Prestressed modular foam structures

• US 9,200,447 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Concrete & Foam Structures, LLC
• Original Assignee: Concrete and Foam Structures LLC
• Inventors: Bargh, John H
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Joshua J
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKBASLI, ALP A
• Application Number:
  US14/174,223
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 523/094, 523097-3099, 523/091.1, 522/202, 522/203, 522/207, 522/208, 527/821, 522/81, 522/823, 52/791, 52/799, 52/23, 52/921, 52/931, 522/231.3, 522/231.4, 522/231, 522/237
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/14 the elements being composed of two or more materials of reinforced concrete E04B1/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/3583 using permanent tensioning means, e.g. cables or rods, to assemble or rigidify structures (not pre- or poststressing concrete), e.g. by tying them around the structure
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 7/026 consisting of prefabricated modules, e.g. box-like or cell-like units E04B7/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 7/06 Constructions of roof intersections or hipped ends
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 7/22 the slabs having insulating properties, e.g. laminated with layers of insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/08 Members specially adapted to be used in prestressed constructions production of reinforced objects in general B28B23/00; prestressed structures produced in situ E04G21/12
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/12 Anchoring devices tools or methods for tensioning in situ E04G21/12

Abstract

A prefabricated, modular enclosure comprising a plurality of plastic foam EPS components forming an integrated structure characterized by energy efficiency and ease of assembly. Wall panels, window panels, door panels, gable panels and roofing panels may be custom configured and glued together, utilizing adaptors on their sides and corner assemblies at intersections. The panels include major and minor channel struts that longitudinally penetrate the panel bodies, snugly lodging within receptive slots. The struts do not contact each other, and no portions of the struts traverses the panel thickness from inside to outside, thus minimizing thermal loss pathways. The wider, major reinforcement struts have offset portions spaced from interior panel surfaces that project interiorly of the enclosure and form a rigid mounting for interior finishing. The chase defined between the modular panels and the interior wall finishing, afforded by the offset struts, may house plumbing, wiring or the like.

Claims

1. An energy-efficient, modular enclosure adapted to be assembled upon a supporting surface from prefabricated plastic parts, the enclosure comprising:

at least one sidewall, each said at least one sidewall comprising a plurality of wall panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the wall panels adapted to be coupled to other wall panels to form said at least one sidewall;

at least one gabled end wall intersecting said at least one sidewall, the said at least one gabled end wall comprising a plurality of gable panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the gable panels adapted to be coupled to each other to form said at least one gable end wall;

plastic foam adaptor means for enabling said at least one sidewall panel to interfit with another said at least one sidewall, the adaptor means forming routing voids when coupled to another said at least one sidewall panel;

a roof formed of multiple roof panels, the roof panels adapted to be fitted together over said enclosure in engagement with said at least one sidewall and said at least one gabled end wall to form said roof, said roof panels comprising sides with reinforcing channels;

means for securing said enclosure to said supporting surface, said means for securing said enclosure comprising anchors seated within said supporting surface, and an elongated strap extending between said anchors that traverses said roof, the strap extending upwardly through and within said routing void and through roof panel reinforcing channels; and

,

wherein the wall panels comprise major and minor reinforcement struts associated with their plastic bodies, wherein the major reinforcement struts have an offset portion facing interiorly of the enclosure that is spaced apart from the surface of the wall panels in which the major reinforcement struts are disposed for forming a mounting for interior walls, accessories or finishing, said major reinforcement struts comprising an integral portion disposed within said plastic foam bodies, and wherein the major and minor reinforcement struts are isolated from one another and positioned to avoid the establishment of conductive thermal pathways through said plastic foam bodies.

2. The modular enclosure as defined in claim 1 wherein the plastic foam adaptor means and wall panels comprise tongues and grooves, wherein said tongues and grooves of said plastic foam adaptor means form a complementary fit with said tongues and grooves of the wall panels and wherein the plastic foam adaptor means includes at least one routing groove adapted to form said routing void.

3. The modular enclosure as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one sidewall panel comprises at least one door panel comprising a plastic foam body, the door panel adapted to be coupled to said wall panels to form doors within said at least one sidewall.

4. The modular enclosure as defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one sidewall panel comprises at least one window panel comprising a plastic foam body that forms windows within said at least one sidewall, the wall panels adapted to be coupled to said window panel.

5. The modular enclosure as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said enclosure comprises an upper apex region;

said enclosure comprises at least one support column that extends vertically, upwardly from the supporting surface to the upper apex region;

a horizontally oriented beam extends through said upper apex region;

said support column contacts said horizontally oriented beam; and

,

the horizontally oriented beam contacts and elevates an elongated, horizontally oriented gusset that extends through the upper apex region to spread out the forces or pressures exerted upon or by the roof.

6. An energy-efficient, modular enclosure adapted to be assembled upon a supporting surface from prefabricated plastic parts, the enclosure comprising:

at least one sidewall comprising a plurality of wall panels, said wall panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the wall panels coupled together to form said at least one sidewall;

at least one end wall intersecting said at least one sidewall, said at least one end wall comprising a plurality of gable panels, each gable panel comprising plastic foam bodies, the gable panels coupled together to form said at least one end wall;

means disposed between intersecting at least one sidewall and at least one end wall for joining the at least one sidewall and at least one end wall at a corner;

a roof formed of multiple roof panels, the roof panels adapted to be fitted together over said enclosure in engagement with said at least one sidewall and said at least one end wall to form said roof;

