Interlocking Panel Structures With Integrated Utility Conduits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) face issues with durability, corrosion resistance, difficulty in incorporating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing lines, inadequate fire safety, and limited building configuration options due to standard sizes.
Innovation Solution
A multi-purpose structural panel member made from extruded aluminum or other materials, featuring interior channels for insulation and ventilation, with male and female interlocking components, tracks for alignment, and channels for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing lines, allowing for customizable building configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If Structural Insulated Panels are glued together for construction, then assembly is simplified, but durability and corrosion resistance deteriorate due to delamination in poor conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The panel system is divided into separate structural panels and tracking members that connect through mechanical interfaces rather than adhesives. This segmentation eliminates the delamination risk while maintaining assembly simplicity through the modular connection system.
Solution Approach 2:
Tracking members serve as intermediary components between structural panels, providing a mechanical connection medium that eliminates the need for gluing while ensuring durable and corrosion-resistant assembly through metal-to-metal or metal-to-protected interfaces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cuts are made through SIPs to run mechanical, electrical, or plumbing lines, then utility integration is enabled, but panel strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking members provide an alternative pathway for utilities by creating a three-dimensional connection system with internal channels and attachment points, allowing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing lines to be routed through the connection infrastructure rather than cutting through the panel faces, thereby preserving panel strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The tracking members act as intermediary conduits for utility lines, providing dedicated channels and attachment points that eliminate the need to cut through structural panels, thus maintaining panel integrity while enabling comprehensive utility integration.
3Ease of manufacture
If SIPs are used for construction, then some improvement over lumber frame construction is achieved, but fire safety rating deteriorates due to inadequate ratings requiring separate fire-rated products
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines structural panels with fire-rated tracking members and assembly components to create a composite construction system that maintains the construction efficiency of SIPs while achieving adequate fire safety ratings through the fire-resistant properties of the metal tracking members and their protective coatings.
4Strength
If intermodal shipping containers are used as construction system, then alloy-based construction is achieved, but adaptability deteriorates due to limited building configuration options from standard sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The construction system uses segmented structural panels and tracking members that can be assembled in various configurations, unlike fixed-size shipping containers. This segmentation allows customization of building layouts, sizes, and shapes while maintaining the structural strength of alloy-based construction through the metal panel and tracking member system.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular panel and tracking member system provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the building configuration to be changed, expanded, or reconfigured according to needs, whereas shipping containers offer static, fixed configurations. The mechanical connection system enables flexible arrangement of panels in various orientations and patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a system for construction using multi-purpose panel member, which may be utilized as any surface or support beam in a structure, along with auxiliary components including track members and corner members. In a preferred embodiment, the track member includes one or more channels for receiving panel members, and may also accommodate fasteners for securing the panel member to the track member. The corner member may be used to adjoin two or more panels at a desired angle, and may also serve as a decorative cap for the interconnection of two or more panel members.