Interlockable Wall Reinforcement Panel, Wall Reinforcement Assembly and Method for Wall Reinforcement

Abstract

The invention relates to an interlockable wall panel having a wall panel surface extending in a plane defined by a first and a second direction and having side edges, at least one thereof comprising: indentations extending in the plane and inwardly from the side edge and configured to receive an associated projection of a further interlockable wall panel in a mating and interlocking connection configured to prevent in plane-movement; and/orprojections extending in the plane and outwardly from the side edge and configured to be inserted into an associated indentation of the second or further interlockable wall panel in a mating and interlocking connection configured to prevent in plane-movement; the projections and/or indentations are configured to be connectable to a further interlocking wall panel in a third direction. The invention further relates to wall panel assembly, reinforced wall, method for reinforcing a damaged wall and timber frame construction.

Claims

1. Interlockable wall panel for reinforcing walls, the panel having a wall panel surface extending in a plane defined by a first and a second direction, the wall panel surface having a number of side edges, wherein at least one of the number of side edges comprises: one or more indentations that extend in the plane and inwardly from the side edge, wherein the one or more indentations are configured to receive an associated projection of a second or further interlockable wall panel in a mating and interlocking connection that is configured to substantially prevent in plane-movement; and/or one or more projections that extend in the plane and outwardly from the side edge, wherein the one or more projections are configured to be inserted into an associated indentation of the second or further interlockable wall panel in a mating and interlocking connection that is configured to substantially prevent in plane-movement; wherein the one or more projections and/or indentations are configured to be connectable to a second or further interlocking wall panel in a third direction.

2. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein the interlockable wall panel is preferably only connectable to the second or further interlockable wall panel in the third direction.

3. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein the interlockable wall panel comprises a single layer, or wherein the interlockable wall panel comprises multiple layers.

4. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein the interlockable wall panel is manufactured from wood, wherein the wood comprises, oriented strand board (OSB), cross-laminated timber (CLT) or glued laminated timber (GLT), and comprises multiplex.

5. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the interlockable wall panel, when measured in the third direction, is in the range of 6-30 mm.

6. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein the connection is a slidable connection.

7. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein at least one side edge is provided with a plurality of indentations and projections that are alternately positioned along the side edge.

8. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein at least two side edges, preferably opposing side edges, of the interlockable wall panel are provided with one or more indentations and/or one or more projections.

9. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein the interlockable wall panel is rectangular-shaped or substantially square-shaped, and wherein each side edge of the interlockable wall panel is provided with a plurality of projections and a plurality of indentations that are alternately spaced along the side edge.

10. Interlockable wall panel according to claim 1, wherein the one or more projections have a T-shaped profile, in which the bottom of the T-shaped projection is connected to the side edge of the interlockable wall panel and extends therefrom; and/or wherein the one or more indentations have a T-shaped profile, in which the bottom of the T-shaped projection is positioned at the side edge of the interlockable wall panel and the T-shape extends inwardly into the panel.

11. Wall panel assembly comprising a plurality of interlockable wall panels according to claim 1.

12. Wall panel assembly according to claim 11, wherein the interlockable wall panels configured to be placed against a single side of a wall that is to be reinforced.

13. Wall panel assembly according to claim 11, wherein the wall panel assembly comprises: a first subset of interlockable wall panels that is configured to be connected with a first side wall of a wall that is to be reinforced; and a second subset of interlockable wall panels that is configured to be connected with a second side wall of a wall that is to be reinforced that is opposite the first side wall, such that the first and second subset enclose the wall to be reinforced to form a sandwich structure.

14. Wall panel assembly according to claim 11, wherein, in use of the assembly, interlockable wall panels that are connected to each other, are immovable with respect to each other in the first and/or the second direction.

15. A building stabilization assembly, the assembly comprising a plurality of subsets of interlockable wall panels according to claim 1, the plurality of subsets of interlockable wall panels comprising: at least one wall subset of interlockable wall panels, wherein each of the at least one subsets is configured to be associated with and connected to a side wall of a building that is to be reinforced; a floor subset that is configured to be connected to a floor of the building that is to be reinforced, wherein the interlockable wall panels of the floor subset have a side edge comprising one or more indentations and/or projections that are shaped to provide a mating and interlocking connection with one or more interlockable wall panels of the at least one wall subset; and/or a ceiling subset that is configured to be connected to a ceiling of the building that is to be reinforced, wherein the interlockable wall panels of the ceiling subset have a side edge comprising one or more indentations and/or projections that are shaped to provide a mating and interlocking connection with one or more interlockable wall panels of the at least one wall subset.

16. Reinforced wall of a building comprising: a wall of a building, having two substantially planar side surfaces and a thickness that is measured between the planar side surfaces; and a plurality of interlockable wall panels according to claim 1 that is connected to a planar side surface of the wall, and is interlocked with each other, wherein each of the plurality of interlockable wall panels is interlocked which at least one adjacent interlockable wall panel of the plurality of interlockable wall panels.

17. Reinforced wall according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of interlockable wall panels comprise: a first set of interlockable wall panels that is connected to a first planar side surface of the wall; and a second set of interlockable panels that is connected to a second planar side surface of the wall that is opposite the first planar side surface.

18. Method for reinforcing a damaged wall, the method comprising: providing a plurality of interlockable wall panels according to claim 1; and connecting the plurality of interlockable wall panels to the wall to be reinforced and to each other.

19. Method for reinforcing a damaged wall according to claim 18, wherein the step of connecting the plurality of interlockable wall panels to the wall to be reinforced and to each other, comprises: placing the plurality of interlockable wall panels against the wall to be reinforced; during placing, interlocking adjacent interlockable wall panels to each other; and fixating the plurality of interlockable wall panels to the wall using connection means.

20. Reinforcement construction kit for reinforcing a damaged wall, the construction kit comprising: a plurality of wall panels according to claim 1; and connection means adapted for fixating the interlockable wall panels to a wall.

21. Timber frame construction for a building, comprising: a timber frame; a plurality of interlockable wall panels according to claim 1, that are connected to the timber frame; and a plurality of plaster boards that are connected to the interlockable wall panels at a side that is opposite from the side to which the timber frame is connected.

Description

[0132] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are elucidated on the basis of preferred embodiments thereof, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0133] FIGS. 1a and 1b show examples of interlockable wall panels according to the invention;

[0134] FIGS. 2a and 2b show detailed views of examples of projections and/or indentations of an interlockable wall panel according to the invention;

[0135] FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c show examples of a wall panel assembly according to the invention;

[0136] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section of a wall that is reinforced using a wall panel assembly according to the invention; and

[0137] FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view of FIG. 4.

[0138] In an example (see FIG. 1a, 1b), interlockable wall panel 2, 102 is a wood board, such as an OSB-board or a multiplex board, that extends in a plane defined by first direction x and second direction y. Each side edge 4, 6, 8, 10, 104, 106, 108, 110 of interlockable wall panel 2 is provided with an alternating pattern P of projections 12, 112 and indentations 14, 114. It is noted that the presence of either projections 12, 112 or indentations 14, 114 on side edge 4, 6, 8, 10, 104, 106, 108, 110 automatically incurs the presence of the other of projections 12 and indentations 14, 114. It is noted that FIG. 1a shows trapezoid projections 12, 112 and indentations 14, 114, whereas in FIG. 1b the interlockable wall panel 2, 102 is provided with T-shaped projections 12, 112 and indentations 14, 114.

[0139] In more detail (see FIGS. 2a, 2b), it is shown that projections 112, 212 and indentations 114, 214 can have different shapes to achieve the interlocking effect between interlockable wall panel 102 and second or further interlockable wall panels (not shown).

[0140] In a first example, projection 112 has a T-shape, with bottom end 112b of the T being connected side edge 104 of interlockable wall panel 102 and upper end 112a projecting from side edge 104. Due to the shape of projection 112, indentation 114 is automatically provided with an inverted T-shape, in which bottom end 114b points upward in the second direction y and bottom end 114a is positioned at side edge 104. This alternating pattern allows interlockable wall panel 102 to be connected to a second or further interlockable wall panel in the third direction z (not shown) and substantially prevents any movement in the plane formed by first direction x and second direction y.

[0141] In a second example (see FIG. 2b), projection 212 has a trapezium shape in which small base 212b is located at side edge 204 and is connected therewith. Large or wide base 212a is located at some distance outwardly from side edge 204. Indentation 214 has a mirrored position compared to projection 212. This means that small base 214b in this example is located upwardly from side edge 204, whereas wide or large base 214a is formed at side edge 204.

[0142] In an example of wall panel assembly 250 (see FIGS. 3a and 3b), wall panel assembly 250 comprises a plurality of interlockable wall panels 2, 102 that are interlocked with each other. Also shown are wall panel 254, having two flat side edges and two side edges comprising an alternating pattern of projections and indentations, and wall panel 252, which is provided with one flat side edge and three side edges comprising an alternating pattern of projections and indentations. Wall panel assembly 252 can easily be connected to a (not shown) wall to stabilize that wall. FIGS. 3a and 3b show wall panel assembly 250 having projections and indentations in respectively trapezoid shape (FIG. 3a) and T-shape (FIG. 3b).

[0143] In an example of reinforced wall W (see FIGS. 4 and 5), wall W is reinforced or stabilized using (a plurality of) interlockable wall panels 302 that in this example are positioned on opposite sides W1, W2 of wall W. Interlockable wall panels 302 are in this example connected to wall W using connection means 356, which may for example be a bolt and nut connection. Similarly, ceiling C in this example is stabilized using interlockable wall panels 302. The connection between interlockable wall panels 302 and interlockable wall panels 302 is in this case enhanced using connection beam 358. This connection beam 358 is however not necessary to achieve the stabilization.

[0144] The present invention is by no means limited to the above described preferred embodiments thereof. The rights sought are defined by the following claims within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged.