 310 once a given length of panel
material is measured by the encoder, the given length corresponding
to a desired panel height 103. At least the insulation layer 110 is
cut in order to form the two opposite cut ends 104 and 105 of the
panel 100, as shown in FIG. 1. The cut end can be of any shape;
straight, curved, angled or having indentations for example.
[0052] Referring to FIG. 4a, there is illustrated a modular panel
400 similar to the modular panel 100 of FIG. 1, with a fold line
401 and a longitudinal V-shaped portion 402 removed from the panel
along the fold line 401. The longitudinal V-shaped portion 402
joins the two opposite cut ends 104 and 105, and points towards one
of the two parallel exterior faces, here 108. Alternatively, the
longitudinal V-shaped portion 402 can join the two opposite outer
edges 101 and 102.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 4b, the folding line 401 along one of the
parallel exterior faces (here 108) is for folding the modular panel
along the fold line to create an angled or cornered modular panel
403. The angle is secured along the fold line 401 using adhesives
placed along or inside the cavity formed by the removal of the
longitudinal V-shaped portion 402. Adhesives such as glue or
caulking can be used to seal. A molding 404 can also be inserted to
obtain a curved interior corner finishing.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b, which illustrate different
views of the modular panel 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1 having a
longitudinal sectional portion (not shown) and removed at junction
501. The junction 501 connects the two opposite cut ends 104 and
105 to create two new parallel cut edges 502 and 503. These edges
are fused back together to create a panel reduced in size. The
junction 501 may follow any axis.
[0055] The removal of the longitudinal sectional portion permits
the accommodation of a particular dimensional criteria. In this
example, the panel's width 106 (see FIG. 1) is reduced.
Alternatively, if the removed portion is along a lateral axis or
such that the junction 501 connects the two opposite outer edges
101 and 102 (refer to FIG. 1), the panel's height 103 is
reduced.
[0056] As illustrated in FIG. 5b, the two parallel cut edges 502
and 503 are fused back together using at least one of a combination
of grooves and moldings 504. Adhesive means (not shown) can also be
used to further secure and seal the resulting modular panel.
[0057] FIG. 6 shows a top view of the assembly of two modular
panels 601 and 602 to form an angled intersection. Modular panels
601 and 602 are similar to the modular panel 100 of Fig.1. A first
modular panel 601 has a longitudinal V-shaped portion 603 removed.
Hence, modular panel 601 resembles modular panel 400 of FIG. 4a. A
second modular panel 602 has a longitudinal V-shaped projection 604
along any one of either the two opposite outer edges (101 and 102
of FIG. 1) or the two cut ends (104 and 105 of FIG. 1).
[0058] The V-shaped projection 604 points outwardly such that is
may be inserted in the cavity formed by the removal of the V-shaped
portion 603 of the first modular panel 601. The intersection is
created by the insertion of panel 602 in the cavity of panel 601.
The modular panels 601 and 602 are secured together by using
moldings 605 and adhesive means (not shown).
[0059] Now referring to FIG. 7a, there is shown a cross-section
view of a pair of modular panels 701 and 702 assembled together to
form a wall-to-roof junction 700. Modular panels 701 and 702 can be
either one of a wall or a roof panel. It is however preferred that
panel 701 forms an upright wall panel and that panel 702 forms a
transverse roof panel. The wall panel 701 has a joint section
defined by a local cut 703 performed within at least one of its two
opposite cut ends, here 104. The local cut 703 permits the
insertion of the housing 704 and hook 705 of a male fastener
706.
[0060] Still referring to FIG. 7a, the roof panel 702 has a joint
section defined by a mold-locking device 707. The mold-locking
device 707 is a mold having a structure for locking with the
fastener 706 of the wall panel 701. The mold-locking device 707 is
engaged along at least one of the panel's two opposite cut ends,
here 104, or along at least one of the two opposite outer edges,
101 or 102 (refer to FIG. 1), of roof panel 702.
[0061] The given edge of the roof panel 702 can be surrounded by
the mold-locking device 707, as illustrated.
[0062] Prior to the engagement of the mold-locking device 707, a
local continuous cut is made in the roof panel 702 such that the
built-in locking structure of the mold-locking device 707 can be
inserted into the insulation layer 110 of the panel. The built-in
locking structure has a latch pin 708 such that the male fastener
706 of the wall panel 701 can lock with the latch pin 708.
