PANEL MEMBER

Abstract

A panel member (110) is provided for a wall structure (105) including a first surface (112) and a second surface (114) spaced from the first surface, at least one rib member (116) extending between the first and second surfaces, a first end member (120) and a second end member (122) each extending between the first and second surfaces, substantially parallel with the at least one rib member, so as to form at least two channels (118) between the first and second surfaces. The first end member has a male connector (150) extending therefrom and the second end member has a female connector (152) formed therein. The male and female connectors are each configured to be complementary, such that the male connector of the panel member is able to be received within a female connector of another panel member to facilitate connection of adjacent panel members to form the wall structure.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2011900189 filed on 21 Jan. 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a panel member for use in the construction of buildings, walls and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-purpose panel member formed in a manner and having sufficient strength and impact resistant properties for use across a variety of applications.

BACKGROUND ART

There exist a variety of pre-fabricated panels for use in building structures and the like. Most such pre-fabricated panels are made from concrete, cement sheeting, wood or the like, that are positioned during the construction of a structure and secured in place.

Many structures have walls, both interior and exterior, that have the potential to experience various degrees of impact, depending on the specific application for which the structure is used. Such impact may result from people, animals, vehicles, machinery and the like contacting the surfaces of the wall with varying degrees of force. Depending on the structure of the wall, sufficient impact forces can cause damage to the wall which can have a particular displeasing aesthetic effect on the building structure. Further, due to the rigid nature of most prefabricated walls used in building construction, any sufficient contact with the wall can cause damage or harm to the person, animal, vehicle or the like that may cause such impact.

In the field of animal management, in particular the handling of horses and the like, it is of considerable importance to accommodate a horse in a safe, controlled environment. This is particularly the case in the field of horse racing where horses are valuable commodities and are prepared and trained to high levels with significant care and expertise, and at significant cost. In such instances, horses are typically accommodated in stables whilst undergoing training to reduce injury and to control their feed intake and behaviour. Hence it is important that when a race horse is stabled, the likelihood of injury to the horse is reduced.

Typically, most stables constructed to accommodate race horses and the like employ timber or a combination of timber and steel sheeting, such as that sold under the trade mark Colorbond® by BluScope Steel Limited. As a result, the walls of such stables are relatively rigid and offer little in the way of impact absorption or impact resistance. As horses, in particular thoroughbred race horses, have a tendency to kick when in closed confines or when agitated, stable walls may be regularly damaged which can be costly in terms of replacing such walls and may result in the stable becoming aesthetically displeasing. Further, due to the rigid nature of the walls of most stables, should a horse kick with significant force, the horse may become injured due to the force of the impact, or due to the wall becoming damaged and cutting the animal. This could have serious detrimental impact on the career of a race horse.

As a result there is a need to provide a wall structure that can be employed in a variety of instances where impact load against the wall is likely. Such a wall structure provides significant resistance to damage occurring to the wall as well as provides a degree of impact absorption.

There is also a need to provide a panel member that has a structure and weight that is easy to install to form a wall in a quick and efficient manner.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect, there is provided a panel member for a wall structure comprising:

• • a first surface;
  • a second surface spaced from said first surface;
  • at least one rib member extending between said first surface and said second surface;
  • a first end member and a second end member, each of said first end member and said second end member extending between said first surface and said second surface substantially parallel with the at least one rib member so as to form at least two channels between said first surface and said second surface; wherein
  • the first end member has a male connector member extending therefrom and the second end member has a female connector formed therein, the male connector member and the female connector member being configured to be complementary such that the male connector member of the panel member is able to be received within a female connector of an adjacent panel member to facilitate connection of adjacent panel members to form said wall structure.

In one embodiment, the male connector member and the female connector may extend substantially longitudinally along a length of the first end member and the second end member. The male connector member may be configured so as to be inserted into said female connector so as to engage therewith.

