NZ616784A - Systems and methods for installing cladding assemblies - Google Patents

Abstract

A cladding reinforcement anchor 100 for attaching a cladding panel to a building substrate, the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 comprising a web 101 having first and second spaced apart edges, wherein the web 101 is configured to define a predetermined width, a first leg 107 extending at a first predetermined angle from the first edge of the web, and a second leg 112 extending at a second predetermined angle from the second edge of web. The first and second predetermined angle are each selected from a range of 45° to 135°, the first leg 107 comprising a flat planar configuration having at least one fixing indicator 110 for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position such that the first cladding panel is fixable to the building substrate through the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 and the cladding panel. The surface area of the first leg is greater than the surface area of the second leg

Description

PCT/U82012/047237 SYSTEMS AND S FOR LING CLADDING ASSEMBLIES CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLTCATIONS This application claims the t of United Kingdom Patent Application No. 0811123379, filed July 18, 2011, and is incorporated by nce herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for installing cladding assemblies. ption of the Related Art Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common l knowledge in the field.

Many cladding materials, such as timber, vinyl, and fiber cement have been used in plank or weatherboard form to construct exterior wall lies on buildings. Typically, each piece of such cladding material is installed so that its lower edge covers the fixing positions of the previously installed piece. The location, strength, and configuration of the nail provide the resistance of the wall ly to applied loads, such as wind loads. The installation techniques rely on ler skill to be able to accurately and reproducibly fix cladding pieces in position in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations. In extreme wind load conditions, either the nail shank releases from the substructure, or the nail head may be pulled through the cladding. In either case, the cladding material is released from its installed position because of the concentration of wind load pressure on the fixings, leading to damage to the cladding material and possible other damage to the structures and substructures around the cladding material. [0005} Screw fixing of cladding materials to substructures has been used to e the wind load capacity of wall assemblies, but screw fixing is more expensive and slows the installation rate. Screw fixing increases the holding power of the shank but head may still be pulled through the cladding, once again due to the concentration of wind load pressure on the fixings.

Preferred objects of the present invention provide improved systems and methods for installing ng assemblies that is cost-efficient, easy to use, and provides the cladding assemblies with increased wind load resistance and other ble properties. [0006a] It is an object of the present invention to me or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006b] According to a first aspect, the present invention es a reinforced cladding assembly comprising: a first cladding panel having a front face and a rear face which are spaced apart from each other, the first cladding panel further comprising an upper edge and a lower edge which are ediate to and uous to the front and rear faces and wherein each of the upper edge and lower edge comprise a predetermined width extending from the front face to the rear face of the first cladding panel; a second cladding panel having front face and a rear face which are spaced apart from each other, the second cladding panel further comprising an upper edge and a lower edge which are intermediate to and contiguous to the front and rear faces and wherein each of the upper edge and lower edge comprise a predetermined width extending from the front face to the rear face of the second cladding panel; a ng reinforcement , said cladding reinforcement anchor comprising a web having first and second spaced apart edges , wherein the web is ured to define a predetermined width which corresponds to the predetermined width of the upper edge of the first cladding panel such that the ng reinforcement anchor is locatable against the upper edge of the first cladding panel, the cladding reinforcement anchor, further comprising a first leg extending at a first predetermined angle from the first edge of the web, and a second leg extending at a second predetermined angle from the second edge of web; wherein the first and second predetermined angle are each selected from a range of 45° to 135°, the first predetermined angle configured for locating the first leg against the front face of the first cladding panel, and wherein the first leg comprises a flat planar configuration and at least one fixing indicator for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position such that the first cladding panel is fixable to a building substrate through the cladding reinforcement anchor and the first cladding panel, and wherein the second cladding panel is positioned in a partial pping arrangement with the first cladding panel, wherein the lower edge of the second panel overlaps the upper edge of the first cladding panel in a manner such that the second cladding panel ly covers the cladding reinforcement anchor, wherein the surface area of the first leg is r than the surface area of the second leg.

] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a cladding reinforcement anchor for attaching a cladding panel to a building substrate, the cladding reinforcement anchor comprising a web having first and second spaced apart edges, wherein the web is configured to define a predetermined width, a first leg extending at a first predetermined angle from the first edge of the web, and a second leg ing at a second predetermined angle from the second edge of web; wherein the first and second predetermined angle are each selected from a range of 45° to 135°, the first leg comprising a flat planar uration having at least one fixing indicator for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position such that the first cladding panel is fixable to the building substrate through the cladding reinforcement anchor and the cladding panel, wherein the first leg is shaped such that a second cladding panel positioned in a partial overlapping arrangement with the first cladding panel entirely covers the cladding reinforcement anchor, n the surface area of the first leg is greater than the surface area of the second leg. [0006d] Unless the context clearly es otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an ive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to".

