Drained and Back Ventilated Thin Composite Wall Cladding System
A wall panel includes a panel body, a first jamb clip, a second jamb clip, a bottom member, and an attachment clip. The first jamb clip is positioned adjacent to a right side of the panel body and the second jamb clip is positioned adjacent to a left side of the panel body. The first and second jamb clips are each configured to receive a portion of a spline. The bottom member has an engagement portion and is positioned adjacent to a bottom end of the panel body. The attachment clip is positioned adjacent to an upper end of the panel body and has an engagement receiving portion configured to engage an engagement portion of an adjacent panel. The bottom end of the panel body is configured to define a ventilation gap when joined to an adjacent panel.
Latest CENTRIA Patents:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/326,061, filed Apr. 20, 2010, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward composite wall panel systems and, more particularly, towards drained and back ventilated composite wall panel systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Thin composite architectural wall panels are generally manufactured by laminating metal skins to a plastic core. These sheets are typically shipped to a fabricator where they are cut to size and routed so as to return the edges around the perimeter. Typically, extrusions are fabricated and applied to the panel perimeter to create panel joinery. Also, stiffeners are typically applied in the field of the panel, i.e., the major flattened portion, to reduce the bowing of the thin panel under load. The terms “thin composite panel” and “thin composite architectural panel” generally relate to a genre of architectural panels, configured substantially as described above, where a thickness dimension as measured between opposing faces in the field of the panel can generally be between about 4 mm and about 8 mm, though a greater range of thicknesses, such as less than about 15 mm or less than about 10 mm are also utilized.
Referring to
A wall panel includes a panel body, a first jamb clip, a second jamb clip, a bottom member, and an attachment clip. The first jamb clip is positioned adjacent to a right side of the panel body and the second jamb clip is positioned adjacent to a left side of the panel body. The first and second jamb clips are configured to receive a portion of a spline. The bottom member has an engagement portion and is positioned adjacent to a bottom end of the panel body. The attachment clip is positioned adjacent to an upper end of the panel body and has an engagement receiving portion configured to engage an engagement portion of an adjacent panel. The bottom end of the panel body is configured to define a ventilation gap when joined to an adjacent panel.
The engagement portion of the bottom member may extend upward, and the engagement receiving portion of the attachment clip may comprise a downwardly opening channel. The engagement portion of the bottom member may also extend downward, and the engagement receiving portion of the attachment clip may comprise an upwardly opening channel. The wall panel may also include a rail member positioned adjacent to an upper end of the panel body with the panel body positioned between the attachment clip and the rail member. The rail member may have an extension that extends outward and the rail member and the attachment clip may have cooperating engagement member. The wall panel may include a stiffener secured to the panel body and the stiffener may be secured to the bottom member via a stiffener clip. The stiffener clip may have an extension extending downward and the extension may engage a stiffener receiving portion of the bottom member. An upper portion of the stiffener clip may be secured to the stiffener via a fastener. The stiffener may extend along a longitudinal direction of the panel body. The upper end of the panel may include a return portion configured to define a horizontal drain shelf. The return portion of the upper end of the panel may be L-shaped in cross-section.
In another embodiment, a wall panel system includes a first panel having a bottom member positioned adjacent to a bottom end of the first panel, and a second panel positioned adjacent to the first panel and defining a horizontal joint. The second panel has an attachment clip positioned adjacent to an upper end of the second panel. The attachment clip engages the bottom member, and the bottom end of the first panel and the upper end of the second panel define a ventilation gap.
The second panel may have a rail member positioned adjacent to the upper end of the second panel with the rail member having an extension that extends outward and the extension defining an upper end of the ventilation gap and configured to deflect fluid entering the horizontal joint. The rail member and the attachment clip may each have an engagement member with the engagement members of the rail member and the attachment clip being engaged with each other. The bottom member may have an engagement portion and the attachment clip may have an engagement receiving portion with the engagement portion of the bottom member engaging the engagement receiving member of the attachment clip. The first panel may have a jamb clip positioned adjacent to a right side of the first panel with the jamb clip configured to receive a portion of a spline. The wall panel system may further include a third panel positioned adjacent to the first panel and defining a vertical joint. The first panel and the third panel may each have a jamb clip positioned adjacent to the vertical joint with the respective jamb clips of the first and third panels defining a receptor. The wall panel system may also include a spline received by the receptor.
In a further embodiment, a wall panel system includes a panel having a first jamb clip positioned adjacent to a right side of the panel, a second jamb clip positioned adjacent to a left side of the panel, a bottom member positioned adjacent to a bottom end of the panel and between the first and second jamb clips, an attachment clip positioned adjacent to an upper end of the panel, and a stiffener extending along a longitudinal direction of the panel body. The wall panel system also includes a support and a stiffener clip having a stiffener receiving portion. The stiffener clip is secured to the support and the stiffener receiving portion engages the stiffener. The stiffener may be positioned at about a midpoint of a short dimension of the panel.
The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures. For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “right”, “left”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as it is oriented in the drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative variations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is to be understood that the specific apparatus illustrated in the attached figures and described in the following specification is simply an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.
Referring to
The attachment clip 42 is positioned between the bottom member 20 and the rail 32 at the support 16. The return portion 46 of the panel 14 is positioned between the attachment clip 42 and the rail 32. The attachment clip 42 includes an upper engagement member 48 and an engagement receiving portion 50. The upper engagement member 48 of the attachment clip 42 is received by the engagement portion 38 of the rail 32 and the engagement portion 24 of the bottom member 20 is received by the engagement receiving portion 50. In particular, the engagement portion 24 of the bottom member 20 extends generally upward to be received and engaged by the engagement receiving portion 50 of the attachment clip 42 thereby securing the upper panel 12 to the attachment clip 42. The engagement receiving portion 50 is a channel that opens downward and includes a ledge for engaging the engagement portion 24. The engagement portion 24 and the engagement receiving portion 50 may be secured to each other through cooperating structure, such as through a friction fit arrangement, detent arrangement, or any other suitable arrangement.
Referring again to
The return portion 46 of the upper end 34 of the lower panel 14 is generally L-shaped and defines a horizontal water shedding drain shelf. Further, the upper end 34 of the panel 14 and the rail 32 generally define a Z-shape at the horizontal joint 18. Water that may enter the horizontal joint 18 will contact the horizontal drain shelf and will be directed back out of the horizontal joint 18. As discussed above, the lower panel 14 is positively fastened to the support 16 and captures the lower panel 14 and the rail 32 such that wall panel system 10 does not have to solely rely upon adhesives to hold the panel 14 onto the rail 32. Further, as shown more clearly in
Referring to
The lower panel 114 is secured to the support 116 via an attachment clip 142. In particular, a fastener 144 extends through the attachment clip 142, through a return portion 146 of the lower panel 114, through the rail 132 and into the support 116. The attachment clip 142 is positioned between the bottom member 120 and the rail 132 at the support 116. The attachment clip 142 includes an upper engagement portion 148 and an engagement receiving portion 150. The upper engagement portion 148 of the attachment clip 142 is received by the engagement portion 138 of the rail 132 and the engagement portion 124 of the bottom member 120 is received by the engagement receiving portion 150. In particular, the engagement portion 124 of the bottom member 120 extends generally downward to be received and engaged by the engagement receiving portion 150 of the attachment clip 142. The engagement receiving portion 150 is a channel that opens upward and includes a ledge for engaging the engagement portion 124. The engagement portion 124 and the engagement receiving portion 150 may be secured to each other through cooperating structure, such as through a friction fit arrangement, detent arrangement, or any other suitable arrangement. Accordingly, the upper panel 112 may be dropped into place with the engagement portion 124 of the bottom member 120 being received and engaged by the engagement receiving portion 150 of the attachment clip 142 thereby securing the upper panel 112 to the attachment clip 142.
Referring again to
The primary difference between the wall panel system 10 shown in
Referring to
As shown in
The wall panel systems 10, 110 show stiffeners 52, 64, 152, 164 extending in a vertical direction or parallel to the vertical edge of the panels 12, 14, 112, 114. The wall panel system 172 shows stiffeners 211 extending in a horizontal direction or parallel to a horizontal edge of the panels 174, 176. A wall panel having the horizontal joint arrangements shown in
Referring to
Referring again to
Referring to
While several embodiments were described in the foregoing detailed description, those skilled in the art may make modifications and alterations to these embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive.
