THEREWITH

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001 ] The present application claims the benefit under 35 USC §119(e) of

U.S. provisional application 62/156,217 filed on May 2, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The disclosure relates generally to modular construction assemblies, and more particularly, to modular wall and floor panels that are suitable for being assembled to create a wood-based structure capable of extending up to six stories high.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

[0003] Wood is a common building material for both commercial and residential construction assemblies. However, designing and building with wood presents numerous challenges due to its inherent properties. For example, wood experiences shrinkage over time and has different load tolerances depending on the orientation of the wood grain. These properties can make achieving predictable dimensions for the construction assembly difficult.

[0004] Traditional wood construction generally relies on skilled labourers to build the wooden structure in situ. Often, full bracing for the structure is required as the building is constructed, which can increase material costs and present worker safety issues.

[0005] In addition, providing efficient thermal and moisture barriers within traditional wood construction techniques can be challenging. Traditional construction often involves building a wooden structural frame and then adding insulating material(s) to the structural frame afterwards. This approach often leads to inefficient thermal insulation, since any thermal barrier provided by the insulating material(s) is disrupted by wooden structural members, such as studs.

[0006] In light of the above, improvement to existing construction techniques is desirable, particularly when attempting to build inexpensive, modular, quality- controlled wooden construction assemblies. SUMMARY

[0007] In one aspect, the disclosure describes a construction panel, comprising:

an insulation layer comprising a first longitudinal side edge, a second longitudinal side edge and a stud-receiving slot that each extend along a longitudinal direction of the construction panel;

a first edge stud positioned adjacent the first longitudinal side edge of the insulation layer;

a second edge stud positioned adjacent the second longitudinal side edge of the insulation layer;

an inner stud positioned within the stud-receiving slot of the inner portion; and

a sheathing layer positioned adjacent the insulation layer, wherein the sheathing layer is attached to the first stud, the second stud and the inner stud through the insulation layer.

[0008] In another aspect, the disclosure describes a construction panel, comprising:

a plurality of studs;

an insulation layer;

a sheathing layer attached to the plurality of studs through the insulation layer.

[0009] In a further aspect, the disclosure describes a construction panel defining a first end and a second end opposite the first end, with a first side and a second side connecting the first end and the second end, the construction panel comprising:

a plurality of studs;

an intermediate layer of material in communication with the plurality of studs;

a sheathing layer attached to the plurality of studs through the intermediate layer of material such that the sheathing layer is spaced from the plurality of studs by at least a portion of the intermediate layer; an alignment groove extending laterally along the first end of the construction panel, the alignment groove being defined between the sheathing layer and each of the plurality of studs.

[0010] In a further aspect, the disclosure describes an insulation layer for use with a modular construction panel, the insulation layer comprising:

an inner portion defining:

a first longitudinal side edge;

a second longitudinal side edge; and

at least one stud-receiving slot that extends from a first end of the insulation layer to a second end of the insulation layer substantially along a longitudinal direction of the insulation layer;

an outer portion that defines first and second extension surfaces that extend laterally outwardly from the first longitudinal side edge and the second longitudinal side edge respectively;

wherein the first longitudinal side edge and the first extension surface define a first stud-aligning abutment, and the second longitudinal side edge and the second extension surface define a second stud-aligning abutment.

[0011] In a further aspect, the disclosure describes an insulation layer for use with a modular construction panel, the insulation layer comprising:

an inner surface;

an outer surface; and

a thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface;

wherein a stud-receiving slot extends through the thickness from the inner surface to a position prior to the outer surface.

[0012] In a further aspect, the disclosure describes an insulation layer for use with a modular construction panel, the insulation layer comprising:

an inner surface;

an outer surface; and

a thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface;

wherein a stud-receiving slot extends through the thickness from the inner surface to a position prior to the outer surface. [0013] In a further aspect, the disclosure describes a construction assembly, comprising:

a first construction panel and a second construction panel, each construction panel comprising:

a first end and a second end;

a plurality of studs extending in a substantially longitudinal direction of the construction panel between the first end and the second end;

a sheathing layer attached to the plurality of studs;

an alignment groove extending laterally along the first end of the construction panel; and

an alignment protrusion extending laterally along the second end of the construction panel;

wherein the alignment protrusion of the first construction panel is suitable for being received within the alignment groove of the second construction panel, such that when assembled the plurality of studs of the first construction panel sit directly on top of the plurality of studs of the second construction panel.

[0014] In a further aspect, the disclosure describes a floor panel comprising: a plurality of floor joists extending between a first end of the floor panel and a second end of the floor panel;

a first end piece positioned within a notch in each of the plurality of floor joists at a position towards the first end of the floor panel;

a floor sheet connected to each of the plurality of floor joists and the first end piece;

wherein the first end piece comprises a first stud-aligning abutment, a second stud-aligning abutment and a stud-receiving slot positioned therebetween.