The male connector member may comprise at least one ridge member that projects laterally from at least one side thereof, the at least one ridge member may be configured to create an interference fit with an opening of the female connector to facilitate engagement therebetween. The engagement created between the opening of the female connector and the ridge member of the male connector member may substantially prevent withdrawal of the male connector member from the female connector upon the application of a lateral removal force applied transverse to the longitudinal length of the panel members.

The male connector member may comprise at least one wing member that projects laterally from at least one side thereof, the at least one ring member may be configured to create an interference fit with an opening of the female connector to facilitate engagement therebetween. The at least one wing member may be slidingly received within the opening of the female connector, such that the engagement between the at least one wing member and the opening of the female connector may substantially prevent withdrawal of the male connector member from the female connector upon the application of a lateral removal force applied transverse to the longitudinal length of the panel members.

In another embodiment, the first and second surfaces may be substantially planar and have a corrugation formed thereon defining a series of interconnected peaks and troughs.

The panel member may be made from an extrusion process. The panel member may be made from high density polyethylene (HPDE).

In a preferred embodiment, two channels are formed between the first surface and the second surface.

In one embodiment, the wall structure formed by two or more interconnecting panel members may form part of a building structure.

In another embodiment, the wall structure formed by two or more interconnecting panel members may be a retaining wall.

In yet another embodiment, the wall structure formed by two or more interconnecting panel members may be a water wall capable of receiving and retaining water in the at least two channels. The water wall may comprise a plurality of panel members fluidly interconnected to facilitate flow of water between the at least two channels of adjacent panel members. One or more of the panel members of the water wall may be configured to receive water from a water source. The water source may be a rainwater or wastewater collection reservoir.

Accordingly, in another aspect of the invention there is provided a panel member for a building structure comprising:

• • a first substantially planar surface;
  • a second substantially planar surface; and
  • a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending between the first and second substantially planar surfaces to form a plurality of longitudinally extending channels therebetween;
  • wherein the first and second substantially planar surfaces and the plurality of longitudinal ribs are formed integrally by an extrusion process.

In a preferred embodiment, the panel is made from high density polyethylene (HPDE). The panel may alternatively made from any extrudable polymeric materials, including elastomeric materials.

According to one embodiment, the first and second substantially planar surfaces have a corrugation formed thereon defining a series of interconnected peaks and troughs across the surface thereof. The ribs may extend in a parallel manner across a width of the first and second planar surfaces and the corrugation may be formed on the surface of the first and second planar surfaces to extend perpendicular with respect to the ribs.

Each channel may have a substantially rectangular cross section formed between adjacent ribs and opposing inner surfaces of the first and second substantially planar surfaces. Each channel may extend between an upper end and a lower end of the panel member. The plurality of longitudinally extending channels may extend between opposing lateral edges of the panel member.

The opposing lateral edges of the panel member may be configured to facilitate engagement or connection with a corresponding lateral edge of an adjacent panel member. The opposing lateral edges of the panel member may be configured to facilitate interengagement between adjacent panel members to form a wall structure. The wall structure may form part of a building structure. Alternatively, the wall structure may be a retaining wall.

In one embodiment, the wall is a water wall capable of receiving and retaining water. The water wall may comprise a plurality of panel members fluidly interconnected to facilitate flow of water between panel members. One or more of the panel members of the water wall may be configured to receive water from a water source. The water source may be a rainwater or wastewater collection reservoir.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a panel member in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the panel member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the panel member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the panel member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a structure employing the panel member of FIG. 1 in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a top view of an embodiment of a connection means for connecting adjacent panels in a structure;

FIG. 7 is a top view of another embodiment of a connection means for connecting adjacent panels in a structure;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the embodiment of a connection means of FIG. 7 having a top cap provided thereon;

FIG. 9 is a top view of an embodiment of the panels configured for abutment;

FIG. 10 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the panels configured for abutment;

FIG. 11 is a top view of an embodiment of a corner section of a building structure employing the panel members of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a corner section of a building structure employing the panel members of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the panel members of the present invention arranged in an embodiment where they form a wall for the purpose of handling and/or storing water;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the wall of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment employing the panel members of the present invention in a retaining wall application;

