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[0001]    This application claims priority from previously regularly filed US Provisional Application filed on Oct. 17, 2000 under Application No.: 60/240,847, by Harold Meredith having the title METAL CONSTRUCTION PANEL. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to pre-engineered metal building systems and more specifically to an improved metal construction panel for use in forming the exterior wall of buildings.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Currently in North America and Canada, the traditional method for building residential and some commercial buildings is wood framing, on top of a concrete foundation, after which the framing is either clad with brick or siding. With the disappearance of many of the best forests in North America, the lack of good lumber has driven up wood prices and therefore constructing homes using conventional wood framing technics is slowly becoming prohibitably too expensive.  
           [0004]    A number of metal building systems are on the market including replacement of existing 2×4 and 2×6 wood studding and members with metal counter parts which are installed in a similar manner as the wood they are replacing. The disadvantage of this system is that the traditional framing and cladding process must occur, thereby there is little savings in regard to labour costs.  
           [0005]    A number of other inventions have tried to address this problem by providing for a metal panel which provides both structural strength as well as exterior cladding for a building. Such building panels and methods of construction are described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,883,141 by Walters issued Oct. 18, 1932 titled Building Construction.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,023,814 titled: Metal Building Construction, issued on Dec. 10, 1935 to Samuel Lindsay and finally U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,388 titled Building Panel, filed by Charles T. Flachfbarth and Robert L. Parsons issued on Mar. 9, 1971. These patents describe building construction methods using a metal panel which serves both as a structural panel as well as an exterior architectural finished surface. By using these panels in one step, both framing and cladding of the house is completed. The advantage of the systems that they describe are the potentially reduced labour costs by eliminating one step in the building construction phase and in addition to that the improved strength of the house as well as the fire resistance and other safety features not found in wood constructed homes.  
           [0007]    The disadvantage with these building systems is that they fail to address the problems of sealing off the joints in between the panels, thereby preventing water from seeping into the house due to capillary action. Secondly, the lack of flexibility in regard to choosing the exterior look. The user of such panels cannot choose alternate exterior cladding looks other than the one provided by the panels themselves.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention an elongated metal construction panel for use in forming a portion of the vertical walls of a building structure by being fastened to an identical adjacent panel, the metal construction panel comprises:  
           [0009]    (a) a front portion co-extensive with the length of the panel;  
           [0010]    (b) end plates co-extensive with the length of the panel disposed substantially normal to said front portion and extending from distal ends of said front portion, said end plates defining the depth of said panel;  
           [0011]    (c) flanges co-extensive with the length of the panel and extending inwardly from distal ends of said end plate, wherein said flanges are spaced from and parallel to said front portion; and  
           [0012]    (d) wherein said end plates include end troughs co-extensive with the length of the panel such that when metal construction panels are placed adjacent each other by bringing into contact said end plates, said end troughs form a bonding channel adapted and sized for pouring bonding agents therein thereby securely fastening adjacent panels together and also waterproofing the joint between said end plates.  
           [0013]    Preferably wherein said end troughs including a fluted section having a U shaped profile being co-extensive with the length of the panel.  
           [0014]    Preferably wherein the width of said front portion is at least 3 times the depth of said end plate.  
           [0015]    Preferably the width of said front portion is preferably 4 times the depth of said end plate.  
           [0016]    Preferably wherein the depth of said end plate being at least 3½ inches.  
           [0017]    Preferably wherein the front portion includes female dovetail grooves co-extensive with the length of the panel and adapted to co-operate with an attachment clip for fastening articles to said attachment clip.  
           [0018]    Preferably wherein said dovetail grooves define fluted surfaces disposed at an angle theta less than 90°.  
           [0019]    Preferably wherein said angle theta is preferably 87°.  
           [0020]    Preferably wherein said attachment clip defines male dovetail tabs cooperating with said female dovetail grooves to hold said clip within said dovetail grooves, whereby said tabs are joined together in spaced apart relationship by a joining member.  
           [0021]    Preferably wherein said tabs are resiliently biased such that said tabs are compressed for placing said tabs within said female dovetail grooves and upon release said resiliently biased tabs hold said attachment clip within said female dovetail grooves.  
           [0022]    Preferably wherein said attachment clip further comprises wings extending from said tabs and oriented substantially parallel and adjacent to said front portion for securely fastening said clip to said panel.  
           [0023]    Preferably wherein said attachment clip further comprises an attachment lip rigidly connected to said joining member for fastening articles thereto.  
