Thermal wall system

Abstract

A thermal wall system for constructing insulated concrete walls includes a pair of opposing forming walls, a mount extending between the forming walls for positioning the walls in spaced relationship, at least one spacing element mounted to the mount, and a body of thermally insulating material held by the spacing element in spaced relationship to at least one and preferably both of the forming walls. Concrete poured into the areas between the body and forming walls envelopes the spacing members and the insulating body, with the resultant concrete wall having the insulating body spaced from the exposed outer surfaces of the cured concrete of the wall a consistent depth corresponding to the depth of the spacing element. The mounts are preferably tie bars, which readily receive the spacing elements and structurally connect the spacing elements positioned on opposite sides of the body.

1 . A thermal wall system for constructing insulated poured-in-place concrete walls, the system comprising: 
 first and second opposed, spaced-apart forming walls for receiving poured concrete therebetween;    a body of a thermally insulating material received between said first and second forming walls;    a mount operatively coupled to said first forming wall and extending from said first forming wall toward said second forming wall; and    a first spacing element operatively coupled to said mount and positioned between said first and second forming walls and adjacent said body of a thermally insulating material to define a first concrete-receiving space between said first forming wall and said body of a thermally insulating material.    
   
   
       2 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said mount connects said first and second forming walls in a predetermined, spaced relationship.  
   
   
       3 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 2 , including a second spacing element operatively coupled to said mount and positioned between said said second forming wall and adjacent said body of a thermally insulating material to define a second concrete-receiving space between said second forming wall and said body of a thermally insulating material.  
   
   
       4 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said first and second spacing elements comprise a plurality of longitudinally extending runners interconnected by at least one bow oriented transversely to said runners.  
   
   
       5 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said first and second spacing elements extend along respective first and second surfaces of the body of a thermally insulating material without penetrating through the body.  
   
   
       6 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 5 , including a plurality of said first spacing elements comprising a first set arranged in substantially parallel, spaced relationship along said first surface, and a plurality of said second spacing elements comprising a second set arranged in substantially parallel, spaced relationship along said second surface.  
   
   
       7 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein said body of a thermally insulating material is a substantially planar sheet of foamed synthetic resin material.  
   
   
       8 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 7 , including a plurality of said planar sheets arranged in end-to-end relationship.  
   
   
       9 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 8 , and including a plurality of mounts, wherein said mounts are positioned intermediate adjacent ones of said plurality of planar sheets.  
   
   
       10 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said mounts connect respective ones of the spacing elements of the first set with respective ones of the spacing elements of the second set.  
   
   
       11 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said spacing element includes a plurality of interconnected, elongated runners which are positioned such that all of the runners are not coplanar.  
   
   
       12 . A thermal wall system as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said runners are oriented to be substantially parallel and said spacing element further comprises a projection coupled to said runners and extending transversely therefrom.  
   
   
       13 . An insulated concrete wall comprising: 
 first and second layers of concrete;    a body of a greater thermally insulating value than concrete positioned intermediate said first and second layers of concrete, said body having respective first and second surfaces wherein said first surface is positioned in engagement with said first layer of concrete and said second surface is positioned in engagement with said second layer of concrete;    a mount extending between and structurally connecting said first and second layers of concrete; and    first and second spacing elements respectively embedded within said first and second layers of concrete and connected to said mount.    
   
   
       14 . An insulated concrete wall as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said body of a thermally insulating material is substantially imperforate.  
   
   
       15 . An insulated concrete wall as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said body is substantially planar.  
   
   
       16 . An insulated concrete wall as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said spacing elements include at least three interconnected runners which are arranged so that all three runners are not in substantially coplanar alignment.  
   
   
       17 . An insulated concrete wall as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said runners are oriented substantially parallel.  
   
   
       18 . A method of constructing an insulated concrete wall, comprising the steps of: 
 providing first and second opposed forming walls adapted to receive flowable concrete therebetween;    connecting said forming walls in a predetermined, spaced relationship to define a concrete receiving space therebetween;    positioning a body of a material having a greater thermal resistance than concrete in the concrete receiving space;    mounting a first spacing element in the concrete receiving space in engagement with the body to space the body from the first forming wall;    mounting a second spacing element in the concrete receiving space in engagement with the body to space the body from the second forming wall, said first and second spacing elements being mounted without perforating the body;    pouring flowable concrete in the concrete receiving space and between the body and both the first and second forming walls, thereby embedding the spacing elements in the concrete; and    allowing the concrete to harden and removing the forming walls.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including the step of structurally connecting the first and second spacing elements.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , including the steps of providing a plurality of said first spacing elements and orienting said first spacing elements in spaced, substantially parallel relationship relative to each other.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , including the step of orienting said first and second spacing element to extend substantially parallel to one another in substantially horizontal orientation.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said first spacing element includes a plurality of runners extending longitudinally and having at least one end, and including a mounting element extending between the forming walls having an opening therein, and wherein said mounting step includes the step of inserting an end of one of said runners into the opening of said mounting element.