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Title:
BUILDING PANEL
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/054023
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A building panel (300) including a layer of insulation material (202) and at least one connector (100). The connector includes a brace portion (104) which penetrates a surface (204) of the insulation layer (202), and a mounting portion (102) being fixed to the brace portion (104) and having a planar surface (120) that is substantially flush with the surface (204) of the insulation layer (202). The building panel also includes a facing sheet (210) being fixed to the planar surface (120) of the mounting portion (102) and to the surface (204) of the insulation layer (202). The brace portion (104) is oriented and shaped so as to bear shear force between the facing sheet (210) and the layer of insulation material (202). A connector (100) for use in such a building panel and a joiner (400) for use in the installation of such building panels are also disclosed.

Inventors:
JOHNS GRANT DAVID (AU)
Application Number:
PCT/AU2010/000965
Publication Date:
May 12, 2011
Filing Date:
July 30, 2010
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
GJ INV S PTY LTD (AU)
JOHNS GRANT DAVID (AU)
International Classes:
E04B2/92; E04B1/74; E04C2/00; E04F13/00; F16S1/00
Foreign References:
DE3604767A11987-08-20
NL8400535A1985-09-16
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
WATERMARK PATENT AND TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS (302 Burwood RoadHawthorn, Victoria 3122, AU)
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Claims:
CLAIMS:

1 . A building panel including:

a layer of insulation material;

at least one connector including:

a brace portion which penetrates a surface of the insulation layer; and

a mounting portion being fixed to the brace portion and having a planar surface that is substantially flush with the surface of the insulation layer; and

a facing sheet being fixed to the planar surface of the mounting portion and to the surface of the insulation layer,

wherein the brace portion is oriented and shaped so as to bear shear force between the facing sheet and the layer of insulation material.

2. A building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the brace portion includes at least one fin which projects into the insulation layer and extends from the mounting portion perpendicularly to the planar surface.

3. A building panel according to claim 1 , wherein the brace portion includes two or more fins which intersect one another about a central axis of the mounting portion and extend from the mounting portion perpendicularly to the planar surface.

4. A building panel according to claim 3, wherein the fins are formed to include a taper extending outwardly from the central axis of the mounting portion.

5. A building panel according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the fins are formed about a shaft that extends from the central axis of the mounting portion.

6. A building panel according to claim 5, wherein the shaft projects beyond a distal end of the fins and includes a fastening portion.

7. A building panel according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the at least one fin or fins are formed to include a taper extending from the mounting portion.

8. A building panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the brace portion also penetrates an opposing surface of the layer of insulation material.

9. A building panel according to claim 8 as appended to claim 6, wherein the connector further includes a retaining portion being fixed to the brace portion and having a second planar surface that is substantially flush with the opposing surface of the insulation layer.

10. A building panel according to claim 9, wherein the retaining portion is fixed to the brace portion by insertion of the fastening portion into an opening in the retaining portion.

1 1 . A building panel according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein a further facing sheet is fixed to the second planar surface of the retaining portion and to the opposing surface of the insulation layer.

12. A building panel according to claim 1 1 , wherein the brace portion is oriented and shaped so as to bear shear force between the further facing sheet and the layer of insulation material.

13. A building panel according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the at least one connector includes a plurality of said connectors positioned in a grid arrangement across the layer of insulation material such that the mounting portion of each of the plurality of connectors is disposed between the facing sheet and the layer of insulation material.

14. A connector for use in a building panel having a layer of insulation material fixed to a facing sheet, the connector including:

a mounting portion having a planar surface that is adapted to be fixed to the facing sheet; and a brace portion which extends from the mounting portion,

wherein the brace portion is oriented and shaped to penetrate a surface of the layer of insulation material and adapted to bear shear force between the facing sheet and the layer of insulation material.

15. A connector according to claim 14, wherein the brace portion includes at least one fin that extends from the mounting portion perpendicularly to the planar surface.

16. A connector according to claim 15, wherein the brace portion includes two or more fins which intersect one another about a central axis of the mounting portion.

17. The connector according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the at least one fin or fins are formed to include a taper extending from the mounting portion.

