WO2024133414A1 - Wall panel device comprising a wall panel and a coupling arrangement - Google Patents

Wall panel device comprising a wall panel and a coupling arrangement Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024133414A1
WO2024133414A1 PCT/EP2023/086875 EP2023086875W WO2024133414A1 WO 2024133414 A1 WO2024133414 A1 WO 2024133414A1 EP 2023086875 W EP2023086875 W EP 2023086875W WO 2024133414 A1 WO2024133414 A1 WO 2024133414A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
wall panel
panel device
wall
background support
coupling
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2023/086875
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Nicolas POULLOT
Nicolas Bertrand
Original Assignee
Etex France Exteriors Sas
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Etex France Exteriors Sas filed Critical Etex France Exteriors Sas
Publication of WO2024133414A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024133414A1/en

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F13/00—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings
    • E04F13/007—Outer coverings for walls with ventilating means
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F13/00—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings
    • E04F13/07—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor
    • E04F13/08—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements
    • E04F13/0889—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements characterised by the joints between neighbouring elements, e.g. with joint fillings or with tongue and groove connections
    • E04F13/0894—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements characterised by the joints between neighbouring elements, e.g. with joint fillings or with tongue and groove connections with tongue and groove connections
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F13/00—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings
    • E04F13/07—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor
    • E04F13/08—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements
    • E04F13/14—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements stone or stone-like materials, e.g. ceramics concrete; of glass or with an outer layer of stone or stone-like materials or glass
    • E04F13/148—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements stone or stone-like materials, e.g. ceramics concrete; of glass or with an outer layer of stone or stone-like materials or glass with an outer layer of asbestos cement or the like
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F13/00—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings
    • E04F13/07—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor
    • E04F13/08—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements
    • E04F13/0889—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements characterised by the joints between neighbouring elements, e.g. with joint fillings or with tongue and groove connections
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
    • E04F2201/01—Joining sheets, plates or panels with edges in abutting relationship
    • E04F2201/0153—Joining sheets, plates or panels with edges in abutting relationship by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement

Definitions

  • Wall panel device comprising a wall panel and a coupling arrangement
  • the invention relates to a wall panel device configured to be applied in a wall cladding system.
  • the invention also relates to a wall cladding system arranged on a background support, and to a method for applying a wall cladding system to a background support.
  • a wall cladding system is useful to cover a wall such as the exterior wall of a building and normally comprises a plurality of wall panels arranged on the wall in a closely adjoining fashion so as to form a fagade.
  • An important function of the wall cladding system is a decorative function.
  • the wall cladding system can also be functional to achieve further beneficial effects such as insulation and waterproofing.
  • a specific type of wall panel is a fiber cement panel.
  • Fiber cement is a mineral composite with outstanding physical and aesthetic properties.
  • Fiber cement panels are commonly used to create a ventilated fagade, which is a kind of two stage construction, namely an inner structure with a protective outer skin, wherein said outer skin is constituted by the wall panels. The skin protects the inner structure against the elements.
  • the key features of a ventilated fagade are an outer skin of wall panels, an air gap or cavity, and an insulated backing wall that controls air leakage.
  • the wall panels shield the backing wall from the weather.
  • the air gap and airtight backing wall combine to limit the effects of possible water penetration between the wall panels. The fact is that at the position of the air gap, the moisture can be evaporated and/or drained away safely.
  • the air gap and airtight backing wall provide a secondary line of defense against the elements.
  • Drained and ventilated facades are provided with openings at the top and bottom of the wall. Said openings provide both ventilation and an effective drainage route. This combination allows air to circulate and to dry the cavity between the inner and outer skins.
  • a well-known method of arranging wall panels such as fiber cement panels on a wall comprises steps of applying a layer of insulation material to the wall, creating a rail frame on the assembly of the wall and the insulation material by attaching rail elements to said assembly, at appropriate positions on said assembly, and attaching the wall panels to the rail frame.
  • the latter may involve driving fasteners such as rivets through the wall panels and into the rail frame, from the front of the wall panels, in which case visible fixing of the wall panels is obtained.
  • visible fixing of wall panels is another existing possibility, but known ways of realizing such fixing involve a more complex installation method and also involve higher costs.
  • a wall cladding system which can be applied to a background support such as a wall covered with insulation material in a fast, cheap, easy and reliable fashion, which is of such design that a ventilation space is automatically obtained at a back side of the wall panels included in the wall cladding system during installation, and which is of such design that it is possible to have invisible fixing of the wall panels if so desired.
  • a wall cladding system would be very useful in renovation projects and other projects in which costs need to be as low as possible. Further, installation of such a wall cladding system would be less susceptible to errors.
  • the invention provides a wall panel device configured to be applied in a wall cladding system, comprising:
  • a coupling arrangement which is attachable to a background support, which is attached to the wall panel at a back side of the wall panel, which has a spatial appearance in a backward direction to enable arranging the wall panel device on the background support with space at the back side of the wall panel, and which comprises at least one coupling member which partially extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel in a direction which is a transverse direction relative to the backward direction.
  • providing a wall with a wall cladding system involves providing a number of wall panel devices as defined here before and using those wall panel devices to realize the wall cladding system.
  • the wall panel device provided by the invention comprises both a wall panel and a coupling arrangement, wherein the coupling arrangement is attached to the wall panel at the back side of the wall panel.
  • a specific feature of the coupling arrangement is attachability to the background support. This means that putting the wall panel device in place on a background support such as a wall covered with insulation material involves bringing an entirety of a wall panel and a coupling arrangement to the intended position on the background support and then taking appropriate action to attach the coupling arrangement to the background support.
  • the invention covers the wall panel device in a situation of being separate from a background support.
  • the definition of the coupling arrangement being attachable to a background support refers to a situation in which the coupling arrangement is not yet attached to a background support rather than a situation in which the coupling arrangement is attached to a background support.
  • the background support can be a wall covered with insulation material, as suggested earlier.
  • the invention covers numerous other types of background support.
  • the background support can be a wall of a building with or without add-ons such as insulation material, support bars or a pre-wall. If insulation material is present on the wall, indeed, this may be in any suitable form, such as in the form of an element, a panel or a foam layer.
  • the coupling arrangement has a spatial appearance in a backward direction to enable arranging the wall panel device on the background support with space at the back side of the wall panel.
  • the coupling arrangement can be of any design, as long as the coupling arrangement is capable of attaching to a background support and of leaving space at the back side of the wall panel in the process.
  • installation of a wall cladding system on a wall can be performed in a convenient manner, wherein basically, all that needs to be done is to attach respective wall panel devices to the wall.
  • a layer of insulation material is applied to the wall first. Attaching the respective wall panel devices to the wall can be done by using screws, for example, wherein the screws may be of a length of several centimeters in practical situations.
  • the coupling arrangement comprises at least one coupling member which partially extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel in a direction which is a transverse direction relative to the backward direction.
  • attaching the coupling arrangement to the background support can simply be done from a front position, in the situation that the coupling member is freely accessible from such position.
  • a fastener such as a screw can be driven through the coupling member and into the wall.
  • the coupling member is provided with at least one hole at an appropriate position.
  • the entire wall panel device according to the invention can be made at a manufacturing site. It is also possible that the wall panel and the coupling arrangement are kept separated from each other during transport to a building site, in which case attaching the coupling arrangement to the wall panel is done at the building site.
  • the invention allows for having invisible fixing of the wall panel, namely by using fasteners which do not extend all the way up to a front side of the wall panel from the back side of the wall panel. It is noted that a use of glue for attaching the coupling arrangement to the wall panel at the back side of the wall panel is another option in the context of the invention.
  • the coupling member it is noted that it is practical if a portion of the coupling member covering the wall panel is at a level of the back side of the wall panel, and a portion of the coupling member extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction is at a level which in the backward direction is at a distance from a level of the back side of the wall panel. In that way, the very shape of the coupling member is a key factor in realizing the space at the back side of the wall panel, without necessarily a need for further measures to that end.
  • the shape of the coupling member may be such that a front portion which is attached to the wall panel at the back side of the wall panel, a back portion which is attachable to the background support, which back portion is at a distance from the front portion in the backward direction, and an intermediate portion interconnecting the front portion and the back portion can be discerned in the coupling member.
  • the front portion and the back portion extend in opposite directions from the intermediate portion as seen in the transverse direction, in other words, it is possible that the coupling member is generally Z-shaped.
  • the portion of the coupling member extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction is generally shaped like a gutter which is open at a front side.
  • the gutter-shaped portion allows for stable positioning on the background support and for receiving a portion of a coupling arrangement of a wall panel device which is intended to be an adjacent wall panel device.
  • the coupling arrangement comprises two coupling members which partially extend beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction at opposite sides of the wall panel. If such is the case, indeed, it may be so that a length along which one of the coupling members extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction differs from a length along which the other of the coupling members extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction. Apart from the length along which the coupling members extend beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction, there may be one or more other differences between the coupling members at the opposite sides of the wall panel.
  • the length difference and the possible one or more other differences may be factors contributing to constructional stability and firm attachment of the coupling arrangement to the background support, and may also be factors enabling interconnection of adjacent wall panel devices at the position of their respective coupling arrangements.
  • the invention covers both an option of the coupling members being provided as separate members and an option of the coupling members being part of one and the same entity.
  • the invention covers an embodiment of the wall panel device in which the coupling arrangement includes a receiving groove configured to receive an edge of a coupling member of the coupling arrangement of another wall panel device to be arranged adjacent to the wall panel device.
  • the invention covers an embodiment of the wall panel device in which the coupling arrangement includes one or more components configured to engage on one or more components of the coupling arrangement of another wall panel device to be arranged adjacent to the wall panel device.
  • the wall panel can be of any appropriate type, shape and size.
  • a practical example of the type of the wall panel is a fiber cement panel.
  • a practical example of the shape of the wall panel is a planar shape with a rectangular periphery.
  • a practical example of the size of the wall panel is a size in the order of one or two meters.
  • a practical example of a thickness of the wall panel is a thickness in a range of 8 to 16 mm, such as a thickness of 10 mm.
  • the invention may particularly be applicable to create a wall cladding system with wall panels comprising material having a density in a range of 1.2 kg/dm 3 to 2 kg/dm 3 , although the use of wall panels in the wall panel device of the invention comprising material of a lower density or a higher density is also possible.
  • the coupling arrangement comprises a metal material, wherein aluminum is a practical example, and wherein the coupling member may comprise a metal profile section. That does not alter the fact that the option of the coupling arrangement comprising another type of material also exists in the context of the invention.
  • a practical example of the size of the coupling arrangement in the backward direction is 2 or 3 centimeters.
  • the coupling arrangement is provided with at least one hole configured to receive a fastener.
  • the coupling arrangement comprises a support beam which serves to reinforce the coupling arrangement and to constitute a support to the wall panel device at the position of the coupling arrangement after the wall panel device has been put in place.
  • Such a support beam may also comprise a metal material such as aluminum, for example.
  • the invention also relates to a wall cladding system arranged on a background support, comprising a wall panel device as defined and described here before, wherein the wall panel of the wall panel device is coupled to the background support through the coupling arrangement of the wall panel device, and the wall panel extends at a distance from the background support, with space being present at the back side of the wall panel.
  • the wall cladding system comprises a first wall panel device and a second wall panel device, wherein, in each of the respective wall panel devices, the wall panel of the wall panel device is coupled to the background support through the coupling arrangement of the wall panel device, and the wall panel extends at a distance from the background support, with space being present at the back side of the wall panel, and wherein the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device are interconnected through their respective coupling arrangements.
  • the wall panel devices can be interconnected through their respective coupling arrangements.
  • the invention covers both an option according to which the wall panel device is applied to a more or less vertical background support in a vertical orientation, that is to say, an orientation in which the at least one coupling member is at a vertical side of the wall panel and the optional interconnection between wall panel devices is in a horizontal direction, and an option according to which a wall panel device is applied to a more or less vertical background support in a horizontal orientation, that is to say, an orientation in which the at least one coupling member is at a horizontal side of the wall panel and the optional interconnection between wall panel devices is in a vertical direction.
  • the invention also relates to a method for applying a wall cladding system to a background support, which method comprises steps of
  • the invention also relates to a method for applying a wall cladding system to a background support, which method comprises steps of
  • the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device are interconnected at the position of their respective coupling arrangements by performing successive steps of placing the second wall panel device in a tilted position relative to the first wall panel device and tilting the second wall panel device to a position in which the wall panel of the second wall panel device is flush with the wall panel of the first wall panel device.
  • Alternatives to this option are available, such as an option according to which interconnecting the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device is done on the basis of a sliding movement of the second wall panel device relative to the first wall panel device.
  • figure 1 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of a wall panel device according to a first embodiment of the invention, which is hereinafter referred to as first wall panel device
  • figure 2 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of the first wall panel device
  • figure 3 diagrammatically shows a front view of the first wall panel device
  • figure 4 diagrammatically shows a front view of a wall panel device according to a second embodiment of the invention, which is hereinafter referred to as second wall panel device
  • figure 5 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of the second wall panel device
  • figure 6 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of the second wall panel device
  • figure 7 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of a coupling member which is part of a coupling arrangement of both the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device
  • figure 8 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of a coupling member which is part of the coupling arrangement
  • FIGS 1 to 3 diagrammatically show a first wall panel device 1.
  • figures 4 to 6 diagrammatically show a second wall panel device 2.
  • the panel devices 1 , 2 are suitable and intended to be used in a wall cladding system.
  • Each of the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 comprises a wall panel 10, which may be a fiber cement panel, for example.
  • the wall panel 10 has a square periphery and a planar appearance. This is not essential to the invention and should not be regarded as limiting the present disclosure to a certain design of the wall panel 10.
  • each of the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 comprises a coupling arrangement 20.
  • the coupling arrangement 20 complies with the following:
  • the coupling arrangement 20 is attached to the wall panel 10 at a back side of the wall panel 10;
  • the coupling arrangement 20 has a spatial appearance in a backward direction B;
  • the coupling arrangement 20 comprises two coupling members 21a, 21 b; 21 , 22 which partially extend beyond the periphery of the wall panel 10 in a direction which is a transverse direction T relative to the backward direction B at opposite sides of the wall panel 10.
  • the attachment of the coupling arrangement 20 to the wall panel 10 at the back side of the wall panel 10 is realized through screws 11 .
  • the screws 11 do not extend all the way up to a front side of the wall panel 10 from the back side of the wall panel 10, so that the front appearance of the wall panel 10 is without any disturbances or irregularities. It is noted that alternative types of attachment of the coupling arrangement 20 to the wall panel 10 at the back side of the wall panel 10 are feasible in the context of the invention.
  • a notable difference between the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 resides in the fact that in the first wall panel device 1 , the coupling members 21a, 21 b are identical, whereas in the second wall panel device 2, the coupling members 21 , 22 differ from each other, wherein one 21 of the coupling members 21 , 22 is identical to the coupling members 21 a, 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 .
  • a length along which the one 21 of the coupling members 21 , 22 which is identical to the coupling members 21 a, 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel 10 in the transverse direction T is longer than a length along which the other 22 of the coupling members 21 , 22 extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel 10 in the transverse direction T.
  • the one coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b will be referred to as large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b, whereas the other coupling member 22 will be referred to as small coupling member 22.
  • the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b and the small coupling member 22 are separately shown in figures 7 and 8, respectively.
  • a portion of the coupling member 21 a, 21 b; 21 , 22 extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel 10 in the transverse direction T is generally shaped like a gutter which is open at a front side.
  • a difference between the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b and the small coupling member 22 is that the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b is equipped with a receiving groove 23 which is suitable to receive an edge 24 of the small coupling member 22.
  • the small coupling member 22 is provided with a support beam 25.
  • Both the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b and the small coupling member 22 can be made of aluminum or another material which is strong yet preferably lightweight.
  • each of the coupling members 21 a, 21 b; 21 , 22 comprises a front portion 26 which is attached to the wall panel 10 at the back side of the wall panel 10, a back portion 27 which is at a distance from the front portion 26 in the backward direction B, and an intermediate portion 28 interconnecting the front portion 26 and the back portion 27.
  • this feature is aimed at enabling arrangement of the wall panel device 1 , 2 on a background support 3 with space 4 at the back side of the wall panel 10, which is especially relevant in the case that the wall panel 10 is a fiber cement panel, because ventilation behind the wall panel 10 can be realized in that way.
  • a practical example of a background support 3 is a wall 31 of a building covered with a layer of insulation material 32.
  • the back portion 27 of each of the coupling members 21 a, 21 b; 21 , 22 is the portion through which attachment of the wall panel device 1 , 2 to the background support 3 is realized in a process of applying the wall panel device 1 , 2 to the background support 3.
  • the coupling arrangement 20 is provided with one or more holes for receiving a fastener such as a screw 33 at the position of the back portion 27.
  • the fist wall panel device 1 is provided, is positioned on the background support 3, and is attached to the background support 3 by means of screws 33 which are driven through the coupling arrangement 20 and into the background support 3 at the position of both coupling members 21a, 21 b.
  • the background support 3 comprising a wall 31 and a layer of insulation material 32
  • the screws 33 extend all the way up to the wall 31 , through the layer of insulation material 32.
  • the second wall panel device 2 is provided and is put to an initial position relative to the first wall panel device 1 .
  • said initial position of the second wall panel device 2 is a position in which the gutter-shaped portion of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 is placed on the gutter-shaped portion of one 21b of the large coupling members 21a, 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 , and in which the second wall panel device 2 is held at a tilted orientation relative to the first wall panel device 1 .
  • figure 10 it is illustrated by means of an arrow in the figure that in a fourth step, the second wall panel device 2 is tilted to a position shown in figure 12, which is a final position relative to the first wall panel device 1 in which the wall panel 10 of the second wall panel device 2 is flush with the wall panel 10 of the first wall panel device 1 , in which only a narrow gap is present between sides of the respective wall panels 10 facing each other, in which the support beam 25 of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 rests on a bottom of the gutter-shaped portion of the large coupling member 22 of the first wall panel device 1 , and in which the coupling arrangement 20 of the second wall panel device 2 contacts the background support 3 through the large coupling member 21 .
  • FIG 11 An intermediate stage of the tilting movement of the second wall panel device 2 is illustrated in figure 11 .
  • the edge 24 of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 is automatically received in the receiving groove 23 of the large coupling member 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 whereby interconnection of the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 is realized.
  • the gutter-shaped portion of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 is at a smaller distance from a level of the front side of the wall panel 10 than the gutter-shaped portion of the large coupling member 21b of the first wall panel device 1 .
  • FIG. 13 and 14 Further views of the final position of the second wall panel device 2 relative to the first wall panel device 1 are shown in figures 13 and 14.
  • the second wall panel device 2 is secured to the background support 3 by driving one or more screws 33 through the large coupling portion 21 of the second wall panel device 2 and into the background support 3.
