AU2007224988B2

AU2007224988B2 - A fastening system and a method of fastening a building panel

Info

Publication number: AU2007224988B2
Application number: AU2007224988A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Alan Edman
Original assignee: RETOWN Pty Ltd
Current assignee: RETOWN Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2006-03-11
Filing date: 2007-01-25
Publication date: 2014-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 2027-01-25
Also published as: AU2007224988A1; WO2007104074A1

Abstract

There is disclosed herein a fastening element (18) including a first arm (19) extending parallel to a fastening element axis (XX), the first arm terminating at a first end (20), an opposing second arm (21) extending parallel to the fastening element axis. The second arm terminates at a second end (22), the first arm having a first curved edge (23) adjacent to the first end, and the second arm having a second curved edge (25) adjacent to the second end. The first curved edge and the second curved edge being located on opposing sides of the fastening element axis, the first and second arms meeting at a central region, a stem (202) having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end extending from the central region, the stem extending perpendicularly to the fastening element axis along a pivot axis of the fastening element; and a base member (208), the base member being mounted at or adjacent the distal end of the stem, the base member extending parallel to the fastening element axis.

Description

WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 1 A FASTENING SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF FASTENING A BUILDING PANEL Field of the Invention 5 The present invention relates to a fastening system and a method of fastening a building panel to an.underlying structure. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method of fastening cladding sheets to planar building surfaces such as walls and ceilings. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to this particular field or application. 10 Background of the Invention Building panels having a front decorative surface made of fibro, plastic, stone, sheet metals, glass and other such architectural materials are often fastened to the internal and external walls of buildings for aesthetic and other architectural purposes. Such 15 building panels have particular application in the external cladding of buildings in which case the building's overall appearance can be dramatically influenced by the usage of building panels. It is known to fasten building panels using adhesive tape located around the perimeter of the panel on the panel's underside. However, construction and building 20 standards in many countries dictate that panels must be mechanically fixed to the building's underlying structure when the panel is located above a certain height. For example, in Australia building panels must be mechanically fixed when located more than 3 metres above the ground. Accordingly, the use of adhesive mounting alone is not permitted in certain applications. 25 A further disadvantage associated with adhesive fastening of building panels is that the high loading placed on building panels by wind can cause the panel to separate from the building, which poses a serious safety hazard. Numerous mechanical systems are known for fastening building panels. Many of these mechanical systems require fastening with screws and/or bolts which pass 30 through a backing portion of the panel and engage with the underlying building structure. A disadvantage of using screws or bolts is that they may be time consuming to install which adds to the end cost of the building panel assembly. A further disadvantage is that screw and bolt arrangements hold the edges of the building panel in predetermined, fixed locations and hence do not permit the panel to expand or contract, for example as the 35 panel heats and cools under the effects of the sun. This is known to result in warping of WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 2 the panels which may compromise their structural integrity and may also result in the panel assembly appearing unsightly. A further disadvantage of securing building panels with screw and bolt type fasteners is that the measuring and positioning of the fasteners can be a delicate process 5 and prone to human errors. Small errors in placement and angular alignment between panels can have a dramatic effect on the assembled panel matrix. Accordingly, tradespeople installing such panels require special training and are required to take particular care. Building panel fastening systems have previously been proposed which permit 10 two adjacent panels in an assembled matrix to be fastened to the underlying structure along their adjacent edge using a single fastener. Whilst such systems may reduce the installation time for mounting the panel matrix, a disadvantage of these systems is that removal of the common fastener causes both panels to be released from the underlying support. Accordingly, it is generally not possible to remove a single panel from the matrix 15 without removing the adjacent panels. This is particularly problematic when a panel in a central region of the matrix must be replaced, which accordingly necessitates significant handling of all the adjacent panels. Such systems often also dictate the order in which the panels must be installed, such that a panel can only be secured to the wall after or while an adjacent panel is being secured. 20 Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages, or at least to provide a useful alternative. 25 Summary of the Invention In a first aspect, the present invention provides a fastening system including: a support member having a support member axis, the support member including a first channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support member axis, and a second channel extending in the longitudinal direction, an opening of the first 30 channel facing an opening of the second channel, and the first and second openings being separated by a space, the first and second channels each having a base portion, a building panel including a front face, a rear face and a rearwardly extending mounting portion, a slot being formed in the mounting portion, the slot extending along a slot axis parallel and adjacent to an edge of the building panel and being positionable 35 within the space, and 3 a fastening element having a fastening element axis, the fastening element having a first arm extending parallel to the fastening element axis, the first arm terminating at a first end, and an opposing second arm extending parallel to the fastening element axis, the second arm terminating at a second end, the first arm having a first curved edge adjacent to the first end, and the second arm having a second curved edge adjacent to the second end, the first curved edge and the second curved edge being located on opposing sides of the fastening element axis, the fastening element having a pivot axis extending perpendicular to the fastening element axis, wherein the first and second arms are locatable within the space and the fastening element is pivotable about the pivot axis such that one of the first and second ends erIlters the slot, further wherein one of the first and second curved edges permits the fastening element to pivot to a locked position in which one of the first and second ends engages with the ase portion of one of the first and second channels, thereby inhibiting the removal of the mounting portion from the support member. Preferably the support member includes a third channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to said support member axis, the third channel having a third channel opening and a base portion, wherein the third channel opening is narrower than the base portion, said fastening element including a stem having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end extending from a central region between said first and second arms, said stem extending perpendicularly to said fastening element axis along a pivot axis of said fastening element; said fastening element further including a base member, said base member being mounted at or adjacent the distal end of said stem, said base