Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02313278 2000-06-30
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PANEL
Technical Field
This invention pertains to metal-skinned foam-filled
building construction panels having at least two internal stiffeners
which are spaced apart to allow the panel to be notched without
substantially impairing the panel's structural integrity.
Background
Metal-skinned foam-filled panels are commonly used in
building construction. One of two different framing techniques are
conventionally employed in constructing a multi-storey building such
as a house or condominium. In the "non-balloon" framing technique
illustrated in Figure 1, a first horizontally extending truss l0A is laid
on top of two or more upright, laterally opposed prior art construction
panels 12 (only one of which is shown). Additional upright prior art
construction panels 14 (only one of which is shown) are placed on top
of truss 10, then a second horizontally extending truss lOB is laid on
top of panels 14, etc. Building code regulations require that a vapour
barrier 16 be applied over the entire internal surface of each construc-
tion panel 12, 14 constituting an outer wall of the building. This non-
balloon framing technique makes it difficult to reliably seal vapour
barrier 16 against air and/or moisture penetration at the butt joints 18
between the ends of panels 12, 14 and trusses 10A, IOB.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing disad-
vantage by providing a building construction panel 20 (Figure 2)
having sufficiently high structural integrity that panel 20 may be
notched as shown at 22 to receive truss lOC along the entire length of
truss IOC. Thus, instead of using two or more vertically aligned
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panels 12, 14 as in the non-balloon framing technique, one may
employ a single notched panel 20 to span two or more stories via a
"balloon" framing technique. The notched panel-truss joint 24 can
easily be sealed against air and/or moisture penetration by inserting a
specially formed metal trim piece 26 into notch 22 before the end of
truss lOC is inserted into notch 22. Such trim pieces have been used
in prior art vapour barrier systems to provide the desired sealing
functionality with respect to vapour barrier 16 which is overlaid on the
internal surface of panel 20.
Summary of Invention
The invention provides a building construction panel in
which first and second generally parallel and transversely opposed
metal sheets are fastened together by at least two stiffeners which
extend between the sheets' parallel opposed inward surfaces. The
stiffeners are spaced apart from and extend generally parallel to one
another over substantially the entire length of each sheet.
The panel's laterally opposed edges are fastened together
by separate edge closure members which extend generally parallel to
the stiffeners. One end of each closure member is fastened along the
laterally opposed edges of the first sheet, and the closure members'
transversely opposed ends are fastened along the laterally opposed
edges of the second sheet. The closure members are formed with at
least one step extending between the closure members' transversely
opposed ends. The closure member steps are sized and shaped for
flush mating engagement with one another. Accordingly, any two
panels can be connected together along their adjacent edges by flush
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mating engagement of the closure member step on one panel's edge
with the closure member step on the other panel's edge.
Advantageously, the stiffeners can be perforated to allow
foam insulation material injected between the sheets in liquid form to
flow throughout the spaces between the sheets, stiffeners and edge
closure members prior to hardening. The transversely opposed ends of
the stiffeners and the closure members preferably extend generally
parallel to the sheets.
Brief Description of Drawings
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic illustration of a
portion of a two storey building constructed in accordance with a non-
balloon framing technique using prior art building construction panels.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic illustration of a
portion of a two storey building constructed in accordance with a
balloon framing technique and incorporating a building construction
panel in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 3 is an exploded cross-sectional end view of a
building construction panel in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional end view of a building
construction panel in accordance with the present invention, showing
the panel assembled and showing (in dashed outline) edge portions of
two additional panels formed in accordance with the invention and
positioned for interconnection along laterally opposed edges of the
panel shown in solid outline.
Figure 5 is an isometric illustration of the panel shown in
solid outline in Figure 4.
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Figure 6 is an isometric illustration showing the reverse
side of the Figure 5 panel, and shows a notch cut into the panel to
receive one edge of a horizontal truss in a balloon framed multiple
storey building.
Description
Figures 3-5 depict a building construction panel 30 in
accordance with the present invention. Panel 30 incorporates first and
second metal sheets 32, 34 which extend generally parallel and in
transverse opposition to one another. Either or both of sheets 32, 34
may be stiffened by roll-formation of corrugations therein, as shown in
the case of sheet 34. The corrugations are formed such that angle 8
(Figure 3) is about 110°. At least two, and preferably three stiffeners
36, 38, 40 are fastened to and extend between the parallel, opposed
inward surfaces 42, 44 of first and second sheets 32, 34. Stiffeners
36, 38, 40 are spaced apart from and extend generally parallel to one
another over a substantial length portion 46 (Figure 5) of each of
sheets 32, 34.
The laterally opposed gaps between the transversely
opposed outward ends of sheets 32, 34 are closed by first and second
edge closure members 48, 50. More particularly, first edge closure
member 48 is formed with transversely opposed first and second ends
52, 54 which extend generally parallel to first and second sheets 32,
34. At least one step or tier 56 is formed in first edge closure member
48 between first and second ends 52, 54. First end 52 extends gen-
erally parallel to stiffeners 36, 38, 40 in length direction 46 along first
edge 58 of first sheet 32. Second end 54 is fastened (for example, by
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stitch welding) to and extends generally parallel to stiffeners 36, 38,
40 in length direction 46 along first edge 60 of second sheet 34. First
edge 60 of second sheet 34 is transversely opposed to and positioned
laterally inwardly of first edge 58 of first sheet 32, by a distance
equivalent to the dimension between first edge closure member's first
and second ends 52, 54.
