WO2018115834A1

WO2018115834A1 - A building panel

Info

Publication number: WO2018115834A1
Application number: PCT/GB2017/053793
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Eric Appleford
Original assignee: Acermetric Ltd
Priority date: 2016-12-20
Filing date: 2017-12-19
Publication date: 2018-06-28
Also published as: GB201621669D0; EP3559363A1

Abstract

A building panel (1a, 1b) has first and second major sides (2, 3), wherein a first frame (4) extends around the first side (2) and a second frame (5) extends around the second side (3). The second frame (5) is spaced apart from the first frame (4) by a frame gap (24), and the building panel (1a, 1b) has frame spacing members (25) at spaced locations interconnecting the first and second frames (4, 5).

Description

A BUILDING PANEL The present invention relates to a building panel.

Steel or timber framed buildings involve constructing a skeletal frame structure on site, and insulation/cladding can then be added. Steel has a much higher thermal conductivity than timber and these both have a much higher thermal conductivity than a typical insulation material such as expanded polystyrene (EPS). As the insulation typically sits within the frame structure its effectiveness is much reduced due to cold bridging at, say, corners or junctions in the frame structure.

Furthermore, the building may be subject to damage by fire or corrosion and there is exposure to the elements during construction of the building.

An object of the present invention is to provide a building panel to alleviate at least one of the above-mentioned problems.

To this end, the invention consists in a building panel having first and second major sides, a first frame extending around the first side and a second frame extending around the second side and spaced apart from the first frame by a frame gap, and frame spacing members at spaced locations interconnecting the first and second frames.

Cold bridging caused by the frame spacing members interconnecting the first and second frames could be designed to be well within allowable tolerances for cold bridging fixtures.

The frames may comprise steel or laminated veneer lumber (LVL). This increases the overall strength of the building panel compared to a panel having, say, a solid pine frame. The frames may comprise aluminium.

The building panel may include frame insulation which is located between the first and second frames. The building panel may include panel insulation which is located in a region bounded by the frames. The frame insulation may be separate from the panel insulation. The panel insulation may substantially fill the region bounded by the frames. This improves the rigidity of the building panel. The panel insulation may comprise a slab. At least the panel insulation reduces acoustic transmission through the building panel.

The building panel may include at least one sheet on each major side of the panel to enclose the panel insulation bounded by the frames. The sheets may be fixed to the frames. The sheets may be adhered to the panel insulation. By the sheets being fixed to the frames and being adhered to the panel insulation this makes the building panel a strong composite structure that is resistant to damage during construction of a building with these panels.

Each frame has a perimeter length and the frame spacing members which interconnect the frames may extend along less than 5% of the perimeter length.

The building panel may include a perimeter defined by the frames, the perimeter including projecting portions and non-projecting portions configured such that when adjacent edges of two like panels are engaged, each projecting portion of one said edge is accommodated by a non-projecting portion of the other said edge. Each projecting portion may include a perimeter outer section of one said frame and an inner section of said one frame spaced inwardly from the perimeter outer section by a projecting portion gap and projecting portion spacing members. Cold bridging caused by the connections between the perimeter outer section and the inner section by the projecting portion spacing members could be designed to be well within allowable tolerances for cold bridging fixtures. The projecting portion has a length and the projecting portion spacing members may interconnect the perimeter outer section and the inner section over less than 5% of the projecting portion length.

The frame gap separating the first and second frames of the panel may be configured to be aligned with the projecting portion gap of the other panel when the like panels are disposed perpendicular to each other in an edge-to- edge arrangement. The frame gap separating the first and second frames of the panel may be configured to be aligned with the frame gap of the other panel when the like panels are disposed parallel to each other in an edge-to-edge arrangement. The frame gap and the projecting portion gap provide minimal thermal conduction between the panels.

The first and second frames may be covered by a corrosion resistant material. The covering of a corrosion resistant material may be a coating of zinc. The covering is substantially protected from damage during construction of a building with the panels by the at least one sheet on each major side of the panel.

