Patent Grant
10036156
Not applicable.
This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.
The present inventive concept relates to the field of architectural building components. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for creating three-dimensional features of varying geometries and dimensions along an edifice using prefabricated connectors. The invention further relates to a method of installing ceramic tiles, or panels, along the edifice of a building which includes three-dimensional profiles.
In the design and construction of commercial buildings, it is often desirable to place a facade around the structure. Historically, such facades have been in the form of stucco, brick or composite boards. Facades enhance the appearance of the business or institution and enclose the building's structure, including the substrate, the air/vapor barrier, the insulation and the sub-framing elements.
Recently, aluminum (or aluminum composite material (“ACM”)) panels have been employed. These panels consist of an extruded aluminum frame, with a sheet of ACM placed over the frame. The peripheral edges of the ACM panels are wrapped around the outer sides of the frame, and are then secured to the outer sides using screws or, more preferably, hollow rivets.
For installation, the ACM sheets are pre-attached to individual frames. The frames are hung onto the exterior of the planar structure using elongated wall mounting brackets and small attachment clips. The wall mounting brackets are secured to a wall, or sub-girting for the wall, while the attachment clips are secured to the wall mounting brackets themselves. The attachment clips are configured to carry the dead loads of the respective wall panels.
In practice, ACM sheets are cut and placed onto respective extruded frames. The edges of the ACM sheets are bent over the outer surfaces of the frames, leaving a hollow interior portion. Each sheet is then secured to the edges of its respective panel using rivets. In this way, a plurality of panels 115 may be formed at a manufacturing facility and then transported to the job site to be hung on a wall 100. Bent edges are shown at 102 in
Each of the panels 115 includes a set of panel perimeter strips (seen at 114 in
Each panel 115 will typically have four sides. This means that four separate panel perimeter strips are placed in orthogonal relation to form a square or rectangle. The panels 115 are hung onto the wings of attachment clips, which are secured to the outer framing of the building 100 horizontally. Each attachment clip 114 will typically have a central fastening surface and two opposing wing members, with each wing member extending outwardly from the central fastening surface.
Additional details concerning wall panel attachment systems is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 8,166,716 entitled “Dry Joint Wall Panel Attachment System,” and U.S. Pat. No. 8,745,941 entitled “Method For Installing Wall Panels To The Exterior Wall Of A Building.” Each of these co-owned patents is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
An example of a known attachment system is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,274, entitled “Panel Mounting Clip.” The '274 patent discloses a first “clipping member” that is secured to a panel adjacent an edge of the panel. The '274 patent also discloses a second “clipping member” that is pre-attached to the building structure itself. The second clipping member has a channel (shown in the patent at 26 in FIG. 6) that snugly receives a male member (shown at 20 in FIG. 6) of the first clipping member. In this way, the panel may be connected to the building structure.
The attachment system of the '274 patent relies upon the placement of mounting clips around all peripheral edges of composite panels. “The first clipping member 10 is secured to each edge of a panel 12.” (col. 4, lines 8-9). This may be done either by connecting the first clipping member to the panel using a screw (seen at 18 in FIG. 1) or by sliding the panel edges into panel engaging channels (seen at 34 in FIG. 2). “Then, a plurality of second clipping members 24 are secured to a sub-girt 38 of a building in a position to secure the lower edge, for example, of the panel 12.” (col. 4, 1. 8-5).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,835 describes another mounting system. The system of the '835 patent employs a plurality of individual components for hanging panels onto a building structure. The components include an elongated “sole plate 30” that attaches to the back of each panel by means of two or more connecting screws 38. The sole plate 30 hangs on to so-called “profile members 13,” which in turn are connected to a bracket 24 by means of a “hooking groove 15.” The sole plate 30 and the bracket 24 include slots that allow the position of the panel “P” relative to the wall to be selectively adjusted. (See FIGS. 1 and 2 and corresponding portion of specification).
