Modular form for building a preinsulated, roughly finished concrete wall and method of building a structure therewith

Abstract

A system of building modules that may readily be assembled into wall structures that, when filled with concrete forms an insulated, roughly-finished wall structure ready to receive both exterior and interior wall treatments. The building modules may readily be assembled by relatively untrained personnel and forms walls typically having an overall R-value in the range of approximately 30. The novel building modules eliminate the need for setting traditional concrete forms and of finishing a bare concrete wall. The modules are provided in various lengths, the lengths typically being multiples of 16 inches.

1 . A building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall, comprising:
 a) an elongated rectangular parallelepiped having a first vertical side, a second, substantially parallel vertical side disposed apart therefrom, a top member and a bottom member both joining said first vertical side and said second, substantially parallel vertical side, said first vertical side, said second vertical side, said top member and said bottom member bounding a hollow interior region within said elongated rectangular parallelepiped;   b) at least two horizontal support strips disposed within said hollow interior region substantially parallel to a major axis thereof and attached to least one of said first vertical side, and said second vertical side adjacent at least one of said top member and said bottom member;   c) sheet insulation attached to an inward-facing surface of said at least two horizontal support strips, said insulation sheet forming an air cavity between itself and an inner surface of at least one of said first vertical side and said second vertical side; and   d) an opening sized and configured to-receive poured concrete in said interior region disposed in at least one of said top member and said bottom member.   
   
   
       2 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 e) an end sealing member disposed substantially perpendicular to each of said first vertical side, said second vertical side, said top member, and said bottom member proximate at least one of a distal end, and a proximal end of said building module.   
   
   
       3 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 e) means for supporting rebar disposed in at least one of said top member and said bottom member.   
   
   
       4 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said means for supporting rebar comprises a first through-hole in said top member and a second through-hole in said bottom member, said first through-hole and said second through-hole being aligned to define an axis substantially perpendicular to a major surface of said top member and substantially parallel to said first vertical side and said second vertical side. 
   
   
       5 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 e) means for sealing a first of said building modules to a second adjacent one of said building modules to prevent egress of concrete poured into said interior region.   
   
   
       6 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said means for sealing comprises means for sealing an end surface of said building module to and end surface of a second building module abutted thereto. 
   
   
       7 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said means for sealing comprises means for sealing at least one of a top surface and a bottom surface of a first building module to at least one of a top surface and a bottom surface of a second building module vertically aligned with and adjacent to said first building module. 
   
   
       8 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said means for sealing comprises means at least one of the group: a tongue-and-groove seal, and a groove and spline arrangement. 
   
   
       9 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said building module comprises a corner building module comprising a first portion and a second portion contiguous with and orthogonal to said first portion. 
   
   
       10 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of said first vertical side, said second vertical side, said top member, and said bottom member comprise pressure treated plywood or other building material. 
   
   
       11 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 10 , wherein each of said first vertical sides, and said second vertical side have a nominal thickness of approximately ¾ inch. 
   
   
       12 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 10 , wherein each of said top member and said bottom member have a nominal thickness of approximately ½ inch. 
   
   
       13 . The building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said at least two horizontal support strips comprises pressure treated lumber having a nominal dimension of approximately 1×2 inches. 
   
   
       14 . A method of erecting a concrete wall, the steps comprising:
 a) providing a foundation adapted to receive a modular, insulated, lost concrete form;   b) attaching a U-bracket to said foundation;   c) providing a plurality of building modules adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall, each of said building modules comprising a hollow, rectangular parallelepiped adapted to receive concrete in a hollow interior region thereof, each of said building modules comprising at least two horizontal support strips disposed within said hollow interior region substantially parallel to a major axis thereof and attached to least one of a first vertical side, and a second vertical side adjacent at least one of a top member and a bottom member and comprising sheet insulation attached to an inward-facing surface of said at least two horizontal support strips, said insulation sheet forming an air cavity between itself and an inner surface of at least one of said first vertical side and said second vertical side; and an opening sized and configured to receive poured concrete in said interior region disposed in at least one of said top member and said bottom member;   d) placing a first course of said plurality of building modules in said U-channel;   e) placing subsequent courses of said plurality of said building modules to define at least one wall structure;   f) upon completion of said at least one-wall structure, placing alignment braces on an interior face of said at least one wall structure; and   g) filling said at least one wall structure with concrete.   
   
   
       15 . The method of erecting a concrete wall as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said providing step (c) comprises providing at least one building module comprising a corner building module comprising a first portion and a second portion contiguous with and orthogonal to said first portion. 
   
   
       16 . The method of erecting a concrete wall as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said placing step (d) comprises placing said at least one building module comprising a corner building module comprising a first portion and a second portion contiguous with and orthogonal to said first portion. 
   
   
       17 . The method of erecting a concrete wall as recited in  claim 15 , the steps further comprising:
 h) inserting a spline into a groove disposed in a surface of a first building module and a corresponding groove disposed in an adjacent surface of a second building module.   
   
   
       18 . A building module adapted for modular construction of an insulated, lost form concrete wall, comprising:
 a) a pair of vertical members each having an identical vertical height and an identical length;   b) at least two U-shaped spacer bars each having an elongated, central surface and a pair of end surfaces perpendicular thereto, said U-shaped spacer bar having inward-facing spikes disposed in said elongated central surface proximate each of said end surfaces, a first of said pair of end surfaces of each of said at least two U-shaped spacer bars being proximate an outside surface of a first of said pair of vertical members, a second of said pair of end surfaces of each of said at least two U-shaped spacer bars being abutted to an outside surface of second of said pair of vertical members, said inward-facing spikes engaging at least a portion of an edge of each of said first vertical member and said second vertical member.