Patent ID: 12234639

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows an example of an unfinalized composite ceiling10, i.e. during an intermediary construction step. More specifically, the composite ceiling10includes a shell12which is made of a polymer-based material (e.g. a plastic extrusion). The shell12generally has a rectangular prism shape14, is flat and planar (i.e. significantly wider and deeper than thick), and horizontally oriented. Its thickness16can be said to extend vertically (generally along the z axis). The shell12has a plurality of internal compartments18. More specifically, the shell12can be said to define an upper surface20opposite an lower surface22, the upper surface20being connected to the lower surface22by a plurality of vertically-oriented internal webs24, with the internal compartments18defined vertically between the upper and lower surfaces20,22, and horizontally between the webs24. The lower surface22is flat and smooth, and can be specifically be designed in a manner to form an industrial-grade, finished surface. For instance, the polymer-based material can be selected to be easy to clean and very resistant, and of a suitable color such as white to form an aesthetically pleasing ceiling. Such a configuration can be particularly suitable for industrial buildings such as a hog barn, where frequent cleaning may be required.

In an example construction method, the shell12can be laid on a temporary structure26such as scaffolding or the like, which has been previously mounted on a flooring. The lower surface22faces the flooring in such a case and is placed into abutment with receiving areas28of the temporary structure26.

The shell12can serve the dual function of serving as formwork for the casting of a concrete slab, and, by being left integrated to the concrete slab following removal of the temporary structure, can further serve as pre-finished aesthetically pleasing and/or practical ceiling material. Casting a concrete slab can involve using reinforcing steel as a tension device, incorporated within the concrete, to form reinforced concrete. Reinforced concrete can be significantly stronger in tension than non-reinforced concrete. In practice, reinforcing of concrete can be performed by suitably positioning a plurality of reinforcing bars of steel30, commonly referred to as rebar in the art, prior to the pouring of fresh concrete, for the concrete slab to solidify around (over, below, on both sides, etc.) the rebars30. In the context of a ceiling structure, it can be desired to position the rebar30in two or more orientations, and one approach can be to position the rebars30in two orthogonal orientations, such as in the x and y orientation respectively as shown inFIG.1and discussed below.

In the example presented inFIG.1, two layers of rebars30are superposed onto the shell12. More specifically, a first layer32of rebars30is laid above the shell12via a plurality of spacers34, which can space the rebars30from the otherwise relatively flat upper surface20and allow the fresh concrete to penetrate between the rebars30and the upper surface20. Depending on the jurisdiction where the construction is made, regulations may specify a minimum thickness for the spacing34between the rebars30and the upper surface20, and such minimum thickness may be above 0.5 inches, above 2 inches, or even above 2.5 inches for instance, and the thickness of the spacers34can be selected accordingly. In the first layer32of rebars30, the individual rebars30are spaced apart from one another in a first orientation, which we will define herein arbitrarily as the depth of the shell36, along the x-axis, for the sake of simplicity. The individual rebars30are oriented in a second orientation which is orthogonal to the first orientation, and which we will, again, define herein arbitrarily as the width of the shell38, along the y-axis.

A second layer of rebars40can then be superposed directly or indirectly (e.g. via other spacers, not shown) onto the first layer of rebars32. Typically, it can be preferred for the second layer of rebars40to be orthogonal to the first layer of rebars32, and therefore the rebars30of the second layers40can be spaced from one another along the width of the shell38. In an alternate embodiment, for instance, it may be preferred to use three layers of rebars, with individual layers being rotated by 120 degrees relative to each other, in which case the second or third layer can still be said to be spaced apart from one another along the width of the shell (being in fact spaced apart both along the width and along the depth of the shell given the 120 degree angle).

Once the rebars30are in position such as illustrated inFIG.1, the fresh concrete can be poured into place, onto the upper surface20and around the rebars30, in a manner to form, once hardened, a reinforced concrete slab. Once the reinforced concrete slab has hardened, the temporary support structure can be removed.