U.S. Pat. No. 7,854,099 provides yet another panel mounting system, wherein architectural panels are supported by a combination of a frame (referred to as sides 101, 103) (see FIG. 2 and corresponding portions of specification) and stiffeners 117 (see FIG. 2 and corresponding portions of specification). The mounting system is used for hanging panels having flanged edges, that is, aluminum composite panels. The stiffeners connect to the frame using screws 111, clips 155 (see FIGS. 2, 6, and corresponding portions of specification), and plates 159, 161 (see FIG. 7 and corresponding portion of specification). The stiffeners connect to the panels using a silicone adhesive. The panels of the '099 patent are designed to be particularly rugged so as to withstand hurricane-force winds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,910, entitled “Panel Mounting Structure,” describes another mounting system for wall panels. In this system, the upper edge of a first panel is mechanically connected to a lower edge of a second panel by means of an attachment clip. In this way, vertically adjacent panels are spaced apart while being secured together to a wall using a screw. In this system, the upper edge of each lower panel has an upstanding flange disposed within a first downwardly open channel of the support, with screw members extending through the upstanding flange and into the support to retain the upstanding flange in the first channel. At the same time, the lower edge of an associated upwardly adjacent panel has a further upstanding flange disposed within a second downwardly open channel of the support, thereby mounting the upper edge portion of the panel and the lower edge portion of the upwardly adjacent panel on the supporting wall.
The above systems are generally designed to support flexible panels, in particular, panels using “ACM.” It is noted that the '835 patent is silent as to the type of panel used, but appears to be suited for any panel that can receive a screw or rivet.
The Applicant herein has conceived of an attachment system wherein rigid wall panels may be used instead of ACM panels. The rigid wall panels may be porcelain or ceramic tiles, or may consist of frames supporting photo-voltaic cells that use solar energy to generate electrical current. Each rigid wall panel is secured to an outer flat surface of a panel perimeter clip (or panel bracket) using an adhesive. Co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 9,068,358 entitled “Wall Panel Systems For Rigid Wall Panels” discloses illustrative attachment systems, and is also incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Another embodiment conceived of by Applicant is found in U.S. Patent App. Publ. No. 2012/0085042, also entitled “Wall Panel Systems For Rigid Wall Panels.” In this application, an architectural system is provided comprising a plurality of rigid wall panels, wherein a majority of the wall panels are fabricated from a material comprising ceramic. The wall panels are gravitationally secured to attachment clips, which in turn are fastened to respective bracket assemblies using threaded fasteners.
As briefly introduced above,
In the attachment system 101 of
A proximal end of the bracket assembly 110 is secured to the wall 100 by fastener 103. In turn, the two L-angle brackets 104, 106 are secured together using fasteners, such as stainless steel screws 108. Bracket 104 is a wall bracket while bracket 106 is an attachment clip bracket. The L-angle brackets 104, 106 serve as brackets that allow the installer to level the substrate in three axes before installation of PCT panels 105.
A plurality of attachment clips 116 are fastened to respective bracket assemblies 110. This may be done by using stainless steel screws 128. Of interest, each attachment clip 116 includes a central fastening surface that receives the screw, or other fastener 128. The attachment clip 116 is thus secured to a bracket assembly 110, wherein the bracket assembly runs horizontally along an optional layer of sub-girting 120, and attachment clips may be oriented vertically and horizontally.
The attachment clip 116 also includes a pair of integrally formed, opposing wing members extending outwardly from the central fastening surface. In this way, the attachment clips 116 are configured to carry the dead loads of the respective PCT wall panels 105. In most cases, the panels 105 are connected by the attachment clips 116 in both horizontal and vertical directions.
As noted above, a pair of perimeter strips 114 is shown in
Optionally, the wall panel attachment system 101 may include one or more panel stiffeners 132. A panel stiffener 132 may be placed in the C-shaped member of the panel perimeter strip 114 to provide lateral support for an adjacent panel 105. Each panel stiffener 132 is fixed between the C-shaped members of opposing perimeter strips. The panel stiffeners 132 may connect under one embodiment to the perimeter strips 114 using conventional fasteners (not shown), that is, screws or rivets.
The wall panel attachment system 101 may also include a high-density, closed-cell foam tape 122. The tape 122 may be applied to either the rear perimeter surface 112 of the rigid wall panel 105 or to the planar surface of the perimeter strip 114. The high-density, closed-cell foam tape 122 creates spacing for the necessary thickness needed for the adhesive 124. The adhesive 124 adheres the wall panels 105 to the adjoining panel perimeter strips. The foam tape 122 also acts as a backstop as silicone adhesive 124 is squeezed into the gap between the panel perimeter strip 114 and the rear surfaces 112 of the rigid PCT (or sinter ceramic) wall panels 105. Of course, materials other than foam tape may be used as a spacing element 122.