[0015] In a further aspect, the disclosure describes a construction assembly, comprising:

a first construction panel comprising:

a) a first end and a second end;

b) a plurality of studs extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end;

c) a sheathing layer attached to the plurality of studs; and d) a ledger board connected to the plurality of studs, and extending laterally from a first side of the construction panel to a second side of the construction panel;

a floor panel comprising:

a) a plurality of floor joists extending between a first end of the floor panel and a second end of the floor panel;

b) a floor sheet connected to each of the plurality of floor joists;

wherein, when assembled, at least one of the plurality of floor joists sits on top of the ledger board of the first construction panel.

[0016] Further details of these and other aspects of the subject matter of this application will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings included below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a non-limiting example of a construction assembly that can be built using modular construction panels according to the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of a construction panel according to the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a front perspective exploded view of the construction panel of FIG 2.;

[0020] FIG. 4A is a front perspective view of a non-limiting example of an intermediate layer suitable for use with the construction panel of FIG 2;

[0021 ] FIG. 4B is a rear perspective view of the intermediate layer of FIG 4A;

[0022] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of a floor panel according to the present invention;

[0023] FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of the floor panel of FIG 5;

[0024] FIG. 7 is a side perspective exploded view of the floor panel of FIG 5;

[0025] FIG. 8 is a rear (outer) perspective view of two construction panels of

FIG 2 positioned above one another in a pre-assembled position; [0026] FIG. 9 is a rear (outer) perspective view of the two construction panels of FIG 8 positioned in an assembled position in relation to one another;

[0027] FIG. 10 is a front (inner) perspective view of the two construction panels of FIG 2 positioned above one another in a pre-assembled position with an edge floor panel positioned in a pre-assembled position with respect to the construction panels; and

[0028] FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of a construction panel of FIG 2 assembled with a floor panel of FIG 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The present disclosure relates to manufactured construction panels, and more particularly to manufactured construction panels that have built-in alignment mechanisms to permit relatively quick and easy construction of multi-story buildings. The manufactured construction panels may include modular wall and floor panels. In some embodiments, the manufactured construction panels may be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, light weight and sized for ease of transportation. In addition, the construction panels may be designed to be assembled with minimal difficulty by relatively unskilled labourers.

[0030] Also disclosed are insulation panels that provide guiding and alignment surfaces against which structural members, such as studs, may be positioned. In this manner, the insulation panels may act as a type of "jig" for assembling a manufactured construction panel. The insulation panels may, for example, be used with the manufactured construction panels in order to provide a level of quality control and repeatability in the positioning and alignment of the structural members in relation to the other components of the construction panels.

[0031 ] The present disclosure further relates to wood construction assemblies that comprise construction panels that are assembled in a manner that reduces the impact of wood shrinkage often present in traditional wood construction. For example, a construction assembly according to the present invention may comprise two or more wall panels that, when assembled, have wood studs that are positioned one on top of the other without the presence of traditional top and bottom plates or rim joists therebetween, so as to avoid the presence of wood members in which the wood grain is oriented in a horizontal direction. [0032] References made herein to a "construction assembly" or "construction assemblies" are intended to encompass the assembly of two or more manufactured construction panels, either alone, or in combination with other more traditional construction techniques.

[0033] Aspects of various embodiments of the present invention are described through reference to the drawings below.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary building 10 that can be constructed using manufactured construction panels according to the present invention, as will be described in more detail below. Although building 10 is shown to be a multi-story, multi-unit residential building, the manufactured construction panels according to the present invention may be used in order to construct residential, commercial or industrial buildings of any size and shape, including buildings that extend to up to 6 stories in height.

[0035] FIG 2 is a front perspective view of a first exemplary construction panel 20 according to the present invention. Construction panel 20 comprises a first side 22, a second side 24, a first end 26 and a second end 28, and is designed such that its longitudinal direction extends between the first end 26 and the second end 28. Construction panel 20 may be a wall panel that is intended to be positioned substantially vertically, with the first end 26 being a top end and the second end 28 being a bottom end.

[0036] FIG 3 is an exploded front perspective view of construction panel 20.

Construction panel 20 may have an intermediate layer 30, a plurality of studs 32a, 32b, 32c (collectively referred to as "studs 32") and a sheathing layer 34. The studs 32 may extend along a longitudinal direction of the construction panel 20 between the first end 26 and the second end 28. The sheathing layer 34 may be attached to the plurality of studs 32 via fastening members (not shown) that extend from the sheathing layer 34 through the intermediate layer 30 into the studs 32. As such, the intermediate layer 30 may separate the sheathing layer 34 from the studs 32.

[0037] The sheathing layer 34 may be made of commercially available oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood, among other possibilities.

[0038] As will be described below, intermediate layer 30 may be an insulation layer 31. However, in alternative embodiments, the, intermediate layer 30 may simply be a material layer positioned between studs 32 and sheathing layer 34 and may not provide any traditional thermal insulation. Instead, intermediate layer may be present to provide other functionalities such as moisture barrier properties, fireproofing, or simply to provide spacing between studs 32 and sheathing layer 34. However, for ease of understanding, intermediate layer 30 will be referred to as insulation layer 31 for the remainder of the description.

[0039] The plurality of studs 32 may comprise a first edge stud 32a, a second edge stud 32c and an inner stud 32b. It is to be understood that although only one inner stud 32b is shown, depending on the dimensions of the construction panel 20, additional inner studs 32b may be present. As used herein, the term "stud" refers to any longitudinal structural member that provides structural support for the construction panel 20, and ultimately for a construction assembly of which the construction panel 20 forms a part.

[0040] As will be described throughout this description, construction panel 20 may comprise multiple alignment mechanisms that assist in the positioning of multiple construction panels 20 in relation to one another. As best seen in FIG 2, first edge stud 32a may comprise a longitudinally extending spline 74 (also called protrusion 74) that protrudes from an outward facing surface. In addition, second edge stud 32c may comprise a longitudinally extending notch (not shown), that is positioned within an outward facing surface. As will be described in more detail below, longitudinally extending spline 74 of one construction panel 20 is intended to be received within a corresponding longitudinally extending notch (not shown) of another construction panel 20 when assembled together in order to facilitate quick and easy vertical alignment and positioning of multiple construction panels 20 in relation to one another.

[0041 ] Construction panel 20 may further comprises a ledger board 36.

Ledger board 36 connects studs 32 together, and extends laterally from the first side 22 of construction panel 20 to the second side 24 of construction panel 20. Ledger board 36 may fit within a notch 38 within each of the studs 32. The notch 38 may enable proper alignment of ledger board 36 and provide mechanical support for ledger board 36. Ledger board 36 may be attached to studs 32 via traditional fastening mechanisms, such as nails, wood screws and/or adhesive (such as wood adhesive), among other possibilities.

[0042] Ledger board 36 may be positioned in closer proximity to first end 26 of construction panel 20 than second end 28. More specifically, ledger board 36 may be positioned within 189mm to 400mm from first end 26 of construction panel 20, depending on various construction parameters. As will be described in more detail below, ledger board 36 may provide a suitable resting surface against which floor joists of a modular floor panel may sit.

[0043] Optionally, construction panel 20 may further comprise an anti- buckling member 40, which may be formed of one or more discrete members. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, anti-bucking member 40 comprises two discrete members 40a, 40b, (collectively referred to as "anti-buckling member 40" ) which fit respectively between first edge stud 32a and inner stud 32b, and inner stud 32b and second edge stud 32c. Anti-buckling member 40 may be positioned approximately mid- way between first end 26 and second end 28 of construction panel 20 and may provide support to studs 32 against lateral buckling. In alternative, non-limiting embodiments, anti-buckling member 40 may not be required, and may be absent from construction panel 20.

[0044] Construction panel 20 may further comprise a bottom plate 42, which may be formed of one or more discrete members. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, bottom plate 42 comprises two discrete members 42a, 42b, (collectively referred to as "bottom plate 42" ) which fit respectively between first edge stud 32a and inner stud 32b, and inner stud 32b and second edge stud 32c. Bottom plate 42 is positioned towards second end 28 of construction panel 20 and provides support to studs 32.

[0045] Construction panel 20 may be a manufactured construction panel that is built in a manufacturing environment so as to achieve desired dimensional and alignment tolerances. Maintaining manufactured quality control assists in ensuring relatively quick, easy and error-free assembly in the field. In some embodiments, the shape and configuration of insulation layer 31 assists in ensuring proper positioning and alignment of the construction members (studs 32, anti-buckling member 40 (optional) and bottom plate 42) in relation to one another, and in relation to insulation layer 31. [0046] Insulation layer 31 will be described in more detail with reference to