[0063] The locking mechanism of all the fasteners herein described
(111, 112 of FIG. 1 and here 706) is accessible via a locking hole
performed within the modular panel (represented by dashed lines in
FIG. 7a). The locking hole permits the use of an Allen key to lock
or unlock the locking drive 709 of the fastener, here 706.
[0064] A thermal breakage point 710 can be performed between the
edge of the mold-locking device 707 and start of the exterior face
of the panel (here 107), to further prevent condensation. Gaskets
711 can also be used to seal the joint sections of the wall panel
701 and the roof panel 702 together.
[0065] FIG. 7b is a cross-section view showing a pair of modular
panels assembled together to form a roof-to-wall junction according
to a different junction technique. The joint section of the wall
panel 701 is formed by removing a substantially rectangular portion
of the insulation layer 110; this portion is herein illustrated as
the portion 712. The removal of 712 permits an edge 104 of a roof
panel 702 to be supported by the wall panel 701.
[0066] Once the substantially rectangular portion 712 is removed, a
lath 713 is placed on the supporting cut edge 714 of the wall panel
701. The supporting cut edge 714 extends inwardly from at least one
of the two parallel exterior faces, here 107, and for a distance
defined by a part of the distance between the two parallel exterior
faces 107 and 108 of the wall panel 701. A lateral cut edge 715
extends substantially vertically into the panel 701, from at least
one of the two opposite cut ends, here 104, and for a distance
defined by at least the distance between the two parallel exterior
faces 107 and 108 of the roof panel 702.
[0067] Still referring to FIG. 7b, when the substantially
rectangular portion 712 is removed from the wall panel 701, at
least one of the two parallel exterior faces, here 107, is bent
inwardly on the supporting cut edge 714, and partially onto the
lateral cut edge 715, so as to follow the sides created by the
removal of portion 712. This bent portion of the exterior face 107
is illustrated as the layer of material 716.
[0068] The layer of material 716 further secures the lath 713 onto
the supporting cut edge 714 of the wall panel 701. An assembling
screw 717 is used to secure the roof panel 702 and the wall panel
701 together. The assembling screw 717 is inserted from one of the
two parallel exterior faces 108 of panel 702 to the second of the
two parallel exterior faces 107 of the roof panel 702. The wall-to
roof junction is further secured by using adhesives (not shown) and
gaskets (not shown).
[0069] Each panel illustrated by FIGS. 7a and 7b can be
manufactured with their respective joint section such that they are
easily assembled together on site.
[0070] FIG. 7c is a cross-section view of one of the modular panel
701 of FIG. 7b, with an embedded screwing lath 718. In this case,
the layer of material 716 of FIG. 7b, is completely removed when
the substantially rectangular portion 712 is removed from the wall
panel 701. The screwing lath 718 is embedded in the wall panel 701
during the continuous fabrication process detailed hereinabove, and
following a method such as the one described for the positioning of
the fasteners within the modular panels (refer to FIGS. 3a and
3b).
[0071] A gasket 719 attached to the supporting cut edge 714 further
ensures that the roof-to-wall junction is well sealed. Plastic caps
and finishing materials can be added to the exposed edges of the
panels (here cut end 104), such as cap 720.
[0072] FIG. 8a is a cross-sectional view showing the modular panel
of FIG. 1 for forming a floor panel 800, and thus having a floor
cover 801. The floor cover 801 is a sheet of floor covering
material such as a thick metallic sheet of gauge 16 to 18 for
example. The floor cover 801 is attached to one of the exterior
faces 107 (or 108 of FIG. 1) of the floor panel 800. More
precisely, the floor cover 801 engages into a groove 200 of the
floor panel 800 located at one outer edge 102 of the floor panel
800.
[0073] The second outer edge 101 of the floor panel 800 has a
protrusion 802 (shown in dotted lines) for engaging in an adjacent
panel (not shown) having a groove (not shown) such as groove 200,
into which protrusion 802 can be inserted. The floor covering sheet
801 is inserted along outer edge 101 by cutting the protrusion 802
along the two dashed cut lines shown (8-8 and 8'-8') and only as
deep as their intersecting point. Alternatively, the entire outer
edge 101 can be removed by cutting through the entire floor panel
800 following the dashed cut line 8-8. Then, the floor cover 801
can be bent around the remaining cut edge 101.
