Synthetic resin structures and mountings for such structures
Structures composed of synthetic resin materials having surfaces textured to imitate wood are presented formed by processing allowing folding to create seamless profiles. Examples include corner boards and load-bearing designs including railing assemblies.
The present invention relates generally to building materials, and more specifically to processing methods and aesthetically pleasing load-bearing structural designs using synthetic resin based imitation wood products such as, for example, trimboard composed of a laminated polyvinyl.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn home construction finishing, wood is often used due to its workability, economy, structural strength and desired appearance. However, wood is susceptible to a number of potential dangers that may shortly degrade its structural fitness and aesthetic appearance. For example, the effects of moisture, changing temperatures, UV light and insects may cause wood used in a very visible location to swell, rot, split, cup, craze or weaken.
Imitation wood products have been developed from synthetic resins such as, for example, cellular polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials, and are being marketed for use as trimboards, cornerboards and/or beadboards. Such materials have characteristics including water and insect resistance, fire retardance, and workability with the same tools as would be used with wood. They are typically comprised of cellular plastic cores and densified covering layers that impart the appearance of wood grain to the synthetic resin workpiece. The cellular synthetic resins are commonly referred to as “structural foam material” or “integral foam material”. A wide range of resins can be used, but preferred are polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polycarbonate and the like. Some examples of commercially available synthetic resin based products include KOMA™ (U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,944) trimboards marketed and distributed by Kömmerling Kunststoff GmbH (Huntsville, Ala., www.komatrimboards.com, www.kommerling.com), and AZEK™ trimboards manufactured by Vycom Corp. (Moosic, Pa., www.azek.com.)
Such synthetic resin products are commercially available in widths ranging from ⅝″ to 5/4″, which is perfectly acceptable for trim applications, but there is an unsatisfied need for building materials having the excellent properties of such synthetic resin products in certain load-bearing applications such as, for example, railings, fences, gazebos, etc. The strength requirements of such structures has typically necessitated use of traditional building materials, but many of the synthetic resin based products have specific gravities (e.g., 0.45 to 1.5 gm/cm3) comparable to real wood.
Pleasing aesthetics drives much of consumer choices in selecting building materials. Fasteners such as screws, nails and bolts that are externally viewable in finished constructions are needed when using many types of conventional building materials. The resiliency of synthetic resin materials allows certain manipulations that are not possible with real wood products. Advantageously employing such processing of the synthetic resin boards to create structures which show little to no signs of external fasteners in structural applications would therefore most likely be met with customer approval and demand.
It is an objective of the present invention to address these unmet needs. It is additionally an objective of the present invention to provide several structural designs that eliminate the need for externally viewable fasteners and associated mechanical supports that enable use of the synthetic resin based products in load-bearing structures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe inventor has developed implementations and accessories for the synthetic resin based boards described above. The present invention provides inventive methods for producing a polyvinyl product meeting the needs described above, and structural assemblies that enable use in structures such as, for example, pergolas, picket fences, railings, gazebos, etc. Such plastics can be assembled on site using lower level labor and even ordinary consumer skills, and structures having enhanced aesthetics can be easily transported, assembled and disassembled.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing a synthetic resin based support member that in some embodiments is formed of a laminate material that is highly durable, aesthetically pleasing, and suitable for construction projects wherein no screws or nails are externally visible. In preferred embodiments, the invention makes use of PVC-based trim board materials that are commercially available in varying thicknesses that may, if necessary, be mitered or otherwise processed to form laminates comprised of adhered trim board layers. Various means of adhering the trimboards may be employed. Such laminates exhibit increased stiffness and strength, as well as an improved resistance to microcracking after a prolonged period of use in the field. The composite structure also generally exhibits an increased longitudinal shear strength. The structure also exhibits increased axial load strength proportional to the thickness and number of trimboard layers employed. After formation, the composite laminate may then be employed as workable components in a wide range of assemblies.
