AU2021105365A4 - Modular construction system - Google Patents

Modular construction system Download PDF

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Publication number
AU2021105365A4
AU2021105365A4 AU2021105365A AU2021105365A AU2021105365A4 AU 2021105365 A4 AU2021105365 A4 AU 2021105365A4 AU 2021105365 A AU2021105365 A AU 2021105365A AU 2021105365 A AU2021105365 A AU 2021105365A AU 2021105365 A4 AU2021105365 A4 AU 2021105365A4
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AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
key element
channels
modular construction
construction system
channel
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Active
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AU2021105365A
Inventor
Brian Reid
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Mmoc Group Ltd
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Mmoc Group Ltd
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Priority to AU2021105365A priority Critical patent/AU2021105365A4/en
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Publication of AU2021105365A4 publication Critical patent/AU2021105365A4/en
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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
    • E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
    • E04C2/30—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure
    • E04C2/38—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure with attached ribs, flanges, or the like, e.g. framed panels
    • E04C2/388—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure with attached ribs, flanges, or the like, e.g. framed panels with a frame of other materials, e.g. fibres, plastics
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
    • E04B1/02—Structures consisting primarily of load-supporting, block-shaped, or slab-shaped elements
    • E04B1/14—Structures consisting primarily of load-supporting, block-shaped, or slab-shaped elements the elements being composed of two or more materials
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B2/00—Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls
    • E04B2/56—Load-bearing walls of framework or pillarwork; Walls incorporating load-bearing elongated members
    • E04B2/562—Load-bearing walls of framework or pillarwork; Walls incorporating load-bearing elongated members with fillings between the load-bearing elongated members
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B2/00—Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls
    • E04B2/56—Load-bearing walls of framework or pillarwork; Walls incorporating load-bearing elongated members
    • E04B2/70—Load-bearing walls of framework or pillarwork; Walls incorporating load-bearing elongated members with elongated members of wood
    • E04B2/706—Load-bearing walls of framework or pillarwork; Walls incorporating load-bearing elongated members with elongated members of wood with supporting function
    • E04B2/707—Load-bearing walls of framework or pillarwork; Walls incorporating load-bearing elongated members with elongated members of wood with supporting function obturation by means of panels
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
    • E04B1/38—Connections for building structures in general
    • E04B1/61—Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other
    • E04B1/6108—Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other the frontal surfaces of the slabs connected together
    • E04B1/612—Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other the frontal surfaces of the slabs connected together by means between frontal surfaces
    • E04B1/6145—Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other the frontal surfaces of the slabs connected together by means between frontal surfaces with recesses in both frontal surfaces co-operating with an additional connecting element
    • E04B1/6162—Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other the frontal surfaces of the slabs connected together by means between frontal surfaces with recesses in both frontal surfaces co-operating with an additional connecting element the connection made by an additional locking key
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
    • E04B1/18—Structures comprising elongated load-supporting parts, e.g. columns, girders, skeletons
    • E04B1/26—Structures comprising elongated load-supporting parts, e.g. columns, girders, skeletons the supporting parts consisting of wood
    • E04B1/2604—Connections specially adapted therefor
    • E04B2001/268—Connection to foundations

Abstract

A modular construction system comprising at least two panel members. Each panel member including a frame portion which defines at least one longitudinal channel along a side thereof 5 and at least one elongate key element having a H-shaped profile section. The two panel members are abutted in end-to-end relationship so that the open end of their respective longitudinal channels are adjacent to each other, with the profile of said longitudinal channels in combination are substantially obverse to the H-shaped profile of the key element. The key element slidably receivable in the adjacent channels to align them in a loose fit such that a 10 void exists between the key element and the channels. The void for receiving a glue to secure said two panels to each other. P2101 OAUOO 210812 1/4 10 15-14 14 12 16 18 28 26 27 2 28 19 18 16 12 14 14 -15 Fig.1

