JOINT OF PARALLEL SANDWICH PANELS

Abstract

A number of multi-panel wall segments are connected together in a parallel orientation with bonding material to form a double wall segment. The connections between the multi-panel wall segments are bridged at a joint between the segments. In one embodiment, the connections between the multi-panel wall segments are bridged by a reinforcement member that extends on both sides of the connection between the sandwich panels of the multi-panel wall segments. In another embodiment, the joint is bridged an offset between the connections of the sandwich panels multi-panel wall segments to form a discontinuous joint. The bridged joint increases the rigidity and stiffness of the wall and also transfers loads between the multi-panel wall segments.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to constructing buildings, and more particularly, a joint and method of bridging a joint between a number of multi-panel wall segments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

There is an increasing global demand for lower cost buildings such as houses, warehouses and office space. The demand for lower cost buildings is particularly strong in developing countries where economic resources may be limited and natural resources and raw materials may be scarce. For example, in areas of the Middle East or Africa, conventional building materials such as cement, brick, wood or steel may not be readily available or, if available, may be very expensive. In other areas of the world, poverty may make it too costly for people to build houses or other buildings with conventional materials.

The demand for lower cost housing also is high in areas afflicted by war or natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornados, floods, and the like. These devastating events often lead to widespread destruction of large numbers of buildings and houses, especially when they occur in densely populated regions. The rebuilding of areas affected by these events can cause substantial strain on the supply chain for raw materials, making them difficult or even impossible to obtain. Furthermore, natural disasters often recur and affect the same areas. If a destroyed building is rebuilt using the same conventional materials, it stands to reason that the building may be destroyed or damaged again during a similar event.

It is generally desirable to increase speed of construction and to minimize construction costs. Prefabricated or preassembled components can streamline production and reduce both the time and the cost of building construction. Prefabricated buildings, however, are made from conventional materials that may be scarce or expensive to obtain. Thus, there exists a need for alternative materials and techniques for constructing buildings that use advanced material technologies to increase the speed of construction and to reduce or to lower ownership costs.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides an alternative to conventional construction materials and techniques. Buildings, such as houses, commercial buildings, warehouses, or other structures can be constructed by composite sandwich panels (also referred to as “sandwich panels” or “composite panels” or “panels”), which have an insulative core and one or more outer layers. The buildings can be constructed by gluing several sandwich panels together, and usually traditional fasteners, such as screws, rivets, nails, etc., are not needed for such connections. Generally, composite sandwich panels offer a greater strength-to-weight ratio than traditional materials that are used by the building industry. The composite sandwich panels are generally as strong as, or stronger than, traditional materials including wood-based and steel-based structural insulation panels, while being lighter in weight. Because they weigh less than traditional building materials, the handling and transport of composite sandwich panels is generally less expensive. The composite sandwich panels also can be used to produce light-weight structures, such as floating houses, mobile homes, or travel trailers, etc.

Sandwich panels generally are more elastic or flexible than conventional materials such as wood, concrete, steel or brick and, therefore, monolithic (e.g., unitary or single unit structure) buildings made from sandwich panels generally are more durable than buildings made from conventional materials. For example, sandwich panels also may be non-flammable, waterproof, very strong and durable, and in some cases able to resist hurricane-force winds (up to 300 Kph (kilometers per hour) or more). The sandwich panels also may be resistant to the detrimental effects of algae, fungicides, water, and osmosis. As a result, buildings constructed from sandwich panels may be better able to withstand earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricanes, fires and other natural disasters than buildings constructed from conventional materials.

Sandwich panel structures may be less expensive to build than structures built from conventional materials because of reduced material costs and alternative construction techniques. The ownership and maintenance costs for sandwich panel structures also may be less over the long term because sandwich panel structures may last longer and degrade at a slower rate than buildings made from conventional materials. Structures built from sandwich panels therefore may require less maintenance and upkeep than structures built from conventional building materials, which may reduce the overall ownership costs for end users.

The insulative core of the sandwich panels also may reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and/or cool the building, which may reduce the overall costs to operate the building. The insulative core also may reduce or eliminate the need for additional insulation in the building, as may be necessary to insulate structures built from conventional building materials. Sandwich panel structures therefore may be less expensive to build and operate than buildings constructed from conventional building materials.