The building panel may include an engaging means first portion, and an engaging means second portion, the engaging means first portion being latchingly engagable with the engaging means second portion of an adjacent like panel. This enables the building panels to be mechanically connected together quickly, easily and securely. This, together with the composite structure of the building panel, increases the resistance of a building containing such panels to fire.

At least one non-projecting portion may have said engaging means first portion, and at least one projecting portion may have said engaging means second portion. The engaging means first portion may be latchingly engagable with the engaging means second portion of the adjacent like panel wherein the engaging means second portion is accessible via the frame gap or via the projecting portion gap. Thus, adjacent like panels may be mechanically connected together when the panels are disposed parallel or perpendicular to each other. The engaging means first portion may comprise an over-centre camlock mechanism for latchingly engaging the engaging means second portion. Thus, apart from, say, a tool such as a hexagonal key to cause the over-centre camlock mechanism to latchingly engage the engaging means second portion, like panels can be assembled and locked edge to edge to form a wall and/or at right angles to form a corner without additional tools or equipment. One said frame spacing member may comprise the engaging means first portion. One said frame spacing member may comprises at least a part of the engaging means second portion. One said projecting portion spacing member may comprise at least a part of the engaging means second portion.

The first and second frames may be substantially mirror images of each other. The building panel may have at least two degree rotational symmetry when rotated about a central axis extending perpendicularly to a major plane of the building panel.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a building panel constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the building panel;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional through a portion of a frame of the building panel;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views taken along lines 4 - 4, 5 - 5 and 6 - 6, respectively, shown on Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a hook and cam mechanism for the building panel;

Figures 8 and 9 are a perspective view and an elevational view, respectively, of part of a building including two of the building panels interengaged so as to be perpendicular to one another;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the two building panels of

Figures 8 and 9 about to be interengaged;

Figures 1 1 and 12 are sectional views taken along lines 1 1 - 1 1 and 12 - 12, respectively, shown on Figure 9;

Figure 13 is an elevational view showing the two building panels interengaged so as to be parallel to one another;

Figures 14 and 15 are sectional views taken along lines 14 - 14 and 15 - 15, respectively, shown on Figure 13; and

Figure 16 is a sectional view similar to Figure 5 and showing a modified second engaging portion of the building panel.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the building panel 1 is generally rectangular in plan and has first and second major sides 2, 3. A first frame 4 extends around the first major side 2 and a second frame 5 extends around the second major side 3 wherein the first and second frames 4, 5 are covered by a corrosion resistant material. The building panel 1 has a slab of panel insulation 6 which is located in a region bounded by the frames 4, 5. The panel insulation 6 fills the region bounded by the frames 4, 5. The building panel 1 has frame insulation 7 which is located between the first and second frames 4, 5 wherein the frame insulation 7 is separate from the panel insulation 6. A sheet 8, 9 is provided on each major side 2, 3 of the panel 1 to enclose the panel insulation 6 bounded by the frames 4, 5. The sheets 8, 9 are fixed to the frames 4, 5 by, say, screws, rivets or adhesive, and the sheets 8, 9 are adhered to the panel insulation 6 by adhesive.

The building panel 1 has a perimeter defined by the frames 4, 5 wherein the perimeter includes projecting portions 1 1 and non-projecting portions 12. Each non-projecting portion 12 has a length dimensioned to receive a complementary projecting portion 1 1 of an adjacent like panel which is coplanar or orthogonal, the panels being arranged edge-to-edge. The projecting and non-projecting portions 1 1 , 12 are arranged so that the building panel 1 has two degree rotational symmetry when rotated about a central axis 13 extending perpendicularly to a major side 2, 3 of the panel 1 .

