Modular structural members for constructing buildings, and buildings constructed of such members

• US 6,237,297 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IBI, Inc. (WPP PLC)
• Original Assignee: IBI, Inc. (WPP PLC)
• Inventors: Paroly, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Beth A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DORSEY, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/223,666
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 52/309.4, 52/337, 52/340, 52/659, 52/652.1, 52/650.1, 52/651.01
• US Class Current: 52/652.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/06 reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/0636 Three-dimensional reinforcing mats composed of reinforcing elements laying in two or more parallel planes and connected by separate reinforcing parts E04C5/0645 takes precedence

Abstract

A structural member of this class basically consists of two spaced shell panels and an intermediate core. The shell panels may be made of metal or concrete or combinations thereof, or of other rigid materials having the required physical properties. The core is a triangulated wire frame composed of a plurality of zig-zag shaped wire trusses having their sets of top and bottom apexes anchored to associated sets of longitudinal and transverse chords and the respective proximate inside faces of the shell panels. The arrangement of the wire trusses is such that, in each group of three adjacent wire trusses, the middle one has its bottom apexes also connected to the bottom apexes of the wire truss located on one side of the middle wire truss and has its top apexes also connected to the top apexes of the wire truss located on the other side of the middle wire truss.

Claims

1. A modular structural member for use as a part of a building structure, comprising:

(a) a pair of spaced, parallel shell panels and a core interposed between and secured to said shell panels for retaining the latter in their spaced relationship;

(b) each of said shell panels having outside and inside faces which are directed away from each other and of which said outside face provides an exposed finish and texture for said structural member; and

(c) said core comprising a triangulated wire frame composed of a plurality of zig-zag shaped wire trusses running alongside one another between two opposite boundary edges of said structural member and extending from one of said boundary edges to the other, each of said zig-zag shaped wire trusses having bottom and top apexes each of which is connected to the respective proximate one of said shell panels at said inside face thereof, and in each group of three adjacent wire trusses, a middle one thereof has its bottom apexes also connected to said bottom apexes of the wire truss located on one side of said middle wire truss and has its top apexes also connected to said top apexes of the wire truss located on the other side of said middle wire truss.

2. A structural member according to claim 1, further comprising adjacent each of said inside faces of said shell panels a respective plurality of mutually parallel first chord members arranged at the locations of the junctures between said shell panels and said top and bottom apexes of said zig-zag shaped wire trusses of said triangulated wire frame, a respective plurality of mutually parallel second chord members arranged transverse to said first chord members and located at the locations of the intersections between said first chord members and said top and bottom apexes of said wire trusses, and a plurality of anchors located, respectively, at the intersections between said first and second chord members and connecting said first and second chord members and said top and bottom apexes of said wire trusses to said shell panels.

3. A structural member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said shell panels is made of metal.

4. A structural member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said shell panels is made of concrete.

5. A structural member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said shell panels is made of concrete incorporating a quantity of cellular plastic foam.

6. A structural member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said shell panels is made of concrete reinforced by a quantity of plastic fibers.

7. A structural member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said shell panels is made of concrete reinforced by a quantity of plastic fibers and incorporating a quantity of cellular plastic foam.

8. A structural member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said shell panels is made of a layer of concrete having a metal shellpan embedded therein and substantially coextensive in area with said layer of concrete, thereby to enhance the strength of said structural member for enabling it to accommodate conduits, openings and fasteners.

9. A building structure having at least a part thereof constructed of at least one structural members as claimed in claim 1 or 2.

10. A building structure having at least a part thereof constructed of at least one structural member as claimed in claim 8.

11. A modular structural member for use as a part of a building structure, comprising:

a triangulated wire frame composed of a plurality of zig-zag shaped wire trusses running alongside one another between two opposite boundary edges of said structural member and extending from one of said boundary edges to the other, each of said zig-zag shaped wire trusses having bottom and top apexes which are connected to others of said top and bottom apexes, and in each group of three adjacent wire trusses, a middle one thereof has its bottom apexes connected only to said bottom apexes of the wire truss located on one side of said middle wire truss and has its top apexes connected only to said top apexes of the wire truss located on the other side of said middle wire truss.

12. A structural member according to claim 11, further comprising respective pluralities of mutually parallel first chord members arranged at the locations of said top apexes and of said bottom apexes of said zig-zag shaped wire trusses of said triangulated wire frame, respective pluralities of mutually parallel second chord members arranged transverse to said first chord members and located at the locations of the intersections between said first chord members and said top and bottom apexes of said wire trusses, and respective pluralities of anchors located, respectively, at the intersections between said first and second chord members and interconnecting said first and second chord members and said top and bottom apexes of said wire trusses.

13. A structural member according to claim 12, wherein said triangulated wire frame has said top and bottom apexes of said wire trusses arranged at predetermined substantially uniform spacings from each other.

14. A structural member according to claim 13, wherein said triangulated wire frame has at least one region thereof in which said top and bottom apexes of said wire trusses are arranged at spacings from each other which are smaller and more compact than said predetermined spacings.