Building with Interlocking Panels
According to the invention, a structure is disclosed. The structure may include a dual channel joint member and a plurality of panels. The dual channel joint member may define two channels, each channel possibly being configured to receive an edge of a panel thereby coupling two panels. The plurality of panels may include a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel. The first panel or the second panel may define a cavity. The other of the first panel or the second panel may include a hooked tab. The hooked tab may engage the cavity and couples the first panel with the second panel. The dual channel joint member may couple the second panel with the third panel.
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This application claims priority to Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/894,159 filed Mar. 9, 2007, entitled “Building With Interlocking Panels,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, for all purposes, as if fully set forth herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to building construction methods. More particularly the invention relates to methods of constructing buildings using interlocking wall panels, possibly using Structurally Insulated Panels (“SIPs”).
Traditional methods of assembling buildings usually involve a trade-off of benefits. Quick and inexpensive methods produce buildings which are not robust enough to handle repeated use and/or the environment. More sturdy construction methods are available, but take more time and costly materials.
The present invention provides for speedier construction by using novel techniques to produce a durable building in less time, and with less costly materials than conventional methods. The present invention may also provide other advantages such as allowing one with minimal skill in the art to construct a building with only written instructions and a reduced number of standard tools.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, a structure is provided. The structure may include a dual channel joint member and a plurality of panels. The dual channel joint member may define two channels, each channel possibly being configured to receive an edge of a panel thereby coupling two panels. The plurality of panels may include a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel. The first panel or the second panel may define a cavity. The other of the first panel or the second panel may include a hooked tab. The hooked tab may engage the cavity and couples the first panel with the second panel. The dual channel joint member may couple the second panel with the third panel.
In another embodiment, a structure is provided. The structure may include a plurality of dual channel joint members and a plurality of panels. The plurality of dual channel joint members may include a first dual channel joint member and a second dual channel member. Each dual channel joint member may define two channels, with each channel possibly configured to receive an edge of a panel thereby coupling two panels. The plurality of panels may include a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel. The first dual channel joint member may couple the first panel with the second panel. The second dual channel joint member may couple the second panel with the third panel.
In another embodiment, a structure is provided. The structure may include a plurality of panels. The plurality of panels may include a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel. The first panel may be coupled with the second panel, where the first panel may have a cavity or a hooked tab, and the second panel may have the other of the cavity or the hooked tab. The hooked tab may engage the cavity to couple the first panel with the second panel. The second panel may be coupled with the third panel, where the second panel may have a cavity or a hooked tab, and the third panel may have the other of the cavity or the hooked tab. The hooked tab may engage the cavity to couple the second panel with the third panel.
The present invention is described in conjunction with the appended figures:
In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same numerical reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a letter that distinguishes among the similar components and/or features. If only the first numerical reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components and/or features having the same first numerical reference label irrespective of the letter suffix.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing one or more exemplary embodiments. It being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, processes, steps, methods may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known components in the art may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed, but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, etc.
Turning now to
In some embodiments, sides of the SIPs which will be in the interior of building 100 may have a smoother finish than sides of the SIPs which will be on the exterior of building 100. The finish of the exterior side of a SIP may be patterned or textured in such a manner to make it appear to an observer that the building 100 is constructed of more conventional materials such as lumber. Other materials may also be used for panels 110, including, but not limited to, oriented strand board, particle board, fibreboard, plywood, wood, cement board, composites, plastics, polymers and/or metals.
In some embodiments, panels 110 may have added reinforcement, either on their exterior (either side) or in their interior, possibly within the interior foam or on either side of the interior foam. The added reinforcement may include, merely by way of example, high density fiberboard, tempered hardboard (“THB”), oriented strand board (“OSB”), cement board, metal, plastic, polymer, composites such as fiber reinforced plastics, and/or other materials. These reinforcement materials may be located on panels 110 such that they increase the strength and/or rigidity of panels, for example, at the edge of panels 110, or in the interior portions of panels 110. Such reinforcement, especially when at the edge of panels 110 may assist in strengthening coupling of adjacent panels by the methods discussed herein. When reinforcement is added in the interior portions of panels 110, it may also allow items to be coupled with panels 110 (either on the outside or inside of building 100).
In some embodiments, the interior and/or exterior layers of panels 110 may be prepared smaller than their final desired dimensions. Changes in moisture and temperature exposure experienced by the panels during actual use in building 100 may thereafter cause the interior and/or exterior layers of panels 110 to expand to their final dimensions. In some embodiments, the center of panels 110 may not be as affected by such changes in moisture and temperature, and therefore eventually conform to the sizes of the changed interior and exterior layers.
