Patent Document

PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/685,838 filed May 31, 2005 and from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/217,963 filed Sep. 1, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD  
       [0002]     The instant invention is in the field of wall construction. More specifically, the instant invention relates to modular panels for wall construction such as leave-in-place forms for poured concrete walls.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Forms for poured concrete walls comprising interlocking hollow blocks are known, see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,703,602; 5,086,600; 5,855,102; 5,992,102 and 6,536,172. Forms for poured concrete walls comprising modular panels are known, see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,884,382; 5,570,552; 5,983,585; and 6,405,505. However, none of the prior art technology takes full advantage of injection molded components.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     An important benefit of the instant invention is that it allows a single user to incorporate several phases of construction into a single phase, thereby creating a finished wall. The instant invention is a kit for forming a hollow block to be used to construct a wall, the kit comprising: at least two face panels and a plurality of fasteners, each face panel comprising a plurality of spaced apart flanges extending perpendicularly from and attached to each panel so that a hollow block structure is assembled when the flanges of the face panels are connected together, directly or indirectly, by the fasteners.  
         [0005]     In another embodiment, the instant invention is a hollow block assembly to be used to construct a wall, comprising: two face panels, each face panel comprising a plurality of spaced apart flanges extending perpendicularly from and attached to each panel, the flanges of one face panel facing and aligned with the flanges of the other face panel; and a plurality of fasteners connecting the flanges together. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective rear view of a face panel of the instant invention showing four flanges extending therefrom;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective front view of a face panel of the instant invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a snap-strap of the instant invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the snap-strap of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the snap-strap of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a an end view of a pair of face panels of  FIG. 1  attached to each other using snap-straps as shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is an end view from the other end of the assembly shown in  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  is a top view of two of the assemblies of  FIGS. 6 and 7  engaged end to end and also showing a number of insulation panels;  
         [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a base-plate system for use with the block assembly of the instant invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of half block outer corner for use with the block assembly of the instant invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of full block outer corner for use with the block assembly of the instant invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an inner corner for use with the block assembly of the instant invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an end cap for use with the block assembly of the instant invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a top cap for use with the block assembly of the instant invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a perforated strap for use in the instant invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a press-fit fastener for use in the instant invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 17  is a perspective rear view of another face panel of the instant invention showing four flanges extending therefrom; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 18  is an end view of a pair of the face panels of  FIG. 17  attached to each other using steel concrete reinforcing rods. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , therein is shown a perspective rear view of a preferred face panel  10  of the instant invention molded of a thermoplastic polymer or resin such as, without limitation thereto, impact modified polystyrene, polyethylene, PVC, PVC structural foam or a thermoset resin such as, without limitation thereto, a phenol-formaldehyde resin. The face panel  10  has four flanges  11  extending perpendicularly therefrom and integrally molded therewith. Each flange  11  is perforated therethrough with a plurality of apertures  12 . Referring now to  FIG. 2 , therein is shown a perspective front view of the face panel of  10  of  FIG. 1 . It should be understood that the face panels of the instant invention can be made of any suitable material such as, without limitation thereto, galvanized sheet steel, sheet aluminum and wood or wood compositions such as chip board. Preferably, the face panels of the instant invention are made of thermoplastic or thermoset resins. It should be understood that when the panels and/or fasteners of the instant invention are made of molded thermoplastic, then recycled thermoplastic can be used to help advance the quality of the environment.  
