Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Facer held by stiffener-type frame
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-20
2001-12-18
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Facer held by stiffener-type frame
C052S481100, C052S238100, C052S479000, C052S036100, C052S481200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330775
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to building wall structures and, more particularly, to a prefabricated wall structure which provides for the attachment of insulation and wall board and which is a replacement for standard stud wall constructions in that it provides for quicker assembly of a building structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of prefabricated materials in the construction of buildings has become fairly well known in the art. Traditionally, wooden frame construction homes have utilized standard wooden studs and trusses which are assembled by hand on location. The drawbacks of such construction are primarily the time and effort requirements of the construction workers in erecting the wall sections.
Referring to the All Joist Alliance Product Manual Brochure, a series of prefabricated joist assemblies are employed in the construction of floor and roof systems for buildings. The joists include top and bottom joist members and a compressed wood board extending therebetween. However, and as made clear by the All Joist Brochure, the assemblies described do not appear to have application in use as floor to ceiling wall assemblies which replace the need for standard building construction.
Additional examples of prefabricated wall panels assemblies are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,330, issued to Richard; U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,545, issued to Trouisilek; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,634, issued to Longinotti. In the instance of Richard, the pre-insulated wall panel illustrated includes a rectangular wall frame with top and bottom rail members and a plurality of spaced apart stud members aligned between the rail members. A polystyrene boardstock is affixed to a first side of the rectangular wall frame and a layer of foamed in place polyurethane covers a portion of each cavity adjoining the boardstock.
In the instance of the Trousilek disclosure, a multi-component modular system is disclosed which includes elongate and generally rectangular plastic prefab forms which interlock together so as to define a plurality of vertically extending and concrete-filling passageways. Finally, Longinotti discloses a prefabricated construction for building walls and which includes a pair of panel elements each having a wall portion and a plurality of stiffening rib portions extending along the wall portion. Specified rib portions include recesses which are spaced from the wall portions, and within which are filled an expanded synthetic material to form a wall element. Conduit passageways are defined in the synthetic material between the pair of panel elements and adjacent the recesses in the rib portions.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention is a prefabricated structure for use in constructing a building wall and which offers significant improvements in the time and effort which are required for constructing a floor to ceiling wall structure. The structure includes a first elongate joist extending horizontally and secured to a ceiling of the structure. A second elongate joist is secured to the floor and extends in a likewise horizontally and parallel spaced apart fashion relative to the first joist. Each of the first and second joists includes a rectangular cross section with opposing and parallel extending faces with a recessed channel being formed within each of the opposing and parallel faces.
A series of elongate and planar boards, substantially rectangular in shape and preferably constructed of ½″ thick OSB board, are provided and define first and second opposing faces which are separated by a determined thickness. Selected opposite and parallel extending edges of each of the planar boards are secured within the recessed channels in end-to-end abutting fashion. A plurality of elongate brackets are provided and are capable of being secured together against the opposing faces of the adjoining planar boards and so as to both secure the boards in their end-to-end abutting fashion, as well as to provide a convenient mounting means for securing a wall board or drywall material.
According to further preferred embodiments, the elongate brackets may define a substantially “U” shape in cross section with first and second spaced apart planar sides and an interconnecting portion located at a base of the sides. Alternatively, the first and second planar sides may extend in opposite and parallel spaced directions relative to each other and from the interconnecting portion. When securing two succeeding planar boards in end-to-end fashion, a plurality of four elongate brackets are employed in vertically extending fashion and so as to extend along the first and second opposite faces of the planar members and along opposite vertically extending edges of the planar members. The brackets are secured together in pairs on the opposite sides of the planar boards and, in a further variant, a fifth and somewhat enlarged “U” shaped bracket is provided and which functions as a center cap to secure the first and second pairs of elongate brackets in a more reinforced manner.
Additional to providing end-to-end securement of the planar boards, the elongate brackets may be secured along their first planar sides to the planar boards in either horizontally or vertically extending fashion and so that drywall or other wall board material may be secured against the second parallel and spaced planar sides. According to a yet further variant, an insulating material (such as a styrofoam sheeting) may be applied to at least one of the first and second faces of the elongate and planar board.
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Chin-Shue Alvin
Gifford, Krass, Groh Sprinkle, Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
Tran Khoa
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