Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TITLE
Wall Block
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to masonry block walls. More
specifically, the present disclosure is concerned with blocks for such a wall.
BACKGROUND
[0001] The construction of a block wall using conventional materials
is time consuming as it requires the expensive skills of a mason. The expense
related to adding mortar between blocks and the time required for building a
block wall using conventional methods limit the use of these durable masonry
block systems.
[0002] United States Patent Publication No. 2006/0005500 Al,
published on January 12, 2006, naming Hovnanian as the inventor and titled
"Mortar Less Brick Wall Construction", describes a brick wall and a brick
therefore that aim to solve the above-described drawback of conventional brick
wall. The brick is shaped for tong ang groove cooperation on opposite top and
bottom sides with a bevel at each of the four corners so that the bevel
imitates
a mortar joint when two such bricks are superimposed. However, as hinted by
the title of the invention, the bevels are not configured to receive mortar
and,
even without grout therein, are pale imitations of mortar joints.
[0003] Many other methods and apparatuses exit that aims at
providing consistent spacing between adjacent layers of wall brick. An example
of such methods and apparatuses is described by Berg in United States Patent
No. 6,840,019 issued on January 11, 2005, which includes adding spacers
between bricks while raising a wall. A drawback of such methods and systems
is that they are complicated and involve additional steps in constructing a
wall,
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which yields additional costs. Another drawback is that such methods and
systems imply storing, moving and handling spacers in addition to the bricks.
[0004] A wall block free of the above-described drawbacks is
therefore desired.
SUMMARY
[0005] The problem of evenly spacing adjacent wall blocks when
forming a wall is solved by providing a wall block having an integrated spacer
on at least one side thereof adjacent the decorative side or on the decorative
side, wherein the spacer is distanced from at least two adjacent edges of the
decorative side so as to create a gap between two adjacent such blocks when
they are abutted.
[0006] According to illustrative embodiments, there is provided a
wall block comprising:
[0007] a generally rectangular body having a decorative face and
five other faces; the generally rectangular body having at least one spacer
face,
each being one of i) the decorative face and ii) one of the five other faces
that
is adjacent to the decorative face; each spacer face having a peripheral edge;
[0008] at least one spacer, each defined by a depression along a
portion of the peripheral edge of the at least one spacer face; the depression
yielding a groove between the wall block and another wall block when the at
least one spacer face of the wall block is abutted with the other block.
[0009] According to other illustrative embodiment, there is provided
a wall constructed using a plurality such wall blocks that are abutted side by
side or piled.
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[0010] According to still another illustrative embodiment, there is
provided a wall block comprising:
[0011] a generally rectangular body including a decorative side that
has four edges and five other sides; and
[0012] at least one spacer, each integrated to at least one of i)
the
decorative side and ii) one of the five other sides that is adjacent the
decorative
side; the at least one spacer being distanced from at least two adjacent edges
of the decorative side so as to create a gap between two adjacent wall blocks
when they are abutted.
[0013] It is to be noted that the expression "depression" should be
construed as including a portion of the brick that is lower than adjacent
portions
or recessed relative thereto.
[0014] Providing integrated spacers, yields improved surface to
surface contact between two adjacent blocks compared to the use of
independent spacer systems from the prior art, which yields a better wall
adhesion. Conventional concrete adhesive can however still be used in
constructing a wall using wall blocks according to illustrative embodiments,
to
strengthen the adherence between blocks.
[0015] It should be understood at the outset that, although
exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the
principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of
techniques, whether currently known or not. The present disclosure should in
no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated
in the drawings and described below.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In the appended drawings:
[0017] Figure 1 is bottom perspective of a block wall according to
an
illustrative embodiment;
[0018] Figure 2 is a bottom perspective of a wall block according to
a first illustrative embodiment, that is part of the wall from Figure 1;
[0019] Figure 3 is a bottom perspective of a wall block according to
a second illustrative embodiment, that is part of the wall from Figure 1;
[0020] Figure 4 is a perspective of a pallet including wall blocks
from
Figure 2, illustrating how the configuration of such blocks protects the
decorative face thereof when they are palletized;
[0021] Figure 5 is a bottom perspective of a wall block according to
a third illustrative embodiment; and
[0022] Figure 6 is a bottom perspective of a wall block according to
a third illustrative embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] In the following description, similar features in the
drawings
have been given similar reference numerals, and in order not to weigh down
the figures, some elements are not referred to in some figures if they were
already identified in a precedent figure. Herein, it shall further be noted
that, for
avoiding unnecessary details obscuring the invention, only device structures
and/or processing steps closely relevant to schemes according to the invention
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are shown in the accompanying drawings while omitting other details less
relevant to the invention.
[0024] The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with
the term "comprising" in the claims and/or the specification may mean "one",
but it is also consistent with the meaning of "one or more", "at least one",
and
"one or more than one". Similarly, the word "another" may mean at least a
second or more.
[0025] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words
"comprising" (and any form of comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises"),
"having" (and any form of having, such as "have" and "has"), "including" (and
any form of including, such as "include" and "includes") or "containing" (and
any
form of containing, such as "contain" and "contains"), are inclusive or open-
ended and do not exclude additional, un-recited elements.
[0026] An illustrative embodiment of a block wall 10 is shown in
Figure 1. The block wall 10 is made of a plurality of concrete blocks 12 and
14
according to first and second illustrative embodiments.
[0027] In Figure 1, the wall 10 and blocks 12 and 14 are shown from
below to better show the inventive features thereof. However, the first row of
blocks 12 and 14 of the wall 10 sits firmly on the ground or on a foundation
like
for any conventional block wall.
[0028] The wall 10 can be used, without limitations, as a retaining
wall, a perimeter fence, a garden wall/outside decorative wall, etc.
[0029] As will become more apparent upon reading the following
description of the blocks 12 and 14, they can be assembled to form a block
wall
having another configuration than illustrated in Figure 1.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-29
[0030] In all cases, abutting and piling a plurality of such wall
blocks
12 and 14, yields a block wall 10 automatically provided with constantly
shaped
decorative joints.
[0031] With reference to Figure 2, a concrete wall blocks 12
according to a first illustrative embodiment will now be described.
[0032] The wall block 12 is a generally rectangular body having a
front decorative face 16, a back face (not shown) opposite the front face 16,
first and second lateral faces 18 and 20, and top (not shown) and bottom 22
faces.
[0033] The block 12 includes two (2) spacers 24 and 26, located
respectively on the first lateral face 18 and on the bottom face 22, which are
both adjacent the decorative face 16. The spacers 24 and 26 result from U-
shaped depressions 28 and 29 on respectively the first lateral and bottom
faces
18 and 22.
[0034] As can be seen in Figure 1, abutting side-by-side and piling
on top of each other such block 12 (or block 14) yields lateral and
longitudinal
decorative joints 30 and 32, the width thereof being defined by the width of
the
depressions 28 and 29. According to the illustrative embodiment, the width of
the depressions is five 5 mm but may range between 1 mm and 20 mm.
[0035] While the width of the depressions 28 and 29 is the same
laterally and longitudinally, a wall block according to another illustrative
embodiment (not shown) can be provided with a U-shaped depression having
different sizes laterally and longitudinally.
[0036] The depressions 28 and 29 have a depth that is sufficient to
yield the decorative joint. According to the illustrative embodiment, the
depth of
the depressions 28 and 29, which is also the height of the spacers 24 and 26,
is 30 mm, but may range between 10 mm and 100 mm.
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[0037] The spacer 26 has a bottom surface 34 that is parallel to the
top face so as to yield a stable contact therebetween, when two or more blocks
12 are piled for storage or shipping.
[0038] Figure 4 illustrates a shipping pallet 36 comprising
identical
wall blocks 12. As can be seen in this Figure, the peripheral edge 38 of the
decorative face 16 of two adjacent blocks 12 on the pallet 36 are prevented
from coming into contact by the groove 32 formed by the depression 28. This
prevents the decorative face 16, which is the main visible face of the block
12,
and therefore of the wall 10, from being chipped during transport, thereby
preserving its integrity and appearance.
[0039] While the spacers 26 and 28 have rounded peripheral edges
40 and 42.
[0040] The block 12 according to the first illustrative embodiment
is
the result of a molding process. More specifically, the block 12 results from
a
molding process that involves a mold, including a plurality of cavities, each
to
form a block 12, (not shown), is the mold being removed from the top after
molding. This limits the shape of any spacer created on the periphery of the
block using such process.
