Abstract: A mini-truss thin-sheet panel assembly. In one embodiment, a substantially rigid thin-sheet panel assembly having a non-rigid thin-sheet component includes the thin-sheet component which has selected plan area and shape, a backer having a plan shape and area substantially similar to the thin-sheet component, and plural riser elements of selected height and configuration each extending from the backer to distal ends connected to a reverse surface of the thin-sheet component, the riser elements being configured and disposed in an array which causes the assembly to have substantial rigidity in a selected direction in the thin-sheet component.

Abstract: A self-counterboring screw-threaded headed fastener, for the threaded insertion into an underlying fixed support or substrate in order to fixedly secure a structural component, such as, for example, an insulated metal panel (IMP), to the underlying fixed support or substrate without the need for pre-drilling a bore within the insulated metal panel (IMP), in order to accommodate the screw-threaded head of the fastener, prior to the insertion of the screw-threaded fastener into and through the insulated metal panel (IMP) for fixation within and to the underlying fixed support or substrate, is disclosed. Cutting wrench or screw-gun sockets are also disclosed for similar purposes.

Abstract: An absorbent covering (1) has high damping power, secured on a structure (2) and includes a dissipater mesh made up of a plurality of dissipating elements (3) and of nodes (4) each having its bottom end (4?) secured on the structure (2). In remarkable manner, the bottom ends (4?) of the nodes (4) project from the dissipating elements (3) so as to leave an empty space (5) between the dissipating elements (3) and the structure (2), the absorbent covering (1) including main absorbent elements (6) arranged in the empty space (5), each of the main absorbent elements (6) being secured firstly to a bottom face (3?) of a dissipating element (3) and secondly to the structure (2).

Abstract: A board with preformed seals. In an exemplary embodiment, a sealing material is applied to at least one edge of a board to form a preformed seal on that edge. The board is configured such that when the board is attached to a frame adjacent to a another board, at least a portion of the sealing material applied to the edge of the board seals against at least a portion of an edge another board. In one exemplary embodiment, the boards are configured to seal against edges of substantially identical boards. A plurality of the sheathing boards may be installed on a building frame to form a sheathing system that provides a moisture and/or gas barrier between and interior and exterior of a building.

Abstract: A structural support system with a means for capturing and channeling elements originating from an exterior surface is disclosed. More specifically, the support system not only creates a dry area under a deck but is also a load bearing component of the deck. The support system is multifunctional in that it alleviates the need for traditional joist-dependent construction methods while simultaneously providing an efficient and aesthetically pleasing structure for maintaining a useful, dry area under the deck. Advantageously, embodiments are scalable in that the system comprises a repeatable series of interlocking components operable to be customized to any foreseeable deck footprint or load bearing application.

Abstract: A support panel structure includes at least one panel which extends in longitudinal and cross direction of the support panel structure and essentially forms one integrated structure, which integrated structure is at least partly built up of at least one composite resin laminate building block comprising at least a first and a second face sheet of a fibrous reinforced material with sandwiched in between a sheet of a foamed core material, wherein the first and second face sheet and the sheet of core material are mutually connected by means of fibrous reinforcing material at least part of which extends in height direction of the resin laminate building block, further with the support panel structure including in height direction a multiplicity of composite resin laminate building blocks stacked on top of each other and bonded to each other, at least a first and a second superposed resin laminate building blocks which sandwich between them a layer of a foamed material, the resin laminate building blocks and foame

Abstract: Synclastic hollow core building panels are employed to form dome-like structures. The synclastic curve allows the panels to be lightweight, yet capable of carrying the weight of the structural loads. When combined, the panels create a sphere or a section of a sphere for enclosing space, with optional egress, skylight, and foundation portals incorporated into the structure without disturbing the spherical curvature of the interior or exterior surfaces. The spheres or sphere sections require no additional framing; the panels themselves are the frame. Workers with only the basic assembly skills can construct a sphere or sphere sections using these panels.

Abstract: A multilayer insulation with an array of posts is provided. In particular, the posts are comprised of multiple post or support elements that are interconnected to radiation shields or sheets comprising the layers of the integrated multi-layer insulation (IMLI) structure. The support elements maintain spacing between adjacent sheets, thus maintaining a volume between the sheets. The support elements can each feature a plurality of support arms. The support elements can each additionally include a support beam that defines a minimum spacing between sheets when the IMLI structure is under a compressive load. Neighboring support elements can be interconnected to one another by beams.

Abstract: Carved solid face doors having inlaid overlays and methods of manufacture thereof are provided herein. In some embodiments, a carved, solid face door may include a solid base having a face and an opposing rear surface, wherein the face has a design carved into at least one section of the face; one or more channels carved into the face adjacent to the design, each channel having a depth that is below a depth of the design carved into face of the door adjacent to the channel; and one or more inlay panels disposed in the one or more channels.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to vacuum insulated glass (VIG) units. The VIG unit may comprise first and second substrates with inner and outer substantially planar surfaces. For either or both of the first and second substrates, when considered along a side cross-section, a portion of the inner planar surface is removed proximate to an outer edge of the glass substrate so as to form a shoulder portion. An inner surface of the shoulder portion is angled (a negative number of degrees, zero degrees, or a positive number of degrees) relative to the inner and outer planar surfaces. The shoulder portion at its smallest height is at least about 50% of the glass substrate at its largest height. A side portion of the step proximate the edge also may be angled, e.g., so that it is or is not perpendicular to the planar surfaces.

Abstract: A fire rated wall structure includes a channel-shaped top track and bottom track each having male protrusions formed along their side walls. The wall structure further includes at least one stud member interconnecting the top and bottom tracks. The stud member comprises a stationary portion and a slip extension slidably nested within the stationary portion. Female recesses are formed in a terminus end of each of the slip extension and stationary portion and are adapted to nest with male protrusions of the top and bottom tracks. A slot formed within the slip extension accommodates fasteners initiated from a panel member and which passes through the stationary portion side wall and extends into the slot to allow relative sliding motion between the slip extension and the stud member. A top overcap disposed in overlapping relation to the top track includes a male protrusion for slidingly bearing against the panel member.

Abstract: A construction of an upright panel unit adapted for use in a wall with the panel units abutting end to end in which a pair of spaced facing sheet members on either side of the panel unit have vertical edge portions joined at each end of the panel unit by being sandwiched between an inner bracket member and an outer bracket member, with the outer bracket member having male and female arms engageable and disengageable with an outer bracket member of the end of an adjacent panel unit merely by respective movement of the panel units longitudinally relative to each other.

Abstract: A metal panel generally constructed from sheet material, such as sheet metal, and assemblies thereof which can be used to construct an enclosure, and specifically a no-through-metal enclosure. There is also provided methods for constructing a floor, walls, and roof of a no-through-metal enclosure utilizing such panels or construction techniques. The construction can still utilize metal fasteners such as rivets, bolts, or screws for maintaining strength which still maintaining the no-through-metal construction.

Abstract: An edge-wrapped panel and methods for edge-wrapping a panel. The panel comprises a substrate layer, a laminate layer, and at least one retainer. The laminate wraps around the substrate first edge and around the retainer first edge and sandwiches the substrate and the retainer between a first portion of the laminate and a second portion of the laminate. A method for edge-wrapping the panel includes the steps of securing the retainer to the laminate and then snap-wrapping the laminate flap around the edge of the panel. A stiffness and curvature in the retainer facilitates the swift snap-wrap movement.

Abstract: An improved acoustical damping wall (ceiling or floor) or door material comprises a laminar structure having as an integral part thereof one or more layers of viscoelastic material which also functions as a glue and one or more constraining layers, such as metal, cellulose, wood, or petroleum-based products such as plastic, vinyl, plastic or rubber. In one embodiment, standard wallboard, typically gypsum, comprises the external surfaces of the laminar structure; and one or more constraining layers are fabricated between the gypsum exterior. The resulting structure improves the attenuation of sound transmitted through the structure.

