Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PREFABRICATED BUILDING SYSTEM
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application
No. 62/638,451, filed March 5, 2018, the disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Field of the Disclosure
[0002] The present disclosure is generally directed to a building system, and
more
particularly to a building system including a plurality of interconnectable
prefabricated
structural components.
Description of Related Art
[0003] Modular and prefabricated construction of building is generally known
as a concept.
Motivations for adopting modular building technologies range from economic
considerations,
such as creating economies of scale for individual building components, to
environmental
concerns, such as sourcing sustainable materials. Other advantages of modular
building
construction include relatively fast erection of entire buildings and safer
assembly practices
due to the prefabrication of the building components.
[0004] However, current modular and/or prefabricated building systems have
several
shortcomings that limit more expansive use of the technology. First, many
prefabricated
building systems are not full universal. Second, the components of existing
systems are often
developed and manufactured in a piece-meal fashion, which no intended or
realized aim
towards universality. As a result, existing modular and/or building systems
lack the ability to
be reconfigured or deployed in alternative configurations to fit specific
needs of a client.
Finally, many existing modular and/or building systems require such a wide
variety of
individual component types that their use may be cost prohibitive.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0005] In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for building systems
requiring a reduced
number of prefabricated structural components which can be quickly assembled
in a variety of
configurations. Additionally, there exists a need for methods for quickly
assembling and
disassembling prefabricated buildings.
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[0006] Aspects of the present disclosure are generally directed to a multi-
sided structure
constructed from a plurality of prefabricated components consisting of fewer
than 12 different
prefabricated structural components. The multisided structure includes a floor
assembly; a roof
assembly; and a side assembly connected to the floor assembly and the roof
assembly and
extending between the floor assembly and the roof assembly. The floor assembly
includes a
plurality of the floor panels, each floor panel in direct structural
connection with at least one
other floor panel. The roof assembly includes a plurality of the roof panels,
each roof panel in
direct structural connection at least one other roof panel. The side assembly
includes a plurality
of the wall panels, each wall panel in direct structural connection with at
least one floor panel
and at least one roof panel.
[0007] In some non-limiting examples, each floor panel includes a floor
surface having at
least one edge and a floor engagement member extending parallel to the at
least one edge of
the floor surface. Each roof panel includes a roof surface having at least one
edge and a roof
engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor
surface.
[0008] In some non-limiting examples, at least one of the wall panels is a
fixed wall panel
including a fixed wall surface having a bottom edge, a top edge, and a side
edge. Each fixed
wall panel further includes a first engagement member extending parallel to
the bottom edge,
a second engagement member extending parallel to the top edge, and a third
engagement
member extending parallel to the side edge.
[0009] In some non-limiting examples, the first engagement member of the fixed
wall panel
is configured to rigidly connect to the floor engagement member of one of the
floor panels, and
the second engagement member of the fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly
connect to the
roof engagement member of one of the roof panels.
[0010] In some non-limiting examples, the floor engagement member of each
floor panel
includes a channel, and the first engagement member of each wall panel
includes a rail
configured to extend into the channel.
[0011] In some non-limiting examples, the floor engagement member of each
floor panel
includes a weather seal configured to engage the first engagement member of
each wall panel.
[0012] In some non-limiting examples, the multi-sided structure further
includes a service
module having a base panel having a least one edge configured to rigidly
connect to at least
one of the floor panels. The service module further includes at least one of a
plumbing system,
a climate control system, and a sanitary system.
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[0013] In some non-limiting examples, each of the floor panels further
includes a duct
extending below the floor surface. The duct of each of the floor panels is
configured to be in
fluid communication with the duct of each adjacent floor panel.
[0014] In some non-limiting examples, at least one of the floor panels, roof
panels, and wall
panels includes a first conduit configured to be in alignment with a second
conduit of an
adjacent one of the floor panels, roof panels, and wall panels.
[0015] Other aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a building
system including a
plurality of prefabricated structural components, wherein each of the
plurality of prefabricated
structural components is connectable with at least one other of the plurality
of prefabricated
structural components. The plurality of prefabricated structural components
includes at least
one floor panel, each floor panel including a floor surface having at least
one edge, and a floor
engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor
surface. The
plurality of prefabricated structural components includes at least one fixed
wall panel, each
fixed wall panel including a fixed wall surface having a bottom edge, a top
edge, and a side
edge, a first engagement member extending parallel to the bottom edge, a
second engagement
member extending parallel to the top edge, and a third engagement member
extending parallel
to the side edge. The plurality of prefabricated structural components
includes at least one roof
panel, each roof panel including a roof surface having at least one edge and a
roof engagement
member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface.
[0016] In some non-limiting examples, the first engagement member of each
fixed wall
panel is configured to rigidly connect to the floor engagement member of each
floor panel, and
the second engagement member of each fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly
connect to the
roof engagement member of each roof panel.
[0017] In some non-limiting examples, the at least one fixed wall panel
includes a first fixed
wall panel and a second fixed wall panel, and the third engagement member of
the first fixed
wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to the third engagement member of
the second fixed
wall panel.
[0018] In some non-limiting examples, the plurality of prefabricated
structural components
further includes a service module. The service module includes a base panel
having a least one
edge configured to rigidly connect to another of the plurality of
prefabricated structural
components, and at least one of a plumbing system, a climate control system,
and a sanitary
system.
[0019] In some non-limiting examples, the plurality of prefabricated
structural components
further includes a sliding wall panel. The sliding wall panel includes a
sliding wall surface
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having a bottom edge and a top edge, a first engagement member extending
parallel to the
bottom edge, and a second engagement member extending parallel to the top
edge. The first
engagement member of the sliding wall panel is configured to slidably connect
to the floor
engagement member of each floor panel, and the second engagement member of the
sliding
wall panel is configured to slidably connect to the roof engagement member of
each roof panel.
[0020] In some non-limiting examples, the plurality of prefabricated
structural components
further includes at least one foundation pile, each foundation pile configured
to be secured in
a ground surface and connected to each of the floor panels.
[0021] In some non-limiting examples, each of the floor panels further
includes a duct
extending below the floor surface. The duct of each of the floor panels is
configured to be in
fluid communication with the duct of each adjacent floor panel.
[0022] In some non-limiting examples, at least one of the plurality of
prefabricated structural
components includes a first conduit configured to be in alignment with a
second conduit of an
adjacent one of the plurality of prefabricated structural components.
[0023] In some non-limiting examples, the floor engagement member of each
floor panel
includes a channel, and the first engagement member of each fixed wall panel
includes a rail
configured to extend into the channel.
[0024] In some non-limiting examples, the floor engagement member of each
floor panel
includes a weather seal configured to engage the first engagement member of
each fixed wall
panel.
[0025] In some non-limiting examples, the plurality of prefabricated
structural components
consists of fewer than 12 different prefabricated structural components, and
complete building
is constructable from only the plurality of prefabricated structural
components.
[0026] In some non-limiting examples, the plurality of prefabricated
structural components
consists of fewer than 10 different prefabricated structural components, and a
complete
building is constructable from only the plurality of prefabricated structural
components.
[0027] In some non-limiting examples, at least two of the floor engagement
member of each
floor panel, the first engagement member of each fixed wall panel, the second
engagement
member of each fixed wall panel, the third engagement member of each fixed
wall panel, and
the roof engagement member of each roof panel have a substantially identical
profile.
[0028] In some non-limiting examples, the first engagement member, the second
engagement member, and the third engagement member of each fixed wall panel
have a
substantially identical profile.
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[0029] Other aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method for
constructing a
building with a plurality of prefabricated structural components. The method
includes
arranging a plurality of floor panels on a foundation assembly, each floor
panel including a
floor surface having at least one edge and a floor engagement member extending
parallel to the
at least one edge of the floor surface. The method further includes arranging
a plurality of
fixed wall panels substantially perpendicularly to the plurality of floor
panels, each fixed wall
panel including a fixed wall surface having a bottom edge, a top edge, and a
side edge, a first
engagement member extending parallel to the bottom edge, a second engagement
member
extending parallel to the top edge, and a third engagement member extending
parallel to the
side edge. The method further includes arranging a plurality of roof panels
spaced vertically
apart from the plurality of floor panels, each roof panel including at least
one edge and a roof
engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of a floor
surface of at least one
floor panel of the plurality of floor panels. The method further includes
connecting the first
engagement member of each fixed wall panel to a corresponding floor engagement
member of
a floor panel of the plurality of floor panels and connecting the second
engagement member of
each fixed wall panel to a corresponding roof engagement member of a roof
panel of the
plurality of roof panels.
[0030] In some non-limiting examples, the method further includes completing
the building
with only the plurality of prefabricated structural components, wherein the
plurality of
prefabricated structural components consists of fewer than 12 distinct
prefabricated
components.
