CA3130323A1 - Interlocking siding panel - Google Patents

Abstract

An interlocking siding panel includes a face panel portion having top and bottom edges, a top portion that extends from the top edge of the face panel portion integrally therefrom, and a bottom portion that extends from the bottom edge of the face panel portion integrally therefrom. The top portion is provided with i) an integral folded tongue that is generally parallel to the face panel portion and that is laterally distanced therefrom by a first short wall, and ii) an integral longitudinal flange that is laterally distanced from the integral folded tongue by a second short wall on a side of the integral folded tongue that is opposite the first short wall. The integral longitudinal flange is provided with fastening apertures, and projections on a side thereof facing the integral folded tongue. The bottom is provided with a) an integral longitudinal folded groove tongue that is generally parallel to the face panel portion and that is laterally distanced therefrom by a third short wall, and b) an integral folded free end.

The folded tongue is configured and sized as to interconnect with the folded groove of an adjacent interlocking siding panel and the folded free end is configured and sized as to interconnect with the projections of the adjacent interlocking siding panel.

Description

TITLE
Interlocking Siding Panel FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to siding. More specifically, the present disclosure is concerned with an interlocking siding panel.
BACKGROUND

[0002] It is well known to use building siding panels formed of metal, typically aluminum, or of synthetic resin material, so configured as to be mounted on a wall to simulate weatherboarding.

[0003] Conventional siding panels are generally provided with a plurality of elongated fastener slots adjacent their top edge for securing the individual siding panels to the building wall. A downwardly directed open channel adjacent the fastener slots is configured to engage with an upwardly directed lip formed on the bottom edge of a second panel mounted thereabove to firmly retain the bottom edge of the second panel thereto.

[0004] Such conventional panels are not provided with any locking elements that positively maintains the bottom edge of a panel to the top edge of an adjacent panel.
SUMMARY

[0005] According to illustrative embodiments, there is provided an interlocking siding panel including:
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-09-10

[0006] a face panel portion having top and bottom edges;

[0007] a top portion that extends from the top edge of the face panel portion integrally therefrom; the top portion being provided with i) an integral folded tongue that is generally parallel to the face panel portion and that is laterally distanced therefrom by a first short wall, and ii) an integral longitudinal flange that is laterally distanced from the integral folded tongue by a second short wall on a side of the integral folded tongue that is opposite the first short wall; the integral longitudinal flange being provided with fastening apertures, and projections on a side thereof facing the integral folded tongue;
and

[0008] a bottom portion that extends from the bottom edge of the face panel portion integrally therefrom; the bottom portion being provided with a) an integral longitudinal folded groove tongue that is generally parallel to the face panel portion and that is laterally distanced therefrom by a third short wall, and b) an integral folded free end;

[0009] wherein the folded tongue is configured and sized as to interconnect with the folded groove of an adjacent interlocking siding panel and wherein the folded free end is configured and sized as to interconnect with the projections of the adjacent interlocking siding panel.

[0010] Other objects, advantages and features of the interlocking siding panel will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-09-10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] In the appended drawings:

[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an interlocking aluminum siding panel according to an illustrative embodiment;

[0013] Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

and

[0014] Figures 3 to 5 are sectional views illustrating the sequence of the interconnection of two vertically adjacent interlocking panels from Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with the term "comprising" in the claims and/or the specification may mean "one", but it is also consistent with the meaning of "one or more", "at least one", and "one or more than one". Similarly, the word "another" may mean at least a second or more.

[0016] As used in this specification and claim(s), the words "comprising" (and any form of comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises"), "having" (and any form of having, such as "have" and "has"), "including" (and any form of including, such as "include" and "includes") or "containing" (and any form of containing, such as "contain" and "contains"), are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or process steps.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-09-10

[0017] In the present specification and in the appended claims, various terminology, which is directional, geometrical and/or spatial in nature such as "longitudinal", "horizontal", "front", rear", "upwardly", "downwardly", etc.
is used. It is to be understood that such terminology is used for ease of description and in a relative sense only and is not to be taken in any way as a limitation upon the scope of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 1 illustrates an aluminum siding panel 10 provided with interlocking features according to an illustrative embodiment.

[0019] The siding panel 10 includes a face panel portion 12, a top portion 14 provided with an integral folded tongue 16, an integral longitudinal flange 18 provided with fastening apertures 20 and projections 22, and a bottom portion 24 provided with an integral longitudinal folded groove 26 and an integral folded free end 28.