           [0024]    Preferably wherein said attachment lip is adapted for fastening vinyl siding thereto. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]    The invention will now be described by way of example only, with references to the followings drawings in which:  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 is a schematic top perspective view of the metal construction panel.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is a partial cut away schematic showing the installation and joining of two metal construction panels together with drywall.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 is a top cross sectional view of two metal construction panels joined together showing a clip attached to one panel.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective assembly view of metal construction panels upon a foundation illustrating how the metal construction panels would be joined together.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of an attachment clip for use with the metal construction panel.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 6 is a view of the metal plank which would be bent and folded to produce the attachment clip and also showing how the attachment clip cooperates with the metal construction panel.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the attachment clip.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional schematic view of two metal construction panels joined together showing how a strengthening member can be used at such a junction.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-section view of metal construction panels joined together at a corner showing the use and the insertion of a strengthening member at the corner section as well as an attachment flange for fastening wall boards onto the interior corner portion.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-section view of an alternate corner arrangement showing two metal construction panels intersecting at a corner post.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 11 is a schematic prospective view showing a tool installing an attachment clip into a dove tail groove of a metal construction panel.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 12 is a top cross sectional view of two metal construction panels of the presently preferred type showing the modified flange arrangement. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0038]    Referring first of all to FIG. 1 which schematically shows a metal construction panel showing generally as  20  having a front  22 , end plates  24 , flanges  26 , end troughs  28 , and dovetail grooves  30 . Front  22  of panel  20  has length  102 , width  104  and end plates  24  have depth  106 . The panel is oriented vertically along longitudinal axis  90 . Front  22  has front first end  92  and front second end  94 . End plates  24  include end plate distal end  96 .  
         [0039]    Referring now to FIG. 2 which schematically illustrates the joining of two end plates  24  of metal construction panels  20 . Metal construction panels  20  are joined together when end plates  24  come in contact with each other, such that end troughs  28  form a bonding channel  32  which is a rectangular tubular section running longitudinally along the length of metal construction panel  20 . The tubular section can take on any number of shapes other than shown here. Metal construction panels  20  can be mechanically fastened together using fastener attachments  32  which could for example be a nut and bolt arrangement mechanically connecting end plates  24  together. Preferably, however in order to seal off the joint formed by joining end plates  24  together, a bonding material is poured into bonding channel  32  thereby sealing off the groove or joint formed between end plates  24  therefore preventing water from entering from front  22  of metal construction panels  20  via capillary action and into the interior of the home.  
         [0040]    From FIG. 2, one can see that front  22  forms the exterior architectural portion of the home, whereas flanges  26  serve as fastening attachments for screwing or nailing wallboard  40  onto flanges  26 . Wallboard  40  can be the conventional drywall sheets which are used in conventional home construction now and/or can be another type of interior surfacing which is suitable. Panel  20  preferably is fabricated from sheet steel or aluminum and is preferably fabricated using the roll forming process.  
         [0041]    Referring now to FIG. 3 showing in cross section two metal construction panels  20  joined together, and in particular dovetail grooves  30  are shown having an angle theta  42  of approximately 87 degrees. Further attachment clip  38  is shown in situ in dovetail groove  30  indicating how attachment clip  38  is mounted to a metal construction panel  20 . In this view, also one can see how bonding channel  32  is formed by adjacent end troughs  28  when end plates  24  are brought together.  
         [0042]    Referring now to FIG. 4, a number of metal construction panels  20  are shown in schematic fashion mounted together onto a foundation  52 . Typically on top of a concrete foundation  52 , a foundation channel  50  would be mounted into place and there upon metal construction panels  20  would be fastened such that they extend vertically upward from foundation  52 , along longitudinal axis  90 . Those skilled in the art will see that metal construction panel  20  serves not only as a structural wall member but also as an exterior architectural panel for the building construction. Metal construction panels  20  are joined at end plates  24  either adhesively by pouring adhesive into bonding channel  32  and/or including mechanical fastening attachments  34  shown in FIG. 2. It is apparent that front  22  of metal construction panels  20  is disposed outwardly creating the exterior cladding of the building. In addition, dovetail grooves  30  extend vertically along metal construction panels  20  for accommodating attachment clips  38  as will be explained here below. Typically once metal construction panels  20  have been erected onto foundation channel  50 , a top plate  54  is mounted and fastened to the top portion of metal construction panels  20  which can be used for subsequent erection of the roof truss sections or other roof construction.  
