Vinyl siding

• US 20030131551A1
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Crane Plastics Company LLC
• Inventors: Pelfrey, Paul R., Mollinger, Paul J., Fairbanks, Larry R., DeWorth, Samuel W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/518
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/07 Flat, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/12 Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/90 with calibration or sizing, i.e. combined with fixing or setting of the final dimensions of the extruded article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/904 using dry calibration, i.e. no quenching tank, e.g. with water spray for cooling or lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/908 characterised by calibrator surface, e.g. structure or holes for lubrication, cooling or venting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/9135 of flat articles, e.g. using specially adapted supporting means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/914 cooling drums
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/919 using a bath, e.g. extruding into an open bath to coagulate or cool the material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/082 by shaping between complementary mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/108 Roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0864 composed of superposed elements which overlap each other and of which the flat outer surface includes an acute angle with the surface to cover

Abstract

The present invention is a vinyl siding panel and a method of making the vinyl siding panel. One embodiment of the vinyl siding panel comprises a planar row extending the longitudinal length of the vinyl siding panel. The siding panel may also have a slightly curved row. A reinforcement panel may be secured to the siding panel. In such case, the slightly curved row of siding may be secured to a planar portion of the reinforcement panel. In addition, an intermediate portion of the siding panel may be thicker than the outer portions of the siding panel.

Claims

1. A siding panel comprising:

a first row having a radius curvature between about 20 inches and about 300 inches; and

a

a second row connected to said first row by a first seam to define a stepped contour, said second row having a radius curvature between about 10 inches and about 215 inches;

wherein the radius curvature of said first row is greater than the radius curvature of said second row.

2. The siding panel of claim 1 wherein said first row and said second row are comprised of vinyl.

3. The siding panel of claim 1 wherein said first row is a top row of said siding panel.

4. The siding panel of claim 1 wherein said first row and said second row each have a surface variance between about 0.01 inch and about 0.1 inch.

5. The siding panel of claim 1 wherein said siding panel has a width of at least about 12 inches.

6. The siding panel of claim 1 wherein said first row and said second row each have a width between about 3 inches and about 8 inches.

7. The siding panel of claim 6 wherein:

said first row and said second row each have a width of about 3 inches;

the radius curvature of said first row is between about 20 inches and about 60 inches; and

the radius curvature of said second row is between about 10 inches and about 50 inches.

8. The siding panel of claim 6 wherein:

said first row and said second row each have a width of about 8 inches;

the radius curvature of said first row is between about 90 inches and about 300 inches; and

the radius curvature of said second row is between about 70 inches and about 215 inches.

9. The siding panel of claim 1 further comprising:

a third row connected to said second row by a second seam to define said stepped contour, said third row having a radius curvature between about 10 inches and about 215 inches;

wherein the radius curvature of said first row is greater than the radius curvature of said third row.

10. The siding panel of claim 9 wherein the radius curvature of said third row is substantially similar to the radius curvature of said second row.

11. The siding panel of claim 9 further comprising:

a fourth row connected to said third row by a third seam to define said stepped contour, said fourth row having a radius curvature between about 10 inches and about 215 inches;

wherein the radius curvature of said first row is greater than the radius curvature of said fourth row.

12. The siding panel of claim 11 wherein the radius curvature of said fourth row is substantially similar to the radius curvature of said second row and said third row.

13. The siding panel of claim 1 further comprising a reinforcement panel secured to said first row and said second row.

14. The siding panel of claim 13 wherein an upper portion of said first row is unsecured to said reinforcement panel.

15. The siding panel of claim 13 wherein at least one side edge portion of said first row and said second row is unsecured to said reinforcement panel.

16. The siding panel of claim 1 further comprising a nailing strip connected to an edge portion of said first row opposite said second row.

17. The siding panel of claim 16 further comprising:

a reinforcement panel secured to said first row and said second row;

wherein said nailing strip is unsecured to said reinforcement panel.

18. A siding panel comprising:

a first outer portion having a thickness between about 30 mils and about 48 mils;

a second outer portion having a thickness between about 30 mils and about 48 mils; and

an intermediate portion between said first outer portion and said second outer portion, said intermediate portion having a thickness between about 31 mils and about 55 mils;

wherein the thickness of said intermediate portion is greater than the thickness of said first outer portion and the thickness of said second outer portion.

19. The siding panel of claim 18 wherein said intermediate portion has a thickness between about 43 mils and about 55 mils.

20. The siding panel of claim 18 wherein the thickness of said intermediate portion is between about 1 mil and about 7 mils greater than the thickness of said first outer portion and the thickness of said second outer portion.

21. The siding panel of claim 20 wherein the thickness of said intermediate portion is between about 1 mil and about 4 mils greater than the thickness of said first outer portion and the thickness of said second outer portion.

22. The siding panel of claim 18 wherein said first outer portion, said second outer portion, and said intermediate portion are comprised of vinyl.

