EP1692352A2

EP1692352A2 - An electrically conducting element for use in providing power to/from a building element

Info

Publication number: EP1692352A2
Application number: EP04762869A
Authority: EP
Inventors: John Reipur
Original assignee: Infinity Systems AG
Current assignee: V Mash AG
Priority date: 2003-09-24
Filing date: 2004-09-23
Publication date: 2006-08-23
Also published as: WO2005028774A3; WO2005028774A2

Abstract

An electrically conducting element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part adapted to fixedly engage an electrically conducting member and, at another end thereof, a head part, wherein the elongated part further comprises a first part interconnecting the head part and the end part and which defines a weakening adapted to break so as to separate the head part and the end part, leave the end part in engagement with the electrically conducting member, and facilitate removal of the head part. This element may be used in a combination with a building element comprising a plurality of electrically conducting members, where the element extends into the building element and engages a member therein in order to provide electrical contact from outside the building element to the member.

Description

AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING ELEMENT FOR USE IN PROVIDING POWER TO/FROM A BUILDING ELEMENT

The present invention relates to an elongated, electrically conducting element for use especially for providing power to or from a new type of building element. This new type of building element may be e.g. a wall in which a layer, plate or sheet of an electrically conducting material is provided and with which the elongated element is to engage.

An initial aspect of the invention relates to an electrically conducting element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part adapted to fixedly engage an electrically conducting member and, at another end thereof, a head part

wherein the elongated part further comprises a first part interconnecting the head part and the end part and which defines a separable part adapted to: separate the head part and the end part, leave the end part in engagement with the electrically conducting member, and - facilitate removal of the head part.

This separation may be re-engageable, such as when using a thread (screw/nut engagement), a friction engagement (such as a click engagement) or the like so that the head part may be removed and re-attached/re-engaged at a later date if that is desired.

Thus, removal of the elongated element is not achieved completely, but the end part is allowed to stay.

That this is an advantage may be seen when the electrically conducting member is e.g. provided inside a wall as e.g. a sheet/plate or sheet. In this situation, where the electrical connection is to be performed at a position where a user is not able to visually inspect the connection, it is desirable to ensure that the connection is suitable and that sparks etc will not occur. This may be achieved, as will be described below, by ensuring that the engagement is strong enough for it to actually break the first part when removal is desired. In that situation, the electrical connection is sufficient. Also, if the member is positioned between two sheets of e.g. flexible material, such as Rockwool®, a loose, electrically conducting part of the elongated element might provoke short circuits, especially if multiple members were present in the wall.

In a first aspect, however, the re-engagement is not possible in that this aspect of the invention relates to an electrically conducting element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part adapted to fixedly engage an electrically conducting member and, at another end thereof, a head part

wherein the elongated part further comprises a first part interconnecting the head part and the end part and which defines a weakening adapted to break so as to: - separate the head part and the end part, leave the end part in engagement with the electrically conducting member, and facilitate removal of the head part. Presently, the first part is adapted to interconnect the end part in relation to the head part so that the breaking of the first part actually separates those two parts. This interconnection is preferably a rigid interconnection, where the head part may be used for facilitating the engaging of the end part and the electrically conducting member (such as as the head of a screw, nail or the end part of a rivet). Alternatively, the first part may e.g. be in the form of a flexible member providing an electrical connection of the end part and the head part and which easily breaks such as when being rotated sufficiently or by pulling it in two. In that situation, the head part may not be useful for providing the engagement between the end part and the electrically conducting element.

The removal of the loosened/disengaged head part may be performed by hand.

Preferably, the end part is adapted to be driven into the electrically conducting member in order to ensure a sufficient connection. In this manner, it may be possible that the end part is adapted to irreversibly engage the electrically conducting member. In this aspect, irreversibly will mean that upon removal of the head part, another part of the elongated member will break before the engagement between the end part and the member is broken.

One manner of providing the first part is an embodiment where the weakening of the first part is a part being narrower than parts of the end part and the head part adjacent to the first part.

Another embodiment is one wherein the first part comprises a cavity defining the weakening so that the total amount of material (in the cross section of the element) may be lower at the first part than at surrounding parts of the element.

Thus, the thickness of material of the element may vary along a longitudinal direction thereof, and the first part - or the weakening thereof - may be defined at or by a local minimum thereof, so that e.g. a bending or twisting thereof will break the element at that minimum.

Yet another manner is one wherein the first part comprises a first material, the end part comprises a second material, and the head part a third material, wherein the first material has a strength which is lower than a strength of the second and third materials. This strength may be defined by a force at which e.g. a bending results in an inelastic bending. In this situation, the thickness and/or cross section of the individual parts may vary, as long as the overall strength of the first part is lower than those of the end part and head part - and especially those parts thereof being adjacent to the first part.

A further manner is one wherein the first part comprises one or more slots or openings each having two opposite surfaces, the slots or openings being positioned so that: when the head part is rotated, around a longitudinal axis of the element, in a first direction, the opposite surfaces of each slot or opening are forced toward each other, and

- when the head part is rotated, around the longitudinal axis of the element, in a second direction being opposite to the first direction, the opposite surfaces of each slot or opening are forced away from each other.

A preferred manner of obtaining this is in e.g. an element having a thread, which may be used for driving the end part into the electrically conducting element. This rotation in the direction into the electrically conducting element may be in the first direction, whereby the surfaces, especially when the slots or openings are adapted to have the opposite surfaces of each slot or opening engage, when the head part is rotated in the first direction, will help driving the end part. Having engaged the end part and the electrically conducting element, removal of the head part may be obtained by rotating the element in the second direction, whereby the surfaces now do not help in the attempt to rotate the end part, whereby the remaining attachment/engagement between the head part and end part via the first part may break due to the engagement between the end part and the electrically conducting element being stronger.

In one preferred embodiment, the end part comprises a thread adapted to be driven into the electrically conducting member. In that situation, the head part could comprise means for engaging with a rotating tool, such as a screw driver. In this embodiment, the engagement may simply be the fastening of the thread (like a screw) in the member. Another embodiment is one wherein the end part comprises a point adapted to be driven into the electrically conducting member by a linear movement toward the electrically conducting member. Thus, an operation as that of a nail or rivet may be obtained. In this embodiment, the end part may comprise a first and a second adjacent parts, the second part having an outer circumference larger than an outer circumference of the first part and the second part being positioned closer to the point than the first part. Thus, when the element has been introduced into the member so that the second part has moved trough the member, or into a cavity of the member, the second part will ensure the engagement and the difficulty in removing the end part.

In this embodiment, an interesting aspect is that the first and/or second parts of the end part could have a non-circular cross-section. In this manner, separation of the end part and head part may be obtained by rotating the head part, where the non-circular cross-section of the first and/or second parts will prevent rotation of the end part due to the engagement with the member.

In order to actually access or provide the power to/from the element, the head part may comprise means for engaging with a second element in a manner so as to fix there between a third element adapted to provide power to or withdraw power from the electrically conducting member. These means may be a thread of the head part adapted to engage a screw which may fasten the third element which may be connected to e.g. an electrical cord.

An interesting embodiment is one which further has, between the head part and the first part, an electrically insulating surface or coating/layer. This embodiment may prevent short circuiting between the element and any other electrically conducting members through which the element extends between the head part and the member engaging the end part.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a combination of:

- a structural member having an outer surface and an electrically conducting member extending inside the structural member and an electrically conducting element extending through the outer surface and providing power to/from the conducting member to a predetermined position or element on or at the outer surface, the electrically conducting element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part fixedly engaging the electrically conducting member and, at another end thereof, a head part. The structural member may e.g. be a wall having therein the electrically conducting member. Alternatively, the structural member may be a wall as defined in WO 01/80375 These structural members may have several electrically conducting members positioned beside each other or in parallel and in a plane of the wall so that the element must extend through one or more of the electrically conducting members in order to engage the correct one. Also, the outer surface of the structural member may be electrically conducting and e.g. connected to zero/ground.

It is clear that the elongated element of the initial and first aspects may be used in general, but a number of advantages do, in fact, exist with the combination.

Preferably, the electrically conducting member and the outer surface of the end part comprise a material adapted to self weld upon engagement. This may require the surfaces to be very clean, but this cleaning may be performed as part of the engagement, such as when driving a screw into the member (maybe into a pre-drilled hole) or driving a nail into the member. One embodiment of this type is one wherein the electrically conducting member and the outer surface of the end part comprise one of the materials: Al, Au, Ag, or Cu.

Another embodiment is one where the electrically conducting element and the electrically conducting member are adapted to be welded, such as by ultrasound welding, by contacting the head part of the element by a welding apparatus. Thus, the member and the end part may be welded when engaging or touching.

