Patent Application
20110023396
The present invention relates generally to wall and roof coverings primarily intended for outdoor usage, and more particularly, to wall coverings comprised of relatively large panels which each are molded or otherwise formed with simulated building elements, and particularly building elements in the form of simulated hand laid masonry, such as stone or brick.
Various synthetic roof and wall coverings are known, such as those formed of elongated thermoplastic wall panels that are nailed or screwed to a wall or support surface in horizontal courses or rows in partially overlapping relation to each other so as to provide a substantially water repellant, protective layer over the support surface. Such panels, which usually are identically molded, commonly are formed with a plurality of horizontal rows of simulated building elements. Since the panels are identically molded, a panel-to-panel identity can be easily noticed if the panels are not carefully installed, which can be tedious and time consuming.
Concealing the panel-to-panel identity of panels formed with simulated hand laid stone or brick patterns has been particularly difficult. In an effort to conceal the juncture between rows of simulated masonry of adjacently mounted panels, it is known to stagger the length of the rows of the simulated masonry of each panel, and to interlock the rows of adjacent panels by forming a small slot in the underside of the masonry element of one row which receives a side flange of an adjacently mounted panel. Because of the small depth of the flange receiving slot, particularly with the shorter height simulated stone or brick, the tooling required during injection molding of the panel must be so thin that it can be subjected to warpage or breakage, causing variances in formation of the slot that can impede the precision by which the panels can be inter-engaged, resulting in unslightly and unnatural gaps between the simulated masonry of the adjacent panels. Moreover, because the simulated hand-laid stone or brick are separated by simulated mortar lines, irregular or inconsistent gaps between the stone or brick at adjoining ends of the panels that are not consistent with the mortar lines throughout the panel can be particularly noticeable.
A further problem with panels formed with such simulated masonry is that following plastic injection molding of the panel, the masonry elements and mortar lines must be separately painted. This often causes the simulated masonry to take a smooth, often shiny, appearance of the molded plastic which is not characteristic of natural stone or brick.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wall covering comprised of panels formed with rows of simulated masonry that can be installed with a more aesthetic and natural appearance.
Another object is to provide a wall covering as characterized above in which the gaps between stone or brick masonry of adjacently mounted panels can be more tightly and precisely controlled for a more natural appearance.
Still another object is to provide a wall covering of the above kind in which the gaps between the masonry of adjacently mounted panels is defined by naturally appearing mortar lines consistent with the mortar lines separating the stone or brick masonry throughout the panels.
Yet another object is to provide a wall covering of the foregoing type in which the mortar lines between masonry of adjacently mounted panels enhances the aesthetic appearance of the juncture between the rows of simulated masonry of adjacent panels, as well as the mating engagement of the adjacent panels.
Another object is to provide a wall covering having panels of the above type which are adapted for easier installation and which enable a more robust interlocking of overlapping side marginal regions of adjacent panels.
A further object is to provide such a wall panel which facilitates precise alignment of the rows of simulated building elements of adjacent panels as an incident to installation.
Still a further object is to provide a plastic wall panel of the foregoing type which can be economically molded with more reliable and easier to use tooling.
Yet another object is to provide a plastic injection molded panel that is painted with a finishing process that gives the panel a textured surface more characteristic of natural stone or brick.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which:
While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrative embodiment thereof has been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown an illustrative wall covering 10 comprising a plurality of panels 11 in accordance with the invention. The panels 11, which preferably are molded of thermoplastic material, are formed with a simulated stone and mortar design, typical of hand-laid stone masonry. The simulated stone 12 in this case is generally disposed in a plurality of parallel horizontal rows with the stones 12 being isolated from each other by simulated lines of mortar 14. The stones 12 protrude outwardly of the mortar lines 14, typical of hand-laid stone, and some of the simulated stones 12 in this instance have a width (i.e. a vertical dimension as viewed in
Each illustrated panel 11 has an upper horizontal marginal edge region 18 having a substantially uniform width extending across the top of the panel immediately above the top row of stone 12, a lower marginal edge region 19 which defines a lower peripheral edge of the simulated pattern, a side marginal edge region 20 located to the right-hand side of the last simulated stone 12 in each row, and a left side marginal edge region 21 on the opposite side of the panel 11. The left side marginal edge region 21 in this case is defined by the left hand edges of the stone in the respective rows, and the right marginal edge region 20 is defined by an irregular configured flange 27 that extends outwardly from the base of the stone at the right hand ends of the rows. The panels 11 are mounted on a support surface 22, which may be a wall of a house or other building structure, in horizontal courses with the right-side marginal edge region 20 in underlying relation to the left-side marginal edge region 21 of the panel immediately to the right thereof and with the lower marginal edge regions 19 of the panels in each course overlying the upper marginal edge regions 18 of the panels in a previously installed course immediately below. The panels 11 typically are mounted beginning with the left-hand panel of the lowermost course to be installed on the wall or roof, utilizing a bottom starter strip 31, as is known in the art (
For securing the panels 11 to the support surface 22, the upper marginal edge region 18 of each panel 11 has a mounting flange 23 parallel to the support surface 22 formed with a row of elongated laterally spaced nail or screw apertures 25. In order to provide firm support for the mounting flange 23 on the wall surface during fastening, the upper marginal edge region 18 in this instance is formed with a pair of rearwardly extending horizontal sealing flanges 26 which extend substantially the length of the upper marginal edge region 18 on top and bottom sides of the nailing apertures 25 (
In order to positively interlock the overlapping lower marginal edge region 19 of a panel 11 with an upper marginal edge region 18 of a previously mounted panel 11 when installing the next course of panels, each panel 11 is formed with a plurality of laterally spaced rearwardly and downwardly directed interlock flanges 30 on the underside of the lower marginal edge region 19 of the panel 11 (
In order for the mortar lines 14 of adjacent top and bottom panels 11 to adjoin each other in coplanar closely adjacent relation such that the simulated stone 12 of each of the panels has a substantially uniform depth for a more natural and aesthetic appearance, the lower marginal edge region 19 of the overlying panel 11 is formed with a tapered seating surface 35 (
To enable mounting of the panels 11 in side-by-side relation with the junctures between adjacent panels less noticeable to the eye, the rows of stone 12 of each panel 11 extend in offset relation to each other so as to define staggered left and right-hand sides of the panel. Nevertheless, as indicated above, heretofore it has been difficult to mold such panels in a manner that enabled reliable inter-engagement of the overlying side marginal edge regions without unsightly or unnatural gaps between the simulated masonry of the adjacently mounted panels.
In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the side marginal edge regions of adjacently mounted panels have an interlock arrangement which simultaneously aligns the panels during installation and which draws the side marginal edge regions into precise tight fitting relation that conceals the juncture between the adjoining panels and defines a naturally appearing mortar line between the simulated stone of the adjacent panels. To this end, the overlying left marginal edge region of each panel is formed with one or more depending hooks or standoffs that are engageable with respective outwardly opening slots in the underlying previously mounted panel which cooperate to align the overlying side marginal edge regions into precise relation to each other while simultaneously drawing the marginal edge regions into secure overlying engagement with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the overlying left side marginal edge region 21 is formed with a pair of outwardly facing hooks 40a, 40b depending from an underside thereof, and the right side marginal edge region 20 is formed with a corresponding pair of outwardly opening hook receiving slots 41a, 41b. The hooks 40a, 40b are disposed at predetermined lateral distances from the left marginal edge 21 of the simulated stone 12, and the hook receiving slots 41a, 41b are correspondingly located and formed in the right marginal edge flange. The hook receiving slot 41a in this case is formed in the edge of the flange 27, and the hook receiving slot 41b is formed in a larger recess 44 of the flange laterally inwardly up the slot 41a.
The hooks 40a, 40b have a rigid construction, comprising a support section 45 fixed in depending relation to the underside of the left side marginal edge region 21 and a pair of wings 46 extending outwardly from opposite sides of the support section 45. The support sections 45 in this instance each have an end wall 48 facing the outer perimeter of the side marginal edge region 21 and a pair of support legs 49 extending rearwardly of the end wall 48, with the wings 46 each extending outwardly from a respective leg 49 of the support section 45. For added rigidity, the legs 49 extend in rearwardly of the wings 46 and a vertical reinforcing plate 50 interconnects each wing 46 to the respective support leg 49.
For supporting the right side marginal edge region flange 27 in elevated relation to the support surface 22 on which the panels 10 are mounted and for rigidifying the interengagement between the panels 10, the right side marginal edge region 20 is formed with pairs of parallel depending flanges 54 on opposite sides of the hook receiving slots 41a, 41b which in this case extend horizontally. For maintaining the support flanges 54 in secure engaged relation to the support surface prior to installation of the next panel, the right side marginal edge region panel 20 is formed with one or more nailing apertures 53. The nailing apertures 55 in this case have an elongated configuration oriented at an acute angle to the horizontal for facilitating multidirectional temperature expansion or contraction.