18. The connector according to claim 16, wherein the fins are formed about a shaft that extends from the central axis of the mounting portion.

19. The connector according to claim 1 8, wherein the shaft projects beyond a distal end of the fins and includes a fastening portion.

20. The connector according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the connector further includes a retaining portion being fixable to the brace portion and having a second planar surface that is adapted to be fixed to a further facing sheet.

21 . The connector according to claim 20 as appended to claim 19, wherein the retaining portion is fixable to the brace portion by insertion of the fastening portion into an opening in the retaining portion.

22. A joiner for use in the installation of building panels which include a layer of insulation material, the joiner including:

a central portion having two opposing planar surfaces; and at least two bracing portions extending from the opposing planar surfaces, wherein the bracing portions are oriented and shaped to penetrate the layer of insulation material of abutting building panels so as to bear shear force between said abutting building panels.

23. The joiner according to claim 22, wherein each of the two bracing portions includes at least one fin which extends from the central portion perpendicularly to the two opposing planar surfaces.

24. The joiner according to claim 23, wherein the bracing portions include two or more fins which intersect one another about a central axis of the central portion and extend from the central portion perpendicularly to the two opposing planar surfaces.

25. The joiner according to claim 24, wherein the fins are formed to include a taper extending outwardly from the central axis of the central portion.

26. The joiner according to any one of claims 23 to 25, wherein the at least one fin or fins are formed to include a taper extending from the central portion.

27. A building panel, a connector, or a joiner, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Description:
BUILDING PANEL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to building panels, and in particular to building panels for use in cladding of buildings, such as for walls, floors and ceilings. The invention is especially useful for building panels having an internal insulation layer and at least one external cement sheet layer. However, it should be understood that the invention is intended for broader application and use. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Pre-formed building panels are often used in external cladding and construction projects where the existing or raw surface of the building is considered undesirable. Such building panels are often used to improve the visual appearance of a building, improve the structural integrity of the building, or provide some additional physical characteristic such as insulation, water- resistance or fire-resistance.

Building panels of this type can be fixed to existing brick or concrete structures, or studded walls having timber or metal vertical members. A typical building panel of this type has a cladding structure which includes an internal layer of insulation material, and at least one external facing sheet which is most commonly a sheet of cement fibre material. The external facing sheet is often fixed to the insulation layer using adhesive. Due to the substantial weight of external facing sheets, such as cement fibre sheets or render coatings, the shear force created between the insulation layer and the facing sheet often results in delamination of the building panel over time. Delamination of the building panel is often attributed to deformation or degradation of the layer of insulation material, which often contains a brittle material such as polystyrene foam or the like. As the insulation material deteriorates or weakens, the shear force causes the facing sheet to become partially or completely detached from the insulation material and to sag.

The degradation of building panels due to delamination often contributes to building faults such as moisture penetration and ineffective fire resistance. In addition, rectification of such faults is costly and often requires complete replacement of damaged building panels. There is therefore the need for a building panel which resists and/or prevents delamination of the facing sheet from the insulation layer.

The installation of vertical building panels generally requires the installer to initially fix a building panel in place using a conventional fixing such as a metal anchor which passes through the building panel and engages with a timber or galvanized metal flashing system. The installation of further adjacent vertical building panels is often difficult as the further panel must be held in the required position and then simultaneously fixed into place as previously described. Given that the building panels are often installed by a single installer, and in view of the significant weight of such panels, the installation process can often be quite difficult and fraught with significant safety risks. In particular, there is the risk that the building panel may fall and injure the installer if it is incorrectly propped prior to being fixed to the building structure.

There is therefore the need for a device which assists with the installation of building panels whereby the building panels are substantially supported prior to being permanently fixed in place.

Discussion or mention of any piece of prior art in this specification is not to be taken as an admission that the prior art is part of the common general knowledge of the skilled addressee of the specification in Australia or any other country.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a building panel including:

a layer of insulation material;

at least one connector including:

a brace portion which penetrates a surface of the insulation layer; and

a mounting portion being fixed to the brace portion and having a planar surface that is substantially flush with the surface of the insulation layer; and

a facing sheet being fixed to the planar surface of the mounting portion and to the surface of the insulation layer, wherein the brace portion is oriented and shaped so as to bear shear force between the facing sheet and the layer of insulation material.

