Abstract:
This invention is of a component wall system that is cost effective and flexible enough to be adapted for both interior partitions and exterior walls. The basic component system is comprised of a number of component types: two main wall panel component types, opening header panel type, and other supplementary types that allow the other components to be assembled into closets, interior wall sections with or without door openings, and all exterior wall sections including openings.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of earlier provisional applications No. 61/198.856 filed on Nov. 8, 2008 and No. 61/204,649 filed on Jan. 10, 2009 in the U.S. Patent &amp; Trademark Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a component building system with main panel components having integrated supporting frame and an optional closing sheathing panel of equal size. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Building structures are often built on site in many parts of the world. The problems of site construction are well documented in past journal articles. The major documented problems are higher labor cost and inconsistent labor cost in almost every stage of construction, higher material waste, and poor and inconsistent quality. 
         [0004]    In recognizing these problems, many people have tried to come up with many types of standardized modular wall panels and components that can be mass-produced to reduce cost and to be speedily assembled into walls at building site. Unfortunately, previous attempts have failed and have made little or no impact in the building industry . The reasons for past failures are high material cost of modular panels, cost of manufacturing the modular panels, the complexity of system or difficulty of implementation, and lack of a flexible system that can do both interior and exterior walls to make the building system easier for builders to use in the field and present a clear cost saving in utilizing it. 
         [0005]    There is a need for a viable modular wall system that is simple to assemble, simple to manufacture, less material cost, and flexible enough to adapt for both exterior and interior walls in a building structure. This patent application represents such a wall system. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    This invention is of a component wall system that is cost effective and flexible enough to be adapted for both interior partitions and exterior walls. The basic component system is comprised of a number of component types: two main wall panel component types, opening header panel type, and other supplementary types that allow the other components to be assembled into closets, interior wall sections with or without door openings, and all exterior wall sections including openings. There are two main wall panel component types and they all share a basic open panel design with the supporting steel frame made of standard c-section studs and tracks attached to a sheathing. The difference between the three wall panel component types is the size of the steel frame in relation to the sheathing and how the frame attaches to the sheathing at the sheathing&#39;s edge. The first main wall panel component is comprised of a c-section steel frame attached to a sheathing, with frame width at least half but not equal to the width of the sheathing and with frame height equal to or shorter than the sheathing height, and with the frame attached flush on one of the sheathing&#39;s vertical edge or side. The second main wall panel component is comprised of a c-section steel frame attached to a sheathing, with frame width at least half to equal to the sheathing width and with frame height equal to or shorter than the sheathing height, and with the frame attached slightly off on one of the sheathing&#39;s vertical edges extending half the width of stud in distance. The opening header type is comprised of a c-section steel frame attached to a sheathing, with frame width equal to the sheathing width and with frame height equal to or shorter than the sheathing height, and with the frame attached flush on both sides of the sheathing&#39;s vertical edges. The sheathing&#39;s top or bottom edge may extend over the top or bottom of the frame&#39;s edge to cover top or bottom tracks that tie the wall panel components together at the top and bottom. The other supplemental types are the track type and corner piece type. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates all the basic component types of the component wall system: two main wall panel types; opening header type; track type; and corner piece type. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates the first main wall panel type comprising the main panel with steel frame support and a plain closing sheathing. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates the second main wall panel type comprising the main panel with steel frame support and plain closing sheathing. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates the opening header type which also comprises the main panel with steel frame support and a plain closing sheathing. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates two other supplemental component types: wall panel track type and corner piece type. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates how a top and a bottom track are used. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  illustrates how an interior partition with a door opening can be assembled out of the component types. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  illustrates how another interior partition with a door opening can be assembled differently out of the component types. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  illustrates how a typical closet can be assembled out of the component types. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  illustrates an alternative version of the two main panel component types. 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  illustrates how all component types can be adapted for exterior envelope application. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  illustrates an alternative version of the first main wall panel component type. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The component wall system has two major wall panel component types ( 10  and  20 ), opening header type ( 30 ), track type ( 40 ), and corner piece type ( 50 ) as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The panel component types ( 10 ,  20 , and  30 ) can have various width and size of the design and each panel component of a type is made of two pieces: the main panel with steel frame support and a plain board that closes the panel. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the first major wall panel component type ( 10 ) like the other two panel component types ( 20  and  30 ) can have two available component sets ( 11  and  12 ,  11   b  and  12   b ) of the same type. The width of the component set ( 11   b  and  12   b ) is half of the wider component set ( 11  and  12 ). Having various sizes of the component sets within the three panel component types ( 10 ,  20 , and  30 ) is designed to accommodate various size openings and length of partitions.  