Disclosed herein are improved systems and methods for ling cladding lies. In one embodiment, the sure provides an easy-to-use ng reinforcement system that is configured to affix cladding materials to an exterior wall assembly in a manner so as to increase the wind load resistance of the cladding materials without increasing number of fasteners used. In some embodiments, the cladding reinforcement system is adapted to provide a larger pressure zone in a cladding assembly - 2a - across which the load is distributed in high wind load applications. In some embodiments, the configuration, material, and dimensions of the cladding reinforcement systems combine synergistically to increase the wind load resistance of the ng boards without increasing the number of fasteners such as nails used. In some embodiments, the placement of the cladding reinforcement system is selected at strategic locations in the cladding assembly to facilitate installation and reduce the number of fasteners needed. In some implementations, the cladding reinforcement system improves the wind load of a cladding panel by about 50% to about 143% as compared to an equivalent cladding panel fastened by the same number of nails.

In another embodiment, a reinforcement anchor for ng a cladding panel to a building structure is disclosed. The reinforcement anchor comprises a web having first and second spaced apart edges. The edges are configured to define a predetermined width for locating the anchor against an upper edge of an te cladding panel. In one implementation, the web further comprises a first leg extending at a first ermined angle from the first edge of the web. The angle can be optimized for locating the first leg against a front face of an te cladding panel. At least one fixing indicators can be disposed on the first leg for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position. In another implementation, the web also includes a second leg extending at a second predetermined angle from the second edge of the web. The second leg can be much r than the first leg. In some implementations, the second leg comprises a lip - 2b - VVO 2013/012944 PCT/U82012/047237 extending from the second edge of the web. In a preferred implementation, the first leg has a length of .5 to 1.5 in and a width of l to 3 in. Preferably, the aspect ratio and area of the first leg are selected to improve the wind load resistance of the cladding assembly.

The configuration of the reinforcement anchor can vary without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the second leg extends from the second edge of the web in the same direction as the first leg. In other embodiments, the second leg extends from the second edge of the web in a different direction to the first leg. in yet some other embodiments, the first predetermined angle from which the first leg s from the first edge is between 45 and 135 degrees, In yet some other embodiments, the second predetermined angle from which the second leg extends from the second edge can be acute or obtuse. [0010} The first or the second leg can further comprise more than one fixing indicators. In some implementations, the fixing indicator can be an aperture, ation, or surface marking for receiving a nail shank. The surface markings are particularly useful in situations where the installer wishes to place the nail shank at a different spot or that the nail is not placed dead center on the fixing indicator. Unlike res or indentations, the surface markings provide a wider tolerance for the nail shank because the nail shank will not cause tearing or damage to the fixing indicator even if it misses the target. Additionally, the material of the reinforcement anchor is preferably strong and yet lightweight, In some embodiments, the reinforcement anchor is formed from a resilient material ed from the group consisting of , polymers, and reinforced r composites. In some embodiments, cladding panels that incorporate rcement s according the certain preferred implementations show significant improvements in wind load resistance as compared to an lent cladding panel fastened by an equal number of nails. For example, the wind load resistance before failure can be increased by at least about 55%, 72%, and 140% as compared to the use of a screw without a reinforcement anchor. In some embodiments, an ultimate negative load d before failure is about 156, 176, or 253 psf.

A cladding reinforcement apparatus for attaching a thin elongate ng material to a substructure is disclosed. The cladding reinforcement apparatus generally comprises a web having first and second spaced apart edges. The edges define a predetermined width configured to approximately match an upper edge of a thin elongate Cladding material. A first leg extends at a predetermined angle from the first edge of the web, wherein the angle is selected to locate the first leg against a front face of the thin elongate cladding material. A second leg extends at a second predetermined angle from the first edge of said web, wherein the angle is configured to locate the second leg t a substructure. At least one fixing indicator is located on the first leg, which is configured to direct a er to an optimal location on said thin elongate cladding material.

Preferably, the cladding reinforcement anchor is sized and configured with a large surface area to prevent movement of said thin elongate cladding material during a high wind load application.

A cladding fastening device for attaching a cladding panel to a building structure is disclosed. The cladding fastening device generally comprises a first planar member and a second planar member wherein the two planar members are oned at an angle relative to each other. Preferably, the surface area of the first planar member is greater than the surface area of the second planar . In one embodiment, a lip extends from an outer edge of the second planar member in a ion that is substantially parallel to the first planar member. In another embodiment, a third planar member extends from an outer edge of the second planar member in a ion that is Substantially parallel to the first planar member. In yet another ment, a plurality of apertures are formed on the first planar member. In yet another ment, the second planar member is configured to approximate the thickness of the cladding panel. The cladding fastening device can be used to attach the cladding panel to the building structure by positioning the device along an upper lateral edge of the cladding panel such that the second planar member rests against the upper lateral edge and the first planar member rests against the front surface of the cladding panel. Preferably, the first planar member remains flat and does not protrude outwardly from the front surface of the cladding panel.

A nail can then be driven into the cladding panel h one or more apertures on the first planar member, thereby attaching the ng panel to the building structure.

