Building panel system
AssigneeAWI Licensing LLC
InventorWilliam H. Frantz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A building panel system is provided. The building panel system include a panel structure having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a mounting system attached to the panel structure; at least one container detachably coupled to the mounting system at one of a plurality of selectable coupling positions so as to be in conductive thermal cooperation with the first surface of the panel structure; and a phase change material contained within the at least one container.
Claims18
A building ceiling panel apparatus comprising:
- a panel structure having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
- a mounting system comprising:
- a first rail configured to be mounted to the panel structure adjacent to a first edge of the panel structure, the first rail comprising at least one first notch, the at least one first notch comprising a first enclosure surface and a first notch opening, the first enclosure surface facing the first surface when the first rail is mounted to the panel structure;
- and
- a second rail configured to be mounted to the panel structure adjacent to a second edge of the panel structure that is opposite the first edge of the panel structure, the second rail comprising at least one second notch, the at least one second notch comprising a second enclosure surface and a second notch opening, the second enclosure surface facing the first surface when the second rail is mounted to the panel structure;
- and
- at least one container containing a phase change material, the at least one container configured to be positioned on the first surface of the panel structure so that a first end portion of the at least one container is located within the first notch opening of the first rail and is securable to the first surface by the first rail and a second end portion of the at least one container is located within the second notch opening of the second rail and is securable to the first surface by the second rail, wherein the at least one container is configured to be positioned on the panel structure at one of a plurality of selectable coupling positions so as to be in conductive thermal cooperation with the first surface of the panel structure;
- and wherein the phase change material comprises water, calcium chloride, and a nucleating agent.
A building ceiling panel apparatus comprising:
- a panel structure having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
- a mounting system comprising:
- a first rail configured to be mounted to the panel structure adjacent to a first edge of the panel structure, the first rail comprising at least one first notch;
- a second rail configured to be mounted to the panel structure adjacent to a second edge of the panel structure that is opposite the first edge of the panel structure, the second rail comprising at least one second notch;
- and
- at least one container containing a phase change material, the at least one container configured to be positioned on the first surface of the panel structure so that a first end portion of the at least one container is located within the first notch of the first rail and a second end portion of the at least one container is located within the second notch of the second rail, wherein the at least one container is configured to be positioned on the panel structure at one of a plurality of selectable coupling positions so as to be in conductive thermal cooperation with the first surface of the panel structure,
- wherein the phase change material comprises water, calcium chloride and a nucleating agent,
- wherein the first rail is elongated along a first axis, and wherein the first rail comprises a plurality of the first notches and a plurality of first teeth positioned in an alternating arrangement along the first axis, wherein the second rail is elongated along a second axis, and wherein the second rail comprises a plurality of the second notches and a plurality of second teeth positioned in an alternating arrangement along the second axis,
- wherein the at least one container comprises a container body having a first end and a second end, at least one first protrusion extending from the first end of the container body, and at least one second protrusion extending from the second end of the container body, wherein the at least one first protrusion is configured to nest within one of the first notches of the first rail and
- wherein at the at least one second protrusion is configured to nest within one of the second notches of the second rail, and wherein the at least one container comprises a pair of the first protrusions that are spaced apart by a first gap and a pair of the second protrusions that are spaced apart by a second gap, and wherein the pair of the first protrusions are configured to nest within two adjacent ones of the first notches of the first rail while one of the first teeth of the first rail extends into the first gap between the pair of the first protrusions and wherein the pair of the second protrusions are configured to nest within two adjacent ones of the second notches of the second rail while one of the second teeth of the second rail extends into the second gap between the pair of the second protrusions.
A building panel system comprising:
- a panel structure comprising:
- a first surface;
- a second surface opposite the first surface;
- a first edge;
- and
- a second edge opposite the first edge;
- a first rail mountable to the panel structure adjacent the first edge, the first rail comprising a first notch, the first notch and the panel structure co-operatively defining a first mounting window when the first rail is mounted to the panel structure;
- a second rail mountable to the panel structure adjacent the second edge, the second rail comprising a second notch, the second notch and the panel structure co-operatively defining a second mounting window when the second rail is mounted to the panel structure;
- and
- a container containing a phase change material, the container comprising a first surface opposite a second surface and a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first surface of the container is positionable on the first surface of the panel structure so that:
- the first rail extends over the first end portion of the container, the first end portion is positioned within the first mounting window, and the first end portion is secured against the panel structure by the first rail;
- and
- the second rail extends over the second end portion of the container, the second end portion is positioned within the second mounting window, and the second end portion is secured against the panel structure by the second rail;
- wherein the panel structure and the container define a building panel having a first major exposed surface opposing a second major exposed surface;
- wherein the second surface of the panel structure defines the first major exposed surface of the building panel;
- and
- wherein the second surface of the container defines at least a portion of the second major exposed surface of the building panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.