Each non-projecting portion 12 holds a pair of lower frame insulation portions 7a, there being a gap 35 between the lower frame insulation portions 7a midway along the length of each non-projecting portion 12. Each lower frame insulation portion 7a extends into and along any adjacent projecting portion 1 1 on a same major edge of the panel 1 . The projecting portion 1 1 holds a pair of upper frame insulation portions 7b which sit on the lower frame insulation portion 7a, there being a gap 36 between the upper frame insulation portions 7b midway along the length of each projecting portion 1 1 .

The projecting portions 1 1 and non-projecting portions 12 are formed by the first and second frames 4, 5. The first frame 4 has first frame projecting portion and non-projecting portion parts 1 1 a, 12a and the second frame 5 has second frame projecting portion and non-projecting portion parts 1 1 b, 12b.

Referring to Figures 3 to 7, the first and second frame projecting portion parts 1 1 a, 1 1 b and non-projecting portion parts 12a, 12b are C-shaped in cross- section. The projecting portion parts 1 1 a, 1 1 b and non-projecting portion parts 12a, 12b each have an upper arm 14, 15 extending to one side of an upper end of a side wall 16. The portion 16a of the side wall 16 of the projecting portion part 1 1 a, 1 1 b extends above the portion 16b of the side wall 16 of the non- projecting portion part 12a, 12b. The projecting portion part 1 1 a, 1 1 b and the non-projecting portion part 12a, 12b also have a common lower arm 17 extending to one side of the lower end of the side wall 16 wherein the lower arm 17 is a lower arm of its respective frame. The projecting portion part 1 1 a, 1 1 b includes a perimeter outer section 18 and an inner section 19 spaced inwardly from the perimeter outer section 18 by a projecting portion gap 20 and projecting portion spacing members 21 . The perimeter outer section 18 comprises an upper part 22 of the side wall portion 16a and the upper arm 14 of the projecting portion part 1 1 a, 1 1 b. The inner section 19 comprises a lower part 23 of the side wall portion 16a and the lower arm 17 wherein the lower part 23 of the side wall portion 16a of the projecting portion part 1 1 a, 1 1 b extends above the side wall portion 16b of the non-projecting portion part 12a, 12b.

The second frame 5 is spaced apart from the first frame 4 by a frame gap 24, and the building panel 1 has frame spacing members 25 at spaced locations interconnecting the lower arms 17 of the first and second frames 4, 5. Each of these frame spacing members 25 comprises a hook and cam mechanism or an over-centre camlock mechanism 26 forming an engaging means first portion.

The mechanism 26 has a mounting 27 fixed to the underside of the lower arms 17 of the first and second frames 4, 5 midway along the length of each non- projecting portion 12a, 12b of each frame and the mechanism 26 is located in the corresponding lower frame insulation portion gap 35. A suitable hook and cam mechanism or over-centre camlock mechanism is described in US 6409235. One side of the building panel 1 has a hole 28 (see Figure 1 1 ) extending through the sheet 9 and the side wall 16 of the frame 5 to provide access for a suitable tool, such as a hexagonal key, to rotate a hook 29 of the mechanism 26 about the mounting 27 so that the hook 29 protrudes from the frame gap 24. Final travel of the tool operates an over-centre cam (not shown) within the camlock mechanism to lock the hook 29.

A first U-shaped member 30 is positioned midway along the length of each projecting portion part 1 1 a of the first frame 4 and a second U-shaped member 31 is positioned midway along the length of each projecting portion part 1 1 b of the second frame 5 wherein the legs 32 of the U-shaped members 30, 31 extend between the upper and lower parts 22, 23 of the side wall portion 16a of the projection portion part 1 1 a, 1 1 b. Thus, each leg 32 spans the projection portion gap 20, and the first and second U-shaped members 30, 31 form additional projecting portion spacing members 21 . The legs 32 are above the lower frame insulation portion 7a (shown in dashed lines for clarity in Figure 3) and are positioned in the gap 36 in the upper frame insulation portion 7b (shown in dashed lines for clarity in Figure 3). Additional frame spacing members 25 comprise third U-shaped members 33 wherein legs 32 of the third U-shaped members 33 extend between the underside of the upper arm 14 of the projecting portion parts 1 1 a, 1 1 b of the first and second frames 4, 5 midway along the length of the projecting portion 1 1 . Thus, each leg 32 of each third U-shaped member 33 spans the frame gap 24. The first, second and third U-shaped members 30, 31 , 33 form an engaging means second portion 34 (see Figure 2).

