A panel wall log and a panel wall log building
The panel wall log addresses the high cost and labor-intensive nature of traditional log structures by using a hollow rectangular structure with solid wood fillings, reducing material and handling costs, and simplifying construction while enhancing safety.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/FI2024/050703
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-12-18
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-26
AI Technical Summary
Traditional log structures using solid wood logs are expensive and require significant labor and machinery due to the weight and rarity of the materials, making them costly to handle and construct with.
The development of a panel wall log, which consists of four elongated panel walls fixed together to form a hollow rectangular structure with solid wood fillings at the ends, reducing the amount of wood needed and the weight of the material, thus making it easier and less costly to handle and construct with.
The panel wall log reduces the need for wood material, decreases the weight and handling costs, and simplifies the construction process by requiring less machinery and labor, while also enhancing safety by reducing the risk of accidents during handling and construction.
Smart Images
Figure FI2024050703_26062025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] A panel wall log and a panel wall log building
[0002] Technical field
[0003] The present invention relates to a panel wall log for log structures such as log buildings and to a panel wall log building comprising a plurality of panel wall logs.
[0004] Background
[0005] Log structure is a traditional method of wood construction, where the loadbearing walls of a building are made of logs. A log is a thick solid wood building material produced by carving, planing or turning, which is mainly used as a wall structure in log structures. The log can be round or angular in shape and it can be made from solid wood or it can be a so called laminated log. Logs are usually made of spruce, pine or aspen etc.
[0006] In log buildings, logs are usually placed horizontally and connected to each other with corner joints. Another way to build a building from logs is to use vertical logs. Its advantage is that it does not sag, as the wood does not sag vertically.
[0007] Logs are, however, quite expensive building material, especially if a log is a log of rare tree or a log of some other expensive tree. In addition, handling of logs may require suitable machinery or a plurality of workers due to their weight, which increases the costs even more.
[0008] Summary
[0009] The scope of protection sought for various embodiments of the invention is set out by the independent claims. The embodiments, examples and features, if any, described in this specification that do not fall under the scope of the independent claims are to be interpreted as examples useful for understanding various embodiments of the invention. According to a first aspect, there is provided a panel wall log comprising an elongated top panel wall, an elongated bottom panel wall, an elongated first side panel wall and an elongated second panel wall, which panel walls are fixed together into an elongated rectangular form so that a hollow inside space remains inside the panel walls, and wherein the end areas of the panel wall log are filled with solid wood, and wherein an upper or lower part of the end areas comprises a groove for a second panel wall log, and wherein the top panel wall comprises a first type connecting joint and the bottom panel wall comprises a second type connecting joint.
[0010] According to an example, the hollow inside space is filled by sawdust, mountain wool, or polyurethane foam. According to an example, the panel walls are spruce, pine, aspen or cedar tree panel walls. According to an example, at least one of the panel walls is made of a different material than the rest of the panel walls. According to an example, the first type connecting joint is a male type of connecting structure and the second type connecting joint is a female type of connecting structure. According to an example, one or more of the panel walls are formed from one or more short pieces by finger jointing the one or more pieces together as a panel wall. According to an example, the side panel walls are patched by a wood layer. According to an example, an end wood layers are arranged to the ends of the panel wall log.
[0011] According to a second aspect, there is provided a panel wall log building comprising a plurality of panel wall logs according to the first aspect or any of its examples.
[0012] According to an example, wherein the plurality of panel wall logs are joined together by a corner joint. According to an example, wherein the corner joint is a long or short corner joint. According to an example, the first and second type connecting joints fit together regarding adjacent panel wall logs.
[0013] Brief description of the drawings
[0014] In the following, various embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which
[0015] Fig. 1 shows an example of a panel wall log, Fig. 2 shows a cross section view of the panel wall of figure 1 along a line A-A shown in figure 1 ,
[0016] Fig. 3a shows a cross section view of the panel wall of figure 1 along a line B-B shown in figure 1 ,
[0017] Fig. 3b shows an alternative view of an end of the panel wall log of figure 1 , and
[0018] Fig. 4 shows an example of a panel wall log structure with a corner joint formed by panel wall logs according to the present invention.
[0019] Detailed description
[0020] As mentioned in the background part, the log structure is a traditional method of wood construction for example in Finland. A traditional log used as a constructing material is a thick solid wood building material produced by carving, planing or turning, and having a round or angular, for example, rectangular shape. In existing log buildings, logs are made from solid wood or from two or more wood planks, which are glued together as laminated logs. Logs are usually made of spruce or pine, but sometimes also, for example, of aspen or some other suitable wood, for example, more expensive cedar tree.
[0021] In buildings, logs are usually placed horizontally and connected to each other with corner joints. Corner joints are divided into two main types, long and short corners. Between two overlapping logs there is a log joint, which means that the shape of the lower log has been made on a bottom of the log arranged to be placed on top of that lower log, and vice versa. In other words, one of the two overlapping logs has a male type of connecting structure and the other log has a female type of connecting structure. Thus the logs have such profiles i.e. cross sections that they fit together tightly when arranged one on the other.