In another aspect, the present invention provides various means of using the laminate in structures such as railings with increased structural support. In one embodiment, sections of laminate intended to be used as hand rail supports are reinforced with rigid segments of material such as aluminum.
In another aspect, the present invention provides various means for attaching trimboards composed of any material, advantageously the inventive laminates but not limited to said laminate materials, to corners or windows in a manner in which no fasteners (e.g., nails or screws) are externally visible. These embodiments employ rigid clip mechanisms that allow use of trimboards in both new constructions and retrofits, and provide increased stability to structures such as windows over existing window trim installations, which typically simply abut the window.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides railing assemblies that have reinforcing cores within foldable sheath-like hollow railing columns or posts, such as may be used in decking. The hollow post may have any cross-sectional shape, but is preferably square or rectangular. The reinforcing core may be used with posts formed of the inventive laminate so as to show no external screws or nails, or may be used more generally with other building materials. The reinforcing core makes use of a plurality of symmetrically disposed positioning screws to properly orient the post it is reinforcing. The reinforcing core also includes a bottom plate for securing the reinforcing core to a floor, ground or deck surface.
Common to each application of the synthetic resin (e.g., KOMA or AZEK) workpieces having imitation wood textures surfaces is the ability to be able to fold the workpiece so as to form seamless, non-planar profiles. Each workpiece has at least one joint at which the workpiece is foldable. Each joint includes a (e.g., mitered or otherwise formed) groove in the workpiece defined by two mateable surfaces that converge at a central axis of the joint very near the surface with the imitation wood texture. In preferred embodiments, each of these mateable surfaces interlock so that slippage does not occur.
In various embodiments, the workpieces are foldable into support members having a variety of solid or hollow polygonal cross sectional areas or other structural assemblies. One example is a corner trim assembly that exhibits a seamless profile and no externally viewable fasteners. In such an assembly, the workpiece is foldable at a right angle so as to form a seamless corner trim profile having an imitation wood texture. The corner board may be glued or cemented to a building surface, or one or more rigid, preferably metallic, clips may be employed to secure the corner board to the building's surface with no external evidence of fasteners. This is achieve by locating a portion of the clip(s) attached to the corner board underneath preexisting or to be installed siding or shingling. Each such clip is comprised of a thin plate, one portion of which is positioned between the corner board and the building surface, and another portion of which is secured to the building surface but hidden from external view by shingling or siding that is temporaily removed during a retrofit or to be added in new constructions. Each of the clips also has at least one flange extending normal to the plate surface that snugly fits or snaps into a corresponding one of the at least one recess in each of the two workpiece surfaces. Other means of fastening or adhering the plate to the corner board and/or building surface, such as gluing or cementing, may be used alternatively or additionally.
In a preferred embodiment, each surface internal to the fold (i.e., on the surface of the corner board adjacent the building) has a plurality of recesses or grooves parallel to the joint along the length of the corner trim board. These recesses and grooves may be dimensioned slightly wider internally than at the surface in order to more securely receive the corresponding flanges of the clips, which terminate in nubs or tines.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGFor a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawing and detailed description, wherein:
FIGS. 2A,B are schematic diagrams of a railing system in accordance with the present invention;
FIGS. 3A,B are schematic diagrams of a support column component in a railing assembly;
FIGS. 7A-C are schematic illustrations of components of a post reinforcement mechanism in accordance with the present invention;
FIGS. 8A-B are top and side views of a trimboard corner mounting assembly in accordance with the present invention; and
FIGS. 9A-E are schematic illustrations of the components of a window trim mounting assembly in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTIONPreferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the several figures of the drawing.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing a laminate material that is highly durable, aesthetically pleasing, and suitable for construction projects wherein no screws or nails are externally visible.
