EP3551817A1

EP3551817A1 - Surface covering with mounting profiles

Info

Publication number: EP3551817A1
Application number: EP17825782.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carsten Borum POULSEN
Original assignee: Cembrit Holding AS
Current assignee: Swisspearl Danmark Holding AS
Priority date: 2016-12-12
Filing date: 2017-12-12
Publication date: 2019-10-16
Also published as: WO2018108955A1

Abstract

Surface covering comprising a rectangular array of essentially co-planer rectangular panels, where each of the top, bottom and side edges comprises a groove in the edge, said panels being held in place by a top profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the top edge of the panel, a bottom profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the bottom edge of the panel and two side profiles extending along at least 50% of the length of the two side edges of the panel, and where the bottom, top and side profiles each comprise a base portion for mounting the profile on an underlying support structure and a first and a second engaging flange arranged along the longitudinal axis of the profile, the first and second engaging flanges being spaced away from the base portion and being arranged to extend away from each other in directions having a major vector component which is parallel to the plane of the panels, the first engaging flange being engaged with a groove in an edge of a first panel and the second engaging flange being engaged with a groove in a neighbouring edge of a neighbouring panel. The profiles and said panels are arranged such that the edges of the panels are displaceable with respect to the neighbouring edges of neighbouring panels to accommodate expansion of the panels.

Description

Surface covering with mounting profiles

The current invention relates to a surface covering comprising a rectangular array of essentially co-planer rectangular panels, each of said panels having an outer surface, an inner surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges, where each of the top, bottom and side edges comprises a groove in the edge, said panels being held in place by a top profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the top edge of the panel, a bottom profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the bottom edge of the panel and two side profiles extending along at least 50% of the length of the two side edges of the panel, and where the bottom, top and side profiles each comprise a base portion for mounting the profile on an underlying support structure and a first and a second engaging flange arranged along the longitudinal axis of the profile, the first and second engaging flanges being spaced away from the base portion and being arranged to extend away from each other in directions having a major vector component which is parallel to the plane of the panels, the first engaging flange being engaged with a groove in an edge of a first panel and the second engaging flange being engaged with a groove in a neighbouring edge of a neighbouring panel.

It should be noted that the surface covering according to the current invention was designed to be suitable for fastening panels to an exterior surface of a building. The requirements for mounting panels on exterior surfaces are typically greater than when mounting panels on interior surfaces. For example, exterior surfaces are exposed to greater temperature changes and greater moisture changes. Take for example the difference in temperature when an exterior surface which was in the shade suddenly gets exposed to full sunlight. Likewise, exterior surfaces are much more exposed to the environment and the surfaces should therefore be able to withstand snow, rain, high winds, etc... When comparing the surface covering of the current invention to prior art systems, it will be clear that many prior art systems are not suitable for being used on exterior wall surfaces.

Furthermore, the current surface covering was designed to be suitable for use with fibre cement panels. Fibre cement panels have different mechanical properties than many other materials, for example wooden panel elements, and this often means that systems which, for example, would be suitable for use with wooden panels would not be suitable for use with fibre cement panels.

However, even though the surface covering was designed to be suitable for exterior use, it should be clear that the surface covering as a whole, or certain elements of it, could also be used with panels mounted on interior walls. Likewise, even though the surface covering was designed to be suitable for use with fibre cement panels, it could also be used with panels made of a different material.

According to the current specification, the phrase "extending along at least 50% of the length" should be used to differentiate the current invention from prior art solutions which make use of small clips to attach the panels to an underlying support surface. By spreading the engagement between the profile and the panel out over more than 50% of the length of a panel edge, the load is better distributed. The 50% could be fulfilled by a one piece profile having an actual length which is greater than 50% of the length of the edge. Or it could be provided by a profile having a number of smaller engaging flanges having a summed length which is greater than 50% of the length of the edge.

It should be noted that in general, it will be beneficial if all the profiles in the array are similar or even identical. However this is not essential for the invention. Likewise, it should be noted that the profiles located at the outer edges of the surface covering could be different from the profiles located inside the array. For example, in certain cases, the profiles along the outer edges of the surface covering will only have one engaging flange and not two.

It can also be noted that the feature "base portion" should be interpreted quite broadly. For example, the base portion could be a single portion of the profile, or it could comprise multiple displaceable portions which slide along each other. In general, the function of the base portion is to provide a base which can be attached to a support structure and which can support the other elements/portions of the profile.

Description of related art There are many examples of prior art surface coverings which comprise panels mounted on a wall surface. However, many of the prior art surface coverings are not designed for exterior use, or they are designed for panels which are much longer than they are high (for example wooden siding planks), or they are designed for use with panels which are not made of fibre cement.

Some examples of prior art surface coverings are disclosed in EP288376, EP483673, EP584047, EP2780520A1 , FR2648172, JP2001003539, US2015/0191912, WO2013/050130 and FR2678662B1 .

One issue which many of the prior art surface coverings experience is that they use small clips which are located at spaced apart locations to hold the panels in place. These clips will apply point loads on the panels along the edges. This works fine for situations where low loads are placed on the structure, as for example in interior surfaces. But for situations where higher loads, for example wind loads, are placed on the surface covering, the small clips will not be strong enough, or the edge area of the panels will not be strong enough to hold the panels securely in place.

Another issue which many of the prior art surface coverings experience is that they do not provide any room for expansion of the panels. In situations where the panels are much longer than they are high and where brackets are only mounted along the top/bottom of the panels, then potential expansion can be accommodated in the longitudinal direction. But for panels which have a more rectangular structure where the length and height are closer to each other, there will be significant expansion in all directions. Depending on the material used for the rectangular panels of the surface covering, the expansion can be due to different effects. For some panels, there will be a significant amount of thermal expansion. As the panel warms up it will expand and as it cools down, it will retract. For other materials, the expansion can be due to changes in moisture content. For example, some materials expand when they are exposed to moisture. As moisture is absorbed in the panel, the panel will expand. Then when the moisture evaporates, the panel can contract. In one example, a fibre cement panel is exposed to rain and as it absorbs moisture it will expand. The rain then stops and the panel is exposed to sunlight which dries the panel. This will cause the moisture to evaporate and the panel will contract.

Another issue which many of the prior art surface coverings experience, is that they are designed to allow easy clip in insertion of the panels. This allows an easy mounting of the panels. However, this also means that there is a risk that the panels, under high load conditions, could also fall out. Therefore, many of the prior art surface coverings would not be suitable for use outdoors where the panels are exposed to high wind loads for example. Another issue which many of the prior art surface coverings experience, is that they would collect moisture/rain in the brackets/panels if they were to be used in an exterior environment. This therefore makes many surface coverings which would be suitable for interior use, unsuitable for exterior use.

Summary of the invention

It is therefore a first aspect of the current invention, to provide a surface covering which is suitable for use in exterior environments where the panels will be exposed to wind loads, rain, snow, direct sunlight, etc. A second aspect of the current invention is to provide a surface covering which permits panels to be mounted to a supporting structure without any visible screws in the outer surface of the panels.

A third aspect of the current invention is to provide a surface covering which is suitable for use with fibre cement panels.

These aspects are provided at least in part via a surface covering as described in the opening paragraph where the profiles and the panels are arranged such that the edges of the panels are displaceable with respect to the neighbouring edges of neighbouring panels to accommodate expansion of the panels. Since the edges are displaceable, any expansion in the panels due to different effects, for example thermal and/or moisture based, will just cause the edges to displace without causing any unwanted deformations in the panel itself. In a case where the edges of the panels were held firmly in place, then any expansion would cause the panel to bulge out. This would both be unsightly as well as imposing stresses on the panels, the profiles and the supporting structure.

Two non-limiting example embodiments for allowing the edges to be displaceable with respect to each other are listed here. In a first example, the edge of the panel is allowed to displace with respect to the engaging flange engaged with the groove in the edge of the panel. In a second example, the engaging flanges themselves are allowed to displace with respect to the base portion or the underlying support structure, thereby also allowing the edges of the panels to displace.

In one embodiment, the profiles could be attached to the supporting structure via screws or other suitable fasteners passing through the base portion. In one preferred embodiment, the screws or other suitable fasteners could be arranged behind the panel such that they are hidden from view.

In one embodiment, the cross section of the bottom profile could be the same as the cross section of the top profile. In another embodiment, the cross section of the two side profiles could be the same. In one embodiment, the cross section of the top, bottom and side profiles are the same.

In a first embodiment, the profiles could further comprise a first connecting flange which connects the base portion and the first engaging flange and a second connecting flange which connects the base portion and the second engaging flange, the first and second connecting flanges being arranged along the longitudinal axis of the profile and being arranged such that the first and second engaging flanges are spaced apart from each with a distance "D" parallel to the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the profiles. The term "connecting flange" should be interpreted quite broadly as an element which connects the base portion and the engaging flange. In typical embodiments, the profiles could be extruded or rolled from plate material and as such a thin flange will be typical. However, if the manufacturing technique is different, other forms of connecting flanges could be imagined. For example, the connecting flange could take the form of an elastic block arranged between and attached to both the engaging flange and the base portion.

It can also be mentioned that the gap "D" between the flanges, will also typically result in a gap between edges of neighbouring panels. Depending on the shape of the edge grooves and the shape of the profiles, the gap between neighbouring panels could be greater than or less than or equal to "D". Some form of non-zero gap should be present between the panels to allow for expansion. Some example values of the gap, either between the engaging flanges or between the edges of neighbouring panels, are between 1 and 20mm, between 2 and 15mm, between 3 and 10mm or between 5 and 10mm.

In a beneficial embodiment, the profiles are arranged such that the distance "D" between the first and the second engaging flanges is adjustable. In this case, the profiles themselves allow the panels to move with respect to each other.

The term "adjustable" should be understood as meaning that the flanges are displaceable and therefore the distance can be changed by displacing the flanges.

In one embodiment, the base portion could comprise a first mounting flange and a second mounting flange and in that the first mounting flange could be displaceable with respect to the second mounting flange and in that the first connecting flange could be connected to the first mounting flange and in that the second connecting flange could be connected to the second mounting flange. In this way, the first and second engaging flanges can be allowed to displace with respect to each other. This is one way of allowing the edges of the panels to be displaceable with respect to each other. In another embodiment which allows the edges of the panels to displace with respect to each other, the first and/or the second connecting flange could be arranged to be bendable such that the angle between the first connecting flange and the base portion and/or the angle between the second connecting flange and the base portion could be adjustable. By bendable, it should be understood that one end of the connecting flange is attached to the base portion and another end of the connecting flange is connected to the engaging flange and the portion in between the connecting and engaging flange is arranged such that it can be deformed. One example is a thin metal flange another example is a resilient block.

In one embodiment, the dimension of the first and/or the second engaging flange along a vector which is perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the flange and parallel to the plane of the panel could be made greater than the distance "D". In another embodiment, the length of the engaging flange can be chosen to be greater than the maximum displacement of the edge of the panel. In both of these embodiments, it is ensured that the flange cannot "fall out" of the groove. If the panel were to expand, thereby pushing the flange outwardly, and then contract again without simultaneously retracting the flange, then there would be a risk that the flange would fall out of the groove if the flange was too short. However, if the flange is longer than the maximum displacement of the flange, then the flange cannot fall out of the groove. It should be noted that in certain embodiments, the flange could be moved outwardly in a ratchet like manner, where repeated expansions of the panel will cause the flange to slowly crawl outwardly. In this case, it will also be good to limit the maximum displacement of the flange to an amount which is less than the length of the flange.

In one embodiment, the first engaging flange can be offset from the base portion a distance which is large enough such that a gap is provided between the inner surface of the panel and the base portion of the profile. In one embodiment, the offset distance is greater than the distance from the innermost surface of the groove to the inner surface of the panel. In one embodiment, the offset distance is at least the height of a screw or other fastener head greater than the distance from the innermost surface of the groove to the inner surface of the panel. In this way, there will be room for a screw head between the base portion and the inner surface of the panel. In one embodiment, the offset distance is chosen such that the gap between the support structure and the inner surface of the panel is between 1 mm and 10mm, between 2mm and 8mm or between 3mm and 7mm.

By providing space between the base portion and the panel for a screw, screws can be easily mounted behind the panel. In some prior art solutions, screws can be mounted in the gap between the panels. Due to the size of screw heads, the gap must be made a certain width which can in certain cases be too large. If the gap is too large, it is difficult to mount a sealing strip effectively in the gap, or a more expensive and/or more complicated sealing strip is necessary. Furthermore, a small gap provides a more clean appearance to the surface covering. Furthermore, placing the screws or other suitable fasteners behind the panel protects them from the elements.

Another advantage of offsetting the engaging flanges is that it increases the dimension of the profile in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the panels. Increasing this dimension (or the height) will increase the cross sectional moment of inertia and provide a stiffer profile element. This can contribute to ensuring a stronger connection between the supporting structure and the panels.

In one embodiment screws can be placed in the gap and the profile could comprise spaced apart cutouts or recesses in the engaging flanges to allow room for the screw heads. In this way, one can have a thin gap between flanges, but still have room for the screw heads. Instead of widening the gap to make room for the screws, cutouts/recesses are provided in the flanges. One advantage of putting the screws in the gap is that it can be possible to remove the profile without first having to remove the panel. In one embodiment, the profiles could further comprise a first supporting flange and/or a second supporting flange, the first and/or second supporting flanges being connected to the base portion and extending away from the base portion and abutting the inner surface of the panel to support the panel against loads applied to the panel in a direction having a vector component which is perpendicular to the plane of the panel. In this way, the edge portions with the grooves can be protected against damage. The edge portions are weakened by the presence of a groove which reduces the thickness of the panel at the edges. By supporting the panels on the inner side of the panels, much greater strength can be provided to the surface covering.

In one embodiment, at least some of the profiles comprise a condensate redirecting flange which abuts the inner surface of the panel at a location above the first engaging flange and leads condensate running down the inner surface of the panel away from the panel. In this way condensate is prevented from collecting near the panel. Condensate can in some cases cause structural and/or cosmetic damage to the panels and is therefore undesired. In one embodiment, the condensate redirecting flange and the supporting flange could be combined into a single flange.

In one embodiment, the surface covering could furthermore comprise horizontal sealing strips and vertical sealing strips, the horizontal and vertical sealing strips being arranged as resilient sealing strips which are press fitted into gaps formed between neighbouring edges of neighbouring panels and where the horizontal strips are arranged in the gaps fornned between the top and bottom edges of two neighbouring panels and the vertical strips are arranged in the gaps formed between neighbouring side edges of neighbouring panels and where the vertical strips are arranged to span the horizontal gap formed between two neighbouring panels. In this way a solution is provided where liquid running down the surface covering will be more free to run down the surface instead of meeting obstructions to the flow. This will also lead to less risk of liquid getting into the structure. In one embodiment, the profile comprises an engagement portion which is arranged to engage with a corresponding engagement portion of a sealing strip. In one embodiment the engagement portion of the profile is arranged in the gap between the two connecting flanges. In one embodiment, the engagement portion of the profile is arranged as opposing protrusions on the two connecting flanges. In one embodiment the opposing protrusions are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the profile. By arranging the engaging portion on the profile, the interface between the sealing strip and the profile can be more controlled without depending on the design of the panels themselves.

In one embodiment, the profiles comprise two separate profile elements which are displaceable with respect to each other and which are joined together by a flexible adhesive. In this embodiment, the adhesive should be chosen such that the two separate profile elements can be displaced with respect to each when force is applied to them, but that they can be handled as a single element during mounting.

A separate component of the invention relates, in one embodiment, to a profile comprising two elongated profile elements, a first profile element comprises a first engaging flange and a second profile element comprises a second engaging flange, the first and second profile elements being arranged to be able to displace with respect to each other after mounting the profile on a supporting surface, said profile further comprising a spacer element which is detachably attached to at least one of the first and/or second profile elements and which comprises a spacer flange which is inserted between the first and second profile elements to ensure a predetermined spacing between the first and second profile elements. In one further embodiment, the spacer element is arranged to detachably snap onto at least one of the first and/or second profile elements. In one further embodiment, the spacer element further comprises a flexible adhesive or flexible attachment member which is arranged between the first and second profile elements to hold the first and second profile elements together during mounting, but still allow displacement of the two elements with respect to each other when force is applied. In one embodiment, the spacer element comprises a flange which extends over the first and/or second engaging flange to ensure that the first and/or second engaging flange respectively cannot be engaged with a panel while the spacer element is attached to the profile.

The invention also relates to a method of mounting a surface covering on a supporting surface. In one embodiment of the method, the method comprises the steps of: fastening a first profile to a supporting structure, fastening a second profile to the supporting structure, engaging a first edge of a panel with the first profile and engaging a second edge of the panel with the second profile, engaging a third profile with a third edge of the panel and fastening the third profile to the supporting structure and engaging a fourth profile with a fourth edge of the panel and fastening the fourth profile to the supporting structure. In one embodiment of the method, the first profile is arranged along a lower edge of the panel, the second profile is arranged along a first side edge, the third profile is arranged along a second side edge and the fourth profile is arranged along the top edge of the panel. In this case, the order of mounting the first and second profile is interchangeable and the order of mounting the third and fourth profile is also interchangeable. In a further embodiment of the invention, prior to installing the first, second, third and/or fourth profile on the supporting structure, one or more spacer elements are added to the profile to ensure proper spacing of the profile with regards to the panel and/or with regards to different components of the profile itself. In a further embodiment, after fastening the first, second, third and/or fourth profile to the supporting structure, one or more spacer elements are removed from the profile.

The current claim set is focussed on an invention which allows the neighbouring edges of neighbouring panels to displace with respect to each other to absorb thermal expansion in the panels. However, the current specification also discloses additional inventions which could form the basis of divisional applications. Below are listed some paragraphs which could form the basis for additional independent claims focussed on these additional inventions. It should be clear to the person skilled in the art, that the features listed in the current claim set could be combined in various forms with the proposed independent claims below to develop a claim set which has a broad scope of protection with different fall back positions. For example, the three proposed independent claims listed below could each be combined in various combinations with the characterizing portion of current claims 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 and/or with the features of the characterizing portions of one or more of the other proposed claims below. A first additional invention relates to a surface covering comprising a rectangular array of essentially co-planer rectangular panels, each of said panels having an outer surface, an inner surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges, where each of the top, bottom and side edges comprises a groove in the edge, said panels being held in place by a top profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the top edge of the panel, a bottom profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the bottom edge of the panel and two side profiles extending along at least 50% of the length of the two side edges of the panel, and where the bottom, top and side profiles each comprise a base portion for mounting the profile on an underlying support structure and a first and a second engaging flange arranged along the longitudinal axis of the profile, the first and second engaging flanges being spaced away from the base portion and being arranged to extend away from each other in directions having a major vector component which is parallel to the plane of the panels, the first engaging flange being engaged with a groove in an edge of a first panel and the second engaging flange being engaged with a groove in a neighbouring edge of a neighbouring panel characterized in that said profiles are fastened to the support structure via a screw or other suitable fastener which passes through the base portion of the profiles, said screw or other suitable fastener being arranged at a location which is offset from the first engaging flange in a direction away from the second engaging flange such that the fastener is arranged behind the panel.

A second additional invention relates to a surface covering comprising a rectangular array of essentially co-planer rectangular panels, each of said panels having an outer surface, an inner surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges, where each of the top, bottom and side edges comprises a groove in the edge, said panels being held in place by a top profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the top edge of the panel, a bottom profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the bottom edge of the panel and two side profiles extending along at least 50% of the length of the two side edges of the panel, and where the bottom, top and side profiles each comprise a base portion for mounting the profile on an underlying support structure and a first and a second engaging flange arranged along the longitudinal axis of the profile, the first and second engaging flanges being spaced away from the base portion and being arranged to extend away from each other in directions having a major vector component which is parallel to the plane of the panels, the first engaging flange being engaged with a groove in an edge of a first panel and the second engaging flange being engaged with a groove in a neighbouring edge of a neighbouring panel characterized in that said surface covering comprises a plurality of horizontal sealing strips press fitted into horizontal gaps between neighbouring horizontal edges of neighbouring panels and a plurality of vertical sealing strips press fitted into vertical gaps between neighbouring vertical edges of neighbouring panels and where the vertical sealing strips are arranged to span the horizontal gap between neighbouring panels. In one embodiment, the vertical sealing strips are longer than the horizontal sealing strips. In one embodiment, the horizontal sealing strips are essentially equal in length to the length of the horizontal edges of the panels and the vertical sealing strips are longer than the vertical edges of the panels. In one embodiment, the vertical sealing strips are at least twice as long as the vertical edges of the panels.

A third additional invention relates to a surface covering comprising a rectangular array of essentially co-planer rectangular panels, each of said panels having an outer surface, an inner surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges, where each of the top, bottom and side edges comprises a groove in the edge, said panels being held in place by a top profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the top edge of the panel, a bottom profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the bottom edge of the panel and two side profiles extending along at least 50% of the length of the two side edges of the panel, and where the bottom, top and side profiles each comprise a base portion for mounting the profile on an underlying support structure and a first and a second engaging flange arranged along the longitudinal axis of the profile, the first and second engaging flanges being spaced away from the base portion and being arranged to extend away from each other in directions having a major vector component which is parallel to the plane of the panels, the first engaging flange being engaged with a groove in an edge of a first panel and the second engaging flange being engaged with a groove in a neighbouring edge of a neighbouring panel characterized in that the profiles have at least one supporting flange which extends from the base portion and abuts the inner surface of the panel to support the panel against loads placed on the panel having a vector component which is perpendicular to the plane of the panel. In one embodiment, the supporting flange is offset from the first engaging flange a distance which is parallel to the plane of the panel. It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising/comprised of when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Brief description of the drawings

In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to embodiments shown by the enclosed figures. It should be emphasized that the embodiments shown are used for example purposes only and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a perspective front top side view of an exterior wall surface in a first step of assembling a first embodiment of the surface covering according to the current invention.

Figure 2 shows the perspective view of figure 1 in a second step of assembling a surface covering according to the current invention. Figure 3 shows the perspective view of figure 1 in a third step of assembling a surface covering according to the current invention. Figure 4 shows the perspective view of figure 1 in a fourth step of assembling a surface covering according to the current invention. Figure 5 shows the perspective view of figure 1 in a fifth step of assembling a surface covering according to the current invention.

Figure 6 shows a front view of a surface covering showing the intersection between four panels as defined by the circle VI in figure 5.

Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view of the assembled surface covering as shown in figure 5.

Figure 8 shows a cross sectional view of the surface covering of figure 5 during the assembly procedure.

Figure 9 shows a cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a surface covering according to the invention. Figure 10 shows a cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a surface covering according to the invention.

Figure 1 1 shows a cross sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a surface covering according to the invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments

Figures 1 -5 show five steps of a method of assembling a surface covering according to one embodiment of the current invention. It should be noted that the description provided below is quite specific to this current embodiment. The features described below should however not be interpreted as limiting for the scope of protection of the claims.

The procedure in the current embodiment starts with establishing a support structure 1 to which the surface covering can be mounted. In this embodiment, vertically arranged wooden battens 2 are mounted on a wall (not shown) which is to be covered by the surface covering. Depending on the wall which is to be covered, the vertical battens can be mounted in different ways. Typically, the vertical battens will be screwed into the wall. The vertical battens are arranged at a fixed distance from each other and are arranged to form an essentially plane front.

A first horizontal profile 3 is then mounted to span across three vertical battens. In this embodiment, the profile is made of an extruded aluminium profile which is screwed into the vertical battens. The profile comprises an engaging flange which is arranged to engage with grooves along the side edges of the panels. The design of the profiles will be described in more detail later on in this specification. A vertical profile 4 is then mounted along one of the vertical battens. The order of mounting the first and second profiles can be interchanged.

