U.S. patent application number 14/429734 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-21 for method of making a panel.
The applicant listed for this patent is KACHIGIAN LP. Invention is credited to Khatchik Chris Khatchikian.
Application Number | 20160016340 14/429734 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50389106 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160016340 |
Kind Code |
A2 |
Khatchikian; Khatchik
Chris |
January 21, 2016 |
METHOD OF MAKING A PANEL
Abstract
A method is provided for manufacturing a seamless, reinforced
panel of any desired length using a single mold. The seamless
panels of the present invention may be used in a variety of
construction application. In one embodiment, the method includes
inserting at least a portion of a plurality of lattice trusses into
a mold having an axial length, inserting a first filler material
into the mold, the first filler material encapsulating at least a
portion of the plurality of lattice trusses to form a panel
segment, translating the panel segment a linear distance, the
linear distance less than the axial length of the mold such that a
portion of the panel segment remains in the mold, and inserting a
second filler material into the mold, the second filler material
intermixing with the portion of the panel segment remaining in the
mold to form a seamless panel.
Inventors: |
Khatchikian; Khatchik Chris;
(Burbank, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KACHIGIAN LP |
GLENDALE |
CA |
US |
|
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20150224687 A1 |
August 13, 2015 |
|
|
Family ID: |
50389106 |
Appl. No.: |
14/429734 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
September 25, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2012/057139 PCKC 00 |
371 Date: |
March 19, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/77;
156/243 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29D 99/001 20130101;
B29C 44/3461 20130101; B29C 70/688 20130101; B29C 70/88 20130101;
B29K 2025/06 20130101; B32B 5/20 20130101; B29L 2009/00 20130101;
B29C 44/445 20130101; B29C 44/22 20130101; E04C 2/205 20130101;
B29C 44/322 20130101; B29C 44/24 20130101; B29C 44/0461 20130101;
E04C 2/22 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B29C 44/24 20060101
B29C044/24 |
Claims
1. A method of making a seamless panel, comprising: inserting at
least a portion of a plurality of lattice trusses into a cavity of
a mold, said cavity having an axial length; inserting a first
filler material into the mold cavity, the first filler material
encapsulating at least a portion of the plurality of lattice
trusses; heating the first filler material in the mold cavity to
form a panel segment; advancing the panel segment a linear
distance, the linear distance being less than the axial length of
the mold cavity such that a section of the panel segment remains in
the mold cavity and another section of the panel is outside of the
mold cavity; advancing another portion of said plurality of lattice
trusses in the mold cavity; and inserting a second filler material
into the mold cavity; heating the second filler material and at
least a portion of the section of the panel segment remaining in
the mold cavity intermixing the second filler material with the at
least a portion of the panel segment remaining in the mold cavity
to form a seamless panel.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein intermixing comprises heating the
second filler material in said mold cavity to bond a portion of the
second filler material to a portion of the first filler material
defining said section of the panel segment remaining in the
mold.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first filler material and the
second filler material are the same.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the second
filler material in the mold cavity to expand the second filler
material.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the mold
cavity.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming the plurality
of lattice trusses, wherein for each of the plurality of lattice
trusses the method comprises: feeding a plurality of wires into a
welder; shaping at least one of the plurality of wires in the
welder; and welding the plurality of wires.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of lattice
trusses comprises three wires.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of wires
are wound around individual spools.
9. The method of claim 6, further comprising: moving the welder in
a first direction to feed the plurality of wires into the welder;
and moving the welder in a second direction opposite the first
direction to feed the plurality of lattice trusses into the mold
cavity.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein moving the welder in the second
direction further comprises simultaneously advancing said another
section of the panel segment out of the mold cavity.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the steps
of claim 1 until a desired length of panel is achieved.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second filler
materials .comprise expandable polystyrene (EPS).
