U.S. patent application number 10/938512 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-19 for fastening member and siding boards attachment structure using the fastening member.
This patent application is currently assigned to NICHIHA CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Hikai, Satoshi.
Application Number | 20050102944 10/938512 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34510412 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050102944 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hikai, Satoshi |
May 19, 2005 |
Fastening member and siding boards attachment structure using the
fastening member
Abstract
A fastening member 10 produced from a single steel sheet that is
capable of stably supporting an exterior wall board and ensuring
ventilation between the board and a building frame. The fastening
member 10 comprises a left-side support portion 12L and a
right-side support portion 12R on either side thereof that abut on
the back surface of a board when fastened. In the intermediate
region between the left-side and right-side support portions 12L
and 12R, there are provided, from top to bottom, a substrate
portion 11 that functions as a mount portion to be fixed to the
building frame, a central support portion 12C to be abutted against
the back surface of a board when fastened, a locking portion 21 to
be locked on the upper and lower edges of boards when fastened, and
a lower support portion 12U to be abutted against the back surface
of a board when fastened.
Inventors: |
Hikai, Satoshi; (Nagoya-shi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SHOOK, HARDY & BACON L.L.P.
600 14TH STREET NW SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-2004
US
|
Assignee: |
NICHIHA CORPORATION
Nagoya-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
34510412 |
Appl. No.: |
10/938512 |
Filed: |
September 13, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/511 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 13/0846 20130101;
E04F 13/0889 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/511 |
International
Class: |
E04C 001/40 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 31, 2003 |
JP |
2003-373219 |
Claims
1. A fastening member for an exterior wall board, said fastening
member comprising a left-side and a right-side support portion on
either side thereof, said support portions being adapted to abut on
a back surface of a board when said board is fastened, said
fastening member comprising, in the intermediate region between
said left-side and right-side support portions, from top to bottom:
a substrate portion that constitutes a mount portion to be fixed to
a building frame; a central support portion that abuts on the back
surface of the board when fastened; a locking portion extending
from a lower edge of said central support portion and being adapted
to be locked on an upper and a lower edge of the board when
fastened; and a lower support portion that abuts on the back
surface of the board when fastened, wherein said fastening member
is formed from a single sheet of steel, wherein said substrate
portion is formed by depressing a portion of an upper region of the
steel sheet toward the back surface, and said locking portion is
formed by cutting a portion of a lower region of the steel sheet
and raising it toward the front surface.
2. The fastening member according to claim 1, wherein said locking
portion comprises at least one rise portion and at least one fall
portion at an edge thereof.
3. The fastening member according to claim 2, wherein an area on
either side of said fall portion near the lower edge thereof is
bent toward the back surface of said fastening member such that the
bent portions press against the board when fastened.
4. The fastening member according to claim 1, wherein at least one
of said right-side, left-side, and lower support portions comprises
a collar portion extending from an external edge thereof further
outward, wherein said collar portion is located in the same plane
as that of said substrate portion.
5. The fastening member according to claim 1, wherein a cut is
provided in an upper edge of said substrate portion near said
left-side and right-side support portion.
6. An exterior-wall structure comprising a plurality of said
fastening members according to claim 1 that are mounted in multiple
rows such that their substrate portions abut on a fixing surface of
a building frame, and a plurality of boards each with a rabetted
portion provided at at least an upper edge and a lower edge,
wherein said boards are fastened in multiple rows such that they
have their back surfaces abutting on said left-side, right-side,
central, and lower support portions of the fastening members, the
rabetted portion at the upper edge is locked on said locking
portion of an upper fastening member, and the rabetted portion at
the lower edge is locked on said locking portion of a lower
fastening member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a fastening member used for
fastening exterior wall boards such as ceramic siding boards to a
building frame. The invention also relates to siding boards
attachment structure employing the fastening member.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] During the construction of an exterior wall of a building, a
siding board 40 as shown in FIG. 5 that has an underlying rabetted
portion 44 and an overlying rabetted portion 42 at peripheral edges
thereof, is fastened to a building frame using a fastening member.
FIG. 6 shows a fastening member 50 disclosed in JP Patent
Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-27031 A. The fastening member 50,
which is formed by sheet metal work, includes support portions 51a,
51b adapted to abut on a back surface of an upper and a lower
building board, respectively, when fastened, a locking portion 52
formed by successively bending a central portion of the support
portion 51, a substrate portion 53 above the support portion 51a,
and a bend portion 54 at the lower edge of the support portion 51b.
When the metal fastening member 50 is fixed to the building frame,
the substrate portion 53 and the end of the bend portion 54
constitute the mount portions via which the metal fastening member
50 is mounted on the building frame.
[0005] During construction, the overlying rabetted portion 42 at
the lower edge of an upper board is locked on the locking portion
52, with the back surface of the exterior wall abutting against the
support portion 51a. The underlying rabetted portion 44 at the
upper edge of a lower board is locked on the locking portion 52,
with the back surface of the board abutting against the support
portion 51b. The fastening member 50 further includes a depressed
opening 61 formed in the support portion 51a that has such a depth
as to reach the building frame and that helps stabilize the
mounting of the fastening member 50 to the building frame. When the
boards have been fastened, a space is established between the back
surface of the boards and the building frame, the space
corresponding to the interval between the face of the substrate
portion 53 and the face of the support portion 51, so that
ventilation can be ensured.
[0006] JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 9-302889 A (1997)
discloses a fastening member 70 that is also formed by sheet metal
work, as shown in FIG. 7. The fastening member 70 includes a
substrate portion 71 that constitutes a mount portion that is fixed
to the building frame, and support portions 72, 72 formed at either
side edge of the substrate portion 71 such that they protrude
forwardly while extending longitudinally. The fastening member
further includes a locking portion 73 formed laterally between the
support portions 72, 72 on either side, with the end of the locking
portion 73 located more forwardly than the support portions 72, 72.
The locking portion 73 is formed by bending a lower region of the
substrate portion 71. The locking portion 73 includes rise portions
75, 75 formed by bending either side of the end thereof upward, and
a fall portion 76 formed by bending a center portion of the end
thereof downward. The upper board is fastened by having the
overlying rabetted portion 42 at the lower edge thereof locked on
the rise portions 75, 75, with the back surface of the board
abutting against the support portions 72, 72. The lower board is
fastened by having the underlying rabetted portion 44 at the upper
edge thereof locked on the fall portion 76, with the back surface
of the board similarly abutting against the support portions 72,
72. When the boards have been fastened, a space is established
between the back surface of the boards and the structural frame
that corresponds to the height of the support portions 72, so that
ventilation is ensured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In the fastening member 50 shown in FIG. 6, since the
locking portion 52 is formed by laminating the steel sheet two
fold, the fastening member is rather heavy and requires much steel,
resulting in higher cost.
[0008] In the fastening member 70 shown in FIG. 7, the locking
portion 73 is formed of a single sheet and is therefore less heavy
and less costly. However, since the locking portion 73 is extended
from the substrate portion 71 that is the mount portion on the
building frame, the locking portion 73 of the fastening member 70
is longer than the locking portion 52 of the fastening member 50
shown in FIG. 6, in which the locking portion 52 is extended from
the support portion 51. Thus, the strength of the locking portion
73 is rather unreliable, particularly when a heavy, large-sized
board is to be fastened.
[0009] Further, the fastening member 70 is designed to support the
back surface of the board exclusively with the left and right
support portions 72, 72. Thus, when the adjacent portions of two
laterally adjacent boards are to be fastened with a single
fastening member 70, the back surface of each board must be
supported by one of the two, i.e., left and right, support portions
72, resulting in a fastening stability problem.
[0010] In view of the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it
is an object of the present invention to provide an improved
fastening member formed of a single steel sheet that can be
manufactured using a smaller amount of steel so that it is light
and inexpensive, that is equipped with a sufficiently strong
locking portion, and that is capable of stably supporting an board.
It is another object of the invention to provide a highly stable
exterior wall structure that employs the aforementioned fastening
member.
[0011] In one aspect, the invention provides a fastening member for
boards, said fastening member comprising a left-side and a
right-side support portion on either side thereof, said support
portions being adapted to abut on a back surface of an board when
said board is fastened, said fastening member comprising, in the
intermediate region between said left-side and right-side support
portions, from top to bottom:
[0012] a substrate portion that constitutes a mount portion to be
fixed to a building frame;
[0013] a central support portion that abuts on the back surface of
a board when fastened;
[0014] a locking portion extending from a lower end of said central
support portion and being adapted to be locked on an upper and a
lower edge of boards when fastened; and
[0015] a lower support portion that abuts on the back surface of a
board when fastened, wherein
[0016] said fastening member is formed from a single sheet of
steel, wherein said substrate portion is formed by depressing a
portion of an upper region of the steel sheet toward the back
surface, and said locking portion is formed by cutting a portion of
a lower region of the steel sheet and raising it toward the front
surface.
[0017] In the above fastening member, the locking portion is
provided by cutting out a portion of the steel sheet as the
material for the metal fastening member and then utilizing the
cut-out steel sheet. Thus, the fastening member can be manufactured
entirely from a single steel sheet, so that the weight and cost of
the fastening member of the invention can be reduced as compared
with the conventional fastening member 50 shown in FIG. 6.
Moreover, as the locking portion is extended from a support
portion, the length of the locking portion can be reduced as
compared with the conventional fastening member 70 shown in FIG. 7,
in which the locking portion 73 is extended from the substrate
portion 71. As a result, the locking portion of the invention has a
sufficient strength despite the fact that it is made from a single
sheet.
[0018] Furthermore, as the back surface of the board is supported
by the individual support portions provided on either side of the
fastening member and at the top and bottom of the locking portion,
the back surface of the board can be more reliably supported than
it is supported only by the two support portions provided on either
side of the conventional fastening member 70 shown in FIG. 7. In
particular, when fixing the lower ends of two boards where they are
laterally adjoined to each other, using a single fastening member,
each board can be supported at two locations, namely either one of
the support portions on the sides and the central support portion.
Thus, the boards can be fastened in a stable manner.
[0019] Preferably, the locking portion comprises at least one rise
portion and at least one fall portion at an edge thereof. In this
embodiment, the locking portion can be formed by a simple bending
process and yet the upper and lower ends of the board can be
reliably locked by the thus formed locking portion.
[0020] Preferably, an area on either side of said fall portion near
the lower edge thereof is bent toward the back surface of said
fastening member such that the bent portions press against the
board when fastened. In this embodiment, the board can be
maintained in a position such that it is continuously pressed
against the support portions, thereby stabilizing the fastened
state. Moreover, by forming the tip of the bent portion in such a
shape that the tip cuts into the surface of the board, an
additional fastening stability can be provided by the wedge
effect.
[0021] Preferably, at least one of said right-side, left-side, and
lower support portions comprises a collar portion extending from an
external edge thereof further outward, wherein said collar portion
is located in the same plane as that of said substrate portion. In
this embodiment, the collar portion as well as the substrate
portion is abutted against the building frame, so that the
fastening member can be fixed to the building frame more
stably.
[0022] Preferably, a cut is provided in an upper edge of said
substrate portion near said left-side and right-side support
portion. In this embodiment, should a strong wind pressure
(negative pressure) act on an board that has been fastened, the
areas of the substrate portion near the cuts are temporarily
deformed to absorb the wind pressure (negative pressure), thereby
preventing an excessive load from being put on the rabetted portion
of the board that is locked on the locking portion. Thus, a stable
fastened condition can be maintained for a long time.
[0023] In another aspect, the invention provides siding boards
attachment structure comprising a plurality of said fastening
members that are mounted in multiple rows such that their substrate
portions abut on a fixing surface of a building frame, and a
plurality of boards each with a rabetted portion provided at at
least an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein said boards are
fastened in multiple rows such that they have their back surfaces
abutting on said left-side, right-side, central, and lower support
portions of the fastening members, the rabetted portion at the
upper edge is locked on said locking portion of an upper fastening
member, and the rabetted portion at the lower edge is locked on
said locking portion of a lower fastening member.