FIGs 4A and 4B. As shown in FIG 4A, insulation layer 31 comprises an inner surface 49 and an outer surface 47 defining a thickness "t" therebetween. In certain non- limiting embodiments, thickness "t" may be between 38mm to 150mm. Insulation layer 31 may comprise an inner portion 44 defining a first thickness "ti" that forms part of thickness "t", and an outer portion 46 defining thickness "t ₂ " that forms a remaining part of thickness "t". In some embodiments, the thickness of inner portion 44 and the thickness "t ₂ " of outer portion 46 may be approximately equal. Whereas, in other embodiments, thickness may be greater or less than thickness "t ₂ ". In accordance with a non-limiting example, thickness "ti" and "t ₂ " may be between 38mm and 112mm, so long as their combined thickness "t" has a maximum of 150mm.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4A, inner portion 44 of insulation layer 31 may comprise a first longitudinal side edge 48, a second longitudinal side edge 50 and a stud-receiving slot 52 that each extend along a longitudinal direction of insulation layer 31. First longitudinal side edge 48 and second longitudinal side edge 50 may provide alignment surfaces against which first edge stud 32a and second edge stud 32c can be positioned for ensuring proper vertical alignment. Likewise, stud- receiving slot 52 may provide a slot for receiving inner stud 32b. Accordingly, stud- receiving slot 52 may have a width "wi" of between 38mm to 58mm so as to be suitable for receiving a standard stud having a minimum width of 38mm. Positioning inner stud 32b within stud-receiving slot 52 helps to ensure proper positioning and vertical alignment of inner stud 32c in relation to the other studs 32a, 32c and in relation to construction panel 20 as a whole.

[0048] In some embodiments, inner portion 44 may further comprise an optional lateral slot 54 that is positioned substantially mid-way between a top end 68a and a bottom end 66 of insulation layer 31, for receiving anti-buckling member 40. Positioning anti-buckling member 40 within lateral slot 54 helps to ensure the proper horizontal alignment and positioning of anti-buckling member 40 in relation to studs 32 and construction panel 20. As indicated previously, anti-buckling member 40 is an optional component, and as such, when absent from construction panel 20, lateral slot 54 is also absent from insulation layer 31. [0049] As shown in FIG. 4B, outer portion 46 of insulation layer 31 may comprise at least one laterally extending groove 56 for receiving a load-sharing member 73. Although six laterally extending grooves 56 are shown in FIGs 4A and 4B, it is to be understood that any number of laterally extending grooves 56 may be present, including no laterally extending grooves 56 at all. In other words, laterally extending grooves 56 are optional and are only required when load-sharing members 73 are provided.

[0050] Outer portion 46 may define a lateral width "w ₂ " that is greater than a lateral width "W3" of inner portion 44. As such, outer portion 46 defines extension surfaces 58a, 58b that extend laterally outwardly from first longitudinal side edge 48 and second longitudinal side edge 50 of inner portion 44. In accordance with a non- limiting embodiment, width "w ₂ " may be between 1128mm and 1048mm and width "W3" may be between 38mm and 58mm.

[0051] Together, first longitudinal side edge 48 and first extension surface 58a may define a first stud- aligning abutment 60a for receiving first edge stud 32a. Likewise, second longitudinal side edge 50 and second extension surface 58b may define a second stud-aligning abutment 60b (not shown) for receiving second edge stud 32c. First stud-aligning abutment 60a and second stud-aligning abutment 60b each comprise two surfaces that are substantially normal to each other for forming a corner abutment. In this manner, first stud-aligning abutment 60a and second stud- aligning abutment 60b help to ensure alignment of the first and second edge studs 32a, 32c in relation to insulation layer 31 in both an x-direction and a y-direction with reference to the coordinate system shown in FIG 4A.

[0052] In some embodiments, stud-receiving slot 52, lateral slot 54, first longitudinal side edge 48 and second longitudinal side edge 50 may each have a depth substantially equivalent to thickness 'V of inner portion 44. Similarly, lateral grooves 56 may have a depth substantially equivalent to thickness "t ₂ " of outer portion 46.

[0053] Inner portion 44 of insulation layer 31 comprises a height "hi" (FIG 4A) that may be greater than a height "h ₂ " (FIG 4B) of outer portion 46. Both inner portion 44 and outer portion 46 may be aligned at a bottom end 66 of insulation layer 31. However, outer portion 46 has a top end 68b that terminates prior to a top end 68a of inner portion 44 of the insulation layer 31. More particularly, top end 68b of outer portion 46 may terminate up to 80mm prior to top end 68a of insulation layer 31.

[0054] Referring back to FIGS 2 and 3, construction panel 20 may comprise an alignment groove 62 at first end 26 and an alignment protrusion 64 at second end 28. As will be described in more detail below, alignment groove 62 and alignment protrusion 64 act as alignment mechanisms that may be suitable for facilitating quick and easy horizontal alignment and positioning of multiple construction panels 20 in relation to one another. More particularly, alignment groove 62 and alignment protrusion 64 (as well as longitudinal protrusion 74 and longitudinal notch within edge studs 32a, 32c, as described earlier) allow multiple construction panels 20 to be quickly and easily "slotted" together in a "lego" type fashion.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 2, alignment groove 62 may extend laterally along first end 26 of construction panel 20 and alignment protrusion 64 may extend laterally along second end 28 of construction panel 20.