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the wall of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 shows a top view of an embodiment of the invention showing the panel members connected by way of a keyed joint;

FIG. 18 shows a perspective view of a panel member according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 shows a top view of the panel member of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 shows an isolated top view of an alternative embodiment of a male connector member of the panel member of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 shows a perspective view of a partial wall structure comprising a plurality of the panel members of FIG. 18 arranged in abutting fashion;

FIG. 22 shows a front perspective view of the wall structure of FIG. 21 with a panel member partially assembled;

FIG. 23 shows a front perspective view of an alternative wall structure arrangement with the panel members arranged in a horizontal manner;

FIG. 24 shows a top view of the wall structure of FIG. 21; and

FIG. 25 shows a front view of a wall structure of FIG. 21.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

The present invention will be described in relation to its application for use in horse stables to prevent injury to horses and damage to stable walls. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention has application to a variety of uses other than stables, such as horse floats and exterior walls for pens and corral, as well as other non-animal related applications as will be apparent by those skilled in the art.

Referring to FIG. 1, a wall structure 5 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. Wall structure 5 comprises a plurality of panel members 10 arranged in an abutting manner to form a substantially planar rectangular wall structure having a pair of opposing wall surfaces 12, 14.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of a section of the wall structure 5 of FIG. 1, namely a panel member 10 having a plurality of ribs 16 provided between the opposing surfaces 12, 14 which extend in a parallel manner longitudinally along the panel member 10. As is evident from the figures, the ribs 16 that are located at the edges of the panel member 10 act to form an edge of the panel 10, to assist in arranging panels in an abutting nature during assembly, as will be described in more detail below.

It will be appreciated that, when formed, the panel member 10 comprises a plurality of hollow channels 18 that extend in a parallel manner along the length of the panel 10 and resultant wall structure 5. Each rib 16 is separated a distance “X” from an adjacent rib 16 such that each channel 18 is substantially identical in form and structure when compared to an adjacent channel of the panel member 10. In a preferred form, the distance “X” is around 60 mm, however, other distances are also envisaged depending the specific application of use of the panel 10.

Each channel 18 is defined by an adjacent pair of ribs 16, each of which have a substantially straight or flat surface and a pair of opposed end walls 19, that each have a concave configuration with respect to the inner region of the channel 18. Due to the configuration of the end walls 19, the surfaces 12 and 14 of the panel member 10, and resultant wall structure 5, take on a substantially corrugated configuration defined by a series of peaks and troughs extending over the surfaces 12, 14 of the panel member 10, as is shown in FIG. 1.

The width “Z” of the panel member 10 at the edges thereof is defined by the ribs 16. Due to the concave structure of the end walls 19 of each channel 18, the width of the panel member 10 changes across the breadth of the panel member 10 to a maximum width “Y” located at a central point of each channel 18, as is shown in FIG. 2. In a preferred form, the maximum width “Y” of the panel 10 is around 70 mm, but may vary between 50-80 mm with the width “Z” at the edge of the panel 10 being around 64 mm, but which may vary between 40-70 mm. Such an arrangement defines the corrugation of the surfaces 12, 14 having a trough-to-peak distance of around 3 mm, but which may vary between 2-8 mm. It will be appreciated that the above dimensions are only illustrative of a preferred embodiment and are not limiting to the present invention.

Each panel 10 is manufactured from an extrusion process to ensure that each panel 10 has a continuous, repeatable shape. In this regard, each panel 10 is made from high density polyethylene (HDPE) which is a material having good tensile strength and impact resistance and is low in cost. Such a material also enables extrusion, to ensure that the panels are able to adopt a continuous 2D profile. The material may be treated with fire retardant material to improve the fire rating of the wall thus constructed.

