BUILDING BLOCK WITH INSULATING CORE
An insulated core for a building block for a building wall, the block has spaced apart parallel face shells with the insulating core filling the space between the parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces for engaging the respective face shells. The insulating core is provided with channels such that when the block forms part of a wall with other blocks, the channels form intersecting uninterrupted passageways for receiving elongated reinforcing members and grout to provide a reinforcing structure to the wall. A method of preparing a structural insulating wall for buildings and an insulating core including a metal connecting bar with lateral wings provided within at least one male interlocking member to provide a thermal break are also disclosed.
The present invention relates to building blocks and more particularly, to blocks having integrated insulating material.
BACKGROUND OF THE ARTThere are various examples of building blocks for construction projects wherein the building block is a composite structure made up of parallel inner and outer concrete face shells spaced apart by an insulating foam core. An example of such a composite building block is shown and described on a website www.isobloc.com. Reference is also made to patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,585 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,978,581 both to Spakousky.
SUMMARYA construction in accordance with a particular aspect comprises an insulating core for a block for a building wall, wherein the block has spaced apart parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces capable of engaging the respective face shells. The insulating core is provided with channels such that when the block forms part of a wall with other blocks, the channels in the insulating cores form intersecting, uninterrupted passageways capable of receiving elongated reinforcing members and grout to provide a reinforcing structure to the wall.
In a particular aspect, the insulating core is provided with a face shell mechanically engaged on each surface.
In another aspect, there is provided a wall assembled from the building blocks, as well as the method of assembling the wall wherein horizontal channels and intersecting vertical passageways are formed from corresponding channels formed in selected building blocks. The channels provide passageways capable of receiving reinforcing rods, as well as grout, extending horizontally and vertically through a wall made up of the building blocks. Other utilities may be provided in passageways void of reinforcing rods and grout.
In another aspect, there is a block for a building wall, the block having spaced apart parallel face shells and an insulating core filling the space between the parallel face shells. The insulating core defines spaced apart parallel surfaces engaging the respective face shells wherein the insulating core includes male interlocking members while the face shells have complementary female interlocking members and metal connecting bars are provided in the insulating core with lateral wings provided within at least one of the male interlocking member to mechanically secure the face shells to the insulating block and such that a thermal break is provided between the connecting bars and the face shells.
The thermal break in the present description means that a thermal bridge is not formed between the connecting bar, buried in the insulating material, and the face shell.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular
A particular embodiment of the insulating core 12 is illustrated in detail in
In the embodiment shown, the horizontal channels 26, 28 of adjacent blocks are complementary such that when the blocks 10 are assembled in a wall, as shown in
As can be seen in
As shown in
The insulating core 12 may also be provided with drainage channels 40 extending horizontally of the core 12, adjacent the wall surface 20 defining the outer surface of the block 10. These drainage channels 40 may have a slight slope and communicate with vertical drain drainage channels 42 defined in the wall surfaces 18 and 20, for example between the male members 36a, 36b and 36c. The drainage channels 40, 42 may also be used for ventilation, for example to dry the channels.
A further advantage to the channels 26, 28, 30, and 32 is to facilitate handling of the blocks 10 when they are being assembled. The blocks 10 may come for example in full-size, half-size as well configured to form right and left corner units.
In a particular embodiment, the block 10 measures about 406 mm (16″) in length, based on the face shell 14, 16, while the overall thickness or width of the block 10 is about 305 mm (12″) and the height is about 203 mm (8″). Other dimensions are of course possible.
A partially assembled wall is also shown in
Referring now to
Each block 110 includes concave channels 130, 132 (see
Drainage channels 140 may be provided in the upper surface of the base or front wall 120 in order to allow water to drain therefrom. The drainage channels 140 may also be used for ventilation, for example to dry the channels.
Grout may also enter the open slots 138b formed in the face shells 116 as shown in
The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. Modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims.
Claims
1. In a block for a building wall and having spaced apart parallel face shells, an insulating core defining two spaced apart parallel surfaces each capable of engaging a respective one of the face shells, the insulating core having channels defined therein such that when the block forms part of a wall with other blocks, the channels cooperate with corresponding channels of the other blocks to form intersecting, uninterrupted passageways configured to receive elongated reinforcing members and grout to provide a reinforcing structure to the wall.
2. The insulating core as defined in claim 1, wherein the channels include at least one first channel having an axis parallel to the surfaces and at least one second channel having an axis parallel to the surfaces and normal to the first channel axis.
3. The insulating core as defined in claim 2, wherein the insulating core includes at least a base forming a wall defining one of the surfaces, from which projections extend normal to the base to the other of the outer surfaces, the projections defining at least the first and second channels.
4. The insulating core as defined in claim 3, wherein the base defines an outer one of the surfaces.
5. The insulating core as defined in claim 3, wherein the at least one first channel includes a central channel central to the block.
