Wall construction system

Abstract

A construction system utilizes a plurality of pre-manufactured units to form a concrete wall. Structurally, each pre-manufactured unit includes a wallboard mounted to an insulation board. Specifically, each wallboard has a first surface and an opposite second surface parallel thereto. For each wallboard, the insulation board is mounted to the second surface of the wallboard and extends to a face substantially parallel to the surfaces. In addition to the pre-manufactured units, the system comprises a temporary backing frame constructed from commercially-available aluminum forms which establish a wall. Also, the system includes a plurality of ties for supporting the units at a desired distance from the backing frame to establish a cavity for receiving concrete to form the concrete wall. After the concrete wall is formed, the backing frame is removed and the pre-manufactured units remain bonded to the wall.

1 . A wall construction system comprising:
 a plurality of pre-manufactured units, with each unit including a wallboard having a first surface and an opposite second surface substantially parallel thereto, wherein each unit further comprises an insulation board mounted to the second surface of the wallboard and extending therefrom to a face substantially parallel to the second surface of the wallboard;   a temporary backing frame distanced from the face of the insulation board to establish a cavity therebetween; and   a plurality of ties for supporting the units at a desired distance from the backing frame for receiving concrete in the cavity to create a concrete wall, wherein the backing frame is removed after formation of the concrete wall, and wherein the pre-manufactured units are permanently bonded to the concrete wall.   
   
   
       2 . A system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first surface of each wallboard forms at least one groove for receiving a stud for bracing during formation of the concrete wall, with said groove receiving utility features after the stud is removed. 
   
   
       3 . A system as recited in  claim 2  wherein each unit defines a conduit extending between grooves for receiving utility features. 
   
   
       4 . A system as recited in  claim 1  wherein each unit further comprises at least one stud parallel to the surfaces and positioned between the insulation board and the wallboard adjacent the second surface of the wallboard. 
   
   
       5 . A system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a means for interconnecting adjacent units. 
   
   
       6 . A system as recited in  claim 5  wherein the interconnecting means includes a notch formed between the wallboard and the insulation board at a first end of each unit and a reciprocating protrusion formed by the insulation board at a second end of each unit. 
   
   
       7 . A system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising fasteners for mounting the wallboard to the insulation board. 
   
   
       8 . A system as recited in  claim 7  wherein each fastener includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, with a head mounted to the proximal end, wherein the shaft passes through the wallboard and the insulation board with the head abutting the first surface of the wallboard, and wherein a receiver engages the distal end of the shaft to hold the wallboard and insulation board therebetween. 
   
   
       9 . A system as recited in  claim 1  wherein an interface is established between each pair of adjacent pre-manufactured units, wherein each tie is positioned at an interface with a first end at the wallboard of the pre-manufactured unit and a second end at the backing frame. 
   
   
       10 . A system as recited in  claim 9  wherein each tie includes an engineered weakness at the second end to provide for separation of the second end from the tie after the backing plate has been removed. 
   
   
       11 . A system as recited in  claim 9  further comprising a brace positioned on the first surface of each wallboard at the interface, with the braces on adjacent pre-manufactured units surrounding the respective tie for connection therewith. 
   
   
       12 . A system as recited in  claim 9  further comprising a bracket positioned on the first surfaces of adjacent pre-manufactured units and spanning the interface therebetween, with the bracket forming an aperture for positioning the respective tie in the interface. 
   
   
       13 . A system as recited in  claim 9  wherein each tie includes an end plate at the first end for mounting to adjacent pre-manufactured units. 
   
   
       14 . A system as recited in  claim 13  wherein the end plate of each tie is U-shaped and has a central portion and two legs, wherein the central portion abuts the first surface of the wallboard of each adjacent pre-manufactured unit, and wherein each leg is received within a slot formed in the wallboard of each adjacent pre-manufactured unit. 
   
   
       15 . A system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of intermediate plates positioned at the face of the insulation board, wherein each intermediate plate includes an opening, with a respective tie passing through the opening, and wherein each intermediate plate includes means for engaging the insulation board. 
   
   
       16 . A system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a tie sleeve defining a channel, wherein the tie sleeve is forced through the wallboard and into the insulation board at a desired position relative to the backing frame, and wherein a tie is positioned in the sleeve with a first end at the wallboard of the pre-manufactured unit and a second end at the backing frame. 
   
   
       17 . A wall construction which comprises:
 a substantially flat wallboard having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface is substantially parallel to the first surface;   an insulation board mounted against the second surface of the wallboard;   a concrete wall formed against the insulation board to position the insulation board between the wall board and the concrete wall, wherein the concrete wall is formed with an external surface substantially parallel to the first surface of the wall board; and   a plurality of ties for holding the wall board against the insulation board and for positioning a backing frame at a distance from the insulation board during formation of the concrete wall, wherein the ties are subsequently used for anchoring the combination of wall board and insulation board against the concrete wall after removal of the backing frame.   
   
   
       18 . A method for constructing a concrete wall comprising the steps of:
 arranging a plurality of pre-manufactured units, with each unit including a wallboard having a first surface and an opposite second surface substantially parallel thereto, wherein each unit further comprises an insulation board mounted to the second surface of the wallboard and extending to a face substantially parallel to the second surface for bounding concrete during formation of the concrete wall;   erecting a temporary backing frame distanced from the face of the insulation board;   supporting the units at a desired distance from the backing frame to establish a cavity therebetween;   pouring concrete into the cavity and setting the concrete therein to construct the concrete wall; and   removing the backing frame after formation of the concrete wall, wherein the pre-manufactured units are permanently bonded to the concrete wall.   
   
   
       19 . A method as recited in  claim 18  wherein the arranging step is accomplished by interconnecting adjacent pre-manufactured units. 
   
   
       20 . A method as recited in  claim 18  wherein the supporting step is accomplished by connecting each pre-manufactured unit to a first end of a respective tie and connecting the backing frame to a second end of the respective tie, and wherein the method further comprises the step of separating each second end from each tie after the backing frame is removed.