Description

1/4 10
15-14
14 12
16 18
28 226 27 28 19 18
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12
14
14 -15
Fig.1
Modular Construction System
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a modular construction system and related elements. In particular, the present invention is directed to a system utilising panel members connected together by key elements.
BACKGROUND
Existing building methods rely on timber or similar panels fastened to a timber or metal framework, which generally a labour intensive and time-consuming process. One disadvantage of such known methods is poor thermal performance, where additional energy is necessary to maintain an inside of a structure built in this manner at a desired temperature level. This is common due to heat entering and escaping the structure through convection and/or conduction.
Modular construction systems of buildings are known. One known system is where structural is insulated panels and other modular components are manufactured offsite, typically in a workshop or factory, and then transported to a building site for assembly on a concrete slab or other similar foundation structure. Prefabrication means that more of the construction process can take place offsite in a manufacturing plant environment. Whilst the system still requires the finishing of the building onsite, the manufacture of panels and other modular components in a factory or workshop can significantly reduce the skilled labour required onsite.
Such modular construction systems have required existing workers in manufacturing to increase their knowledge of construction processes and skills, whilst those in onsite construction to do the opposite.
In Australia, only a small percentage of residential buildings are made from modular or prefabricated components. In many regional and remote areas, there is a shortage of skilled tradespeople. Whilst modular construction systems alleviate the onsite skilled labour shortage, the ability to prefabricate panels and other modular components, particularly in regional and remote areas, can become more cost effective and widely accepted if the necessity for skilled workers to prefabricate such panels is kept to a minimum.
P2101 OAUOO 210812
Where modular panels can be made cheaply and quickly, not only are they suited to ) constructing inexpensive residential buildings they are also suited for other buildings such as remote workforce housing, garden buildings (granny flats), aged care units and commercial buildings.
5 AU2010202951A1 (Reid) discloses a modular construction system which proposes an improvement to the known systems. This system utilises an elongate key element that can be used to interconnect panel members to each other, as well as for securing such panel members to a mounting portion disposed on a floor panel.
The panel members described therein are fibre reinforced magnesium silicate board but could 10 be manufactured from other materials. Fibre reinforced magnesium silicate board is proposed as it is highly resistant to climatic conditions, is non-combustible and non-flammable moisture resistant as well as chemically and dimensionally stable and has excellent thermal and acoustic performance levels.
The panel members as well as the associated frame portions, and the key elements are all made 15 from fibre reinforced polyurethane foam, as this material has a high level of thermal performance including a fire rating performance ideally suited to the built environment and has a low coefficient of thermal expansion minimizing stresses on joints due to environmental temperature fluctuations to which constructions are typically subjected. Fibre reinforced polyurethane foam is also water, vermin, and termite proof, whilst offering good load bearing 20 capability.
The key elements disclosed in this prior art, have a mirrored dove tail profile, which is intended to be slidably receivable in channels of the frame portions and mounting portions. The key elements are intended to interact with the channels in the frame portions and mounting in a complementary friction fit. However, the key elements may be held in position 25 using structural polyurethane glue, thereby helping to ensure that the joint is water-tight and air-tight.
However, one of the difficulties associated with the key elements, is that they are intended to interact with the channels in the frame portions and mounting in a complementary friction fit. Such "complementary friction fit", requires the key elements to be manufactured to high 30 tolerances to fit the complementary channels in frame portions, and may be difficult to engage
D IIIII AT T i 1 110 11 under certain environmental conditions, particularly for a lesser skilled worker, making the task of joining panel members time consuming, particularly in a workshop or factory environment.
The present invention seeks to provide a modular construction system that ameliorates over the prior art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In a first aspect the present invention consists of a modular construction system comprising: at least two panel members, each panel member each including a frame portion which defines at least one longitudinal channel along a side thereof; and at least one elongate key element having a H-shaped profile section, wherein said at least two least two panel members are abutted in end-to-end relationship so that the open end of their respective longitudinal channels are adjacent to each other, the profile of said longitudinal channels in combination are substantially obverse to the H-shaped profile of the key element, and said key element slidably receivable in said adjacent channels to align said channels in a is loose fit such that a void exists between said key element and said channels, said void for receiving a glue to secure said two panels to each other.
Preferably each panel member comprises panels sandwiching said frame portion.
Preferably said frame portion is made from fibre reinforced plastic.
Preferably said key element is made from extruded plastic.
Preferably said glue is a structural polyurethane glue.
In a second aspect the present invention consists of an elongate key element for a modular construction system, said key element defining a H-shaped profile section to be slidably receivable in loose fit into a channel complementarily defined by two separate channel portions abutted together, each channel portion in a respective panel member, wherein once said key element is received into said channel, a void for receiving glue runs the length of said channel.
Preferably said key element is made of an extruded plastic.
Preferably said channel portions are disposed in frame portions.
Preferably said frame portions are made from fibre reinforced plastic.
P2101 OAUOO 210812
Preferably said glue is a structural polyurethane glue.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 shows a schematic top exploded sectional representation of elements of a modular construction system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic top sectional representation of elements of Fig.1 when interconnected.
