AU1325399A - Fascia assembly - Google Patents

Description

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2 FASCIA ASSEMBLY The present invention relates generally to a fascia assembly for buildings. The invention has particular application for fascia assemblies using metal fascia panels and the invention is herein described in that context.

However it is to be understood that the invention has broader application and is not limited to that particular use.

Fascias are widely used as part of building cladding. Fascias are used for asthetic reasons to provide a uniform exterior surface as well as for functional reasons such as weather proofing or the like. In a pitched roof construction where the roof overhangs the building wall to form an eave, a vertically disposed fascia panel is commonly located on the outer edge of the eave and overlies the outer edge of the roof rafters. The fascia panel is normally secured to the rafters either by direct fixing or by a concealed fixing arrangement incorporating brackets which are fastened to the rafters. The fascia assembly also often includes a soffit panel which extends from the outer edge of the eave to the building wall. The soffit panels are often supported at their outer edge by connection to the fascia panel and are typically received in a groove formed in the fascia panel.

Fascia panels are usually formed from sheet material such as timber, metal or a composite material or the like. Metal fascia panels have the advantage that they are more durable than traditional timber panels and require less maintenance. Furthermore, they can be formed on site in indefinite lengths and can be easily colour matched to the roofing material, particularly 25 when metal roofing is used.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a fascia assembly which includes a fascia panel and a soffit panel. The fascia panel includes a soffit groove adapted to receive an edge region of the soffit panel. The soffit groove is configured as an open channel having a peripheral wall defining the channel.

In it broadest terms, this aspect of the invention is characterised in that the soffit panel, when located within the groove in an installed orientation, is engagable with the peripheral wall in a manner that inhibits release of the soffit panel from the soffit groove in a lateral direction through the channel opening.

516899 3 In the past, the soffit groove has been designed so that the fascia panel can provide vertical support for the edge of the soffit panel and is configured such that the soffit panel can be easily located within the groove to allow for ease of installation. As a result, in the previous designs, the fascia panel provides vertical support for the soffit panel but does not inhibit release in a lateral direction of the soffit panel from the soffit groove.

In contrast, the fascia assembly of the present invention is specifically designed so as to inhibit the release of the soffit panel from the soffit groove in a lateral direction. This has substantially practical benefit. In particular, the soffit panel is typically independently fastened to the building structure and therefore allows the fascia panel to be laterally restrained with respect to the building structure along it's entire length by the improved connection between the fascia panel and the soffit panel. Further, providing this improved connection through engagement of the peripheral wall with the soffit panel, obviates the need for any separate fastener which would complicate the installation process.

In a preferred form, at least one of the peripheral wall or the soffit panel is arranged to deform on locating the soffit panel within the groove in its installed orientation. This deforming of the fascia assembly may result in an interference fit between the fascia panel and the soffit panel or may result in the soffit panel being "keyed" into the groove of the fascia panel, or a combination of both.

:In a particularly preferred form, the soffit groove is configured such that the soffit panel can be easily inserted into the groove at an intermediate o 25 orientation which is different from it's installed orientation. Movement of the soffit panel from it's intermediate orientation to it's installed orientation causes the required engagement between the fascia panel and the soffit panel to inhibit the release of the soffit panel from the soffit groove.

This arrangement has the advantage that it allows for ease of installation of the soffit panel. The soffit panel can locate easily within the soffit groove.

Also, locating the soffit panel in the groove at an angle to its installed orientation is usually more convenient in light of the space requirements in the roof structure. Once inserted in the groove in the fascia panel, the soffit panel 516899 4 can be rotated into its installed position and secured by fasteners or like to the building structure.

The angle of movement between the intermediate orientation and the installed orientation may vary but would typically be in the range of 100 to 400.

This range allows for sufficient movement to enable the peripheral wall to engage sufficiently with the soffit panel, and also takes into account the space provided in a typical roof structure to locate the soffit panel in place.

A further advantage of providing this angular movement of the soffit panel from it's intermediate orientation to it's installed orientation is that it enables the soffit panel to be installed at different angular positions relative to the fascia panel. This allows more versatility in the use of the fascia assembly.

In the arrangement where the fascia assembly is adapted to deform to provide the required engagement, the soffit panel acts as a lever through this angular movement and thereby facilitates the required deformation to the peripheral wall or the soffit panel. Furthermore, the deformation may occur over the majority of this angular movement of the soffit panel thereby enabling the enhanced connection between the soffit panel and the fascia panel to occur over this range of angular orientations of the soffit panel.

In one form, the fascia panel includes a body portion which extends between upper and lower edge regions of the panel. The body portion has an outwardly facing surface which forms at least part of the exterior surface of the panel. In one form, the upper region of the panel includes engagement means :to interconnect the fascia panel to the building structure.

Engagement of the fascia panel to the building structure at the upper 25 region may be by direct fixing but is more preferably by a bracket which is adapted to interengage with the fascia panel at this upper region.

In one form, movement of the soffit panel from it's intermediate orientation to it's installed orientation induces a downward loading on the fascia panel. This loading places the body portion in tension and imparts a corresponding loading to the upper region which in turn biases the fascia panel in closer engagement with it's associated bracket thereby improving the engagement between the bracket and the fascia panel.

In one form, the lower region of the fascia panel is generally channel shaped and has opposed legs interconnected by a web portion. Preferably the 516899 body portion of the fascia panel forms one of the legs whereas the other leg includes the soffit groove. In one form, the bracket is adapted to locate within the channel to provide a second engagement point which inhibits lateral movement of the fascia panel relative to the bracket.

In one embodiment, the peripheral wall defining the soffit groove includes opposing side walls disposed on opposite sides of the groove opening.

The side walls are configured such that the minimum distance of the walls in a direction transverse to the installed orientation is less than the minimum distance of the walls in a direction transverse to the intermediate orientation.

This geometry of the panels enables the soffit panel to be easily received in the peripheral wall in the intermediate orientation yet still enables deformation of the peripheral wall as the soffit panel moves to its installed orientation.

Preferably, at least part of one of the side walls extends in the direction which corresponds to the intermediate orientation. This allows for easy installation of the soffit panel as that part of the side wall acts as a guide to receive and orientate the soffit panel.

Preferably, at least a part of one of the walls extends in the direction of the installed orientation. This configuration allows for that part of the side wall to act as a stop as the soffit panel moves to it's installed orientation.

Furthermore it ensures that there is a good contact surface between the peripheral wall and the soffit panel to improve the resistance of the soffit panel from release from the soffit groove where an interference fit is formed.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a fascia assembly including a fascia panel having a soffit groove adapted to receive an edge 25 region of a soffit panel. The soffit groove is of open channel form having a peripheral wall defining the channel and is adapted to support the edge region 9° 9of the soffit panel. This aspect of the invention is characterised in that the soffit groove is configured such that the soffit panel is able to be rotated within the .wl groove through a predetermined angular displacement.

This aspect of the invention provides the advantage in that it enables the soffit panel to be installed at various angular positions relative to the fascia panel. In addition rotation of the soffit panel within the groove can be designed S9" to impart loading on the fascia panel. This loading may place the panel in 516899

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6 tension and/or improve the fixing of the panel to the building structure as is described above in relation to the earlier aspect of the invention.

In a third aspect, the present invention relates to an improved fixing arrangement for securing a fascia panel to a bracket. This aspect of the invention can be advantageously used in conjunction with the improved fascia soffit arrangements described above. However, it is to be appreciated that this later aspect of the invention can be used independently of these earlier described arrangements and is therefore not limited to that use.

In the third aspect, a fascia assembly is provided which includes a fascia panel and a bracket for fixing the panel to a building structure. The bracket includes a supporting element which in use is operable to locate behind a portion of the panel. This aspect of the invention is characterised in that the supporting element is able to resiliently flex away from the portion of the panel so as to be able to absorb loading applied to that portion of the panel.

In a preferred form, the supporting element of the bracket is adapted to locate behind that part of the panel which provides the exterior surface of the fascia panel. The advantage of this aspect of the invention is that by enabling the supporting element to be able to flex inwardly away from the panel, it minimises the propensity of the fascia panel being damaged on contact with the bracket under impact loading.

In one form, the bracket includes a fixing portion which is operable to fix the bracket to the underlying structure and the supporting element extends outwardly from the fixing portion to form an outer part of the bracket.

o° In a preferred form, the supporting element is formed from a folded sheet and wherein the required flexibility in the supporting element is provided by flexing about the fold lines formed in the sheet.

Preferably the bracket includes a first engagement part which is operable to engage the fascia panel and which is located at an upper region of the bracket. In this arrangement, the fascia panel may be restrained at it's lower region by connection to a soffit panel as described in the earlier embodiments.

The bracket may also include a second engagement part which engages a lower region of the fascia panel.

Preferably, the fascia panel includes at least one inwardly extending channel which is adapted to form an abutment surface engagable with the 516899 supporting part of the bracket. The advantage of this arrangement is that any damage made to the fascia panel by contact with the bracket will occur along the abutment surface. As this surface is recessed, the damage will not be as noticeable on the exterior surface of the fascia panel.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a bracket for a fascia assembly of the above type. The bracket is characterised by the supporting element which is adapted to resiliently flex.

In yet a further aspect, the present invention relates to a fascia panel for a fascia assembly according to any of the aspects of the present invention described above.

It will be convenient to hereinafter describe an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The particularity of the drawings is to be understood as not superseding the generality of the preceding broad description of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fascia panel; Figure 2 is a cross section of the fascia panel of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a bracket for fixing the fascia of Figure 1 to a building structure; Figure 4 is a side view of the fascia assembly installed in a building, the assembly including the fascia panel and bracket and a soffit panel which is received in a groove of the fascia panel in an intermediate orientation; and Figure 5 is the side view of Figure 4 showing the soffit panel in its installed orientation.

With reference to the drawings, a fascia assembly 10 is disclosed which is designed to form cladding around an eave 101 of a building 100. The fascia assembly includes three main components; namely a fascia panel 11, soffit panel 12, and bracket 13.

Turning to Figures 1 and 2, the fascia panel 11 is formed with a constant cross section. The panel is made of metal and is formed in continuous lengths typically by a role forming operation. However the panel can also be made from any other technique known in the art such as by an extrusion or folding process.

516899 8 The fascia panel 11 includes a body portion 14 having an inner and outer surface (15, 16 respectively) and extends between and upper region 17 and a lower region 18 of the panel 11. The body portion is stepped and includes an upper recessed part 19 and a lower part20 separated by a ledge 21. The upper part 19 is recessed to provide space to receive an eave gutter (not shown) whilst the outer surface of the lower part 20 forms the exterior surface of the fascia panel.

The lower part 20 of the fascia panel includes shallow channels 22 which extend along the length of the fascia panel. The channels are directed inwardly and include a base surface 23 which forms an abutment surface engagable with the bracket 13 as will be described in more detail below.

The upper region of the fascia panel includes an inwardly extending upper web 24 which includes a downwardly extending hooked end 25. The hook 25 includes the upper terminal end 26 of the panel 11. The hook 25 is arranged to engage the bracket 13 to form an upper engagement point of the fascia panel 11.

The lower region 18 of the fascia panel is of generally channel form having an inwardly extending lower web 27 which forms the base of the fascia panel 11. A leg 28 extends upwardly from the web 27 in spaced relationship to the lower part 20 of the body portion 14.

S* The leg 28 includes a soffit groove 29 adjacent the lower terminal end of the fascia panel 11. The soffit groove 29 is of channel form and includes an opening 31 which extends inwardly away from the body portion 14. The soffit groove is formed from a peripheral wall including opposing upper and lower side wall surfaces (32 and 33 respectively) which are disposed on opposite sides of the opening 31. The side walls are interconnected by a base portion 34.

