Angle joint for sandwich panels and method of fabricating same

Abstract

An angle joint between two sandwich panels, wherein the sandwich panels each have a first outer layer and a second outer layer spaced from the first outer layer by a panel core, and an angle edge including an edge portion of the panel core and an edge portion of the first outer layer. The joint has an interface between the panel cores and the interface has an entranceway at an inner corner comprised of the edge portions of the first outer layers. A cavity in the panel cores is defined by a portion of the second outer layers and a portion of each panel core. The cavity spans across a second entranceway to the interface between panel cores. Bonding material applied in the cavity and at the inner corner connects the sandwich panels together in a manner that maintains an area of dead air space at the interface to inhibit or to reduce thermal transmissions across the joint.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to constructing buildings, and more particularly, to connecting adjacent sandwich panels with an angle joint that reduces or minimizes thermal bridging across the joint.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0002]There is an increasing global demand for lower cost buildings such as houses, warehouses and office space. The demand for lower cost buildings is particularly strong in developing countries where economic resources may be limited and natural resources and raw materials may be scarce. For example, in areas of the Middle East or Africa, conventional building materials such as cement, brick, wood or steel may not be readily available or, if available, may be very expensive. In other areas of the world, poverty may make it too costly for people to build houses or other buildings with conventional materials.[0003]The demand for lower-cost housing also is high in areas afflicted by war or natural disasters, suc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]The present invention provides an alternative to conventional construction materials and techniques. Buildings, such as houses, commercial buildings, warehouses, or other structures can be constructed by composite sandwich panels (also referred to as “sandwich panels” or “composite panels”), which have an insulative core and one or more outer layers. The buildings can be constructed by gluing several sandwich panels together, and usually traditional fasteners, such as screws, rivets, nails, etc., are not needed for such connections. Generally, composite sandwich panels offer a greater strength to weight ratio over traditional materials that are used by the building industry. Because they weigh less than traditional building materials, the handling and transport of composite sandwich panels is generally less expensive. The composite sandwich panels are generally as strong as, or stronger than, traditional materials including wood-based and steel-based structural insulation panels, while being lighter in weight. The composite sandwich panels also can be used to produce light-weight buildings, such as floating houses or other light-weight structures.

[0006]Sandwich panels generally are more elastic or flexible than conventional materials such as wood, concrete, steel or brick and, therefore, monolithic buildings made from sandwich panels are more durable than buildings made from conventional materials. For example, sandwich panels also may be non-flammable, waterproof, very strong and durable, and in some cases able to resist hurricane-force winds (up to 300 Kph (kilometers per hour) or more). The sandwich panels also may be resistant to the detrimental effects of algae, fungicides, water, and osmosis. As a result, buildings constructed from sandwich panels may be better able to withstand earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, fires and other natural disasters than buildings constructed from conventional materials.

[0008]As described in more detail below, two sandwich panels can be connected together to minimize or to reduce thermal bridging across the joint between the panels, by cutting and removing an edge portion of the sandwich panels, e.g., by a miter cut. The angle joint is formed by aligning the edges of the panel cores such that the core of one panel is in physical contact with the core of the adjacent panel. A cavity is formed by removing a portion of the sandwich panel cores. A pathway to the cavity is formed, for example, by making a hole through at least one of the outer layers of the sandwich panels or by removing a strip of the outer layer near the edge of the panel to form a gap between the edges of the outer layers of the panels. Bonding material is injected through the pathway and into the cavity to seal an entranceway to the area of contact between the panel cores and to secure or to bond the panels to one another.The resulting angle joint minimizes, reduces or eliminates thermal transmissions from one side of the panel to the other side of the panel.

[0018]According to another aspect of the angle joint, the interface between the sandwich panel cores inhibits thermal transmissions across the joint from the first outer layer to the second outer layer.

[0036]According to another aspect of the invention, a method of forming a sandwich panel including mounting a first outer layer to a core; mounting a second outer layer to the core; forming an angle edge of the sandwich panel, the angle edge comprising a portion of the first outer layer and a portion of the core; forming a cavity between a portion of the second outer layer and a portion of the core; and providing access to the cavity through the second outer layer with a pathway through which bonding material is injectable to form a joint between the angle edge of the sandwich panel and a construction element in a manner that inhibits thermal transmissions across the joint.

Problems solved by technology

The demand for lower cost buildings is particularly strong in developing countries where economic resources may be limited and natural resources and raw materials may be scarce.

For example, in areas of the Middle East or Africa, conventional building materials such as cement, brick, wood or steel may not be readily available or, if available, may be very expensive.

In other areas of the world, poverty may make it too costly for people to build houses or other buildings with conventional materials.

These devastating events often lead to widespread destruction of large numbers of buildings and houses, especially when they occur in densely populated regions.

The rebuilding of areas affected by these events can cause substantial strain on the supply chain for raw materials, making them difficult or even impossible to obtain.

Furthermore, natural disasters often recur and affect the same areas.

If a destroyed building is rebuilt using the same conventional materials, it stands to reason that the building may be destroyed or damaged again during a similar event.

Prefabricated buildings, however, are made from conventional materials that may be scarce or expensive to obtain.

Thermal bridges are particularly undesirable for external walls of a structure where temperatures may vary greatly from the outside of the structure to the inside of the structure.

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