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, part of a building 40 is illustrated which includes like first and second building panels 1 a, 1 b interengaged so that they are disposed perpendicular to each other and arranged edge-to-edge.

Referring to Figures 10 to 12, when adjacent edges of the two building panels 1 a, 1 b are engaged, each projecting portion 1 1 of one edge is accommodated by the non-projecting portion 12 of the other edge, and the frame gap 24 separating the first and second frames 4, 5 of the second building panel 1 b is aligned with the projecting portion gap 20 of the first building panel 1 a.

The hook 29 of the over-centre camlock mechanism 26 of the non- projecting portion 12 of the second building panel 1 b is rotated by a tool inserted into the hole 28 so that it is received in the projecting portion gap 20 in the first major side 2 of the first building panel 1 a and hooks around the first U- shaped member 30. The gaps 35, 36 in the frame insulation 7 in both panels 1 a, 1 b provide sufficient spacing to enable the hooks 29 of one panel to rotate and engage the first, second or third U-shaped members 30, 31 , 33 of the other panel. Final travel of the tool operates the over-centre cam within the mechanism 30, pulling the two panels 1 a, 1 b together with significant force ensuring that they cannot come together without application of the tool.

The non-projecting portion upper arm 15 of the first frame 4 of the second building panel 1 b engages the upper side wall part 22 of the perimeter outer section 18 of the first building panel 1 a and the non-projecting portion upper arm 15 of the second frame 5 of the second building panel 1 b engages the lower side wall part 22 of the inner section 19 of the first building panel 1 a. Since the frame gap 24 separating the first and second frames 4, 5 of the second building panel 1 b is aligned with the projecting portion gap 20 of the first building panel 1 a, the first building panel 1 a does not produce any significant cold bridging between the first and second frames 4, 5 of the second building panel 1 b.

If the second building panel 1 b was to interengage with the first building panel 1 a on the second major side 3 of the first building panel 1 a then hooks 29 of the second panel 1 b would be received in projecting portion gaps 20 in the second major side 3 of the first panel 1 a and hooks around the corresponding second U-shaped members 31 .

Referring to Figures 13 to 15, the first building panel 1 a has the second like building panel 1 b attached so that they are disposed parallel to each other. When adjacent edges of the two building panels 1 a, 1 b are engaged, each projecting portion 1 1 of one edge is accommodated by the non-projecting portion 12 of the other edge, and the frame gap 24 separating the first and second frames 4, 5 of the second building panel 1 b is aligned with the frame gap 24 of the first building panel 1 a. The hook 29 of the over-centre camlock mechanism 26 of the non-projecting portion 12 of the second building panel 1 b is rotated so that it is received in the frame gap 24 of the first building panel 1 a and hooks around the third U-shaped member 33.

The non-projecting portion upper arms 15 of the frames 4, 5 of the second building panel 1 b engage the projecting portion upper arms 14 of the frames 4, 5 of the first building panel 1 a. Since the frame gap 24 separating the first and second frames 4, 5 of the second building panel 1 b is aligned with the frame gap 24 separating the first and second frames 4, 5 of the first building panel 1 a, there is no significant cold bridging between the first and second frames 4, 5 of the two building panels 1 a, 1 b.

Figure 16 illustrates a modified building panel 50 wherein the same reference numerals are used for unchanged parts of the building panel. In the modification, the engaging means second portion comprises a single U-shaped member 51 instead of first, second and third U-shaped members wherein the single U-shaped member 51 is within the projecting portion parts 1 1 a, 1 1 b of the first and second frames 4, 5. The distal ends 52 of the legs of the single U- shaped member 51 are bent so as to be attached to the inside surface of the side walls 16 of the projecting portion parts 1 1 a, 1 1 b.

