Wall Panel & Wall Panel Clio Field of the Invention

The invention relates to modular wall panels and, in particular, to removably mountable modular wall panels formed from two or more inter-exchangeable wall panel components, and to wall panel clips.

The invention has been developed primarily for use Ln modular constructions such as those described in Australian Patent Application No. 2005 201 498 and will be described hereinafter with reference to these applications. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to these fields of use and is applicable to other non-modular types of residential, community, temporary or commercial constructions.

Background of the Invention Across most first to third world communities, there is a dire need for affordable housing. The affordability of constructions is arguably at one of its lowest levels. There are many reasons for this depending principally on the demographic or location where constructions are desired. In the case of Australian urban dwellings and other residential constructions, the combined costs of land, labour and materials together with other factors such as levies and taxes have reduced the affordability of constructions for groups of people who, five to ten years ago, previously could afford to build their own homes.

In remote areas, there is often a distinct lack of ready skilled labour and the cost of transporting materials can be relatively large. This problem confronts, for example, indigenous communities, mining companies and defence forces in respect of initial settlement or further expansion in remote areas.

It is known that conventional residential wall construction typically takes one of two forms. A first form employs a framed timber or steel stud frame construction having an internal sheet lining such as fibre-cement or plasterboard and an external sheet cladding such as fibre-cement or timber boards. The other form is brick veneer wherein timber or steel internal stud frames with internal sheet linings as above are

off-set and attached to an external skin such as brickwork, block work, concrete, framework, etc.

Conventional stud frame walls typically are fabricated and fixed in-situ in their required location within the building or are pre-fabricated on or off site prior to being installed in their required location. That is, the form and configuration of the stud frame walls are fixed when designing the construction.

In another form of conventional construction, for example, in office and apartment buildings, concrete slab 'super-structures' are formed, within which windows, doors, spandrels and cladding, for example, are installed thereby providing a fixed and permanent external configuration of the building.

There have been many attempts at providing versatile and more affordable constructions whether in Australia, or overseas. Unfortunately, such constructions are typically not of a sufficient aesthetic quality for use in many conventional residential settings. In some alternative constructions, even when an acceptable aesthetic appearance is achieved, components are installed on a permanent basis and changing components is often impractical or impossible, such as in concrete office and apartment buildings or conventional bouse constructions. This is because they require demolition and re-building of the wall. /

For example, modifying many kit type constructions or other low cost constructions so as to reconfigure the location or type of an internal or external wall, will incur a relatively large expense. Furthermore, quite often the load bearing walls are of a single design not providing any flexibility for demounting and/or reconfiguration.

Genesis of the Invention

It the genesis of the invention to provide removably mountable wall panels and modular wall panels formed from one or more inter-exchangeable wall panel components which can be relatively easily reconfigured as desired, or to provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention Lhere is disclosed a removably mountable modular wall panel formed from two or more inter-exchangeable wall panel components selected from the group consisting of window assemblies and window frames and window sashes; door assemblies and door frames and door leaves; and solid panels and voids; the modular wall panel being configured to be removably mounted to a floor and/or a ceiling and/or a fixed or removable wall panel or wall structure.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is disclosed a wall panel clip including: a base; an upper leg extending outwardly from the base, the upper leg being inclined from the base; a lower leg extending outwardly from the base, the lower leg being declined from the base; an upper foot mounted to an end of the upper leg distal from the base, the upper foot upwardly extending from the upper leg; and a lower foot mounted to an end of the lower leg distal from said base, the lower foot downwardly extending from the declined lower leg.

It can therefore be seen that there is provided a removably mountable modular wall panel which can be disposed in any preferred location within a frame or with other panels or permanent wall structures and which can form an internal and/or external wall. It can be seen that there is also advantageously provided a removably mountable modular wall panel which is formed from two or more inter-exchangeable wall panel components so that a particular configuration of a removable wall panel can be relatively easily changed.

Furthermore, it will also be appreciated that the modular wall panel clip advantageously allows the modular wall panel to be removably mountable to a construction frame or wall structure and for the inter-exchangeable wall panel components to be removably mountable to each other so as to form the modular wall panel. Yet further, the wall panel clip advantageously also acts as a cover strip,

flashing and weather barrier and also covers the installation tolerance gaps around wall panels and wall components.

Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a removably mountable modular panel according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 2A— 2E show a front view of various alternative preferred embodiments of the removably mountable modular panel or inter-exchangeable panel components of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3A— 3 H show a front view of various inter-exchangeable wall panel components used Ln forming a removably mountable modular panel of Fig. lor Fig. 2D; Figs.4A— 4C show a front view of various inter-exchangeable wall panel door components of preferred embodiments;

Figs. 5 A— 5C show a front view of inter-exchangeable wall panel window components of preferred embodiments;

Fig. 6 is an end view of wall panel clip according to another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section through the line 1-1 of Fig. 1 when mounted between a pair of vertically spaced apart beams;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section along the section line 2-2 of Fig. 1 when mounted between a pair of vertically spaced apart beams; Fig. 9 is a sectional view along the section line 3-3 of Fig. 1 when mounted between a pair of vertically spaced apart beams;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view along the section line 3-3 of Fig. 1 when mounted between a pair of vertically spaced apart beams of a first alternative embodiment of the panel of Fig. 1; and Fig. 11 is a sectional view along the section line 3-3 of Fig. 1 of a second alternative embodiment of the panel of Fig. 1.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to the drawings generally, it will be appreciated that like reference numerals are used throughout the specification in connection with any of the accompanying drawings to denote like components.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a schematic view of a removably mounlable modular panel 1 according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention. The substantially planar removably mountable modular wall panel 1 is formed from a plurality of interchangeable wall panel components 2. In Fig. 1, it can be seen that a solid module 3 is mounted to a mostly open wall panel component module 4 along an inter-exchangeable wall panel component marginal edge 17.

The mostly open wall panel component module 4 includes a framing portion 5 and an upper panel portion 6. The framing member 5 forms a doorway or void, oτ window and the upper panel portion 6 is solid. The doorway area within the framing portion 5 is preferably 2100mm high, however, any preferred height can be chosen. The total height of the panel 1 is preferably 2400mm, however, any preferred panel I height can also be chosen. It will also be appreciated that the panels 1 or the inter- exchangeable panel components 2 can have any preferred width and can be formed from any preferred material such as timber, steel, plastics, mineral board (such as magnesium oxide or calcium silicate) and/or fibrous materials.

The preferred mechanism of retaining the inter-exchangeable panel components 2 together and for retaining a panel 1 to a floor and/or ceiling and/or adjacent supports structure or other panel 1 , for example, is a panel clip 20 and is described below.

Referring to Fig. 2, the wall panel component module 2 is shown as a solid module. In this embodiment, a stud frame is enclosed in a fibre cement sheet Single and double spandrels are shown in Figs. 2B and 2C which take the place of the mostly open wall panel component module 4 or solid module 3. It can be seen that the module 4 can be formed from a plurality of wall panel component modules such as shown in Fig. 2B.

The solid panel module 3 of Fig.2A may include a fibre-cement external sheeting. The stud frame 50 can be formed from timber or steel.

Figs. 2D and 2E show the preferred embodiment of the modular panel 1 having single open and double open modules 4 respectively. The wall panel 1 of the first preferred embodiment of Fig. 1 can be formed from any preferred number of inter- exchangeable wall panel components 2 in any preferred configuration. It will be appreciated that the wall panels 1 can be formed from two or more inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2 being window assemblies or window frames or window sashes, door assemblies or door frames or door leaves, solid panel sections or voids. The panel 1 of Fig. 2D is not as wide as the panel of Fig. 1 where the components 2 of Figs 2 A and 2B are respectively employed. The panel 1 of Fig. 2E is formed from panel components 2 of Figs. 2A and 2C.

Fig. 3 shows various inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2 used in forming a removably mountable modular panel 1 such as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 A is a variation of the panel 1 of Fig. 1 where the open module 4 is replaced by a single solid infill component 1 and Fig. 3B shows the double solid infill component in place of a void 4 in place of panel component 2 formed by frame 5. Fig. 3 C shows the use of a single surround framing component 9 forming a void in place of the solid module 3. Fig. 3D shows the use of a removable transom/mullion 51 disposed across the void 4 and employs a double surround component 9.

Figs. 3E and 3F show the use of single and double door components respectively in the void 4 in the embodiment of Fig. 1. Figs. 3G and 3H show the situation where the void 4 has a single or double window component respectively. In other embodiments, an upper or lower part of the single window in Fig. 3 A can be a solid panel.

