CA2691490A1

CA2691490A1 - Construction framing member with integrated thermal break

Info

Publication number: CA2691490A1
Application number: CA2691490A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Eric Penner De Waal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-01-29
Filing date: 2010-01-29
Publication date: 2011-07-29
Also published as: WO2011091515A1

Description

CONSTRUCTION FRAMING i ER WITH INTEGRATED THERMAL BREAK
Eric Penner deWaal z0 FIELD OF THE INVENTXON:

This invention is in the field of building and framing construction materials, and more specifically deals with dimensional framing members with an integrated thermal break which can be used in various construction applications.

BACKGROUND:
Improvements in building construction materials and methods are constantly sought to enhance the comfort and economy of residential and commercial buildings. One of the areas in which a large amount of effort is currently concentrated in the development of alternate materials and construction methods is that energy efficiency. Heating a home or building is futile and ineffective if the house or building is not properly sealed and insulated-gaps in the structure of the building as well as thin, non-insulated walls allow heat to transfer out of the building and increase heating costs as well as resulting in uneven heating levels within the building. In addition to the cost of energy for heating the building, there is also undue damage to the environment due to the increased amounts of heating fuel or energy which are consumed to keep these buildings at comfortable temperatures. As such it is desirable to provide or enhance the effect of insulation in the walls of houses or buildings to prevent or minimize heat loss.

Typical walls of a building or a house are often manufactured with dimensional lumber or other stud materials, having a gypsum or other type of wall board on the interior of the building.
Vapor barrier may also be used between the interior wall surface and the studs or dimensional framing members which provide structure to the wall in the building. The studs act as an inner member framework which along with providing structure and support for the wall itself will also support wall coverings, windows and doors. They also provide mounting cavities or mounting surfaces for electrical wiring, plumbing, HVAC systems and other utilities.

Standard dimensional lumber or other aluminum or steel stud materials are often used to construct or member portion these walls. Most often interior walls are generally member portiond with 2" x 4" wall studs, although sometimes 2" x 6" wall studs would be used to provide more strength. Typically the studs or framing members are placed a predefined standard spacing apart, for example either every 16 or 24 inches. Extra studs can be used or provided wherever walls intersect, or to provide a nailing area or additional support.

Batts of insulation would typically be installed in the spaces between framing members inside a wall to provide insulation and reduce heat loss through the cavities between the framing members. To the exterior of a building wall there is often an air barrier and some kind of an exterior surface or siding which is attached through to the studs. Insulation batts are important in providing insulation in the areas of the cavities between the framing members. Some common forms of insulation baits are made from fiberglass, mineral wool, or cotton. These batts are fibrous sheets that are long and wide enough to fit snugly between wall studs. Another form of insulation is loose-fill insulation, which is a light fibrous fill. This type of insulation is laborious to install and typically requires a professional installer. Furthermore, this type of insulation is easily affected by air movement. There is also spray-applied insulation that can fill cavities very well, but again, must be applied by a specialized contractor.

An effective insulation system will prevent the movement of air through the system. If there are any cavities, they will be filled with insulation, leaving no gaps in or around the insulation, and furthermore, will not compress the insulation.
The structural members in the wall oftentimes act as thermal bridges, extending from the warm side of the insulation to the cold side of the insulation, allowing for an easy escape of heat. While insulation batts installed in the cavities between the framing members provide some insulation to a building, the framing members or studs of the wall allow heat transfer to occur from the warm side to the cool side of the wall through the framing members themselves. This problem is further emphasized with the use of metal member portions instead of wood, because much more heat flows through metal studs and joists than through pieces of wood.

There have been many attempts to prevent heat loss through thermal bridges such as the framing members. One of the most popular methods of preventing this type of heat loss is to provide some type of rigid, board-stock insulation on the exterior face of the studs, usually expanded polystyrene or insulation batts. However, installation of this type of insulation on all the exterior faces of the studs involves wrapping the entire house with a rigid foam batt, or similar type of insulation product, which is very expensive and labour intensive. Again, this type of material can also be an irritant or hazardous during installation and will often require professional installation.

