Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Composite prefabricated panel including adjunctive means – Sandwich or hollow with sheet-like facing members
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-25
2001-07-03
Canfield, Robert (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Composite prefabricated panel including adjunctive means
Sandwich or hollow with sheet-like facing members
C052S794100, C052S309140, C052S592100, C052S270000, C156S920000, C156S071000, C428S116000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253530
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to modular building systems, and, more particularly, to a modular structural member building system for use in erecting buildings, houses or other structures, including equipment and fabrication methods used in making modular structural members and used in combining modular structural members for building.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, there critically exists a need to provide an environmentally sensitive, economical, modular building system which can utilize the minimum of labor skills, provide for a low maintenance, provide for the conservative use of natural resources, and provide flexibility in style and design. However, until the present invention, there has not been provided a total integrated system of structural components that functions as a modular building system of floors, walls, ceilings, trusses, and roof members that can replace other materials conventionally used in frame buildings.
More particularly, there has not been a use of specific integrated materials that form a modular building system capable of eliminating the need to use a wide assortment of conventional materials, such as structural graded lumber, metal devices, seismic plywood panels, plastic non-biodegradable and chemical products. The supply of such conventional and natural building products is being diminished faster than the replenishment rate for these products, due largely to the increasing global demand for buildings and other structures. Hence, conventional building practices are currently inadequate for protecting the quality of life and preservation of natural resources on a global scale. Furthermore, until the present invention, there has not been provided a structural modular building system capable of resolving the interrelated difficulties of fabricating an integrated modular structural member to fulfill the structural and life/safety requirements of each specific material, said member being produced at low cost, having a light weight, being integrated from environmentally sound materials, and being flexibly combined with other modular components in to provide a modular building system.
Providing structural integrity with a consistent quality control of every member of the many components that make up a conventional building system presents difficulties due to the inconsistencies of the quality of graded lumber. Governing agencies, responsible for issuing building codes, have therefore implemented various codes to include additional structural connections and materials which in fact increased the cost, complexity, and difficulty of providing a modular structural member building system. Presently, no one has economically produced structural components with consistent structural integrity, flexibility of style and design, which are capable of being produced and installed in both domestic and international markets. The foregoing difficulty of providing a modular building system is compounded by the life/safety requirements of establishing a general and acceptance approval by the local, state, and national governing agencies; providing criteria, standards, inspections, and quality control of installations; providing performance specifications; and fulfilling the regulations and requirements of approved testing facilities.
Recognized approval ratings for structural members must be established and maintained for a particular modular system. Inspecting the quality of installed structural members is a third difficulty. The quality of structural members actually used in buildings must be ensured by fulfilling recognized approval ratings and inspection procedures in the interest of public safety. Providing sound design principles for structural members is still another difficulty. This entails the economical utilization of structural members in fabricating the various details of buildings while fulfilling all necessary building codes and architectural requirements. Conserving scarce materials and reducing costs while fabricating and using structural members is another difficulty. Environmental -preservation calls for the conservation of resources and materials while providing structural members in a modular building system while also overcoming the foregoing difficulties. The following discussion further illustrates the present need to adequately solve the foregoing interrelated difficulties of providing a low cost, environmentally sound modular structural member building system.
As indicated generally above, a major difficulty in providing modular structural members is ensuring the strength, or structural integrity, of the individual members or panels. A structural member, or sandwich panel, may be considered as a beam with regard to its structural integrity. A beam fails when it is does not have the required structural integrity or strength to safely support a given load condition. The structural integrity of a sandwich panel, or composite structural member, depends on a proper choice of materials for use in the member and on a meticulous control of the methods used to fabricate the materials into a finished structural member.
A sandwich panel, or composite structural member, is fabricated by bonding a core material to two adjacent skins or face sheets using a bonding agent. Thus, the structural integrity of a sandwich panel depends on factors that include the properties of the core material, the properties of the face sheet materials, the properties of the bonding agent, and on the methods used to join these materials. The dimensions of the panel and of the individual elements also impact the structural integrity. The problem of ensuring structural integrity is further compounded by the need to economically provide these materials at the job site in fabricated form.
Expandable honeycomb paper is one type of core material which has been used in fabricating sandwich panels. Such paper is provided in the form of an expandable honeycomb paper web which is expanded to provide a honeycomb core. Honeycomb paper is available from various vendors, including HEXACOMB HONEYCOMB CORPORATION, of Saint Louis, Missouri, and HEXEL, of Dublin, Calif. However, the literature available from these vendors does not appear to resolve the foregoing problems encountered in providing a low cost, environmentally sound, modular structural member building system.
From the standpoint of structural integrity, the sandwich panels or structural members are considered as beams. A beam must be capable of supporting various loads or forces between two or more given points of a building or structure. For a very general treatment of this subject refer to “Technical Service Bulletin H-4”
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published by HEXACOMB HONEYCOMB CORPORATION. However, this reference does not cover situations where structural performance of a panel is critical. In particular, the quality or integrity of the bond between the core and facing skin is not considered or discussed. Also, operational conditions which might adversely affect the behavior of certain grades of core or types of facings are not considered or discussed. The reference recommends separate investigation of these aspects of the problem, as well as actual testing of any panels fabricated for structural use. Thus, the bulletin does not solve any of the interrelated difficulties of providing structural integrity, quality control, approval, testing, inspection, sound design principles, conservation, or reduced costs in a modular structural member building system.
A reference published by HEXEL is entitled “Kraft Paper Honeycomb Commercial Grade—Structural”, D.S. 1002 (1970). This reference provides specifications for the expandable honeycomb paper web itself. It does not discuss particular fabrication details or methods of making structural members having a honeycomb core. Similarly, this reference does not adequately address the interrelated difficulties of providing structural integrity, quality control, approval, testing, inspection, design principles, conservation, or reduced costs in struc
Price Tracy
Timbrook Robert L.
Canfield Robert
Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP
Smith, Esq Guy Porter
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