Fig. 4 shows a front schematic view of various inter-changeable wall panel door components and shows a solid panel 3 and a door leaf 4. Fig. 4B shows a glass panel/window 3 and a door leaf 4. Fig. 4C shows a pair of door leaves 3 and 4. Fig. 5 is a schematic front view of various inter-changeable wall panel window components. Fig. 5 A shows a pair of windows 3 and 4, whilst Fig. 5B shows windows 3 and 4 and a lower panel component 2 in the form of a glass panel or solid

panel. A removable transom and mullion 51 is provided. The door or window components can be used to form a preferred removable mountable modular wall panel 1 additional to that shown in the preferred embodiment of Fig. 1.

It will be appreciated that any preferred solid or glass infill can be used on a door and a timber or aluminium or other frame can be employed as preferred. Likewise in the case of the preferred inter-exchangeable wall panel components in the form of windows, sliding, louvre, hopper or casement windows, or any other preferred windows can be employed. Similarly, removable transoms may be employed if preferred, as shown in Fig. 3D & Fig. 5B. Fig. 5C shows a pair of solid panels 2, each disposed under a window 53.

In the preferred embodiments shown in Fig, 1, the removably mountable modular wall panel 1 and the inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2 are substantially square or rectangular. It will be appreciated that the inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2 can be formed of layered materials or Ln layers of different materials, or the inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2 may be internally hollow or contain internally hollow portions, for example, to allow venting from one side of an inter- exchangeable wall panel component to the other.

More broadly, however, it will be appreciated that when inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2, for example, 3 and 4 shown in Fig. 1 are mounted together to form the removably mountable wall panel 1 , electrical, water or other conduit can be provided through a modular wall panel to allow connection therealong and to transfer power. It will be appreciated that electricity, water or other utility outlets can be disposed in one or more of the major faces of a wall panel 1 when formed from two or more inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2.

In this way, electricity, data cabling or water, for example, can be ported around the circumference of a room and an electrical outlet can be disposed on the face of one or more wall panel components 2 disposed about a room and the connection between the panels 1 also forms a connection between conduit for electricity, water or other conduits which can be dispensed from an outlet disposed in or on a major face of a panel 1. However, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention

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(not illustrated), a vertical or substantially vertical service duct or conduit can extend partially or entirely through the interior of a panel 1. This provides an alternative to transporting electricity, water, etc substantially horizontally through the panel walls 1.

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As noted, the two or more inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2 are mounted together along a marginal edge 17 as shown in the preferred embodiment of Fig. 1. Any preferred mounting arrangement can be employed for providing the inter- exchangeable panel components to be assembled and disassembled as preferred and, advantageously, to allow the panels to be disassembled and reassembled in a different configuration, for example, replacing a window or door with a solid wall section.

The removably mountable modular wall panels I are also configured to be removably mountable to a floor and/or a ceiling and/or adjacent wall panels or wall structures (whether removable or fixed) so as to removably secure the panel 1 in place. In use, a plurality of panels are disposed in a side-by-side arrangement with marginal edges 17 connected so as to form a room, screen, part room, void or other structure.

In the preferred embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a modular wall panel clip 20 according to another preferred embodiment is used to removably mount a modular wall panel 1 to a floor, ceiling and/or other panel or wall structure. The wall panel clip 20 is also configured to removably mount two or more inter-exchangeable wall panel components 2 together.

The clip 20 includes a base 21. An upper leg 22 extends outwardly a pre-determined distance less than a panel thickness from the base 21. The uppeT leg 22 is inclined upwardly from the base 21. The clip 20 further includes a lower leg 24 extending outwardly a pre-determined distance from the base 21 where the lower leg 24 is declined from the base.

An upper foot 23 is mounted to an end of the upper leg 22 distal from the base 21. The upper foot 23 extends upwardly from the upper leg 22. A lower foot 25 mounted to an end of the lower leg 24 distal from the base 21. The lower foot 25 extends downwardly from the declined lower leg 24.

As can be seen in Fig. 6, the lower leg 24 extends further from the distal end of the base 21 than the upper leg 22. The upper and lower legs 22 and 24 are resiliently biased away from each other and most preferably form an angle between each other of between 5° and 170°. In the embodiment of Fig. 6, the bias on the upper and lower

legs 22 and 24 is provided by forming the clip 20 from a spring steel, however, any other preferred resilient materials such as plastics or rubber can be used or, a spring (not illustrated) or other bias device can be attached to one or both legs 22 and 24 and'or base 21 to mechanically bias the upper and lower legs 22 and 24 apart.