[0024] In this exterior wall structure, as the fastening member is
lightweight and less costly, construction cost can be reduced while
achieving a reliable fastened state. Furthermore, as a ventilation
space is formed on the back surface of the boards that are
fastened, the problem of dew condensation, for example, can be
prevented.
[0025] Thus, the fastening member of the invention is made from a
single sheet and is therefore lightweight and low cost, and yet the
fastening member is capable of reliably supporting the board via
the locking portion and support portions thereof. Thus, the
fastened state of the board can be maintained in a stable manner
for a long time using the exterior wall structure according to the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of
the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
fastening member according to the invention.
[0028] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a steel sheet as the material of
the fastening member shown in FIG. 1.
[0029] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an board having been
fastened to a building frame using the fastening member shown in
FIG. 1.
[0030] FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along line IV-IV of FIG.
3.
[0031] FIG. 5 shows an example of an board.
[0032] FIG. 6 shows an example of the conventional fastening
member.
[0033] FIG. 7 shows another example of the conventional fastening
member.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] With reference to the drawings, a fastening member according
to an embodiment of the invention and siding boards attachment
structure utilizing the fastening member are described. FIG. 1 is a
perspective view of the embodiment of the fastening member of the
invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the exterior wall
structure utilizing the fastening member.
[0035] A fastening member 10 shown includes a left-side supporting
portion 12L and a right-side supporting portion 12R on the sides
thereof that will abut on the back surface of an exterior wall when
fastened. The fastening member 10 also includes, in the
intermediate region between the left- and right-side portions 12L
and 12R, a substrate portion 11 that is to be fixed to a building
frame. Below the substrate portion 11, the intermediate region
includes a central support portion 12C that will abut on the back
surface of a board when fastened. Further below, there are a
locking portion 21 to be locked on the upper and lower edges of
boards when fastened, and then a lower-side support portion 12U
that will abut on the back surface of a board when fastened. The
support portions 12L, 12R, 12C, 12U have the same height and are
formed as a continuous portion. These support portions 12L, 12R,
12C, 12U support the back surface of a board.
[0036] The fastening member 10 is formed by punching, drawing and
bending a single sheet of steel, such as a stainless steel plate or
alloy plated steel plate. FIG. 2 shows a steel plate 100 as the
material for the fastening member 10. The steel plate 100 has a
thickness of about 1.0 mm, which is rather thick, such that the
number of reinforcing ribs to be provided in the fastening member
10 can be reduced. Numerals in parentheses shown in FIG. 2 indicate
the corresponding parts of the finished fastening member 10 of FIG.
1.
[0037] An example of the process of manufacturing the fastening
member 10 will be described below. First, the steel plate 100 (see
FIG. 2), in which fixing screw openings 31, nail openings 34, cuts
36, and a cut N are already formed, is punched. The cut N is formed
in a lower portion 100B of the steel plate 100 roughly in the U
shape as seen in a plan view. The area encircled by the cut N forms
an extending portion 102 that will form the locking portion 21 of
the fastening member 10 when the processing of the plate is
finished. The extending portion 102 includes three protruding
portions 102a, 102b, and 102c at the end thereof that will form the
rise portions 22 and fall portion 23 of the locking portion 21 when
the processing of the plate is finished.
[0038] The steel plate 100 is then drawn along the two-dot chain
lines of FIG. 2 such that the steel plate 100 is partly bulged to
form the left-side support portion 12L and the right-side support
portion 12R on either side of the steel plate 100, the central
support portion 12C at the lower region 100B, and the lower support
portion 12U. As a result, in the central portion 101 in the upper
region 100A of the steel plate 100, there is formed the substrate
portion 11 that is depressed toward the back surface by about
several millimeters. Further, a collar portion 13 is formed along
the outer edge portions of the left-side, right-side, and lower
support portions 12L, 12R, and 12U. During the aforementioned
drawing process, a raised portion 32 within which nail openings 34
are to be disposed and reinforcing ribs 35 are simultaneously
formed.
[0039] Then, the extending portion 102 that is formed in the lower
region 100B of the steel plate 100 in advance is bent at a right
angle along the upper side thereof (dashed line L1 in FIG. 2)
towards the front surface. Further, the left and right protruding
portions 102a and 102c at the end of the extending portion 102 are
bent diagonally upward along dashed lines L2a and L2c of FIG. 2
such that the rise portions 22, 22 are formed. The protruding
portion 102b at the center of the end of the extending portion 102
is bent diagonally downward along a dashed line L2b of FIG. 2 such
that the fall portion 23 is formed. The locking portion 21 is thus
formed in a shape that conforms to the rabetted portions of the
board that is fastened. The edge portions on either side of the end
of the fall portion 21 are further bent toward the back surface
along dashed lines L3, L3 shown in FIG. 2 such that bent portions
23a, 23a are formed.
[0040] While the fastening member 10 is completed by the
above-described bending process, the fastening member of the
invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For
example, the collar portion 13 and the cuts 36 may be omitted.
[0041] Hereafter siding boards attachment structure utilizing the
above-described fastening member 10 will be described. FIG. 3 shows
an board 40 as shown in FIG. 5 that has been fastened using the
fastening member 10. FIG. 4 shows a cross section taken along line
IV-IV of FIG. 3. In the illustrated example, the fastening member
10 is fixed, via a waterproof paper P and a furring strip 2, to a
building frame 1 by a nail 3 passed through the nail opening 34
formed in the substrate portion 11. Specifically, after the
fastening member 10 is positioned such that the locking portion 21
externally fits on the underlying rabetted portion 44 at the upper
edge of a lower board 40A that is located at a lower position, the
fastening member 10 is fixed by utilizing the nail opening 34. The
nail opening 34 is formed in an upper slanted surface 33 of the
raised portion 32. Thus, the fastening member 10 is pushed downward
as a whole as the nail is driven, so that the fastening member 10
can be stably fixed. Furthermore, the board 40A is pressed against
the building frame 1 by the bent portions 23a, 23a formed on either
side of the fall portion 23. The back surface of the board is
therefore pressed against the support portions 12L, 12R, and 12U in
an air-tight manner, and the lateral movement of the board is
prevented by the resultant wedge action, so that the fastening
member can be more stably fixed. The fastening member 10 can be
fixed alternatively by a bis utilizing the screw openings 31.
[0042] Near the root of the underlying rabetted portion 44 at the
upper edge of the lower board 40A, there is placed a caulking
material in advance for leakage control purposes. After a required
number of the fastening members 10 are fixed horizontally at
predetermined intervals, a required number of upper boards 40B,
which are located at a higher position, are disposed laterally such
that the overlying rabetted portions 42 at the lower edges thereof
internally fit on the locking portions 22 of the fastening members
10. Thereafter, additional fastening members 10 are mounted on the
underlying rabetted portions 44 of the upper edge of the upper
boards 40B, which are now lower boards, in a similar manner, and
are then fixed by nails. The same process is repeated for a
required number of rows, thereby completing the exterior wall
structure of the invention.
[0043] In the above-described exterior wall structure, the board 40
can be stably supported by the locking portion 11 and the
individual support portions 12L, 12R, 12C, and 12U of the fastening
member 10. Between the back surface of the board 40 and the furring
strip 2, there is formed a space S by the support portions 12L,
12R, 12C, and 12U of the fastening member 10 that corresponds to
the height of the support portions. As a result, good ventilation
can be obtained on the back surface of the board, so that the
problem of dew condensation, for example, can be prevented. In
accordance with the exterior wall structure of the invention, the
fastening member is lightweight and yet has an excellent mechanical
strength, so that it can maintain the fastened condition for a long
time in a stable manner. Moreover, in cases where the cuts 36 are
provided in the substrate portion 11, as in the fastening member 10
in the above embodiment, areas near the cuts 36 would be deformed
if a strong wind pressure (negative pressure) acted on the board,
thereby reducing the load that is put on the rabetted portion of
the board 40 locked on the locking portion 21.
* * * * *