CA2510012A1

CA2510012A1 - Siding panel assembly

Info

Publication number: CA2510012A1
Application number: CA 2510012
Authority: CA
Inventors: Rod Robertson; Gary Ball; Ron Male; Vince Dunne; Doug Mitten
Original assignee: Mitten Inc
Current assignee: Mitten Inc
Priority date: 2005-06-15
Filing date: 2005-06-15
Publication date: 2006-12-15

Abstract

An assembly including two or more siding panels. The assembly includes a lower panel and an upper panel adapted for positioning on the lower panel. The lower panel has a first arch at an upper end thereof, and the upper panel has a corresponding second arch at a lower end thereof. The second arch defines a bight in which the first arch is receivable. The lower panel includes an upwardly opening first trough positioned adjacent to the first arch, and the upper panel includes an upwardly opening second trough adjacent to the second arch and including two substantially vertical portions joined by a curved part. The second trough is receivable in the first trough so that the second trough rests upon the first trough.

Description

SIDING PANEL ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention is related to siding panel assemblies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] "Stack-on" siding panel assemblies, in which a lower panel supports an upper panel, are known. The siding panel assemblies are for covering an exterior of a structure. Typically, each siding panel includes a vinyl housing or shell, with an insulation element positioned inside the housing.
Typically, the housing includes connection elements at its top and bottom ends which are configured to mate with corresponding elements in the adjacent panels positioned above and below the panel respectively.

[0003] In the prior art, the lower panel is first attached to the structure.
The upper panel is mounted, or stacked, on the lower panel as the upper panel is secured on the structure adjacent to, and partially supported by, the lower panel.
In known stack-on siding panel assemblies, expansion of the housing due to increases in the ambient temperature often causes the vinyl housing of a panel to buckle.

[0004] There is therefore a need for an improved siding panel assembly which overcomes or mitigates at least one of the defects of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In its broad aspect, the invention provides an assembly including two or more siding panels. The assembly includes a lower panel and an upper panel adapted for positioning on the lower panel. The lower panel has a first arch which partially defines an upper end of the lower panel. Also, the upper panel has a corresponding second arch which partially defines a lower end of the upper panel. The second arch also defines a bight in which the first arch is receivable. In addition, the lower panel includes an upwardly opening first trough positioned adjacent to the first arch, and the upper panel includes an upwardly opening second trough adjacent to the second arch and including two substantially vertical portions joined by a curved part. The second trough is receivable in the first trough so that the second trough rests upon the first trough, and the second arch is supported by the second trough to maintain the second arch in a spaced apart relationship relative to the first arch to permit expansion of the panels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The invention will be better understood with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a side view of a siding panel showing a housing and an insulation element thereof;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the housing of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a side view of connection elements at a lower end of an upper panel engaged with connection elements at an upper end of a lower panel, drawn at a larger scale; and Fig. 4 is a side view of connection elements of the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS) [0007] Reference is first made to Figs. 1-3 to describe a preferred embodiment of a siding panel assembly indicated generally by the numeral 20 (Fig. 3) in accordance with the invention. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the assembly 20 includes two or more siding panels 22 (Fig. 1 ). The panels 22 are arranged so that a lower panel (identified as 24, in Fig. 3) is positioned adjacent and below an upper panel (identified as element 26 in Fig. 3), as will be described. In the preferred embodiment, the panel 22 includes a housing 28 with an insulation element 30 positioned in the housing 28 (Figs. 1, 2). Preferably, the upper panel 26 is adapted for positioning on the lower panel 24. Each panel 22 includes connection elements 32 at an upper end 34 and at a lower end 36 of the panel 22. The connection elements 32 are preferably integrally formed in the housing 28, as will be described. In particular, the lower panel 24 preferably includes a first arch 38 which defines, at least partially, the upper end 34 of the lower panel 36. Similarly, the upper panel 26 preferably includes a second arch 40 which defines, at least partially, the lower end 36 of the upper panel 26. The second arch 40 also defines a bight 42 in which the first arch 38 is receivable. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the lower panel 24 also includes an upwardly opening first trough 44 positioned adjacent to the first arch 38. Similarly, the upper panel 26 includes an upwardly opening second trough 46 adjacent to the second arch 40. The second trough 46 includes two substantially vertical portions 48, 50 joined by a curved part 52. In the preferred embodiment, the second trough 46 is receivable in the first trough 44 and rests upon the first trough 44 (Fig. 3). The second arch 40 is supported by the second trough 46 to maintain the second arch 40 in a spaced-apart relationship relative to the first arch 38, as will be described.
Because the first arch 38 and the second arch 40 are spaced apart by a gap 54 (Fig. 3), expansion of the panels 24, 26 is permitted by the gap 54.

[0008] Preferably, the housing 28 is formed of extruded polyvinylchloride, as is known in the art. The insulation element 30 preferably is styrofoam insulation, as is also known in the art. In the preferred embodiment, the insulation element is glued to the housing 28.

[0009] A siding assembly 120 of the prior art is shown in Fig. 4 for comparison purposes. As can be seen in Fig. 4, an upper panel 126 includes, at its lower end 136, a second arch 140 and a second trough 146. Similarly, the prior art assembly 120 includes a first arch 138 and a first trough 144. As can be seen in Fig. 4, when the upper panel 126 is positioned on the lower panel 124, very little space is provided between the arches 138, 140 and between the troughs 144, 146. The arches and the troughs are essentially mated so that they contact each other substantially along their respective lengths. Because of this, the housings of the prior art panels tend to buckle when they expand, for instance, due to increases in ambient temperature.

[0010] In contrast, as can be seen in Fig. 3, when the upper panel 26 is positioned on the lower panel 24, the trough 46 rests directly on the trough 44, but a gap 54 is provided between the first arch 38 and the second arch 40.
Because of this gap 54, expansion of the panels 24, 26 is permitted.

[0011] As can be seen in Fig. 3, a connecting element 55 which connects the vertical portion 48 and the second arch 40 is relatively long. This extended element 55 positions the second arch 40, to provide the gap 54.

[0012] In use, the lower panel 24 is secured to the structure by inserting fasteners at a mounting portion at a top end 56 of a mounting portion 58 (Fig.
3).
After the lower panel 24 has been secured to the structure (not shown), the upper panel 26 is positioned on the lower panel 24 as shown in Fig. 3. The mounting portion is of the upper panel 26 (not shown) is then secured to the structure using fasteners, as in known in the art.

[0013] It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention can take many forms, and that such forms are within the scope of the invention as claimed. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. An assembly of at least two siding panels comprising:
a lower panel;
an upper panel adapted for positioning on the lower panel;
the lower panel comprising a first arch at least partially defining an upper end of the lower panel;
a second arch at least partially defining a lower end of the upper panel, the second arch defining a bight in which the first arch is receivable;
the lower panel including an upwardly opening first trough positioned adjacent to the first arch;
the upper panel including an upwardly opening second trough adjacent to the second arch and including two substantially vertical portions joined by a curved part;
the second trough being receivable in the first trough such that the second trough rests upon the first trough; and the second arch being supported by the second trough to maintain the second arch in a spaced apart relationship relative to the first arch to permit expansion of the panels.