member extending parallel to said fastening element axis, wherein two opposing ends of said base member are insertable within said third channel, further wherein a distance between the two opposing ends of said base member is larger than a width of the third channel opening. In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of fastening a building panel, the method including the steps of: arranging a support member at a desired location, the support member having a support member axis, the support member including a first channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support member axis, and a second channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support member axis, an opening of the first channel facing an opening of the second channel, and the first and second WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 4 openings being separated by a space, the first and second channels each having a base portion, positioning a mounting portion of a building panel in the space, the building panel having a front face, the mounting portion extending rearwardly, a slot being formed 5 in the mounting portion, the slot extending along a slot axis parallel to and adjacent an edge of the building panel, inserting a first arm and an opposing second arm of a fastening element within the space, the fastening element having a fastening element axis, the first arm extending parallel to said fastening element axis, the first arm terminating at a first end, the second 10 arm extending parallel to the fastening element axis, the second arm terminating at a second end, the first arm having a first curved edge adjacent to the first end, and the second arm having a second curved edge adjacent to the second end, the first curved edge and the second curved edge being located on opposing sides of the fastening element axis, the fastening element having a pivot axis extending perpendicularly to the fastening 15 element axis, pivoting the fastening element about the pivot axis such that one of the first and second ends enters the slot; and further pivoting the fastening element about the pivot axis such that one of the first and second curved edges permits the fastening element to pivot to a locked position 20 in which one of the first and second ends engages with the base portion of one of the first and second channels, thereby inhibiting the removal of said mounting portion from the support member. Preferably, the method further including the steps of: arranging a support member at a desired location, the support member further 25 including a third channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support member axis, and a fourth channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support member axis, an opening of the third channel facing an opening of the fourth channel, and the third and fourth openings being separated by a second space, inserting opposing ends of a base member of the fastening element within the 30 third and fourth channels, the fastening element including a stem having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end extending from a central region between the first and second arms, the stem extending perpendicularly to the fastening element axis along a pivot axis of the fastening element, the base member being mounted at or adjacent the distal end of the stem, the base member extending parallel to the fastening element axis. 35 WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 5 In a third aspect, the present invention provides a fastening element comprising: a first arm extending parallel to a fastening element axis, the first arm terminating at a first end, an opposing second arm extending parallel to the fastening element axis, the second arm terminating at a second end, the first arm having a first 5 curved edge adjacent to the first end, and the second arm having a second curved edge adjacent to the second end, the first curved edge and the second curved edge being located on opposing sides of the fastening element axis, the first and second arms meeting at a central region, a stem having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end extending from 10 the central region, the stem extending perpendicularly to the fastening element axis along a pivot axis of the fastening element; and a base member, the base member being mounted at or adjacent the distal end of the stem, the base member extending parallel to the fastening element axis. The fastening element preferably includes an engagement portion which is 15 engageable with a driving tool to pivot the fastening element about the pivot axis. The base member preferably has a truncated cone shape, the largest end of the cone being furthest from the first and second arms. Brief Description of the Drawings 20 Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled fastening system according to a first embodiment; Fig. 2 shows a support member of the system of Fig. 1; 25 Fig. 3 shows an isometric view of the fastening element of the system of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a top view of the fastening element of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a front view of the fastening element of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a building panel; Fig. 7 is a schematic of an assembled matrix of building panels; 30 Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled fastening system according to a second embodiment; Fig. 9 shows a support member of the system of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an isometric view of the fastening element of the system of Fig. 8 Fig. 11 is a top view of the fastening element of Fig. 8; 35 Fig. 12 is a front view of the fastening element of Fig 8; WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 6 Fig. 13 is an isometric view showing two adjacent building panels mounted to a support member. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments 5 Fig. 1 depicts a fastening system 10 according to a first embodiment. The system 10 includes a support member 12 in the form of an extruded section, such as an aluminium extrusion extending in a longitudinal direction, parallel to a support member axis XX, shown in Fig. 1 and extending into the page. As shown in Fig. 2, the support member 12 has a generally U-shaped profile when viewed in cross-section. The U-shaped 10 support member 12 includes a web 11 connected to a first arm 13 and a second arm 15. At the free end of the first arm 13 there is a first channel 14 which extends parallel to the support member axis XX. A second channel 16 is located at the free end of the second arm 21 and the second channel 16 also extends in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support member 15 axis XX, such that an opening of the first channel 14 faces an opening of the second channel 16, and the first and second openings are separated by a space 17. The support member 12 may be secured to the underlying building structure 70 with screws 13, rivets, welding or another suitable means. Alternatively, the support member 12 may be integrally formed with the building structure 70. The first and second channels 14, 16 20 each have a base portion 14a, 16a. The support member 12 is arranged in a grid with other like support members 12. The grid may be assembled on site, or alternately, the grid may be pre-assembled to reduce installation times for the fastening system 10. The system 10 according to the first embodiment includes a fastening element 25 18, which is shown in isolation in Figs. 3 to 5. The fastening element 18 has a fastening element axis AA. The fastening element 18 has a first arm 19 extending parallel to the fastening element axis AA, the first arm 19 terminates at a first end 20. An opposing second arm 21 extends parallel to the fastening element axis AA, the second arm 21 terminating at a second end 22. 30 As shown in Fig. 5, the first arm 19 has a first curved edge 23 adjacent to the first end 20, and the second arm 21 has a second curved edge 25 adjacent to the second end 22. The first curved edge 23 and the second curved edge 25 are located on opposing sides of the fastening element axis AA. The fastening element 18 also has a pivot axis YY extending perpendicular to the fastening element axis AA.

WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 7 The first curved edge 23 and the second curved edge 25 may be arcs. The arcs may each define a quadrant of a circle. Alternatively, the curved edges 23, 25 may have an involute, hyperbolic or other such curved shape. The fastening element 18 is made from mild steel, stainless steel, galvanised 5 steel, plastic or any other suitable engineering material. The fastening element 18 may have an engagement portion 40 which is engageable with a driving tool such as a screw driver or allen key (not shown) to pivot the fastening element 18 about the pivot axis YY. The engagement portion may be a hexagonal hole or other such aperture or protrusion. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the fastening element includes a stem which extends 10 along the pivot axis YY. The stem is formed by the tail of a fastening element such as a bolt or screw. The bolt or screw having the engagement portion 40 as a head. The bolt or screw passes through a hole formed in a central region of the fastening element 18, between the first and second arms 19, 21. The bolt or screw may be attached to the arms 19, 21 by welding, a threaded connection or another suitable means. Alternatively, the is fastening element 18 may be formed without a stem, such that the engagement portion 40 is attached directly to the central region. The spacing between adjacent building panels 18 is defined by the width of the engagement portion 40, such that there is sufficient space between adjacent panels 24 to insert the driving tool to fasten or remove a building panel 24. 20 The fastening element 18 has a width between the two ends 20, 22 which is interferingly engageable between the base portions 14a, 16a of the first and second channels 14, 16. A first embodiment of a building panel 24 of the system 10 is shown in Fig. 6. The building panel 24 has a front face 26, a rear face 28 and a mounting portion 30. The 25 mounting portion 30 extends rearwardly and has a first slot 32 formed therein. The first slot extends along a slot axis, which is parallel to and adjacent an edge of the building panel 24. The mounting portion 30 is positionable within the space 17 formed in the U shaped support member 12. The building panel 24 may be any internal or external building panel, such as a cladding member located against the side of a building or other 30 structure. Alternatively, the building panel 24 may be a wall for use in a modular office partitioning system, a ceiling tile, or any other such generally planar panel attached to a structure. The slot 32 may be a closed slot as shown in the front portion of Fig. 11 or alternatively, the slot may be open such that an opening is formed in a rearward portion of 35 the mounting portion 30 as shown on the right side of the panel 24 of Fig. 11.

WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 8 The mounting portion may be formed as a bracket attached to the rear face 28 of the building panel 24. Alternatively, the mounting portion 30 may be formed as a folded portion of the building panel 24, which is folded at an angle of approximately 90 degrees relative to the front face 26 of the building panel. Such a building panel 24 is depicted in 5 Fig. 13. The building panels 24 are arranged in a matrix 100 of like building panels 24 which is schematically shown in 12. Each panel 24 has a support member 12 extending parallel to and adjacent each of the panel's 24 peripheral edges. Accordingly, in the instance that the building panel 24 is rectangular, there are four peripheral support 10 members 12 each located adjacent to an edge of the building panel 24. Adjacent edges of adjacent panels 24 share a single, common support member 12. The installation of the system 10 of the first embodiment will now be described. When an underlying structure 70 is to be clad with building panels 24, support members 12 are mounted to the structure 70 in a grid layout corresponding to the intended 15 positioning of the edges of the panels 24 in the matrix 100. A building panel 24 is arranged such that the mounting portion 30 extends rearwardly into the space 17, and the slot 32 is adjacent to one of the channels 14, 16. A second building panel 24 may also be inserted in a similar manner with the mounting portion 30 extending into the space 17. 20 One or more fastening elements 18 is then located in the space 17 of each support member 12, with the fastening element axis AA extending generally parallel to the support member axis XX. The fastening element 18 is then pivoted about the pivot axis YY such that the ends of the arms 22, 23 pivot through opposing arcs of a circle. The ends 20, 22 of the first and second arms enter the slots 32 of the two 25 adjacent building panels 24. Upon further pivoting of the fastening element 18 about the pivot axis YY, one of the first and second curved edges 23 25 permits the fastening element 18 to pivot to a locked position in which one of the first and second ends 20, 22 engages with the base portion 14a, 14b of one of the first and second channels 14, 16 thereby inhibiting the removal of the mounting portion 30 from the support member 12. 30 An open slot 32 such as that shown in Fig 11 may be placed adjacent to a closed slot such as that shown in Fig. 12. In this arrangement, the open slot 32 will not inhibit the removal of the building panel 24 from the support member 12. Accordingly, by arranging the matrix 100 such that an open slot 32 is located adjacent to a closed slot 32, the panels can be set so that each fastening element 18 secures only one of the adjacent building 35 panels. 24.

WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 9 For example, a building panel may have an edge with one closed slot 32 and one open slot 32. An adjacent edge of a second building panel 24 may have an inverted arrangement with one closed slot 32 and one open slot. Accordingly, when the building panels 24 are located side by side, each closed slot 32 is adjacent to an open slot 32 of the 5 other panel 24. Accordingly, by securing the adjacent edges of the two panels 24 with two fastening elements, it is possible to remove one of the building panels 24 by pivoting one of the fastening elements 18. An advantage of this mounting arrangement is that it is possible to remove one building panel for service or replacement without unsecuring the adjacent panels. 10 As shown in Fig. 1, when the matrix 100 has been installed, flashing 88 such as a foam strip, a bead of flexible rubber or another such architectural material may be inserted between adjacent panels 24. A foam layer 90 as shown in Fig. 1 may be located between the mounting portions 30 and the base of the support member 12, to bias the building panels 24 away 15 from the support member 12. A second embodiment of the fastening system 200 will now be described. Like reference numerals will be used to indicate similar features to the first embodiment. Fig. 6 depicts the second embodiment of the fastening system 200. The fastening element 18 is similar to the fastening element described above and further includes a stem 202 having a 20 proximal end 204 and a distal end 206. The proximal end 204 being connected to a central region between the first and second arms 19, 21. The stem 202 extends perpendicularly to the fastening element axis AA along a pivot axis YY of the fastening element 18. A base member 208 is connected at or adjacent the distal end of the stem 202. The base member 208 extends in a direction which is generally parallel to the fastening 25 element axis AA. The base member 208 may be in the form of a truncated cone, whereby the largest end of the cone is furthest from the first and second arms 19, 21. Alternatively, the base member 208 may be a planar, disc shaped portion. Alternatively, the base member 208 may consist of third and fourth arms. The base member 208 may be fixed relative to the stem 202 or alternatively, the 30 base member 208 may be adapted to rotate relative to the stem 202. The support member 220 as shown in Fig 7 is similar to the support member 12 described above and the support member further includes a third channel 210 extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support member axis XX, and a fourth channel 212 extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to the support member axis XX. An opening WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 10 214 of the third channel 210 facing an opening 216 of the fourth channel 212, and the third and fourth openings 214, 216 being separated by a second space 218. The installation of the system 200 of the second embodiment will now be described. Support members 12 are mounted to the structure 70 in a grid layout 5 corresponding to the intended positioning of the edges of the panels 24 in the matrix 100. One or more fastening elements 18 are inserted into the support member 12, such that opposing ends of the base member 208 are inserted within the third and fourth channels 210, 212. The fastening element 18 is then slidable within the third and fourth channels 210, 212, but unable to be removed from the support member 12, except at each 10 of the ends of the support member 12. The fastening elements 18 may be supplied preloaded within the third and fourth channels 210, 212, such that a given number of fastening elements are loaded per meter of support member 12. Alternatively, the fastening elements 18 may be loaded into the third and fourth channels 210, 212 as required on site. 15 The building panel 24 is then positioned such that the mounting portion 30 extends rearwardly into the space 17, and the slot 32 is located adjacent to one of the channels 14, 16. A second, adjacent building panel 24 may also be located in a similar manner with the mounting portion 30 extending into the space 17. A fastening element 18 is then slid along the axis XX to a desired fastening 20 location, with the fastening element axis AA extending generally parallel to the mounting portion axis XX. The fastening element is then pivoted about the pivot axis YY such that the ends of the arms 22, 23 pivot through opposing arcs of a circle. The ends 20, 22 of the first and second arms enter the slots 32 of the two adjacent building panels 24. Further pivoting of the fastening element 18 about the pivot 25 axis YY results in one of the first and second curved edges 23 25 permits the fastening element 18 to pivot to a locked position in which one of the first and second ends 20 22 engages with the base portion of one of the first and second channels 14, 16 thereby inhibiting the removal of the mounting portion 30 from the support member 12. An advantage of the second embodiment is that the fastening elements 18 may 30 be supplied preloaded within the support member 12 at the required number of fastening elements 18 per meter. A further advantage of the second embodiment is that the base member 208 reduces the likelihood of the fastening element 18 sliding to an incorrect location prior to engagement of the first and second arms 19, 21 within the first and second channels 14, 35 16.

WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 11 Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

1. A fastening system including: a support member having a support member axis, said support member including a fi st channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to said support member axis, and a second channel extending in said longitudinal direction, an opening of the first channel facing an opening of the second channel, and the first and second openings being separated by a space, said first and second channels each having a base portion, a building panel including a front face, a rear face and a rearwardly extending mounting portion, a slot being formed in said mounting portion, said slot extending along a slot axis parallel and adjacent to an edge of said building panel and being positionable within said space, and a fastening element having a fastening element axis, said fastening element having a first arm extending parallel to said fastening element axis, said first arm terminating at a first end, and an opposing second arm extending parallel to said fastening element axis, said second arm terminating at a second end, said first arm having a first curved edge adjacent to said first end, and said second arm having a second curved edge adjacent to said second end, said first curved edge and said second curved edge being located on opposing sides of said fastening element axis, said fastening element having a pivot axis extending perpendicular to said fastening element axis, wherein said first and second arms are locatable within said space and said fastening element is pivotable about said pivot axis such that one of said first and second ends enters said slot, further wherein one of said first and second curved edges permits said fastening element to pivot to a locked position in which one of said first and second ends engages with the base portion of one of said first and second channels, thereby inhibiting the removal of said mounting portion from said support member.

