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A construction block includes a pair of base members and a pair of side wall assemblies. Each base member defines first and second upper channels and comprises a first plurality of ribs positioned within the first upper channel and a second plurality of ribs positioned within the second upper channe

A construction block includes a pair of base members and a pair of side wall assemblies. Each base member defines first and second upper channels and comprises a first plurality of ribs positioned within the first upper channel and a second plurality of ribs positioned within the second upper channel. Each side wall assembly defines a hollow load chamber having an open top and an open bottom and includes a plurality of hingedly interconnected panels, each including a thermoplastic material. A first side wall assembly is releasably engaged with at least some of the first plurality of ribs of a lower one of the base members, and a second side wall assembly is releasably engaged with at least some of the second plurality of ribs of the lower one of the base members. Each side wall assembly is releasably engaged with an upper one of the base members.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A construction block comprising: a pair of base members, each of the base members defining a first upper channel and a second upper channel, each of the base members comprising a first plurality of ribs positioned within the first upper channel and a second plurality of ribs positioned within the

1. A construction block comprising: a pair of base members, each of the base members defining a first upper channel and a second upper channel, each of the base members comprising a first plurality of ribs positioned within the first upper channel and a second plurality of ribs positioned within the second upper channel; anda pair of side wall assemblies, each of the side wall assemblies comprising a plurality of hingedly interconnected panels, each of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies comprising a thermoplastic material, each of the side wall assemblies defining a hollow load chamber having an open top and an open bottom; whereina first one of the side wall assemblies is releasably engaged with at least some of the first plurality of ribs of a lower one of the base members, and a second one of the side wall assemblies is releasably engaged with at least some of the second plurality of ribs of the lower one of the base members; andeach of the first one of the side wall assemblies and the second one of the side wall assemblies is releasably engaged with an upper one of the base members. 2. The construction block of claim 1, further comprising: at least one cap; whereinthe at least one cap is releasably engaged with one of the base members. 3. The construction block of claim 2, wherein: the at least one cap comprises a first cap and a second cap, each of the first cap and the second cap being releasably engaged in an upright orientation with the upper one of the base members; andeach of the first and second caps is configured to at least substantially prevent communication between the hollow load chamber of a respective one of the side wall assemblies and an environment exterior of the construction block. 4. The construction block of claim 3, further comprising: a third cap and a fourth cap, each of the third cap and the fourth cap being releasably engaged in an inverted orientation with the lower one of the base members; whereineach of the third cap and the fourth cap is configured to facilitate retaining a ballast material within the hollow load chamber of a respective one of the side wall assemblies. 5. The construction block of claim 1, wherein: each of the base members defines a first aperture and a second aperture;the first aperture of the lower one of the base members and the first aperture of the upper one of the base members each communicates with the hollow load chamber of the first one of the side wall assemblies; andthe second aperture of the lower one of the base members and the second aperture of the upper one of the base members each communicates with the hollow load chamber of the second one of the side wall assemblies. 6. The construction block of claim 1, wherein: each of the base members of the pair of base members further comprises a perimeter flange, a first inner flange, a second inner flange and a web member, the web member being integral with, and transverse to, each of the perimeter flange, the first inner flange and the second inner flange;for each of the base members of the pair of base members, the perimeter flange cooperates with the first inner flange and the web member to at least partially define the first upper channel; andfor each of the base members of the pair of base members, the perimeter flange cooperates with the second inner flange and the web member to at least partially define the second upper channel. 7. The construction block of claim 1, wherein: each of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies of the pair of side wall assemblies comprises a lower end flange defining a first plurality of notches and an upper end flange defining a second plurality of notches;at least some of the first plurality of notches of the lower end flange of at least some of the panels of the first one of the side wall assemblies releasably engage a respective one of the first plurality of ribs of the lower one of the base members; andat least some of the first plurality of notches of the lower end flange of at least some of the panels of the second one of the side wall assemblies releasably engage a respective one of the second plurality of ribs of the lower one of the base members. 8. The construction block of claim 1, wherein: each of the base members of the pair of base members comprises a perimeter flange having an outer surface;each of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies comprises a first side, a second side, a central portion, a lower end flange and an upper end flange;the central portion of each of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies has a generally planar outer surface;the central portion of each of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies extends between the respective lower and upper end flanges and between the respective first and second sides;each of the lower end flange and the upper end flange of each of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies is offset inwardly from the generally planar outer surface of the central portion of the respective panel, such that the generally planar outer surface of at least some of the panels of the first side wall assembly and the generally planar outer surface of at least some of the panels of the second side wall assembly are at least substantially flush with the outer surface of the perimeter flange of each of the base members. 9. The construction block of claim 7, wherein: each of the base members of the pair of base members further defines a first lower channel and a second lower channel and further comprises a third plurality of ribs positioned within the first lower channel, and a fourth plurality of ribs positioned within the second lower channel; andthe first one of the side wall assemblies is releasably engaged with at least some of the third plurality of ribs of the upper one of the base members, and the second one of the side wall assemblies is releasably engaged with at least some of the fourth plurality of ribs of the upper one of the base members. 10. The construction block of claim 9, wherein: at least some of the second plurality of notches of the upper end flange of at least some of the panels of the first one of the side wall assemblies releasably engages a respective one of the third plurality of ribs of the upper one of the base members; andat least some of the second plurality of notches of the upper end flange of at least some of the panels of the second one of the side wall assemblies releasably engages a respective one of the fourth plurality of ribs of the upper one of the base members. 11. The construction block of claim 9, wherein: each of the base members of the pair of base members further comprises a first plurality of guides positioned within the first upper channel, a second plurality of guides positioned within the second upper channel, a third plurality of guides positioned within the first lower channel, and a fourth plurality of guides positioned within the second lower channel;each one of the first plurality of guides of the lower one of the base members is configured to facilitate assembly of the first one of the side wall assemblies with the lower one of the base members;each one of the second plurality of guides of the lower one of the base members is configured to facilitate assembly of the second one of the side wall assemblies with the lower one of the base members;each one of the third plurality of guides of the upper one of the base members is configured to facilitate assembly of the first one of the side wall assemblies with the upper one of the base members; andeach of the fourth plurality of guides of the upper one of the base members is configured to facilitate assembly of the second one of the side wall assemblies with the upper one of the base members. 12. The construction block of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of links, each of the links having a pair of apertures; whereinone of the panels of the first one of the side wall assemblies is connected to one of the panels of the second one of the side wall assemblies with the plurality of links. 13. The construction block of claim 8, wherein when viewed in transverse cross-section: the generally planar outer surfaces of the central portions of the panels of the first one of the side wall assemblies cooperate to define a first polygon; andthe generally planar outer surfaces of the central portions of the panels of the second one of the side wall assemblies cooperate to define a second polygon, the second polygon being the same as the first polygon. 14. A construction block comprising: a pair of base members, each of the base members defining a first upper channel, a second upper channel, a first lower channel and a second lower channel, each of the base members comprising a first plurality of ribs positioned within the first upper channel, a second plurality of ribs positioned within the second upper channel, a third plurality of ribs positioned within the first lower channel and a fourth plurality of ribs positioned within the second lower channel; anda pair of side wall assemblies connected to one another, each of the side wall assemblies comprising a plurality of interconnected panels, wherein, for each of the side wall assemblies, each of the panels comprises a thermoplastic material and is hingedly connected to each adjacent one of the panels of a respective one of the side wall assemblies, each of the side wall assemblies defining a hollow load chamber having an open top and an open bottom, at least some of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies being angled relative to one another; whereineach of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies comprises a lower end flange and an upper end flange;the lower end flange of each of the panels of a first one of the side wall assemblies is positioned at least partially within the first upper channel of a lower one of the base members and is releasably engaged with at least one of the first plurality of ribs of the lower one of the base members;the lower end flange of each of the panels of a second one of the side wall assemblies is positioned at least partially within the second upper channel of the lower one of the base members and is releasably engaged with at least one of the second plurality of ribs in the lower one of the base members;the upper end flange of each of the panels of the first one of the side wall assemblies is positioned at least partially within the first lower channel of the upper one of the base members and is releasably engaged with at least one of the third plurality of ribs of the upper one of the base members; andthe upper end flange of each of the panels of the second one of the side wall assemblies is positioned at least partially within the second lower channel of the upper one of the base members and is releasably engaged with at least one of the fourth plurality of ribs of the upper one of the base members. 15. The construction block of claim 14, wherein: each of the base members of the pair of base members further comprises a perimeter flange, a first inner flange, a second inner flange and a web member;for each of the base members of the pair of base members, the perimeter flange cooperates with the first inner flange and the web member to at least partially define the first upper channel and to at least partially define the first lower channel; andfor each of the base members of the pair of base members, the perimeter flange cooperates with the second inner flange and the web member to at least partially define the second upper channel and to at least partially define the second lower channel;at least some of the first plurality of ribs and at least some of the third plurality of ribs extend between the perimeter flange and the first inner flange; andat least some of the second plurality of ribs and at least some of the fourth plurality of ribs extend between the perimeter flange and the second inner flange. 16. The construction block of claim 15, further comprising: a first cap, a second cap, a third cap and a fourth cap; whereineach of the first cap and the second cap is releasably engaged in an upright orientation with the upper one of the base members; andeach of the third cap and the fourth cap is releasably engaged in an inverted orientation with the lower one of the base members. 17. The construction block of claim 16, wherein: each of the base members of the pair of base members further comprises a first plurality of guides positioned within the first upper channel and a second plurality of guides positioned within the second upper channel, each of the first plurality of guides of each of the base members and each of the second plurality of guides of each of the base members having a sloped upper surface;the first plurality of guides of the lower one of the base members facilitates assembly of the first one of the first side wall assemblies with the lower one of the base members;the second plurality of guides of the lower one of the base members facilitates assembly of the second one of the side wall assemblies with the lower one of the base members;each of the base members of the pair of base members further comprises a third plurality of guides positioned within the first lower channel and a fourth plurality of guides positioned within the second lower channel;for each of the base members, each of the third plurality of guides and each of the fourth plurality of guides has a sloped lower surface;the third plurality of guides of the upper one of the base members facilitates assembly of the first one of the side wall assemblies with the upper one of the base members; andthe fourth plurality of guides of the upper one of the base members facilitates assembly of the second one of the side wall assemblies with the upper one of the base members. 18. The construction block of claim 16, wherein: each of the panels of each of the side wall assemblies of the pair of side wall assemblies comprises a lower end flange defining a first plurality of notches and an upper end flange defining a second plurality of notches;at least some of the first plurality of notches of the lower end flange of at least some of the panels of the first one of the side wall assemblies releasably engages a respective one of the first plurality of ribs of the lower one of the base members;at least some of the first plurality of notches of the lower end flange of at least some of the panels of the second one of the side wall assemblies releasably engages a respective one of the second plurality of ribs of the lower one of the base members;at least some of the second plurality of notches of the upper end flange of at least some of the panels of the first one of the side wall assemblies releasably engages a respective one of the third plurality of ribs of the upper one of the base members; andat least some of the second plurality of notches of the upper end flange of at least some of the panels of the second one of the side wall assemblies releasably engages a respective one of the fourth plurality of ribs of the upper one of the base members. 19. A structure made from a kit of construction block components, the kit comprising: a plurality of base members; anda plurality of side wall assemblies; whereineach of the base members defines a first upper channel, a second upper channel, a first lower channel and a second lower channel, each of the base members comprising a first plurality of ribs positioned within the first upper channel, a second plurality of ribs positioned within the second upper channel, a third plurality of ribs positioned within the first lower channel and a fourth plurality of ribs positioned within the second lower channel;each of the side wall assemblies comprises a plurality of hingedly interconnected panels, each of the panels comprising a thermoplastic material, each of the side wall assemblies being movable between a collapsed configuration and an erected configuration, wherein each of the side wall assemblies define, in the erected configuration, a hollow load chamber having an open top and an open bottom;the structure comprises a base course comprising a first plurality of the base members disposed adjacent to one another;the base course of the structure further comprises a first plurality of the side wall assemblies in the erected configuration;each of the first plurality of the erected side wall assemblies releasably engages a respective one of the first plurality of the base members and extends upwardly therefrom; andat least some of the first plurality of ribs and at least some of the second plurality of ribs of each of the first plurality of the base members releasably engages a respective one of the first plurality of the erected side wall assemblies. 20. The structure of claim 19, wherein: the kit further comprises a plurality of caps;the structure further comprises a second course vertically adjacent to and releasably engaged with the base course;the second course comprises a second plurality of the side wall assemblies in the erected configuration, and a second plurality of the base members positioned vertically between the first plurality of the erected side wall assemblies and the second plurality of the erected side wall assemblies;at least some of the third plurality of ribs and at least some of the fourth plurality of ribs of each of the second plurality of the base members releasably engages a respective one of the first plurality of the erected side wall assemblies of the base course;at least some of the first plurality of ribs and at least some of the second plurality of ribs of each of the second plurality of the base members releasably engages a respective one of the second plurality of the erected side wall assemblies of the second course; andat least some of the caps are releasably engaged in an inverted orientation with a respective one of the first plurality of the base members of the base course.