EP1015714A1

EP1015714A1 - Panel assembly, in particular for covering the front of buildings, and device for making same

Info

Publication number: EP1015714A1
Application number: EP98944006A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Catherine Saksik
Original assignee: Defrancq Composites
Current assignee: Defrancq Composites
Priority date: 1997-09-18
Filing date: 1998-09-16
Publication date: 2000-07-05
Also published as: FR2768451B1; FR2768451A1; AU9169598A; WO1999014452A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a panel assembly (1, 1'), in particular for covering the front walls of buildings, each panel (1, 1') comprising a body (2, 2') and, at the periphery of said body (2, 2') matching means (3) for close fitting provided in the volume, at least on two sides of said panels (1, 1'), for assembling the latter, said panels (1, 1') being divided into at least two groups, each group assembling the panels (1, 1') having the same body (2, 2') thickness. The invention is characterised in that said close-fitting means (3) have the same dimensions from one group of panels to the next for directly assembling together panels of one same group as well as a panel of a first group on a panel of another group.

Description

TITLE: Set of panels, in particular for facade cladding of buildings, and device for the manufacture of such panels.

The present invention relates to a set of panels, in particular for building facade cladding. However, although more particularly intended for such applications, it can also be used to dress interior walls in any type of premises such as, for example, swimming pools, shopping centers, garages, or the like.

The present invention also relates to an injection molding device for the manufacture of such sets of panels.

Currently, to protect, isolate and / or improve the aesthetic appearance of building facades, it is known to use sets of panels, in particular made of composite material, nested next to each other to coat said facades. Because of the shocks and / or other damage that may be suffered by the lower floors of buildings, the panels used at the ground floor and / or the first floor are often thicker than those used on the upper floors, these the latter must remain of a reduced thickness in order to limit the weight of the assembly. Furthermore, to ensure the mounting of said panels, in particular one above the other along the vertical, these are provided on their periphery with complementary interlocking means, provided in the mass, making it possible to block the relative movement of said panels .

It is therefore understood that a problem arises for the mounting of a thin panel above a very thick panel. Indeed, the means for fitting a top panel of small thickness do not correspond to the dimensions of the means for fitting the bottom panel of great thickness which are provided to cooperate with panels also of great thickness. To compensate for the differences in dimensions, we currently use wedges in the form of bars, allowing to restore a play minimum between two panels of different thicknesses fitted together.

However, this solution complicates assembly and is not satisfactory with regard to the fire behavior constraints because said strips are generally made of chlorine-based material and can give off toxic fumes.

The object of the present invention is to provide a set of panels, in particular for coating building facades, which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and makes it easier to assemble. Another object of the present invention is to provide a set of panels, in particular for coating building facades, which makes it possible to reduce the presence of auxiliary mounting elements, possibly incompatible with the constraints and / or standards of use in force. . Another object of the present invention is to provide an injection molding device for the manufacture of panels as a whole, in particular for coating building facades, which makes it possible to facilitate the manufacture of said panels.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear during the description which follows which is given only for information and which is not intended to limit it.

The present invention relates to a set of panels, in particular for coating building facades, each panel comprising a body and at the periphery of said body, complementary interlocking means provided in the mass, at least on two sides of said panels, so to allow the assembly of the latter, said panels being divided into at least two groups, each group bringing together the panels having bodies of the same thickness, characterized in that said interlocking means have the same dimensions of a group of panels to each other so as to allow direct assembly of the panels of the same group together as well as a panel from a first group on a panel from another group.

The present invention also relates to an injection molding device for manufacturing a set of panels, as described above, each panel comprising a body and, at the periphery of said body, complementary interlocking means provided in the mass. , at least on two sides of said panels, so as to allow the consecutive assembly of the latter, said panels being distributed in at least two groups, each group bringing together the panels having bodies of the same thickness, characterized in that said device includes a molding tool consisting of a common matrix for all the panels and different punches for each group of panels so as to define different air gaps between each group at the body of said panels and identical air gaps at their means of nesting regardless of said panels.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, accompanied by the appended drawings which form an integral part thereof and among which:

FIG. 1 describes, in front view, an embodiment of a panel of the set of panels according to the invention,

- Figure 2 shows in particular a sectional view, taken along line II-II of Figure 1 above, a panel of the same assembly but of different thickness than that illustrated in said Figure 1 being indicated by dotted lines, - Figure 3 details the part marked 3 in previous figure 2,

FIG. 4 details the part marked 4 in FIG. 2 above,

- Figure 5 illustrates in section an example of installation of a set of panels according to the invention on a wall.

The present invention relates to a set of panels, in particular for cladding of building facades.

However, although more particularly intended for such applications, it can also be used on interior walls in all types of premises such as, for example, swimming pools, shopping centers, garages, or others.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 and detailed in Figures 3 and 4, in the set of panels 1, l 'according to the invention, each said panel 1, 1' comprises a body 2, 2 'and, at the periphery of said body 2, 2 ', complementary means 3 for nesting. The latter are provided in the mass at least on two sides 4, 5 of said panels 1, the so as to allow the consecutive assembly of the latter.

As shown in FIG. 5, these are, for example, two opposite sides such as the top 4 and bottom 5 sides, the assembly of said panels being produced by interlocking, in particular one above the other according to the orientation of the facade 6 that they are intended to cover. Said panels 1, 1 ′ are provided, for example, substantially parallel to said facade 6.

Said set of panels 1, 1 ′ can thus give, if desired, a substantially continuous visual appearance, the space between each panel being limited by the said complementary nesting means 3.

More specifically, only the outer surface of the body 2, 2 ′ of said panels 1, is possibly provided visible after fitting said panels 1, l '. By “exterior surface” is meant the surface 7 of said panels 1, 1 ′ opposite to the facade 6 on which they are possibly placed.

In this regard, said facade 6 is, for example, substantially flat and / or vertical. As for said panels 1, 1 ', they are notably substantially rectangular while their body 2, 2' is, for example, substantially planar.

In order to be able to give said panels 1, 1 'properties different, in particular impact resistance, these are divided into at least two groups, each group bringing together the panels 1, 1 ′ having bodies 2, 2 ′ of the same thickness.

According to the invention, as more particularly illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, said interlocking means 3 have the same dimensions from one group of panels to another so as to allow direct assembly of the panels of the same group between them as well as a panel from a first group on a panel from another group. The assembly of said panels 1, 1 'is thus facilitated. Said complementary fitting means 3 comprise, for example, in the lower part 4, a male part, constituted by a rib 8, and in the upper part 5, a female part, constituted by a housing 9, capable of accommodating the rib 8 of the lower panel 1, l ', said rib 8 and said housing being provided with the same thickness e on all panels 1, l'.

The clearance between said rib 8 and said housing 9 is provided, for example, minimum in order to favor the relative blocking of an upper panel with respect to its lower panel, in particular in the direction perpendicular to the body 2, 2 'of said panels 1, 1 '. It should be noted that said housing 9 also makes it possible, optionally, to ensure a resumption of effort and constitutes an additional support point for the upper panel.

Said rib 8 is constituted, for example, by a shoulder 10, provided set back on said body 2, 2 '. By "recessed" is meant that the element or elements concerned are offset with respect to the body 2, 2 'of said panels 1, l' in the direction of the facade 6 on which they are intended to be possibly arranged.

With regard to said housing 9, the latter is bordered, for example, by at least one first stop 11, provided set back on said body 1. This makes it possible to prevent the relative movement of an upper panel by relative to a lower panel in a first direction, corresponding in particular to detachment of said upper panel relative to the facade 6 of installation.

In the other direction, said upper panel is retained in said housing 9 either by the element provided behind such as, for example, the possible facade 6 itself and / or, as developed below by a block of material insulating.

According to another embodiment, corresponding in particular to that illustrated, said housing 9 is also bordered by a second stop 12, provided set back from said first stop 11 on said body 1.