The upper side wall 32 includes mutually inclined first and second parts and 36). Using the orientation as illustrated where the body portion 14 of the fascia panel is disposed vertically, the first part 35 is angled to the horizontal whereas the second part is substantially horizontal. The lower side S•wall 33 is substantially linear and is also angled to the horizontal. With this arrangement the channel of the soffit groove extends upwardly and laterally from its base portion 36 to the opening 31. In addition, the side walls 32 and 33 516899 of the soffit groove 29 are configured such that the minimum vertical distance between the walls is less than the minimum distance of the walls in a direction generally perpendicular to the angle of inclination of the lower side wall 33.

With reference to Figure 3, the bracket 13 is formed of sheet metal and includes a fixing part 37 which is designed to enable the bracket to be secured to a building structure, and a body portion or engaging part 38 which is adapted to locate behind and engage with the fascia panel 11. These parts of the bracket are integrally formed together such that the bracket is of unitary construction.

In the illustrated form, the fixing part 37 is in the form of a plate which incorporates a plurality of apertures 39 which are adapted to receive fasteners so as to enable the bracket 13 to be secured to a rafter 102 of the building 100.

The fixing part also includes two locating slots 40 which are mutually inclined relative to each other and adapted to enable correct alignment of the bracket 13 on the rafter.

The engaging part 38 of the bracket extends outwardly from the fixing part 37 and includes a profiled leading end 39 which generally matches the profile of the inner side of the fascia panel 11. The engaging part 38 of the bracket 13 is shaped to include at it's upper end a rearwardly extending projection 41 which defines a recess 42. This upper end 40 of the bracket 13 is designed to locate in behind the hooked end 25 of the upper region of the °o fascia panel 11 such that the terminal end 26 of the fascia panel locates within the recess 42. A crown tab 43 extends laterally from the upper edge of the bracket 13 and is adapted to locate in behind the web 24 of the fascia panel 14.

25 The lower end 43 of the bracket similarly includes a rearwardly extending projection 44 which defines a recess 45. The projection 44 is adapted to locate in the space between the soffit groove 29 and the lower part 20 of the body portion of the fascia panel.

The outer edge 39 of the bracket 13 is stepped so as to correspond with the shape of the body portion 14 of the fascia panel 11. The upper part 46 of the outer end 39 is formed as an edge part of the bracket 13 whereas the lower S .i part 47 is formed from a folded tab 48. This folded tab 48 is arranged to locate in behind the lower part 20 of the fascia panel 11 and includes an abutment surface 49. The tab 48 is folded in a manner such that this abutment 516899 I I surface 49 is able to resiliently flex rearwardly about fold lines 50 on the application of loading to the surface 49.

The engaging part 38 further includes a reinforcing rib 51 to inhibit buckling of the bracket 13.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the fascia assembly 10 is arranged to be mounted to a building structure 100. Specifically, the structure 100 includes rafters 102 which overhang the building wall 103 to form an eave 101. The building wall 103 in the illustrated form includes stud frame 104 on which the rafters 102 is mounted and a outer wall 105 which is typically formed of brick and forms the outer skin of the building.

As illustrated, the bracket 13 is secured to the rafter 102 so as to project beyond and above the rafter 102. The mounting part 37 of the bracket 13 is secured to the rafters 102 by fasteners (not shown). The fascia panel 11 is fastened to the building structure 100 by connection to the bracket 13.

Specifically a plurality of brackets 13 are interconnected to adjacent rafters 102 and the fascia panel is clipped onto the brackets 13 in a snap fit arrangement.

The upper region 17 of the fascia panel 11 is snapped over the upper part 40 of the bracket 13 such that the hooked end 25 of the fascia panel 11 locates under the projection 41. In addition the inner leg 28 of the lower part 18 of the fascia panel 11 locates in behind the projection 44 at the lower part of the bracket 13.