In a preferred form, the width “W” of the walls of the ribs 16 and the surfaces 12 and 14 are substantially uniform, preferably around 5 mm, however other widths or thicknesses are also envisaged. It will be appreciated that the panel members 10 of the present invention may be made from any extrudable polymeric materials including elastomeric materials and still fall within the spirit of the present invention. Further, it will be appreciated that rather than the panel member 10 of the present invention being made from a single material, the panel member may be made from a plurality of materials by way of co-extrusion manufacturing techniques. In such an arrangement, the surfaces 12, 14 of the panel member 10 may be formed to have different material properties and may be made from materials with different colour characteristics. Alternatively a separate material may be coextruded over the surfaces 12, 14 of the panel member following or during formation of the panel member 10 to provide form a variety of purposes, such as additional UV protection. Other applications of such coextrusion practices envisage the extrusion of a small seal in a region of the panel member where panels join together to facilitate sealed connection of panels for such purposes as water storage and retention, as will be discussed in more detail below.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown profiles of alternative embodiments of the panel member 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, rather then the channels 18 being formed between two opposing concave end walls 19, the channel 18 is formed between a concave end wall and a convex end wall. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the channels 18 of the panel 10 have a substantially rectangular shape with the end walls 19 being predominately straight. In this embodiment, the end walls 19 are stepped or offset from an end wall of an adjacent channel 18 to form an outer surface 12, 14 of the panel 10 having a stepped configuration. It will be appreciated that other configurations of how the channels 18 may be constructed are also envisaged.

The embodiment of the panel member 10 shown in FIG. 2 is a preferred embodiment, as it has been found that the outward corrugation of the surfaces 12, 14 of the panel 10 provide particular benefits in relation to impact resistance and impact absorption. As the peaks of the corrugation are the first to experience contact in an impact situation, such as a situation when a horse's hoof contacts the surface 12, 14 of the panel 10, the corrugated nature of the design allows the walls 19 of each channel 18 to absorb some of the initial impact load as it deflects before the load is transferred into the main ribs 16 of the panel 10. As the main ribs 16 of the panel 10 have a maximum depth of around 70 mm, this provides significant resistance to further deflection of the panels, as may occur between support posts of a building structure.

Such an arrangement has an ability to reduce the effects of impact injury to the horse as well as maintaining the structural integrity of the panel member 10. Further, the corrugated nature of the panel members resembles a more conventional corrugated sheeting surface that is typically used in horse stables and provides an aesthetic look that resembles conventional materials.

It will be appreciated that the panel members 10 may be formed to assume any desired sizes and dimensions. For instance, the panel members may be formed in a variety of standard sizes in accordance with their intended use. In this regard, the panel members 10 may be formed in sizes having widths ranging from 150 mm-2400 mm and heights or lengths ranging from 60 mm-2400 mm. It will be appreciated that due to the manufacturing method of extruding the panels, the sizes in which the panels 10 are formed can be varied quite simply.

Referring to FIG. 5 there is shown an embodiment of a horse stable 20 incorporating the panel members 10 of the present invention. In this figure, for reasons of clarity, the panels 10 are shown as a single panel having a flat surface. However, as will be appreciated by the discussion above, each panel 10 depicted may comprises a plurality of individual panels abutted together, with each panel having the textured or corrugates surface as previously discussed.

As is shown, in the structure 20, the panel members 10 are assembled to form a periphery of the structure. The structure 20 comprises a roof 21 that is supported atop four walls. The front wall comprises a door 22 that permits access to and from the interior of the structure 20. The upper region of the front wall may be typically formed in an open manner to facilitate access of light and air into the interior of the structure and may comprise open bars 23 as shown. The lower region of the front wall is formed from the panels 10 of the present invention. In this regard, the panels 10 are provided in the regions of the structure 20 where a horse may kick, should the horse become agitated or the like.

In this regard, the surfaces 12, 14 of the panels 10 form the inside surface and exterior surface of the structure respectively. It will be appreciated that the structure 20 may also be configured such that an external skin may be provided over the panels 10, depending upon aesthetic requirements and cost issues. In the instances where the panels 10 also function as the exterior surface of the structure 20, such as is shown in FIG. 5, the HDPE material of the panels 10 may include UV stabilizers and may be coloured in accordance with user requirements. This will add to the natural capacity of HDPE to exhibit exceptional weathering properties.

As individual panel members 10 are constructed to have a common configuration, in order to join adjacent panel members 10 in a structure a simple H-beam system as shown in FIG. 7 may be employed. In this embodiment of the invention, the width of the panels 10 is sufficient such that the edges of the panels abut against the webbing of the H-beam 25 in the manner as shown. An alternative embodiment for joining adjacent panels 10 is shown in FIG. 6. In this embodiment the same concept of employing an H-beam 25 is shown with the exception being that a rebate is formed on the outer surface 12, 14 of the panels 10 to provide a flush fitting with the H-beam 25. Such an arrangement may provide a more aesthetically pleasing connection between adjacent panels and the rebate may be incorporated into the extrusion process. In any regard, the inherent structure of the panels provides for a simple means for connecting adjacent panel members 10 together by way of a structural member such as an H-beam 25. The H-beam is also able to provide support for the panel members 10 along the edges thereof. As is shown in FIG. 8, in order to provide optional aesthetic benefits a cap member 26 may be fitted over the H-beam 25, as desired. Whilst the panel member 10 is shown having a straight surface 12, 14 for sake of simplicity, it will be appreciated that the surfaces may be contoured in the manner as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will also be appreciated that the extruded nature of the panel members 10 enables a variety of different options for interlocking the edges of adjacent panels 10. In FIGS. 9 and 10 a chamfered joint and a pecked joint is shown respectively. In this regard, the panel members may be extruded to have end edges that slot together or interengage, such as through the use of complementary edges that form lap joint, slotted joint, keyway joint, wedge joint, or the like, thereby reducing the need for a large number of support beams to connect adjacent panel members. It will be appreciated that in such arrangements whereby the end edges of adjacent panels engage, stake members, reinforcing rods or the like may be employed to provide additional structural support to the panels, by inserting such stake members through the channels 18 formed in the panel members 10.

One particular arrangement for connecting adjacent panels 10 together is shown in FIG. 17. In this embodiment of the present invention the panel members 10 are formed to have a male mating member 50 formed along one edge thereof, and a corresponding female mating member 52 formed along an opposing edge thereof. The male mating member 50 is configured to be received within the female mating member 52 of an adjacent panel member to form a secure join 53. The join 53 may be sufficiently water tight or may have seals provided therein to facilitate use of the panel members 10 in a levee wall application, as will be discussed in more detail below.

In the structure 20 of FIG. 5, in order to form a corner, the panel members 10 may be easily fitted to channels formed in a corner post 30 in the manner as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. In FIG. 11, the panel members 10 are configured with a rebate at the edges thereof in the manner described above in relation to FIG. 6. It will be appreciated that a variety of systems may be employed for connecting panel members 10 through 90° that fall within the spirit of the present invention.

When used in a building structure such as that shown in FIG. 5, the panel members 10 of the structure 20 present a surface to a horse or the like, accommodated within the structure, that has a high degree of impact resistance and load absorption should the horse attempt to kick the panel. This reduces the likelihood of serious injury occurring to the horse and damage to the structure thus reducing costs associated with maintaining and repairing the structure.

As the panel member 10 is made from HDPE, the material yield strength is approximately 25 Mpa and whilst exceeding the yield strength of the material may result in some material deformation of the panel member, this typically manifests as bruising, whitening or denting of the material in the vicinity of the load application. Thus, even when the yield strength of the panel has been exceeded, there is a low likelihood of panel fracture or shattering as is commonly the case with more rigid and conventional building materials.

Whilst the panel members 10 of the present invention have a specific application for impact resistant wall surfaces as described above, due to the structure and nature of the panel members 10, they are also applicable for use in a variety of alternative applications.

