Building system
AssigneeNXT Building System Pty. Ltd.
InventorMatakii Lim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a prefabricated deck unit for a building system, the deck unit including: a reinforcing framework encased in a composite material, the reinforcing framework comprising: a first metal mesh unit, a plurality of interspaced spheroidal void formers attached to or in intimate contact with the first mesh unit, and a second mesh unit resting upon, or attached to, the spheroidal void formers, wherein the framework defines at least one terminal channel on at least one end of the deck unit, the terminal channel being shaped and dimensioned to snugly receive an elongate connecting rod for connecting the deck unit to a further structural element of the building system.
Claims14
A prefabricated deck unit for a building system, the deck unit including:
- a composite material;
- a reinforcing framework encased in the composite material, the reinforcing framework comprising:
- a first metal mesh unit,
- a plurality of spheroidal void formers attached to or in intimate contact with the first mesh unit, the plurality of spheroidal void formers being interspaced to define spaces between the void formers filled with a portion of the composite material;
- and
- a second mesh unit resting upon, or attached to, the spheroidal void formers,
- wherein the framework defines at least one terminal channel on at least one end of the deck unit, the terminal channel being shaped and dimensioned to snugly receive an elongate connecting rod for connecting the deck unit to a further structural element of the building system,
- wherein each spheroidal void former comprises at least two connectors for connecting the spheroidal void former to the first and second mesh units,
- wherein a body of each spheroidal void former comprises a cinched waist defining a radially extending interstitial gap that in turn defines an operatively lower lip as a circumferentially extending seat for receiving a portion of the composite material, and
- wherein the spaces between the plurality of void formers and the gap defined by the cinched waist in each void former are configured such that the composite material within said spaces and gaps forms a truss structure of composite material in the prefabricated deck unit thereby enabling the prefabricated deck unit to be transportable as an integrated building structure.
A method of making a prefabricated deck unit, the method comprising:
- providing a formwork mould;
- positioning a first reinforcing mesh unit within the formwork mould;
- positioning a plurality of spheroidal void formers on the first reinforcing mesh unit such that spaces are defined between each of the void formers, a body of each spheroidal void former comprising a cinched waist defining a radially extending interstitial gap that in turn defines an operatively lower lip as a circumferentially extending seat;
- positioning a second reinforcing mesh unit such that the second reinforcing mesh unit rests on or is attached to the plurality of spheroidal void formers;
- and
- pouring a composite material into the formwork mould comprising the first and second reinforcing mesh units and the plurality of spheroidal void formers such that a portion of the composite material is received within the spaces defined between the plurality of void formers and the interstitial gap defined by the cinched waist of the void formers,
- curing the composite material in the mould to form the prefabricated deck unit that is transportable as an integrated building structure;
- wherein the method is performed such that the composite material within the spaces defined between the plurality of void formers and the gaps forms a truss structure of composite material in the prefabricated deck unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.