wherein the at least one sidewall panel comprises strut means for reinforcement, said strut means comprising elongated major reinforcement struts and elongated minor reinforcement struts generally parallel with and spaced apart from said major reinforcement struts, said major reinforcement struts comprising a portion disposed within and integral with said plastic foam bodies, offset portions spaced apart from the plastic foam bodies for mounting interior walls, accessories or finishing, and wherein the major and minor reinforcement struts are isolated from one another to avoid the establishment of conductive thermal pathways through said plastic foam bodies;

wherein said at least one sidewall comprises at least one window panel that forms at least one window within said at least one sidewall, the wall panels adapted to be coupled to said at least one window panel;

wherein the enclosure comprises at least one door panel in at least one sidewall, the at least one door panel adapted to be coupled to said wall panels or said at least one window panel to form doors for said enclosure;

a plurality of plastic foam adaptors for coupling wall panels together;

each adaptor comprising a routing void;

anchors seated within the supporting surface; and

,

at least one tensioning strap connected to and extending between said anchors that extends upwardly through said at least one sidewall, passing through a routing void defined in at least one adaptor, and wherein, for at least a portion of the strap length, said strap seats within a reinforcement channel secured within sides of said roof panels, whereby said wall panels are put in compression, and said roof panels are urged towards said wall panels.

7. The modular enclosure as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for joining the at least one sidewall and at least one end wall comprises at least one plastic foam corner junction that interconnects with a at least one sidewall and an at least one end wall.

8. An energy-efficient, modular enclosure adapted to be assembled upon a supporting surface from prefabricated plastic parts, the enclosure comprising:

at least one stepped sidewall comprising a plurality of wall panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the wall panels adapted to be coupled to one another to form said at least one stepped sidewall, each wall panel comprising at least one strap routing void;

at least one door panel comprising a plastic foam body, the door panel adapted to be coupled to wall panels to form doors within said enclosure;

at least one window panel comprising a plastic foam body, the window panel adapted to be coupled to wall panels or at least one door panel to form windows within said enclosure;

at least one gabled end wall intersecting said at least one stepped sidewall, the at least one gabled end wall comprising a plurality of gable panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the gable panels adapted to be coupled to each other to form said at least one gabled end wall;

at least one corner junction adapted to be fitted between intersecting at least one stepped sidewall and at least one gabled end wall to form comers of said enclosure;

wherein the wall panels, the at least one window panel and the at least one door panel comprise means for longitudinally reinforcing them, said reinforcing means comprising major and minor reinforcement struts that are disposed in parallel and spaced apart relation within the plastic foam bodies of the wall panels, the at least one window panel, and the at least one door panel, and wherein the major reinforcement struts have an offset portion facing interiorly of the enclosure that is spaced apart from the plastic surface of the at least one window panel, the at least one door panel, or wall panels in which the major reinforcement strut is disposed for forming a mounting for interior walls, accessories or finishing, and wherein the major and minor reinforcement struts are isolated from one another and positioned to avoid the establishment of conductive thermal pathways through said foam bodies;

an upper apex region;

a roof formed of multiple roof panels, the roof panels adapted to be fitted together over said enclosure and configured to engage and mate with said at least one stepped sidewall and said at least one end wall to form said roof, said roof panels extending angularly, upwardly from the top of the at least one stepped sidewall to the apex region;

at least one tensioning strap that extends upwardly through said at least one stepped sidewall and traverses said upper apex region, the straps passing through at least one routing void defined in the at least one stepped sidewall; and

,

wherein, for at least a portion of each strap length, the strap seats within a reinforcement channel secured within sides of said roof panels, whereby said wall panels are put in compression, and said roof panels are urged towards said wall panels.

9. The modular enclosure as defined in claim 8 wherein:

the enclosure comprises at least one support column that extends vertically, upwardly from the supporting surface to the upper apex region;

a horizontally oriented beam extending through said upper apex region and is supported by said column; and

,

said beam elevates an elongated, gusset that extends horizontally through the apex region to spread out pressures exerted upon or by the roof.

10. An energy-efficient, modular enclosure adapted to be assembled upon a supporting surface from prefabricated plastic parts, the enclosure comprising:

at least one stepped sidewall comprising a plurality of wall panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the wall panels adapted to be coupled to one another to form said at least one stepped sidewall;

at least one gabled end wall intersecting said at least one sidewall, the at least one gabled end wall comprising a plurality of gable panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the gable panels adapted to be coupled to each other to form said at least one gabled end wall and the gable panels varying in height and having angled tops coextensive with a roof line;

tongue and groove means for enabling wall panels to interfit with one another wall panels to form said at least one stepped sidewall, said tongue and groove means establishing at least one strap routing void in said at least one sidewall between adjacent wall panels;

at least one corner junction adapted to be fitted between intersecting at least one of said sidewall and end wall to form comers of said enclosure;

a roof formed of multiple roof panels, the roof panels adapted to be fitted together over said enclosure in engagement with said at least one stepped sidewall and said at least one end wall to form said roof, the roof panels having notched portions to mate with the at least one stepped sidewall;

at least one tensioning strap that extends upwardly through said at least one sidewall, the strap passing through said routing void;

wherein, for at least a portion of length of each strap, said strap seats within a reinforcement channel secured within said roof panels, whereby said wall panels are put in compression, and said roof panels are urged towards said wall panels;

at least one support column that extends vertically, upwardly from the supporting surface to the an apex region; and

,

said at least one support column elevates an elongated, horizontally oriented gusset that extends horizontally through the apex region to spread out the forces or pressures exerted upon or by the roof.

11. The modular enclosure as defined in claim 10 wherein said gusset comprises a flat, center portion supported by said at least one support column and integral, spaced-apart, inclined wings that abut opposite, inclined surfaces of the roof.