Insulated wall panel for building construction and method and apparatus for manufacture thereof

Abstract

Pre-fabricated wall, ceiling and roof panels for use in building construction have a metal framework, metal interior bracing as needed and may include internal electrical, water and gas supply conduits enabling simple and efficient building construction. A method for manufacturing the pre-fabricated building panels includes constructing a metal panel framework with internal structural bracing and placing the framework in a machine having relatively moveable foam containment plates. Polyurethane foam panel filler material having efficient thermal insulating quality is injected into the panel frame between the foam containment plates and expands during curing to fill the voids within the panel frame and define parallel exterior and interior panel surfaces. The light-weight polymer foam filled panels are then secured to the panel connectors of a building foundation and are secured to one another to define the walls, ceiling and roof a building structure and provide resistance to storm damage, insect and water damage and heat reflection.

1 . A pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system for use in the construction of buildings, comprising: 
 a panel framework having substantially straight perimeter framework members defining side, top and bottom perimeters of said panel framework and being composed of sheet metal bent to define a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration and having a central web and substantially parallel exterior and interior flanges being integral therewith;    longitudinal and transverse structural members being connected with said substantially straight perimeter framework members;    at least one of said substantially straight perimeter framework members and at least one of said longitudinal and transverse structural members defining liquid injection holes; and    a body of cured in-situ polyurethane foam material filling substantially all of said internal voids of said panel framework and defining a substantially planar exterior wall surface, said body of polymer foam material being formed by mixing and injecting A and B polymer foam constituents into said internal voids of said panel framework and by confining said polyurethane foam material to said internal voids during polymerization expansion thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 one of said substantially straight perimeter framework members being angulated in correspondence with the pitch of a roof structure of a building constructed by assembly of a plurality of said pre-manufactured insulated wall panels.    
     
     
         3 . The pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 said substantially straight perimeter framework members each having a central web and interior and exterior flanges being in substantially parallel relation and being integral with said central web.    
     
     
         4 . The pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system of  claim 3 , comprising: 
 edge flanges being integral with said interior and exterior flanges and being oriented in substantially normal relation with said interior and exterior flanges and being disposed in substantially co-planar opposed relation and defining a slot extending the length of said substantially straight perimeter framework member and defining an opening through which expanding polymer foam is admitted into said substantially straight perimeter framework members.    
     
     
         5 . The pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 at least one electrical service box being mounted to one of said structural members and an electrical service conduit being embedded within said body of polymer foam material.    
     
     
         6 . The pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 said substantially straight perimeter framework members having a central web defining a panel thickness; and    at least one recess being defined within said body of polymer foam material and establishing a polymer foam thickness less than said panel thickness and establishing an insulation R-factor of at least a portion of said body of polymer foam material.    
     
     
         7 . The pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 said substantially straight perimeter framework members defining window and door openings within which window and door assemblies are mounted to close and finish a building wall structure.    
     
     
         8 . The pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 said panel framework defining at least one opening within which is mounted a window or door assembly.    
     
     
         9 . The pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 a plurality of anchor member adapted for spaced location on a concrete foundation and adapted to be at least partially embedded within the concrete of a concrete foundation, said anchor members each having an anchor plate and a plurality of anchor elements being fixed to said anchor plate and projecting downwardly for anchoring within the concrete; and    a wall mounting track being mounted to said anchor plate and having spaced upstanding mounting flanges; and    a plurality of fasteners extending through said anchor flanges and engaging within said pre-manufactured insulated construction panel and securing said pre-manufactured insulated construction panel system to the foundation via said anchor members.    
     
     
         10 . A mechanism for substantially completely filling an insulated construction panel framework with a body of cured in-situ polymer foam material, comprising: 
 a machine frame;    a lower support plate member being supported by said machine frame;    an upper polymer expansion confinement plate member being supported by said machine frame;    said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member and said and lower support plate member being disposed in substantially parallel relation and being relatively moveable to a release position permitting a construction panel framework to be positioned between said upper and lower plate members and to be removed from between said upper and lower plate members and a clamping position with said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member and said lower support plate member in engaging relation with a construction panel framework; and    a mechanism selectively causing relative movement of said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member and said lower support plate member to said release position and said clamping position.    
     
     
         11 . The mechanism of  claim 10 , comprising: 
 said lower plate member being linearly moveable to a construction panel framework clamping position beneath said upper plate member and a construction panel framework loading position laterally of said upper plate member.    
     
     
         12 . The mechanism of  claim 11 , comprising: 
 at least one guide track being mounted to said machine frame; and    guide members being mounted to said lower plate member and being linearly moveable on said guide track, said guide members permitting guided linear movement of said lower support plate member to said loading position and said clamping position.    
     
     
         13 . The mechanism of  claim 10 , comprising: 
 at least one lift member being mounted to said machine frame and establishing force transmitting relation with said upper plate member, said lift member being selectively actuated for moving said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member upwardly to said release position.    
     
     
         14 . The mechanism of  claim 10 , comprising: 
 said at least one lift member being a plurality of lift members being energized for moving said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member upwardly to said release position while maintaining said upper plate member substantially parallel with said lower support plate member; and    a lift actuator being connected for simultaneous energization of said plurality of lift members; and    said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member having a weight sufficient for engagement of a construction panel framework with sufficient force to confine said polymer foam material to voids within said construction panel framework and to resist expansion of said polymer foam material beyond spaced substantially parallel planes defined by a construction panel framework, said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member and said lower support plate member establishing substantially planar substantially parallel polymer foam panel surfaces of a construction panel.    
     
     
         15 . The mechanism of  claim 14 , comprising: 
 structural members being disposed in engagement with said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member and preventing bending of said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member by pressure developed during polymerization expansion of said polymer foam material.    
     
     
         16 . The mechanism of  claim 10 , comprising: 
 at least one polymer foam displacement element depending from said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member and controlling the thickness of polymer foam within the construction panel framework according to desired thermal insulation characteristics.    
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing insulated construction panels for use in the construction of walls, ceilings and roofs of buildings, comprising: 
 providing a construction panel framework having perimeter structural members and internal structural members defining internal panel voids and defining panel flanges disposed in opposed spaced planes and having polymer foam injection openings in said perimeter structural members;    locating said construction panel framework on a lower support plate member;    establishing clamping force of said lower support plate member and an upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member with said construction panel framework;    mixing A and B constituents of a polymer foam material and injecting the mixture in evenly distributed manner within said internal panel voids; and    with said lower support plate member and said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member confining polymerization expansion of said polymer foam material to said internal voids of said construction panel framework and defining substantially planer and substantially parallel polymer foam construction panel surfaces.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising: 
 positioning said lower support plate member at a panel framework loading position laterally of said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member;    positioning a panel framework on said lower support plate member;    moving said lower support plate member and said panel framework laterally to a panel framework clamping position;    causing relative movement of said lower support plate member and said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member to positions clamping the panel framework therebetween and causing confinement of the internal voids of the construction panel framework;    maintaining the clamping force of said lower support plate member and said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member during sufficient polymerization of said polymer foam material for dimensional stabilization thereof;    separating said lower support plate member and said upper polymer foam expansion confinement plate member; and    moving said lower support plate member laterally to said loading position.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising: 
 controlling injection of said mixture of said A and B constituents through said openings and into said voids of said construction panel framework at a measured volume that creates a polymer foam pressure during polymerization expansion that forces the expanding polymer foam into substantially all of the internal voids of a construction panel framework and causes increased density of the resulting polymer foam body for enhancement of thermal insulating characteristics and structural integrity thereof.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising: 
 positioning at least one polymer foam displacement element within said construction panel framework for controlling the thickness of the resulting polymer foam body and thus controlling the thermal insulation characteristics of the resulting polymer foam body.