[0074] FIG. 8b is a cross-sectional view showing a pair of modular
panels assembled together to form a floor-to-wall junction. The
wall panel 701 (refer to FIGS. 7a, 7b and 7c) is secured to a floor
panel 800 (refer to FIG. 8a) by using an anchoring device 803.
[0075] The anchoring device 803 is a device that allows engaging
the exterior cut end 105 of wall panel 701. It is fastened to the
bottom parallel exterior face (here 107) of floor panel 800. Rivets
804 are used to attach the anchoring device 803 to the floor panel
800. The anchoring device 803 can thus be attached to the floor
panel 800 during manufacturing, and wall panel 701 can simply be
engaged on the anchoring device 803 on site, upon assembly of the
final unit.
[0076] The rivets 804 can be any other type of attaching device
such as bolts, nails pins and the like, and adhesives.
[0077] The anchoring device 803 illustrated in FIG. 8b is a sheet
of material having strong enough resistance to solidly fix both
panels together. Additionally, the anchoring device 803 can have a
hook-like form to cover the entire cut end 105 and rise over the
parallel exterior face (here 108) of the wall panel 701, as
illustrated.
[0078] A cover 805 can also be used to cover the rising edge of the
anchoring device 803, at the exterior corner and over the exterior
face 108 of the wall panel 701. The cover 805 can be of any
material suitable for engaging over the edge of the anchoring
device 803. The cover 805 can also be made to provide an aesthetic
finishing touch to the junction area.
[0079] As an alternative embodiment of FIG. 8b, a portion of wall
panel 701 is removed such that wall panel 701 partly engages over
the top parallel exterior face (here 108) of the floor panel 800,
as illustrated in FIG. 8c and FIG. 8d.
[0080] FIG. 8c is a cross-sectional view showing the pair of
modular panels assembled together of FIG. 8b, with a base or floor
spacer 806. More particularly, the base 806 is fixed to an exterior
face 107 of the floor panel 800 using anchors or screws 807. Then,
the anchoring device 803' is fastened to a floor spacer 806 using a
screw 808. Both the base 806 and the anchoring device 803' thus
secure the floor 800 and the wall panel 701 together during
installation. Finally, a cover 805' provides an aesthetic finishing
touch to the junction area. The cover (805 and 805') are made of
metal or of any kind of plastic material.
[0081] Variations of this attachment scheme are possible, since the
base 806 could very well have additional attachment and sealing
features into which the wall panel 701 or the floor panel 800
securely engages.
[0082] Still referring to FIG. 8c, there is illustrated how the
wall panel 701 is optionally modified to engage over a top parallel
exterior face (here 108) of the floor panel 800. In such a case, a
portion of the wall panel 701 is removed to form cavity 809. This
portion is located at the cut end 105 of the wall panel 701 such
that a substantially right-angled junction can be made between the
floor and the wall panel 800 and 701 respectively.
[0083] The cavity 809 engages on a hook formed by the bending of
the floor cover 801. A reinforcement device 810, preferably placed
in the wall panel 701 during the automated fabrication process
detailed hereinabove, further ensures that the wall panel 701
remains securely engaged to the floor panel 800. The reinforcement
device 810 is made to resist against the pressure of the portion of
floor cover 801 inserted inside the cavity 809 of the wall panel
701.
[0084] FIG. 8d is a cross-sectional view showing the assembled pair
of modular panels of FIG. 8c, with spacers 811 and 812. The spacers
are placed such that a curved interior floor-to-wall junction 813
can be obtained.
[0085] A first spacer 811 is placed between the cut end 105 of the
wall panel 701 and the base 806 to elevate the wall panel 701 such
that the floor cover 801 can be curved upwards at the curved
interior junction 813.
[0086] A second combination of spacers 812 are placed at a cut end
or an outer edge of the floor panel 800, on top of the exterior
face 108 and below a portion of the floor cover 801. The spacers
812 are such that once the wall panel 701 is partly engaged over
the floor panel 800, both the floor cover 801 and the spacers 812
are secured due to the weight of the wall panel 701.
[0087] As illustrated in FIG. 8d, at least one of the spacers 812
fills the space below the floor cover 801 in a curved fashion. A
gasket 814 is used to seal the the floor cover 801 with the
exterior face 107 of the wall panel 701.
[0088] The spacers 811 and 812 can be made of one single block of
material or a combination of blocks of material. Material types can
vary although the chosen material is preferred to be resistant
temperature and provide proper isolation. PVC foam blocks or
neoprene joints are examples.
[0089] Referring to FIG. 9a, several modular panels such as the
ones shown in FIGS. 1 to 8d are assembled together to form an
insulated room 900 according to desired attributes. For assembly,
the modular panels are defined as wall panels 901 and roof panels
903, which can similarly be seen as floor panels (not shown).
Corner or angled wall panels 902 form the corners of the
refrigeration unit 900. Many combinations can therefore be
performed to create various room architectures. The walls are
assembled by locking male fasteners 112 with female fasteners 111
on each of the two opposite outer edges of each of the modular
panels (either wall panels 901, roof or floor panels 903, or angled
modular panels 902).
[0090] Doors (not shown) can also be assembled according to
variations of the described fabrication method. For example, a door
knob, a closing device and rotating joints can be inserted in a
modular panel during fabrication. Finally, for aesthetic purposes,
the exposed cut ends or other external edges of the assembled
modular panels can be sealed by plastic caps or other finishing
materials.
[0091] FIG. 9b is a top cross-sectional view of an assembly of
modular panels forming the perimeter of an isolated room. As an
example, modular panels having a given fixed width are assembled
together to form the perimeter of the room. If the perimeter is not
a multiple of the fixed width, a single "closing" panel can be
formed by removing a longitudinal portion of the panel such that
its width is reduced, as described in FIGS. 5a and 5b. This
practice reduces the amount of waste material which would
inevitably follow from more extensive on-site panel modifications.
FIGS. 10a and 10b, are block diagrams illustrating a method for
fabricating a modular panel as shown in FIG. 1 and assembling
modular panels to build an isolated room 900 (refer to FIG. 9a).
FIGS. 10a and 10b thus summarize in essence the above- described
subject matter.
[0092] To fabricate a modular panel as shown in FIG. 1, a space
between two continuously supplied parallel exterior faces is
supplied in step 1000. The parallel exterior faces can be made of a
material such as a sheet of plastic, metal, or any other device for
enclosing a space.
[0093] In step 1001, once the space is provided, the fasteners are
positioned at a given rate using positioning arms, and held in
place at their given positions using positioning devices. The
positions are in accordance with a customizable predetermined
pattern. The fasteners are placed within the space and usually
along or at one of the two opposite outer edges of the panel.
[0094] In step 1002, the space is at least partially filled with an
insulation layer. This step is performed on a continuous basis, as
the parallel exterior faces pass through the fabrication line, and
while the fasteners are being placed and held in position.
[0095] In step 1003, molded grooves can be formed along the two
opposite outer edges of the panel being fabricated by using molds
such that the insulation layer filling the space takes on the shape
of the molds.
[0096] In step 1004, the continuous fabrication cycle performed by
the automated fabrication line 300 terminates by the cutting of at
least the insulation layer of the panel being fabricated to from
the modular panel according to desired dimensions.
[0097] The following steps, 1005 to 1011, are optional
modifications which can be performed on the fabricated modular
panels such that the panels can later be assembled together to form
an insulated room. The assembly steps are described by steps 1012
to 1014.
[0098] Still referring to FIG. 10a, block 1005 has six sub-blocks
1006 to 1011 describing the possible modifications which can be
performed on the modular panels.
[0099] In step 1006, an angled modular panel is created by removing
a longitudinal V-shaped portion of the panel, folding the panel
along the longitudinal fold line of the removed portion, and fusing
the corner junction using adhesives and joints (refer to FIG. 4a
and FIG. 4b).
[0100] In step 1007, an intersection of two modular panels is
created (refer to FIG. 6). In this step, a longitudinal V-shaped
portion is removed from a first modular panel to form a cavity. A
longitudinal V-shaped groove protruding from an outer edge of a
second modular panel is then inserted in the cavity of the first
modular panel, thereby creating the angled intersection. The
intersection is then further secured by using adhesives and
joints.
[0101] In step 1008, a longitudinal portion of a modular panel is
removed to reduce the size of the modular panel, such as its width
(refer to FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b). Once the portion is removed, the
panel is fused back together using adhesives and joints. The
portion removed can be cut so as to have grooves. The grooves help
in joining the remaining portions of the panel back together.
[0102] FIG. 10b is a block diagram illustrating other steps
(1009-1014) for assembling the modular panels together, as a
continuation of FIG. 10a.
[0103] In step 1009 and 1010, a roof-to-wall junction is
performed.
[0104] In step 1009, one performs a local cut within at least one
of the two opposite cut ends of a first modular panel and inserts a
male fastener in the local cut. Then, a local continuous cut is
performed to insert a mold-locking device into at least one of the
two opposite cut ends and the two opposite outer edges of a second
modular panel. The mold-locking device is a single unit apparatus
that has a latch pin for locking to a male fastener, and that
encapsulates the outer edge of the cut end of the modular panel
(refer to FIG. 7a).
[0105] In step 1010, one performs a substantially rectangular cut
to remove the substantially rectangular portion from the cut edge
of a first panel (wall panel), refer to FIG. 7b and FIG. 7c. The
substantially rectangular cut removes a part of the insulation
layer of the modular panel, and thus forms a supporting cut edge
and a lateral cut edge within the insulation layer of the remaining
wall panel; both of these edges being substantially perpendicular
to one another. Ideally, the supporting cut edge extends inwardly
from a least one of the two parallel exterior faces for a distance
defined by part of the distance between the two parallel exterior
faces. The lateral cut edge extends inwardly from at least one of
the two opposite cut ends of the modular panel for a distance
defined by the insulated layer of the roof panel. The parallel
exterior face which is let free to move after the rectangular cut
has been performed can then be entirely cut or bent inwardly such
that it at least partially covers the supporting cut edge. A lath
is placed on the supporting cut edge to further secure an
assembling screw that is to be inserted in a second modular panel
(the roof panel), such that the assembling screw secures the wall
panel to the roof panel. The assembling screw is inserted
substantially near at least one of the two opposite outer edges and
one of the two opposite cut ends, such that it traverses the
modular panel forming the roof panel (from one of the two parallel
exterior faces to the second).
[0106] Still referring to FIG. 10b, a floor-to-wall junction is
created in step 1011. Various alternatives exists, though the main
steps are described as follows: A floor covering sheet is placed on
one of the exterior faces of the modular panel to form the floor of
the insulated room. The floor covering sheet is secured onto the
modular panel by being inserted in a groove 200 located at one
outer edge of the floor panel and shaped to substitute a protrusion
802 located at an opposite outer edge of the floor panel. The floor
panel can also be secured to an anchoring device from one bottom
exterior face of the panel so as to form a cavity into which a wall
panel can be inserted during assembly (refer to FIGS. 8a to 8d). A
portion of a wall panel is also removed such that the wall panel
can engage around an edge of a floor panel and into the cavity of
the anchoring device.
[0107] Steps 1012 to 1014 describe the action of assembling the
various modular panels together to from the structural unit having
a roof, walls, angled walls and intersections. A floor can
optionally be assembled as well.
[0108] In step 1012, two modular panels are assembled together by
joining an outer edge of a first modular panel to a corresponding
outer edge of a second modular panel such that male and female
fasteners are engaged together. An Allen key is then used to lock
the fasteners. Joints, caulking or any sealant can also be used to
ensure a sealed junction. This step enables the assembly of wall,
floors and roof separately or concurrently with their junction
(floor to wall and roof to wall).
[0109] For example, in step 1013, once the floor panels are
assembled together, side by side, the wall panels are secured with
the floor panels. An anchorage sheet, rivets and screws such as
described in FIGS. 8b to 8d are used to secure a wall panel to a
floor panel. Spacers can be used to form a curved inside junction
between the two panels, and a base can also be inserted between the
panels and the anchoring device if desired. Finishing plastic
covers or caps can be used to protect the junctions.
[0110] Finally, in step 1014, while the roof panels are assembled
together, side by side, they can also be secured to the wall
panels.
[0111] If the roof and wall panels are as modified in step 1009, an
Allen key is used to secure the male fastener of the wall panel to
the lath in the mold-locking device of the roof panel (refer to
FIG. 7a).
[0112] If the roof and wall panels are as modified in step 1010, a
hole is drilled and an assembling screw is inserted to attach the
roof panel to the lath of the wall panel (refer to FIG. 7b and FIG.
7c).
[0113] The panels can have further modifications to allow for doors
or other built-in electrical monitoring and control devices for
example. It is understood that the assembly method herein proposed
can vary depending on the particularities of the room to be
built.
[0114] The embodiments of the invention described above are
intended to be exemplary only, and it is understood that the
embodiments may be substantially varied while remaining in the
scope of the description, which is intended to be limited solely by
the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *