GB2372049A

GB2372049A - Cladding sheet and fixing

Info

Publication number: GB2372049A
Application number: GB0028229A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Ronald Joseph Pollard
Original assignee: KALSI PLASTICS
Current assignee: KALSI PLASTICS
Priority date: 2000-11-18
Filing date: 2000-11-18
Publication date: 2002-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 2020-11-18
Also published as: GB2372049B; GB0028229D0

Abstract

A cladding sheet has a rear face 15 which engages a substratum and a front face 14, connected by ribs 16, the ribs being spaced by a dimension smaller than the head 11a of a fixing 11 so that crushing of the sheet, which may be an extruded plastics, is avoided. The sheet may be used as cladding for a fascia, or as architrave or skirting.

Description

Title: Profile Element and Fixing Means Description of Invention This invention relates to a profile element and fixing means, particularly but not exclusively for decorative or non-structural building purposes.

Plastic profile elements are used in building for many purposes, particularly for providing cladding on the exterior of a building and in particular on external woodwork. Profile elements are conventionally facefixed, that is to say, a fixing means is passed through the profile element and into the surface which the profile element is intended to cover.

Conventionally, such face-fixed profile elements comprise expanded ultraviolet resistant polyvinyl chloride (PVCue) which permits the profile element to be face-fixed and to resist collapse or indentation when the fixing means is passed through the profile element to fix it in place. However, such foamed plastic profile elements are easily broken as a result of the cellular structure with lengths of such foamed plastics profile elements being prone to snapping if insufficiently supported.

According to a first aspect of the invention, we provide a profile element and fixing means for fixing said element to a surface, the fixing means comprising a shank part and a head part to engage said profile element, the head part having a first dimension, the profile element comprising an engagement part to engage said surface and a face part spaced from said engagement part, a plurality of ribs extending between said engagement part and said face part, wherein the ribs are spaced by a second dimension which is smaller than said first dimension.

The profile element may comprise a reinforcing part located at the junction of said ribs and said face part.

The reinforcing parts may comprise a bead extending along said rib.

The bead may comprise a concave curve linear surface extending between said rib and said facing part.

The ribs may be substantially parallel.

The'profile element may comprise a plastics material, such as ultraviolet resistant polyvinyl chloride (PVCu).

The profile element may comprise an extrusion.

Where the element comprises an extrusion, the size of the reinforcing part is preferably selected such that following extrusion of said profile element, the presence of shrinkage lines on the face part is substantially avoided.

The profile element may comprise a selected one of a fascia board, cladding board, an architrave, a skirting board or a plain board, or indeed any other element as desired.

The ribs may have a thickness in the range 0.4 nun to 1. 2 mm and preferably about 0.6 mm The face part may have a thickness in the range 0.6 nun to 2 nun and preferably about 0.8 mm The second dimension may be in the range 1 nun to 8 mm and preferably about 5 mm.

Thus, when a profile element according to the present invention is facefixed to a surface, the head of the fixing means will always overlie at least one rib. The rib will thus prevent or resist collapse of the profile element as a result of the force applied to the fixing means. The hollow nature of the profile results in less material being used than in a comparably sized profile element comprising foamed plastic material with a greater resistance to snapping or other breakage.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings where : Figure 1 is a cutaway perspective view of a part of a building provided with a profile element according to the present invention ; Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a view to an enlarged scale of part of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a section through an alternative profile element according to the present-invention.

Referring now to Figure 1, a profile element 10 according the present invention is shown comprising a fascia board. The profile element 10 is fixed by fixing means 11 to, in the present example, the fascia 12 of a building, conventionally comprising wood. Extending rearwardly of the fascia 12 in conventional manner is a soffit 13, also comprising a wooden element.

The profile element 10 comprises a generally planar face part 14 and a generally planar surface engagement part 15. Disposed between the face part 14 and the surface engagement part 15 are a plurality of ribs 16, said ribs 16 extending generally parallel to one another along the profile element 10. The face part 14 and surface engagement part 15 are substantially continuous, and thus the face part 14, surface engagement part 15 and ribs 16 define a hollow lattice structure. The surface engagement part 15 is disposed such that it abuts the outer face of the fascia 12, whilst the face part 14 has an outer surface 17 which is generally smooth but may be patterned, or otherwise as desired.

