Abstract:
A light weight single layer building panel with a peripheral frame of metal, wood ceramic or plastic, with or without internal members, deriving its structural integrity from the peripheral frame and internal members if used, the layer of expanded foam and the bonding of the expanded foam to the peripheral frame and internal members if used. This unique building panel can be coupled together with more of the like panels and used as a single layer to construct a wall, ceiling, roof, floor or complete building and can be used in conjunction with decorative veneers. The design allows for the building panel to be used in its own building system or as much or as little of the technology as needed can be employed into convention construction projects.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a structural building panel, method of fabricating the structural building panel and method of constructing a building employing the structural building panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a framed building panel which has increased structural integrity and is operable to construct a wall, roof, floor, ceiling, room or building and the method of fabricating the structural building panel.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     The construction industry as a whole is continually seeking ways to reduce costs associated with time, labor and materials utilized to construct a building, wall, room, floor, ceiling and roof Historic techniques used have for the most part been prefabrication of portions of a structure with conventional materials using conventional construction methods, then transporting the fabrication portion of the building to the construction site. Problems with such techniques include misalignment of prefabricated building portions at the construction site and damage to the prefabricated building portions during transit. Another problem with these techniques is that using conventional materials has proven to cumbersome and to expensive to be competitive.  
         [0005]     These techniques typically also require that the structural integrity of the prefabricated portion of the building is derived solely from the frame of the prefabricated portion. In some instances, the structural integrity of the prefabricated portion of the building and the building itself is further derived from the specific way a prefabricated portion needs to be assembled with another portion of the building connection, fasteners, and other coupling mechanisms specific to using the prefabricated portion.  
         [0006]     There is a need for a building panel having structural integrity, there is a need for a method of fabrication of a building panel having structural integrity, and a method of constructing a building utilizing a building panel with structural integrity. There is a need for a building panel having structural integrity, there is a need for a method of fabrication of a building panel having structural integrity, and a method of constructing a building utilizing a building panel with structural integrity, where the structural integrity is derived from the layer of expanded foam, the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members and the bonding of expanded foam to vertical stud members and horizontal stud members or diagonal stud members. There is a need for vertical and horizontal stud members or diagonal members to form a frame. There is a need for expanded foam to define an interior building side of the building panel and an exterior building side of the building panel. There is a need for the building panel having structural integrity to couple to another building panel having structural integrity. There is a need for the building panel to couple to or interlock with an adjacent building panel employing a coupling or an interlocking stud. There is a need for the building panel to be held in an upright position employing a track secured to the floor with screws, bolts, welds, anchors, adhesives or the like.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     In one present embodiment of the invention, a building panel having structural integrity, a method of fabricating the building panel having structural integrity, and a method of constructing a building employing the building panel having structural integrity are provided. The building panel having structural integrity is a single layer building panel that derives its structural integrity from expanded foam forming the layer that bonds to horizontal stud members and vertical stud members or diagonal members, the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members and the bonding of the expanded foam to the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members. The vertical stud members and the horizontal stud members or diagonal stud members can be provided at the edges of the building panel and together the horizontal stud members and the vertical members or the diagonal members form the peripheral frame for the building panel. The horizontal members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal members are bonded to the expanded foam using temperatures and pressures above ambient. Building panels can be connected to one another to construct a structure or any portion of a structure such as a wall, floor, roof or ceiling, using members at the edges having an interlocking mechanism. One or more building panels can be inserted in a vertical position into one or more tracks secured to a floor. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     Advantages and capabilities of the present invention will be more apparent with reference to the detailed description and appended figures in which:  
         [0009]      FIGS. 1A-1B  are front and side views of a building panel having structural integrity in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a building panel having structural integrity with a diagonal member in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a front view with a building panel having structural integrity with an internal vertical member in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top view of an interlocking stud member in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top view of an interlocking stud member with a utility conduit in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is an end view of a track section in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a side view of an anchor in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is an end view of an eave lock section in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     The present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed to be limited to the embodiment here described. The present invention is more fully described with reference to the accompanied drawings and descriptions.  
         [0018]     In one embodiment of the present invention, a building panel having structural integrity, a method of fabricating a building panel having structural integrity, and a method of constructing a building utilizing a building having structural integrity are provided. The building panel having structural integrity is a single layer building panel that derives its structural integrity from expanded foam forming the layer that bonds to horizontal stud members and vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members, the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members, and the bonding of the expanded foam to the horizontal stud members and the vertical stud members or the diagonal stud members. The expanded foam is bonded to the horizontal and vertical stud members using temperatures and pressures above ambient. Portions of a structure or a structure such as a wall, floor, ceiling, roof or building can be constructed by joining the building panels using members at the edges with interlocking mechanism. One or more building panels can be inserted in a vertical position into one or more tracks secured to a floor.  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 1A , in one embodiment of the present invention, top horizontal stud member  102  and bottom horizontal stud member  103  are aligned in a parallel position at the upper and lower periphery of building panel  101  to form the top and bottom of building panel  101 . In one embodiment of the present invention, top horizontal stud member  102  and bottom horizontal stud member  103  are aligned in a parallel position at a predetermined distance from one another. In one embodiment of the present invention, right vertical stud member  105  and left vertical stud member  104  are aligned in a parallel position at the right and the left periphery of the building panel  101  to form the right side and the left side of the building panel  101 . In one embodiment of the present invention, right vertical stud member  105  and left vertical stud member  104  are aligned in a parallel position at a predetermined distance from one another. In one embodiment of the present invention, the vertical stud members  105  and  104  extend the height of the building panel  101  and the horizontal stud members  102  and  103  extend the length of the building panel  101 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the vertical stud members  105  and  104  of the building panel  101  are configured to interlock with a vertical stud member of an adjacent building panel  101  to form a wall, ceiling, roof or floor of a structure.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 1A , in one embodiment of the present invention, the top horizontal stud member  102 , bottom horizontal stud member  103 , right vertical stud member  105 , and left vertical stud member  104  form a frame around panel member  106 . In one embodiment of the present invention, a first end portion of the top horizontal stud member  102  squarely abuts a first end portion of the left vertical stud member  104 . In one embodiment of the present invention, a second end portion of the top horizontal stud member  102  squarely abuts a first end portion of the right vertical stud member  105 . In one embodiment of the present invention, a first end portion of the bottom horizontal stud member  103  squarely abuts a second end portion of the left vertical stud member  104 . In one embodiment of the present invention, a second end portion of the bottom horizontal stud member  103  squarely abuts a second end portion of the right vertical stud member  105 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the members can be coupled with means such as but not limited to: screws, bolts, welds, adhesive bonds and the like.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , in one embodiment of the present invention, panel member  106  extends to and bonds to the inner side of each of the top horizontal stud member  102 , bottom horizontal stud member  103 , right vertical stud member  105  and left vertical stud member  104 .  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , in one embodiment of the present invention, exterior panel side  108  of panel member  106  is a flat plane extending past and running parallel to the forward side walls of horizontal stud members  102  and  103  and vertical stud members  104  and  105 . In one embodiment of the present invention the right edge of exterior panel side  108  extends to the outside edge of the forward side wall of right vertical stud member  105  and runs parallel with the outside edge of forward side wall of vertical stud member  105  from the abutment of vertical stud member  105  and the top horizontal stud  102  vertically to the abutment of vertical member  105  and the bottom horizontal member  103 . In one embodiment of the present invention the left edge of exterior panel side  108  extends to the outside edge of the forward side wall of the left vertical stud member  104  and runs parallel with the outside edge of the forward side wall of the left vertical stud member  104  from the abutment of left vertical stud member  104  and top horizontal stud member  102  vertically to the abutment of left vertical stud member  104  and bottom horizontal stud member  103 . In one embodiment of the present invention the top edge of exterior panel side  108  extends to the inside edge of the forward side wall of the top horizontal stud member  102  and runs parallel to the inside edge of the forward side wall of the top horizontal stud member  102  from the abutment of the top horizontal stud member  102  and right vertical stud member  105  to the abutment of the top horizontal stud member  102  and the left vertical stud member  104 . In one embodiment of the present invention the bottom edge of the exterior panel side  108  extends to the inside edge of the forward side wall of the bottom horizontal stud member  103  and runs parallel to the inside edge of the forward side wall of the bottom horizontal stud member  103  from the abutment of the bottom horizontal stud member  103  and right vertical stud member  105  to the abutment of the bottom stud horizontal stud member  103  and left vertical stud member  104 .  