         [0043]    Attachment Clip  
         [0044]    Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6 and  7  which schematically shows the details of attachment clip  38  shown in situ in FIG. 3, attachment clip  38  includes joining member  61 , right tab  60 , left tab  62 , right wing  68 , left wing  70 , apertures  66 , and attachment lip  64 . In practice, attachment clip  38  would be made from a sheet of steel and the metal blank prior to bending is shown as clip blank  74  in FIG. 6. The dashed lines in FIG. 6 represent the bend lines in order to fabricate attachment clip  38  into the finished product as shown in FIG. 5. In other words clip bank  74  is bent along the dashed lines to produce attachment clip  38 . Attachment clip  38  is so designed such that right tab  60  and left tab  62  can be resiliently flexed to fit and cooperate with dovetail grooves  30  of metal construction panels  20 .  
         [0045]    In use dovetail grooves  30  and metal construction panels  20  have an angle theta  42  of approximately 87 degrees, whereas right tab  60  makes an angle alpha  72  of approximately 85 degrees. Attachment clip  38  is installed into dovetail groove  30  by deflecting or compressing right tab  60  and left tab  62  such that they fit into dovetail grooves  30  of metal construction panel  20 . Attachment clip  38  as shown in FIG. 3 is held in dovetail groove  30  by the biasing force imparted by right tab  60  and left tab  62  onto the inner surfaces of the dovetail grooves  30  of metal construction panel  20 . In addition, apertures  66  can be used to install fastening screws for rigidly attaching and screwing attachment clip  38  to the metal construction panel  20 .  
         [0046]    Attachment lip  64  extends outwardly from front  22  of metal construction panel  20  and is used for attaching various cladding materials should the user of metal construction panel  20  wish to have an alternative exterior look than the one provided by front  22  of metal construction panel. In this manner by placing numerous attachment clips  38  onto dovetail grooves  30 , one can clad the entire exterior surface or the front  22  of metal construction panel  20  and provide for any particular look or architectural appearance the end user desires. For example, brick face, siding, vinyl siding, wood siding, panelling, stucco or any other currently known architectural type finishes can be applied to the front  22  of metal construction panels  20 .  
         [0047]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate the advantages of the current system namely, one could potentially avoid having to have separate framing and architectural finishing surfaces applied to the exterior of the home, but yet retain the flexibility of adding a particularly architectural surface to the exterior of the home, depending on the end use requirement. Furthermore, using metal construction panels  20 , a totally waterproof construction is used due to filling bonding channels  32  with a bonding agent, thereby preventing capillary action of water penetrating through the connection seam between adjacent metal construction panels  20 .  
         [0048]    The bonding agents can be commercially available exterior caulking compounds including silicone, epoxy or polyester based compounds.  
         [0049]    Referring now to FIG. 11, which in schematic fashion shows the installation of an attachment clip  38  being installed into a dove tail groove  30 . Installation tool  190  as shown in FIG. 11 having tips  192  which are received in apertures  66  of left and right wing  70  and  68  of attachment clip  38 . Installation tool  190  is a hand held tool in which handles  198  are compressed in a direction as shown by arrows  194  thereby urging together right and left tab  60  and  62  of attachment clip  38 . Right and left tabs of attachment clip  38  are resiliently bias such that by compressing right and left tab  60  and  62 , the attachment clip  38  can be urged into dove tail grooves  30  such that right and left wing  68  and  70  lie substantially parallel and adjacent to the back portion of dove tail grooves  30 . By removing tips  192  of installation tool  190  from attachment clip  38 , leaves attachment clip  138  in position in dove tail groove  30 . By reversing the procedure described above the attachment clip  38  can be removed from dove tail groove  30 . Note that apertures  66  therefore have two functions, first of all for installing and uninstalling attachment clip  38  from dove tail groove  30  by cooperating with tips  192  of an installation tool  190  and secondly for mechanically fastening attachment clip  38  to metal construction panel  20  by placing screws through apertures  66  into the back of dove tail groove  30  thereby permanently affixing attachment clip  38  to metal construction panel  20 .  
         [0050]    Strengthening Member  
         [0051]    Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, showing metal construction panels  20  attached together and a strengthening member  110  used to provide additional compressive strength as well as stiffening to the structure for providing enough structural strength for the building to support the roof and other structural weight and also to provide wind and earthquake resistance by the addition of strengthening member  110 .  