A number of construction elements, e.g., one or more composite sandwich panels can be connected together, for example, to erect walls, to build ceilings or roofs, or to divide the interior of the building into one or more rooms, etc. As described in more detail below, a number of sandwich panels can be connected together to form a multi-panel wall segment. A number of multi-panel wall segments can be connected together in a parallel orientation with bonding material to form a double wall segment (e.g., a wall segment that is two panels thick). The connections between the multi-panel wall segments are bridged at a joint between the segments. In one embodiment, the connections between the multi-panel wall segments are bridged by a reinforcement member that extends on both sides of the connection between the sandwich panels of the multi-panel wall segments. In another embodiment, the joint is bridged by an offset between the connections of the sandwich panels multi-panel wall segments to form a discontinuous joint. The bridge may provide a reinforcement, strengthening etc., function, and the bridged joint increases the rigidity and stiffness of the wall and also transfers loads between the multi-panel wall segments. The double wall segment may be used, for example, to support an upper portion or second level of a building or to strengthen the walls of the building, etc.

According to one aspect, a joint connecting two multi-panel wall segments together includes a first multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel, a second multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel, bonding material between the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment, the bonding material connecting the multi-panel wall segments together in a generally parallel orientation, and a reinforcement bridge between the multi-panel wall segments

According to another aspect, the reinforcement bridge overlaps the connections between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment.

According to another aspect, the bonding material connects the multi-panel wall segments together in a generally parallel orientation such that connection between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment is offset from the connection between the second multi-panel wall segment.

According to another aspect, a joint connecting two multi-panel wall segments together includes a first multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel, a second multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel, bonding material between the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment, the bonding material connecting the multi-panel wall segments together in a generally parallel orientation, and a reinforcement member between the multi-panel wall segments, wherein the reinforcement member overlaps the connections between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment.

According to another aspect, each sandwich panel includes an outer layer, an inner layer and a core between the outer layer and the inner layer.

According to another aspect, the connections include a cavity defined by a portion of the outer layers and a portion of the panel cores.

According to another aspect, the joint further includes a pathway to the cavity through which bonding material is injectable.

According to another aspect, the pathway is at least one of an opening in the outer layer of at least one of the sandwich panels or a gap between the outer layers of the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel.

According to another aspect, the reinforcement member includes a layer of fiber glass laminate between the panels.

According to another aspect, a joint connecting two multi-panel wall segments together includes a first multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel, a second multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel, bonding material between the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment, the bonding material connecting the multi-panel wall segments together in a generally parallel orientation such that connection between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment is offset from the connection between the second multi-panel wall segment.

According to another aspect, each sandwich panel includes an outer layer, an inner layer and a core between the outer layer and the inner layer.

According to another aspect, the connection between the first sandwich panel and second sandwich panel of each multi-panel wall segment includes a cavity into which bonding material is injectable.

According to another aspect, the cavity is defined by a portion of the core of the first sandwich panel, a portion of the outer layer of the first sandwich panel, a portion of the core of the second sandwich panel, and a portion of the outer layer of the second sandwich panel.

According to another aspect, the joint further includes a pathway to the cavity through which bonding material is injectable.

According to another aspect, the pathway is at least one of an opening in the outer layer of at least one of the sandwich panels or a gap between the outer layers of the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel.

According to another aspect, a method of connecting two multi-panel wall segments includes connecting two or more sandwich panels together with bonding material to form a first multi-panel wall segment, connecting two or more sandwich panels together to form a second multi-panel wall segment, connecting the first multi-panel wall segment to the second multi-panel wall segment in a generally parallel orientation with bonding material to form joint between the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment, and bridging the joint between the multi-panel wall segments.

According to another aspect, the bridging includes offsetting the connection between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment from the connection between the sandwich panels of the second multi-panel wall segment.

According to another aspect, the bridging includes connecting a reinforcement member to first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment.

According to another aspect, the bridging includes overlapping the reinforcement member with the connection between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment and the connection between the sandwich panels of the second multi-panel wall segment.

According to another aspect, the bridging includes connecting the reinforcement member to the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segments such that the reinforcement member extends on both sides of the connections between the sandwich panels of the first and second multi-panel wall segments.