A method of installing a cladding assembly to a building structure is disclosed sing positioning a first cladding panel adjacent the building structure and attaching the first cladding panel to the building structure by using a nail and a cladding reinforcement anchor. ably, the ng reinforcement anchor comprises a planar face having an area of at least 2 inl, wherein the nail attaches the anchor to the cladding panel and the cladding panel to the building structure. Preferably, the cladding reinforcement anchor has a flat planar face such that the reinforcement anchor does not VVO 129" PCT/U82012/047237 protrude outwardly when attached to the first cladding pane]. Aligning and mounting a second cladding panel in partial overlapping fashion on the first cladding panel covering the cladding reinforcement anchor. Preferably, when the second cladding panel is positioned on top of the cladding rcement anchor, no significant gap is created between the two cladding panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates a ctive view of an embodiment of a Cladding reinforcement anchor and a projected view of the cladding reinforcement anchor selectably positioned on a cladding material.

Figure 2 illustrates a partial front view of an ment of a cladding reinforcement anchor in use in a wall assembly and a corresponding cross—sectional side view of the wall ly section.

Figure 3 illustrates a cross—sectional View of an embodiment of a cladding rcement anchor, in use.

Figure 4 illustrates a cross-sectional View of an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor, in use.

Figure 5 illustrates a front view of an ment of a cladding reinforcement anchor and a corresponding cross-sectional side view of the ciadding reinforcement anchor in use in a wall assembly section.

Figure 6 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor and a corresponding cross—sectional side view of the ng reinforcement anchor in use in a wall assembly section.

Figure 7 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor and a corresponding cross—sectional side View of the cladding reinforcement anchorin use in a wall assembly section.

DETAiLED DESCRIPTION ments of the disclosure can be used to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. Some embodiments of a cladding reinforcement anchor described below can provide a larger pressure zone in a cladding ly. The load created by high winds can be distributed over a larger area, thus making it less likely for the cladding ly to be removed from PCT/U52012/047237 the structure beneath. Additionally, the cladding reinforcement anchor can prevent a er from being pulled through a ng material. In some embodiments, the cladding rcement anchor has a flat and unobtrusive front face so that it can be covered by adjacent pping cladding panels without creating any visible gap between the two panels.

As described below, the cladding reinforcement anchor can be inserted onto the top or bottom of a cladding material. A fastener can be inserted through the ng reinforcement anchor, through the ng al, and into the substructure.

Therefore, the cladding reinforcement anchor is attached to the cladding material and both the reinforcement anchor and the material are attached to the substructure. As the cladding reinforcement anchor can be much larger than the head of the fastener, the force during high winds will be spread over the entire cladding reinforcement anchor are, lowering the total pressure at each spot. The use of a cladding reinforcement anchor can allow for the installation of a cladding material in higher wind locations than a cladding material attached with only a fastener. Additionally, the cladding rcement anchor can be made of a harder material, preventing the fastener from g through the cladding material.

The term "cladding material" as used herein is a broad term and includes its ordinary dictionary tion and also refers to timber, vinyl and fiber cement materials that have been used in plank or weatherboard form to construct wall assemblies on buildings. Other shapes and materials can be used as well.

The term "fastener" as used herein is a broad term and includes its ordinary dictionary definition and also refers to nails, screws, etc.

Cladding Reinforcement anchor Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a cladding reinforcement anchor 100, for providing a larger pressure zone in a cladding assembly. The cladding reinforcement anchor 100 can be used to distribute a high wind load force, thereby allowing a cladding assembly to stay intact under higher than normal wind load ations. The cladding reinforcement anchor 100 has a web 101 comprising first and second spaced apart edges 102, 103 respectively. In some ments, the edges 102/103 can be generally d, or radiused, to prevent potential injury to a user grasping the cladding reinforcement anchor 100. In some PCT/U82012/047237 embodiments, the edges 3 can also be relatively squared off for ease of cturing the reinforcement anchors. The shape of the edges 102/103 is not limiting.

The edges 102/103 can be configured to define a predetermined width 104 of the web 101 and configured to locate the reinforcement anchor 100 against the if]' upper edge 105 of a thin elongate cladding material 106. The web 101 spans approximately the same length as the two edges 3. The web 101 can be shaped or profiled to form a complementary mating profile to that of an upper edge 105 of the cladding material 106. The web 101 can be in the form of a thin rectangular plate, or can be a thin plate that is profiled to match an upper edge 105 of a cladding material 106. For e, the web 101 can be flat, pointed, rounded, etc. to match the upper edge 105 of the cladding material 106. The shape of the web 101 is not limiting. In some embodiments, the length of the web 101 is preferably 1.5 to 2.5 in.

A first leg 107 is shown extending at a first predetermined angle 108 from the first edge 102 of web 101. Angle 108 can be optimized for locating said first leg 107 t a front face 109 of the thin elongate cladding material 106. The angle 108 can be approximately 90° to match the cladding material 106. Other angles can be chosen as well, depending on the shape of the cladding material 106. The angles chosen for angle 103 can be acute or , and can range from approximately 45° to approximately 135°.

In a preferred embodiment, the first leg 107 is substantially flat with no protrusions.

A second leg 112 is shown extending at a second ermined angle 113 from the second edge 103 of web 101. The second leg 112 can rest against the opposite side of the cladding material 106 as the first leg 107. Angle 113 can be approximately 90°. Other angles can be chosen as well, depending on the shape of the cladding material 106. The angles chosen for angle 113 can be acute or obtuse and can range from approximately 45° to approximately 135°.