[0056] Alignment groove 62 may be defined by a space between sheathing layer 34 and each of studs 32. More particularly, alignment groove 62 may be defined by a space between sheathing layer 34 and inner portion 44 of insulation layer 31. As such, a thickness '¾" of alignment groove 62 may be substantially equivalent to the thickness "t ₂ " of outer portion 46 of insulation layer 31.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 3, construction panel 20 may comprise a first blocking member 70 that is suitable for being positioned on top surface 68b of outer portion 46 of insulation layer 31. First blocking member 70 may be suitable for reinforcing top surface 68b of outer portion 46 and may also form a bottom surface of alignment groove 62.

[0058] Alignment protrusion 64 may extend from a position between sheathing layer 34 and each of studs 32. More particularly, alignment protrusion 64 may be formed by a second blocking member 72 (best seen in FIG 3) that extends from bottom end 66 of outer portion 46 of insulation layer 31. As such, a thickness of alignment protrusion 64 may be substantially equivalent to the thickness '¾" of alignment groove 62, which is substantially equivalent to thickness "t ₂ " of outer portion 46 of insulation layer 31. Alignment protrusion 64 may extend approximately 38mm beyond second end 28 of construction panel 20, which may be substantially equivalent to a depth of alignment groove 62.

[0059] In some embodiments, the studs 32, ledger board 36, anti-buckling member 40, bottom plate 42, load sharing members 73 and blocking members 70, 72 may all be made of wood. The wood may be "SPF" lumber (spruce, pine or fir) of a grade suitable to the design of the construction assembly, ranging from construction grade to structural grade wood. Alternatively, studs 32, ledger board 36, anti- buckling member 40, bottom plate 42, load sharing members 73 and blocking members 70, 72 may be made of another material suitable to meet the required load, stress and environmental requirements of the construction assembly.

[0060] Insulation layer 31 may be made of a material comprising rigid mineral wood based insulation, extruded styrene insulation and extruded urethane insulation, among other possibilities. In some embodiments, the insulation layer 31 may have a density of between approximately 5psi to 60psi. In some embodiments, the insulation layer 31 may provide moisture barrier properties in addition to thermal insulation properties. By having an insulation layer 31 that separates the sheathing layer 34 and the studs 32, the construction panel 20 according to the present invention avoids unnecessary thermal bridging that can result in increased thermal loss. Accordingly, the construction panel 20 according to the present invention may provide more thermal efficiency than construction methods.

[0061 ] Insulation layer 31 may be manufactured via a molding operation that provides a finished insulation layer 31 having the specific shape and geometry described above. As such, inner portion 44 and outer portion 46 of insulation layer 31 may be integrally formed together as a single molded piece. A virtual plane (not shown) divides inner portion 44 from outer portion 46 and as such, insulation layer 31 may be manufactured as multiple insulation pieces that are assembled together via bonding, adhesive or other attachment mechanism in order to achieve the desired shape and geometry described above.

[0062] Construction panel 20 may have a dimension of approximately 2800mm by 1200mm. Alternatively, construction panel 20 may have a dimension of between 4000mm to 1200mm. More specifically, construction panel 20 is sized and dimensioned such that multiple construction panels 20 can be packaged and shipped compactly and efficiently within a standard shipping container or to accommodate bundled and wrapped panels to maximize the transport of panels at minimum cost.

[0063] Construction panel 20 is intended to be used for relatively quick and error-free assembly of construction assemblies (i.e. buildings) having a variety of different shapes and sizes. In order to facilitate the rapid electrical installations and wiring needed for modern construction assemblies, studs 32 may be pre-drilled with holes suitable for receiving electrical wiring. As such, electrical wiring can be done quickly and easily directly within the interior of the construction panel 20.

[0064] In addition, construction panel 20 may be pre-fitted with one or more electrical boxes to further expedite any electrical wiring and installation that needs to be done within the interior of the construction assembly.

[0065] FIGS 5-7 show various views of a floor panel 80 according to the present invention. FIG 5 shows a front perspective view of floor panel 80, FIG 6 shows a side perspective view of floor panel 80 and FIG 7 shows an exploded view of floor panel 80.

[0066] As shown, floor panel 80 comprises a first end 82, a second end 84, a first side 92, a second side 94 and a plurality of floor joists 86 that extend between first end 82 and second end 84. More specifically, the plurality of floor joists 86 may comprise a first edge joist 86a, a second edge joist 86b and a pair of inner joists 86c, 86d that are positioned between the first edge joist 86a and the second edge joist 86b.

[0067] The floor panel 80 further comprises a first end piece 88a and a second end piece 88b that are positioned respectively at the first end 82 and the second end 84 of the floor panel 80. First end piece 88a and second end piece 88b are each positioned within notches 95 formed in each of the plurality of floor joists 86. As such, when end pieces 88a, 88b are positioned within notches 95, a top surface of end pieces 88a, 88b lies substantially flush with a top surface of each of the plurality of floor joists 86.

[0068] A floor sheet 90 is connected to the plurality of floor joists 86 as well as to the end pieces 88a, 88b. As such, end pieces 88a, 88b are sandwiched between the floor sheet 90 and the plurality of floor joists 86. Floor sheet 90 may comprise a sub-flooring material, such as plywood, to which more traditional finished flooring materials can be attached. [0069] End pieces 88a, 88b are identical and are positioned in a mirror arrangement with respect to one another on either end 82, 84 of floor panel 80. As such, for the sake of simplicity, only end piece 88a will be described herein. It is to be understood that the description of the structure and geometry of end piece 88a is also applicable to end piece 88b.

[0070] As best seen in FIG 7, end piece 88a may comprise a first stud aligning abutment 96a, a second stud aligning abutment 96b and a stud-receiving slot 98. First stud-aligning abutment 96a is positioned towards the first side 92 of floor panel 80 and second stud-aligning abutment 96b is positioned towards the second side 94 of floor panel 80. Positioned substantially mid-way between the first stud- aligning abutment 96a and second stud-aligning abutment 96b is stud-receiving slot 98. As will be described in more detail below, first stud-aligning abutment 96a, second stud-aligning abutment 96b and stud-receiving slot 98 are suitable for receiving studs of a wall panel (such as construction panel 20 described above) when floor panel 80 and construction panel 20 are assembled together to build a construction assembly.

[0071 ] Referring back to FIG 5, inner floor joists 86c, 86d are positioned towards a center of floor panel 80 and define a space therebetween. The space defined between inner floor joists 86c, 86d is substantially equivalent to a width "W4" of stud-receiving slot 98 of end piece 88a. When end piece 88a is positioned within the notches 95 of the floor joists 86, the stud-receiving slot 98 is aligned with the space defined between inner floor joists 86c, 86d.

[0072] For reasons that will become clear further on in the description, the width "w ₄ " of stud-receiving slot 98 is substantially equivalent to the width of two wall studs. In a non-limiting embodiment, width "W4" is between 76mm and 116mm. In addition, the width "ws" of stud-aligning abutments 96a, 96b is substantially equivalent to half the width of a wall stud. In a non-limiting embodiment, width "w ₅ " is between 38mm and 58mm.

[0073] Referring back to FIG 7, attached to a bottom surface of the plurality of floor joists 86, at either end 82, 84 of floor panel 80, may be alignment strapping members 104. Alignment strapping members 104 may be pieces of wood or other material that are attached to the plurality of floor joists 6 slightly inwardly of first end 82 and second end 84 of floor panel 80. As will be described in more detail below, when floor panel 80 is assembled with construction panel 20, alignment strapping members 104 of floor panel 80 are adapted to be positioned against (i.e. abut) ledger board 36 of construction panel 20 in order to ensure proper alignment and positioning of floor panel 80 in relation to construction panel 20.

[0074] With continued reference to FIG 7, floor panel 80 may further comprise an anti-bending member 100 connected between the plurality of floor joists 86 at a position substantially mid-way between the first end 82 and the second end 84. Anti-bending member 100 is suitable for stabilizing the positioning of the plurality of floor joists 86 and for preventing bending of the floor joists 86 due to lateral forces.

[0075] In accordance with some non-limiting embodiments, floor panel 80 may comprise one or more layers of fireproofing material 102 positioned between the plurality of floor joists 86. The fireproofing material may be any material known to those skilled in the art.

[0076] In addition, floor panel 80 may comprise optional ceiling strapping

106 that extends from first side 92 to second side 94 of floor panel 80 across a bottom surface of the plurality of floor joists 86. As shown in FIG 7, the optional ceiling strapping 106 is positioned at spaced intervals in between alignment strapping 104. This optional ceiling strapping 106 can be used in order to secure a finished ceiling to a bottom of floor panel 80.

[0077] Floor panel 80 may have a length that varies between 2800mm to

6000mm. Floor panel 80 is intended to be used together with construction panel 20, as described above, in order to provide modular construction panels that can be assembled together relatively quickly and easily. Accordingly, the dimensions of floor panel 80 will be complementary to the dimensions of construction panel 20, intended for exterior walls. In addition, floor panel 80 is sized and dimensioned such that multiple floor panels 80 can be packaged and shipped compactly and efficiently within a standard shipping container.

[0078] In the same manner as described above with respect to construction panel 20, floor panel 80 is intended to be used for relatively quick and error-free assembly of construction assemblies (i.e. buildings). In order to facilitate the rapid electrical installations and wiring needed for modern construction assemblies, floor joists 86 may be pre-drilled with holes suitable for receiving electrical wiring. As such, electrical wiring can be done quickly and easily directly within the interior of floor panel 80.

[0079] The manner in which multiple construction panels 20 and floor panels

80 are assembled together will now be described in more detail with respect to FIGS 8 through 11.

[0080] Shown in FIG 8 are two construction panels 20, 20', as described above, positioned one on top of the other in a pre-assembled position. As shown, alignment protrusion 64 positioned at the second end 28 (i.e. bottom end) of the top construction panel 20, is positioned to be inserted within alignment groove 62 at the first end 26 (i.e. top end) of the bottom construction panel 20'. In order to assemble the two construction panels 20, 20', alignment protrusion 64 of construction panel 20 simply needs to be slotted into alignment groove 62 of construction panel 20'. Mechanical fasteners 110, such as wood screws or nails, may then be inserted through sheathing layer 34 of construction panel 20' into alignment protrusion 64 of construction panel 20. Alignment protrusion 64 of construction panel 20 and alignment groove 62 of construction panel 20' act as alignment mechanisms that permit the easy "lego-type" assembly of the construction panels 20. 20' together, while simultaneously ensuring proper horizontal alignment and positioning of construction panels 20, 20' in relation to one another.

[0081 ] FIG 9 shows the two construction panels 20, 20' in an assembled state, wherein alignment protrusion 64 of construction panel 20 has been received within alignment groove 62 of construction panel 20'. When assembled, the plurality of studs 32 of construction panel 20 are aligned with, and sit directly on top of, the corresponding ones of the plurality of studs 32 of construction panel 20'.

[0082] As described above, the plurality of studs 32 may be wood structural members. More specifically, the plurality of studs 32 may have a wood grain that extends in a substantially longitudinal direction of the construction panels 20. 20'. It is commonly known that wood shrinks in a direction perpendicular to the grain, which in some cases can result in fairly significant shrinkage in the order of about 4%. Therefore, by having the plurality of studs 32 of one construction panel 20 sit directly on top of the plurality of studs 32 of another construction panel 20', without any traditional horizontal wood framing members positioned therebetween, the assembly of construction panels 20, 20' significantly reduces wood shrinkage, and instead takes advantage of the directional properties of the wood. As a result, wood construction assemblies made of multiple construction panels 20 can be assembled without having to make accommodations for wood shrinkage.

[0083] Although FIGS 8 and 9 show only construction panels 20, 20' positioned in an up-down configuration, assembling multiple ones of the construction panels 20 in a side-by-side arrangement is also done in a "lego-type" fashion. More specifically, the longitudinally extending protrusion 74 positioned in the first edge stud 32a of a first construction panel 20 would slot into, and be received within, the alignment notch (not shown) located in the second edge stud 32c of a second construction panel positioned laterally adjacent to the first construction panel. In this manner, the longitudinally extending protrusion 74 and alignment notch (not shown) help to position and align two construction panels in relation to each other in a vertical direction.

[0084] Two construction panels 20 positioned in a side-by-side arrangement may be secured to one another by mechanical fasteners that extend through an edge stud 32a of one construction panel 20 into the edge stud 32c of the other construction panel 20. Any suitable type of mechanical fastener such as wood screws or nails, among other possibilities, may be used.

[0085] Reference is now made to FIG 10 which shows an edge floor panel

112 prior to assembly with two construction panels 20. Edge floor panel 112 is similar to floor panel 80 described above with respect to FIGS 5-7, however, edge floor panel 112 is approximately half the width and does not comprise the pair of inner floor joists 86c, 86d or the stud-receiving slot 98 in the end pieces 88a, 88b. However, the remaining components of edge floor panel 112 are the same as those described above with respect to floor panel 80, and as such, like components will be referred to with like reference numbers.

[0086] Given that edge floor panel 112 is approximately half the width of floor panel 80, edge floor panel 112 may span only half the width "w" of construction panel 20. That is, edge floor panel 112 will span from second edge stud 32c to half of inner stud 32b. An edge floor panel 112 that spans only half the width "w" of construction panel 20 is used in order to be able to stagger the floor panels 80 with respect to the construction panels 20. More specifically, one floor panel 80 will extend from the middle of one construction panel 20 to the middle of an adjacent construction panel 20. In this manner, the floor panels 80 help to hold adjacent construction panels 20 together.

[0087] With reference to FIGS 10 and 11, the assembly of the edge floor panel 112 to the construction panels 20, 20' will be described in more detail. Although only one end (end 82) of the edge floor panel 112 will be described, it is to be understood that the other end (end 84) will be assembled with construction panels 20, 20' in a similar manner.

[0088] When assembled, the first edge joist 86a and the second edge joist 86b

(not shown) will sit on the ledger board 36 of the bottom construction panel 20', which will hold the edge floor panel 12 in place. The alignment strapping member 104 will abut against a face of the ledger board 36 in order to be able to properly align and position the edge floor panel 112 in relation to the bottom construction panel 20'.

[0089] A portion of end piece 88a will fit between the second edge stud 32c and the inner edge stud 32b of construction panel 20', such that these two studs 32c, 32b will abut against stud-aligning abutments 96a, 96b. Therefore, between the alignment strapping member 104 and the stud-aligning abutments 96a, 96b, it is fairly easy for a relatively unskilled labourer to ensure proper positioning and alignment of the edge floor panel 112 in relation to construction members 20. 20'.

[0090] It is to be understood that the width of stud aligning abutments 96a, 96b spans only a portion, such as half, of the width of the studs 32 of construction panel 20'. In this manner, a stud aligning abutments 96 of an adjacent floor panel 80 positioned next to edge floor panel 112 will be able to receive the other portion of a stud 32 such that it too is able to be properly aligned with the construction panel 20'. This is best shown in FIG 11.

[0091 ] FIG 11 shows edge floor panel 112 as well as floor panel 80 assembled with a bottom construction panel 20'. As shown, the seam between edge floor panel 112 and floor panel 80 is centered along inner stud 32b. As such, each of edge floor panel 112 and floor panel 80 have a stud-aligning abutment 96 that abuts against inner stud 32b. Therefore, the stud-aligning abutments 96 of each of inner floor panel 112 and floor panel 80 have a width that is approximately half the width of inner stud 32b.

[0092] As mentioned above, floor panel 80 is intended to be staggered in relation to construction panels 20, such that it acts to hold two adjacent construction panels 20 together. As shown, stud receiving slot 98 of end piece 98 has a width for accommodating two edge studs 32. More specifically, stud receiving slot 98 is adapted for receiving a first edge stud 32a of a first construction panel 20 as well as a second edge stud 32c of a second construction panel 20 that is positioned adjacent to the first construction panel 20.

[0093] Although FIG 11 shows an edge floor panel 112 positioned next to a floor panel 80, it is to be understood that the same sort of assembly would be done with two adjacent floor panels 80. More specifically, each stud receiving slot 98 of a floor panel 80 is adapted for receiving a first edge stud 32a of a first construction panel 20 as well as a second edge stud 32c of a second construction panel 20. Meanwhile, each stud-aligning abutment 96 of a floor panel is adapted for receiving approximately half of an inner stud 32b of a construction panel 20.

[0094] Referring back to FIG 10, a plurality of mechanical fasteners 110, such as wood screws or nails, for example, are used in order to secure the floor panels 112, 80 to the top and bottom construction panels 20, 20'. More specifically, mechanical fasteners 110 may be placed through the studs 32 of the construction panels 20, 20' into the floor joists 86 of the floor panels, such that the floor joists 86 are mechanically fastened to the studs 32 of the construction panels 20. Mechanical fasteners 110 may also extend through the sheathing layer 34 of the bottom construction panel 20' into the alignment protrusion 64 of the top construction panel 20. And finally, mechanical fasteners 110 may extend through the bottom plates 42 of the top construction panel 20 into the end pieces 88 of the floor panels 112, 80. In this manner, each of the top construction panel 20, bottom construction panel 20' and floor panel 80 is mechanically fastened to each other. In addition, the mechanical fasteners 110 extend in three different directions, in order to tie the three panels 20, 20', 80 together in multiple different directions. [0095] As mentioned above, the construction panels 20, and floor panels 80,

112 may be manufactured in a manufacturing environment that enables strict tolerances and dimensional accurateness to be met. Accordingly, the various alignment mechanisms that are built into the panels allow the relatively quick, easy and efficient assembly of these panels by unskilled labourers.

[0096] The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the relevant arts will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. The present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the subject matter of the claims. Also, one skilled in the relevant arts will appreciate that while the panels and assemblies disclosed and shown herein may comprise a specific number of elements/components, the apparatus and assemblies could be modified to include additional or fewer of such elements/components. The present disclosure is also intended to cover and embrace all suitable changes in technology. Modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims. Also, the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.