Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description Specification
Wall System of the Present Disclosure
Referring to Fig. 1, the wall system can include one or more wall panels 1;
each wall panel 1 can
include stiffeners or studs 2. The wall system can also include bottom track 3
and top track 4. Wall
panels I can be assembled in adjacent fashion to create a wall structure. As
shown in Fig. 2, bottom
track 3 can be C-shaped, sheet metal having leg members 5, 6 extending upward
from base member 7.
In one embodiment top track 4 is identical to bottom track 3. In the
embodiment shown in Fig. 2,
bottom track 3 can be constructed from 16 gauge galvanized steel sheet metal
with the dimensions in
inches shown therein although other structurally strong and relatively stiff
materials and dimensions can
be used depending on the desired structural specification of the completed
wall. Base member 3 can be
fastened to the concrete floor slab by any common means such as adhesive
bonding or fasteners such as
expansion bolts, concrete nails, etc. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, track
3 can be secured to a
concrete floor using Redheads and nut washer combination. It is understood
that the wall system of
the present disclosure can be used to create other structures such as roofs.
As such fastening of bottom
track to a floor would not be necessary.
Fig. 4 shows one embodiment panel of wall panel 1. Wall panel 1 can have a
polymer foam insulating
core A. In one embodiment, insulating core A can be a pre-formed foamed or
expanded polystyrene
(EPS) such as Styrofoam . The expanded polystyrene foam core A can include
fiber reinforcement
such as carbon fiber added in the polystyrene mix for added structural
strength. Core A of wall panel 1
can be molded in a variety of shapes and sizes and cut to a desired size
individually, by a saw or hot-
wire cutting or pre-molded to the desired specifications. In one embodiment,
core A can be pre-molded
EPS and can have a height of 10 feet, a width of 4 feet and a thickness or
depth of 6 inches. (See Fig.
16) The density of EPS care A can be 1.5 pounds per cubic foot.
As shown in figure 4, wall panel 1 can have two spaced apart parallel groove
pairs 8, 9, 10, 11 of front
side 12 along the entire height of wall panel 1 for receiving studs 2.
Similarly, rear side 13 can also
include two grooves 14, 15, 16, 17 for receiving studs 2. Depending on the
structural support desired,
wall panel I can include more or less studs 2. Alternatively, a single channel
spanning the length
between the groove pairs and be used instead of the groove pairs to receive
stud 2. Groove pairs 8, 9,
10, 11 can be positioned directly opposite of grooves 14, 15, 16, 17. Having
studs received on opposites
sides 12, 13 can provide all structural support. Material can be removed form
core A between each
groove pair 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14, 15, 16, 17 to create recessed areas 18 (also
shown Fig. 7) so that when
studs 2 are inserted in groove pairs, stud 2 can be flush with front and rear
sides 12, 13 of core A. Figs.
7 and 17 also shows that core A can be marked with incidia 19 to assist in
assembly of the wall
structure and/or identify the maker and/or seller of the wall system.
In one embodiment groove pairs are positioned on wall panel 1 so that studs 2
are spaced about 24
inches on the center from each other. In prior wall construction insulating
material is placed between
studs span the width of the pre-covered or finished wall. This permits
conduction from one side
(interior or exterior) to the opposite side (interior or exterior) of the
wall. Wall structures created with
the wall system of the present disclosure do not allow conduction of heat,
sound, vibration, etc. through
the studs since the studs do not extend from one side to the opposite side. In
other words, having studs
2 on both sides 12, 13 without contacting each other an only extend partial
into core A prevents
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conduction from one side 12 to the other side 13 through studs 2. Wall panel I
does not have any
conductive components passing through EPS core A from one side 12 to the other
side 13 which results
in superior insulative properties.
One of the front rear sides 12, 13 depending on which will face the interior
of the structure to be
constructed can have one or more horizontal channels 20, 22 and/or vertical
channels 24 to receive
utility runs such as electric and plumbing. In one embodiment shown in Fig. 4,
wall panel 1 has one
vertical channel 24 along the interior height of wall panel 1 and two
horizontal channels 20, 22 along
the entire width of wall panel 1. Channel 20 can be spaced eighteen inches
from top end 26 and channel
22 can be spaced eighteen inches from bottom end 28. In one embodiment,
channels 20, 22, 24 can
have a square cross-sectional shape and specifically can be a 2.5 by 2.5 inch
channel. Horizontal
channels 20, 22 can be made to have a depth into wall panel 1 greater than the
depth groove pairs 8, 9,
10, 11 extend into wall panel 1 in order to prevent studs 2 from impeding
utility runs through horizontal
channels 20, 22. Horizontal and vertical channels 20, 22, 24 and groove pairs
8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
can be pre-molded with the molding of core A or cut into core A after
formation of core A.
Wall panel 1 can have left and right side ends 30, 32 having complementary
mating members 34, 36
such that adjacent wall panels 1 can interlock or mate to create an
interrupted or continuous wall
surface as also shown in Fig. 5. This interlock creates a continuous insulated
barrier. In the embodiment
shown in Figs. 4 and 5, mating members 34, 36 are complementary L-shaped ends.
It is understood
however that any interlocking or mating members can be used such as tongue and
groove, jigsaw type
mating and the like. End wall panels 1 such as those meeting other wall panels
at a corner can either be
molded to not include mating members 34, 36 or a portion of core A adjacent
mating members 34, 36
can be removed by cutting with a saw or hot wire.