The brace portion preferably includes at least one fin which projects into the insulation layer and extends from the mounting portion perpendicularly to the planar surface. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the brace portion includes two or more fins which intersect one another about a central axis of the mounting portion and extend from the mounting portion perpendicularly to the planar surface.

The fin or fins advantageously stabilize the position of the mounting portion relative to the surface of the insulation layer. This is particularly true in the preferred embodiment where the engaging portion includes two or more fins that intersect one another about the central axis of the mounting portion. This configuration substantially limits the movement of the mounting portion once it has been fixed to the facing sheet. The enlarged surface area provided by the fins also allows the engaging portion to more effectively support and bear the shear force between the facing sheet and the layer of insulation material.

The fins may be formed to include a taper extending outwardly from the central axis of the mounting portion. In other words, the fins are effectively sharpened. This feature is particularly advantageous where the connector is required to be inserted into the layer of insulation material by penetrating and deforming said insulation layer.

The fins may be formed about a shaft that extends from the central axis of the mounting portion. Furthermore, this shaft may project beyond a distal end of the fins and include a fastening portion. The fastening portion is preferably provided at the distal end of the shaft, and extends beyond the fins. Desirably, the fastening portion has a frusto-conical shape which is positioned apart from the distal end of the fins to allow insertion of the fastening portion into an opening in a retaining portion of the connector. The frusto-conical shape of the fastening portion is also advantageous where the connector is required to be inserted into the layer of insulation material by penetrating and deforming said insulation layer.

The at least one fin or fins may also be formed to include a taper extending from the mounting portion. Therefore, the width of the fin or fins becomes progressively narrower as they extend from their point of attachment at the mounting portion. As with the previous feature, this taper is particular advantageous where the connector is required to be inserted into the layer of insulation material by penetrating and deforming said insulation layer.

The brace portion may also penetrate an opposing surface of the layer of insulation material. In embodiments wherein a fastening portion is located at the distal end of the brace portion, it is the fastening portion which effectively penetrates the opposing surface of the layer of insulation material. The frusto- conical shape of the fastening portion assists with penetration of the insulation material, and therefore also penetration of the opposing surface.

The connector may further include a retaining portion being fixed to the brace portion and having a second planar surface that is substantially flush with the opposing surface of the insulation layer. Preferably, the retaining portion is fixed to the brace portion by insertion of the fastening portion into an opening in the retaining portion. By fixing the retaining portion to the fastening portion, the position of the brace portion within the layer of insulation material is further secured. Furthermore, this arrangement prevents the brace portion from being pulled free from the layer of insulation material by shear forces acting upon the mounting portion.

A further facing sheet may be fixed to the second planar surface of the retaining portion and to the opposing surface of the insulation layer. The brace portion may be oriented and shaped so as to bear shear force between the further facing sheet and the layer of insulation material.

The at least one connector may include a plurality of said connectors positioned in a grid, or other arrangement, across the layer of insulation material such that the mounting portion of each of the plurality of connectors is disposed between the facing sheet and the layer of insulation material. The spacing of the plurality of connectors in the arrangement may depend on the dimensions of the building panel required, and the structural requirements of the building panel.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector for use in a building panel having a layer of insulation material fixed to a facing sheet, the connector including:

a mounting portion having a planar surface that is adapted to be fixed to the facing sheet; and a brace portion which extends from the mounting portion,

wherein the brace portion is oriented and shaped to penetrate a surface of the layer of insulation material and adapted to bear shear force between the facing sheet and the layer of insulation material.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a joiner for use in the installation of building panels which include a layer of insulation material, the joiner including:

a central portion having two opposing planar surfaces; and

at least two bracing portions extending from the opposing planar surfaces, wherein the bracing portions are oriented and shaped to penetrate the layer of insulation material of abutting building panels so as to bear shear force between said abutting building panels.

