Patent Publication Number: US-2016230388-A1

Title: Device forming a wall construction element

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     See Application Data Sheet. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
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     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM (EFS-WEB) 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to the field of the building works and the buildings. 
     The invention relates more particularly to the improvement of the energy performance of a building through the implementation of wall. 
     2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98. 
     As already known, in order to improve the thermal insulation of the homes, at the time of their building, different materials are arranged within the walls, in front facing and/or inner side, or within the walls. That is why it has been devised to make separate walls, namely formed of an outer wall and an inner wall made integral with each other, but spaced apart so as to preserve a gap to be filled with an insulating material. 
     The shape of these walls is such that it avoids thermal bridges at the level of the joints between the different vertical and horizontal walls, as well as at the level of the frames. 
     Thus, the invention provides a building element for making a wall and comprised of at least one outer wall and one inner wall separated from each other and made integral with each other in order to limit as much as possible the structural thermal bridges. 
     In the field of building works, there already exist techniques that use walls based on separate inner and outer rigid insulations made integral with each other. An example is described in FR 2918395 relating to elements aimed at forming a wall of the type “sandwich” wall. Such elements are in the form of boards that form externally the front and form internally a wall. Said boards are connected and fastened to each other by means of metal brackets forming a space between the front and the inner wall. This space is then filled with concrete aimed, on the one hand, at making integral the inner and outer boards and, on the other way hand, at forming a solid supporting wall, said boards being in no way structural supporting elements. Depending on the number of boards, it is possible to determine the dimensions of the desired wall. 
     In addition, said inner and outer boards are supported directly at the level of their lower edge resting on the same slab, metal brackets connecting once again said edges of these boards. It should be noted that these brackets are used to maintain the regular spacing between the inner and outer boards, by bracing them, in order to cast the concrete wall into the space thus formed and preserved. 
     This technique is therefore similar to a lost casing and limits only partially the heat losses, in particular at the level of thermal bridges located at the level of the connections with the slab on which the walls are placed, as well as at the level of the floors and the frames around the openings. 
     In order to cope with these drawbacks, a solution has been devised in EP 2,354,346, which describes a building element limiting the thermal bridges only at the structural connections of the building, permitting to provide a continuous insulation between the walls and the floors and the ceilings. To this end, such a building element is formed of one outer wall and one inner wall separated from each other and made integral with each other, said outer wall being comprised of one single element forming, in the lower portion, a base projecting inwardly and L-shaped, so as to serve as a support and to receive, in the upper portion, the lower portion of said inner wall. 
     However, though such an element ensures an improved insulation, the inner wall does not permit to form a sufficiently rigid supporting structure to permit to build more than one floor, while maintaining the same insulating characteristics at the upper floors. Indeed, the mezzanine walls cannot be supported by the inner wall, which has a non-supporting structure. 
     Therefore, in order to build a building with at least one upper floor, it is necessary to let the mezzanine walls rest on the supporting outer wall, which creates a prejudicial thermal bridge. 
     Moreover, increasing the structure by converting it eventually into a supporting structure, and thus the thickness of the inner wall, in particular by enhancing its base on the re-entering offset of the outer wall reduces the separation intended for the insulating material and therefore degrades the insulation being contemplated. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims at coping with the drawbacks of the prior art, by providing a building device comprising an L-shaped inner wall comprised of a single element provided, in the lower portion, with a base oriented outwardly and aimed at receiving an outer wall. In brief, it has been devised to reverse the inner and outer walls, in order to shift to the inner side the supporting structure aimed at supporting and taking up the vertical stresses of the mezzanine walls, as well as the supporting structures of the upper floors. 
     To this end, the invention relates to a building device comprising at least one inner wall and at least one outer wall, wherein said inner wall is formed of one single L-shaped element, so as to form a base oriented outwardly, the outer end of said base forming receiving means supporting said outer wall. 
     According to an additional non-restrictive feature, said receiving means can be in the form of a hollow set-back formed in the thickness of said end of the base and dimensioned in order to receive at least partially by encasement the lower portion of said outer wall. 
     Advantageously, said inner wall can comprise at least one through-opening from its outer side to its inner side in the upper portion of said base. Thus, the insulating material can pass through this opening and ensure a continuity with the insulation located between the inner and outer walls. 