For aligning the rows of simulated stone 12 of one panel 10 with the rows of simulated stone on a previously mounted panel as an incident to engagement of the hooks 40a, 40b with the hook receiving slots 41a, 41b during installation, the hook receiving slots 41a, 41b have a V-shaped configuration that narrows in a direction inwardly toward the edge of the panel 10. For ease of installation, the hooks 40a, 40b may be positioned into the wide mouths of the slots 41a, 41b, and lateral advancement of the hooks 40a, 40b into the slots 41a, 41b will simultaneously move the panel into aligned relation to the previously mounted panel. To facilitate such interengagement and alignment, the depending legs 49 of the hook support section 45 in this case also are angled with respect to each other in a general V configuration.
For drawing the side marginal edge regions 20, 21 firmly together as the overlying left marginal edge region 21 is moved into mating engagement with the previously mounted panel 10, the wings 46 are inclined at an acute angle to the substantially horizontal plane of the panel with a trailing end of each wing 46 being disposed more closely to the underside of the panel. It can be seen, therefore, that as the hooks 40a, 40b enter the respective slots 41a, 41b the leading edges of the wings 46 move under the right marginal edge region flange 27 with the taper of wings 46 drawing the side marginal edge regions into tight close-fitting relation with each other, as the sides of the V-shaped openings 41a, 41b simultaneously guide the hooks 40a, 40b into lateral aligned relation with the previously mounted panel such that the rows of simulated masonry of the adjacent panel, are directed into properly aligned relation to each other. For locating the left side marginal edge region 21 in predetermined overlying relation to the previously mounted panel, while permitting thermal expansion and contraction of the panels 20 in a horizontal direction, frangible locating pins 52 depend from the underside of the left side marginal edge region 21 which are engageable by the right side marginal edge region flange 27.
By virtue of the foregoing side interlock arrangement of the panels 10, it can be seen that the rows of simulated stone 12 of adjacent panels can be securely and precisely located with a gap corresponding in size to that of the mortar lines 14 throughout the panels. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the side alignment and locking feature may be efficiently and reliably produced by plastic injection molding. Since the side interlocks do not require a small slot or groove under the masonry building element, typical of the prior art, they may be produced without thin plate tooling that can be susceptible to warpage or breakage.
In keeping with a further aspect of the invention, the gaps between rows of simulated masonry of adjacent panels is defined by a non-planar or undulating mortar line 55 consistent with the mortar lines 14 throughout the panels, which further conceals the juncture between the panels 12 and which facilitates the interengagement of the panels at that juncture. In the illustrated embodiment, the right side marginal edge region flange 27 is formed with a slightly raised pad 56 adjacent to the periphery of the right hand ends of the simulated stone of each row, which has a non-planar undulating surface corresponding to that of the mortar lines 14 throughout the panel. The overlying left side marginal edge region 21 of each panel 10 further is formed with an undulating surface 58 complementing the surface of the pad 56. Mating of such corresponding and conforming undulating surfaces 56, 58 enable tight interfitting of the engagement panels without unsightly gaps between the mating side marginal edge regions. Instead, the mortar lines defined by the pad 56 closely follows the edges of the simulated stone 12 defined by the left side marginal edge 21 of the overlying panel and further enhance the interengagement of the overlying side marginal edge regions.
In keeping with the invention, the simulated masonry has a textured outer surface more characteristic of natural stone or brick. To this end, following molding of the plastic panels, the panels are coated with a paint mixed with suspended sand-like particles. The particles may be made of natural or man-made materials, preferably sized between 0.020 and 0.200 inches. The paint and particle mixture, which may be mixed with a suitable solvent as necessary, may be sprayed by conventional spray guns. As is known in the art, the outer faces of the stone and the separating mortar lines may be separately painted with different colors for the particular application. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the resulting roughened textured surface of the simulated masonry will more closely resemble, both in appearance and feel, natural hand laid masonry.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that a wall covering is provided that comprises plastic injection molded panels formed with rows of simulated masonry that can be efficiently installed with a more aesthetic and natural appearance. The spacing and alignment of simulated stone or brick of adjacently mounted panels can be more tightly and precisely controlled for a more natural appearance. The gaps between masonry of adjacently mounted panels, furthermore, is defined by mortar lines consistent with the mortar lines separating the stone or brick masonry throughout the panels. The simulated masonry further has a textured surface appearance more characteristic of natural stone or brick. Yet, the wall panels further are adapted for economical manufacture and more robust interlocking of overlapping side marginal edge regions of the panel.