In some embodiments, the second leg 112 can be shorter than the first leg 107. For example. the second leg 112 can be one half the length of the first leg 107 or the second leg 112 can extend less than 2.54 in from the web 101, or extend very slightly, preferably less than i in, just sufficient to engage with the edge of the cladding al. in yet another embodiment, the second leg 1 12 is a lip that extends from the second edge 103. In other embodiments, the second leg 112 can be similar in length to the first leg 107. In other embodiments, the second leg 112 can be longer than the first leg 107. The PCT/U82012/047237 second leg 112 can be long enough to hold the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 onto a cladding material 106. The second leg 112 can be used to hold the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 in place while ing the reinforcement anchor 100, and the cladding material 106, to the substructure. The second leg 112 can be sized to fit around the cladding material 106 to prevent nt of the cladding reinforcement anchor during installation.

Generally, the ng reinforcement anchor 100 can be placed directly over the cladding al 106, as shown in Figure 1, so that the edges 102 and 103 are located on opposite sides of the cladding material 106 and the web cladding material 106 rests directly on the web 101. The first leg 107, second leg 112, and web 101 can surround the cladding material 112. Upon ion of the cladding material 106 into the cladding reinforcement anchor 100, the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 will have limited motion, allowing a user to install the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 with one hand or with multiple hands.

The first leg 107 can have at least one fixing indicator 110 for ting at least one predetermined fixing position. The fixing indicators 110 can be circular, triangular, rectangular, etc. and the size and shape of the tor 110 is not limiting. The fixing indicators 110 can be located anywhere on the front leg 107, for example in a straight line or randomly placed, and the on of the indicators 110 is not limiting. The fixing indicators 107 can comprise indentations into the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 so a fastener, such as a nail or screw, can be directed to the center of the fixing indicator 107. The fixing indicators 107 can help direct the fastener to the pr‘Oper position for installation of the cladding material 106. By directing the fastener to the appropriate position, the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 can keep the cladding material 106 ed to a substructure, even in high wind applications. If the fixing indicator 107 was not used, the optimal position for the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 may not be used, thus potentially decreasing the usefulness of the cladding reinforcement anchor 100. in some ments with le fixing indicators 107, the fixing indicators 107 can cover multiple cladding materials, as discussed with respect to Figure 2. Multiple fixing indicators 107 can also help leverage the cladding 106 material to a Substructure, y increasing the load necessary to pull the cladding material 106 away from the substructure, such as in high wind load applications.

PCT/U82012/047237 Figure 1 shows a configuration of a cladding reinforcement anchor 100 where the second leg 112 extends from the second edge 103 of the web 101 in the same direction as the first leg 107, to define a substantially ed channel. The width 104 of web 101 can be tailored to match the width 111 of the cladding material 106 with which it will be used so that the cladding material fits within the channel. A projection of cladding reinforcement anchor 100 is also shown in Figure 1, selectably positioned onto cladding material 106 as it would be in use. Once cladding reinforcement anchor 100 has been selectably oned onto cladding material 106, the cladding material can be fixed to the building substrate (not shown) by nailing through cladding reinforcement anchor 100 and the cladding material 106 at one or more of the fixing indicators 110. The fixing can be done by. for example, nailing or screwing the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 onto the cladding material 106. The means for fixing the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 is not limiting. In this ment, the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 can be manufactured from approximately 0.5mm thick stainless steel. The web 101 can be approximately 9mm wide and approximately 156mm long. First leg 107 can extend approximately 28mm from first edge 102 of web 101. Second leg 112 can extend approximately m from second edge 103 of web 101. Dimensions may be varied to suit a variety of ng materials or installation types. The size and material of the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 is not limiting.

The web 101 and first and second legs 107/112 can cover a larger portion of the cladding material 106 than an individual fastener, such as a nail or screw.

This provides for a larger surface area that the cladding material 106 will be able to exert force on under high load applications, such as high wind load. As the load is distributed over a larger area, the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 can t the cladding al 106 from coming off any substructure the cladding material 106 is ed to.

Therefore, the ng reinforcement anchor 100 can better prevent the ng material 106 from coming off a substructure than conventional ment means, such as a nail or screw. onally, the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 can prevent the fastener from being pulled through the cladding material 106, as the cladding reinforcement anchor 100 can be made of a stronger material than the cladding material 106.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor 200 in use in a cladding installation. In some embodiments, cladding material 201, in the PCTfU52012/047237 form of a plank, panel, or weatherboard, can be positioned so that its lower edge 202 overlaps the upper edge 203 of the previously installed piece 204. Such an overlap 205 can provide a cal function in hiding and protecting the fixing points 206 of an adjacent plank or weatherboard to the substructure 207. in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, first and second legs 208 and 209 respectively of cladding reinforcement anchor 200 can extend in substantially the same direction from the first and second edges 210, 211 respectively of web 212 to form a substantially U shaped channel. The ng reinforcement anchor 200 can be positioned onto cladding material 201, in a user selectable position, so that web 212 rests against the upper edge 203 of a cladding material 20]. The first leg 208 of cladding reinforcement anchor 200 can have a number of apertures 213 for ting preferred fixing positions. The apertures 213 can have any size, shape, and location on the cladding reinforcement anchor 200. At least one nailing point can be used to fix a cladding material to the building substructure through the cladding reinforcement anchor 200. Having more than one fixing point indicated on a reinforcement anchor 200 provides an option to increase the th of the connection to the building substructure by using multiple nails at predefined spacings.

