Building Envelope Systems

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/471,486, filed on Jun. 6, 2023.

The present invention relates primarily to a new and improved building envelope systems, and more particularly it relates to the building envelope systems which improve performances of the wall, roof and soffit assemblies including significantly increased speed of assembly.

Traditional sheathing materials and weather barriers are not quite efficient to provide good thermal and acoustic performance, and significant weatherproofing of wall assemblies. Hence, there is a significant need and void in the market to invent complete Building Envelope Systems which improves performances of wall, roof and soffit assemblies including significantly increased speed of assembly by replacing traditional sheathing materials and weather barriers with fiber reinforced polymers (FRP's) through elimination of most mechanical fasteners. Because of this the wall assemblies with be lighter weight, have good thermal and acoustic performance, and significantly increased weather-proofing of wall assemblies. In prefabrication, sealing will also be provided between all wall sections. The FRP sheathing will have no weather-barrier penetrations, have greater planarity between pre-fabricated wall sections both in assembly and in installation onto buildings, and will have less risk shipping pre-fabricated wall sections. The Building Envelope Systems will have full adjustability to plane and level walls, and consistency in façade mounting regardless of façade material type. Each of these improvements would be notable advancements in these fields.

The present invention is hereinafter disclosed, which provides weather-proofing and more thermally efficient wall assemblies. The unique characteristics and features of the present invention are, therefore, unrepresented within the conventional wall assemblies. Hence, the present invention has been disclosed to provide solutions to the aforementioned needs, and to resolve the aforementioned deficiencies in the conventional wall assemblies.

In accordance with the present application, novel and useful Building Envelope Systems is herein provided which includes new products and methods of wall manufacturing including a new sub-girt/sheathing system which eliminates sheathing fasteners and weather barriers. New head and sill tracks will replace traditional framing tracks in prefabrication, and new horizontal and vertical seals will replace, at least in part, much of the flashing materials traditionally used as well as the backer rod and sealant required between wall panels.

Established products and manufacturing processes including Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) will be used to make the new structural sub-framing and sheathing components. FRP will be used to make the new combined sheathing and weather-proofing component. In addition, FRP will be used to make the new combined head/sill tracks and flashing components. Fibers used in the FRP process may vary depending on project requirements to include fibers such as glass, Kevlar, basalt and carbon. Example, for thermal performance glass fibers may be used, but for ballistic and blast performance Kevlar fibers may be used. These products may all be manufactured using a pultrusion process or other acceptable method of manufacture.

These new products' use of FRP provides for extreme thermal efficiency for prefabricated walls (unitized walls) which will translate to lower operating costs for the life of the building. The use of certain adhesives, the use of FRP's, and gaps between the FRP and structural framing are anticipated to help reduce vibration for better acoustic dampening and deadening performance.

Metal supports will be used minimally for occasions when additional pull-out strength is needed such as for fastening cladding to the new FRP framing member. These metal supports may be made of a material such as galvanized steel which may be cut on a shear and bent on a brake press. These components may then be installed into the new framing member by means of sliding or snapping the steel into the FRP which will friction-fit into its final position when fully installed with or without adhesives used for additional holding strength.

The new FRP head and sill tracks as well as the new FRP framing members are made to encompass the new FRP sheathing/weather barrier. This encompassing, along with adhesives used on the full perimeter of the sheathing/weather barrier, will provide a water-proof wall, roof, floor, soffit or other structural building system which is sealed at the outer-most location on the wall panels while insulating between wall panels.

Rubber-like and closed cell foam seals, including solid, hollow and open shapes, will be used as a continuous head track seal to not allow water to gain access between prefabricated wall sections mounted to a building in curtainwall fashion. This material will be made of a material such as extruded rubber silicone or neoprene, or polyethylene foam. The seals will be shaped to partially or fully cover flanges, webs, insulation, and other seals, and may have liquid insulation injected inside hollow openings to better seal and insulate. This seal may be adhered, frictionally fit, and/or be mechanically fastened to other materials to positionally hold in in place until the wall panels are installed which will then permanently hold them in place. The seal may have one or more sides having an incline plane to shed water, to allow for a premium shape when axial, lateral or bend pressures are applied, and will help hold additional adjacently placed insulation in place, such as pinching it between the seal and another surface.

It may be apparent that novel and useful Building Envelope Systems has been hereinabove described which will work and be used in a manner not consistent with conventional products and methods to provide great improvements in many facets of the manufacturing, assembly, installation, and overall performance of complete building envelope systems.

It is therefore an object of this application to provide Building Envelope Systems which are lighter, stronger, easier, and less expensive compared to traditional practices.

It is another object to provide an integrated sub-framing and sheathing system eliminating sheathing, its fasteners, and offsetting most of their associated installation labor.

It is another object to provide an integrated sub-framing and sheathing system which is able to support more shear loads than gypsum products.

It is another object to provide head and sill tracks which incorporate the full or partial shape of commonly used metal flashings. Metal flashings such as those used for window openings and wall enclosures may then be made much smaller and adhesively attached to parts of the head and sill tracks. By attaching these smaller adhesively applied metal flashings to the FRP head and sill tracks, the flashings will be much easier to maintain a straight-looking appearance, whereas traditional flashings tend to bend with the installation of each mechanical fastener because they warp the flashings when torqued down.

It is another object to provide structural members, including FRP sheets, with built-in cavities and ledges which allow sheathing, rubber gaskets, adhesives and fasteners to be inserted into the and onto them, both inside and outside structural FRP including at corners and ends, to provide a means to quickly and easily attach many different materials to each other.

It is an object of this application that all parts and components of the present invention may be manufactured with additional holes, bends, knurling, and punching, as well as the addition of different or multiple adhesives for use in all locations for the purpose of structural, thermal, acoustic, weather-proofing and other improved performances, including the use of mechanical fasteners, built-in anti-rotation mechanisms and other features which don't depart from the spirit of this application.

It is another object to incorporate a new prefabricated wall panel to wall panel installation means when mounting fully assembled wall panels onto building super-structures.

Another object is to provide head and sill tracks which have built-in drainage, where exposed or required, including having built-in slope(s).

Another object is to provide sloped and flat entrances for steel inserts to “snap” into position so that smaller segments may be used instead of full-length, or to simplify the installation process of the steel into the FRP, whether installed with or without adhesives.

Another object is to provide steel angles or other shapes which are snapped into the FRP which allows other sub-framing such as steel angles and Z's to be attached to increase the length of the sub-framing for aesthetic or planarity purposes. These angles and Z's may be attached to one or more locations on the FRP sub-framing and/or sheathing, as well as on different planes and elevations.

Another object of the present invention is for the side-seal FRP's to be routed out in such a way that they are able to partially or fully encompass the ends of the sub-framing and sheathings to provide a completely sealed side or edge of wall panel.

The invention possesses other objects or advantages especially with concerns to particular characteristics and features thereof which will become apparent as the specification continues, including using aspects of these different concepts together.

For a better understanding of the invention of this application, reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof which should be referenced to the prior described drawings.

Various aspects of the present application will evolve from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof which should be taken in conjunction with the prior described drawings.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments, as depicted in different figures as described above and of being practiced or conducted in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility and non-obviousness.

Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “exemplary embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “another embodiment,” or variants thereof do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “A/B” or in the form “A and/or B” or in the form “at least one of A and B” means (A), (B), or (A and B), where A and B are variables indicating a particular object or attribute. When used, this phrase is intended to and is hereby defined as a choice of A or B or both A and B, which is similar to the phrase “and/or”. Where more than two variables are present in such a phrase, this phrase is hereby defined as including only one of the variables, any one of the variables, any combination of any of the variables, and all of the variables, for example, a phrase in the form “at least one of A, B, and C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C).

It is to be understood that the term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also contain one or more other components.

