U.S. patent application number 15/907503 was filed with the patent office on 2018-07-05 for insulated wall panel.
The applicant listed for this patent is Max Life, LLC. Invention is credited to Stewart McIntyre Adams, Paul Addison Brown, Randal Scott Hoffner, Berthold Mueller, Charles David Taylor, JR..
Application Number | 20180187420 15/907503 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50337493 |
Filed Date | 2018-07-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180187420 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Taylor, JR.; Charles David ;
et al. |
July 5, 2018 |
INSULATED WALL PANEL
Abstract
The invention is an insulated wall panel system having
structural elements that may be used as an exterior facade to a
building. The insulated wall panel system provides a finished
exterior surface, a structural component, and an insulation factor.
The wall panel system may be used in new construction or in
existing buildings. The wall panel system has an insulation layer,
a middle cement layer, and an outer veneer layer. The outer veneer
layer may include brick, stone, tile, or other material as a
finished surface. The insulated wall panels may be attached
directly to the studs or other structural element of a
building.
Inventors: |
Taylor, JR.; Charles David;
(Salisbury, NC) ; Brown; Paul Addison; (Salisbury,
NC) ; Mueller; Berthold; (Salisbury, NC) ;
Hoffner; Randal Scott; (Salisbury, NC) ; Adams;
Stewart McIntyre; (Salisbury, NC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Max Life, LLC |
Salisbury |
NC |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50337493 |
Appl. No.: |
15/907503 |
Filed: |
February 28, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15138638 |
Apr 26, 2016 |
9957722 |
|
|
15907503 |
|
|
|
|
14039101 |
Sep 27, 2013 |
9353523 |
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15138638 |
|
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|
61706148 |
Sep 27, 2012 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 13/0866 20130101;
E04F 13/0862 20130101; E04F 13/14 20130101; E04F 13/0875 20130101;
E04F 13/075 20130101; E04C 2/288 20130101; E04C 2/04 20130101; E04F
13/077 20130101; E04F 13/165 20130101; E04F 13/0832 20130101; E04F
13/0873 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E04F 13/08 20060101
E04F013/08; E04F 13/16 20060101 E04F013/16; E04F 13/14 20060101
E04F013/14; E04C 2/04 20060101 E04C002/04; E04F 13/077 20060101
E04F013/077; E04F 13/075 20060101 E04F013/075 |
Claims
1. A wall panel comprising: a middle layer having a first and a
second side; and an inner insulation layer, comprising a two part
rigid urethane pour foam having a first side chemically bonded to
the second side of the middle layer; wherein the wall panel is
characterized by a lack of any additional sagging prevention layer
positioned between the inner insulation layer and a fixed
structural building component.
2. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein the chemical bond between the
first side of the inner insulation layer and the second side of the
middle layer is formed during a pour by the reaction between each
one of the parts of the two part rigid urethane pour foam.
3. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein the middle layer is made from
glass reinforced cement.
4. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein the middle layer is made from
an extruded and pressed board.
5. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein the middle layer is poured,
press-molded, extruded, vibration cast, sprayed, and/or lip
formed.
6. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein in a plurality of wall panels
are attached to a building structure using an attachment selected
from the group consisting of: screws, nails, bolts, welds,
construction adhesive, rivets, and clasps.
7. The wall panel of claim 1 wherein one or more attachment points
are positioned between the second side of the middle layer and the
first side of the inner insulation layer.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent
application having application Ser. No. 15/138,638 filed on Apr.
26, 2016, which itself is a continuation of U.S. patent application
having application Ser. No. 14/039,101 filed on Sep. 27, 2013,
which itself is a nonprovisional application tracing priority to
U.S. provisional patent application having application No.
61/706,148 filed on Sep. 27, 2012. This application claims the full
benefit of, traces priority to, and expressly incorporates by
reference the entirety of all of the 15/138,638 application, the
14/039,101 application, and the 61/706,148 application.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Technical Field
[0002] The invention relates to the field of building construction
materials. More particularly, the invention relates to the field of
construction components used in the construction of walls and other
planar surfaces for buildings.
[0003] Humans have utilized bricks and other hard surfaces as
construction components for buildings for thousands of years. The
earliest sun dried bricks were made in Ancient Egypt. Later, bricks
were dried using a fuel source. The Book of Genesis records that
burnt brick was used in the construction of the Tower of Babel.
Thus, from ancient times to the present, brick has remained a
popular building material.
[0004] The enduring presence of brick is due in no small part to
its stellar properties as an exterior surface. Bricks are capable
of resisting high summer heat as well as cold winters and changes
there between. In addition to such thermal properties, brick
provides a strong outer shell to a building. Brick resists wind,
rain, snow, dust and other detrimental environmental elements.
Bricks can be manufactured in a myriad of sizes, textures, and
colors. Further, though it need not be painted, when brick is
painted, the paint adheres well to the brick.
[0005] However, despite such positive characteristics, brick has a
few drawbacks, mostly related to installation. For instance,
whereas other exterior surfaces may be relatively easily applied to
an existing building structure, brick is much more difficult to
install on an existing building as an alternate siding choice
during a renovation. Further, the laying of brick during the
construction of a building is a labor intensive operation. Each
brick must be mortared and laid, one on another, brick by brick, by
a skilled brick mason. As manual labor prices rise in a given
market, so do the costs associated with using brick as a building
material.
[0006] Thus, there exists a need for a building product that has
the same or better building characteristics and aesthetic appeal as
traditional brick but also can be applied without the need for an
extensive skilled labor team of brick masons. Further, there exists
a need for a building product that has the same or better building
characteristics and aesthetic appeal as traditional brick that may
be used as a retro-fit product for providing a siding to an
existing building structure. Further, as energy costs and
environmental consciousness increase, so too does the demand for
better insulation. Thus, there is also a need for building
materials offering improved insulation of a building's
envelope.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is thus a wall panel system that
exhibits many of the same characteristics as traditional brick
without the need for extensive labor costs associated with
traditional brick masonry. Further, the invention is not limited to
new construction applications but may be utilized in existing
construction as a retrofit application.
[0008] The invention has the same aesthetic appeal as traditional
brick and has the same or better engineering benefits. The
invention functions as a structural element of the building, a
water-resistive barrier, an insulating envelope, and an aesthetic
finished exterior surface. The invention is lightweight and energy
efficient.
[0009] The invention includes an outer veneer layer, a middle
cement layer, and an inner insulation layer. The outer veneer layer
may be thin brick, stone, tile, or other such material as desired
for both aesthetic and engineering appeal. The middle cement layer
may be glass fiber reinforced concrete. The inner insulation layer
may include a rigid pour foam.
[0010] In one embodiment, the inner insulation layer is poured onto
and is fixedly attached to the middle cement layer. The outer
veneer layer is attached to the middle cement layer with mortar or
other cement product.
[0011] According to another embodiment, the veneer layer may be
attached to the middle layer with a chemical or other construction
adhesive. The adhesive may be either one part design or of
multi-part design.
[0012] According to another embodiment of the invention, the veneer
layer may be brick, tile, stone, engineered stone, or other such
product as desired for aesthetic purposes. The mortar or other
adhesive used to attach the veneer layer may also be used to grout
lines between the bricks, stone, or tile of the veneer layer or
another product may be applied as a grout.
[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the middle
cement layer may include relief lines or guide lines. The relief
lines function to provide a guide when attaching the veneer layer
to the cement layer. For example, when the veneer layer uses
rectangular brick, the relief lines will be in the shape of the
rectangular brick and be just larger than the perimeter of the
brick such that the brick fits snuggly inside the relief lines upon
application. Similarly, if stone is the veneer layer, the relief
lines will match and be just larger than the perimeter of the stone
to be installed.
