AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO: LODGED: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED: ACCEPTED: PUBLISHED: RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: John Zorbas and Stavros Zorbas ACTUAL INVENTOR(S): John Zorbas and Stavros Zorbas ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA. INVENTION TITLE: PANEL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF INSTALLATION THEREOF DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO'S: Australian Provisional Patent Application Number 2004906222 filed on 29 October 2005 The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: TITLE "PANEL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF INSTALLATION THEREOF" FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 The present invention relates to a panel assembly and method of installation thereof, in particular a panel assembly for the installation of a plurality of panels upon a wall. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION It is known to install a plurality of panels upon a surface such as a wall to create a 10 panelled effect upon the wall. Such installation may be undertaken in order to create a desired aesthetic effect or to achieve a particular function, such as the placement of acoustic panels upon a surface. In performing such installation of panels, it may prove to be difficult to accurately align the panels to create the desired effect. Generally, installation of panels upon a 15 surface requires a person who is experienced in such installation methods. The installation of panels upon a surface is a task that may be considered to be too difficult or time consuming for an individual who has little or no experience in such installation methods. The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned 20 disadvantages of previous panel assemblies. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a panel assembly for installing a plurality of panels upon a surface, the panel assembly 2 comprising a plurality of panels each having an engaging means on a rear surface thereof and at least one panel securing member arranged to engage with the surface, the or each panel securing member having a plurality of complementary panel engaging means arranged thereon wherein the engaging means on the rear of each of 5 the panels engages with a corresponding one of the complementary panel engaging means on the panel securing member to secure the panels to the panel securing member. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a 10 method of installing a panel assembly upon a surface, the panel assembly comprising plurality of panels, each panel having an engaging means on a rear surface thereof, and one or more panel securing members having complementary engaging means thereon, comprising the steps of: - fixing the panels to the panel securing member by engagement of engagement 15 means of panel with complementary engagement means of the panel securing member; - aligning the panel securing member with panels thereon on the surface; - removing one or more panels from the panel securing member and fixing the panel securing member to the surface; and 20 - securing said removed panels to the panel securing member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 3 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a panel assembly in accordance with the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 5 Referring to the Figure, there is shown a panel assembly 10 for the installation of a plurality of panels 14 upon a surface 16, comprising at least one panel securing member 12 and a plurality of panels 14. Each panel 14 has engaging means 31 on a rear surface 24 thereof. The panels 14 are adapted to engage with the or each panel securing member 12 by panel engaging means 30, complementary to the engaging 10 means 31 of each panel 14. Each panel securing member 12 with panels 14 engaged thereupon is attached to the surface 16 upon which it is desired to install panels 14. Preferably, a plurality of panel securing members 12 with panels 14 engaged thereupon are attached to the surface 16 to achieve a desired panelling effect upon the surface 16. 15 Each panel securing member 12 comprises an elongate board. In the embodiment shown, each elongate board is substantially rectangular. Each panel securing member 12 has a longitudinal length that is a multiple of the length of each panel 14. The width of each panel securing member 12 is preferably less than the width of each panel 14. 20 The panel engaging means 30 are arranged at regular intervals upon each panel securing member 12. The panel engaging means 30 enable panels 14 to be placed in alignment upon the panel securing member 12 and engaged thereon. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the panel engaging means 30 includes a plurality of apertures 32 arranged at equidistant intervals along each panel securing 4 member 12. The apertures 32 are arranged in a configuration that aligns with the engaging means 31 on the rear surface 24 of each panel. In the present embodiment, the engaging means 31 includes a plurality of protrusions 26 provided upon the rear surface 24 of each panel 14 such that the protrusions 26 are received in corresponding 5 apertures 32. At least one protrusion 26 is arranged to extend outwardly from the rear surface 24 of each panel 14. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, each panel 14 is provided with four protrusions 26, each protrusion 26 arranged adjacent each corner of the rear surface 24 of the panel 14. Preferably, each protrusion 26 fastens upon inserting into 10 the corresponding apertures 32 in the panel securing member 12 with the application of sufficient force upon a front surface 22 of the panel 14. For example, christmas tree screws may be used as the protrusion 26, wherein the protrusions 26 may be placed in the apertures 32 for alignment purposes and then secured by the application of force to the front surface 22 of the panel 14. 15 Each panel 14 is provided as a flat tile, comprised of any suitable rigid material. In the embodiment shown, each panel 14 is square shaped. However, it is envisaged that the panels 14 may be provided in any desired shape without departing from the substance of the present invention. The front surface 22 of each panel 14 may be provided with a decorative material to 20 enhance the aesthetic quality of the panels 14. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the front surface 22 of each panel is covered firstly with a padding material, such as foam. A fabric is then placed over the padding material. The padding and subsequent covering with fabric not only adds an aesthetic quality to the panel assembly 10, but may also enable the panel assembly 10 to offer acoustic qualities to the surface 16 5 upon which the assembly 10 is installed. The padding and fabric may be attached to each panel 14 by any suitable means, such as by securing ends of the fabric to the rear surface 24 of the panel 14 by stapling or adhesive. To accommodate the installation of the panel assembly 10 upon surfaces 16 having a 5 corner, a corner panel 34 is also provided. The corner panel 34 comprises a pair of panels 14 hingedly connected along adjacent sides 36 thereof by a connection means 38. The hinged connection is such that the panels 14 of the corner panel 34 are pivotable between a first position in which the panels 14 are substantially coplanar and a second position in which the panels 14 are disposed at an angle. The angle at 10 which the panels 14 are disposed is defined by the angle of the corner of the surface 16 to which the panel assembly 10 is being installed. In the embodiment shown, the connection means 38 is a flexible web member 40. Preferably, each corner panel 34 has two web members 40 connecting each panel 14. Each web member 40 is placed over a portion of the rear surface 24 of each panel 14 15 and attached thereto by any suitable means, such as staples or adhesive. Each panel 14 of the corner panel 34 is attached to a panel securing member 12 substantially as described above. Upon attachment to the surface 16, the panels 14 are necessarily raised from the surface 16 a distance equal to the thickness of the panel securing member 12. As 20 such, a gap is created between the rear surface 24 of the panel 14 and the surface 16. This gap may be visible at outer edges of the installed panel assembly 10 which may be considered to be aesthetically displeasing. To overcome this, at least a portion of panels 14, particularly those panels 14 arranged along an outermost edge of the installed panel assembly 10 are provided with a lip 6 portion 42. The lip portion 42 is arranged adjacent at least one edge of the rear surface 24 of the panel 14. The lip portion 42 is preferably decorated in the same manner as the panel 14 to which the lip portion 42 is attached. For example, the lip portion 42 may be covered in the same fabric as the panel 14 to which the lip portion 5 42 is attached. In use, panels 14 are placed in alignment along the length of the panel securing member 12. The panels 14 are engaged with the panel engaging means 26 but are not permanently secured thereto at this stage. The panel securing member 12 with panels 14 thereon is then appropriately placed adjacent the surface 16 which is to have the 10 panel assembly 10 installed. Generally, the panel securing member 12 with panels 14 thereon is placed substantially vertically upon the surface 16. In this manner, the correct placement of the panel securing member 12 with panels 14 attached thereto may be determined prior to attachment to the surface 16. At least a portion of the panels 14 are then removed from the panel securing member 15 12. In this manner, a portion of the panel securing member 12 is exposed, permitting attachment by any suitable means to the surface 16. In the present embodiment, a screw or the like is passed through a hole 44 in the panel securing member 12 to permit attachment to the surface 16. Once the panel securing member 12 has been appropriately fastened to the desired 20 position upon the surface 16, each panel 14 may be fixedly engaged to the panel securing member 12 by applying an appropriate force to each panel 14. Consecutive panel securing members 12 are then engaged with further panels 14. Before attachment to the surface 16, each panel securing member 12 with panels 14 thereon is appropriately aligned with a panel securing member 12 already attached to 7 the surface 16. In this manner, panels 14 to be installed can be accurately aligned with panels 14 already installed upon the surface 16. In the present embodiment, it is appropriate that if the surface 16 to be installed with the panel assembly 10 has a corner, that corner panels 34 be attached to the surface 16 before attachment of further 5 panels 14. This process is continued until a desired effect of panelling is achieved upon the surface 16. It is further envisaged that the present invention may be used in several applications. For example, the panel assembly 10 may be used to place a plurality of panels 14 10 upon a wall for acoustic purposes. However it is also envisaged that the panel assembly 10 may be used to achieve further decorative effects upon a surface 16 such as a wall. For example, one or more panel securing members 12 with panels 14 attached thereto may be placed horizontally upon a surface 16 to provide a type of bed head which is affixed to the wall. 15 Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. 8