Patent Application
20100095629
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention relates generally to materials used to cover exterior walls and, more particularly, to a system providing for insulating, light weight, and moisture resistant units of thin-brick, thin-stone, and thin-block facing materials for exterior and interior use.
The background information discussed below is presented to better illustrate the novelty and usefulness of the present invention. This background information is not admitted prior art.
Inefficient home heating and cooling systems often account for up to one-half of a home's energy expenditures. Additionally, emissions generated from the unnecessary heating and cooling of buildings not properly insulated, negatively impact the environment. It is easy to understand the importance of reducing both heating and cooling costs and of decreasing the environmentally deleterious emissions that result from cooling and heating energy use that is coupled with inefficient home insulation. One of the most effective ways of minimizing energy use is through effective use of building insulation. In winter, insulation can greatly reduce the flow of heat from the interior to the exterior of a building and, conversely, in the summer, insulation can greatly reduce the flow of heat from the outside to the inside of a building.
Insulation materials are rated by how well they can reduce heat flow. A material ability to resist heat flow is commonly indicated by a number referred to as an R-value. R-values are based on the thermal conductivity, the density, and the thickness of a given material. The higher the R-value, the less heat will flow through the material. Importantly, R-values can be additive. When additional insulation is installed, the R-value of each of insulation materials is added to obtain the total R-value.
There are many well-known insulating materials, including insulation blankets that are sometimes sold in rolls, such as fiber-glass and rock-wool; loose (blown-in) materials encompass rock wool, fiberglass, and cellulose, among others; examples of foamed-in-place insulating material are polyurethane or isocyanurate foam, and rigid insulation materials include extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), expanded polystyrene foam (EPS or bead board), polyurethane foam, and polyisocyanurate foam. Rigid insulation, made from fibrous materials or plastic foams, is pressed or extruded into board-like forms. Rigid insulation materials provide thermal insulation having strength, low weight, and provide for coverage with few heat-loss paths. Such boards, additionally, may be faced with a reflective foil that reduces heat flow when next to an air space. These boards generally have high R-values of 4 to 7 per inch. Rigid board insulation may be manufactured to be used in confined spaces such as exterior walls, basements, foundation and stem walls, concrete slabs, and cathedral ceilings. Polyurethane and polyisocyanurate insulations are usually double-faced with foil, or can be bonded with an interior or exterior finishing material. Such facing boards typically have an R-value of 5.8 per inch to 7.2 per inch. Extruded polystyrene (XPS) is a lightweight foam plastic board manufactured in low and high densities suitable for both above- and below-grade applications. Low-density extruded polystyrene has an R-value of 4.7 per inch while high-density XPS has an R-value of 5.0 per inch. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) or “bead board,” as it is often called, also comes in low- and high-density boards. This high-density board is more moisture resistant and can be used on the exterior of a foundation, providing the surrounding soil is dry, sandy, and properly drained. Low-density expanded polystyrene has an R-value of 3.7 per inch while the high-density type has an R-value of 4.0 per inch. In general, expanded polystyrene is less expensive than extruded polystyrene or other rigid insulations.
In addition to wanting the most thermally efficient home possible, many homeowners are deeply concerned about the aesthetic appeal of their home and about cost and time effective ways of maintaining the home's appeal. Brick provides home owners with a maintenance-free siding that offers a classic and timeless look unequaled by any other exterior building product. Brick siding symbolizes prestige, elegance, strength, value, and comfort. For these reasons, brick homes are very much desired.
The present Inventor recognized that the high cost of standard brick and brick-laying labor often makes brick-sided homes unaffordable for most. Standard load-bearing bricks are expensive for several reasons; or example, bricks are larger, thus, require more material to form, and are heavier. Furthermore, laying brick is time-consuming and requires highly trained masons. A compromise made by many homeowners is to limit their use brick to certain areas, such as the front of the house. This design choice is frequently seen in new development homes where the sides and backs of the brick-fronted homes are finished using vinyl siding. The present Inventor knew that an alternative to using traditional brick and vinyl as siding is to use thin-bricks as a siding. Thin-bricks, as a substitute for standard bricks, are known to be used to create brick facings. Some benefits offered by thin-bricks are that they are less expensive, weigh less, and may be easier to install. Thin-bricks can be mounted on a backing board that previously has been attached to a building. In order to save installation time and cost, “brick-panels” are pre-fabricated by gluing thin-bricks to a backing board. The bricked board is referred to as a bricking-panel. The backing board part of the brick-panel is what is used to attach brick-panels to a structure. The pre-fabricated brick-panels are transported to the job site ready to be attached to a building.
The present Inventor, recognized that although pre-fabricated brick-panels are, as compared to real brick, an improvement in many respects, they still are of unwieldy size and weight and, thus, difficult to handle for transport, difficult to cut into desired shapes, and difficult to install. Moreover, even after the application of mortar as part of the installation process, unsightly seam-line gaps usually appear. For non-professional installers, installation of the pre-fabricated brick panels is particularly burdensome as special installation tools, support structures, and skill are required.
Accordingly, the present inventor formulated a set of principles that make possible the creation of a wide variety of insulating building siding materials, all having the look and feel of traditional materials, such as brick, stone, or block, but all having the properties of being insulating, light-weight facing material, cost effective, and easy to use. In the interest of conciseness, the terms “thin-brick siding” and “thin-brick” will be used herein, but it should be understood that the terms include thin-stone, thin-block, and all other facing materials that will work within the principles of the present system. The insulated building siding, as taught herein, eliminates unsightly seam lines, is water resistant, light weight, sized for ease of handling even for a single person of average or less strength, and is insulating. A basic bricked-siding panel of the present invention comprises a row of thin-bricks positioned short end to short end securely attached to an elongate, insulating backing-panel sized to accept a single row of bricks. It should be understood though, that depending on the size and shape of the bricks, multiple rows of the specialty sized-bricks attached to a backing-panel could be encompassed by the present invention. For example, if each brick were considerably longer and narrower than an average-sized thin-brick, it would be within the principles of the present invention to attach at least two rows of the narrower bricks to a backing-panel and attain the same weight and ease of handling. Each insulating basic bricked-siding panel is fabricated by attaching a plurality of individual thin-bricks to a backing-panel so that the bottom long edge of each brick is aligned with the bottom long edge of the backing-panel, so that each horizontal row of bricks positioned on a wall casts a shadow on the basic bricked-siding panel directly beneath it. The shadow so created hides any seam line that might appear, or seem to appear. Thus, each insulating backing-panel is sized to accept a single row of thin-bricks positioned short end to short end, keeping in mind the exceptions discussed above. The principles of the present invention thus provide for a system that insures that each basic bricked-siding panel is always perfectly aligned providing for seams having a constant spacing, is lightweight, easy to install, and is cost effective, in addition to being insulating for both sound and heat.
The size of each panel is determined mainly by a desired workable size, weight, and ease of installation. Although, as mentioned, the height of each backing-panel is generally limited to accept one row of brick aligned short end to short end across the width of each backing-panel, if desired, backing-panels can be manufactured to accept more than one row. The number of thin-bricks aligned end to end per panel is about five, but can be more or less depending on required backing-panel design and the facing material used if not brick. The thin-bricks, or units of other facing material, are affixed to the outwardly facing face of each backing-panel using a suitable adhesive-type material, for example, the grout or mortar that is placed between the bricks once the bricks are laid, although any adhesive that will perform according to the principles of the invention is contemplated by this invention. Once the grout is dried, the bricked-backing-panels are ready to be installed. After each bricked-backing-panel is affixed to a building wall or building support structure, grout is again applied to the spacing between and around the bricks to complete the look of natural brick, stone, or other material with which grout would be used.