[0031] In accordance with other non-limiting examples, the disclosure of the
present
application may be characterized by one or more of the following numbered
clauses:
[0032] Clause 1. A multi-sided structure constructed from a plurality of
prefabricated
components consisting of fewer than 12 different prefabricated structural
components, the
multisided structure comprising: a floor assembly; a roof assembly; and a side
assembly
connected to the floor assembly and the roof assembly and extending between
the floor
assembly and the roof assembly, wherein the floor assembly comprises a
plurality of the floor
panels, each floor panel in direct structural connection with at least one
other floor panel,
wherein the roof assembly comprises a plurality of the roof panels, each roof
panel in direct
structural connection at least one other roof panel, and wherein the side
assembly comprises a
plurality of the wall panels, each wall panel in direct structural connection
with at least one
floor panel and at least one roof panel.
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[0033] Clause 2. The multi-sided structure according to clause 1, wherein each
floor panel
comprises: a floor surface having at least one edge; and a floor engagement
member extending
parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface; and wherein each roof
panel comprises: a
roof surface having at least one edge; and a roof engagement member extending
parallel to the
at least one edge of the floor surface.
[0034] Clause 3. The multi-sided structure according to clause 1 or 2, wherein
at least one
of the wall panels is a fixed wall panel comprising: a fixed wall surface
having a bottom edge,
a top edge, and a side edge; a first engagement member extending parallel to
the bottom edge;
a second engagement member extending parallel to the top edge; and a third
engagement
member extending parallel to the side edge.
[0035] Clause 4. The multi-sided structure according to any of clauses 1-3,
wherein the
first engagement member of the fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly
connect to the floor
engagement member of one of the floor panels, and wherein the second
engagement member
of the fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to the roof
engagement member of one
of the roof panels.
[0036] Clause 5. The multi-sided structure according to any of clauses 1-4,
wherein the
floor engagement member of each floor panel comprises a channel, and wherein
the first
engagement member of each wall panel comprises a rail configured to extend
into the channel.
[0037] Clause 6. The multi-sided structure according to any of clauses 1-5,
wherein the
floor engagement member of each floor panel comprises a weather seal
configured to engage
the first engagement member of each wall panel.
[0038] Clause 7. The multi-sided structure according to any of clauses 1-6,
further
comprising a service module, the service module comprising: a base panel
having a least one
edge configured to rigidly connect to at least one of the floor panels; and at
least one of a
plumbing system, a climate control system, and a sanitary system.
[0039] Clause 8. The multi-sided structure according to any of clauses 1-7,
wherein each
of the floor panels further comprises a duct extending below the floor
surface, and wherein the
duct of each of the floor panels is configured to be in fluid communication
with the duct of
each adjacent floor panel.
[0040] Clause 9. The multi-sided structure according to any of clauses 1-8,
wherein at
least one of the floor panels, roof panels, and wall panels comprises a first
conduit configured
to be in alignment with a second conduit of an adjacent one of the floor
panels, roof panels,
and wall panels.
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[0041] Clause 10. A building system comprising a plurality of prefabricated
structural
components, wherein each of the plurality of prefabricated structural
components is
connectable with at least one other of the plurality of prefabricated
structural components, the
plurality of prefabricated structural components comprising: (a) at least one
floor panel, each
floor panel comprising: (i) a floor surface having at least one edge; and (ii)
a floor engagement
member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface; (b)
at least one fixed
wall panel, each fixed wall panel comprising: (i) a fixed wall surface having
a bottom edge, a
top edge, and a side edge; (ii) a first engagement member extending parallel
to the bottom edge;
(iii) a second engagement member extending parallel to the top edge; and (iii)
a third
engagement member extending parallel to the side edge; and (c) at least one
roof panel, each
roof panel comprising: (i) a roof surface having at least one edge; and (ii) a
roof engagement
member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface.
[0042] Clause 11. The building system according to clause 10, wherein the
first
engagement member of each fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to
the floor
engagement member of each floor panel, and wherein the second engagement
member of each
fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to the roof engagement
member of each roof
panel.
[0043] Clause 12. The building system according to clause 10 or 11, wherein
the at least
one fixed wall panel comprises a first fixed wall panel and a second fixed
wall panel, and
wherein the third engagement member of the first fixed wall panel is
configured to rigidly
connect to the third engagement member of the second fixed wall panel.
[0044] Clause 13. The building system according to any of clauses 10-12,
wherein the
plurality of prefabricated structural components further comprises a service
module, the service
module comprising: a base panel having a least one edge configured to rigidly
connect to
another of the plurality of prefabricated structural components; and at least
one of a plumbing
system, a climate control system, and a sanitary system.
[0045] Clause 14. The building system according to any of clauses 10-13,
wherein the
plurality of prefabricated structural components further comprises a sliding
wall panel, the
sliding wall panel comprising: a sliding wall surface having a bottom edge and
a top edge; a
first engagement member extending parallel to the bottom edge; and a second
engagement
member extending parallel to the top edge, wherein the first engagement member
of the sliding
wall panel is configured to slidably connect to the floor engagement member of
each floor
panel, and wherein the second engagement member of the sliding wall panel is
configured to
slidably connect to the roof engagement member of each roof panel.
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[0046] Clause 15. The building system according to any of clauses 10-14,
wherein the
plurality of prefabricated structural components further comprises at least
one foundation pile,
each foundation pile configured to be secured in a ground surface and
connected to each of the
floor panels.
[0047] Clause 16. The building system according to any of clauses 10-15,
wherein each of
the floor panels further comprises a duct extending below the floor surface,
and wherein the
duct of each of the floor panels is configured to be in fluid communication
with the duct of
each adjacent floor panel.
[0048] Clause 17. The building system according to any of clauses 10-16,
wherein at least
one of the plurality of prefabricated structural components comprises a first
conduit configured
to be in alignment with a second conduit of an adjacent one of the plurality
of prefabricated
structural components.
[0049] Clause 18. The building system according to any of clauses 10-17,
wherein the floor
engagement member of each floor panel comprises a channel, and wherein the
first engagement
member of each fixed wall panel comprises a rail configured to extend into the
channel.
[0050] Clause 19. The building system according to any of clauses 10-18,
wherein the floor
engagement member of each floor panel comprises a weather seal configured to
engage the
first engagement member of each fixed wall panel.
[0051] Clause 20. The building system according to any of clauses 10-19,
wherein the
plurality of prefabricated structural components consists of fewer than 12
different
prefabricated structural components, and wherein a complete building is
constructable from
only the plurality of prefabricated structural components.
[0052] Clause 21. The building system according to any of clauses 10-20,
wherein the
plurality of prefabricated structural components consists of fewer than 10
different
prefabricated structural components, and wherein a complete building is
constructable from
only the plurality of prefabricated structural components.
[0053] Clause 22. The building system according to any of clauses 10-21,
wherein at least
two of the floor engagement member of each floor panel, the first engagement
member of each
fixed wall panel, the second engagement member of each fixed wall panel, the
third
engagement member of each fixed wall panel, and the roof engagement member of
each roof
panel have a substantially identical profile.
[0054] Clause 23. The building system according to any of clauses 10-22,
wherein the first
engagement member, the second engagement member, and the third engagement
member of
each fixed wall panel have a substantially identical profile.
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[0055] Clause 24. A method for constructing a building with a plurality of
prefabricated
structural components, comprising: arranging a plurality of floor panels on a
foundation
assembly, each floor panel comprising a floor surface having at least one edge
and a floor
engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor
surface; arranging
a plurality of fixed wall panels substantially perpendicularly to the
plurality of floor panels,
each fixed wall panel comprising a fixed wall surface having a bottom edge, a
top edge, and a
side edge, a first engagement member extending parallel to the bottom edge, a
second
engagement member extending parallel to the top edge, and a third engagement
member
extending parallel to the side edge; arranging a plurality of roof panels
spaced vertically apart
from the plurality of floor panels, each roof panel comprising at least one
edge and a roof
engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of a floor
surface of at least one
floor panel of the plurality of floor panels; connecting the first engagement
member of each
fixed wall panel to a corresponding floor engagement member of a floor panel
of the plurality
of floor panels; and connecting the second engagement member of each fixed
wall panel to a
corresponding roof engagement member of a roof panel of the plurality of roof
panels.
[0056] Clause 25. The method according to clause 24, further comprising
completing the
building with only the plurality of prefabricated structural components,
wherein the plurality
of prefabricated structural components consists of fewer than 12 distinct
prefabricated
components.
[0057] These and other features and characteristics of building systems,
wherein like
reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is
to be expressly
understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and
description only
and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the disclosure. As used
in the specification
and claims, the singular forms of "a", "an", and "the" include plural
referents unless the context
clearly dictates otherwise.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0058] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building according to an aspect of
the present
disclosure, constructed from a building system according to an aspect of the
present disclosure;
[0059] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another building according to an aspect
of the present
disclosure, constructed from the same building system as the building of FIG.
