Abstract:
A modular interlocking exterior wall system comprises one or more laminated panels formed of a paper product core sandwiched between two cementitious skins, two vertical posts having laterally extending flanges which interlock in vertical grooves formed in the sides of the panels, and a top rail having a downwardly opening top groove which receives and reinforces the horizontal top edge of the top panel, wherein bottom portions of the posts are anchored below ground. An optional bottom rail has an upwardly opening groove for receiving and supporting the bottom edge of the bottom panel, and laterally extending flanges of an optional mid rail are received in top and bottom grooves, respectively, of bottom and top panels to interlock and reinforce the panels.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 611383,614 filed Sep. 16, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to exterior wall systems, and particularly to exterior wall barriers constructed from non-wood products including laminated panels having cementitious-type outer layers and a treated paper product core. 
         [0004]    2. Prior Art 
         [0005]    People seek a “green,” durable, visual, audio, personal privacy, safety and fire barrier at the perimeter of their real property, due to high density population in a restricted area, movement or noise from outside the perimeter and threat from fire, crime or trespass upon their real property. Current exterior barriers, such as fencing, do not simultaneously provide solutions for acoustical, visual, audio, privacy and safety concerns, provide a fire barrier, or provide a ‘green’ solution to diminishing forest resources. Additionally, conventional fencing is prone to pest damage and deterioration due to exposure to exterior such as moisture, thus requiring continual maintenance to maintain functional and aesthetic value. Moreover, there is no exterior wall product in the prior art which facilitates adding accessories to the basic product. The instant invention addresses all these concerns in one system, utilizing ecologically sustainable, durable, nonflammable, sound-deflecting and absorbing, pest and exposure resistant, recycled and/or recyclable materials. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of a modular interlocking wall system according to the invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the nodular interlocking wall system shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2A  is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the wall of he modular interlocking wall system shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the modular interlocking wall system shown in  FIG. 4  taken along lines  3 - 3  thereof; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the modular interlocking wall system shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the modular interlocking wall system shown in  FIG. 4  taken along lines  5 - 5  thereof; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5A  is a close-up elevation view of a portion of the modular interlocking wall system shown in  FIG. 5  showing the bottom of the wall panel and the bottom rail; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an upper perspective view of another embodiment of the invention without a bottom rail; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an upper perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention with a bottom rail. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    A modular inter-locking exterior wall system according to the invention, indicated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 , comprises top and base panels  12 ,  14 . With additional reference to  FIG. 2 , each panel  12 ,  14  is a sandwich-like composite of a treated paper product core  16  bonded on two sides with skins  18  of a cementitious-type board. The core is fabricated to form a series of triangular cells  20  similar to the cross-section of corrugated board, and is commonly referred to as having a honeycomb-like construction, or simply as a honeycomb. See  FIG. 2A . The paper core material may be treated with phenolic resins to increase resistance to moisture and pests. The composite forms a light-weight, strong, rigid panel with excellent acoustic and thermal insulating properties. Optionally, fire retardant may be added to the core material to augment the fire resistant properties of the surrounding skins  18  and increase the fire retarding properties of the composite panel. Suitable core material for the panels is available from Tricel Honeycomb Corporation, located in Gurnee, Ill., A suitable cementitious-type of material for the panel skins is Greene-board™ wall paneling available from Southern Cross Building Products, 3461 High Ridge Road, Boynton Beach, Fla. 33426. A suitable environmentally friendly, non-toxic adhesive is Simalfa® water-based adhesive available from Alfa Adhesives, Inc., 15 Lincoln Street, Hawthorne, N.J. 07506. A suitable environmentally friendly stucco covering for the panels is Parex® stucco available from Parex USA, 4125 E. LaPalma Ave., Suite 250, Anaheim, Calif. 92807. 
         [0016]    The sandwiched composite panel core  16  is slightly and uniformly smaller in length and width than the length and width of the cementitious skins  18 , thereby creating a groove  20  of uniform depth around the perimeters of each of the panels  12 ,  14  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0017]    The vertical support posts  22  are composed of a shaped, extruded, drawn, welded or molded material having perpendicularly extending flanges  24 , as seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  5 , of uniform dimension configured to form an “X” shaped cross-section (see  FIG. 5 ). The vertical support post  22  is designed to have a portion  26  cemented vertically into the ground, whereby the remainder  28  of the vertical support post  22  stands above ground. See  FIG. 1 . The vertical grooves  20  on the ends  30  of the panels  12 ,  14  are each designed to accept the flanges  24 , allowing the panels  12 ,  14  to be supported vertically by the support posts  22 . It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that posts  22  may be constructed with flanges that form a “T” shaped cross-section, such as when the post will be used to support one end of a wall. See, e.g.,  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         [0018]    A base rail support  32  comprises a shaped, extruded, welded or molded material designed to horizontally support the bottom horizontal side  34  of the panels  12 ,  14  at or below ground level. The base rail support  32  includes upwardly opening groove  35 , slightly wider than the panel width, allowing the panels  12 ,  14  to slide into and mate with base rail support  32  on the lower horizontal long side  32  of the panels  12 ,  14 . The base rail support  32  has notches at both ends to accept the tang  24  of the vertical support post  22 . 
         [0019]    The top rail support  38  comprises a shaped, extruded, welded or molded material designed to horizontally cap and support the top horizontal side  40  of either of panels  12 ,  14 . Like the base rail support  32 , the top rail support  38  has a downwardly opening groove  42 , slightly wider than the panel width, allowing the top horizontal long side  40  of panels  12 ,  14  to slide into and mate with the top rail support  38 . A top channel  44  runs the length of the top rail support on the top surface, and is intended to enable accessories to be attached to the wall system  10 . See  FIG. 5B . 
         [0020]    The mid rail support  46  may be configured to have an “X” shaped cross-section like vertical support posts  22  or may be a flat bar, but is designed to horizontally support and connect two adjacent panels  12 ,  14  as a means of increasing the vertical height of the wall assembly. The mid rail support  46  rests on and mates horizontally atop panel  14  and, like the lower base rail support  32 , has notches  48  on both ends to accept flanges  24  of posts  22 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows a side elevation view of an assembled version of the embodiment of the modular interlocking wall system shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 3  shows the posts  22  inserted into the side grooves of top panel  12 .  FIG. 5  shows the mid rail  46  inserted into the bottom groove of top panel  12  thereby supporting top panel  12  and also inserted into the top groove of bottom panel  14  for rigidifying and securing bottom panel  14 .  FIG. 5  also shows top rail  38  capping and reinforcing top panel  12  and bottom rail  32  supporting bottom panel  14  as discussed above. 
         [0022]      FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of a modular interlocking wall system according to the invention including a single panel  14 , two vertical support posts  56  having a “T” shaped cross-section and a top rail  50 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 7  shows still another embodiment of a modular interlocking wall system according to the invention similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  and including a bottom rail  54 . 
         [0024]    The invention, without the accessories, comprises at least three interlocking components: (1) the vertically-mounted, vertical support posts  22 , (2) one of the panels  12 ,  14 , and (3) the top rail support  1 . In alternate embodiments the wall system may include both panels  12 ,  14 , base rail support  32 , and mid rail support  46 . No mechanical fasteners are necessary. All components can be permanently affixed to one another utilizing exterior grade sealant adhesive (e.g., silicone adhesive). Two  5  vertical support posts  22  are necessary to support one panel  12 ,  14 , one top rail support  1 . All exposed surfaces are coated in a base finished coat layer of exterior grade stucco or similar. Collectively the components create an exterior wall system or assembly. Optional additional elements that enhance the invention include drip irrigation, low voltage lighting, mounted flower box, bird feeder, table, seating, water fall, solar panel, and the like. 
         [0025]    One advantage of the invention is in its simplicity and the inter-changeability of its component parts. The vertical support post  22  allows the honeycomb composite panels  12 ,  14  to be mounted at four different points (the four tangs  24  of the X). The notch  20  around the panel&#39;s edge allows it to mate in any direction on all four sides. The mid rail support  46  is the same extrusion configuration as the vertical support post  22 , and the top and base rail supports  38 ,  32  are similar with the difference that the top rail support  38  may have a top channel  44  for top-mounted accessories. 
         [0026]    This device may be utilized anywhere that there is open space which can be partitioned or where it may be desirable to create a private area. It can be mounted on or into flat ground, a hillside, around a pool, or the front or backside of a building. Where there are height restrictions, the panels  12 ,  14  have different heights, allowing the device to be erected to several heights as desired by selectively using panel  12  alone, panel  14  alone, or both panels  12 ,  14 . The device has the general appearance of a sturdy concrete stucco wall, yet has the space saving horizontal footprint of a conventional fence, is easy to assemble, and is constructed of environmentally friendly components. 
         [0027]    A modular inter-locking exterior wall system provides en exterior panelized wall system providing privacy to real property, with materials that have green-certified content and/or are recyclable. The invention is modular, designed to erect in a similar (but simpler) fashion to conventional fencing with the aesthetic perceptibility of a concrete stucco wall. 
         [0028]    It should be understood that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.