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , in one embodiment of the present invention, interior panel side  107  of panel member  106  is a flat plane extending past and running parallel to the back side walls of horizontal stud members  102  and  103  and vertical stud members  105  and  104 . In one embodiment of the present invention the periphery of interior panel side  107  and the periphery of the interior panel side of building panel  101  are substantially the same.  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the illustrations show a building panel  101  with top horizontal member  102  and bottom horizontal member  103  along with left vertical stud member  104  and right vertical stud member  105  and expanded foam  106 .  FIG. 1B , illustrates the interior panel side  107  and exterior panel side  108 . In  FIG. 1A , top horizontal stud member  102 , bottom horizontal stud member  103 , left vertical stud member  104  and right vertical stud member  105  can be constructed of metal, wood, ceramic or plastic. In an embodiment of the present invention top horizontal stud member  102 , bottom horizontal stud member  103 , left vertical stud member  104  and right vertical stud member  105  are constructed of either conventional stud, a C-shaped stud, U-shaped channel, L-shaped angle material or an interlocking stud. The expanded foam panel member  106  can be made of expanded foam, including, but not limited to, polyurethane-based foam, polyurea-based foam, polystyrene-based foam, polyisocyanurate-based foam, and the like. In one embodiment of the present invention left vertical stud  104  and right vertical stud  108  of the building panel  101  are configured to interlock with a vertical stud member of an adjacent panel  101  to form a floor, wall, ceiling, roof or building.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , exterior panel side  108  can be extended past and covering the forward sidewalls of top horizontal member  102  bottom horizontal member  103  left vertical member  104  and right vertical member  105  eliminating the need for sheathing, moisture shed or vapor barriers in construction.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 2  and  3 , top horizontal member  102  abuts to left vertical member  104 , left vertical member  104  abuts to bottom horizontal member  103 , bottom horizontal member  103  abuts to right vertical  105  and right vertical member  105  abuts to top horizontal member  102  to form the frame at the outer perimeter of the building panel. In  FIGS. 1A, 2  and  3  the building panel  101  can have any shape perimeter with any number of sides to accommodate any shape of construction or style of architecture. In  FIGS. 1A, 2  and  3  all members of the framed perimeter can be straight or curved or in any combination of thereof In  FIGS. 1A,2  and  3  foam member  106  can be flat, curved, bent in an angle or in any combination thereof to accommodate any shape of construction or style of architecture. In  FIGS. 1A, 2  and  3  the points of abutment can be coupled by means such as but not limited to; screws, welding, adhesive bonds and bolts.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 2  and  3  electrical components including but not limited to electrical boxes, conduits, low voltage wiring, high voltage wiring, telephone connections, shielded communications cable, fiber optics and the like can be preset in foam member  106  during fabrication or may be added to the building panel after fabrication.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 2  and  3  plumbing components including but not limited to vent pipes, hot water supply lines, cold water supply lines, water heater exhaust lines, drain lines and the like can be preset in foam member  106  during fabrication or can be added to the building panel after fabrication.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 2  and  3 , heating and cooling components including but not limited to vent pipes, exhaust ducts, fresh air ducts, combustible air ducts, control wiring, piping for radiant heating systems, piping for radiant cooling systems, return air ducts, supply air ducts and the like can be preset in foam member  106  during fabrication or can be added to the building panel after fabrication.  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 2  and  3 , puncture resistant components including but not limited to a wire grid, a metal mesh, a plastic mesh, a fiberglass mesh or the like can be preset in foam member  106  during fabrication or can be added to the building panel after fabrication.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 1A  expanded foam member  106  extends to and, in the case of hollow members fills, and bonds to the inner side of each the top horizontal member  102 , bottom horizontal member  103 , left vertical member  104  and right vertical member  105 .  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 2  expanded foam member  106  extends to and, in the case of hollow members fills, and bonds to the inner side of each the top horizontal member  102 , bottom horizontal member  103 , left vertical member  104 , right vertical member  105  and both inner sides of diagonal member  201 .  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 3  expanded foam member  106  extends to and, in the case of hollow members fills, and bonds to the inner side of each the top horizontal member  102 , bottom horizontal member  103 , left vertical member  104 , right vertical member  105  and both inner sides of vertical member  301 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 1B ,  2  and  3  building panel  101  defines the perimeter of the building and face  107  defines the interior building surface or wall space to adhere cosmetic veneers to, and face  108  defines the exterior building surface or wall space to adhere cosmetic veneers to.  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 6  an exemplary top view of an interlocking stud member  401  with a Z-shaped cross section on face  402  with one sidewall  403  and one sidewall  404  configured such that when a like stud member is rotated 180 degrees and interlocked with the first stud member and set in track  601  it maintains the structural integrity of the construction between panels.  