Exterior wall construction
An exterior wall system includes two or more wall sections configured to be placed in any arrangement to create a wall system having any length, width, height, and shape. Wall sections of the exterior wall system may be positioned on top of, adjacent to, or opposite each other. Wall fasteners engage top portions of wall sections positioned adjacent to each other. Wall connectors engage interior sides of wall sections positioned opposite each other. In addition, wall sections may be attached to anchor base plates configured on the floor of a building. When the wall sections and other components are configured in a desired arrangement, concrete is poured into exterior wall system creating exterior walls of a building having minimal structural discontinuities and enhanced structural integrity.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/809,596, filed May 30, 2006, entitled, “Exterior Wall System and Method,” which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, attorney docket no. 1006.U03, entitled “Interior wall Construction,” filed May 29, 2007; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, attorney docket no. 1006.U04, entitled “Column and Beam Construction,” filed May 29, 2007; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, attorney docket no. 1006.U05, entitled “Floor and Roof Construction.”
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. The Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to construction materials. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to construction using insulated concrete forms.
2. Related Technology
Polystyrene, a polymer discovered in the nineteenth century, is a highly useful material having a wide variety of applications that is manufactured for use in numerous commercial enterprises. One of the most common uses of polystyrene, however, is expanded polystyrene, which is used for making such products as packing material, craft and model materials, and take-away food cups and containers.
In addition to these uses, expanded polystyrene is also used in making insulated panel building materials. These building materials, also referred to as insulated concrete forms or insulating concrete forms, are used to form molds for use in constructing walls of buildings. Most commonly, an insulated concrete form for a portion of wall is set in place and the concrete is then poured into the insulated concrete form. The form then remains in place, where it acts as insulation both for curing the concrete and as general insulation for the building or structure being constructed.
The utility of insulated concrete forms is further enhanced by the ease with which other building materials may be used in conjunction with insulated concrete forms. For example, rebar and other concrete reinforcement materials may be placed within a mold created using insulated concrete forms to help reinforce the concrete that is poured into the mold. In addition, dry wall and other common finishing materials can be easily attached to the surface of the insulated concrete form thus enabling a wall or other structural member built using insulated concrete forms to be finished in the same way a wall built by other methods can be finished.
Moreover, insulated concrete forms improve traditional building methods, such as wood or metal framing, by increasing the speed and efficiency with which a building may be constructed. Such advantages are often more pronounced in the construction of larger buildings, such as buildings used for commercial and/or industrial purposes. The insulated concrete form is assembled from large segments of expanded polystyrene and the concrete is then poured into the sections of the structure as created by expanded polystyrene segments—a method which improves in efficiency, practicality, and cost over traditional concrete forms and other building materials.
While insulated concrete forms can be useful in providing a way to construct concrete structures, numerous problems exist in relation to present systems and methods for the design, set-up, and use of insulated concrete forms. For example, the expanded polystyrene panels used in making insulated concrete forms are often lacking in stability and security. In addition, current methods for constructing buildings using insulated concrete forms provide for a relatively small section of the form for a building to be constructed and then for concrete to be added to that section. As additional adjacent sections are created, problems can occur when concrete poured to form an additional section of the structure rests against concrete poured at a different time to form another part of the structure. A structure thus formed thereby includes a structural discontinuity. Such structural discontinuities in buildings are points of weakness affecting the structural integrity of the entire edifice
What is needed are systems and methods for using insulated concrete forms, made of expanded polystyrene, in forms that are strong, stable, and durable and that provide a way for a large amount of concrete to be poured at one time, thus minimizing structural discontinuities and enhancing structural integrity.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for constructing buildings by creating an exterior wall system which acts like a form into which concrete can be poured. Wall sections, attached to anchor base plates, are configured in an arrangement having any height, length, and width. Wall sections are positioned on top of, adjacent to, and opposite each other. The stability and strength of the wall section arrangement is enhanced by wall fasteners, which engage adjacent wall sections, and wall connectors, configured to engage opposite wall sections. When the arrangement of the wall sections is configured in a desired arrangement and the exterior wall system is constructed, the exterior wall system acts as a form for concrete. The concrete becomes part of the exterior wall system and exterior walls of a building having minimal structural discontinuities, and enhanced structural integrity, are constructed.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
To further clarify the above and other aspects of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The drawings are not drawn to scale. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for constructing exterior walls of buildings and other structures. A system for constructing exterior walls includes constructing a form for walls for a building using multiple wall sections and a system of fasteners and connectors to join the wall sections together in any desirable arrangement, thus creating a form for walls having any height, width, or shape. When the form is completed, concrete is added to the form such that one distinct monolithic unit is created. Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide not only an efficient building system, but also an exterior wall system with minimal structural discontinuities and enhanced structural integrity.