[0041] According to such a manufacturing process for the block 12,
the front decorative face 16 corresponds to the top face of the block 12
within
the mold cavity. This further gives the option of filling the mold cavities
with two
(2) layers of concrete, a back mix, and a front color mix, the later providing
the
decorative face 16 of the resulting block 12 with some coloration.
[0042] The same molding process provides the further option of
adding markings on the decorative face 16.
[0043] While the blocks 12 on Figure 1 are shown having generally
the same dimension, similar rectangular blocks that have different sizes or
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proportions can also be provided, which could be used to add aesthetic
variability in raising a wall.
[0044] A wall block 14 according to a second illustrative embodiment
will now be described with reference to Figure 3. Since the wall block 14 is
similar to the wall block 12, only the differences therebetween will be
described
herein for concision purposes.
[0045] The rectangular wall block 14 has dimensions similar to the
rectangular block 12. While this similarity is not necessary, this add to the
illusion that all blocks 12 and 14 are simply regular rectangular shaped
blocks
without any spacers.
[0046] However, compared to the block 12, the block 14 does not
include a spacer 24 on any of its lateral side 18 or 20 and includes only
spacer
26 on its bottom side 22.
[0047] As can be seen in Figure 1, such a configuration of the
block 14 renders the block 14 suitable to create wall corner, which can be
achieved by piling the blocks 14 while alternating their orientation ninety
(90)
degrees. Such piling, in addition to their side-by-side abutment with adjacent
blocks 12, yields the same lateral and longitudinal decorative joints 30 and
32
as described hereinabove, while preventing any spacer from being visible on
the resulting wall 10. The same can be said of the use of block 14 as coping
blocks.
[0048] Figure 5 illustrates a wall block 44 according to another
illustrative embodiment. Since the block 44 is very similar to the block 14,
only
the difference therebetween will be described herein in more detail for
concision
purposes.
[0049] The only difference between the blocks 14 and 44, is that the
peripheral edge 46 of the decorative face 48 thereof is chamfered, which can
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be obtained, for example, by modifying the mold used to make the blocks 14 as
described hereinabove. Providing a chamfer on the edge 46 of the face 48 has
been found to minimize chipping thereof, both during and after their
installation.
[0050] The configuration of the wall blocks 12 and 14 allows their
cutting longitudinally, using for example a concrete saw, while preserving
their
spacers 24, and 26. With reference to Figure 1, this allows easily creating
blocks of different length, such as blocks 50 and 52, when raising a wall 10,
and
still maintaining the uniformity of the appearance thereof.
[0051] Turning now to Figure 6, a wall block 54 according to a third
illustrative embodiment, will now be described. Since the block 54 is similar
to
the block 12, only the difference therebetween will be described herein for
concision purposes.
[0052] The block 54 further includes a L-shaped depression 56
along the periphery of the decorative face 16, resulting in the lateral and
bottom
faces 18 and 22 becoming respectively spacers 58 and 60. More specifically,
the depression 56 extends along the full length of two faces 18 and 22, which
are adjacent the decorative face 16.
[0053] A person skilled in the art will now appreciate that, since
the
depth of the depression 56 does not go all through the depth of the wall
block 54, no dirt can come through from the side of the wall opposite
decorative
side 16.
[0054] The block 54 can be used in place of the block 12, whereby
abutting side-by-side and piling on top of each other such block 54 (or block
14)
yields the same lateral and longitudinal decorative joints 30 and 32,
[0055] It is to be noted that many modifications could be made to
the
blocks 12 and 14 or a wall 10 constructed therewith described hereinabove and
illustrated in the appended drawings. For example:
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[0056] - while the wall blocks 12, 14, and 56 are shown having
generally the same dimension, similar rectangular blocks that have different
sizes or proportions can also be provided, which could be used to add
aesthetic
variability when raising a wall;
[0057] - while the wall blocks 12, 14 and 54 are shown including
spacers that allows their manufacturing using a process where they can be
stripped out of a mold plate or cavity, a wall block provided with one or two
spacers according to another illustrative embodiment (not shown) can have
other configurations or be manufactured using another process than described
herein;
[0058] - grout can be added in the decorative joints 30 and 32.
[0059] Although wall blocks and a wall therewith have been
described hereinabove by way of illustrated embodiments thereof, they can be
modified. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be
made to the illustrative embodiments and that the scope of the claims should
not be limited by the thereby but should be given the broadest interpretation
consistent with the description as a whole.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-29