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold comprises a first
portion and a second portion, wherein the mold cavity is defined
between said mold first and second portions, and wherein the first
and second portions are configured to move between an open position
for receiving the plurality of lattice trusses and a closed
position defining said mold cavity for receiving the filler
material.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the mold
first and second portions to receive the lattice trusses.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising closing the mold
first and second portions to receive the second filler
material.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the mold
first and second portions to expose the panel segment.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the panel segment comprises
between 4 and 12 lattice trusses.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the difference between the
linear distance and the axial length of the mold is less than
approximately 1 meter.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the difference between the
linear distance and the axial length of the mold is not less than
approximately 1 meter.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of lattice
trusses comprises an upper longitudinal wire, a lower longitudinal
wire parallel with the upper longitudinal wire, and a transverse
wire extending between the upper and lower longitudinal wires.
21. The method of claim 1, further comprising pre-expanding the
second filler material, comprising: saturating expandable
polystyrene beads with pentane; and heating the expandable
polystyrene beads saturated with pentane.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising drying the
expandable polystyrene beads.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold comprises a first
portion and a second portion, wherein the mold cavity is defined
between said mold first and second portions, the method further
comprising: inserting a first portion of the plurality of lattice
trusses in a plurality of first channels in the first mold portion;
and inserting a second portion of the plurality of lattice trusses
opposite the first portion in a plurality of second channels in the
second mold portion, wherein the first and second channels are
aligned and the plurality of lattice trusses extend therebetween,
and wherein the first and second channels extend longitudinally
along the axial length of the mold cavity.
24. The method of claim 1, further comprising first and second
openings on opposite ends of the mold cavity, the first and second
openings axially aligned, the first opening configured to receive
the lattice trusses and the second opening configured to eject the
advancing panel segments.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a National Phase Patent Application and
claims the priority of International Application Number
PCT/US2012/057139, filed on Sep. 25, 2012. The disclosure of which
is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a method of
making a panel, and more particularly to a method of making a
seamless panel using a mold.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Prefabricated modular panels are used in a variety of
construction applications, such as constructing interior or
exterior walls of a home. Conventional panels used in construction
applications are fabricated as modular segments and then joined
together in situ to form the desired length and configuration.
Typically, the size of the individual panel segments is limited by
the size of the mold used to fabricate the panel segments.
Conventionally, longitudinal stringers or transverse braces may be
used to interconnect adjacent panel segments to achieve the desired
length or configuration of the assembled modular panel segments.
Moreover, in some conventional methods, ends of the prefabricated
panel segments must be prepared or treated before the adjacent wall
segments can be interconnected. For instance, in some methods, a
wire support structure of the ends of the panel segments must be
exposed, and then the exposed ends of the panels are joined
together, such as with wires. Additionally, the exposed ends of the
panel segments may be covered with a bonding agent, such as
concrete, to interconnect adjacent segments to form a unitary
structure. Accordingly, such conventional methods of forming and
interconnecting fixed length panel segments may be time consuming,
costly, and complex. Moreover, using custom size molds to form
different length panel segments may be prohibitively expensive
because a manufacturer of modular panels may have to stock a
variety of mold sizes in inventory in order to produce a variety of
different length modular panels to meet customer demands.
[0004] As such, there is a need for a method of manufacturing a
seamless panel in a continuous operation, which can then be cut to
the desired length. Moreover, there is a need for a method of
manufacturing a seamless panel without the need for intermediate
joints between adjacent panel segments. There is also a need for a
method of manufacturing a seamless panel of any desired length
using a single mold.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention is directed to a method of making a
seamless panel using a mold. In one embodiment, the method of
manufacturing a seamless panel comprises inserting a portion of a
plurality of lattice trusses into a mold having an axial length,
inserting a first filler material into the mold, the first filler
material encapsulating the portion of the plurality of lattice
trusses to form a panel segment, advancing the panel segment a
linear distance, the linear distance less than the axial length of
the mold such that a portion of the panel segment remains in the
mold, and inserting a second filler material into the mold, the
second filler material intermixing with the portion of the panel
segment remaining in the mold to form a seamless panel. In one
embodiment, intermixing comprises heating the mold to bond a
portion of the second filler material to a portion of the first
filler material remaining in the mold. In one embodiment, the first
filler material and the second filler material are the same. In one
embodiment, the difference between the linear distance the panel
segment is advanced and the axial length of the mold is not less
than approximately 1 meter. In another embodiment, the difference
between the linear distance the panel segment is advanced and the
axial length of the mold is less than approximately 1 meter.
[0006] In one embodiment, the method includes heating the mold to
expand the filler material. In yet another embodiment, the method
includes forming the plurality of lattice trusses, comprising
feeding a plurality of wires into a welder, shaping at least one of
the plurality of wires, and welding the plurality of wires. In
another embodiment, the method includes sliding the welder in a
first direction to feed the plurality of wires into the welder to
form a plurality of lattice trusses, and sliding the welder in a
second direction opposite the first direction to feed the plurality
of lattice trusses into the mold.
[0007] In yet a further embodiment, the method comprises providing
a mold having an upper half and a lower half opposite the upper
half, wherein the upper and lower mold halves are configured to
move between an open position for receiving the plurality of
lattice trusses and a closed position having a cavity for receiving
the filler material. In one embodiment, the method includes
providing a mold having first and second openings on opposite ends
of the mold, the first and second openings axially aligned, the
first opening configured to receive the lattice trusses and the
second opening configured to eject the advancing panel segments. In
a further embodiment, the method includes inserting an upper
portion of the plurality of lattice trusses in a plurality of upper
channels in the upper mold half, and inserting a lower portion of
the plurality of lattice trusses in a plurality of lower channels
in the lower mold half, wherein the upper and lower channels are
aligned, and wherein the upper and lower channels extend
longitudinally along the axial length of the mold.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Embodiments of methods of fabricating a seamless panel with
any desired length using a single mold are described with reference
to the following figures. The same reference numbers are used
throughout the figures to reference like features, components, and
method steps.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a seamless
panel according to the methods of forming a seamless panel with a
mold of the present invention;
[0010] FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic illustrations of the
manufacturing equipment used to produce a seamless panel according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic illustrations of the
manufacturing equipment used to produce a seamless panel according
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plurality of truss
segments inserted into a mold during manufacturing of a seamless
panel according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the
mold and truss segments illustrated in FIG. 4; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method of
forming a seamless panel with a mold according to an embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The present invention is directed to a method of
manufacturing a seamless panel of any desired length using a mold.
As described in detail below, the length of the seamless panel is
not limited by the size of the mold. Instead, the seamless panel
may be manufactured as a single continuous structure having any
desired length without the need for connectors or brackets
adjoining adjacent modular panel segments. Additionally, the
seamless panel may be cut into varying length segments following
production of the seamless panel. In general, the seamless panel
may be used in a variety of construction applications, including
for use as interior and exterior walls in a house.
[0016] Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the
seamless panel 100 manufactured according to the methods described
herein comprises a reinforcing framework at least partially
encapsulated within a filler material 101. In one embodiment, the
filler material 101 comprises expandable polystyrene (EPS). The
framework is configured to provide structural rigidity and
increased load-bearing capacity to the seamless panel 100. The
framework comprises a plurality of lattice trusses 102 oriented
longitudinally along the seamless panel 100 and laterally spaced
apart. The plurality of lattice trusses 102 are bound together by
the filler material 101. As described below, the filler material
101 is configured to expand in the mold to fill the gaps between
the lattice trusses 102. In one embodiment, the lattice trusses 102
are couple together only by the filler material 101. Although the
transverse gaps between adjacent lattice trusses 102 are uniform
across the seamless panel 100 in the embodiment illustrated in FIG.
1, the lattice trusses 102 may be non-uniformly spaced and still
fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention. In one
embodiment, the seamless panel 100 may be approximately 3.66 feet
(1.14 meters) wide and between approximately 2.5 inches (63.5 mm)
and approximately 8 inches (203 mm) thick. It will be appreciated
however, that the seamless panel 100 of the present invention may
be produced with any desired thickness and width depending upon the
application of the panel 100.