FIG. 2  illustrates the basic design of first major wall component type ( 10 ). The component type is comprised of two pieces ( 12  and  11 ): the main panel ( 12 ) and the closing sheathing or board ( 11 ). The main panel ( 12 ) is comprised of a board ( 14 ) and a supporting c-section steel frame ( 13 ) that attaches to it. The width of the frame ( 13 ) is preferably half the width of the board ( 14 ) it attaches to. In other circumstances, the frame ( 13 ) may be greater than half the width but never equal to the width of the construction board ( 14 ) so as to efficiently make use of studs. The frame ( 13 )&#39;s height is equal to or shorter than the board ( 14 ) as shown in details ( 15  and  16 ). The frame ( 13 )&#39;s left edge is flush with board ( 14 )&#39;s left edge. The closing sheathing or a plain board ( 11 ) is the main panel ( 12 )&#39;s closing piece of equal dimension to the board ( 14 ) of the main panel ( 12 ).  FIG. 3  illustrates the basic design of the second major wall panel component type. This wall panel component type is very similar to the first wall component type except that the frame support is slightly off from the left edge. The second wall panel component type is also comprised of two pieces ( 21  and  22 ): the main panel ( 22 ) and the closing sheathing or board ( 21 ). The main panel ( 22 ) is comprised of a board ( 24 ) and a supporting c-section steel frame ( 23 ) that attaches to it. The width of the frame ( 23 ) is preferably half the width of the board ( 24 ) it attaches to. In some circumstances, the width of the frame ( 23 ) may be equal to the width of the construction board ( 24 ). The frame ( 23 )&#39;s height is equal to or shorter than the board ( 24 ) as shown in details ( 25  and  26 ). The frame ( 23 )&#39;s left edge extends beyond the board ( 24 )&#39;s left edge by half the width of the stud. The offset placement of the frame ( 23 ) in this main panel is designed to accommodate the board edge of another wall panel as illustrated in  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8 , and  FIG. 11 . The closing sheathing or board ( 21 ) is the main panel ( 22 )&#39;s closing piece of equal dimension to the board ( 24 ) of the main panel ( 22 ). Both the first and the second main panel ( 12  and  22 ) can have extended frame as illustrated in  FIG. 12 . The frame ( 13 ) width of the first main panel ( 12 ) can never be equal to the construction board&#39;s ( 14 ) width so as to allow the construction board ( 14 )&#39;s right edge to rest on the frame of the second main panel ( 22 ). When the supporting frame width is ½ or ⅔ the width of the construction panel, both the first and the second main panel ( 12  and  22 ) are designed to maximize the usage of steel material but maintain modular capabilities and with cut-ability in the right side of the panel. The cut-ability is very important because in any given length of a partition or wall, one main wall panel in that assembly can be cut down from the right side of the panel to make it fit in the given length.  FIG. 4  illustrates the basic design of the opening header component type. The opening header component type is also comprised of two equal size pieces: the main panel ( 32 ); and the closing sheathing or board ( 31 ). The main panel ( 32 ) is comprised of a board ( 34 ) and a supporting c-section steel frame ( 33 ) that attaches to it. The attached frame ( 33 ) has the same width as the board ( 34 ). The frame ( 33 )&#39;s height is equal to or shorter than the board ( 34 ) as shown in details ( 35  and  36 ). The closing sheathing or board ( 31 ) is the closing piece and has the same dimensions as the main panel ( 32 ). This opening header type is designed to be the header piece directly over a door opening or both the top and bottom of a window opening.  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9 , and  11  illustrate how an opening header type is used in the assembly. The other two complementary types are the track type ( 40 ) and corner piece type ( 50 ) as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The track type ( 40 ) can have various profiles and is meant as a top and bottom guide so the components fit between the tracks. The two preferred types of tracks are: plain strip of wood ( 41 ), or metal track ( 42 ) with wood insert ( 42   b ) inside. In areas where wood is not readily available, the metal track is a better choice. The corner piece type has two preferred pieces: the first piece is the inside corner piece ( 51 ) which is a simple L-shaped piece that is made of standard studs with L shape top and bottom caps; the second piece is the outer corner piece ( 52 ) that is made of a single standard stud with bent ends.  FIG. 6  illustrates how top and bottom tracks ( 41 ) are used in a wall assembly.  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9 , and  11  illustrate how the two corner piece types are used. Although both the first and second main panel ( 12  and  22 ) have a supporting frame that is preferably half the width of the attached board in most situations, the frame of the first main panel ( 22 ) can extend further to have equal width as the construction board ( 24 ) to give additional support to the main panel ( 22 ) as shown in  FIG. 10 . The additional support for the main panel ( 22 ) can allow various heavy prefinished surfaces applied at the factory. Various prefinished surfaces can be ceramic tiles, design textile, or any material surfaces attached to main panel&#39;s surface. 
         [0020]    For clear illustrations of how the various components can fit in various assembly types, the closing board pieces and top and bottom track are not shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9 .  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  best illustrate how two walls with a door opening and a corner are formed with various component types.  FIG. 9  illustrates how a closet kit for a standard size closet can be built with various component types. 
         [0021]    The same wall component system can be adapted for exterior application.  FIG. 11  illustrates how this can be done. All component types ( 10 ,  20 , and  30 ) have the same basic designs. The only modified part in all main panels ( 12 ,  22 , and  32 ) of three component types ( 10 ,  20 , and  30 ) are the height of the attached boards. In all main panel types, the board of the main panel is now substantially taller than the attached frame. This is because the floor or roof joist system ( 60  and  61 ) can act in place of top and bottom tracks previously illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0022]    As demonstrated in the illustrations, this component system is highly adaptable for both exterior walls, interior walls with or without openings, and interior closet. One can have one set of components for exterior application and another set of components for interior application.