Wall element and method for assembling building elements to form a wall element

Abstract

 A wall element and method for producing a wall element composed of a plurality of building elements by mounting a connecting element on at least one edge surface of at least one of the building elements, where the connecting element has two contact surfaces containing adhesive, and the contact surfaces are placed in contact with the building elements' edge surfaces.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a wall element comprising several building elements, together with a method for assembling building elements to form a wall element.

[0002] A much-used method for constructing walls is to employ prefabricated building elements which are joined together. Examples of this are brick walls, breeze-block walls, log walls, etc. In order to join the building elements to form a wall/wall element, a fixing agent must be employed. This fixing agent is generally a mortar or the like, which is spread on one element before the next is placed on top of or beside it. The challenge here is to obtain sufficient insulation in the wall, both with regard to thermal conductance and sound.

[0003] The object of the invention is to provide a wall element comprising at least two building elements and a method for assembling building elements to form a wall element that provides a highly stable wall with good thermal and acoustic properties.

[0004] The object of the invention is achieved by means of the features in the patent claims.

[0005] A wall element according to the invention comprises at least two building elements and at least one connecting element mounted between adjacent building elements. The connecting element is elongated with a width extending over substantially the whole wall element's cross section and comprises a sound-insulating material and adhesive on two opposite contact surfaces.

[0006] The connecting element may, for example, be a double-sided tape which has a protective sheet on each opposite side that covers the adhesive on the contact surfaces before use.

[0007] When the wall element is to be constructed, two or more building elements are assembled by mounting a connecting element on at least one edge surface of at least one of the building elements, where the connecting element has two contact surfaces containing adhesive, and the contact surfaces are placed in contact with the building elements' edge surfaces.

[0008] In an embodiment, before assembly the connecting element contains a protective sheet on at least one of the contact surfaces and the protective sheet is completely or partially removed before the contact surfaces are brought into contact with the building elements' edge surfaces.

[0009] Thus, in an embodiment the protective sheet is first removed from one contact surface, thereby releasing the contact surface's adhesive, whereupon the connecting element is mounted on a building element's edge surface with the unprotected adhesive against the building element's edge surface. The length of the connecting element will be adapted to the building element on which it has to be mounted, and in an embodiment the connecting element is composed of a long strip that can be cut up into suitable lengths. The connecting element will preferably be pressed against the edge surface to ensure good adhesion to the edge surface.

[0010] The connecting element may be mounted on one or more of the building element's edge surfaces. In an embodiment the connecting element is mounted on three of the building elements' edge surfaces, but in other equivalent embodiments the connecting elements may be mounted on only one, two or more edge surfaces.

[0011] The protective sheet on the second contact surface of the connecting element is then completely or partially removed, i.e. the protective sheet may be removed from one or more edge surfaces of the building element, or the protective sheet may be removed only in specific areas. In an example, the protective sheet is removed only from the upper edge surface of the building element, while it is retained on one or two edge surfaces on the sides of the element.

[0012] After removal of the protective sheet, a new building element is moved into the desired position in abutment against the adhesive.

[0013] In an embodiment the connecting element is elastic and/or compactable/ductile. This permits the connecting element to conform to the building elements' surface, forming a good seal between the building elements, and in addition enabling vibrations between the building elements and for the whole wall element to be damped.

[0014] In an embodiment the connecting element is composed of a material with good thermal and/or acoustic insulating properties, with the result that walls assembled by means of this connecting element acquire advantageous characteristics with regard to noise penetration and thermal conductance. In an embodiment the connecting element is made of a cellular/foam material.

[0015] The connecting element may have damp-sealing properties and preferably be of a certain thickness. The thickness will be able to be varied depending on the requirements for the specific wall element that has to be produced, for example noise suppression, vibration damping requirements, etc.

[0016] The invention will now be described in more detail by means of an example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figs. 1a-f illustrate an example of steps in the assembly of a wall element from several building elements.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a wall element according to the invention during assembly.

[0019] Figure 1a illustrates a building element 10 that has to be joined with several similar building elements to form a wall element. A connecting element 11 is mounted on the edge surfaces of the building element by first removing the protective sheet on the connecting element's 11 first contact surface 15 and then folding the connecting element 11 round two or three edge surfaces 12, 13, 14 on the building element 10 as illustrated in figure 1b.

[0020] When the building element 10 has to be connected to a second building element 10', the protective sheet on the connecting element's 11 second contact surface 16 is first removed in the area located on one edge surface 13 of the building element 10. The second building element 10' is then provided with a connecting element 11' in the same way as for the first building element 10, but in most cases it will be sufficient to mount the connecting element 11' on only two edge surfaces 12' and 13', and not on the edge surface 14' which has to abut against the first building element 10.

[0021] The two building elements 10 and 10' are then moved together laterally so that the edge surface 14' on the building element 10' comes into abutment against the contact surface on the edge surface 13 of the first building element 10 as illustrated in figure 1c.

[0022] When yet another building element 10" has to be placed on top of the building elements 10 and 10', the protective sheet on the connecting elements 11, 11' is removed in the area 17 which has to abut against the second edge surface 18" of the third building element 10". The building element 10" is then moved down to abut against the connecting elements 11, 11' as illustrated in figure 1d.

[0023] The next step in the assembly procedure is then to mount a connecting element 11''' on the building element's 10''' three edge surfaces 12''', 13''', 14''' in the same way as for the previous building element 10' and as illustrated in figure 1 e.

[0024] The assembly process continues in this manner by adding more and more new building elements until the desired size and shape of the wall element is achieved. Figure If illustrates the addition of a fifth building element 10""'. Here the protective sheets for the connecting elements have been removed in the area 19 where the building element's 10""' lower edge surface 20 has to abut, while the protective sheet on one lateral edge surface 13''' of the third building element 10'" is not removed in order to simplify the lowering of the building element 10""'.

[0025] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a wall element according to the invention during assembly, where three building elements are joined. In this specific example the connecting element is a double-sided tape of the Antiphon type, which is made of polyethylene with a closed cellular structure and is elastic with insulating and damp-sealing properties. The building elements have through-going holes for insertion of electric cables or pipes, and the building elements are arranged so that these holes are aligned with one another both laterally and above one another.

Claims

1. A method for assembling building elements to form a wall element,
characterised in that

- a connecting element is mounted on at least one edge surface of the building elements, where the connecting element has two contact surfaces containing adhesive, and the contact surfaces are placed in contact with the building elements' edge surfaces.

2. A method according to claim 1,
characterised in that before assembly the connecting element comprises a protective sheet on at least one of the contact surfaces and that the protective sheet is completely or partially removed before the contact surfaces are brought into contact with the building elements' edge surfaces.

3. A method according to claim 1,
characterised in that the connecting element is thermally and/or acoustically damping.

4. A method according to claim 1,
characterised in that the connecting element is elastic.

5. A method according to claim 1,
characterised in that the connecting element comprises a foam.

6. A method according to claim 1,
characterised in that the connecting element is a double-sided tape.

7. A method according to claim 1,
characterised in that the building elements comprise through-going holes adapted for cable routing, and that the building elements are assembled in such a manner that the holes are arranged in alignment above and beside one another.

8. A wall element comprising at least two building elements and at least one connecting element mounted between adjacent building elements,
characterised in that the connecting element is elongated and has a width extending over substantially the whole wall element's cross section and comprises a sound-insulating material and adhesive on two opposite contact surfaces.

9. A wall element according to claim 8,
characterised in that the connecting element is elastic and/or thermally insulating.

10. A wall element according to claim 8,
characterised in that the sound-insulating material is a foam material.

11. A wall element according to claim 8,
characterised in that the connecting element is a double-sided tape.

Drawing