Patent Application
20250129615
The process of installing stone or thin bricks on a vertical surface can be laborious and inefficient. It often times takes more than one individual to work on the task. The use of prefabricated panels has gained popularity to aid in the effort to install the stone/thin brick precisely and efficiently. It would be ideal for these panels to interact with other previously installed panels of the same type, without the need to fasten the two panels together. Without having to fasten the panels together, installation of the stone/thin brick can become more efficient because the interaction of the two panels will be through elements that were integrally formed with the panel.
Apparatuses for installing stone/thin brick have been disclosed in the prior art. They typically include fasteners that link the multiple apparatuses together. The prior art apparatuses fail to disclose an apparatus that interlock with apparatuses of the same kind through integrally formed elements of the apparatus and without the use of an additional or external fasteners.
It is therefore submitted that the present invention is nearly different from the prior art, and is a needed improvement to the process of installing stone, thin brick, etc. on vertical surfaces.
The present invention is directed to an interlocking installation panel that will provide a stone/thin brick installation worker an efficient way to precisely and less strenuously install a masonry object, such as stone or thin brick, on a vertical surface. The invention is configured in a way to ensure that the masonry object is installed precisely while also eliminating the need for additional fasteners at the base where the two panels meet due to the interlock because the lower panel is already fastened to attach the panel with a previously installed panel of the same kind. This feature allows for more simple application of subsequent panels with greater accuracy and less labor.
The present invention provides an interlocking masonry object installation panel comprising: a mounting plate; a wall side; and an installation side. The mounting plate has a first interlocking edge and a second interlocking edge. The first interlocking edge is comprised of at least one offsetting flare that extends away from the first interlocking edge of the mounting plate at a less than a 180 degree angle and is comprised of a first end and a second end. The first end of the offsetting flare is integrally attached to the first interlocking edge of the mounting plate; the second end of the offsetting flare is integrally attached to an interlocking tab. The interlocking tab extends from the second end of the offsetting flare and is oriented to be parallel or nearly parallel with the mounting plate.
The second interlocking edge of the mounting plate is opposite the first interlocking edge of the mounting plate. The second interlocking edge is comprised of at least one offsetting flare that extends away from the second interlocking edge of the mounting plate at a less than 180 degree angle and is comprised of a first end and a second end. The first end of the offsetting flare is integrally attached to the second interlocking edge of the mounting plate; the second end of the offsetting flare is integrally attached to an interlocking tab. The interlocking tab extends from the second end of the offsetting flare and is oriented to be parallel or nearly parallel with the mounting plate.
The installation side of the mounting plate is comprised of a plurality of stems integrally formed with the mounting plate that extend away from and perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the mounting plate. The stems are comprised of a far end that is integrally attached to a retention flange. The retention flange is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the stem, and the retention flange can extend towards the first interlocking edge or the second interlocking edge. A retention area is defined as the area between the installation side of the mounting plate and the far end of the stem. The mounting plate is also comprised of a plurality of apertures that go from the installation side of the mounting panel to the wall side of the mounting panel that have the same width as the stem and are positioned to line up with the retention flange that extend from the stem.
Certain embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by accompanying figures. It will be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale, and that details not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may be omitted. It will be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings with like reference characters.
As used herein, the term “stone” is used throughout the application for convenience. However, the panel invention is intended to encompass the application of any masonry object including, but not limited to, thin bricks, building stone such as marble, granite, and limestone, cast stone, concrete blocks, glass blocks and adobe.
As used herein, “nearly parallel” is defined as being within about 15 degrees of being parallel. In one embodiment, portions of the invention which are described as being nearly parallel are within about 10 degrees of being parallel. In another embodiment, portions of the invention which are described as being nearly parallel are within about 5 degrees of being parallel. In another embodiment, portions of the invention which are described as being nearly parallel are within about 2 degrees of being parallel. In another embodiment, portions of the invention which are described as being nearly parallel are within about 1 degree of being parallel.
As used here, “nearly perpendicular” is defined as being within about 15 degrees of being perpendicular. In one embodiment, portions of the invention which are described as being nearly perpendicular are within about 10 degrees of being perpendicular. In another embodiment, portions of the invention which are described as being nearly perpendicular are within about 5 degrees of being perpendicular. In another embodiment, portions of the invention which are described as being nearly perpendicular are within about 1 degree of being perpendicular. In another embodiment, portions of the invention which are described as being nearly perpendicular are without about 1 degree of being perpendicular.
In some embodiments of the invention, the installation panel 100 may be at least partially coated with a coating including, but not limited to, paint, powder coating, sealant, resin, and the like, to substantially reduce or eliminate oxidation of installation panel 100.
According to other embodiments, the installation panel 100 may be at least partially texturized on the installation side 120 or wall side 130 to further enhance the bond between installation panel 100 and masonry objects 105 via adhesive applied to the installation panel 100 and/or the masonry objects 105.
In
The interlocking installation panel 100 is intended to be attached to a wall (not shown) that may comprise any number of substrates, such as plywood, concrete, cinderblock, stucco, wood slats, and the like. Flashing or insulation (not shown) may optionally be installed, preferably between the wall and the installation panel 100. Installation panel 100 may be securely attached to the wall via fasteners such as nails, screws, pins, clips, or the like.
The first interlocking edge 140 is integrally attached to at least one offsetting flare 160. The offsetting flare(s) 160 extend from the first interlocking edge 140 and away from the mounting plate 110 to form a less than 180 degree angle with the mounting plate 110. The offsetting flares 160 have a first end and a second end. The first end of the offsetting flare 160 is integrally attached to the first interlocking end 140, while the second end of the offsetting flare 160 is integrally attached to an interlocking tab 170. The interlocking tab 170 extends from the offsetting flare 160 in a manner that is parallel or nearly parallel with the mounting plate 110.
The second interlocking edge 150 of the mounting plate 110 is integrally attached to at least one offsetting flare 160. The offsetting flares 160 extend from the second interlocking edge 150 and away from the mounting plate 110 to form a less than 180 degree angle with the mounting plate 110. Persons skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the angle between the offsetting flares 160 and the mounting plate 110 may vary and may be any degree less than 180 degrees including, but not limited to, 170, 160, 150, 140, 130, 120, 110, 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, and 30 degrees.
The offsetting flares 160 have a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is integrally attached to the second interlocking edge 150 and the second end is integrally attached to the interlocking tab 170. The interlocking tab 170 extends away from the mounting plate 110 in a manner that is parallel or nearly parallel with the mounting plate 110.
The installation side 120 of the mounting plate 110 is comprised of a plurality of stems 180 integrally formed with the mounting plate 110 that extend away from and perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the mounting plate 110. The stems 180 are comprised of a far end 185 that is integrally attached to a retention flange 190. The retention flange 190 is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the stem 180, and the retention flange 190 can extend towards the first interlocking edge 140 or the second interlocking edge 150. A retention area 200 is defined as the area between the installation side 120 of the mounting plate 110 and the far end 185 of the stem 180. The mounting plate 110 is also comprised of a plurality of apertures 115 that go from the installation side of the mounting panel to the wall side of the mounting panel that have the same or similar width as the stem 180 and are positioned to line up with the retention flange 190 that extend from the stem 180.
Masonry objects 105 may be substantially cuboid in configuration, resembling a traditionally proportioned brick. Among other surfaces, masonry object 105 includes a rear surface 106 and a bottom surface 107 (see
The present invention is also directed to a method of manufacturing interlocking panels in accordance with the present invention. In addition, the present invention is directed to methods of installing masonry objects 105, comprising the steps of: (a) attaching one or more interlocking installation panels 100 for masonry objects 105 to the wall of a structure, the interlocking installation panel 100 comprising a mounting plate 110, the mounting plate 110 comprising a wall side 130, an installation side 120, a first interlocking edge 140, and a second interlocking edge 150, whereby the first interlocking edge 140 is opposite the second interlocking edge 150, further providing that the first interlocking edge 140 is integrally attached to at least one offsetting flare 160, the offsetting flare(s) 160 extending from the first interlocking edge 140 and away from the mounting plate 110 to form a less than 180 degree angle with the mounting plate 110, said offsetting flares 160 having a first end and a second end, the first end of the offsetting flare 160 being integrally attached to the first interlocking end 140, while the second end of the offsetting flare 160 is integrally attached to an interlocking tab 170, the interlocking tab 170 extends from the offsetting flare 160 in a manner that is parallel or nearly parallel with the mounting plate 110, whereby the second interlocking edge 150 of the mounting plate 110 is integrally attached to at least one offsetting flare 160, the offsetting flares 160 extending from the second interlocking edge 150 and away from the mounting plate 110 to form a less than 180 degree angle with the mounting plate 110, the offsetting flares 160 having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is integrally attached to the second interlocking edge 150 and the second end is integrally attached to the interlocking tab 170, and the interlocking tab 170 extending away from the mounting plate 110 in a manner that is parallel or nearly parallel with the mounting plate 110; (b) bonding stones or other masonry objects to the installation panel 100
The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.