With attention now to
Moreover, wall portions 104, 106, 110, 112, and 114 may be configured in any arrangement. In one embodiment of the invention, wall portions 104, 106, 110, and 114 are configured to be adjacent to, opposite, and on top of other wall portions. For example, in one embodiment of the invention wall portion 106 is configured to be adjacent to wall portion 104 and opposite wall portion 110. Also, wall portion 114 is configured to be on top of wall portions 110 and 112.
In addition to being configured in any arrangement, each of wall portions 104, 106, 110, 112, and 114 further includes a top portion and a bottom portion. For example, wall portion 110 includes top portion 116 and bottom portion 118. In one embodiment of the invention top portion 116 includes protrusions 120. Protrusions 120 may be of any size or shape, such as, for example, a substantially cubical shape as shown in
Further, each of wall sections 104, 106, 110, 112, and 114 has an interior side and an exterior side, as shown by interior side 122 and exterior side 124 of wall section 112. In addition, each of the interior sides of wall section 104, 106, 110, 112, and 114 may also include openings, such as grooves 126 configured on interior side 122 of wall section 112. Grooves 126 extend a certain distance toward a bottom portion of wall section 112 (not shown) from top portion 128 of wall section 112.
In operation, sides 102 and 108 are configured from any number of wall sections, such as wall section 104, 106, 110, 112, and 114. As noted above, wall sections 104, 106, 110, 112, and 114 may be placed on top of, adjacent to, and opposite each other creating sides 102 and 108 having any height, width, or shape. Protrusions 120 located on top portion 116 engage openings (not shown) located on the bottom portion (not shown) of wall section 114 when wall section 114 is placed on top of wall section 110. The configuration and arrangement of sides 102 and 108 is shown in further detail below with reference to
While wall sections 104, 106, 110, 112, and 114 may be placed together in any arrangement, wall sections 104, 106, 110, 112, and 114 may also be used in conjunction with other components of an exterior wall.
Wall connector 202 shows one embodiment of a wall connector. Wall connector 202 includes a first end 204 and a second end 206. In addition, in one embodiment of the invention wall connector 202 includes scalloped center portion 208. Rebar (not shown) may be positioned to rest in scalloped center portion 208. In operation, wall connector 202 engages the interior sides of two wall sections that are placed opposite each other. First end 204 of wall connector 202 is placed in a groove positioned in the interior side of a first wall section (as shown in
In addition to wall connector 202,
Likewise, wall connector 212 includes a first end 220 and a second end 222. First end 220 is positioned in a groove on the interior side of a first wall section while a second end 222 of wall connector 212 is placed in a groove on the interior side of a second wall section. The first and second wall sections are thereby secured in a position opposite each other and separated by a distance determined by the size of wall connector 212. By engaging wall sections of the exterior wall system in this way wall connectors 200 stabilize and secure wall sections configured in an arrangement to form an exterior wall of a structure. What is more, wall connectors 200 configured of steel, and the rebar which rests in the scalloped center portions of the wall connectors 200, further enhance the integrity of the exterior wall structure by reinforcing the concrete added to the wall form created using wall sections and connectors 200. Embodiments of the exterior wall system, including the operation of wall connectors 200, is shown in further detail below with reference to
With attention now to
Wall fastener 302 shows one embodiment of a wall fastener 300. Wall fastener 302 is configured to be substantially straight and includes openings 304. Wall fastener 302 has a length 306 and a width 308. In one embodiment of the invention the length 306 of wall fastener 302 is greater than the width 308. In another embodiment of the invention wall fastener 302 has a length greater than the length of a wall portion.
In operation, when two or more wall portions are positioned adjacent to each other wall fastener 302 is placed on the top portions of the two or more wall sections, with openings 304 of wall fastener 302 engaging the protrusions positioned on the top portions of the wall sections. In one embodiment of the invention the width 308 of wall fastener 302 corresponds to a width of the two or more wall section on which wall fastener 302 is positioned.
While wall fastener 302 is configured to engage two or more wall sections positioned adjacent to each other in a substantially straight line, wall fastener 310 is configured to engage two or more wall sections positioned adjacent to each other at a 90° angle. More particularly, openings 312 of first end 314 of wall fastener 310 engage protrusions located on top portions of two or more wall sections located on a first side of an exterior wall. Similarly, openings 316 of second end 318 of wall fastener 310 engage protrusions located on top portions of two or more wall sections located on a second side of an exterior wall, the second side being positioned adjacent to the first side at a 90° angle. Thus, wall fastener 310 enhances the stability, ease of construction, and structural integrity of adjacent wall portions positioned at a 90° angle relative to each other.
