Mold for making fiber-reinforced polymeric building panels

Abstract

Light weight fiber-reinforced polymeric (FRP) structural building panels and panel assemblies, sized and configured for construction of wall structures. Fiber schedule and orientation in the panels provide enhanced properties of strength of a panel/wall per unit dimension relative to FRP layer thickness and/or mass of the panel/wall per unit dimension. Panel profiles as molded having draft angles, and molds to make such profiles, enhance panel fabrication.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A mold adapted to receive resin, and solid precursor components of a fiber-reinforced polymeric building panel to be fabricated by molding, and to fabricate such fiber-reinforced polymeric building panel,
 such building panel having a top and a bottom, defined when such building panel is in an upright orientation, such building panel further comprising   an outer fiber-reinforced polymeric layer defining a first outermost surface of such building panel,   an inner fiber-reinforced polymeric layer defining an opposing second outermost surface ( 25 ) of such building panel, and   thermal insulation in a space between such inner layer and such outer layer,   one of the top and the bottom of such building panel having a draft angle of 0.25 degree to 25 degrees extending, from the inner layer to the outer layer, the draft angle being based on a base line perpendicular to such outer layer,   said mold comprising:   (a) a first mold member defining a cavity configured to receive precursor element of such building panel to be molded, said first mold member having a first end corresponding to the top of such building panel when molded, and an opposing second end corresponding to the bottom of such building panel when molded; and   (b) a second mold member adapted to cooperate with said first mold member, and with such precursor elements of such building panel between said first and second mold members, thereby to close the mold for mold-fabrication of such building panel, said second mold member having an inner surface which defines a location of such first outermost surface of such building panel when such building panel is molded,   
       at least one of the first and second ends of said first mold member defining a draft angle of 0.25 degree to 25 degrees, extending from locations corresponding, on the respective end of said mold member, to such inner layer and extending across the respective end of said first mold member to locations which correspond to such outer layer of such panel as molded, the draft angle being based on a base line perpendicular to the inner surface of said first mold member and extending toward the other of the first and second ends of said first mold member. 
     
     
         10 . A mold as in  claim 9 , such building panel further comprising a plurality of studs, having tops and bottoms, and extending from the second outermost layer, away from the first innermost layer to stud ends, the draft angle further extending across at least one of the top or the bottom of a such stud. 
     
     
         11 . A mold as in  claim 9  wherein said mold further comprises a vacuum port adapted to withdraw gas from inside said mold when said mold is closed and sealed, and a resin port adapted for receiving resin into said mold as gas is being withdrawn through said vacuum port. 
     
     
         12 . A mold as in  claim 9 , the other of the first and second ends of said first mold member extending at an angle perpendicular to the inner surface of said second mold member. 
     
     
         13 . A mold as in  claim 9 , the draft angle comprising a first draft angle of the respective end of said mold, initiated at locations corresponding to ends of such studs of such building panel as molded, and extending to locations corresponding to approximately an end of such inner layer of such building panel as molded, and a second draft angle of the respective end of said mold, extending from locations corresponding to such end of such inner layer of such building panel as molded and across locations corresponding to an end of such thermal insulation to an end of such outer layer as molded, the first and second draft angles being based on a base line perpendicular to such outer layer, the first draft angle being greater than the second draft angle. 
     
     
         14 . A mold as in  claim 13 , magnitude of the first draft angle being about 1 degree to about 25 degrees and magnitude of the second draft angle being 0.25 degree to about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . A mold as in  claim 12 , said draft angle comprising a first draft angle of the respective end of said mold, initiated at locations corresponding to ends of such studs of such building panel as molded, and extending to locations corresponding to approximately an end of such inner layer of such building panel as molded, and a second draft angle of the respective end of said mold, extending from locations corresponding to such end of such inner layer of such building panel as molded and across locations corresponding to an end of such thermal insulation to an end of such outer layer as molded, the first and second draft angles being based on a base line perpendicular to such outer layer, the first draft angle being greater than second draft angle. 
     
     
         16 . A mold as in  claim 15 , magnitude of the first draft angle being about 1 degree to about 25 degrees and magnitude of the second draft angle being 0.25 degree to about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A mold as in  claim 9 , the other of the first and second ends of said first mold member defining a second draft angle of 0.25 degree to 25 degrees, extending from locations corresponding, on the respective end of said first mold member, to such inner layer and extending across the respective end of said first mold member to locations which correspond to such outer layer of such panel, the draft angle being based on a base line perpendicular to the inner surface of said first mold member and extending toward the other of the first and second ends of said first mold member. 
     
     
         19 . A mold adapted to receive resin, and solid precursor components of a fiber-reinforced polymeric building panel to be fabricated by molding, and to fabricate such fiber-reinforced polymeric building panel,
 such building panel having a top and a bottom, defined when such building panel is in an upright orientation, such building panel further comprising   an outer fiber-reinforced polymeric layer defining a first outermost surface of such building panel,   an inner fiber-reinforced polymeric layer defining an opposing second outermost surface ( 25 ) of such building panel,   thermal insulation in a space between such inner layer and such outer layer and extending from the top of such building panel to the bottom of such building panel, and   a plurality of studs having tops and bottoms, and extending from the second outermost layer, away from the first outermost layer, to distal ends of such studs,   one of the top and the bottom of such building panel having a draft angle of 0.25 degree to 25 degrees extending across a such stud to an end panel of such stud, the draft angle being based on a base line perpendicular to such outer layer,   said mold comprising:   (a) a first mold member defining a cavity configured to receive precursor elements, including precursor elements of such studs, of such building panel to be molded, said first mold member having a first end corresponding to the top of such building panel when molded, and an opposing second end corresponding to the bottom of such building panel when molded; and   (b) a second mold member adapted to cooperate with said first mold member, and with such precursor elements of such building panel between said first and second mold members, thereby to close the mold for mold-fabrication of such building panel, said second mold member having an inner surface which defines a location of such first outermost surface of such building panel when such building panel is molded,   
       at least one of the first and second ends of said first mold member defining a draft angle of 0.25 degree to 25 degrees, extending from a location corresponding, on the respective end of said mold member, to an end of the top or bottom of a such stud as molded, distal from the inner layer of such panel, and extending across the respective end of said first mold member to locations which correspond to such inner layer of such panel end as molded, the draft angle being based on a base line perpendicular to the inner surface of said first second mold member and extending toward the other of the first and second ends of said first mold member. 
     
     
         20 . A mold as in  claim 19  wherein said mold further comprises a vacuum port adapted to withdraw gas from inside said mold when said mold is closed and sealed, and a resin port adapted for receiving resin into said mold as gas is being withdrawn through said vacuum port. 
     
     
         21 . A mold as in  claim 19 , the other of the first and second ends of said first mold member extending at an angle perpendicular to the inner surface of said second mold member.