The present invention relates generally to an exterior siding mounting bracket assembly and more particularly to a multidirectional mounting bracket assembly.
Common in residential building structures, sheathing of an exterior wall is known to be covered with a siding material typically made of cedar, aluminum, plastic or other synthetic material often made to appear like wood. Often, various exterior appendages of the home such as cloths dryer vents, exterior light fixtures, electrical outlets, and water spigots must be trimmed-out around the siding for aesthetic reasons. This is commonly done with a mounting bracket. One such example of a known mounting bracket is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,708, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The known mounting bracket has an internal base member that snap fits to an external trim member along an axis disposed perpendicular to the sheathing and during assembly. The base member has a continuous flange that projects radially outward and is typically nailed to the sheathing under the siding. Projecting axially or laterally outward from the flange and to an inner central panel is a continuous wall. Generally, the wall defines the perimeter of the central panel. A cutout communicates through the panel and has a shape generally dictated by the appendage projecting through it.
The trim member typically has a partition that projects laterally and axially inward toward the base member, and an aesthetically pleasing and continuous flange that projects radially outward from the partition. An opening is generally defined by the partition and receives the wall and central panel when the bracket is assembled. The partition is generally shaped to conform with the wall. Multi-positional snap fit features are known to be carried between a radially outward surface of the wall and a radially inward surface of the partition. When the bracket is assembled, the close proximity of the partition to the wall causes the feature to lock the partition and wall together.
During construction of the building, once the base member is secured to the wall or sheathing, the siding material is installed over the sheathing and over the flange. The siding, however, must be trimmed so that it is slightly spaced from the continuous wall of the base member. This spacing allows room for entry of the continuous partition of the trim piece, yet is close enough to the wall of the bracket so that the ends are aesthetically concealed by the outer flange of the trim member which is substantially flush to the siding. Unfortunately, the siding is typically exposed to rain or water which flows down the siding and beneath the exterior flange. This water can accumulate and seep beneath the concealed ends of the siding and against the mounting flange of the base member. Accumulation of water directly against the mounting flange can cause water propagation outward from the wall of the base member and beyond the mounting flange, thus exposing the sheathing to moisture. The retained moisture can potentially create a host of problems including the rot of wood, disintegration of simulated materials and the attraction of unwanted insects.
To reduce or eliminate this water seepage, various bracket assemblies are known to be self-flashing for diverting water run-off away from the sheathing. One such bracket is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,081, issued on Oct. 4, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Unfortunately, known self-flashing bracket assemblies can be mounted in one position only. Particularly, oblong or rectangular bracket assemblies must be separately manufactured with distinct features for horizontal and vertical orientations. This requires separate manufacturing molds/tooling and can complicate shipping and stocking of the product. This further requires that a siding installer must buy two separate mounting blocks depending upon whether he wants to install the rectangular bracket assembly horizontally or vertically.
A multidirectional mounting bracket assembly is utilized in conjunction with exterior siding that covers sheathing of an exterior wall. The assembly has trim member that press fits to a base member along an axis disposed perpendicular to the exterior wall. The base member has a mounting flange secured to the sheathing and circumferentially continuous inner and outer walls disposed co-axially to one another and laterally projecting axially. The trim member has a facial plate disposed substantially perpendicular to the axis and a mating wall that press fits between the inner and outer walls. The outer wall carries a plurality of channeling features for cascading water on top of the mating wall. The mating wall generally carries a dam flange and preferably end dams for diverting water through selected weep holes in the facial plate.
Features, advantages and benefits of the present invention include a mounting bracket assembly having an irregular or rectangular shape that can be selectively mounted in at least two positions without degrading the assemblies self-flashing and water shedding capability. Other advantages include improved water shedding capabilities that eliminates or reduces exposure of the sheathing to moisture that could cause damage to structural material and potentially attract unwanted insects. The assembly reduces or eliminates of structural maintenance, has a design that is relatively simple, robust and versatile, and is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install.
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
As best illustrated in
The assembly 20 as illustrated is rectangular in shape having four sides. This shape however may have any number of sides and may thus be any number of shapes including, for example, a triangle or hexagon. The assembly 20 is self-flashing for the prevention of water seepage beneath the siding, and has a base member 22 and a trim member 24 that preferably snap fits to the base member generally along an axis 26. The base member 22 fastens to a substructure (shown in
Referring to
Preferably the outer wall 30 of the base member 22 has a substantially planar first section 42, a second section 44, a third section 46 and a fourth section 48. When the assembly 20 is in a vertical position 50 (i.e. the second and fourth sections 44, 48 are longer than the first and third sections 42, 46) and as illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
The channeling features 74 and generally those located on the first or top section 42 direct any water over the distal edge 34 of the outer wall 30 and cascade the water downward and upon the first segment 64 of the mating wall 60 of the trim member 24. The continuous mating wall 60 laterally projects axially inward with respect to axis 26 and to a continuous distal edge 80 of the wall. A dam flange 82 of the trim member 24 projects radially outward from the distal edge 80 for preventing collected water from cascading downward over the edge 80 of the mating wall. Two end dams 84, 86 project outward from each segment 64, 66, 68, 70 near the corners 65, 67, 69, 71 for preventing the collected water from cascading downward over the corners (e.g. corners 65, 71 as illustrated in the presently selected assembly orientation 50). This trapped water is then diverted through first and second weeping holes 88, 90 that communicating through the facial plate 62 of the trim member 24. Each planar segment 64, 66, 68, 70 is associated with a respective pair of the holes 88, 90.
The width or height of the rear dam, or dam flange 82 is a function of the amount of waterflow that is expected to fall onto the outer wall 30 of the base member 22 from above during rainfall. A wider horizontal section of the outer wall 30 will collect more rainfall and thus require a higher dam flange 82. The rear dam 82 and end dams 84, 86 form a trough on each of the sections 64, 66, 68, 70. The height of the dam flange 82 generally matches the gap or distance 38 between the inner and outer walls 32, 30 of the base member 22. In this way, water cannot escape off of the top of the mating wall 60 except through the weep holes 88, 90.
Since the outer perimeter of the facial plate 62 extends over the top of the siding that is further abutted to the plurality of ribs 74 of the base member 22, water diverted by the ribs 74, through the weep holes 88, 90 and out onto the front surface of the facial plate 62 will drip off of the lower edge of the facial plate and back out onto the surface of the siding where it can continue its downward flow without seepage behind the siding. Regardless of how the installer orientates the assembly 20, water will properly be diverted. Preferably, the weep holes 88, 90 are bound by a rim 98 for preventing water that is flowing down the outward surface of the facial plate 62 from entering into the unused weep holes below.
Referring to
Referring to
While the forms of the invention herein disclosed constitute a presently preferred embodiments, many others are possible. It is not intended herein to mention all the possible equivalent forms or ramification of the invention. It is understood that terms used herein are merely descriptive, rather than limiting, and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
The instant application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/759,651, filed Jan. 17, 2006, the entire specification of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
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