Building Panels with Support Members Extending Partially Through the Panels and Method Therefor

Abstract

A building panel for residential and commercial construction uses a plurality of insulating blocks connected together by adhesive. The insulation blocks are typically made of foam. A plurality of support members are disposed on opposite sides of the insulting blocks and offset with respect to the adjacent support member. The support member are typically made of metal and can have different shapes including “T” shape, “U” shape, and “L” shape. Each support member has a head portion in contact with a surface of the insulating block and a stem portion extending into the insulating block and having a length less than a width of the insulating block so that a thermal conduction path of the support member is discontinuous across the insulating block. The panel can be used as a curtain wall panel in high-rise construction, as well as bodies for aircraft, automotive, and marine applications.

1 . A building panel for residential and commercial construction, comprising:
 a plurality of insulating blocks connected together by adhesive; and   a plurality of support members disposed on opposite sides of the insulting blocks for providing structural support, each support member having a head portion in contact with a surface of the insulating block and a stem portion extending into the insulating block and having a length less than a width of the insulating block so that a thermal conduction path of the support members is discontinuous across the insulating blocks.   
     
     
         2 . The building panel of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is formed in a shape selected from the group consisting of “T”-shape, “L”-shape, “U”-shaped, and angled-shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The building panel of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating block is made with a material selected from the group consisting of foam, fiberglass, and paper products. 
     
     
         4 . The building panel of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is made with a material selected from the group consisting of metal, ceramic, concrete, fiberglass, graphite, wood, plastic, cardboard, rubber, and composites thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The building panel of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is recessed into the insulating block. 
     
     
         6 . The building panel of  claim 1 , wherein the stem of the support member is inserted into a groove of the insulating block and secured with an adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . The building panel of  claim 1 , further including a thermally isolating connector coupled between stems of opposing support members. 
     
     
         8 . A building panel, comprising:
 an insulating material having a width; and   a plurality of support members disposed in the insulating material for providing structural support, each support member having a thermal conduction path that is less than the width of the insulating material.   
     
     
         9 . The building panel of  claim 8 , wherein adjacent support members are disposed on opposite sides of the insulating block. 
     
     
         10 . The building panel of  claim 9 , wherein the support members are offset with respect to the adjacent support members on opposite sides of the insulating block. 
     
     
         11 . The building panel of  claim 8 , wherein the support member is formed in a shape selected from the group consisting of “T”-shape, “L”-shape, “U”-shaped, and angled-shaped. 
     
     
         12 . The building panel of  claim 8 , wherein the insulating block is made with a material selected from the group consisting of foam, fiberglass, and paper products. 
     
     
         13 . The building panel of  claim 8 , wherein the support member is made with a material selected from the group consisting of metal, ceramic, concrete, fiberglass, graphite, wood, plastic, cardboard, rubber, and composites thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The building panel of  claim 8 , wherein the stem of the support member is inserted into a groove of the insulating block and secured with an adhesive. 
     
     
         15 . The building panel of  claim 8 , wherein the support member is embedded in the insulating material. 
     
     
         16 . The building panel of  claim 8 , further including a thermally isolating connector coupled between opposing support members. 
     
     
         17 . A building panel, comprising:
 an insulating material having a width; and   a plurality of support members disposed in the insulating material for providing structural support, the support members having a thermal conduction path that is discontinuous across the width of the insulating material.   
     
     
         18 . The building panel of  claim 17 , wherein the support members are disposed on opposite sides of the insulating material. 
     
     
         19 . The building panel of  claim 17 , wherein the support member is formed in a shape selected from the group consisting of “T”-shape, “L”-shape, “U”-shaped, and angled-shaped. 
     
     
         20 . The building panel of  claim 17 , wherein the insulating block is made with a material selected from the group consisting of foam, fiberglass, and paper products. 
     
     
         21 . The building panel of  claim 17 , wherein the support member is made with a material selected from the group consisting of metal, ceramic, concrete, fiberglass, graphite, wood, plastic, cardboard, rubber, and composites thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A method of making a building panel, comprising:
 providing an insulating material having a width; and   disposing a plurality of support members into the insulating material for providing structural support, the support members having a thermal conduction path that is discontinuous across the width of the insulating material.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further including forming the support member a shape selected from the group consisting of “T”-shape, “L”-shape, “U”-shaped, and angled-shaped. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the insulating block is made with a material selected from the group consisting of foam, fiberglass, and paper products. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the support member is made with a material selected from the group consisting of metal, ceramic, concrete, fiberglass, graphite, wood, plastic, cardboard, rubber, and composites thereof. 
     
     
         26 . A building structure, comprising:
 a frame having a plurality of columns; and   a plurality of building panels disposed between the columns of the frame, each building panel including,
 (a) an insulating material having a width, and 
 (b) a plurality of support members disposed in the insulating material for providing structural support, the support members having a thermal conduction path that is discontinuous across the width of the insulating material. 
   
     
     
         27 . The building structure of  claim 26 , wherein the support member is formed in a shape selected from the group consisting of “T”-shape, “L”-shape, “U”-shaped, and angled-shaped. 
     
     
         28 . The building structure of  claim 26 , wherein the insulating block is made with a material selected from the group consisting of foam, fiberglass, and paper products. 
     
     
         29 . The building structure of  claim 26 , wherein the support member is made with a material selected from the group consisting of metal, ceramic, concrete, fiberglass, graphite, wood, plastic, cardboard, rubber, and composites thereof.