23. The siding panel of claim 18 wherein said intermediate portion includes at least one seam that connects a row of the siding panel to another row of the siding panel.

24. The siding panel of claim 18 wherein said siding panel has a width of at least about 12 inches.

25. A siding unit comprising:

a reinforcement panel having a portion at least about 3 inches wide, said portion having a surface variance less than about 0.05 inch; and

a siding panel secured to said reinforcement panel such that a first row of said siding panel is adjacent to said portion of said reinforcement panel, said first row of said siding panel having a surface variance of at least about 0.01 inch prior to said siding panel being secured to said reinforcement panel;

wherein the surface variance of said first row of said siding panel is greater than the surface variance of said portion of said reinforcement panel prior to said siding panel being secured to said reinforcement panel.

26. The siding unit of claim 25 wherein said siding panel is comprised of vinyl.

27. The siding unit of claim 25 wherein said first row of said siding panel has a surface variance between about 0.01 inch and about 0.1 inch prior to said siding panel being secured to said reinforcement panel.

28. The siding unit of claim 27 wherein said first row of said siding panel has a surface variance between about 0.015 inch and about 0.089 inch prior to said siding panel being secured to said reinforcement panel.

29. The siding unit of claim 25 wherein said first row has a width between about 3 inches and about 8 inches.

30. The siding unit of claim 29 wherein said first row has a width of about 3 inches and a radius curvature between about 10 inches and about 50 inches.

31. The siding unit of claim 29 wherein said first row has a width of about 8 inches and a radius curvature between about 70 inches and about 215 inches.

32. The siding unit of claim 25 wherein:

said reinforcement panel has a second portion at least about 3 inches wide and having a surface variance less than about 0.05 inch; and

said siding panel has a second row connected to said first row by a first seam to define a stepped contour, said second row adjacent to said second portion of said reinforcement panel, said second row having a surface variance of at least about 0.01 inch prior to said siding panel being secured to said reinforcement panel;

wherein the surface variance of said second row of said siding panel is greater than the surface variance of said second portion of said reinforcement panel.

33. The siding unit of claim 32 wherein said second row is a top row of said siding panel.

34. The siding unit of claim 33 wherein an upper portion of said second row is unsecured to said reinforcement panel.

35. The siding unit of claim 33 further comprising a nailing strip connected to an edge portion of said second row.

36. The siding unit of claim 35 wherein said nailing strip is unsecured to said reinforcement panel.

37. The siding unit of claim 32 wherein:

said first row has a radius curvature between about 10 inches and about 215 inches; and

said second row has a radius curvature between about 20 inches and about 300 inches;

wherein the radius curvature of said second row is greater than the radius curvature of said first row.

38. The siding unit of claim 37 wherein said first row and said second row each have a width between about 3 inches and about 8 inches.

39. The siding unit of claim 38 wherein:

said first row and said second row each have a width of about 3 inches;

the radius curvature of said first row is between about 10 inches and about 50 inches; and

the radius curvature of said second row is between about 20 inches and about 60 inches.

40. The siding unit of claim 38 wherein:

said first row and said second row each have a width of about 8 inches;

the radius curvature of said first row is between about 70 inches and about 215 inches; and

the radius curvature of said second row is between about 90 inches and about 300 inches.

41. The siding unit of claim 32 wherein said siding panel has a width of at least about 12 inches.

42. The siding unit of claim 25 wherein at least one side edge portion of said first row of said siding panel is unsecured to said reinforcement panel.

43. The siding unit of claim 25 wherein said siding panel is secured to said reinforcement panel by an adhesive.

44. A siding unit comprising:

a reinforcement panel having a portion at least about 3 inches wide, said portion having a surface variance less than about 0.05 inch; and

a siding panel secured to said reinforcement panel such that a row of said siding panel is adjacent to said portion of said reinforcement panel, said row of said siding panel having a surface variance of at least about 0.01 inch prior to said siding panel being secured to said reinforcement panel;

wherein the surface variance of said row of said siding panel is reduced after being secured to said reinforcement panel.

45. The siding unit of claim 44 wherein said siding panel is comprised of vinyl and has a width of at least about 12 inches.

46. The siding unit of claim 44 wherein said row of said siding panel has a surface variance between about 0.01 inch and about 0.1 inch prior to said siding panel being secured to said reinforcement panel.

47. The siding unit of claim 46 wherein said row of said siding panel has a surface variance between about 0.015 inch and about 0.089 inch prior to said siding panel being secured to said reinforcement panel.

48. The siding unit of claim 44 wherein said row has a width between about 3 inches and about 8 inches.

49. The siding unit of claim 48 wherein said row has a width of about 3 inches and a radius curvature between about 10 inches and about 60 inches.

50. The siding unit of claim 48 wherein said row has a width of about 8 inches and a radius curvature between about 70 inches and about 300 inches.