Building panels, and a building and method utilizing building panels

Claim 2

A panel assembly comprising at least two panels arranged in contiguous relationship, each of said panels having first and second opposed marginal ridges, the first marginal ridge being provided with an attachment zone whereby the panel is attached to a structure by at least one fastening means, and the second marginal ridge being of different cross-section but partly complementary to the first marginal ridge thereof and being adapted to be placed in overlapping relationship over the first marginal ridge of a contiguous panel to cover the attachment zone thereof, said contiguous panels forming a cavity between the respective second marginal ridges and the attachment zones and covering said fastening means, each of said overlapping first and second opposed marginal ridges having a pair of spaced flanks connected together by a substantially planar central strip, the first marginal ridge having innermost and outermost flanks diverging away from one another as they extend from the central strip, the central strips of contiguous panels overlapping each other adjacent one another and are fixed together by fastening means spaced from said structure, said fastening fixedly clamping said central strips together to secure said panels against relative movement.

Claim 3

An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the overlapping central strips are of approximately the same width whereby the central strip of one of said contiguous marginal ridges is located precisely against the central strip of the other of said contiguous marginal ridges.

Claim 4

An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first marginal ridge of each panel has its outermost flank substantially perpendicular to the central strip, and wherein the attachment zone comprises flange means extending from said perpendicular flank and spaced from the flanks of the second ridge of the contiguous panel.

Claim 5

An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means spaced from the structure comprises rivets passing through holes in the central strips and fixing the central strips rigidly together.

Claim 6

A panel assembly including first and second panels each having first and second opposed ridged marginal portions, the first marginal portion of the first panel including an attachment zone lying substantially flat against a structure and attached to the structure by at least one fastening means, the second marginal portion of the second panel being partly complementary to the first marginal portion of the first panel and being laid in overlapping relationship over the first marginal portion of the first panel and fixed rigidly thereto with the second panel at least partly covering the attachment zone of the first panel, fastening means spaced from said structure and passing through each of the overlapping marginal portions, and exerting a clamping force on each marginal portion thereby fixing said overlapping marginal portions together, each panel having at least one further ridge parallel to the marginal ridges and further having substantially co-planar bands provided between ridges thereof, and each of the marginal ridges having innermost and outermost converging flanks, the outermost flank of the first marginal ridge of each panel being substantially perpendicular to the co-planar bands and the attachment zone attached to the structure comprising flange means extending from and substantially perpendicular to the outermost flank, the attachment zone of the first panel, the outermost flank of the first marginal ridge of the first panel, and the second marginal ridge of the second panel forming a substantially triangular cross-section cavity.

Claim 7

A panel assembly including first and second panels each having first and second opposed ridged marginal portions, the first marginal portion of the first panel including an attachment zone lying substantially flat against a structure and attached to the structure by at least one fastening means, the second marginal portion of the second panel being partly complementary to the first marginal portion of the first panel and being laid in overlapping relationship over the first marginal portion of the first panel and fixed rigidly thereto with the second panel at least partly covering the attachment zone of the first panel, fastening means spaced from said structure and passing through each of the overlapping marginal portions, and exerting a clamping force on each marginal portion thereby fixing said overlapping marginal portions together, each panel having at least one further ridge parallel to the marginal ridges and further having substantially co-planar bands provided between ridges thereof, and each of the marginal ridges having innermost and outermost converging flanks, the outermost flank of the first marginal ridge of each panel being substantially perpendicular to the co-planar bands and the attachment zone attached to the structure comprising flange means extending from and substantially perpendicular to the outermost flank, the attachment zone of the first panel, the outermost flank of the first marginal ridge of the first panel, and the second marginal ridge of the second panel forming a substantially triangular cross-section cavity.

Claim 8

A panel assembly including first and second panels each having first and second opposed ridged marginal portions, the first marginal portion of the first panel including an attachment zone lying substantially flat against a structure and attached to the structure by at least one fastening means, the second marginal portion of the second panel being partly complementary to the first marginal portion of the first panel and being laid in overlapping relationship over the first marginal portion of the first panel and fixed rigidly thereto with the second panel at least partly covering the attachment zone of the first panel, means spaced from said structure and fixing said overlapping marginal portions together, each panel having at least one further ridge parallel to the marginal ridges and further having substantially co-planar bands provided between ridges thereof, and each of the marginal ridges having innermost and outermost converging flanks, the outermost flank of the first marginal ridge of each panel being substantially perpendicular to the co-planar bands and the attachment zone attached to the structure comprising flange means extending from and substantially perpendicular to the outermost flank, a substantially triangular cross-section cavity being formed between the attachment zone of the first panel, the outermost flank of the first marginal ridge of the first panel, and the second marginal ridge of the second panel.

Claim 9

A panel assembly including first and second panels each having first and second opposed ridged marginal portions, the first marginal portion of the first panel including an attachment zone lying substantially flat against a structure and attached to the structure by at least one fastening means, the second marginal portion of the second panel being partly complementary to the first marginal portion of the first panel and being laid in overlapping relationship over the first marginal portion of the first panel and fixed rigidly thereto with the second panel at least partly covering the attachment zone of the first panel, means spaced from said structure and fixing said overlapping marginal portions together, each panel having at least one further ridge parallel to the marginal ridges and further having substantially co-planar bands provided between ridges thereof, and each of the marginal ridges having innermost and outermost converging flanks, the outermost flank of the first marginal ridge of each panel being substantially perpendicular to the co-planar bands and the attachment zone attached to the structure comprising flange means extending from and substantially perpendicular to the outermost flank, a substantially triangular cross-section cavity being formed between the attachment zone of the first panel, the outermost flank of the first marginal ridge of the first panel, and the second marginal ridge of the second panel.

Claim 10

The assembly of claims 6, wherein the means fixing said overlapping marginal portions together comprises rivets.

Claim 11

A panel assembly on a structure, the assembly including first and second panels each having first and second opposed ridged marginal portions and a substantially planar band adjacent to said first marginal portion, the first marginal portion of the first panel including a ridge and an attachment zone at the opposite side of the ridge to the band, the attachment zone lying substantially against the structure and being attached to the structure by at least one fastening means, the second marginal portion of the second panel being partly complementary to the first marginal portion of the first panel, the second marginal portion of the second panel being laid in overlapping relationship over the first marginal portion of the first panel and defining a cavity receiving a part of the fastening means with the second panel at least partly covering the attachment zone of said first panel, the second marginal portion of the second panel being attached to the first marginal portion of the first panel at a connection zone spaced from the attachment zone and the band by fastening means spaced from said structure, said fastening means comprising means passing through holes in the overlapping ridges and having a head at each end fixing the ridges together by clamping action.

Claim 12

A panel assembly on a structure, the assembly including first and second panels each having first and second opposed ridged marginal portions and a substantially planar band adjacent to said first marginal portion, the first marginal portion of the first panel including a ridge and an attachment zone at the opposite side of the ridge to the band, the attachment zone lying substantially against the structure and being attached to the structure by at least one fastening means, the second marginal portion of the second panel being partly complementary to the first marginal portion of the first panel, the second marginal portion of the second panel being laid in overlapping relationship over the first marginal portion of the first panel and defining a cavity receiving a part of the fastening means with the second panel at least partly covering the attachment zone of said first panel, the second marginal portion of the second panel being attached to the first marginal portion of the first panel at a connection zone spaced from the attachment zone and the band by fastening means spaced from said structure, said fastening means comprising means passing through holes in the overlapping ridges and having a head at each end fixing the ridges together by clamping action.

Claim 13

An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first and second marginal ridges are fixed together by rivets.