In the one preferred embodiment that is illustrated herein, each insulating backing-panel is formed during a molding process to provide for tongue and groove construction of the backing-panels. Tongue and groove construction in this case means that the upper surface of each panel has a tongue extension that fits into a groove on a bottom surface of a panel above it. Or, conversely each bricked-backing-panel could have a tongue extension on its bottom surface that fits into a groove on a top surface of a panel below it. Thus, each bricked-backing-panel is able to securely interdigitate with both a previously bricked-backing-panel over which the current backing-panel is installed and a bricked-backing-panel installed over the backing-panel currently being installed providing for maximum strength panel to panel attachment. Additionally, each backing-panel may be provided with interdigitating end connectors. In the example provided below, each backing panel is designed to have a male-connector end and a female-connector end, providing for secure, tight, and strong connections between the ends of adjacent panels. Besides ensuring that the panels fit together in an apparently seamless manner and providing for secure attachment of each panel to adjacent panels, the interlocking tongue and groove fitting of the panels to each other provides for maximizing the insulating thin-brick siding R-value by preventing air leakage. Because each panel is designed to be of a limited sized, the insulating thin-brick siding panels are extremely light-weight and, thus, easy to handle making installation possible by do-it-yourself handy men, women, and mature children, as well as by, professionals. Moreover, the insulating brick-faced siding has an R-value of about 20, is also acoustically insulating, and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor installation. As will be seen the principles of the present invention provide for more than just elongate bricked-backing-panels. There are, additionally, backing-panels that are corner-shaped making installation around the corners of structures not only easy, but providing for the insulating properties at the corners than would be if the panels were to end at the corner edge of a building and had to be connected only using grout. There are also trim features, such as window sills, lintels, and corner blocks that all continue the insulating and light-weight character of the siding and the interdigitating connectors where relevant. The corner blocks are different form the corner-shaped bricked-panels. The corner-shaped bricked panels are bricked-panels that are formed as one piece having two sides at 90 degrees from each other. The corner blocks are designed to look like a large block of stone that has been shaped to be a corner stone. Each panel is also provided with small protuberances, herein referred to as “weep spacers” to provide a space between the backing-panels and the building surface to prevent problems occurring from condensation. Problems caused by condensation include growth of mold and mildew, corrosion of metal, and degrading of insulation R-values do exist. Air normally contains water vapor in varying quantities and its capacity to do so is related to its temperature, that is warm air can hold more water than cold air. Air is saturated when it cannot contain any more water vapor at its existing temperature and under these conditions it is said to have a relative humidity (RH) of 100%, and at this point condensation of water vapor on surfaces will begin. Condensed water usually appears as water droplets or water film on non-absorbent surfaces such as the building's walls.
The principles of the present invention provide for a system, comprising:
The thin-bricks are adhered to the lightweight insulating backing-panel using grout or mortar or any other material that would perform the adherence desired.
Instead of thin-brick could be replaced by thin-stone or thin-block, and the facing section could further include multiple rows of thin-bricks.
The backing-panels are attached to each other in an air-tight manner using interdigitating connectors on the opposing first and second surfaces that could be tongue and groove connectors, and by using interdigitating connectors on the ends of each panel that could be male and female connectors.
The principles of the present invention include several facing section styles, one style of the facing section including both window sills and window lentils. Another style including various sizes of thin-bricked panels shaped to fit about surface corners. Yet, another style includes various sized and shaped corner blocks.
The facing sections are supplied with spacers protruding from their back surface so as provide for a space between the back of each facing section and the surface that is being faced by the facing sections to prevent a build-up of moisture. wherein the facing section is structured so that the bottom edge of each brick of each
The principles of the present invention include such aesthetic features as providing for the bottom edge of each brick to be even with the bottom edge of the backing-panel to which it is adhered, so that each row of bricks positioned on a wall casts a shadow on another bricked-panel directly beneath it so as to hide any seam lines.
Each facing section is attached to the surface it is facing using a fastener, such as a cleat or anchor, that is first fastened into the facing section and then fastened into the surface.
A particularly favored embodiment is a siding material, comprising:
an insulating, lightweight, interior, exterior siding material, comprising;
The principles of the present invention also include a method of making the units that comprise the system, where the method is for making a bricked-panel facing section and comprises the following steps:
Thus, there has been outlined some of the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contribution of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter, such as the fasteners, and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Yet still other benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed specification and related drawings.
In order that these and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention may be more fully comprehended and appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in appended drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures. It should be understood that these drawings only depict preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting in scope, thus, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
Grout, as used herein, refers to a construction material used to seal joints, such as the spaces found between bricks, to embed rebar in masonry walls, and to connect sections of pre-cast concrete. Grout is generally composed of a mixture of water, cement, sand, and sometimes fine gravel. Color tint may be applied as a thick liquid which hardens over time, much like the mortar. Main varieties of grout include: tiling grout (either cement-based or epoxy), flooring grout, resin grout, non-shrink grout and thixotropic grout.
Insulated backing-panel, as used herein, refers to a rigid panel made from insulating material, such as extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), expanded polystyrene foam (EPS or bead board), polyurethane foam, and polyisocyanurate foam, keeping in mind that the present invention contemplates any lightweight, moisture resistant, insulating backing material.
Thin-brick, as used herein, refers to a brick that is generally about ⅙ the weight of a standard brick so extra structural support and a brick ledge are not needed, resulting in cost savings. Thin-brick is not susceptible to wetting, termites, rotting, denting, or burning and it does not require painting.
Thin brick pre-fabricated facing, cladding, or siding material or panel, as used herein, refers to a weather-resistant, non-combustible thin-bricks directly adhered to a structural backing material with an adhesive. The ready to be installed siding benefits includes more efficient and environmentally friendly use of natural resources, is light-weight, reduces construction costs, and provides better quality assurance.
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.
The principles of the present invention as disclosed herein teach both the constructions and methods for achieving cost effective, easy to install, lightweight, insulated thin brick panel assembly for forming a “brick”, or any other material-facing on a building structure, corner-panels, corner-stones, window sills, and window-lintels. The insulating thin-brick siding, as taught, is light-weight, cost-effect, offers an R-factor of about 20, and excellent sound insulation. In addition to providing for excellent insulating properties, the insulated thin-brick siding, of the present invention, offers the look and feel of traditional brick, thus instantly communicates the qualities of standard brick; permanence, warmth, and substance. Moreover, the insulating thin-brick siding, according to the principles of the present invention, eliminates unsightly seam lines of presently available bricked-panels, is extremely light weight, and sized for easy handling, even by one person, and is structured to prevent any condensation build-up. Furthermore, the principles teach interdigitating connectors to be used on all sides of the panels that are to be connected, as well as novel cleats, or anchors that assure a tight, secure fit of the panels to a surface. Additionally, thin-brick panels include thin-stone, thin-block, and any other building facing material that is suitable for siding a building.
Thin-brick is made to the same exacting criteria and with the same materials as standard brick, which means that thin-brick has the exact look of brick with all the advantages, and none of the disadvantages of thin-brick. Thin-brick is extremely cost effective as its light-weight means low transportation cost, as compared to real brick. Additionally, light-weight and sized for handling by men, women, and children thin-brick is easy to handle and install even by one person, thus reducing labor costs. Moreover, thin-brick panels install quickly reducing labor time. Thin-brick is generally about ⅙ the weight of standard brick so extra structural support and a brick ledge are not required for installation, resulting in additional cost savings. Thin brick is virtually maintenance free. It doesn't rot, dent, burn, or need to be painted. And it won't be eaten by termites.
The siding, as taught herein, comprises a method of producing thin-brick siding panels, the product so produced, and the use of the product. Thin-bricked siding panels are manufactured by securely and permanently attaching a number of individual durable, thin-bricks to a mating, elongate, lightweight, insulating backing-panel. To keep manufacturing costs to a minimum, each backing-panel is generally a molded product that may be, if desired, molded with protruding contours which allow the thin brick tiles to be positioned uniformly across each row. Each backing-panel is molded to provide for tongue and groove attachment of the backing-panels to each other's long sides and interdigitating connection means at each end of a panel to provide for interdigitating end connections. The height of each panel is generally limited to accept one horizontal row of thin-bricks, but could just as well accept two or three, rows of brick aligned short end to short end, depending on the height dimension of the bricks. The number of bricks aligned end to end per panel is about five, but can be more or less depending on the desired design. After the bricks are affixed to the insulating, light-weight foam backing using an adhesive-like material, such as grout, a layer of grout is applied to the spacing between and around the bricks to give the appearance of actual, grouted brick. Once the grout affixing the bricks to the backing and the grout deposited between the bricks are dried, the basic unit is ready for installation on a surface of a building.
Referring now to the drawings, how to make and how to use the invention will be described with more particularity. The structure of one favored embodiment of the principles of the present invention is illustrated as an elongate bricked-backing-panel in
As illustrated in
The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses specific and defined nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing description of the specific embodiment is presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made to the features, embodiments, and methods of making the embodiments of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the described methods, embodiments, features or combinations of features but include all the variation, methods, modifications, and combinations of features within the scope of the appended claims. The invention is limited only by the claims.
This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/106,688, filed on Oct. 20, 2008.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61106688 | Oct 2008 | US |
