Modular Facing for Building Construction

Abstract

The present invention relates to a facing surface which can be applied on a building construction. The object of the inventions is to provide a facing surface for a building construction which is reliable, robust and weather resistant, and furthermore is easy to handle, easy to attach to a building construction and easy to maintain afterwards. The present invention addresses this by providing a facing panel system for building constructions, comprising: a facing panel, where the facing panel has an outer surface and an inner surface, a first and a second panel edge, where a first panel flange extends from said first panel edge and a second panel flange extends from said second panel edge, where said first panel flange and said second panel flange are extended in approximately the same direction, forming an inner groove which encloses said inner surface, where at least one panel attachment rail is arranged in the inner groove extending from said inner surface, a mounting bracket comprising at least one bracket attachment rail, where a cross-section through at least one said facing panel is identical to a cross-section through said mounting bracket,

where said facing panel is capable of being attached to the mounting bracket, when said facing panel is arranged in an upside down inverted position relative to said mounting bracket, where the inner surface of said facing panel is facing said mounting bracket, where the panel attachment rail is capable of engaging the bracket attachment rail.

Claims

1. Facing panel system for building constructions, comprising: a facing panel (1), where the facing panel (1) has an outer surface (2) and an inner surface (3), a first and a second panel edge (4,5), where a first panel flange (6) extends from said first panel edge (4) and a second panel flange (7) extends from said second panel edge (5), where said first panel flange (6) and said second panel flange (7) are extended in approximately the same direction, forming an inner groove (11) which encloses said inner surface (3), where at least one panel attachment rail (8) is arranged in the inner groove (11) extending from said inner surface (3), a mounting bracket (1′), comprising at least one bracket attachment rail, where a cross-section through at least one said facing panel (1) is identical to a cross-section through said mounting bracket (1′), where said facing panel (1) is capable of being attached to the mounting bracket (1′), when said facing panel (1) is arranged in an upside down inverted position relative to said mounting bracket (1′), where the inner surface (3) of said facing panel (1) is facing said mounting bracket (1′), where the panel attachment rail (8) is capable of engaging the bracket attachment rail (8′).

2. Facing panel system according to claim 1, where said facing panel has a longitudinal direction, where said first panel edge, second panel edge and said attachment rail are arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction.

3. Facing panel system according to claim 1, where a distal flange part of said first flange extends away from the inner groove.

4. Facing panel system according to claim 1, where at least one protrusion extends from the inner surface adjacent to said second panel edge.

5. Facing panel system according to claim 1, where the whole or part of said facing panel is manufactured from a material comprising aluminium or aluminium alloy.

6. Facing module system according to claim 1, where at least one lath comprises at least one panel attachment means, where a cross section of said panel attachment means is identical to the cross section of at least one of said bracket attachment rails.

7. Facing module system according to claim 1, where at least one lath comprises at least one panel attachment means, where said panel attachment means is provided by at least one of said mounting brackets.

8. Method of attaching a facing on a building construction using said facing panel system according to claim 1, comprising the steps: a) providing one or more mounting bracket, and b) attaching said mounting bracket to said building construction, c) providing one or more facing panels, and d) attaching said facing panels in an upside down inverted position relative to said mounting bracket.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0042] The embodiments of the invention are described in the following with reference to:

[0043] FIG. 1a,b: A perspective view of a facing panel.

[0044] FIG. 2a,b: A cross-sectional view of a facing panel.

[0045] FIG. 3a,b: A cross-sectional view of a facing panel, second edge connection.

[0046] FIG. 4: A cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of facing panels mounted on a lath frame.

[0047] FIG. 5: A cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of facing panels mounted on a lath frame.

[0048] FIG. 6: A perspective view of a third embodiment of facing panels mounted on a lath frame.

[0049] FIG. 7: A cross-sectional view of facing panel, end cover pieces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] An embodiment of the invention is explained in the following detailed description. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its scope to the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a facing panel 1 from the front side, FIG. 1a, and from the back side, FIG. 1b. The facing panel 1 has an outer surface 2 and an inner surface 3, a first panel edge 4 and a second panel edge 5. The first flange 6 extends from the first panel edge 4. The second flange 7 extends from the second panel edge 5. The first flange 6 and the second flange 7 are extending in approximately the same direction, forming an inner groove 11 which encloses said inner surface 3. Three attachment rails 8 are arranged in the inner groove 11 extending from said inner surface 8. The attachment rails are capable of being realizably attached to panel attachment means provided on the building construction. A distal flange part 10 of said first flange 6 extends away from the inner groove 11. A protrusion 12 extends from the inner surface 3 adjacent to said second panel edge 5.

[0052] The facing panel 1 has a longitudinal direction X, where said first panel edge 4, second panel edge 5 and said attachment rails 8 are arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction X. The facing panel 1 may be provided with a predefined height, length and depth.

[0053] FIG. 2 illustrates in a cross-sectional view respectively a facing panel 1, FIG. 2a, and two facing panels 1 attached to each other, FIG. 2b.

[0054] In FIG. 2a, a facing panel 1 has an outer surface 2 and an inner surface 3, a first panel edge 4 and a second panel edge 5. The first flange 6 extends from the first panel edge 4. The second flange 7 extends from the second panel edge 5. The first flange 6 and the second flange 7 are extended substantially in the same direction and thereby forming a u-shaped profile with an inner groove 11 which encloses said inner surface 3. Three attachment rails 8, two side rails 8 and one centre rail 9 are arranged in the inner groove 11 extending from said inner surface 3. The two side rails 8 are from a cross-sectional view substantially L-shaped and the centre rail 9 is from a cross-sectional view substantially T-shaped.

[0055] FIG. 2b shows how two facing panels 1′,1″ are attached to each other, where one of the first facing panel 1′ is the mounting bracket. The first facing panel 1′ may for example be fastened to a surface on a building construction. The second facing panel 1″ is attached to the facing panel 1′, so that the second facing panel 1″ forms a facing surface on a building construction. The two facing panels 1′,1″ are arranged so that the inner surface 3 of the first facing panel 1′ is facing the inner surface 3 of the second facing panel 1″. The first panel edge 4′ of the first facing panel 1′ is arranged opposite to the second panel edge 5″ of the second facing panel 1″, and the second panel edge 5′ of the first facing panel 1′ is arranged opposite to the first panel edge 4″ of the second facing panel 1″. The two side rails 8′ and one centre rail 9′ of a first facing panel 1′ are capable of engaging the two side rails 8′ and one centre rail 9′ of a second facing panel 1″. The inner groove 11 provided in the first facing panel 1′ and the inner groove 11 provided in the second facing panel 1′ form a cavity, which has an isolating effect.

[0056] The two facing panels 1′,1″ are arranged correctly relative to each other, where the distal flange edge 10 provided on the second panel 1″ is arranged substantially adjacent the protrusion 9′ provided on the first facing panel 1′ and vice versa. One first side rail 8′ provided on the first facing panel 1′ is in a releasable locking grip with the centre rail 9″ provided on the second facing panel 1′, and one second side rail 8″ provided on the second facing panel 1″ is in a releasable locking grip with the centre rail 9′ provided on the first facing panel 1′. The releasable locking grip provided between the two facing panels 1′,1″ provides a firm grip onto the facing surface on the building construction.

[0057] FIG. 3a,b shows a cross-sectional view of a facing panel second edge connection. When a plurality of facing panels is provided on a building construction, the facing panels are arranged end to end, extending the facing surface one by one.

[0058] FIG. 3a shows two embodiments of an arrangement related to the second flange 7. In the first embodiment, the second flange 7 is arranged in a right angle 91 relative to the outer surface 2 of the facing panel 1. In the second embodiment, the second flange 7 forms an acute angle 91 relative to the outer surface 2 of the facing panel 1.

[0059] FIG. 3b shows four facing panels 1.sup.1, 1.sup.2, 1.sup.3, 1.sup.4 which in this embodiment are arranged relative to each other. The two of the facing panels 1.sup.2, 1.sup.4 provide the function of mounting brackets. The facing panel 1′ is provided with a protrusion 12′. The distal flange edge 10′ provided on the facing panel 1.sup.2 is arranged substantially adjacent to the protrusion 12′ provided on the first facing panel 1′. The second flange 7′ of the first facing panel 1.sup.4 is arranged substantially adjacent to the distal flange edge 10′ provided on the facing panel 1.sup.2 and the protrusion 12′ provided on the first facing panel 1′.

[0060] The distal flange edge 10″ provided on the facing panel 1.sup.3 is arranged substantially adjacent to the protrusion 12″ provided on the first facing panel 1.sup.4. The second flange 7″ of the first facing panel 1′ is arranged substantially adjacent to the distal flange edge 10″ provided on the facing panel 1.sup.3 and the protrusion 12″ provided on the first facing panel 1.sup.4.

[0061] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of three facing panels 1.sup.1, 1.sup.2, 1.sup.3 mounted on a lath frame. The mounting bracket lath is attached to a building construction. The mounting bracket lath may be arranged vertically and parallel to each other. The facing panels 1.sup.1, 1.sup.2, 1.sup.3 are arranged perpendicular to the mounting bracket lath 14. Each mounting bracket lath 14 is provided with panel attachment means 13, such as a predefined number of catches or hooks. The mounting bracket lath 14 may be an aluminium lath. The side rails 8 and centre rails 9 of the facing panels 1.sup.1, 1.sup.2, 1.sup.3 are capable of hooking on to the panel attachment means 13, which provide a releasable locking grip. The facing panels 1′,1.sup.2, 1.sup.3 are then firmly attached to the facing surface on the building construction.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of facing panels mounted on a lath frame. The mounting brackets attached to a lath 15 may be arranged parallel to each other. The mounting brackets are facing panels, which are arranged in upside down inverse position perpendicular to the lath 15. The mounting brackets and/or the laths 15 are fastened to the building construction using fastening means 16, such as screws.

[0063] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of facing panels mounted on a lath frame. The facing module system comprises at least one facing panel. The facing panels 1.sup.1, 1.sup.2, 1.sup.3 . . . 1N are arranged relative to each other one by one, forming a facing surface on the building construction. The facing panels 1.sup.1, 1.sup.2, 1.sup.3 . . . 1N are releasably attached one by one to the inner facing panels as explained in FIG. 2b and FIG. 3b.

[0064] The method of attaching a facing module system comprising facing panels and mounting brackets on a building construction 17 is carried out by providing one or more laths 15. The laths 15 are fastened to a building surface, and the mounting brackets are attached to the laths 15. The facing panels 1′,1.sup.2, 1.sup.3 . . . 1N are releasably attached to the mounting brackets using the panel attachment means provided on the mounting brackets.

[0065] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of facing panel end cover pieces. The corner cover may be provided as a cover, where the cover sides are perpendicular and extend in each direction, where a first and a second facing module system comprise a plurality of facing panels 1′,1″ which are arranged on each side of a corner, arranged perpendicular to each other. FIG. 7a shows an embodiment where parts of the cover sides of the corner cover 17 cover parts of the outer surfaces of the facing panels 1′,1″. FIG. 7b shows an embodiment where parts of the cover sides of the corner cover 18 are bended so that parts of the cover sides of the corner cover 18 are arranged between the building construction and the facing panels 1′,1″.