Prestressed modular foam structures

摘要

A prefabricated, modular enclosure comprising a plurality of plastic foam EPS components forming an integrated structure characterized by energy efficiency and ease of assembly. Wall panels, window panels, door panels, gable panels and roofing panels may be custom configured and glued together, utilizing adaptors on their sides and corner assemblies at intersections. The panels include major and minor channel struts that longitudinally penetrate the panel bodies, snugly lodging within receptive slots. The struts do not contact each other, and no portions of the struts traverses the panel thickness from inside to outside, thus minimizing thermal loss pathways. The wider, major reinforcement struts have offset portions spaced from interior panel surfaces that project interiorly of the enclosure and form a rigid mounting for interior finishing. The chase defined between the modular panels and the interior wall finishing, afforded by the offset struts, may house plumbing, wiring or the like.

主权项

1. An energy-efficient, modular enclosure adapted to be assembled upon a supporting surface from prefabricated plastic parts, the enclosure comprising:
at least one sidewall, each said at least one sidewall comprising a plurality of wall panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the wall panels adapted to be coupled to other wall panels to form said at least one sidewall; at least one gabled end wall intersecting said at least one sidewall, the said at least one gabled end wall comprising a plurality of gable panels comprising plastic foam bodies, the gable panels adapted to be coupled to each other to form said at least one gable end wall; plastic foam adaptor means for enabling said at least one sidewall panel to interfit with another said at least one sidewall, the adaptor means forming routing voids when coupled to another said at least one sidewall panel; a roof formed of multiple roof panels, the roof panels adapted to be fitted together over said enclosure in engagement with said at least one sidewall and said at least one gabled end wall to form said roof, said roof panels comprising sides with reinforcing channels; means for securing said enclosure to said supporting surface, said means for securing said enclosure comprising anchors seated within said supporting surface, and an elongated strap extending between said anchors that traverses said roof, the strap extending upwardly through and within said routing void and through roof panel reinforcing channels; and, wherein the wall panels comprise major and minor reinforcement struts associated with their plastic bodies, wherein the major reinforcement struts have an offset portion facing interiorly of the enclosure that is spaced apart from the surface of the wall panels in which the major reinforcement struts are disposed for forming a mounting for interior walls, accessories or finishing, said major reinforcement struts comprising an integral portion disposed within said plastic foam bodies, and wherein the major and minor reinforcement struts are isolated from one another and positioned to avoid the establishment of conductive thermal pathways through said plastic foam bodies.