Figure 2 then shows how a rectangular fibre cement panel 5 is mounted on the first and second profiles 3,4. A downwardly facing groove arranged in the bottom side edge 6 of the panel is engaged with an upwardly extending engaging flange of the first profile. Likewise, a sideways facing groove arranged in the left side edge 7 of the panel is engaged with a sideways facing engaging flange of the second profile. Once the panel is properly engaged, it will hold its position. It should be noted in this construction that the screws which hold the first and second profiles to the supporting structure are hidden behind the panel, once the panel is placed into its correct position. Figure 3 then shows how additional profiles are fastened to the supporting structure. A third profile 10 is first placed such that a downwardly extending engaging flange engages with an upwardly facing groove in the top edge 12 of the panel. Once the profile is placed correctly in the groove, the third profile can be screwed into the vertical battens of the supporting structure. The panel is now secured in the vertical direction. Thereafter, a fourth profile 14 is attached to the right side edge 16 of the panel in a similar manner to the other edges of the panel. Once the fourth profile is engaged with the side edge of the panel, the fourth profile is fastened to the supporting structure. The order of mounting the third and fourth profiles can be interchanged.

The panel 5 is now held securely in place with the first, second, third and fourth profiles. Since the profiles run along the entire length of the panel in this embodiment, the loads on the edges of the panel are spread out over a larger area and there is less risk of the edges cracking or being damaged when high loads are placed on the structure when compared to prior art solutions which use small clips. Likewise, since the panel is held securely on all four edges, there is less risk that the panel can bend outwardly due to wind loads. In prior art type structures where the panel is only held along the top and bottom edges, or only in the corners, if enough wind load is applied, the middle of the panel can bend outwardly, thereby weakening the engagement between the engaging flanges and the grooves. In a worst case situation, the panel can fall out. The procedure is then continued by adding fifth 18 and sixth 20 profiles. The fifth profile 18 is added as a horizontal extension of the first profile 3 along the bottom of the support structure and the sixth profile 20 is added as a vertical extension of the second profile 4 along the left side of the support structure. Figure 4 shows how a second panel 22 is placed on the third profile 10 and engaged with the sixth profile 20 such that it is arranged above the first panel 5 and how a third panel 24 is placed on the fifth profile 18 and engaged with the fourth profile 14 such that it is arranged to the right of the first panel 5.

Figure 5 shows the surface covering after additional profiles (hidden behind the panels) and a fourth panel 26 have been added to the surface covering. To complete the structure, horizontal sealing strips 28 are placed in the horizontal grooves 30 formed between neighbouring top and bottom edges of neighbouring panels. Once the horizontal sealing strips 28 have been placed in the horizontal grooves, vertical sealing strips 32 are arranged in the vertical grooves 34 formed between neighbouring side edges of neighbouring panels. It should be observed from the figures, that the horizontal sealing strips are shorter than the vertical sealing strips. The horizontal sealing strips are arranged to span the length of one panel. The horizontal sealing strips do not cross the vertical gap between two panels. The vertical sealing strips however are longer and span the horizontal gap between two panels. This arrangement has the benefit that liquid (for example rain) running down the exterior surface of the surface covering, will also run down the vertical sealing strips without being stopped and without running into the construction. Figure 6 shows a schematic front view of the surface covering where the intersection between the four panels from figure 5 are shown with solid lines and the profiles behind the panels are shown with dotted lines. As can be seen at the intersection of the panels, the profiles do not abut each other. This leads to a space between the profiles which can be seen through the gap between the panels. The vertical and horizontal sealing strips 28,32 cover these gaps and provide a much nicer visual impression. This nicer visual impression is provided in addition to providing a sealing effect to prevent water from getting into the structure.

Figure 7 shows a first embodiment of an actual profile 10 suitable for use with a surface covering of the current invention. The profile shown in figure 7 can be used for both the vertically and horizontally arranged profiles, just the length is different. In this embodiment, the profile is made as an extruded aluminium profile with an essentially uniform cross section along the entire length of the profile. However, a similar profile could also be made as a rolled steel profile possibly made from thinner metal plate elements. This will be discussed in more detail later on.

The profile comprises a first mounting flange 102, a second mounting flange 104, a first engaging flange 106 and a second engaging flange 108. The first and second mounting flanges 102,104 form a base portion of the profile and abut a supporting structure which in this embodiment is a vertically arranged wooden batten 2. A screw 1 10 is screwed through the first mounting flange and into the wooden batten. This holds the first mounting flange 102 fastened to the wooden batten 2. The second mounting flange 104 is held against the wooden batten by the first mounting flange which presses the second mounting flange against the wooden batten. However, as can be seen from the figure, there is no direct fastening between the wooden batten and the second mounting flange. This allows the second mounting flange to displace with respect to the first mounting flange.

The first engaging flange 106 is engaged in a downwardly facing groove 1 12 in the bottom edge of the upper panel 22. In the current embodiment, the groove extends along the entire length of the panel 22 and the engaging flange extends along the entire length of the profile 10. Likewise, the second engaging flange 108 engages with an upwardly facing groove 1 14 in the top edge of the lower panel 5. A first connecting flange 1 16 connects the first engaging flange 106 with the first mounting flange 102 and a second connecting flange 1 18 connects the second engaging flange 108 with the second mounting flange 104. A gap is formed between the two engaging flanges 106,108 with a width D. Since the first mounting flange 102 is screwed directly to the wooden batten, the position of the first engaging flange 106 will be relatively constant. This also means that the position of the bottom edge of the upper panel will be relatively constant. However, the second engaging flange is connected to the second mounting flange 104 which is not fastened directly to the wooden batten 2. Therefore, when the panel element 5 experiences changes in temperature/moisture content and either contracts or expands, the change in dimension of the panel will cause the second engaging flange to move up or down. When the lower panel 5 expands, the second engaging flange 108 will move up and when the lower panel 5 contracts, the second engaging flange 108 will move down. It could be said that the distance between neighbouring edges of neighbouring panels is adjustable due to the design and arrangement of the profiles and panels. In order to seal the gap between the two panels, a horizontal sealing strip 28 is press fitted into the gap 30 between the two panels 5,22. The sealing strip also has the function to act as a sort of spring acting between the first and second engaging flanges. In the case where the panel 5 first expands and then contracts, for example in a case where the panel is first exposed to rain and then to sunlight, the second engaging flange 108 will first move up thereby compressing the sealing strip 28 and then later on the panel 5 contracts, and the sealing strip 28 will press the second engaging flange 108 back down again. In one embodiment of the sealing strips, the sealing strips could be made from an elastic rubber like material with a core of a non-stretchable material. For example, a cord made from a relatively stiff material could be embedded in the rubberlike sealing strip. This will ensure that the sealing strip will not be stretched during assembly with the thereby associated risk that the sealing strip shrinks again after mounting, thereby leaving openings between neighbouring panels.