When engaged, the abutment surface 49 of the tab 48 of the bracket 13 locates in behind the lower part20 of the body portion 14 of the fascia panel 11. In view of the inwardly extending channels 22 in the lower part 20 of the fascia panel 11, the base surfaces 23 of the channels 22 are caused to move into engagement with the abutment surface 49.

To complete the installation of the fascia assembly 10, the soffit panel 12 is located within the soffit groove 29. Initially the soffit panel 12 is disposed at an intermediate orientation as illustrated in Figure 4 which is offset from the horizontal and is substantially parallel to the surface 33 of the soffit groove. In this position the soffit panel 12 can easily locate within the groove 29 due to the dimensions of the groove.

To complete installation, the soffit panel 12 is rotated from the intermediate position as illustrated in Figure 4 to its installed position as 516899 11 illustrated in Figure 5 wherein it is secured to the outer skin 105 of the building 100 by fasteners 106 or the like. On movement from this intermediate orientation to it's installed orientation, the soffit panel causes deformation of the lower region 18 of the fascia panel 11. Specifically, the side walls 32 and 33 are caused to open up and the web 27 is caused to flex downwardly. In view of the resilience of the metal of the fascia panel 14, this causes the side walls 32 and 33 of the soffit groove 29 to effectively clamp the soffit panel 12 in an interference fit. This clamping action inhibits release of the soffit panel from the groove 29 in a lateral direction (ie. in the plane of the soffit panel 12).

Deformation of the lower region 18 also has the tendency of placing the body portion 14 in tension. This in turn imparts a downward force on the upper region 17 bringing the hooked end 25 into closer engagement with the bracket 13.

Accordingly, the fascia assembly provides improved performance. In particular an improved fixing arrangement is provided of the fascia panel 11 with the lower region 18 of the fascia assembly being restrained from outward movement by it's improved engagement with the soffit panel 12. Moreover, the danger of damage of the lower part of the fascia 20 is minimised due to the ability of the tab 48 of the bracket to flex.

Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications additions may be introduced into the construction and arrangement of i °the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

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Claims (28)

1. A fascia assembly including a fascia panel and a soffit panel, the fascia panel including a soffit groove arranged to receive an edge region of the soffit panel, the soffit groove being configured as an open channel having a peripheral wall defining the channel, wherein the fascia assembly is arranged such that the soffit panel, when located within the soffit groove in an installed orientation, is engagable with the peripheral wall in a manner that inhibits release of the soffit panel from the soffit groove in a lateral direction through the channel opening.

2. A fascia assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the peripheral wall or soffit panel is arranged to deform on locating the soffit panel within the soffit groove in its installed orientation.

3. A fascia assembly according to claim 2, wherein the soffit panel is locatable in the soffit groove in an intermediate orientation and wherein movement of the soffit panel from its intermediate orientation to its installed orientation causes the required engagement between the fascia panel and the soffit panel to inhibit release of the soffit panel from the soffit groove.

4. A fascia assembly according to claim 3, wherein the soffit panel is rotated about said soffit groove in moving from said intermediate orientation to said installed orientation.

5. A fascia assembly including a fascia panel and a soffit panel, the fascia *panel including a soffit groove arranged to receive an edge region of the soffit panel, the soffit groove being configured as an open channel having a peripheral wall defining the channel, wherein the fascia assembly is configured 25 such that the soffit panel is able to be rotated within the groove through a predetermined angular displacement between an intermediate orientation and an installed orientation.

6. A fascia assembly according to either claim 4 or 5, wherein the angle of movement of the soffit panel between said intermediate and said installed orientations is in the range of 100 to 40 0

7. A fascia assembly according to any one of claim 3 to 6, wherein the fascia panel includes a body portion extending between upper and lower edge regions of the panel and having an outwardly facing surface which forms at least part of the exterior surface of the panel, and wherein the soffit groove is 516899 13 formed in the lower region of the panel and wherein the upper region includes engagement means where the fascia panel is arranged to be interconnected to a building structure.