One embodiment of stiffener or stud 2 is shown in Fig. 6. Stud 2 can be C-
shaped and have legs 40, 42
extending from base 44. Each leg 40, 42 can have an inwardly extending tab or
barb 46 to assist in
securing stud 2 to wall panel 1. In one embodiment, the depth or thickness of
core A can. be about three
times greater than the distance legs 40, 42 extend from base 44. Stud 2 can be
made from any number
of strong relatively stiff structural materials such as metal, plastic or
composite materials. In the
embodiment shown Fig. 2, stud 2 is formed from about 18 to 20 gauge galvanized
steel sheet metal
having the dimensions in inches as shown.
To create a wall structure, one or more bottom tracks can be secured to a
floor depending on the length
to be spanned by the wall structure. After studs 2 have been inserted in
groove pairs of core A, wall
panel 1 can be mounted in bottom track 3 and fastened thereto using adhesives
or fasteners. Bottom and
top tracks 3, 4 can receive one or more wall panels 1 depending on the
respective size of the wall panels
1 and tracks 3, 4. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 wall panel l is secured
to bottom track 3 by
screwing leg members 5, 6 of bottom track to each stud 2 on each of front and
back sides 12, 13 with
sheet metal screws. Another wall panel 1 having studs 2 inserted therein can
be mounted in bottom
track 3 and the two panels I can be brought together that mating member 36 of
one wall panel 1
interlocks or mates with mating members 34 of another wall panel 1 and secured
with screws as
previously discussed. This process can continue until the desired length of
wall structure is formed.
Top track 4 can be secured to wall panels 1 in the same fashion such as by
screwing leg members 5, 6
of top track to each stud 2 on each of front and back sides 12, 13 with sheet
metal screws. For added
structural support, splice plate 48 connects one top track 4 to an adjacent
top track 4 as shown in Fig. 8.
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Splice plate 48 can be made of any strong and stiff material and secured to
top tracks 4 by known
methods such as adhesive bonding or fasteners. The dimensions of the splice
plate depend on the
dimensions of the top track 4. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, splice plate
48 is a 4 by 8 inch 16
gauge steel sheet metal and is secured to top track 4 with sheet metal screws.
Figs. 10 and I1 show assembly of bottom tracks 3 meeting at a corner and top
tracks 4 meeting at a
corner, respectively. To improve structural strength of the wall structure,
bottom and top tracks 3, 4 can
be overlapped by trimming a portion of an end of tracks 3, 4 as shown more
clearly in Fig. 10. As also
shown in Fig. 10, the overlapped bottom tracks 3 can be secured together and
to the floor with bolt or
screw passing through both tracks 3.
As shown in Fig. 12, a C-shaped end cap 50 can cover flat side 52 of corner
wall panel 1A and secured
to bottom track 3 and top track 4 (not shown). End cap 52 can be constructed
of any strong stiff
material. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, end cap 52 is made of 20 gauge
galvanized steel sheet
metal. Alternatively, side 13 of wall panel can be trimmed to size instead of
utilizing a separate corner
wall panel IA.
Fig. 13 shows jamb section 54 can be identical to wall panel 1 except for the
dimensions of core A and
studs 2. Also, the embodiment of jamb section 54 has flat sides 56, 58 but
could be made to include
mating members such as mating members 34, 36 to permit interlocking described
above with respect to
the interlocking of wall panels 1. One or more jamb sections 54 can be
inserted between wall panels 1
to create window openings or entrance ways such as doorways. As shown in Fig.
14, jamb section 54
can be secured to the wall panels with L-shaped header 60 having perpendicular
disposed members 62,
62. Headers 60 can be constructed of any strong and stiff material. In the
embodiment shown in Fig. 14,
headers are made of 16 gauge steel sheet metal and secured to wall panels and
studs 2 with sheet metal
screws or other known methods.
Trim track 66 shown in Fig. 15 can be used to trim window areas. Trim track 66
can have a base plate
68 sized to the window opening and strips 70, 72 extending perpendicularly
from base plate 68. Strips
70, 72 can extend beyond the length of base plate 68 to permit securing of
trim track 66 to wall panel 1
with screws or any other method. Trim track 66 is made of 20 gauge steel sheet
metal and has the
dimensions shown.
The wall system once assembled can be finished on the internal and external
surfaces with suitable
covering materials and paint or other finishing methods. In one embodiment,
the inside surface of the
wall system can be finished with dry wall attached thereto with any suitable
means. Such means can
include fasteners such as bolts or screws and/or adhesives. The outer surface
likewise can be finished
with dry wall, concrete sheets, stucco or other covering material.
Multiple wall systems can be combined to form structures such as a habitable
building capable if
bearing significant loads such as a roof and be structurally sounds for its
intended purpose.
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4223500 September, 1980 Clark et at. 523/94
Insulation molded, load bearing, prefabricated panels
4953334 September, 1990 Dickens 523/94
Economy building panel
5218803 June, 1993 Wright 524/811
Method of means for reinforcing a steel stud wall
5279089 January, 1994 Gulur 523/91.1
Insulate a wall system
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CA 02655466 2009-03-03
1. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) - NFPA 259 Standard Test Method
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