Poly-bonded building panels
A light weight single layer building panel with a peripheral frame of metal, wood ceramic or plastic, with or without internal members, deriving its structural integrity from the peripheral frame and internal members if used, the layer of expanded foam and the bonding of the expanded foam to the peripheral frame and internal members if used. This unique building panel can be coupled together with more of the like panels and used as a single layer to construct a wall, ceiling, roof, floor or complete building and can be used in conjunction with decorative veneers. The design allows for the building panel to be used in its own building system or as much or as little of the technology as needed can be employed into convention construction projects.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structural building panel, method of fabricating the structural building panel and method of constructing a building employing the structural building panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a framed building panel which has increased structural integrity and is operable to construct a wall, roof, floor, ceiling, room or building and the method of fabricating the structural building panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The construction industry as a whole is continually seeking ways to reduce costs associated with time, labor and materials utilized to construct a building, wall, room, floor, ceiling and roof Historic techniques used have for the most part been prefabrication of portions of a structure with conventional materials using conventional construction methods, then transporting the fabrication portion of the building to the construction site. Problems with such techniques include misalignment of prefabricated building portions at the construction site and damage to the prefabricated building portions during transit. Another problem with these techniques is that using conventional materials has proven to cumbersome and to expensive to be competitive.
These techniques typically also require that the structural integrity of the prefabricated portion of the building is derived solely from the frame of the prefabricated portion. In some instances, the structural integrity of the prefabricated portion of the building and the building itself is further derived from the specific way a prefabricated portion needs to be assembled with another portion of the building connection, fasteners, and other coupling mechanisms specific to using the prefabricated portion.
There is a need for a building panel having structural integrity, there is a need for a method of fabrication of a building panel having structural integrity, and a method of constructing a building utilizing a building panel with structural integrity. There is a need for a building panel having structural integrity, there is a need for a method of fabrication of a building panel having structural integrity, and a method of constructing a building utilizing a building panel with structural integrity, where the structural integrity is derived from the layer of expanded foam, the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members and the bonding of expanded foam to vertical stud members and horizontal stud members or diagonal stud members. There is a need for vertical and horizontal stud members or diagonal members to form a frame. There is a need for expanded foam to define an interior building side of the building panel and an exterior building side of the building panel. There is a need for the building panel having structural integrity to couple to another building panel having structural integrity. There is a need for the building panel to couple to or interlock with an adjacent building panel employing a coupling or an interlocking stud. There is a need for the building panel to be held in an upright position employing a track secured to the floor with screws, bolts, welds, anchors, adhesives or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one present embodiment of the invention, a building panel having structural integrity, a method of fabricating the building panel having structural integrity, and a method of constructing a building employing the building panel having structural integrity are provided. The building panel having structural integrity is a single layer building panel that derives its structural integrity from expanded foam forming the layer that bonds to horizontal stud members and vertical stud members or diagonal members, the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members and the bonding of the expanded foam to the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members. The vertical stud members and the horizontal stud members or diagonal stud members can be provided at the edges of the building panel and together the horizontal stud members and the vertical members or the diagonal members form the peripheral frame for the building panel. The horizontal members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal members are bonded to the expanded foam using temperatures and pressures above ambient. Building panels can be connected to one another to construct a structure or any portion of a structure such as a wall, floor, roof or ceiling, using members at the edges having an interlocking mechanism. One or more building panels can be inserted in a vertical position into one or more tracks secured to a floor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSAdvantages and capabilities of the present invention will be more apparent with reference to the detailed description and appended figures in which:
The present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed to be limited to the embodiment here described. The present invention is more fully described with reference to the accompanied drawings and descriptions.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a building panel having structural integrity, a method of fabricating a building panel having structural integrity, and a method of constructing a building utilizing a building having structural integrity are provided. The building panel having structural integrity is a single layer building panel that derives its structural integrity from expanded foam forming the layer that bonds to horizontal stud members and vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members, the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members, and the bonding of the expanded foam to the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members. The expanded foam is bonded to the horizontal and vertical stud members using temperatures and pressures above ambient. Portions of a structure or a structure such as a wall, floor, ceiling, roof or building can be constructed by joining the building panels using members at the edges with interlocking mechanism. One or more building panels can be inserted in a vertical position into one or more tracks secured to a floor.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
In an exemplary method of fabrication of the present invention a peripheral frame of stud members is placed in a mold press and expanded foam is injected in and distributed consistently within, and bonded to, a peripheral frame. In the exemplary method of fabrication of the present invention the building panel is removed from the press.
In an embodiment of the present invention the density of the expanded foam is directly related to the pressure applied by the mold press during the thermoset reaction. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure is about 1 psi to about 15 psi. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure is about 3 psi to about 10 psi. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure is about 5 psi to about 7 psi. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure is about 6 to 29 psi.
As known to those of ordinary skill in the art, once thermoset materials form cross links as a result of applied heat and pressure the thermoset material cannot be reheated. Thus, once heat and pressure are applied to the reactants in the mold press adjacent to the frame members to form the material, the material is cured and bonded to the frame members with an improved bonding strength or peel strength over conventional expanded foam/stud designs.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the moisture content of a wood stud can be utilized to react with excess isocyanate in the polyurethane material to form additional urethane linkages resulting in an improved bond strength. In one embodiment stud members can be surface treated any of several techniques known in the art including but not limited to corona discharge, plasma treatment, sand blasting, brush tumbling and the like, resulting in increased adhesion between the expanded foam and the stud members.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the density of the expanded foam can be based on the specific application of the building panel. The density of the expanded foam is directly related to the pressure applied to the mold press during the thermoset reaction and any suitable temperature and pressure can be provided that allows the reaction to proceed. In one embodiment the temperature range is from about 32 degrees F. to about 180 degrees F. In one embodiment the temperature range is from about 75 degrees F. to about 170 degrees F. In one embodiment the temperature range is from about 75 degrees F. to about 150 degrees F. In one embodiment the temperature range is from about 80 degrees F. to about 105 degrees F.
