Modular wall assembly apparatus and method
An improved structural system of cooperating building components including premolded, interlocking block units having configurable interlocking components and passage configuration components. The block units are disposed end-to-end in a plurality of stacked, interlocking courses to form a configurable plurality of horizontal and vertical passageways for receiving material. The interlocking components and configuration components enable adjacent courses of the premolded block units to be vertically aligned and longitudinally interlocked. Horizontal passageways within a course are also configured for receiving material, for being fully closed to receiving material, or for being both partially closed to receiving a selected first material and partially open for receiving a selected second material, according to the orientation of the configuration and interlocking components.
This application is entitled to and hereby claims the priority of co-pending U.S. Provisional application, Ser. No. 60/735,181 filed Nov. 10, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a structural system of cooperating building components and modular wall assemblies constructed therefrom.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Improvements of construction means and methods for building wall assemblies have a long history that defies simple classification. Accordingly, a practical taxonomy of wall assembly attributes is provided in Table 1 to distinguish novel features of the present invention from prior art.
Insulating concrete form (ICF) systems for wall assemblies comprise a recent art relative to means and methods for modular wall systems long known in the art of building construction. Prior art ICF systems are made of insulating foam and remain in place as a permanent part of a wall assembly, providing a continuous barrier having advantageous sound, wind, thermal, moisture, and fire retardation properties, as well as providing a backing for both interior finishes and exterior veneers. However, properties of prior art wall assemblies, components, and methods relating to materials, structural configuration, layout configuration, dimensional integrity, and installation vary significantly.
Broadly, prior art modular wall assemblies, components, and methods can be characterized as block systems or panel systems. Generally, block system units are factory premolded having interlocking means, comprising two finish surfaces and further comprising at least one cavity. Panel system units are factory premolded having edge interlocking means, comprising one finish surface. Pairs of panel system units are preassembled by various interconnecting means, forming at least one cavity, before being set in place. A plank system is a smaller variation of a panel system that can be assembled in place.
Within the broad categories of prior art modular wall assemblies, components, and methods, further subcategories are determined by properties relating to structural configuration of form cavities such as flat wall systems, grid wall systems, and post and beam systems. Flat wall systems are similar to a conventional monolithic concrete wall, providing a continuous thickness of metal-reinforced concrete. Grid wall systems provide a lattice-like structure, wherein the thickness of metal-reinforced concrete varies for some members, and are configured in a closely-spaced rectangular pattern. Post and beam systems have metal-reinforced concrete vertical posts, roughly corresponding to wall studs. The posts are laterally braced by at least one metal-reinforced concrete horizontal member, all of which are completely encapsulated in insulating foam, and which further cooperate to support a horizontal bond beam also formed from factory premolded block units having interlocking means and a recessed cavity adapted to receive metal-reinforced concrete.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTPrior art teaches various systems of cooperating components and related methods for constructing static wall assemblies comprising mortarless, interlocking building blocks adapted, with varying degrees of success, to provide for flexible structural configurations responsive to a range of loading conditions and a plurality of layout configurations, while maintaining dimensional integrity. Prior art modular wall assemblies typically comprise dimensionally aligned form components that must not be displaced from direct vertical alignment in either horizontal direction.
Prior art mortarless, interlocking building blocks are generally adaptations of earlier modular wall assemblies comprising blocks made of various forms of cementitious material. U.S. Pat. No. 676,803, to Shaw, at lines 80-82 of col. 2, for example, teaches an edge interlocking configuration using tongues and grooves as shown in items 101 and 102 of
Regarding various material properties taught in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,485 to Prokofyev, for example, teaches modular wall elements made from a material selected from the group consisting of cement, fiber-reinforced cement, wood, stone, ceramic, metal, gypsum, and plastic. Prior art further teaches a modular wall assembly system having at least one of its lower courses comprising modular block units molded from a first material having structural properties suitable for resisting lateral forces below grade due to hydrostatic pressure and the like. At least one of the above grade courses in the modular wall assembly system includes modular block units molded from a second lightweight insulating material.
Broadly, prior art teaches two types of vertical interlocking means for maintaining dimensional integrity in modular wall assemblies having interlocking building components. The first type of prior art vertical interlocking means is referred to herein as interlocking component and recess means, and the second type of prior art vertical interlocking means is referred to herein as interlocking projection and recess means for maintaining dimensional integrity in modular wall assemblies adapted for receiving poured or pumped concrete.