Despite the benefits offered by the architectural wall panel system of U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2012/0085042 and
A method of forming a three-dimensional frame structure for a wall is provided herein. The frame structure supports rigid wall panels, such as ceramic wall tiles, that are gravitationally hung onto an edifice of a wall. Preferably, the ceramic wall panels comprise porcelain ceramic, although a non-porcelain ceramic may be employed. Alternatively, the rigid wall panels may be fabricated from a natural stone material such as marble, limestone, travertine, slate or granite. Alternatively still, the rigid wall panels may include layers of glass or metal. In one aspect, combinations of panels having different materials, textures, colors, glazes and finishes may be employed, depending on architectural preferences.
In one embodiment, the method first comprises providing a series of corner castings. Each of the corner castings comprises,
Preferably, each male member has a polygonal profile, such as a square shape.
In addition, the method includes providing a plurality of linear extrusion members. Each linear extrusion member comprises a female opening at both a first end and a second opposite end. The female openings are dimensioned to slidably receive the male members of the corner castings. Preferably, each female opening also has a polygonal profile that matches (or mates with) the profile of its corresponding male leg member.
In the method, some of the linear extrusion members include a receiving member for an attachment clip. These linear extrusion members may be referred to herein as “perimeter strips.” The receiving members of the perimeter strips are configured to gravitationally hang onto respective attachment clips. The attachment clips, in turn, are operatively secured to the edifice of a building structure such as through the use of bracket assemblies 110 as described above in connection with
Optionally, some of the linear extrusion members are corner connectors, sometime referred to as “box connectors” due to their shape. In the present inventions, the corner connectors do not have a receiving member and do not hang from an attachment clip along the building's exterior surface; instead, they adhesively connect to wall panels at corners of the three-dimensional structure. The corner connectors are also female linear extrusions that accept and connect two-dimensional and three-dimensional multi-projection legs (the male members) that are a part of the corner castings (or “cube connectors”). The corner connectors may be either inside connectors or outside connectors. In any instance, both the perimeter strips and the corner connectors reside between the cube members, and include outer planar surfaces that adhesively connect to the rear surface of respective rigid panels.
In addition, the method includes connecting the series of corner castings and the series of linear extrusion members to form a three-dimensional structure, or frame.
In addition, the method includes securing panels to the three-dimensional structure to form a wall panel. The panels are secured using an adhesive. Preferably, the adhesive is a liquid adhesive such as structural silicone, although an adhesive tape may alternatively be employed.
Each of the two-legged cube connectors and each of the three-legged cube connectors comprises a cube member. Polygonal legs of each of the connectors extend from its respective cube member. In one aspect, an outward-facing surface of each of the cube members contains a slot that is configured to receive a gasket. The slots reside along otherwise generally planar outer surfaces of the cube connectors. The gaskets extend upward from the slots and the cubes, and serve as spacers. In this way, a predetermined space is reserved for liquid adhesive to reside between the outer planar surfaces of the linear extrusion members and the rear surfaces of the rigid wall panels. The gaskets also enclose the edge of the panel between the extrusion and the rigid wall panel, acting as a back-stop, and preventing the adhesive from flowing out onto the perimeter extrusion's outer edge.
In this embodiment, the method also includes placing gaskets along the outer surfaces of selected corner castings and linear extrusion members. The method will then include injecting a liquid silicone into a space formed between the respective outer planar surfaces and the under surfaces of the panels.
In one aspect, the method further comprises providing a series of keys. The keys are configured to optionally connect selected perimeter strips without the use of the cube connectors. The keys generally define aluminum pieces at generally right angles. The right angles may be at 87-degrees, 90-degrees, or 93 degrees, depending on the desired angle of connection.
A façade package is also provided herein. The façade package is used to form a three-dimensional structure for a wall. The façade package first comprises a plurality of corner castings. The corner castings comprise:
The façade package further comprises a plurality of linear extrusion members. Each linear extrusion member comprises an opening at both a first end and a second end. The openings are configured to slidably receive the legs of the two-legged and the three-legged cube connectors.