Finally,
Moving now to
In addition to multiple wall sections, exterior wall system 400 further includes wall connectors 428, 430, 432, and 434. Each of wall connectors 428, 430, 432, and 434 is configured to engage rebar. In one embodiment of the invention shown in
In operation, anchor base plates 444 and 446 are positioned on and attached to a floor portion of a structure. In one embodiment of the invention, anchor base plates 444 and 446 stabilize and secure wall sections of exterior wall system 400. As shown in
Wall sections of exterior wall system 400 may be configured in any arrangement depending on the design needs and building requirements. For example, wall section of exterior wall system 400 may be configured to be positioned on top of, adjacent to, and opposite other wall sections. For example, wall section 402 is positioned opposite wall section 414 and adjacent wall section 404. In addition, wall section 408 is positioned on top of wall sections 404 and 406.
When a wall section is placed on top of another wall section, the protrusions on the top portion of the first wall section engage openings on the bottom of the second wall section. For example, when wall section 416 is positioned on top of wall section 414, openings (not shown) located on bottom portion 424 of wall section 416 engage protrusions 448 located on top portion 450 of wall section 414.
As noted above, wall sections may also be positioned adjacent each other. For example, wall section 402 is adjacent wall section 404. In one embodiment of the invention shown in
Similarly, wall fastener 442 enhances the strength and stability of adjacent wall sections 410 and 412, having top portions 458 and 460, respectively. Wall section 410 is positioned adjacent to wall section 412 at a 90° angle. Wall fastener 442, likewise configured having a 90° angle, is positioned on top portions 458 and 460, with openings of wall fastener 442 engaging protrusions 462 of wall sections 410 and 412. Thus, wall fastener 442 enhances the strength and stability of wall sections 410 and 412 positioned adjacent each other at a 90° angle.
While wall fasteners 440 and 442 enhance the strength and stability of adjacent wall sections, wall connectors 432 and 434 enhance the strength and stability of wall sections 402 and 414, arranged opposite each other. Wall connectors 432 and 434 are positioned within grooves 464 and 466 located on the interior side 468 of wall section 414. Corresponding grooves are located on the interior side of wall section 402 (not shown). As wall connectors 432 and 434 are positioned within grooves 464 and 466, and corresponding grooves on wall section 402, wall sections 402 and 414 become connected through wall connectors 432 and 434. Not only is the stability of wall sections 402 and 414 enhanced, the wall connectors 432 and 434 reinforce concrete that will be poured into exterior wall system 400. Finally, rebar 436 and 438 may be configured to engage wall connectors 432 and 434, as shown in
When components of exterior wall system 400 are configured and arranged concrete may be poured into the form created by the components. Concrete is poured into the form in a cavity created between the interior sides of the wall sections. In other words, the cavity into which the concrete is poured is the area between opposite wall sections, the area within which the wall connectors and rebar have been positioned. The concrete will thus substantially cover wall connectors 428, 430, 432, and 434, as well as rebar 436 and 438. The concrete may be poured into the entire exterior wall system at a single time, with the expansion or spread of the concrete limited by the confines of the form created by exterior wall system 400. Thus, the concrete creates one distinct monolithic unit. Moreover, in one embodiment of the invention exterior wall system 400 represents the entire exterior wall system for a building, with concrete being poured into the form created by exterior wall system 400 at one time, thereby minimizing structural discontinuities and enhancing the structural integrity of the building.
While exterior wall system 400 creates a system for building exterior walls of structures, it is to be appreciated that exterior wall system 400 may be used in conjunction with other construction systems to create structures using concrete. For example, exterior wall system 400 may be combined with construction systems for other aspects of buildings, such as interior walls, columns, beams, floors, and roofs, to construct buildings using systems that allow concrete to be deposited into the systems to form one distinct monolithic unit having minimal structural discontinuities.
With attention now to
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
Claims
1. A system for constructing exterior walls, comprising:
- two or more wall sections, each having an interior side and an exterior side, configured to be placed in an arrangement to create a wall system of any length and any height and any shape;
- wall fasteners configured to be placed on a top portion of the two or more wall sections to secure two or more wall sections placed adjacent each other;
- wall connectors, wherein the wall connectors attach to two of the two or more wall sections on the interior side of each of the two of the two or more wall sections, thus joining the two of the two or more wall sections; and
- two or more anchor base plates, the anchor base plates configured to attach a bottom portion of the two or more wall sections to a floor section; and
- a cavity on the interior of the two ore more wall sections where
2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the two or more wall sections are configured in an arrangement of wall sections having any height, length, width, and shape.