Another attempt to minimize this type of heat loss is to space the wall studs at 24 inches apart, rather than 16 inches apart.
This extra spacing between the studs reduces the total number of studs in the wall, thus reducing the surface area of the framing members available for heat transfer. However, the reduction in the number of total framing members reduces the strength of the wall. As such, it is not desirable to reduce the number of framing members, if possible. Furthermore, the reduction in framing members does not eliminate, or even minimize, the heat loss that will occur through the remaining framing members.

A further attempt to minimize heat loss through wall studs uses a method of staggering the wall studs that appear next to one another. A first wall stud would be situated against the inner wall leaving a gap between the first wall stud and the outer wall, and a second wall stud adjacent the first wall stud would be situated against the outer wall leaving a gap between the second wall stud and the inner wall, whereby the wall studs would alternate positions as such along the wall. In this way, a given stud will not concurrently contact the materials of the inner wall and the materials of the outer wall, and will consequently be unable to transfer heat directly from the inner wall, through to the stud, to the outer wall and out of the building. However, there are many drawbacks associated with this method, as well. This method of reducing heat loss through studs is very labour intensive and expensive, as each stud needs to be perfectly placed in relation to the studs next to it.
This furthermore increases the thickness of the wall and reduces the strength of the wall since each of the inner wall and the outer wall are only provided with one half of the number of wall studs for support.

Prior attempts to minimize heat loss through wall studs furthermore do not address the issue of the difficulty in installing plumbing and electrical work within the walls. It is currently inconvenient to install plumbing and electrical services in walls because the wall studs act as obstacles to the wiring and piping. As such, currently, holes need to be drilled through each of the framing members in order to run wiring or pipes through the walls. This type of work is not only inconvenient, but also expensive and laborious.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a framing member that overcomes problems in the prior art. it is a further object of the present invention to provide a framing member and a wall that effectively minimize heat transfer through the framing member and allows electrical wiring and pipes to be run through the wall without the need to drill holes in the rigid material of the framing members.

A framing member having an integrated thermal break for minimizing thermal bridging across a wall is provided. The framing member includes an inner member portion and an outer member portion. At least one continuous insulating member, composed of a nonmetallic, low-heat conductive substance, and of a length substantially equal to the length of the framing member, runs along the elongate dimension of the framing member between the corresponding adjacent edges of the inner member portion and the outer member portion, separating the inner member portion from the outer member portion and thus forming a thermal break. The insulating member is designed to be elastic such that holes can be easily made therethrough, without the need for drilling such holes into the inner or outer member portions of the framing member. Rather, pipes and electrical wiring can be fed through holes that are made in a custom diameter for each pipe or wire that runs through the insulating member.

To create the framing member of the present invention, a builder takes two portions of an elongate member of generally rectangular cross-sectional shape, one half constituting the inner member portion and the other half constituting the outer member portion. The builder separates the inner member portion and outer member portion by a space and holds these in positions parallel to one another as foam insulation is injected in the space between the inner member portion and outer member portion.

When the foam insulation sets it forms an insulation layer which can be secured into place by adhering the foam insulation layer to the inner member portion and outer member portion using glue or the like. Also provided is a mold or other suitable holding apparatus that frames the space between the inner member portion and outer member portion such that when foam is injected between the frames, it does not spill out of the opening. Further provided is a pre-cut or pre-formed insulation layer that can be glued or laminated to the inner faces of the inner member portion and outer member portion without having to inject soft foam insulation between the frames and wait for it to set.