Some of the plurality of linear extrusion members serve as panel perimeter strips. The panel perimeter strips comprise a receiving member configured to gravitationally hang onto wing members of respective attachment clips secured to an edifice of a building. In this way, the attachment clips support a dead load of the three-dimensional structure. Additionally, some of the linear extrusion members serve as corner connector strips and do not have a receiving member for an attachment clip. The corner connector strips are not configured to gravitationally support the three-dimensional structure.
The corner castings and the linear extrusion members are configured to be telescopically connected to form a three-dimensional structure. Specifically, the corner castings are connected by means of linear extrusion members through a telescoping arrangement. In one aspect, the façade package contains linear extrusion members of pre-selected lengths. In this way, no cutting of the frame components (or aluminum extrusions) is required at the construction site.
The façade package also includes a collection of rigid wall panels. The rigid wall panels are configured to be adhesively secured to exterior surfaces of the three-dimensional structure. It is understood that some cutting of the wall panels at the construction site may be required.
The façade package may also comprise a series of keys. The keys are configured to connect selected perimeter strips without the use of the cube connectors. The keys define aluminum pieces at generally right angles. The right angles may be at 87-degrees, 90-degrees, or 93 degrees, depending on the desired angle of connection.
So that the manner in which the present inventions can be better understood, certain illustrations, charts and/or flow charts are appended hereto. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only selected embodiments of the inventions and are therefore not to be considered limiting of scope, for the inventions may admit to other equally effective embodiments and applications.
For purposes of the present disclosure, it is noted that spatially relative terms, such as “up,” “down,” “right,” “left,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over or rotated, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
A method of forming a three-dimensional frame structure along an edifice of a building is provided herein. The method employs a unique combination of building components that allow for a “one-size-fits-all” panelization system. Beneficially, the system allows for rigid wall panels to be adhesively secured to pre-formed frames, which may then be quickly secured to a building edifice at a construction site. In addition, frames having rigid wall panels may be mixed with frames using ACM panels and other cladded panels of different materials, to form a building edifice having a diverse, creative and attractive architectural design.
Preferably, each gasket 430 is fabricated from an elastomeric material having a base. The base is slidably or frictionally received within the recessed portions 325. Illustrative materials for the gaskets 430 include rubber, silicone, neoprene and polytetrafluoroethylene.
Alternate embodiments for the two-legged cube connectors 240 may be used.
Returning to
Both
Returning again to
Returning again to
Each cube connector 220, 230, 240, 250 participates in securing linear extrusion members to form the three-dimensional structure. For example, square female components of panel perimeter strips 210 matingly receive respective legs 310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810 and 910 of selected cube connectors. Additionally, square female components of panel perimeter strips 260 matingly receive respective legs 310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810 and 910 of selected cube connectors.
As noted in connection with
The perimeter strip 210(10) comprises an elongated body 1010 fabricated from a metal, preferably aluminum. The body 1010 includes an outward-facing surface 1022, wherein the outward-facing surface includes a recessed portion 1025. As with recessed portions 325, 425, 525, 625, 725, 825 and 925, recessed portion 1025 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. Thus, the panel perimeter strip 210(10) may also be used to adhesively receive and support a rigid panel 450 or 750.
The panel perimeter strip 210(10) includes an integrally formed receiving member 1020. The receiving member 1020 is configured to gravitationally hang on an attachment clip, such as the attachment clip 116 of
Note that
The body 1110 includes an outward-facing surface 1122, wherein the outward-facing surface 1122 includes a recessed portion 1125. As with recessed portion 1025, recessed portion 1125 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. The perimeter strip 210(11) also includes an integrally formed receiving member 1120.
The receiving member 1120 is configured to be gravitationally hung onto an attachment clip, such as the attachment clip 116 of
Note that neither perimeter strip 210(10) nor perimeter strip 210(11) employ stiffener legs (as are shown in other embodiments described below). Thus, they are not configured to receive a panel stiffener (shown at 2100 in
The perimeter strip 210(12) comprises an elongated body 1210 fabricated from a metal, and preferably from aluminum. The body 1210 includes an outward-facing surface 1222, wherein the outward-facing surface 1222 includes a recessed portion 1225. As with recessed portion 1025, recessed portion 1225 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. The panel perimeter strip 210(12) also includes an integrally formed receiving member 1220.