Claims
1. A building panel having structural integrity, comprising:
- a peripheral frame including a top horizontal stud member, a bottom horizontal stud member, a left vertical stud member, and a right vertical stud member, wherein a first end portion of the top horizontal stud member joins to a first end portion of the left vertical stud member, a second end portion of the top horizontal stud member joins to a first end portion of the right vertical stud member, a first end portion of the bottom horizontal stud member joins to a second end portion of the left vertical stud member, and a second end portion of the bottom horizontal stud member joins to a second end of the right vertical stud member; and an expanded foam member formed at least within the peripheral frame, wherein the expanded foam fills the peripheral frame, and is bonded to the peripheral frame, a first exposed side of the expanded foam defines an exterior building surface of the panel, and a second exposed side of the expanded foam defines an interior building surface of the building panel.
2. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the structural integrity of the building panel is derived from the peripheral frame, the expanded foam member and the bonding of the expanded foam member to the peripheral frame.
3. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the expanded foam is one of a thermoset material.
4. The building panel of claim 1. wherein the top horizontal stud member, the bottom horizontal stud member, the right vertical stud member, and the left vertical stud member is fabricated from one of metal, wood, ceramic, plastic or a combination thereof.
5. The building panel of claim 1, wherein the top horizontal stud member, the bottom horizontal stud member, the right vertical stud member and the left vertical stud member is configured as one of; a conventional stud, a C-shaped stud, a U-shaped channel, a L-shaped angle material, a interlocking stud or a combination thereof.
6. The building panel of claim 1, wherein a first side of the expanded foam defines the exterior building surface of the building panel.
7. The building panel of claim 6, wherein a second side of the expanded foam defines the interior building surface of the building panel.
8. The building panel of claim 7, wherein the expanded foam extends to the outer boundary of the peripheral frame.
9. The building panel of claim 1, wherein at least one of the right vertical stud member and the left vertical stud member is an interlocking stud operable to interlock with an interlocking stud of an adjacent structural component.
10. An interlocking stud comprising;
- a face having a Z-shaped configuration
- a first side wall extending away from the face and bending toward a second side wall at the farthest point away from the face
- a second side wall extending away from the face and bending toward a first side wall at the farthest point away from the face.
11. The interlocking stud of claim 10, wherein the interlocking stud is operable to interlock with another interlocking stud having substantially the same configuration as the face of the interlocking stud.
12. An interlocking stud with utility conduit comprising;
- a face having a Z-shaped configuration with a utility conduit extending there thru
- a first side wall extending away from the face and bending toward a second side wall at the farthest point away from the face
- a second side wall extending away from the face and bending toward a first side wall at the farthest point away from the face.
13. The interlocking stud of claim 12, wherein the interlocking stud with utility conduit is operable to interlock with another interlocking stud having substantially the same configuration as the face of the interlocking stud.
14. An improved modular building, said building comprising:
- a first set of building panels defining the perimeter of the modular building, wherein each of the building panels include a peripheral frame having a top horizontal stud member, a bottom horizontal stud member, a left vertical stud member, and a right vertical stud member, wherein a first end portion of the top horizontal stud member joins to a first end portion of the left vertical stud member, a second end portion of the top horizontal stud member joins to a first end portion of the right vertical stud member, a first end portion of the bottom horizontal stud member joins to a second end portion of the left vertical stud member, and a second end portion of the right vertical stud member; and an expanded foam member formed at least within the peripheral frame, wherein the expanded foam member fills the peripheral frame, and is bonded to the peripheral frame, a first exposed side of the expanded foam defines an exterior building surface of the panel, and a second exposed side of the expanded foam defines an interior building surface of the building panel, each of the building panels configured with an interlocking stud as the left vertical stud member and the right vertical stud member for interlocking with an adjacent building panel configured with an interlocking stud as the left vertical stud member and the right vertical stud member; a roof supported by, and secured to, the first set of building panels.
15. The improved modular building of claim 14, wherein the roof is constructed from a second set of panels.
16. The improved modular building of claim 14, further comprising a set of tracks, wherein each track in the set of tracks includes a base portion, a first track sidewall, a second track sidewall and pre-set holes at regular intervals in the base portion and is secured to the foundation of the modular building.
17. The improved modular building of claim 14, further comprising a set of anchors, wherein each anchor in the set of anchors includes a L-shaped metal rod squarely abutting and affixed to the center of a metal disc and each anchor in the set of anchors is inserted L-shaped rod first through one of the pre-set holes in the base portion of the track and into the foundation until the metal disc affixed to the top of the anchor engages the base portion of the track and the base portion of the track engages the foundation.
18. A system for securing a wall of a building to a foundation, comprising:
- a track including a base portion, a first track side wall, a second track side wall, and pre-set holes at regular intervals
- a set of anchors, wherein each anchor in the set of anchors includes a L-shaped metal rod squarely abutting and affixed to the center of a metal disc.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein each anchor in the set of anchors is inserted L-shaped rod first through one of the pre-set holes in the base portion of the track and into the foundation until the metal disc affixed to the top of the anchor engages the base portion of the track and the base portion of the track engages the foundation.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the building panel is inserted within the first track side wall and the second track side wall of the track.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 22, 2005
Publication Date: Feb 22, 2007
Inventor: Terry Forgy (New Boston, TX)
Application Number: 11/208,990
International Classification: E04C 1/00 (20060101);