Patent US4554938A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4134241A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4134241A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Insulated building block
Assignee: ENERGY BLOCK Ltd
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Filing: 1977-07-07
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Granted: 1979-01-16
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Expires: 1997-07-07
Abstract
Abstract A hollow building block filled with insulation is shaped as a pair of proximal but offset rectangles thereby to form steps at diagonal corners for fitting adjoining blocks together. A continuous insulation effect is obtained because the insulation in each rectangle extends beyond that of its proximal rectangle and overlaps with the insulation in the proximal rectangle of each adjoining block. Aligning holes and reinforcing grooves are provided for rapidly constructing strong structures from the blocks.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Walton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:52
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04B; E04B2/00; E04B2/02; E04B2/14; E04B2/16; E04B2002/0202; E04B2002/0204; E04B2002/023
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A building block comprising a walled shell of finite thickness thereby defining a continuous cavity therewithin, the inner surface of said walled shell including a continuum of at least eight sides, two of said sides comprising a pair of laterally spaced opposing faces offset longitudinally one from the other, four of said sides comprising 2 pairs of adjacent ends connected to the 4 extremities of said faces, and two of said sides forming a joinder connecting each pair of adjacent ends, the outer surface of said walled shell including at least eight sides adjacent to and extending in substantially the same direction as their respective inner sides thereby to form a hollow block in which the continuous cavity and outer surface are of a generally offset shape, the amount of offset and thickness of the walls being such that when the cavity is filled with insulation and an offset end is matingly abutted with the offset end of a similar block, the structure so formed will have an overlapping cavity arrangement such that any straight vector heat flow striking the structure will always meet insulation regardless of what point on the structure the vector seeks to go through in a straight line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
A building block comprising a walled shell of finite thickness thereby defining a continuous cavity therewithin, the inner surface of said walled shell including a continuum of at least eight sides, two of said sides comprising a pair of laterally spaced opposing faces offset longitudinally one from the other, four of said sides comprising 2 pairs of adjacent ends connected to the 4 extremities of said faces, and two of said sides forming a joinder connecting each pair of adjacent ends, the outer surface of said walled shell including at least eight sides adjacent to and extending in substantially the same direction as their respective inner sides thereby to form a hollow block in which the continuous cavity and outer surface are of a generally offset shape, the amount of offset and thickness of the walls being such that when the cavity is filled with insulation and an offset end is matingly abutted with the offset end of a similar block, the structure so formed will have an overlapping cavity arrangement such that any straight vector heat flow striking the structure will always meet insulation regardless of what point on the structure the vector seeks to go through in a straight line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A building block according to claim 1 wherein the outer surface of said walled shell is defined by a continuum of said at least eight sides, said outer eight sides being substantially parallel with said inner eight sides.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A building block according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said sides of said inner surface has projecting inwardly therefrom into said cavity a support member, said support member being integral with said inner surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A building block according to claim 1 in which said cavity is filled with insulation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A building block according to claim 1 wherein said offset forms an opposing "L" shaped inset at either end of said block thereby to form an inner and outer surface of substantially "Z" shape wherein the top and bottom legs of the "Z" extend beyond its confines.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A building block according to claim 5 wherein the legs of said "L" are substantially of the same length and are substantially perpendicular one to the other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A building block according to claim 1 wherein the end walls are substantially thinner than the face walls.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A building block according to claim 4 wherein said block is open at its top and bottom sides.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A building block according to claim 4 wherein said insulation is an in situ foamed plastic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A building block according to claim 4 wherein the shell defines a shell cavity in the general shape of a "Z" wherein the legs of the "Z" exceed the normal confines thereof, thus to define an offset area of insulation capable of overlapping in the longitudinal direction from a lateral view with the offset area of a similar block in longitudinal abutment therewith.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A building block according to claim 8 wherein, in one of said walls there is provided an orifice means extending from the top to bottom side of said block for retaining an aligning or reinforcing rod therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A building block according to claim 11 wherein said orifice is provided in an enlarged extension of the connection between a joining wall and its innermost end wall.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A building block according to claim 12 wherein said orifice is provided in an enlarged extension of the connection between each of said joining walls and its innermost end wall.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A wall construction having a continuous insulation effect comprised of a plurality of blocks of claim 4.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A wall construction having a continuous insulation effect comprised a plurality of blocks of claim 8.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
A wall construction having a continuous insulation effect comprised of a plurality of blocks of claim 11, wherein said blocks are aligned by a rod located in said orifice means and extending between the orifice means of one block and the orifice means of the next proximal block.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A wall construction having a continuous insulation effect comprised of a plurality of blocks of claim 10 connected such that their respective offsets abut in mating fashion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
A wall construction according to claim 17 wherein an abutting end wall of each block has located therein an orifice extending therethrough filled with insulation material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
A wall construction having a continuous insulation effect comprised of a plurality of blocks of claim 17 wherein the ends of the blocks forming one row are supported by respective support members of the blocks of the proximal row.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
72 words
a method of constructing the wall construction of claim 16 comprising forming a bottom row of said blocks unfilled with insulation material, said blocks having upwardly extending from said orifice means aligning rods, stacking another row of blocks unfilled with insulation material on said first row by inserting said aligning rods in their respective orifice means, the unfilled stacked blocks having aligned cavities, and thereafter filling said aligned cavities with insulation material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 20 which further includes inserting a reinforcing rod in said cavities.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 20 which further includes providing reinforcing rods along the length of at least one row before stacking another row thereupon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 20 wherein said insulation material used to fill said cavities is also an adhesive for said blocks, and no joint adhesive material is used to join the blocks during stacking.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-01-15 | 1982-07-17 | 1983-01-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-01-15 | 1986-07-17 | 1987-01-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-01-15 | 1990-07-17 | 1991-01-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |