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Wall framing assembly and method of securing a stud to a header or footerWall framing assembly and method of securing a stud to a header or footer description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070011971, Wall framing assembly and method of securing a stud to a header or footer. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] None. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The invention relates to wall construction assemblies, and more particularly, to vertical wall stud and horizontal track assemblies and associated drywall for forming a wall. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Building construction generally includes the construction of a variety of interior walls having varying horizontal and vertical lengths. The walls generally include framing comprising an assembly of vertical wall studs secured to horizontal members serving as headers and footers, with a drywall finish secured to the framing. More recent construction techniques have incorporated steel studs and horizontal members, in place of wood framing. In the case of steel framing, the studs are typically inserted into an inner space of the horizontal members, and are secured in place with screws. Such conventional construction structure, and the requisite method of assembling same, have numerous drawbacks or shortcomings. [0004] Proper wall stud spacing with conventional systems requires constant measuring to properly fit the studs in place along the horizontal members, and such measurements must be duplicated along the top and bottom of the stud (i.e., along the header and footer) to assure that the stud is directly vertical and square to the horizontal members. The extent of measurements necessary with conventional systems adds to overall construction time and difficulty. [0005] An additional drawback of convention systems is the tendency of wall studs to move during assembly, and the difficulty of holding the stud in place in relation to the length of the horizontal members, while a screw is driven to join the stud to the horizontal member. This requirement with conventional framing, and resulting conventional method of assembly, creates difficulty and additional time. The worker installing the framing is required to hold the frame members parts in place, while holding a drill and driving the screw. If the frame members had shifted when the worker fits the drill with a screw and drives the screw, then additional time is needed during the assembly process to remove the screw, adjust the stud along the length of the horizontal member, and again drive a screw into place. [0006] In the case of metal framing, this requirement of securing frame members with screw, while maintaining proper placement of the stud along the header and footer thereby results in additional time and expense, either because of repeated measurements and marking for the proper stud placement, the need to clamp or hold the stud in position, and the difficulty for the worker to assure the proper positioning of the stud while preparing to drill and then drilling the screw in place. [0007] Some structural changes have been proposed to the typical steel stud arrangement, apparently in an effort to assist with the placement and/or securing of the stud to the horizontal members of the wall. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,364, provides a wall construction wherein the retaining member, appearing as a header or a footer, has serrated edges which, when manipulated by an installation tool, may be bent inward to support the stud in position along the retaining member due to an inwardly bent piece residing on each side of the stud. However, this arrangement does not reduce the amount of measuring required, and likely adds further complexity to the wall construction due to the need of a special installation tool and an additional step of bending the serrated portions. In this manner, it appears no more simple or resistant to error than the typical method of simply screwing the stud to the support members. [0008] In another example of a proposed structural change to typical frame member structure and assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,760 discloses a vertical slotted header that has slots along the length of the header to secure the stud into place, yet still permit vertical movement of the stud relative the header when the stud in secured in place along the header length. This type of assembly, said to permit movement of the stud when subject to environmental forces, provides numerous elongated slots along the header length, so the studs may be secured at the desired locations along the header length. This structure, however, does not alleviate the problems of typical construction structure or methods of assembly. Indeed, the worker is still required to make the numerous measurements, and hold the stud in position while driving a screw to secure the stud to the header. [0009] Other similar approaches have been proposed for altering the structure or method for assembly of the wall framing, usually requiring more complexity and/or additional material for providing such structural changes, or increasing the complexity and difficulty of the assembly process. The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed above and other deficiencies of the prior structures and methods of assembly. Thus, the present invention provides advantages and aspects not found in prior wall construction assemblies. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] According to a first aspect of the invention a wall construction assembly includes a wall stud having a stud body and two depending opposed sidewalls connected by the body. At least one of the sidewalls includes a recess formed as an inwardly indented channel. The assembly also includes an elongated track frame member having a track body and two opposed depending flanges. At least one flange includes a projection that is configured to be received into the inward indented channel of the stud sidewall in a mating arrangement to secure the stud in position on the track frame member without the need for fasteners. [0011] According to another aspect of the invention a wall frame assembly includes a wall stud having first and second sidewalls and a connecting elongated body wall. Each of the first and second sidewalls include a continuous channel that runs the length of the stud. The assembly also includes a track frame member that has first and second opposed flanges depending from a track body wall, in which the flanges and the body wall cooperate to provide an inner space of the track. The first and second flanges each have a projection extending inward toward the inner space of the track, the projections being dimensioned to be received into the channel of the stud when the end segment of the stud is inserted into the inner space of the track such that the stud and track are secured together by the fictional mating arrangement of the projection and channel. [0012] According to another aspect of the invention a wall frame assembly includes a wall stud having parallel first and second sidewalls joined together by a planar stud body to form a generally U-shaped exterior surface shape of the stud. A channel is formed in the middle of each of the sidewalls, as a generally V-shape groove indented from the outer surface shape of the stud, and toward the opposed sidewall. The assembly also includes a track frame member having opposed first and second flanges depending from a connecting body wall. Each flange has a projection of complementary shape and alignment to the stud channels, such that the stud and track are secured together when the projection is inserted into the recess. The track has a series of paired projections along the length of the track, each spaced at least every 16 inches, and preferably approximately every four inches. [0013] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled vertical wall stud and horizontal track assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of aligned components of the vertical wall stud and horizontal track assembly of FIG. 1; and, [0017] FIG. 3 is a cut-away top view of a wall construction assembly along line 3 of FIG. 1 after the addition of an outer panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0018] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. Continue reading about Wall framing assembly and method of securing a stud to a header or footer... Full patent description for Wall framing assembly and method of securing a stud to a header or footer Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Wall framing assembly and method of securing a stud to a header or footer patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Wall framing assembly and method of securing a stud to a header or footer or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Steel-frame construction systems and methods Next Patent Application: Building block and system for manufacture Industry Class: Static structures (e.g., buildings) ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Wall framing assembly and method of securing a stud to a header or footer patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.46773 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Canon USA , Celera Genomics , Cephalon, Inc. , Cingular Wireless , Clorox , Colgate-Palmolive , Corning , Cymer , 174 |
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