Patent Publication Number: US-8984833-B2

Title: Building wall system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/291,622, filed on Nov. 8, 2011, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/447,278, filed on Feb. 28, 2011. The entire disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to building materials and, more particularly, to a building wall system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various types of building wall systems exist in the art. Ordinarily, a building wall includes a framing structure, insulated portion and a façade portion. A mechanism secures the façade portion to the insulated portion. In commercial structures, the insulation portion is generally formed by a plurality of architectural panels that are secured to one another. Various types of mechanism secure the façade to the architectural panels. Ordinarily, the panels include a front and rear metallic skin that sandwich an interior foam insulating material. The insulating foam material is adhesively bonded or the like with the metallic skins to form the panels. The panels range in thickness from 1 inch to 6 inches or more and have a length anywhere from 6 feet to 60 feet long. Additionally, the width of the panels varies from 1 foot to about 5 feet. Thus, a wall or roof can be positioned onto the framing structure to rapidly enclose the building. 
     It is desirable to attach or hang the façade onto the panels. When hanging the façade, it is desirable to provide a moisture, air and thermal barrier between the façade and the panel and frame structure. Also, it is desirable to provide a rigid surface for the attachment of the façade. 
     The present disclosure provides the art with a building wall system that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior systems. The present building wall system provides a rigid surface to secure the façade. The present disclosure provides a moisture, air and thermal barrier between the facade, panels and frame. The present disclosure utilizes necessary securement fasteners required to hang the panels. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the disclosure, a building wall system comprises a plurality of insulated panels. The plurality of insulated panels is positioned adjacent to one another in a vertical or horizontal arrangement. The panels are secured to a frame structure of a building via fasteners. A plurality of rails is secured to the frame structure. Each rail includes a first, second, and third portion. The first portion includes a mechanism to receive the fasteners to secure the rail to the frame structure. The second portion receives fasteners to secure a façade. The second portion is spaced from the insulated panel such that the façade securing fasteners do not enter into the panels. A third portion supports the second portion. The third portion rests against the panel and provides rigidity for the second portion. The third portion may have a free end and may also be secured. A mechanism is coupled with the rail to enhance securement of the façade. The first, second and third portions are continuous with one another and form a one piece rail. The second and third portions have a top hat cross section. Additionally, the second and third portions may have a labyrinth or rectangular helix cross section. The rail includes a plurality of apertures to receive the mechanisms to enhance securement of the façade. A gap is provided between the façade and the panels to provide a moisture, air and thermal barrier. 
     According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a building comprises a frame structure, a wall system and a façade. The wall system includes a plurality of insulated panels that is positioned adjacent to one another in a vertical or horizontal arrangement. The insulated panels are secured to the frame structure via fasteners. A plurality of rail is secured with the frame structure. Each rail includes a first, second and third portion. The first portion includes a mechanism to receive the fasteners to secure the rail to the frame structure. The second portion receives the fasteners to secure the façade. The second portion is spaced from the insulated panels such that the façade securing fasteners do not enter into the panels. The third portion supports the second portion. The third portion rests against the insulated panels and provides rigidity to the second portion. The third portion may have a free end. Alternatively, the third portion may be secured to the panel. A mechanism is coupled with the rail to enhance securement of the façade. The first, second and third portions are continuous with one another and form a one piece rail. The second and third portions have a top hat cross section. Additionally, the second and third portions may have a labyrinth or rectangular helix cross section. The rail includes a plurality of apertures to receive the mechanisms to enhance securement of the façade. A gap is provided between the façade and the panels to provide a moisture, air and thermal barrier. 
     According to a third aspect of the disclosure, a method of building a building wall system comprises positioning a first panel adjacent a framing structure. A rail is aligned with the first panel. A securement mechanism secures the rail and the first panel to the framing structure, via fasteners. The panel securement and alignment continues until a building wall system is formed. A façade is attached to the rails. Additionally, a securing mechanism may be coupled with the rails to enhance attaching of the façade. The rails are only secured to the framing structure utilizing the fasteners that also secure the panels to the framing structure. A moisture air and thermal barrier is provided between a façade and the wall panels. 
     Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a building. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view partially in section of a wall with horizontal panels. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3   a  is a view like  FIG. 3  with a fastening mechanism. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective breakaway view like  FIG. 2  with a vertical rail and horizontal single skin. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective breakaway view of a second embodiment with the panels in a horizontal position. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-section view of  FIG. 5  along lines  6 - 6  thereof. 
         FIG. 7  is a view like  FIG. 5  with the panels in a vertical position. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective breakaway view of another embodiment with the panels in a horizontal position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning to the figures,  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a building. The building  10  includes walls  12  that include an outer façade  14 . The building generally has a roof  16  and a framing structure  18  on which the walls  12  are secured. 
