Modular walls and related technology

Abstract

A wall unit in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology includes a first face panel, a second face panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel that together define a main interior volume. The wall unit can further include a first flange and a second flange carried by the first face panel and the second face panel, respectively. The first flange can protrude vertically from the first face panel and can at least partially define a first slot outside the main interior volume of the wall unit. Similarly, the second flange can protrude vertically from the second face panel and can at least partially define a second slot outside the main interior volume of the wall unit. The first and second slots can occupy a vertical plane within 10% of being equally spaced between the first side panel and the second side panel.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A wall unit, comprising:
 a first face panel;   a second face panel parallel to and spaced apart from the first face panel;   a first side panel;   a second side panel parallel to and spaced apart from the first side panel, wherein the first face panel, the second face panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel together define a main interior volume of the wall unit;   a first flange carried by the first face panel, wherein the first flange protrudes vertically from the first face panel and at least partially defines a first slot outside the main interior volume of the wall unit; and   a second flange carried by the second face panel, wherein the second flange protrudes vertically from the second face panel and at least partially defines a second slot outside the main interior volume of the wall unit, and wherein the first slot and the second slot occupy a vertical plane within 10% of being equally spaced between the first side panel and the second side panel.   
     
     
         2 . The wall unit of  claim 1  wherein the first face panel and the second face panel are made at least primarily of cement board. 
     
     
         3 . The wall unit of  claim 2  wherein the first side panel and the second side panel are made at least primarily of cement board. 
     
     
         4 . The wall unit of  claim 3  wherein the first flange and the second flange are made at least primarily of cement board. 
     
     
         5 . The wall unit of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first flange is inwardly positioned relative to the first face panel; 
 the first flange protrudes vertically from the main interior volume of the wall unit; 
 the second flange is inwardly positioned relative to the second face panel; and 
 the second flange protrudes vertically from the main interior volume of the wall unit. 
 
     
     
         6 . The wall unit of  claim 5  wherein:
 the first face panel and the second face panel individually include—
 a first horizontal edge portion, and 
 a second horizontal edge portion vertically spaced apart from the first horizontal edge portion; 
 
 the first flange overlaps the second horizontal edge portion of the first face panel; 
 the first flange has a flat outer surface in the same vertical plane as a flat inner surface of the first horizontal edge portion of the first face panel; and 
 the second flange overlaps the second horizontal edge portion of the second face panel; 
 the second flange has a flat outer surface in the same vertical plane as a flat inner surface of the first horizontal edge portion of the second face panel. 
 
     
     
         7 . The wall unit of  claim 1  wherein a width of the first slot in a plane parallel to the first face panel is from 100% to 125% of a sum of a thickness of the first side panel and a thickness of the second side panel. 
     
     
         8 . The wall unit of  claim 7  wherein a width of the second slot in a plane parallel to the second face panel is from 100% to 125% of the sum of the thickness of the first side panel and the thickness of the second side panel. 
     
     
         9 . The wall unit of  claim 1  wherein the first face panel, the second face panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel are detachably connected to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The wall unit of  claim 1 , further comprising an interior panel within the main interior volume of the wall unit. 
     
     
         11 . The wall unit of  claim 10  wherein:
 the interior panel is parallel to the first side panel and to the second side panel; and 
 the interior panel occupies the vertical plane. 
 
     
     
         12 . The wall unit of  claim 11  wherein a thickness of interior panel is from 75% to 125% of a sum of a thickness of the first side panel and a thickness of the second side panel. 
     
     
         13 . The wall unit of  claim 12  wherein the interior panel is detachably connected to the first face panel, to the second face panel, to the first side panel, and to the second side panel. 
     
     
         14 . A modular wall, comprising:
 a first wall unit;   a second wall unit horizontally neighboring the first wall unit; and   a third wall unit vertically neighboring the first and second wall units,   wherein—
 the first wall unit, the second wall unit, and the third wall unit individually include—
 a first face panel, 
 a second face panel spaced apart from the first face panel, 
 a first side panel, 
 a second side panel spaced apart from the first side panel, 
 a first flange carried by the first face panel, 
 a first slot at least partially defined by the first flange, 
 a second flange carried by the second face panel, and 
 a second slot at least partially defined by the second flange, 
 
 the first slot of the third wall unit receives a portion of the first side panel of the first wall unit and a portion of the second side panel of the second wall unit, and 
 the second slot of the third wall unit receives a portion of the first side panel of the first wall unit and a portion of the second side panel of the second wall unit. 
   
     
     
         15 . The modular wall of  claim 14  wherein the first wall unit, the second wall unit, and the third wall unit are made at least primarily of cement board. 
     
     
         16 . The modular wall of  claim 14  wherein the first face panel, the second face panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel of the first wall unit, the second wall unit, and the third wall unit individually are detachably connected to one another. 
     
     
         17 . The modular wall of  claim 14  wherein the third wall unit is above the first and second wall units. 
     
     
         18 . The modular wall of  claim 14  wherein the third wall unit is below the first and second wall units. 
     
     
         19 . The modular wall of  claim 14  wherein the first wall unit, the second wall unit, and the third wall unit individually include an interior panel parallel to the first side panel, parallel to the second side panel, and within 10% of being equally spaced between the first side panel and the second side panel. 
     
     
         20 . The modular wall of  claim 19  wherein:
 in the first wall unit, the second wall unit, and the third wall unit individually, the interior panel is detachably connected to the first face panel and to the second face panel; 
 when the interior panels are absent, the first wall unit, the second wall unit, and the third wall unit carry a vertical load on the modular wall at least primarily via the first face panel and via the second face panel; and 
 when the interior panels are present, the first wall unit, the second wall unit, and the third wall unit carry a vertical load on the modular wall evenly via the first face panel, the second face panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, and the interior panel.