One alternative application is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. In this application, the panel members 10 are assembled to form a water wall 30. A water wall 30 is a wall or structure capable of holding and/or storing water within the panels 10. As such, the hollow nature of the panels 10 and the multiple channels provided in the panels 10 are utilised to provide conduits to receive and direct the flow of water within the wall 30.

The panels 10 are assembled together in the manner described previously such that they abut together and are connected between vertical supports 34. The vertical supports 34 are in the form of I-beams; however other support members are also envisaged.

The upper and lower ends of each panel is sealed by a cap member 32 as shown. The cap member 32 is configured to fit over the ends of the channels 18 of the panel members to provide a seal thereon. The cap members 32 also provide a common fluid rail connecting each of the channels 18 at a lower and an upper region thereof to facilitate flow of water between adjacent panel members 10 and between adjacent channels 18 in each panel member 10. It will be appreciated that additional materials such as lip seals, sealing beads, and the like may be employed to seal the joints between panels.

Each cap member 32 has a hole or recess 31 formed at an end thereof to receive a connector 33 that provides a sealed connection with a recess 10 on an adjacent cap member 32. In this regard, an end panel 10 of the wall 30 may be connected to a water source, such as a stormwater drain or water connection system to receive water after which it is distributed between the panel members 10 of the wall system 30 via the interconnecting cap members 32.

In the embodiment as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the wall 30 may form a dividing wall or fence on a property or may be employed within a structure of a building, such as a shed, house or the like, and as such the surface of the walls may be coloured for aesthetic purposes.

Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the panel members 10 of the present invention are employed to form a retaining wall 40. Once again, for reasons of clarity, the panel members 10 are shown as a single member. However, it will be appreciated that the panel member 10 as depicted may comprise a plurality of panel members 10 arranged in abutting fashion, as is clearly described in the body of the present description.

The retaining wall 40 comprises a plurality of supports 44, such as I-beams between which individual panel members 10 are supported in the manner as shown in relation to FIGS. 6 and 7. The panel members 10 each have a cap member 42 that fits over an upper region thereof to form an upper surface of the wall 40. The cap members 42 between adjacent panel members 10 interconnect to form a continuous upper surface of the wall 40.

To provide additional structural support to the wall 40, one or more stake members 46 may be inserted through the channels 18 of the panels to project beyond the lower surface of the panels to engage with a ground surface. The number of stake members 46 used to support the wall 40 can be adjusted depending upon the specific application of the wall 40 and the forces that the wall may experience in use.

Referring to FIGS. 18-20, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

In FIG. 18, panel member 110 is depicted. Panel member 110 is in the form of a relatively narrow panel member of approximately 150 mm in width and having a configuration substantially as shown and described in relation to FIG. 2. The panel member 110 comprises two channels 118 that extend along the length or height of the panel member 110, separated by a rib member 116, such that the panel member 110 is a two-channel panel member. The panel member includes a front face 114 and a rear face 112 that present a corrugated or undulating surface, in the manner as previously described.

Formed along opposing ends or longitudinal edges of the panel member 110 is an end member 120 having a male connector 150 and an end member 122 having a female connector 152, which are depicted more clearly in FIG. 19. The male connector member 152 is in the form of a projection that projects beyond a longitudinal edge of the panel member 110 and has ridges 151 formed along opposing lateral sides thereof. The female connector 152 is in the form of a recess formed along the opposing longitudinal edge of the panel member 110. The depth of the recess of the female connector 152 is substantially equivalent to the depth of the male connector member 150 to receive the male connector member 150 therein. The female connector 152 has a narrow opening formed by a pair of flange members 153. An extended lateral recess 154 is formed immediately behind the flange members 153. The narrow opening formed by the flange members is sufficient to receive the leading edge of the male connector member 150 when a male connector member 150 of an adjacent panel member 110 is inserted into the female connector 152. However, due to the presence of the ridges 151 on opposing sides of the male connector member 150 the flange members 153 contact the ridges 151 to prevent further sliding of the male connector member 150 into the female connector 152. Due to the inherent flexibility and resilient nature of the materials of the panel member 110, as discussed previously, by applying pressure to the panel member 110 the male connector member 150 can be forced into the female connector with the flange members 153 flexing to permit the ridges 151 to enter into the female connector, to create a snap fitting of adjacent panels together. The degree of force required to fit adjacent panel members 110 together in this way will largely be determined by the amount the size of the ridges 151 formed above the surfaces of the male connector member 150. In this regard, the degree of force should be sufficient to ensure a flush fit between adjacent panel members 10.

