Abstract:
A self supporting panel system used to fabricate ceilings, floors, walls, or roofs. The panel system is assembled from a plurality of panels, each having a core that is sandwiched between opposing plate members. In a preferred embodiment, the core of each panel includes a unifying material to enhance the load bearing capacity of the panel.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention generally relates to structural panels and more particularly relates to structural panels used in fabricating ceiling, walls, floors and roofs. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently, most residential (and some commercial) roof systems are constructed using trusses. Although truss based roof systems are well established, they have drawbacks. Specifically, they form only one portion of the roof system. Once they are in place, an outer sheeting (such as plywood or the like) must be placed over the trusses thereby forming a surface to which shingles or other weather resistant material is placed. Additionally a finish material such as drywall must be placed along the bottom surface of a truss if a finished ceiling is desired. Also, insulation must be installed between the trusses if an insulated environment is desire. 
     The present invention overcomes the above-referenced drawback by eliminating the need for both a trusses and the sheeting material by combining both functions. Additionally, the present invention can be fabricated to eliminate the need to insulate on the construction site and also eliminate the need to add drywall to the bottom portion of the trusses. Specifically, the present invention fulfils the structural load bearing function (performed by the truss) and forms the roof sheeting surface to which finished roofing material (such as shingles) can be attached. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view using the panels of the present invention to construct a roof system and a ceiling system. 
         FIG. 2A  is a first embodiment of the corner wedge member of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a second embodiment of the corner wedge member of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2C  is a third embodiment of the corner wedge member of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2D  is a fourth embodiment of the corner wedge member of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the panel of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a detailed view of the honeycomb substructure of the panel of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross sectional view taken substantially along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cut away view of the panel of  FIG. 3  shown substantially in an assembled position. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial cross section view taken substantially along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the panel of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a partial cross sectional view taken substantially along lines  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a cut away view of the panel of  FIG. 8  shown substantially in its assembled condition. 
         FIG. 11  is a partial cross sectional view taken substantially along lines  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a roof structure of a home constructed using panels of the present invention in conjunction with rafter boards. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Now referring to  FIG. 1 , roof system  10  includes panels  12  and  14  and a plurality of corner wedge members  16 ,  18 , and  20 . In a first embodiment, panels  12 ,  14 ,  15  can be constructed using the technique and materials shown in  FIGS. 3-11 . Specifically,  FIG. 3  shows a first embodiment of panels  12 ,  14 ,  15  wherein an outer frame  22 ,  24 ,  26 , and  28  is constructed in a generally rectangular shape wherein a honeycomb shaped, unifying, grid material  30  is placed in the opening formed by outer frame members  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28  (an enlarged view of a portion of honeycomb shaped grid material  30  is shown in  FIG. 4 ). Preferably, honeycomb shaped grid material is constructed from a plurality of hexagonal, cylindrical shaped tubes which are joined along their peripheral edges to adjacent hexagonal members. The joining of adjacent members can be done using adhesive or mechanical fasteners, or it is contemplated that the honeycomb shaped grid material  30  can be fabricated from a single integrated material such as stamped steel, injection molded plastic, fiberglass, cardboard, paper, resin, composite wood based materials or the like such that no traditional physical or adhesive joining is necessary because the member is formed in a single operation. 
     Each of the hexagonal members (exemplified at  32 ) includes an opening  34 . This opening preferably passes completely through hexagonal member  32  (i.e. there is no bottom portion closing off opening  34 ). Once grid material  30  is placed within the opening of outer frame  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28 , a second, unifying material  38  is disposed on grid material  30  where it penetrates into, around, or through openings  34  and the fibers of grid material  30  (for materials where penetration is possible). It is contemplated that in a preferred embodiment, unifying material  38  is a urethane foam having some degree of expanding capabilities after it is sprayed. This expanding capability will cause the foam to completely fill the openings  34  in each one of the hexagonal members  32  thereby forming a strong unified panel member. After unifying material  38  is sprayed, but before the material has had any opportunity to begin substantial expansion, top and bottom plates  40 ,  42  are sealed against and secured to the top and bottom portions of outer frame  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28 . The completed panel  12 ,  14 , and  15  is relatively light weight but possesses excellent strength including the ability to bear substantial loads and the ability to resist sheer, tension, compression, and racking forces. 
     Preferably, frame members  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28  are fabricated from wood, metal, fiber impregnated resins, plastic, or the like. Top and bottom plates  40 ,  42  are preferably constructed from any material that will readily accept and retain paint and mechanical fasteners such as plywood, metal, gypsum board (or drywall), fiberglass, plastic or the like. In most applications, it is contemplated that both top and bottom plates (or sheets)  40 ,  42  will be constructed from material that is capable of bearing at least one of a tensile, compression, sheer, or racking load. However, it is contemplated that in some applications, the use of load bearing material for at least one of the plates  40 ,  42  can be eliminated and replaced with a no-load bearing material (such as gypsum board). Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 1 , panel  15  has two surfaces—top surface  15 ′ and bottom surface  15 ″. It is contemplated that top surface  15 ′ may in some cases be fabricated from a load bearing material (such as plywood, metal or the like) but bottom surface  15 ″ may not have to be fabricated from such a load bearing material. For example, in applications where surface  15 ″ forms the finished ceiling of a room, it may simply be an unnecessary expense to use an expensive load bearing material for constructing surface  15 ″. 