8. A fascia assembly according to claim 7, wherein the engagement means is configured to interfit with a bracket to interconnect said assembly to said building structure.

9. A fascia assembly according to either claim 7 or 8, wherein the lower region of the fascia panel includes an upstanding leg which is interconnected with the body portion of the fascia panel by a web, and wherein the soffit groove is formed in said upstanding leg.

A fascia assembly according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the peripheral wall defining the soffit groove includes opposing side walls disposed on opposite sides of the groove opening, the side walls being configured such that the minimum distance of the walls in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the soffit panel when in its installed orientation is less than the minimum distance of the walls in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the soffit panel when in its intermediate orientation so that movement of said soffit panel from its intermediate orientation to its installed orientation causes said soffit groove to deform to thereby provide an interference fit between said soffit groove and said soffit panel.

11. A fascia assembly according to claim 10, wherein a first part of one of the side walls extends generally in the direction of the plane of the soffit panel when in its intermediate orientation.

12. A fascia assembly according to either claim 10 or 11, wherein a second 25 part of said one of the side walls extends generally in the direction of the plane °0* of the soffit panel when in its installed orientation so as to provide an engagement surface for said soffit panel in movement from its intermediate to its installed orientation and wherein engagement of said soffit panel with said second part causes deformation of said soffit groove.

13. A fascia assembly according to either claim 11 or 12, wherein said other of said side walls extends generally in the direction of the plane of the soffit panel when in its intermediate orientation.

14. A fascia assembly including a fascia panel and a bracket for fixing the panel to a building structure, the bracket including a body portion incorporating 516899 14 a supporting element which in use is operative to locate behind a portion of the panel, and wherein the supporting element is able to resiliently flex away from said portion so as to be able to absorb loading applied to that portion of the panel.

15. A fascia assembly according to claim 14, wherein the bracket includes a fixing portion which is arranged to be secured to the building structure, said fixing portion being connected to or integrally formed with, said body portion and wherein said supporting element is spaced from said fixing portion so that in use when the bracket is secured to said building structure, said supporting element forms an outer part of said bracket.

16. A fascia assembly according to either claim 14 or 15, wherein the supporting element is formed from a folded sheet and wherein the required flexibility in the supporting element is provided by flexing about at least one fold line formed in said sheet.

17. A fascia assembly according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the body portion includes an upper region incorporating a first engagement part which is operative to engage the fascia panel.

18. A fascia assembly according to claim 17, wherein said first engagement part incorporates a recess, and wherein the upper terminal end of the fascia panel is hooked and operative to be received in said recess.

19. A fascia assembly according to either claim 17 or 18, wherein the body .o portion includes a second engagement part engagable with a lower region of the fascia panel.

20. A fascia assembly according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the bracket is formed from sheet material having an upper and a lower edge region interconnected by opposite first and second side edge regions, wherein an upper edge region of the bracket includes a first engagement part which is operable to engage the fascia panel and wherein the lower edge region includes a second engagement part engagable with a lower edge region of the fascia panel, and wherein the supporting element is located along the first side region.

21. A fascia assembly according to claim 20, wherein the body portion is integrally formed with the fixing portion, with the fixing portion being located proximate to the second side region of the bracket. 516899

22. A fascia assembly according to any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein said portion of the fascia panel includes at least one inwardly extending channel which is adapted to form an abutment surface engagable with the supporting element of the bracket.

23. A fascia assembly according to any one of claims 14 to 22 including a fascia panel and soffit groove according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

24. A fascia panel for use in a fascia assembly according to any preceding claim.

A bracket for use in a fascia assembly according to any one of claims 14 to 23.

26. A fascia assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

27. A fascia panel substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

28. A bracket for a fascia assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 28 January 1999 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for STRAMIT CORPORATION LIMITED O S **Se O 516899