     Turning to  FIG. 2 , a breakaway of the wall  12  is illustrated. The wall  12  includes the façade  14  as well as a plurality of insulated panels  22 . The panels  22  generally include an outer skin  24 , an inner skin  26  and foam insulating material  28  positioned between the two. The panels  22  are manufactured such that the outer and inner skins  24 ,  26  are secured with the foam insulation  28 . Also, the panels  22  include edges  30 ,  32 . The edges  30 ,  32  mate with other panels having an opposite edge as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 2 , the edge  30  has a pair of projections  34 ,  36  extending from the edge  30 . The edge  32  includes a pair of recesses  38 ,  40  to receive the projections  34 ,  36 . Also, the edge  30  includes a cut-out  42  while the edge  32  includes a flange  44  that fits into the cutout  42  as best illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the panels are stacked one on top of the other in a horizontal arrangement or configuration.  FIG. 4  is a view like  FIG. 2  with the panels  22  in a vertical arrangement. The panels are the same; just the orientation has been changed. The panels  22  are secured to the framing structure  18  via fasteners  52 . The fasteners  52  secure to the framing structure  18  along the length of the building. 
     Rails  60  are positioned on the panels  22  and secured to the framing structure  18  by the fasteners  52 . The rails  60  are positioned on each panel  22  to enable securement of the façade  14  onto the panels  22 . Each bracket or mounting rail  60  is an elongated stamped member having a desired length corresponding to the length of the building. Each rail  60  includes a first portion  62 , a second portion  64 , and a third portion  66 . The first, second and third portions  62 ,  64 , and  66  are continuous with one another and form a one piece bracket or mounting rail  60 . The rail  60 , in cross-section, has an overall U-shape with one leg  70  longer than the other leg  72  with both legs including a flange  74 ,  78 . The longer leg  70  includes a longer flange  74 . The first portion  62  includes the longer flange  74  and includes a plurality of apertures  73  to receive the fasteners  52 . The first portion  62  secures the rail  60  with the framing structure  18  via the fasteners  52 . The second portion  64  has a U-shape that defines the web  68  and legs  70 ,  72 . The web  68  provides an attachment surface for the façade  14 . The web  68  is positioned away from the outer skin  24  such that fasteners  75  securing the façade  14  with the rails  60  do not enter into the panels  22 . Additionally, the leg  70  may include apertures  76  that receive members to enhance the attachment of the façade  14  as will be described later. The leg  72  and flange  78  provide rigidity for the web  68 . The flange  78  nests on the outer skin  24  to provide rigidity to the web  68 . The second and third portions form a top hat design when viewed in cross-section sitting on top of the outer skin of the panels  22  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The one piece rail  60  is shown only attached to the framing structure  18  via the fasteners  52  that pass through the rail apertures  73  as well as through the panels  22 . 
     A fastener for securing the flange  78  with the outer skin of the panel  22  is illustrated in  FIG. 3   a . Here, the fastener  81  includes an internal clamping sleeve  83  and bolt  85 . One such fastening system is that referred to as Fablock™. A hole is drilled through the skin and the sleeve  83  is inserted as illustrated in  FIG. 3   a . On tightening of the bolt  85 , the sleeve  83  splays and is clamped against the inside surface of the external skin  24 . Additionally, as well as being fastened, an additional adhesive could be applied between the flange and the outer skin to enhance the securement. Additionally, the fastener  52  that secures the panels  22  in place likewise provides securement for the bracket or mounting rail  60 . 
     A gap  80  is formed between the façade  14  and the panels  22 . The gap  80 , which may vary in size, provides a moisture, air and thermal barrier between the façade  14  and the panels  22 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the rail  60  positioned vertically along the panels  22 . Thus, the same structure can be used on horizontal panels ( FIG. 2 ) or vertical panels depending upon the building construction and framing structure layout. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 5-7 , a second embodiment is illustrated. In this embodiment, those elements that are the same as previously described are designated with the same reference numerals. The difference between the first embodiment and the second embodiment lies in the fact that an additional frame member is secured with the rails  60  to enhance securement of the façade  14  to the wall panels  22 . 
     Here, a frame member  100  is secured with the web  68  of the second portion  64  of the rails  60  when the rails are in a horizontal or vertical position as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The frame member  100  is an elongated member stamped to have a desired shape when viewed in cross-section. The frame member  100  includes a web  102 , legs  104 ,  106  and flanges  108 ,  110 . The flanges  108 ,  110  receive fasteners  112  to secure the framing member  100  onto the web  68  of the second portion  64  of the rails  60 . Thus, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , an additional or larger gap is formed between the façade  14  and the panels  22 . Here, the façade  14  is secured to the frame members  100 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 8 , an additional embodiment of the rail  160  is illustrated. Here, the building includes a brick façade  14 . The rail  160  includes a first securement portion  162 , a second portion  164 , and a third portion  166 . The first portion  162  is like that previously described. The second and third portions, when viewed in cross-section, define a labyrinth or rectangular helix design. The rail third portion  166  is folded on itself such that a surface  168  rests against the outer skin  24 . The helix portion provides increased rigidity for the rail  160 . 
     Brick tie fasteners  170  extend from the apertures  172 . The apertures  172  receive the brick ties  170  so that the brick ties  170  can provide leveling of the brick façade  14  as illustrated. Thus, the mortar is positioned on the brick ties  170  to provide securement of the façade with the panels  22  and to level the bricks to provide an aesthetic appearance. 
     The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.