초록 ▼

A modular building system uses a perimeter bond beam and prefabricated wall panels to form an exterior curtain wall. The wall panels are captured within, and may move vertically inside a channel formed in the bond beam. The wall panels are quickly erected by inserting an upper edge of each panel int

A modular building system uses a perimeter bond beam and prefabricated wall panels to form an exterior curtain wall. The wall panels are captured within, and may move vertically inside a channel formed in the bond beam. The wall panels are quickly erected by inserting an upper edge of each panel into the channel and swinging the panel onto the foundation where it is claimed in place on the foundation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A building, comprising: a foundation comprising a stop;a substantially rigid, load bearing frame supported by the foundation, the frame including a beam comprising at least a first channel therein that is downwardly turned and a plurality of posts supporting the beam;a curtain wall having a lower

1. A building, comprising: a foundation comprising a stop;a substantially rigid, load bearing frame supported by the foundation, the frame including a beam comprising at least a first channel therein that is downwardly turned and a plurality of posts supporting the beam;a curtain wall having a lower edge supported on the foundation, and an upper edge captured within the first channel, the curtain wall comprising a plurality of wall panels;at least one first retainer disposed on an outer surface of the curtain wall and attached to the foundation; andat least one second retainer comprising a plate for drawing the curtain wall against the plurality of posts and at least one fastener attaching the plate to at least one of the plurality of posts,wherein the lower edge of the curtain wall is captured between the at least one first retainer and the stop, and wherein the curtain wall is free-floating in at least the vertical direction with respect to at least the load bearing frame once the at least one first retainer and the at least one second retainer are in place,wherein portions of adjacent ones of the plurality of wall panels overlap each other and one or more pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots defining a passage through each of the adjacent ones of the plurality of wall panels, andwherein the at least one fastener for at least one of the at least one second retainer passes through one of the pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots, the pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots allowing the adjacent ones of the plurality of wall panels to move vertically relative to the at least one fastener. 2. The building of claim 1, wherein the first channel has a substantially U-shaped cross section. 3. The building of claim 2, wherein: the first channel includes a top and spaced apart sides, and the curtain wall has an upper edge disposed within the first channel and spaced below the top of the first channel to define a space within the first channel within which the wall may move vertically relative to the beam. 4. The building of claim 3, wherein: the wall has a width, and the width of the wall is less than the distance between the sides of the first channel, defining a gap between the wall and the sides of the first channel that allows the curtain wall to tilt within the first channel when the at least one first retainer is removed. 5. The building of claim 4, further comprising: at least one filler in the gap for laterally stabilizing the curtain wall within the first channel and for forming a seal between the wall and the beam. 6. The building of claim 2, wherein the beam includes a second channel adjacent the first channel, and wherein upper ends of the plurality of posts are received within the second channel. 7. The building of claim 1, wherein the foundation further comprises a sill, and wherein the stop is defined by a riser on the sill. 8. The building of claim 1, wherein the foundation further comprises at least one L-shaped bracket attached thereto and having a portion extending from the foundation, and wherein the portion extending from the foundation defines the stop. 9. The building of claim 1, further comprising at least one bracket attached to at least one post of the plurality of posts and overlapping a portion of the outer surface of the curtain wall to clamp the curtain wall to the at least one post, wherein the bracket, the at least one post, and the curtain wall are arranged so that the curtain wall remains free-floating in at least the vertical direction with respect to the bracket. 10. A building, comprising: a foundation comprising a stop;a first set of load bearing vertical posts adapted to be supported on the foundation;a substantially rigid beam including at least one channel, wherein upper ends of the vertical posts in the first set are received within the at least one channel and are secured to the beam;a first curtain wall including a plurality of modular wall panels arranged substantially end-to-end, each of the plurality of modular wall panels having a lower edge supported on the foundation and an upper edge captured within the at least one channel;at least one first retainer disposed on an outer surface of the first curtain wall and attached to the foundation; andat least one second retainer comprising a plate for drawing at least one of the panels from the plurality of modular wall panels against at least one of the vertical posts