Unitized post and panel building system

• US 5,765,333 A
• Filed: 04/03/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dale W. Cunningham
• Original Assignee: Dale W. Cunningham
• Inventors: Cunningham, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDWARDS, WILLIAM GLENN
• Application Number:
  US08/627,884
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 52/293.3, 52/281, 52/295, 52/481.1, 52/721.3, 52/301, 52/309.13, 52/309.4, 52/405.1, 52/309.12, 52/429, 52/721.4, 52/309.8 , 52/309.9, 52/309.7, 52/406.1, 52/309.16, 52/409.1, 52/436, 52/437, 52/438, 52/723.1, 52/733.2, 52/586.1, 52/270, 52/781.5, 52/761
• US Class Current: 52/481.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/165 with elongated load-supporting parts, cast in situ E04B1/161, E04B1/163 and E04B1/164 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/64 with elongated members of concrete
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/8629 with both form leaves and spacers being monolithic
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/205 of foamed plastics, or of plastics and foamed plastics, optionally reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/243 one at least of the material being insulating

Abstract

A high strength insulated building structure. The building structure uses a rigid foam building panels having kerfs on each side. The kerfs on the rigid foam building panels are complementary in shape to pre-cured jacketed concrete posts. The pre-cured jacketed posts have a mounting attachment foot adapted for mounting on a substructure, and the building panels are securely and sealingly mounted between adjacent, substructure secured, jacketed concrete posts. The jacketed concrete posts are also provided with top attachment members which are secured to beams which run horizontally above the rigid building panels. The building panels are also provided with furring strips recessed to be flush with their interior and exterior surface, for permitting fasteners to be used for fastening other structural components thereto, such as gypsum board on the interior and siding on the exterior. The building structure provides a high strength, highly insulating structure with quick building time in the field.

Claims

1. A high strength insulated building structure, said building structure comprising:

(a) at least two pre-cured vertical posts, each of said vertical posts comprising;

(i) an upper end;

(ii) and a lower end, said lower end further comprising an attachment foot;

(iii) a peripheral encapsulating jacket;

(iv) a pourable, curable, high compressive strength structural filler;

(b) at least one high compressive strength foam first building panel, said first building panel comprising;

(i) a top,

(ii) a bottom,

(iii) an interior side,

(iv) and an exterior side,

(v) a first edge and a second edge, said first and said second edge each further comprising a vertically extending kerf, said vertically extending kerf complementary to the shape of said peripheral encapsulating jacket of said vertical posts, and

(c) wherein said first building panel is securely and sealingly located between two of said vertical posts.

2. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one first building panel is adhesively bonded to each of said vertical posts.

3. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one first building panel further comprises two or more channels in said interior side, each of said two or more channels adapted to receive in a tight fitting relationship at least one furring strip.

4. The building structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said at least one first building panel further comprises a furring strip located in each of said two or more channels.

5. The building structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said furring strips extend vertically, substantially from said bottom to said top of said at least one first building panel.

6. The building structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least one of said furring strips extends horizontally at the bottom interior of said at least one first building panel.

7. The building structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least one of said furring strips extends horizontally at the top interior of said at least one first building panel.

8. The building structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least one of said furring strips extends horizontally at the top exterior of said at least one first building panel.

9. The building structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least one of said furring strips extends horizontally at the bottom exterior of said at least one first building panel.

10. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said vertically extending kerfs in said at least one first building panel is substantially shaped, in horizontal cross section, to provide a surface that is complementary to at least a segment of a cylindrical surface.

11. The building structure as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of said vertically extending kerfs in said at least one first building panel is substantially shaped, in horizontal cross section, to provide a surface that is complementary to a half cylinder.

12. The building as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vertically extending kerfs of said at least one first building panel each comprise smooth curves, and wherein each of said vertical posts comprise a smooth curved shape complementary to said kerf shape of said at least one first building panel.

13. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one first building panel comprises a rigid foam.

14. The building structure as set forth in claim 13, wherein said rigid foam comprising said at least one first building panel has a class A fire rating.

15. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one first building panel comprises extruded polystyrene.

16. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, said building structure further comprising:

(a) a substructure, said substructure adapted to receive fasteners therein, and

(b) fasteners, said fasteners adapted to securingly penetrate into said substructure, and

(c) wherein said fasteners are adapted to be affixed to said attachment foot and to said substructure, so as to securely affix said vertical post to said substructure.

17. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vertical posts are generally circular in horizontal cross section.

18. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one first building panel is affixed to each of said vertical posts with a sealing adhesive.

19. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, further comprising

(a) one or more beams, said beams adapted to be mounted horizontally above said at least one building panel, and

(b) wherein each of said vertical posts further comprise a top attachment member, and

(c) wherein said top attachment member is adapted to secure at least one of said one or more beams, so as to tie an upper end of a first of said two or more vertical posts to an upper end of a second of said two or more vertical posts.

20. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second building panel, said second building panel comprising a set of window defining shear members transversely extending through said second building panel.

21. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one first building panel further comprises at least one interior edge wall defining a raceway, said raceway adapted to receive utilities.

22. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said peripheral encapsulating jacket comprises a rigid tube.

23. The building structure as set forth in claim 22, wherein said peripheral encapsulating jacket comprises a plastic pipe.

24. The building structure as set forth in claim 23, wherein said plastic pipe comprises a polyvinylchloride.

25. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pourable, curable, high compressive strength structural filler comprises cement.

26. The building structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vertical post further comprises a longitudinal reinforcing member located along the centerline thereof.

27. The building structure as set forth in claim 26, wherein said longitudinal reinforcing member of said vertical post is affixed to said attachment foot, so as to secure said vertical post to said substructure.

28. A method of building a high strength insulated building structure, said method comprising:

(a) providing at least two pre-cured vertical posts, each of said vertical posts comprising;

(i) an upper end;

(ii) and a lower end, said lower end further comprising an attachment foot;

(iii) a peripheral encapsulating jacket;

(iv) a pourable, curable, high strength filler;

(b) providing at least one high compressive strength foam first building panel, said first building panel comprising;

(i) a top,

(ii) a bottom,

(iii) an interior side,

(iv) and an exterior side,

(v) a first edge and a second edge, said first and said second edge each further comprising a vertically extending kerf, said vertically extending kerf complementary to the shape of said peripherally encapsulating jacket of said vertical posts, and

(c) mounting said first building panel securely and sealingly between two of said vertical posts.

29. The method as set forth in claim 28, said method further comprising adhesively bonding said first building panel to each of said vertical posts.

30. The method as set forth in claim 28, said method further comprising the step of providing, in said at least one first building panel, two or more channels, each of said channels adapted to receive in a tight fitting relationship a furring strip.

31. The method as set forth in claim 28, said method further comprising the steps of:

(a) providing one or more beams, said beams adapted to be mounted horizontally above said at least one building panel, and

(b) providing, in each of said vertical posts, a top attachment member, and

(c) securing at least one of said one or more beams at

(i) a top attachment member at a first of said two or more vertical posts, and

(ii) a top attachment member at a second of said two or more vertical posts,

(d) so as to secure the beam to the top of said first building panel.