As can be seen from the figures, the first and second engaging flanges 106,108 are offset from the first and second mounting flanges 102,104 a distance which is great enough such that a gap 120 is provided between the mounting flanges and the inner surface 122 of the panel. In this way, there is room for the head 124 of the screw 1 10 behind the panel. In addition, the gap allows ventilation to occur between the profile and the panel.

In order to provide extra support for the panel, the profile also comprises first and second supporting flanges 126,128. The first supporting flange 126 is connected to the first mounting flange 102 and extends from the first mounting flange and abuts the inner surface of the upper panel 22. In this way, when a force is applied to the upper panel 22 in a direction perpendicular to the panel itself, then the force is transferred to the supporting flange 126 and further into the vertical batten 2. If the supporting flange were not present, then the force would need to be absorbed by the engaging flange 106. This would also apply a large force to the lower edge of the upper panel and there would be a risk that the lower portion of the lower edge of the panel could break off. The second supporting flange 128 is connected to the second mounting flange and supports the inner surface of the lower panel 5.

It should be noted at this point, that the terms mounting flange, connecting flange, engaging flange and supporting flange should not be interpreted as being uniquely identifiable flanges. Rather they should be interpreted more broadly as being separate functional elements of a profile which however could be combined. For example, in the current element, the first engaging flange 106 is connected to the first mounting flange 102 via the connecting flange 1 16 and the supporting flange 126, and not just the connecting flange. In order to prevent water from collecting in the gap between the panel and the profile, a condensate redirecting flange 130 is provided at the top of the profile. The condensate redirecting flange 130 is arranged to abut the inner surface 122 of the upper panel and is arranged at a downwardly sloping angle, such that condensate running down the inner surface of the upper panel, will hit the condensate redirecting flange 130 and run down the flange 130 and away from the panel. It can also be seen that the condensate redirecting flange 130 also has a supporting function which supports the panel a certain amount as well. In certain embodiments, it could be imagined that the condensate redirecting flange was also a supporting flange.

During assembling, the surface covering according to the current invention, in one embodiment, and as described with regards to figures 1 -5, is assembled from the bottom to the top and from the left to the right (right to left would also be possible). When considering the situation when building from bottom to top, a lower profile is first fastened to the supporting structure, then a first panel is placed on the lower profile, then a second profile is placed on top of the first panel and fastened to the supporting structure. A second panel is then placed on top of the second profile. This procedure is repeated until the desired height is achieved. It will be clear to the person skilled in the art, that it is important that the distance D between the first and second engaging flanges is constant, otherwise, the gap between neighbouring panels will be non-uniform. In the case of the profile shown in figure 7, since the first and second mounting flanges are not fixed together, there is a risk that the gap is not uniform if the person mounting the profiles is not careful. In order to avoid this situation, a mounting fixture 140 can be used as illustrated in figure 8. Figure 8 shows a side view of the mounting fixture. The mounting fixture can have different widths (direction into the page in figure 8), but in this embodiment, the mounting fixture has a width of approximately 2cm. At least two mounting fixtures of this type are therefore used, one near each end of the profile. However, additional mounting fixtures could be used, or mounting fixtures having a greater width can also be used. In one embodiment, a strip of material is placed between the two flanges to act as a mounting fixture. The strip is peeled out prior to mounting the next panel.

In this case, the mounting fixture can be snapped to the first engaging flange and have a spacing portion 142 which extends below the first engaging flange and abuts the second engaging flange. The spacing portion 142 has a fixed dimension which ensures that the spacing between the first and second engaging flanges is constant throughout the entire assembly process.

It should be noted that the mounting fixture should be relatively firm to make sure that the mounting fixture is not damaged during installation. If the mounting fixture is damaged, then there is again a risk that the gap between neighbouring panels will be non-uniform. It could be imagined that during installation, a worker will use a hammer to press the second engaging flange into the upper edge groove of a lower panel. The mounting fixture should be able to withstand such abuse. Likewise, it should be noted, that it is important that the mounting fixture is removed once the profile is correctly mounted in place. If the mounting fixture is not removed, then the second engaging flange will not be able to displace with respect to the first engaging flange and the profile will not be able to absorb the thermal/moisture expansion which the panels will experience. Hence, in the current embodiment, the mounting fixture is arranged with a security portion 144 which covers a portion of the first engaging flange. In this way, it is not possible to place an upper panel onto the first engaging flange, until the mounting fixture is removed. This will ensure that the worker installing the panels will remember to remove the mounting fixtures. In one embodiment of this profile, the first and second mounting flanges are joined together with a flexible adhesive 146. This will enable the worker to manipulate a single profile instead of having to work with two independent profiles. The adhesive should be strong enough to hold the two mounting flanges together during mounting, but weak enough that the panels are still able to expand with respect to each other when the panels experience expansion.

With regards to figure 8, one can describe an assembly procedure where the lower panel 5 is first placed into engagement with a lower profile (not shown) and a side profile (not shown) (however see 3, 4 in figures 1 and 2). Once the panel 5 is in place, it will be held temporarily in place by the lower profile as well as the side profile. The worker will then place the profile 10 on top of the panel 5 such that the second engaging flange 108 will be in engagement with the upwardly facing groove 1 14 of the top edge of the panel 5. Due to the adhesive 146 it will be easy for the worker to handle the profile. Likewise, due to the mounting fixture 140, the proper distance between the first and second engaging flanges 106,108 will be ensured. Once the profile is in place on the panel, the worker will place screws 1 10 through the profile and fasten the profile to the wooden battens 2. The lower panel 5 is now securely fastened onto the supporting structure and cannot fall off anymore. The worker will then remove the mounting fixtures 140 and then install a new panel on top of the profile. This will continue until the desired height has been achieved.

In one embodiment of the invention, the profile will be supplied from the factory without any mounting fixture. The worker will have one or more mounting fixtures ready and will insert the mounting fixture into the profile prior to fastening the profile to the supporting structure.

In another embodiment (not shown) the profile will be supplied from the factory with a mounting fixture already mounted on the profile. The worker will then fasten the profile first and then remove the mounting fixture afterwards. This type of mounting fixture could advantageously be supplied as a strip of material placed between the two engaging flanges. The strip can be peeled out prior to mounting the next panel. In one embodiment (not shown) the strip could have a first portion which is placed between the two flanges, and a second portion which is outside the first flange and a third portion which is arranged on top of the first flange to prevent installation of a panel prior to removing the strip. The strip could be provided with a strong colour, for example bright red, to signal to the worker that it needs to be removed prior to proceeding. In this type of embodiment, it could be imagined that the strip was also provided with a form of adhesive which held the first and second engaging flanges together so that the worker could manipulate the profile in an easy manner. It should be clear to the person skilled in the art, that the procedure when building from the left to the right (or when building from right to left) will be essentially the same as the procedure when building bottom up. The terms upper and lower will just be switched with right and left when building from the left (or left and right when building from the right). In this embodiment, the exact same profile can be used for the top/bottom edges as for the side edges. In this embodiment, the panels are longer than they are high, so that top/bottom profiles are longer than the side profiles.

With the profile shown in figures 7 and 8, it can also be noted that for the very lowermost profile and for the very leftmost when building from left to right (or rightmost when building from right to left) it is possible to only use the top portion of the profile, in other words, only the first mounting flange and the first engaging flange needs to be used. This provides for a nice finish at the edges of the surface covering. This is shown in figure 1 where the lower most profile only has the upper portion and not the lower portion.

The profile shown in figures 7 and 8 is just one embodiment of a profile which could be suitable for use with a surface covering according to the current invention. Multiple other embodiments fulfilling the features of the claims would also be possible.

Figure 9 shows one such additional embodiment. In this example, the profile is a single piece manufactured as a single extruded aluminium profile. In this case, in order to allow the neighbouring edges of neighbouring panels to displace with respect to each other, the engaging flanges are mounted on connection flanges which are able to bend. This allows the engaging flanges to displace with respect to each other and thereby absorb the thermal expansion in the panel.

In this particular embodiment, the profile 200 comprises a base portion comprising a single mounting flange 202 which is fastened to the vertical wooden battens 2 via a screw 1 10. The profile again comprises a first engaging flange 204 and a second engaging flange 206. The first engaging flange 204 is connected to the mounting flange via a first connecting flange 208 and the second engaging flange 206 is connected to the mounting flange via a second connecting flange 210.

As with the previous embodiment, the first engaging flange is relatively fixed in position with regards to the mounting flange. The first connecting flange 208 is relatively stiff and holds the first engaging flange and the lower edge of an upper panel in a relatively constant position. This flange also holds the weight of the panel and it is therefore necessary that it is strong enough to hold the weight without bending unnecessarily.

However, the second connecting flange 210 is made with a thinner wall thickness which allows the second connecting flange 210 to bend when force is applied to the second engaging flange 206. In this way, when the panel experiences thermal/moisture expansion, the panel expands and presses the second engaging flange upwardly. This causes the second connecting flange 210 to bend and absorb the thermal expansion. When the panel contracts again, the built in spring effect of the second connecting flange will cause the second engaging flange to be displaced downwardly again, thereby maintaining a strong connection between the panel and the engaging flange.

As with the previous embodiment of the profile, this embodiment also has a first supporting flange 212 and a second supporting flange 214. In this embodiment, the first supporting flange 212 also functions as a condensate redirecting flange.

Furthermore, as with the previous embodiment, a flexible sealing strip (not shown) can be press fitted into the gap 216 between the two panels to ensure a watertight seal and provide a finished covering with a nice visual appearance.

The assembly procedure with this profile is almost exactly the same as with the previous profile embodiment, however, it is not necessary to remove a mounting fixture since the two engaging flanges are provided with a fixed gap between them. This makes assembly of the surface covering easier with this profile. However, more demands are placed on the form and material of the profile as it is necessary to provide a profile which can bend enough to absorb the expansion of the panels, while also being strong enough to hold the panels securely over time and when exposed to harsh environments for example high wind loads.

In the embodiments described above, the profiles have been made as an extruded aluminium profile. However, it should be clear to the person skilled in the art that the profiles could also be made from other materials and with other manufacturing techniques. For example, it could be imagined that the profile was made from a sheet metal material, for example stainless steel, which was bent into the correct shape. It should also be noted that depending on the type of material which the panels are made of, certain considerations need to be made with regards to the material of the profiles. For example, with the use of fibre cement, aluminium profiles could be corroded when in contact with the fibre cement for extended periods of time. In these cases, suitable surface treatment, for example special paint or special coverings could be relevant.

Figure 10 shows one example of a profile 300 made as a rolled stainless steel profile. This profile is in function very similar to the profile shown in figure 9. However, instead of being manufactured as a single extruded profile, the profile in this case is manufactured as two separately formed steel plate elements 302,304 which are formed and then pressed together via a folded portion 306.

In this example, the folded portion 306 also functions as a support flange and a condensate redirecting flange. Likewise, the connecting flange 308 which connects the second engaging flange 310 with the base portion 312 also functions as a support flange, supporting the inside surface 314 of the lower panel 5. Figure 1 1 shows another example of a profile 400 made as a rolled stainless steel profile. In contrast to the embodiment of figure 10, the connecting flanges 402,404 are both angled in this embodiment. The connecting flanges are arranged such that the distance between the connecting flanges in a direction parallel to the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the profiles at the point where the flanges connect with the panels is less than the distance between the connection flanges in a direction parallel to the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the profiles at a point between the inner surface of the panels and the base portion. This provides for a larger recess which gives more room for the sealing strip 406 to expand and grip onto the profile. In one embodiment the connecting flanges are angled such that the distance between the connection flanges in a direction parallel to the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the profiles increases in the direction from the inner surface of the panels to the base portion of the profile.

The figure shows two sealing strips, a first sealing strip 406' prior to insertion into the gap and a second sealing strip 406" after insertion into the gap. As can be seen from the figure, the sealing strip engages with the profile itself. In this embodiment, the profile is formed such that the connection flanges have a protrusion 408, 410 on each connection flange, the protrusion running along the longitudinal axis of the profile. In this case, the protrusion can be thought of as an engagement portion which is arranged to engage with a corresponding engagement portion 412 in the sealing strip. In this way, a very controlled engagement is provided between the sealing strip and the profile, without being dependent on the form of the edges of the panels.

In this embodiment, the profile 400 is formed from two separate rolled steel elements. In one situation, the two elements could be fastened together by welding or gluing. In other embodiments, the two elements are joined prior to fastening them to the support structure. It is to be noted that the figures and the above description have shown the example embodiments without a detailed description of all the specific details. Many of the specific mechanical details have not been shown since the person skilled in the art should be familiar with these details and they would just unnecessarily complicate this description.

Claims

1 . Surface covering comprising a rectangular array of essentially co- planer rectangular panels, each of said panels having an outer surface, an inner surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges, where each of the top, bottom and side edges comprises a groove in the edge, said panels being held in place by a top profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the top edge of the panel, a bottom profile extending along at least 50% of the length of the bottom edge of the panel and two side profiles extending along at least 50% of the length of the two side edges of the panel, and where the bottom, top and side profiles each comprise a base portion for mounting the profile on an underlying support structure and a first and a second engaging flange arranged along the longitudinal axis of the profile, the first and second engaging flanges being spaced away from the base portion and being arranged to extend away from each other in directions having a major vector component which is parallel to the plane of the panels, the first engaging flange being engaged with a groove in an edge of a first panel and the second engaging flange being engaged with a groove in a neighbouring edge of a neighbouring panel characterized in that said profiles and said panels are arranged such that the edges of the panels are displaceable with respect to the neighbouring edges of neighbouring panels to accommodate expansion of the panels.

2. Surface covering according to claim 1 , characterized in that the profiles further comprise a first connecting flange which connects the base portion and the first engaging flange and a second connecting flange which connects the base portion and the second engaging flange, the first and second connecting flanges being arranged along the longitudinal axis of the profile and being arranged such that the first and second engaging flanges are spaced apart from each with a distance "D" parallel to the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the profiles.

Surface covering according to claim 2, characterized in that the profiles are arranged such that the distance "D" between the first and the second engaging flanges is adjustable.

Surface covering according to claim 3, characterized in that the base portion comprises a first mounting flange and a second mounting flange and in that the first mounting flange is displaceable with respect to the second mounting flange and in that the first connecting flange is connected to the first mounting flange and in that the second connecting flange is connected to the second mounting flange.

Surface covering according to claim 3, characterized in that the first and/or the second connecting flange are arranged to be bendable such that the angle between the first connecting flange and the base portion and/or the angle between the second connecting flange and the base portion are/is adjustable.

Surface covering according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that the dimension of the first and/or the second engaging flange along a vector which is perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the flange and parallel to the plane of the panel is greater than the distance "D".

Surface covering according to any one of claims 1 -6, characterized in that first engaging flange is offset from the base portion a distance which is large enough such that a gap is provided between the inner surface of the panel and the base portion of the profile.

Surface covering according to any one of claims 1 -7, characterized in that the profiles further comprise a first supporting flange and/or a second supporting flange, the first and/or second supporting flanges being connected to the base portion and extending away from the base portion and abutting the inner surface of the panel to support the panel against loads applied to the panel in a direction having a vector component which is perpendicular to the plane of the panel.

Surface covering according to any one of claims 1 -8, characterized in that at least some of the profiles comprise a condensate redirecting flange which abuts the inner surface of the panel and leads condensate running down the inner surface of the panel away from the panel.

Surface covering according to any one of claims 1 -9, characterized in that the surface covering furthermore comprises horizontal sealing strips and vertical sealing strips, the horizontal and vertical sealing strips being arranged as resilient sealing strips which are press fitted into gaps formed between neighbouring edges of neighbouring panels and where the horizontal strips are arranged in the gaps formed between the top and bottom edges of two neighbouring panels and the vertical strips are arranged in the gaps formed between neighbouring side edges of neighbouring panels and where the vertical strips are arranged to span the horizontal gap formed between two neighbouring panels.

A method of mounting a surface covering on a supporting surface, the method comprises the steps of:

a. fastening a first profile to a supporting structure,

b. fastening a second profile to the supporting structure, c. engaging a groove on a first edge of a panel with a flange on the first profile,

d. engaging a groove on a second edge of the panel with a flange on the second profile,

e. engaging a flange on a third profile with a groove along a third edge of the panel,

f. fastening the third profile to the supporting structure,

g. engaging a flange on a fourth profile with a groove on a fourth edge of the panel, and

h. fastening the fourth profile to the supporting structure.

12. A method according to claim 1 1 , characterized in that the first profile is arranged along a lower edge of the panel, the second profile is arranged along a first side edge, the third profile is arranged along a second side edge and the fourth profile is arranged along the top edge of the panel.

13. A method according to claim 1 1 or 12, characterized in that surface covering is a surface covering according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

14. A method according to any one of claims 1 1 to 13, characterized in that the method further comprises the step of adding one or more spacer elements to the profile to ensure proper spacing of the profile with regards to the panel and/or with regards to different components of the profile itself prior to installing the first, second, third and/or fourth profile on the supporting structure.

15. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that the method further comprises the step of removing one or more spacer elements from the profile after fastening the first, second, third and/or fourth profile to the supporting structure.