         [0052]    Looking to FIG. 8 which shows in cross-section the profile of strengthening member  110 ; strengthening member  110  has an end trough section  128 , end plate portions  124  and end flange sections  127  and is designed to nest inside and conform with the contour of end plate  24  of metal construction panel  20 . Referring now to FIG. 9, strengthening member  110  is shown in situ at a corner section of a metal construction panel  20  and is nested and adjacent to the end plate  24  of construction panel  20 . In addition to this the metal construction panel  20  along with the strengthening members  110  are fastened with anchors  112  into concrete at the base and with mechanical fasteners as shown into the metal construction panel  20 .  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 9 in particular shows a corner construction possibility by using two metal construction panels  20  to form said corner. The reader will note that no custom section or special section is required in order to form a corner. In order to attach wall board  40  onto the flanges  26  of metal construction panel  20  in a corner as depicted, an attachment flange  130  is required in order to fasten the wall boards  40  together.  
         [0054]    Strengthening members  110  are co-extensive with the entire length of metal construction panel  20  and can be placed periodically along the walls formed by metal construction panels  20 . For example if extra strength is required, strengthening members  110  can be placed at every end plate  24  of metal construction panel  20  found in a wall. Strengthening members  110  are especially used where the gauge or thickness of the material used to form metal construction panel  20  is too thin to support the structural weight of the building and/or to provide enough stiffness or enough wind resistance. By the use of strengthening members  110 , one can form metal construction panel  20  out of a thinner gauge material and yet obtain enough structural strength and stiffness by including additional strengthening members  110  as required. This reduces the overall costs of manufacturing metal constructions panels and allows one to produce the lightest possible weight panel for a given application.  
         [0055]    Referring now to FIG. 10 which shows a heavy duty corner construction using a corner post  150  which is a tubular metal corner post construction. As shown in the previous Figures, anchors  112  are used to connect metal construction panel  20  to corner post  150 .  
         [0056]    Presently Preferred Metal Construction Panel  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 12 shows a presently preferred embodiment of metal construction panel  220 . In most respects metal construction panel  220  is analogous to metal construction panel  20  in that the front face  222  includes dove tail grooves  30  and also includes end plates  24  having end trough  28  forming a bonding channel  32  between two metal construction panels  220  forming a joint  31 . These items remain unchanged and identical to the previously described metal construction panel  20  as shown in FIG. 1. The modification to metal construction panel  220  is the modified flange  226  which includes dimples  227  as shown in FIG. 12. The function of Flange  226  is for mounting wall board and/or other interior finishing materials onto flange  226  as shown in FIG. 12. Wall board  40  as shown in FIG. 12 can either be nailed and/or screwed into any portion of flange  226  in order securely fasten wall board  40  onto flange  226 . By providing dimples  227 , the wall board  40  makes contact with flange  226  at contact points  229  as shown in FIG. 12. This configuration provides for additional structural strength by increasing the stiffness of metal construction panel  220  by introducing dimples  227  which run along the entire length  102  of metal construction panel  220  and also provide additional compressive strength due to the increased stiffness and cross sectional area of the load bearing member.  
         [0058]    The other advantage provided by dimples  227  on flanges  226  is the reduced heat conduction from the front face  222  of metal construction panel through end plate  24  and out through flanges  226  and into the interior of the building through wall board  40 . The amount of heat that can be conducted through metal construction panel  220  and into wall board  40  is significantly reduced due to the reduction in the amount of contact surface of flange  226  with wall board  40 . Contact between wall board  40  and  226  is limited to contact points  229  as shown in FIG. 12. Dimples  227  can be of different geometries than shown in FIG. 12. As shown in FIG. 12, dimple  227  are crescent shaped or half moons or half circles in shape, however, they also may be squared off, triangular, V-shaped, and/or any other shape which minimizes the contact between wall board  40  and flange  226 .  
         [0059]    It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.

Summary:
The present invention an elongated metal construction panel for use in forming a portion of the vertical walls of a building structure by being fastened to an identical adjacent panel, the metal construction panel comprising a front portion co-extensive with the length of the panel; end plates co-extensive with the length of the panel disposed substantially normal to said front portion and extending from distal ends of said front portion, said end plates defining the depth of said panel; flanges co-extensive with the length of the panel and extending inwardly from distal ends of said end plate, wherein said flanges are spaced from and parallel to said front portion; and wherein said end plates include end troughs co-extensive with the length of the panel such that when metal construction panels are placed adjacent each other by bringing into contact said end plates, said end troughs form a bonding channel adapted and sized for pouring bonding agents therein thereby securely fastening adjacent panels together and also waterproofing the joint between said end plates.