These and further features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following description and attached drawings. In the description and drawings, particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail as being indicative of some of the ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed, but it is understood that the invention is not limited correspondingly in scope. Rather, the invention includes all changes, modifications and equivalents coming within the spirit and terms of the claims appended hereto.

It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with, or instead of, the features of the other embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary environmental view of an exemplary monolithic structure built with composite materials.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an exemplary joint between two multi-panel wall segments.

FIG. 3A is a schematic sectional view of exemplary joint between two multi-panel wall segments looking generally in the direction of lines 3A-3A of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3B is an enlarged schematic detail view of the connection between two sandwich panels of the outer multi-panel wall segment of, for example, the joined two multi-panel wall segments of FIGS. 2 and 3A.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a second exemplary joint between two multi-panel wall segments.

FIG. 5A is a schematic sectional view of exemplary joint between two multi-panel wall segments looking generally in the direction of lines 5A-5A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5B is an enlarged schematic detail view of the connection between two sandwich panels of the outer multi-panel wall segment of the joined multi-panel wall segments of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an exemplary sandwich panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the detailed description that follows, like components have been given the same reference numerals regardless of whether they are shown in different embodiments of the invention. To illustrate the present invention in a clear and concise manner, the drawings may not necessarily be to scale and certain features may be shown in somewhat schematic form. Certain terminology is used herein to describe the different embodiments of the invention. Such terminology is used for convenience when referring to the figures. For example, “upward,” “downward,” “above,” “below,” “left,” or “right” merely describe directions in the configurations shown in the figures. Similarly, the terms “interior” and exterior” or “inner” and “outer” may be used for convenience to describe the orientation of the components in the figures. The components can be oriented in any direction and the terminology should therefore be interpreted to include such variations. The dimensions provided herein are exemplary in nature and are not intended to be limiting in scope. Furthermore, while described primarily with respect to house construction, it will be appreciated that the concepts described herein are equally applicable to the construction of any type of structure or building, such as warehouses, commercial buildings, factories, apartments, etc.

The structures described herein are built with composite materials, such as composite sandwich panels. The sandwich panels may be formed from synthetic or natural materials and may provide a light-weight and potentially less expensive alternative to conventional raw materials, e.g., wood, concrete, metal, etc. The sandwich panels may be connected or joined together with a high-strength bonding material, such as, for example, epoxy or glue. The result is a strong and durable monolithic structure, as is described further below.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary monolithic structure 10, for example, a house, is built from a number of sandwich panels that are connected together with bonding material. A front wall 10f of the house 10 is formed from sandwich panels 11-16. A side wall 10s of the house 10 is formed from sandwich panels 20-23. The sandwich panels are connected together with bonding material to form a number of multi-panel wall segments, which are connected together to form the walls 10f, 10s.

The house 10 includes a top portion lot and a bottom portion 10b. The top portion lot of the front wall 10f of the house includes a multi-panel wall segment formed by connecting sandwich panel 13 and sandwich panel 14 together. The top portion 10t of the side wall 10s includes a multi-panel wall segment formed by connecting sandwich panel 22 and sandwich panel 23 together.

The top portion 10t of the house 10 is supported by the bottom portion 10b of the house 10. The bottom portion 10b may be a double wide wall segment that is used to support the top portion 10t. The bottom portion 10b of the side wall 10s may include a number of multi-panel wall segments connected together by a joint 24a. As shown in the cut-away portion 25 of FIG. 1, the double wide wall segment can be used to support a floor 26 and/or other top portion lot of the house 10. The double wide wall segment includes an outer multi-panel wall segment 30 connected to an inner multi-panel wall segment 31. With additional reference to FIGS. 2-5B, the outer multi-panel wall segment 30 includes sandwich panels 20, 21 joined together at a connection 32. The inner multi-panel wall segment 31 includes sandwich panels 27, 33 joined together at a connection 34.

Continuing to refer to FIGS. 2-5B, the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 are connected to each other in a generally parallel orientation with bonding material 35 spread or applied between the segments. To transfer loads between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 and/or to increase the rigidity, strength and/or stiffness of the walls, the joint 24a is bridged. As described in more detail below, the joint 24a may be bridged by a reinforcement member 36 between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 (FIGS. 2-3B) or by an offset 37 between the connections 32, 34 (FIGS. 4-5B).