Figure 2 also illustrates an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor system configured hold multiple cladding materials onto a building substructure.

The cladding rcement anchor 200 can span two adjacent cladding material pieces at the respective top right and top left corners. The cladding reinforcement anchor 200 can be attached to each cladding material by inserting nails or screws through the apertures 213, discussed above, which cover each cladding material piece. By attaching the cladding reinforcement anchor 200, the ng material pieces are connected with one another at the corners. The location of the cladding rcement anchor can be ed through nailing, screwing, etc. through one of the apertures 213 ng the material piece. In some embodiments, the cladding materials are kept flush with one another. As the cladding reinforcement anchor 200 has a second arm 209, the cladding material 201 can be easily adjusted to fit within the cladding reinforcement anchor 200, allowing for alignment during installation. This system allows for less ng reinforcement anchors to be needed during installation of cladding materials. This system also allows for higher wind load resistance as the cladding materials are all kept er, thereby making it more difficult for a wind force to pull out or move the cladding materials.

PCT/U82012/047237 Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor using an angle between the web 302 and the second leg 301 that is not equal to 90°.

Because the plank can be installed at an angle relative to the building ucture, in an embodiment of a ng reinforcement anchor as shown in Figure 3, a cladding rcement anchor 300 may have the second leg 301 extending from web 302 in substantially the same direction but at a different angle to that of the first leg 303, to form a ed U-shaped channel. The web 302 can be positioned in a user selectable position such that it rests against the upper edge 305 of a cladding material 304. First leg 303 can cover a portion of face 306 of cladding material 304 and at least one fixing position marker 307 can be formed on or into first leg 303. A fastener can be inserted through the cladding reinforcement anchor 300 into the ng material 304 and the substructure, thereby securing the cladding al 304 to the ucture. Face 303 of the second leg 301 can rest against the building ucture 309.

The angle between the web 302 and the second leg 301 and the angle between the web 302 and the first leg 303 can be adjusted. In some ments, the angle between the web 302 and the first leg 303 is approximately 90°. This angle can be adjusted so that the first leg 303 rests against the front fact of the cladding material 304.

The angle between the web 302 and the second leg 301 can be greater than or less than the angle between the web 302 and the first leg 303. For example, in some embodiments the angle between the web 302 and the second leg 301 can be obtuse, Therefore, the cladding material 304 can fit against the web 302 and the first leg 303 while a gap can be left between the cladding material 304 and the second leg 301. The second leg 301 can be located on the substructure 309, thereby increasing the load necessary to pull off the cladding material 304. The angle may be varied to suit the uration of the cladding material with which it is intended to be used, and may be any number between 45° and 135°. Additionally, when a fastener is inserted and tightened into cladding material 304, the cladding reinforcement anchor 300 can be made of a material that can flex. Therefore, the angle between the web 302 and the first leg 303 can be reduced from an obtuse angle towards 90° as the fastener is tightened, allowing a user to choose the desired angle. Some slight deformation during installation may serve to increase release pressure required in the assembly, thereby providing additional resistance in the pressure zone by forming a resilient spring.

PCT/U52012/047237 in an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor, as shown in Figure 4, a cladding reinforcement anchor 400 can have a web 401 comprising first and second spaced apart edges 402, 403 respectively. The edges can be configured to define a predetermined width 404 of web 401. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the width can be configured to match the profile of the upper edge 405 of cladding material 406. in this embodiment, cladding reinforcement anchor 400 can have a protrusion 414 on first leg 407 which can be sized and configured to be a complementary profile to protrusion 409 on the surface of cladding material 406. The protrusion 414 can keep the cladding reinforcement anchor 400 from extending away from the cladding material 406 as ed to if the first leg 407 were completely flat and straight. By having the fitted protrusion 414, the cladding rcement anchor 400 will have a larger surface area against the ng material 406. The larger surface area can allow for more force to be placed on the cladding reinforcement anchor 400 and cladding al 406 before the cladding al 406 comes off a substructure. The embodiment Shown in Figure 4 can be used with damaged or non—flat cladding materials 406 and still increase the pressure zone for high wind applications. The protrusion 414 can be pie-formed on the cladding reinforcement anchor 400 or can be red to be med upon insertion onto the cladding material 406.

A first leg 407 is shown extending at a first predetermined angle 408 from the first edge 402 of web 40]. The angle 408 can be optimized for locating said first leg 407 against a front face 409 of the thin elongate cladding material 406. As mentioned above, the first leg 407 can have at least one fixing indicator 410 for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position 411.