Table 2 associates
U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,050 to Long and U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,035 to Hanson provide exemplary positive interlocking and self-aligning means for adjacent courses which cooperate to encompass and thereby align the juxtaposed openings for adjacent vertical cavities, as shown in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,265 to Stenekes, while similar to other prior art projection and recess means for interlocking vertically adjacent surfaces of block units, has additional means to accommodate longitudinal metal reinforcement between adjacent courses. In a manner similar to Crespo, previously cited and shown in
Table 3 lists exemplary prior art related to structural configuration properties of modular wall assemblies having block units adapted for receiving poured or pumped concrete.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,035 to Hanson, et al., teaches a method long known in the art for selectively configuring encapsulated vertical passageways which are not to be used as forms for reinforced concrete. According to Hanson, et al., prior to pouring, “squares of cardboard or any other convenient material” are placed over encapsulated vertical passageways where concrete reinforcement is not wanted.
The prior art citations listed in Table 3 provide various means for selectively configuring encapsulated longitudinal and vertical passageways as forms for reinforced concrete. U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,967 to Dielenberg and U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,969 to Horobin provide configurable transverse means 804, 1004, which can be used to either terminate or extend the formation of longitudinal reinforced concrete members, see
U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,808 to Pearlman, following Shaw's edge interlocking configuration referenced above, teaches an exemplary prior art modular system for wall assemblies having a plurality of interlocking block elements premolded of various “convenient” materials. The block elements, which permit a plurality of layout configurations, include full blocks, half blocks, adaptor blocks, corner blocks, wall end blocks, and interior wall connecting blocks.
According to Pearlman, the block elements typically include a main body having a pair of opposite, longitudinal side faces; a pair of lateral, opposite, side faces; and a pair of opposite, top and bottom faces, all of which are substantially parallel. It should be noted that block elements taught by Pearlman, as well as others that include a first partial, vertical passage completed by a second symmetrically-opposing, partial, vertical passage of an adjoining block, are subject to longitudinal separation under certain conditions, thereby compromising the dimensional integrity of a resulting wall assembly. It should be further noted that block elements taught by Pearlman and others, other than corner blocks, have no vertical interlocking means for preventing longitudinal shifting in certain loading conditions, thereby further compromising the dimensional integrity of a wall assembly.
Other drawbacks demonstrated by prior art ICF systems include impact on design resulting from the prefabricated dimensions and sizes of the block units which may not allow for or support particular configurations within the building design. Prior art ICF systems also have a higher initial cost and often do not conform with existing prescriptive methods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing, the present invention teaches a system of configurable structural components that embodies improvements relating to materials, structural configuration, dimensional integrity, utility network configuration and layout configuration of modular wall assemblies for erecting a complete structure.
More particularly, the present invention is directed to an improved system of configurable structural components in a modular wall assembly. The structural components include a plurality of factory premolded block units having improved interlocking components and configurable passageways for forming a post and beam or lattice-like structure having metal-reinforced concrete posts that are laterally braced by at least one metal-reinforced concrete horizontal member. These block units, having similar interlocking components and similar passage configuration components, are premolded from materials having various structural properties, with corresponding sizes of the block units being determined by the material properties for constructing complete wall assemblies which extend both above and below ground level.
A principal objective of the present invention is to provide an improved structural system of cooperating building components for modular wall units having a structural configuration which, responsive to a range of loading conditions, is adapted to use the fewest possible number of structural components, thereby minimizing material resource requirements.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved structural system of cooperating building components for modular wall units having an improved vertical interlocking component adapted to prevent longitudinal shifting in certain loading conditions for enhanced stability in dimensional configuration.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved structural system of cooperating building components for modular wall units having an improved utility network configuration adapted to controllably position utility network components in a vertical passage that intersects encapsulated horizontal structural components, thereby avoiding spatial conflict between the utility network configuration and the structural components.
A further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of modular block configurations having particular layout configuration features for interlocking adjoining modular blocks within a course, the course selected from a plurality of possible paths, wherein all the modular block configurations are sized having a fixed dimensional increment which is determined by a standard, center-to-center interval between vertical passages, thereby providing a plurality of possible wall assembly paths.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved structural system of cooperating building components for modular wall units that minimizes impact on design while facilitating conformance to prescriptive methods.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved structural system of cooperating building components for modular wall units that is strong, durable and energy efficient with good thermal mass, noise abatement and low temperature installation characteristics.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved structural system of cooperating building components for modular wall units that requires fewer subcontracting and installation steps, while also reducing material requirements and their associated costs.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. While the drawings are intended to illustrate the invention, they are not necessarily to scale.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
Broadly, the present invention uses the interlocking and configuration components 1805, 1812, 1812′ to vertically align adjacent courses of the premolded block units, to longitudinally interlock the premolded block units within a course, and to configure selected horizontal passageways within a course for receiving material. A particular passage may be configured to be open for receiving material, fully closed to receiving material, or both partially closed to receiving a selected first material and partially open for receiving a selected second material. These alternative configurations provide improved control of the quantity of the selected material and further provide improved control of the configuration of the selected material.
