EP1882791A2

EP1882791A2 - Modular panel for creating ventilated facades of building

Info

Publication number: EP1882791A2
Application number: EP07113084A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Domenico Rizza
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-25
Filing date: 2007-07-25
Publication date: 2008-01-30
Also published as: EP1882791A3; ITTO20060548A1

Abstract

A modular panel (5) for creating ventilated facades (1) of buildings is provided with a cladding plate (7) capable of being placed in a vertical direction beside a plate of a first adjacent modular panel, and in a horizontal direction beside a plate of a second adjacent modular panel; the panel is also provided with a frame (16), which is fixed to a rear surface of the said plate and is anchored to a wall (2) of a building, so that the plate is facing and distant from the wall (2); the frame (16) has a first connection device (51) for connection to the said first adjacent modular panel and a second connection device (52) for connection to the second adjacent modular panel.

Description

This invention relates to a modular panel for creating ventilated façades of buildings.
As is known, a ventilated façade comprises a metal load-bearing structure fixed to the wall of the building by brackets and anchorages and a plurality of cladding plates, which are fixed to such structure side-by-side and in a position facing and distant from the wall, so as to define a space. This space enables the façade to be ventilated to encourage the elimination of any humidity, insulate the building, protect the wall from the direct action of atmospheric agents and create a gap to house equipment and ducting, if required.
For the purpose of installation, the metal structure is first mounted on the wall, using metal sections which often must be machined directly on site (by means of cutters, drills, riveters, etc.). In particular, the position of the various elements of the structure is first defined, the wall is drilled in set positions so as to secure the attachment brackets of the metal structure and lastly the metal sections and any layers of insulating material are fixed to the wall. After this, the cladding plates are connected to the metal structure by means of clips, rivets or other connecting devices which ensure a constant hold over time.
The above-described installation process is rather long, particularly as far as creating and mounting the load-bearing metal structure is concerned. Moreover, the positioning of the cladding plates in relation to each other on the said structure is sometimes rather imprecise.
The aim of this invention is to create a modular panel to create ventilated facades of buildings, which allows the above-mentioned problems to be resolved simply and economically.
According to this invention, a modular panel for creating ventilated façades of buildings is created; the modular panel comprising a cladding plate capable of being placed

a) in a vertical direction beside a plate of a first adjacent modular panel, and
b) in a horizontal direction beside a plate of a second adjacent modular panel;
and being characterised in that it comprises:
- a frame pre-mounted on a rear surface of the said cladding plate and capable of bearing anchoring means, for connection to a wall of a building so that, in use, the said cladding plate is facing and distant from the said wall;
- first means of connection carried by the said frame for connection to the said first adjacent modular panel;
- second means of connection carried by the said frame for connection to the said second adjacent modular panel.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a non-limiting embodiment thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial side view of a ventilated façade created by means of a preferred embodiment of the modular panel according to this invention;
Figure 2 shows, on an enlarged scale, a detail of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an exploded rear view of the ventilated façade shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 shows, in a rear prospective view from below and on an enlarged scale, a detail of Figure 3.

In Figure 1, 1 shows, as a whole, a ventilated facade (partially illustrated), which is connected to a wall 2 of a building 3. The façade 1 comprises superimposed rows of panels 5, which are connected to the wall 2 by respective anchoring devices 6. The panels 5 are modular or homologous, in the sense that they are the same as each other except for the number and/or type of devices 6 associated to each panel 5. For the sake of simplicity, Figures 3 and 4 show only four panels, indicated by reference numerals 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d, whereas the following description refers to only one panel 5.
The panel 5 comprises a cladding plate 7, preferably square or rectangular in shape, which has one of its own rear surfaces 8 facing and at a distance from the wall 2 so as to form a ventilation space 9 between the surface 8 and the wall 2. The plate 7 has an upper horizontal edge 10 and a lower horizontal edge 11 which are side by side, along a vertical direction 12, at corresponding edges 11 and, respectively, 10, of upper and/or lower adjacent panels 5; the plate 7 also has two side vertical edges 13, 14 which are side by side, along a horizontal direction 15 (Figure 3) parallel to the plate 7, at corresponding edges 14 and, respectively, 13, of adjacent panels 5 along the same row.
The panel 5 also comprises a frame 16, which is made of a material such as to have load-bearing characteristics and such as not to be attacked by atmospheric agents, preferably a rust-proof metal material. The frame 16 is fixed to the surface 8, preferably by means of screws not shown (passing through holes 17 in the frame 16 and screwed into the plate 7) in combination with a layer of adhesive material positioned between the frame 16 and the surface 8.
As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the frame 16 comprises a horizontal section 23, which is arranged along the edge 10 and, in turn, comprises a portion 25 having a C-shaped cross-section defining a horizontal groove 26 open at the back. The section 23 also comprises a tongue 28 which is parallel to the plate 7 and protrudes upwards along direction 12, in relation to the portion 25 and in relation to the edge 10, so as to be able to be superimposed at the back on the edge 11 of the upper adjacent panel 5.
The frame 16 also comprises a vertical section 33 which is arranged along the edge 13 of the plate 7 and, in its turn, comprises a portion 35 having a C-shaped cross-section defining a vertical groove 36 open at the back. The section 33 also comprises a tongue 38 which is parallel to the plate 7 and protrudes sideways along direction 15, in relation to the portion 35 and the edge 13, so as to be able to be superimposed behind the edge 14 of a side adjacent panel 5. In particular, the lower end of the tongue 38 remains interposed between its own plate 8 and the tongue 28 of the underlying panel 1.
Lastly, the frame comprises a vertical section 43, which is arranged in an intermediate position on the surface 8, is located at a distance along the direction 15 from the section 33 and from the edge 14, and is defined by a portion with a C-shaped cross-section which delimits a vertical groove 46 open at the back (Figure 3).
The panel 5 comprises two connecting devices 51, 52 which are carried by the frame 16 for connection to the adjacent panels 5 of the upper and/or lower rows and, respectively, to the side adjacent panels 5 and define part of respective male and female joints.
With reference to Figures 3 and 4, the device 51 comprises two seats 53 made on the upper edge of the tongue 28 and aligned vertically with portions 35 and 43. The device 51 comprises two appendages 54 constituting part of the lower ends of portions 35, 43. The appendages 54 are facing downwards, are housed in the respective grooves 36, 46 and are complementary to the seats 53, so as to engage in the seats 53 of the underlying panel 1 and hold the panels 5 of a row in relation to those of the underlying row along the direction 15. The grooves 36, 46 are defined laterally by respective pairs of edges 56, orthogonal to the plate 7 and having, at their lower ends, respective vertical recesses 57, which are horizontally aligned with the appendages 54, and enable the tongue 38 to enter vertically so as to hold the panels 5 of one row in relation to those of the underlying row in a direction 59 (Figure 2) orthogonal to the plate 7.
By contrast, the device 52 comprises a pin 60 which slides beneath the guide of the groove 26 along direction 15 to make one of its ends 61 engage in the groove 26 of the side adjacent panel 5 and, thus, to hold the panels 5 of the said row along the directions 15 and 59. The pin 60, at the end 64 opposite 61, has a screw 65, whose head is arranged outside the groove 26 and may be tightened so as to fix the position of the pin 60 along the section 23.
The groove 26 also houses a cylindrical body 66 (Figure 2) which serves as a connection for the device 6. The body 66 can slide along the groove 26 and has an axis 67 parallel to direction 59: thus the device 6 is connected to the section 23 in an angularly rotating manner about the axis 67 and in a sliding manner along direction 15. In particular, the device 6 comprises a bracket 68, the opposite ends of which are indicated by reference numerals 69 and 70 and are connected to the body 66 and, respectively, to a dowel 71 having a portion 72 embedded in the wall 2.
In particular, the end 69 is connected to the body 66 by means of a screw 73 which extends along the axis 67; by contrast, the end 70 passes an end portion 74 of the dowel 71, which extends vertically, is threaded and has two nuts 75, 76 screwed onto it, arranged at the bottom and top in relation to the end 70.
The bracket 68 also comprises an intermediate portion 79, which extends from the end 69 upwards and in the opposite direction to the surface 8 and acts as a spacer between the wall 2 and the plate 7. The portion 79 has a threaded hole 80 (Figure 4), in which a screw (not shown) may be screwed, the end of which rests on the wall 2 and acts as a movable adjustment element through the hole 80 along direction 59 in order to adjust finely the distance of the plate 7 from the wall 2.
With reference to Figures 3 and 4, during the assembly stage, starting from a condition in which the panels 5a and 5b are already fixed to the wall 2, by means of an appropriate number of devices 6, and are connected together by means of the devices 52, the top row which includes panels 5c and 5d is fitted. After having made a hole in the wall 2 with the appropriate inclination, the portion 72 of the dowel 71 of the panel 5c is inserted into the hole just made so as to support the panel 5c above the panel 5b. At this point, the panel 5c is finely positioned in relation to its dowel 71 so as to align the sections 33, 43 of the panel 5c with those of the panel 5b, and is then connected to the panel 5b by means of the devices 41: in other words, the appendages 54 engage in the seats 53 of the panel 5b while the tongue 28 of the panel 5b engages in the recesses 57. The panel 5c remains held in a fixed position along directions 15 and 59, temporarily resting on the edge 10 of the panel 5b.
Subsequently, the nut 75 is tightened upwards so as slightly to raise the bracket 68 and thus the entire panel 5c: in this way, the weight of the panel 5c is unloaded from the panel 5b and loaded onto the portion 72 of the dowel 71 previously anchored. The nut 76 is then tightened downwards so as to tighten in a final position the bracket 68 to the dowel 71.
If necessary, before tightening the nuts 75 and/or 76, the position of the bracket 68, and therefore of the plate 7 in relation to the wall 2, is adjusted by means of the screw screwed into the hole 80.
In order to mount the panel 5d, a procedure is followed which differs from the previous one solely as regards the use of the device 52. In particular, before tightening the nut 75, the pin 60 of the panel 5d is made to slide along in direction 15, is inserted into the groove 26 of the panel 5c and, lastly, secured by tightening the screw 65.
All the panels of the same row are then fitted in a similar way.
This clearly shows how the panels 5 are preassembled and allow the façade 1 to be mounted quickly and accurately, since they require no metal structure to be mounted beforehand on the wall 2 and they use adjacent panels which have already been mounted in an orderly fashion previously as references for its positioning and anchoring.
The frame 16, being pre-mounted on the plate 7, requires no special machining on site, offers the necessary characteristics of rigidity and, at the same time, allows the panels 5 to be connected together quickly. The fact of making the devices 51, 52 on the frame 16, and not on the plate 7, allows different plates (as regards material, colour, etc.) to be mounted on the same type of frame without the need for additional machining on the said plates.
The fact of superimposing the tongues 28, 38 at the back on the edges 11, 14 allows all of the gaps between the plates 7 to be substantially closed, thus giving the façade 1 an overall attractive appearance and ensuring that the space 9 is highly efficient.
The fact that the frame 16 is connected to the plate 7 both by glue and by screws ensures a secure fixing and avoids the waiting time required for the glue to dry.
Furthermore, the characteristics of the device 6 enable the position of the panel 5 to be finely and correctly adjusted.
Lastly, from the above it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the above-described modular panel 5 without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.
In particular, the frame 16 could comprise several sections and/or could be anchored to the wall 2 by means of devices other than the device 6 illustrated.