1;
[0060] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of another building according to
an aspect of
the present disclosure, constructed from the same building system as the
building of FIG. 1;
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[0061] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a building development according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure, constructed from the same building system as the building
of FIG. 1;
[0062] FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the present
disclosure, particularly illustrating a foundation support thereof;
[0063] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the present
disclosure, particularly illustrating a floor panel thereof;
[0064] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of an edge connection member of
the floor panel
of FIG. 6;
[0065] FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the present
disclosure, particularly illustrating a fixed exterior wall panel thereof;
[0066] FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the present
disclosure, particularly illustrating a structural cabinet wall component
thereof;
[0067] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure, particularly illustrating the structural wall cabinet of
FIG. 9;
[0068] FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure, particularly illustrating the structural wall cabinet of
FIG. 9;
[0069] FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure, particularly illustrating the structural wall cabinet of
FIG. 9;
[0070] FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure, particularly illustrating a sliding exterior wall panel
thereof;
[0071] FIG. 14 is perspective view of the sliding exterior wall panel of FIG.
13;
[0072] FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure, particularly illustrating a roof panel thereof;
[0073] FIG. 16 is a partial perspective view of the roof panel of FIG. 15;
[0074] FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure, particularly illustrating a sliding interior wall panel
thereof;
[0075] FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of a building according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure, particularly illustrating a sliding cabinet door thereof;
[0076] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a service module according to an
aspect of the present
disclosure;
[0077] FIG. 20 is a cross section view of a junction between a floor panel, a
structural cabinet
wall component, and a sliding cabinet door according to an aspect of the
present disclosure;
[0078] FIG. 21 is a cross section view of a roof panel with piping extending
therethrough
according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
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[0079] FIG. 22 is a cross section view of a seal arrangement between a floor
panel and a
cabinet wall component according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0080] FIG. 23 is a cross section view of a seal arrangement between a roof
panel and a
cabinet wall component according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0081] FIG. 24 is a cross section view of a lighting system according to an
aspect of the
present disclosure;
[0082] FIG. 25 is a cross section view of a floor panel with cable extending
therethrough
according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0083] FIG. 26 is a cross section view of a wall panel with cable extending
therethrough
according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0084] FIG. 27 is a schematic top view of a plurality of intercommunicating
passageways
formed by a building according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0085] FIG. 28 is a flowchart of a method of constructing a building according
to an aspect
of the present disclosure;
[0086] FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a foundation assembly of a building
installed;
[0087] FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a service module installed on the
foundation
assembly of FIG. 29;
[0088] FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a floor assembly installed on the
foundation assembly
of FIG. 29;
[0089] FIG. 32 is a perspective view of an exterior wall assembly partially
installed on the
floor assembly of FIG. 31;
[0090] FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the exterior wall assembly of FIG 32
fully installed,
along with interior wall panels; and
[0091] FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a roof assembly installed on the
exterior wall
assembly of FIGS. 32-33.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0092] For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms "upper",
"lower", "right",
"left", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "lateral", "longitudinal",
and derivatives
thereof shall relate to the disclosed apparatus as it is oriented in the
figures. However, it is to
be understood that the apparatus of the present disclosure may assume
alternative variations
and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is
also to be understood
that the specific systems and processes illustrated in the attached drawings
and described in the
following specification are simply exemplary examples of the apparatus
disclosed herein.
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Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the
examples disclosed
herein are not to be considered as limiting.
[0093] As used herein, the term "associated with", when used in reference to
multiple
features or structures, means that the multiple features or structures are in
contact with,
touching, directly connected to, indirectly connected to, adhered to, or
integrally formed with
one another.
[0094] As used herein, the term "at least one of' is synonymous with "one or
more of'. For
example, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" means any one of A, B, and
C, or any
combination of any two or more of A, B, and C. For example, "at least one of
A, B, and C"
includes one or more of A alone; or one or more B alone; or one or more of C
alone; or one or
more of A and one or more of B; or one or more of A and one or more of C; or
one or more of
B and one or more of C; or one or more of all of A, B, and C. Similarly, as
used herein, the
term "at least two of' is synonymous with "two or more of'. For example, the
phrase "at least
two of D, E, and F" means any combination of any two or more of D, E, and F.
For example,
"at least two of D, E, and F" includes one or more of D and one or more of E;
or one or more
of D and one or more of F; or one or more of E and one or more of F; or one or
more of all of
D, E, and F.
[0095] As used herein, the terms "direct structural connection", "directly
structurally
connected to", and derivatives thereof define a relationship between two or
more components
in which the two or more components meet at a junction, and at least one of
the components
applies a static or dynamic load to the other of the components without the
load being first
transferred through an intervening structural member. The two or more
components may be
secured to one another in any suitable manner. For example, a surface of one
component may
abut a surface of another component. Alternatively or additionally, a key or
rail of one
component may fit into a groove or channel of another component. Mechanical
fasteners such
as screws, bolts, pins, rivets, or the like may be used to prevent
displacement of the two of
more components relative to each other. In other examples, non-structural
members, such as
seals, alignment shims, or spacers may be provided between the two or more
components, such
that the two or more components are not in direct physical contact.
[0096] As used herein, the term "prefabricate" means to manufacture an
assembly or sub-
assembly of a structure at a location remote from the location at which the
structure is
assembled. The term "prefabricated" describes a component manufactured in this
manner. For
example, a wall segment of a building may be prefabricated from various raw
materials at a
remote location, and the prefabricated wall segment may then be transported to
the assembly
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site of the building. In this manner, the wall segment need not be constructed
from raw
materials at the assembly site. The terms "prefabricated" and "modular" may be
used
interchangeably herein.
[0097] As used herein, the term "prefabricated structural component" means an
element used
in a building that forms at least part of a floor, roof, or wall surface of
the building. A
prefabricated structural component must be directly structurally connectable
with at least one
other prefabricated structural component.
[0098] As use herein, the terms "perpendicular" and "substantially
perpendicular", unless
explicitly stated to the contrary, mean an angle between two or more
components of 90 plus
or minus 10 .
[0099] As used herein, the term "exterior" is used to describe components
component having
at least a portion that is suitable for use in an outside environment
unprotected from weather
and elements. However, it should be understood that components referred to as
"exterior" may
also be used in interior applications, unless explicitly noted to the
contrary.
[00100] Aspects of the present disclosure are generally directed to building
systems
including a plurality of prefabricated structural components, and to a
building constructed from
a plurality of prefabricated structural components. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate
examples of
buildings 1000 constructed from the building system according to the present
disclosure. Each
of the buildings 1000 may generally include a floor assembly 10, a roof
assembly 20, and a
plurality of exterior wall assemblies 30. The plurality of wall assemblies may
be connected to
and extend between the floor assembly 10 and the roof assembly 20. Each of the
exterior wall
assemblies 30 may also be connected to at least one other of the exterior wall
assemblies 30
such that the plurality of exterior wall assemblies define a multi-sided
structure having an
internal volume. The internal volume thus defines the interior space of the
building 1000. Non-
limiting embodiments of the building systems described herein provide for
numerous
advantages, including significant cost savings and flexibility through the
standardization of the
components to be manufactured.
[00101] The floor assembly 10 may be constructed from one or more
prefabricated floor
panels 110 of the building system of the present disclosure. Similarly, the
roof assembly 20
may be constructed from one or more prefabricated roof panels 210 of the
building system of
the present disclosure. Similarly, each of the exterior wall assemblies 30 may
be constructed
from one or more prefabricated exterior wall panels 310 of the building system
of the present
disclosure. The prefabricated floor panels 110, prefabricated roof panels 210,
and prefabricated
exterior wall panels 310 of the building system will be described later in
greater detail.
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However, for the purposes of describing the buildings 1000 in general, it is
noted that the
prefabricated floor panels 110, prefabricated roof panels 210, and
prefabricated exterior wall
panels 310 are among a plurality of prefabricated structural component types
which at least
partially make up the building system of the present disclosure. Each of the
prefabricated
structural components of the building system is connectable with at least one
other
prefabricated structural component in order to construct the building 1000.
For example, in
the buildings shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the floor panels 110 is
connected to at least one
other floor panel 110, and the floor panels 110 making up the perimeter of the
floor assembly
are each further connected to at least one of the exterior wall panels 310.
Similarly, each of
the roof panels 210 is connected to at least one other roof panel 210, and the
roof panels 210
making up the perimeter of the roof assembly 20 are each further connected to
at least one of
the exterior wall panels 310. Each of the exterior wall panels 310 is
connected to at least one
of the floor panels 110 and to at least one of the roof panels 210. The
connection mechanisms
for interconnecting the plurality of prefabricated structural components will
be described later
in greater detail. For clarity, not all of the prefabricated structural
components shown in FIGS.