Each of the two bracing portions may include at least one fin which extends from the central portion perpendicularly to the two opposing planar surfaces. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the bracing portions may include two or more fins which intersect one another about a central axis of the central portion and extend from the central portion perpendicularly to the two opposing planar surfaces.

The fin or fins advantageously stabilize the position of the central portion relative to the layers of insulation material of the abutting building panels. This is particularly true in the preferred embodiment where the bracing portions include two or more fins that intersect one another about the central axis of the central portion. This configuration substantially limits the movement of the central portion once it has been fixed into at least one layer of insulation material. The enlarged surface area provided by the fins also allows the bracing portions to more effectively support and bear the shear force between the abutting building panels and therefore prevent relative movement between them.

The fins may be formed to include a taper extending outwardly from the central axis of the central portion. Therefore, the fins effectively sharpen as they extend outwardly from the central axis of the central portion. This feature is particularly advantageous as the joiner may be required to be manually inserted into the layers of insulation material by penetrating and deforming said insulation layers. Furthermore, the at least one fin or fins may be formed to include a taper extending from the central portion. As with the previous feature, this taper is particularly useful for manually inserting the joiner into the insulation layers by penetrating and deforming said insulation layers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are given by way of illustration only and other embodiments of the invention are possible. Consequently, the particularity of the accompanying drawings is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view perspective drawing of a connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2A is a front view perspective drawing of a retaining portion of the connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2B is a front view perspective drawing of a split ring of the connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a front view perspective drawing of a connector of Figure 1 including the retaining portion of Figure 2A and the split ring of Figure 2B;

Figure 4 is a front view cross-sectional drawing of the assembled connector of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side view cross-sectional drawing of a vertical building panel and connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6A is a side view perspective drawing of a joiner in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 6B is a side view line drawing of the joiner of Figure 6A.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Building panels embodying the present invention are particularly useful in external cladding and construction, such as on a wall of a building, however it should be understood that the invention may be applied to other uses such as internal cladding or partitioning, as well as floors or ceilings. Furthermore, the invention is especially useful for building panels having an internal insulation layer and at least one external cement panel layer.

Figure 1 illustrates a connector 1 00 for a building panel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The connector 1 00 includes a mounting portion 102 which has a substantially planar surface 120 (see Figure 3) and is adapted to be fixed to a facing sheet 210 (see Figure 5). This mounting portion 102 is preferably disc-shaped, and is fixed to the facing sheet 210 with an adhesive such as a foam adhesive sealant, although other fixings are envisioned by the present invention. The diameter of the mounting portion 102 is preferably 35mm, however this dimension may vary depending on the thickness of the building panel with which the connector 100 is to be used.

The connector 100 also includes a brace portion 104 which extends from the mounting portion 102. The brace portion 104 is preferably integrally formed with the mounting portion 102 and manufactured from a hard plastic material. The brace portion 1 04 consists of two fins 1 10 that intersect one another about a central axis 140 of the mounting portion 102. The fins 1 10 have a substantially planar form and incorporate a taper as they extend from the mounting portion 102. This taper, or narrowing of the fins 1 1 0, assists a user to manually insert the connector 100 into a layer of insulation material.

The fins 1 10 also incorporate a taper extending outwardly from the central axis 140 of the mounting portion. In effect, the fins 1 10 are sharpened to further assist a user to manually insert the connector 1 00 into a layer of insulation material. Given that manual insertion of the connector 100 requires penetration and deformation of the insulation material, the sharpened profile of the fins 1 10 allows the connector to "cut" through the insulation material and therefore be inserted more efficiently.

The fins 1 10 are formed about a shaft 1 12 that is fixed to the mounting portion 102, and which extends along the central axis 140 of the mounting portion 102. The shaft 1 1 2 also defines the point about which the fins 1 10 intersect one another. It is also preferable that the shaft 1 12 is integrally formed with the fins 1 1 0, and that the shaft 1 1 2 projects beyond a distal end 1 14 of the fins 1 10 to provide a fastening portion 1 16. The fastening portion 1 16 is preferably frusto-conical in shape, and incorporates an annular recess 1 18 which sets apart the fastening portion 1 16 from the distal end 1 14 of the fins 1 10.

The connector 1 00 may be complemented with a retaining portion 106 as shown in Figure 2A of the drawings. The retaining portion 106 is fixed to the brace portion 104 and includes a second planar surface 122 that is adapted to be fixed to a further facing sheet 212 (see Figure 5). As with the mounting portion 102, the retaining portion 106 is preferably disc-shaped, and is fixed to the further facing sheet 212 with an adhesive such as a foam adhesive sealant, although other fixings are envisioned by the present invention. The retaining portion 106 is fixed to the brace portion 104 by insertion of the fastening portion 1 16 into an opening 124 in the retaining portion 106.

This connection of the fastening portion 1 16 to the retaining portion 1 06 may be further secured with the use of a split ring 1 08 which is shown in Figure 2B of the drawings. The split ring 108 is positioned within an annular groove 1 26 on a projection 128 of the retaining portion 1 06. The projection 128 is cylindrical in shape and incorporates a number of slits about its circumference which allow the internal diameter of the projection 1 28 to increase as the fastening portion 1 1 6 is inserted into the opening 124. The split ring 108 also facilitates this slight expansion in diameter of the projection 128, and secures the attachment between the retaining portion 106 and the fastening portion 1 16.

Figure 3 of the drawings illustrates the connector 100 as fully assembled with the retaining portion 1 06 and the split ring 108. Similarly, Figure 4 of the drawings illustrates a cross-sectional view of the assembled connector 100 shown in Figure 3. In addition to the features of the connector 100 already described, it is apparent from Figure 3 that the retaining portion 1 06 also includes an internal lip 130 which is positioned within the projection 128. This internal lip 130 is adapted to fit within the annular recess 1 18 of the fastening portion 1 16 as the fastening portion 1 16 is fully inserted within the opening 124 of the retaining portion 106. As the fastening portion 1 16 is inserted into the opening 124, the frusto-conical shape of the fastening portion 1 16 acts against the internal lip 130 and causes the internal diameter of the projection 128 (and internal lip 130) to expand slightly. As the fastening portion 1 16 is fully inserted into the opening 124, the internal lip 130 slips into the annular recess 1 18 and the internal diameter of the projection 128 returns to its exists size. This arrangement allows the retaining portion 106 to be securely attached to the fastening portion 1 16.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown in the drawings), the assembled connector, including the retaining portion, may be integrally formed. The assembled connector would preferably be formed from a hard plastic have a rigid structure. In this embodiment of the invention, the fins would not need to incorporate a taper and would extend directly from the mounting portion to the retaining portion, being fixed to both the mounting portion and the retaining portion.

Figure 5 shows a building panel 300 (in this instance being a wall panel) in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The building panel 300 includes an internal layer of insulation material 202, a facing sheet 210 that is fixed to the surface 204 of the insulation material 202, and a further facing sheet 212 that is fixed to an opposing surface 206 of the insulation material 202. The building panel 300 also includes at least one connector 100 as previously described. Preferably, the building panel 300 includes a plurality of connectors 100 positioned in a regular grid arrangement across the layer of insulation material 202.

The facing sheet 210 and further facing sheet 212 are preferably 7.5mm cement sheets, and the insulation material 202 is preferably a 60mm thick panel of Polyphen ® insulation. The facing sheet 210 and further facing sheet 21 2 are preferably fixed to the insulation material using an adhesive glue such as Anchor- Weld 3801 , which is a fire resistant contact adhesive.

