Insulated stud panel and method of making such

• US 20050055973A1
• Filed: 06/04/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hans T. Hagen III, Hans T. Hagen Jr
• Original Assignee: Hans T. Hagen III, Hans T. Hagen Jr
• Inventors: Hagen, Hans T. Jr., Demers, Robert A., Leslie, Robert H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/741.100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/18 Filling preformed cavities B29C44/1204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/60 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/7604 fillings for cavity walls
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/707 obturation by means of panels
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/743 Animal products, e.g. wool, feathers
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/386 with a frame of unreconstituted or laminated wood
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/244 using natural or recycled building materials, e.g. straw, wool, clay or used tires

Abstract

A stud panel and method of making a stud panel where interior sheathing may be a temporary piece of transparent plastic or a permanent panel of sheet rock so as to retain insulation in place and minimize scarfing. The stud panel may include studs having through holes extending in a length direction of the stud panel such that insulation in adjacent inner regions separated by such studs interlock with each other and contribute to a structural integrity of the stud panel. The stud panel may include a space between inner studs and one of the exterior and interior sheathing so as to provide a thermal and sound break between the exterior and inner sheathing so as to minimize heat, air and sound transfer between the exterior and interior sheathing. A method of making the stud panel is further disclosed, where such a method may include the step of incrementally introducing insulation from a closed end of an inner region to an open end of an inner region and may further include the step of automatically introducing insulation into the inner regions of the stud panel.

Claims

1. A method of making a prefabricated stud panel, with the stud panel comprising i) a first plate;

ii) a second plate;

iii) exterior sheathing, with the exterior sheathing having an inner face;

iv) interior sheathing, with the interior sheathing having an inner face;

v) a set of studs between the first and second plates and further between the exterior and interior sheathing, wherein the set of studs includes a pair of outer studs, wherein the set of studs includes a set of inner studs disposed inwardly of the outer studs, wherein each of the studs includes a width running in a direction from the exterior sheathing to the interior sheathing, and wherein the set of studs define a set of inner regions, with each of the inner regions being an area between one pair of adjacent studs, between the first and second plate of said one pair of adjacent studs, and between the exterior and interior sheathing of said one pair of adjacent studs;

vi) and wherein the stud panel includes a height direction defined by a direction between the first and second plates, a length direction defined by a direction between the outer studs, and a width direction defined by a direction between the outer and interior sheathing;

with said method of making a stud panel comprising the steps of;

a) providing an opening in the stud panel leading to at least one of the inner regions; and

b) introducing cellular polymer insulation into said at least one inner region via said opening.

2. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, and further comprising the step of permitting the interior sheathing to be removable without damaging the integrity of the stud panel.

3. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, and further comprising the step of selecting a panel comprising a transparent solid portion as the interior sheathing such that the step of introducing insulation can be monitored visually.

4. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an opening in the stud panel comprises the step of spacing an edge of one of the exterior and interior sheathing from one of the first and second plates to provide an opening in each of the inner regions.

5. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, wherein said one inner region includes a closed end and an open end, wherein the step of introducing insulation into said one inner region comprises the step of first introducing the insulation at the closed end and then incrementally introducing the insulation from the closed end to the open end such that the insulation substantially completely fills the inner region.

6. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, and further comprising the step of scarfing any insulation that has protruded from the opening.

7. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, with at least each of the inner studs having at least one through hole extending in the length direction of the stud panel, and further comprising the step of introducing the insulation through the through hole such that insulation in one inner region communicates with insulation in an adjacent inner region.

8. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, with at least one of the inner studs having a width less than a width between the inner faces of the exterior and interior sheathing such that a space is provided between said inner stud and one of the exterior and interior sheathing, and further comprising the step of introducing insulation into the space such that insulation in one inner region communicates with insulation in an adjacent inner region and such that a thermal break is provided via said stud extending incompletely between the exterior and interior sheathing.

9. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 8, and further comprising the step of selecting said inner stud to be an inner stud confronting the exterior sheathing and being spaced from the interior sheathing.

10. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, and further comprising the step of automatically introducing insulation into said one inner region.

11. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, with at least one of the inner regions comprising a set of openings, and further comprising the step of introducing insulation into said openings substantially simultaneously.

12. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, and further comprising the step of selecting the cellular polymer insulation to be open celled and to have a density of between about 6 kg/m³ and about 20 kg/m³.

13. A prefabricated stud panel, comprising:

a) a first plate;

b) a second plate;

c) exterior sheathing, with the exterior sheathing having an inner face;

d) interior sheathing, with the interior sheathing having an inner face;

e) a set of studs between the first and second plates and further between the exterior and interior sheathing, wherein the set of studs includes a pair of outer studs, wherein the set of studs includes a set of inner studs disposed inwardly of the outer studs, wherein each of the studs includes a width running in a direction from the exterior sheathing to the interior sheathing, and wherein the set of studs define a set of inner regions, with each of the inner regions being an area between one pair of adjacent studs, between the first and second plate of said one pair of adjacent studs, and between the exterior and interior sheathing of said one pair of adjacent studs;

f) wherein the stud panel includes a height direction defined by a direction between the first and second plates, a length direction defined by a direction between the outer studs, and a width direction defined by a direction between the outer and interior sheathing; and

g) cellular polymer insulation in the inner regions and running to and between the first and second plates, to and between the exterior and interior sheathing, and to and between adjacent studs such that the stud panel is substantially completely filled with said insulation.

14. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein the interior sheathing comprises a transparent solid portion.

15. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein the interior sheathing comprises gypsum.

16. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein the stud panel comprises a set of openings, with each of the openings leading into one of the inner regions.

17. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein one of the exterior and interior sheathing includes an edge spaced from one of the first and second plates such that an opening into each of the inner regions is provided.

18. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein at least one of the inner studs comprises at least one through hole extending in the length direction of the stud panel, and wherein insulation extends through the through hole such that insulation in one inner region communicates with insulation in an adjacent inner region.

19. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein at least one of the inner studs includes a width less than a distance between the inner faces of the exterior and interior sheathing, with said at least one inner stud confronting one of the exterior and interior sheathing and being spaced from the other of the exterior and interior sheathing, and with insulation being between said at least one inner stud and the sheathing from which said at least one inner stud is spaced.

20. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein at least one inner stud confronts the exterior sheathing and is spaced from the interior sheathing, and with insulation being between said at least one inner stud and the interior sheathing.

21. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein at least one inner stud confronts the interior sheathing and is spaced from the exterior sheathing, and with insulation being between said at least one inner stud and the exterior sheathing.

22. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein at least one inner stud is paired in the width direction of the stud panel with another inner stud, with one of said paired inner studs confronting the exterior sheathing and being spaced from the interior sheathing, with the other of said paired inner studs confronting the interior sheathing and being spaced from the exterior sheathing, with said paired inner studs being spaced from each other, and with insulation being disposed between said paired inner studs.

23. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 20, and further comprising a structure running in the length direction and being engaged between the outer studs, with said structure confronting the interior sheathing and comprising a nail base.

24. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein insulation in the stud panel is generally one-piece and integral.

25. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein insulation in one inner region communicates with insulation an another inner region.

26. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein each of the inner studs is offset from the interior sheathing such that the interior sheathing is free of inner studs.

27. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein the cellular polymer insulation comprises open celled cellular polymer insulation that has a density of between about 6 kg/m³ and about 20 kg/m³.

28. A prefabricated stud panel, comprising:

a) a first plate;

b) a second plate;

c) exterior sheathing, with the exterior sheathing having an inner face;

d) interior sheathing, with the interior sheathing having an inner face;

e) a set of studs between the first and second plates and further between the exterior and interior sheathing, wherein the set of studs includes a pair of outer studs, wherein the set of studs includes a set of inner studs disposed inwardly of the outer studs, wherein each of the studs includes a width running in a direction from the exterior sheathing to the interior sheathing, and wherein the set of studs define a set of inner regions, with each of the inner regions being an area between one pair of adjacent studs, between the first and second plate of said one pair of adjacent studs, and between the exterior and interior sheathing of said one pair of adjacent studs;

f) wherein the stud panel includes a height direction defined by a direction between the first and second plates, a length direction defined by a direction between the outer studs, and a width direction defined by a direction between the outer and interior sheathing; and

g) an inner cast in the inner regions and running to and between the first and second plates, to and between the exterior and interior sheathing, and to and between adjacent studs such that the stud panel is substantially completely filled with said insulation, with the inner cast further extending into and through at least some of the studs.

29. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 28, wherein the inner cast extends into each of the first and second plates and into at least one of the exterior and interior sheathing.

30. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 28, wherein the inner cast extends into at least one of the first and second plates.

31. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 28, wherein the inner cast extends into at least one of the exterior and interior sheathing.

32. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 28, wherein the inner cast comprises cellular polymer insulation that is open celled and that has a density of between about 6 kg/m³ and about 20 kg/m³.

33. A prefabricated stud panel, comprising:

a) a first plate;

b) a second plate;

c) exterior sheathing, with the exterior sheathing having an inner face, with the exterior sheathing comprising fiberboard, with the fiberboard comprising compressed wood fibers;

d) interior sheathing, with the interior sheathing having an inner face, with the interior sheathing comprising gypsum;

e) a set of studs between the first and second plates and further between the exterior and interior sheathing, wherein the set of studs includes a pair of outer studs, wherein the set of studs includes a set of inner studs disposed inwardly of the outer studs, wherein each of the studs includes a width running in a direction from the exterior sheathing to the interior sheathing, and wherein the set of studs define a set of inner regions, with each of the inner regions being an area between one pair of adjacent studs, between the first and second plate of said one pair of adjacent studs, and between the exterior and interior sheathing of said one pair of adjacent studs;

f) wherein the stud panel includes a height direction defined by a direction between the first and second plates, a length direction defined by a direction between the outer studs, and a width direction defined by a direction between the outer and interior sheathing;

g) cellular polymer insulation in the inner regions and running to and between the first and second plates, to and between the exterior and interior sheathing, and to and between adjacent studs such that the stud panel is substantially completely filled with said insulation; and

h) wherein the cellular polymer insulation comprises cellular polymer insulation that is open celled and that has a density of between about 6 kg/m³ and about 20 kg/m³.

34. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 33, wherein each of the inner studs is offset from the interior sheathing such that the interior sheathing is free of inner studs such that a thermal and sound break is formed between the interior sheathing and the inner studs, and with the cellular polymer insulation being disposed in the thermal and sound break.

35. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 33, wherein the cellular polymer insulation is a non-white and non-off white color such that said cellular polymer insulation is readily distinguishable from said interior sheathing comprising gypsum.