WO2012175816A1

WO2012175816A1 - Wall element

Info

Publication number: WO2012175816A1
Application number: PCT/FI2012/050654
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martti Haapala
Original assignee: Profin Oy
Priority date: 2011-06-23
Filing date: 2012-06-21
Publication date: 2012-12-27
Also published as: FIU20114072U0; FI9407U1

Abstract

The external wall element (110) of a building comprises a first vertical edge (112a) and a second vertical edge (112b) and at least two prefabricated structural components, such as doors (160) or windows (70), with a frame. The edge of the frame of the first structural component forms at least a portion of the first vertical edge of the external wall element. The edge of the frame of the second structural component forms at least a portion of the second vertical edge of the external wall element. The frames of the structural components may form further at least a portion of the bottom edge (114a) and/or top edge (114b) of the building element. The frames of the doors and windows in the external wall element thus form at least the major part of the outermost structural elements of the element. That is, at the edges of the element there are no separate framing poles of the whole height of the element nor bottom and top crossbars of the whole width of the element. The external wall element may include at least one sliding door. The total width of the external wall element may be substantially equal to the added width of the parallel structural components therein, such as doors or windows.

Description

Wall element

The invention relates to an external wall element of a building with at least two prefabricated structural components such as doors or windows. In apartment blocks, often a load-bearing framing of reinforced concrete is built comprising load-bearing walls between dwellings and upper, intermediate and lower structures made of concrete. The concrete structures may be cast on-site or precast elements. A part of the external walls of apartment blocks with concrete structure is often built as wood-framed, light structured walls. Typically, these wood-framed external walls include non-bearing external walls with large fenestration, of living-rooms of dwellings. Often such walls include a door to balcony or terrace. Because of the great number of doors and windows to be built in the wall it is usually built on-site from so called long timber.

There are several problems connected to the building of light structured walls of the prior art. Building on-site is a slow way of building compared to building from elements, so the completion of the building is delayed by building of light structured external walls. The long construction time is a drawback especially in renovation sites, where the residents of the dwelling have to get a temporary accommodation for the time of the renovation work. The building time of the walls is pro- longed also by the great number of windows, doors and/or ventilation doors, the installation of which requires carefulness and precision. The windows and doors need to be lifted each one separately to the respective storeys, which further increases the time needed for the construction work and disturbs other functions on the building site. The slots between wall framing poles and windows and doors have to be covered with linings that deteriorate the aesthetic appearance of the wall. The necessity of lining is further increased by the fact that the wall thickness is often greater than the width of the door and window frames. Additionally, construction work in on-site conditions is sensitive to faults and effects of weather, which influences the quality of the end result. It is an object of the invention to provide an external wall element with which disadvantages and drawbacks associated with the prior art can be decreased.

The objects according to the invention are achieved by a wall element that is characterized by what has been set forth in the independent claim. Some preferred embodiments of the invention have been depicted in the dependent claims. The invention relates to an external wall element of a building, comprising at least two prefabricated structural components, such as doors or windows. The external wall element comprises a first vertical edge and at least one first structural component, such as a door or a window, with a frame. The edge of the frame of the first structural component forms at least a portion of the first vertical edge of the external wall element. The frame in the first vertical edge of the structural component is thus the outermost structural element of the external wall element, i.e. there is not a conventional, separate framing pole of the whole height of the element at the first edge of the element. In this description by a structural element is meant a structural component like a frame or a framing pole that can function as a load- bearing part of other parts of the wall unit. Herein, by a structural element is not understood for example a seal, plastic film or similar at the edge of the external wall element.

A preferred embodiment of the external wall element according to the invention comprises a second vertical edge and at least one second structural component, such as a door or a window, with a frame. The edge of the frame of the second structural component forms at least a portion of the second vertical edge of the external wall element. In this embodiment, the second edge of the element does not comprise a conventional, separate framing pole of the whole height of the ele- ment.

Another preferred embodiment of the external wall element according to the invention comprises additionally a bottom edge and a top edge, and a frame of at least one said structural component forms at least a portion of said bottom edge and/or said top edge. Thus, this embodiment of the external wall element does not com- prise a separate upper or lower crossbar from the first vertical edge of the wall element to the second vertical edge of the wall element, but the frame of a door or a window in the wall element forms at least a portion of the outermost structural element of the top edge and/or bottom edge of the element.