The receiving member 1220 is configured to be gravitationally hung onto an attachment clip, such as the attachment clip 116 of
Of interest, panel perimeter strip 210(12) includes a pair of parallel legs 1232. The legs 1232 extend away from the direction of the Receiving member 1220. The legs 1232 define a slot 1230, with the slot being dimensioned to receive an optional panel stiffener, such as panel stiffener 2100 of
The perimeter strip 210(13) comprises an elongated body 1310 fabricated from a metal, and preferably from aluminum. The body 1310 includes an outward-facing surface 1322, wherein the outward-facing surface 1322 includes a recessed portion 1325. As with recessed portion 1025, recessed portion 1325 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. The panel perimeter strip 210(13) also includes an integrally formed receiving member 1320.
The receiving member 1320 is configured to be gravitationally hung onto an attachment clip, such as the attachment clip 116 of
Note also that the perimeter strip 210(13) includes the slot 1330 for slidably and/or frictionally receiving an end of a panel stiffener, such as panel stiffener 2100 of
The perimeter strip 210(14) comprises an elongated body 1410 fabricated from a metal, and preferably from aluminum. The body 1410 includes an outward-facing surface 1422, wherein the outward-facing surface 1422 includes a recessed portion 1425. As with recessed portion 1025, recessed portion 1425 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. The perimeter strip 210(14) also includes an integrally formed receiving member 1420.
The receiving member 1420 is configured to be gravitationally hung onto an attachment clip, such as the attachment clip 116 of
It is observed that the panel perimeter strip 210(14) does not include stiffener legs; however, it does offer a porcelain ceramic tile “return.” The “return” is a mitered edge, or shoulder 1422, that is dimensioned to allow the PCT to return back into the joint, using only a single row of aluminum extrusions and castings to create a projection. The shoulder 1422 is placed adjacent the receiving member 1420 so that a rigid wall panel may be uniquely placed perpendicular to wall 100.
The perimeter strip 210(14) also includes a rectangular slot 1415. The slot 1415 is provided somewhat for structural but primarily for economic purposes.
Finally,
The perimeter strip 210(15) comprises an elongated body 1510 fabricated from a metal, and preferably from aluminum. The body 1510 includes an outward-facing surface 1522, wherein the outward-facing surface 1522 includes a recessed portion 1525. As with recessed portion 1025, recessed portion 1525 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. The perimeter strip 210(15) also includes an integrally formed receiving member 1520.
The receiving member 1520 is configured to be gravitationally hung onto an attachment clip, such as the attachment clip 116 of
Note also that the perimeter strip 210(15) also includes a slot 1530 for slidably and/or frictionally receiving an end of a panel stiffener, such as panel stiffener 2100 of
The perimeter strip 210(15) also offers the PCT return feature 1526. The strip 210(15) may be used with a panel that would be returned into an inside corner, or for columns (such as columns that project out from a common wall that connects perpendicular to the wall). This extrusion, in most cases, will not work for parapets.
Each of the perimeter strips 210(10), 210(11), 210(12), 210(13), 210(14), and 210(15) described above includes the receiving member. The functionality of the perimeter strips 210(10), 210(11), 210(12), 210(13), 210(14), and 210(15) may be seen in
In the embodiment of
The outside corner connector 260(16) comprises an elongated body 1610 fabricated from a metal, and preferably from aluminum. The body 1610 includes an outward-facing surface 1622, wherein the outward-facing surface 1622 includes a recessed portion 1625. As with recessed portions 325, 425, 525, 625, 725, 825 and 925, recessed portion 1625 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. Thus, the outside connector 260(16) may also be used to adhesively receive and support a rigid panel 450 or 750.
It is again noted that the outside corner connector 260(16) does not have a receiving member. Therefore, the corner connector 260(16) is not secured to an attachment clip 116 and is not used to aid in gravitationally holding the frame structure 200 to a wall 100.
Of interest, the illustrative outside corner connector 260(16) includes a pair of parallel stiffener legs 1632. More specifically, the corner connector 260(16) offers two pairs of parallel legs 1632. Each pair of stiffener legs 1632 extends away from the body 1610, and defines a slot 1630. The slots 1630 are dimensioned to receive a panel stiffener, such as panel stiffener 2100 of
As can be seen, the outside corner connector 260(17) defines an elongated body 1710 fabricated from a metal. The body 1710 includes an outward-facing surface 1722, wherein the outward-facing surface 1722 includes a recessed portion 1725. As with recessed portion 1625, recessed portion 1725 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. Thus, the outside connector 260(17) may also be used to adhesively receive and support a rigid panel 450 or 750.