[0014] According to another embodiment of the invention, the
respective inner layer and middle cement layer are constructed into
panels designed to be attached to a building frame. The panels may
be attached directly to the studs of a building or they may be
attached to some other structural component of the building.
[0015] According to another embodiment of the invention, the panels
are attached using screws such as structural insulated panel (SIP)
screws. The SIP screws attach to the building through holes in the
panel. The holes may be countersunk so that the head of the screws
is flush with the surface of the panel.
[0016] According to another embodiment, attachment points, or other
items such as a pvc inlay may be incorporated into middle cement
layer. Such items will be of a material that does not negatively
impact the performance or other property of the insulation or
otherwise cause a conductive source of thermal wicking.
[0017] According to another embodiment of the invention, the panels
are attached using nails, construction adhesive, bolts, rivets,
clasps, or other such attachment devices.
[0018] According to another embodiment of the invention, once the
panels are attached to the building, the seams between the panels
are sealed.
[0019] According to another embodiment of the invention, once
sealed, the veneer layer is applied over the middle cement layer.
During application, mortar or other attachment material is applied
over the panels and the brick or other material is fitted between
the relief lines. The bricks cover the holes of the SIP screws and
also, importantly, cover the seams of the panels. Thus, there are
no exposed joints or other openings of the panels.
[0020] According to another embodiment of the invention, trim
pieces are applied around openings in the building envelope such as
around windows and doors. These trim pieces may be in the form of
headers and may include various shapes as desired for structural
and aesthetic purposes.
[0021] According to another embodiment of the invention, corner
pieces are attached to the panel ends at corners of the building
and then brick or other material as desired is placed over the
corner pieces just with the panels.
[0022] According to another embodiment of the invention, the panels
provide a continuous insulating envelope for the walls of a
structure. The inner insulation layer may be one inch and may also
be up to or greater than three inches thick. Such insulation may
provide the panels with an insulation factor of R7 to R21 or
greater depending on various factors of design.
[0023] Such an insulation regime applied to outer walls of a
structure may, depending on other building and environmental
factors such as zoning, building codes, etc . . . , free up space
within stud walls for other building elements such as wiring,
plumbing etc . . . and may also reduce the size studs required for
a particular building plan. For instance, whereas 2.times.6 or
2.times.8 studs may have been required to achieve a desired
insulation factor, by utilizing the invention as an exterior
envelope, 2.times.4 studs may suffice. Similarly, in a retrofit
application, where an older building may have little or no
insulation, significant insulation, in addition to aesthetic
elements, can be gained by applying the invention to the
pre-existing building.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURES
[0024] Features, aspects, and advantages of a preferred embodiment
of the invention are better understood when the detailed
description is read with reference to the accompanying drawing, in
which:
[0025] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of
the invention showing the layers;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of the
invention showing two adjacent panels and highlighting the
attachment of the panels to a wall;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
invention showing one panel without the outer veneer layer
attached;
[0028] FIG. 4 is perspective view of an embodiment of the invention
showing two adjacent panels with the outer veneer layer partially
attached and covering the joint between the two adjacent panels;
and
[0029] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
invention showing adjacent panels with the outer veneer layer
partially attached and covering the joint between two adjacent
panels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] It is to be understood by a person having ordinary skill in
the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary
embodiments only and is not intended as limiting the broader
aspects of the present invention. The following example is provided
to further illustrate the invention and is not to be construed to
unduly limit the scope of the invention.
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, the invention is an insulated wall
panel 10 having three layers, 20, 30, and 40. The panel 10 provides
a finished aesthetic surface to a building, a structural component
to a building, and an insulation factor for a building. As such,
the installed wall panel 10 includes an inner insulation layer 20,
a middle cement layer 30, and an outer veneer layer 40. The panel
10 may be attached to a building wall 50.
