Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face... – Having integral key
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-06
2004-12-28
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face...
Having integral key
C052S783100, C052S794100, C052S309900, C052S578000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06834468
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a building panel. One aspect of the invention has been developed especially, but not exclusively for use in interior wall or ceiling panelling, and the invention is herein described in that context. However it is to be appreciated that the invention has broader application and is not limited to these uses. In particular, another aspect of the invention is especially suited for use in flooring or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the building industry, panels are widely used in interior walls, partitions and ceilings. One of the most common type of panelling used is plasterboard, which traditionally is formed from a core of gypsum or anhydrite plaster faced with two sheets of heavy paper. Plasterboard has gained widespread acceptance because it is inexpensive, relatively light weight, can be easily cut and provides a good surface finish.
However, there are significant problems with plasterboard. Traditional plasterboard panels are not self supporting and need to be fixed to a supporting frame such as a stud wall or the like. This substantially increases the cost of installation. Furthermore, plasterboard has relatively poor thermal and acoustic insulation properties as compared to block walls, and is relatively inflexible thereby making it difficult to form into complex shapes.
Various proposals have been made to address these problems. These include the development of hollow core reinforced plaster panels or prefabricated sandwich panels made from two sheets of plasterboard bonded to a paper honeycomb core. Whist such designs are self supporting, they have limited applications and have not gained widespread acceptance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An aim of a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a building panel which is similar to traditional plasterboard panels in both terms of its costs and surface characteristics, yet which is able to provide significant improvements in respect of its structural properties.
According to this aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building panel including a metal sheet substrate and a paper covering bonded to said substrate, wherein said paper covered metal sheet forms a major surface of the panel and wherein said metal sheet includes opposite edges which are shaped to form edge regions of the panel, each edge region being formed to include a connecting element which extends along that edge region and which allows for interconnection of the panel with a like panel, one connecting element being formed as a channel and the other formed as a projection, the projection of one edge region being configured to interfit within the channel of the other edge region of a like panel to form a load bearing region capable of accommodating loading applied to said interconnected panels, and wherein when interconnected, the major surfaces of the interconnected panels are aligned and generally in abutting relationship to form a substantially continuous exposed surface.
The panel according to this aspect of the present invention provides significant advantages over the plasterboard panels. The panel of the invention with its paper covering, has a surface characteristic which can match that of plasterboard, yet offers significant improvements in structural properties because of the metal substrate. For example, the panel may be load bearing, may be formed or otherwise shaped into complex configurations, and is able to exhibit improved thermal and acoustic insulation characteristics.
A particular advantage of the panel is that the surface of a wall formed from the panels can be finished to appear continuous using standard techniques used on plasterboard walls. Such techniques include plaster rendering and the use of plaster tape.
Throughout the specification the term “paper” includes sheet material formed from any fibrous material produced from either naturally occurring or synthetic fibres. The sheet material may be of unitary or composite construction. It also includes other types of sheet material which have characteristics, in particular surface texture, which are similar to paper.
In a particularly preferred form, the panel of the invention is formed in continuous lengths using a laminating process to adhere the paper covering to the metal substrate. The production of panels in this way provides significant cost benefit and also has the advantage of enabling panels of indefinite length to be produced.
Preferably the building panel includes a generally planar abutment surface at each longitudinal edge region which extends generally perpendicular to the major surface. Preferably the connecting elements are disposed inwardly of the major surface with the abutment surfaces being disposed between the major surface and the connecting elements. This arrangement is ideally suited where the paper covering gives the panel a surface characteristic which is substantially the same as a plasterboard panel. In that arrangement, the panel is operative to form a substantially continuous exposed surface by connection of the panel with a like panel through interfitting of respective ones of the connecting elements, or through abutting of an edge of a plasterboard against a respective one of the abutment surfaces.
The profiles may be formed in the panel using any known technique such as roll forming, folding or the like. However in a particularly preferred form, the panels are roll formed to the desired profile. In this way this forming step can be easily included as an extension to the laminating process.
Any appropriate sheet metal may be used as the substrate, such as steel, aluminium, tin or the like. In general construction, galvanised steel has wide application as the metal substrate as it is relatively inexpensive, has good structural properties and is corrosive resistant. The gauge of the metal substrate may be chosen depending on the required structural properties of the panel. However it is envisaged that the gauge will be between 0.3 to 1 mm in most applications. Metal falling within this range of thicknesses can easily be cut thereby enabling services to be easily installed in the panel on site.
In a particularly preferred form, the panel is bonded directly to the metal surface. Preferably a reactive hot melt adhesive is used to bond the paper to the metal substrate. An advantage of using a reactive hot melt adhesive is that it provides high bond strength including high initial adhesive and cohesive strength which makes it ideal for laminating the paper directly onto the bare metal substrate. The ability to bond the paper directly onto a metal substrate again provides significant cost benefit in that it avoids the need for pretreatment of the metal such as the application of a primer coat to the metal surface. However, it is to be appreciated that intermediate layers such as paint or waterproof coatings may be included between the metal substrate and the paper covering if required.
In a preferred form, the adhesive is applied by a roller to the metal surface, as this gives good even coverage of the adhesive across the substrate surface which is important for providing an even surface finish on the panel.
The building panel of the invention has widespread application and can be used instead of, or in conjunction with, traditional paneling such as plasterboard. For example, the paneling of the invention may be used as a fascia, a ceiling panel or the like. In addition it may be used in conjunction with a traditional plasterboard partition or wall. For example, the panel may be included in a section of a plasterboard wall where a complex surface, such as a curved wall, is required which could not be formed using conventional plasterboard.
The building panel may also incorporate additional layers to improve its structural properties. For example, the panel may include additional insulating or thermal layers bonded to the metal substrate on the opposite surface to the paper covering. Again these additional layers may be bonded using any known technique but are preferably applied us
Friedman Carl D.
Nguyen Chi Q.
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Unipanel Pty Ltd.
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