Exterior Wall Panel with Pre-Installed Bonding Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pre-manufactured exterior wall panels require significant storage space due to unsecured protective membranes that need to be sealed on-site, leading to inefficiencies in construction and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
The exterior wall panel design incorporates overlapping vapor and weather barrier membranes with a bonding joint and rigid flashing, allowing for secure sealing during factory assembly and efficient on-site assembly, reducing storage needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If protective membranes are left unsecured at factory assembly, then factory manufacturing simplicity is improved, but on-site storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding joints are pre-installed on the protective membranes during factory assembly, but the membranes remain unsecured to the panels until on-site installation. This preliminary preparation of bonding joints simplifies factory manufacturing while the membranes are secured to panels during on-site assembly, eliminating the need for extensive storage space.
2Productivity
If protective membranes are fully secured at factory assembly, then on-site assembly time is reduced, but factory manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding joints are pre-installed on the protective membranes during factory assembly, preparing them for quick on-site attachment. This preliminary action reduces on-site assembly time while avoiding the complexity of fully securing membranes at the factory.
3Productivity
If bonding joints are pre-installed on protective membranes, then on-site sealing efficiency is improved, but factory manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
Bonding joints are pre-installed on the protective membranes during factory assembly, enabling efficient on-site sealing when membranes are attached to panels. This preliminary preparation improves on-site sealing efficiency while adding a manageable factory manufacturing step.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables secure, factory-assembled exterior wall panels that can be easily and efficiently assembled on-site, minimizing storage requirements and construction time while maintaining weatherproof integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The bonding joint provides adhesive bonding between overlapping portions of the vapor barrier membrane and the weather barrier membrane
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure concerns an exterior wall panel comprising a wall framework defining inner and outer wall surfaces and having peripheral edges. The exterior wall panel further comprises a vapor barrier membrane superposed to the inner wall surface and covering at least one peripheral edge and being secured thereto, a weather barrier membrane superposed to the outer wall surface and covering at least one peripheral edge and being secured thereto. The present disclosure also concerns an external wall panel assembly comprising a plurality of such external wall panels and a method for forming such an exterior wall panel assembly.