1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a vertical joint for composite architectural building panels and, more particularly, to a seal plate for architectural panel vertical end joints.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, architectural panels in a horizontal orientation are attached to spaced vertical supports secured to exterior building frames. A wall surface is formed by a number of building panels joined together along their sides to form horizontal joints and along their ends to form vertical joints. Each panel typically includes one or more metal facers that encase a homogenous core, such as an insulated foam core. The building panels need to be sealed properly to prevent leaks in the exterior wall structure formed by the building panels. Typically, the seals at the vertical end joints of the building panels have been achieved using a sealant, such as a non-curing butyl, to provide a sealant bead between the inner metal facer and a gage metal seal plate. The gage metal seal plates are generally non-structural, requiring another member to transfer the fastener loads from the panels to the vertical support. The bead of sealant however, is the only line of defense for sealing the vertical end joint in these prior art designs and leaks can occur if this seal is broken or if connecting beads of sealant are missing between vertical field applied seals and factory seals running the panel length.
In one embodiment, we have developed a seal plate for building panels which includes an elongate body having a first side and second side. The first side of the elongate body includes first and second seals and a recessed channel. The first and second seals and the recessed channel extend at least a portion of the length of the elongate body. The recessed channel is positioned between the first and second seals. The first seal may include a gasket receiving portion. Further, the first seal may include a pair of spaced apart gasket receiving portions each having a recess configured to receive a mounting portion of a gasket. The recessed channel may be connected to an exterior atmosphere such that a pressure within the recessed channel is equalized to the exterior atmosphere. The second seal may include a sealant receiving portion. Further, the second seal may include a pair of spaced apart sealant receiving portions each having a recessed pocket configured to receive a bead of sealant. The recessed pocket may define a relief gap positioned adjacent to a longitudinal edge of the elongate body. The elongate body may include a metal plate and, more specifically, an aluminum plate configured to transfer loads from the building panels to a support. The seal plate may further include a pair of spaced apart legs extending from the second side of the elongate body with each leg extending at least a portion of the length of the elongate body. The seal plate may also further include a pair of spaced apart tab members extending from the second side of the elongate body with each tab member extending at least a portion of the length of the elongate body.
In a further embodiment, we have developed a seal plate assembly for a vertical end joint between first and second building panels each having a first side and a second side. The seal plate assembly includes an elongate body having a first side and second side, and an elongate gasket. The first side of the elongate body defines a gasket receiving portion that extends at least a portion of the length of the elongate body. The elongate gasket is positioned on the gasket receiving portion of the elongate body and is configured to engage the second side of the first and second building panels.
The first side of the elongate body may further define a pair of spaced apart sealant receiving portions that extend at least a portion of the length of the elongate body. Each of the sealant receiving portions is positioned inboard from the elongate gasket toward respective longitudinal edges of the elongate body. Each sealant receiving portion may include a recessed pocket configured to receive a bead of sealant with each recessed pocket defining a relief gap positioned adjacent the longitudinal edge of the elongate body. The elongate body may include a pair of channels extending at least a portion of the length of the elongate body with each channel positioned between the elongate gasket and a respective longitudinal edge of the elongate body. The gasket receiving portion may include a recess configured to receive a mounting portion of the elongate gasket. The first and second building panels may define a vertical end joint with the seal plate assembly further comprising an exterior gasket positioned within the vertical end joint. Further, the exterior gasket may include an insert disposed on a side of the exterior gasket facing the first side of the first and second building panels.
In another embodiment, we have developed a seal plate for building panels including an elongate body having a first side and second side. The first side of the elongate body defines a pair of gasket receiving portions, a pair of sealant receiving portions, and a pair of recessed channels. The pair of gasket receiving portions, the pair of channels, and the pair of sealant receiving portions extend the length of the elongate body. Further, each of the recessed channels is positioned between respective gasket receiving portions and sealant receiving portions.
For purposes of the description hereinafter, spatial orientation terms, if used, shall relate to the referenced embodiment as it is oriented in the accompanying drawing figures or otherwise described in the following detailed description. However, it is to be understood that the embodiments described hereinafter may assume many alternative variations and embodiments. It is also to be understood that the specific seal plates illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures and described herein are simply exemplary and should not be considered as limiting.
Pursuant to one embodiment and referring to
Referring again to
The seal plate assembly 1 further includes a pair of channels 50 located on opposite sides of the vertical end joint 5 and positioned laterally between the sealant receiving portions 40 and the gasket receiving portions 30 and extending the length of the elongate body 20. The channels 50 are recessed from the first side 22 of the elongate body 20. The channels 50 extend to a base detail (not shown) at the bottom of the building panels 10 to allow water or moisture that may bypass the gaskets 35 to drain from the channels 50. Further, the channels 50 are connected to the exterior atmosphere, which equalizes pressure within the channels 50 and prevents water from being drawn across the gaskets 35. The channels 50 may be connected to the exterior atmosphere at the base and head details and also through the horizontal joint of the building panels 12. Although the channels 50 are shown to extend the length of the elongate body 20, the channels 50 may only extend a portion of the length of the elongate body such that the channels 50 still enable venting or draining. A foam baffle block 52 may be placed in the channels 50 at each panel joint to further ensure the channels 50 remain open in the presence of adjacent sealant beads. As described above, the channels 50 are outboard (positioned away from the edges 26 of the elongate body 20) of the sealant receiving portions 40 allowing sealant 42 in the sealant receiving portions 40 and sealant in horizontal seals 43 of the panels 10 to form a substantially air tight seal. Thus, the air tightness of the wall formed by the panels 10 is not compromised by the venting feature of the channels 50 in the seal plate assembly 1.
The first side 22 of the elongate body 20 also includes relief gaps 55 extending along the longitudinal edges 26 of the elongate body 20 adjacent to the sealant receiving portions 40. The relief gaps 55 define a space between the edges 26 of elongate body 20 and the backing sheet 14 of the building panels 10 and ensure that the sealant does not plug the channels 50 as the panels 10 compress the sealant 42. The relief gaps 55 allow excess sealant 42 to be extruded out the edges 26 of the elongate body 20. Further, the relief gaps 55 offer visual inspection to determine if there is enough sealant 42 in the sealant receiving portions 40. If there is insufficient sealant 42 in the sealant receiving portions 40, the relief gaps 55 allow the seal to be repaired by providing additional sealant 42 within the sealant receiving portions 40.
The elongate body 20 also includes a pair of spaced apart extension legs 65 extending from the second side 24 of the elongate body 20 and configured to engage the sides of a tubular support 85. The extension legs 65 extend from the second side 24 of the elongate body 20 at an angle substantially perpendicular to the elongate body 20. Further, the second side 24 of the elongate body 20 includes a pair of spaced apart tab members 60 extending the length of the elongate body 20 for engaging the tubular support 85 and providing a space between the second side 24 of the elongate body 20 and the tubular support 85. The space between the second side 24 of the elongate body 20 and the tubular support 85 allows flashing (not shown) to be installed between the seal plate assembly 1 and the tubular support 85 at the base of the wall formed by the panels 10 by machining or removing a portion of the tab members 60. Thus, the tab members 60 allow flashing to be installed with minimal machining of the elongate body 20 as opposed to machining the second side 24 of the elongate body 20 if the second side 24 was flush with the tubular support 85.
Upon installation of the building panels 10, the extension legs 65 of the elongate body 20, as shown in
When transitioning between upper and lower building panels 10, connecting beads of sealant 42 are provided between the corresponding sealant receiving portions 40 of the upper and lower building panels 10 such that a continuous seal is provided for the vertical end joint 5 of the panels 10 (connecting beads of sealant and beads of sealant running the panel length are represented by dashed lines in
The elongate body 20 is disclosed having a pair of gasket receiving portions 30 and a pair of sealant receiving portions 40 forming a symmetrical unitary member with a gasket receiving portion 30 and a sealant receiving portion 40 on each side of the elongate body 20. However, the elongate body 20 may be formed as two separate parts with each part of the elongate body 20 including a gasket receiving portion 30 and a sealant receiving portion 40 with a channel 50 positioned therebetween. Each part of the elongate body 20 may be secured to the tubular support 85 via extension legs 65 extending from the separate parts of the elongate body 20.
In a further embodiment, shown in
Therefore, the seal plate assembly 1 shown in
Although the seal plate assembly 1 is shown having two gaskets 35 engaging the building panels 10, the seal plate assembly 1 may include a single gasket that is sized to engage adjacent building panels 10. Further, although the seal plate assembly 1 is shown having a pair of gasket receiving portions 30 and a pair of sealant receiving portions 40, the seal plate assembly 1 may include two pairs of gasket receiving portions 30 in place of the sealant receiving portions 40 and vice versa. The positioning of the gasket receiving portions 30 and the sealant receiving portions 40 may also be reversed from the positioning shown in
The relief gaps 55 along the longitudinal edges 26 of the elongate body 20 also provide relief for the sealant 42 and allow visual inspections of the seal plate assembly 1 to ensure that sufficient sealant 42 is provided in the sealant receiving portions 40. Moreover, the sealant receiving portions 40 allow the sealant 42 to flex more during thermal movement. Thus, the seal plate assembly 1 according to the present invention provides additional assurances that a proper seal of the vertical end joint 5 is obtained over typical sealing arrangements only utilizing a bead of sealant and a standard plate. Furthermore, the elongate body 20 is structural allowing the elongate body 20 to transfer fastener loads from the panels 10 to the vertical structural supports and does not require an additional member to carry the load as typically used with standard gage steel seal plates.
While certain embodiments of the seal plate 1 were described in the foregoing detailed description, those skilled in the art may make modifications and alterations to these embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3844087 | Schultz et al. | Oct 1974 | A |
4506484 | Bartlett et al. | Mar 1985 | A |
4627208 | Esposito | Dec 1986 | A |
4658559 | Doherty | Apr 1987 | A |
4765107 | Ting | Aug 1988 | A |
4996809 | Beard | Mar 1991 | A |
5655346 | Holmes et al. | Aug 1997 | A |
5749282 | Brow et al. | May 1998 | A |
5893245 | Sekiguchi et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
6253511 | Boyer | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6627128 | Boyer | Sep 2003 | B1 |
6745527 | Sherman et al. | Jun 2004 | B1 |
6968659 | Boyer | Nov 2005 | B2 |
7007433 | Boyer | Mar 2006 | B2 |
7661233 | Stenvall | Feb 2010 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
06002423 | Jan 1994 | JP |
06026187 | Feb 1994 | JP |
06066017 | Mar 1994 | JP |
06136929 | May 1994 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20090260311 A1 | Oct 2009 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61046194 | Apr 2008 | US |