As with corner connector 260(16), each of corner connectors 260(17) and 260(18) includes at least one slot 1730 or 1830. The slots 1730, 1830 comprise parallel legs dimensioned and configured to receive stiffeners under ceramic tiles.
Also visible in
In
Each of the outside corner connectors 1900 and 2000 (without stiffener legs) defines an elongated body 1910, 2010. The bodies 1910, 2010 are fabricated from a metal, and preferably from aluminum. Each of the bodies 1910, 2010 includes an outward-facing surface 2022, 2122, wherein the outward-facing surface 1922, 2022 presents a recessed portion 1925, 2025. The recessed portions 1925, 2025 are configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730.
Of interest, for each of the outside corner connectors 1900, 2000 a recessed portion 2125 is actually placed on two different sides, or faces of the body 1910, 2010. This is of benefit when the corners 1900, 2000 are being placed beneath two wall panels 450 that meet at a corner. In this instance, the corner would be an outside corner.
As noted numerous times above, the three-dimensional structure 200 may take advantage of panel stiffeners to support the rigid wall panels 450 or 750.
The panel stiffener 2100 defines an elongated body 2110. The body 2110 is fabricated from a metal, and preferably from aluminum. The body 2110 includes an outward-facing surface 2122, wherein the outward-facing surface 2122 presents a recessed portion 2125. As with recessed portions 325, 425, 525, 625, 725, 825 and 925, recessed portion 2125 is configured to receive an elongated spacing element, such as gasket strip 430 or 730. The adhesive adheres to the surfaces of 2122 and to the back side of a rigid wall panel, such as the PCT panel 450. Thus, the panel stiffener 2100 may also be used to adhesively receive and support a rigid panel 450 or 750.
It is noted here that all recessed portions 325, 425, 525, 625, 725, 825, 925, 1025 for cube connectors will have the same dimension. In addition, all recessed portions 1025, 1125, 1225, 1325, 1425, 1525 for linear extrusions having receiving members will have the same dimension. Further, all recessed portions 1625, 1725, 1825, 1925, 2025 for linear extrusions that are box connectors will preferably have the same dimension. Also, the gaskets as indicated at 430 or 730 are dimensionally the same. The gaskets fit into any of the recessed portions listed above, as well as recessed portion 2125 of the panel stiffener 2100.
Additional components may be used in the three-dimensional framing structure 200 of
The planar four-legged cube connector 2200 is beneficial in forming a three-dimensional framing structure that includes an unusually large surface area. An example is a surface area having a length or having a width in excess of 8 feet. Rather than using extremely long linear extrusion members which may experience fatigue, the contractor may connect standard-length linear extrusion members 210 or 260 using the planar four-legged cube connector of
Each leg 2310 has a proximal end 2312 and a distal end 2314. The cube member 2320 has an outward-facing surface 2322.
Corner connector 2560 may be in accordance with outside corner connector 260(16)—two pairs of stiffener legs but no receiving member. Alternatively, outside corner connector 260(17) may be used.
Opposite the first perimeter strip 210(11) is a second perimeter strip 210(12). The second perimeter strip 210(12) has also engaged a wing member of the attachment clip 116. In this way, the attachment clip 116 is supporting the dead load of both perimeter strips 210(11), 210(12) and their connected panels 105.
The panel connections are made using an adhesive 124 such as structural silicone In the embodiment shown in
Also visible in
On the other side of the attachment clip is a panel perimeter strip 210(13). This is a modified, “bumped-out” perimeter strip with stiffeners. The perimeter strip 210(13) is adhesively connected to a ceramic tile 105 using an adhesive 124. The bumped-out extrusion represents one piece that goes entirely around the panel, creating four sides. The corners are crimped with corner keys and the PCT returned on the edges. Spacer elements 430 provide space below the panels 105 for receiving the liquid adhesive before setting.
It can be seen from the system 2700B that ceramic panels 105 may be placed side-by-side and offset from ACM panels 115. It can be seen that the attachment system can join ACM panels together with porcelain ceramic panels. It can alternatively join many other different veneer types such as aluminum plates, photo voltaic cell panels, glass layers and certain metals.