[0017] With continued reference to FIG. 1, each lattice truss 102
is comprised of parallel upper and lower longitudinal segments 103,
104, respectively, joined by a transverse segment 105. In the
illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal segments 103, 104 are
generally straight and the transverse segments 105 are generally
sawtooth-shaped. The sawtooth-shaped transverse segments 105 extend
between the longitudinal segments 103, 104 at an oblique angle
.alpha.. In the illustrated embodiment, the transverse segments 105
are joined at their vertices 106 to the longitudinal segments 103,
104. As described below, the transverse members 105 may be joined
to the longitudinal members 103, 104 by any suitable means, such as
welding, to form the lattices trusses 102.
[0018] FIGS. 2A and 2B schematically illustrate the manufacturing
equipment used to fabricate the seamless panel 100 according to one
embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, a
plurality of wires 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, and 112 wound around
individual spools 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, and 118, respectively,
are fed into a reciprocating welder 119 to form the lattice trusses
102. In one embodiment, the wires may have a diameter of
approximately 5 mm (0.20 inch), although the diameter of the wires
may have any suitable diameter depending upon the desired strength
of the panel 100. The reciprocating welder 119 includes an entry
portion 120 proximate to the wire spools and an exit portion 121
distal to the wire spools. The individual wires are fed into the
entry portion 120 of the reciprocating welder 119 and the lattice
trusses 102 emerge from the exit portion 121 of the reciprocating
welder 119. In one embodiment, each lattice truss 102 is formed
from three separate wire feeds. In the illustrated embodiment of
FIG. 2A, a first lattice truss 102 is formed by three wires 107,
109, and 112 and a second lattice truss 102 is formed by three
wires 108, 110, and 111. Wire 107 forms the upper longitudinal
member 103, wire 112 forms the lower longitudinal member 104, and
wire 109 forms the transverse interconnecting member 105 of the
first lattice truss 102. Similarly, wire 108 forms the upper
longitudinal member 103, wire 111 forms the lower longitudinal
member 104, and wire 110 forms the transverse interconnecting
member 105 of the second lattice truss 102. As illustrated in FIGS.
2A and 2B, each wire may be fed from a pair of spools. Although the
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B is shown with ten lattice
trusses 102 and thirty corresponding wire spools, the present
invention is not so limited, and any number of lattice trusses 102
and corresponding wire spools may be used to form a seamless panel
100 having a desired length, strength, and durability. In one
embodiment, the seamless panel 100 may include between
approximately 4 and approximately 12 lattice trusses 102.
Additionally, the wire spools may be arranged in any suitable
alternate configuration. As illustrated in the alternate embodiment
of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the wire spools may be arranged in a horizontal
configuration along the ground rather than the stacked
configuration illustrated in FIG. 2B.
[0019] With continued reference to the embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 2A and 2B, the welder 119 is configured to slide (arrow 122)
in a reciprocating motion between the wire spools and the mold 123.
The reciprocating welder 119 is configured to both form the
plurality of lattice trusses 102 and insert the plurality of
lattice trusses 102 into the mold 123. In one embodiment, the lower
end of the welder 119 may include a plurality of rollers 124
configured to roll along the ground. In a further embodiment, the
welder 119 may be slidably disposed along rails 125. The welder 119
may include any suitable means for reciprocating (arrow 122) the
welder 119 between the wire spools and the mold 123, such as
hydraulic actuators, a pneumatic system, or an electric motor
coupled to a rack and pinion system.