2. The fastening system of claim 1 wherein: said support member includes a third channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to said support member axis, the third channel having a third channel opening and a base portion, wherein the third channel opening is narrower than the base portion, said fastening element including a stem having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end extending from a central region between said first and second arms, said stem extending perpendicularly to said fastening element axis along a pivot axis of said fastening 13 element; said fastening element further including a base member, said base member being mounted at or adjacent the distal end of said stem, said base member extending parallel to said fastening element axis, wherein two opposing ends of said base member are insertable within said third channel, further wherein a distance between the two opposing ends of said base member is larger than a width of the third channel opening.

3. A method of fastening a building panel, said method including the steps of: arranging a support member at a desired location, said support member having a support member axis, said support member including a first channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to said support member axis, and a second channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to said support member axis, an opening of the first channel facing an opening of the second channel, and the first and second openings being separated by a space, said first and second channels each having a base portion, positioning a mounting portion of a building panel in said space, said building panel having a front face, said mounting portion extending rearwardly, a slot being formed In said mounting portion, said slot extending along a slot axis parallel to and adjacent an ed e of said building panel, inserting a first arm and an opposing second arm of a fastening element within said space, said fastening element having a fastening element axis, said first arm extending parallel to said fastening element axis, said first arm terminating at a first end, said second arm extending parallel to said fastening element axis, said second arm terminating at a second end, said first arm having a first curved edge adjacent to said first end, and said second arm having a second curved edge adjacent to said second end, said first curved edge and said second curved edge being located on opposing sides of said fastening element axis, said fastening element having a pivot axis extending perpendicularly to said fastening element axis, pivoting said fastening element about said pivot axis such that one of said first and second ends enters said slot; and further pivoting said fastening element about said pivot axis such that one of said first and second curved edges permits said fastening element to pivot to a locked position in which one of said first and second ends engages with said base portion of one of said first and second channels, thereby inhibiting the removal of said mounting portion from said support member. EDITORIAL NOTE Number: 2007224988 There are not pages 14 and 15 WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 16 AMENDED CLAIMS Received by the International Bureau on 15 May 2007 (15.05.07), Claims 5 and 9 are replaced by amended claim 5, remaining claims unchanged.

4. The method of fastening a building panel of claim 3, said method farther including the steps of: arranging said support member at said desired location, said support member further including a third channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to said 5 support member axis, and a fourth channel extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to said support member axis, an opening of the third channel facing an opening of the fourth channel, and the third and fourth openings being separated by a second space, inserting opposing ends of a base member of said fastening element within said third and fourth channels, said fastening element including a stem having a proximal end 10 and a distal end, said proximal end extending from a central region between said first and second arms, said stern extending perpendicularly to said fastening element axis along a pivot axis of said fastening element, said base member being mounted at or adjacent the distal end of said stem, said base member extending parallel to said fastening element axis. 15

5. A fastening element comprising: a first arm extending parallel to a fastening element axis, said first ann terminating at a first end, an opposing second arm extending parallel to said .fastening element axis, said second arm terminating at a second end, said first arm having a first 20 curved edge adjacent to said first end, and said second arm having a second curved edge adjacent to said second end, said first curved edge and said second curved edge being located on opposing sides of said fastening element axis, said first and second arms meeting at a central region, a stem having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end extending from 25 said central region, said stem extending perpendicularly to said fastening element axis along a pivot axis of said fastening element; and a base member, said base member being mounted at or adjacent the distal end of said stem, said base member having a truncated cone shape, the largest end of the cone being furthest from the first and second arms. 30

6. The fastening system of one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said fastening element includes an engagement portion which is engageable with a driving tool to pivot said fastening element about said pivot axis. AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) WO 2007/104074 PCT/AU2007/000078 17

7. The method of fastening a building panel of one of claims 3 or 4, wherein said fastening element includes an engagement portion which is engageable with a driving tool to pivot said fastening element about said pivot axis. 5

8. The fastening element of claim 5, wherein said fastening element includes an engagement portion which is engageable with a driving tool to pivot said fastening element about said pivot axis.

9. The method of fastening a building panel of one of claims 3 or 4, wherein said 10 base member has a truncated cone shape, the largest end of the cone being furthest from the first and second arms.

10. The fastening system of one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said base member has a truncated cone shape, the largest end of the cone being furthest from the first and second 15 arms. AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)