Claims
- 1. A method of manufacturing a reinforced exterior finishing panel comprising:
co-extruding an elongated thermoplastic sheet and an elongated reinforcing member, said elongated thermoplastic sheet including an outwardly-facing surface having an aesthetic appearance and an inwardly-facing surface; said elongated reinforcing member extruded along a portion of the length of said thermoplastic sheet, said elongated reinforcing member having a narrow thickness or diameter and distributed substantially along the length of the thermoplastic sheet, said elongated reinforcing member and said elongated thermoplastic sheet capable of being cut by a saw blade.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said elongated thermoplastic sheet and said elongated reinforcing member comprise polyvinyl chloride resin.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said elongated reinforcing member comprises a flexural modulus which is relatively greater than the flexural modulus of said thermoplastic sheet.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said elongated thermoplastic sheet comprises hook-and-groove fastening means extruded into its shape.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said elongated reinforcing member is co-extruded along an inwardly-facing surface of said elongated thermoplastic sheet.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said elongated reinforcing member is co-extruded proximate to said hook-and-groove fastening means.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said elongated reinforcing member comprises a strip of thermoplastic material.
- 8. An exterior finishing panel comprising:
an elongated thermoplastic sheet including an outwardly-facing surface having an aesthetic appearance and an inwardly-facing surface; an elongated reinforcing member having a narrow thickness or diameter bonded substantially along the exterior finishing panel by a melt bond, said panel and elongated reinforcing member capable of being cut by a saw blade.
- 9. The exterior finishing panel of claim 8, wherein said elongated reinforcing member comprises a flexural modulus which is relatively greater than the flexural modulus of said thermoplastic sheet.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/617,170, filed Jul. 17, 2000, which is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/411,482, filed Oct. 1, 1999; which is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/197,487, filed Nov. 20, 1998; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/644,135, filed May 10, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,247, issued on Nov. 24, 1998; which in turn is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/456,249 filed May 31, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,627, issued on Jun. 18, 1996; which in turn is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/171,726, filed on Dec. 22, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,839, issued on Oct. 31, 1995.
Divisions (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09411482 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Child |
09617170 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Parent |
09197487 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Child |
09411482 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Continuations (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09617170 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Child |
09757660 |
Jan 2001 |
US |
Parent |
08644135 |
May 1996 |
US |
Child |
09197487 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Parent |
08456249 |
May 1995 |
US |
Child |
08644135 |
May 1996 |
US |
Parent |
08171726 |
Dec 1993 |
US |
Child |
08456249 |
May 1995 |
US |