[0020] As the reciprocating welder 119 slides rearward (arrow 122)
toward the wire spools, the welder 119 unfurls the wires from the
spools and feeds the wires through the welder 119 to form the
lattice trusses 102. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and
2B, the wires may be fed through separate openings in the
reciprocating welder 119 to align the wires in the desired
configuration. The openings in the welder 119 may be configured to
set the spacing between the upper and lower longitudinal members
103, 104, respectively, and may be configured to set the bend angle
a of the transverse members 105 extending between the longitudinal
members 103, 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the wires forming
the longitudinal members 103, 104 of the lattice trusses 102 are
obliquely fed through openings 126, 127 on opposite sides of the
welder 119. The welder 119 then deflects the wires forming the
upper and lower longitudinal members 103, 104 such that the upper
and lower longitudinal members 103, 104 are parallel. Additionally,
as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the wires forming the transverse
members 105, which join opposing longitudinal members 103, 104,
follow a serpentine path around a plurality of rollers 128 in the
welder 119. Accordingly, as the welder 119 slides rearward, the
wires are fed through the serpentine rollers 128, which thereby
forms the sawtooth-shaped transverse members 105. Moreover, the
wires forming the transverse members 105 of the lattice trusses 102
are fed through the welder 119 at a higher rate of speed than the
wires forming the upper and lower longitudinal members 103, 104 of
the lattice trusses 102 to accommodate the greater length of the
sawtooth-shaped transverse member 105 (i.e., the differential feed
rate compensates for the greater length of wire required to form
the transverse members 105 compared to the longitudinal members
103, 104 of the lattice trusses 102). After the welder 119 has
formed and aligned the wires, the welder 119 interconnects the
transverse members 105 to the longitudinal members 103, 104 by any
suitable welding method, such as spot welding or tack welding.
Accordingly, during the rearward movement (arrow 122) of the welder
119, the reciprocating welder 119 both bends the transverse
interconnected members 105 into the sawtooth shape and welds the
vertices 106 of the transverse members 105 to the upper and lower
longitudinal members 103, 104. In an alternate embodiment, one or
more separate mechanisms may be provided to unwind the wires from
the spools and feed the wires through the welder 119. In a further
embodiment, the welder 119 may form the transverse members 105 by
any other suitable means, such as stamping. In another embodiment,
the lattice trusses 102 may be pre-fabricated.
[0021] In the top view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A,
each lattice truss 102 exits the reciprocating welder 119 in a
horizontal orientation such that the longitudinal members 103, 104
are in the same horizontal plane. Moreover, in the side view of the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2B, the ten lattice trusses 102 exit
the reciprocating welder 119 in a vertically stacked configuration.
In an alternate embodiment, each of the lattice trusses 102 may
exit the welder 119 in a vertical orientation with the upper
longitudinal members 103 directly above the corresponding lower
longitudinal members 104. In one embodiment, the lattice trusses
102 may exit the reciprocating welder 119 in a side-by-side
horizontal configuration.
[0022] After the reciprocating welder 119 has moved rearward (arrow
122) to form the plurality of lattice truss segments 102, the
reciprocating welder 119 clamps on to the lattice truss segments
102 before moving forward toward the mold 123, described in detail
below. As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, as the reciprocating
welder 119 moves forward (arrow 122) toward the mold 123, the
welder 119 feeds the completed lattice truss segments 102 into the
mold 123 and simultaneously advances a completed panel segment 100
out of the mold 123.
[0023] With reference now to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4
and 5, the mold 123 comprises opposing upper and lower portions
130, 131 having an axial length 132. The upper portion 130
comprises a generally rectangular base 133 having opposing ends
134; 135, and opposing sides 136, 137. The upper portion 130 of the
mold 123 also includes sidewall portions 139, 140 extending
downward from the rectangular base 133. The sidewall portions 139,
140 extend longitudinally along the entire axial length 132 of the
mold 123. Together, the base 133 and the sidewalls 139, 140 of the
upper portion 130 of the mold 123 form an inverted U-shaped recess
141 configured to receive a portion of the lattice trusses 102.
Additionally, the base 133 includes a plurality of channels or
grooves 142 extending longitudinally along the entire axial length
132 of the upper mold 130. Similarly, the lower portion 131 of the
mold 123 comprises a generally rectangular base 143 having two
sidewalls 144, 145 extending upward from opposite sides of the base
143. Together, the two sidewalls 144, 145 and the base 143 form a
U-shaped recess 146. The base 143 of the lower portion 131 also
includes a plurality of channels 147 extending longitudinally along
the entire axial length 132 of the lower portion 131. The channels
147 in the lower portion 131 are configured to align with the
channels 142 in the upper portion 130 of the mold 123. In one
embodiment, the channels are only located in either the lower
portion 131 or the upper portion 130.