The bottom portion 10b of the front wall 10f also may be a double wide wall segment and may include a number of multi-panel wall segments connected together by a joint 24b (FIG. 1). The joint 24b may be the same or similar to the joint 24a at the side wall 10s. It will be appreciated that the house may include a number of additional double wide wall segments, and that the double wide wall segments may be interior and/or exterior walls of the house. For brevity, the description below focuses primarily on the joint 24a at the side wall 10s, however, it will be appreciated that the joints between multi-panel wall segments throughout the house may be formed in a similar manner.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the house 10 also includes a roof 40 connected to the walls 10s, 10f. The house 10 also may include a number of openings 41, which may be prefabricated or may be cut out on site where the house 10 is being constructed, etc., and may be used to install doors or windows. Although not shown in FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that the house 10 may include a number of other walls connected together, e.g., another side wall, a rear wall, internal walls, etc., and may include additional levels or stories and/or additional double wide wall segments. The house also may be built on a foundation and/or the house may include one or more ground anchors.

Exemplary embodiments of a joint between the multi-panel wall segments, e.g., joint 24a between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31, are shown in FIGS. 2-5B. The joint 24a is bridged to reinforce the joint and to add stability, rigidity and strength to the walls of the house. The bridge across the joint 24a also transfers loads or forces between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31, for example, from one multi-panel wall segment (e.g., multi-panel wall segment 30) to the other multi-panel wall segment (e.g., multi-panel wall segment 31).

The joint 24a includes an inner multi-panel wall segment 30 and an outer multi-panel wall segment 31. As shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5B, the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 each include two sandwich panels. The outer multi-panel wall segment 30 includes a first sandwich panel 20, a second sandwich panel 21 and a connection 32 between the sandwich panels 20, 21. The inner multi-panel wall segment 31 includes a first sandwich panel 27, a second sandwich panel 33 and a connection 34 between the sandwich panels 27, 33. Although depicted in FIGS. 2-5B as having two sandwich panels, it will be appreciated that the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 may include a larger number of sandwich panels, which may be joined with joints that are the same or similar to the joint 24a.

The sandwich panel 20 has two generally rigid layers 50, 51 separated from one another by a panel core 52. For ease of reference and based upon the orientation of the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 in FIGS. 2-5B, layer 50 is referred to as an “outer layer” and layer 51 is referred to as an “inner layer.” The corresponding layers of the sandwich panels 21, 27, 33 are referred to in the same manner. Thus, the second sandwich panel 21 includes an outer layer 53 and an inner layer 54 separated from one another by a panel core 55. Likewise, with respect to the inner multi-panel wall segment 31, sandwich panel 27 includes an outer layer 56, an inner layer 57 and a panel core 58, and sandwich panel 33 includes an outer layer 60, an inner layer 61 and a panel core 62. Additional details of the sandwich panels are provided below with respect to FIG. 6.

Two sandwich panels 20, 21 are joined or connected together with bonding material 63 that is applied or injected to fill a cavity 63a between the panel cores 52, 55. The cavity 63a may be defined by a portion of the panel cores 52, 55 and a portion of the outer layers 50, 53 of the sandwich panels 20, 21.

With additional reference to FIG. 3B, the cavity 63a is formed by removing a portion of the cores 52, 55 of the sandwich panels 20, 21. The cavity 63a is defined by a portion of the cores 52, 55 that extends along an inner edge of the outer layers 50, 53, designated generally as “X.” The cavity 63a also is defined by a portion of the cores 52, 55 that extends perpendicularly from the outer layers 50, 53 and towards the center of the cores 52, 55, designated generally as “Y.” The dimensions X, Y of the cavity 63a are several millimeters in length, and may, for example be about 10-20 mm (millimeters) long. The dimensions X, Y may be larger, or smaller as may be desired.

