Building construction utilizing plastic components

Claim 2

A building structure having a roof, walls and flooring supported on a foundation, comprising: (a) a plurality of rigid plastic panel members joined end to end for forming the roof, walls and flooring of said building structure; (b) connector means for joining said panel members in end-to-end relationship; (c) means for anchoring said panel members forming the walls of said building structure to the building foundation; and (d) support means incorporated in said building structure for providing additional support for said penal members forming said building structure, said support means including an I-beam member supported for engaging said panel member forming the roof of said building structure, said I-beam member being supported at each end by receptable connectors mounted to said connector means.

Claim 3

The building structure of claim 1 wherein said panel members comprise extruded plastic material formed to define a generally flat, hollow panel body.

Claim 4

The building structure of claim 2 wherein said panel members are filled with insulation.

Claim 5

The building structure of claim 2 wherein said hollow panel body of said panel members is divided by integrally formed ribs defining separate cavities within said panel members.

Claim 6

The building structure of claim 4 wherein said cavities of said panel members are filled with insulation.

Claim 7

The building structure of claim 4 wherein said cavities of said panel members are partially filled with insulation.

Claim 8

The building structure of claim 1 wherein said connector means includes external end connectors and internal flange connectors, said external end connectors and internal flange connectors adhesively joining said panel members to form the building structure.

Claim 9

The building structure of claim 7 whrein said end connectors include a body portion defining a cavity profiled to receive an end of said panel members therein.

Claim 10

The structure of claim 8 wherein said cavities of said end connectors include nodules formed on the interior surface of said cavities for gripping the end of said panel members.

Claim 11

The building structure of claim 9 wherein said cavities of said end connectors are provided with glue which is dispersed upon insertion of the panel members into said end connectors, said end connectors being further provided with enlarged nodules adjacent the entry of said connector cavities, said enlarged nodules being received in grooves formed along the end of said panel members for preventing seepage of glue out of said cavities upon assembly of said end connectors with said panel members.

Claim 12

The building structure of claim 7 wherein said internal flange connectors are formed by two integral right angle flange members adhesively joining said panel membes forming the roof and walls of said building structure.

Claim 13

The building structure of claim 8 wherein said end connectors include a removable connector section which upon removal exposes said cavity permitting the end of said panel members to be laterally positioned in said cavity, said removable connector section being glued to said body portion of said end connectors upon positioning of the end of said panel members in said connector cavity.

Claim 14

The building structure of claim 8 wherein said cavity defined by said body portion is sized to receive a bulb-like connector forming the end of said panel members, said cavity including a longitudinal groove for temporary storage of glue.

Claim 15

The building structure of claim 13 wherein said bulb-like connector includes a protrusion extending therefrom received by said longitudinal groove for forcing the glue stored therein outward and around the bulb-like connector upon assembly of said panel members with said end connectors.

Claim 16

The building structure of claim 1 wherein said anchor means comprises a two-piece floor plate assembly including an external floor plate member anchored to the foundation and an internal floor plate flange cooperating with said floor plate member to form a substantially U-shaped profile for receiving a lower end of said panel members, wherein said external floor plate member and said internal floor plate flange are glued to the lower end of said wall panels.

Claim 17

The building structure of claim 1 wherein said receptacle connectors are open at one end and closed at the opposite end and include a slot along a vertical wall of said receptacle connector for receiving a slip connector attached to the ends of said I-beam member.

Claim 18

The building structure of claim 1 including a garage door formed by a series of interconnected panels, said garage door panels including an integral head extending across a top edge theeof and a slot extending across a lower edge thereof, wherein said garage door is formed by connecting a series of said garage door panels by sliding said head of a garage door panel into said slot of an adjacent garage door panel.

Claim 19

The building structure of claim 18 wherein said garage door panels are closed by end cap members including a roller projecting therefrom, wherein said roller engages a garage door track mounted to a wall of the building structure for operation of said garage door.

Claim 20

The building structure of claim 19 wherein said garage door panels include a reinforcing rod extending between said end cap members mounted to the ends of said garage door panel.