A third aspect relates to a method of engaging a structural member having an outer surface and an electrically conducting member extending inside the structural member and an electrically conducting element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part and, at another end thereof, a head part, the method comprising the steps of: providing the element so as to extend through the outer surface of the member, fixedly engaging the end part to the electrically conducting member, and providing power to/from the conducting member to a predetermined position or element on or at the outer surface.

The advantages of this aspect relate to those described above. Preferably, the method comprises a step of providing a hole in the member prior to the step of providing the element. This both stresses the element less when being driven toward the member, but also may prevent any short circuits between the element and other electrically conducting members or the like through which the element may pass.

Then, the engaging step could comprise rotating a thread of the end part into the member, such as by using a rotating tool to provide the rotation.

Another manner is to have the engaging step comprise driving an element, the end part of which comprises a first and a second adjacent parts, the second part having an outer circumference larger than an outer circumference of the first part and the second part being positioned closer to the head part than the first part into the member so that the first part extends through the member.

Also, the engaging step could comprise driving an end part having a non-circular cross- section into the member.

In one embodiment, the end part and the member each comprises a material of the group consisting of: Al, Au, Ag, or Cu.

Also, the power providing step could comprise providing the power to/from an element and the step of attaching the element to the elongated element.

In addition, the method could further comprise the step of removing the head part of the elongated element, the removing step comprising separating the end part and the head part at a first part of the elongated element, the first part being positioned between the end part and the head part, the removing step comprising leaving the end part in engagement with the member. In this situation, the separating step could comprise rotating the head part in relation to the member.

A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a combination of:

- ^• a building element comprising: o a first and a second, at least substantially parallel, thermally conducting sheets, plates, or layers, o at least two electrically conductive layers, plates, or sheets positioned between the first and second layers/sheets, a first distance existing between the first sheet/layer/plate and a first of the electrically conductive layers/plates/sheets, and a second distance existing between the first sheet/layer/plate and a second of the electrically conductive layers/plates/sheets, o a first thermally insulating layer, plate, or sheet, positioned between the first sheet/layer/plate and the first electrically conducting sheet/layer/plate, o a second thermally insulating layer, plate, or sheet, positioned between the first electrically conducting sheet/layer/plate and the second electrically conducting sheet/layer/plate, and o a third thermally insulating layer, plate, or sheet, positioned between the second electrically conducting sheet/layer/plate and the third sheets/layer/plate, and

a first elongated element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part adapted to fixedly engage the first electrically conducting sheet/plate/layer member and, at another end thereof, a head part, a distance between the head part and the end part of the first elongated element corresponding to the first distance, and

a second elongated element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part adapted to fixedly engage the second electrically conducting sheet/plate/layer member and, at another end thereof, a head part, a distance between the head part and the end part of the second elongated element corresponding to the second distance.

In the following, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates the electrical contacting of electric conductors within a basic building element using the elongated element according to the invention,

Fig. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of an elongated element used for providing electrical contact,

Fig. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of an elongated element,

Fig. 4 illustrates a third embodiment of an elongated element,

Fig. 5 illustrates a fourth embodiment of an elongated element,

Fig. 6 illustrates a fifth embodiment of an elongated element, and

Fig. 7 illustrates a final embodiment of an elongated element. In Fig. 1, the basic building element 10 comprises two outer metallic (or other materials with high thermal conductivity) surfaces or plates 12 and 14, two inner metallic (or other materials with high thermal conductivity) surfaces or plates 16 and 18, and three layers, 13, 15, and 17, of a thermally insulating material, such as Rockwool®.

This element 10 has been manufactured by simply sandwiching the elements and attaching these to each other by e.g. gluing, heating, welding, soldering, sintering, the use of force, the use of elements which are sticky in themselves, the forcing of material into openings/pockets of another element, or the like.

The building element 10 is provided between four elongated parts, 20, 22, 24, and 26 of a skeletal structure for supporting and holding the element 10. The skeletal structure and the building element 10 will constitute a wall of a building. This wall may be covered on the inside by a plate 42 and the outside with a plate 40 for cosmetic reasons or for protecting the plates 12 and 14.

It is understood that the building element 10 may, in fact, be provided as two parts which are provided from each side of the structural elements and which, when the two parts are assembled, form the building element. In this manner, the structure of the house may be erected and the building elements still extend further (e.g. in the horizontal direction) than the actual distance between the elements 20 and 22 for ensuring an overlap prior to and while attaching e.g. the plate 12 to the elements 20 and 22.

Power carried by the plates 16 and 18 may be accessed at any position of the element 10 where the plates 16 and 18 extend (which is normally the full surface of the plates 12 and 14 except for a small area along the extreme portions thereof). Access to the power may be obtained in a number of ways, but the preferred manner is the use of screws for which suitable holes have been made in the plates 12, 14, 16, 18.

In fact, as may be seen from Fig. 1, an electrical socket 44 is positioned on a plate 42 positioned on the plate 12, such as for cosmetic reasons, and in order to access the power, three screws 46, 48, and 50 have been provided: the screw 46 contacting the plate 12 in order to provide ground to the socket, - the screw 48 contacting the plate 16, and the screw 50 contacting the plate 18. In this figure, a plate 40 has been provided on the other surface of the element, also for e.g. cosmetic purposes.

The plug-receiving parts of the socket then contact the heads of the screws 48 and 50 (and maybe also the screw 46) in order to provide power to a plug inserted there into.

In order to prevent shortcutting between the plates 12, 16, and 18, the holes drilled for the screws 48 and 50 are large enough for shortcutting preventing means (tubes) 52 and 54 to be inserted in order to e.g. prevent contact between the screw 50 and the plates 12 and 16.

Fig. 1 also illustrates two light bulbs 56 and 58 powered by the power transported by the plates 16 and 18.

A preferred feature of the screws is the fact that, when the plates 12, 16, and 18 are made of e.g. aluminium, copper, gold, or silver, the tips of the screws are either made of the same material or coated therewith. In that situation, the material on the tip of the screw will self weld to the plate due to the contact there between during the screwing insertion. In that manner, optimal contact is obtained.

Fig. 2 illustrates a screw 70 of the above type having a tip portion 72, a base portion 74 and a head portion 76 for engaging e.g. a screw driver. The tip portion 72 and the base portion 74 are separated by a narrowed section 78 where the screw 70 is weak compared to the parts of the parts 72 and 74 immediately surrounding the section 78.

The section 78 is provided so narrow/weak that it will break when attempting to unscrew the screw 70 having welded to a plate in the element 10. Thus, the strength of the section 78, when attempting to rotate the screw 70, should be lower than the strength of the welding to the plate.

However, naturally, the strength of the section 78 should be strong enough to actually drive the tip part 72 into the plate in order to weld and obtain the connection. Naturally, a hole may have been made in advance in the plate in order to reduce the force required to drive the tip part 72 into the plate.

The position of the section 78 of the screw 70 should be selected so that the broken off tip part 72 does not extend to any adjacent plates 16 or 14, for example, in order to prevent any future undesired short cuttings either by the remaining tip part 72 - or by any loose tip parts (if the welding was not used) remaining in the element 10. The distance in which the tip part 72 extends through the plate should be controlled, such as by controlling the diameter of a hole made in advance of inserting the tip part 72 in the hole.

Thus, the position of the section 78 is easily determined - also taking into account the fact that, in the future, a screw may be introduced in an adjacent plate - and the fact that the plates may displace slightly over the years. These distances will depend on the actual building of the element 10, the number of plates therein, the distances there between, etc.

Fig. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the screw where the head part 74 is made of an electrically non-conducting material or is covered (such as coated) with a non-conducting material.

Fig. 4 also illustrates how a cord or the like may be fastened to the head part 76 of a screw using a thread 76' in the head part 76 and a smaller screw 77.

Fig. 5 illustrates another manner of preparing the weak part of a screw 70, where incisions/slots A and B are provided, A being on the upper part of the screw and B on the lower side of the screw. It is seen that when rotating the screw 70 (having a standard thread) into an element, the opposite surfaces defining the incisions/slots will move toward each other and engage and thereby help in the driving the end part into the element. Rotating the screw out of the element, however, the surfaces will disengage and not provide strength to the screw, whereby a lower strength is experienced at that part of the screw in the out-going rotation. When this lower strength is lower than the force at which the end part engages the element, the screw will break at the incisions/slots.

In fig. 5, it is seen that the incisions/slots are provided on e.g. different sides of the screw and have different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the screw as well as a direction perpendicular thereto.

Fig. 6 illustrates an alternative to the screw. The alternative is a rivet/nail 80 which has a head part 86 having engaging means 86' potentially for receiving e.g. a screw for fastening an element, a base part 84, a narrowed portion 88, an end portion 82. In fig. 6, the rivet/nail is illustrated also from another angle in order to illustrate that it needs not have a circular cross-section.

The narrowed portion 88 may have two functions: the one being the definition of a weak position, and the other being one where the portion 88 may e.g. extend further at the longitudinal direction of the nail/rivet and where the end part 82 may extend through the electrically conducting element, the broadening of the part 88 toward the part 82 preventing removal of the nail/rivet from the element.

The non-circular cross-section of the nail/rivet has the further advantage that removal of the head part 86 may be facilitated by rotating the head part 86 around the longitudinal axis, whereby the non-circular cross-section will ensure that the end part 82 does not rotate in the element with which it engages.

Fig. 7 illustrates yet an alternative of the rivet/screw 70, wherein, instead of the part 78 being adapted to break, the part 78 comprises a thread 71, which is adapted to actually allow the screw 70 to be separated in two: one part with the end part 72 and one part with the head part 76.

In this manner, the separation is still obtainable, but now in a re-engageable manner. Thus, separation of the head part and the end part is obtained by simply disengaging the thread 71 leaving again the end part in engagement with the electrically conducting element. And in the future, if the connection is actually again desired, the part with the head part 76 is again introduced into the threaded portion in order to re-obtain the connection.

In fact, if the preventing means (such as 54) are maintained in the building element, these will aid in the re-introduction of the parts.

Naturally, the thread 71 may be replaced by any other disengageable and re-engageable connection type, such as friction means.

Thus, it is clear that the screw 70 or nail/rivet 80 may be provided in many manners: the part 78/88 may be made weak by removing part of the material of the screw/nail 70/80, the part 78/88 may be made weak by providing it in a material having the desired strength, - the part 78/88 may be made weak by making the screw/nail 70/80 hollow at that position (see Fig. 4), the part 78/88 may be made weak by replacing part of the material at that position with a weaker material, the part 78/88 may be re-engageable and comprise e.g. a thread, - the part 74/84 may be made of an electrically insulating material (so as to avoid the elements 50, 52, the part 74/84 may be coated with an electrically insulating material (so as to avoid the elements 50, 52, the part 74/84 is not required to have a thread at all, and - all of the part 78/88 may be "weak" in that it is not important where the break is, as long as it is no farther away from the plate in which it is inserted than the maximum desired length. In another embodiment, the materials of the plate and the end part 72/82 may not weld merely due to the contact but may be adapted to weld, when e.g. an ultrasound welder is engaged with the head portion 76/86 of the screw/nail 70/80. Also, removal of the head portion 76/86 may be facilitated by simply ultrasound welding the screw/nail 70/80 so as to break or weaken the part 74. This may be obtained by a suitable selection of welding horn, element dimensions and materials.

Claims

1. An electrically conducting element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part adapted to fixedly engage with an electrically conducting member and, at another end thereof, a head part,

wherein the elongated part further comprises a first part interconnecting the head part and the end part and which defines a weakening adapted to break so as to: separate the head part and the end part, leave the end part in engagement with the electrically conducting member, and - facilitate removal of the head part.

2. An electrically conducting element according to claim 1, wherein the end part is adapted to be driven into the electrically conducting member.

3. An electrically conducting element according to claim 2, wherein the end part is adapted to irreversible engage with the electrically conducting member.

4. An element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the weakening of the first part is a part being narrower than parts of the end part and the head part adjacent to the first part.

5. An element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first part comprises a cavity defining the weakening.

6. An element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first part comprises a first material, the end part comprises a second material, and the head part a third material, wherein the first material has a strength which is lower than a strength of the second and third materials.

7. An element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first part comprises one or more slots or openings each having two opposite surfaces, the slots or openings being positioned so that: when the head part is rotated, around a longitudinal axis of the element, in a first direction, the opposite surfaces of each slot or opening are forced toward each other, and when the head part is rotated, around the longitudinal axis of the element, in a second direction being opposite to the first direction, the opposite surfaces of each slot or opening are forced away from each other.

8. An element according to claim 7, wherein the slots or openings are adapted to have the opposite surfaces of each slot or opening engage, when the head part is rotated in the first direction.

9. An element according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the element comprises a thread directed so that the end part is driven into the electrically conducting element when the head part is rotated in the first direction.

10. An element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the end part comprises a thread adapted to be driven into the electrically conducting member.