[0024] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the channels 142, 147 are
configured to receive and support the lattice trusses 102. The
number of channels 142, 147 in each portion 130, 131 corresponds to
the maximum number of lattice trusses 102 in the seamless panel
100. When the mold 123 is in the closed position, lower surfaces
150, 151 of the sidewalls 139, 140 of the upper portion 130 abut
upper surfaces 152, 153 of the sidewalls 144, 145 of the lower
portion 131 of the mold 123. Moreover, the recesses 141, 146 in the
upper and lower portions 130, 131, respectively, form an interior
cavity 154, when the mold 123 is in the closed position. In one
embodiment, the mold 123 is approximately 12 feet (3.7 meters) in
length and 4 feet (1.2 meter) in width, although the mold 123 may
have any other suitable dimensions and still fall within the scope
and spirit of the present invention.
[0025] With continuous reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, opposite ends of
the mold 119 include openings 160, 161 (best shown in FIGS. 2A and
2B) such that a continuous, seamless length of panel 100 can be
formed. The first opening 160 in the mold 123 is configured to
receive the lattice trusses 102 and the second opening 161 in the
mold is configured to simultaneously eject the advancing panel
segments 100. That is, opposite ends of the mold 123 are open such
that when a panel segment 100 is transported out of the mold 123, a
portion of the plurality of lattice trusses 102 is simultaneously
inserted into the mold 123 by the reciprocating welder 119. In this
manner, a continuous length of lattice trusses 102 can be fed into
the mold 123, producing a continuous, seamless length of panel 100
(i.e., a continuous length of lattice trusses 102 at least
partially encapsulated in the filler material 101). Otherwise,
individual or modular panel segments would have to be formed and
then subsequently interconnected, such as by fasteners, stringers,
or bonding agent. That is, if the ends of the mold 123 were
enclosed, the lattice trusses 102 would have to be cut into modular
units and then inserted into the interior cavity of the mold 123,
producing modular panel segments rather than a continuous, seamless
panel 100 of any desired length, as described herein.
[0026] With reference again to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the lattice trusses
102 are fed from the reciprocating welder 119 and into the channels
142, 147 in the upper and lower portions 130, 131, respectively, of
the mold 123. Specifically, the upper longitudinal members 103 of
the lattice trusses 102 are inserted into the channels 142 in the
upper portion 130 of the mold 123 and the lower longitudinal
members 104 of the lattice trusses 102 are inserted into the
channels 147 in the lower portion 131 of the mold 123. The channels
142, 147 are configured to support the lattice trusses 102 in the
desired configuration during the injection molding process,
described below. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper and lower
portions 130, 131 of the mold 123 are separable to receive the
lattice trusses 102. In one embodiment, the reciprocating welder
119 may insert the lattice trusses 102 into the channels 142, 147
in either the upper or lower portion 130, 131 and then the upper
and lower portions 130, 131 of the mold 123 may be closed together.
As the upper and lower portions 130, 131 are closed together, the
lattice trusses 102 extend into the channels 142, 147 in the other
portion 130, 131. In one embodiment, the reciprocating welder 119
may insert the lattice trusses 102 into the mold 123 when the upper
and lower portions 130, 131 are closed together. In another
embodiment, the mold 123 may be a single piece.
[0027] With continued reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the filler
material 101, such as EPS pellets, is then injected through ports
or apertures in the mold 123 into the interior cavity 154 (see FIG.
5). A heat source may then be applied to the mold 123, which
expands the EPS pellets and fuses them together. In one embodiment,
the heat source comprises steam injected into the mold 123. The
expanded EPS filler material 101 envelopes the lattice trusses 102
in the mold 123 and fills the interior cavity 154 of the mold 123.