1-2 are identified reference numerals
[00102] As may be further appreciated from the buildings 1000 of FIGS. 1 and
2, the exterior
wall panels 310 may be selected from a variety of component types. For
example, each exterior
wall panel 310 may be an exterior fixed wall panel 130, a structural cabinet
wall component
150, or an exterior sliding wall panel 160. However, each exterior wall panel
310, regardless
of type, may share the same connection mechanism for connecting to the other
prefabricated
structural components of the building 1000 so that the various types of
exterior wall panels 310
may be used interchangeably in constructing the building 1000. The various
types of exterior
wall panels will be described later in greater detail.
[00103] With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, some examples of the
building 1000
may further include a foundation assembly 140 selected from the building
system of the present
disclosure. The foundation assembly 140 may be connected to the floor assembly
10 and to a
ground surface supporting the building 1000. In addition to supporting the
weight of the
building, the foundation assembly 140 may elevate the floor assembly 10 above
the ground
surface and provide ingress and egress points to the building 1000. The
foundation assembly
140 may include one or more support columns 142 and one or more stairways or
ramps. In
other examples, the building 1000 may be constructed on a poured concrete
foundation or other
conventional type of foundation, with the foundation assembly 140 being
omitted.
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[00104] With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the prefabricated
structural components
of the building system, namely the floor panels 110, the roof panels 210, and
the exterior wall
panels 310 may form the entire exterior shell of the building 1000. Thus, the
building 1000
may be essentially constructed from a finite number of prefabricated
structural components
selected from the building system of the present disclosure. In some examples,
the building
1000 may be completely constructed from not more than twelve distinct types of
prefabricated
structural components. By completely constructed, it is meant the building
1000 defines a
rigid, multi-sided structure of interconnected prefabricated structural
components which fully
enclose an interior volume. In other examples, the building 1000 may be
completely
constructed from not more than eleven distinct types of prefabricated
structural components.
In still other examples, the building 1000 may be completely constructed from
not more than
ten distinct types of prefabricated structural components. In still other
examples, the building
1000 may be completely constructed from not more than nine distinct types of
prefabricated
structural components.
[00105] Referring now to FIG. 3, another example of a building 1000
constructed from the
building system of the present disclosure is shown in a partially exploded
view to illustrate
prefabricated structural components of the building system used in the
interior space of the
building 1000. Namely, the building 1000 may include, among other
prefabricated structural
components, one or more interior sliding wall panels 170 and/or one of more
service modules
190. Each interior sliding wall panel 170 may be connected with at least one
floor panel 110,
at least one roof panel 210, and/or at least one exterior wall panel 310. Each
service module
190 may generally include at least one of a water supply, water heater,
lavatory, shower, and
other plumbing fixtures. The service module 190 thus serves as a centralized
node for
plumbing and other utilities of the building 1000. Greater details of the
sliding interior wall
panels 170 and the service modules 190 will be described later. For clarity,
not all of the
prefabricated structural components shown in FIG. 3 are identified reference
numerals.
[00106] The buildings 1000 shown in FIGS. 1-3 are each single-story buildings,
although
the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. For example, FIG.
4 shows a
schematic of a building development 4000 including both single story buildings
1000a and
multi-story buildings 1000b. The multi-story buildings 1000b may be
constructed in much the
same way as the single-story buildings 1000a. However, in the multi-story
buildings 1000b,
the roof assembly 12 of each of the lower stories may also serve as the floor
assembly 10 for
the story directly above it.
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[00107] Having generally described various examples of buildings 1000, 1000a,
1000b
constructed from the building system of the present disclosure, the individual
prefabricated
structural components of the building system will now be described in detail.
As described
above, prefabricated structural components of the building system may include
at least floor
panels 110, roof panels 210, exterior wall panels 310, foundation support
columns 142, sliding
interior wall panels 170, and service modules 190. Out of these individual
prefabricated
structural components, the buildings 1000 described with reference to FIGS. 1-
4 may be
constructed by connecting a plurality of the prefabricated structural
components with one
another in a desired arrangement. In some examples, the prefabricated
structural components
may be removably connected to one another to facilitate disassembly and
reassembly of the
building 1000, allowing the building to be easily relocated or reconfigured.
Reference is now
made to FIG. 5-19, which show various partial views of a building 1000 to
illustrate the various
prefabricated structural components in detail. Each of the individual
prefabricated structural
components shown in FIGS. 5-19 may be fabricated at a location remote from the
erection site
of the building 1000 to minimize the amount of labor and time required to
erect the building
1000. For clarity in FIGS. 5-19, some of the prefabricated structural
components and their
associated features may not be explicitly identified with reference numerals.
[00108] Referring first to FIG. 5, the prefabricated foundations of the
building system of the
present disclosure may include a support column 142 connectable to one or more
of the floor
panels 110. In some examples, each support column 142 way be a vertically
oriented beam
connected at a discrete point, for example a corner, of the corresponding one
or more floor
panels 110. In other examples, each support column 142 may be a horizontally
oriented beam
extending continuously along at least a portion of one or more floor panels
110. As shown in
FIG. 5, each support column 142 may be in direct structural connection with
corresponding
floor panels 110. For example, each support column 142 may have a head portion
144 which
fits into a corresponding foundation groove or recess 1132 in the one or more
floor panels 110.
Depending on the geology of the underlying ground surface, each support column
142 may be
driven directly into the ground surface or additional foundation members may
be provided to
secure the support column 142 to the ground surface. For example, a footer
3000 may be
provided in the ground surface below the support column 142. Suitable
materials for the
support columns 142 may be determined by the environmental conditions to which
the support
will be exposed, as well as the ultimate load supported by the support column
142. Generally,
a high-strength, corrosion resistant material such as galvanized steel may be
used. As noted
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above, the support columns 142 may be omitted in some examples, such as where
a building
1000 is constructed on a conventional, preformed foundation.
[00109] Referring now to FIGS. 6-7, prefabricated floor panels 110 of the
building system
of the present disclosure are shown in a partially exploded view so that the
interior features and
profiles thereof can be readily appreciated. The prefabricated floor panels
110 may include a
shell 1110 surrounding an interior core 1120. The shell 1110 may include an
exterior panel
face 1112, an interior panel face 1114, and edge connection members 1130. The
edge
connection members 1130 may be substantially C-shaped and extend around the
perimeter
edge of the shell 1110. The exterior panel face 1112 may extend horizontally
across an
underside of the shell 1110 between the edge connection members 1130.
Similarly, the interior
panel face 1114 may extend horizontally across a top side of the shell 1110
between the edge
connection members 1130.
[00110] The edge connection members 1130 may define or include a plurality of
structural
features serving as conduits for electrical cable and engagement members for
connecting other
prefabricated structural components. The foundation groove or recess 1132 may
be defined in
an underside of the edge connection members 1130 and serve as an engagement
member for
direct structural connection with one or more support columns 142, as
discussed above. One
or more floor engagement members 1134 may extend along a top side of the edge
connection
members 1130 and provide direct structural connection to one or more interior
or exterior wall
panels. In some examples, the floor engagement members 1134 may include a
plurality of
channels extending parallel to the edges of the shell 1110. The plurality of
channels may
include multiple profiles suitable for connection to different types of walls.
For example, one
portion of the floor engagement member 1134 may be connectable to an exterior
fixed wall
panel 130, another portion of the floor engagement member 1134 may be
connectable to a
cabinet wall component 150, another portion of the floor engagement member
1134 may be
connectable to a sliding exterior wall panel 160, and another portion of the
floor engagement
member 1134 may be connectable to an interior sliding wall panel 170.
[00111] The floor engagement members 1134 may extend the entire length of each
edge of
the floor panel 110, such that the floor engagement members 1134 form a
continuous structure
with the floor engagement members 1134 of adjacent floor panels 110. Covers
sitting
substantially flush with the interior panel face 1114 may be installed over
portions of the floor
engagement members 1134 to which no other prefabricated structural components
are
connected to provide a smooth floor surface.
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[00112] The edge connection members 1130 may further define one or more cable
channels
1136, which may extend parallel to the floor engagement members 1134. The
cable channels
1136 may be recessed below the interior panel face 1114 and may be used as a
conduit for
routing electrical, fiber optic, coaxial, Ethernet, and other types of cable
to terminals in the
floor panel 110, or through the floor panel 110 to adjacent prefabricated
structural components.
Covers may be installed over the cable channels 1136 substantially flush with
the interior panel
face 1114 after the various cables are installed in the cable channels 1136.
Further details of
the cable channels 1136 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 26 and
27.
[00113] In some examples, the edge connection members 1130 may further include
one or
more weather seals for insulating the connection between the floor panel 110
and any adjacent
prefabricated structural components. The weather seals may be located adjacent
the floor
engagement members 1134 and/or the cable channels 1136. The one or more
weather seals
may extend the entire length of each edge of the floor panel 110, such that
the weather seals of
adjacent floor panels 110 form a continuous weather seal with one another.
