Cleanroom wall system, wall panel and its use

Abstract

A wall panel (10) for a wall system, in particular a cleanroom wall system (1), is disclosed, wherein the wall panel (10) comprises a central surface section (12) bounded by a plurality of edges (14), wherein a V-shaped collar (20) is arranged on at least one of the edges (14), the collar having a first collar section (22) and a second collar section (24), wherein the first collar section (22) adjoins the surface section (12) such that the surface section (12) and the first collar section (22) form an angle of less than 90 degrees, wherein the second collar section (24) is bent outwards relative to the first collar section (22), and wherein a seal (30) for sealing the wall panel (10) against a counterpart (41, 42) of the wall system is provided on an outer surface (23, 29) of the collar (20) facing away from the surface section (12). (1) is ordered,a cleanroom wall system (1) comprising such a wall panel (10) and a mullion-beam construction (40) to which the wall panel (10) is connected, wherein the wall panel (10) is sealed against components (41, 42) of the mullion-beam construction (40), and the use of such a wall panel (10) in a cleanroom, industrial or office wall system (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a wall panel and its use, as well as a cleanroom wall system with such a wall panel.

[0002] In a room such as a cleanroom, the concentration of aerosols and particles must be kept as low as possible. The walls of such a room must therefore be sealed appropriately to prevent the ingress of aerosols and particles from outside. To allow for maximum flexibility in design to accommodate varying cleanroom geometry requirements, wall panels are typically used. These panels can be used as a single surface of a cleanroom wall or, if necessary, combined modularly with additional components to create a wall with a desired geometry. Accordingly, adequate sealing must be ensured, particularly at the sides of the wall panels, against a corresponding counterpart of the cleanroom wall structure.

[0003] One object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved wall panel for a cleanroom wall system in light of the problems mentioned above.

[0004] The inventive solution lies in the features of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0005] According to the invention, a wall panel for a cleanroom wall system is disclosed, wherein the wall panel comprises a central surface section bounded by a plurality of edges, wherein a V-shaped collar is arranged on at least one of the edges, the collar having a first collar section and a second collar section, wherein the first collar section connects to the surface section such that the surface section and the first collar section enclose an angle of less than 90 degrees, wherein the second collar section is bent outwards relative to the first collar section, and wherein a seal for sealing the wall panel against a counterpart of the cleanroom wall system is arranged on an outer surface of the collar facing away from the surface section.

[0006] The invention relates to an advantageous embodiment of a wall panel for a wall system. This can be, in particular, a cleanroom wall system, but also an industrial wall system or an office wall system. The provided seal provides improved sealing along the edge of the panel section, and thus on one side of the wall panel, against a corresponding counterpart of the wall system located there. The V-shaped design of the collar creates an undercut area on its outer surface relative to the edge of the panel section, in which the seal is located. In this way, the effect of transverse forces acting on the seal, particularly during the installation (and removal) of the wall panel, which can lead to undesirable displacement and sometimes even detachment of the seal from the wall panel, can be reduced.This enables a reliable seal against counterparts of the respective wall system located on the sides of the wall panel, such as other components like mullions or transoms of a cleanroom wall system, and simplifies the installation of the wall panel. Furthermore, unlike conventional systems, the seal can be applied before installation, particularly during the wall panel manufacturing process. This simplifies installation, as it eliminates the need for subsequent sealing and the associated additional process step. The V-shape of the collar also provides a locking mechanism for securing the wall panel in the installed state. Improved sound insulation can also be achieved.Depending on the design of the seal, tolerance compensation for fitting the wall panel can also be enabled, which increases process reliability in different installation situations. Furthermore, the intended design allows for a continuous and seamless seal without interrupting the sealing plane in the area of ​​adjacent collars, thus enabling a particularly reliable seal against the respective counterpart.

[0007] The surface section can, in particular, have a rectangular shape, and its lateral edges can be perpendicular to each other. The surface section can be a side face of a cuboid wall section with a rectangular base. The surface section and / or the collar can be made of sheet steel, aluminum, or stainless steel. The surface section can be made entirely of sheet steel, aluminum, or stainless steel, but it can also include a transparent window area or a functional element such as a door or a flap.

[0008] The V-shaped collar comprises an outer surface facing away from the surface section and an inner surface facing the surface section. Because the second collar section is angled outwards relative to the first collar section, the outer surfaces of the first collar section and the outer surfaces of the second collar section form an angle of less than 180 degrees.

[0009] Furthermore, the invention discloses the use of a wall panel according to the invention in a cleanroom wall system. In addition, the wall panel according to the invention can also be used in an industrial wall system or in an office wall system, wherein the arrangement of the seal is then designed to seal the wall panel against a counterpart of the respective wall system.

[0010] The seal can be arranged on an outer surface of the first collar section facing away from the surface section and / or on an outer surface of the second collar section facing away from the surface section.

[0011] For example, the seal can be positioned so that when the wall panel is inserted in a specific installation direction, a contact pressure is exerted on the seal, for instance by stationary components of a post-and-beam construction. In this way, a particularly suitable arrangement of the seal can be provided, depending on the intended installation direction, to prevent unwanted displacement and detachment of the seal.

[0012] The seal can be formed from closed-cell polyethylene foam tape or a foamed polyurethane seal. A liquid-applied and then drying seal is also conceivable. The seal can be applied in a further process step. The seal can be arranged across the entire surface of the first collar section and / or the second collar section. The seal can be designed to be airtight, lightproof, and / or soundproof. The counterpart against which the seal seals the wall panel can be, in particular, a component of a post-and-beam construction of a wall system, especially a cleanroom wall system, such as a vertical post or a horizontal beam, or it can be another wall panel. The other wall panel can be designed as a counterpart in a particularly suitable way.For example, a wall panel designed as a counterpart can be designed at the adjacent edge to interact with the seal for sealing purposes, and can, for example, be smooth and collarless along this edge.

[0013] The central surface section and the collar can be formed in one piece. For example, the surface section and the collar can be formed from a sheet of metal, in particular by stamping. The surface section and the collar can be manufactured in a sheet metal bending process, in particular in a single, continuous process step.

[0014] This allows for a reduction in the number of parts within the wall panel. The number of sealing edges that may need to be considered within the wall panel can also be reduced, allowing for higher manufacturing tolerances. This enables particularly simple manufacturing of the wall panel.

[0015] In one embodiment, the seal extends along the edge over the entire length of the first collar section.

[0016] In this way, a reliable seal can be achieved over the entire length of the collar adjoining the surface section against a counterpart of the wall system located there.

[0017] In embodiments of wall systems, wall panels can be provided in which the surface sections each have a collar only in corresponding subsections of the lateral edge, so that only a wall composed accordingly of such wall panels has sufficient sealing overall. In particular, however, the collar can extend over the entire length of the edge.

[0018] This ensures a reliable seal for the entire side of the wall panel where the collar is positioned along the edge of the central surface section. This offers greater flexibility in the use of the wall panel, as it can essentially be used independently of other wall panels in a wall system while still guaranteeing adequate sealing along the edge and thus on the corresponding side of the wall panel.

[0019] In another embodiment, a further collar is arranged on another edge of the surface section. Accordingly, such a wall panel provides a seal to another side of the surface section. This allows for a seal against another counterpart of the wall system located there.

[0020] In this way, the individual geometry of a wall system can be taken into account, and the wall panel can provide a seal, for example, to several components of a cleanroom wall system, such as several posts or beams of a post-and-beam construction.

[0021] The edges can be perpendicular to each other. This is particularly the case with a rectangular area section.

[0022] For example, the collars, especially where the edges run perpendicular to each other, can abut directly. The wall panel can have corresponding cutouts at the collars to allow the two collars to butt up directly against each other.

[0023] In this way, sufficient sealing can also be provided in the corner area of ​​the surface section where the collars adjoin each other.

[0024] Additionally, the two collars can extend over the entire length of both edges.

[0025] This allows for a suitable seal along the edges up to the corner areas of the surface section, which are opposite the corner area of ​​the adjacent collars.

[0026] In one embodiment, a collar is arranged at each edge of the surface section. Accordingly, the collars can be provided with suitable cutouts to allow adjacent collars to directly butt against each other.

[0027] Such an arrangement provides a reliable seal along all edges of the surface section, and thus on all sides of the wall panel against corresponding components of the wall system. This allows for particularly flexible use of the wall panel in the design of a wall system, where a cleanroom wall can be created using just a single wall panel.

[0028] Alternatively or additionally, a corner seal can be provided, which is arranged between the seals of two immediately adjacent collars.

[0029] This additional seal also reduces the risk of one or more unwanted ventilation paths arising, for example due to forces acting during the installation of the wall panel, in the respective corner area of ​​the wall element where the two adjacent collars meet, and achieves a particularly reliable sealing effect.

[0030] In one embodiment, the seal is designed to be free of penetrations over the entire extent of the collar along one or more edges.

[0031] This ensures a uniform sealing effect along the entire length of the respective edge.

[0032] The second collar section can have an outer subsection and an inner subsection.

[0033] The outer and inner sections can be directly adjacent to each other and, for example, overlapping. For instance, the collar in the second collar section can be thicker than in the first. The outer and inner sections can each be the same thickness as the collar in the first collar section. The outer and inner sections can be arranged within the second collar section such that the collar in the second section is at least twice as thick as that in the first. For example, the second collar section is designed such that the collar is folded over at an edge opposite the flat section, with the lower section encompassing the folded-over portion.

[0034] The second collar section can act as a spring, allowing for particularly easy installation of the wall panel into a wall system without requiring any manipulation of the seal. For example, the second collar section can have corresponding connecting elements to those of conventional mullion-transom constructions, such as appropriately positioned openings. The corresponding connecting elements of the second collar section and the mullion-transom construction can be designed to work together, if necessary using suitable fasteners such as screws or clips, to attach the wall panel to the mullion-transom construction.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the invention, a cleanroom wall system is disclosed, comprising a wall panel according to the invention and a mullion-beam construction to which the wall panel is connected, wherein the wall panel is sealed against components of the mullion-beam construction. In particular, the cleanroom wall system can also comprise several wall panels according to the invention, each of which is connected to the mullion-beam construction and each of which is sealed against components of the mullion-beam construction.

[0036] To connect the wall panel(s) to the post-and-beam construction, the collars of the wall panels can, for example, have suitable connecting elements as described above. Similarly, corresponding connecting elements can be provided on the post-and-beam construction, particularly on vertical posts and / or horizontal beams. The connecting elements of the wall panels and the post-and-beam construction can be designed to work together, if necessary using suitable fasteners such as screws or clamps, to attach the wall panels to the post-and-beam construction.

[0037] The embodiments and configurations described above are merely to be understood as examples and are not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

[0038] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and by way of example of advantageous embodiments. The drawings show: Fig. 1-3 schematic representations of exemplary embodiments of a cleanroom wall system according to the invention; Fig. 4 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a wall panel according to the invention in perspective view; and Fig. 5-6 schematic representations of exemplary embodiments of a wall panel according to the invention in lateral sectional view.

[0039] In Fig. Figure 1 is an embodiment of a cleanroom wall system 1 according to the invention, comprising a post-and-beam construction 40 and a wall panel 10 with a central surface section 12, shown in a top view of the surface section 12. The wall panel 10 is attached to components of the post-and-beam construction 40 by means of suitable fasteners. The components comprise two vertical posts 41 and two horizontal beams 42. At the edges 14 of the surface section 12, the wall panel 10 has a collar 20 and is sealed there against the respective posts 41 or beams 42.

[0040] The Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 shows further embodiments of a cleanroom wall system 1 according to the invention, comprising a post-and-beam construction 40 and two wall panels 10, in a top view of the parallel central surface sections 12 of the wall panels 10. The wall panels 10 are also attached to the components of the post-and-beam construction 40, which comprise vertical posts 41 and horizontal beams 42, by means of suitable fasteners.

[0041] In the Fig. In the example shown, the two wall panels 10 are arranged side by side. Both wall panels 10 are jointly attached to a vertical post 41 located between the two wall panels 10, against which both wall panels 10 provide a seal.

[0042] In the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 3. The two wall panels 10 are arranged one above the other. Along one edge, the two wall panels 10 abut directly against each other. Along this edge, the two wall panels 10 each provide a mutual seal. However, it is also conceivable that one of the two wall panels 10 is designed as a counterpart and is smooth and without a collar along this edge. An embodiment of a wall panel 10 according to the invention is described below with reference to the illustrations in the Fig. 4, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 described. Fig. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a wall panel 10, as also shown in the examples of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is shown. For the sake of clarity, only two of the collars 20 of the wall panel 10 arranged on the four edges 14 of the rectangular central surface section 12 are shown. Fig. Figure 5 shows a side sectional view of this embodiment along the in Fig. 1 indicated dashed line AA. ??? Fig. 6

[0043] The exemplary wall panel 10 for a cleanroom wall system 1 comprises a central surface section 12 with a rectangular base, bounded by four edges 14. A V-shaped collar 20 is arranged along each of these edges 14, with adjacent edges 14 being perpendicular and opposite edges 14 being parallel to each other. The collar 20 extends over the entire length of the respective edge 14. The surface section 12 and the collar 20 are formed in one piece from a sheet of steel using a sheet bending process. To allow two adjacent collars 20 to butt directly against each other while maintaining their V-shape, the collars 20 have corresponding notches at their lateral ends.

[0044] Each of the collars 20 comprises a first collar section 22 and a second collar section 24. The two collar sections 22, 24 each correspond to one leg of a “V” describing the shape of the collar 20 in a side view.

[0045] The first collar section 22 connects to the surface section 12 in such a way that the surface section 12 and the first collar section 22 form an angle of less than 90 degrees, as shown in particular in Fig. 5 recognizable. On an outer surface 23 of the first collar section 22 facing away from the surface section 12, a seal 30 is arranged to seal the wall panel 10 against a counterpart 41, 42 of the cleanroom floor system 1.

[0046] The second collar section 24 is angled outwards relative to the first collar section 22. An outer surface 29 of the second collar section 24, facing away from surface section 12, and the outer surface 23 of the first collar section 22 form an angle of less than 180 degrees. This V-shaped design of the collar 20 creates an undercut area on its outer surface relative to the edge 14 of surface section 12, to which the collar 20 abuts.

[0047] The second collar section 24 has an outer subsection 26 and an inner subsection 28, which are arranged overlapping over each other. The outer subsection 26 and the inner subsection 28 each have the same thickness as the collar 20 in the first collar section 22. Accordingly, the collar 20 in the second collar section 24 has twice the thickness of the collar 20 in the first collar section 22. The second collar section 24 forms a spring with openings designed to interact with corresponding connecting elements of vertical posts 41 or horizontal rails 42 of a post-and-beam construction to fasten the wall panel 10 to the post-and-beam construction 40.

[0048] The seal 30 is arranged flat on the outer surface 23 of the first collar section 22, and thus in the undercut area, and extends along the edge 14 over the entire length of the first collar section 22. The seal 30 is designed without penetrations over the entire extent of the collar 20 along the edge 14.

[0049] Between the seals 30 of two immediately adjacent collars 20, as in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 4, a corner seal 32 is arranged in each case. Accordingly, the wall panel 10 has a continuous seal 30 extending without penetrations along all edges 14 of the central surface section 12, which is further reinforced in the corners of the surface section 12 by the corner seals 32. The sealing plane of the wall panel 10 is uninterrupted, and unwanted ventilation paths can be reliably prevented.

[0050] The exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 6 corresponds to that of the Fig. 5, wherein the seal 30 is not arranged on the outer surface 23 of the first collar section 22, but rather over a flat area on the outer surface 29 of the second collar section 24. Accordingly, in this case too, the seal 30 is arranged in the undercut area.

Claims

Wall panel (10) for a wall system, in particular a cleanroom wall system (1), wherein the wall panel (10) comprises a central surface section (12) bounded by a plurality of edges (14), wherein a V-shaped collar (20) is arranged on at least one of the edges (14), the collar having a first collar section (22) and a second collar section (24), wherein the first collar section (22) adjoins the surface section (12) such that the surface section (12) and the first collar section (22) form an angle of less than 90 degrees, wherein the second collar section (24) is bent outwards relative to the first collar section (22), and wherein a seal (30) for sealing the wall panel (10) against a counterpart (41, 42) of the wall system (1) is arranged on an outer surface (23, 29) of the collar (20) facing away from the surface section (12). Wall panel (10) according to claim 1, wherein the seal (30) is arranged on an outer surface (23) of the first collar section (22) facing away from the surface section (12) and / or on an outer surface (29) of the second collar section (24) facing away from the surface section (12). Wall panel (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the central surface section (12) and the collar (20) are formed in one piece. Wall panel (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the seal (30) extends along the edge (14) over the entire length of the first collar section (22). Wall panel (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the collar (20) extends over the entire length of the edge (14). Wall panel (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a further collar (20) is arranged on a further edge (14) of the surface section (12). Wall panel (10) according to claim 6, wherein the two edges (14) are perpendicular to each other. Wall panel (10) according to one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the two collars (20) are directly adjacent to each other. Wall panel (10) according to claim 8, wherein the two collars (20) extend over the entire length of both edges (14). Wall panel (10) according to claim 6, wherein a collar (20) is arranged on each of the edges (14) of the surface section (12). Wall panel (10) according to one of claims 9 or 10 , with at least one corner seal (32) arranged between the seals (30) of two directly adjacent collars (20). Wall panel (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the seal (30) is formed without penetration over the entire extent of the collar (20) along one or more edges (14). Wall panel (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second collar section (24) has an outer subsection (26) and an inner subsection (28). Cleanroom wall system (1) comprising a wall panel (10) according to one of the preceding claims and a post-and-beam construction (40) to which the wall panel (10) is connected, wherein the wall panel (10) is sealed against components (41, 42) of the post-and-beam construction (40). Use of a wall panel (10) according to one of claims 1 to 13 in a cleanroom, industrial or office wall system (1).

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