FIELD

[0001] The invention concerns a panel fastener, in particular but not exclusively, the invention concerns a panel fastener to secure an insulation panel to a building structure.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Structural insulation panels are employed in the construction industry to provide buildings with thermal and/or sound insulation. A typical insulation panel includes an insulating core sandwiched between two layers of structural board. The structural board can take the form of sheet metal, cement, gyprock or a range of other materials. The core, in turn, can be produced from expanded polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene, polyurethane foam, composite honeycomb or other insulating materials.

[0003] Conventionally structural insulation panels are secured in position to a building structure with the use of mechanical fasteners such as nails or screws in conjunction with specialised panel fasteners. A panel fastener typically includes a fastener body, for holding a mechanical fastener, and a fastener head to engage an outer surface of an insulation panel to be secured to a building structure. In use an insulation panel is placed in contact with a surface of a building structure with a panel fastener being located on a surface of the insulation panel which is disposed opposite the surface of the panel in contact with the building. A mechanical fastener, typically a nail, can now be employed to drive the panel fastener into the insulation panel. Continued force applied to the nail will drive the nail into the building structure. The effect of this is that the nail will secure the panel fastener to the building while the panel fastener will secure the insulating panel in position to the building.

OBJECT

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative panel fastener for use in securing an insulation panel to a building structure.

SUMMARY

[0005] According to a first aspect there is disclosed herein a panel fastener adapted for use in securing an insulation panel to a building structure, the panel faster including: an elongate fastener body longitudinally extending between a panel end and a building structure end, the fastener body defining a fastener bore operatively adapted to receive a mechanical fastener; a fastener head secured to the fastener body, the fastener head operatively adapted to grip a surface of the insulation panel, the fastener body defining a fastener body engagement formation, and a fastener cap operatively associated with the fastener head, the fastener cap including a cap head and a cap body outwardly extending from the cap head, the cap body defining a cap engagement formation operatively adapted to engage the fastener body engagement formation to secure the fastener cap to the fastener body.

[0006] According to a second aspect there is disclosed herein a panel fastener adapted for use in securing an insulation panel to a building structure, the panel faster including: an elongate fastener body longitudinally extending between a panel end and a building structure end, the fastener body defining a fastener bore operatively adapted to receive a mechanical fastener; and a fastener head, secured to the fastener body, operatively adapted to grip a surface of the insulation panel, wherein the fastener body includes a neck portion attached to the fastener head, the neck portion having an internal body thread.

[0007] Preferably the panel fastener includes a fastener cap operatively associated with the fastener head, the fastener cap including a cap head and a cap body outwardly extending from the cap head, the cap body including an outer cap thread operatively adapted to engage the internal body thread of the fastener body to secure the fastener cap to the fastener body.

[0008] Preferably the fastener body includes a transverse fastener base at the building structure end.

[0009] Preferably the fastener base includes a base opening to permit a mechanical fastener to pass therethrough.

[0010] Preferably the fastener body tapers inwardly from the panel end to the building structure end. [0011] Preferably the fastener head is substantially disc shaped.

[0012] Preferably the cap head is substantially disc shaped.

[0013] Preferably the cap head has a cap head diameter and the fastener head has fastener head diameter, wherein the cap head diameter has a dimension which is larger than the dimension of the fastener head diameter.

[0014] Preferably the panel fastener is produced from metal.

[0015] Preferably the panel fastener is produced from aluminium or stainless steel.

[0016] Preferably the mechanical fastener is a nail or a screw.

[0017] According to a third aspect there is disclosed an insulation assembly including an insulation panel and a panel fastener according to the first aspect, the panel fastener securing the insultation panel to a building structure.

[0018] According to a further aspect there is disclosed herein a method of securing an insulation panel to a building structure, the method including the step of providing a panel fastener according to the first aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompany drawings, wherein:

[0020] Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional representation of an embodiment insulation assembly wherein an embodiment panel fastener is employed to secure an insulation panel to a building structure;

[0021] Figure 2 is a top perspective view of a fastener body of the panel fastener of Figure 1; [0022] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the fastener body of Figure 2;

[0023] Figure 4 is a top view of the fastener body of Figure 3;

[0024] Figure 5 is a bottom perspective view of a fastener cap of the panel fastener of Figure 1 ; and

[0025] Figure 6 is a side view of the fastener cap of Figure 5. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Figure 1 is an embodiment insulation assembly, generally indicated with the reference numeral 10. The insulation assembly 10 includes an embodiment panel fastener 12 which secures an insulation panel 14 to a concrete face 16 of a building structure 18. The panel fastener 12 is secured to the concrete face 16 by a mechanical fastener 20 which has been driven through the insulation panel 14 and into the concrete face 16. The panel fastener 12 includes an elongate fastener body 22, which has been driven into the insulation panel 14, and a fastener cap 24 which is detachably attached to the fastener body 22 and which hides the presence of the fastener body 22 to provide the insultation assembly 10 with a neat and fished appearance.

[0027] Referring also to Figures 2 to 4, the fastener body 22 longitudinally extends between a panel end 26 and a building structure end 28. The fastener body 22 defines a fastener bore 30 operatively adapted to receive the mechanical fastener 20. The fastener body 22 includes a transverse fastener base 32 at the building structure end 28. A base opening 34 is provided in the fastener base 32 to permit the mechanical fastener 20 to pass through the fastener base 32. The fastener body 22 tapers inwardly from the panel end 26 to the building structure end 28 to assist in driving the fastener body 22 through the insulation panel 14.

[0028] Referring also to Figures 5 and 6 a disc shaped fastener head 36 is secured to the fastener body 22. The fastener head 36 is operatively adapted to grip a surface 38 of the insulation panel 14 as shown in Figure 1. The fastener body 22 includes a neck portion 40 which is attached to the fastener head 36. The neck portion 40 includes a fastener body engagement formation 42, here in the form of an internal body thread 42.

[0029] The fastener cap 24 is operatively associated with the fastener head 36 and includes a disc shaped cap head 44 and a cap body 46 outwardly extending from the cap head 44. The cap body 46 includes a cap engagement formation 48, in this embodiment an outer cap thread operatively adapted to engage the internal body thread 42 of the fastener body 22 to secure the fastener cap 24 to the fastener body 22. The cap head 44 has a cap head diameter and the fastener head 36 has fastener head diameter. It will be noted from Figure 1 that the magnitude of the dimension of the cap head diameter is larger than that of the fastener head diameter. The reason for this difference is to provide that the cap head 44 effectively hides the fastener head 36 and the mechanical fastener 20 from view. [0030] The panel fastener 12 is produced from metal, typically aluminium or stainless steel. By producing the panel fastener 12 from a metal the combustibility issues associated with fasteners produced from a plastics material are addressed.

[0031] The mechanical fastener 20 will typically be provided in the form of a nail that can be driven into the concrete face 16 with a tool such as a nail gun. The mechanical fastener 20 need not necessarily be a nail but could take different forms, for example screws.

[0032] A further non-illustrated embodiment relates to a method of securing the insulation panel 14 to the building structure 18. The method includes the step of providing the panel fastener 12 and the insulation panel 14. The insulation panel 14 is located adjacent the concrete face 12. The insulation panel 14 is secured to the building structure 18 by driving the mechanical fastener 20 through the panel fastener 12, through the insulation panel 14 and into the concrete face 16. The mechanical fastener 20 is driven with the use of a tool, in this case a nail gun.

[0033] In the above described embodiment the fastener body engagement formation 42 and the cap engagement formation 48 are provided in the form of complimentary threads. It would be appreciated that the fastener body engagement formation 42 and the cap engagement formation 48 could take various forms, for example, the fastener body engagement formation 42 could be provided in the form of an internal surface which is adapted to be engaged in a friction fit by a cap engagement formation 48 of the fastener cap 24. The cap engagement formation 48 could also be provided in the form of non-illustrated resilient members which engage the internal surface providing the fastener body engagement formation 42 so as to secure the fastener cap 24 in position.

[0034] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

KEY OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 Insulation assembly

12 Panel fastener

14 Insulation panel

16 Concrete face

18 Building structure Mechanical fastener Fastener body Fastener cap Panel end Building structure end Fastener bore Fastener base Base opening Fastener head Surface Neck portion Fastener body engagement formation Cap head Cap body Cap engagement formation