Fig. 3 shows a schematic front representation of the elements shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 shows a schematic perspective representation of the elements shown in Fig. 1.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Figs 1 to 4 depict a modular construction system 10 according to first embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 1 shows two panels member 12 to be interconnected by a key element 26. Each panel member 12 includes panels 14 that sandwich a structural frame portion 16 that defines at least one longitudinal channel 18 along a side thereof. Panels 14 also sandwich a core 15. In this embodiment, panel members 12 are being connected to construct a modular wall section.
Panels 14 may preferably be manufactured magnesium oxide board. However, in other embodiments panels 14 could made of other suitable building materials, including but not limited to magnesium silicate board, fibre cement, timber, and drywall.
Structural frame portion 16 is preferably made of fibre reinforced plastic. Core 15 may also be made of fibre reinforced plastic but does not need to be "structural grade" as required for frame portion 16.
With reference to Fig. 1, Frame portion 16, has two fingers 17 are disposed one on either side of the open end 19 of a longitudinal channel 18 of constant cross section.
In workshop (or factory) two panels 12 can are mounted on a support jig 50, see Fig.3 in an end-to-end relationship and abutted together.
Key element (shear key) 26 is made of extruded plastic. It is H-shaped and is adapted to act as a panel member 12 to panel member 12 connector, and whose purpose, along with jig 50 is to accurately align the panel members 12 during assembly.
D I fI I AT T i 1 1l10 1 1
Unlike the "dovetail" key element of the prior art AU2010202951A1 described in the background, H-shaped key element 26 of the present embodiment does not interact with channels 18 in a friction fit manner. Instead, the dimensions of H-shaped key element 26 are intended so that a worker (not shown) who is not highly skilled can insert same into channels 18, when the two panel members 12 are in an end-to-end relationship abutted together, so their respective channels 18 are aligned in a mirror like relationship, as shown in Fig. 2. Channels 18 when in their abutted mirror-like relationship, are in fact "channel portions" which in combination form a profile whose shape is obverse in form, but complementary to that of the H-shaped key element. However, whilst complementary to the shape of the of the key element, the combination of channel portions is slightly larger in size.
Fig. 3 which shows a front representation of the two panel members 12 abutted together, depicts key element 26 being inserted into the aligned channels 18 in the direction of arrow A.
In this embodiment the thickness of the web 27 and flanges 28 of key element 26 are nominally about 4mm. The length of key element 26, namely the length L of each of flange 28 is about 30mm, whilst the width of key element 26, namely width W is about 22mm. The width of the gap between the internal faces of flanges 28, namely gap G is 14mm.
In order to allow for easy insertion of key element 26, width Wc of channel 18 should be greater than the length L of each flange 28. In this embodiment, Wc is 31mm, which is 1mm greater than length L of flange 28 which is 30mm. However, the dimension of width of the gap G between the internal faces of flanges 28 should be the same as the dimension of the two abutted fingers 17 of respective abutted frame portions 16. In this embodiment as gap G is 14mm, each finger portion has a width WF of 7mm.
The extruded plastic material used to manufacture H-shaped key element 26 is soft relative to the fibre reinforced plastic used to make frame portion 16. This means there is some play (flexible give) of flanges 28 such that their free ends can spread apart if need be. With gap G, between the internal faces of flanges 28 being the same dimension as twice the width WF, this means that when key element 26 is inserted into the abutted channels 18, flanges 28 on either side of gap G can flex (give a little) so they can accommodate the width of two fingers 17, and provide sufficient alignment, whilst the width of Wc of channel 18 being greater than the length L of each flange 28, as well as the open ends 19 of channels 18 being substantially wider than the thickness of web 27 of key element 26, means that key element 26 can be inserted into the abutted channel portions 18, in a "loose fit", with relative ease. P2101 OAUOO 210812
As there is a void (space) 30 between key element 26 and channels 18, and this void runs the length of each of the channels 18, there is sufficient room for a glue (adhesive) 31, such as structural polyurethane glue to be injected into void 30.
Key element 26 has no other purpose other than to act as a "panel member 12 to panel member 12" joining member during assembly, and it is the structural polyurethane glue 30 once cured, that ensures and maintains the joint between the panel members 12 in abutted end-to-end relationship and ensure that the joint is water-tight and air-tight.
Whilst the abovementioned embodiment describes the connection of panel members 12 by utilising key element 26 to construct a modular wall section, "floor panel members" for constructing a modular floor can be interconnected in the same way utilising key element 26 and glue.
There are various advantages of the modular construction system utilising H-shaped key element 26 of the present embodiment when compared to the "dovetail" key element of the prior art AU2010202951A1. These advantages are as follows:
• key element 26 does not require the same tolerance accuracy as the "dovetail" key element of the prior art, as it can rely on flex of the flanges 28 to maintain alignment during assembly, and it is easy for a lowly skilled worker to insert it into channels 18 of panel members 12 in abutted end-to-end relationship;
• due to being made of inexpensive soft plastic material by an extruded process, it is cheaper to manufacture than the "dovetail" key element of the prior art;
• key element 26 due to its soft plastic material is easy for a lowly skilled worker to cut to length with conventional inexpensive cutting tools; and
• due to the void 30 provided, it is easy for a lowly skilled worker to inject structural polyurethane glue 30 into the joint.
This means that in a workshop/factory environment where panel members 12 are being joined to form walls, the joining task becomes considerably easier than that disclosed in the earlier mentioned prior art and can be carried out by lowly skilled workers.
The terms "comprising" and "including" (and their grammatical variations) as used herein are used in an inclusive sense and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of'.
DSIO InI A T Tnn I InO Q I