In one embodiment, the mold 123 is then cooled, which causes the
EPS pellets to solidify. The mold 123 may be cooled by removing the
heat source. In one embodiment, the mold 123 may be cooled by
applying a cooling source, for instance applying water having a
temperature of approximately 55.degree. C. (131.degree. F.). In
this way, a panel segment 100 is formed having reinforcing lattice
trusses 102 bonded together by the expanded EPS filler material
101. In one embodiment, a door (not shown) is provided to seal the
opening 161 in the forward end of the mold 123 and thereby prevent
the filler material 101 from inadvertently falling out of the
opening 161 in the mold 123 during the injection molding operation
(i.e., the door is configured to retain the filler material 101 in
the mold 123 during the injection molding operations). The door
(not shown) may be hingedly connected to the forward end of the
mold 123 and movable between a closed position and an open
position. Following the formation of the first panel segment 100,
the door is opened to permit the panel segment 100 to be advanced
out of the mold 123. As described in detail below, in one
embodiment the door (not shown) may be used only during the
production of the first panel segment 100. During production of
subsequent panel segments 100, the previously formed panel segment
100 may provide the seal preventing the filler material 101 from
inadvertently falling out of the opening 161 in the forward end of
the mold 123.
[0028] In one embodiment, the filler material 100 is pre-treated
prior to being injected into the mold 123 to achieve a desired
density of the filler material 101 (i.e., the filler material 101
may be pre-treated to reduce the density of the filler material 101
prior to injection into the mold 123). In one embodiment, the
filler material 101 is provided as EPS pellets or beads. The EPS
beads may be pre-treated by placing the beads into a chamber
containing any suitable expansion material, such as pentane. In one
embodiment, heat is applied to the chamber in which the EPS beads
are soaking. The application of heat expands and reduces the
density of the EPS beads saturated with pentane. The expansion
material prevents the EPS beads from fusing together during the
application of the heat source. The expanded EPS beads are then
transported to a drying mechanism, such as an air dryer, prior to
being injected into the mold 123.
[0029] With continued reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, after the
filler material 101 has been injected into the mold 123, the upper
and lower portions 130, 131 of the mold 123 may then be separated
to expose the segment of panel 100 (i.e., a segment of lattices
trusses 102 at least partially encapsulated and interconnected by
the expanded filler material 101). The upper and lower portions
130, 131 of the mold 123 may be moved between the open and closed
positions by any suitable means, such as hydraulic, pneumatic, or
electric actuation or by manual operation. The newly formed panel
segment 100 is then longitudinally advanced forward (arrow 165) by
the reciprocating welder 119 until only a small end portion of the
panel segment 100 remains between the upper and lower portions 130,
131 of the mold 123 (i.e., a small portion of the rear end of the
previously formed panel segment 100 overlaps a portion of the
opening 161 in the forward end of the mold 123 during each
successive injection molding operation). That is, the panel segment
100 is longitudinally advanced a distance less than the axial
length 132 of the mold 123 such that a portion of the rear end of
the panel segment 100 extends into the second opening 161 in the
mold 123 during each successive injection molding operation. In one
embodiment, approximately 1 meter of the rear end of the previously
formed panel segment 100 may remain in the mold 123 during each
successive injection molding operation. In another embodiment, less
than 1 meter, for instance 1 foot, of the rear end of the
previously formed panel segment 100 may remain in the mold 123
during each successive injection molding operation. In another
embodiment, not less than 1 meter of the rear end of the previously
formed panel segment 100 may remain in the mold 123 during each
successive injection molding operation. It will be appreciated,
however, that any suitable length of panel segment 100 may remain
in the mold 123 during successive injection molding operations. In
one embodiment, rollers or a conveyor 166 (FIG. 2B) positioned near
the second opening 161 of the mold 123 may work in conjunction with
the reciprocating welder 119 to longitudinally advance (arrow 165)
the panel segments 100 out of the mold 123.