Referring to FIG. 20, an alternative form of the male connector member 150 is shown. In this embodiment the male connector member 150 is formed with a pair of wing projections 155 rather than ridges 151. The wing projections 155 are shaped and configured to be received within the extended lateral recess 154 to ensure a more secure connection between adjacent panel members 110. It will be appreciated that in order to form a wall 105 structure by fitting adjacent panel members 110 having the male connector member 150 of FIG. 20, panel members 110 are slidingly assembled either vertically, as shown in FIG. 22, or horizontally, as shown in FIG. 23. It will be appreciated that the different configurations of the male connector member 150 as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 provide for either snap fitting or sliding fitting of adjacent panel members 110, depending upon the required application.

A wall structure 105 employing multiple panel members 110 is shown in FIGS. 21-24. As is clear, the wall structure 105 provides a degree of inherent flexibility between panel members 110, however, each individual panel members 110 are sealingly connected to an adjacent panel member through the unique male-female connection. Thus, the wall structure 105 formed by connecting the panel members 110 provides for a internal surface 114 which is sealed and isolated from the external surface 112 to provide a barrier for water, air and the like to pass through the wall structure 105. It will be appreciated that a silicone sealant may also be applied along the joins between the adjacent panels 110, if required.

As depicted in FIGS. 22 and 23, the wall structure 105 can be formed with either the panel members 110 extending vertically or horizontally. Such a wall structure can be equally applied to a structure such as a horse stable 20 as depicted in FIG. 5, by merely assembling the individual panel members 110 together and fitting them within channelled supports extending along the base and the top of the wall structure 5. If further structural support is required, one or more reinforcing rods may be passed through one or more channels 118 in the panel members 110, as required.

It will be appreciated that due to the interlocking nature of the panel members 10, 110 and the complimentary size and shape of the panel members 10, 110, the wall structure 5, 105 can be used for a variety of purposes other than as a building wall or a retaining wall. In this regard, the wall structure could be assembled as a temporary wall for large events such as concerts, sporting events, and the like, where the ease or erecting and dismantling the wall offers significant advantages. Further, the wall may be used as a levee bank or wall for flood regions, where the interlocking nature of the panel members provides a sealed wall that prevents water from passing therethrough. In this regard, the wall may be supported solely by stake members to extend along a perimeter of a region to be protected.

Due to the hollow nature of the panel members 10, 110, the wall structure created therefrom can also enable the panel members 10, 110 to be filed with concrete, cement, sand, soil and other types of material to provide additional support and structure to the wall. The open ends of the channels may also be filled with soil for use as planter boxes and the like, to add additional functionality to a building construction.

It will be appreciated that the simple structure of the panel members 10 of the present invention enable them to be employed in a variety of situations and applications where temporary or permanent wall structures are required. As the panel members can be readily manufactured to snugly fit together in a sealed arrangement and are hollow, they have specific application to applications associated with handling water and other fluid environments.

Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the panel member uppermost.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A panel member for a wall structure comprising:

a first surface;

a second surface spaced from said first surface;

at least one rib member extending between said first surface and said second surface;

a first end member and a second end member, each of said first end member and said second end member extending between said first surface and said second surface substantially parallel with the at least one rib member so as to form at least two channels between said first surface and said second surface; wherein

the first end member has a male connector member extending therefrom and the second end member has a female connector formed therein, the male connector member and the female connector being configured to be complementary such that the male connector member of the panel member is able to be received within a female connector of an adjacent panel member to facilitate connection of adjacent panel members to form said wall structure.

2. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the male connector member and the female connector extend substantially longitudinally along a length of the first end member and the second end member.

3. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the male connector member is configured so as to be inserted into said female connector so as to engage therewith.

4. A panel member according to claim 3, wherein the male connector member comprises at least one ridge member that projects laterally from at least one side thereof, the at least one ridge member being configured to create an interference fit with an opening of the female connector to facilitate engagement therebetween.

5. A panel member according to claim 4, wherein the engagement created between the opening of the female connector and the ridge member of the male connector member substantially prevents withdrawal of the male connector member from the female connector upon the application of a lateral removal force applied transverse to the longitudinal length of the panel members.

6. A panel member according to claim 3, wherein the male connector member comprises at least one wing member that projects laterally from at least one side thereof, the at least one ring member being configured to create an interference fit with an opening of the female connector to facilitate engagement therebetween.

7. A panel member according to claim 6, wherein the at least one wing member is slidingly received within the opening of the female connector, such that the engagement between the at least one wing member and the opening of the female connector substantially prevents withdrawal of the male connector member from the female connector upon the application of a lateral removal force applied transverse to the longitudinal length of the panel members.

8. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces are substantially planar and have a corrugation formed thereon defining a series of interconnected peaks and troughs.

9. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the panel member is made from an extrusion process.

10. A panel member according to claim 9, wherein the panel is made from high density polyethylene (HPDE).

11. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein two channels are formed between the first surface and the second surface.

12. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the wall structure forms part of a building structure.

13. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the wall structure is a retaining wall.

14. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the wall structure is a water wall capable of receiving and retaining water in the at least two channels.

15. A panel member according to claim 14, wherein the water wall comprises a plurality of panel members fluidly interconnected to facilitate flow of water between the at least two channels of adjacent panel members.

16. A panel member according to claim 15, wherein one or more of the panel members of the water wall is configured to receive water from a water source.

17. A panel member according to claim 16, wherein the water source is a rainwater or wastewater collection reservoir.

18. A panel member for a building structure comprising:

a first substantially planar surface;

a second substantially planar surface; and

a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending between the first and second substantially planar surfaces to form a plurality of longitudinally extending channels therebetween;

wherein the first and second substantially planar surfaces and the plurality of longitudinal ribs are formed integrally by an extrusion process.

19. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein said first and second substantially planar surfaces have a corrugation formed thereon defining a series of interconnected peaks and troughs across the surfaces thereof.

20. A panel member according to claim 2, wherein the ribs extend in a parallel manner across a width of the first and second planar surfaces and the corrugation formed on the surface of the first and second planar surfaces extends perpendicular with respect to the ribs.

21. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein each channel has a substantially rectangular cross section formed between adjacent ribs and opposing inner surfaces of the first and second substantially planar surfaces.

22. A panel member according to claim 4, wherein each channel extends between an upper end and a lower end of the panel member.

23. A panel member according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of longitudinally extending channels extend between opposing lateral edges of the panel member.

24. A panel member according to claim 5, wherein the opposing lateral edges of the panel member are configured to facilitate engagement or connection with a corresponding lateral edge of an adjacent panel member.

25. A panel member according to claim 7, wherein the opposing lateral edges of the panel member are configured to facilitate interengagement between adjacent panel members to form a wall structure.

26. A panel member according to claim 7, wherein the wall structure forms part of a building structure.

27. A panel member according to claim 7, wherein the wall structure is a retaining wall.

28. A panel member according to claim 7, wherein the wall structure is a water wall capable of receiving and retaining water.

29. A panel member according to claim 11, wherein the water wall comprises a plurality of panel members fluidly interconnected to facilitate flow of water between panel members.

30. A panel member according to claim 12, wherein one or more of the panel members of the water wall is configured to receive water from a water source.

31. A panel member according to claim 13, wherein the water source is a rainwater or wastewater collection reservoir.

32. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the panel is made from high density polyethylene (HPDE).

33. A wall structure comprising at least two of the panel members according to claim 1.