GB2307924A

GB2307924A - Cladding panels for, e.g. interior use

Info

Publication number: GB2307924A
Application number: GB9625114A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Stainford
Original assignee: GARIN Ltd
Current assignee: GARIN Ltd
Priority date: 1995-12-05
Filing date: 1996-12-03
Publication date: 1997-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 2016-12-03
Also published as: ZA9610173B; GB9625114D0; GB2307924B; GB9524793D0

Abstract

There is disclosed a cladding panel of sheet metal or plastics, and having two longitudinal edges (1,2) of an undetermined length and two transverse edges of a predetermined width, the sheet material being formed to a profile which extends in a transverse direction, the two longitudinal edge flanges (1,2) having interlocking formations adapted to interlock with interlocking formations on flanges of contiguous like panels, the profile further comprising a central longitudinal flange (9), the panel having flush webs extending between the flanges, at least the two edge flanges having a depth which is between five percent and ten percent of the panel width, the interlocking formations on the longitudinal flanges being adapted to provide a capillary action break where they interlock with contiguous like panels.

Description

CLADDING MATERIALS This invention lies in the field of cladding surfaces, more particularly industrial cladding and in specific preferred embodiments so-called underslung cladding.

In industrial buildings as well as commercial buildings and recreational halls and the like there is a requirement to provide interior cladding, primarily so-called underslung cladding, that is in the position normally associated with ceilings but also in cladding of upright surfaces and indeed in principle any other surfaces.

For such cladding the market currently requires an essentially flat and flush surface in the finished product of cladding. At the same time there is considerable price pressure on products of this kind and the optimisation of the product in terms of cost per running unit of length or per square unit of area while preserving the flat and flush appearance has become highly competitive.

The cost pressure has also operated so as to exert a pressure to maximise the span length of cladding materials between supporting members such as beams or purlins. Supporting structure, of course, vitally affects the cost of total installation and so optimising the span length requires longitudinal rigidity of the cladding material which is a requirement antithetical to the requirement to minimise cost and to preserve the flat and flush surface of an installation.

Where the cladding material is made from profiled sheet metal the price pressure tends to the consequence that there is required a maximum coverage from an initial sheet of a given width from which the profiled sheet is formed usually by roll forming or alternatively by press forming. This causes constraints on the flanges, webs or similar formations provided in the sheet metal to give it longitudinal stiffness and hence a long span. For example, in cladding for indoor swimming pools and gyms considerable condensation on the interior cladding arises and tends to remain in the overlap areas. This arises also in industrial applications where the condensate may have high acidity or other chemical activity which enhances the tendency to corrosion.

Finally, there is considerable pressure to provide a cladding which has the best possible immunity to corrosion which commonly, for example, arises in overlaps between adjoining sheets.

All of these requirements, in several respects mutually conflicting, have to be optimised to provide cladding which is commercially competitive.

A cladding in accordance with this invention comprises a sheet material panel having two longitudinally running edges of an undetermined length and two transverse edges of a predetermined width, the sheet material formed to a profile which extends in a transverse direction, the profile comprising a left hand longitudinal edge flange and a right hand longitudinal edge flange, the two longitudinal edge flanges having interlocking formations adapted to interlock with interlocking formations on flanges of contiguous like panels, the profile further comprising a central longitudinal flange, the panel having flush webs extending between the flanges, at least the two edge flanges having a depth which is between five percent and ten percent of the panel width, the interlocking formations on the longitudinal flanges adapted to provide a capillary action break where they interlock with contiguous like panels.

A further preferred feature is that the webs include stiffening formations.

The cladding may be optimised by selecting the ratio of flange depth to panel width to lie between six percent and eight percent, the best selection being a ratio of six and eight tenths percent.

Preferably the central flange has the same depth as the edge flanges.

The cladding is preferably provided in combination with supporting brackets, which preferably clamp the interlocking formations, and preferably also the longitudinal edge flanges, together. The bracket preferably comprises a J-shaped part and an L-shaped part, with a screw to clamp them together, the J-shaped part to hook under the interlocking formations and the L-shaped part to converge towards the J-shaped part under action of the screw to clamp the interlocking formations together. The bracket may have a hanging bolt for an underslung installation giving height adjustable installation so that a flat finish to the flush surfaces may be achieved.

The invention will be more fully described by way of an example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an oblique view of a cladding panel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a similar view showing the panel interlocking with a like panel along one longitudinal edge, Figure 3 is a supporting bracket for the cladding, Figure 4 is an elevation of the bracket shown in figure 3 in use, and Figure 5 is an elevation showing a means of attachment of the bracket to the cladding.

As shown in the drawings the preferred cladding in accordance with the invention comprises a sheet material panel, preferably a sheet metal panel. The invention may be applied to any number of different metals, for example, galvanised steel, galvanised and painted steel such as, for example, "Chromadeck" (trademark) copper, titanium zinc and it may be applied to plastic sheet material, stainless steel and aluminium. The panel has two longitudinally extending edges 1 and 2 which are of undetermined length in the sense that the panel is cut to length for particular applications or is brought to site in standardised lengths or may be rolled on site to required lengths.The two transverse edges 3 and 4, however, have a pre-determined width which is highly significant in relation to the coverage provided by the panel relative to the width of the initial sheet before it is formed into the profile shown. This width 5 in this example is 440 mm. It is made from a sheet initially 600 mm wide thus giving a 73% coverage relative to the unprofiled width.

The profile comprises a left hand longitudinal edge flange 6 and a right hand longitudinal edge flange 7.

The flanges have interlocking formations 8 and 9 respectively which are adapted to interlock with interlocking formations on flanges of contiguous like panels. The profile further comprises a central longitudinal flange 9, the panel having flush webs 10 and 11 extending between the flanges. The depth 12 of the flanges is in this example 6,8% of the width 5 of the panel thus the depth 12 is 30 mm.

The interlocking formation 8 comprises a ridge part 27, a downwardly depending part 14 and a stiffening lip 28.

The interlocking formation 9 comprises a crest part 29 and a diagonally extending part 13.

The part 13 of the interlock flange 9 acting together with the part 14 of the interlock formation 8 provides a capillary break as well as the formations 15 and 16 on the flanges 6 and 7 respectively. Shallow formations 17 and 18 on the flush panels 10 and 11 respectively provide additional stiffening for them.

The capillary breaks can be seen more clearly as well as the interlocking action in the view of figure 2. A capillary break 19 is provided by the formations 13 and 14 of the interlocking formations 8 and 9. A capillary break 20 is further provided by the formations 15 and 16 on the flanges 6 and 7 respectively so that there are two capillary breaks which will resist the creeping of moisture in the joint between contiguous panels.

The success of the invention is also contributed to by the provision of a novel hanger for the cladding which will generally be underslung cladding in most applications. This is shown in the view of figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 shows the hanger which comprises a hook or J-shaped tab 21 and an L-shaped clamping bracket 22 with a bolt 23 for tightening them together. A hanging bolt 24 provides for mounting on to the supporting structure such as rafters or purlins or the like and in this example a bracket 25 is shown utilised for this purpose.

In figure 4 the hanger is shown in use. It will be seen how the tightening of the bolt 23 clamps the flanges 6 and 7 of contiguous panels together in an interlocking position with respect to each other between the hook shaped tab 21 and the bracket 22. The capillary breaks 19 and 20 are also clearly visible.

Figure 5 shows an example of the cladding underslung from a supporting structure comprising a channel 26 which runs in the transverse direction of the panel. The same reference numerals as have been used in preceding figures are used in this view from which it will be seen how the hanger 21, 22 clamps onto the interlocking structures 13, 14 at the flanges 6, 7 of the panels lo, 11 with the hanging bolt 24 being secured to a bracket 25 which clamps onto the channel 26.

Good practice in the forming of the profile will be that bends are of no smaller radius than 6 mm so as to avoid micro cracks which can be a source of corrosion.

A multi purpose cleat suitable for both angles and lip channels can also be provided.

Claims

1. A cladding comprising a sheet material panel having two longitudinally running edges of an undetermined length and two transverse edges of a predetermined width, the sheet material formed to a profile which extends in a transverse direction, the profile comprising a left hand longitudinal edge flange and a right hand longitudinal edge flange, the two longitudinal edge flanges having interlocking formations adapted to interlock with interlocking formations on flanges of contiguous like panels, the profile further comprising a central longitudinal flange, the panel having flush webs extending between the flanges, at least the two edge flanges having a depth which is between five percent and ten percent of the panel width, the interlocking formations on the longitudinal flanges adapted to provide a capillary action break where they interlock with contiguous like panels.

2. A cladding as claimed in claim 1, wherein the webs include stiffening formations.

3. A cladding as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the ratio of flange depth to panel width lies between six percent and eight percent.

4. A cladding as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the ratio of flange depth to panel width is six and eight tenths percent.

5. A cladding as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the central flange has the same depth as the edge flanges.

6. A cladding as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein supporting brackets are provided for clamping the interlocking formations together.

7. A cladding as claimed in claim 6 wherein the supporting brackets are adapted to clamp the longitudinal edge flanges together.

8. A cladding as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the bracket comprises a J-shaped part and an L-shaped part, with a screw to clamp them together, the J-shaped part to hook under the interlocking formations and the L-shaped part to converge together with the J-shaped part under action of the screw to clamp the interlocking formations together.

9. A cladding as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the bracket has a hanging bolt for an underslung installation giving height adjustable installation so that a flat finish to the flush surfaces is achieved.

lo. A cladding substantially as herein before described and as illustrated with reference to the accompany drawings.

CLAIMS 1. An underslung cladding comprising a sheet material panel having two longitudinally running edges of an undetermined length and two transverse edges of a predetermined width, the sheet material formed to a profile which extends in a transverse direction, the profile comprising a left hand longitudinal edge flange and a right hand longitudinal edge flange, the two longitudinal edge flanges having interlocking formations adapted to interlock with interlocking formations on flanges of contiguous like panels, the profile further comprising a central longitudinal flange, the panel having flush webs extending between the flanges, at least the two edge flanges having a depth which is between five percent and ten percent of the panel width, the interlocking formations on the longitudinal flanges adapted to provide a capillary action break and a flush interior surface where they interlock with contiguous like panels.

2. An underslung cladding as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interlocking formation of the right hand longitudinal edge flange overlaps the web along the right'hand longitudinal edge flange.

3. An underslung cladding as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the webs include stiffening formations.

4. An underslung cladding as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the ratio of flange depth to panel width lies between six percent and eight percent.

5. An underslung cladding as claimed in any one of claims 1 (or 23 to 3 wherein the ratio of flange depth to panel width is six and eight tenths percent.

6. An underslung cladding as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the central flange has the same depth as the edge flanges.

7. An underslung cladding as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein supporting brackets are provided for clamping the interlocking formations together.

8. An underslung cladding as claimed in claim [6] 7 wherein the supporting brackets are adapted to clamp the longitudinal edge flanges together.

9. An underslung cladding as claimed in claim t6] 7 or [7] 8 wherein the bracket comprises a J-shaped part and an t-shaped part, with a screw to clamp them together, the J-shaped part to hook under the interlocking formations and the L-shaped part to converge together with the J-shaped part under action of the screw to clamp the interlocking formations together.

10. An underslung cladding as claimed in any one of clams (6) 7 to [8) 9 wherein the bracket has a hanging bolt for an underslung installation giving height adjustable installation so that a flat finish to the flush surfaces is achieved.

11. An underslung cladding substantially as herein before described and as illustrated with reference to the accompany drawings.