Building panels
AssigneeComposite Panel Systems, LLC
InventorsDaniel J. Wojtusik, Glenn P. Schiffmann, Gerhard P. Schiffmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Light weight fiber-reinforced polymeric (FRP) structural building panels and panel assemblies, sized and configured for construction of wall structures. Fiber schedule, layer securement, and orientation in the panels provide enhanced properties of strength of a panel/wall per unit dimension relative to FRP layer thickness and/or mass of the panel/wall per unit dimension.
Claims11
A fiber-reinforced polymeric load-bearing building panel, said building panel having a height defined between a top and a bottom of said building panel when said building panel is in an upright orientation, a length, and a thickness, said load-bearing building panel comprising:
- (a) an outer fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, said outer layer defining an outwardly-facing surface of said building panel when said building panel is being used as a load-bearing part of a load-bearing wall of a building;
- (b) an inner fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, said inner layer generally defining an inwardly-facing surface (25) of said building panel when said building panel is being used as such load-bearing part of such load-bearing wall of such building;
- (c) a plurality of foam blocks extending generally from said inner layer to said outer layer and from the top of said building panel to the bottom of said building panel, said foam block having an outer surface disposed toward said outer layer, an inner surface disposed toward said inner layer, and opposing side surfaces;
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- (d) at least one fibrous layer extending across, and covering, the outer surface, and across and covering, the opposing side surfaces, of said foam block, and extending, from the side surfaces, onto and part way across the inner surface of said foam block, and thereby defining a substantial distance between opposing ends of said at least one fibrous layer at the inner surface of said foam block, said fibrous layer being secured to the inner surface of said foam block at or adjacent the respective ends of said fibrous layer.
A fiber-reinforced polymeric load-bearing building panel, said building panel having a height defined between a top and a bottom of said building panel when said building panel is in an upright orientation, a length, and a thickness, said load-bearing building panel comprising:
- (a) an outer fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, said outer layer defining an outwardly-facing surface of said building panel when said building panel is being used as a load-bearing part of a load-bearing wall of a building;
- (b) an inner fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, said inner layer generally defining an inwardly-facing surface (25) of said building panel when said building panel is being used as such load-bearing part of such load-bearing wall of such building;
- (c) one or more blocks of foam material between said inner and outer layers;
- (d) a plurality of fiber-reinforced studs interfacing with said inner layer and spaced along the length of said building panel and extending away from said outer layer, said stud comprising a stud substrate having a distal end remote from said foam blocks and a proximal end adjacent said foam blocks, and first and second sides extending between the distal end and the proximal end;
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- (e) at least one fibrous layer extending across the distal end of said stud substrate, and extending across said sides, of said stud substrate, and terminating proximate the proximal end of said stud substrate, said at least one fibrous layer being secured to said stud substrate at or adjacent the proximal end of said stud substrate.
A fiber-reinforced polymeric building panel, said building panel having a height defined between a top and a bottom of said building panel when said building panel is in an upright orientation, a length, and a thickness, said building panel comprising:
- (a) an outer fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, said outer layer defining an outwardly-facing surface of said building panel when said building panel is being used as a load-bearing part of a load-bearing wall of a building;
- (b) an inner fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, said inner layer generally defining an inwardly-facing surface (25) of said building panel when said building panel is being used as such load-bearing part of such load-bearing wall of such building;
- (c) one or more blocks of foam material between said inner and outer layers, said one or more blocks of foam material spacing said inner and outer layers from each other,
- at least one of said inner and outer layers being defined at least in part by
- (i) a first sub-layer wherein at least 70 percent by weight of fiber in said first sub-layer extends along paths continuously progressing between the top and the bottom of an uprightly-oriented said building panel,
- (ii) a second sub-layer disposed between said first sub-layer and said one or more blocks of foam material, and
- (iii) a third sub-layer disposed outwardly, in said building panel, of said first sub-layer,
- wherein said first sub-layer comprises at least 5 times as much fiber by weight as either of said second or third sub-layers, and wherein fibers of said second and third sub-layers extend along paths progressing other than continuously between the top and the bottom of said building panel such that, prior to fluid resin being cured as part of fabricating said building panel, liquid resin flows preferentially along and through said second and third sub-layers as compared to flow of such liquid resin along and through said first sub-layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.