Said shoulder 10 and / or said first and second stops 11, 12 are provided, for example, all along the lower 4 and upper 5 sides of said panels 1, 1 '. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said set of panels 1, l 'also comprises means 15 for fixing these, said fixing means, visible in FIG. 5, being provided, for example, on a single side to facilitate assembly. It is, in particular, said upper side 4. It can also be seen that, in this case, the use of a said housing 9 in accordance with the invention is necessary to block the panels 1, the at the bottom .

In this regard, as shown, said panels 1, the have a flat 13 recessed in the upper part 4 and made in the mass. Said dish 13 has one or more orifices 14, capable of allowing the passage of said means for fixing the panels 1, l '. Said flat 13 is, for example, substantially parallel to said body 2, 2 '.

In addition, said plate 13 is possibly provided in the extension of said second stop 12.

According to this embodiment, it can be seen that said fixing means 15 can thus be hidden, after fitting, behind the lower part of the upper panel 1, l '. However, said body 2, 2 ′ is, for example, bordered by a contour 16 defining a cavity 17, capable of accommodating blocks of material 18, said rib 8 and / or said housing 9 being provided at said contour 16 The latter is provided, for example, orthogonal to said body 2,

2 ', said rib 8 and / or said first and second stops 11, 12 being themselves, optionally orthogonal to said contour 16 and / or oriented towards the outside of said panel 1, l', that is to say in direction of neighboring signs. Said blocks 18 are made, for example, of an insulating material, provided between said panels 1, l 'and their possible support facade 6.

In order to avoid thermal bridges, said blocks of material 18 are, for example, contiguous. For this, they are, in particular, of a size substantially corresponding to that of each panel 1, the, peripheral cutouts 19 being provided to cooperate with said panels 1, l 'at said interlocking means 3. They allow making up for differences in thickness of said panels 1, 1 '.

Said fixing means 15 consist, for example, of a threaded rod, passing through said panels 1, Y and / or said blocks of material 18 to be housed, in particular, in said facade 6 and / or, if the latter is in bad condition, on a reported frame. Other fixing means 15 are also conceivable.

Furthermore, complementary nesting means may also be provided on the lateral sides 20, 21 of said panels 1, l '.

They consist, for example, on one of the sides 20 of a wing 22, provided on said contour 16, provided with lugs 23 and, on the other side 21, of a stop, in particular constituted by said contour 16 itself, the said lug (s) 23 being provided capable of cooperating with the contour 16 of the neighboring panel. Keying pins, for example made up of transverse or oblique ribs, disposed in the housing 9 or on the wing 22, may possibly be provided at the level of the vertical and / or lateral interlocking means, in order to not allow the mounting of the one inside the other than corresponding panels.

The invention also relates to an injection molding device for manufacturing a set of panels as described above.

As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2, said device comprises a molding tool 24 constituted by a matrix 25 common for all the panels and punches 26, 26 ′ different for each group of panels.

Said molding tool 24 thus makes it possible to define different air gaps between each group at the level of the body 2, 2 ′ of said panels 1, 1 ′ and identical air gaps at the level of their fitting means 3 regardless of said panels 1, l '.

By "air gap" means the space defined between said die 25 and said punch 26, 26 'once the molding tool 24 closed to allow injection. In this regard, it is, for example, a high temperature injection-compression.

The difference in thickness between the panels 1, l ′ obtained is provided, for example, at the level of the body 2, 2 ′ and of the contour 16 of the latter, the excess thickness being oriented in the direction of said cavity 17. As for example, said panels 1, 1 'are, for example, 600 x 600 mm, 300 x 300 mm, 300 x 600 mm and / or 600 x 300 mm.

Their thickness for the thickest panels is, in particular, 5 mm and, for the thinnest panels, in particular 3.2 mm. As for the thickness of said rib 8 and / or the width of said housing 9, these dimensions are, for example, 30 mm. Furthermore, said panels 1, 1 ′ consist, by way of example, of a composite material comprising at least polyester and / or phenolic resins, anti-shrinkage adjuvants and / or anti-UV adjuvants, all of these components representing less than 20 to 30%, in particular at least 23% by weight of said material.

This additionally comprises, for example, 0 to 5% of dyes, in particular 1%, 50 to 70% of alumina hydrates, in particular 61%, 5 to 15% of glass fibers, in particular 12%, and / or 1 to 5% of fire-fighting charges, in particular 3%, the proportions being given by weight and the sum of the proportions of the various components mentioned above being equal to 100.

Said fire-fighting charges consist, for example, of antimony, more precisely, in particular, of antimony trioxide.

Said composite material is, for example, inert to the solvent and allows the cleaning of graffiti with common and usual solvents. The charges of alumina hydrates and / or of glass fibers used make it possible, in particular, to reinforce the resistance to fire and to obtain better mechanical characteristics.

Said composite material is, in particular, devoid of halogen in order to make it non-toxic. A coating by painting in fire-resistant polyurethane can also be envisaged, in addition to the coloration possibly obtained in the mass by said dyes.

Said panels 1, 1 ′ thus exhibit, for example, good fire resistance, with a minimum of toxic release, as well as favorable mechanical resistance characteristics.

In addition, they are little subject to shrinkage and allow good resistance to aging and / or atmospheric attacks.

As for the material of the insulating blocks 18, it is, for example, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane, mineral wool and / or glass wool.

Naturally, other modes of implementation, within reach skilled in the art, could have been envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Set of panels (1, 1 '), in particular for coating building facades, each panel (1, l') comprising a body (2, 2 ') and, at the periphery of said body (2, 2') , complementary fitting means (3) provided in the mass, at least on two sides (4, 5) of said panels (1, 1 '), so as to allow the consecutive assembly of the latter, said panels (1 , 1 ') being divided into at least two groups, each group bringing together the panels (1, l') having bodies (2, 2 ') of the same thickness, characterized in that said interlocking means (1, l ') have the same dimensions from one group of panels to another, so as to allow direct assembly of the panels of the same group together as well as of a panel of a first group on a panel of a other group.

2. A set of panels according to claim 1, in which said complementary interlocking means comprise, in the lower part, a male part, constituted by a rib (8), and in the upper part, a female part, constituted by a housing (9), capable of accommodating the rib (8) of the bottom panel, said rib (8) and said housing (9) being provided with the same thickness on all the panels (1, l ').

3. Panel assembly according to claim 2, wherein said rib (8) is constituted by a shoulder (10), provided recessed on said body (2, 2 ').

4. Panel assembly according to claim 2, wherein said housing (9) is bordered by at least a first stop (11), recessed on said body (2, 2 ').

5. Panel assembly according to claim 4, wherein said housing (9) is also bordered by a second stop (12), provided set back from said stop (11) on said body (2, 2 ').

6. A set of panels according to claim 5, wherein said panels (1, l ') have a flat (13), recessed in the upper part and made in the mass, said flat (13) having one or several orifices (14), suitable for allowing the passage of fastening means (15) of said panels (1, l ').

7. Panel assembly according to claim 6, wherein said plate (13) is provided in the extension of said second stop (12).

8. A set of panels according to claim 2, in which said body (2, 2 ') is bordered by a contour (16) defining a cavity (17), capable of accommodating blocks of material (18), said rib ( 8) and said housing (9) being provided at said contour (1).

9. Panel assembly according to claim 2, wherein interlocking means are also provided on the lateral sides (20, 21) of said panels (1, l ').

10. An injection molding device for manufacturing a panel assembly according to claim 1, each panel (1, l ') comprising a body (2, 2') and, at the periphery of said body (2, 2 ') , complementary means (3) for nesting provided in the mass, at least on two sides (4, 5) of said panels, so as to allow assembly of the latter, said panels (1, 1 ') being distributed in at least two groups, each group bringing together the panels (1, 1 ') having bodies (2, 2') of the same thickness, characterized in that it comprises a molding tool (24) constituted by a matrix (25 ), common for all panels (1, 1 '), and punches (26, 26') different for each group of panels, so as to define different air gaps between each group at body level (2, 2 ') said panels (1, l ') and identical air gaps in terms of their interlocking means (3) regardless of said panels (1, 1 ').