Beyond on-site manufacture of the framing member of the present invention it is contemplated that the optimal method of manufacturing use of the framing member of the present invention is to pre-manufacture the framing member by attachment of the integrated thermal break or insulation portion to the inner member portion of the outer member portion by gluing, laminating or otherwise attaching same such that the completed framing member can be delivered to the construction site and used interchangeably with other dimensional lumber in framing applications using conventional cutting and attachment techniques. The method of manufacture of the framing member of the present invention comprises attaching an integrated insulation layer to an appropriately sized inner member portion and then an appropriately sized outer member portion, yielding when completed a three layer completed framing member.

A wall framed using the framing members of the present invention is provided. The framing members of the present invention can be associated with any usual or conventional wall by replacing the standard framing members or wall studs of the conventional wall with the framing members of the present invention. The addition of the framing members of the present invention creates a thermal break in the way of a foam insulation within the building envelope. When wires or pipes need to be run through the walls, holes can be easily punched through the foam insulation in the framing members to provide a space to run the wires or pipes through, rather than drilling holes through the rigid frames.

To frame a wall using the framing members of the present invention, the framing members are secured in such a manner to form a framework for the wall. A plurality of framing members are spaced vertically. These vertical framing members are held in place by a continuous header extending along the length of the top of the wall framework and which is also a framing member in accordance with the present invention. The header is adhered to the vertical framing members. A bottom plate, which is also a framing member in accordance with the present invention, extends along the lower length of the wall framework. The bottom plate is also adhered to the vertical framing members.

The header and bottom plate are secured to the vertical framing members in such a manner that the thermal breaks of each the header, bottom plate and each of the vertical framing members form a continuous channel. Also provided are fireblocks, which are also made out of a framing member in accordance with the present invention, that are interposed horizontally between the vertical framing members in order to support the vertical framing members. The fireblocks and the vertical framing members are secured in such a manner that the thermal breaks of the fireblocks and vertical framing members form a continuous channel.

The present invention effectively eliminates direct contact between the inner member portion and the outer member portion of the framing members by separating the two portions along their minor faces with a non-conductive substance. This separation creates a thermal break that stops the conductivity between an inner and outer wall via the framing member, thus reducing heat transfer across the framing member and through the wall. These changes represent significant energy savings. The present invention is designed to be an energy efficient component of a wall without increasing the thickness of the wall, decreasing the strength of the wall, or increasing the labour or cost associated with building an energy-efficient wall. The present invention concurrently allows wiring and piping to be run through the elastic insulating member, obviating the need to drill holes through the rigid material of the inner or outer member portion of the framing member. Accordingly, the framing member of the present invention can be applied to any buildings, including houses and apartment complexes, to provide a convenient way to build a wall and reduce heat transfer to and from the building.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred embodiments are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best understood in conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of a prior art framing member;

Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of a series of framing members as shown in Fig. 1 forming a partial wall structure;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the series of the prior art demonstration of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the series of conventional framing members as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 installed in a wall;

Fig. 5 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a framing member in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a side perspective view of a series of framing members as shown in Fig. 5, forming a partial wall structure;

Fig. 7 is a frontal view of a wall structure built from the framing members as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the wall structure as shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a wall formed using the framing members as shown in Fig. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

As outlined above, the invention is a framing member for installation in a wall having an integrated thermal break.. A
continuous insulating member, composed of a low-heat conductive substance, and of a length substantially equal to the length of the framing member, separates the inner and outer portions of the framing member, minimizing heat transfer from the inner portion of the framing member to the outer portion of the framing member, thus eliminating the thermal bridge between the inner wall and the outer wall.

Fig. 1 illustrates a conventional framing member 10 as found in the prior art. The conventional framing member 10 consists of an elongate block of rigid material, usually made of wood but also sometimes made of other materials such as aluminum or steel. Fig. 2 illustrates a series of conventional framing members 10 forming a partial wall structure 20. The partial wall structure 20 has framing members 10 held in place vertically at the top by a double top plate 22 formed by laying two framing members 10 on top of one another. Fig. 3 shows the side of the partial wall structure 20 formed by framing members 10. A framing member 10 acts as a bottom plate 24, or base, for the vertical framing members 10.