The fundamental idea of the external wall element according to the invention is that the frames of the prefabricated structural components therein, such as doors and windows, form at least the major portion of the outermost structural elements, i.e. the periphery around the edges of the element is at least mainly formed by the frames in the element. That is, at the edges of the element there are neither separate framing poles of the whole height of the element nor lower or upper crossbars of the whole width of the element. The frames of the structural components form at least a portion of the frame of the closed cover parts of the external wall element. Preferably, the length of the vertical frames of the structural components at the vertical edges of the external wall element is equal to the height of the external wall element. The frames of the structural components adjacent to the top edge and bottom edge of the external wall element are preferably continuous frame pro- files with a length of the whole width of the element. Sometimes it may be appropriate to form the top and/or bottom frames of adjacent structural components of the external wall element from separate elements. Also then the frame parts are made with a section profile of the same width, such that their interconnection is as easy as possible without disturbing linings. A third preferred embodiment of the external wall element according to the invention comprises at least one sliding door. The space needed for opening a sliding door is practically nonexistent. An external wall element with a sliding door is thus considerably more practical than a conventional wall element equipped with a hinged door, especially in small dwellings. A fourth preferred embodiment of the external wall element according to the invention comprises an emergency exit. Preferably, it comprises additionally at least one ventilation window or ventilation door.

A fifth preferred embodiment of the external wall element according to the invention comprises piping and/or wiring for installation of electrical fittings inside and/or outside the wall element.

In a sixth preferred embodiment of the external wall element according to the invention the width of the external wall element is substantially equal to the added width of the parallel structural components therein, such as windows or doors. Viewed in lateral direction the external wall element is thus substantially entirely covered by the doors or windows therein. Typically, the external wall elements including a plurality of doors or windows have been built on-site. This kind of wall structures comprise scarcely any thermally insulated external wall portion typically belonging to the external wall element, but the main part of the wall is formed by framing poles attached to the framework of the building and by the doors and win- dows secured upon them. In the present invention, all the prefabricated structural components of the wall have been gathered in one element that will be secured to the building as one component. On areas that possibly remain above or underneath the structural components comprise cover parts that correspond to a typical external wall structure. In a seventh preferred embodiment of the external wall element according to the invention all structural components in the external wall element have the same frame width. The same frame width enables manufacturing of the wall element without linings deteriorating the aesthetic appearance of the wall. An eighth preferred embodiment of the external wall element according to the invention is a wood-framed external wall element of an apartment block having a concrete- or steel-structured load-bearing frame. Especially in concrete-framed apartment blocks typically walls including a plurality of windows and/or doors, such as walls of living-rooms, are made wood-framed and built on-site. The external wall element according to the invention provides a prefabricated alternative to this kind of building sites.

It is an advantage of the wall element according to the invention that it is a element made in factory conditions and ready for installation and of high technical quality. The invention enables manufacturing of an external wall comprising a plurality of windows and doors completely without linings, which improves the aesthetic appearance of the wall.

Further an advantage of the wall element according to the invention is that its manufacture and installation are carried out quickly. The wall element is thus cost- effective. Further an advantage of the wall element according to the invention is that it can easily be customised to fit different sites.

Yet another advantage of the wall element according to the invention is that it is suitable both for new construction sites and renovation sites.

Further an advantage of the wall element according to the invention is that it ena- bles using of low steps at the doorways of the wall elements. The invention thus facilitates moving in the building.

An advantage of a preferred embodiment according to the invention is that it saves space in a dwelling and thus increases the living space of the dwelling.

