Self supportive panel system

Abstract

A self supporting panel system used to fabricate ceilings, floors, walls, or roofs. The panel system is assembled from a plurality of panels, each having a core that is sandwiched between opposing plate members. In a preferred embodiment, the core of each panel includes a unifying material to enhance the load bearing capacity of the panel.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A roof structure, comprising:
 a plurality of structural panels, each structural panel including:
 a core comprising a plurality of members, the members each:
 having a first core face and a second opposing core face; 
 including expandable foam; 
 including an opening passing completely through the member; 
 
 a first plate attached to the first core face, 
 a second plate attached to the second opposing core face; and 
 a peripheral frame surrounding the structural panel 
   wherein the core spaces the first plate apart from the second plate.   
     
     
         13 . The roof structure of  claim 12 , wherein a first structural panel of the plurality of structural panels and a second structural panel of the plurality of structural panels are joined by one or more wedge members. 
     
     
         14 . The roof structure of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more wedge members have a triangular shape. 
     
     
         15 . The roof structure of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more wedge members are fabricated from the same type of material used to fabricate the plurality of structural panels. 
     
     
         16 . A self-supportive roof structure, comprising:
 a first structural roof panel including opposed spaced apart load bearing plates, and a structure for maintaining the plates in a spaced apart relation;   a second structural roof panel including opposed spaced apart load bearing plates, and a structure for maintaining the plates in a spaced apart relation;   wherein the first and second structural panels are fastened together along respectively associated adjacent edges for defining an attic space that is free of a truss structure for supporting the first structural roof panel and the second structural roof panel;   wherein the self-supportive roof structure includes a cross-tie panel extending between the first structural roof panel and the second structural roof panel forming an attic floor,   wherein at least one of the first structural roof panel or second structural roof panel includes,   a core, having first core face and second opposing core face,   a first plate attached to the first core face,   a second plate attached to the second opposing core face,   wherein the core includes a grid material.   
     
     
         17 . The self-supportive roof structure of  claim 16 , wherein the first structural roof panel and the second structural roof panels are fastened together by way of a common wedge member. 
     
     
         18 . The self-supportive roof structure of  claim 17 , wherein the cross-tie panel is connected between and connected to the first structural roof panel and the second structural roof panel by one or more wedge members. 
     
     
         19 . The self-supportive roof structure of  claim 16 , wherein the grid material is fabricated from a single unitary member. 
     
     
         20 . The self-supportive roof structure of  claim 16 , wherein the grid material has a plurality of opening for accepting an expandable foam. 
     
     
         21 . The self-supportive roof structure of  claim 20 , wherein the grid material is a plurality of hexagonal shaped tubes that are joined along peripheral edges to one or more adjacent hexagonal shaped tubes. 
     
     
         22 . The self-supportive roof structure of  claim 20 , wherein the grid material is an X-Y grid. 
     
     
         23 . The self-supportive roof structure of  claim 22 , wherein the X-Y grid is constructed of fibrous strands. 
     
     
         24 . The roof structure of  claim 15 , wherein the roof structure further includes a plurality of rafter boards, the rafter boards being free of any direct attachment to the plurality of structural panels by attaching via one or more wedge members. 
     
     
         25 . The roof structure of  claim 15 , wherein the roof structure further includes a cross-tie panel, the cross-tie panel is fabricated the same as the plurality of structural panels, and is indirectly attached to at least two of the plurality of structural panels via at least two of the one or more wedge members. 
     
     
         26 . The roof structure of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of members are a plurality of hexagonal members. 
     
     
         28 . The roof structure of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of members are made up of a unitary piece of at least one of stamped steel, plastic, injection molded plastic, fiberglass, cardboard, resin, wood, or composite wood, the unitary piece forming an X-Y grid structure. 
     
     
         29 . A method for forming a roof structure, comprising:
 providing a first structural panel and a second structural panel joined indirectly to the first structural panel, wherein the first structural panel and the second structural panel are formed by:
 providing a core having a first face and a second face with a plurality of openings extending between the first face and the second face; 
 locating an expandable foam into the plurality openings of the core; 
 locating and attaching a first plate to the first face of the core; 
 locating and attaching a second plate to the second face of the core; 
 locating one or more frame members about a peripheral portion of the core; 
   locating a plurality of wedge members adjacent each structural panel so that at least one wedge member is located adjacent the first structural panel and at least one wedge member is located adjacent the second structural panel;   locating a third panel adjacent one or more of the plurality of wedge members so that the third panel does not directly contact the first structural panel and the second structural panel.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the first structural panel and the second structural panel are attached by one or more of the plurality of wedge members. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of wedge members have a triangular shape, and wherein the plurality of wedge members are formed in the same way as the first structural panel and second structural panel. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the third panel is formed the same as the first structural panel and the second structural panel.