Compressed wood waste structural beams
View Patent ↗Methods for forming compressed and adhesively bonded structural beams of strands divided from wood waste, and the beams resulting from such methods, are disclosed.
1. An elongate structural wood beam comprising a longitudinal axis, at least a major volume of said wood beam being composed of compressed and adhesively bonded elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness prior to compression formed from at least one of the following types of wood waste: (a) divided milled wood waste pieces; (b) divided round wood waste pieces; (c) divided veneer waste; and (d)a combination of any two or more thereof, at least a major volume of said elongate wood strands being compressed while at their wood softening temperature after being heated thereto and having an average width of at least 2.5 cm prior to compression.
2. The structural wood beam of claim 1 , a majority of longer ones of said strands having lengths oriented more longitudinally than transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis of said beam and a majority of shorter ones of said strands having lengths not so oriented, said longer ones of said strands having lengths of at least 30 cm and said shorter ones of said strands having lengths less than 30 cm.
3. The structural wood beam of claim 2 wherein said strands which are not so oriented are intermixed with said strands which are so oriented.
4. The structural wood beam of claim 3 wherein a ratio between said strands which are so oriented and said strands which are not so oriented varies over the cross section of said beam.
5. The structural wood beam of claim 1 wherein said strands include strands each formed from a piece of milled wood waste by only a single knife pass.
6. The structural wood beam of claim 1 wherein said strands include strands each formed from a piece of round wood waste by only a single knife pass.
7. An elongate structural wood beam comprising a longitudinal axis, at least a major volume of said wood beam being composed of compressed and adhesively bonded elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness prior to compression formed from at least one of the following types of wood waste: (a) divided milled wood waste pieces; (b) divided round wood waste pieces; (c) divided veneer waste; and (d) a combination of any two or more thereof, said elongate wood strands having an average width of at least 2.5 cm prior to compression.
8. The structural wood beam of claim 7 , a majority of longer ones of said strands having lengths oriented more longitudinally than transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis of said beam and a majority of shorter ones of said strands having lengths not so oriented, said longer ones of said strands having lengths of at least 30 cm and said shorter ones of said strands having lengths less than 30 cm.
9. The structural wood beam of claim 8 wherein said strands which are not so oriented are intermixed with said strands which are so oriented.
10. The structural wood beam of claim 9 wherein a ratio between said strands which are so oriented and said strands which are not so oriented varies over the cross section of said beam.
11. The structural wood beam of claim 7 wherein said strands include strands each formed from a piece of milled wood waste by only a single knife pass.
12. The structural wood beam of claim 7 wherein said strands include strands each formed from a piece of round wood waste by only a single knife pass.
13. An elongate structural wood beam comprising a longitudinal axis, at least a major volume of said wood beam being composed of compressed and adhesively bonded elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness prior to compression formed from at least one of the following types of wood waste: (a) divided milled wood waste pieces; (b) divided round wood waste pieces; (c) divided veneer waste; and (d) a combination of any two or more thereof, a majority of longer ones of said strands having lengths oriented more longitudinally than transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis of said beam and a majority of shorter ones of said strands having lengths not so oriented and being intermixed with said longer ones of said strands, said longer ones of said strands having lengths of at least 30 cm and said shorter ones of said strands having lengths less than 30 cm.
14. The structural wood beam of claim 13 wherein a ratio between said strands which are so oriented and said intermixed strands which are not so oriented varies over the cross section of said beam.
15. The structural wood beam of claim 13 wherein said strands include strands each formed from a piece of milled wood waste by only a single knife pass.
16. The structural wood beam of claim 13 wherein said strands include strands each formed from a piece of round wood waste by only a single knife pass.
17. A method of forming an elongate structural wood beam having a longitudinal axis and at least a major volume composed of compressed and adhesively-bonded elongate wood strands, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) forming said elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness by dividing at least one of the following types of wood waste:
(i) milled wood waste pieces; (ii) round wood waste pieces; (iii) veneer waste; and (iv) a combination of any two or more thereof;
(b) applying adhesive to said elongate wood strands;
(c) heating at least a major volume of said elongate wood strands to their wood softening temperature;
(d) compressing said elongate wood strands while at said wood softening temperature after being heated thereto; and
(e) adhesively bonding and shaping said elongate wood strands to form said beam.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein step (a) includes forming said strands so as to have an average width of at least 2.5 cm.
19. The method of claim 17 including orienting a majority of said elongate wood strands having lengths of at least 30 cm such that said lengths extend more longitudinally than transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis of said beam, without so orienting a majority of said elongate wood strands having lengths less than 30 cm.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein said strands which are not so oriented are intermixed with said strands which are so oriented.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein a ratio between said strands which are so oriented and said strands which are not so oriented varies over the cross section of said beam.
22. The method of claim 17 wherein step (a) includes forming each of some strands from a piece of milled wood waste by only a single knife pass.
23. The method of claim 17 wherein step (a) includes forming each of some strands from a piece of round wood waste by only a single knife pass.
24. The method of claim 17 wherein said shaping in step (e) includes cutting said wood strands, after bonding thereof.
25. The method of claim 17 wherein said shaping in step (e) includes molding said wood strands.
26. A method of forming an elongate structural wood beam having a longitudinal axis and at least a major volume composed of compressed and adhesively-bonded elongate wood strands, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) forming said elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness by dividing at least one of the following types of wood waste: (i) milled wood waste pieces; (ii) round wood waste pieces; (iii) veneer waste; and (iv) a combination of any two or more thereof, so that said strands have an average width of at least 2.5 cm,
(b) applying adhesive to said elongate wood strands;
(c) compressing said elongate wood strands; and
(d) adhesively bonding and shaping said elongate wood strands to form said beam.
27. The method of claim 26 including orienting a majority of said elongate wood strands having lengths of at least 30 cm such that said lengths extend more longitudinally than transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis of said beam, without so orienting a majority of said elongate wood strands having lengths less than 30 cm.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein said strands which are not so oriented are intermixed with said strands which are so oriented.
29. The method of claim 28 wherein a ratio between said strands which are so oriented and said strands which are not so oriented varies over the cross section of said beam.
30. The method of claim 26 wherein step (a) includes forming each of some strands from a piece of milled wood waste by only a single knife pass.
31. The method of claim 26 wherein step (a) includes forming each of some strands from a piece of round wood waste by only a single knife pass.
32. The method of claim 26 wherein said shaping in step (d) includes cutting said wood strands, after bonding thereof.
33. The method of claim 26 wherein said shaping in step (d) includes molding said wood strands.
34. A method of forming an elongate structural wood beam having a longitudinal axis and at least a major volume composed of compressed and adhesively-bonded elongate wood strands, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) forming said elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness by dividing at least one of the following types of wood waste:
(i) milled wood waste pieces; (ii) round wood waste pieces, (iii) veneer waste; and (iv) a combination of any two or more thereof;
(b) applying adhesive to said elongate wood strands;
(c) orienting a majority of said elongate wood strands having lengths of at least 30 cm such that said lengths extend more longitudinally than transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis of said beam, without so orienting a majority of said elongate wood strands having lengths less than 30 cm;
(d) compressing said elongate wood strands; and
(e) adhesively bonding and shaping said elongate wood strands to form said beam.
35. The method of claim 34 wherein said strands which are not so oriented are intermixed with said strands which are so oriented.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein a ratio between said strands which are so oriented and said strands which are not so oriented varies over the cross section of said beam.
37. The method of claim 34 wherein step (a) includes forming each of some strands from a piece of milled wood waste by only a single knife pass.
38. The method of claim 34 wherein step (a) includes forming each of some strands from a piece of round wood waste by only a single knife pass.
39. The method of claim 34 wherein said shaping in step (e) includes cutting said wood strands, after bonding thereof.
40. The method of claim 34 , wherein said shaping in step (e) includes molding said wood strands.
41. A method of forming an elongate structural wood beam having a longitudinal axis and at least a major volume composed of compressed and adhesively-bonded elongate wood strands, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) forming said elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness, including forming each of some strands from apiece of milled wood waste by only a single knife pass;
(b) applying adhesive to said elongate wood strands;
(c) compressing said elongate wood strands; and
(d) adhesively bonding and shaping-said elongate wood strands to form said beam.
42. The method of claim 41 wherein said shaping in step (d) includes cutting said wood strands, after bonding thereof.
43. The method of claim 41 wherein said shaping in step (d) includes molding said wood strands.
44. A method of forming an elongate structural wood beam having a longitudinal axis and at least a major volume composed of compressed and adhesively-bonded elongate wood strands, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) forming said elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness, including forming each of some strands from a piece of round wood waste by only a single knife pass;
(b) applying adhesive to said elongate wood strands;
(c) compressing said elongate wood strands; and
(d) adhesively bonding and shaping said elongate wood strands to form said beam.
45. The method of claim 44 wherein said shaping in step (d) includes cutting said wood strands, after bonding thereof.
46. The method of claim 44 wherein said shaping in step (d) includes molding said wood strands.
47. A method of forming an elongate structural wood beam having a longitudinal axis and at least a major volume composed of compressed and adhesively-bonded elongate wood strands, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) forming said elongate wood strands of nonuniform length, width and thickness by dividing at least one of the following types of wood waste: (i) milled wood waste pieces; (ii) round wood waste pieces; (iii) veneer waste; and (iv) a combination of any two or more thereof,
(b) applying adhesive to said elongate wood strands;
(c) placing said elongate wood strands in a mat having an inner portion and an outer portion;
(d) heating said mat while compressing said mat according to a predetermined time schedule so as to heat said outer portion to a wood softening temperature before completing compression of said outer portion and thereafter heat said inner portion to said wood softening temperature before completing compression of said inner portion; and
(e) adhesively bonding and shaping said elongate wood strands to form said beam.
48. The method of claim 47 including completing the respective compressions of said outer and inner portions of said mat sufficiently soon after the respective portion has been heated to said wood softening temperature to prevent substantial curing of said adhesive in the respective portion before completion of compression thereof.