In the following, the invention will be described in detail. In the description, it is re- ferred to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1a shows by way of example a front view of an external wall element according to the invention, Figure 1b shows by way of example a front view of a preferred embodiment of an external wall element according to the invention,

Figure 1c shows by way of example a front view of a second preferred embodiment of an external wall element according to the invention. Figure 1a shows by way of example a front view of an external wall element 10 of the invention. The element is substantially rectangular, i.e. it comprises four edges; first vertical edge 12a, second vertical edge 12b, bottom edge 14a and top edge 14b. The wall element is designed to be installed as a part of an external wall of an apartment block such that its vertical edges take up a substantially vertical position and the top and bottom edges take up a substantially horizontal position. The external wall element is dimensioned such that it forms alone the external wall of one room of an apartment block. In Figure 1a the broken line shows the walls defining one room, that is the base floor 32, the roof 34 of the room and the walls 36, 38 defining the room. The external wall element 10 is secured at its bottom edge 14a to the base floor 32, at its top edge 14b to the roof 34, at its first vertical edge 12a to the first wall 36 and at its second vertical edge to the second wall 38. The walls 36, 38 may be partitions between rooms within a dwelling or walls between adjacent dwellings.

The first edge of the wall element comprises a door 50, the door leaf of which is hinged 52 to the vertical frame at the first vertical edge of the wall element. Immediately beside the door there is a sliding door 60 with three parallel door leaves 60a, 60b, 60c. The door leaves are supported at their bottom edges on the bottom frame 62 and at their top edges on the top frame 64 by means of slide bars 63 such that the door leaf in the middle can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the frames up to the second vertical edge of the external wall element. The middle door leaf comprises a locking latch 69 by means of which the door leaf can be locked non-movably in its position. The outermost door leaves 60a, 60c can be attached non-movably to the top and bottom frames or they can be movable upon the slide bars of the frames like the door leaf in the middle. The structure of the sliding doors is known as such in the prior art and will therefore not be described here in more detail. The edge of the bottom frame 62 of a sliding door and the bottom edge of a hinged door 50 form the bottom edge of the external wall element. The bottom frame of a sliding door and the bottom frame of a hinged door are of one continuous frame profile and similarly the top frame of a sliding door and the top frame of a hinged door are of one continuous frame profile. The edge of the first vertical frame 56 of the hinged door forms the major portion of the first vertical edge 12a of the external wall element, and the edge of the second vertical frame 66 of the sliding door 60 forms the major portion of the second vertical edge of the external wall element. The vertical edges of the aforesaid doors are the outermost structural parts of the external wall element. Above the door and the sliding door there is a cover part 20 substantially of the width of the whole external wall element, extending from the top frame of the door and the sliding door to the top edge of the external wall element. In terms of its structure and features the cover part corresponds to a wood-framed external wall, i.e. it comprises an inner cladding, an external cladding and a vent slot and a thermal insulation layer between them. The width of the wooden elements belonging to the circumferential structure of the cover part is equal to the width of the frames of the hinged door and the sliding doors. The total width of the external wall element shown in Figure 1 , that is the shortest distance between the first vertical edge and the second vertical edge, is substantially equal to the added width of the hinged door 50 and the sliding door 60 therein. Viewed in lateral direction, the external wall element consists in terms of its structure nearly completely of a door. The only structural component in the external wall element that reminds of a typical external wall structure is the cover part above the doors.

Figure 1b shows by way of example a preferred embodiment 110 of the external wall element according to the invention. In this embodiment, the first edge comprises a sliding door 160 comprising two door leaves 160a, 160b movable upon the bottom frame 162 and the top frame 164. The height of the sliding door is substantially equal to the height of the wall element, that is the edge of the bottom frame 162 of sliding door forms a portion of the bottom edge 114a of the wall ele- ment, and the edge of the top frame 164 of the sliding door forms a portion of the top edge 114b of the wall element. The second edge of the external wall element comprises a fixed window 70 of the height of the whole wall element. The top frame of the window and the top frame of the sliding door are of the same continuous frame profile, and the bottom frame of the window and the bottom frame of the sliding door are of the same continuous frame profile. The edge of the first vertical frame 166 of the sliding door forms the first vertical edge 112a of the external wall element, and the edge of the second vertical frame 78 of the window forms the second vertical edge 112b of the wall element. The circumferential structure surrounding the external wall element, i.e. the outermost vertical and horizontal por- tions of the external wall element are thus frames of the window and door that belong to the element. In Figure 1b the size of the external wall element is not described. If the external wall element or the doors or windows to be installed therein are of very large size it may be appropriate to make the frames of parallel structural components from separate pieces. In that case the frame width of all structural components of the wall element is however always great so that the structural components can be secured to each other without disturbing cover linings.