Abstract: A hollow metal door using hollow structural sections with closed cross section, along with the method for making same, is described herein.

Abstract: What is described is a lightweight structural panel which comprises a planarly extended outer skin of given thickness and stiffening elements which are connected to this outer skin and are arranged at a given distance from one another. According to the invention, the outer skin is formed by component layers which are each extended in the planar direction of the lightweight structural panel and complement one another in the direction of thickness to form the thickness of the outer skin and are interconnected, the stiffening elements being formed in one piece with one of the component layers.

Abstract: A studless load bearing panel wall system includes an assembly of bamboo based load bearing panels. The panels may be centrally milled along all edges suitable for accepting spline brackets along the vertical edges thereby constructing wall faces. Channels along the top and bottom edges accept two panels to form a studless wall having an inner and outer panel. The panels may be fastened to the splines and channels by means of screw fasteners. Bamboo based load bearing panels comprising layers formed from pressed bamboo strips bonded with layers of softwood veneers provide high load bearing strength while being dimensionally similar to conventional plywood. Non-load bearing alternate embodiments of the bamboo based panels in combination with similar spline brackets and channels are utilized to construct studless interior walls.

Abstract: Fluted core sandwich panels are joined together to form a composite structure. Variations in panel ends are accommodated by a core stiffener insert installed in a joint between ends of the panels.

Abstract: Light weight fiber-reinforced polymeric (FRP) structural building panels and panel assemblies, sized and configured for construction of wall structures permanently tied to the ground, optionally tying overlying structure to an underlying wall using such panels and panel assemblies. Fiber schedule and orientation in the panels provide enhanced properties of strength of a panel/wall per unit dimension relative to FRP layer thickness and/or mass of the panel/wall per unit dimension.

Abstract: A thin-sheet panel assembly. In one embodiment, a substantially rigid thin-sheet panel assembly having a non-rigid thin-sheet component includes the thin-sheet component which has selected plan area and shape, a backer having a plan shape and area substantially similar to the thin-sheet component, and plural riser elements of selected height and configuration each extending from the backer to distal ends connected to a reverse surface of the thin-sheet component, the riser elements being configured and disposed in an array which causes the assembly to have substantial rigidity in a selected direction in the thin-sheet component, and the thin-sheet panel assembly further includes a bar coupled to the backer and extending between at least one pair of adjacent riser elements of the plural riser elements.

Abstract: An assembly type wall structure is disclosed. The assembly type wall structure may be used as a vertical wall in an interior space and includes a plurality of wall units. Each wall units together to form a wall and may connect this wall with the corresponding ceiling, walls and floor of the interior space. Hence, the assembly type wall structure may be used as a vertical wall in an interior space and has the advantages of fast and simple implementation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a prefabricated wall element for a tower construction, essentially of concrete, arranged to form one of several wall portions of a building formed by circumferential shell portions of one of several shell portions stacked on each other, wherein the wall element is constituted by a substantially flat sheet portion comprising a pair of opposite sides intended to run substantially horizontally in the building and a pair of opposite sides intended to run in a direction forming a predetermined angle to the horizontal plane in the building, and along which sides the wall element includes compressive and tensile load absorbing pillar portions and is intended to be connected to adjacent wall elements. The invention also relates to a tower construction, a mobile antenna system and a wind power plant.

Abstract: A net layer (32) defines the shell (40) of a building, carried by any necessary supports. A hardening layer (34) is applied to fix the shape of the net layer (32) and to establish wall, roof, and floor. Optionally the shell is of sufficient strength to receive application of further layers in order to define an exoskeleton. Structures of roof sections include parallel-sided segments and converging-sided segments, with troughed or domed section shapes. Structures of walls include opposed shell sides (35), (78) and central filler layers (70), together defining an exoskeleton. Posts (72) can add additional structural capacities for supporting walls, roof and floor and can be formed integrally of net (32) and hardener (34).