Subsequent to the steps of using the improved configuration components to selectively configure the passageways for receiving material, the material is introduced into the selectively configured plurality of horizontal and vertical passages. For example, concrete posts are formed by pouring cementitious material into vertical passageways 1802, 1804, either with or without metal reinforcement, while horizontal reinforcement members such as rebar may be laid to pass through horizontal passageways 1810. A steel beam laid within horizontal passageways 1809 can be included to provide more substantive structural reinforcement.
Referring now to
The present invention includes a configurable, vertically interlocking component 1805 with a generally symmetrical frame 1818 having two opposing channels 1808 in opposite frame walls 1819. The height of the frame walls is such that, when the interlocking component 1805 is juxtaposed between a first interlocking recess 1806 in the first block 1801 and a second interlocking recess 1807 in the second block 1803, the upper portion of the wall is received in the first recess 1806 and the lower portion of the wall is received in the second recess 1807. As a result, the vertically interlocking component 1805 not only vertically aligns adjacent courses of the premolded block units 1801, 1803, but also longitudinally interlocks the premolded block units within a course. The latter prevents longitudinal slippage which is known in the art to be a problem associated with modular block units premolded from lightweight insulating materials.
The two opposing channels 1808 define an open orientation and a closed orientation for the frame 1818, as shown in
While the cross-sectional shape of the vertical passageways 1802, 1804, interlocking components 1805, and the interlocking recesses 1806, 1807 are shown as squares, this is for illustrative purposes only. The shape could be circular or any regular polygon that allows the interlocking component 1805 to have a pair of opposing channels so as to be positioned in either open or closed orientations for receiving or being closed to metal reinforcement members.
Broadly, the various modular block unit configurations of the present invention have two forms: a first form 1803 is used in courses not having horizontal passageways 1809 for receiving reinforcement and/or cementitious material; and a second form 1801 is used in a plurality of courses having horizontal passageways for receiving reinforced cementitious material. The second form is referred to in the art as a “U” block.
It should be noted that the various modular block unit configurations are sized having a fixed dimensional increment. The increment is determined by a standard, center-to-center interval between vertical passageways for configuring the horizontal passageways to receive reinforced cementitious material in a manner responsive to a range of structural loading conditions. The block component face corresponding to a wall surface is premolded to have a plurality of vertical grooves 1814 corresponding to the center-to-center interval between the vertical passageways. Accordingly, the grooves 1814 are formed on the block component face parallel to the centerline of the vertical passage, thereby providing means for designating a line of attachment to an encapsulated structural component.
A first structural configuration component 1812 for configuring the horizontal passageways 1809 for receiving reinforced cementitious material is shown in
Alternatively, a second structural configuration component 1812′ for configuring the horizontal passageways for receiving both reinforced cementitious material and utility network components is also shown in
As noted in connection with the interlocking components, the cross-sectional shape of the vertical passageways 1802, 1804, configuration components 1812, 1812′, and the interlocking recess 1811 are shown as squares for illustrative purposes only. The shape could be circular or any regular polygon that allows the configuration components 1812, 1812′ to be positioned in a plurality of orientations for blocking the vertical flow of reinforced cementitious material and, optionally, receiving and configuring the placement of the utility network components.
It should be noted that
The interlocking components overlap the vertical and longitudinal planes of adjoining modular block units of
As previously discussed in connection with
The invention being thus described, it will be apparent that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be recognized by one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A modular wall assembly having a structural system of cooperating building components comprising:
- a plurality of premolded block units disposed end-to-end in a plurality of stacked, interlocking courses to form a configurable plurality of horizontal and vertical passageways for receiving material;
- configurable, interlocking components to vertically align adjacent courses of said premolded block units, to longitudinally interlock said premolded block units within a course, and to configure selected horizontal passageways for receiving material; and
- passage configuration components to configure selected vertical passageways for receiving material, a particular passage being configured to be open for receiving material, fully closed to receiving material, or partially closed to receiving a selected first material and partially open for receiving a selected second material, thereby providing improved control of selected material quantity and configuration.
2. A method of constructing a structural system of cooperating building components having a plurality of premolded, interlocking block units, said method comprising the steps of:
- assembling a plurality of premolded block units disposed end-to-end in a plurality of stacked, interlocking courses to form a configurable plurality of horizontal and vertical passageways for receiving material;
- selectively configuring said plurality of horizontal and vertical passageways for receiving material using configuration components such that a particular passage is configured to be open for receiving material, fully closed to receiving material, or both partially closed to receiving a selected first material and partially open for receiving a selected second material, thereby selectively controlling both selected material quantity and configuration; and
- introducing at least one of said materials into said selectively configured plurality of horizontal and vertical passages.
3. A modular wall assembly having a structural system of cooperating building components comprising:
- (a) a standard block;
- (b) a corner block;
- (c) an angular corner block;
- (d) an adapter block,;
- (e) a junction block;
- (f) a terminal block;
- (g) vertical, lateral, and longitudinal interlocking components;
- (h) structural configuration components; and
- (i) utility network alignment components;
- said system of block units, interlocking components, structural configuration components, and utility network alignment components cooperating with one another to produce improved modular layout configurations for complete wall assemblies.
4. The system of block units of claim 1, wherein said interlocking components overlap the vertical and longitudinal planes of adjoining modular block units to form at least one vertical and at least one longitudinal projection and a corresponding vertical and longitudinal recess, said projection and corresponding recess having a size and shape ensuring insertion and interlocking, thereby providing an uninterrupted sound, wind, thermal, and moisture barrier at all joints between said adjoining modular block units and said interlocking components further providing a particular vertical and longitudinal block orientation.
5. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of premolded block units includes a standard modular block unit and said interlocking components include vertical alignment components between courses to provide longitudinal dimensional integrity, thereby ensuring vertical alignment for structural configuration components and utility network alignment components.
6. The vertical alignment components of claim 1, wherein said interlocking components and said configuration components include vertical alignment components, said vertical alignment components further including premolded interlocking projection and recess components integral to said modular block units.
7. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of premolded block units includes structural configuration components that have at least one vertical passage extending through said premolded block units for alternatively encapsulating reinforced cementitious material, encapsulating utility network components, or encapsulating entrained, insulating air.
8. The system of block units of claim 1, wherein said system of block units is adapted to provide a configurable, recessed cavity for horizontally encapsulating any configuration of structural components and utility network alignment components, including the horizontal flow of fluid cement pumped or poured inside a modular wall assembly.
9. The system of block units of claim 1, wherein said system of block units includes structural configuration components that have a vertical passage closure component and premolded recess components, whereby said premolded recess components are integral to said standard modular block unit, thereby providing structural configuration components to selectively configure encapsulated vertical passageways for receiving reinforced cementitious material.
10. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said system of block units includes utility network alignment components that have a configurable, vertical passage alignment component and premolded recess components, whereby said premolded recess components are integral to said standard modular block unit, thereby preventing obstruction of said vertical passage for said utility network.
11. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said system of block units includes symmetrical first and second corner block units for joining horizontally adjacent block units disposed perpendicularly, said first and second corner block units having opposing longitudinal block orientations, whereby said first and second corner block units allow adjacent block courses to traverse alternating longitudinal directions, thereby laterally offsetting vertical joints between adjacent block courses and improving layout configurability of said modular wall assembly.
12. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said system of block units includes symmetrical first and second angular corner block units for joining horizontally adjacent block units disposed to one another at an acute angle other than perpendicular, said first and second angular corner block units having opposing longitudinal block orientations, whereby said first and second angular corner block units allow adjacent block courses to traverse alternating longitudinal directions, thereby laterally offsetting vertical joints between adjacent block courses and improving layout configurability of said modular wall assembly.
13. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said system of block units includes an adapter block unit having identical longitudinal block orientations, wherein longitudinally adjacent blocks having opposing longitudinal directions are joined, thereby improving layout configurability of said modular wall assembly.
14. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said system of block units includes symmetrical first and second junction block units for joining horizontally adjacent block units disposed perpendicularly, said first and second junction block units having opposing longitudinal block orientations, whereby said first and second junction block units allow adjacent block courses to traverse alternating longitudinal directions, thereby laterally offsetting vertical joints between adjacent block courses and improving layout configurability of said modular wall assembly.
15. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said system of block units includes a terminal block unit having a single longitudinal block orientation, wherein a longitudinally adjacent block course is joined and terminated, thereby improving layout configurability of said modular wall assembly.
16. The system of block units of claim 1, wherein said system of block units includes at least one block component face corresponding to a wall surface, said block component face being premolded with at least one vertical groove formed parallel to the center line of an encapsulated vertical passageway for receiving material, thereby providing means for designating a line of attachment to a structural component encapsulated in said vertical passageway.
17. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said modular wall assembly system includes a system of modular block units wherein at least one of its courses has modular block units made from a material selected from the group consisting of cement, fiber-reinforced cement, wood, stone, ceramic, metal, gypsum, and plastic.
18. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said modular wall assembly system includes a system of modular block units wherein at least one of its above grade courses has modular block units molded from a lightweight insulating material.
19. The modular wall assembly system of claim 1, wherein said modular wall assembly system includes a system of modular block units wherein at least one of its below grade courses has modular block units molded from a material having structural properties suitable for resisting lateral forces due to hydrostatic pressure.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 15, 2006
Publication Date: May 17, 2007
Inventors: Mark Estes (Austin, TX), James Estes (Manor, TX)
Application Number: 11/453,033
International Classification: E04C 2/04 (20060101);