Claims
1. A wall panel comprising:
- a panel body;
- a first jamb clip positioned adjacent to a right side of the panel body;
- a second jamb clip positioned adjacent to a left side of the panel body, the first and second jamb clips each configured to receive a portion of a spline;
- a bottom member positioned adjacent to a bottom end of the panel body, the bottom member having an engagement portion; and
- an attachment clip positioned adjacent to an upper end of the panel body, the attachment clip having an engagement receiving portion configured to engage an engagement portion of an adjacent panel, the bottom end of the panel body configured to define a ventilation gap when joined to an adjacent panel.
2. The wall panel of claim 1, wherein the engagement portion of the bottom member extends upward, and wherein the engagement receiving portion of the attachment clip comprises a downwardly opening channel.
3. The wall panel of claim 1, wherein the engagement portion of the bottom member extends downward, and wherein the engagement receiving portion of the attachment clip comprises an upwardly opening channel.
4. The wall panel of claim 1, further comprising a rail member positioned adjacent to an upper end of the panel body, the panel body positioned between the attachment clip and the rail member.
5. The wall panel of claim 4, wherein the rail member has an extension that extends outward.
6. The wall panel of claim 4, wherein the rail member and the attachment clip have cooperating engagement members.
7. The wall panel of claim 1, further comprising a stiffener secured to the panel body, the stiffener secured to the bottom member via a stiffener clip.
8. The wall panel of claim 7, wherein the stiffener clip has an extension extending downward, the extension engaging a stiffener receiving portion of the bottom member.
9. The wall panel of claim 7, wherein an upper portion of the stiffener clip is secured to the stiffener via a fastener.
10. The wall panel of claim 1, wherein the upper end of the panel includes a return portion configured to define a horizontal drain shelf.
11. The wall panel of claim 10, wherein the return portion of the upper end of the panel is L-shaped in cross-section.
12. A wall panel system comprising:
- a first panel having a bottom member positioned adjacent to a bottom end of the first panel;
- a second panel positioned adjacent to the first panel and defining a horizontal joint, the second panel having an attachment clip positioned adjacent to an upper end of the second panel,
- wherein the attachment clip engages the bottom member, and wherein the bottom end of the first panel and the upper end of the second panel define a ventilation gap.
13. The wall panel system of claim 12, wherein the second panel has a rail member positioned adjacent to the upper end of the second panel, the rail member having an extension that extends outward, the extension defining an upper end of the ventilation gap and being configured to deflect fluid entering the horizontal joint.
14. The wall panel system of claim 13, wherein the rail member and the attachment clip each have an engagement member, the engagement members of the rail member and the attachment clip being engaged with each other.
15. The wall panel system of claim 12, wherein the bottom member has an engagement portion and the attachment clip has an engagement receiving portion, the engagement portion of the bottom member engaging the engagement receiving member of the attachment clip.
16. The wall panel system of claim 12, wherein the first panel has a jamb clip positioned adjacent to a right side of the first panel, the jamb clip configured to receive a portion of a spline.
17. The wall panel system of claim 12, further comprising a third panel positioned adjacent to the first panel and defining a vertical joint, the first panel and the third panel each having a jamb clip positioned adjacent to the vertical joint, the respective jamb clips of the first and third panels defining a receptor that receives a spline.
18. The wall panel system of claim 12, wherein the upper end of the second panel includes a return portion configured to define a horizontal drain shelf.
19. A wall panel system comprising:
- a panel having a first jamb clip positioned adjacent to a right side of the panel, a second jamb clip positioned adjacent to a left side of the panel, a bottom member positioned adjacent to a bottom end of the panel and between the first and second jamb clips, an attachment clip positioned adjacent to an upper end of the panel, and a stiffener extending along a longitudinal direction of the panel body;
- a support; and
- a stiffener clip having a stiffener receiving portion,
- wherein the stiffener clip is secured to the support and the stiffener receiving portion engages the stiffener.
20. The wall panel system of claim 19, wherein the stiffener is positioned at about a midpoint of a short dimension of the panel.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 19, 2011
Publication Date: Oct 20, 2011
Applicant: CENTRIA (Moon Township, PA)
Inventors: Keith D. Boyer (Moon Township, PA), Dario Giandomenico (Mt. Lebanon, PA), Ralph A. Bertram (Avalon, PA)
Application Number: 13/089,625
International Classification: E04B 1/70 (20060101); E04B 1/38 (20060101);