Insulated stud panel and method of making such

• US 7,168,216 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman; Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KATCHEVES, BASIL S
• Application Number:
  US11/004,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20050188649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 527/421.3, 527/43, 524/043, 524/811, 524/80, 527/941, 527/450.9
• US Class Current: 52/480
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/186 Filling multiple cavities B29C44/181, B29C44/182 and B29C44/188 takes precedence
• 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: E04F 21/085 for filling building cavity walls with insulating materials
• 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 prefabricated 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 off 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 prefabricated 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 exterior and interior sheathing;

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

a) building a frame comprising the first and second plates, the outer studs, and the inner studs;

b) engaging one of the exterior and interior sheathing on a first face of said frame such that a second face of the frame is an open face;

c) introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame via the open face of the frame such that cellular polymer insulation is introduced into at least one inner region; and

then

d) engaging the other of the exterior and interior sheathing on the second face of the frame to close off the open face and form the prefabricated stud panel; and

e) 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 said cellular polymer insulation into the space such that cellular polymer insulation in one inner region communicates with cellular polymer insulation in an adjacent inner region and such that a thermal break is provided via said inner stud extending incompletely between the exterior and interior sheathing.

2. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, wherein the step of engaging one of the exterior and interior sheathing on a first face of the frame comprises the step of engaging the interior sheathing on the first face of the frame such that interior sheathing is engaged on the frame during the step of introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame.

3. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, wherein the step of engaging one of the exterior and interior sheathing on a first face of the frame comprises the step of engaging the exterior sheathing on the first face of the frame such that exterior sheathing is engaged on the frame during the step of introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame.

4. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, wherein the step of introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame comprises the step of introducing cellular polymer insulation into each of the inner regions.

5. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, wherein the step of introducing cellular polymer insulation includes the steps of first introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame to the first face of the frame and subsequently introducing cellular polymer insulation to generally a rough plane terminating short of the second face of the frame, wherein the rough plane and the second face are generally parallel to each other and such that a space is formed between the rough plane, where the cellular polymer insulation terminates, and the second face where sheathing will be engaged.

6. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, wherein the step of introducing cellular polymer insulation includes the steps of first introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame to the first face of the frame and subsequently introducing cellular polymer insulation to generally the second face of the frame where sheathing will be engaged such that the cellular polymer insulation can immediately confront each of the interior and exterior sheathing.

7. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, wherein the step of introducing cellular polymer insulation includes the steps of first introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame to the first face of the frame and subsequently introducing cellular polymer insulation beyond the second face of the frame such that an excess of cellular polymer insulation has been introduced into the frame.

8. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, 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.

9. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, and further comprising the step of selecting said inner stud to be an inner stud confronting the interior sheathing and being spaced from the exterior sheathing.

10. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, and further comprising the step of automatically introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame.

11. The method of making a prefabricated stud panel of claim 1, and further comprising the step of introducing insulation into said inner regions 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 prefabricated 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 exterior 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 prefabricated stud panel is substantially completely filled with said insulation; and

h) 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.

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

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

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

17. The prefabricated stud panel of claim 13, wherein cellular polymer insulation in any one inner region communicates with cellular polymer insulation in any other inner region.

18. 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.

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

20. 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 prefabricated 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 exterior 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;

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;

i) 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; and

j) wherein the cellular polymer insulation terminates generally short of the exterior sheathing such that an air space is formed adjacent to the exterior sheathing, with the cellular polymer insulation running in the width direction from where the cellular polymer terminates generally short of the exterior sheathing to the interior sheathing to provide support for the interior sheathing.

21. A method of making a prefabricated stud panel, with the prefabricated 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 prefabricated 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 exterior and interior sheathing;

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

a) building a frame comprising the first and second plates, the outer studs, and the inner studs;

b) engaging one of the exterior and interior sheathing on a first face of said frame such that a second face of the frame is an open face;

c) introducing cellular polymer insulation into the frame such that cellular polymer insulation is introduced into at least one inner region; and

then

d) engaging the other of the exterior and interior sheathing on the second face of the frame to close off the open face and form the prefabricated stud panel; and

e) 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 said cellular polymer insulation into the space such that cellular polymer insulation in one inner region communicates with cellular polymer insulation in an adjacent inner region and such that a thermal break is provided via said inner stud extending incompletely between the exterior and interior sheathing.