         [0025]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , therein is shown a perspective view of a preferred “snap-strap”  17  of the instant invention molded of a thermoplastic polymer or resin such as, without limitation thereto, a plasticized polyvinyl chloride material or a thermoset resin such as, without limitation thereto, a polyurethane resin. The strap  17  comprises projections  18  therefrom molded integrally therewith. The projections  18  are dimensioned to be an interference fit when pressed through an aperture  12  of a flange  11  of the face panel  10  shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  shows a top view of the snap-strap  17  of  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 5  shows a side view of the snap-strap  17  of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0026]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , therein is shown an end view of a hollow block structure  19  assembled when the projections  18  of the snap-straps  17  are pressed through the apertures of the flanges  11  of the face panels  10 . Referring now to  FIG. 7 , therein is shown an end view of the hollow block structure  19  of  FIG. 6  from the other end. In use, a number of block structures  19  are arrayed in a horizontal course with the side aligning tabs  13  fitted under the adjoining face panel. Then another horizontal course of block structures  19  is pressed in staggered fashion above the first course so that locking tabs  15  (also called snap buttons herein) of the face panels  10  engage with the holes or openings  16  in the upper aligning tabs  14 . Then, if desired, additional horizontal courses of block structures  19  are laid until the wall or footing form is as high as desired. Reinforcing steel rods can, of course, be inserted as desired as the courses are laid. If larger panels are used, then a wall can be formed from one course of the block structures of the instant invention.  
         [0027]     Referring again to  FIG. 5 , it will be noted that the preferred shape of the projections  18  is in the form of a chevron in cross-section. However, it should be understood that other shapes (such as a spheroid) can be used if desired. The outside diameter of the projections  18  is somewhat larger than inside diameter of the apertures  12  so that the projections  18  are an interference fit when the projections  18  are pressed through the apertures  12  to assemble the block structure  19  of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0028]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , it is preferable to mold four flanges  11  from the face plate  10  as shown so that half or even quarter blocks can be assembled by sawing the face plate  10  in half or in quarters. Although the block assembly  19  of  FIGS. 6 and 7  is assembled from identical face plates  10 , it should be understood that a face plate which is a mirror image of the face plate  10  is preferred so that the side aligning tabs of a block assembly face the same direction.  
         [0029]     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , therein is shown a top view of two of the assemblies  19  of  FIGS. 6 and 7  engaged end to end. Closed cell polystyrene foam thermal insulation panels  20  are then inserted as shown and are highly preferred as providing not only thermal insulation but added strength to the form to withstand the hydraulic pressure of the fluid concrete poured into the form before the fluid concrete cures. And, if larger panels are used, then an insulated wall, insulated with, for example and without limitation thereto, fiberglass or blown-in cellulose insulation, can be formed from one course of the block structures of the instant invention even if the wall is not filled with concrete.  
         [0030]     The exterior and/or interior of the face panels of the instant invention are preferably “finish-faced”. The term “finish-faced” means an external surface not requiring further finishing. Such an external surface could be, for example and without limitation thereto, a stucco type of surface or vertical lines that could disguise, if desired, the vertical joints of the wall. The face panels can, of course, be molded of a colored thermoplastic or thermoset polymer or resin so that the finished wall does not require painting. The instant invention can be used, of course, to make footings, foundation walls and walls above grade.  
         [0031]     An important benefit of the instant invention is that by the use of snap-straps of different lengths, walls and the like can be constructed of different thicknesses. The use of relatively long face panels of appropriate design permits the ready adaptation of the instant invention to the construction of curved walls.  
         [0032]     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , therein is shown a base-plate system  21  for use with the hollow blocks of the instant invention. The base-plate system  21  consists of a front face  22  and a rear face  23  connected by snap straps  24  (all of which are preferably injection molded of a thermoplastic or thermoset resin). In use, the base plate system  21  can be, for example, grouted to a footing. The locking tabs ( 15  of  FIG. 6 ) of the first course of hollow blocks of the instant invention are then located over and pressed into the holes  25  in the front and rear faces  22  and  23 . Alternatively, the first course of hollow blocks of the instant invention can simply be grouted to the footing.  
