Building block for use in constructing a building

Abstract

The invention is related to a building block for use in interlocking with a plurality of similar building blocks for constructing a building. The building block includes a front face, a rear face, an upper face, a lower face, a first end and a second end. The building block also includes at least one substantially vertical hollow (web) and at least one substantially horizontal channel, wherein the at least one horizontal channel is disposed along one of the upper face and the lower face. In addition, each of the first end and the second end includes at least one header face, wherein at least one the header face can be one of a substantially planar face, a male header face and a female header face. Each of the male header face and the female header face includes one or more patterns for interlocking.

1 . A building block for use in interlocking with a plurality of similar building blocks for constructing a building, the building block comprising:
 a front face;   a rear face;   an upper face;   a lower face;   at least one substantially vertical hollow;   at least one substantially horizontal channel disposed along at least one of the upper face and the lower face;   a first end, an entirety of the first end comprising a solid surface forming a male header face; and   a second end, the entire second end comprising a solid surface forming a female header face;   wherein the male header face comprises a first stepped pattern projecting outwards at the first end,   wherein the female header face comprises a second stepped pattern projecting inwards at the second end,   wherein the second stepped pattern is substantially complementary to the first stepped pattern,   wherein the male header face of the building block is designed for interlocking with a female header face of a cooperating interlocking building block without forming a vertical opening between the male header face and the female header face, and   wherein the cooperating interlocking building block is substantially similar to the building block.   
     
     
         2 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one substantially vertical hollow is substantially cuboidal and extends from the upper face to the lower face of the building block. 
     
     
         3 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one substantially horizontal channel is substantially concave. 
     
     
         4 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one substantially horizontal channel is disposed substantially at a central portion of at least one of the upper face and the lower face. 
     
     
         5 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein the building block and the plurality of similar building blocks are designed to interlock to form a network of vertical and horizontal channels. 
     
     
         6 . The building block  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the vertical and horizontal channels is designed to be used for addition of at least one of a plurality of water pipes and a plurality of electrical conduits. 
     
     
         7 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein the building block is at least one of an end block, a T-block, a cross block, a corner block and a connecting block. 
     
     
         8 . The building block of  claim 7 , wherein the building block is a corner block and the first end of the corner block is substantially perpendicular to the second end of the corner block. 
     
     
         9 . The building block of  claim 7 , wherein the building block is a T-block and at least one of the first end and the second end of the T-block comprises two header faces, wherein each of the two header faces is a female header face. 
     
     
         10 . The building block of  claim 7 , wherein the building block is a cross block and at least one of the first end and the second end of the cross block comprises three header faces, wherein each of the three header faces is a female header face. 
     
     
         11 . The building block of  claim 7 , wherein the building block is a connecting block and each of the first end and the second end of the connecting block comprises one header face, wherein the header face is one of a male header face and a female header face. 
     
     
         12 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein the building block is designed to be interlocked with the plurality of similar building blocks to form a building wall. 
     
     
         13 . The building block of  claim 12 , wherein the building block and the plurality of similar building blocks are designed to be used for constructing one of a stacking bond and a running bond by using at least one of polymer based cementitious materials, and geopolymer based cementitious materials. 
     
     
         14 . The building block of  claim 12 , wherein the building block and the plurality of similar building blocks are designed to be used for constructing one of a stacking bond and a running bond without using at least one of polymer based cementitious materials and geopolymer based cementitious materials. 
     
     
         15 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein each of the male header face and the female header face of the building blocks comprises a complementary stepped pattern for interlocking with a complementary header face. 
     
     
         16 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein the building block is produced using one of natural raw materials, waste-derived materials, polymers, clay, sand-cement, concrete, silica-lime, or a geopolymer. 
     
     
         17 . The building block of  claim 1 , wherein the building block is produced by using at least one of uniaxially cold pressing, biaxial cold pressing, dry pressing, semi-dry pressing, compacting, cold isostatic pressing, hot pressing, extrusion molding, injection molding, compression molding, gel casting, slip casting and tape casting.