Methods and apparatus for fabricating plastic block panels
First Claim
1. A plastic block panel assembly comprising a plurality of edge interfitting selfaligning plastic blocks, said blocks having opposite parallel faces and end panels orthogonal to and extending between said faces, said blocks being interconnected to form the assembly and provide walled horizontal and vertical chases within said assembly wherein at least two chase walls parallel to said faces and extending between said end panels provide planar surfaces between said end panels against which planar surfaces a load bearing support member may be placed;
- means for retaining applied sealants and adhesives between said plurality of blocks and; and
means for permitting thermal expansion of said blocks, sealants and adhesives.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for fabricating plastic block panels suitable for use as building and construction materials. According to the invention, the panels are fabricated using a plurality of novel plastic blocks. Each block, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, is rectangularly shaped, has broad opposite parallel surfaces (faces) and has four edges which form a closed border around the block. Two adjacent edges of each block have two laterally spaced, longitudinally extending formations thereon, each formation comprising a longitudinally extending tongue. The other two adjacent edges of each block have four laterally spaced, longitudinally extending formations thereon. Two of these formations are longitudinally extending lips, and the other two formations are longitudinally extending tongues located between said lips such that the two spaces formed between each adjacent lip and tongue are adapted to receive the two tongues on the mating edge of another block to thereby align and facilitate interconnecting the blocks. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the walls of each block are dimensionally equal in thickness to facilitate mass production of the block by injection molding techniques.
27 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A plastic block panel assembly comprising a plurality of edge interfitting selfaligning plastic blocks, said blocks having opposite parallel faces and end panels orthogonal to and extending between said faces, said blocks being interconnected to form the assembly and provide walled horizontal and vertical chases within said assembly wherein at least two chase walls parallel to said faces and extending between said end panels provide planar surfaces between said end panels against which planar surfaces a load bearing support member may be placed;
- means for retaining applied sealants and adhesives between said plurality of blocks and; and
means for permitting thermal expansion of said blocks, sealants and adhesives. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- means for retaining applied sealants and adhesives between said plurality of blocks and; and
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7. A plastic block panel assembly comprising:
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(a) a plurality of edge interfitting selfaligning plastic blocks, said blocks having opposite parallel faces and being interconnected to form the assembly and provided walled horizontal and vertical chases within said assembly wherein at least two chase walls parallel to said faces provide substantially planar surfaces against which a load bearing support member may be placed; (b) means for retaining applied sealants and adhesives between said plurality of blocks wherein said means for retaining further comprises at least one dimensionally controlled cavity between two adjacent ones of said plurality of interconnected blocks; and (c) means for permitting thermal expansion of said blocks, sealant and adhesives which includes at least one dimensionally controlled cavity between two adjacent ones of said plurality of interconnected blocks. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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- 10. A modular plastic building block comprising a rectangularly shaped body portion, broad opposite parallel surfaces (faces), and four edges which form a closed border around said body portion, wherein two adjacent mating edges of said body have two laterally spaced, longitudinally extending formations thereon, each formation comprising a longitudinally extending tongue and further wherein the edges of said body opposite said mating edges have four laterally spaced, longitudinally extending formations thereon where two of these four formations are longitudinally extending lips, and the other two of these four formations are longitudinally extending tongues, located between said lips, such that spaces are formed between each adjacent lip and tongue that are adapted to receive the two tongues on either mating edge of the body of another modular block, in nonabutting axial relationship, to thereby align and facilitate interconnecting said blocks and to provide spaces between the ends of said tongues of said modular building block and the mating edge of the body of said another modular block to allow for thermal expansion of said blocks.
Specification