PANEL FOR WALL CONSTRUCTION

Abstract: Panel for wall construction, characterised in that it principally consists of a proper panel (8) in a suitable material whether or not transparent or translucent that is held in a frame (6), whereby the latter is provided on two opposite sides with two anchoring elements (22) which are installed protruding and at an angle in relation to the panel side in question, all of which such that the attachment points (24) in the anchoring elements (22) are situated in mutually parallel paired common lines (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34) in relation to the panel sides.

Description: The present invention relates to a panel assembly for a wall construction, said panel assembly comprising a panel in a suitable material, whether not transparent or translucent, a frame comprising two vertical frame members and two horizontal frame members and holding the panel, and anchoring elements. Such panels are to be used in wall constructions, more especially outer wall constructions, which are intended to be installed on concrete or steel supporting structures or which are intended for renovating an outer wall of an existing building. US-A-3038562 discloses a curtainwall comprising panel assemblies consisting of a panel hold in a frame and aligned in vertical and horizontal rows. Anchor members, which are connected to support brackets secured to a building structure, cooperate with the frame. Said anchor members comprise a flat front portion inserted in grooves in at least two and normally four adjacent corners of frames of adjacent panel assemblies, and a backwards extending leg to be secured by bolts to a support bracket. An anchor member is first inserted in the frames of two adjacent panel assemblies before a third and then a fourth adjacent panel assembly are mounted with their frame over said anchor member. Mounting the panel assemblies on a supporting structure has to be performed in a well determined sequence and afterwards removing of a single panel assembly surrounded by other panel assemblies from the curtain wall is impossible. The object of the present invention is to provide a panel assembly that is completely assembled and finished in the workshop and that thereafter can be installed in a simple and very efficient manner in a wall construction and this in such a manner that the subsequent replacement and/or removal of a panel assembly that is installed between other panel assemblies can also be effected without any influence on the adjacent panel, assemblies, which adjacent panel assemblies do not need to be detached or dismounted. Another object of the invention is that the anchoring elements can be fixed on the frame beforehand. For this purpose, at least two anchoring elements are attached in attachment points to each of at least two opposite frame members of the frame said anchoring elements lying two by two opposite to each other and protruding outside the panel assembly in a direction parallel to the panel plane but oblique with respect to the longitudinal direction of the corresponding frame member to which they are attached, the attachment points of all anchoring elements attached to a same frame member lying on a common line parallel to the longitudinal direction of this frame member, the attachment points of the opposite lying anchoring elements attached to two opposite frame members lying on a common line parallel to the longitudinal direction of the two other members of the frame, two opposite anchoring elements attached to opposite frame members being obliquely protruding outside the frame, at opposite sides of the last mentioned common line. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the frame members are each formed by a section that forms an open channel for holding the panel edge, an open channel for a compression seal, an open channel for a connecting seal on the outer circumference of the frame, a closed channel for a leg of a corner joint piece, said section comprising on the rear side two parallel ribs having end portions directed in the same sense and parallel to the rear side. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each anchoring element comprises, on its frontwardly directed side, parts cooperating with parts of the frame member, so that the anchoring element is retained slidably in the longitudinal direction of the frame member, means being provided for locking the anchoring element at a position on the frame member. Anchoring elements can always be correctly positioned on the frame member. Once positioned, the element is locked, for example by a screw, to the frame member. Anchoring element can be advantageously consist of a piece that is cut off from a section, at both ends at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the section and that comprises a portion with a U-shaped cross-section, the opening of which is directed outwardly, a web at right angle to a side wall of said portion and protruding outside the frame, and two parallel ribs with L-shaped cross-section on the frontwardly directed side of said portion, legs of both ribs being directed in the same sense and hooking behind said end portions of said ribs on the rear side of the frame member. In a preferred embodiment the anchoring elements are placed at an angle of 45 degrees in relation to the longitudinal direction of the corresponding the panel frame member. The invention also relates to a wall construction obtained by means of panel assemblies according to either one of the above mentioned embodiments. In order to show better the characteristics according to the present invention, a preferred embodiment of a panel is described hereafter, as well as a wall construction realised by means of such panel assemblies according to the invention, as example and without any restrictive character, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a panel assembly according to the invention; figures 2 and 3 show on a larger scale cross-sections according to the lines II-II, respectively III-III in figure 1; figures 4 and 5 are views similar to that of figure 1, but concerning panel assemblies with other length dimensions; figure 6 shows a schematic vertical cross-section through a wall realised with panel assemblies according to the invention; figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 show on a larger scale the parts which are indicated respectively by F7, F8, F9, F10 and F11 in figure 6; figure 12 shows a view according to arrow F12 in figure 6; figure 13 shows on a larger scale the part that is indicated by F13 in figure 12. In figure 1 a panel assembly according to the invention is shown that principally consists of vertical frame members 2, 3 and horizontal frame members 4, 5 each formed by a single section 6. Said section 6 principally shows an open channel 7 directed with its opening to the middle of the frame 2 to 5 for holding the panel edge of the actual panel 8; an open channel 9 opening towards the panel 8 in which channel a compression seal 10 can be mounted, whereby for this purpose the side walls of channel 9 are provided with ribs 11-12; an open channel 13 at the outer circumference of the frame 2 to 5 in which a connecting seal 14 can be mounted, whereby for this purpose sidewalls of channel 13 are provided with ribs 15-16; a rectangular closed channel 17 in which a leg of a corner joint piece, which is known as such but is not shown in the drawings, can be inserted, and on the rear end side of the section 6, two parallel ribs 18-19 having portions which are directed in the same sense towards the middle of the frame 2 to 5 and are parallel to the rear side. Ribs 20-21 of an anchoring element 22 that has a portion with a U-shaped cross-section, the opening of which is rearwardly directed, has a web 23 which is at right angle to a side-wall of said portion and protrudes outside the frame 2, 3, 4, 5, can work together with the aforementioned ribs 18-19. Said ribs 20-21 have a L-shaped cross section and stand on the frontwardly directed side of said portion. One leg of both ribs 20-21 is perpendicular to said portion, the other legs being directed in the same sense towards the middle of the frame 2 to 5. Such anchoring element 22 is a piece cut at both ends at an oblique angle, preferably an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal direction of the section, from a suitable section. It is thus achieved that the anchoring elements 22 are at an angle of 45 degrees in relation to the frame members when end portions of the ribs 18-19 of a section are inserted in channels formed between the ribs 20-21 and the portion with U-shaped cross-section of said anchoring elements 22. The anchoring elements 22 are attached to the panel frame 2, 5 by means of a screw 24, for example of a self-drilling and self-tapping type, which pushes against the section 6 with its free extremity and thus causes through reaction the securing of the anchoring element 22 on the section 6. The anchoring elements 2 are as indicated in figure 1, so installed that the attachement points 24 which are provided in the bottom of the U-shape are always situated on lines 26, 27, 28 and 29 which are parallel to the side edges of the panel assembly 1 and which are situated at a same distance A, respectively distance B, from the panel assembly edges in question, through which a corresponding positioning of the attachment points 25 in the ribs 23 of the anchoring elements is automatically and always obtained for each panel. In figure 4 a panel with greater length is shown in which anchoring elements 22 are also provided on the vertical frame members 3 and 4 so that additional lines 30, 31 and 32, 33 are obtained on which the aforementioned attachment points 24 are situated at distances A and C from the panel assembly edges. In figure 5 a panel assembly with still greater length is shown whereby still one or more rows of anchoring elements 22 are provided of which the attachment points 24 are situated on lines 34 which are always situated at distances D from parallel lines 30, 31 or 34. It is clear that this distance D can vary, depending on the supporting structure. In this manner it is obtained that a fixed grid for the attachment points 25 is formed that can be determined beforehand onto the supporting structure. In the figures 6 to 13 a wall construction is shown which is produced with panel assemblies according to the invention. In figure 7 is shown that between the adjacent panel assemblies 1 a gap can be formed sealed by a sealing joint 14 which is for example produced in plastic and which is mounted between the ribs 15-16 of the adjacent frame sections 6. The sealing joint 14 shows a part 35 that allows the joint to bend in one way or another depending on the necessity. In figure 8 is also shown that be means of screws 36 a drip moulding 37 may be fixed under a panel assembly 1. Figure 9 shows that the synthetic sealing joint 14 can also be applied with its part 15 bent rearwardly while the figures 10 and 11 show a seal which is formed by a mass of foam plastic 38 covered with a sealing kit 39. Depending on the supporting structure 47 either simple filling means 40 or sections whether or not in combination with such filling means will moreover be applied. The sections are suitably profiled in order to allow further securing of the panel assemblies. Such sections are shown in the aforementioned figures 8 to 11 as respectively L-sections 41, 42, 43 and 44, on the one hand, and are shown in figure 10 as a flat plate 45, on the other hand. According to the invention the aforementioned panel assemblies 1 are each provided with so-called anchoring elements 22 which are connected to the panel assemblies 1 at suitable locations by means of screws 24 and can be secured, also by means of screws 46, either with the supporting structure 47, or with a filling means 40, or with intermediate sections 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45. Both the screws 24 and the screws 46 can be of the self-drilling and self-tapping type. Although the anchoring elements 22 are so installed that the attachment points 24 are always located on the parallel lines, it remains possible, if the underlying supporting structure would necessitate it, to secure the anchoring elements on another location of the panel assembly. The panel assemblies used can show all kinds of dimensions, but modules will always be for example panel assemblies of 1000 × 1000 millimetres, panel assemblies of 1000 × 1500 millimetres, panel assemblies of 1000 × 3000 millimetres, etc. It is clear that the present invention principally relates to panel assemblies for wall constructions as described above as well as to the wall constructions hereby obtained and more especially panel assemblies of the type which are formed by a surrounding frame 2, 5 whereby the panel assembly 1 on at least two opposite frame members is provided with anchoring elements 22, whereby the latter are placed at an oblique angle in relation to the frame member, preferbaly an angle of 45 degrees, all of which such that the attachement alignment of such panel assemblies occurs according to vertical and/or horizontal lines in relation to the supporting structure 47. The present invention is in no way restricted to the embodiment described as example and shown in the drawings, but such panel assemblies, respectively the constructions obtained with such panel assemblies 1 can be implemented in al kinds of forms and dimensions without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. In particular, the vertical frame members 2 and 3 and the horizontal frame members 4 and 5 have not necessarily to be connected to each other by corner joint pieces. They may be connected by welding.