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6  an exemplary top view of an interlocking stud  501  with a Z-shaped cross section on face  502  with a conduit wall  505  and one sidewall  503  and one sidewall  504  configured such that when a like stud member is rotated 180 degrees and interlocked with the first stud member and set in track  601  it maintains the structural integrity of the construction between panels and forms a utility conduit between panels.  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  the Z-shaped cross section  402  and the Z-shaped cross section  502  can rotated 180 degrees and interlocked with the Z-shaped cross section of an adjacent stud member  401  or  501  having the same configuration to create walls, floors, ceilings and roofs of any structure including, but not limited to, conventional construction, modular construction, tilt up construction, building panel construction and the like.  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7  the track  601  has a U-shaped configuration with a flat base  602  and upward sidewalls  603  and  604  and can be fabricated in various lengths with pre-set holes in the base  602  at regular intervals for the insertion of anchor  701  through the track and into the foundation or can be secured to the floor with one or a combination of screws, bolts, welds, adhesives and the like.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7  the anchor  701  has a flat metal disc  702 , larger then the pre-set holes in track  601 , squarely abutting and affixed in the center to an L-shaped metal rod  703  configured as such as to allow for insertion through the pre-set holes in the flat base  602  of track  601  and into the foundation.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 1B  and  8  the eave lock  801  is a metal strip with a flat base  802  and angled sides  803  and  804  and is fabricated in various lengths and assembled end to end to run the full length of the eave of the building exterior at the juncture of the wall and the underside of the roof with side  803  in full contact with exterior panel side  108  and is screwed or affixed to vertical stud members  104  and  105  at regular intervals. Eave lock  801  side  804  is installed the length of the building in full contact side  107  of a roof panel and is screwed or affixed to vertical stud members  104  and  105  at regular intervals. Roof panels can also be affixed to wall panels with any of other means including but not limited to trusses, rafters, straps or the like.  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A, 6 ,  7  and  8  In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention track  601  is configured as the outer perimeter of a building and secured to the foundation with anchor  701  or other means. Building panel  101  is stood upright within the sidewalls  603  and  604  of the track  601 . A second building panel  101  is lifted over the sidewalls  603  and  604  of the track  601  and the vertical interlocking members  105  of the first panel and  104  of the second panel are interlocked prior to inserting the second panel between sidewalls  603  and  604  of the track  601 . The interlocking of vertical member  105  of one panel to vertical member  104  of an adjacent panel and insertion of the interlocked panels into track  601  secures the building panels to one another in an upright position. A roof constructed of the building panels  101  can be secured to walls constructed of building panels  101  by employing the eave lock  801  or by other means. Building panels  101  can be employed in the construction of types of buildings including but not limited to houses, commercial buildings, strip malls, cold storage facilities, apartment buildings and office buildings or any portion thereof including but not limited to walls, floors, ceilings and roofs.  
         [0042]     In an exemplary method of fabrication of the present invention a peripheral frame of stud members is placed in a mold press and expanded foam is injected in and distributed consistently within, and bonded to, a peripheral frame. In the exemplary method of fabrication of the present invention the building panel is removed from the press.  
         [0043]     In an embodiment of the present invention the density of the expanded foam is directly related to the pressure applied by the mold press during the thermoset reaction. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure is about 1 psi to about 15 psi. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure is about 3 psi to about 10 psi. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure is about 5 psi to about 7 psi. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure is about 6 to 29 psi.  
         [0044]     As known to those of ordinary skill in the art, once thermoset materials form cross links as a result of applied heat and pressure the thermoset material cannot be reheated. Thus, once heat and pressure are applied to the reactants in the mold press adjacent to the frame members to form the material, the material is cured and bonded to the frame members with an improved bonding strength or peel strength over conventional expanded foam/stud designs.  
         [0045]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the moisture content of a wood stud can be utilized to react with excess isocyanate in the polyurethane material to form additional urethane linkages resulting in an improved bond strength. In one embodiment stud members can be surface treated any of several techniques known in the art including but not limited to corona discharge, plasma treatment, sand blasting, brush tumbling and the like, resulting in increased adhesion between the expanded foam and the stud members.  
         [0046]     In an embodiment of the present invention, the density of the expanded foam can be based on the specific application of the building panel. The density of the expanded foam is directly related to the pressure applied to the mold press during the thermoset reaction and any suitable temperature and pressure can be provided that allows the reaction to proceed. In one embodiment the temperature range is from about 32 degrees F. to about 180 degrees F. In one embodiment the temperature range is from about 75 degrees F. to about 170 degrees F. In one embodiment the temperature range is from about 75 degrees F. to about 150 degrees F. In one embodiment the temperature range is from about 80 degrees F. to about 105 degrees F.