Whilst particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The building panels are shown as being rectangular but they also may be substantially square or triangular in plan or may be any other appropriate geometric shape.

Each upper frame insulation portion 7b may be integral with the lower frame insulation portion 7a beneath.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A building panel (1 ) having first and second major sides (2, 3), a first frame (4) extending around the first side (2) and a second frame (5) extending around the second side (3) and spaced apart from the first frame (4) by a frame gap (24), and frame spacing members (25) at spaced locations interconnecting the first and second frames (4, 5).

2. The building panel as claimed in claim 1 , including frame insulation (7) which is located between the first and second frames (4, 5).

3. The building panel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, including panel insulation (6) which is located in a region bounded by the frames (4, 5).

4. The building panel as claimed in claims 2 and 3, wherein the frame insulation (7) is separate from the panel insulation (6).

5. The building panel as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the panel insulation (6) substantially fills the region bounded by the frames (4, 5).

6. The building panel as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, including at least one sheet (8, 9) on each major side (2, 3) of the panel (1 ) to enclose the panel insulation (6) bounded by the frames (4, 5).

7. The building panel as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sheets (8, 9) are fixed to the frames (4, 5) and adhered to the panel insulation (6).

8. The building panel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the frames (4, 5) have a perimeter length and the frame spacing members (25) which interconnect the frames (4, 5) extend along less than 5% of the perimeter length.

9. The building panel as claimed in any preceding claim, including a perimeter defined by the frames (4, 5), the perimeter including projecting portions (1 1 ) and non-projecting portions (12) configured such that when adjacent edges of two like panels (1 a, 1 b) are engaged, each projecting portion (1 1 ) of one said edge is accommodated by a non-projecting portion (12) of the other said edge.

10. The building panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein each projecting portion (1 1 ) includes a perimeter outer section (18) of one said frame and an inner section (19) of said one frame spaced inwardly from the perimeter outer section (18) by a projecting portion gap (20) and projecting portion spacing members (21 ).

1 1 . The building panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein the projecting portion (1 1 ) has a length and the projecting portion spacing members (21 ) interconnect the perimeter outer section (18) and the inner section (19) over less than 5% of the projecting portion length.

12. The building panel as claimed in claim 10 or 1 1 , wherein the frame gap (24) separating the first and second frames (4, 5) of the panel (1 b) is configured to be aligned with the projecting portion gap (20) of the other panel (1 a) when the like panels are disposed perpendicular to each other.

13. The building panel as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second frames (4, 5) are covered by a corrosion resistant material.

14. The building panel as claimed in any preceding claim, including an engaging means first portion (26), and an engaging means second portion (34), the engaging means first portion (26) being latchingly engagable with the engaging means second portion (34) of an adjacent like panel.

15. The building panel as claimed in claims 9 and 14, wherein at least one non-projecting portion (12) has said engaging means first portion (26), and at least one projecting portion (1 1 ) has said engaging means second portion (34).

16. The building panel as claimed in claims 10 and 15, wherein the engaging means first portion (26) is latchingly engagable with the engaging means second portion (34) of the adjacent like panel wherein the engaging means second portion (34) is accessible via the frame gap (24) or via the projecting portion gap (20).

17. The building panel as claimed in claim 14, 15 or 16, wherein the engaging means first portion (26) comprises an over-centre camlock mechanism for latchingly engaging the engaging means second portion.

18. The building panel as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein one said frame spacing member (25) comprises the engaging means first portion (26).

19. The building panel as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein one said frame spacing member (25) comprises at least a part of the engaging means second portion (34).

20. The building panel as claimed in claim 10 and in any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein one said projecting portion spacing member (21 ) comprises at least a part of the engaging means second portion (24).