A second leg 412 is shown extending at a second predetermined angle 413 from the second edge 403 of web 401, in this embodiment the first leg 407 and the second leg 412 extend in ntially opposite directions from web 401. The angle 413 can be acute, 90°, or . For example, the angle 413 can range from about 45° to about 135°. The angle 413 can be adjusted so that the web 401 and the first leg 407 rest relatively flat against the cladding material 406 while the second leg 412 rests relatively flat against the ucture. As discussed with the first leg 407, the second leg 412 can similarly have at least one fixing indicator 415 for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position, W0 2013/0129" PCT/USZOI2/047237 Fixing Indicators In an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor, as shown in Figure 5, first fixing indicator 530 on first leg 520 of cladding rcement anchor 510 can be in the form of an indentation. In this figure, the cladding reinforcement anchor 510 can be configured so that second leg 540 can extend from a second edge 550 of web 560 in substantially the opposite direction from first leg 520. A second fixing indicator 570, in the form of an aperture configured to receive a nail shank, can be provided in second leg 540. The apertures 530/570 can be indentations in the cladding reinforcement anchor 510 to provide a location to insert a nail or screw. The apertures 530/570 can help guide a nail or screw so that it can puncture the cladding reinforcement anchor 510 and drive into the ng material 580 and the underlying structure to prevent movement of the cladding reinforcement anchor 510. When a nail or screw is placed on the apertures 530/570, the apertures 530/570 can direct the nail or screw into their center for proper attachment of the cladding reinforcement anchor 510. In some embodiments, the apertures 530/570 can be cut out of the cladding reinforcement anchor 510. In some embodiments, the apertures 530/570 can be depressions in the cladding reinforcement anchor 510. The apertures 530/570 can be various sizes and , such as triangies, circles, and rectangles. The res 0 can be located in a straight line, as shown in Figure 5. In some embodiments, the apertures 530/570 can be spaced apart in both the vertical and horizontal directions. e cladding material 580 can be in the form of a tapered plank where the upper edge is narrower than the lower edge, the angle at which first leg 520 extends from web 560 can be an acute angle, that is, less than 90°. The angle at which first leg 520 extends from web 560 can also be obtuse. In other configurations, the angle at which first leg 520 extends from web 560 can be about 90°. The angle between the web 560 and the first leg 520 can range from approximately 45° to imately 135°. In some ments, the angle between the web 560 and the second leg 540 can be acute.

Where the angle is acute, the cladding material 580 can stay relatively flush against the first leg 520 and the web 560. In other embodiments, the angle n the web 560 and the second leg 540 can be obtuse. The angle between the web 560 and the second leg 540 can range from approximately 45° to approximately 135°. Some slight deformation during PCT/U52012/047237 instailation may serve to increase release pressure required in the assembly, thereby providing additional resistance in the pressure zone by forming a resilient spring. {0044] in an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement anchor, as shown in Figure 6, second fixing indicator 603 can be in the form of a surface marking on second leg 602 of cladding reinforcement anchor 601. Markings may be provided by a color ence, such as achieved by painting or painted on or may be result of exposure to radiation such as a laser beam, or may be in the form of a protrusion. The indicators 603 can be, for example, an X shape or a target shape. The indicators 603 can be located in any position on the second leg 602. The markings 603 can be useful because the marks can be slightly missed when ing the reinforcement anchor 601 to the building substructure 605 with minimal negative consequences. In this embodiment, cladding material 604 can be attached to the building substiucture 605. Subsequently, ng reinforcement anchor 601 can be attached to the substructure 605 so that web 606 rests against upper edge 607 of cladding material 604 and first leg 608 extends across a portion of the face 609 of cladding al 604 a ermined distance sufficient to cover and protect fixing point 610 but not so far as to extend beyond the cladding manufacturer’s recommended overlap height. in some embodiments, the first leg 608 can have fixing indicators, similar to those described above, to direct attachment onto the ng material 604. x ng Reinforcement anchor in an embodiment of a cladding reinforcement , as shown in Figure 7, a cladding reinforcement anchor 700 can have a web 701 comprising first and second spaced apart edges 702, 703 respectively. The edges 702/703 can be red to define a predetermined width 704 of web 70]; in this instance the width 704 can be configured to match a profile on the upper edge of lower the cladding material 705 for locating the reinforcement anchor against the upper edge of a thin elongate cladding material 705. The edges 702/703 can have a thickness to allow the cladding reinforcement anchor 700 to wrap around a complex cladding material, such as the thin elongate cladding material 705. The thick edges 702/703 can allow for two U-shaped areas to be formed, thereby surrounding the cladding materials 705. An onal cladding material W0 2013/0129" PCT/U82012/047237 706 can be used where the cladding reinforcement anchor 700 can also surround the second cladding material 706.

A first leg 708 is shown extending at a first predetermined angle from the first edge 702 of web 701. The angle can be optimized for ng said first leg 708 against a front face of the thin elongate cladding material 705. The first leg 708 can have at least one fixing indicator 707 for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position.