Claims (10)

1. A modular construction system comprising: at least two panel members, each panel member each including a frame portion which defines at least one longitudinal channel along a side thereof; and at least one elongate key element having a H-shaped profile section, wherein said at least two least two panel members are abutted in end-to-end relationship so that the open end of their respective longitudinal channels are adjacent to each other, the profile of said longitudinal channels in combination are substantially obverse to the H shaped profile of the key element, and said key element slidably receivable in said adjacent channels to align said channels in a loose fit such that a void exists between said key element and said channels, said void for receiving a glue to secure said two panels to each other.
2. The modular construction system of claim 1, wherein each panel member comprises panels sandwiching said frame portion.
3. The modular construction system of claim 2 wherein said frame portion is made from fibre reinforced plastic.
4. The modular construction system as claimed in any of claims I to 3 wherein said key element is made from extruded plastic.
5. The modular construction system of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said glue is a structural polyurethane glue.
6. An elongate key element for a modular construction system, said key element defining a H-shaped profile section to be slidably receivable in loose fit into a channel complementarily defined by two separate channel portions abutted together, each channel portion in a respective panel member, wherein once said key element is received into said channel, a void for receiving glue runs the length of said channel.
7. The key element of claim 6, wherein said key element is made of an extruded plastic.
8. The key element of claims 6 or 7, wherein said channel portions are disposed in frame portions.
9. The key element of claim 8, wherein said frame portions are made from fibre reinforced plastic.
P2101 OAUOO 210812
10. The key element of any of claims 6 to 9, wherein said glue is a structural polyurethane glue.
D3IO InI A T Tnn I InO Q I
AU2021105365A 2021-08-12 2021-08-12 Modular construction system Active AU2021105365A4 (en)

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Name of requester: MOB BUILT IP PTY LTD