Fig. 4 illustrates a series of conventional framing members 10 installed in a conventional wall 30. Wall 30 comprises a wallboard 32, typically made of gypsum, on the inside of a building. A vapour barrier 34 is typically applied on the outside of the wallboard 32. The framing members 10, or wall studs, form a member framework for the wall 30 next to the vapour barrier 34. The framing members 10 are generally spaced vertically every 16 or 24 inches, from centre to centre. Cavity insulation 38 is provided in the spaces between the framing members 10, usually made up of some type of insulation batts made out of fibrous sheets or loose-fill insulation. On the exterior faces of the framing members 10 and next to the cavity insulation 38 there is provided a rigid insulation 40, usually a board-stock insulation made up of polystyrene or other form of insulation batt, which covers the entire inner face of the wall 30. An air barrier 50, or sheathing membrane, is provided next to the rigid insulation 40 to prevent air movement within the wall. Finally some sort of exterior facade 60 is provided, generally made out of brick or horizontal metal siding with fibreboard backing nailed through to the studs or framing members 10.

A framing member 100 in accordance with the present invention is illustrated by Fig. 5. The framing member 100 comprises an elongate inner member portion 102 and an elongate outer member portion 104, both made out of a rigid material. While typically the complete framing member of the present invention, including the inner member portion 102, the outer member portion 104 plus the integrated thermal break would in total be approximately the same size as a standard dimensional framing member [for example in total being the approximate same dimension as a 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 framing member] such that it could be easily interchanged into pre-existing construction methods and market acceptance of the product could be maximized, it is contemplated within the scope of this invention that the dimensions of the member portions 102 and 104 can vary and furthermore, the width of the inner member portion 102 and the outer member portion 104 can be equal, or one member portion 102 or 104 could be larger in width than the other member portion 104 or 102, depending on its purpose.

It is also contemplated that the material of the inner member portion 102 and outer member portion 104 could be a rigid material other than wood, such as metals including aluminum or steel, or plastic.

An integrated thermal break 110 comprising an insulating member, is sandwiched between inner member portion 102 and outer member portion 104 and separates inner member portion 102 from outer member portion 104. Integrated thermal break 110 is, in one embodiment of the present invention, made out of a foam plastic material such as polyurethane, but can optionally be made out of any other type of foam insulation or any other low-heat conductive material. Various types of materials will be understood by those skilled in the art and are all contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

It is specifically contemplated that in most embodiments of the framing member of the present invention, it would be desired to use a thermal break 110 which was elastic, whereby holes can be easily punched through to allow wires or pipes to run therethrough. For example, the integrated thermal break could be made out of expanded polystyrene foam insulation, extruded polystyrene foam or any type of urethane-based foam product.

The width of the integrated thermal break 110 is generally between % inch and 1 inch, though the width could vary depending on the heat conductivity of the material and the thickness required to obtain the desired degree of insulation. The integrated thermal break 110 is bonded in place to the inner member portion 102 and outer member portion 104 using bonding materials such as lamination or glue, though any materials that securely attach the thermal break 110 to the member portions 102 and 104 could be used.

Still in reference to Fig. 5, each framing member 100 is formed by joining two portions of a rigid elongate member of generally rectangular cross-sectional shape, one half constituting the inner member portion 102 and the other half constituting the outer member portion 104. It is contemplated within the scope of this invention that nails or screws could be applied through the inner member portion 102, through the thermal break 110, to the outer member portion 104, in order to secure the relative parallel positions of the inner member portion 102 to the outer member portion 104 and to provide further strength to the framing member 100.

It is specifically contemplated that the primary or most beneficial embodiments of the framing member 100 of the present invention would be a framing member 100 which was pre-manufactured by the lamination or attachment of the inner member portion 102, the outer member portion 104 and the thermal break 110 such that the actual framing contractor or carpenter who was using the framing members 100 of the present invention to construct the wall with an integrated thermal break would simply be able to build or frame the wall in accordance with regular or conventional techniques - cutting the framing members 100 to the approximate or appropriate lengths required and then attaching them using conventional methods to formal wall structure.