A second leg 710 is shown extending at a second predetermined angle from the second edge 703 of web 701. The second leg 710 can have at least one fixing indicator 711 for locating at least one predetermined fixing position directly into the substructure 709. In this embodiment, the first ieg 708 and the second leg 710 can extend in substantially Opposite directions from web 70]. In other embodiments, the first and second legs 708/710 can extend in substantially the same ion. The angles between the web 701 and the legs708/710 can range from about 45° to 135°.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the ciadding reinforcement anchor 700 can act as a base to hold an upper cladding material 706. The reinforcement anchor 700 can be configured to fit both the upper and lower ng materials 705/706.

In high wind applications, the force would need to remove both the cladding materials 6, which would se the necessary force to pull the cladding materials 705/706away from a substructure.

Materials and Dimensions The cladding reinforcement anchor may be formed from any resilient material that may be formed into a thin section. Materials le for use include, but are not limited to, metals such as plain, stainless, gaivanized, powder coated, painted or otherwise surface treated steels; polymers such as UHMWPE; and reinforced polymer composites, such as glass reinforced nylon, carbon fiber rced polyester, and the like.

The cladding reinforcement anchor may be coated with als. The coating can be used, for example, to prevent rusting of the cladding reinforcement s and thus increasing their use life and maintaining the aesthetics of the reinforcement anchors.

The ration of the cladding reinforcement anchor can be thin enough so that it does not substantially disrupt the installation of the cladding material in line with the cladding al manufacturer’s recommendations. The cladding PCT/U52012/047237 rcement anchor can have an increased thickness to increase strength with respect to high wind loads. In one implementation, the cladding reinforcement anchor has a ess of about a 24 gauge.

Use of a cladding reinforcement anchor as herein described also can enable an increase in building sub—frame spacing in timber frame construction by improving the wind load capacity of an installation. For example, where a traditional lation may require fixing onto a timber subframe constructed using 400mm centers, the cladding reinforcement anchor disclosed above can allow for installation of a cladding material on a timber subframe having 600mm centers.

The ing examples are provided to demonstrate the benefits of ments of a cladding reinforcement anchor. The examples are sed for illustrative purposed and should not be construed to iimit the scope of the disclosed embodiments.

A cladding material, HardiPlank® Lap Siding complying with ASTM Cl 186 Grade H Type A, was attached with embodiments of the above described cladding reinforcement anchor. The cladding material was 5/16 inch thick by 8.25 inch wide. The cladding clip was 2 inch wide. The first leg was 1-1/8 inch long and the second leg was 7/16 inch long. The thickness of the first leg was 24 gauge. The depth between the first leg and the second leg was 5/16 inch. The e show a comparison between a cladding material attached with a cladding reinforcement anchor and a cladding material attached with a nail. The results of the examples are shown in Table i. —16— WO 12944 TABLE I. CLADDING REINFORCEMENT ANCHOR EXAMPLES Stud Average Experiment Improvement over . . Fastener Spacing Ultimate ptlon control (% increase) fin.) Load (psf) #9 X 1-5/8" Contrglcl 16 ,, long Rock-on 16" 142 20 screw Versus Control 1 Reinforcement #9 X 1-5/ " 780% Anchor 1 long Rock-on 16" OC screw 8d, 2—3/8"LX Control 2 24" 0.113" Ring 24" 72.83 0C Shank X 0.260" head Versus Control 2 Reinforcement fig/iii; 143% Anchor 2 i 24" 176 88 Shank X 24 0C 0.260" head #9 X 1—5/8" Con ECt l 3 24" long Rock-on 100-58 screw Versus Control 3 Reinforcement #9 X 1-5/8" 552% Anchor 3 long Rock-on 156.07 24" OC screw Testing was done in accordance with ICC-ES Acceptance Criteria 90, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Transverse load testing was conducted in accordance with ASTM E330-O2(2OJO), hereby incomorated by reference in its ty.

Test frames, measuring 4 ft. x 8 ft., were constructed with SPF #2+BTR, nominal 2 in. x 4 in. lumber spaced 16 in. on center and 24 in. on center. Frames were fastened together using 3~l/2 in. 16d common nails.

For each configuration, n one and three assemblies were constructed for testing in the negative wind load direction. The negative direction was the weakest ation, therefore positive directing load tests were not conducted.

The fiber-cement lap siding was led to the test frames per the blind nailing method in the James Hardie HardiePlank product installation instructions, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The cladding reinforcement anchor assemblies utilized the ng reinforcement anchor with the fastener installed through the reinforcement anchor’s face.

VVO 12944 -17237 Testing was ted using the chamber method for uniformly distributed loading. Each test frame was secured in a horizontal mly distributed load testing apparatus. A sheet of polyethylene film was used in the construction of the test samples. For negative wind load testing, polyethylene film was placed loosely between the g and the siding. The air within the test chamber was evacuated using a vacuum pump, inducing a uniformly distributed load to the sample.

A pre—load of one half of the test load was applied to each test assembly and held for l0 seconds. The load was released and after a recovery period of not less than 1 min nor more than 5 min. The load was then increased to prescribed load increments. The load was then released after 1 minute. This sequence was repeated a minimum of six times until a frnal ultimate load was attained. A visual examination of the specimens was made after the tests to determine the failure mode.

When compared to the control the 16 inch on center cladding reinforcement anchors improved the ultimate transverse load by 78%.

Two scenarios were tested over 24 inch on center framing. (1. Control 2 used a nail with 0.260 inch head diameter; the cladding reinforcement anchors improved the ultimate erse load by 143%. The ultimate re was -l76 psf and (2. Control 3 used a screw with 0.375 inch head diameter; the cladding reinforcement anchors impr0ved the ultimate transverse load by 55%. The ultimate pressure was - l 56 psf.

It was unexpected to realize that Har‘diePlank , when blind nailed, with the cladding rcement anchor led achieved ultimate transverse load pressures that are similar to face nailed assemblies. it is a common perception that blind nailing is not adequate for high wind regions and that face nailing must be utilized, however the test results indicate that when using cladding reinforcement anchors of certain preferred embodiments, it is possible to achieve face nailed performance from a blind trailed assembly.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated cladding reinforcement anchor provides a larger pressure zone, across which the load is distributed, in high wind load ations, y ing more secure attachment. Although the invention has been described with nce to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Provided herein are various non—limiting examples of systems and methods for installing cladding assemblies. While the above detailed description has _13_ 2012/047237 shown, described, and pointed out novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that vatious omissions, substitutions, and s in the form and details of the device or process rated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. As will be recognized, the present invention may be embodied within a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features may be used or practiced separated from others.

Claims (12)

Claims:

1. A reinforced cladding assembly comprising: a first cladding panel having a front face and a rear face which are spaced apart from each other, the first ng panel further comprising an upper edge and a lower edge which are intermediate to and contiguous to the front and rear faces and wherein each of the upper edge and lower edge comprise a predetermined width extending from the front face to the rear face of the first cladding panel; a second cladding panel having front face and a rear face which are spaced apart from each other, the second ng panel further comprising an upper edge and a lower edge which are intermediate to and uous to the front and rear faces and wherein each of the upper edge and lower edge comprise a predetermined width extending from the front face to the rear face of the second cladding panel; a cladding rcement , said cladding reinforcement anchor sing a web having first and second spaced apart edges , wherein the web is configured to define a predetermined width which corresponds to the predetermined width of the upper edge of the first cladding panel such that the cladding reinforcement anchor is locatable against the upper edge of the first cladding panel, the cladding reinforcement anchor, further comprising a first leg extending at a first ermined angle from the first edge of the web, and a second leg extending at a second predetermined angle from the second edge of web; wherein the first and second predetermined angle are each selected from a range of 45° to 135°, the first predetermined angle configured for locating the first leg against the front face of the first cladding panel, and wherein the first leg comprises a flat planar uration and at least one fixing indicator for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position such that the first cladding panel is fixable to a building ate through the cladding reinforcement anchor and the first ng panel, and wherein the second cladding panel is positioned in a partial overlapping arrangement with the first cladding panel, wherein the lower edge of the second panel overlaps the upper edge of the first cladding panel in a manner such that the second cladding panel entirely covers the cladding reinforcement anchor, wherein the surface area of the first leg is greater than the surface area of the second leg.

2. A reinforced cladding assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the at least one fixing indicator for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position is selected from the group comprising an aperture, an indentation or a e marking.

3. A reinforced cladding assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said second leg extends from the second edge of the web in the same direction as the first leg.

4. A reinforced cladding ly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, n said second leg extends from the second edge of the web in a different ion to the first leg.

5. A reinforced cladding assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second predetermined angle is acute.

6. A reinforced cladding assembly according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein said second ermined angle is obtuse.

7. A reinforced cladding assembly according to Claim 1, wherein said second leg comprises multiple fixing tors selected from the group comprising an aperture, an indentation or a surface marking.

8. A reinforced cladding assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the second leg comprises a lip.

9. A reinforced cladding assembly according to any one of the ing claims, wherein said cladding reinforcement anchor is formed from a resilient material selected from the group comprising metals, polymers, and reinforced polymer composites.

10. A cladding reinforcement anchor for attaching a first cladding panel to a building substrate, the cladding reinforcement anchor comprising a web having first and second spaced apart edges, wherein the web is configured to define a predetermined width, a first leg extending at a first ermined angle from the first edge of the web, and a second leg extending at a second predetermined angle from the second edge of web; wherein the first and second predetermined angle are each selected from a range of 45° to 135°, the first leg comprising a flat planar configuration having at least one fixing indicator for indicating at least one predetermined fixing position such that the first cladding panel is fixable to the building substrate through the cladding reinforcement anchor and the ng panel, wherein the first leg is shaped such that a second cladding panel oned in a l overlapping arrangement with the first cladding panel entirely covers the cladding reinforcement anchor, wherein the surface area of the first leg is greater than the e area of the second leg.

11. A reinforced cladding assembly substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention rated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.

12. A ng reinforcement anchor for attaching a cladding panel to a substructure such as a building substrate substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.