3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the top portion of the two or more wall sections includes one or more protrusions configured to engage one or more openings in the bottom portion of the two or more wall sections when a first of the two or more wall sections is placed on top of a second of the two or more wall sections.
4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the wall fasteners are configured with openings to engage the one or more protrusions of the top portion of the two or more wall sections.
5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the wall connectors are configured to attach to grooves located on the interior sides of the two or more wall sections.
6. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
- rebar.
7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the rebar is positioned to rest in a scalloped center portion of the wall connectors.
8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the two or more wall sections are comprised of expanded polystyrene.
9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the wall fasteners are comprised of one or more of: plastic; polyvinyl chloride; acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; and, metal.
10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the anchor base plates are comprised of one or more of: steel; galvanized steel; or, any other metal.
11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the wall connectors are comprised of one or more of: plastic; polyvinyl chloride; acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; and, metal.
12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the concrete is deposited to form a distinct monolithic unit.
13. A concrete form wall system for the exterior of a structure, comprising:
- two or more wall sections configured to be positioned in an arrangement of wall sections having any length, any height, and any width, the two or more wall sections further configured to be placed adjacent to each other and on top of each other and opposite from each other to create the arrangement of wall sections having any width and any height, with each of the two or more wall sections further including an interior side, an exterior side, a top portion, and a bottom portion;
- wall connectors configured to attach to the interior side of the two or more wall sections, wherein the wall connectors join two of the two or more wall sections placed opposite each other by attaching to the interior side of each of the two of the two or more wall sections;
- wall fasteners configured to engage the top portion of two of the two or more wall sections placed adjacent each other; and
- anchor base plates positioned on a floor portion of the structure, the anchor base plates configured to engage the bottom portion of the two or more wall sections, the anchor base plates thereby attaching the two or more wall sections to the floor portion of the structure.
14. The system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a cavity into which concrete is deposited.
15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the concrete is deposited into the cavity after the arrangement of the two or more wall sections, including positioning of wall connectors, wall fasteners, and anchor base plates, is completed.
16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the concrete is deposited to create a monolithic unit.
17. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the two or more wall sections further includes a top portion and a bottom portion.
18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the top portion includes protrusions configured to engage openings of the bottom portion when a first of the one or more wall sections is positioned on top of a second of the one or more wall sections.
19. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the two or more wall sections further include grooves located on the interior side of the two or more wall sections.
20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the wall connectors are configured to engage the grooves located on the interior side of the two or more wall sections.
21. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the wall sections are substantially comprised of: pure foams; expanded polystyrene-cement composites; polystyrenes; polyurethanes; expanded polystyrene; or, extruded polystyrene.
22. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the wall connectors are comprised of one or more of: plastic; polyvinyl chloride; acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; and, metal.
23. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the wall connectors further include a scalloped center portion to engage rebar.
24. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the wall fasteners are comprised of one or more of: plastic; polyvinyl chloride; acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; and, metal.
25. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the wall fasteners are configured to have a ninety-degree angle.
26. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the wall fasteners are adjustable.
27. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the wall fasteners are substantially straight.
28. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the anchor base plates are comprised of one or more of: steel; galvanized steel; or, any other metal.
29. A method for constructing an exterior wall of a structure, comprising: creating a wall form by:
- configuring two or more wall sections in an arrangement of wall sections having any height and any width, the two or more wall sections further configured to be placed adjacent to, on top of, and opposite from each other to create the arrangement of wall sections having any height and any width, with each of the two or more wall sections further comprising an interior side, an exterior side, a top portion, and a bottom portion;
- joining two of the two or more wall sections configured opposite from each other with a wall connector, wherein the wall connector attaches to the interior side of each of the two of the two or more wall sections;
- securing the top portions of two of the two or more wall sections placed adjacent to each other with a wall fastener; and
- attaching the bottom portions of two or more of the two or more wall sections to anchor base plates connected to a floor portion of the structure;
- pouring concrete into the wall form, the concrete being poured into a cavity located between two or more of the wall sections such that the concrete contacts the interior sides of the two or more wall sections and the wall connectors attached to the interior sides of the two or more wall sections.
30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the pouring concrete into the wall form is a continuous pouring of concrete to fill the entire form.
Type: Application
Filed: May 29, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 6, 2007
Inventor: Guy L. Marker (Hyrum, UT)
Application Number: 11/807,839