Plastic module for insulated concrete waffle wall

Abstract

A foamed plastic module for building an insulated concrete wall structure by stacking the modules together until the desired configuration of the structure is completed, and when the form is filled, a concrete monolithic waffle wall structure having foam insulation permanently attached to the opposed wall surfaces to form the inner and outer wall surfaces of an enclosure is realized. The module is made of foamed plastic material, such as expanded polystyrene, for example, and is built in a pressure molding apparatus. Each module comprises a rigid form block of a generally rectangular configuration having a hollow interior of a particular predetermined configuration formed between spaced apart confronting sidewalls to form a cement waffle wall. The side walls of the module are secured one to the other by a plurality of spaced tension members. The tension members can be formed of metal or plastic material. When formed of plastic, the tension members can have plastic rebar seats into which reinforcing steel can be snapped and held in position. Regardless of being metal or plastic, the tension members are positioned at evenly spaced centers, including across adjoining modules, whereby the flanges thereof can be more easily located. Location of the recessed flanges is also accomplished by incorporation of molded raised vertical lines or depressed divets centered over the flanges and visible externally on the surface of the waffle wall module. The interlocking tongue and groove features of a conventional module have been modified to increase the nominal base width of the tongue and groove to be at least equal to the nominal height or depth of the tongue and groove, respectively, whereby the strength of the tongue is substantially increased and without increasing the lever arm of the tongue. These aspects provide synergistic benefits when employed together. The configuration of the new invention side panels is such, that the two ends of a module are only half cores, creating full cores when subsequent modules are placed in running bonds. This saves at least one tension member per module over conventional waffle wall formwork of similar size and dimension and hundreds of dollars per structure. When stacked vertically employing per-molded corner modules, the tension members, and internal horizontal and vertical core elements of the waffle wall are all evenly aligned.

1 . A module comprising: 
 first and second foam panels each having inner and outer surfaces, said panels arranged in spaced parallel relation with their inner surfaces facing each other; and when said panels are filled with concrete and stacked vertically and in running bonds, the resultant structure is a series of vertical posts and horizontal beams with webs between cores forming a monolithic waffle shaped wall; certain modules containing first and second foam panels are “L” shaped forming corner modules with left and right hand corners; there is at least one tension member traversing said panels and anchored into said side walls, the tension member made of either polypropylene plastic or sheet metal;    
     
     
         2 . The module of  claim 1  wherein said waffle wall tension members are at evenly spaced centers within the module and adjoining modules; tension members have a polygonal shape with opposed faces, similar top and bottom, and opposed sides; each tension member includes a unitary piece of stamped sheet metal or molded polypropylene plastic anchored within the panels, and extending perpendicular to the walls face; the flanges of the tension member are parallel to the inner and outer wall surfaces of the module, each flange terminating in a free end, the free end being a stiffener; at least one stiffener rib extends parallel across the face of the tension member and terminates prior to the vertical flange imbedded in the polystyrene plastic on opposing sides; said tension member has preferably one hole located in the center of the unit whose size is at least ⅓ the height of the metal or plastic in this area of the tension member; the tension member hole is approximate equal-distant between the vertical flanges; said tension member has at least one stamped crescent shaped rebar support seat stamped into the top and bottom of the tension member located equal-distant form the tension member side flanges; a plurality of stamped approximately 90 degree tabs located in vertical lines just internal to the vertical flanges and within the molded polystyrene plastic help retain the unitary sheet metal tension member within the plastic side walls of the module;  
     
     
         3 . The module of  claim 2  wherein said waffle wall tension members are spaced away from the ends of the module about one-half the distance of the desired spacing of the subsequent tension members; i.e. six inches as opposed to one foot for subsequent tension members) whereby each tongue and groove end of a waffle module, completes a half core of the adjoining module; the tongue and groove end of modules when placed in running bonds, completes a full and virtually similar dimensioned core of the adjacent module, all equal distant and aligned with one another horizontally and vertically.  
     
     
         4 . The module of  claim 3  wherein said tension members are identified externally on said first and second panels of the module, by raised visual alignment lines or recessed divets within the polystyrene plastic module; said alignment lines or divets are located approximate to the center of the imbedded 1.5 inch flange which has its face parallel to the external surface of the module; said alignment lines and tension members are equal-distant horizontally throughout the modules, and align vertically with subsequent stacking of the modules.  
     
     
         5 . The module in  claim 4  wherein (4) tension members can be utilized within the module, (traditional waffle wall formwork of similar dimension and size, use 5 members); adjusting the position the tension member in the formwork to the area of maximum foam bridging and minimum concrete interference, while adding to the strength of the vertical and horizontal core.  
     
     
         6 . Method of  claim 5  wherein the module configuration has been substantially changed to now terminate in half cores; cores within the module have been elongated to retain strength within the core yet have the core approximately ½ inch narrower; reduction in core diameter while increasing amount of foam bridging across tension member, without appreciably increasing overall width of the module; repositioning the end tension member to ½ the distance of the desired one foot dimension, resulting in equal spacing on all tension members; tension member positioned in the module where it receives resistance to thermal transfer through the module;  
     
     
         7 . The module of claims  1  and  6  wherein said “L” shaped corner modules have approximately 90 degree angles, right and left mirror images, of at least three tension members per module, with ends terminating in similar configuration to the straight modules with half cores and modified tongue and groove arrangements; each corner module when stacked it automatically displaces adjoining formwork establishing proper stagger, and alignment of the waffle wall system.  
     
     
         8 . The module of  claim 1  and  7  wherein said “L” shaped corner module has an additional polygonal shaped member made of steel or polypropylene plastic; said member is imbedded into module surface at the corner of the module; this member is molded or bent at an initial 90 degree angle, fitting vertically into the corner; this polygonal member extends as a flat sheet down both sides of the module for a predetermined distance, (approximately 2 inches) turning 45 degrees, it continues into the corner core of the module, terminating in the cavity; the polygonal 45 degree member has perforations within the member which allow for foam bridging throughout the member thus securing it into the foam plastic; once concrete is placed in the module, and cured, the corner piece is secure; sheetrock, siding, and other construction materials can be screwed to the imbedded corner tension member;  
     
     
         9 . The module of  claim 8  and  claim 1  wherein the modules side panels all terminate in tongue and groove arrangements located at the ends top and bottom of the module; the tongue runs parallel to the form at the top and down the left or right hand sides of the panels, and the grooves run parallel across the bottom of the form and up the opposite side of the form as the tongue; this arrangement results in tongues at one end of the block and on top of the module side panels, and grooves at the other end of the module and on the bottom of the module side panels; the tongues on the top of the module are wider than they are high; the grooves on the bottom are wider than they are recessed into the module, usually by a factor of 1.5 i.e. tongue 1 inch wide, groove 0.50 high; the tongue and grooves at the ends of the module which interlock modules in running bonds are of essentially equal dimension, i.e. 1 inch by 1 inch.  
     
     
         10 . Method of  claim 7  whereby either plastic or sheet metal tension members can be molded within the module utilizing the same molding apparatus; design of mold apparatus to use removable inserts to replace the space left or needed when either plastic (thick) or metal tension members (thin) are molded; said inserts are anchored to the tension member insertion slots located in the center core web member of the tool centering the appropriate tension member within the mold apparatus; through addition or subtraction of dimensionally predetermined Teflon and metal inserts within the mold it is possible to produce multi-user modules some devoid of tension members altogether and using foam bridging to retain the two side panels.