While it is contemplated that the primary means of deployment of the framing member 100 of the present invention in framing would be to use pre-manufactured or preassembled framing members 100 in accordance with the present invention, wherein parts 102, 104 and 110 were laminated or attached together in advance of delivery or use at the construction site, it is also understood that the framing member 100 of the present invention could be assembled on site at the construction site using separate member portions 102 and 104 and thermal break 110 which could be glued, laminated or otherwise attached together at the construction site. Both such approaches are contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

The size of the inner member portion 102, outer member portion 104 and thermal break 110 could each be adjusted for a number of reasons. For example the thickness of the thermal break one can could be thickened or thinned based upon the particular thermal requirements of the application in which the framing member 100 when assembled would be used. Also, the inner member portion 102 or the outer member portion 104 might be sized appropriately such that their utility in conventional construction techniques would be maximized i.e. such that they would still most strongly support fasteners attached thereto etc.

It is specifically contemplated that the completed or assembled framing member 100 should optimally be the same completed outer dimensions as conventional framing members or lumber -- for example the same completed dimension as a 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 framing member or the like, so as to maximize the utility and acceptance of the framing member 100 of the present invention in conventional building applications. if the framing member 100 of the present invention was manufactured in accordance with the dimensions of pre-existing types of dimensional lumber the framing member 100 could be interchangeably used with any is different number of types of pre-existing hardware or the like -- it will be understood that there is no specific ideal dimension for the framing member 100 of the present invention but that any number of different pre-existing dimensional lumber sizes could be copied or mimicked using the framing member 100 and method of assembly of the framing member 100 of the present invention.

In one example, if the framing member 100 of the present invention were manufactured using inner member portion 102 and outer member portion 104 of lumber, and a thermal break 110 of polystyrene glued therebetween, it will be understood that those types of materials used in manufacturing the framing member 100 of the present invention would yield a framing member 100 which could easily be cut with conventional lumber saws. Even in terms of providing a thermal break in a metal studded, the inner and outer member portions 102 and 104 could be manufactured from aluminum, steel or other conventional metal materials and the thermal break 110 which was chosen could be glued therein or otherwise attached between those portions. Again by choice of the appropriate materials for the member portions 102 and 104 and the thermal break 110, conventional cutting and attachment techniques could also be accommodated.

Fig. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a series of framing members 100 in accordance with the present invention forming a partial wall structure 120. The partial wall structure 120 has a plurality of framing members 100 held in place vertically at the top by a double top plate 122 formed by laying two framing members 100 on top of one another. The double top plate 122 and the vertical framing members 100 are securely attached in a manner such that the thermal break 110 in each framing member 100 of the double top plate 122 and the vertical framing members 100 form a continuous channel. In this way, pipes and wires 165 can be run through holes 162 made in the thermal breaks 110 lengthwise of the wall structure 120.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a wall member portion 170 using the framing members 100 of the present invention. The framing members 100 are secured in such a manner to form a member framework for the wall. A plurality of framing members 100 are spaced vertically. These vertical framing members 100 are held in place by a continuous header 122 extending along the him length of the top of the wall member framework 170 and which is also a framing member 100 in accordance with the present invention. The header 122 is adhered to the vertical framing members 100. A bottom plate 124, which is also a framing member 100 in accordance with the present invention, extends along the lower length of the wall member framework 170. The bottom plate 124 is also adhered to the vertical framing members 100. The header 122 and bottom plate 124 are secured to the vertical framing members 100 in such a manner that the thermal break 110 of each the header 122, bottom plate 124 and each of the vertical framing members 100 form a continuous channel. It is contemplated within the scope of the present invention that any number of framing members 100 can be laid one on top of the other to create the header 122 or bottom plate 124, as necessary to provide the appropriate structure and support required for the wall. Optionally provided are fireblocks 175, that are interposed horizontally between the vertical framing members 100 in order to support the vertical framing members 100. The fireblocks 175 and the vertical framing members 100 are secured in such a manner that the thermal breaks 110 of the fireblocks 175 and vertical framing members 110 form a continuous channel.
In this way, when piping or wiring 165 needs to be run through the wall, the pipes and wires 165 can be run through holes 162 in the thermal breaks 110 lengthwise of the wall member framework 170.

