Sheet metal stud and composite construction panel and method

Abstract

A composite construction panel having a thin panel of concrete material and a reinforcing grid of sheet metal studs with embedment portions which are actually embedded into the concrete panel, each of the studs having a web, right angular flange formed on a free edge of the web, an angled edge strip formed along the free edge of the right angular flange, an embedment angled flange portion formed along the opposite edge of the web, an edge strip formed on the angled flange at an angle thereto; and, spaced apart angled flange openings formed in the angled flange for flow of concrete therethrough. An alternate form of stud has a triangular tube structure along one edge of the web. Another form of stud has a discontinuous webs defining spaces between them. In one embodiment two concrete panels may be secured to the studs in spaced relation to create a hollow structure.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a sheet metal stud, and in particular to a sheet metal stud adapted to be partially embedded in a panel of cast concrete for reinforcement of such a panel, and to a composite panel of cast concrete having reinforcing studs partially embedded in said concrete, and to a method of forming a composite panel.PRIOR ART[0002] Steel studs of a wide variety have been proposed for erecting structures. Usually such studs are used to replace wooden studs. Concrete panels are also in wide use for attachment to the exterior of structure to provide for a wide variety of functional and aesthetic effects. Concrete panels are usually of relatively heavy thick material of great weight. Great costs are involved in both materials, labor transportation, and erection of such heavy panels. Proposals have been made for using panels of reduced thickness. Such panels are reinforced by a framework of metal studs. Usually the metal studs are partially embedded in the concrete. Th...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Concrete panels are usually of relatively heavy thick material of great weight.

Great costs are involved in both materials, labor transportation, and erection of such heavy panels.

However it is known that the metal studs conduct heat from the building interior to the concrete panels and there are thus substantial heat losses through the panels due to such metal studs.

It is not possible to the builder to cut away any of the diagonal struts to provide larger openings for services, since this would drastically reduce the strength of the studs.

Another problem arose in that the triangular openings were formed with edge flanges around their perimeter.

Where these edge flanges extended around an angular corner of the opening there was a tendency for the sheet metal to crack.

This meant that there was more metal at each of the corners, than was desirable for heat transfer, and thermal losses could occur.

Another problem arose in cutting these studs to length.

However due to the alternating orientation of the openings, this requirement resulted in cutting off end portions of studs equal in length to the space occupied by two openings, in many cases.

This was waste metal and increased the cost of the building.

It has now been surprisingly found that the use of the specialized shapes of these stud openings, defining diagonal struts, is unnecessary, and that heat transfer reduction is possible using circular openings in the studs.

This was not thought to be possible since circular openings would leave excessive metal in the stud which would still cause heat transfer losses.

Finally, cutting to length of a stud with identical circular openings results in much less wastage of material and this is another cost saving.

Images