WALL BLOCKS, VENEER PANELS FOR WALL BLOCKS AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING WALLS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wall block comprising:
- parallel top and bottom faces, parallel front and rear faces, and first and second side walls, the first and second side walls extending from the top face to the bottom face and from the front face to the rear face;
a pin hole located on the top face of the block;
a receiving pocket for receiving a pin, the receiving pocket located on the bottom face of the block and opening onto the bottom face of the block; and
a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector that is oriented in the direction from the bottom face to the top face of the block, the connector channel opening into the receiving pocket and one of the front or rear faces of the block.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Wall blocks, veneers, veneer connectors, walls, and methods of constructing walls are provided. More particularly, the invention relates to constructing walls in which a veneer panel is attached to a wall block with a connector and in which the front faces of the veneers have a desirable texture.
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Citations
73 Claims
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1. A wall block comprising:
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parallel top and bottom faces, parallel front and rear faces, and first and second side walls, the first and second side walls extending from the top face to the bottom face and from the front face to the rear face; a pin hole located on the top face of the block; a receiving pocket for receiving a pin, the receiving pocket located on the bottom face of the block and opening onto the bottom face of the block; and a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector that is oriented in the direction from the bottom face to the top face of the block, the connector channel opening into the receiving pocket and one of the front or rear faces of the block. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A wall block comprising:
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parallel top and bottom faces, parallel front and rear faces, and first and second side walls, the first and second side walls extending from the top face to the bottom face and from the front face to the rear face; a pin hole located on the top face of the block; a pin receiving cavity for receiving a pin, the pin receiving cavity located on the bottom face of the block and opening onto the bottom face of the block; and a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector that is oriented in the direction from the bottom face to the top face of the block, the connector channel opening into one of the front or rear faces of the block; the front and rear faces having surface areas and the surface area of the front face being greater than the surface area of the rear face; a larger body portion, a smaller body portion, and two neck portions, the neck portions connecting the larger body portion and the smaller body portion, the front face forming a part of the larger body portion and the rear face forming a part of the smaller body portion; a core and two side voids, the core being encompassed by the larger body portion, the smaller body portion and the two neck portions, and the two side voids being formed by the side walls adjacent the two neck portions; and the pin hole extending from the top face of the block to the pin receiving cavity. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A wall block comprising:
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parallel top and bottom faces, parallel front and rear faces, and parallel first and second side walls, the first and second side walls extending from the top face to the bottom face and from the front face to the rear face; a pin hole located on the top face of the block; a pin receiving cavity for receiving a pin, the pin receiving cavity located on the bottom face of the block and opening onto the bottom face of the block; and a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector that is oriented in the direction from the bottom face to the top face of the block, the connector channel opening into one of the front or rear faces of the block; and a single core, the pin hole extending from the top face of the block to the receiving pocket.
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30. A combination comprising a wall block, a veneer, and a veneer connector, the wall block having a front face, the front face of the wall block having a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector, the veneer having a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector, and a veneer connector disposed within the wall block connector channel and the veneer connector channel, wherein the veneer comprises parallel top and bottom faces, parallel front and rear faces, and first and second side surfaces, the first side surface having a first surface portion which angles outward from the front face and a second surface portion which angles inward from the first surface portion towards the rear face.
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31. A combination comprising a wall block, a veneer, and a veneer connector, the wall block having a front face, the front face of the wall block having a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector, the veneer having a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector, and a veneer connector disposed within the wall block connector channel and the veneer connector channel, wherein the veneer comprises parallel top and bottom faces, front and rear faces, and first and second side surfaces, the rear face of the veneer having projections and valleys, the valleys extending from the top to the bottom faces.
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32. A veneer connector comprising:
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a first shaft and second shaft, the first shaft being attached to the second shaft by a bridge portion, the first and second shafts being parallel to each other; and the first and second shafts each having vertical friction ribs and horizontal friction ribs located at different portions of each shaft. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A veneer connector comprising:
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a first shaft and second shaft, the first shaft being attached to the second shaft by a bridge portion, the first and second shafts being parallel to each other; the first and second shafts each having vertical friction ribs, the first and second shafts not being offset from each other, the first and second shafts being the same length, and the bridge portion being substantially planar.
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- 39. A veneer connector comprising a shaft and bifurcated horizontal prongs that extend from the shaft.
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43. A combination comprising a wall block, a veneer, and a veneer connector:
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the veneer having a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector; the wall block comprising parallel top and bottom faces, parallel front and rear faces, and first and second side walls, the first and second side walls extending from the top face to the bottom face and from the front face to the rear face;
a pin hole located on the top face of the block;
a receiving pocket for receiving a pin, the receiving pocket located on the bottom face of the block and opening onto the bottom face of the block; and
a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector that is oriented in the direction from the bottom face to the top face of the block, the connector channel opening into the receiving pocket and one of the front or rear faces of the block;the veneer connector comprising a first shaft and second shaft, the first shaft being attached to the second shaft by a bridge portion, the first and second shafts being parallel to each other; and
the first and second shafts each having vertical friction ribs and horizontal friction ribs located at different portions of each shaft; andthe veneer connector being disposed within the wall block connector channel and the veneer connector channel. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A combination comprising a wall block, a veneer, and a veneer connector:
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the veneer having a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector; the wall block comprising parallel top and bottom faces, parallel front and rear faces, and first and second side walls, the first and second side walls extending from the top face to the bottom face and from the front face to the rear face;
a pin hole located on the top face of the block;
a receiving pocket for receiving a pin, the receiving pocket located on the bottom face of the block and opening onto the bottom face of the block; and
a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector that is oriented in the direction from the bottom face to the top face of the block, the connector channel opening into the receiving pocket and one of the front or rear faces of the block;the veneer connector comprising a shaft, and bifurcated horizontal prongs that extend from the shaft; and the veneer connector being disposed within the wall block connector channel and the veneer connector channel. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A wall comprising a first course and a second course of wall blocks, a plurality of wall blocks comprising:
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parallel top and bottom faces, parallel front and rear faces, and first and second side walls, the first and second side walls extending from the top face to the bottom face and from the front face to the rear face; a pin hole located on the top face of the block; a receiving pocket for receiving a pin, the receiving pocket located on the bottom face of the block and opening onto the bottom face of the block; and a connector channel for receiving a veneer connector that is oriented in the direction from the bottom face to the top face of the block, the connector channel opening into the receiving pocket and one of the front or rear faces of the block. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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62. The wall of 61, wherein the receiving pocket located on the bottom face of the block opens into the front face of the block.
Specification