The dimensions X, Y may be selected based upon the thicknesses of the outer layers 50, 53 according to a desired ratio. The desired ratio of the dimensions X, Y to the thickness of the outer layers 50, 53 may be about seven to one (7:1), or more, e.g., 8:1 or an even larger ratio. For instance if the outer layers 50, 53 are about 2 mm (millimeters) thick, the dimensions X, Y would be at least 14 mm (millimeters), and may be thicker, if desired, or adjusted based upon a desired factor or characteristic, such as, bonding strength, stiffness or some other factor or characteristic.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the cavity 63a is in the general form of an isosceles triangle. It will be appreciated that numerous other configurations of the cavity 63a are possible. For example, more core material may be removed for larger (e.g., thicker) outer layers or less core material may be removed for smaller (e.g., thinner) outer layers. Alternatively, the cavity need not be triangular in shape and may, for example, be similar to another shape, such as a curved shape, a circular (or partial circular) shape, a rectangular shape or a square shape, etc. It will be appreciated that the cores 52, 55 and outer layers 50, 53 may be formed in the configuration of FIG. 3B prior to adhering the outer layers 50, 53 to the cores 50, 55, or the sandwich panels may be formed or be molded to the desired shape during the manufacturing process, for example, by forming the panel around or with a mold.

The bonding material 63 is injected into the cavity 63a through a pathway 64 in the outer layers 52, 53 of the sandwich panels 20, 21. As shown in FIG. 2, the pathway 64 may include one or more openings or holes formed in the outer layers 50, 53 of the sandwich panels 20, 21. The bonding material may be any suitable bonding material such as epoxy, epoxy resin, glue, cement, adhesive, adhering material or another bonding material (these terms may be used interchangeably and equivalently herein). The bonding material also may include a filler material.

The connection 34 between the sandwich panels 27, 33 of the inner multi-panel wall segment 31 may be formed in a manner that is similar to the connection 32 between sandwich panels 20, 21. The connection 34 may include a cavity 66a filled with bonding material 66, which may be injected or applied through a pathway 67 through the outer layers 56, 60 of the sandwich panels 27, 33. The pathway 67 may be one or more holes or gaps in the outer layers 56, 60.

The multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 are connected together with bonding material 35 spread between the inner layers of the sandwich panels, e.g., between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31.

The inner multi-panel wall segment 31 is connected to the outer multi-panel wall segment 30 with bonding material 35. The multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 are arranged in a generally parallel orientation, such that the inner layers 57, 61 of the inner multi-panel wall segment 31 are generally parallel to the inner layers 51, 54 of the outer multi-panel wall segments 30. The bonding material 35 is spread between the inner layers 51, 54, 57, 61 of the sandwich panels of the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31. The bonding material 35 may be spread on a portion of the surface of the inner layers 51, 54, 57, 61. For example, the bonding material 35 may be spread on about 20-percent (20%) of the total surface area of the inner layers 51, 54, 57, 61 of the sandwich panels. The bonding material 35 may be spread on a larger or smaller percentage of the surface, as may be desired.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2-3B, the connection 32 between sandwich panels 20, 21 and the connection 34 between sandwich panels 27, 33 are generally aligned or coplanar with each other. The joint 24a includes a reinforcement member 36 that extends across the connections 32, 34 to bridge the joint 24a. The reinforcement member 36 may distribute or transfer loads or forces between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31, and also may increase the stability and rigidity of the connections 32, 34 between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31. The reinforcement member 36 stiffens the joint, increases the strength of the joint and makes the joint more compliant.

The reinforcement member 36 may be a layer of fiberglass laminated or bonded to the inner layers 51, 54, 57, 61 of the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31. The reinforcement member 36 may include one or more layers of fiber glass material or laminate. The reinforcement member 36 may be made thicker by stacking several layers of fiber glass on top of one another. In one embodiment, the reinforcement member is about 1 mm (millimeter)-3 mm (millimeters) thick. It will be appreciated that the reinforcement member may be thinner or thicker, as may be desirable. The bonding material 35 may be about the same thickness as the reinforcement member 36. For example, the bonding material 35 may be about 1 mm (millimeter)-3 mm (millimeters) thick.

The reinforcement member 36 has a length A. The reinforcement member 36 may be connected to the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 such that the reinforcement member 36 extends about an equal distance on both sides of the connections 32, 34. For example, the length A of the reinforcement member may be about 200 mm (millimeters) and the reinforcement member 36 may extend about 100 mm (millimeters) on either side of the connections 32, 34. It will be appreciated that the reinforcement member 36 may be any desired length to bridge the joint and may be, for example, larger or smaller based upon several factors, such as the length of the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31, the dimensions of the sandwich panels 20, 21, 27, 33 (e.g., the length and/or width of the sandwich panels, the core and/or the outer layers, etc.), the number sandwich panels in the multi-panel wall segments, the strength and thickness of the reinforcement member 36, etc.

