Interlocking Composite Construction Block

[0001] The present invention relates in general to composite blocks for use in construction analogous to prefabricated concrete masonry units (CMU's) and in particular to construction blocks that will reduce the labor time and associated with constructing a wall.

[0002] Concrete Masonry Units (CMU's) are a low-cost, durable, product used worldwide for simple wall construction. Even though the blocks are low in cost they are labor-intensive to install and require skilled, expensive installers due to their need for manual alignment and mortar for adhesion and structural integrity. In addition the typical concrete used in CMU's is brittle and very heavy. Because of these factors, installation cost can be up to 10 times the purchase cost of blocks for wall construction. Also, the mechanical properties of concrete block material (about 14 MPa compression strength and about 300 MPa tensile strength) require reinforcement for most applications, at least in some portions of a wall. Most of a CMU wall is not load bearing except for certain areas reinforced with rebar and filled with concrete as necessary for the application.

[0003] There are multiple inventions that have been listed in prior art regarding CMU's. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,669B1 for a Concrete Plastic Unit (CPU) describes a clear, permanent form, for steel reinforced concrete structures. Sections of the clear form are factory extruded, from a clear polyvinyl chloride material, so as to make the assembly of the forms, the installation of the steel and utilities, and the inspections that are required, easier. The clear forms will protect the steel reinforced concrete structures from the elements that cause these structures to fail. The clear form consists of two factory extruded profiles that are totally different in shape. The sections that make up the form, can be modified, cut to any length or angle and assembled on site. It takes two sections, of one profile, to form both vertical sides of the form, and two sections, of the other profile, are horizontally inserted, between the vertical side sections, to create an elongated empty container. The assembled clear form is 7% inches wide and 8 inches high, and is open on four sides. The assembled units are installed horizontally, and can be stacked and connected, on top of one another, to conform to any design, for residential or commercial construction.

[0004] Another U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,754B1 is for a cementitious composition for the molding of ultra-lightweight, durable, large structural units comprising Portland cement, coal combustion byproducts, expanded or extruded polystyrene and water, and a modified block machine used in the manufacture of such structural units.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,238A for an energy conserving CMU describes a wall constructed to function as a passive thermal mass for energy storage permits enhanced solar heating and nocturnal cooling of the interior of a building using walls as disclosed. Use of an expansive insulating material, foamed in place, seals the wall to make it waterproof. Concrete masonry units having inner and outer cells are stacked to form the wall. A hardenable material poured into the inner cells of the masonry units moves both vertically and horizontally within the wall to form a rigid wall structure. Introducing insulation in fluid form into the outer cells adjacent to those containing the hardenable material disposes the insulation to lie essentially adjacent the thermal mass of the rigid inner wall structure.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,749A is for a Concrete masonry unit for reinforced retaining walls and describes a concrete masonry unit especially suited for use in soil reinforced retaining walls. The reinforced retaining wall is comprised of precast, concrete block masonry unit facing elements connected by suitable connectors to reinforcing members which extend from the facing elements into the adjacent reinforced soil to form a mechanically stabilized earthen wall construction. The connectors which affix the reinforcing members at their connecting ends to the facing elements comprise concrete poured into a part or all of certain of the void spaces within selective facing blocks, which concrete may or may not be reinforced and which concrete when dry and cured, envelops and secures the connecting ends of the reinforcement members to their corresponding blocks and forms anchors thereat. The novel masonry unit disclosed herein effectively provides maximum facing area per unit volume (weight) of block, always exceeding 4.0 m²/m³, which results in considerable cost savings per unit of retaining wall surface area over conventional wall constructions.

[0007] Another patent US20170016228A1 for Surface Reinforced Concrete Masonry Units issued to the University of Manitoba is for a wall formed of masonry block units abutted with one another in series within stacked rows. Each masonry block unit is a concrete body having two opposing exterior side walls defining respective portions of the assembly masonry wall. Vertical reinforcement channels are formed in the exterior side walls of each masonry block unit so as to be open laterally to the exterior. The reinforcement channels align with corresponding channels in the masonry block units in adjacent stacked rows to receive elongate reinforcement members, for example rebar, inserted laterally therein from the exterior surface of the assembly masonry wall. A bonding material can then be recessed laterally into the reinforcement channels so as to bond the reinforcement members to the masonry assembly.

[0008] Another patent US20130205688A1 describes prefabricated compound masonry units in lieu of build site-constructed elements, as well as methods of producing the same. One embodiment comprises a first course comprising hollow blocks laid end to end with adjacent ends adhered with mortar, the hollow blocks positioned such that the first course has a hollow core; at least one channel formed in a top surface of the first course, the channel having a length; and provisional reinforcement provided along at least a portion of the length of the channel and held within the channel with a bonding material different from the mortar. The provisional reinforcement provides tensile strength to the first course for transportation and handling of the first course from a fabrication location to a build location where the first course is configured to receive permanent structural masonry reinforcement in the hollow core at the build location.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,282A issued in 1958 discloses the original patent for Lego™ toy building blocks. The patent describes building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls.

[0010] There are multiple additional solutions that have been presented in prior art. Although the cementitious solutions offer improvements over standard CMU's they still suffer from limitations of being heavy, having poor impact properties, require manual alignment, require mortar for structural integrity and in general require skilled labor for alignment and installation.

[0011] The specific gravity of most block concrete is about 2.4 while the specific gravity of the thermoplastic composite blocks disclosed in this invention is less than 1.4. Also, while it is difficult to numerically compare due to the typical sample size differences, the impact properties of most thermoplastic natural fiber composites are well known to be significantly higher than that of low cost block concrete. The lower weight and better impact of natural fiber thermoplastic composites as described in the disclosed invention allow the molding of complex geometry with shells as thin as 3 mm. A block with similar shell thickness molded out of low cost block concrete would have significant breakage during transportation and installation.

[0012] A significant part of the structural integrity of standard CMU's and the prior art referenced here is due to the mortar. Unreinforced concrete walls perform poorly during earthquakes due to the low elongation before breaking which is typically significantly less than 0.5% while natural fiber thermoplastic composites show strains of between 2 and 6% before breaking. The disclosed invention does not require mortar for structural integrity due to the interlocking nature of the blocks. In addition to the lack of mortar they will align nearly perfectly due to the precise nature of a molded thermoplastic composite (typically less than +/−0.5 mm) and the disclosed design.

[0013] With respect to plastic building blocks such as Lego™ and other similar solutions disclosed herein and elsewhere, the significant differences are thermal expansion, creep, nature of assembly and geometry. Lego's and other similar blocks interlock through an interference fit where one or both parts deform during mating. This is possible with parts made of pure thermoplastics which can deform significantly before breaking (usually greater 10%) whereas thermoplastic composites like the design disclosed in this patent will typically break or be damaged at the deformation required for this kind of mating. The blocks in the disclosed invention mate with a clearance fit where no deformation is necessary.

[0014] Most thermoplastics like those used in Lego blocks have linear thermal expansion coefficients much greater than 0.0009/° C. Using a thermoplastic like this in large assemblies can exhibit significant deformations with normal temperature changes in building applications. These deformations can cause failure over time in the plastic or failure of the sealant or large gaps to appear depending upon if the assembly was made when the blocks were cold or warm. This effect is insignificant with small parts that are small. By contract the ideal thermoplastic natural fiber composite disclosed in this invention has a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 0.0002/° C. and will not exhibit this problem the same extent.

[0015] In addition to high thermal expansion, pure thermoplastics like those used in Lego™ blocks will have a tendency to creep. Especially with low-cost thermoplastics like polypropylene and polyethylene the creep can be significant under minimal loads at the temperatures seen in normal building applications. The same thermoplastics reinforced with about 50% natural fibers will typically exhibit an order of magnitude less creep.

[0016] Another significant difference between Lego™ blocks and the disclosed invention is the form of the molded blocks. Lego™ blocks are open on one side whereas the blocks in the disclosed invention are molded completely hollow. In addition Lego™ blocks interlock with an interference fit between the pins and the sidewall whereas the blocks in the disclosed invention interlock with lips and insets around the entire perimeter of each segment. The disclosed invention also has identical segments that can work on their own if separated, unlock Lego™ blocks. Also, Lego™ blocks do not have reinforcement capabilities provided by the holes in the disclosed invention or the interior accessibility provided by the open geometry of the disclosed invention.

[0017] The referenced current solutions that exist in the marketplace today, have difficult and time-consuming procedures for constructing walls. They are labor-intensive to install and require skilled, expensive installers due to their need for manual alignment and mortar for adhesion and structural integrity. Or, they are not suitable for the demanding requirements for most exterior wall applications.

[0018] None of the previous inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed herein. Hence, the inventor of the present invention proposes to resolve and surmount existent technical difficulties to eliminate the aforementioned shortcomings of prior art.

[0019] Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

[0020] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[0021] The use of the term “horizontal” is intended to mean the direction along the length of a wall. The use of the term “vertical” is intended to mean the direction perpendicular to the base plane of the installation, typically the ground. The use of the term “orthogonal” is intended to mean the direction 90 degrees to the horizontal direction of the wall. The use of the term “segment” is intended to mean a portion of a block that is equal in dimensions and form as all other segments that are connected laterally in a block. The use of the term “shell” is intended to mean the wall thickness of an individual block. The use of the term “wall” is intended to mean a barrier or planar separation in addition to the traditional meaning of the term. The term “wall thickness” is intended to mean the thickness of an entire block segment. The use of the term “CMU” is intended to mean the concrete masonry unit used in traditional concrete wall construction. The composition percentages referenced in this patent are all weight percent (%). Wood fiber is understood to be from trees such as pine, fir, bamboo etc. and not annual growth plants. The wood fiber referenced in this patent can be that recovered from pulp mill wastewater and contain adhered contaminants such as Calcium Carbonate. An “clearance fit” is intended to mean when there is a gap between pieces or parts pace making an assembly without having to deform either part like that in an interference type of fit such as a snap or press fit.

[0022] The present invention is intended to provide a methodology for reducing the labor cost associated with building walls similar to what would be constructed using concrete masonry units (CMU's). The design is for a multi-segment construction block that interlocks horizontally, vertically, and orthogonally, does not require mortar and is self-aligning.

[0023] The dimensions of the block as per its preferred embodiments are proposed to be similar to those of commercially available CMU's (FIG. 1) which are typically used to construct walls approximately 150 mm, 200 mm or 300 mm thick. The dimensions are not restricted to those listed here and can be anything that is manufacturable. FIG. 1 shows the orientation of a typical CMU with the end of a block (101) and the exposed face (102) of a block.

[0024] The block in the present invention is segmented with the width or thickness (201) of each segment equal to the length of each block segment (202). The length of the block (203) is an even multiple of the segment length. FIG. 2 shows a block with 3 segments. The exposed height of the block and segment (204) is normally the same as the segment length and width but can be any height.

[0025] Each segment has a male lip (205), (301) and a female inset (401) that span the perimeter of each segment and interlock vertically in a clearance fit with the male lips fitting into the female insets of each block. While the lip and inset are shown in FIG. 4 to span the entire perimeter of each segment it is not necessary and depends of the structural requirements of the particular application.

[0026] Each segment can have holes oriented horizontally (206) in the lip and inset areas so that when the blocks are interlocked the holes align horizontally. The holes are intended to accommodate rebar, bolts, rivets or pins to provide additional vertical and horizontal reinforcement as necessary. Each hole adjoining two blocks can have a bolt, rivet or other fastening device to firmly join only the two adjoining blocks. The holes can also be used as passages for wire, conduit and pipe to supply utilities along a wall. Additionally the blocks can have vertical passages (207) that can be used for mechanical reinforcement as necessary or as passages for utilities. Each segment is hollow and aligns with the segment below it allowing for clear passage from the top of the wall to the bottom. This passage can be filled with concrete or rebar or other reinforcing material as needed for the structural requirements of the application or can be filled with loose insulating material such as foam, rice hulls, cellulose, soil, rocks, etc. Block shell thicknesses (301) can be varied with the mold depending upon the mechanical requirements of the application and are typically less than 25 mm.

[0027] The blocks do not require mortar or sealant or adhesive for structural integrity but they can be used between blocks during installation for additional structural reinforcement or weatherability as necessary. FIG. 3 shows the top of an individual segment with channels for (302), (303) for sealant, adhesive, an O-ring or gasket. FIG. 4 shows a corresponding female inset (401) on an individual segment.

[0028] FIG. 5 shows the interlocking detail of assembled blocks with the male lip (501) and female inset (502) as well as the location of a horizontally located hole (503) for reinforcement or for a passage.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows two interlocking blocks with offset segments. While the blocks can be installed without offsetting the segments, an offset will provide additional structural integrity (especially in shear) as well as provide automatic alignment for the wall section.

[0030] FIG. 7 shows two interlocking blocks oriented orthogonally to make a corner.

[0031] Because the blocks have multiple segments, individual segments may be necessary to complete a wall section and make the blocks line up vertically even at the end. Individual blocks may be manufactured for this purpose or multi-segment blocks can be cut between segments to make single segment blocks. FIG. 7 shows a wall section utilizing a single segment block (801)

[0032] FIG. 9 shows a version of the block with an end face that has a vertical protrusion (901) that can be used to complete walls where a window or door opening is desired. The protrusion can be used to aid in the installation of windows or doors by providing a fastening guide. Additionally, special blocks can be made that have protrusions similar to (901) but located on the exposed top or bottom of a block where a window or door will be installed. Special blocks with sealed top or bottom surfaces may also be fabricated for starting the bottom of a wall or terminating the top of a wall but with a corresponding interlocking lip or inset to allow connecting with the corresponding blocks above or below.

[0033] Blocks can also have ports for water fixtures or wiring outlets as desired which can be configured from the inside of a block due to the accessibility provided by the hollow nature of each segment.

[0034] FIG. 10 shows the exposed face of a block with optional chamfers (1001) that may be desired to aid in sealing the wall from water intrusion.

[0035] To compete with CMU's the blocks need to be made from a low-cost material with strength equal or greater than that of concrete and have a low coefficient of thermal expansion. The blocks may be made by compression molding, blow molding, roto-molding or injection molding with some post-molding operation such as hole drilling or eliminating exterior molding draft necessary.

[0036] Although any moldable material can be used for this invention, probably the best mechanical properties per unit cost would be a natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite. The ideal material would be molded from a composite of natural or synthetic fibers (jute, wood, flax, kenaf, cotton, hemp, bamboo, cellulose, ramie, banana, etc.) and thermoplastics (polyolefins, nylon, PVC, polyesters, PLA, etc.) The ideal natural fiber thermoplastic composite material would have a compression strength greater than 60 MPa and a coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) less than 0.0002/° C. With a compression strength of >4 times that of the typical concrete block material (about 14 MPa), these natural fiber thermoplastic composite materials will allow the design of a block based on compression strength with % the shell thickness of a typical concrete block if creep is not an issue.

[0037] The natural fiber composite formulation can include additives such as pigments (iron and other metal oxides, zinc ferrite, carbon black, titanium dioxide, etc.), UV light stabilizers (HALS, titanium dioxide, carbon black, nickel quenchers, benzophenones, benzotriazoles), antioxidants (hindered phenols, phosphites, thioesters, heat stabilizers; (organophosphites, hindered phenols), fungicides (zinc borate, microban.), coupling agents (maleated polyolefins, maleic acid grafted styrene-ethylene-butadiene, silanes) and fire retardants (magnesium hydroxide, alumina trihydrate, borates). If the exposed part of the board is coated or not exposed to light or fire, the UV stabilizers, pigments and fire retardants are not necessary.

[0038] Alternatively, depending upon the demands of the application, the blocks can be made from recycled plastics including polyolefins, nylon, PVC, polyesters and mixtures thereof. With mixtures of different types of plastic a suitable coupling agent or compatibilizer such as a silane or maleic acid grafted polymer or suitable block copolymers containing segments that are compatible with the different polymers in the mix. Styrene ethylene butylene styrene triblock copolymer (SEBS) is one compatabilizer that can improve properties of polymer blends. Natural, synthetic or mined particles such as talc, calcium carbonate, clay, mica, carbon and nanoparticles of these minerals, rice hulls, flax shive, wood sawdust, bagasse, core from hemp or kenaf, etc. may also be used instead of fibers. Recycled natural and synthetic fibers recovered from mattresses, furniture or carpets will also work.

[0039] A more typical natural fiber thermoplastic composite with recycled plastic and fillers rather than fibers might have coefficient of linear thermal expansion less than 0.0003/° C. and compression strength greater than 40 MPa which would be suitable for many block applications.

[0040] In some instances, synthetic fibers such as glass, Kevlar and basalt may be cost effective as well as using a thermoset resin with catalyst such as an epoxy or polyester resin.

[0041] If creep is an issue, it may be desirable to cross-link the thermoplastic to prevent movement, especially under sustained loads and high temperatures. High density polyethylene is particularly suitable for cross-linking and can be performed in the mold if the temperature of the composite in the mold is high enough for the cross-linking to initiate. There are many cross-linking agents but for high density polyethylene (HDPE), tert butyl cumyl peroxide (BCUP) is commonly used at a composition of 2% of the weight of the polyethlene. Polypropylene and other thermoplastics have their particular cross-linking agents that may also be suitable for molding thermoplastic natural fiber composite blocks.

[0042] While specific embodiments have been shown and described, many variations are possible. With time, additional features may be employed. The particular shape or configuration of the platform or the interior configuration may be changed to suit the system or equipment with which it is used.

[0043] Having described the invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from its spirit. Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiment illustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0044] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0045] In light of the disadvantages of the prior art, the following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the present invention and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the invention can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.

[0046] The primary desirable object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved form of construction block analogous to Concrete Masonry Units (CMU's).

[0047] The main objective of the invention is to provide a remedy which poses improvement by having an improved methodology that can be used worldwide for construction of durable and low-cost walls.

[0048] It is further the objective of the invention to provide a methodology which minimizes the labor cost associated with constructing a block wall

[0049] It is also the objective of the invention to provide a design for a multi-segment construction block that interlocks horizontally, vertically and orthogonally, and does not require mortar and is self-aligning.

[0050] It is also the primary objective of the invention to provide a solution that is ecological by using recycled plastic which has low embedded energy and locally produced natural fibers or agricultural waste.

[0051] It is further the objective of the invention to provide a solution which is easy to use and does not require specialized training.

[0052] It is moreover the objective of the invention to provide solution which is cost effective to install and has cost effective over the life of the construction.

[0053] Thus, it is the objective to provide a new and improved solution for effective building blocks in applications where Concrete Masonry Units (CMU's) are typically used. Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0054] This Summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example embodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims.

[0055] FIG. 1 discloses the appearance of a typical CMU as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0056] FIG. 2 discloses a single multi-segment block as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0057] FIG. 3 discloses a single block segment with interlocking male lip around the segment perimeter as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0058] FIG. 4 discloses a single block segment with interlocking female inset around the segment perimeter as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0059] FIG. 5 discloses details of an interlocking male lip and female inset in an assembled wall segment wall as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0060] FIG. 6 discloses the two offset interlocking 3-segment blocks as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0061] FIG. 7 discloses two orthogonally interlocking 3-segment blocks forming a corner as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0062] FIG. 8 discloses the two offset interlocking 3-segment blocks with single segment block to terminate a wall as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0063] FIG. 9 discloses a single segment block with a protrusion on an end face for locating windows or doors as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0064] FIG. 10 discloses the chamfers on the exposed face of a block as per illustrative embodiments of the invention.