초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for constructing pre-insulated structural panels is disclosed that has a tongue and groove assembly arrangement. Each panel may include one or more c-channels or profiles embedded in expandable polystyrene (EPS) foam to provide structural integrity to the panels, and resultin

An apparatus and method for constructing pre-insulated structural panels is disclosed that has a tongue and groove assembly arrangement. Each panel may include one or more c-channels or profiles embedded in expandable polystyrene (EPS) foam to provide structural integrity to the panels, and resulting wall. The panels may be covered with siding, stucco, or similar materials. A chase may be formed horizontally in the panels to provide a wiring conduit through the panel. The panel may also provide when assembled, a vertical chase formed between the mated panels along the length of the panel for wiring. Acoustical properties may be formed in the surface of the EPS portions to provided added acoustical damping measures.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for a pre-insulated building component, comprising: a plurality of vertical support channels embedded in an insulating material to produce a first panel and a second panel, each panel having a first side, a second side opposing the first side, a third side, and a fourth side opposing

1. An apparatus for a pre-insulated building component, comprising: a plurality of vertical support channels embedded in an insulating material to produce a first panel and a second panel, each panel having a first side, a second side opposing the first side, a third side, and a fourth side opposing the third side, wherein a first subset of the plurality of vertical support channels are configured along the third side without extending to the fourth side and a second subset of the plurality of vertical support channels are configured along the fourth side without extending to the third side, the insulating material separating the first subset from the second subset, the insulating material bonded to the plurality of vertical support channels with a thermosetting adhesive;a groove end configured in the first side of each panel, the groove end having a substantially symmetrical concave recess formed by the insulating material along a length of the first side; anda tongue end configured in the second side of each panel, the tongue end having a substantially symmetrical convex portion integrally formed by the insulating material along a length of the second side,wherein the symmetrical concave recess of the first panel is configured to receive the symmetrical convex portion of the second panel for forming a wall section, and the symmetrical concave recess and symmetrical convex portion being configured to form an enclosed vertical chase of therebetween when mated thereby permitting installation of wiring or plumbing, and wherein the concave recess and the convex portion each has a radius forming curved portion that are configured to mutually mate. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulating material comprises expandable polystyrene (EPS). 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a chase configured in each panel to run from the first side to the second side for receiving wiring, the chase having a diameter and being defined solely by the insulating material. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the chase of the first panel aligns with the chase of the second panel thereby permitting wiring to extend from the first panel into the second panel. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of acoustical protrusions are configured on a surface of the insulating material to inhibit sound travel along a space formed between the surface of at least one of the panels and a finishing material applied to the at least one of the panels, wherein the plurality of acoustical protrusions are formed by the insulating material as separate spaced apart parallel protrusions configured to run horizontally on the surface of the third side from one vertical support column to another vertical support column. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertical support channels are spaced apart to imitate spacing associated with traditional wall studs, the spacing being one of: about 16 inches and about 24 inches. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertical support channels have one surface exposed to facilitate attaching of finishing materials. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertical support channels comprised c-channels, wherein a portion of the c-channels embed within expandable polystyrene to provide lateral support against lateral forces, and the plurality of vertical support channels provide load bearing support, the c-channel configured with a base portion configured to form part of an outer surface of at least one of the third side and the fourth side and the base portion configured with two lip portions, each lip portion extending perpendicular from the base portion, the two lips terminating in the insulating material without any bends in the two lip portions, other than any bend formed with the base portion. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the panel has a length of one of: about 4 feet, about 8 feet, about 10 feet, and about 12 feet. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a base plate to receive the wall section at a bottom end of the wall section and for securing the wall section to a floor. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a header plate for securing the wall section at a top end of the wall section. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a structural strengthening member arranged to extend from the header plate to the base plate through the enclosed vertical chase formed in the wall section by at least the first panel and the second panel. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a structural strengthening member arranged in the vertical chase for providing additional structural integrity. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosed vertical chase comprises a circumferentially enclosed vertical chase formed by the mated tongue end and groove end. 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first vertical channel of the plurality of channels being configured to form an edge between the third side and first side; and a second vertical channel of the plurality of channels being configured to form an edge between the third side and second side, and a third vertical channel of the plurality of channels being configured to form an edge between the first side and fourth side; and a fourth vertical channel of the plurality of channels being configured to form an edge between the fourth side and second side. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the symmetrical concave recess is configured between the first vertical channel and the fourth vertical channel, and the convex portion is configured between the second vertical channel and the third vertical channel. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the symmetrical concave recess is configured with a radius and the symmetrical convex portion is configured with a radius, the symmetrical convex portion configured to extend partially into the concave recess when mated to create the vertical chase, the vertical chase being a space between the symmetrical concave recess and symmetrical convex portion along an entire vertical height of the mated panels. 18. An apparatus for a pre-insulated building component, comprising; at least one first vertical c-channel arranged along a first outer surface of a panel without extending to an opposing outer surface of the panel;at least one second vertical c-channel arranged along a second outer surface of the panel without extending to an opposing outer surface of the panel; andinsulating material embedding the at least one first vertical c-channel and the insulating material embedding the at least one second vertical c-channel, the insulating material spacing part and separating the at least one first vertical c-channel from the at least one second vertical c-channel, wherein the insulating material is bonded to the at least one first vertical c-channel and the at least one second vertical c-channel with a thermosetting adhesive, andwherein the at least one first vertical c-channel has a first lip and the at least one second vertical c-channel has a second lip, the first lip forming a first edge in a third outer surface of the panel and second lip forming a second edge in the third outer surface of the panel, the at least one first vertical c-channel has a first lip and the at least one second vertical c-channel has a second lip, the first lip forming a first edge in a third outer surface of the panel and second lip forming a second edge in the third outer surface of the panel, the insulating material configured to form a curved concave recess vertically along the fourth surface and the insulting material configured to form a curved convex portion formed as an integral part of the panel between the first lip and second lip vertically on a third outer surface,wherein the panel is configured to be mated with a second panel, the second panel configured like the panel, the mating of the curved concave recess of the panel with the curved convex portion of the second panel forming an enclosed vertical chase between the concave recess and the convex portion to permit wiring or a strengthening member to be inserted therein. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the insulating material is expandable polystyrene (EPS). 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the insulating material is configured to form a plurality of horizontal protrusions extending along a width of at least one of the outer surfaces between two adjacent vertical channels, the plurality of horizontal protrusions configured to abut finishing material applied to the panels to minimize sound propagation along at least one of the outer surfaces of the panel. 21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first lip and the second lip each form a flat surface portion on the third outer surface, the first lip and second lip each adjacent to a convex portion formed by the third outer surface. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a third vertical c-channel has a third lip and a fourth vertical c-channel has a fourth lip, the third lip forming a third edge in a fourth outer surface of the panel and the fourth lip forming a fourth edge in the fourth outer surface of the panel, wherein the third lip and fourth lip each form a flat surface portion on the fourth surface. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the third vertical c-channel and fourth vertical c-channel are configured on opposing outer surfaces of the panel, and the third lip and fourth lip each adjacent to a concave portion formed in the fourth outer surface, the concave portion formed between the first lip and the second lip. 24. The method of claim 18, wherein the mated concave recess of the panel with the convex portion of the second panel forms the enclosed vertical chase between the convex recess and the concave portion and also forms a space of about one inch between the concave recess and the convex portion. 25. A method for providing a pre-insulated building component, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of vertical support channels embedded in an insulating material to produce a first panel and a second panel, each panel having a first side, a second side opposing the first side, a third side, and a fourth side opposing the third side, wherein a first subset of the plurality of vertical support channels are configured along the third side without extending to the fourth side and a second subset of the plurality of vertical support channels are configured along the fourth side without extending to the third side, the insulating material separating the first subset from the second subset, the insulating material bonded to the plurality of vertical support channels with a thermosetting adhesive;providing a groove end configured in the first side of each panel, the groove end having a concave recess formed by the insulating material along a length of the first side, and a first vertical channel of the plurality of channels configured to form an edge between the third side and first side; andproviding a tongue end configured in the second side of each panel, the tongue end having a convex portion formed by the insulating material along a length of the second side, and a second vertical channel of the plurality of channels configured to form an edge between the third side and second side wherein the tongue end of the first panel mates with the groove end of the second panel to form a wall section, and the mated tongue end and groove end forming an enclosed vertical chase between the convex portion and the concave recess, and the first vertical channel further configured to extend along the first side terminating proximate the concave recess, and the second vertical channel configured to extend along the second side terminating proximate the convex portion, wherein the concave recess and the convex portion each has a radius forming a curved portion that are configured to mutually mate, and the concave recess is an integral part of the tongue end. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the insulating material comprises expandable polystyrene (EPS). 27. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a chase configured in each panel to run a width of each panel for receiving wiring. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step for providing a chase in the first panel aligns with the chase in the second panel thereby permitting wiring to extend from the first panel into the second panel. 29. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a base plate to secure the wall section to a floor and a header plate to secure the wall section at a top end of the wall section. 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a structural strengthening member attached to the base plate and the header plate and arranged in a vertical chase formed in the wall section. 31. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of providing a plurality of vertical support channels provides the plurality of vertical support channels spaced apart to imitate spacing associated with traditional wall studs. 32. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a plurality of acoustical protrusions of about ⅛ inch in height configured on a surface of the insulating material of the third side and fourth side for dampening sound. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the plurality of acoustical protrusions are configured to inhibit sound travel along a space formed between the surface of at least one of the panels and a finishing material applied to the at least one of the panels, wherein the plurality of acoustical protrusions are formed solely by the insulating material as separate spaced apart parallel protrusions configured to run horizontally on the surface of the third side from one vertical support column to another vertical support column, and the plurality of acoustical protrusions are formed solely by the insulating material as separate spaced apart parallel protrusions configured to run horizontally on the surface of the fourth side from one vertical support column to another vertical support column. 34. The method of claim 32, wherein in the step of providing a plurality of acoustical protrusions provides the plurality of acoustical protrusions spaced apart vertically from one another along an extent of at least one panel. 35. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein a third vertical channel of the plurality of channels is configured to form an edge between the fourth side and the second side, and a fourth vertical channel of the plurality of channels is configured to form an edge between the fourth side and the first side. 36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein a the groove end has a concave recess formed in a surface of the groove end between the first vertical channel and fourth vertical channel, and the tongue end has a convex portion formed by a surface of the tongue end between the second vertical channel and the third vertical channel. 37. The method of claim 25, wherein the mated tongue end and groove end forms the enclosed vertical chase between the convex portion and the concave recess, the enclosed vertical chase forming a space of about one inch between the tongue end and groove end.