Forced air radiant heating utilicore and module and building incorporating same
First Claim
1. A story-defining structure for a building comprising a plurality of elongate monolithic poured concrete building construction modules, each module having a substantially planar main wall and at least one side wall extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis, the at least one side wall having a pipe embedded therewithin during a pouring process, the at least one side wall forming at least part of a respective portion of first and second elements in juxtaposed orientation to form a utilicore defining a channel unbounded along one side for substantially directing air flow longitudinally therethrough, the utilicore having at least one wall that forms part of the channel comprised of a poured high thermal mass material with at least one pipe embedded therein during a pouring process, the at least one pipe for circulating a fluid throughout the at least one wall at a temperature that is different from an ambient temperature of the air flowing through the channel, for effecting heat transfer through the at least one wall between the fluid in the at least one pipe and the air flowing through the channel, each module supported at at least two points by a support structure, each module being oriented such that distal ends of the side walls thereof engage the support structure, the at least one side wall and the main wall thereof defining an elongate arch, the modules being juxtaposed in parallel relation to define at least one elongate utilicore between the arches, wherein the support structure comprises at least one substantially horizontal beam supporting the modules at one of the at least two points, each beam being supported at at least two points by a column.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An HVAC duct or utilicore for substantially containing air flowing longitudinally therethrough has at least one wall comprised of a poured high thermal mass material with at least one pipe embedded therein during a pouring process, the at least one pipe for circulating a fluid throughout the at least one wall at a temperature that is different from an ambient temperature of the air flowing through the utilicore, for effecting heat transfer through the at least one wall between the fluid in the at least one conduit and the air flowing through the utilicore. A side wall of an elongate monolithic poured concrete building construction module, having a substantially planar main wall and at least one side wall extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis, having a pipe embedded therewithin, may form at least a portion of an element that defines the utilicore. A story-defining structure for a building may comprise a plurality of at least one of such construction modules, each module supported at least two points by a support structure, each module being oriented such that distal ends of the side walls thereof engage the support structure, the at least one side wall and the main wall defining an elongate arch, the modules being juxtaposed in parallel relation to define at least one elongate utilicore between the arches. The support structure may comprise one or more modules employed as substantially horizontal beams or substantially vertical columns or both.
27 Citations
8 Claims
- 1. A story-defining structure for a building comprising a plurality of elongate monolithic poured concrete building construction modules, each module having a substantially planar main wall and at least one side wall extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis, the at least one side wall having a pipe embedded therewithin during a pouring process, the at least one side wall forming at least part of a respective portion of first and second elements in juxtaposed orientation to form a utilicore defining a channel unbounded along one side for substantially directing air flow longitudinally therethrough, the utilicore having at least one wall that forms part of the channel comprised of a poured high thermal mass material with at least one pipe embedded therein during a pouring process, the at least one pipe for circulating a fluid throughout the at least one wall at a temperature that is different from an ambient temperature of the air flowing through the channel, for effecting heat transfer through the at least one wall between the fluid in the at least one pipe and the air flowing through the channel, each module supported at at least two points by a support structure, each module being oriented such that distal ends of the side walls thereof engage the support structure, the at least one side wall and the main wall thereof defining an elongate arch, the modules being juxtaposed in parallel relation to define at least one elongate utilicore between the arches, wherein the support structure comprises at least one substantially horizontal beam supporting the modules at one of the at least two points, each beam being supported at at least two points by a column.
Specification