[00114] In some examples, the edge connection members 1130 may further include
one or
more weather seal engagement surfaces for abutting a weather seal provided on
an adjacent
prefabricated structural component. In some examples, the weather seal
engagement surfaces
may be located adjacent the floor engagement members 1134 and/or the cable
channels 1136.
In other examples, the weather seal engagement surfaces may be included in the
floor
engagement members 1134 and/or the cable channels 1136. The weather seal
engagement
surfaces may extend the entire length of each edge of the floor panel 110,
such that the weather
seal engagement surfaces of adjacent floor panels 110 form a continuous
weather seal
engagement surface with one another. Further details of the weather seal and
weather seal
engagement surfaces will be described later with reference to FIGS. 23 and 24
[00115] One or more ducts 1122 may extend through the core 1120 of the floor
panel 110 to
facilitate flow of air to the floor panel 110 and to adjacent prefabricated
structural components.
The edge connection members 1130 and/or the interior panel face 1114 may have
an opening
in fluid communication with the ducts 1122 such that air can be delivered to
and returned from
the area above the interior panel face 1114 via the ducts 1122. The one or
more ducts may
extend the entire length of each edge of the floor panel 110, such that the
ducts 1122 of each
floor panel 110 form a continuous fluid conduit with the ducts 1122 of
adjacent floor panels
110.
[00116] Materials for the components of the floor panels 110 may be selected
to optimize
strength, manufacturing cost, environmental sustainability, heat and sound
insulation, fire
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resistance, and other desirable characteristics of residential and/or
commercial buildings. The
exterior panel face 1112, which functions as a moisture barrier and structural
tension member,
may be made from a polymer or metal sheet. The interior panel face 1114, which
functions as
a soft walking and living surface, may be made from easily maintainable vinyl,
rubber, or
neoprene sheet. The edge connection members 1130, which bear substantially all
of the load
of the prefabricated structural components connected to the floor panel 110,
may be made from
a relatively high strength material such as extruded aluminum. The edge
connection members
1130 may be connected to the exterior panel face 1112 and the interior panel
face 1114 via
mechanical fasteners, adhesives, welds, or the like. The core 1120, which
functions as a heat
insulator, acoustic barrier, and structural compression member, may be made
from a foam such
as expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), or rigid
polyurethane. During
manufacture of the core 1120, steam may be passed through the ducts 1122 to
expand and cure
the polystyrene foam forming the core 1120. The foam of the core 1120 may
extend
substantially uninterrupted along the exterior panel face 1112 and/or the
interior panel face
1114 such that the floor panel 110 has continuous insulation and avoids heat
losses through
non-insulating framing members. It is to be understood that the various
material described
herein for use in any component are solely exemplary and not to be construed
as limiting.
[00117] Referring now to FIGS. 8-14, various prefabricated structural
components
corresponding to the exterior wall panel are illustrated. Referring first to
FIG. 8, one type of
exterior wall panel 310 is a fixed wall panel 130. The fixed wall panel 130 is
shown partially
exploded in FIG. 8 so that the interior features and profile thereof can be
readily appreciated.
The prefabricated fixed wall panel 130 may include a shell 1310 surrounding an
interior core
1320. The shell 1310 may include an exterior panel face 1312, an interior
panel face 1314, and
edge connection members 1330. The edge connection members 1330 may be
substantially C-
shaped and extend around the perimeter edge of the shell 1310. The exterior
panel face 1312
may extend vertically across an outer side of the shell 1310 between the edge
connection
members 1330. Similarly, the interior panel face 1314 may extend vertically
across an inner
side of the shell 1310 between the edge connection members 1330.
[00118] The edge connection members 1330 may define a plurality of engagement
members
for connecting other prefabricated structural components. A portion of the
edge connection
members 1330 extending parallel to a bottom edge of the fixed wall panel 130
may include or
define a first engagement member 1332 configured for direct structural
connection with the
floor engagement member 1134 of an adjacent floor panel 110. A portion of the
edge
connection members 1330 extending parallel to a vertical edge of the fixed
wall panel 130 may
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include or define a second engagement member 1334. The second engagement
members 1334
of adjacently arranged fixed wall panels 130 may be configured for direct
structural connection
with one another. A portion of the edge connection members 1330 extending
parallel to a top
edge of the fixed wall panel 130 may include or define a third engagement
member 1336 for
direct structural connection with a roof engagement member 1232 of and
adjacent roof panel
210 (See FIGS. 15-17). In some examples, the first, second, and/or third
engagement member
1332, 1334, 1336 may include a plurality of channels extending parallel to the
edges of the
shell 1110. In some examples, the profiles of the first, second, and/or third
engagement
member 1332, 1334, 1336 may be substantially identical to one another to
reduce the number
of component materials necessary to fabricate the fixed wall panel 310.
Additionally, the
uniformity of the first, second, and/or third engagement member 1332, 1334,
and/or 1336 may
allow any side of the fixed wall panel 130 to be connected to adjacent floor
panel 110 and roof
panels 210.
[00119] In some examples, the portions of the edge connection members 1330
extending
parallel to bottom edge, vertical side edges, and top edge of the fixed wall
panel 130 may
further define one or more one or more cable channels (not shown) similar to
the cable channels
1136 of the floor panel 110. The cable channels of the fixed wall panel 130
may be used for
routing electrical or other types of cable to terminal in the fixed wall panel
130, or through the
fixed wall panel 130 to adjacent prefabricated structural components.
[00120] In some examples, the edge connection members 1330 may further include
one or
more weather seals for insulating the connection between the fixed wall panel
130 and any
adjacent prefabricated structural components. The weather seals may be located
adjacent any
one or more of the engagement members 1332, 1334, 1336 and/or the cable
channels. The one
or more weather seals may extend the entire length of an edge of the fixed
wall panel 130, such
that the weather seals of adjacent fixed wall panels 130 form a continuous
weather seal with
one another.
[00121] In some examples, the edge connection members 1330 may further include
one or
more weather seal engagement surfaces for abutting a weather seal provided on
an adjacent
prefabricated structural component. In some examples, the weather seal
engagement surfaces
may be located adjacent any one or more of the engagement members 1332, 1334,
1336 and/or
the cable channels. In other examples, the weather seal engagement surfaces
may be included
in any one or more of the engagement members 1332, 1334, 1336 and/or the cable
channels.
The weather seal engagement surfaces may extend the entire length of an edge
of the fixed wall
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panel 130, such that the weather seal engagement surfaces of adjacent fixed
wall panels 130
form a continuous weather seal engagement surface with one another.
[00122] Material selection for the components of the prefabricated fixed wall
panel 130 may
be similar to that of the floor panels 110. The exterior panel face 1312,
which may function as
a moisture barrier, structural tension member, exterior face of the building
1000, and/or impact
barrier, may be made from a fiber cement panel or fiber-reinforced plastic
(FRP). The interior
panel face 1314, which functions as an interior wall surface, may be made from
easily
maintainable vinyl, rubber, or neoprene sheet. The edge connection members
1330 may be
made from a relatively high strength material such as extruded aluminum. The
edge connection
members 1330 may be connected to the exterior panel face 1312 and the interior
panel face
1314 via mechanical fasteners, adhesives, welds, or the like. The core 1320,
which functions
as a heat insulator, acoustic barrier, and structural compression member, may
be made from a
foam such as expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), or rigid
polyurethane.
The foam of the core 1320 may extend substantially uninterrupted along the
exterior panel face
1312 and/or the interior panel face 1314 such that the fixed wall panel 130
has continuous
insulation and avoids heat losses through non-insulating framing members.
[00123] Referring now to FIGS. 9-12, another type of exterior wall panel 310
is a structural
cabinet wall component 150. The structural cabinet wall component 150 may
include a shell
1510 surrounding an interior core 1520. As may be appreciated from FIGS. 10-
11, a mid-
portion of the shell 1510 may be substantially C-shaped and define an internal
working area
1550. The shell 1510 may include an exterior panel face 1512, an interior
panel face 1514, and
edge connection members 1530. As may be appreciated from FIGS. 9, 10, and 12,
either end
of the internal working area 1550 may be closed off by an end cap 1560 of the
shell 1510. The
edge connection members 1530 may be substantially C-shaped and extend around
the
perimeter edge of the shell 1510 including along edges of the end caps 1560.
The exterior
panel face 1512 may extend between the edge connection members 1530 around an
outer side
of the shell 1510. Similarly, the interior panel face 1314 may extend between
the edge
connection members 1530 around an inner side of the shell 1510 partially
enclosing the internal
working area 1550.
[00124] The internal working area 1550 may include integral storage
receptacles such as
shelving and cabinetry, or the internal working area 1550 may include supports
for mounting
integral storage receptacles after the cabinet wall component 150 has been
assembled with
other prefabricated structural components to construct the building 1000.
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[00125] The edge connection members 1530 may define a plurality of engagement
members
for connecting other prefabricated structural components. A portion of the
edge connection
members 1530 extending parallel to a bottom edge of the cabinet wall component
150 may
include or define a first engagement member 1532 configured for direct
structural connection
with the floor engagement member 1134 of an adjacent floor panel 110. A
portion of the edge
connection members 1530 extending parallel to a vertical edge of end caps 1560
of the cabinet
wall component 150 may include or define a second engagement member 1534. The
second
engagement members 1534 of adjacently arranged cabinet wall components 150 may
be
configured for direct structural connection one another. A portion of the edge
connection
members 1530 extending parallel to a top edge of the cabinet wall component
150 may include
or define a third engagement member 1536 for direct structural connection with
a roof
engagement member 1232 of and adjacent roof panel 210 (See FIGS. 15-16).
[00126] In some examples, the first and third engagement members 1532, 1536 of
the
cabinet wall component 150 may by be configured to engage only a portion of
the
corresponding floor engagement member 1134 of an adjacent floor panel 110 and
the roof
engagement member 1232 of an adjacent roof panel 210. The unengaged portions
of the
corresponding floor engagement member 1134 and the roof engagement member 1232
may
then be used for connecting internal sliding cabinet doors 180, as will be
described later in
connection with FIG. 18.
[00127] In some examples, the portions of the edge connection members 1530
extending
parallel to bottom edge, vertical side edges, and top edge of the cabinet wall
component 150
may further define one or more one or more cable channels (not shown) similar
to the cable
channels 1136 of the floor panel 110. The cable channels of the cabinet wall
component 150
may be used for routing electrical or other types of cable to terminal in the
cabinet wall
component 150, or through the cabinet wall component 150 to adjacent
prefabricated structural
components.
[00128] In some examples, the edge connection members 1530 may further include
one or
more weather seals for insulating the connection between the cabinet wall
component 150 and
any adjacent prefabricated structural components. The weather seals may be
located adjacent
any one or more of the engagement members 1532, 1534, 1536 and/or the cable
channels. The
one or more weather seals may extend the entire length of an edge of the
cabinet wall
component 150, such that the weather seals of adjacent cabinet wall component
150 form a
continuous weather seal with one another.
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[00129] In some examples, the edge connection members 1530 may further include
one or
more weather seal engagement surfaces for abutting a weather seal provided on
an adjacent
prefabricated structural component. In some examples, the weather seal
engagement surfaces
may be located adjacent any one or more of the engagement members 1532, 1534,
1536 and/or
the cable channels. In other examples, the weather seal engagement surfaces
may be included
in any one or more of the engagement members 1532, 1534, 1536 and/or the cable
channels.
The weather seal engagement surfaces may extend the entire length of an edge
of the cabinet
wall component 150, such that the weather seal engagement surfaces of adjacent
cabinet wall
component 150 form a continuous weather seal engagement surface with one
another.
[00130] Material selection for components of the cabinet wall component 150
may be
similar to that of like components of the fixed wall panel 130.
[00131] Referring now to FIGS. 13-14, another type of exterior wall panel 310
is a sliding
exterior wall panel 160. The sliding exterior wall panel 160 may include at
least one subpanel
1610 slidable relative to another subpanel. A portion of each subpanel 1610
extending along
a bottom edge of the sliding exterior wall panel 160 may include or define a
first engagement
member 1632 configured for fixed or slidable connection with the floor
engagement member
1134 of an adjacent floor panel 110. In some examples, the first engagement
member 1632
may include one or more wheels, spherical rollers, or the like for rolling
along a portion of the
floor engagement member 1134 of an adjacent floor panel 110. Similarly, a
portion of each
subpanel 1610 extending along a top edge of the sliding exterior wall panel
160 may include
or define a third engagement member 1636 configured for fixed or slidable
connection with a
roof engagement member 1232 of an adjacent roof panel 200 (See FIGS. 15-16).
In some
examples, the first engagement member 1632 may include one or more wheels,
spherical
rollers, or the like for rolling along a roof engagement member 1232 of an
adjacent roof panel
210. A portion of at least one of the subpanels 1610 extending along a
vertical side edge of the
sliding exterior wall panel 160 may include or define a second engagement
member 1634 for
direct structural connection with the second engagement member 1334, 1534 of
an adjacent
fixed wall panel 130 or cabinet wall component 150.
[00132] One or more of the first, second, and third engagement members 1632,
1634, 1636
may further include a seal or sealing surface configured to engage a
corresponding seal or
sealing surface of an adjacent prefabricated structural component.
Additionally one or more
of the subpanels 1610 may include a seal or sealing surface configured to
engage a
corresponding seal or sealing surface of others of the subpanels 1610. In some
examples, the
seals may be provided on stiles 1620 of the subpanels 1610.
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[00133] The one or more subpanels 1610 may at least partially overlap and may
be slidable
relative to one another in a horizontal direction, allowing an opening to be
created between the
subpanels 1610. In this manner, the exterior sliding wall panel 160 may
function as a window
or door. The stiles 1620 of the subpanels 1610 may be interlocking to provide
a secure and
insulated connection between the subpanels 1610. In some examples, the stiles
1620 may be
interlocking in multiple positions allowing the subpanels 1610 to be arranged
in horizontal
alignment as shown in FIG. 13 or angled relative to one another as shown in
FIG. 14.
[00134] The subpanels 1610 may be made from various materials depending on
desired
characteristics, such as opacity. Steam cured calcium silicate may be used for
opaque
subpanels 1610, thermosetting plastics may be used for translucent subpanels
1610, and
thermosetting plastic or glass may be used for transparent subpanels 1610. In
some examples,
different materials may be used for the different subpanels 1610 of a single
sliding exterior
wall panel 160. The wheels, spherical rollers, or the like may be mechanically
secured directly
to the subpanels 1610 or, alternatively, secured indirectly to the subpanels
1610 via a mounting
frame or the like.
[00135] Referring now to FIGS. 15-16, the prefabricated roof panels 210 of the
building
system of the present disclosure may include a shell 1210 surrounding an
interior core 1220.
The shell 1210 may include an exterior panel face 1212, an interior panel face
1214, and edge
connection members 1130. The edge connection members 1230 may be substantially
C-shaped
and extend around the perimeter edge of the shell 1210. The exterior panel
face 1212 may
extend horizontally across a top side of the shell 1210 between the edge
connection members
1130. Similarly, the interior panel face 1214 may extend horizontally across
an underside of
the shell 1210 between the edge connection members 1230.
[00136] The edge connection members 1230 may define or include one or more
roof
engagement members 1232 extending along an underside of the edge connection
members
1230 and provide direct structural connection to one or more exterior or
interior wall panels.
In some examples, the roof engagement members 1232 may include a plurality of
channels
extending parallel to the edges of the shell 1210. The plurality of channels
may include
multiple profiles suitable for connection to different types of walls. For
example, one portion
of the roof engagement member 1232 may be connectable to an exterior fixed
wall panel 130,
another portion of the roof engagement member 1232 may be connectable to a
cabinet wall
component 150, another portion of the roof engagement member 1232 may be
connectable to
a sliding exterior wall panel 160, and another portion of the roof engagement
member 1232
may be connectable to an interior sliding wall panel 170.
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[00137] The roof engagement members 1232 may extend the entire length of each
edge of
the roof panel 210, such that the roof engagement members 1234 form a
continuous structure
with the roof engagement members 1232 of adjacent roof panels 210. In some
examples, the
profile of the roof engagement members 1232 may be substantially identical to
the profile of
the floor engagement members 1134 of the floor panels 110 to reduce the number
of component
materials necessary to fabricate the floor panels 110 and the roof panels 210.
Additionally,
identical roof engagement members 1232 and floor engagement members 1134 may
allow the
exterior and interior wall panel to be connected in multiple orientations
between pairs of floor
panels 110 and roof panels 210.
[00138] The edge connection members 1230 may further define one or more cable
channels
1236, which may extend parallel to the roof engagement members 1234. The cable
channels
1236 may be recessed below the interior panel face 1214 and may be used as a
conduit for
routing electrical, fiber optic, coaxial, Ethernet, and other types of cable
to terminals in the roof
panel 210, or through the roof panel 210 to adjacent prefabricated structural
components.
Covers may be installed over the cable channels 1236 substantially flush with
the interior panel
face 1214 after the various cables are installed in the cable channels 1236.
[00139] In some examples, the edge connection members 1230 may further include
one or
more weather seals for insulating the connection between the roof panel 210
and any adjacent
prefabricated structural components. The weather seals may be located adjacent
the roof
engagement members 1234 and/or the cable channels 1236. The one or more
weather seals
may extend the entire length of each edge of the roof panel 210, such that the
weather seals of
adjacent roof panels 210 form a continuous weather seal with one another.