FIG.2shows an embodiment of a composite ceiling after the concrete has hardened42. In the embodiment shown inFIG.2, the concrete slab44is thicker than thickness of the shell46. In this particular embodiment, more than 1.5 times the thickness of the shell46. The concrete slab44also protrudes downwardly alongside the lateral end48of the shell46. Indeed, in the embodiment ofFIG.2, the lateral ends48of the shell46can abut against an upper end50of corresponding walls52which can serve as permanent support structure at those areas.

Referring specifically to the embodiment presented inFIG.2, the walls52also include reinforced concrete54. The reinforced concrete54can extend continuously from the walls52to the ceiling concrete slab44, around the edges of the shell48. At the edge region, the rebars56can be bent58so as to continuously extend from the wall52to the ceiling60, as illustrated, if desired.

In some embodiments, it can be desired for the composite ceiling60to perform yet a third function in addition to or instead of the second function of providing an aesthetically pleasing finish. Such a third function can be to provide thermal insulation. To this end, it can be preferred to fill the compartments62of the shell46with an insulating foam material. The insulating foam material can be polyurethane, for instance, such as a spray foam of isocyanate and polyol resin for instance, which can be sprayed into the compartments62of the shell46in a manner to expand therein and substantially fill the compartments62. Such an insulating foam material can be factory-applied in a manner to save time at the construction site.

Returning toFIG.1, it was found that one practical way to form the shell12is to use CONFORM® pre-finished, stay-in-place concrete wall formwork made of extruded polymer-based material manufactured by Nuform Building Technologies Inc. Indeed, such concrete wall formwork is provided in the form of discrete elongated elements, which can be referred to herein as modules, which are designed to be assembled to one another at the construction site. The elements include male modules, referred to as panels, and female modules, referred to as box connectors. The elements can be formed in variable lengths and different thicknesses. In the example embodiment presented inFIG.1, the four inch thick components (CF4) were found suitable for incorporating into the example composite ceiling structure10. The shell12is assembled from male modules100in the form of “panel232” elements and female modules102in the form of 3-way box connector elements. Two opposite ones of the female connector104elements of the female modules102serve to receive corresponding male connectors106of the male modules100, whereas the third female connector element108, provided in the form of elongated protrusions extending upwardly from the upper surface20, can be used as spacers34between the upper surface20of the shell12and the first layer32of rebar30. The modules100,102are elongated and can be assembled at the construction site by sliding male components106along the length of female components104,108or vice-versa. When assembled, the modules100,102can extend horizontally in a side-by-side configuration. When embodied in this manner, the spacers34are elongated along the length of the female modules102, and the first layer32of rebars30can be received transversally to the length of the modules102. The modules100,102have individual upper surfaces20, lower surfaces22and webs24delimiting one or more elongated compartment18between longitudinal ends, the elongated compartment18being open at both ends. The elongated compartment18can be filled with insulating foam at a factory, before transport to the construction site.

It will be understood that the use of CONFORM® pre-finished formwork modules is but one of many possible implementations of a shell, and while it may be suitable for some embodiments, it may be considered less suitable for others. In some embodiments, it can be preferred to design a shell of polymer-based material having the desired characteristics and perhaps be even better adapted to use in a composite ceiling. In particular, it can be preferred to design a shell which has integrated spacers which are better adapted for the role of supporting rebars. An example of such a shell is presented inFIG.3. In the embodiment presented inFIG.3, a plurality of elongated webs124which are spaced apart from one another protrude upwardly from an upper face120of the shell112forming spacers134, generally such as presented inFIG.1, but the spacers134can be equally interspaced from one another instead of being grouped in pairs. Moreover, the spacers134can be thicker than the spacers34ofFIG.1, such as to create a spacing170of 2 or 2.5 inches between the rebar130and the upper surface120of the shell112for instance. Also, the spacers134can be provided with integrated rebar seats172. In the embodiment presented inFIG.3, the rebar seats172are provided in the form of semi-circular recesses from an upper edge of the webs174, and the semi-circular recesses are dimensioned as a function of a diameter of the rebars130, in a manner for the rebar130to sit stably into the rebar seats172when positioned therein and avoid moving/rolling due to external forces such as light bumping or the wind.

As can be understood, the examples described above and illustrated are intended to be exemplary only. The scope is indicated by the appended claims.