     Wedge members  16 ,  18  and  20  can be fabricated from any number of materials. The primary function served by wedge members  16 ,  18  and  20  is to join the edge portion of two adjacent panels  12 ,  14 , and  15 . Various embodiments of wedge members  16 ,  18  and  20  are shown in  FIGS. 2A-2D .  FIG. 2A  shown that wedge members  16 ,  18 , and  20  can be fabricated by cutting a panel (such as panel  12 ) along a diagonal line and then stacking and joining (by way of gluing or mechanical fasteners) two cut members to form a triangular shaped wedge member. In a second embodiment  2 B, wedge members  16 ,  18 ,  20  are fabricated identically to the embodiment set forth in  FIG. 2A , however, a finish plate  44  is placed over the foam  17  exposed end of the wedge  16 ,  18 , and  20  thereby giving it greater structural integrity. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 2C , wedge  16 ,  18  and  20  is fabricated from three plate members  46 ,  48  and  50  which are cut and fitted against one another to form a generally triangular tubular shape. Preferably, the hollow center core formed by plate  46 ,  48 ,  50  is then filled with unifying material  38  (such as foam). It is also contemplated (see  FIG. 2D ) that wedge members  16 ,  18  and  20  can be fabricated from plates  46 ,  48  and  50  without the use of a unifying material  38  (simply leaving the hollow core portion formed between plates  46 ,  48 ,  50  unfilled). 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show the final cut away view of the assembled panel of  FIGS. 3-5 . 
     In an alternative embodiment,  FIGS. 8, 9, 10, 11  show the fabrication of an alternative embodiment of panels  12 ,  14 , and  15 . In this alternative embodiment, the frame  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  and the top and bottom plate  40 ,  42  are constructed identically to that which was discussed in the embodiment of  FIGS. 3-7 . The only difference between the panel of  FIGS. 3-7  and the panel of  FIGS. 8-11  is that in the panel of  FIGS. 8-11 , the honeycomb shaped grid material  30  is replaced by an X-Y grid  52 . It is contemplated that in a preferred embodiment, X-Y grid  52  can be fabricated from a single unitary member (such as a steel stamping, plastic stamping or plastic injection molded component, or it can be constructed from fibrous strands (such as Kevlar, fiberglass, plastic, nylon, metal, carbon or the like), wherein each strand (or group of strands) is (are) individually attached to a portion of one of the outer frames  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . If grid  52  is constructed from individual strands or groups of strands, these strands can be routed such that they alternatively cross under and over one another at a point of contact  56  (i.e. are woven together) or, alternatively, they can be constructed such that the strands are mechanically or adhesively joined to one another at their points of contact  56 . It is contemplated that superior panel strength will be achieved if the strands are mechanically or adhesively joined to one another at their points of contact  56 . 
     It is important to note that the roof system disclosed above is self supportive in the sense that it does not rely on a traditional truss structure for its support or to support additional loading imposed by materials such as roofing material, interior walls, mechanical systems, etc. which may be added thereto. Thus, the disclosed system overcomes the shortcomings associated with the prior art roof systems (which use both trusses and sheeting material) by integrating the function of the truss and the sheeting material into a single panel component. It is also important to note that in addition to eliminating roof trusses, the inventive system, in many applications, eliminates the need for insulation inasmuch as unifying material  38  is preferably composed from materials which have superior insulating capability. 
     In many portions of the United States, constructing homes with basements is impractical. In these instances, the mechanical systems (heating and cooling) must either be located on the main living floor (thereby taking up valuable living space) or must be placed in the attic. The advantage of placing the mechanical systems in the attic is that valuable living space is not consumed by the mechanical system; however, because most prior art attics are not insulated, placing the mechanical systems in an uninsulated area results in inefficient operation of the mechanical system. However, the present invention overcomes the traditional inefficiencies of placing the mechanical systems in the attic because the panels disclosed herein include superior insulative properties. 
     It is contemplated that the roof system disclosed herein is made from plates (or sheets) formed 8 feet wide and preferably formed the length of the entire house. Thus, when these panels are used for a ceiling of a finished room, it is contemplated that spans of up to 26 feet, and perhaps greater, will be traversed without necessitating the intervention of a load bearing wall. It is also contemplated that adhesives and other similar materials (such as double sided tape) may be used to join frame members  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  together to join panels  12 ,  14 ,  16  to wedge members  16 ,  18 ,  22 , or to join top and bottom plates  40 ,  42  to frame  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . 
     In an alternative embodiment of panels  12 ,  14 ,  16 , it is contemplated that resin impregnated fiberglass material can be placed on one or more surface of top and/or bottom plate  40 ,  42  thereby further increasing the structural, load bearing capability of plates  40 ,  42  thereby increasing the load bearing capability of the overall roof system  10 . 
     In a second embodiment of the roof system of the present invention,  FIG. 12  shows a roof system similar to that of  FIG. 1  except that bottom panel  15  is no longer present. It is replaced by a series of rafter boards  58 . In a preferred embodiment rafter boards  58  are not directly attached to panels  12 ,  14 , but rather are indirectly attached thereto by way of wedges  18 ,  20 . In all other ways, the second embodiment set forth in  FIG. 12  is identical to that which has been discussed in conjunction with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .