Prefabricated wall component apparatus and system
A pre-fabricated metal stud wall apparatus and system. End studs are placed non-parallel at a 45-degree angle. Abutting adjacent 45-degree walls together, with no loss in square footage can easily create corners. The walls can be made independent of building plan. As such, any 2-foot 8-foot section (or whatever length) can simply be purchased and conformed to any building plan regardless of style or shape (octagonal, hexagonal, square and the like). Each stud includes a series of slots. When the two angled studs are placed side by side, the slots align. A hole present at the end of the wall allows a rod to be placed into it. The rod includes a series of fingers that insert into the aligned slots, thereby locking the adjacent walls together. The walls can include any other number of cutouts for windows, utilities and the like.
I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field construction and more particularly to prefabricated wall component apparatus and system.
II. Description of the Related Art
Prefabricated steel stud walls are conventionally used to construct various structures and dwellings, such as modular homes, and are typically fabricated with parallel metal studs in pre-selected lengths, such as 2-foot, 4-foot, 6-foot, 8-foot and the like. The resulting component is a planar generally rectangular wall component with squared ends and edges. When the prefabricated walls are placed together to make a structure such as a home, square footage can be easily lost because the walls must be overlapped to create a corner, generally resulting in the loss of one side of the corner by the thickness of the overlapping panel. In addition, lengths of the prefabricated walls often have to be custom made depending on the building plan.
SUMMARYIn general, the invention features a pre-fabricated metal stud wall as a prefabricated wall component apparatus. In the present invention, the end studs are placed non-parallel at a 45-degree angle. In this way, abutting adjacent 45-degree walls together, with no loss in square footage can easily create corners. More importantly, the walls can be made independent of building plan. As such, any 2- foot 8-foot section (or whatever length) can simply be purchased and conformed to any building plan regardless of style or shape (octagonal, hexagonal, square etc.) Furthermore, each stud includes a series of slots. When the two angled studs are placed side by side (for example, when a corner is formed by placing two adjacent walls), the slots align. A hole present at the end of the wall allows a rod to be placed into it. The rod includes a series of fingers that insert into the aligned slots, thereby locking the adjacent walls together. The walls can include any other number of cutouts for windows, utilities and the like.
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a prefabricated wall apparatus, including an outer wall, an inner wall, vertical studs positioned between the inner and outer walls and connected perpendicular to an top plate and a sill plate and end studs positioned on either ends of the vertical studs and rotated at a 45 degree angle with respective to the inner and outer walls.
In one implementation, the apparatus further includes a thermal break located between the studs and the outer wall.
In another implementation, the thermal break forms an airspace between the studs and the outer wall. The airspace can include a two part expanding foam thermal break, which also provides rigidity in the airspace.
In another implementation, the apparatus further includes a series of slots positioned along the end studs.
In another implementation, the apparatus further includes an upper opening located on the top plate adjacent the end studs.
In still another implementation, the connection between the top plate and the end studs has an isosceles trapezoid profile.
In yet another implementation, the base angles of the isosceles trapezoid profile are 45°.
In another aspect, the invention features a prefabricated wall system, including a first prefabricated wall panels having an top plate and two end studs, the top plate and end studs forming base angles less than 90 degrees, a second prefabricated wall panel having at least one end stud abutted against and flush with one of the end studs of the first prefabricated wall panel, thereby forming an outer corner and a third prefabricated wall panel having at least one end stud abutted against one of the end studs of the first prefabricated wall panel such that a right angle space is formed between the end studs of the first and third prefabricated panels.
In one implementation, the system further includes a series of slots along each of the end studs.
In another implementation, the series of slots on the end stud of the first prefabricated panel that is abutted against and flush with the end stud of the second prefabricated wall panel are aligned with the series of slots on the second prefabricated wall panel.
In another implementation, the system further includes an top plate on each of the second and third prefabricated wall panels.
In another implementation, the system further includes an opening on each of the top plates adjacent the series of slots on the end studs.
In another implementation, the system further includes a rod located within at least one of the openings of the first and second prefabricated panels and positioned parallel the end studs.
In still another implementation, the system further includes a series of fingers positioned along the rod.
In yet another implementation, the fingers are positioned within the aligned slots of the end studs of the first and second prefabricated wall panels.
In another aspect, the invention features a prefabricated wall kit, including a prefabricated wall panel having vertical studs positioned between and perpendicular to an top plate and a sill plate and end studs positioned on either ends of the vertical studs and having base angles of 45 degrees, the end studs having a series of slots along the studs, and an elongated rod having a series of fingers, for insertion in an opening on the top plate so that the fingers fit within the series of slots so that the prefabricated panel can be connected and locked to another prefabricated panel having a corresponding end stud with a series of slots.
One advantage of the invention is that little to no square footage is lost when the panel apparatuses are connected to one another to create walls and corners.
Another advantage of the invention is that the prefabricated panels can be preformed into a variety of dimensions.
Another advantage of the invention is that it enables nominal stock/standard inventory on-hand.
Another advantage of the invention is that it is adaptable to virtually all house plans.
Another advantage of the invention is that corners can be secured by locking adjacent panels forming the corners to one another.
Another advantage of the invention is that panels can be subsequently detached to expand architectural designs.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the invention are apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing the preferred embodiment of the invention.
Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, reference is made first to
Referring still to
In a typical implementation, the upper and sill plates 120, 125 are arranged parallel to one another. The studs 130 are arranged parallel to one another and in a vertical generally perpendicular position with respect to the upper and lower studs 120, 125. The end studs 140 are also arranged generally orthogonal with respect to the upper and sill plates 120, 125. However, the end studs 140 are arranged in a position that is rotated at an angle such that the ends of the panels 105 form a non-square end. In a typical embodiment, the top profile of each panel 105 is an isosceles trapezoid, the two end studs 140 representing equal non-parallel sides of the trapezoid. Furthermore, the base angles, A, of the top profile are 45 degrees in a typical implementation. It is understood that in other embodiments and implementations, the base angle can be other angles other than 45 degrees. However, it is appreciated that the 45-degree base angle has several advantages that are now discussed in further detail.
In general, it is desirable for panels such as panels 105 to have pre-fabricated and predictable dimensions, thereby allowing a modular home, for example, to be predictably constructed. As such, the panels 105 can be prefabricated into a variety of dimensions (lengths) such as but not limited to 2-foot, 4-foot and 8-foot sections. It is understood that several standard length sections can be made available depending on the needs of the user. When choosing a predictable section, it is desired to maintain the integrity of dimension, particularly when creating corners in the structure. To preserve length integrity when making corners, two adjoining panels 105 can be butted together as shown in
It is appreciated that since the panels 105 desirably prefabricated, the same panels 105 are used to create straight walls of a structure and not just corners of the structure. The same panels 105 can advantageously abutted together side by side to create a straight wall section, as further illustrated in
Still referring to
Referring again to
In general, the connection rod 200 is elongated and runs the entire height of the structure or individual panel 105. In one embodiment, the rod 200 can include two elongated rectangular panels 205, 210 connected to each other at a right angle (or orthogonal).
In general, the end studs 140 that are abutted to one another in the straight wall portions are generally secured in the structure by being connected to the respective foundations. The rods 200 allow the corner applications of the structures to be secured. In this way, the corners, where structural vulnerability tends to be located are further reinforced by the insertion of the rods 200. Furthermore, it is appreciated that top caps 180 can be placed over the openings 150 to cover the rods 200. If it is desired to subsequently expand the structure, the top caps 180 can be removed and the rods 200 can be pulled out of the openings. Panels 105 can subsequently be removed and additional panels 105 added in order to expand on the structure.
It is appreciated that many architectural designs are possible with the embodiments of the prefabricated wall system 100 and panel apparatuses 105 described herein. For example, the corners of the structure may be formed such that the end studs 140 are not abutted to one another but share a common plane of orientation, P, such as illustrated in
It is further appreciated that other architectural designs are possible with the embodiments of the standardized prefabricated systems and apparatuses described herein. For example,
Steel studs have been described in the embodiments herein. However, it is understood that other materials can be advantageously implemented such as but not limited to wood, fiberglass and extruded fiberglass.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, various modifications may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and which are set forth in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A prefabricated wall apparatus, comprising:
- an outer wall;
- an inner wall;
- vertical studs positioned between the inner and outer walls and connected perpendicular to an top plate and a sill plate; and
- end studs positioned on either ends of the vertical studs and rotated at a 45 degree angle with respective to the inner and outer walls.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a thermal break located between the studs and the outer wall.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the thermal break forms an airspace between the studs and the outer wall.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a series of slots positioned along the end studs.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further comprising an upper opening located on the top plate adjacent the end studs.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connection between the top plate and the end studs have an isosceles trapezoid profile.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the base angles of the isosceles trapezoid profile are 45°.
8. A prefabricated wall system, comprising:
- a first prefabricated wall panels having an top plate and two end studs, the top plate and end studs forming base angles less than 90 degrees;
- a second prefabricated wall panel having at least one end stud abutted against and flush with one of the end studs of the first prefabricated wall panel, thereby forming an outer corner; and
- a third prefabricated wall panel having at least one end stud abutted against one of the end studs of the first prefabricated wall panel such that a right angle space is formed between the end studs of the first and third prefabricated panels.
9. The system as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a series of slots along each of the end studs.
10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the series of slots on the end stud of the first prefabricated panel that is abutted against and flush with the end stud of the second prefabricated wall panel are aligned with the series of slots on the second prefabricated wall panel.
11. The system as claimed in claim 10 further comprising an top plate on each of the second and third prefabricated wall panels.
12. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising an opening on each of the top plates adjacent the series of slots on the end studs.
13. The system as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a rod located within at least one of the openings of the first and second prefabricated panels and positioned parallel the end studs.
14. The system as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a series of fingers positioned along the rod.
15. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the fingers are positioned within the aligned slots of the end studs of the first and second prefabricated wall panels.
16. A prefabricated wall kit, comprising:
- a prefabricated wall panel comprising:
- vertical studs positioned between and perpendicular to an top plate and a sill plate;
- end studs positioned on either ends of the vertical studs and having base angles of 45 degrees, the end studs having a series of slots along the studs; and
- an elongated rod having a series of fingers, for insertion in an opening on the top plate so that the fingers fit within the series of slots so that the prefabricated panel can be connected and locked to another prefabricated panel having a corresponding end stud with a series of slots.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 14, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 13, 2007
Inventor: David J. Rades (Cleveland, GA)
Application Number: 11/272,948
International Classification: E04C 3/30 (20060101);