Figure 1c shows by way of example another preferred embodiment 210 of the external wall element according to the invention. In this embodiment, the first edge of the external wall element comprises parallel two fixed high windows 270 above which two fixed low-height windows 271 of the same width are located. At the second edge of the element there is an opening ventilation window 273. Above and underneath the ventilation window there are the cover parts 220, the structure of which corresponds to the structure of a conventional wood-framed wall. The embodiment of the external wall element shown in Figure 1c does not comprise a door at all. The top frame of the low-height windows is a continuous frame profile that extends from the first vertical edge 212a of the element to the second vertical edge 212b thereof. Similarly, the bottom frame of the high windows is a continuous frame profile that extends from the first vertical edge of the element to the second vertical edge thereof. The second vertical frame 178 of the ventilation window has substantially the height of the whole external wall element, i.e. it is secured at its top end to the continuous top frame in the top edge of the wall element and at its lower end to the continuous bottom frame in the bottom edge of the wall element. The outermost frames of the windows of the wall element form thus a continuous circumferential structure which functions both as the frame portion of the windows and as the framing structure for the cover parts 220 of the element.

The wall elements shown in Figures 1a, 1b and 1c are manufactured in an element manufacturing plant into structural components that are substantially ready for installation and are installed as one whole into its position in the framework of the building. In addition to windows and doors the wall element can include also structural components such as ventilation doors. The doors and windows can be equipped such that they work as emergency exits. The wall elements already include interior and external cladding. The wall element may as well be at least from its outer side surface-prefinished to its final appearance, for example by painting. The wall element may already comprise wiring or piping required by the electrical fittings in the wall element, such as sockets and switches, for the aforementioned cables. Above some preferred embodiments of the external wall elements of the invention are described. The invention is not limited to the solutions described above, but the inventional concept can be applied in different ways within the limits set by the claims.

Claims

1. An external wall element (10, 110, 210) of a building, with at least two prefabricated structural components, such as doors (50, 60, 160) or windows (70, 270, 271 , 273), characterized in that it comprises a first vertical edge (12a, 112a, 212a) and at least one first structural component, such as a door (50, 60, 160) or a window (70, 270, 271 , 273), with a frame (56, 62, 64, 66, 78, 162, 164, 166), and the edge of said frame forms at least a portion of said first vertical edge.

2. The externa! wall element (10, 110, 210) according to claim , characterized in that it comprises a second vertical edge (12b, 112b, 212b) and at least one se- cond structural component, such as a door (50, 60, 160) or a window (70, 270, 271 , 273), with a frame (56, 62, 64, 66, 78, 162, 164, 166), and the edge of said frame forms at least a portion of said second vertical edge.

3. The external wall element (10, 110, 210) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a bottom edge (14a, 1 4a, 214b) and a top edge (14b, 1 4b, 214b), and the frame (56, 62, 64, 66, 78, 162, 164, 166) of at least one said structural component (50,.60, 160, 70, 270, 271 , 273) forms at least a portion of said bottom edge and/or said top edge.

4. The external wall element (10, 110, 210) according to any of the claims 1— 3, characterized in that it comprises at least one sliding door (60,160).

5. The external wall element (10, 110, 210) according to any of the claims 1— 4, characterized in that it comprises an emergency exit.

6. The external wall element (10, 110, 210) according to any of the claims 1— 5, characterized in that it further comprises at least one ventilation window (273) or ventilation door.

7. The external wall element (10, 110, 210) according to any of the claims 1— 6, characterized in that it comprises piping and/or wiring for installation of electrical fittings inside and/or outside the wall element.

8. The external wall element (10, 110, 210) according to any of the claims 1— 7, characterized in that its width is substantially equal to the added width of the par- allel structural components therein, such as doors (50, 60, 160) or windows (70, 270, 271 , 273).

9. The external wall element (10, 110, 210) according to any of the claims 1— 8, characterized in that all structural components (50, 60, 160, 70, 270, 271 , 273) in the external wall element have the same frame width.

10. The external wall element (10, 110, 210) according to any of the claims 1— 9, characterized in that it is a wood-framed external wall element of an apartment block having a concrete- or steel-structured load-bearing frame.