AU2017100288A4

AU2017100288A4 - An external element for a building

Info

Publication number: AU2017100288A4
Application number: AU2017100288A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Glen Carless; Ken McBryde
Original assignee: Nev House Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Nev House Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2017-03-10
Filing date: 2017-03-10
Publication date: 2017-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-10

Description

ι 2017100288 10 Mar 2017

AN EXTERNAL ELEMENT FOR A BUILDING

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an external element for a building.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Wall cladding panels or facade panels are typically installed on exterior walls of buildings. Such panels are designed to form the outer shell and improve the appearance of a building. However, such panels typically have a continuous, flat outer surface and thus do not provide efficient shading or protection from sunlight, particularly in summer conditions. As such, the panels absorb and retain a significant amount of heat from sunlight, resulting in an increase to the overall heat levels of the building. Similarly, louvres or shutters on external windows of buildings typically form a continuous, substantially flat outer surface (when the louvre or shutters are closed), thus limiting the capacity to efficiently provide shade to the exterior of the building.

SUMMARY

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more disadvantages of existing arrangements, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

[0004] According to the present invention, there is provided an external element for a building comprising: a first surface facing away from the building and a second surface opposite the first surface, the external element forming an exterior portion of the building; and one or more projections arranged to extend away from the first surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface, wherein each projection is adapted to provide shade to at least a portion of the external element for the building.

[0005] The external element may form at least part of a louvre system comprising an array of louvres forming the exterior portion of the building, each louvre including a first louvre surface and a second louvre surface opposite the first louvre surface, the array of louvres being

AH25(12778881_1):MSL 2 2017100288 10 Mar 2017 pivotable between an open configuration, in which the first and second louvre surfaces are oriented at an angle with respect to the exterior portion of the building and a closed configuration, in which the first and second louvre surfaces are substantially parallel to the exterior portion of the building, wherein the one or more projections are louvre projections, each louvre projection arranged to extend away from the first louvre surface of a respective louvre in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first louvre surface.

[0006] Each louvre projection of the louvre system may be a separately formed component adapted to be attached to an end of a respective louvre.

[0007] Alternatively, each louvre projection of the louvre system may be integrally formed with a respective louvre.

[0008] Each louvre projection may have a stiffening element therein.

[0010] Each louvre may be adapted to frictionally engage an adjacent louvre when the array of louvres is in the closed configuration.

[0011] The present invention also provides an external element system comprising a first external element as described above as a wall panel and a second external element as described above as a louvre system, wherein each external element has the same visual appearance when the array of louvres of the louvre system is in the closed configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0013] Fig. 1 shows a side view of an external element for a building in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; [0014] Fig. 2 shows a side view of the external element shown in Fig. 1 forming part of a louvre system, in an open configuration;

AH25(12778881_1):MSL 3 2017100288 10 Mar 2017 [0015] Fig. 3 shows a side view of the external element shown in Fig. 1 forming part of a louvre system, in a closed configuration; and [0016] Fig. 4 shows a side view of an external element system comprising a wall panel and a louvre system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of an external element 100 for a building (not shown). The external element 100 includes a first surface 110 facing away from the building and a second surface 120 opposite the first surface 110. The external element 100 forms an exterior portion of the building. In this embodiment, the second surface 120 is mountable to an external wall of the building. The external element 100 further includes one or more projections 130 that are arranged to extend away from the first surface 110 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface 110. The projections 130 are formed at regular, predetermined intervals of approximately 140 mm, measured between the centrepoints of the projections 130 along the external element 100. The external element 100 may be formed by way of powder injection moulding (PIM) of a material such as recycled plastic.

[0018] Figs. 2 and 3 show an embodiment in which the external element 100 forms at least part of a louvre system 200 having an array of louvres 210 forming the exterior portion of the building. Each louvre 210 includes a first louvre surface 212 and a second louvre surface 214 opposite the first louvre surface 212. The array of louvres 210 are pivotable between an open configuration (as best shown in Fig. 2), in which the first and second louvre surfaces 212 and 214 are oriented at an angle with respect to exterior portion of the building and a closed configuration (as best shown in Fig. 3), in which the first and second louvre surfaces 212 and 214 are substantially parallel to the exterior portion of the building. In the closed configuration, each louvre 210 may frictionally engage an adjacent louvre 210. In this embodiment, the one or more projections 130 of the external element 100 are louvre projections 220 that are arranged to extend away from the first louvre surface 212 of a respective louvre 210 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first louvre surface 212.

[0019] Each louvre projection 220 may be a separately formed component that is attached to an end of the louvre 210. The louvre 210 may either be formed from a translucent material such as glass, or a solid material such as recycled plastic. The louvre projection 220 may be formed by

AH25(12778881_1):MSL 4 2017100288 10 Mar 2017 an extrusion process of a material such as recycled plastic. Each louvre projection 220 may alternatively be integrally formed with the louvre 210, also by way of an extrusion process. It is envisaged that each louvre projection 220 may include a stiffening element 230 within a cavity of the louvre projection 220. The stiffening element 230 is formed as a flat plate or strip of material such as aluminum.

[0020] Fig. 4 shows an external element system 300 which includes a combination of a first external element as a wall panel 100 and a second external element as the louvre system 200. In this embodiment, the array of louvres 210 is in the closed configuration, whereby the first surface 110 of the wall panel 100 is substantially parallel with the first louvre surface 212 of the louvre 210. Likewise, the second surface 120 of the wall panel 100 is substantially parallel with the second surface 214 of the louvre 210. It is envisaged that in this arrangement, the wall panel 100 and the louvre system 200 have the same visual appearance, so as to provide an aesthetically pleasing and continuous, ribbed visual appearance to the building.

[0021] Various forms of the external elements and external element system described above may have one or more of the following advantages. For example, when the sun is in a location between the 9 o’clock and 12 o’clock position (when the external element is viewed from the side of the building, as in Figs. 1 to 4), each of the projections of the external element and louvre projections of the louvre system may shade at least a portion of the external element from the sunlight, for example, areas of the external element directly below the projections. As such, the projections may reduce the area upon which the sunlight is able to project, thereby reducing the amount of heat being absorbed by the external elements. The projections may also increase the strength and stability of the external elements. The various components of the external elements may be formed from environmentally friendly, low-cost and durable materials such as recycled plastic, thus providing a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to known wall cladding or facade panels.

[0022] Although the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

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Claims

1. An external element for a building comprising: a first surface facing away from the building and a second surface opposite the first surface, the external element forming an exterior portion of the building; and one or more projections arranged to extend away from the first surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface, wherein each projection is adapted to provide shade to at least a portion of the external element for the building.

2. The external element of claim 1, wherein the external element forms at least part of a louvre system comprising an array of louvres forming the exterior portion of the building, each louvre including a first louvre surface and a second louvre surface opposite the first louvre surface, the array of louvres being pivotable between an open configuration, in which the first and second louvre surfaces are oriented at an angle with respect to the exterior portion of the building and a closed configuration, in which the first and second louvre surfaces are substantially parallel to the exterior portion of the building, wherein the one or more projections are louvre projections, each louvre projection arranged to extend away from the first louvre surface of a respective louvre in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first louvre surface.

3. The external element of claim 2, wherein each louvre projection of the louvre system is a separately formed component adapted to be attached to an end of a respective louvre.

4. The external element of claim 2, wherein each louvre projection of the louvre system is integrally formed with a respective louvre.

5. The external element of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein each louvre projection has a stiffening element therein.

6. The external element of any one of claim 2 to 5, wherein each louvre is adapted to frictionally engage an adjacent louvre when the array of louvres is in the closed configuration.

7. An external element system comprising a first external element of claim 1 as a wall panel and a second external element of claim 1 as a louvre system, wherein each external element has the same visual appearance when the array of louvres of the louvre system is in the closed configuration.