[0030] As the panel segment 100 is longitudinally advanced (arrow
165) out of the mold 123, the reciprocating welder 119 continues to
feed lattice trusses 102 into the channels 142, 147 in the upper
and lower portions 130, 131 of the mold 123. In the illustrated
embodiment, the rate at which the panel segment 100 is advanced out
of the mold 123 is the same as the rate at which the welder 119
feeds lattice trusses 102 into the mold 123 because the welder 119
simultaneously feeds the lattice trusses 102 into the mold 123 and
advances the panel segments 100 out of the mold 123. The mold 123
is then closed and the EPS filler material 101 is again injected
into the interior cavity 154 of the mold 123 through ports in the
mold 123. The mold 123 is then heated again, such as by injecting
steam into the mold 123, which causes the newly added filler
material 101 to expand, fuse together, encapsulate the portion of
the lattice trusses 102 in the mold 123, and fill the interior
cavity 154 of the mold 123, as described above. Additionally, as
the mold 123 is heated, the portion of the filler material 101 that
remained in the mold 123 melts and intermixes with the newly added
filler material 101, creating a continuous, seamless panel 100.
That is, the previously formed panel segment is fused together with
the subsequently formed panel segment to form a continuous,
seamless panel 100. This process may be repeated until a panel
having a desired length is achieved. It will be appreciated that
the portion of the previously formed panel segment 100 which
remains in the mold 123 provides a seal which is configured to
retain subsequent injections of filler material 101 in the mold
123. That is, the portion of the previously formed panel segment
100 which remains in the mold 123 prevents subsequent injections of
filler material 101 from falling out of the opening 161 in the
forward end of the mold 123. Moreover, it will be apparent to a
person of ordinary skill in the art that the door (not shown)
described above may be used only during the production of the first
panel segment 100. After the first panel segment 100 has been
formed and partially advanced out of the mold 123, the portion of
the panel segment 100 which remains in the mold 123 provides the
seal preventing the filler material 101 from falling out of the
opening 161 in the mold 123 during subsequent injection molding
operations.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 6, a method of manufacturing a
seamless panel 200 includes forming or obtaining a plurality of
lattice trusses 210 and inserting a portion of the plurality of
lattice trusses into a mold 220. As described above, the plurality
of lattice trusses may be formed by feeding a plurality of wires
into a reciprocating welder, which forms the wires into the desired
configuration, welds the wires together, such as by spot welding,
and inserts the plurality of lattice trusses into the mold.
Moreover, as described above, the mold may include a plurality of
channels for receiving the plurality of lattice trusses. In one
embodiment, the method includes injecting a filler material (e.g.,
expandable polystyrene) into the mold 230 housing a portion of the
plurality of lattice trusses. In yet another embodiment, the method
of manufacturing a panel 200 may include heating the mold 240, such
as by injecting steam into a port in the mold, to expand the filler
material and thereby form a panel segment. The method may also
include advancing a portion of the panel segment out of the mold
250. As described above, an end portion of the panel segment, such
as less than approximately 1 inch, remains in the mold during
subsequent injection moldings. In one embodiment, the user then
decides whether a desired panel length has been achieved 260. If
not, the aforementioned steps are repeated until the desired panel
length is achieved. During subsequent injections of filler material
into the mold, the portion of the previously formed panel segment
that remained in the mold intermixes with the newly added filler
material, creating a continuous, seamless panel.
[0032] While this invention has been described in detail with
particular references to exemplary embodiments thereof, the
exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention to the exact
forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the art and technology to which
this invention pertains will appreciate that alterations and
changes in the described structures and methods of assembly and
operation can be practiced without meaningfully departing from the
principles, spirit, and scope of this invention, as set forth in
the following claims. Although relative terms such as "outer,"
"inner," "upper," "lower," "below," "above," "vertical,"
"horizontal" and similar terms have been used herein to describe a
spatial relationship of one element to another, it is understood
that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations
of the various elements and components of the device in addition to
the orientation depicted in the figures. While in one embodiment,
the method 200 of forming a seamless panel may include each of the
tasks described above and shown in FIG. 6, in other embodiments one
or more of the tasks may be absent and/or additional tasks may be
performed. Moreover, the figures contained in this application are
not necessarily drawn to scale.
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