Fiber-reinforced polymer wall framing system

Abstract

A fiber-reinforced polymer wall system includes a plurality of wall framing components and joint components that can be assembled into a wall frame. The wall framing components can include stud members, rail members, and header members. The joint components can include joints of three different configurations for attaching the framing components in an snap-fit coupling to construct a desired wall frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber-reinforced polymer wall assembly, comprising:
 at least two rail members, each rail member having a length, a first broad planer surface, an opposite second broad planer surface, a first side, an opposite second side, first and second slots formed through the first surface and extending along the rail member, and first and second ridges extending along the rail member in the first and second slot, respectively, and each of said first and second ridges having a recess at opposite ends of the rail member;   at least one stud member, the stud member having opposite ends, a length extending between the opposite ends, a web and a pair of flanges on opposite sides of the web, each flange having a passage at the opposite ends, each flange has two grooves on an inward facing surface with one on opposite sides of the web, and one or more recesses formed in a wall of each passage at the opposite ends;   wherein the stud member extends between the rail members and is connected at its opposite ends to the rail members by a separate joint member at each end with the joint member disposed in the passages of the stud member flanges and engaged with the one or more recesses and in the first and second slots of a respective rail member and engaged with the first and second ridges; and   wherein an outermost surface of each flange of the stud member is flush with an outermost surface of each of the first and second sides of each rail member.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each rail member further has third and fourth slots formed through the second surface and extending along the rail member, a third ridge extending along the rail member in the third slot, and a fourth ridge extending along the rail member in the fourth slot. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passages of the flanges of the stud member extend the entire length of the stud member between the opposite ends. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein first and second slots formed through the first surface of the rail member extend the enter length of the rail member. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the joint member has a web, first and second snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a first end, and third and fourth snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a second end. 
     
     
         6 . A fiber-reinforced polymer wall system, comprising:
 a plurality of wall framing members comprising of rail members, stud members, and first joint members, wherein the rail members and stud members are connected by the first joint members in a snap-fit coupling to frame a wall with the stud members attached to and extending between the rail members in spaced relationship along the rail members;   wherein each rail member has a length, a first broad planer surface, an opposite second broad planer surface, a first side, an opposite second side, and first and second slots formed through the first surface and extend along the rail member;   wherein each stud member has opposite ends, a length extending between the opposite ends, a web and a pair of flanges on opposite sides of the web, each flange having a passage at the opposite ends; and   wherein each first joint member has a web, first and second snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a first end, and third and fourth snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a second end, and wherein the first joint members are configured to connect the ends of the stud members to the rail members.   
     
     
         7 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 second joint members, each second joint member having a central web first and second snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a first end, and third and fourth snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a second end, the first and third flanges are disposed in an inwardly direction from first and second ends, respectively, and the second and fourth disposed in an inwardly direction from first and second ends, respectively, at greater distance than first and third flanges such that second and fourth flanges are inwardly offset from first and third flanges.   
     
     
         8 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 third joint members, each third joint member having a web, first and second snap-fit flanges extending in the same direction from the web, the first flange inwardly disposed from a first end, the second flange inwardly disposed from a second end, and channel disposed on a side of the web opposite the first and second flanges that is defined by first and second walls attached to the web.   
     
     
         9 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of framing members further have header members, each header member having a length, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side, and a fourth side opposite the third side, first and second slots through the first side and extending along the length, third and fourth slots through the second side and extending along the length, a first ridge extending the length in first slot, a second ridge second the length in the second slot, a third ridge extending the length in the third slot, and a fourth ridge extending the length in the fourth slot. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 6 , wherein each rail member further has third and fourth slots formed through the second surface and extending along the rail member. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 6 , wherein the passages of the stud members' flanges extend the stud member's entire length between the opposite ends. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 6 , wherein first and second slots formed through the rail member's first surface extend the rail member's enter length. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 6 , wherein the rail members can be configured as either a top plate or a bottom plate of a wall frame or can be configured as a jack stud or sill plate. 
     
     
         14 . A fiber-reinforced polymer wall system, comprising:
 a plurality of wall framing members comprising of rail members, stud members, header members;   a plurality of joint members comprising a first joint member, a second joint member and a third joint member; and   the plurality of wall framing members being connectable by the plurality of joint members in a snap-fit engagement between the plurality of joint members and the plurality of wall framing members to create a wall frame.   
     
     
         15 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of joint members have one or more snap-fit flanges and each of the plurality of frame members are configured to engage the snap-fit flanges of one or more of the plurality of joint members. 
     
     
         16 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 15 , wherein each rail member and each header member at least one slot extending a length of the frame member and a ridge extending the length of the frame member in the slot, and the ridge being configured to engage with one or more snap-fit flanges of one or more of the plurality of joint members. 
     
     
         17 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 15 , wherein each stud member has opposite ends, a length extending between the opposite ends, a web and a pair of flanges on opposite sides of the web, each flange having a passage at the opposite ends, each flange has two grooves on an inward facing surface with one on opposite sides of the web, and one or more recesses formed in a wall of each passage at the opposite ends. 
     
     
         18 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 14 , wherein each first joint member has a web, first and second snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a first end, and third and fourth snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a second end. 
     
     
         19 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 14 , wherein each second joint member has a central web first and second snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a first end, and third and fourth snap-fit flanges extending in opposite directions from the web at a second end, the first and third flanges are disposed in an inwardly direction from first and second ends, respectively, and the second and fourth disposed in an inwardly direction from first and second ends, respectively, at greater distance than first and third flanges such that second and fourth flanges are inwardly offset from first and third flanges. 
     
     
         20 . The fiber-reinforced polymer wall system of  claim 14 , wherein each third joint member has a web, first and second snap-fit flanges extending in the same direction from the web, the first flange inwardly disposed from a first end, the second flange inwardly disposed from a second end, and channel disposed on a side of the web opposite the first and second flanges that is defined by first and second walls attached to the web.