Claim 21

The building structure of claim 1 wherein support means include a support column positioned between the roof and flooring of said building structure, said support column including a slip connector mounted over the upper end of said support column, said slip connector including receptacle connectors attached radially about said slip connector.

Claim 22

The building structure of claim 20 wherein said receptacle connectors are equally spaced about said slip connector and are an integral component of said slip connector.

Claim 23

The building structure of claim 1 wherein said support means includes foundation supports positioned below the flooring of said building structure for supporting I-beam members extending below the flooring of said building structure.

Claim 24

The building structure of claim 22 including slip connectors mounted over the upper end of said foundation supports, said slip connectors including receptacle connectors equally spaced about said slip connector for supporting said I-beam members at differing angular positions about said foundation supports.

Claim 25

The building structure of claim 23 including temporary supports means for supporting said panel members forming the flooring of said building structure.

Claim 26

The building structure of claim 2 wherein said panel members include an electrical chase mounted across the upper end of said panel members.

Claim 27

The building structure of claim 2 wherein said panel members include an electrical chase integrally formed therewith across the upper end of said panel members.

Claim 28

A building structure having a roof, walls and flooring supported on a foundation, comprising: (a) a plurality of rigid plastic members joined end-to-end for forming the roof, walls and flooring of said building structure; (b) connector means for joining said panel member in end-to-end relationship, said connector means including a body portion defining a cavity profiled to receive an end of said panel members therein, and wherein said cavity includes nodules formed on the interior surface of said cavity for gripping the end of said panel members received within said cavity; (c) means for anchoring said panel members forming the wall of said building structure to the building foundation; (d) support means for providing additional support for said panel members forming the roof of said building structure; and (e) wherein said cavity of said connector means is coated with glue which is dispersed upon insertion of a panel member end into said cavity, said connector means including enlarged nodules adjacent the entry of said cavity, said enlarged nodules being received in grooves formed along said panel member ends for preventing seepage of glue out of said cavity upon assembly of said end connector means with said panel members.

Claim 29

A building structure having a roof, walls and flooring supported on a foundation, comprising: (a) a plurality of rigid plastic members joined end-to-end for forming the roof, walls and flooring of said building structure; (b) connector means for joining said panel member in end-to-end relationship, said connector means including a body portion defining a cavity profiled to receive an end of said panel members therein, and wherein said cavity includes nodules formed on the interior surface of said cavity for gripping the end of said panel members received within said cavity; (c) means for anchoring said panel members forming the wall of said building structure to the building foundation; (d) support means for providing additional support for said panel members forming the roof of said building structure; and (e) wherein said cavity of said connector means is coated with glue which is dispersed upon insertion of a panel member end into said cavity, said connector means including enlarged nodules adjacent the entry of said cavity, said enlarged nodules being received in grooves formed along said panel member ends for preventing seepage of glue out of said cavity upon assembly of said end connector means with said panel members.

Claim 30

The building structure of claim 27 including external end connectors and internal flange connectors adhesively joining said panel members to form the building structure.

Claim 31

The building structure of claim 27 wherein said connector means includes a removable connector section which upon removal exposes said cavity permitting the end of said panel members to be laterally positioned in said cavity, said removable connector section being glued to said body portion of said connector means upon positioning of the end of said panel members in said cavity.

Claim 32

The building structure of claim 27 including a garage door formed by a series of interconnected panels, said garage door panels including an integral head extending across a top edge thereof and a slot extending across a lower edge thereof, wherein said garage door is formed by connecting a series of said garage door panels by sliding said head of a garage door panel into said slot of an adjacent garage door panel.

Claim 33

The building structure of claim 30 wherein said garage door panels are closed by end cap members including a roller projecting therefrom, wherein said roller engages a garage door track mounted to a well of the building structure for operation of said garage door.

Claim 34

The building structure of claim 31 wherein said garage door panels include a reinforcing rod extending between said end cap members mounted to the ends of said garage door panel.

Claim 35

The building structure of claim 27 wherein said support means includes a support column positioned between the roof and flooring of said building structure, said support column including a slip connector mounted over the upper end of said support column, said slip connector including receptacle connectors attached radially about said slip connector.