Having regard to the connector 100 shown in Figure 5, the planar surface 120 of the mounting portion 102 is substantially flush with the surface 204 of the insulation material 202. Therefore, when the facing sheet 210 is fixed to the insulation material 202 using the adhesive glue, the planar surface 120 of the mounting portion 102 is also fixed to the facing sheet 21 0. Similarly, the second planar surface 122 of the retaining portion 106 is substantially flush with the opposing surface 206 of the insulation material 202. Therefore, when the further facing sheet 212 is fixed to the insulation material 202 using the adhesive glue, the second planar surface 122 is also fixed to the further facing sheet 212. Assembly of the building panel 300 requires that a plurality of connectors 100 be inserted into a layer of insulation material 202 that has been cut to a required size (or standard industry dimensions). The connectors 100 (excluding the retaining portion 106 and split ring 108) are manually pressed into the insulation material 202 until the planar surface 120 of the mounting portion 102 is substantially flush with the surface 204 of the insulation material. This operation of pushing the connector 100 into the insulation material 202 causes the brace portion 104 to penetrate and deform the insulation material 202. Once the connector 100 has been inserted into the insulation material 102, the fins 1 10 prevent any substantial movement of the connector 100. The length of each of the connectors 100 is preferably 60mm, which corresponds to the preferred thickness of the insulation material 202. This length also allows the installer to locate the position of the inserted connector 100 from the opposing surface 206 of the insulation material 202.

The retaining portion 106, with the split ring 108 attached, is then fitted to the fastening portion 1 16 from the opposing surface 206 of the insulation material 202. The action of fitting the retaining portion 106 to the fastening portion 1 16 causes the opposing surface 206 to be penetrated by at least the projection 1 28 on the retaining portion 1 06 and also by the fastening portion itself 1 16. Once the retaining portion 1 06 is fully engaged with the fastening portion 1 16, the second planar surface 122 of the retaining portion 106 is substantially flush with the opposing surface 206 of the insulation material 202.

It is then possible to attach the facing sheet 210 and further facing sheet 21 2 to the insulation material 202. This requires cutting two sheets of 7.5mm cement sheet which correspond to the dimensions of the insulation material {eg Polyphen ® ) which has been used. A contact adhesive such as Anchor-Weld 1801 is preferably sprayed onto the cement sheet and the Polyphen ® , using a 1 .4mm nozzle on the spray gun (set to 40 PS I) to ensure that the correct amount of adhesive is applied. After the contact adhesive has been allowed to tack, the cement sheets are fixed to the Polyphen ® insulation. Once the cement sheets have been applied to the Polyphen ® insulation, a firm compression force (of approximately 60kg) is evenly applied to the panel until the contact adhesive has set. The resulting building panel 300 as shown in Figure 5 includes an internal layer of insulation material 202 sandwiched between a facing sheet 210 and a further facing sheet 212.

The assembled building panel 300 is fixable to external building faces (such as brick, concrete or timber finishes) using conventional methods. These methods may include the use of metal top hat battens which can be fixed to either timber or metal studs. The metal battens can then be fixed to an internal side of the building panel 300 using fixings such as metal anchors. The metal anchor is most likely to penetrate into through the further facing sheet 212 and into the insulation material 202. However, to prevent moisture penetration through the building panel 300, the metal anchor (or equivalent fixing) does not penetrate the facing sheet 210.

For the majority of installations (eg wall external cladding of buildings), the orientation of the building panel 300 will be such that a shear force exists between the insulation layer 202 and one or more of the facing sheet 210 and the further facing sheet 212. This shear force is indicated by the arrows on the drawing in Figure 5. Due to the effects of gravity, the facing sheet 210 (which is likely to be the presentation surface) has a tendency to sag relative to the insulation material 202 to which it is fixed. As the insulation material 202 and further facing sheet 212 are fixed to the metal batten (or external surface of the building), there is a tendency to resist the sagging of the facing sheet 210 and a shear force is created.

As the planar surface 120 of the mounting portion 102 is also fixed to the facing sheet 120, this enables the fins 1 1 0 to support or resist the shear force between the facing sheet 210 and the insulation material 202. The shear force is effectively spread across the enlarged surface area of the fin or fins 1 10 which extend into the insulation material 202 at a plane which is transverse to the shear force. This arrangement substantially prevents further deformation or degradation of the insulation material 202 which may otherwise ultimately lead to delamination of the facing sheet 210 from the insulation material 202.

Similarly, the second planar surface 122 of the retaining portion 106 is fixed to the further facing sheet 212. The shear force that exists between the further facing sheet 212 and the insulation material 202 is spread across the enlarged surface area of the fins 1 10. By supporting and resisting the shear force, the fins 1 10 also substantially prevent delamination of the further facing sheet 212 from the insulation material 202.