     Preferably, said inner wall may comprise, at the level of its upper end and its inner side, at least one recess for receiving a mezzanine wall. Therefore, said mezzanine wall rests, on the inner side, on a supporting structure formed of the inner wall, without any junction with the outer wall, thereby limiting the thermal bridges. Thus, at the level of the mezzanine, when passing from one floor to another, the insulation is continuous between the outer and inner walls. 
     Thus, such a device permits to increase the number of floors of the building, from one single ground floor up to several floors, namely four or even five floors, while ensuring an improved insulation by separating the outer walls of the building from the inner walls. 
     Moreover, this building device permits to ensure a continuity of the insulation, in particular under the roof and the eventual terraces of the building being so built. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of the non-restrictive embodiments of the invention, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  schematically represents a view according to a vertical cross-section of a building device according to the invention, implemented within a two-floor building. 
         FIG. 2  schematic represents a perspective view of a detail of the device according to a preferred embodiment, showing the L-shaped base oriented outwardly and receiving, in the upper portion, the outer wall. 
         FIG. 3  schematically represents a front view of a particular embodiment of the inner wall of said building device, showing the junctions with the base and the space for the passing through of the insulating material. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a building device  1 . Such a device is aimed at forming a wall element forming the supporting structure  2  of a building, while ensuring its insulation. 
     According to the exemplary implantation shown in  FIG. 1 , such a device  1  is implemented within a building  2  at the level of its ground floor  3 , topped by a first floor  4 , the latter being covered with a roof  5 . According to other modes of implantation, such a device can equip the ground floor  3  of a two-, three-, four- or five-floor vertical building  2 . In addition, such a device  1  can also equip one of the upper floors. 
     It should be noted that between two floors, the building  2  comprises a mezzanine wall  6 , generally comprised of a slab forming, at the upper side, the floor and the floor above and, at the lower side, the ceiling of the floor located below. 
     In addition, at the level of the ground floor  3 , a slab  7  can cooperate with said device  1 , whereby the latter can be secured in the continuity of said slab  7 , even supported on the upper side  7  of the slab. 
     According to an essential feature of the present invention, the building device  1  comprises at least one inner wall  8  and at least one outer wall  9 . These walls are provided separate and spaced apart, in order to receive an insulating material  10  in the space formed by this separation. This reservation of a space therefore ensures the insulation of the building all along its periphery, with the exception of the frames fitted in the openings provided for through said walls  8 ,  9 . 
     Advantageously, said inner wall  8  is formed of one single element, which is L-shaped, so as to form a base  11  facing outwardly. In other words, the inner wall  8  is formed of one single block having the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, as can be seen in  FIG. 3 , and the lower end of which has a projection extending to the outer side of the building  2 , said projection forming said base  11 . 
     According to the preferred embodiment, this inner wall  8  is formed inside a casing inside which is positioned a metal reinforcement prior to casting concrete. This inner wall  8  thus forms a supporting structure. 
     Furthermore, the outer end of said base  11  forms receiving means  12  for supporting said outer wall  9 . In other words, the outer wall  9  rests on the upper face of the base  11  spaced apart, by the length of the latter, from the inner wall  8 , reserving the space for receiving the insulating material  10 . 
     According to the preferred, non-restrictive embodiment, said receiving means  12  are in the form of a hollow set-back  13  formed in the thickness of said end of the base  11  and dimensioned so as to receive at least partially by encasement the lower portion of said outer wall  9 . 
     According to the embodiment shown in the figures, said set-back  13  has a width equivalent to the thickness of the outer wall  9 . In addition, the outer end edge of the base  11  is then flush with the outer side of said outer wall  9 . 
     In addition, this set-back  13  extends along the entire length of the base  11  and, therefore, of said inner wall  8 . 
     According to another embodiment, said set-back  13  can form a notch, forming a groove over the entire length of the base  11 . In other words, the outer end of the base  11  protrudes outwardly, beyond the outer side of said outer wall  9 . The latter then fully encases inside such a notch. 
     Thus, the outer wall  9  is supported by the inner wall  8  and is not supporting, its structure being then made lighter. The inner wall  8  is designed supporting, receiving internally an reinforcement, in particular a metal reinforcement, likely to take up internally the forces and structural stresses of the building  2 , in particular of the upper floors. In brief, the outer wall  9  then serves as a cladding for said Building  2 . 
     It should be noted that the coatings, namely a cladding, can be applied on the outer side of the outer wall  9 , as well as on the inner side of the inner wall  8 . 
     Furthermore, according to an additional feature, in order to improve the insulation between the outside and the inside of the building  2 , the invention provides for ensuring the continuity of the insulation located between the inner  8  and outer  9  walls with the insulation of the underfloor of said building  2 , namely with the insulation of the slab  7 . 
     To this end, said inner wall  8  comprises at least one through-opening  14  from its outer side to its inner side, in the upper portion of said base  11 . Preferably, this opening  14  is in the form of a single slot extending from one end to another along the length of said inner wall  8 , except at the lateral ends at the level of which the base  11  joins and is integral with the vertical inner wall element. This junction is carried out by means of a continuity of the material forming said device  1 , namely concrete, as well as namely the inner reinforcement it contains, i.e. a metal reinforcement. 
     Thus, said opening  14  permits to receive an additional insulating material  15  inserted into said slot, thus ensuring the continuity with the insulating material  10 , at the upper side of the slab  7 , through the inner wall  8 . Therefore, only the two portions ensuring the junction between the base  11  and the vertical wall element constitute connections that can cause thermal transfer from the slab  7  and the outer wall and  9 , thereby limiting the prejudicial thermal bridges to the overall insulation of the building  2 . 
     It should be noted that the metal reinforcement of said inner wall  8  can pass internally at the level of these junctions, in order to ensure the continuity with the base  11 , namely with another portion of the metal reinforcement cast therein. 
     As mentioned above, the inner wall  8  is supporting and takes up the essential part of the structural stresses of the building  2 , in particular of the upper floors. 
     To this end, said inner wall  8  comprises at the level of its upper end and its inner side, at least one recess  16  for receiving a mezzanine wall  6 . This recess is similar namely to a set-back oriented towards the inside of the building  2 , over part of the thickness of the inner wall  8 . The end of the mezzanine slab  6  then rests within this recess  16 . The height of this set-back is equivalent to the thickness of the mezzanine wall  6 , so that the upper edge of the inner wall  8  is flush with the upper side of this mezzanine wall  6 . 
     The other part of the thickness of the inner wall  8  permits to receive, resting thereon, part of the upper structural wall  17 . The mezzanine wall  6  can also receive, resting thereon, a portion of said upper wall  17 . In addition, this mezzanine wall  6  can also receive suitable fastening means  21 , namely for sealing said upper wall  17 . 
     In this respect, the latter is preferably also designed supporting, in order to ensure the continuity of the taking up of the structural forces by the inside of the building  2 . Conversely, a non-structural upper outer wall  18  can rest on top of said outer wall  9 . 
     In addition, directly at the level of the upper end of the inner wall  8 , in substitution of the recess  16 , or at the level of the upper end of the upper inner wall  17  can be provided for an additional opening  19 , in the way of the opening  14  located in the lower portion. This additional opening  19 , located in the upper portion, namely at the level and under the roof  5 , also permits the passing through of an upper insulating material  20 , ensuring the continuity of the insulation. 
     Thus, the building device  1  according to the invention permits to form a continuity in the insulation of the building  2 , all around the latter, between the inner wall  8  and the outer wall  9 , in a connected way as a cover of the slab  7  and under the roof  5 . The building  2  is then completely surrounded by the insulating material, except at the minimum junction and supporting points. 
     Furthermore, such a device  1  is simple to be implemented, i.e. it is enough to position the inner wall  8 , then to let the outer wall  9  rest thereon. The latter can be maintained by gaps in braced connection with the inner wall  8 . Before or after this positioning of the outer wall  9 , the insulating material  10  can be mutually placed or injected, namely blown into the space between these walls  8  and  9 . The additional insulating material  15  can also be positioned before or after the mounting of the outer wall  9 . 
     Once this floor has been completed, the mezzanine wall  6  is placed, then the upper inner wall  17  is placed and fixed, then the upper outer wall  18 , before or after the placing or injection of the insulating material  10 , and so on. 
     Thus, the invention permits to make buildings of one to several floors, with an improved insulation. 
     In addition, although the invention has been described with respect to a particular embodiment, it is in no way limited thereto. In particular, the invention also covers a building device in which, even though the non-supporting structure of the wall being obtained, namely the outer wall, can be omitted or substituted, namely with another type of outer coating or cladding, as soon as this coating or cladding rests on the base  11 , it will be similar to the outer wall, as defined above. 
     By way of an example, this can be the case for buildings defined as provisional ones, pursuant to the urban and technical regulations in force, the buildings the normal temperature of use of which is lower than or equal to the thresholds of the said regulations, the buildings aimed at opening onto the outside during normal operation.