Wall panel with extended integral post
OwnerRodney Smithinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wall module for a modular wall structure integrates a wall panel portion with a post portion having top or upper and bottom or lower extensions and at least one groove for receiving a distal end of a wall panel portion of an adjacent module. The bottom/lower extension is set within an exposed portion of a reinforcing cage of a caisson or pier extending below grade and encapsulated with a material such as concrete to integrate the caisson or pier with the bottom/lower post extension. Integration of the caisson or pier with the module provides numerous economies of transportation, construction and repair and improved safety. The top/upper post extension is of a length to accommodate the full height of the wall panel portion of an adjacent module to improve strength and stability of the modular wall.
Claims20
A module for construction of a wall comprising
- a panel portion integrally formed of a reinforced rigid material with and cantilevered from a post portion, said post portion including
- a groove for receiving a distal end of a panel portion of an adjacent module such that said adjacent panel portion is supported to relieve stress from a post portion of said adjacent module that is due to said panel portion being cantilevered therefrom,
- a top post extension portion for accommodating the entirety of said distal portion of said panel portion of said adjacent module when said adjacent module and said module are installed at different heights, and
- a bottom post extension portion for being integrated with a pier or caisson.
A modular wall comprising a plurality of wall modules, each wall module of said plurality of wall modules comprising
- a panel portion integrally formed of a reinforced rigid material with and cantilevered from a post portion, said post portion including
- a groove for receiving a distal end of a panel portion of an adjacent module such that said adjacent panel portion is supported to relieve stress from a post portion of said adjacent module that is due to said panel portion being cantilevered therefrom,
- a top post extension portion for accommodating said distal portion of said panel portion of said adjacent module when said adjacent module and said module are installed at different heights, and
- a bottom post extension portion, said modular wall further comprising
- a caisson or pier integrated with said bottom post extension portion.
A method of constructing a modular wall including steps of
- forming a post hole to a desired depth,
- placing a reinforcement cage or pier within said post hole,
- pouring concrete in said post hole around said reinforcement cage or pier leaving a portion of said reinforcement cage exposed,
- positioning a wall module comprising
- a panel portion integrally formed of a reinforced rigid material with and cantilevered from a post portion, said post portion including
- a groove for receiving a distal end of a panel portion of an adjacent module such that said adjacent panel portion is supported to relieve stress from a post portion of said adjacent module that is due to said panel portion being cantilevered therefrom, and
- a bottom post extension portion such that said bottom post extension portion is received within said exposed portion of said reinforcement cage and said distal end of said wall portion is received in said groove of an adjacent module, and
- pouring a material to encapsulate said reinforcing cage and said bottom post extension portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.