[0032] The outer veneer layer 40 may include brick (as shown in the
drawings) but may also include stone, tile, engineered stone,
and/or similar material depending on desired finish effect. Thus,
the use of the term "brick" herein is synonymous and inclusive of
other veneers thus listed. The veneer layer 40 is relatively thin
and is attached to the middle cement layer 30 using mortar 44 or
other appropriate material such as a chemical adhesive as best
shown in FIG. 4. Each brick (or other material as desired) of the
veneer layer 40 is thin and is defined by a perimeter.
[0033] The middle layer 30 provides a substrate to which the brick
of the veneer 40 is applied upon installation on a building
structure 50. The middle layer 30 has a plurality of sets of relief
lines 32. Each set of relief lines 32 define a boundary that is
just larger than the perimeter of a particular brick of the veneer
layer 40 that is to be applied to the middle layer 30. The relief
lines 32 may be formed to the thickness of the desired grout 42
spacing between the brick of the veneer layer 40.
[0034] The middle layer 30 is made of a cementatious product with a
glass fiber reinforcing material embedded therein. The glass fiber
has a high strength and is the principal load-carrying member of
the middle layer 30 while the cement forms a matrix that allows the
fibers to retain their desired location and orientation. The
resultant product is thin and strong.
[0035] In order to form the middle layer 30, a mold is first
constructed into which a slurry of uncured cementatious product of
the middle layer 30 is poured. The mold will have the negatives of
the relief lines 32 formed therein. These negatives will appear as
small trenches within the mold such that when the cement cures and
the middle layer 30 is removed from the mold, the relief lines 32
will protrude outward from the otherwise generally planar outer
surface 34 of the middle layer. The inner surface 36 of the middle
layer 30 will also be generally planar but will not have such
relief lines 32. The middle layer 30 may remain in the mold while
curing. Curing time is dependent upon the thickness, particulars of
the mix design, and the environment in which the cement is being
cured. Preferably, the middle cement layer 30 is cured in a
chamber.
[0036] Once cured, the middle layer 30 is then placed in a fixture
that allows the inner insulation layer 20 to be applied and
attached to the inner surface 36 of the middle layer 30. The inner
insulation layer 20 is a rigid pour foam that is formed from a two
part Class I rated urethane. The foam is non-CFC and non-HCFC. The
foam is applied to the inner surface 36 of the middle layer 30
using a machine calibrated to deliver proper and consistent
component mix. The finished urethane material 20 will have an in
place density of approximately 2.2 pounds per cubic foot. The foam
20 adheres to the middle layer 30 such that the machine delivery
and mixing of the components provides for a complete bond between
the middle layer 30 and inner insulation layer 20. Thus, there are
no adhesives or other chemical bonding required to achieve the
strength of the final insulated panel 10. The inner insulation
layer 20 may be one inch thick or up to three inches thick or
greater depending on the level of insulation desired for a
particular application.
[0037] Alternatively, rather than being poured, the middle layer 30
may be press-molded, extruded, vibration cast, sprayed, or slip
formed. If, in alternate embodiments, attachment points or other
items are incorporated into the structure they are placed in the
mold prior to the injection of the urethane.
[0038] Once the cement and urethane foam of the respective middle
30 and inner 20 layers has cured, the panel 10 is in condition for
application to a building 50. As shown in FIG. 2, the panels 10 are
screwed with screws 52 to the wall 50 or other structural element
of a building. End pieces, headers, and other trim pieces, having
been similarly manufactured, are likewise attached to the building.
The seams 22 between the respective panels and trim pieces are
sealed with a sealing compound, such as Laticrete.RTM. Air and
Water Barrier. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, an adhesive such as mortar
44 is applied to the outer surface of the middle layer 30. Next,
the brick of the veneer layer 40 are applied on top of the adhesive
44 and between the relief lines 32. The brick of the veneer 40 are
applied to overlap 38 the seams 22 in the panels 10. This
overlapping 38 of the seams is best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
Finally, a grout 42 or other material is applied between the gaps
in the brick of the veneer 40.
* * * * *