Abstract: A load bearing assembly (300, 452) that includes at least one molded plastic panel (1) and/or at least one molded plastic panel assembly (3), a first support (303) and optionally a second support (306), is described. Each panel (1) of the load bearing assembly (300) includes a first external portion (17) and a second external portion (20), each having a plurality of reinforcing structures (49, 79) having sidewalls (52, 82) that define a plurality of external portion recesses (64, 98).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a casement (1) for a glass window or a glass door, a frame and a window system containing a casement and a frame. The casement comprises an insulation material layer arrangement which is located between two wooden profile-members (3, 4). The insulation material layer arrangement has at least a first insulation layer (5) which is constructed for a high level of strength, and at least a second insulation layer (6) which is constructed for a high level of thermal insulation. Between the two wooden profile-members (3, 4), a lateral insulation layer (8) which is constructed for a high level of thermal insulation is arranged substantially perpendicularly relative to the extension direction of the insulation material layer arrangement.

Abstract: A construction of an upright panel unit adapted for use in a wall with the panel units abutting end to end in which a pair of spaced facing sheet members on either side of the panel unit have vertical edge portions joined at each end of the panel unit by being sandwiched between an inner bracket member and an outer bracket member, with the outer bracket member having male and female arms engageable and disengageable with an outer bracket member of the end of an adjacent panel unit merely by respective movement of the panel units longitudinally relative to each other.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an insulation system for securing cladding to the exterior surface of a building. An insulated panel has a front face and a rear face. Joining elements are defined in horizontal edges of the panel for connecting adjacent panels to each other. A horizontal attachment member, such as a nailing hem, is mounted to the rear face of the panel for attaching the insulated panel to the exterior surface. Receiving members are present on the front face of the panel, and can be located in receiving channels. The receiving member is generally made from a material that is better at retaining fasteners, such as nails, than the material of the insulated panel itself.

Abstract: A component building system that is cost effective and flexible enough to be adapted for single story to multi-stories building structures. The component system comprises of mostly standardized open rib wall panel components and floor panel components. The basic open rib wall panel component's design is comprised of a cementitious sheathing with a narrower back supporting frame attached to it to create cavities on the side of panel for concrete to form studs when the panels are assembled and concrete is pour in cavities.

Abstract: A composite panel for making a wall of a building includes an outer cladding plate, an inner wall plate, and a supporting structure provided between the outer cladding plate and the inner wall plate and which is partially embedded in a polymer foam.

Abstract: In a construction with walls, ceilings, and/or floors as parts of the building, especially for buildings protected against radiation, the parts of the building are made of reinforced concrete. One part of the building may be a sandwich design wherein one layer is made of a material that protects against radiation, and at least one layer is made of concrete.

Abstract: A modular flooring system is disclosed which is designed to support heavy loads while providing stability and ground protection. The invention contemplates a modular tile with fully integrated connector loops, receiver pins and optional metal cam locks located in the corners of the floor tile or along the tile edges. The tiles contain an overlap edge, which engages with an underlay edge on an adjacent tile. This arrangement allows the tiles to overlap at an angle other than 90 degrees, providing greater strength at the point where adjacent tiles meet. The underlay edge contains a liquid capture channel which traps liquids which may seep between the adjacent tiles. The tiles are also provided with longitudinal recesses which extend through the top and bottom surfaces to the surface below, allowing for ventilation that is critical for grass and turf surfaces. The modular flooring system provides increased strength and stability and protection of the subsurface.

Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite structure has a reinforced core for carrying loads. The core includes a web connected between the facesheets by edge bonded joints for transmitting compressive, tensile and shear loads. The edge bonded joints are laterally reinforced by bridging members bonded to the facesheets, on opposite sides of the webs. The bridging members may comprise low density, high temperature rigid foam.

