Fastener for lightweight concrete panel and panel assembly

Abstract

The lightweight concrete panel is comprised of a thin concrete slab, a standard stud frame, optional insulation strips to increase its thermal performance for exterior wall applications, and specially engineered blind rivets or screws that connects the thin concrete slab to the metal frame. The specially engineered blind rivet has a protruding and shaped head that can act as an anchor when embedded in the hardened concrete slab and has an optional elastic cover in its embedded head to allow slight movement of the concrete slab. The engineered screw with an elastic cover can also be used as the connecting device that allow slight movement of the concrete slab.

1 . A lightweight and thermal efficient concrete panel comprising: (a) a concrete slab; (b) a standard metal stud frame with a plurality of parallel spaced apart steel stud members; (c) insulating strips with adhesive backing; and (d) specially engineered blind rivets or engineered screws with elastic cover as the concrete-to-frame connecting devices. 
     
     
         2 . A lightweight and thermal efficient concrete panel according to  claim 1  wherein the insulating strips with adhesive backing are made of any extrudable insulating material having thickness at least 1/16″ and width equal to or greater than the stud flange. 
     
     
         3 . A lightweight and thermal efficient concrete panel according to  claim 1  wherein the metal stud members of the standard metal stud frame are the standard C-section or U-section studs with pre-punched holes for blind rivets or screws to go through. 
     
     
         4 . A lightweight and thermal efficient concrete panel according to  claim 1  wherein the engineered blind rivet is made of any type of steel, has a protruding and shaped head to act as anchor embedded in the concrete slab, and has an optional elastic cover over its head that allows the concrete slab to move slightly. 
     
     
         5 . A lightweight and thermal efficient concrete panel according to  claim 1  wherein the engineered screw has an elastic cover over its embedded head to allow slight movement of the concrete slab. 
     
     
         6 . A lightweight concrete panel comprising: (a) a concrete slab; (b) a standard metal stud frame with a plurality of parallel spaced apart steel stud members; and (c) specially engineered blind rivets or engineered screws with elastic covers as the concrete-to-frame connecting devices. 
     
     
         7 . A lightweight concrete panel according to  claim 6  wherein the metal stud members of the standard metal stud frame are the standard C-section or U-section studs with pre-punched holes for blind rivets or screws to go through. 
     
     
         8 . A lightweight concrete panel according to  claim 6  wherein the engineered blind rivet is made of any type of steel, has a protruding and shaped head to act as anchor embedded in the concrete slab, and has an optional elastic cover over its head that allow the concrete slab to move slightly. 
     
     
         9 . A lightweight concrete panel according to  claim 6  wherein the engineered screw has an elastic cover over its embedded head to allow slight movement of the concrete slab. 
     
     
         10 . A steel blind rivet used as a concrete-to-steel frame connecting device wherein the rivet has a protruding and shaped head that acts as an anchor when the head is embedded in the concrete. 
     
     
         11 . The blind rivet according to  claim 10  wherein the rivet has an elastic cover over the embedded head to allow slight movement in the concrete slab.