Reference will now be made in detail to preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With reference to, sub-framing Member A is comprised of first tipwhich terminates at return, which extends into basecreating first slotand having face. Baseterminates into endhaving first tip. From baseextends first fingernear the end. From basealso extends armwhich is between the first fingerand the first tipand having inside corner, all of which extend away from facein the same direction, and second slotis created between the armand the first finger. Under armis located between the second slotand third slot. The third slotis located between under armand radiused tip, radiused tipterminating perpendicularly to second fingerwhich terminates into under arm. Beyond the second fingeron the armand still extending away from face, armterminates perpendicularly into leg. Legand the second fingercreate fourth slot. Leghas inside faceand outside faceand terminates into reduced end, the reduced endstarting at declineand ending at second tip.

shows embodiment B having the same elements for legand armshown in, however baseterminates at each end with parallel legsandhaving tipsandrespectively on one end, and parallel legsandhaving tipsandrespectively on the other end, with each pair of parallel legs facing opposite directions.

shows embodiment B having clip ‘a’ having first tipsliding into the first slotbetween faceand the first tip. Clip ‘a’ having multiple holesin body, and second tipon the opposite side as the first tip. The second tipis pushed with friction (not shown) along the armvia directional arrowuntil it snaps into place at inside corner. Similarly, clip ‘b’ having first tipsliding into the second slotbetween under armand the first finger. Clip ‘b’ having bodyand second tipon the opposite side as the first tip. The second tipis pushed with friction (not shown) over radiused tipvia directional arrowuntil it snaps into place against under armand into the third slot. Clip ‘c’ is shown having first tipwhich extends to body, which terminates at return, which then terminates at second tipbeing parallel with the body. Clip ‘c’ is pushed via directional arrowuntil returnis forcefully and frictionally fit onto the second tipand the first tipif frictionally fit into the fourth slotso as to not easily be removed.

shows embodiment C including all of the elements ofexcept that a screw-boss is used on the inside corner of under armand leg, the screw-boss consisting of rampcreating a first slotbetween it and the under arm. The rampextends to radiuswhich terminates at end. Endcreates second slotbetween it and leg. Hollowis created inside of the radius, the under armand legand is circular in shape except at the second slot.

shows embodiment D having all of the elements numbered in, having two mirror image sides rotated 180 degrees from each other, with the mirror image beginning in the middle of armbetween baseand leg, so that there is one embodiment D able to accept sheet FRP from all 4 parallel leg locations, with or without the use of adhesives (not shown) in any of the slots or other locations. The FRP sheets ‘d’ and ‘e’ having baseterminating at rampwhich terminates into fingerhaving end. Cavitiesandare created which may be filled with insulation or sealed shut with custom routed side seal FRP's (not shown) to trap the air (not shown) and use the air (not shown) as insulation. The structural sub-framing member D allows FRP or other sheets to be added on both sides, whether adhered or not, to provide an exterior façade as well as interior water proofing. The façade may be perforated, specially shaped, and made of any known materials and fabricating methods.

shows head track E having first tipextending to first vertical fingerwhich terminates at inside bend. The inside bendextends first arm. The first armextends perpendicularly to second fingerwhich extends to returnwhich then terminates parallel to second fingerat second tip, and the second fingerlocated on the opposite side of the first arm. The first armterminates substantially parallel to second arm, however at the second arm, third fingerextends perpendicularly and parallel to second finger. Third fingerconsists of ledgewhich extends perpendicularly from it and away from second finger, then terminating to perpendicular tipwhich is parallel to third fingerand away from the second arm. First slotis created between ledgeand the second arm. Second slotis created between third fingerand the perpendicular tip. Extending from the second armaway from the third fingerare the same elements shown at the same locations asat leg.

shows preferred head track embodiment F having all of the same elements and locations as shown in, but with all of the elements and locations of inside corner of armand legof.

shows seal G having first endextending vertically to returnwhich then extends parallel to the first endvia wallcreating slotbetween them. Wallterminates at first cornerwhich extends perpendicularly to base, baseterminates perpendicularly at second cornerwhich extends to second end.

shows compressible insulation H having body, tapered endand back. Frontmay be exposed to the elements and is intumescent coated or dipped (not shown). The compressible insulation H made up of whether rock mineral wool or polyethylene foam with a black facer, such as a black rock mineral wool fabric or black paint such as intumescent paint which will grow outwards of the building to help prevent a fire from climbing the building, and which may be used between wall panels and above window and other openings on walls and other locations.

shows preferred seal I have rounded endextending vertically to armwhich terminates substantially at first perpendicular rounded corner. The first perpendicular rounded cornerextends to a sloped topwhich extends to a second perpendicular rounded cornerwhich then terminates perpendicularly to bottom, creating a first cavitywhich may be filled with insulation ‘g’. The bottomis not required but shown as possible. The bottomextends away from the first rounded cornerperpendicularly to incline corner. The incline cornerextends upwards to a first memberwhich creates a second cavitybetween it and the second rounded corner. The first memberextends to returnwhich then extends to a second memberwhich terminates at end. The first memberand the second memberform a slotbetween them. The slotwill fit over the first tipand the first vertical fingerof, allowing the preferred seal I to rest on preferred head track F to make a continuous seal across as many premanufactured and installed wall sections (not shown) as possible to eliminate the sealing problem (not shown) of that type of panel intersection (not shown).

shows sill track J having a first endextending to a sloped drip edgewhich extends substantially parallel to base. Prior to base, first fingerextends perpendicularly upwards and parallel to second fingerwhich also extends perpendicularly upwards and parallel to the first fingerto create a first slot. The second fingerextends to s-bendwhich then extends parallel to and above the second fingerat an upward memberhaving a second end. Baseextends to cornerat armwhich extends perpendicular upwards to first returnwhich extends to third endto create a second slot. Basefurther extends to uprightcreating third slotbetween the uprightand the arm. The uprightextends to a second returnwhich extends to downward memberto a fourth end. A fourth slotis created between the downward memberand the upright.

shows sill track J with clips ‘a’ and ‘f’ installed.

shows preferred sill track K same as the sill track J of, but without the first fingerand without the third slot. The baseinstead terminates at a vertical armwhich terminates at return. In the middle of the arm, a legextends out perpendicularly to terminate perpendicularly to a memberwhich terminates at end. At the top of the leg, a fingerextends upwards and perpendicularly from it creating a slotbetween the fingerand the arm.

shows side seal L having endsat each end facing each other in mirror image, both of which terminate at return. Returnterminates at basewhich connects returns. Slotsare created between endsand base. Basemay be routed out on backto match sub-framing and sheathing embodiments of this invention to make an air-tight fit and seal (not shown) using adhesives (not shown). Seal LL consists of baseextends at an angle to fingerswhich terminate at ends. Fingersmay be of different lengths and have rounded or other shaped ends (not shown). Air gapsbetween fingersmay be filled with liquid or other insulation materials (not shown) before or after installation onto a building (not shown). Fingersand endswill contact other surfaces when installed onto a building (not shown), each creating its own independent seal (not shown) on all sides.

shows an insulation strut M having a first endextending to a first radiused armwhich terminates at a first bendwhich then extends substantially perpendicularly to a first arm. The first armextends to a second bendwhich extends substantially perpendicularly to a first leg. The first legextends substantially perpendicular to first fingerat a third bend. The first fingerextends to a radiused returnwhich extends to a second fingerto create a mounting holewithin the radiused return. The second fingerextends parallel with the first fingerand terminates substantially perpendicularly to a second legat a fourth bend. The second legextends substantially perpendicularly to second armat fifth bend. The second armextends substantially perpendicular to a second radiused armat sixth bend, with the second radiused armterminating at a second end.

shows the insulation strut M structurally attached to the sub-framing member B, wherein the insulation strut M, inserted through a hole, rotates perpendicular to the sub-framing member B until lock washerspress firmly against the insulation (not shown), at which time a fasteneris mechanically fastened through the mounting holeof the insulation strut M and into the sub-framing member B to permanently fix them together.

shows Z-girt h supporting an assortment of Insulation Struts N,, P, Q and R in which their shapes may be seen as well as their connections to any surface orientation or angle.

shows all of the embodiments and sub-embodiments assembled in a wall assembly, with use of sealants (not shown) in various locations as well as mechanical fasteners.

All aspects of the current invention may be used in conjunction with aspects of other similar inventions that I have been involved with to create hybrid products and systems without departing from the current invention as it should be considered “known”.