Abstract: A paper honeycomb core composite panel includes a face plate, a bottom plate, a paper honeycomb core sandwiched between the face plate and the bottom plate, e pieces of interior spacer disposed between the face plate and the bottom plate and extended entirely or partly around the periphery of the paper honeycomb core, and a edge sealing band which is bonded to the pieces of interior spacer or bonded to the pieces of interior spacer and the paper honeycomb core. The reinforcing frame of the composite panel makes use of the pieces of interior spacer including the pipe pieces or extrusive section material and so on. The edge sealing band or the pieces of interior spacer form the fringe of the composite panel.

Abstract: A building panel structure is disclosed, in which composite building panels are used to form a structure. A composite building panel is disclosed which includes a core and a coating applied over the core. In some embodiments the core consists of a frame and one or more than one insulating structural block. The insulating structural blocks can be encapsulated polystyrene (EPS) foam blocks. In some embodiments the coating includes an inner scratch layer and an outer main brown layer. The inner scratch layer can be formed of at least two layers. The outer main brown layer can include a fiberglass mesh embedded into the outer main brown layer. A method of forming a building panel structure is disclosed which includes forming a core using a frame and one or more than block, applying an inner scratch layer to the core, and applying an outer main brown layer over the inner scratch layer.

Abstract: An underlayment for supplementing one or more physical properties of wall, ceiling, and floor construction components is used to in a wall, ceiling, or floor assembly that may be fabricated on site. The assembly includes: first and second wall, ceiling, or floor construction components which each have physical properties and an underlayment component which has at least one supplemental physical property for supplementing the physical properties of the first and second construction components. The construction components may or may not be secured together with the underlayment sandwiched between the second and first construction components to form a wall, ceiling, or floor assembly with the supplemental physical property or properties of the underlayment. The supplemental physical property or properties of the underlayment may include, but are not limited to, latent storage of thermal energy, sound transmission reduction, and/or burn through resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are multiwall panels comprising micro-scale surface features and methods of making the same. In one embodiment, a multiwall panel is disclosed. The multiwall panel comprises, a top sheet, a bottom sheet, a rib disposed between and connected to the top sheet and the bottom sheet, and a micro-scale surface feature disposed on a surface of the multiwall panel, wherein the micro-scale surface feature comprises a width measured at a base of the surface feature, wherein the width is about 30 micrometers to about 3 millimeters. In another embodiment, a process of forming multiwall panels is disclosed. In yet another embodiment, a naturally lit structure is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to click structure plywood flooring, which has both of the advantages of reinforced floorboards and the advantages of plywood floorboards and the present invention provides plywood flooring of which the plywood is heat-compressive treated and click-shaped.

Abstract: A covered low-slope or flat roof comprising (a) a roof deck, (b) an optional insulation board including a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate cellular structure having a density that is less than 2.5 pounds per cubic foot, (c) a coverboard including a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate cellular structure having a density greater than about 2.5 pounds per cubic foot, and (d) a membrane.

Abstract: Useful composites and methods of using such composites are provided. The composites include an outer layer containing a first polymeric material, an intermediate layer circumscribed by the outer layer and containing a second polymeric material, and an inner layer circumscribed by the intermediate layer and containing a third polymeric material. The inner layer, in combination with the intermediate layer, is structured and effective to reinforce the composite relative to a substantially identical composite without the inner layer. The present composites can be produced using co-extrusion processing.

Abstract: A composite panel comprising a layer of hardened settable material, at least one element bonded to and/or embedded in the settable material, and one or more connectors fixed to the at least one element, the or each connector comprises a coupling portion that is disposed at a surface of the panel and arranged to form one part of a load bearing coupling, wherein loading induced at the coupling is arranged to be transferred through the connector to the element.

Abstract: An interior building system which includes a curved, acoustical, self-supporting composite panel which differentiates and accents the interior building space, and, at the same time, provides substantial sound absorbing capabilities. The composite panel is composed of two or more layers of non self-supporting soft fiber material and a discontinuous layer of adhesive interposed between each of the soft fiber layers. The system further includes mounting hardware for attaching the panel to the building structure. The mounting hardware has a perforated plate which is embedded in the panel which minimizes the visibility of the hardware, and, at the same time, provides enhanced load bearing capabilities.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly device between two panels (4,5) consisting of an internal layer (1) of resin inserted between two external metal sheets (2,3). At least one of the panels (4,5) comprises a cut section (6) to insert attachment means jointly in contact on a sheet (2,3) of one of the panels (4,5) and on a sheet (2,3) of the other panel (4,5).

Abstract: Panel including, in succession, a first rigid board forming the back of the panel, a first thermally insulating layer borne by the backboard, an impervious covering covering the first thermally insulating layer, a second thermally insulating layer which partially covers the impervious covering and a second rigid board covering the second thermally insulating layer, characterized in that it includes a film which covers at least part of the impervious covering which is not covered by the second thermally insulating layer, the film including at least one protective portion and at least one spew portion adjacent to the protective portion, the protective portion and the spew portion being able to be detached from the impervious covering independently of one another.

Abstract: An integrally molded window spacer bar connector for joining opposed spacer bar end passages in the form of a hollow tube with a longitudinal axis of symmetry and a transverse axis of symmetry includes inclined leading edge ramps, a medial rib to control the insertion of the connector into spacer bars, and external channels to receive a sealant material for sealing the connector to the spacer bar at the seam of the joint of the spacer bar.

Abstract: A support panel structure includes at least one panel which extends in longitudinal and cross direction of the support panel structure and essentially forms one integrated structure, which integrated structure is at least partly built up of at least one composite resin laminate building block comprising at least a first and a second face sheet of a fibrous reinforced material with sandwiched in between a sheet of a foamed core material, wherein the first and second face sheet and the sheet of core material are mutually connected by means of fibrous reinforcing material at least part of which extends in height direction of the resin laminate building block, further with the support panel structure including in height direction a multiplicity of composite resin laminate building blocks stacked on top of each other and bonded to each other, at least a first and a second superposed resin laminate building blocks which sandwich between them a layer of a foamed material, the resin laminate building blocks and foame

Abstract: A building or structural panel has a core and outer skins. The core is formed from a stack of layers of building stock such as plywood. Multiple layers of building stock are connected, such as by adhesive at spaced intervals along the lengths thereof to form a stack. The stack is cut into a plurality of strips. Each strip is expanded to form the core. The core comprises a matrix of supporting elongate members and voids or openings. Skins are connected to each side of the core, such as with adhesive, to form the panel. The panel may be cut to size. Anchors or other mounts may be connected to panel.

Abstract: Floorboards with a format corresponding to a traditional parquet block for laying of mechanically joined floating flooring. Rectangular floorboards include a surface layer and a core with two long sides and two short sides, for making a floating flooring, which floorboards are mechanically lockable and which along their four sides have pairs of opposing connectors for locking similar, adjoining floorboards to each other both vertically and horizontally wherein the long sides have a length not exceeding 80 cm and the short sides have a width not exceeding 10 cm.

Abstract: Interlocking insulated wall sections (20-24), each of which contains a shell (30) having an outer panel (33) and a pair of end walls (35-36). A cover (31) is having an inner panel (38) and two end walls (39-40) is fitted over the shell. A first end wall (39) of the cover is mounted in contact with an end wall (35) of the shell and a second end wall (40) of the cover passes into the shell between the two end walls of the shell. An L-shaped flange (43) is connected to the second end wall of the cover and has a first leg of the flange (44) that rests in contact with the inner panel and a second leg of the flange (45) rests in contact with the other end wall of the shell. A space (50) is thus provided between the two panels of the wall section and is filled with an insulation (55). Each wall section is dimensioned so that it can be received in the opening between the second end wall of the cover and the end flange so that two wall sections can be interlocked together in assembly.

Abstract: Popcorn based composite construction material to be used as interior or exterior non-load bearing walls, partitions or roof sections for buildings comprising a plurality of popped kernels of popcorn, a hydrating liquid to moisten the popcorn kernels, a dry powder material applied to the moistened popcorn kernels through powder coating, and an impermeable and adhesive resin applied on the powder coated popcorn kernels.