U.S. patent application number 10/668066 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-24 for wall panel system.
Invention is credited to Hauschildt, James C., Hauschildt, William R..
Application Number | 20050060950 10/668066 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34313423 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050060950 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hauschildt, William R. ; et
al. |
March 24, 2005 |
Wall panel system
Abstract
A wall panel system attaches to a wall. The wall panel system
has an attachment clip, a panel perimeter, and a wall panel. The
attachment clip is secured to the wall. The panel perimeter has two
legs. One leg is held between the attachment clip and the wall. The
wall panel is attached to the other leg.
Inventors: |
Hauschildt, William R.;
(Colorado Springs, CO) ; Hauschildt, James C.;
(Colorado Springs, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HANES & SCHUTZ, P.C.
102 S. TEJON ST.
SUITE 800
COLORADO SPRINGS
CO
80903
US
|
Family ID: |
34313423 |
Appl. No.: |
10/668066 |
Filed: |
September 22, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/235 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 17/00 20130101;
E04F 13/0889 20130101; E04F 13/0814 20130101; E04F 13/12
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/235 |
International
Class: |
E04H 001/00; E04H
003/00; E04H 005/00; E04H 006/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wall panel system for attachment to a wall, the system
comprising: an attachment clip; means for securing the attachment
clip to the wall; a panel perimeter having first and second legs,
the first leg held between the attachment clip and the wall; and, a
wall panel attached to the second leg of the panel perimeter.
2. The system of claim 1 further including a moisture barrier
disposed between the wall and the attachment clip.
3. The system of claim 1 further including a joint closure secured
to the attachment clip opposite the wall.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the attachment clip includes: a
pair of feet, at least one of the pair of feet holding the first
leg of the panel perimeter between the attachment clip and the
wall; and, a bridge spanning between the feet, the bridge fastened
to the means for securing.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for securing includes a
fastener passing through the attachment clip and secured to the
wall.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for securing includes: a
sub-frame member attached to the wall between the attachment clip
and the wall and a fastener passing through the attachment clip and
secured to the sub-frame member.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the sub-frame member includes: a
pair of rims attached to the wall; and, a central support between
the rims, wherein the fastener is secured to the sub-frame
member.
8. The system of claim 6 further including a moisture barrier
disposed between the wall and the sub-frame member.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first leg of the a panel
perimeter is held by the attachment clip.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the first leg of the panel
perimeter is substantially parallel to the wall.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein the second leg of the panel
perimeter is substantially perpendicular to the wall.
12. A wall panel system for attachment to a wall, the system
comprising: a sub-frame member attached to the wall; an L-shaped
panel perimeter; a wall panel attached to the panel perimeter; and,
an attachment clip affixed to the sub-frame member, the attachment
clip securing the panel perimeter to the sub-frame member.
13. The system of claim 12 further including a moisture barrier
disposed between the wall and the sub-frame member.
14. The system of claim 12 further including a joint closure
secured to the attachment clip opposite the wall.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein the attachment clip includes: a
pair of feet, at least one of the pair of feet holding the first
leg of the panel perimeter between the attachment clip and the
wall; and, a bridge spanning between the feet, the bridge fastened
to the means for securing.
16. The system of claim 12 wherein the sub-frame member includes: a
pair of rims attached to the wall and a central support between the
rims, wherein the fastener is secured to the sub-frame member.
17. A wall panel system for attachment to a wall, the system
comprising: a sub-frame member adapted for attachment to the wall;
a wall panel having a surface adapted to be substantially parallel
with the wall and having a perimeter perpendicular to the surface,
said perimeter further comprising a leg projecting from the
perimeter; and, attachment clip means disposed onto the sub-frame
for securing the wall panel thereto, the leg of the panel perimeter
secured between the attachment clip means and the sub-frame
member.
18. The system of claim 17 further including a moisture barrier
disposed between the wall and the attachment clip.
19. The system of claim 17 wherein the attachment clip includes: a
pair of feet, at least one of the pair of feet holding the first
leg of the panel perimeter between the attachment clip and the
wall; and, a bridge spanning between the feet, the bridge fastened
to the means for securing.
20. The system of claim 17 wherein the sub-frame member includes: a
pair of rims attached to the wall; and, a central support between
the rims, wherein the fastener is secured to the sub-frame member.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates in general to wall panel systems and,
more particularly, to a wall panel system that utilizes an
attachment clip system for attachment to a wall.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Wall panel systems are typically used on the exteriors of
buildings for decoration and weather protection. A grid structure
is attached to a wall of a building. Wall panels are affixed to the
grid structure, covering all, or part of, the wall of the
building.
[0003] Conventionally, wall panel systems utilize system wall
panels that are installed directionally, creating a plurality of
panel joints along the grid structure. Panel joints are a source of
water leakage, allowing water to seep past the wall panels and
degrade the underlying wall structure.
[0004] Prior art wall panel systems attempt to avoid the problem
with water seepage in one of two ways. One conventional solution is
to create, at the panel joints, a convoluted pathway for water to
travel. Another conventional solution is to install gaskets at each
portion of the joint where components interconnect. Other systems
combine these two solutions. Each of these conventional panel
systems is usually composed of complex components that are
difficult to install and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore,
these systems often do not achieve the desired result. Moisture
still seeps along the complex pathways and past the gaskets to
reach the underlying wall.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to principles of the present invention, in one
embodiment, a wall panel system attaches to a wall. The wall panel
system has an attachment clip, a panel perimeter, and a wall panel.