  • a further second wall panel device 2 may be provided and coupled to the second wall panel device 2 and attached to the background support 3 in a similar manner as described in the foregoing in relation to the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2, and this process can be repeated as a sequential process for the purpose of creating a wall cladding system 100 of appropriate size as desired.
  • the wall cladding system 100 may further be provided with components known per se such as water barrier components, perforated components for preventing birds or other animals to enter behind the wall panels 10 of the wall cladding system 100, etc.
  • first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 are arranged in an interior corner.
  • the first wall panel device 1 is positioned as close as possible to the interior corner, attached to the background support 3 at a first side of the corner and abutting with an exterior wall of the guttershaped portion of one of the large coupling members 21a, 21 b against the background support 3 at a second side of the corner.
  • the second wall panel device 2 is positioned on the background support 3 at the second side of the corner, with the small coupling member 22 towards the corner, wherein the gutter-like portion of the small coupling member 22 and the support beam 25 are received in an engagement member 5 attached to the background support 3 at an appropriate position.
  • the engagement member 5 is separately shown in figure 16.
  • the engagement member 5 is equipped with a receiving groove 51 which is suitable to receive the edge 24 of the small coupling member 22.
  • the second wall panel device 2 can be coupled to the engagement member 5 in a similar way as described in the foregoing in relation to the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2.
  • Constructing a wall cladding system 100 with the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2, and probably also with the engagement member 5, is less complicated than wall cladding methods known in the art and can therefore be performed at relatively low costs.
  • the invention is useful to renovation projects. In practical cases, it may be so that all that is needed is to cover a wall 31 with insulation material 32, and then provide the wall panel devices 1 , 2 comprising the combination of the wall panel 10 and the coupling arrangement 20 and arrange those on the assembly 3 of the wall 31 and the insulation material 32 in a predetermined and logical manner with the use of screws 33 or other suitable fasteners, or in another suitable fashion, such as with the use of glue.
  • a further advantage of the invention is that if invisible fixing of the wall panels 10 is desired, this can be obtained in an easy manner, on the basis of the fact that attachment of a coupling arrangement 20 to a wall panel 10 is realized in a first instance, and that attachment of the wall panel device 1 , 2 thus obtained to a background support 3 is realized in a later instance, without compromising the desired closely adjoining configuration of wall panels 10 in a wall cladding system 100.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Finishing Walls (AREA)

Abstract

In the field of wall cladding, a wall panel device (1, 2) configured to be applied in a wall cladding system is provided, which device (1, 2) comprises a wall panel (10) and a coupling arrangement (20) which is attachable to a background support (3). Specific features of the coupling arrangement (20) include a positioning of being attached to the wall panel (10) at a back side of the wall panel (10), and a spatial appearance in a backward direction to enable arranging the wall panel device (1, 2) on the background support (3) with space (4) at the back side of the wall panel (10). Further, the coupling arrangement (20) comprises at least one coupling member (21a, 21b; 21, 22) which partially extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) in a direction which is a transverse direction relative to the backward direction.

Description

Wall panel device comprising a wall panel and a coupling arrangement
The invention relates to a wall panel device configured to be applied in a wall cladding system. The invention also relates to a wall cladding system arranged on a background support, and to a method for applying a wall cladding system to a background support.
The invention is applicable to the field of wall cladding and wall cladding systems. Generally speaking, a wall cladding system is useful to cover a wall such as the exterior wall of a building and normally comprises a plurality of wall panels arranged on the wall in a closely adjoining fashion so as to form a fagade. An important function of the wall cladding system is a decorative function. The wall cladding system can also be functional to achieve further beneficial effects such as insulation and waterproofing.
A specific type of wall panel is a fiber cement panel. Fiber cement is a mineral composite with outstanding physical and aesthetic properties. Fiber cement panels are commonly used to create a ventilated fagade, which is a kind of two stage construction, namely an inner structure with a protective outer skin, wherein said outer skin is constituted by the wall panels. The skin protects the inner structure against the elements. The key features of a ventilated fagade are an outer skin of wall panels, an air gap or cavity, and an insulated backing wall that controls air leakage. The wall panels shield the backing wall from the weather. The air gap and airtight backing wall combine to limit the effects of possible water penetration between the wall panels. The fact is that at the position of the air gap, the moisture can be evaporated and/or drained away safely. Hence, the air gap and airtight backing wall provide a secondary line of defense against the elements. Drained and ventilated facades are provided with openings at the top and bottom of the wall. Said openings provide both ventilation and an effective drainage route. This combination allows air to circulate and to dry the cavity between the inner and outer skins.
A well-known method of arranging wall panels such as fiber cement panels on a wall comprises steps of applying a layer of insulation material to the wall, creating a rail frame on the assembly of the wall and the insulation material by attaching rail elements to said assembly, at appropriate positions on said assembly, and attaching the wall panels to the rail frame. The latter may involve driving fasteners such as rivets through the wall panels and into the rail frame, from the front of the wall panels, in which case visible fixing of the wall panels is obtained. Invisible fixing of wall panels is another existing possibility, but known ways of realizing such fixing involve a more complex installation method and also involve higher costs.
There is a need for a wall cladding system which can be applied to a background support such as a wall covered with insulation material in a fast, cheap, easy and reliable fashion, which is of such design that a ventilation space is automatically obtained at a back side of the wall panels included in the wall cladding system during installation, and which is of such design that it is possible to have invisible fixing of the wall panels if so desired. Such a wall cladding system would be very useful in renovation projects and other projects in which costs need to be as low as possible. Further, installation of such a wall cladding system would be less susceptible to errors.
In view of the foregoing, the invention provides a wall panel device configured to be applied in a wall cladding system, comprising:
- a wall panel; and
- a coupling arrangement which is attachable to a background support, which is attached to the wall panel at a back side of the wall panel, which has a spatial appearance in a backward direction to enable arranging the wall panel device on the background support with space at the back side of the wall panel, and which comprises at least one coupling member which partially extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel in a direction which is a transverse direction relative to the backward direction.
When the invention is put to practice, providing a wall with a wall cladding system involves providing a number of wall panel devices as defined here before and using those wall panel devices to realize the wall cladding system. A notable fact is that the wall panel device provided by the invention comprises both a wall panel and a coupling arrangement, wherein the coupling arrangement is attached to the wall panel at the back side of the wall panel. Further, a specific feature of the coupling arrangement is attachability to the background support. This means that putting the wall panel device in place on a background support such as a wall covered with insulation material involves bringing an entirety of a wall panel and a coupling arrangement to the intended position on the background support and then taking appropriate action to attach the coupling arrangement to the background support. This also means that different from conventional situations, it is not necessary to have a rail frame on the wall. It is explicitly noted that the invention covers the wall panel device in a situation of being separate from a background support. The definition of the coupling arrangement being attachable to a background support refers to a situation in which the coupling arrangement is not yet attached to a background support rather than a situation in which the coupling arrangement is attached to a background support.
The background support can be a wall covered with insulation material, as suggested earlier. The invention covers numerous other types of background support. In general, the background support can be a wall of a building with or without add-ons such as insulation material, support bars or a pre-wall. If insulation material is present on the wall, indeed, this may be in any suitable form, such as in the form of an element, a panel or a foam layer.
As defined, the coupling arrangement has a spatial appearance in a backward direction to enable arranging the wall panel device on the background support with space at the back side of the wall panel. In the context of the invention, the coupling arrangement can be of any design, as long as the coupling arrangement is capable of attaching to a background support and of leaving space at the back side of the wall panel in the process. In any case, on the basis of the design of the coupling arrangement, installation of a wall cladding system on a wall can be performed in a convenient manner, wherein basically, all that needs to be done is to attach respective wall panel devices to the wall. Optionally, a layer of insulation material is applied to the wall first. Attaching the respective wall panel devices to the wall can be done by using screws, for example, wherein the screws may be of a length of several centimeters in practical situations.
Another notable feature of the coupling arrangement resides in the fact that the coupling arrangement comprises at least one coupling member which partially extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel in a direction which is a transverse direction relative to the backward direction. This means that attaching the coupling arrangement to the background support can simply be done from a front position, in the situation that the coupling member is freely accessible from such position. For example, a fastener such as a screw can be driven through the coupling member and into the wall. In this respect, it is noted that optionally, the coupling member is provided with at least one hole at an appropriate position.
The entire wall panel device according to the invention can be made at a manufacturing site. It is also possible that the wall panel and the coupling arrangement are kept separated from each other during transport to a building site, in which case attaching the coupling arrangement to the wall panel is done at the building site. In any case, in view of the fact that the coupling arrangement is attached to the wall panel at the back side of the wall panel, the invention allows for having invisible fixing of the wall panel, namely by using fasteners which do not extend all the way up to a front side of the wall panel from the back side of the wall panel. It is noted that a use of glue for attaching the coupling arrangement to the wall panel at the back side of the wall panel is another option in the context of the invention.
In respect of the coupling member, it is noted that it is practical if a portion of the coupling member covering the wall panel is at a level of the back side of the wall panel, and a portion of the coupling member extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction is at a level which in the backward direction is at a distance from a level of the back side of the wall panel. In that way, the very shape of the coupling member is a key factor in realizing the space at the back side of the wall panel, without necessarily a need for further measures to that end. In particular, the shape of the coupling member may be such that a front portion which is attached to the wall panel at the back side of the wall panel, a back portion which is attachable to the background support, which back portion is at a distance from the front portion in the backward direction, and an intermediate portion interconnecting the front portion and the back portion can be discerned in the coupling member. In that case, it is possible that the front portion and the back portion extend in opposite directions from the intermediate portion as seen in the transverse direction, in other words, it is possible that the coupling member is generally Z-shaped.
In the context of the invention, various options in respect of the shape of the coupling member exist. According to one of those options, the portion of the coupling member extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction is generally shaped like a gutter which is open at a front side. The gutter-shaped portion allows for stable positioning on the background support and for receiving a portion of a coupling arrangement of a wall panel device which is intended to be an adjacent wall panel device.
For various practical reasons, it is advantageous if the coupling arrangement comprises two coupling members which partially extend beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction at opposite sides of the wall panel. If such is the case, indeed, it may be so that a length along which one of the coupling members extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction differs from a length along which the other of the coupling members extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction. Apart from the length along which the coupling members extend beyond the periphery of the wall panel in the transverse direction, there may be one or more other differences between the coupling members at the opposite sides of the wall panel. The length difference and the possible one or more other differences may be factors contributing to constructional stability and firm attachment of the coupling arrangement to the background support, and may also be factors enabling interconnection of adjacent wall panel devices at the position of their respective coupling arrangements. The invention covers both an option of the coupling members being provided as separate members and an option of the coupling members being part of one and the same entity.
In respect of the option of interconnecting adjacent wall panel devices, it is noted the invention covers an embodiment of the wall panel device in which the coupling arrangement includes a receiving groove configured to receive an edge of a coupling member of the coupling arrangement of another wall panel device to be arranged adjacent to the wall panel device. In a more general sense, the invention covers an embodiment of the wall panel device in which the coupling arrangement includes one or more components configured to engage on one or more components of the coupling arrangement of another wall panel device to be arranged adjacent to the wall panel device.
In the context of the invention, the wall panel can be of any appropriate type, shape and size. A practical example of the type of the wall panel is a fiber cement panel. A practical example of the shape of the wall panel is a planar shape with a rectangular periphery. A practical example of the size of the wall panel is a size in the order of one or two meters. A practical example of a thickness of the wall panel is a thickness in a range of 8 to 16 mm, such as a thickness of 10 mm. The invention may particularly be applicable to create a wall cladding system with wall panels comprising material having a density in a range of 1.2 kg/dm3 to 2 kg/dm3, although the use of wall panels in the wall panel device of the invention comprising material of a lower density or a higher density is also possible.
In respect of the coupling arrangement, it is noted that it is practical that the coupling arrangement comprises a metal material, wherein aluminum is a practical example, and wherein the coupling member may comprise a metal profile section. That does not alter the fact that the option of the coupling arrangement comprising another type of material also exists in the context of the invention. A practical example of the size of the coupling arrangement in the backward direction is 2 or 3 centimeters. Further, it is practical if the coupling arrangement is provided with at least one hole configured to receive a fastener. Also, it may be so that the coupling arrangement comprises a support beam which serves to reinforce the coupling arrangement and to constitute a support to the wall panel device at the position of the coupling arrangement after the wall panel device has been put in place. Such a support beam may also comprise a metal material such as aluminum, for example.