Different materials and/or methods of manufacture may be used to create joint pieces 120. Merely by way of example, steel, aluminum alloys, steel alloys, polymers, plastics, composites and/or other materials known in the art may be used to create joint pieces 120. Likewise, manufacturing methods other than extrusion may also be employed, including, but not limited to forming and fabrication.
In some embodiments, one or more panels 110 may form the floor, front, sides, back and roof of the building 100. For example, in
In some embodiments, high strength fabric, polymer, and/or metal reinforcement straps may be included on or in any of the panels 110 discussed herein. These reinforcement straps may be coupled with earth anchors allowing the straps to be coupled with the ground to resist undesirable wind and/or seismic loading. Such reinforcement straps may also at least assist in strengthening panels 110.
In some embodiments multiple panels 110 may be used to create a floor. The multiple panels 110 may be joined using methods known in the art. In some embodiments, the method used to join multiple panels 110 may leave a seamless, or nearly seamless joint within building 100 so objects may freely be moved by sliding them across the joint without obstruction. When multiple panels are used to create the floor of building 100, joint slots 210 may be present on one or more edges of each panel. When two panels are mated with slots 210 abutting each other, a piece of material, possibly THB, may be inserted into the slots, thereby assisting in joining the two panels together. Screws, glue and/or other fasteners known in the art may then be driven through the panels and couple the panels more fixedly with the piece of material inserted into the slot, thereby coupling the two panels with each other. In other embodiments, an ‘H’ shaped joint piece may be used to couple multiple panels 110 used to create the floor.
In one method of the invention for constructing building 100, floor panel 110L is supported by a surface, and multiple base joint pieces 120A are coupled with the edge of floor panel 110L. Turning to
Base joint pieces 120A may have angled ends 330, 340 to allow for flush meetings at the corners of floor panel 110L. In embodiments with floor panels 110L which are of greater lengths, multiple base joint pieces 120A may be required for each edge of floor panel 110L. In some embodiments, holes may be present in the walls of channel 310 (i.e. at the bottom of channel 350) to provide additional coupling to floor panel via screws or other fasteners known in the art. These holes may be near angled ends 330, 340 and/or may be distributed along the length of base joint pieces 120A. In some embodiments, channel 310 may also be slightly narrower at its entrance than at its base, further resisting removal of floor panel 110L from channel 310 once inserted.
In some embodiments, particularly embodiments employing SIPs, floor panel 110L may have a slot 220 in the edge allowing the thickness of floor panel 110L to be reduced when put under compression, as shown in
Once the perimeter of floor panel 110L is coupled with base joint pieces 120A, the walls of building 100 may then be coupled with base joint piece 120A and each other. The order in which the individual wall panels may be coupled with base joint piece 120A discussed herein is exemplary, and in practice they may be coupled in multiple different possible sequences.
In one embodiment, the bottom edge of side panel 110E, seen in
Press-fit features 360 may assist in griping panels 110 inserted into the channel 350. The bottom edge of side panel 110E may have a slot in it as described with reference to floor panel 110L to assist in coupling and holding side panel 110E with base joint pieces 120A. Once side panel 110E is inserted into base joint piece 120A, back panel 110I would also be inserted into base joint piece 120. Back panel 110I is shown in
In the embodiment shown, note that the entry of the hooked-tab 510 may have sloped entryways (possibly 79 degrees as shown in detail ‘B’ of
The same joint process may be repeated to form the back of building 100 with back panel 110H and side panel 110G. Back panels 110H, 110I may be joined using H-shaped joint piece 120B as seen in
The same joint process may then be repeated with front panels 110A, 110B to couple them with side panels 110D, 110F. The top front panel 110C (shown in
A door 115 (as seen in
Once walls are coupled with the base joint pieces 120A, wall-and-base joint piece hold downs 1600 (as seen in
An alternative embodiment is shown in
Before roof panels 110J, 100K are put in place, roof tab reinforcements 1750 (seen in
Tab reinforcements 1750 may be more advantageous for tabs 430 which are aligned in the direction of the slope of the roof panels 110J, 110K. Merely by way of example, in some embodiments, back wall panels 110H, 110I, and front wall panels 110A, 110B, 110C may have tabs 430 where tab reinforcements 1750 are applied due to the slope of the top edge of the panel 110. In contrast, side wall panels 110D, 110E, 110F, 110G may not require tab reinforcements 1750 because of the larger area available on the side of tabs 430 on those panels to absorb shear forces from roof pieces 110J, 110K. Wherever tab reinforcements 1750 are applied, they may be shaped to correspond to at least some portion of the edge of the panel 110 they are applied to. In some embodiments for example, the tab reinforcements 1750 may be multiple individual pieces possibly one for each tab) and merely cover the areas of the tabs 430 which may experience undesirable forces. Note also that in some embodiments, tabs 430 at the top edge of wall panels 110D, 110E, 110F and 110G may also be reinforced in a similar fashion, except the width of the tabs 430 may also be protected, in addition to, or in the alternative to, the ends of tabs 430.
Before or during mating of roof tabs 430 with cavities 1710, roof joint piece 120H (seen in
In some embodiments, at least some portion of the roof tabs 430 may have one or more holes extending at least partially through its width. Corresponding roof panels 110J, 110K may have holes extending from the edges of the panels to cavities 1710, where the holes are substantially aligned with the holes in roof tabs 430. Roof panels 110J, 110K may have roof edging 1900 pre-installed, with holes through roof edging 1900 as well.
Once roof panels 110J, 100K are in place, locking pin mechanisms 2000 (as shown in
Once pin mechanism 2000 is in position, a user may apply force to head 2030 and drive pin 2020 into locking collar 2010. Shoulders 2040 on pin 2020 will extend beyond locking arms 2050, therefore restricting pin 2020 from returning to its initial position. Additionally, the larger diameter of pin 2020 at shoulders 2040 may cause locking arms 2050 to radially extend outward further than in their initial position, thereby driving locking arms 2050 into the panel 110 to resist extraction from the holes. In other embodiments, pin mechanism 2000 may include only one piece more closely resembling the pin 2020. In these embodiments, the barbs on pin 2020 may engage roof edging 1900 once driven into panels 110.
Instructions provided for an assembler of building 100 may include directions to position all roof panels 110J, 110K in their final position before applying force to head 2030 because it may be problematic, if not impossible, to remove pin mechanism 2000 from a panel 110 afterwards. Finally, an end cap 140, manufactured to match the cross section of roof joint piece 120H may be coupled with the ends of roof joint piece 120H to seal voids 1840 that would be accessible at the front and rear of building 100. In some embodiments, end cap 140 may cover the ends of roof edging 1900 and the otherwise exposed edges of panels 110 which the roof edging 1900 does not cover. In other embodiments, pins, nails, and/or other fasteners may be used instead of pins 2000. Merely by way of example, and as shown in
A number of variations and modifications of the invention can also be used within the scope of the invention. Merely by way of example, orientation of the building roof and entryway could be changed; only one or more corners of the building could use interlocking hooked-tabs 510 and hook-cavities 410; fewer or greater number of panels 110 could be used to form the floor, roof, or any side of the building; traditional fasteners such as screws, nails, and/or stapler could be used in place of any of the joint pieces 120 and/or interlocking mechanisms; and/or a chemical sealant, such as paint or silicon, could be used to seal the edges of roof panels 110J, 110K.
The invention has now been described in detail for the purposes of clarity and understanding. However, it will be appreciated that certain changes and modification may be practice within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A structure, wherein the structure comprises:
- a dual channel joint member defining two channels, each channel configured to receive an edge of a panel thereby coupling two panels; and
- a plurality of panels, wherein: the plurality of panels comprises: a first panel; a second panel; and a third panel; the first panel or the second panel defines a cavity; the other of the first panel or the second panel comprises a hooked tab; the hooked tab engages the cavity and couples the first panel with the second panel; and the dual channel joint member couples the second panel with the third panel.
2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure further comprises a roof sheet, wherein:
- the plurality of panels further comprise a plurality of roof tabs;
- the roof sheet defines a plurality of cavities; and
- the roof tabs engage the cavities of the roof sheet, thereby coupling the roof sheet with the panels.
3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the structure further comprises lockable pins configured to engage the roof sheet and roof tabs.
4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure further comprises a floor sheet and a base joint piece, wherein the base joint piece defines two channels, and wherein:
- one of the two channels is configured to receive an edge of a panel; and the other of the two channels is configured to receive an edge of the floor sheet.