In the present example, the profile element 10 is of generally L shape in cross-section. A first, upwardly extending limb 18 is disposed such that it lies alongside the face of the fascia 12, whilst a generally transversely extending shorter limb 19 lies alongside an edge pari 12a of the fascia 12. The lower limb 19 extends beyond the edge part 12a of the fascia 12 to support one edge of a soffit cladding element 20. The other end of the soffit cladding element is supported by a suitable bracket 21 as desired. In the present example, the soffit

cladding 20 preferably comprises a plastics material, preferably PVCu.

As best seen in Figure 3, the fixing means 11 comprises a head part lla and a shank part I ! b. The shank part ! Ib is passed through the profile element 10 and is received in the fascia 12. The head part 1 la engages the outer face 17 of the face part 14. A second dimension comprising the separation of the ribs 16 is selected to be less than a first dimension comprising the diameter of the head part 1 la, such that wherever the fastening means 11 is placed, the head part I la always engages a part of the face part 14 supported by at least one rib 16, which will resist collapse of the profile element 10 when the fixing means 11 is put in place. Hence, further force acting on the fixing means 11 to drive the shank part 1 lb fulther into the fascia 12 is resisted by a rib 16 or two ribs 16.

The head part 11 a of the fixing means 11 may have an appearance selected to be inconspicuous against the profile element 10 ; it may for example comprise a plastics material of the same or similar colour as the profile element 10.

The profile element 10 also allows other items to be face-fixed thereto as needed. In the present example, a guttering 30 is provided supported by brackets 31. Each bracket 31 comprises a plate part 32 which is placed in abutment with the surface 17 of the profile element 14. Bracket fixing means 33 comprising, in the present example, screws pass through the plate part 32, the profile element 10 and into the fascia 12 to hold the brackets 31 in place. Again due to the ribs 16, the profile element 10 will resist collapse when the fixing means 33 is tightened.

As best seen in Figure 3, the strength of the profile 10 is enhanced by the provision of reinforcing means comprising beading 22 at the junction of the ribs 16 and the face part 14. In the present example, the beading 22 is disposed along the length of the rib 16, and comprises a concave curvilinear surface extending from the rib 16 to the surface part 14. A reinforcing means in the present example is similarly provided at the junction of the ribs 16 and the surface engagement part 15. It has been found that use of a comparatively small proportion of additional material in this fashion can significantly enhance the strength of the profile, and particular the ability of the profile to resist collapse.

The dimension of the beading 22 is preferably selected such that, on production of the profile 10 by extrusion, the subsequent shrinkage and cooling of the beading 10 does not result in the appearance of shrinkage lines on the surface 17 of the face part 14, or does not result in the significant appearance of such lines.

Although in the present example the invention has been described in relation to a fascia board, it will be apparent that a profile element according to the invention could be used for any other application where a length of material is required, particularly where such length is held in place by a face-fixing method. Thus a profile element according to the present invention may provide a cladding board, architrave, skirting board or plain board or indeed any other suitable element as desired.

Where a curved profile is desired, such as external beading for windows, a suitable cross-section may be used as shown in Figure 4. In this example, a profile element 110 is provided with an outer curved face part 114 and a pair of surface engagement parts 115. The surface engagement parts 115 are disposed generally transverse to one another and are interconnected by an intermediate part 115a. A plurality of ribs 116 extend in generally parallel manner between the face part 114, the surface engagement part 115 and the intermediate part 115a, in a direction generally perpendicular to the intermediate part 115a. Such a profile 1 10 may be fixed in place using suitable fixing means similar to those shown at 11 in Figures I to 3 as desired A beading 122 is provided at the junction of the ribs 116, face part 114. surface engagement part 115 and intermediate part H5a in like manner to the beading 22 of Figures 1 to 3.

The dimensions of the face part 14, 114, surface engagement part 15, 115, and ribs 16, 116 may be selected in conventional manner to provide an optimum thickness to provide the desired strength, to minimise the material requirements and to avoid the appearance of shrinkage lines on the surface of the element 10 and to avoid problems occurring in known fashion where small dimensions are required. In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the face part 14 has a thickness of 0.8 mm and the ribs have a thickness of 0.6 mm, although the face part 14 may have a thickness in the range 0.6 mm to 2 mm as desired and the ribs may have a thickness in the range 0.4 mm to 1. 2 mm as desired.

Conventionally, the first dimension comprising a diameter of the head part 1 la is 6 mm, and so in the present example the separation of the ribs 16 is selected to be 5 mm in accordance with the invention, although the separation of the ribs may be in the range 1 mm to 8 mm depending on the size of the head part lla.

Of course, the dimensions of the profile element 10, 110 and fixing means 11 may be varied in accordance with the present invention as desired within or outside the specified ranges for any appropriate application.

The profile element 10, 110 according to the present invention is particularly suitable for production by extrusion, preferably in a plastics material and most preferably in PVCu, although any other suitable material may be used as desired. The lattice structure increases the longitudinal and compressive strength of the profile element without any associated increase in weight, and indeed with a reduced material requirement compared to foamed plastic profile elements of comparable size. A profile element manufactured in this manner thus has a strength to weIght ratIo better than that of a comparably sized foamed plastics profile, and may be cut and worked using conventional tools.

In the present specification "comprise" means "includes or consists of and"comprising"means"including or consisting of".

The features disclosed m the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A profile element and fixing means for fixing said profile element to a surface, the fixing means comprising a shank part and a head part to engage said profile element, the head part having a first dimension, the profile element comprising an engagement part to engage said surface and a face part spaced from said engagement part, a plurality of ribs extending between said engagement part and said face part, wherein the ribs are spaced by a second dimension which is smaller than said first dimension.
2. A profile element comprising a reinforcing part located at the junction of one of said ribs and said face part.
3. A profile element according to Claim 2 wherein the reinforcing part comprises a bead extending along said rib.
4. A profile element according to Claim 3 wherein the bead comprises a concave curvilinear surface extending between said rib and said facing part.
5. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ribs are substantially parallel.
6. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the profile element comprises a plastics material.
7. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the profile element comprises an extrusion.
8. A profile element according to Claim 7 where dependent directly or indirectly on Claim 2 wherein the size of the reinforcing part is selected such that, following extrusion of said profile element, the presence of shrinkage lines on the face part is substantially avoided.
9. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the profile element comprises a selected one of a fascia board, a cladding board, an architrave, a skirting board or a plain board.
10. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said ribs have a thickness in the range 0.4 mm to 1.2 mm and preferably about 0. 6mm.
11. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the face part has a thickness in the range 0.6 mm to 2 mm and preferably about 0. 8 mm
12. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said second dimension is in the range 1 mm to 8 mm and preferably about 5

mm.
13. A profile element and fixing means substantially as described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.
14. Any novel feature or nove ! combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.

0

14. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein

and/or in the accompanying drawings.

0 Amendments to the claims have been filled as follows CLAIMS

1. A profile element and fixing means for fixing said profile element to a surface, the fixing means comprising a shank part and a head part to engage said profile element, the head part having a first dimension, the profile element comprising an engagement part to engage said surface and a face part spaced from said engagement part, a plurality of ribs extending between said engagement part and said face part, wherein the ribs are spaced by a second dimension which is smaller than said first dimension.

2. A profile element according to Claim 1 comprising a reinforcing part located at the junction of one of said ribs and said face part.

3. A profile element according to Claim 2 wherein the reinforcing part comprises a bead extending along said rib.

4. A profile element according to Claim 3 wherein the bead comprises a concave curvilinear surface extending between said rib and said facing part.

5. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ribs are substantially parallel.

6. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the profile element comprises a plastics material.

7. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the profile element comprises an extrusion. 8. A profile element according to Claim 7 where dependent directly or indirectly on Claim 2 wherein the size of the reinforcing part is selected such that, following extrusion of said profile element, the presence of shrinkage lines on the face part is substantially avoided.

9. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the profile element comprises a selected one of a fascia board, a cladding board, an architrave, a skirting board or a plain board.

10. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein 0 said ribs have a thickness in the range 0. 4 mm to 1. 2 mm and preferably about 0. 6 nun.

11. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the face part has a thickness in the range 0. 6 mm to 2 mm and preferably about Z7) 0. 8 mm 12. A profile element according to any one of the preceding claims wherein

said second dimension is in the range I mm to 8 mm and preferably about 5 mm.

13. A profile element and fixing means substantially as described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.