Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a composite panel suitable for constructing a wall.

Background to the invention

The material and techniques used in constructing buildings is evolving in an effort to reduce cost, increase energy efficiency and to reduce material waste. Cement block and brick construction requires a large amount of manpower, which raises the cost of the building, which adds to the time it takes to erect such a building.

It is also desirable to increase the energy efficiency of buildings in order to reduce the energy costs during the lifetime of the building. Cement block and brick construction do not provide the same level of energy efficiency that can be obtained from newer materials such as Expanded Polystyrene (EPS).

There is thus a need for a composite building panel which minimizes construction time and results in a building structure with high structural strength and integrity.

The inventor is also aware of building panels having a body of general wave shaped corrugate form, and wherein mesh wire on opposing sides of the body are interconnected via a rod being pushed through the body and welded to the mesh wires. One of the problems with these type of building panels is that due to the wave shaped corrugated form of the body, the connecting rod often is deflected when pushed through, resulting in the rod protruding the body on the other side at an undesired angle. Subsequently, the rod then has to be pulled out and the process repeated. The inventor having considered the above now proposes the invention as described herein below.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention there is provided a composite panel which includes: a laminar body of generally wave shape, the body having outer layers formed of an expanded polymeric material and having a generally central layer of any suitable fire-retardant material sandwiched between the outer layers; a plurality of planar zones defined between pre-determinable wave shapes of the body; a mesh arrangement on either side of the body; and connecting means for interconnecting the mesh arrangements via the planar zones.

The laminar body may have a generally corrugated form of any suitable shape for improving rigidity and strength of the laminar body. Preferably, the laminar body may define generally wave-shaped corrugations. More particularly, the laminar body may resemble any one or combination of the wave shapes including sinusoidal, triangular, square, saw-toothed, and trapezoidal. The laminar body may be manufactured from any suitable fire-retardant, non-fire propagating material. More particularly, the outer layers of the laminar body may be manufactured from Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). The density of the Expanded Polystyrene may be in the range of 10grams/litre to 20grams/litre. The outer layers of the body may have a thickness in the range of 20mm and 150mm, typically about 40mm. In particular, outer surfaces of the outer layers may be of generally wave shaped corrugated form. The generally wave shaped corrugations may have a radius in the range of 10mm to 25mm, preferably being about 15mm. The central layer may be manufactured from mineral wool, such as Rock Wool™, and/or glass wool, preferably being glass wool. The central layer may have a thickness in the range of 10mm to 50mm, preferably being about 20mm. The material of the central layer has soundproof properties for reducing propagation of sound through the laminar body.

The planar zones may be of substantially rectangular form. The planar zones have a width in the range of 10mm to 100 mm, typically about 40mm. The planar zones may extend longitudinally the body. Typically, the planar zones may have at least two wave shaped corrugations on either side thereof. The planar zones may be arranged on opposing sides of the body so as to allow interconnection of the mesh arrangements at an angle, preferably substantially orthogonally, relative to the connecting means via said opposing sides.

The mesh arrangement may be manufactured from any suitable synthetics, plastics or metallic material. Preferably, the mesh arrangement may be manufactured from a suitable metallic material, such as galvanised steel. Wire of the mesh arrangement may have a diameter of about 3mm, the wire preferably having with a minimum tensile strength of 600MPa. Apertures defined by the mesh arrangement may have a length and width of about 150mm and 80mm, respectively. Alternatively, apertures defined by the mesh arrangement may have a length and width of about 75mm and 80mm, respectively.

Typically, the connecting means may be in the form of a wire rod. The wire rod may be of a suitable metallic material such as galvanised steel with a diameter of about 3mm, preferably having a minimum tensile strength of 600MPa. Typically, a plurality of wire rods may be pushed through the planar zones and spot welded to the mesh arrangements on either side of the body.