The connectors 100 within the building panel 300 also act as spacers between the facing sheet 210 and further facing sheet 21 2. In the event of a contact impact against either the facing sheet 210 or further facing sheet 212, the connectors 100 prevent any substantial deformation to the internal insulation material 202 as the connectors 100 (when assembled with the retaining portion 106 and split ring 1 08) cannot be further engaged or compressed.

Whilst the building panel 300 shown in Figure 5 is described as a wall panel (having a vertical orientation), it should be appreciated that the same panel, or a slightly modified version with an appropriately spaced array of connectors, may be used horizontally as a floor or ceiling panel.

Figures 6A and 6B illustrate perspective and side views respectively of a joiner 400 for use in the installation of building panels in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The joiner 400 includes a central portion 402 having two opposing planar surfaces 410, 412. The central portion 402 is preferably disc-shaped and manufactured from a hard plastic material.

The joiner 400 further includes two bracing portions 404, 406 which are fixed to, and extend from the opposing planar surfaces 41 0, 412. Each of the bracing portions 404, 406 includes two fins 420 which extend from the opposing planar surfaces and intersect one another about a central axis 430 of the central portion 410. The fins 420 have a substantially planar form and incorporate a taper as they extend from the central portion 410. This taper, or narrowing of the fins 420, assists a user to manually insert the connector 100 into a layer of insulation material.

The fins 420 also incorporate a taper extending outwardly from the central axis 430 of the central portion 41 0. In effect, the fins 420 are sharpened to further assist a user to manually insert the joiner 400 into a layer of insulation material. Given that manual insertion of the joiner 400 requires penetration and deformation of the insulation material, the sharpened profile of the fins 420 allows the connector to "cut" through the insulation material and therefore be inserted more efficiently. The purpose of the joiner 400 is to facilitate easy installation of the building panels 300. The installer of such building panels 300 is often faced with the difficult task of propping the building panel 300 against the building surface and simultaneously applying a fixing to the building panel 300. Given that building panels 300 of this type have an average weight of approximately 60kgs, this is both a difficult and dangerous task. If the building panel 300 is incorrectly propped before fixing, it may fall and injure the installer.

Once a first building panel 300 has been fixed to the external surface of a building, the side profile of that building panel 300 will have a similar appearance to that shown in Figure 5. The installer then manually presses the bracing portion 404 of the joiner 400 into the side face of the internal insulation material 202 of the building panel 300 such that the planar surface 41 0 comes into contact with the insulation material 202. The act of pressing the bracing portion 404 into the insulation material 202 causes the fins 420 to penetrate and deform the insulation material 202. However, the fins 420 also act to hold the joiner 400 in place so that the position of the central portion 402 is maintained.

The installer can then place a further building panel 300 adjacent to the installed building panel 300, and slide it laterally with some force until the two building panels 300 come into contact and abut. This action causes the fins 420 of bracing portion 406 to penetrate and deform the insulation material 402 of the further building panel 300. It also causes the planar surface 412 to come into contact with the insulation material 202 of the further building panel 300.

Preferably, the installer would insert a number of joiners 400 along the length of the insulation material 202 of the building panel 300.

As the further building panel 300 has not yet been permanently fixed to the external surface of the building, the relative movement of this further building panel 300 may create a shear force between the abutting panels. This shear force is effectively spread across the enlarged surface area of the fins 420 which extend into the insulation material 202 at a plane which is transverse to the shear force. This arrangement substantially prevents deformation or degradation of the insulation material 202 and resists the movement of the building panel 300 which has not yet been permanently fixed. Therefore, the joiner 400 substantially prevents relative movement between abutting panels, until such time as the installer can apply the permanent fixing. The joiner 400 also provides the advantage of substantially minimizing the risk of building panels falling, and potentially injuring the installer, prior to the application of the permanent fixing.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention, it should be understood that the above described embodiment should not be considered to limit the present invention but rather should be construed broadly. Various modifications and equivalent arrangements are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.