BACKGROUND

There are various building blocks used in construction of buildings in the prior art, which include self-alignment pins or included reinforcement means. We refer the reader some prior patent applications of this inventor as examples: CA 2899473; CA 2899465; CA 2899476 and U.S. Ser. No. 14/815,836.

Generally, the prior art over which the invention is an improvement include blocks made of a matrix material which surround embedded elements, the elements which provide one of: compression load-bearing reinforcement; self-alignment of blocks when stacked into courses to form a panel; or post-tensioning anti-deformation means embedded within a panel formed of the blocks. Other examples of prior art include walls formed of stacked cinder blocks into cavities of which reinforcements may be inserted and cement or some other strengthening material may be poured.

The invention disclosed here provides improvements over this prior art.

SUMMARY

The frames are each embedded within a matrix of material which forms a construction block for assembly at a site into a wall or other panel. The frames provide interlocking elements within the wall or other panel, while the matrix material may be tailored to provide insulation, fire resistance, waterproofing, or some additional or other functionality to the wall or panel, and hence to the building being constructed using the blocks with these frames.

In accordance with a broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a unibody structural frame for an interlocking structural block comprising a plurality of struts connected with a web, each strut having a top portion, an outer surface, and an inner surface, wherein each strut is configured for engagement within a recess of the strut of another unibody structural frame, the web holding the struts in relative rigid spacial symmetry and thus preventing the struts from rotation or translation about any axis with respect to any other strut attached to the web; an opening at the bottom end of each strut, the opening configured for engagement with the top portion of the outer surface of a strut of an adjacent structural block; a plurality of webs extending in a first direction, each web having a first end and a second end, wherein each web is connected to one or more struts; and a plurality of webs extending in a substantially orthogonal direction to the first direction, each web having a first end and a second end, wherein each web is connected to one or more of the struts.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the invention, there is provided an interlocking structural block comprising a block body having opposed top and bottom surfaces, opposed side surfaces and opposed end surfaces; and a unibody structural frame embedded within the block body, one end of the unibody structural frame flush with the bottom surface and an opposite end of the unibody structural frame extending through the top surface of the block body.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a system of interlocking structural blocks comprising a plurality of interlocking structural blocks connected through one or more struts of one block to one or more struts of an adjacent block.

It is to be understood that other aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various embodiments of the invention are shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable for other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Some advantages of the present invention are that the components may be manufactured and assembled in a factory, which allows for prefabrication under controlled systems using automated equipment. This avoids idiosyncratic assembly errors on-site. This permits less waste; stronger, faster and more accurate installation of walls and other panels; and use of less skilled labour.