The outer multi-panel wall segment 31 may be connected to the reinforcement member 36 with bonding material between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 and the reinforcement member 36. The reinforcement member 36 also may be directly connected to multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 by applying the reinforcement member 36 to the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 when the laminate is wet (e.g., before the laminate cures), such that when the laminate cures, it forms a permanent connection to the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 4-5B, the joint 24a may be bridged by an offset 37 between the connections 32, 34, such that the connections 32, 34 are staggered, e.g., laterally, longitudinally, or otherwise spaced apart, rather than aligned with (or adjacent to) one another as in FIGS. 2-3B. Thus, instead of being bridged by a reinforcement member 36, a bridge is provided to the joint 24a in that the joint is bridged by connecting the inner layer 51 of sandwich panel 20 to the inner layer 61 of sandwich panel 33 with the bonding material 35. As a result of the offset 37, the inner layers of the sandwich panels 20, 33 overlap one another and are directly connected to one another with bonding material 35. The joint 24a, therefore, is a discontinuous or staggered joint, and the overlap between the inner layers 51, 61 reinforces, strengthens and stiffens the joint 24a. Loads or forces are transferred between the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 through the overlapping portion of the inner layers.

The connections 32, 34 are offset from one another by a length B. The length B of the offset 37 may be about 100 mm (millimeters). It will be appreciated that the length B of the offset 37 may be any desired length to bridge the joint. The length B of the offset 37 may be larger or smaller based upon several factors, such as the length of the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31, the dimensions of the sandwich panels 20, 21, 27, 33 (e.g., the length and/or width of the sandwich panels, the core and/or the outer layers, etc.), the number sandwich panels in the multi-panel wall segments, the strength and thickness of the reinforcement member 36, etc.

As shown in FIGS. 4-5B, the pathway 64 to the cavity 63a may be a gap between the outer layers 50, 53. The gap may be formed by removing a strip of the outer layer at least one of the sandwich panels. For example, a strip of each of the outer layers 50, 53 may be removed from both sandwich panels 20, 21 such that the panel cores 52, 55 extend beyond the outer layers 50, 53 at the connection 32. Thus, when the panel cores 52, 55 are in contact with one another, there is a gap or space between the outer layers 50, 53. The strip removed from the outer layers 50, 53 may be removed along the length of the outer layers, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, or may be removed from one or more portions of the outer layers. The strip removed from the outer layers 50, 53 may be several millimeters in length and may be, for example, about 1-3 mm (millimeters). The resulting pathway 64 may, therefore be about 2 mm (millimeters)-6 mm (millimeters) wide. It will be appreciated that a strip of more or less than 1-3 mm (millimeters) may be removed to make the pathway larger or smaller, as may be desired.

As shown in FIGS. 5A-5B, the connection 32 may include a second cavity 65a that is filled with bonding material 65. The second cavity 65a may be defined by a portion of the panel cores 52, 55 and outer layers 51, 54. The cavity 65a is defined by a portion of the cores 52, 55 that extends along an inner edge of the inner layers 51, 54, designated generally as “X.” The cavity 65a also is defined by a portion of the cores 52, 55 that extends perpendicularly from the inner layers 51, 54 and towards the center of the cores 52, 55, designated generally as “Y.” The dimensions X, Y of the cavity 65a are several millimeters in length, and may, for example be about 10-20 mm (millimeters) long. The dimensions X, Y may be larger, or smaller as may be desired, and the cavity 65a may have about the same dimensions as cavity 63a, and may be formed in the same or a similar manner. It will be appreciated that the connection 34 between sandwich panel 27 and sandwich panel 33 also may include a second cavity 68a filled with bonding material 68, and the second cavity 68a may be the same or similar to the other cavities 63a, 65a, 66a.

It will be appreciated that the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 also may include any combination of the connections 32, 34 described above. For example, one or both of the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 in FIGS. 2-3B may include two cavities filled with bonding material (e.g., the cavities 63a, 65a of FIG. 5), or one or both of the multi-panel wall segments 30, 31 in FIGS. 4-5B may include only a single cavity (e.g., the cavity 63a of FIG. 3). It also will be appreciated that filling a cavity with bonding material is but one exemplary way to connect the sandwich panels together. The sandwich panels may be connected in other ways, including, for example, connecting the sandwich panels with bonding material between the edges of the sandwich panels or using brackets, etc.

An exemplary sandwich panel 70 is shown in FIG. 6. The sandwich panel 70 includes two outer layers 71, 72 separated by a core 73. The outer layers 71, 72 are bonded or adhered to the core 73 with bonding material.

The core 73 of the exemplary sandwich panel 70 may be formed from a light-weight, insulative material, for example, polyurethane, expanded polystyrene, polystyrene hard foam, Styrofoam® material, phenol foam, a natural foam, for example, foams made from cellulose materials, such as a cellulosic corn-based foam, or a combination of several different materials. Other exemplary core materials include honeycomb that can be made of polypropylene, non-flammable impregnated paper or other composite materials. It will be appreciated that these materials thermally insulate the interior of the structure and also reduce the sound or noise transmitted through the panels. The core may be any desired thickness and may be, for example, about 30 mm (millimeters)-100 mm (millimeters) thick, however, it will be appreciated that the core can be thinner than 30 mm (millimeters) or thicker than 100 mm (millimeters) as may be desired. In one embodiment, the core is about 60 mm (millimeters) thick.

The outer layers 71, 72 of the sandwich panel 70, are made from a composite material that includes a matrix material and a filler or reinforcement material. Exemplary matrix materials include a resin or mixture of resins, e.g., epoxy resin, polyester resin, vinyl ester resin, natural (or non oil-based) resin or phenolic resin, etc. Exemplary filler or reinforcement materials include fiberglass, glass fabric, carbon fiber, or aramid fiber, etc. Other filler or reinforcement materials include, for example, one or more natural fibers, such as, jute, coco, hemp, or elephant grass, balsa wood, or bamboo.

The outer layers 71, 72 (also referred to as laminate) may be relatively thin with respect to the panel core 73. The outer layers 71, 72 may be several millimeters thick and may, be, for example between about 1 mm (millimeter)-12 mm (millimeters) thick, however, it will be appreciated that the outer layers can be thinner than 1 mm (millimeter) or thicker than 12 mm (millimeters) as may be desired. In one embodiment, the outer layers are about 1-3 mm (millimeter) thick.

It will be appreciated that the outer layers 71, 72 may be made thicker by layering several layers of reinforcement material on top of one another. The thickness of the reinforcement material also may be varied to obtain thicker outer layers 71, 72 with a single layer of reinforcement material. Further, different reinforcement materials may be thicker than others and may be selected based upon the desired thickness of the outer layers.

The outer layers 71, 72 are adhered to the core 73 with the matrix materials, such as a resin mixture. Once cured, the outer layers 71, 72 of the sandwich panel 70 are firmly adhered to both sides of the panel core 73, forming a rigid building element. It will be appreciated that the resin mixture also may include additional agents, such as, for example, flame retardants, mold suppressants, curing agents, hardeners, etc. Coatings may be applied to the outer layers 71, 72, such as, for example, finish coats, paint, ultra-violet (UV) protectants, water protectants, etc.

The core 73 may provide good thermal insulation properties and structural properties. The outer layers 71, 72 may add to those properties of the core and also may protect the core 73 from damage. The outer layers 71, 72 also provide rigidity and support to the sandwich panel.

The sandwich panels may be any shape. In one embodiment, the sandwich panels are rectangular in shape and may be several meters, or more, in height and width. The sandwich panels also may be other shapes and sizes. The combination of the core 73 and outer layers 71, 72 create sandwich panels with high ultimate strength, which is the maximum stress the panels can withstand, and high tensile strength, which is the maximum amount of tensile stress that the panels can withstand before failure. The compressive strength of the panels is such that the panels may be used as both load bearing and non-load bearing walls. In one embodiment, the panels have a load capacity of at least 50 tons per square meter in the vertical direction (indicated by arrows V in FIG. 6) and 2 tons per square meter in the horizontal direction (indicated by arrows H in FIG. 6). The sandwich panels may have other strength characteristics as will be appreciated in the art.