Second edge closure member 50 is formed with transver-
sely opposed first and second ends 62, 64 which extend generally
parallel to first and second sheets 32, 34. At least one step or tier 66
is formed in first edge closure member 50 between first and second
ends 62, 64. First end 62 extends generally parallel to stiffeners 36,
38, 40 in length direction 46 along second edge 68 of first sheet 32.
Second end 64 is fastened (for example, by stitch welding) to and
extends generally parallel to stiffeners 36, 38, 40 in length direction 46
along second edge 70 of second sheet 34. Second edge 70 of second
sheet 34 is transversely opposed to and positioned laterally outwardly
of second edge 68 of first sheet 32, by a distance equivalent to the
dimension between second edge closure member's first and second
ends 62, 64.
As best seen in Figure 4, first and second edge closure
members 48, 50 are sized and shaped for flush mating engagement
with identical edge closure members provided on additional panels
30A, 30B identical to panel 30. Thus, the right (as viewed in Figure
4) edge of panel 30A can be connected to the left edge of panel 30 by
positioning panel 30A's edge connector SOA in flush mating engage-
ment with panel 30's edge connector 48. Self tapping screws (not
shown) can then be driven through first end 52 of edge connector 48
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into the adjacently overlapped portion of edge connector SOA to secure
panels 30, 30A along their adjacent edges. Similarly, the left (as
viewed in Figure 4) edge of panel 30B can be connected to the right
edge of panel 30 by positioning panel 30B's edge connector 48B in
flush mating engagement with panel 30's edge connector 50. Self
tapping screws (not shown) can then be driven through first end 62B
of edge connector 48B into the adjacently overlapped portion of edge
connector 50 to secure panels 30, 30B along their adjacent edges.
The above-described "shiplap" type edge interconnection
of panels 30A, 30, 30B provides improved stress resistance in com-
parison to prior art panels having tongue-and-groove type inter-
connections, particularly improving the capability of panels 30A, 30,
30B to resist stresses imposed by movement of the panels under load
without adversely increasing the weight of the panels or impairing the
panels' ability to span substantial horizontal distances (at least eighteen
feet) .
If desired, stiffeners 36, 38, 40 can be perforated by
providing a plurality of apertures (not shown) through web portions 72
which extend between transversely opposed ends 74, 76 of each stiff
ever. Such perforation facilitates even distribution throughout the
space between sheets 30, 32 stiffeners 36, 38, 40 and edge closure
members 48, 50 of liquid foam insulation material injected into such
space using techniques and foam materials which are well known to
persons skilled in the art. Stiffener ends 76 are fastened to inward
surface 44 of second sheet 34 (for example, by stitch welding) prior to
foam injection as aforesaid. Neither first ends 52, 62 of first and
second edge closure members 48, 50 nor any of stiffener ends 74 need
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to be welded to inward surface 42 of first sheet 32, since the foam
material's adhesive characteristic is sufficient to fasten inward surface
42 against first ends 52, 62 of first and second edge closure members
48, 50 and against stiffener ends 74 (as well as against first sheet 30,
stiffeners 36, 38, 40 and first and second edge closure members 48,
50) upon curing of said liquid foam insulation material; upon curing of
the foam material.
Spaced apart stiffeners 36, 38, 40 provide panel 30 with
sufficient structural integrity to facilitate notching of panel 30 as
shown at 78 in Figure 6. Notch 78 is cut in second sheet 34 and
preferably has a depth no greater than the depth of the corrugations
formed in second sheet 34. Although notch 78 transversely intersects
and partially severs each of stiffeners 36, 38, 40 the stiffeners are not
fully severed, thus ensuring that panel 30 retains sufficient structural
integrity after notching to minimize impairment of the panel's load
bearing capability.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light
of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are
possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the
spirit or scope thereof. For example, different gauges of galvanized or
paint-coated metal can be used to fabricate first and second metal
sheets 32, 34 and/or stiffeners 36, 38, 40 and/or edge closure mem-
bers 48, 50 to alter the structural characteristics of panel 30 and
thereby adapt panel 30 to different load bearing and building require-
merits. Similarly, the depth of panel 30 (i.e. the transverse displace-
ment between first and second metal sheets 32, 34) can be varied to
adapt the structural characteristics and load bearing capabilities of
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panel 30 to different building requirements. Although three stiffeners
36, 38, 40 are preferably employed, only two stiffeners need be used
in some cases without impairing the panel's structural characteristics
and load bearing capabilities, having regard to the particular building
into which panel 30 is to be incorporated. As a further example, one
may optionally rivet second sheet 32 to each of stiffener ends 74
and/or to each of first ends 52, 62 of first and second edge closure
members 48, S0. The scope of the invention is to be construed in
accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.