The invention also relates to a wall cladding system arranged on a background support, comprising a wall panel device as defined and described here before, wherein the wall panel of the wall panel device is coupled to the background support through the coupling arrangement of the wall panel device, and the wall panel extends at a distance from the background support, with space being present at the back side of the wall panel. It is practical if the wall cladding system comprises a first wall panel device and a second wall panel device, wherein, in each of the respective wall panel devices, the wall panel of the wall panel device is coupled to the background support through the coupling arrangement of the wall panel device, and the wall panel extends at a distance from the background support, with space being present at the back side of the wall panel, and wherein the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device are interconnected through their respective coupling arrangements. It is an insight of the invention that the wall panel devices can be interconnected through their respective coupling arrangements. By interconnecting the wall panel devices, correct positioning of wall panels and a robust character of a wall cladding system are achieved without a need for complex measures. It is noted that the invention covers both an option according to which the wall panel device is applied to a more or less vertical background support in a vertical orientation, that is to say, an orientation in which the at least one coupling member is at a vertical side of the wall panel and the optional interconnection between wall panel devices is in a horizontal direction, and an option according to which a wall panel device is applied to a more or less vertical background support in a horizontal orientation, that is to say, an orientation in which the at least one coupling member is at a horizontal side of the wall panel and the optional interconnection between wall panel devices is in a vertical direction.
The invention also relates to a method for applying a wall cladding system to a background support, which method comprises steps of
- providing a wall panel device in which if the coupling arrangement is provided with at least one hole configured to receive a fastener;
- providing a fastener; and
- attaching the wall panel device to the background support by driving the fastener through the hole in the coupling arrangement of the wall panel device and into the background support.
In view of the way in which wall panel devices as defined and described here before can be put together, the invention also relates to a method for applying a wall cladding system to a background support, which method comprises steps of
- providing a first wall panel device and attaching the first wall panel device to the background support;
- providing a second wall panel device and placing the second wall panel device on the background support in a position adjacent to the first wall panel device, wherein the part of a coupling member of the second wall panel device extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel of the second wall panel device in the transverse direction is put in an overlapping position on the part of a coupling member of the first wall panel device extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel of the first wall panel device in the transverse direction; and
- attaching the second wall panel device to the background support.
According to one practical option which is available in this respect, the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device are interconnected at the position of their respective coupling arrangements by performing successive steps of placing the second wall panel device in a tilted position relative to the first wall panel device and tilting the second wall panel device to a position in which the wall panel of the second wall panel device is flush with the wall panel of the first wall panel device. Alternatives to this option are available, such as an option according to which interconnecting the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device is done on the basis of a sliding movement of the second wall panel device relative to the first wall panel device.
The present invention will be further explained on the basis of the following description, wherein reference will be made to the figures, in which equal reference signs indicate equal or similar components, and in which: figure 1 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of a wall panel device according to a first embodiment of the invention, which is hereinafter referred to as first wall panel device; figure 2 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of the first wall panel device; figure 3 diagrammatically shows a front view of the first wall panel device; figure 4 diagrammatically shows a front view of a wall panel device according to a second embodiment of the invention, which is hereinafter referred to as second wall panel device; figure 5 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of the second wall panel device; figure 6 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of the second wall panel device; figure 7 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of a coupling member which is part of a coupling arrangement of both the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device; figure 8 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of a coupling member which is part of the coupling arrangement of the second wall panel device; figures 9 to 12 illustrate subsequent steps in a process of applying the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device to a background support; figure 13 diagrammatically shows a perspective view of an interconnected first wall panel device and second wall panel device; figure 14 diagrammatically shows a front view of the interconnected first wall panel device and second wall panel device; figure 15 illustrates how the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device are arranged in an interior corner; and figure 16 diagrammatically shows a sectional view of an engagement member which is used together with the first wall panel device and the second wall panel device in the interior corner.
Figures 1 to 3 diagrammatically show a first wall panel device 1. Likewise, figures 4 to 6 diagrammatically show a second wall panel device 2. The panel devices 1 , 2 are suitable and intended to be used in a wall cladding system.
Each of the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 comprises a wall panel 10, which may be a fiber cement panel, for example. In the shown example, the wall panel 10 has a square periphery and a planar appearance. This is not essential to the invention and should not be regarded as limiting the present disclosure to a certain design of the wall panel 10. Further, each of the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 comprises a coupling arrangement 20. In each of the wall panel devices 1 , 2, the coupling arrangement 20 complies with the following:
- the coupling arrangement 20 is attached to the wall panel 10 at a back side of the wall panel 10;
- the coupling arrangement 20 has a spatial appearance in a backward direction B; and
- the coupling arrangement 20 comprises two coupling members 21a, 21 b; 21 , 22 which partially extend beyond the periphery of the wall panel 10 in a direction which is a transverse direction T relative to the backward direction B at opposite sides of the wall panel 10.
In the shown example, the attachment of the coupling arrangement 20 to the wall panel 10 at the back side of the wall panel 10 is realized through screws 11 . The screws 11 do not extend all the way up to a front side of the wall panel 10 from the back side of the wall panel 10, so that the front appearance of the wall panel 10 is without any disturbances or irregularities. It is noted that alternative types of attachment of the coupling arrangement 20 to the wall panel 10 at the back side of the wall panel 10 are feasible in the context of the invention.
A notable difference between the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 resides in the fact that in the first wall panel device 1 , the coupling members 21a, 21 b are identical, whereas in the second wall panel device 2, the coupling members 21 , 22 differ from each other, wherein one 21 of the coupling members 21 , 22 is identical to the coupling members 21 a, 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 . In particular, in the second wall panel device 2, a length along which the one 21 of the coupling members 21 , 22 which is identical to the coupling members 21 a, 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel 10 in the transverse direction T is longer than a length along which the other 22 of the coupling members 21 , 22 extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel 10 in the transverse direction T. In view thereof, the one coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b will be referred to as large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b, whereas the other coupling member 22 will be referred to as small coupling member 22. The large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b and the small coupling member 22 are separately shown in figures 7 and 8, respectively. As can be seen in figures 1 to 6, in the present embodiments of the wall panel device 1 , 2, in both cases of the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b and the small coupling member 22, a portion of the coupling member 21 a, 21 b; 21 , 22 extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel 10 in the transverse direction T is generally shaped like a gutter which is open at a front side.
