Panels are manufactured through out the United States by numerous companies. One style of panel system is known as Structured Insulated Panels (SIPs). A SIP consists of a core of expanded polystyrene (EPS) glued between two sheets of oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood. These panels come in 4×8 to 8×28 foot sheets that are either lifted by one or more people or are craned into approximate position. They can be very heavy, bulky and difficult to move into their final place. Once they are in approximate position they are typically pried and moved into place using crow bars, sledge hammers, ratchet strap tie downs, and/or come-a-longs. This typically results in minor to major damage to the sides and ends of the panels. In addition to damaging the sides of the panels, the come-a-longs, ratchet straps and other traditional tools can be very time consuming and frustrating to work with, offer limited leverage, and take additional personnel to perform the given task of panel installation.
A need has therefore been felt to simplify the operation of installing panels.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds