GB2168731A - Wall panel structure - Google Patents

Abstract

The wall panel structure includes a snap joint (44, 46) which permits hidden attachment of a wall panel unit (40) to another wall panel unit (40). The joint permits the structure to be attached to building supports from inside or outside and permits easy attachment of liner panels, insulation, or the like. A projection (212) on one panel unit abuts an angled leg (62) of another panel to provide a secure snap engagement between the panels. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wall panel structure The present invention relates in general to building materials, and, more particularly, to wall panel units.

Currentlytherearemanywall panel unitsavailable and an example of such units is disclosed in US Patent No. 4283897.

These units, however, have certain deficiencies which include panel joints which can gape, thereby creating unsightly gaps and creating air leakage.

Many ofthe known panels must be installed from inside a building, thereby making it nearly impossibleto use blanket insulation or like materials.

Furthermore, due to the design of many known units, attaching liner panels, such as wallboard or other such finishing materials, is extremely difficult.

According to the present invention a wall panel structure for outside use on buildings comprises: a plurality of elongated panel units each having substantially parallel ends lengthwise thereof; a first leg having a cleft portion thereon; a first web attached to said first leg; ahairpin portion attaching saidfirstwebto one end ofafirst panel unit; an angled leg attached to a second web at an obtuse angle thereto; said second web being attached by an offset section having a void space to another end of said panel unit; said second web being shorterthan said first web; whereupon assembly of a second panel unitwith said first panel unit, the aforesaid hairpin portion of said first panel unit is received within the void space ofthe offset section ofthesecond panel unit; and the angled leg ofthesecond panel unitengagesthe cleft portion ofthefirstleg of first panel unit.

In carrying the invention into effect a first locking edge on one panel unit interlocks with a second locking edge on another panel unit. The first locking edges includes the cleft portion which interferes with an angled leg on the second locking edge. The cleft portion is in the back leg ofthefirstedgeand functions as a retaining bead when the panel units are locked together. The cleft portion cooperates with a leg on the second edge ofthe adjoining panel unit to provide a snap engagement between the two panel edges. The cleft portion can extend for essentially the entire length of the panel unit, or only partofthelengthofthepanel unit,assuitable.

The second edge fits into the first edge, and one of the panel units is tilted with respect to the other during the locking procedure.

The panel units can be easily instal led from either the inside ofthe building orthe outside ofthe building. The outside attachment expands the capability of the wall panel unitovertheknownwall panel units and permits use ofthe unit orfascias, retrofitting, and the like.

Wa I I boards or otherfinishing products are easily attached to the presently disclosed panel unit because a leg on the second edge is shorterthan a corresponding leg on the first edge, thereby facilitating the double attachment at a linerjoint.

The center groove permits visual centering for a liner joint and can also be used as a guide forselfdrilling screws in a blind attachment application.

It is a main advantage ofthe present invention to provide a hidden snap-in jointforconnecting building wall panel units together.

It is another advantage ofthe present invention to permitwall panel unitstobemountedfrom inside or outside a building.

It is a further advantage ofthe present invention to permit easy attachment of insulation, wallboard, or the like to building wall panel units.

These, together with other advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as morefully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being hadtotheaccompanyingdrawingsforming part hereof, wherein like reference numerals referto like parts throughout.

Fig. is a perspective view of a planarwall panel unit embodying the teachings ofthe present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fluted wall panel unit embodying the teachings of the present invention; Fig.3 is a perspective view of a clip used in conjunction with a wall panel unit embodying the teachings ofthe present invention; Fig. is atop plan view of a planarwall panel unit embodying the teachings ofthe present invention showing an attachment process; Fig. 5 is atop plan view of a fluted wall panel unit embodying the teachings of the present invention showing an attachment process; Fig. 6 is atop plan view of a planarwall panel unit showing a snap lock feature embodying the teachings ofthe present invention; and Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a fluted wall panel unit showing a snap lockfeature embodying the teachings ofthe present invention.

A planarwall panel unit 10 and a fluted wall panel unit 12 are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, and each unit utilizes a quick joint 14 embodying the teachings of the present invention. The planarwall panel 10 may include a textured coating to produce a non-metallic look, if suitable. The wall panel units are supported on a sill 16 ofafoundation 18. Abase closure 20 can be interposed between foot 22 ofthe units and the sill 16, if suitable. Wall structurals, such as girts 24 and eave struts 26, are used with the panels and a reinforcing clip 30 and a self-drilling screw 32 connect the panels to the girts 24 and eave struts 26. The reinforcing clip 30 has an indentation or dimple 236formed therein that provides for a tight fitwhenthe clip 30 is pushed overthe panel lip34.

The clip 30 includes a hole 36which functions as a pi lot hole for self-dri l ling screw 32. The reinforcing clip 30 also reinforces the fastener so it can resist wind suction forces.

Figs. 6and 7 show panel units 10 and 12 as each including a central portion 40 which is planar in panel 10 and which includesflutes42 in panel 12.Thequick joints 14 are formed by inter-nesting ends 44 and 46 of juxtaposed panels.

End 44 includes a hem portion 50 defined by knee 52, and hairpin portion 54 and a cross-web 56 which overlaps a portion ofthe central portion 40. The end 44further includes a web 58 connected to the crossweb 56 by a corner 60 and which is connected to posterior leg 62 of the end 44 by a corner 64.

The posterior leg 62 includes a pair coplanar lands 66 and 68 which are interconnected by a cleft portion 70, with land 66 being connected to the corner 64 and land 68 having a lip 72 on a distal end thereof.The cleft portion is in theform of an isoceles triangle and includes a pair of legs 74 and 76 connected togetherto form an apex 78.

In the preferred form, the apex 78 is located farther from the web 58 than is hairpin bend 80 ofthe hairpin section 54.

End 46 includes an offset section 90 connecting central portion 40 to a web 92. The offset portion includes a spanner leg 94 connected to the portion 40 bya corner 96 and a sideways declining ramp 100 connecting the leg 94to the web 92 by corners 102 and 104, respectively. The ramp 100 is angled and sized to define a gap 106 between corner 104 and central portion 40 and a dead air space 1 when the panels are interlocked as in Figs. 6 and 7.

End 46further includes a posterior portion 212 which has a leg 114 connected to the web 92 by a corner 116to be posteriorly angled with respectto the web 92. A lip 120 is connected to a distal end 122 ofthe leg 114bya corner 124.Web 92 and leg 114are sized, and leg 114 is angled, so thatwhen the webs 92 and 58 are abutting, the corner 124 abuts leg 74 ofthe cleft portion 70 and a dead airspace 130 is formed.

Disconnection of interlocked panels is thus prevented by abutting corresponding elements of ends 44 and 46.

Interlocking of the panels is illustrated by Figs. 4 and 5 with panel assembly proceeding in direction F of Fig. 1. A panel J is joined to a panel JF bytiiting panel J with respectto panel JF and forcing end 46 of the panel J into end 44 of panel JF. Initially, the hairpin 54 is received by the offset section 90, then panel J is rotated in the direction B. The corner 124 snaps pastthe cleft70 and is held securely by engagement between that corner and leg 74. The panels are thus connected by the catch 14with webs 58 and 92 in facially abutting contact. The angled nature of leg 114 causes this leg to interfere with the web 58, thereby keeping the joint 14 in tight alignment.In the preferred embodiment, the inside angle between leg 114 and web 92 is obtuse, and preferably 1120. Also, priorto the panel assembly, the web 92 of end 46 preferably has an angle of 92" with respectto the central portion 40 so that when two panels are snapped together, i.e., end 46 of a second panel is snapped into the end 44 of a first panel, there continues to be pressure exerted bythe web 92 ofthe second panel againstthe web 58 of the first panel.

This is another importantfeature ofthe invention for the purpose of keeping the panel joints tight.

The newly-joined panel isthen affixed to the appropriate building structural elements by clips 30 and screws 32. As indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, insulation I can be positioned behind each panel as suitable. Insulation can be blanket, batt, orthe like.

Furthermore, gypsum wallboard, insulation boards, and/or liners can be used in conjunction with the panels as suitable. Suitable molding, such as winged molding and/or"T" molding can also be used, if desired.

The panels 10 and/or 12 can also be used to retrofit existing buildings, and the elements and steps necessaryto perform such retrofit will be evident to those skilled in the art from the teaching ofthe present disclosure. For this reason, details of such retrofit will not be herein presented.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is, therefore, illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims (12)

1.Awall panelptructure for outside use on buildings comprises: a pluralityof elongated panel units each having substantially parallel ends lengthwise thereof; a first leg having a cleft portion thereon; afirstweb attached to said first leg; a hairpin portion attaching said first web to one end of a first panel unit; an angled leg attached to a second web at an obtuse angle thereto; said second web being attached by an offset section having a void space to another end of said panel unit; said second web being shorter than said first web; whereupon assembly of a second panel unitwith said first panel unit, the aforesaid hairpin portion of said first panel unit is received within the void space oftheoffsetsection of the second panel unit; and the angled leg of the second panel unitengagesthe cleft portion ofthe first leg of said first panel unit.

2. The wall panel structure as defined in Claim 1, wherein an apex of the cleft portion of said first leg is located further from said first web than is the hairpin portion which attaches said first web to said first panel unit.

3. The wall panel structure as defined in Claim 1, wherein said angled leg has a lip at the free edge thereof for engagementwith the cleft portion of an adjacent panel unit.

4. The wall panel structure as defined in Claim 1, wherein dead air spaces are provided atthe interlocking joints between respective pairs of panel units after assemblythereof.

5.Thewall panel structure as defined in Claim 1, wherein the panel unit includes a fluted central portion.

6. The wall panel structure as defined in Claim 1, wherein the panel unit includes a planarcentral portion.

7.Thewall panel structure as defined in Claim 1, further including a reinforcing clip on said panel unit first end.

8. The wall panel structure as defined in Claim 1, wherein said cleft portion includes a V-shaped groove extending lengthwise ofthe panel unit

9. The wall panel structure as defined in Claim 1, wherein said angled leg forming an obtuse angle with said second web is at 1120.

10. Wall panel structure for outside use on buildings comprising: a plurality of elongated panel units of sheet material each having substantially parallel ends lengthwise thereof; a first leg having a cleft portion thereon; a first web attached to said first leg; a hairpin portion attaching said first web to one end of a first panel unit; an angled leg attached to a second web with the entire leg being at an obtuse angle of 112" with respect to the second web; said second web being attached by an offset section having a void space to another end of said panel unit; said second web being shorter than said first web; whereupon assembly of a second panel unitwith said first panel unit, the aforesaid hairpin portion of said first panel unit is received within the void space of the offset section of the second panel unit;; said angled leg having a lip at the free edge thereof for snap engagement with the cleft portion of an adjacent panel unit; the lip of the angled leg of the second panel unit engaging the cleft portion of the first leg of said first panel unit for maintaining the assembled relationship ofthe first and second panel units; and said second web attached by said offset section to another end of said panel unit being at 920 with respect to the central portion of the panel unit so that when two panels are snapped together, a continuous pressure is exerted between the webs of the respective panel units.

11. Wall panel structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1,3, 4 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

12. Wall panel structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.