[0020] Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1 and illustrating the various elements of the siding panel 10. Figure 2 also illustrates the slanted configurations of the integral short wall portion 30 interconnecting the face panel portion 12 to the folded groove 26 and of the integral short wall portion 32 interconnecting the face panel portion 12 to the folded tongue 16.

[0021] As will be understood by one skilled in the art, the folded tongue 16 and the folded groove 26 provided respectively in the top and bottom portions 14 and 24 of the panel 10 improve the longitudinal rigidity of the entire panel 10 since they provide stiffness to the top and bottom portions 14 and 24.
This added rigidity is interesting since it decreases the buckling of the panel 10 when the panel is contracted or expanded by temperature changes.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-09-10

[0022] As will be understood by the foregoing description, the folded free end 28 is so configured and sized as to connect with the projections 22 to securely mount the bottom edge of a panel 10B to the top edge of a vertically adjacent panel 10A. This will be apparent from Figures 3 to 5 discussed hereinbelow.

[0023] More specifically, Figure 3 illustrates the beginning of the insertion of the folded tongue 16 of the panel 10A into the folded groove 26 of the vertically adjacent panel 10B. As can be seen from this figure, the positioning of the groove 26 on top of the tongue 16 is eased by the slanted short wall 30 that abuts a front of the tongue 16 when the panel 10B is presented at an angle with respect to the panel 10A.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4, when the tongue 16 is inserted in the groove 26, the panel 10B can be brought back towards a vertical orientation (see arrow 34). As can be seen from this figure, the folded free end 28 is slightly plastically deformed and abuts the projections 22. When the panels 10B and 10A are in this position, a downward pressure on the top panel 10B
(see arrow 36) further elastically deforms (not shown) a portion of the folded free end 28 that abuts the projection 22 so that the free end 28 can pass between the tongue 16 and the projection 22 to therefore lock the folded free end 28 to the projection 22 as illustrated in Figure 5.

[0025] Indeed, as apparent from Figure 5, the folded free end 28 is wedged between the tongue 16 and the projection 22 and a significant upward force is required to take apart panels 10A and 10B. Since the top portion (not shown) of panel 10B is intended to be fastened to a wall, an upward movement of the panel 10B with respect to panel 10A is unlikely.

[0026] Figure 5 also illustrates the two slanted short walls 30 and Date Recue/Date Received 2021-09-10 and adequately prevent the elements from entering the interconnected tongue and groove 16 and 26 and/or to remain between the sort walls.

[0027] It is to be noted that the projection 22 can be in the form of a punched projection, a fishtail projection or any element projecting from the flange 18 so as lock the free end 18 of another panel between the tongue 16 and the flange 18 when the tongue 16 is inserted in the groove 26.

[0028] According to another embodiment, the projection 22 is replaced by a groove that is configured to cooperate with the folded free end 28,

[0029] Even though the interlocking siding panel has been described as being made of aluminum, it is not limited to such material, and can be made of steel, galvanized steel, copper, etc. Also, the siding panel can be pre-dyed.

[0030] It is to be understood that the interlocking aluminum siding is not limited in its application to the details of construction and parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove. The interlocking aluminum siding is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation. Hence, although the interlocking aluminum siding has been described hereinabove by way of illustrative embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit, scope and nature thereof.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-09-10

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An interlocking siding panel comprising:
a face panel portion having top and bottom edges;
a top portion that extends from the top edge of the face panel portion integrally therefrom; the top portion being provided with i) an integral folded tongue that is generally parallel to the face panel portion and that is laterally distanced therefrom by a first short wall, and ii) an integral longitudinal flange that is laterally distanced from the integral folded tongue by a second short wall on a side of the integral folded tongue that is opposite the first short wall; the integral longitudinal flange being provided with fastening apertures, and projections on a side thereof facing the integral folded tongue; and a bottom portion that extends from the bottom edge of the face panel portion integrally therefrom; the bottom portion being provided with a) an integral longitudinal folded groove tongue that is generally parallel to the face panel portion and that is laterally distanced therefrom by a third short wall, and b) an integral folded free end;
wherein the folded tongue is configured and sized as to interconnect with the folded groove of an adjacent interlocking siding panel and wherein the folded free end is configured and sized as to interconnect with the projections of the adjacent interlocking siding panel.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-09-10