The header 122, bottom plate 124, and fireblocks 175 are secured to the vertical framing members 110 using glue and/or a nailing device, though other methods of securing them to each other are also possible and are contemplated within the scope of this invention.

Fig. 9 illustrates a method of framing a wall 130 using the framing members 100 of the present invention. This method comprises the steps of securing framing members 100 of the present invention into a wall member framework 170 configuration having a continuous channel of thermal breaks 110 running lengthwise through the member framework 170 and installing the same into the wall 130_ The wall member framework 170 of the present invention can be associated with any usual or conventional wall by replacing the standard framing members or wall studs of the conventional wall with the framing members 100 of the present invention. The framing members 100 could be manufactured in any nominal length in order to build a wall 130 that is thermally separated with the continuous channel formed by the thermal breaks 110 in the vertical framing members 100 and also in the header 122 and bottom plate 124. Wires or pipes can optionally run through the walls 130 through holes punched through the foam insulation 110. Aside from the wall member framework 170, the wall 130 has a number of variable features that could include a wallboard 132 on the inside of a building.
A vapour barrier 134 can be applied on the outside of the wallboard 132. The framing members 100, or wall studs, form the member framework 170 for the wall 130 next to the vapour barrier 134. The framing members 100 are generally spaced vertically every 16 or 24 inches, from centre to centre, though any distance between vertical framing members 100 would be acceptable, dependent on the requirements of the particular wall 130.

Cavity insulation 138 can be provided in the spaces between the framing members 100, usually made up of some type of insulation batts made out of fibrous sheets or loose-fill insulation.

Alternatively, the thermal break can be composed of any number of different substances, including plastic or fiber, which can achieve a similar thermal break effect. Such thermal break substances will include mineral fibers such as glass wool or stone wool. On the exterior faces of the framing members 100 and next to the cavity insulation 138 there may provided an air barrier 150, or sheathing membrane to prevent air movement within the wall. Finally some sort of exterior facade 160 may be provided, generally made out of brick, concrete, or horizontal metal siding with fibreboard backing nailed through to the studs or framing members 100.

To summarize then it is specifically contemplated that the invention herein encompasses not only the framing member 100 itself with the integrated thermal break, but also the method of manufacture of a framing member with an integrated thermal break which comprises attachments of a thermal break portion between an inner member portion and the outer member portion to yield a dimensionally appropriate complete framing member which can be used in framing or construction applications interchangeably with other dimensional lumber. Also disclosed and intended to be encompassed by the present patent application is the method of framing of a wall incorporating an integrated thermal break, using the framing members of the' present invention. Finally a wall that is framed using framing members in accordance with the subject matter outlined herein is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

It will be understood to one skilled in the art that there are certain modifications which can be made to the framing member 100 of the present invention in the method of manufacturing use thereof without departing from the intended scope or direction of the present application and all such modifications are also contemplated within the scope hereof.

The embodiments described herein have described the use of continuous insulating members forming a thermal break between inner and outer portions of a framing member or wall stud. It will be appreciated that the thermal break may be created using alternate methods and in alternate manners than as described herein. For instance, the thermal break could be formed by spraying an insulating material along the edges of the inner member portion or outer member portion such that a layer of insulating material is interposed between the opposing sides of the inner and outer member portions to prevent contact between the opposing sides. Alternatively, the thermal break could be formed by interposing separators, such as rivets, made out of an insulating material, between the opposing sides of the inner and outer member portions, preventing contact between the sides of the inner and outer member portions.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.