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US 2015/0020468 A1Published application
Cleanroom wall panel system, and method
AssigneeErhardt Construction Company
InventorBenjamin D. Wickstrom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cleanroom wall panel system is provided for defining the perimeter or interior divisions of a cleanroom. The system includes a plurality of elongate retainer elements, which are mounted to wall studs, and a plurality of wall panels with hook portions configured to engage the elongate retainer elements. The retainer elements and/or wall panels may be oriented at either of two different orientations, and further are designed to accommodate some variations in the positioning of the components relative to one another, which facilitates assembly of the wall panel assembly. Each wall panel's weight is supported, either directly or indirectly, by a floor surface located below the wall panel, so that the hook portions are used primarily to secure the wall panels against the retainer elements.
Claims20
A cleanroom wall panel system comprising:
- at least one elongate retainer element having a rearward mounting portion and an upper flange portion, wherein said rearward mounting portion is configured to be coupled to at least two elongate studs that are in spaced arrangement, and wherein said upper flange portion is spaced forwardly of said rearward mounting portion;
- at least one wall panel having a perimeter edge portion disposed around a central portion, said perimeter edge portion comprising at least two rearwardly-directed flange portions at opposite sides of said central portion, said flange portions being angled relative to said central portion;
- a plurality of hook portions defined at said rearwardly-directed flange portions, each of said hook portions at least partially defining a recess that is configured to receive said upper flange portion of said elongate retainer element;
- and
- wherein said at least one wall panel is supported by a floor surface located below said wall panel, and wherein said wall panel is substantially retained at the elongate studs upon engagement of said upper flange portion in said recesses that are at least partially defined by said hook portions.
2 more elements
A cleanroom wall panel system comprising:
- an elongate footer configured to be supported at a floor surface;
- a plurality of wall studs oriented substantially vertically and in horizontally-spaced arrangement;
- a plurality of elongate retainer elements, each having a rearward mounting portion and opposite flange portions, wherein said rearward mounting portion is coupled to said elongate studs, and wherein said flange portions are spaced forwardly of said rearward mounting portion;
- a plurality of wall panels in side-by-side arrangement, each of said wall panels having a respective perimeter edge portion disposed around a central portion, wherein said perimeter edge portion comprises at least two rearwardly-directed flange portions at opposite sides of said central portion, said rearwardly-directed flange portions being angled relative to said central portion;
- and
- a plurality of hook portions defined at said rearwardly-directed flange portions, each of said hook portions defining at least one recess that is configured to receive one of said opposite flange portions of said elongate retainer element;
- wherein said elongate retainer elements are attachable to said wall studs in either of two different orientations in which one of said opposite flange portions is directed upwardly and the other of said opposite flange portions is directed downwardly;
- wherein said wall panels are positionable with one of said recesses of each of said hook portions directed downwardly for receiving said upwardly-directed ones of said opposite flange portions of said elongate retainer elements;
- wherein the weight of said wall panels is supported by said elongate footer, and said wall panels are substantially retained along the elongate studs upon engagement of said upwardly-directed flange portions in said downwardly-directed recesses of said hook portions of said rearwardly-directed flanges of said at least one wall panel.
6 more elements
A method of installing a cleanroom wall panel system, said method comprising:
- attaching an elongate retainer element to the plurality of wall studs that are in spaced arrangement, wherein the elongate retainer element includes a rearward mounting portion configured for coupling to the wall studs and at least an upper flange portion spaced forwardly of the rearward mounting portion;
- positioning a wall panel along the elongate retainer element, the wall panel having a perimeter edge portion disposed around a central portion, wherein the perimeter edge portion comprises at least two rearwardly-directed flange portions at opposite sides of the central portion, the rearwardly-directed flange portions being angled relative to the central portion and having a plurality of hook portions defined thereat, with each of the hook portions at least partially defining a recess with a lower opening;
- securing the wall panel to the elongate retainer element by lowering the wall panel so that at least the lower opening of one of the hook portions of each of said rearwardly-directed flange portions receives the upper flange portion of the elongate retainer element;
- and
- further lowering the wall panel until its weight is substantially supported by either a floor surface, or by an elongate footer positioned along a floor surface.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.