Internal stiffeners may be integrated into the panel core 73 to increase the overall stiffness of the sandwich panel 70. In one embodiment, the stiffeners are made from materials having the same thermal expansion properties as the materials used to construct the panel, such that the stiffeners expand and contract with the rest of the panel when the panel is heated or cooled.

The stiffeners may be made from the same material used to construct the outer layers of the panel. The stiffeners may be made from composite materials and may be placed perpendicular to the top and bottom of the panels and spaced, for example, at distances of 15 cm (centimeters), 26 cm, 50 cm, or 100 cm. Alternatively, the stiffeners may be placed at different angles, such as a 45-degree angle with respect to the top and bottom of the panel, or at another angle, as may be desired.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings.

Claims

1. A joint connecting two multi-panel wall segments together, the joint comprising:

a first multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel;

a second multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel;

bonding material between the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment, the bonding material connecting the multi-panel wall segments together in a generally parallel orientation; and

a reinforcement bridge between the multi-panel wall segments

2. The joint of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement bridge overlaps the connections between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment.

3. The joint of claim 1, wherein the bonding material connects the multi-panel wall segments together in a generally parallel orientation such that connection between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment is offset from the connection between the second multi-panel wall segment.

4. A joint connecting two multi-panel wall segments together, the joint comprising:

a first multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel;

a second multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel;

bonding material between the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment, the bonding material connecting the multi-panel wall segments together in a generally parallel orientation; and

a reinforcement member between the multi-panel wall segments, wherein the reinforcement member overlaps the connections between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment.

5. The joint of claim 4, wherein each sandwich panel includes an outer layer, an inner layer and a core between the outer layer and the inner layer.

6. The joint of claim 5, wherein the connections include a cavity defined by a portion of the outer layers and a portion of the panel cores.

7. The joint of claim 6, further comprising a pathway to the cavity through which bonding material is injectable.

8. The joint of claim 7, wherein the pathway is at least one of an opening in the outer layer of at least one of the sandwich panels or a gap between the outer layers of the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel.

9. The joint of claim 4, wherein the reinforcement member includes a layer of fiber glass laminate between the panels.

10. A joint connecting two multi-panel wall segments together, the joint comprising:

a first multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel;

a second multi-panel wall segment including a first sandwich panel, a second sandwich panel, and a connection between the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel;

bonding material between the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment, the bonding material connecting the multi-panel wall segments together in a generally parallel orientation such that connection between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment is offset from the connection between the second multi-panel wall segment.

11. The joint of claim 10, wherein each sandwich panel includes an outer layer, an inner layer and a core between the outer layer and the inner layer.

12. The joint of claim 10, wherein the connection between the first sandwich panel and second sandwich panel of each multi-panel wall segment includes a cavity into which bonding material is injectable.

13. The joint of claim 12, wherein the cavity is defined by a portion of the core of the first sandwich panel, a portion of the outer layer of the first sandwich panel, a portion of the core of the second sandwich panel, and a portion of the outer layer of the second sandwich panel.

14. The joint of claim 13, further comprising a pathway to the cavity through which bonding material is injectable.

15. The joint of claim 14, wherein the pathway is at least one of an opening in the outer layer of at least one of the sandwich panels or a gap between the outer layers of the first sandwich panel and the second sandwich panel.

16. A method of connecting two multi-panel wall segments comprising,

connecting two or more sandwich panels together with bonding material to form a first multi-panel wall segment;

connecting two or more sandwich panels together to form a second multi-panel wall segment;

connecting the first multi-panel wall segment to the second multi-panel wall segment in a generally parallel orientation with bonding material to form joint between the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment; and

bridging the joint between the multi-panel wall segments.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the bridging includes offsetting the connection between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment from the connection between the sandwich panels of the second multi-panel wall segment.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the bridging includes connecting a reinforcement member to first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the bridging includes overlapping the reinforcement member with the connection between the sandwich panels of the first multi-panel wall segment and the connection between the sandwich panels of the second multi-panel wall segment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the bridging includes connecting the reinforcement member to the first multi-panel wall segment and the second multi-panel wall segment such that the reinforcement member extends on both sides of the connections between the sandwich panels of first and second multi-panel wall segments.