In
The attachment system 2700B of
It is understood that a wide variety of options exist for using panel perimeter clips and tile perimeter strips. The perimeter clips secure a three-dimensional wall panel structure to a wall through an attachment clip, while the perimeter strips provide lateral support for the panels between wall connectors. Numerous separate design patent applications are pending for the connection hardware including configurations of panel perimeter clips, box connector perimeter strips and panel stiffeners. In addition, numerous separate design patent applications are pending for the various cube connectors themselves.
Finally, it is observed that the operator may wish to secure tile perimeter strips at fixed right angles, or near right angles. To this end, various key configurations may be used.
In view of
The method also comprises providing a series of linear extrusion members. Each linear extrusion member also comprises an opening at both a first end and a second end, with the openings being configured to slidably receive the legs of the two-legged and the three-legged cube connectors. Some of the series of linear extrusion members serve as panel perimeter strips and comprise a receiving member configured to gravitationally hang onto wing members of respective attachment clips secured to an edifice of a building to support a dead load of the three-dimensional structure. In addition, some of the linear extrusion members serve as corner connector strips and do not have a receiving member for an attachment clip and are not configured to gravitationally support the three-dimensional structure.
The method further includes providing a plurality of keys. Each key defines a generally orthogonal metal component dimensioned and configured to be received within slots of some of the series of linear extrusion members serving as panel perimeter strips. Preferably, providing the plurality of keys further includes selecting keys from the group consisting of (i) a 90-degree perimeter clip key, (ii) an 87-degree perimeter clip key, (iii) a 93-degree perimeter clip key, and combinations thereof. For purposes of the present disclosure, each of these angles, and intermediate angles therebetween, is “generally orthogonal.”
The method additionally comprises:
Preferably, the securing rigid wall panels to exterior surfaces of the three-dimensional structure comprises adhesively securing the wall panels to the linear extrusion members to enclose or “finish” the frame structure.
The two-legged cube connectors, the planar three-legged cube connectors, and the orthogonal three-legged cube connectors are interchangeable. In this respect, because of the telescoping nature of the connections with the linear extrusion members, “off-the-shelf” connectors may be brought to a construction location and quickly connected to extrusion members, without custom cutting. This enables the architect or builder to provide different shaped corner castings to create a wide variety of exterior façade shapes and dimensions.
As an optional step, some linear extrusion members may be cut at the construction site, depending on original length. Alternatively, linear extrusion members of different lengths may be provided “off-the-shelf” to enable the contractor to readily select linear extrusion members of appropriate lengths in order to connect corner castings without any cutting. “Off-the-shelf” linear extrusion members may be selected from lengths of 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet and so forth, up to 10 feet.
Variations of the methods for forming a three-dimensional frame structure may fall within the spirit of the claims, below. It will be appreciated that the inventions are susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the spirit thereof.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Ser. No. 62/480,611 entitled “Method of Forming a Three-Dimensional Structure Having Rigid Wall Panels.” That application was filed on Apr. 4, 2017. This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/592,471 entitled “Two-Legged Cube Connector For Wall Panel System.” That application was filed on Jan. 31, 2017. This application also claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/592,514 entitled “Two-Legged Cube Connector For Wall Panel System.” That application was filed on Jan. 31, 2017. This application also claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/592,475 entitled “Three-Legged Cube Connector For Wall Panel System.” That application was filed on Jan. 31, 2017. This application also claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/592,527 entitled “Three-Legged Cube Connector For Wall Panel System.” That application was filed on Jan. 31, 2017. This application also claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/592,493 entitled “Perimeter Clip For Wall Panel System.” That application was filed on Jan. 31, 2017.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3218097 | Bowers | Nov 1965 | A |
| 3645569 | Reilly | Feb 1972 | A |
| 4101229 | Weibull | Jul 1978 | A |
| 4161375 | Murphy | Jul 1979 | A |
| 4271654 | Jungbluth | Jun 1981 | A |
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| Screen shots taken from www.elward.com (Elward Systems Corporation), accessed Mar. 6, 2017. |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62480611 | Apr 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Parent | 29592471 | Jan 2017 | US |
| Child | 15838903 | US | |
| Parent | 29592514 | Jan 2017 | US |
| Child | 29592471 | US | |
| Parent | 29592475 | Jan 2017 | US |
| Child | 29592514 | US | |
| Parent | 29592493 | Jan 2017 | US |
| Child | 29592475 | US |