and at least one fastener attaching the plate to the at least one of the vertical posts,wherein the lower edge of the curtain wall is captured between the at least one first retainer and the stop, and wherein the curtain wall is free-floating in at least the vertical direction with respect to at least the load bearing vertical posts once the at least one first retainer and the at least one second retainer are in place,wherein portions of adjacent ones of the plurality of modular wall panels overlap each other and one or more pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots defining a passage through each of the adjacent ones of the plurality of modular wall panels, and wherein the at least one fastener for at least one of the at least one second retainer passes through one of the pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots, the pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots allowing the adjacent ones of the plurality of modular wall panels to move vertically relative to the at least one fastener. 11. The building of claim 10, wherein the ends of the vertical posts are located within the beam inboard of the plurality of modular wall panels. 12. The building of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of modular wall panels include a plurality of conduits therein adapted to circulate a liquid for heating or cooling the interior of the building. 13. The building of claim 10, further comprising: a wall inboard of the vertical posts and forming cavities between adjacent one of the vertical posts. 14. The building of claim 10, further comprising: a floor spaced above the foundation, and wherein the beam includes a third channel for receiving and supporting edges of the floor. 15. The building of claim 14, further comprising: a second set of load bearing vertical posts supported on the beam, and wherein the beam includes a fourth channel for receiving the lower ends of the posts in the second set thereof. 16. The building of claim 15, further comprising: a second curtain wall above the first curtain wall, the second curtain wall including a plurality of curtain wall panels supported on a portion of the beam. 17. The building of claim 10, wherein each of the wall panels includes: a frame including a plurality of substantially rigid, spaced apart frame members,an insulation medium between at least certain of the frame members, and a coating encapsulating the frame. 18. A method of constructing a building, comprising: erecting a rigid frame over a foundation comprising a stop, the rigid frame comprising a bond beam having at least a first channel therein that is downwardly turned and a plurality of posts supporting the beam;erecting a plurality of modular wall panels to form an exterior curtain wall by performing, for each wall panel from the plurality modular wall panels, the steps of tilting the wall panel to yield a tilted panel,inserting an upper edge of the tilted panel into the first channel of the bond beam, andswinging a lower edge of the tilted panel onto the foundation to engage the stop;attaching at least one first retainer to the foundation such that the lower edge of each of the curtain wall is captured between the retainer and the stop; andattaching at least one second retainer comprising a plate for drawing at least one of the panels from the plurality of modular wall panels against at least one of the plurality of posts and at least one fastener attaching the plate to the at least one of the plurality of posts,wherein the attaching of at least one first retainer and the attaching of the at least one second retainer is configured to allow the at least one of the plurality of modular wall panels to be free-floating in at least the vertical direction with respect to at least the rigid frame,wherein portions of adjacent ones of the plurality of modular wall panels overlap each other and one or more pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots defining a passage through each of the adjacent ones of the plurality of wall panels, andwherein the at least one fastener for at least one of the at least one second retainer passes through one of the pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots, the pairs of mutually aligned vertical slots allowing the adjacent ones of the plurality of modular wall panels to move vertically relative to the at least one fastener to provide the free-floating. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein erecting the wall panels further includes sealing the panels to the beam by introducing a filler between the upper edge of the wall panels and the channel. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein: erecting a rigid frame includes erecting a plurality of vertical posts on the foundation for supporting the bond beam, anderecting the wall panels includes drawing the wall panels against the posts. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein fabricating the wall panels includes integrating a plurality of fluid conduits into the panels for circulating a fluid that heats or cools the building. 22. The method of claim 18, further comprising: attaching at least one bracket to at least one post of the plurality of posts so as to overlap a portion of the outer surface of the exterior curtain wall to clamp the exterior curtain wall to the at least one post, wherein the bracket, the at least one post, and the exterior curtain wall are arranged so that the exterior curtain wall remains free-floating in at least the vertical direction.