5. The structure of claim 4, wherein the edge of the floor sheet defines a slot, and the slot is configured to lessen a pressure required for the floor sheet to be received into one of the two channels.
6. The structure of claim 1, wherein at least one panel defines a slotted cavity, and wherein the structure further comprises:
- a panel hold-down; and
- a floor sheet, wherein the panel hold-down is coupled with the floor sheet, and engages the slotted cavity.
7. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure further comprises a void-block disposed within at least a portion of the cavity, and wherein the void-block at least partially restricts the hooked tab from moving.
8. The structure of claim 7, wherein the structure further comprises a cover piece configured to at least partially conceal the void-block and at least partially restrict the void-block and the hooked tab from moving.
9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure further comprises:
- a first floor sheet, wherein the first floor sheet defines a slot along at least one edge;
- a second floor sheet, wherein the second floor sheet defines a slot along at least one edge; and
- a joint strip, wherein the joint strip is disposed within the slot of the first floor sheet and the second floor sheet, thereby at least partially coupling the first floor sheet with the second floor sheet.
10. A structure, wherein the structure comprises:
- a plurality of dual channel joint members comprising a first dual channel joint member and a second dual channel member, each dual channel joint member defining two channels, each channel configured to receive an edge of a panel thereby coupling two panels; and
- a plurality of panels, wherein: the plurality of panels comprises: a first panel; a second panel; and a third panel;
- the first dual channel joint member couples the first panel with the second panel; and
- the second dual channel joint member couples the second panel with the third panel.
11. The structure of claim 10, wherein the structure further comprises a roof sheet, wherein:
- the plurality of panels further comprise a plurality of roof tabs;
- the roof sheet defines a plurality of cavities; and
- the roof tabs engage the cavities of the roof sheet, thereby coupling the roof sheet with the panels.
12. The structure of claim 10, wherein the structure further comprises a floor sheet and a base joint piece, wherein the base joint piece defines two channels, and wherein:
- one of the two channels is configured to receive an edge of a panel; and the other of the two channels is configured to receive an edge of the floor sheet.
13. The structure of claim 10, wherein at least one panel defines a slotted cavity, and wherein the structure further comprises:
- a panel hold-down; and
- a floor sheet, wherein the panel hold-down is coupled with the floor sheet, and engages the slotted cavity.
14. The structure of claim 10, wherein the structure further comprises a door rotatably coupled with one of the plurality of panels via a hinge, wherein the hinge comprises a plurality of pins within a total length of the hinge.
15. A structure, wherein the structure comprises:
- a plurality of panels, wherein: the plurality of panels comprises: a first panel; a second panel; and a third panel; the first panel is coupled with the second panel, wherein: the first panel has a cavity or a hooked tab; the second panel has the other of the cavity or the hooked tab; and the hooked tab engages the cavity to couple the first panel with the second panel; and the second panel is coupled with the third panel, wherein: the second panel has a cavity or a hooked tab; the third panel has the other of the cavity or the hooked tab; and the hooked tab engages the cavity to couple the second panel with the third panel.
16. The structure of claim 15, wherein the structure further comprises a roof sheet, wherein:
- the plurality of panels further comprise a plurality of roof tabs;
- the roof sheet defines a plurality of cavities; and
- the roof tabs engage the cavities of the roof sheet, thereby coupling the roof sheet with the panels.
17. The structure of claim 15, wherein the structure further comprises a floor sheet and a base joint piece, wherein the base joint piece defines two channels, and wherein:
- one of the two channels is configured to receive an edge of a panel; and the other of the two channels is configured to receive an edge of the floor sheet.
18. The structure of claim 15, wherein at least one panel defines a slotted cavity, and wherein the structure further comprises:
- a panel hold-down; and
- a floor sheet, wherein the panel hold-down is coupled with the floor sheet, and engages the slotted cavity.
19. The structure of claim 15, wherein the structure further comprises a void-block disposed within at least a portion of the cavity, and wherein the void-block at least partially restricts the hooked tab from moving.
20. The structure of claim 19, wherein the structure further comprises a cover piece configured to at least partially conceal the void-block and at least partially restrict the void-block and the hooked tab from moving.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 7, 2008
Publication Date: Sep 11, 2008
Applicant: Tuff Shed, Inc. (Denver, CO)
Inventor: Owen Woodruff Bunker (Aurora, CO)
Application Number: 12/044,246
International Classification: E04B 1/348 (20060101); E04B 1/38 (20060101); E04B 1/48 (20060101);