The clips can be pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically configured to bias the legs 22 and 24 apart. For example, a solenoid (not illustrated) may be used to push one leg 22 or 24 away from the other leg 24 or 22 in response to a predetermined electric current. Similarly, another alternative example may include an inflatable bladder device (not illustrated) disposed intermediate the legs 22 and 24 whereby pressurisation of the bladder causes it to expand and move the legs 22 and 24 apart. When the pressure to the bladder device is removed, the bias against movement of the legs 22 and 24 together also removed.

It will be appreciated that an inflatable bladder associated or integrally formed with one or more locking pins or flanges can also be used to bias the legs 22 and 24. However, in some embodiments (not illustrated) the clips 20 can be replaced by electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically operated latching mechanisms (not illustrated) so as to retain inter-exchangeable panel components 2 together with each other and/or other panels 1 and/or a floor or ceiling.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the base 21 of the clip 20 includes an aperture configured for receiving an anchor device in the form of a fixing screw 26 or nail therethrough. It wiD be appreciated, however, that the fixing nail can be replaced by a fixed spike or other projection which extends downwardly from the base 21 of the clip 20. Of course, any secure means such as a clip, or a threaded or shaped member may be used to secure the base 21.

The clip 20 can be any preferred length, although only an end view of indefinite length is shown in the drawings. That is, the panel clip 20 can be formed from a folded or otherwise configured or shaped strip of metal whereby the length of the strip of metal used provides the length of the clip 6. Of course, the clip 20 can be formed from any preferred material such as plastics or rubber. Although the clip 20 of Fig.6 is shown with the lower leg 24 extending further from the base 21 than upper leg 22 it

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will be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention (not illustrated) the legs 22 and 24 can extend the same distance from the base 21 or the upper leg 22 can extend further from the base 21 than the lower leg 24.

hi respect of feet 23 and 25, these enable locating of a panel 1 plumb and aligned in place within the perimeter structure and with adjacent wall panels. Furthermore, they locate a panel component 2 plumb and aligned with respect to each other when formed into a panel 1 , and ensure a wall panel component 2 is properly located in place.

Referring to Fig. 7, there is shown a vertical sectional view through the line 1-1 of the panel 1 of the preferred embodiment of Fig. 1. In this embodiment, the modular wall panel 1 is mounted to a floor or lower mounting member 27 and a ceiling, bulkhead or upper mounting member 28. For simplicity, the use of a floor and a ceiling is described, however, it will be appreciated that a space between two other members disposed intermediate a floor and/or a ceiling can also be filled with a panel 1.

It can be seen that the clip 20 is disposed intermediate the panel 1 and the ceiling 28. A fixing screw 26 is fixed to the solid module 3 of the panel 1 and the foot 25 of the lower leg 24 forms a lip over an outer edge of the panel 1. The foot 23 of the upper leg 22 is contiguous with or adjacent to the ceiling 28.

Likewise, a clip 20 is disposed intermediate a floor 27 and a lower edge of the panel 1. The base 21 of the clip 20 is first nailed by a nail 26 into the floor 27. The lower foot 25 is disposed contiguous with or adjacent the floor 27 and the upper leg foot 23 is disposed adjacent with or contiguous with the lower end of the wall panel 1. As shown in Fig. 7 in the vertical section 1-1 through the solid inter- exchangeable wall panel 1, external cover strips 30 and cladding 31 or the like can be employed to provide a suitable finish, hi the embodiment of Fig. 7, it can be seen that strip 30 is attached at, to or about fixing screw 26. This is likewise the case for the internal side of any walls where for example a lining 32 can be added and retained by a clip foot 25. A skirting 33, formed for example from moulded timber or folded metal, can also be added. Advantageously, such a skirting can be used as a ceiling cornice, external cladding cover mould and internal lining cover mould.

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Turning to Fig. 8, there is shown a sectional view of the modular wall panel 1 of Fig. 1 through the vertical section line 2-2 taken through mostly open module 4 and upper panel portion 6.

Fig. 9 shows a horizontal sectional view through the wall panel 1 of the preferred embodiment of Fig. 1 through the section line 3-3. It can be seen that the clip 20 not only retains the panel 1 but also acts as a weather strip, drain and termite barrier. Note that open wall panel component module 4 has door leaves screwed thereto and window sashes are angle/bead fixed. The cladding 31 can include metal sheet or timber boards.

Fig. 10 shows a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 9 except where solid wall panel components 2 are used (see Fig. 3A). Fig. 11 shows an. alternative view to that of Fig. 9 using a double solid module component without a void (as shown in front view in Fig. 3).

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "including" or "having" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of