Apart from the size difference, a difference between the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b and the small coupling member 22 is that the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b is equipped with a receiving groove 23 which is suitable to receive an edge 24 of the small coupling member 22. The way in which this is functional will be explained later. Also, the small coupling member 22 is provided with a support beam 25. Both the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b and the small coupling member 22 can be made of aluminum or another material which is strong yet preferably lightweight.
In the shown example, the feature of the coupling arrangement 20 having a spatial appearance in the backward direction B is realized through both the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b and the small coupling member 22 being generally Z- shaped. In particular, in the shown example, each of the coupling members 21 a, 21 b; 21 , 22 comprises a front portion 26 which is attached to the wall panel 10 at the back side of the wall panel 10, a back portion 27 which is at a distance from the front portion 26 in the backward direction B, and an intermediate portion 28 interconnecting the front portion 26 and the back portion 27. With reference to figures 9 to 12, it is noted that this feature is aimed at enabling arrangement of the wall panel device 1 , 2 on a background support 3 with space 4 at the back side of the wall panel 10, which is especially relevant in the case that the wall panel 10 is a fiber cement panel, because ventilation behind the wall panel 10 can be realized in that way. In the context of the invention, a practical example of a background support 3 is a wall 31 of a building covered with a layer of insulation material 32. The back portion 27 of each of the coupling members 21 a, 21 b; 21 , 22 is the portion through which attachment of the wall panel device 1 , 2 to the background support 3 is realized in a process of applying the wall panel device 1 , 2 to the background support 3. In view thereof, it may be practical if the coupling arrangement 20 is provided with one or more holes for receiving a fastener such as a screw 33 at the position of the back portion 27.
In figures 9 to 12, subsequent steps in the process of applying the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 to a background support 3 are illustrated.
In a first step, the fist wall panel device 1 is provided, is positioned on the background support 3, and is attached to the background support 3 by means of screws 33 which are driven through the coupling arrangement 20 and into the background support 3 at the position of both coupling members 21a, 21 b. In the case of the background support 3 comprising a wall 31 and a layer of insulation material 32, in order to have secure attachment, it is practical if the screws 33 extend all the way up to the wall 31 , through the layer of insulation material 32.
In figure 9, it is illustrated that in a second step, the second wall panel device 2 is provided and is put to an initial position relative to the first wall panel device 1 . As can be seen in figure 9, said initial position of the second wall panel device 2 is a position in which the gutter-shaped portion of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 is placed on the gutter-shaped portion of one 21b of the large coupling members 21a, 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 , and in which the second wall panel device 2 is held at a tilted orientation relative to the first wall panel device 1 .
In figure 9, it is further illustrated by means of an arrow in the figure that in a third step, the second wall panel device 2 is moved relative to the first wall panel device 1 until the edge 24 of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 abuts an interior wall of the gutter-shaped portion of the large coupling member 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 so that the relative positioning of the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 as shown in figure 10 is obtained. In figure 10, it is illustrated by means of an arrow in the figure that in a fourth step, the second wall panel device 2 is tilted to a position shown in figure 12, which is a final position relative to the first wall panel device 1 in which the wall panel 10 of the second wall panel device 2 is flush with the wall panel 10 of the first wall panel device 1 , in which only a narrow gap is present between sides of the respective wall panels 10 facing each other, in which the support beam 25 of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 rests on a bottom of the gutter-shaped portion of the large coupling member 22 of the first wall panel device 1 , and in which the coupling arrangement 20 of the second wall panel device 2 contacts the background support 3 through the large coupling member 21 . An intermediate stage of the tilting movement of the second wall panel device 2 is illustrated in figure 11 . In the process of the tilting movement, the edge 24 of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 is automatically received in the receiving groove 23 of the large coupling member 21 b of the first wall panel device 1 whereby interconnection of the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 is realized. It is noted that in order to realize the configuration in which the wall panel 10 of the second wall panel device 2 is flush with the wall panel 10 of the first wall panel device 10, the gutter-shaped portion of the small coupling member 22 of the second wall panel device 2 is at a smaller distance from a level of the front side of the wall panel 10 than the gutter-shaped portion of the large coupling member 21b of the first wall panel device 1 . Further, it is noted that when the second wall panel device 2 is in place relative to the first panel device 1 , it is achieved that the screws 33 used to attach the first panel device 1 to the background support 3 at the position of the respective large coupling member 21 b are hidden from view by means of the wall panel 10 of the second wall panel device 2.
Further views of the final position of the second wall panel device 2 relative to the first wall panel device 1 are shown in figures 13 and 14. In a fifth step, the second wall panel device 2 is secured to the background support 3 by driving one or more screws 33 through the large coupling portion 21 of the second wall panel device 2 and into the background support 3. At that stage, a further second wall panel device 2 may be provided and coupled to the second wall panel device 2 and attached to the background support 3 in a similar manner as described in the foregoing in relation to the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2, and this process can be repeated as a sequential process for the purpose of creating a wall cladding system 100 of appropriate size as desired. The wall cladding system 100 may further be provided with components known per se such as water barrier components, perforated components for preventing birds or other animals to enter behind the wall panels 10 of the wall cladding system 100, etc.
In figure 15, it is illustrated how the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2 are arranged in an interior corner. The first wall panel device 1 is positioned as close as possible to the interior corner, attached to the background support 3 at a first side of the corner and abutting with an exterior wall of the guttershaped portion of one of the large coupling members 21a, 21 b against the background support 3 at a second side of the corner. The second wall panel device 2 is positioned on the background support 3 at the second side of the corner, with the small coupling member 22 towards the corner, wherein the gutter-like portion of the small coupling member 22 and the support beam 25 are received in an engagement member 5 attached to the background support 3 at an appropriate position. The engagement member 5 is separately shown in figure 16. Comparable to what is the case with the large coupling member 21 , 21 a, 21 b, the engagement member 5 is equipped with a receiving groove 51 which is suitable to receive the edge 24 of the small coupling member 22. The second wall panel device 2 can be coupled to the engagement member 5 in a similar way as described in the foregoing in relation to the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2.