[0022] Another way to build a building from logs is to use vertical logs. Its advantage is that it does not sag, as the wood does not sag vertically. There is also a corresponding log joint between two adjacent logs as they are between two overlapping logs and the log joint is formed by a male and female type connecting structure.
[0023] But as mentioned above, solid wood logs may be quite expensive building material especially if they are logs of rare trees or some other expensive trees. Solid wood logs also include laminated logs. Also handling solid wood logs may require machinery and / or a plurality of workers due to their weight, which increases the construction costs even more. Thus, there is a need for a less expensive wood logs, which handling is easier and / or less expensive. Therefore, there has been provided a panel wall log, which requires less wood than solid wood logs, sometimes many times less, which panel wall log thus reduces the need for wood material, and it also makes these kinds of panel wall logs less heavy. Less heavy building material is easier to handle, transport and / or construct buildings of them, which in turn reduces costs by reducing machinery need, fuel costs and / or employee needs. Panel wall logs may also contribute to the reduction of accidents at construction sites, as they are easier and safer to handle compared to heavy solid wood logs due to their lighter weight.
[0024] A panel wall log according to the present invention is an elongated shape wood structure comprising four elongated panel walls, which are fixed together so that they form a structure of a rectangular shape log having a hollow inside space inside the together fixed elongated panel walls. There are two side panels, a bottom panel and a top panel. An upper elongated side of a first side panel is fixed to a first elongated side of the top panel and a lower elongated side of the first side panel is fixed to a first elongated side of the bottom panel, and an upper elongated side of a second side panel is fixed to a second elongated side of the top panel and a lower elongated side of the second side panel is fixed to a second elongated side of the bottom panel. The fixing of panel walls together may be performed by gluing, using some other adhesive or by mechanic fastening means, for example, by nails, screws, or by a stabler type of fasteners, or by any other suitable means. It should be noted that in some cases the panel wall log may have some other angular shape than the rectangular shape, in which case the panel wall log has more than four panels.
[0025] The top panel comprises a male type of connecting structure or a female type of connecting structure and the bottom panel comprises an opposite joint structure than the top structure. For example, if the top panel comprises a male type of connecting structure, the bottom panel comprises a female type of connecting structure or vice versa.
[0026] In addition, both ends / end areas of the panel wall log comprise solid wood fillings arranged inside wood panel walls i.e. the end i.e. end areas of the panel wall log are non-hollow, they are filled by solid wood block(s) or corresponding. The solid wood filled end areas are so called corner joint areas of the panel wall log. The length of a solid wood filling may depend on a case, but it is at least so long that a groove for a lower or upper panel wall log can be arranged in it so that a corner joint can be formed between those panel wall logs when a building is constructed from these panel wall logs. There is a groove in both ends of the panel wall log for another panel wall log. The groove is in a crosswise direction compared to the longitudinal direction of the panel wall log.
[0027] Furthermore, in some cases, the hollow inside space of a panel wall log is filled with material. The filling material may be any suitable material, for example, sawdust, mountain wool, polyurethane foam etc.
[0028] Figure 1 shows an example of a panel wall log 100, the panel wall log 100 is shown from its elongated side. The panel wall log 100 comprises a hollow inside space 104 and solid wood fillings in its both end areas 101 . Solid wood filled end areas 101 comprise a groove 102 in lower part of both end areas 101 for another panel wall log, which another panel wall log is going to be arranged into it when forming a log construction. In other words, the panel wall log 100 will be arranged onto a lower panel wall log so that a filled end area of the lower panel wall log is in the groove 102. Upper surfaces of the grooves 102 comprise a female type of connecting structure 103 corresponding a male type of connecting structure of the lower panel wall log. The panel wall log 100 may have any desired length, which is indicated by with a dotted line in the middle part of the panel wall log 100. Its length may be, for example, 1 to 5 m. The solid wood filled end areas 101 may have any desired length, but they are at least so long that the groove 102 fits into it and there remains some log up to it in the end of the panel wall log 100. The solid wood filled end areas 101 may have any desired length, but they are at least so long that the groove 102 fits into it, and so that there remains some panel wall log material between the groove 102 and the end of the panel wall log 100. The length of the solid wood filled end area 101 may be, for example, 10 to 30 cm. The width of the panel wall log 100 may be, for example, 7 to 15 cm, for example, 10 cm. The height of the panel wall log 100 may be, for example, 10 to 20 cm, for example approximately 15 cm. But in any case, the panel wall logs are dimensioned in such a way that the panel wall logs fit together and the log structure and its corner joints are tight structures. It is also possible that the groove 102 is in the upper part of both end areas 101 .
[0029] The top panel of the panel wall log 100 further comprises a male type of connecting structure and the bottom panel comprises a female type of connecting structure (not shown), which are shown in figures 2 and 3.
[0030] It is also possible that one or more of the panel walls 201 , 202, 203, 204 are formed from one or more short pieces of wood panels by finger jointing the one or more pieces together as a panel wall. This further decreases the cost of the panel wall log 100.
[0031] Figure 2 shows a cross section view of an example of the panel wall log 100 of figure 1 along a line A-A shown in figure 1. A first side panel wall 201 , a second side panel wall 202, a top panel wall 203 and a bottom panel wall 204 of the panel wall log 100 are shown. The top panel wall 203 comprises a male type of connecting structure 206 and the bottom panel wall 204 comprises a female type of connecting structure 207. The male connecting structure 206 and the female type of connecting structure 207 may have a different shape and size than the ones shown in this figure 1 , but in any case, they act correspondingly as the ones shown in this figure 1 i.e. they fit together.
[0032] As can be seen, in this example, the top panel wall 203 and the bottom panel wall 204 are fixed between the side panel walls 201 , 202, but in some cases, the side panel walls 201 , 202 may be fixed between the top panel wall 203 and the bottom panel wall 204. The inside space 104 of the panel wall log 100 is hollow in this example i.e. there is no filling in the inside space 104.
[0033] It is also possible that one or more of the panel walls 201 , 202, 203, 204 are formed from one or more short pieces by finger jointing the one or more wood pieces together as a panel wall. Furthermore, the side panel walls 201 , 202 can be patched by an additional thin wood layer 208. The layer may be few millimetres thick, for example 2 to 5 mm, for example 3mm. This is especially convenient, if the side panel walls
[0034] 201 , 202 are finger jointed together from one or more wood pieces together or if they are made of cheap wood, for example cheaper wood than the wood layer 208. This way the look is more expensive. Patching may be performed by gluing the wood layer 208 onto the outer surface of side panel walls 201 ,
[0035] 202.
[0036] Figure 3a shows a cross section view of an example of the panel wall log 100 of figure 1 along a line B-B shown in figure 1 . The shown cross section view is from the solid wood 300 filled end area 101 of the panel wall log 100.
[0037] Figure 3b shows an alternative embodiment of an end of the panel wall log 100 of figure 1 . In this embodiment an end wood layer 301 is fixed, for example by gluing or by using mechanical means to the ends of the panel wall log 100. This way the panel wall log 100 would look out so that it is made of solid wood in total.
[0038] Figure 4 shows an example of a panel wall log structure 400 with a corner joint 401 formed by panel wall logs according to the present invention. In this figure 4, two panel wall logs 402, 402 are drawn thicker to show their location more clearly in the log structure 400 and corner joint 401 . The corner joint 401 is a long or short corner joint.
[0039] It should be noted that dimensions, materials, and filling material of a panel wall log can be freely chosen in the best and most suitable way for each case, as long as the dimensions of the panel wall log and its parts are such that panel wall logs can be easily and firmly installed one on the other. Also more than one wood material can be used in one panel wall log, for example, due to price, decoration, durability or some other reason. The dimensions and materials are therefore not limited to the examples presented above.
[0040] The foregoing description has provided by way of exemplary and non-limiting examples a full and informative description of the exemplary embodiment of this invention. However, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings of this invention will still fall within the scope of this invention.
Claims
Claims:
1. A panel wall log (100), which the panel wall log (100) is configured to be connected to a second panel wall log (100) with a corner joint, and the panel wall log (100) comprises an elongated top panel wall (203), an elongated bottom panel wall (204), an elongated first side panel wall (201 ) and an elongated second panel wall (202), which the first side panel wall (201 ) and the second side panel wall (202) are fixed between the top panel wall (203) and the bottom panel wall (204) so that an elongated rectangular panel wall log (100) with a hollow inside space (104) is formed, and wherein solid wood fillings are arranged inside the end areas (101 ) of the panel wall log (100), and wherein an upper or lower part of the end areas (101 ) comprises a groove (102) for the second panel wall log in a crosswise direction compared to the longitudinal direction of the panel wall log (100), and wherein the top panel wall(203) comprises a first type connecting joint (206) and the bottom panel wall(204) comprises a second type connecting joint (207).
2. The panel wall log (100) according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow inside space (104) is filled by sawdust, mountain wool, or polyurethane foam.
3. The panel wall log (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the panel walls (201 , 202, 203, 204) are spruce, pine, aspen or cedar tree panel walls.
4. The panel wall log (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the panel walls (201 , 202, 203, 204) is made of a different material than the rest of the panel walls.
5. The panel wall log (100) according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first type connecting joint is a male type of connecting structure (206) and the second type connecting joint is a female type of connecting structure (207).
6. The panel wall log (100) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein one or more of the panel walls (201 , 202, 203, 204) are formed from one or more short pieces by finger jointing the one or more pieces together as a panel wall.
7. The panel wall log (100) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the side panel walls (201 , 202) are patched by a thin wood layer (208).
8. The panel wall log (100) according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein an end wood layers (301 ) are arranged to the ends of the panel wall log (100).
9. A panel wall log building (400) comprising a plurality of panel wall logs according to any of the claims 1 to 8.
10. A panel wall log building (400) according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of panel wall logs (100) are joined together by a corner joint (401 ).
11. The panel wall log building (400) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the corner joint (401 ) is a long or short corner joint.
12. The panel wall log building (400) according to any of claims 9 to 11 , wherein the first and second type connecting joints (206, 207) fit together regarding adjacent panel wall logs (100).
Citation Information
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