Air impervious split wall structure

Claim 1

An exterior wall assembly comprising: a first row of longitudinally spaced apart studs each stud presenting an inner and outer nailing face with a pair of web faces extending therebetween; a second row of longitudinally spaced apart studs each stud presenting an inner and outer nailing face with a pair of web faces extending therebetween, said second row of studs being longitudinally and laterally offset from said first row of studs, said lateral offset of each stud of said second row of studs extending a selected nailing face of at least one stud of said second row of studs into the area between adjacent studs of said first row of studs; means for maintaining said first and second row of studs in a generally vertical relationship; first sheathing means affixed to said outer nailing faces of said first row of studs, said first sheathing means having an inner surface cooperating with the opposing web faces of adjacent studs of said first row of studs to form a series of first side-by-side stud cavities having at least a nailing face of said at least one stud of said second row of studs protruding therein; a first insulating material spray-applied on the exposed faces of each stud of said first row of studs and along said inner surface of said sheathing means to present, upon curing, a generally rigid serpentine sheet of said first insulating material in said first stud cavities, said insulating sheet continuously extending between said first cavities whereby to position each stud of said first row of studs between said insulating sheet and said sheathing means, said sheet further contacting said protruding face of said at least one stud of said second row of studs and cooperating with the opposing web faces of adjacent studs of said second row of studs to present a series of second side-by-side stud cavities adjacent said first insulated stud cavities; and a relatively flexible second insulating material positioned in said second stud cavities, said second insulating material extending between said adjacent studs of said second row of studs and contiguous to said sheet to present a series of contiguously adjacent and longitudinally offset first and second insulated stud cavities precluding air infiltration through said cavities and the appearance of air spaces therebetween whereby to present an exterior wall assembly highly resistive to thermal flow therethrough.

Claim 5

A method of constructing an exterior wall comprising the steps of: a. positioning a first row of vertically disposed studs having inner and outer nailing faces and a web face therebetween in a longitudinally aligned and spaced-apart relationship therebetween; b. positioning a second row of vertically disposed studs having inner and outer faces and a web face therebetween in a longitudinally aligned and spaced-apart relationship therebetween; c. laterally and longitudinally offsetting said second row of studs from said first row of studs in a manner whereby at least one stud of each row of studs protrudes into the area between adjacent studs of the other row of studs; d. affixing wall sheathing to said outer nailing faces of each stud of said first row of studs with an inner surface of said sheathing presenting a series of first stud cavities between adjacent studs of each first row of studs; e. spraying a foam insulation on said inner surface of said sheathing to insulate upon curing said first stud cavities between the studs thereof; f. overspraying said foam insulation on the exposed faces of each stud of said first row of studs whereby to isolate each stud of said first row of studs between said insulation and said sheathing means; g. spraying said foam insulation in each stud cavity to a level whereby upon curing said insulation contacts at least one face of each stud of said second row of studs protruding into said first stud cavities whereupon said sprayed insulation upon curing spans said adjacent studs of said second row of studs; h. curing said foam insulation to present a rigid serpentine sheet of first material insulating said first stud cavities, isolating said first row of studs and spanning said studs of said second row of studs; i. insulating the series of second stud cavities presented by said rigid serpentine sheet of first insulating material extending between the adjacent studs of said second row of studs, whereby to present a thermally insulated wall assembly comprising a series of contiguously adjacent and longitudinally offset first and second stud cavities generally impervious to air infiltration and thermal flow therethrough.

Claim 6

A method of constructing an exterior wall comprising the steps of: a. positioning a first row of vertically disposed studs having inner and outer nailing faces and a web face therebetween in a longitudinally aligned and spaced-apart relationship therebetween; b. positioning a second row of vertically disposed studs having inner and outer faces and a web face therebetween in a longitudinally aligned and spaced-apart relationship therebetween; c. laterally and longitudinally offsetting said second row of studs from said first row of studs in a manner whereby at least one stud of each row of studs protrudes into the area between adjacent studs of the other row of studs; d. affixing wall sheathing to said outer nailing faces of each stud of said first row of studs with an inner surface of said sheathing presenting a series of first stud cavities between adjacent studs of each first row of studs; e. spraying a foam insulation on said inner surface of said sheathing to insulate upon curing said first stud cavities between the studs thereof; f. overspraying said foam insulation on the exposed faces of each stud of said first row of studs whereby to isolate each stud of said first row of studs between said insulation and said sheathing means; g. spraying said foam insulation in each stud cavity to a level whereby upon curing said insulation contacts at least one face of each stud of said second row of studs protruding into said first stud cavities whereupon said sprayed insulation upon curing spans said adjacent studs of said second row of studs; h. curing said foam insulation to present a rigid serpentine sheet of first material insulating said first stud cavities, isolating said first row of studs and spanning said studs of said second row of studs; i. insulating the series of second stud cavities presented by said rigid serpentine sheet of first insulating material extending between the adjacent studs of said second row of studs, whereby to present a thermally insulated wall assembly comprising a series of contiguously adjacent and longitudinally offset first and second stud cavities generally impervious to air infiltration and thermal flow therethrough.