Constructing a wall cladding system 100 with the first wall panel device 1 and the second wall panel device 2, and probably also with the engagement member 5, is less complicated than wall cladding methods known in the art and can therefore be performed at relatively low costs. In view thereof, the invention is useful to renovation projects. In practical cases, it may be so that all that is needed is to cover a wall 31 with insulation material 32, and then provide the wall panel devices 1 , 2 comprising the combination of the wall panel 10 and the coupling arrangement 20 and arrange those on the assembly 3 of the wall 31 and the insulation material 32 in a predetermined and logical manner with the use of screws 33 or other suitable fasteners, or in another suitable fashion, such as with the use of glue. A further advantage of the invention is that if invisible fixing of the wall panels 10 is desired, this can be obtained in an easy manner, on the basis of the fact that attachment of a coupling arrangement 20 to a wall panel 10 is realized in a first instance, and that attachment of the wall panel device 1 , 2 thus obtained to a background support 3 is realized in a later instance, without compromising the desired closely adjoining configuration of wall panels 10 in a wall cladding system 100.
It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1. A wall panel device (1 , 2) configured to be applied in a wall cladding system (100), comprising:
- a wall panel (10); and
- a coupling arrangement (20) which is attachable to a background support (3), which is attached to the wall panel (10) at a back side of the wall panel (10), which has a spatial appearance in a backward direction (B) to enable arranging the wall panel device (1 , 2) on the background support (3) with space (4) at the back side of the wall panel (10), and which comprises at least one coupling member (21a, 21 b; 21 , 22) which partially extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) in a direction which is a transverse direction (T) relative to the backward direction (B).
2. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the coupling member (21 a, 21b; 21 , 22) covering the wall panel (10) is at a level of the back side of the wall panel (10), and wherein a portion of the coupling member (21a, 21 b; 21 , 22) extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) in the transverse direction (T) is at a level which in the backward direction (B) is at a distance from a level of the back side of the wall panel (10).
3. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according claim 1 or 2, wherein the coupling member (20) comprises a front portion (26) which is attached to the wall panel (10) at the back side of the wall panel (10), a back portion (27) which is attachable to the background support (3), which back portion (27) is at a distance from the front portion (26) in the backward direction (B), and an intermediate portion (28) interconnecting the front portion (26) and the back portion (27).
4. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according to claim 3, wherein the front portion (26) and the back portion (27) extend in opposite directions from the intermediate portion (28) as seen in the transverse direction (T).
5. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according to any of claims 1 -4, wherein the portion of the coupling member (21a, 21b; 21 , 22) extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) in the transverse direction (T) is generally shaped like a gutter which is open at a front side.
6. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according to any of claims 1 -5, wherein the coupling arrangement (20) comprises two coupling members (21a, 21b; 21 , 22) which partially extend beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) in the transverse direction (T) at opposite sides of the wall panel (10).
7. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according to claim 6, wherein a length along which one of the coupling members (21 , 22) extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) in the transverse direction (T) differs from a length along which the other of the coupling members (21 , 22) extends beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) in the transverse direction (T).
8. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according to any of claims 1 -7, wherein the coupling arrangement (20) includes one or more components (23) configured to engage on one or more components (24) of the coupling arrangement (20) of another wall panel device (1 , 2) to be arranged adjacent to the wall panel device (1 , 2).
9. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according to any of claims 1 -8, wherein the wall panel (10) is a fiber cement panel and/or the coupling arrangement (20) comprises a metal material.
10. The wall panel device (1 , 2) according to any of claims 1 -9, wherein the coupling arrangement (20) is provided with at least one hole configured to receive a fastener (33).
11. A wall cladding system (100) arranged on a background support (3), comprising a wall panel device (1 , 2) according to any of claims 1-10, wherein the wall panel (10) of the wall panel device (1 , 2) is coupled to the background support (3) through the coupling arrangement (20) of the wall panel device (1 , 2), and the wall panel (10) extends at a distance from the background support (3), with space (4) being present at the back side of the wall panel (10).
12. A wall cladding system (100) according to claim 11 , comprising a first wall panel device (1 ) according to any of claims 1-10 and a second wall panel device (2) according to any of claims 1-10, wherein, in each of the respective wall panel devices
(1. 2), the wall panel (10) of the wall panel device (1 , 2) is coupled to the background support (3) through the coupling arrangement (20) of the wall panel device (1 , 2), and the wall panel (10) extends at a distance from the background support (3), with space (4) being present at the back side of the wall panel (10), and wherein the first wall panel device (1 ) and the second wall panel device (2) are interconnected through their respective coupling arrangements (20).
13. A method for applying a wall cladding system (100) to a background support (3), comprising:
- providing a wall panel device (1 , 2) according to claim 10;
- providing a fastener (33); and
- attaching the wall panel device (1 , 2) to the background support (3) by driving the fastener through the hole in the coupling arrangement (20) of the wall panel device
(1 . 2) and into the background support (3).
14. A method for applying a wall cladding system (100) to a background support (3), comprising:
- providing a first wall panel device (1 ) according to any of claims 1 -10 and attaching the first wall panel device (1 ) to the background support (3);
- providing a second wall panel device (2) according to any of claims 1-10 and placing the second wall panel device (2) on the background support (3) in a position adjacent to the first wall panel device (1 ), wherein the part of a coupling member (22) of the second wall panel device (2) extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) of the second wall panel device (2) in the transverse direction (T) is put in an overlapping position on the part of a coupling member (21 a, 21 b) of the first wall panel device (1 ) extending beyond the periphery of the wall panel (10) of the first wall panel device (1 ) in the transverse direction (T); and
- attaching the second wall panel device (2) to the background support (3).
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first wall panel device (1 ) and the second wall panel device (2) are interconnected at the position of their respective coupling arrangements (20) by performing successive steps of placing the second wall panel device (2) in a tilted position relative to the first wall panel device (1 ) and tilting the second wall panel device (2) to a position in which the wall panel (10) of the second wall panel device (2) is flush with the wall panel (10) of the first wall panel device (1 ).
PCT/EP2023/086875 2022-12-20 2023-12-20 Wall panel device comprising a wall panel and a coupling arrangement WO2024133414A1 (en)

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Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20210102382A1 (en) * 2019-10-04 2021-04-08 Certainteed Llc Adjustable Lock for Building Surface Panel and Building Surface Panel Cladding System
ES1286749U (en) * 2021-11-18 2022-02-17 Sist Tecnicos Del Accesorio Y Componentes S L Ventilated facade fixing device (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20210102382A1 (en) * 2019-10-04 2021-04-08 Certainteed Llc Adjustable Lock for Building Surface Panel and Building Surface Panel Cladding System
ES1286749U (en) * 2021-11-18 2022-02-17 Sist Tecnicos Del Accesorio Y Componentes S L Ventilated facade fixing device (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

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