US 5,641,553 A · Cellulose surface material adhered to a reinforcement panel for structural wood members

Abstract

A reinforcement panel with a cellulose surface material and process for making the same for improved adhesion of the panel to wood structural members such as laminated beams, wood I-beams, and trusses. The reinforcement panel is comprised of a plurality of reinforcement fibers that are arranged parallel to one another and aligned with the longitudinal direction of the panel, and accordingly the wood structure. The fibers are maintained in position by a resin encasement that completely encloses the fibers. A cellulose surface material is impregnated with a polyester resin and adhesively connected to a first side of the panel. The first side of the panel is adhesively affixed to the wood structure at an area of high stress such that the surface material is sandwiched between the resin encasement of the panel and the wood structure. Thus, the panel provides improved adhesion. The polyester resin provides dimensional stability and resistance to moisture degradation.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A reinforced wood laminate structural member built to bear large load forces applied over the span of an open area and withstand high interlaminar shear stresses to maintain the load-bearing capacity of the structural member, the structural member having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

plural elongate wood segments attached to form a unitary structure, at least one of the wood segments having a length extending along the longitudinal axis;
multiple synthetic reinforcement panels, each panel having an interior with outer boundaries and a length, and each panel including a multiplicity of synthetic fiber strands held within a resin casing having first and second major surfaces that define the outer boundaries of the interior of the panel;
and
surface material having a resin-impregnated surface bonded to one of the first and second major surfaces of the resin casing of one of the synthetic reinforcement panels and adhered to one of the wood segments to provide a surface material-to-wood segment interface that withstands high shear stresses and thereby maintains the load-bearing capacity of the structural member, the surface material positioned outside the interior of the panel, and the panel being positioned so that its length extends along the longitudinal axis of the structural member.

1 more element

plural elongate wood segments attached to form a unitary structure, at least one of the wood segments having a length extending along the longitudinal axis;
multiple reinforcement panels, each panel having a length and including a multiplicity of fiber strands held within a resin casing having first and second major surfaces, the fiber strands being arranged substantially parallel to one another and extending along the length of the panel;
and
surface material having a resin-impregnated surface bonded to one of the first and second major surfaces of the resin casing of one of the reinforcement panels and adhered to one of the wood segments to provide a surface material-to-wood segment interface that withstands high shear stresses and thereby maintains the load-bearing capacity of the structural member, the panel being positioned so that its length extends along the longitudinal axis of the structural member.

1 more element

multiple elongate wood segments attached to form a unitary structure, at least one of the segments having a length extending along the longitudinal axis;
multiple synthetic reinforcement panels each of which including a multiplicity of synthetic fiber strands held within a resin casing having first and second major surfaces;
and
each of more than one of the synthetic reinforcement panels having surface material with resin-impregnated surfaces bonded to the resin casing on at least one of its first and second major surfaces, each of the panels to which surface material is bonded being adhered to a different wood segment of the multiple wood segments to form a surface material-to-wood segment interlaminar interface that withstands high shear stresses and thereby maintains the load-bearing capacity of the structural member.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cellulose surface material adhered to a reinforcement panel for structural wood members

Life of this patent

Cellulose surface material adhered to a reinforcement panel for structural wood members

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31