The invention makes use of PVC-based trimboard materials, such as those described above, in their commercially available sizes (i.e., up to 1″ thick) to create a multilayer laminate comprised of multiple layers of the trimboard. With reference to
A fine bead of adhesive 4 is preferentially placed along the center 6 of the planar interface 8 between adjacent trimboards, in such a manner as to prevent excess adhesive from seeping out from the layer between any two trimboards. The cited adhesives are also easily sanded, which may be necessary following a laminate cutting operation. The trimboard surfaces at the laminate interface may be smoothed mechanically or chemically, or otherwise processed, to maximize delamination resistance.
A composite laminate structure 10 prepared in accordance with this invention exhibits an increased stiffness and strength in a direction normal to the planar interface between trimboards, as well as an improved resistance to microcracking after a prolonged period of use in the field. The composite structure also generally exhibits an increased longitudinal shear strength. The structure also exhibits increased axial load strength proportional to the thickness and number of trimboard layers employed.
After formation, the composite laminate may then be employed as workable components in a wide range of assemblies. One such assembly, a railing system, is now described with the assistance of
With reference to FIGS. 7A-C, the present invention also provides a reinforcement mechanism 124 that is especially suited, though not limited, to providing reinforcement to support columns having a hollow core (such as reflected by reference character 34 of column 30 in
With reference to FIGS. 8A-B, the present invention also provides a means for mounting trimboard such as the laminate described above to corners of structures such as houses in a manner that no nails or screws are external exposed.
The present invention also provides a means for installing new or retrofitting any type of trim around windows in a more secure manner, and in a manner that overcomes limitations of conventional window trim. Conventional window trim is limited to configurations that abut the window. If an installer wishes to more tightly secure the trim to a window, the installer of conventional trim will most likely have to drill into the window, having the economic consequence of voiding the window manufacturer's warranty. Additionally, installers are currently limited to installing only the trim provided by the window manufacturer. The present invention allows installation of any style and/or quality of trim to any window.
With reference to FIGS. 9A-E, a window trim mounting assembly is comprised of one or more pairs of brackets 150, 152 for securely mounting a window trimboard 154 to a window 156. The first bracket applied is bracket 152. Some windows, notably ANDERSON WINDOWS™, are assemble with a groove 160, such as shown in a top view of the mounting assembly in
Although the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it should be realized this invention is also capable of a wide variety of further and other embodiments within the spirit and scope of this invention.
Claims
1. A synthetic resin workpiece having a surface with an imitation wood texture and at least one joint at which the workpiece is foldable so as to form a seamless, non-planar profile with an imitation wood texture.
2. The synthetic resin workpiece of claim 1, wherein the at least one joint at which the workpiece is foldable includes a groove in workpiece defined by two mateable surfaces that converge at a central axis of the joint very near the surface with the imitation wood texture.
3. The synthetic resin workpiece of claim 2, wherein the two mateable surfaces interlock to form a support member with enhanced shear strength.
4. The synthetic resin workpiece of claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin workpiece comprises KOMA or AZEK trim boards.
5. The synthetic resin workpiece of claim 4, composed of a laminate of at least two trim boards adhered together.
6. The synthetic resin workpiece of claim 1, wherein the workpiece is foldable into a support member having a solid polygonal cross sectional area.
7. The synthetic resin workpiece of claim 1, wherein the workpiece is foldable into a support member having a hollow polygonal cross sectional area.
8. A corner trim assembly exhibiting a seamless profile and no externally viewable fasteners, comprising:
- a synthetic resin workpiece having a surface with an imitation wood texture and a joint at which the workpiece is foldable at a right angle so as to form a seamless corner trim board with an imitation wood texture; and
- means for securing the seamless corner trim board to a corner of a building structure.
9. The corner trim assembly of claim 8, wherein
- the corner trim board includes at least one recess in each of the two workpiece
- surfaces internal to the fold; and
- the securing means comprises at least two fasteners, at least two rigid clips each further comprising a thin plate, one portion of which intended for positioning between one of the internal workpiece surfaces and a surface of the corner of the building, and another portion of which includes a hole adapted to receive the at least one fastener for fastening the plate to the surface of the corner of the building and intended for positioning between the surface of the corner of the building and existing building shingling or siding and to be hidden from external view by said shingling or siding, and at least one flange extending normal to the plate surface that snugly fits into a corresponding one of the at least one recess in each of the two workpiece surfaces.
10. The corner trim assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one recess in each of the two workpiece surfaces internal to the fold comprise two sets of intermittent grooves parallel to the joint along the length of the corner trim board.
11. The corner trim assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the at least one flange terminates in a nub or tine for further assuring a snug fit of the flange in the corresponding groove.
12. The corner trim assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one joint at which the workpiece is foldable includes a groove in workpiece defined by two mateable surfaces that converge at a central axis of the joint very near the surface with the imitation wood texture.
13. The corner trim assembly of claim 8, wherein the synthetic resin workpiece comprises KOMA or AZEK trim boards.
14. The corner trim assembly of claim 8, wherein the synthetic resin workpiece comprises a laminate has been formed by adhering at least two trim boards together.
15. A railing arrangement having no externally viewable fasteners, comprising:
- a vertical support column having a hollow core and polygonal cross sectional area near-seamless surface with an imitation wood texture and formed of a synthetic resin workpiece including a plurality of joints at which the workpiece is foldable; and
- means for adhering two non-continuous ends of the workpiece.
16. The railing arrangement of claim 15, further including at least one notch in the vertical column dimensioned to receive an end of a horizontal railing.
17. The railing arrangement of claim 15, further including at least one hole through which a fastener is partially passable for attachment from within the hollow core to an end of a horizontal railing.
18. The railing arrangement of claim 15, wherein the at least one joint at which the workpiece is foldable includes a groove in workpiece defined by two mateable surfaces that converge at a central axis of the joint very near the surface with the imitation wood texture.
19. The railing arrangement of claim 15, wherein the synthetic resin workpiece comprises KOMA or AZEK trim boards.
20. The railing arrangement of claim 15, wherein the synthetic resin workpiece comprises a laminate of at least two trim boards adhered together.
21. The railing arrangement of claim 15, further comprising a column cap composed of synthetic resin having an imitation wood texture and having a bottom flange dimensioned so as to mate securely with the hollow core of the support column.
22. The railing arrangement of claim 15, further comprising a handrail assembly including:
- a rectangular horizontal member composed of synthetic resin with an external surface having imitation wood texture secured to the vertical support column;
- a top handrail composed of synthetic resin with an external surface having imitation wood texture and supported by the rectangular horizontal member including a lengthwise recess dimensioned to receive a top section of the rectangular horizontal member; and
- one or more rigid U-shaped elements disposed between and secured to both the rectangular horizontal member and the top handrail providing transaxial support to the handrail assembly.
23. The railing arrangement of claim 15, further comprising:
- a bottom plate securable to the surface upon which the railing arrangement is to be supported, the plate having a relatively flat plate surface and plurality of flanges extending vertically normal to the plate surface;
- a rigid core column dimensioned to fit within the hollow core of the vertical support column and affixed through secure contact with the flanges of the bottom plate, the rigid core column being hollow itself and having a plurality of threaded holes disposed about the perimeter of the rigid core column near the top of the rigid core column; and
- a corresponding plurality of leveling screws, each partially passed and screwed secure through one of the plurality of threaded holes, the end of each leveling screw contacting the inner surface of the hollow core of the vertical support column so as to provide lateral support to said vertical column.
24. The railing arrangement of claim 15, further comprising a carriage bolt for securing the bottom plate to the surface upon which the railing arrangement is to be supported.
25. A support arrangement for a window frame, comprising:
- a first rigid J-shaped clip for cooperatively securing a window trim board to a surface of a building and to a window frame; and
- a second rigid J-shaped clip for cooperatively securing a window frame to the surface of the building.
Type: Application
Filed: May 14, 2004
Publication Date: Jun 28, 2007
Inventor: Daniel Andrade (Raynham, MA)
Application Number: 10/556,443
International Classification: D06N 3/00 (20060101);