[00140] In some examples, the edge connection members 1230 may further include
one or
more weather seal engagement surfaces for abutting a weather seal provided on
an adjacent
prefabricated structural component. In some examples, the weather seal
engagement surfaces
may be located adjacent the roof engagement members 1234 and/or the cable
channels 1236.
In other examples, the weather seal engagement surfaces may be included in the
roof
engagement members 1234 and/or the cable channels 1236. The weather seal
engagement
surfaces may extend the entire length of each edge of the roof panel 210, such
that the weather
seal engagement surfaces of adjacent roof panels 210 form a continuous weather
seal
engagement surface with one another.
[00141] One or more ducts 1222 may extend through the core 1220 of the roof
panel 210 to
facilitate flow of air to the roof panel 210 and to adjacent prefabricated
structural components.
The edge connection members 1230 and/or the interior panel face 1214 may have
an opening
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in fluid communication with the ducts 1222 such air can be delivered to and
returned from the
area below the interior panel face 1214 via the ducts 1122. The one or more
ducts may extend
the entire length of each edge of the roof panel 210, such that the ducts 1222
of each roof panel
210 form a continuous fluid conduit with the ducts 1222 of adjacent roof
panels 210.
[00142] Materials for the components of the floor panels 210 may be
substantially identical
to the materials of like components of the floor panels 210.
[00143] Referring now to FIG. 17, another prefabricated structural component
of the
building system of the present disclosure is a sliding interior wall panel
170. The sliding
interior wall panel 170 is substantially structurally identical to the sliding
exterior wall panel
160, having first, second, and third engagement members 1732, 1734, 1736 for
connecting to
adjacent prefabricated structural components. The sliding interior wall panel
170 is connected
to adjacent floor panels 110 and roof panels 210 in a manner which divides an
interior space
defined by the exterior wall panels. The sliding interior wall panel 170 may
be movable across
multiple floor and roof panels 110, 210 with the building 1000 fully
assembled. More
particularly, the sliding interior wall panel 170 may be moved along the
aligned floor
engagement members 1134 of adjacently arranged floor panels 110, and along the
aligned roof
engagement members 1232 of adjacently arranged roof panels 210. Movement of
the sliding
interior wall panel 170 may be facilitated by wheels or spherical rollers
similar to the sliding
exterior wall panel 160. As such, the sliding interior wall panel 170 may be
relocated and
reconfigured after the building 1000 is completed in order to alter or
repurpose the interior
floor plan of the building.
[00144] Referring now to FIG. 18, another prefabricated structural component
of the
building system of the present disclosure is a sliding cabinet door 180. The
sliding cabinet
door 180 may be arranged directly adjacent a structural cabinet wall component
150 to provide
selectable access to the internal working area 1550. In particular, the
sliding cabinet door 180
may connected to the same floor engagement member 1134 and roof engagement
member 1232
as the adjacent structural cabinet wall component 150. The sliding cabinet
door 180 may have
a first engagement member 1832 for connecting to the floor engagement member
1134, and a
second engagement member 1834 for connecting with the roof engagement member
1232. The
sliding cabinet door 180 may include one or more subpanels 1810 slidable
relative to one
another along the floor engagement member 1134 and roof engagement member
1232, similar
to the sliding interior wall panel 170.
[00145] Referring now to FIG. 19, another prefabricated structural component
of the
building system of the present disclosure is a service module 190. The service
module 190
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may generally include plumbing and HVAC fixtures to localize all such
components in a single
area of the building 1000. Structurally, the service module 190 includes a
floor portion 1910,
a roof portion 1920, and at least one wall portion 1930 extending
therebetween. The floor
portion 1910 may include a shell 1912 and a core (not shown) structurally
similar to the shell
1110 and core 1120 of the floor panel 110. Similarly, the roof portion 1920
may include a shell
1922 and a core (not shown) structurally similar to the shell 1210 and core
1220 of the roof
panel 210. In particular, the cores of the floor portion 1910 and the roof
portion 1920 have
ducts 1916, 1926, respectively aligning with the ducts 1122, 1222 of the
adjacent floor panels
110 and roof panels 210 (not shown).
[00146] The service module may include bathroom, kitchen, and/or utility
areas. In some
examples, the service module 190 may include a central heating and/or cooling
unit 1950, a
refrigerator 1952, a laundry washer 1954, a laundry dryer 1956, a dishwasher
1958, a stove
1960, a sink 1962, and a bathroom 1964. Other examples of the service module
may include
more or less fixtures according to the intended purpose of the building 1000.
[00147] The service module 190 may be configured for direct structural
connection with
adjacent prefabricated structural components in a manner similar to that
described above in
connection with the floor panels 110, roof panels 210, exterior wall panels
310, and sliding
interior wall panels 170.
[00148] Referring now to FIG. 20, an example of a junction between a floor
panel 110, a
structural cabinet wall component 150, and a sliding cabinet door 180 is shown
in detail. The
first engagement member 1532 of the structural cabinet wall component 150 is
in direct
structural connection with a portion of the floor engagement member 1134 of
the floor panel
110. The first connection member 1832 of the sliding cabinet door is connected
to another
portion of floor engagement member 1134 of the floor panel 110. As may be
appreciated from
FIG. 20, the first engagement member 1532 of the structural cabinet wall
component 150 and
the floor engagement member 1134 of the floor panel 110 may include one or
more channels,
grooves, notches, keys, rails, T-tracks, or like structures interlockable with
one another to
achieve the direct structural connection between the structural cabinet wall
component 150 and
the floor panel 110. The other engagement members shown and described with
reference to
FIGS. 6-20 may include similar interlockable structural features.
[00149] Referring now to FIG. 21, hollow sections of the prefabricated
structural
components (for example, the ducts 1122 of the floor panels 110 and/or the
ducts 1222 of the
roof panels 210) may be used as passageways for routing piping 500 for
carrying fluids such
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as water or steam throughout the building 1000. FIG. 21, in particular, shows
piping 500 routed
through a duct 1222 of a roof panel 210.
[00150] Referring now to FIGS. 22 and 23, sealing arrangements between the
prefabricated
structural components are shown in greater detail. As discussed above in
connection with
FIGS. 5-19, a weather seal 600 may abut a portion of the engagement members of
adjacent
prefabricated structural components. FIG. 22 shows a weather seal 600 disposed
between the
floor engagement member 1134 of a floor panel 110 and the first engagement
member 1532 of
a structural cabinet wall component 150. FIG. 23 shows a weather seal 600
disposed between
the roof engagement member 1232 of a roof panel 210 and the third engagement
member 1536
of a structural cabinet wall component 150. Similar arrangements of the
weather seals 600
may be utilized between engagement members of the other prefabricated
structural components
described with reference to FIGS. 5-19. The weather seals 600 may be made from
a suitable
insulating material such as neoprene.
[00151] Referring now to FIG. 24, any of the prefabricated structural
components may
further include lighting systems 550 arranged in the engagement members of the
prefabricated
structural components. In some examples, the lighting system 550 may include
one or more
light-emitting devices, such as LEDs light bulbs, a light strip, and/or the
like, extending along
the third engagement member 1336 of the fixed wall panel 130. The lighting
system 550 may
receive power from electrical cable routed into the fixed wall panel 130 as
described herein.
[00152] Referring now to FIGS. 25 and 26, and with reference back to the
description of
FIGS. 5-19, any of the prefabricated structural components may include cable
channels for
routing electrical cables 700 throughout the building. Specific types of cable
700 that may be
routed through the prefabricated structural components include but are not
limit to mains
power, telephone, Ethernet, low voltage, fiber optic, and coaxial cable. FIG.
25 shows the
cable channel 1136 of a floor panel 110 filled with cable 700. FIG. 26 shows a
cable channel
1338 in an exterior fixed wall panel 130 filled with cable 700.
[00153] Referring now to FIG. 27, the top cross section view illustrates the
operative
communication between the electrical conduits and air ducts of a building 1000
constructed
from a plurality of prefabricated structural components 800 according to an
example of the
present disclosure. The prefabricated structural components 800 are shown
schematically to
illustrate that, regardless of which particular prefabricated structural
components 800 are used,
the universal design of the prefabricated structural components 800 ensures
that the electrical
conduits and air ducts are always aligned to form an intercommunicating system
of
passageways. In particular, the prefabricated structural components 800 may
define a plurality
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of continuous horizontal passageways 910 extending across multiple
prefabricated structural
components 800. In addition, the corner junctions of the prefabricated
structural components
800 may define continuous vertical passageways 920 for supplying air and
routing electrical
cable 700 between adjacent floors of a multistory building 1000. The
passageways 910, 920
may include a plurality of outlet openings 930 for connecting to electrical
terminals and/or
HVAC registers. In this manner, electrical and ventilation connections may be
provided at
desired locations throughout the building 1000. Unused openings 930 may be
covered with
removable plugs to prevent access to predetermined portions of the passageways
910, 920.
Plugs may also be used to seal off certain passageways 910, 920 from one
another in order to
segregate the passageways for dedicated functions. For example, some of the
passageways
910, 920 may be used for heating and ventilation, some of the passageways 910,
920 may be
used for routing electrical cable 700, some of the passageways may be used for
routing piping
500, and some of the passageways 910, 920 may be used for roof water drainage
akin to a
gutter system. The various uses of the passageways 910, 920 described above is
merely
illustrative and not to be construed as limiting.
[00154] Other aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method for
constructing one
or more buildings 1000 from a plurality of prefabricated structural
components, namely the
prefabricated structural components discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1-
27. The method
7000 according to some aspects of the present disclosure is shown in the
flowchart of FIG. 28
and the accompanying sequence steps shown in FIGS. 29-34. For simplicity,
FIGS. 28-34
illustrate the method 7000 for constructing a single building 1000. However,
it should be
understand that the method 7000 may be used for the simultaneous construction
of multiple
buildings 1000 forming a development complex.
[00155] At step 7100, the configuration of the building 1000 is designed. Step
7100 includes
choosing a layout of the building 1000 and selecting the types and quantities
of prefabricated
structural components necessary to achieve that layout. For example, a
designer may choose
characteristics of the building 1000 such as overall dimensions, floor plans,
subdivision of
interior spaces, location of building utilities, etc. and choose prefabricated
structural
components to conform to the chosen characteristics of the building 1000. In
some examples,
step 7100 may be performed with the assistance of a computer to provide a
virtual simulation
of the building 1000 based on inputs of the designer. For example, the
designer may input, via
an input device of the computer, some or all of the characteristics of the
building 1000 listed
above. A processor of the computer may receive the inputs and execute program
instructions
stored in a transitory or non-transitory memory which cause the processor to
generate output
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data, such as the types and quantities of prefabricated structural components
necessary to
construct the building 1000. The processor may generate and display a virtual
model,
construction plans, and/or a bill of materials for the building 1000. In some
examples, step
7100 may be further automated with the computer such that the computer, via
the program
instructions, at least partially chooses or modifies the configuration of the
building 1000 to
optimize factors such as component costs, environmental impact, energy
efficiency, etc.
[00156] At step 7200, after the building 1000 is designed, a foundation is
installed based on
the building design. As shown in FIG. 29, the foundation may include the
foundation assembly
140 described above with reference to FIGS. 1-2. The support columns 142 of
the foundation
assembly 140 are spaced apart from one another in an arrangement corresponding
to the
locations of the foundation grooves or recesses 1132 of the one or more floor
panels 110 which
are installed in steps 7300 and 7400. As noted above, in some examples, the
foundation
assembly 140 of FIGS. 1-2 is omitted and a conventional poured cement
foundation is installed.
[00157] At step 7300, the service modules 190 may be installed as shown in
FIG. 30. In
particular, foundation grooves or recesses in the floor portion 1910 of the
service modules 190
may be attached to the support columns 142 installed in step 7200. The
foundation grooves or
recesses of the floor portion 190 may be specifically designed to engage the
heads 144 of the
adjacent support columns 142, such that the support columns 142 may
substantially dictate the
installation locations of the service module 190. The engagement between the
heads 144 of
the support columns 142 and the floor portion 1910 of the service module 190
may be
essentially self-supporting, requiring minimal additional mechanical fasteners
to achieve a
load-bearing structure. As such, installation of the service module 190 may
consume less labor
and time than convention methods of construction. Additional benefits of the
essentially self-
supporting connection between the service module 190 and the support columns
142 include
rapid disassembly due to the reduction of additional fasteners required to
achieve the
connection. As such, the building system of the present disclosure may be
particularly well-
suited for applications where the building 1000 is intended as a temporarily
or relocatable
structure.
[00158] At step 7400, the floor assembly 10 is constructed by attaching the
floor panels 110
to the foundation. As shown in FIG. 31, the foundation grooves or recesses
1132 of the
individual floor panels 110 may be attached to the support columns 142
installed in step 7200.
Because the foundation grooves or recesses 1132 are specifically designed to
engage the heads
144 of the adjacent support columns 142, the support columns 142 may
substantially dictate
the installation locations of the floor panels 110. As such, no complicated
alignment operations
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are required to construct the floor assembly 10. The engagement between the
heads 144 of the
support columns 142 and the foundation grooves or recesses 1132 of the floor
panels 110 may
be essentially self-supporting, requiring minimal additional mechanical
fasteners to achieve a
load-bearing structure. As with the service module 190, this feature allows
from rapid
construction of the building 1000. Further, the engagement between the heads
144 of the
support columns 142 and the foundation grooves or recesses 1132 of the floor
panels 110 may
be easily disassembled due to the reduction of additional fasteners required
to achieve the
connection.
[00159] At step 7500, the exterior wall assemblies 30 may be constructed by
attaching the
exterior wall panels 310 to the floor panels 110. Concurrently with or after
construction of the
exterior wall assemblies 30, the sliding interior wall panels 170 and sliding
cabinet doors 180
may be installed at step 7600. FIG. 32 shows the structural cabinet wall
components 150
attached to the floor panels 110. As discussed above with reference to FIGS. 9-
12, the first
engagement members 1532 of the structural cabinet wall components 150 may be
connected
to the floor engagement members 1134 of adjacent floor panels 110 such that
the structural
cabinet wall components 150 are arranged substantially perpendicular to the
floor panels 110.
As with other prefabricated structural components, the engagement between the
first
engagement members 1532 of the structural cabinet wall components 150 and the
floor
engagement members 1134 of the floor panels 110 may be essentially self-
supporting,
requiring minimal additional mechanical fasteners to achieve a load-bearing
structure. In a
similar manner, the second engagement member 1534 of the structural cabinet
wall
components 150 may be connected to the corresponding engagement members of
adjacent
exterior wall panels 310.
[00160] FIG. 33 shows the installation of the exterior fixed wall panels 130,
the sliding
exterior wall panels 160, the sliding interior wall panels 170, and the
sliding cabinet doors 180.
The exterior fixed wall panels 130 may be installed the same manner as the
structural cabinet
wall components 150, with the first engagement members 1332 attached to the
floor
engagement members 1134 of adjacent floor panels 110 and the second engagement
members
1334 attached to adjacent exterior wall panels 310. The sliding exterior wall
panels 160 may
likewise be installed in the same manner, with the first engagement members
1632 attached to
the floor engagement members 1134 of adjacent floor panels 110 and the second
engagement
members 1634 attached to adjacent exterior wall panels 310. The sliding
interior wall panels
170 may likewise be installed in the same manner, with the first engagement
members 1732
attached to the floor engagement members 1134 of adjacent floor panels 110 and
the second
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engagement members 1734 attached to adjacent prefabricated structural
components. Finally,
the sliding cabinet doors 180 may be installed by attaching the first
engagement members 1832
to the floor engagement members 1134 of floor panels 110 adjacent the
corresponding
structural cabinet wall component 150.
[00161] At step 7700, the roof assembly 20 may be constructed by attaching the
roof panels
210 to the prefabricated structural components already installed. As shown in
FIG. 34, the roof
engagement members 1232 of each roof panel 210 may be attached to the
corresponding
engagement members 1336, 1536, 1636, 1736, 1834 of the exterior fixed wall
panels 130,
structural cabinet wall components 150, sliding exterior wall panels 160,
sliding interior wall
panels 170, and sliding cabinet doors 180. The engagement between the roof
panels 210 and
the adjacent prefabricated structural components may be essentially self-
supporting, requiring
minimal additional mechanical fasteners to achieve a load-bearing structure.
[00162] Throughout steps 7300-7700, the weather seals 600 may be installed
between the
engagement members of adjacent prefabricated structural components, as
discussed above in
connection with FIGS. 22-23.
[00163] At step 7800, the piping 500 may be routed through the ducts the
prefabricated
structural components as discussed above in connection with FIG. 21. The
lighting 550 may
be arranged in the engagement members of the prefabricated structural
components as
discussed above in connection with FIG. 24. The cable 700 may be routed
through the cable
channels of the prefabricated structural components as discussed above in
connection with
FIGS. 25 and 26. Step 7800 may be performed after or concurrently with steps
7300-7700.
[00164] While several examples of a building system, a building, and a method
for
constructing a building are shown in the accompanying figures and described in
detail
hereinabove, other examples will be apparent to and readily made by those
skilled in the art
without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For
example, it is to be
understood that aspects of the various examples described hereinabove may be
combined with
aspects of other examples while still falling within the scope of the present
disclosure.
Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather
than restrictive. The
assembly of the present disclosure described hereinabove is defined by the
appended claims,
and all changes to the disclosed assembly that fall within the meaning and
range of equivalency
of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
32