6. A block having an insulating core as defined in claim 5, the block comprising: a top plane, a bottom plane and a pair of spaced apart end planes normal to the parallel face shells; the at least one first channel includes a respective concave channel extending from each of the end planes in the insulating core; and the at least one second channel includes a respective concave channel portion extending from each of the top and bottom planes in the insulating core.
7. The block as defined in claim 6, wherein the axes of the first channels are equally spaced apart.
8. The block as defined in claim 7, wherein the at least one first channels consists in three first channels and the at least one second channels consists in two second channels.
9. A block having an insulating core as defined in claim 2, the block comprising: a top plane, a bottom plane and a pair of spaced apart end planes normal to the parallel face shells; the insulating core including a solid core with a respective base defining each of the surfaces engaging the face shells; the at least one first channel includes a central cylindrical bore defined through the core and a respective first concave semi-cylindrical depression formed from each end plane, with the axes of the bore and of each first depression being parallel to one another; and the at least one second channel includes a respective second concave semi-circular depression formed from each of the top and bottom planes, the axes of the second depressions being parallel to one another.
10. A block having an insulating core as defined in claim 4, wherein one of the face shell is engaged by the base at the outer one of the surfaces and another one of the face shells is engaged by free ends of the projections defining an inner one of the surfaces, the projections including two identical projections with multi-faceted surfaces defining the at least one first channel including a central first channel between the two projections and defining the at least one second channel intersecting with and normal to the central first channel.
11. The block as defined in claim 10 wherein the block has a top plane, a bottom plane and a pair of spaced apart end planes normal to the parallel face shells, the at least one first channel including a respective additional first channel formed between each of the projections and an adjacent one of the end planes, the at least one second channels including a respective second channel formed between the projections and each one of the top and bottom planes.
12. A building wall constructed with blocks each as defined in claim 7, wherein the axes of the first channels of adjacent ones of the blocks are aligned to form vertical passageways and the axes of the second channels of adjacent ones of the blocks are aligned to form horizontal passageways.
13. The building wall as defined in claim 12, wherein reinforcing rods with grout are provided in at least selected ones of the vertical passageways.
14. The building wall as defined in claim 13, wherein utility components are provided in at least some of the vertical passageways free of the reinforcing rods and grout.
15. The building wall as defined in claim 13, wherein reinforcing rods and grout are provided in selected ones of the horizontal passageways and are attached to the reinforcing rods extending in the vertical passageways.
16. The building wall as defined in claim 15, wherein caps are provided to close the passageways free of the reinforcing rods and grout.
17. A block for a building wall, the block having spaced apart parallel face shells and an insulating core defining spaced apart parallel outer and inner surfaces each engaging a respective one of the face shells, the insulating core including male interlocking members protruding from the outer and inner surfaces and received in complementary female interlocking members defined in the face shells, the insulating core including a metal connecting bar with lateral wings provided within at least one of the male interlocking members such that a thermal break is provided between the connecting bar and the face shells.
18. The block as defined in claim 17, wherein the male interlocking members on the insulating core and the complementary female interlocking members on the face shells have a dovetail configuration.
19. A method of preparing a structural insulating wall for buildings comprising the steps of manufacturing discrete interlocking building blocks each having face shells parallel and spaced apart with an insulating core therebetween, forming first and second intersecting channels within each core; assembling the wall with the discrete blocks while aligning the first channels to form vertical passageways and the second channels to form horizontal passageways in the wall, passing reinforcing rods and pouring grout through selected ones of the passageways while leaving other ones of the passageways void.
20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein one or more of electrical wiring, telecommunications conduits and plumbing is provided in the ones of the passageways that are void.
21. The insulating core as defined in claim 1, wherein the insulating core is made of a foam material having one of male and female interlocking members to connect with complementary members on the face shells.
22. A block having an insulating core as defined in claim 21, wherein the insulating core includes male interlocking members while the face shells have the complementary female interlocking members and a metal connecting bar is provided in the insulating core with lateral wings provided within at least one of the male interlocking member.
23. The insulating core as defined in claim 4, wherein the insulating core has a top surface on the base wherein at least one drainage channel is provided in the top surface.
24. The insulating core as defined in claim 23, wherein an end surface at the base is provided with an additional drainage channel in communication with the at least one drainage channel of the top surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 29, 2013
Publication Date: Jun 5, 2014
Applicant: 8168202 Canada Inc. (Toronto)
Inventors: Charles CASTONGUAY (Canton de Hatley), Julie CASTONGUAY (Toronto), Jean-Luc GRONDIN (St-Joachim de Courval)
Application Number: 14/093,286
International Classification: E04C 1/40 (20060101); E04B 2/26 (20060101); E04C 1/39 (20060101);