U.S. patent application number 10/919414 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-12 for building panel.
Invention is credited to Tom C. Smerchanski, Kenneth M. Yohnke.
Application Number | 20060005509 10/919414 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32660961 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060005509 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yohnke; Kenneth M. ; et
al. |
January 12, 2006 |
Building panel
Abstract
A building panel is provided for affixing to above-grade
exterior building surfaces, the building panel comprising: opposed
front and back sides generally parallel to each other; opposed top
and bottom edges generally parallel to each other; a generally
horizontal groove in the top edge spaced from the front and back
sides; and at least one generally vertical channel extending
downwardly from the generally horizontal groove through the
building panel to the bottom edge at a point on the bottom edge
spaced from the front and back sides. The building panel is
preferably for thermal insulation and for collection and drainage
of moisture from water vapour, and is preferably used in
conjunction with exterior insulated finish systems.
Inventors: |
Yohnke; Kenneth M.;
(Calgary, CA) ; Smerchanski; Tom C.; (Winnipeg,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STITES & HARBISON PLLC
1199 NORTH FAIRFAX STREET
SUITE 900
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
32660961 |
Appl. No.: |
10/919414 |
Filed: |
August 17, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/782.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/762 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/782.1 |
International
Class: |
E04C 2/00 20060101
E04C002/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 12, 2004 |
CA |
2,455,438 |
Claims
1. A building panel for affixing to above-grade exterior building
surfaces, the building panel comprising: opposed front and back
sides generally parallel to each other; opposed top and bottom
edges generally parallel to each other; a groove in the top edge
spaced from the front and back sides; and at least one drainage
channel extending from the groove through the building panel to the
bottom edge at a point on the bottom edge spaced from the front and
back sides.
2. The building panel of claim 1 wherein the building panel
comprises a thermally insulating material.
3. The building panel of claim 1 wherein the building panel
comprises expanded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate.
4. The building panel of claim 1 wherein the groove is
substantially V-shaped in cross section.
5. The building panel of claim 1 wherein the at least one drainage
channel is rectangular in cross section.
6. The building panel of claim 1 wherein the building panel is a
moulded, monolithic body.
7. The building panel of claim 2 wherein the generally groove is
configured to facilitate lateral movement of water along the groove
to the at least one channel for drainage of the water through the
at least one drainage channel.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to building panels, and more
particularly to building panels directed to moisture drainage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the context of exterior building panels, the presence of
moisture can lead to undesirable results. Moisture that becomes
trapped within and between panels can generate rot in the substrate
to which the panel is affixed, it can bleed through the panel
finishing coat and discolour it, and it can even cause the panel to
detach from the substrate.
[0003] Prior attempts to address this problem include Canadian
Patent 1,220,041 to Larsson, which teaches a panel having drainage
channels for use with subterranean wall surfaces. The channels
communicate directly with the subterranean wall surface, as the
channels are intended to direct water accumulation on the concrete
surface away from that concrete surface. U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,041 to
Stanley discloses a panel system that also employs drainage
channels, although in this case the drainage system is directed to
the release of moisture trapped within the cellular structure of
the panels.
[0004] While various attempts have been made to address the problem
of moisture in a variety of building panel contexts, a need has
been felt for an improved means of addressing the problem in the
specific context of Exterior Insulated Finish System (EIFS)
technology. The EIFS system, developed in Europe in the 1950s, uses
multi-layered exterior wall systems for both commercial and
residential buildings, and it typically consists of an interior
insulation board secured to the exterior wall surface, a reinforced
base coat applied to the insulation board, and a finish coat that
is both visually attractive and resistant to environmental impact.
The superior energy efficiency and design flexibility of the EIFS
system have resulted in growing popularity, but the presence of
moisture remains a vexing problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention there is
provided a building panel for affixing to above-grade exterior
building surfaces, the building panel comprising: [0006] opposed
front and back sides generally parallel to each other; [0007]
opposed top and bottom edges generally parallel to each other;
[0008] a groove in the top edge spaced from the front and back
sides; and [0009] at least one channel extending from the groove
through the building panel to the bottom edge at a point on the
bottom edge spaced from the front and back sides.
[0010] In use, the panel is installed with the top and bottom edges
generally horizontal and the front and back sides upright.
[0011] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the
building panel comprises a thermally insulating material. It
provides thermal insulation while serving for the collection and
drainage of moisture from condensed vapour,
[0012] The building panel suitably comprises an expanded
polystyrene or polyisocyanurate material.
[0013] The generally horizontal groove is preferably V-shaped in
cross section and configured to facilitate lateral movement of
moisture from condensed vapour to the vertical channels which
provide a path for downward flow of the moisture.
[0014] The vertical channel is preferably rectangular in cross
section. The building panel is preferably a moulded, monolithic
body.
[0015] By providing a building panel that can both insulate and
efficiently direct moisture from water vapour away from the panels
and underlying substrate, while serving the need for an even
surface for application of the base and finish coats, the present
invention is intended to address a pressing need in the
industry.
[0016] A detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention is given in the following. It is to be
understood, however, that the invention is not to be construed as
limited to this embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a side cross-section along line I-I in FIG. 2 of
an in situ assembly of building panels according to the present
invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the assembly of FIG. 1;
and
[0020] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a building panel according to the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
[0021] Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, and
particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated an assembly of
building panels according to the present invention, each panel
being referred to generally by the numeral 10. The building panel
10 comprises opposed front and back sides 14, 16 generally parallel
to each other, opposed top and bottom edges 18, 20 generally
parallel to each other, a generally horizontal V-shaped groove 22
in the top edge 18 spaced from the front and back sides 14, 16, and
generally vertical channels 24, each extending downwardly from the
groove 22 though the building panel 10 to the bottom edge 20 at
points on the bottom edge 20 spaced from the front and back sides
14, 16. While FIG. 2 shows the channels 24 only in the centrally
positioned building panel 10, the channels 24 are also in each of
the adjacent building panels 10. The building panel 10 is a
moulded, monolithic body, which is an advantage over traditional
wire-cut construction.
[0022] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the back side 16 of the building
panel 10 is affixed by an adhesive 28 to a trowel-on membrane 26
applied to the exterior surface 12 of a building 13 as an
air/vapour barrier. In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive 28
is applied as a layer prior to positioning of the building panel
10.
[0023] The utility of the present invention becomes clear in the
following situation. When it is determined that a particular
exterior building surface 12 is suitable for application of the
building panels 10 (suitable substrates include, but are not
limited to exterior grade drywall, cement board, plywood sheathing,
Dens-Glass sheathing, precast concrete, concrete block, or
poured-in-place concrete). An air/vapour barrier membrane 26 is
applied to the exterior building surface 12, preferably as a
trowel-on layer. An adhesive 28 is then applied on top of the
membrane 26, and a reinforcing mesh (not shown) such as glass
fabric reinforcing mesh is embedded in the adhesive 28. The
building panels 10 are then applied over this adhesive layer 28 and
secured in place thereby. For a building of four stories or greater
it is advisable to use mechanical fasteners as well to secure the
panels to the exterior building surface 12. The building panels 10
are preferably arranged in the offset pattern shown in FIG. 2, a
pattern well known in the art. The joints between the building
panels 10 should be sealed with a suitable material (not shown)
known to those skilled in the art to further enhance the insulating
properties of the building panels 10. Various methods of providing
base and finishing coats (not shown) are then possible, according
to the general knowledge of those skilled in the art of EIFS use.
With the building panels 10 now in place on the exterior building
surface 12 and finished in a suitable manner, the groove 22 is now
configured to facilitate lateral movement of moisture from water
vapour and residual moisture to the channels 24 for downward flow
of the moisture through the channels 24. Moisture can flow
horizontally through a groove 22 and into adjacent grooves 22 as
necessary, while the channels 24 then provide vertical moisture
drainage means for the moisture flowing through the grooves 22.
[0024] While a particular embodiment of the present invention has
been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other
embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention and are
intended to be included herein. Thus, while the embodiment
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 includes fifteen equally-spaced
channels 24 per building panel 10, but it may be preferable to have
nineteen or some other number of channels 24 depending on the
application. While particular substrates have been identified in
the foregoing, it is to be understood that the application of the
panel to any substrate is to be considered within the scope of the
invention. Currently it is considered that the invention may not be
especially useful with certain types of substrate, including
oriented strand board and chipboards. It will therefore be clear to
those skilled in the art that modifications of and adjustments to
this invention, not shown, are possible without departing from the
spirit of the invention as demonstrated through the exemplary
embodiment. The invention is therefore to be considered limited
solely by the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *