Thermally insulating building wall structure

#Not Applicable

#Not Applicable

#The present invention relates in general to a building wall, and in particular to a building wall structure employing foam panels, preferably multiply-slit for ease of sizing at a work site, in combination with adjacent dead air space between the foam panels and a covering wall surface panel such that superior insulative properties are realized in maintaining economical and comfortable ambient conditions within a building constructed of such wall structures.

#An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partially cut-away building wall structure;

#FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the wall structure of FIG. 1;

#Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a building wall structure 10 is illustrated. The structure 10 includes a track structure 12 having an interior outer wall 14, an exterior outer wall 16, and an elongate first channel 18 with a vertical depth dimension, a transverse depth dimension, an interior longitudinal edge 20, and an exterior longitudinal edge 22. A plurality of parallel spaced apart metal posts 24 each have a first end 26 thereof disposed in the first channel 18 for perpendicular projection from the track structure 12. Each post 24 non-limitedly is configured as a generally flat-walled U-shape configuration forming a post channel 28 with a channel entry thereto formed by opposing terminals 30, 32 of said U-shape and accessible from one lateral side in line with the first channel 18, with each post 24 positioned with respect to a sequentially-next post such that each channel entry faces the same direction.

#Each of a plurality of respective foam panels 34, preferably constructed of polystyrene, is disposed between two sequentially disposed posts 24, and is provided with a plurality of slits 36 situated between the interior and exterior 38, 40 thereof and perpendicular to the track structure 12. The slits 36 are spaced from each other a variable distance, with distances preferably represented at 0.5 inch, 1.75 inch, and 2.25 inches in each panel 34. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, as preferred, each slit 36 does not extend through the entire thickness of each panel 34, but rather terminates at a site 37 no greater than about 90% of the thickness (exemplified as no less than about 0.5 inch from the exterior surface 40) of each panel 34. However, and as shown in FIG. 3, each slit 36a can extend through the entire thickness. When this embodiment is chosen, the exterior surface 40 of each panel 34 is covered with an adhesive film 41 for maintaining the slitted panel 34 together.

#At least one lateral edge of each foam panel 34 is provided with a tongue 60 which is disposed within the post channel 28 of an adjacent post 24. Each foam panel 34 has a transverse depth dimension situated in the first channel 18 which is less than the transverse depth dimension of the first channel 18, and each panel 34 must be spatially maintained such that a void 39 is formed and maintained between the interior 38 of the panel 34 and the interior longitudinal edge 20 of the first channel 18. Such maintenance is accomplished with a maintenance structure here exemplified as an extension 44 of the exterior 40 of each panel 34. In particular, each extension 44 bears against a respective outside surface site 46 of the exterior outer wall 16 of the track structure 12. In this manner, the panel 34 is retained in place such that the void 39 is present. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, a tab 44a of one extension 44 extends toward, and overlaps a tab 44b of an adjacent extension 44 also extending toward, but beneath, the first tab 44a to meet at an outside site 48 bridging a post 24 disposed between the adjacent panels 34 and behind the extensions 44a, 44b. To assure a substantially air-tight retention of panel junction sites, each extension 44a is provided with a notch 45 which substantially aligns with the midpoint of the post 24. This notch 45 serves as a guide for aligning a center opening 47 (FIG. 5) of a series of standard lathe anchors 49 which are pressed into the extension 44 preferably at 10-12 inch spacing as clearly shown in FIG. 5. Fasteners 51, non-limitedly exemplified by screws and air-driven pins as known in the art, are inserted through the respective openings 47 and extend to the post 24 for securement therewith and resulting tight retainment of the extensions 44a and 44b to each other. The interior surface 38 preferably is covered with a thermally-resistant material such as an adhesive reflection material 33 (e.g. a standard foil) for enhancement of insulative properties as earlier described.