         [0033]     Referring now to  FIG. 10 , therein is shown a perspective view of a preferred half block outer corner  26  for use with the hollow blocks of the instant invention which is preferably also molded of a thermoplastic or thermoset resin. Referring now to  FIG. 11 , therein is shown a perspective view of a preferred full block outer corner  27  for use with the hollow blocks of the instant invention which is preferably also molded of a thermoplastic or thermoset resin. Referring now to  FIG. 12 , therein is shown a perspective view of a preferred full inner corner  28  for use with the hollow blocks of the instant invention which is preferably also molded of a thermoplastic or thermoset resin. Referring now to  FIG. 13 , therein is shown a perspective view of a preferred end cap  29  for use with the hollow blocks of the instant invention (which is preferably also molded of a thermoplastic or thermoset resin) if it is desired to end a wall or footing. The end cap  29  can be held in place by screws, not shown, driven through the end of a hollow block to engage the tabs  29   a  of the end cap  29 . Referring now to  FIG. 14 , therein is shown a perspective view of a preferred top cap  29  for use with the hollow blocks of the instant invention (which is preferably also molded of a thermoplastic or thermoset resin) if it is desired to finish the top of a wall or footing. The top cap  29  preferably has locking tabs (like the locking tabs  15  of  FIG. 1 ) molded with the skirt  30   a  of the top cap  29  to engage with the holes in the aligning tabs of the hollow block of the instant invention.  
         [0034]     The snap strap  17  of  FIG. 3  is an example of a fastener for the indirect connection of a flange of one face panel to a flange of another face panel. Referring now to  FIG. 15 , therein is shown a strap  31  perforated therethrough with apertures  32 . Of course, the flanges of the face plates discussed above can be molded or otherwise formed to have projections which are dimensioned to be an interference fit when pressed through the apertures  32  of the strap  31 . And, of course, the flanges of one panel can have apertures while the corresponding flanges of the other panel can be molded or otherwise formed to have projections which are dimensioned to be an interference fit when pressed through said apertures. However, referring now to  FIG. 16 , therein is shown a “X-Mass Tree Clip” fastener”  33  available from K-International of Gurnee, Ill. Thirty two of such fasteners  33  can be used to attach one face plate  10  of  FIG. 1  to another face plate  10  of  FIG. 1  by pressing said fasteners through the apertures  32  of the strap  31  of  FIG. 15  and the apertures  12  of the face plate  10  of  FIG. 1  to produce a block assembly similar to the block assembly  19  of  FIG. 6 . The outside diameter of the chevrons  34  of the fastener  33  are dimensioned to be an interference fit in the apertures  32  and  12 . A simple length of wire can be used as a fastener to attach one panel to another panel by passing the wire through the apertures of the flanges of the panels and bending the wire around the apertures. The fastener  33  is but one example of a whole family of press-fit fasteners which are commercially available. For example, and without limitation thereto, said K-International offers snap rivets, Viking clips, quick grip fasteners, dart clips, ratchet rivet fasteners and arrow clips. And, of course, conventional fasteners such as nuts and bolts can also be used.  
         [0035]     Referring now to  FIG. 17 , therein is shown a perspective rear view of a preferred face panel  35  of the instant invention molded of a thermoplastic polymer or resin such as, without limitation thereto, impact modified polystyrene, polyethylene or a thermoset resin such as, without limitation thereto, a phenol-formaldehyde resin. The face panel  35  has four flanges  40  extending perpendicularly therefrom and integrally molded therewith. Each flange  40  is perforated therethrough with a plurality of apertures  41 . Each panel  35  has side aligning tabs  36 , upper aligning tabs  39 , holes  38  and locking tabs  37 . Two panels  35  can be joined together by pressing fasteners  33  of  FIG. 16  through the apertures  41  of each face plate  35 . Alternatively, any desired fastener can be used for this purpose.  
         [0036]     Referring now to  FIG. 18 , when it is desired to produce a poured reinforced concrete wall, a preferred fastener for connecting the face panels together is a number of steel concrete reinforcing rods  42  positioned in the apertures  41  of the panels  35  of  FIG. 17 . Preferably, the outside diameter of the rods  42  is smaller than the inside diameter of the apertures  41 .  
       Conclusion  
       [0037]     While the instant invention has been described above according to its preferred embodiments, it can be modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the instant invention using the general principles disclosed herein. Further, the instant application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the following claims.

Technology Category: 0