Shearwall structure and method of making the same

Abstract

A shearwall structure, enhancement product and method of making a shearwall structure in which the shearwall includes a stud wall structure, a sheathing panel and corner brackets applied to the corners and edges of the sheathing panel.

1 . A shearwall structure comprising: 
 a stud wall structure having an outer face;    a sheathing panel having inner and outer parallel faces, a plurality of panel peripheral edges and a panel corner at the intersection of adjacent panel peripheral edges;    a corner bracket applied to at least one of said panel corners, said corner bracket including first and second corner edge sections for engagement with corresponding adjacent panel peripheral edges of said at least one panel corner, said first and second corner edge sections being interconnected with one another and each of said first and second corner edge sections having a panel receiving channel receiving said corresponding adjacent panel peripheral edge; and    said sheathing panel being connected to said stud wall structure with said inner face of said sheathing panel adjacent to said outer face of said stud wall structure.    
     
     
         2 . The shearwall structure of  claim 1  wherein said stud wall structure includes: 
 a sole plate;  
 a top plate and  
 a plurality of studs extending between said sole plate and said top plate, each of said sole plate, top plate and studs having an outer face to define the outer face of said stud wall structure.  
 
     
     
         3 . The shearwall structure of  claim 1  including a plurality of said corner panels applied to a corresponding plurality of said panel corners.  
     
     
         4 . The shearwall structure of  claim 1  wherein said first and second corner edge sections are interconnected by a web extending between said first and second corner edge sections.  
     
     
         5 . The shearwall structure of  claim 4  wherein said web is adjacent to said inner face of said sheathing panel.  
     
     
         6 . The shearwall structure of  claim 5  wherein said panel receiving channel includes a pair of spaced legs joined with a base leg.  
     
     
         7 . The shearwall structure of  claim 6  wherein said web is joined with one of said spaced legs.  
     
     
         8 . The shearwall structure of  claim 1  including an edge bracket applied to a portion of at least one of said panel peripheral edges, said edge bracket including a panel receiving channel receiving said at least one panel peripheral edge portion.  
     
     
         9 . The shearwall structure of  claim 8  including a corner bracket located at each of said panel corners and an edge bracket located along a portion of each of said panel peripheral edges.  
     
     
         10 . A corner bracket for selective connection to a panel corner of a sheathing panel of the type having front and back parallel faces, a plurality of panel peripheral edges, and a plurality of panel corners at the intersection of adjacent panel peripheral edges, said corner bracket comprising: 
 first and second corner edge sections oriented at 90° relative to one another, each of said first and second corner edge sections including a pair of legs and a base defining a panel receiving channel; and    a web joining said first and second corner edge sections.    
     
     
         11 . The corner bracket of  claim 10  wherein said pair of legs includes an inner leg and an outer leg.  
     
     
         12 . The corner bracket of  claim 11  wherein said inner leg is joined to said web.  
     
     
         13 . The corner bracket of  claim 12  wherein said outer leg is provided with a plurality of nailing holes.  
     
     
         14 . The corner bracket of  claim 13  wherein said web is provided with at least one stiffening rib.  
     
     
         15 . A shearwall enhancement product for connection to the panel corners and panel peripheral edges of a sheathing panel comprising the combination of the corner bracket of  claim 10  and an edge bracket, said edge bracket comprising: 
 a panel receiving channel defined by an outer leg, an inner leg and a base leg, said outer leg including a plurality of nailing holes.  
 
     
     
         16 . An edge bracket for selective connection to a panel peripheral edge of a sheathing panel of the type having front and back parallel faces, a plurality of panel peripheral edges, and a plurality of panel corners at the intersection of adjacent panel peripheral edges, said edge bracket comprising: 
 a channel member having a panel receiving channel to receive a panel peripheral edge, said receiving channel defined by an outer leg and an inner leg;    a base leg joining said outer and inner legs;    a plurality of nailing openings in said outer leg; and    at least one retention member located in at least one of said inner and outer legs.    
     
     
         17 . The edge bracket of  claim 16  wherein said at least one retention member includes a plurality of said protrusions extending toward the other of said inner and outer legs.  
     
     
         18 . A method of constructing a shearwall comprising: 
 providing a stud wall structure having an outer face;    providing a sheathing panel having inner and outer parallel faces, a plurality of panel peripheral edges and a panel corner at the intersection of adjacent panel peripheral edges;    applying a corner bracket to at least one of said panel corners, each of said corner brackets comprising first and second interconnected channel members to receive the adjacent panel peripheral edges of said at least one panel corner; and    attaching said sheathing panel with applied corner bracket to said wall structure so that the inner face of said sheathing panel is adjacent to the outer face of said stud wall structure.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  including applying an edge bracket to at least one of said panel peripheral edges, each of said edge brackets comprising a channel member to receive said at least one panel peripheral edge.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  including applying a corner bracket to a plurality of said panel corners and applying an edge bracket to a plurality of said peripheral edge sections.