WO2001094710A1

WO2001094710A1 - Prefabricated collapsible panel for walls, floors, ceilings and rooves

Info

Publication number: WO2001094710A1
Application number: PCT/AU2001/000668
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Anthony Kuchel
Original assignee: Kuchel, Karin
Priority date: 2000-06-06
Filing date: 2001-06-06
Publication date: 2001-12-13
Also published as: AUPQ799000A0

Abstract

A collapsible wall, floor, ceiling, roof or beam assembly (10) including a pair of substantially parallel panels (25a) and (25b) and a plurality of strips (16) interconnecting the panels and holding the panels substantially parallel, the strips being integral with and extending from at least one unitary intermediate sheet (15). The panels (25a) and (25b) are movable relative to each other between a collapsed position in which they are in contiguous face to face relationship allowing easy transport and an expanded position in which they are spaced apart.

Description

PREFABRICATED COLLAPSIBLE PANEL FOR WALLS, FLOORS,

CEILINGS AND ROOVES

INTRODUCTION

The present invention relates to building construction, and in particular to construction of walls or floors using prefabricated structures.

BACKGROUND

There are numerous methods and materials used to construct walls and floors, ceilings, rooves and deep beams for buildings. Different methods and materials are applicable depending on the type of building, location of the building, the aesthetic requirements of the building and the structural requirements of the building.

In many cases, it is desirable to be able to prefabricate as much of the wall or floor structure off site as possible. Off site prefabrication allows mass production and quality control often difficult to achieve on a building site.

For building walls, and in particular for internal walls, it is generally desirable to have a smooth surface finish that is readily painted or papered. It is also generally desirable to be able to control the thermal and structural properties of walls by the inclusion of insulating and/ or structural materials. Commonly this is achieved by erecting timber or steel framework (which may be partially or wholly prefabricated) and attaching prefabricated panels (such as plasterboard, cement fibre sheeting, plywood sheeting or similar) to the framework. Insulation can be installed before attachment of panels if required. This method of construction suffers from labour intensiveness where little framework prefabrication is done and/ or high transport costs where there is significant prefabrication of framework.

It is known to produce concrete filled walls by pouring concrete into formwork on site. Known methods include the erection of formwork in the form of a pair of vertical sheathing panels held in a spaced relationship by means of connecting elements and then pouring concrete into the gap formed between the panels. In most cases the formwork is then stripped off (removed). However these known types of formwork are difficult and expensive to produce.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for production of building elements (including walls and floors) that overcome at least some of the aforesaid problems and disadvantages with existing methods and apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a collapsible wall, floor, ceiling, roof or beam assembly including: a pair of substantially parallel outer panels; and an intermediate sheet disposed between the panels having integrally formed therewith a plurality of web-forming strips interconnecting the panels and holding the panels substantially parallel, the strips being displaceable from the plane of the sheets, arranged and constructed so that the panels are movable relative to each other between a first position in which they are in contiguous face to face relationship and a second position in which they are spaced apart.

In the first position, the wall, floor, ceiling, roof or beam assembly is collapsed and compact, being relatively flat, and is therefore easily transported.

Preferably the intermediate sheet from which the strips are formed is made from flexible sheet material that is thin relative to the panels. Suitable materials include cardboard, plastic, metal, fibreglass, composite materials and the like. Preferably the unitary intermediate sheet is bonded to a face of one of the panels and each strip has a distal end bonded to an opposite face of the other panel.

Preferably the strips are hingedly connected to the sheet along respective fold lines on the plane of the sheet and have a second fold line adjacent their distal ends. Such hinges ensure simultaneous and equal displacement of the strips so that the outer panels remain parallel (as opposed to substantially parallel). These hinges may simply be fold lines. Formation of fold lines may be facilitated by creasing the unitary intermediate sheets or by otherwise introducing a weakness into the unitary intermediate sheet(s). While the panels may be constructed from various materials, MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) with a low density water permeable outermost covering (e.g. manilla cardboard) is one preferred construction.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a building component including: a pair of substantially parallel panels; and a plurality of strips extending between and interconnecting the opposed inner faces of the panels, each strip having a pair of parallel spaced apart hinges and a web interconnecting the hinges, the hinges being integral with the strip, wherein the building component is movable from a collapsed position in which the panels are in contiguous face to face relationship to an expanded in-use position in which the panels are spaced apart.

Preferably the strips are integral with and are displaceable from a unitary intermediate sheet, the strip terminating in a flap.

According to yet another aspect of this invention, a process for forming a building component includes the steps of: providing a unitary sheet of flexible material which has a plurality of strips integrally formed therewith and displaceable from the plane of the sheet; applying adhesive to a first side of the sheet; applying an adhesive to a second side of the sheet at the distal ends of the strips; and sandwiching the sheet between two panels to thereby flexibly interconnect the panels by means of the plurality of strips.

The unitary sheet described above may be pre-coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in some further detail with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying figures. These embodiments are illustrative, and is not meant to be restrictive of the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying representations in which:

Fig 1 shows a cutaway perspective view of a collapsible wall assembly in an expanded and upright position according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Fig la shows a cutaway perspective view of a collapsible wall assembly in an expanded and upright position;

Fig 2 shows a top view of the collapsible wall assembly of Fig 1 in its expanded position;

Fig 3 shows a top view of the collapsible wall assembly of Fig 1 in a partially expanded position; Fig 4 shows a top view of the collapsible wall assembly of Fig 1 in a collapsed position ready for transportation;

Fig 5 shows a plan view of the intermediate sheet;

Fig 5a shows a plan view of an alternative intermediate sheet;

Fig 6 shows a plan view of the underside of the intermediate sheet of Fig 5;

Figs 7 and 8 show a side view and a top view respectively of the collapsible wall assembly of Fig 1 in its expanded position;

Figs 9 to 17 show a tongue and groove joining system for the collapsible wall assembly of Figs 1 to 7; and

Figs 18 and 19 show plan views of respective sides of an intermediate sheet having an alternative strip detail.

Referring to Fig 1, a collapsible wall assembly 10 comprises a pair of substantially parallel panels 25a and 25b joined by a plurality of strips 16 in such a way that they are movable relative to each other between an in-use extended position in which they are spaced apart, as shown in Fig 1, and a collapsed position in which they are contiguous (in close proximity) with one another, as shown in Fig 4. Outer panels 25a and 25b may be made from any suitable material (eg MDF, plasterboard or fibre cement compressed sheets).

Strips 16 are formed from a unitary cut sheet 15 as shown in Fig 1. The unitary cut sheet 15 is formed from a flexible sheet that is thin relative to the outer sheets and is located intermediate the outer sheets. All of the figs are illustrative and are not to scale. In particular, unitary intermediate cut sheet 15 is shown with a relative thickness greater than that which would generally be used. Cardboard material with a thickness of 1.0 to 10 mm can be used. The thickness will depend upon the material being used. Alternatives to cardboard include plastic, steel, fibreglass composite and other composite materials.

Unitary intermediate sheet 15 is also shown in Figs 5 and 6. In Figs 5 and 6, unitary sheet 15 is shown in a flat condition with strips 16 lying parallel to each other and the parent material from which they are formed. The lines 19 indicate the boundaries of the strips 16. Lines 22 indicate fold lines about which the web portions of the strips 16 can rotate. Figs 5 and 6 also show the positions of adhesive 20 and 21. Any suitable adhesive may be used.

The cutaway perspective view of Fig 1 shows how intermediate cut sheet 15 is sandwiched between outer sheets 25a and 25b. Although each joiner strip 16 may be formed from a small piece of cardboard of approximately 3 mm thick, because a large number of strips 16 are used, the finished structure 10, as shown in Fig 1, has considerable strength and stiffness. Strips 16 hold panels 25a and 25b substantially parallel.

Production of the collapsible wall assembly shown in Figs 1 to 4 may be achieved by first dividing a thin sheet into a plurality of strips connected to a unitary base. Such a sheet is shown in Figs 5 and 6 and could be produced in a single stamping operation.

Fig 5a shows an alternative thin sheet to that of Fig 5 after being cut with blades of a substantial width causing a small gap to be formed around each strip 16. This figure shows the strips 16 more clearly although they function in the same way as those shown in Fig 5. Having produced a unitary cut sheet, fold lines 22 (as shown in Fig 5) can be produced either manually or in an automated process. Next adhesive 20 and 21 is applied to the distal ends of strips 16 and to the unitary base of intermediate cut sheet 15 before sandwiching intermediate cut sheet 15 between two panels 25a and

25b thereby joining the outer sheets with a plurality of interconnecting strips 15.

The positioning of connecting strips 16 is such that when prefabricated collapsible wall assembly 10 is assembled, both horizontal and vertical cavities are provided through which service conduits may be inserted. Horizontal cavities 27 are shown in Fig 7 and vertical cavities 28 are shown in Figs 2 and 3.

Fig lc shows an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of the invention in which panel 25a is constructed from MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) and outermost sheets 26 are bonded to the outer faces of the MDF panels 25a and 25b. Outermost sheets 26 are low density water permeable sheets such as the manilla cardboard commonly used as the outermost surfaces of plasterboard. Manilla cardboard allows absorption of paint and marker finishes and joining adjacent with assemblies 10. A moisture barrier is provided between sheets 26 and MDF panels 25a and 25b to prevent the MDF swelling or otherwise being degraded. The glue bonding the sheets 26 to the panels 25a and 25b preferably provided the moisture barrier.

The size and shape of the strips 16 can be varied to suit the materials being used and the application. Figs 18 and 19 show an alternative strip 16 terminating in a flap 18 having an elongate and rounded shape. This shape provides for better bonding between the flap 18 and the panel 25a or 25b.

It is envisaged that the above-described collapsible wall assembly will be used in many ways. For instance it is envisaged that after assembly collapsible wall assembly 10 will be packed and transported in a collapsed condition as shown in Fig 4. On site, the collapsed wall 10 shown in Fig 4 can easily be manipulated into position on the building site. Depending on the size of the wall it can be carried by one or two assemblers. While collapsible walls can be made in various sizes, sizes of 1.2 metres wide and heights matching those of typical ceilings and walls (for instance 2.7 metres) will be convenient.

Once tilted up to a vertical orientation, the collapsible wall assembly can be expanded to the position shown in Fig 1. A plurality of collapsible wall assemblies 10 can be joined together by various means. Once a wall is complete, conduits for services (such as gas, water and electrical conduits) can be added if required.

Depending on the requirements for the wall, the now expanded wall 10 can have insulation material or steel reinforcing rods and a concrete mix added. Fig la shows an example of an assembly having steel reinforcing rods 29 in place. A lightweight concrete mix (such as lightweight aerate cement or cement and styrofoam beads) may be used. Depending on the number and strength of joining strips 16, several separate pours of concrete may be necessary to prevent the hydraulic pressure of the liquid concrete damaging the wall structure 10.

Various materials may be used for the joining strips 16 and for the panels 25a and 25b. Where cardboard is used for the joining strips 16, coating to provide waterproofing will be desirable in applications where concrete will be used.

While the collapsible wall assemblies of the preferred embodiment can be joined together by various means to produce any desired wall length, a preferred means is a tongue and groove system as shown in Figs 8 to 17. Alternative joining system includes the conventional taped redated edge system commonly used with plasterboard panels. Fig 8 shows the interface between two expanded wall assemblies 10. A tongue and groove connection 30 comprises a tongue 31 and groove 32 shown in Figs 9, 10 and

11. An arrow 40 shows the direction of movement required to join two wall assemblies 10. The end details of a wall assembly 10 of indefinite length is shown in

Figs 12 to 14.

Figs 15 and 16 show intermediate cut sheet 15 having indefinite length with a tongue 31 incorporated. Lines 37 represent the extent to which the covering sheet 25, adhered to adhesive 20, extends when the collapsible wall assembly 10 is in its collapsed condition. This is also shown in Fig 17.

While the present invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments in order to facilitate better understanding of the invention, it should be appreciated that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore the invention should be understood to include all such modifications within its scope.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A collapsible wall, floor, ceiling, roof or beam assembly including: a pair of substantially parallel outer panels; and an intermediate sheet disposed between the panels having integrally formed therewith a plurality of web-forming strips interconnecting the panels and holding the panels substantially parallel, the strips being displaceable from the plane of the sheets, arranged and constructed so that the panels are movable relative to each other between a first position in which they are in contiguous face to face relationship and a second position in which they are spaced apart.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the strips are of flexible sheet material that is thin relative to the panels.

3. An assembly as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 wherein the sheet is bonded to a face of one of the panels, and each strip has a distal end bonded to an opposite face of the other panel.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the strips are hingedly connected to the sheet along respective fold lines on the plane of the sheet and have a second fold line adjacent their distal ends.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the strips include cardboard.

6. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein one (or both) of the panels includes MDF.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the (or each) panel further includes a low density water permeable sheet bonded to the outermost face of the MDF.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the (or each) panel includes a moisture barrier between the low density water permeable sheet and the outermost face of the MDF.

9. A building component including: a pair of substantially parallel panels; and a plurality of strips extending between and interconnecting opposed inner faces of the panels, each strip having a pair of parallel spaced apart hinges and a web interconnecting the hinges, the hinges being integral with the strip, wherein the building component is movable from a collapsed position in which the panels are in contiguous face to face relationship to an expanded in-use position in which the panels are spaced apart.

10. A building component as claimed in claim 9 wherein a plurality of the strips are integral with and are displaceable from a unitary intermediate sheet, the strips terminating in a flap.

11. A building component as claimed in either of claims 9 or 10 wherein the strips include flexible sheet material that is thin relative to the panels.

12. A building component as claimed in either of claims 10 or 11 wherein the unitary sheet is bonded to an inner face of one of the panels and the flaps of the strips are bonded to an opposite face of the other panel.

13. A building component as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein the hinges are formed by transverse fold lines in the strip.

14. A building component as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13 wherein at least one of the panels include MDF.

15. A building component as claimed in claim 14 wherein the at least one panel further includes a low density water permeable sheet bonded to the outermost face of the MDF.

16. A building component as claimed in claim 14 wherein the at least one panel includes a moisture barrier between the low density water permeable sheet and the outermost face of the MDF.

17. A process for forming a building component includes the steps of: providing a unitary sheet of flexible material which has a plurality of strips integrally formed therewith and displaceable from the plane of the sheet; applying adhesive to a first side of the sheet; applying an adhesive to a second side of the sheet at the distal ends of the strips; and sandwiching the sheet between two panels to thereby flexibly interconnect the panels by means of the plurality of strips.