Panel Assembly

Abstract

A building panel assembly comprises a translucent panel ( 2 ) and a spacer ( 4 ) to bridge the gap between the translucent panel ( 2 ) and a support such as a purlin ( 3 ). The spacer ( 4 ) is not pre-attached to the translucent panel ( 2 ) but is coupled on site to the purlin ( 3 ) using a magnetic effect. In this way the spacer is conveniently held in place on the purlin whilst the translucent panel is aligned and then fixed in place using a fixing pin ( 5 ).

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
   
   
       34 : A building panel assembly comprising:
 a panel element; and   spacing means to space the panel element at a desired distance from a building frame element;   the spacing means being provided detached from the panel element for coupling to a building frame element on-site.   
   
   
       35 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means is configured to be coupled to a building frame element prior to attachment of the spacing means to the panel element. 
   
   
       36 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means is configured to be releasably coupled to a building frame element. 
   
   
       37 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means is configured to be magnetically coupled to a building frame element. 
   
   
       38 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means and/or building frame element comprises a magnetic material. 
   
   
       39 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means is magnetic, at least in a region of contact with a building frame element. 
   
   
       40 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means is rendered magnetic by incorporation of a magnetic material. 
   
   
       41 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 39  wherein the spacer means comprises a magnetic material applied to the spacer means. 
   
   
       42 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 41  wherein the magnetic material is applied to the spacer means in the form of at least one magnetic strip. 
   
   
       43 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means comprises a beam. 
   
   
       44 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means has a longitudinal axis which extends, on assembly substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the panel element. 
   
   
       45 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means defines a substantially hollow internal space. 
   
   
       46 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 45  wherein the spacing means comprises a double box section. 
   
   
       47 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  comprising a fixing means to fix the spacing means to a building frame element. 
   
   
       48 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 47  wherein the fixing means is configured to extend through the spacing means into a building frame element. 
   
   
       49 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the spacing means is configured to be attached to the panel element on-site. 
   
   
       50 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 49  wherein the assembly comprises means to attach the spacing means to the panel element on-site. 
   
   
       51 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 50  wherein the attachment means is configured to extend through the panel element into the spacing means. 
   
   
       52 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the panel element is configured to be attached to a building frame element. 
   
   
       53 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 52  wherein the panel element is configured to be attached to a building frame element on-site. 
   
   
       54 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 51  wherein the assembly comprises means to attach the panel element to a building frame element. 
   
   
       55 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 54  wherein the attachment means is configured to extend through the panel element into a building frame element. 
   
   
       56 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 47  wherein the attachment means comprises a fixing pin. 
   
   
       57 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 56  wherein the fixing pin comprises a drill point for drilling through the panel element, the spacing means, and into a building frame element. 
   
   
       58 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the panel element is a translucent panel comprising a single body of translucent material. 
   
   
       59 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 58  wherein the panel element comprises an outer weather skin, an inner liner skin and a multiwall support between the outer weather skin and the inner liner skin, the inner liner skin, the outer weather skin and the multiwall support all being of translucent material. 
   
   
       60 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 59  wherein the panel element comprises an integral overlap portion at least one end and/or side thereof, the overlap portion having a thickness close to the thickness of the outer weather skin. 
   
   
       61 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 58  wherein the translucent material comprises a translucent thermosetting material. 
   
   
       62 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 58  wherein the translucent material comprises a polycarbonate material. 
   
   
       63 : The assembly as claimed in  claim 34  comprising a plurality of opaque panels and a plurality of translucent panels, the thickness of the opaque panels being greater than the thickness of the translucent panels and the spacer means compensating for the difference in thickness between the opaque panels and the translucent panels.