Typically, a composite panel may have a height in the range of 1 .5m to 6m and a width in the region of 1 .2m. The invention further extends to a method for manufacturing a composite panel which includes at least the steps of: - laying down a first wire mesh; laying a first layer of a laminar body on the wire mesh such that an outer surface of the first layer, being of a generally wave shaped corrugated form, is resting on the wire mesh; laying a second layer of any suitable fire-retardant material on a generally flat surface of the first layer; laying a generally flat surface of a third layer on the second layer, an outer surface of the third layer being of generally wave shaped corrugated form; laying a second wire mesh on the third layer such that the mesh rests on the outer surface thereof; pushing wire rods through the layers of the laminar body via a plurality of planar zones which are defined between the wave shaped corrugations of the outer surfaces of the first and third layers; and welding opposing end regions of the wire rods to the first and second wire meshes.

The first and third layers may be manufactured from any suitable fire-retardant, non-fire propagating material. More particularly, the first and second layers of the laminar body may be manufactured from Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). The density of the Expanded Polystyrene may be in the range of 10grams/litre to 20grams/litre.

The second layer of the laminar body may be manufactured from mineral wool, such as Rock Wool™, and/or glass wool, preferably being glass wool. The invention yet further extends to a method for erecting a wall, using the composite panel as hereinbefore described, the method including at least the steps of: - preparing a slab foundation; securing of bars in a generally upright position in the slab foundation; securing the composite panels to the bars; securing adjacent panels to each other; and applying a plaster mix to the panel surfaces. The slab foundation may be of any suitable composition, typically being a cementitious composition.

The bars may be secured in the slab foundation by drilling holes and securing the poles therein. Typically, the bars will extend about 100mm into the slab foundation. The bars may be spaced apart a distance in the range of 100mm to 1000mm in line, typically about 600mm. The bars may be of any suitable metallic material such as steel, having a diameter in the range of about 5mm to 12mm.

The panels may be secured to the bars by means of wire tying. Adjacent panels may be further secured to each other by wire tying overlapping mesh arrangements thereof.

Typically, the erected panels are covered with a cementitious composition wherein a first layer of plaster mix is pressure sprayed onto the surface of the panel, followed by a manual application of a second layer of plaster mix, if required. The plaster mix may be in the form of structural plaster. The plaster mix may include fibres of any suitable synthetics or plastics material, preferably being polypropylene fibres. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described by way of the following, non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: -

Figure 1 is a three-dimensional schematic showing a composite panel between plaster mixed panels in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2a is a plan view of the composite panel shown in Figure 1 , showing hidden lines of mesh arrangements and wire connecters extending therebetween;

Figure 2b is a sectioned plan view of the composite panel;

Figure 3 is a three-dimensional schematic showing the composite panel;

Figure 4 is an enlarged three-dimensional schematic of the composite panel shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a sectioned plan view of a composite panel having a laminar body defining a generally trapezoidal wave shape.

Detailed description of the drawings

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally depicts a composite panel in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the composite panel 10 includes a laminar body 12 of generally sinusoidal wave-shape, the body 12 having outer layers 14 formed of an expanded polymeric material and having a generally central layer 16 of any suitable fire-retardant material sandwiched between the outer layers, a plurality of planar zones 18 defined between pre-determinable wave shaped corrugations 20 of the body 12, a mesh arrangement 22 on either side of the body 12 and connecting means in the form of wire rods 24 for interconnecting the mesh arrangements 22 via the planar zones 18. The laminar body has a generally corrugated form of any suitable shape for improving rigidity and strength of the laminar body. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the laminar body defines generally sinusoidal wave-shaped corrugations. The laminar body 12 is typically manufactured from any suitable fire-retardant, non-fire propagating material. More particularly, the outer layers 14 of the laminar body 12 are manufactured from Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). The density of the Expanded Polystyrene is in the range of 10grams/litre to 20grams/litre. The outer layers of the body have a thickness in the range of 20mm and 150mm, typically about 40mm. In particular, outer surfaces of the outer layers are of generally wave shaped corrugated form. The generally wave shaped corrugations have a radius in the range of 10mm to 25mm, typically being about 15mm. The central layer is manufactured from mineral wool, such as Rock Wool™, or glass wool, typically being glass wool. The central layer has a thickness in the range of 10mm to 50mm, typically being about 20mm. The material of the central layer has soundproof properties for reducing propagation of sound through the laminar body.

The planar zones 18 are of substantially rectangular form having a width of about 40mm. The planar zones 18 extend longitudinally the body 12. The wave shaped corrugations 20 and planar zones 18 are arranged relative to each other such that a planar zone 18 has at least two wave shaped corrugations 20 defined on either side thereof. The planar zones 18 are arranged on opposing sides of the body so as to allow interconnection of the mesh arrangements 22 at an angle, preferably substantially orthogonally, relative to the wire rods 24, via said opposing sides.

The mesh arrangement 22 is manufactured from wire 26 of a suitable metallic material such as galvanised steel. The mesh wire 26 has a diameter of around 3mm and having a minimum tensile strength of 600MPa. Apertures 28 defined by the mesh arrangement 22 have a length and width of 150mm and 80mm, respectively. The wire rods 24 are of a suitable metallic material such as galvanised steel. The wire rods 24 have a diameter in the region of about 3mm. The wire rods 24 have a minimum tensile strength of about 600MPa. Typically, a plurality of wire rods 24 are pushed through the planar zones 18 and spot welded to the mesh arrangements 22 on either side of the body 12.

Referring now to Figure 5, reference numeral 110 refers generally to a second embodiment of the composite panel in accordance with the present invention.

In this embodiment, the composite panel 110 includes a laminar body 112 of generally trapezoidal wave-shaped corrugated form.

In use, a composite panel 10, 110 is assembled by interconnection of the mesh arrangements 22, 122, on either side of the body 12, 112, by means of wire rods 24, 124, where the wire rods 24, 124 are pushed through the planar zones 18, 118 of the body 12, 112, and connected to transverse and/or linear arranged mesh wire 26, 126 of the mesh arrangements 22, 122.

Typically, a composite panel 10, 110 will have a height in the range of 1 .5m to 6m and width in the region of 1 .2m.

A composite panel 10, 110 as described above can be manufactured using a method which includes at least the steps of laying down a first wire mesh, laying a first layer of a laminar body on the wire mesh such that an outer surface of the first layer, being of a generally wave shaped corrugated form, is resting on the wire mesh, laying a second layer of any suitable fire-retardant material on a generally flat surface of the first layer, laying a generally flat surface of a third layer on the second layer, an outer surface of the third layer being of generally wave shaped corrugated form, laying a second wire mesh on the third layer such that the mesh rests on the outer surface thereof, pushing wire rods through the layers of the laminar body via a plurality of planar zones which are defined between the wave shaped corrugations of the outer surfaces of the first and third layers and welding opposing end regions of the wire rods to the first and second wire meshes.

The first and third layers are manufactured from any suitable fire-retardant, non fire propagating material. More particularly, the first and second layers of the laminar body are manufactured from Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). The density of the Expanded Polystyrene is in the range of 10grams/litre to 20grams/litre.

The second layer of the laminar body is manufactured from mineral wool, such as Rock Wool™, or glass wool, typically being glass wool.

A composite panel 10,110 as hereinbefore described can be used to erect a wall wherein the steps involve the preparation of a slab foundation, securing of bars in a generally upright position in the slab foundation, securing of the composite panels to the bars, interconnecting adjacent panels to each other so as to define a wall structure and applying a plaster mix thereto. As most clearly seen in Figure 4, the plaster mix 30, 130 is in the form of structural plaster. The plaster mix includes fibres of any suitable synthetics or plastics material, typically being polypropylene fibres.

The Applicant believes that a composite panel in accordance with the invention is an advantage in that the planar zones 18, 118 reduces the likelihood of the wire rods 24, 124 being deflected off their course as they pass through the body 12, 112 during the connection process of the wire arrangements 22, 122 on either side of the body 12, 112. The planar zones 18, 118 also allows for greater consistency and strength of the weld of connected wires, by providing sufficient surface areas for the wire rods 24, 124 to pass through the body 12, 112 during the connection process. The Applicant further believes that this may save time and costs associated with the manual relocation/alignment of the rods which may occur in wave shaped corrugated panels without the planar zones, during the connection process.

It is to be appreciated that a composite panel 10, 110 as hereinbefore described is not limited to the precise functional and constructional details as set out above and the material specifications and dimensions of the composing parts such as the body 12, 112, mesh arrangements 22, 122 and the connecting wire rods 24, 124 may be varied in order to provide a composite panel 10, 110 in accordance with the specific building requirements.