A Flashing Connector

Abstract

An elongate connector for connecting a first building panel and second building panel, the connector comprising: a hollow and elongate recess defined by two spaced apart side walls separated by a top wall, the recess being arranged to receive a load bearing member positioned above the first building panel and wherein the top wall and side walls are arranged to be received into a channel of the second building panel thereby positioning and inter-connecting the second building panel above the first building panel; a flashing portion extending along the length of one of the side walls, said flashing portion depending downwardly from one of said side walls to lap over an edge portion of said one of the building panels.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An elongate connector for inter-connecting a first building panel below a second building panel, the connector comprising:
 a hollow and elongate recess defined by two spaced apart side walls separated by a top wall, said side walls and top wall having a length extending between two ends of elongate connector, the recess being arranged to receive a load bearing member positioned above the first building panel and wherein the top wall and side walls are arranged to be received into a channel of the second building panel thereby positioning and inter-connecting the second building panel above the first building panel;   a flashing portion extending along the length of one of the side walls, said flashing portion depending downwardly from one of said side walls to lap over a top edge portion of said one of the building panels.   
     
     
         2 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 1  further comprises a joining portion extending transversely relative to said one of the side walls and wherein the flashing portion depends downwardly relative to the joining portion. 
     
     
         3 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the joining portion extends substantially along the length of the elongate connector. 
     
     
         4 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the joining portion is angled to be substantially perpendicular relative to the said side wall and/or flashing portion. 
     
     
         5 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of said spaced apart side walls are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         6 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the top wall is transversely oriented relative to said side walls to define said recess. 
     
     
         7 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 6  wherein the top wall is substantially perpendicular to one or both of said side walls. 
     
     
         8 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 1  wherein a plane of the flashing portion is sufficiently spaced away from a plane of the said side wall to accommodate the top edge portion of one of the building panels positioned thereunder. 
     
     
         9 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 1  wherein spacing between the side walls is substantially less than the length of the connector. 
     
     
         10 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the side walls, top wall and the flashing portion are integrally formed from sheet metal. 
     
     
         11 . An elongate connector in accordance with  claim 10  when dependent upon  claim 2  wherein the joining portion is integrally formed with the side wall and the flashing portion. 
     
     
         12 . A method of construction for inter-connecting a first building panel below a second building panel in a multi-story building, at least the first building panel having two spaced apart sheets; an insulating core portion positioned between said spaced apart sheets, wherein edge portions of the spaced apart sheets define a hollow cavity, the cavity extending along peripheral portions of the panel wherein the panel comprises a length (l 1 ) and a height (h 2 ) wherein top and bottom channel members face outwardly and extend along the length (l 1 ) of the panel and are positioned in respective hollow cavities along in-use top and bottom peripheral portions of the panel respectively; and wherein first and second opposite side channels face outwardly and extend along the height (h 1 ) of the panel and are positioned in respective hollow cavities along each of the lateral peripheral portions of the panel respectively, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning a load bearing member into the top channel of the first building panel to support the second building panel to be positioned above the first building panel;   positioning a flashing connector above an upper portion of the load bearing member wherein the flashing connector comprises: a hollow and elongate recess defined by two spaced apart side walls separated by a top wall, said side walls and top wall having a length extending between two ends of elongate connector, and a flashing portion depending downwardly from one of said side walls;   arranging the recess of said flashing connector to receive the upper portion of the load bearing member positioned above the first building panel and simultaneously position the flashing portion to lap over a top edge portion of the first building panel; and   positioning the second building panel above the top wall of the flashing connector thereby interconnecting the first and second building panels.   
     
     
         13 . A method of construction in accordance with  claim 12  further comprising the step of positioning the flashing portion over a top edge of one of said spaced apart sheets of the first building panel positioned thereunder. 
     
     
         14 . A method of construction in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the second building panel positioned above the first building panel also comprises two spaced apart sheets; an insulating core portion positioned between said spaced apart sheets, wherein edge portions of the spaced apart sheets define a hollow cavity, the cavity extending along peripheral portions of the panel wherein the second panel comprises a length (l 2 ) and a height (h 2 ) wherein top and bottom channel members face outwardly and extend along the length (l 2 ) of the panel and are positioned in respective hollow cavities along in-use top and bottom peripheral portions of the panel respectively; and wherein first and second opposite side channels face outwardly and extend along the height (h 2 ) of the panel and are positioned in respective hollow cavities along each of the lateral peripheral portions of the panel respectively, the method comprising the step of: positioning the bottom channel of the second building panel to receive the top wall and an upper portion of the side walls of the flashing connector thereby inter-connecting the second building panel above the first building panel. 
     
     
         15 . A method of bending sheet metal to form an elongate flashing connector, the method comprising the steps of:
 bending sheet metal to form two opposing wide walls separated by a top wall such that at least one of the side walls has a greater height than the other of said side wall to define a recess to receive a load bearing member positioned above a first building panel and wherein the top wall and side walls are arranged to be received into a channel of a second building panel thereby positioning and inter-connecting the second building panel above the first building panel; and   bending a lower portion of said at least one side wall with the greater height to extend transversely relative to the side wall and further form a downwardly dependent flashing portion depending downwardly from one of said side walls to lap over a top edge portion of said one of the building panels.