Claims

Modular panel (5) for creating ventilated façades
(1) of buildings; the modular panel comprising a cladding plate (7) capable of being placed
a) in a vertical direction (12) beside a plate of a first adjacent modular panel, and

b) in a horizontal direction (15) beside a plate of a second adjacent modular panel; and being characterised in that it comprises:
- a frame (16) pre-mounted on a rear surface (8) of the said cladding plate (7) and capable of bearing anchoring means (6), for connection to a wall (2) of a building so that, in use, the said cladding plate (7) is facing and distant from the said wall (2);

- first means of connection (51) carried by the said frame (16) for connection to the said first adjacent modular panel;

- second means of connection (52) carried by the said frame for connection to the said second adjacent modular panel.
Panel according to claim 1, characterised in that the said first means of connection (51) are at least partly carried by an upper horizontal section (23) constituting part of the said frame (16).
Panel according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the said second means of connection (52) are at least partly carried by an upper horizontal section (23) constituting part of the said frame (16).
Panel according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said frame (16) comprises a horizontal section (23) arranged along a horizontal edge (10) of the said cladding plate (7), and at least one vertical section (33) which extends from the said horizontal section (23).
Panel according to claim 4, characterised in that the said horizontal (23) and vertical (33) sections comprise a horizontal tongue (28) and, respectively, a vertical tongue (38) that protrude upwards and, respectively, sideways from the said cladding plate (7) to be superimposed at the back on the edges of the plates of the said first and, respectively, second adjacent modular panel.
Panel according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said first and second means of connection (51, 52) define part of respective male and female joints.
Panel according to claims 5 and 6, characterised in that the said first means of connection (51) comprise a female seat made in the said horizontal tongue (28) and a male protrusion made at the lower end of the said vertical section (33).
Panel according to claim 4, characterised in that the said frame (16) comprises an additional vertical section (43) arranged in an intermediate position on the said rear surface (8) and horizontally distanced from the said vertical section (33).
Panel according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises anchoring means (6) connected to a section (23) of the said frame (16) in a horizontally sliding and angularly rotating position.
Panel according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises anchoring means (6) which carry an adjustment element that is movable in a horizontal direction (59) and is orthogonal to the said cladding plate (7) so as to adjust finely the distance of the said cladding plate (7) from the said wall.