Claims: 1. Panel assembly for a wall construction said panel assembly comprising a panel (8) in a suitable material, whether or not transparent or translucent, a frame comprising two vertical frame members (2, 3) and two horizontal frame members (4, 5) and holding the panel (8) and anchoring elements (22), characterised in that at least two anchoring elements (22) are attached in attachment points (24) to each of at least two opposite frame members (2 and 3 or 4 and 5) of the frame said anchoring elements (22) lying two by two opposite to each other and protruding outside the panel assembly in a direction parallel to the panel (8) plane but oblique with respect to the longitudinal direction of the corresponding frame members (2, 3, 4, 5) to which they are attached, the attachment points (24) of all anchoring elements (22) attached to a same frame member (2, 3, 4, 5) lying on a common line (28, 29, 32 or 33) parallel to the longitudinal direction of this frame member, the attachment points (24) of the opposite lying anchoring elements (22) attached to two opposite frame members (2 and 3 or 4 and 5) lying on a common line (26, 27, 30, 31 or 34) parallel to the longitudinal direction of the two other members (4 and 5 or 2 and 3) of the frame (2 to 5), two opposite anchoring elements (22) attached to opposite frame members (2 and 3 or 4 and 5) being obliquely protruding outside the frame at opposite sides of the last mentioned common line (26, 27, 30, 31 or 34) 2. Panel assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the frame members (2, 3, 4 and 5) are each formed by a section that forms an open channel (7) for holding the panel edge; an open channel (9) for a compression seal (10); an open channel (13) for a connecting seal (14) on the outer curcumference of the frame (2 to 5) and a closed channel (17) for a leg of a corner joint piece, said section (6) comprising on the rear side two parallel ribs (18, 19) having end portions directed in the same sense and parallel to the rear side. 3. Panel assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the open channels (7, 9 and 13) are realised by parts of the section (6) of U-shaped cross-section. 4. Panel assembly according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the closed channel (17) is realised with rectangular cross-section. 5. Panel assembly according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the end portions of the ribs (18, 19) are directed towards the middle of the frame (2 to 5). 6. Panel assembly according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the vertical frame members (2, 3) and the horizontal frame members (4, 5) of the frame (2 to 5) are connected to each other by corner joint pieces. 7. Panel assembly according to one of the claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the vertical frame members (2, 3) and horizontal frame members (4, 5) of the frame (2 to 5) are connected to each other by welding. 8. Panel assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each anchoring element (22) comprises on its frontwardly directed side parts (20 and 21) cooperating with parts of the frame member (2, 3, 4 or 5) so that the anchoring element (22) is retained slidably in the longitudinal direction of the frame member (2, 3, 4, 5) means being provided for locking the anchoring element (21) at a position on the frame member (2, 3, 4 or 5). 9. Panel assembly according to the claim 2 and 8, characterised in that each anchoring element (22) consists of a piece that is cut off from a section (6) at both ends at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the section (6) and that comprises a portion with a U-shaped cross-section, the opening of which is directed outwardly, a web (23) at right angle to a side wall of said portion and protruding outside the frame (2 to 5) and two parallel ribs (20, 21) with L-shaped cross-section on the frontwardly directed side of said portion, legs of both ribs (20, 21) being directed in the same sense and hooking behind said end portions of said ribs (18, 19) on the rear side of the frame member (2, 3, 4 or 5) 10. Panel assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the frame (2, 3, 4, 5) is square and two anchoring elements (22) are attached on each of two opposite frame members (2 and 3 or 4 and 5) all anchoring elements (22) forming an angle of 45 degrees with the frame members and are directed parallel to each other. 11. Panel according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the frame (2, 3, 4, 5) is rectangular and two anchoring elements (22) are attached, on each of the two horizontal frame members (4 and 5) which elements (22) all form an angle of 45 degrees with the frame members and are directed parallel to each other, while on the vertical frame members (2 and 3) also at least two anchoring elements (22) are attached which elements (22) are placed at an angle of 90 degrees with respect the first mentioned anchoring elements and are directed parallel to each other. 12. Wall construction comprising panel assemblies (1) mounted on a supporting structure (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45), characterised in that the pannel assemblies are according to either one of the preceding claims. 13. Wall construction according to claim 12, characterized in that the attachement points (25) in which the anchoring elements (22), which are attached in attachement points (24) to a same frame member (2, 3, 4 or 5), are also attached by means of attaching means (46) to the supporting structure (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45) in attachement points (25) which ly on a line parallel to the longitudinal direction of said frame member (2, 3, 4 or 5).

Inventors: KROL, ROBERT
Applicants: ALLIANCE EUROPE N.V.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E04C2
IPC codes: E04C2, E04F13, E04B2