The attachment clip is secured to the wall. The panel perimeter has
two legs. One leg is held between the attachment clip and the wall.
The wall panel is attached to the other leg.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIGS. 1 and 2 are partially cut away orthogonal views of one
embodiment of the present invention wall panel system.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wall panel system
shown in FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment
of the wall panel system shown in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate, in a partially cut away orthogonal
view, one embodiment of the wall panel system 2 of the present
invention. Wall panel system 2 includes an attachment clip 4, a
panel perimeter 6, a wall panel 8, and in one embodiment, a
sub-frame member 10. Optionally, wall panel system 2 further
includes a moisture barrier 12 and a joint closure 14.
[0010] Wall panel 8 is any panel adapted to be affixed to an
exterior wall 16 of a building. Wall 16 may be a wall frame, dry
wall, concrete, support beams, or the like. Wall panel 8 can have
any profile, including square, rectangular, angled, flat, or curved
and can be any dimension. Wall panel 8 is composed of any suitable
material such as aluminum composite material.
[0011] In one embodiment, wall panel 8 is any panel adapted to be
affixed to panel perimeter 6. Wall panel 8 is attached to panel
perimeter 6 by any means. Examples of means for attaching wall
panel 8 to panel perimeter 6 include screws, rivets, anchors,
nails, and adhesives. In an alternate embodiment, panel perimeter 6
is integral with wall panel 8.
[0012] In one embodiment, panel perimeter 6 is an "L" shaped
bracket structure having two legs. The first leg 18 is held between
attachment clip 4 and wall 16. Wall panel 8 is attached to second
leg 20. In one embodiment, first leg 18 is substantially parallel
to wall 16 and second leg 20 is substantially perpendicular to wall
16. Where panel perimeter 6 is integral with wall panel 8, there is
only first leg 18.
[0013] Attachment clip 4 is any device or structure adapted to hold
panel perimeter 6 between attachment clip 4 and wall 16. More than
one panel perimeter 6 may be disposed between attachment clip 4 and
sub-frame member 10. Attachment clip 4 is secured to wall 16.
Attachment clip 4 may be attached to wall 16 by any means such as
screws, rivets, anchors, nails, or adhesive.
[0014] In one embodiment, attachment clip 4 includes a pair of feet
22 and a bridge 24 spanning between the feet 22. At least one of
the pair of feet 22 holds first leg 18 of panel perimeter 6 between
attachment clip 4 and wall 16.
[0015] Sub-frame member 10 is disposed between panel perimeter 6
and wall 16 and attached to wall 16. Attachment clip 4 is fastened
to sub-frame member 10 and holds panel perimeter 6 against
sub-frame member 10. Together with fastener 26, sub-frame member 10
is a means for securing attachment clip 4 to wall 16. In one
embodiment, fastener 26 passes through attachment clip 4 and into
sub-frame member 10. In an alternate embodiment, sub-frame member
10 is not present and fastener 26 secures attachment clip 4 to wall
16. Where attachment clip 4 includes bridge 24, fastener 26 passes
through bridge 24.
[0016] Sub-frame member 10 is made of any material and is
configured in any shape suitable for mounting a wall-system.
Sub-frame member 10 is attached to wall 16 by any means. Examples
of means for attaching sub-frame member 10 to wall 16 include
screws, rivets, anchors, nails, and adhesives. Sub-frame member 10
may be contiguous with wall 16 or may be separated from wall 16.
Often, sub-frame members 10, attachment clips 4, and panel
perimeters 6 will be laid out in a grid pattern on wall 16 for
attachment of wall panels 8.
[0017] In one embodiment, sub-frame member 10 includes a pair of
rims 28 attached to wall 16 and a central support 30 between rims
28. Attachment clip 4 is fastened to sub-frame member 10 at central
support 30.
[0018] Moisture barrier 12 is disposed between attachment clip 4
and wall 16 to preventing moisture from passing to wall 16. Where
sub-frame member 10 is present, moisture barrier 12 is disposed
between sub-frame member 10 and wall 16. In one embodiment,
moisture barrier 12 is a self-sealing membrane.
[0019] Joint closure 14 is secured to attachment clip 4 opposite
wall 16. Joint closure 14 covers attachment clip 4.
[0020] Usually, panel perimeter 6 and wall panel 8 will be used in
pairs about attachment clip 4. FIG. 3 illustrates this embodiment
in cross-section.
[0021] In an alternate embodiment, typically on the edges of a
wall, panel perimeter 6 and wall panel 8 will not be paired about
attachment clip 4. FIG. 4 illustrates this embodiment in
cross-section. In FIG. 4, it may be seen that sub-frame member 10
is slightly thicker on one side 32 than the other side 34. The
thicker side 32 of sub-frame member 10 replaces, or partially
replaces, the thickness of absent panel perimeter 6. In an
alternate embodiment, the thickness of absent panel perimeter 6 is
accommodated in some other fashion, for example, a spacer (not
shown) may be placed between sub-frame member 10 and attachment
clip 4 or one foot 22 of attachment clip 4 may be longer than the
other foot 22.
[0022] The foregoing description is only illustrative of the
invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by
those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.
Accordingly, the present invention embraces all such alternatives,
modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the
appended claims.
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