11. An element according to claim 10, wherein the head part comprises means for engaging with a rotating tool, such as a screw driver.

12. An element according to any of claims 1-9, wherein the end part comprises a point adapted to be driven into the electrically conducting member by a linear movement toward the electrically conducting member.

13. An element according to claim 12, wherein the end part comprises a first and a second adjacent parts, the second part having an outer circumference larger than an outer circumference of the first part and the second part being positioned closer to the point than the first part.

14. An element according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the first and/or second parts of the end part has/have a non-circular cross-section.

15. An element according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the head part comprises means for engaging with a second element in a manner so as to fix there between a third element adapted to provide power to or withdraw power from the electrically conducting member.

16. An element according to any of the preceding claims, further having, between the head part and the first part, an electrically insulating surface or coating/layer.

17. A combination of: a structural member having an outer surface and an electrically conducting member extending inside the structural member and an electrically conducting element extending through the outer surface and providing power to/from the conducting member to a predetermined position or element on or at the outer surface, the electrically conducting element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part fixedly engaging the electrically conducting member and, at another end thereof, a head part.

18. A combination according to claim 17, wherein the electrically conducting member and an outer surface of the end part comprise a material adapted to self weld.

19. A combination according to claim 17, wherein the electrically conducting member and an outer surface of the end part comprise one of the materials: Al, Au, Ag, or Cu.

20. A combination according to any of claims 17-19, wherein the electrically conducting member and the electrically conducting element are adapted to be welded together, such as by ultrasound welding, by contacting the head part of the element by a welding apparatus.

21. A method of engaging a structural member having an outer surface and an electrically conducting member extending inside the structural member and an electrically conducting element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part and, at another end thereof, a head part, the method comprising the steps of:

- providing the element so as to extend through the outer surface of the member, fixedly engaging the end part to the electrically conducting member, and providing power to/from the conducting member to a predetermined position or element on or at the outer surface.

22. A method according to claim 21, the method comprising a step of providing a hole in the structural member prior to providing the element so as to extend through the outer surface of the structural member.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the engaging step comprises rotating a thread of the end part into the electrically conducting member.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the engaging step comprises using a rotating tool to provide the rotation.

25. A method according to claim 22, wherein the engaging step comprises driving an element, the end part of which comprises a first and second adjacent parts, the second part having an outer circumference larger than an outer circumference of the first part and the second part being positioned closer to the point than the first part, into the member so that the first part extends through the member.

26. A method according to claim 22, wherein the engaging step comprises driving an end part having a non-circular cross-section into the member.

27. A method according to claim 22, wherein the end part and the member each comprises a material of the group consisting of: Al, Au, Ag, or Cu.

28. A method according to claim 22, wherein the power providing step comprises providing the power to/from an element and the step of attaching the element to the elongated element.

29. A method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of removing the head part of the elongated element, the removing step comprising separating the end part and the head part at a first part of the elongated element, the first part being positioned between the end part and the head part, the removing step comprising leaving the end part in engagement with the member.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the separating step comprises rotating the head part in relation to the member.

31. A combination of:

- a building element comprising: o a first and a second, at least substantially parallel, thermally conducting sheets, plates, or layers, o at least two electrically conductive layers, plates, or sheets positioned between the first and second layers/sheets, a first, predetermined distance existing between the first sheet/layer/plate and a first of the electrically conductive layers/plates/sheets, and a second, predetermined distance existing between the first sheet/layer/plate and a second of the electrically conductive layers/plates/sheets, o a first thermally insulating layer, plate, or sheet, positioned between the first sheet/layer/plate and the first electrically conducting sheet/layer/plate, o a second thermally insulating layer, plate, or sheet, positioned between the first electrically conducting sheet/layer/plate and the second electrically conducting sheet/layer/plate, and o a third thermally insulating layer, plate, or sheet, positioned between the second electrically conducting sheet/layer/plate and the third sheets/layer/plate, and a first elongated element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part adapted to fixedly engage the first electrically conducting sheet/plate/layer member and, at another end thereof, a head part, a distance between the head part and the end part of the first elongated element corresponding to the first, predetermined distance, and

a second elongated element comprising an elongated part having, at one end thereof, an end part adapted to fixedly engage the second electrically conducting sheet/plate/layer member and, at another end thereof, a head part, a distance between the head part and the end part of the second elongated element corresponding to the second, predetermined distance.