Foam backed fiber cement

• US 20060068188A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Plycem USA, Inc. (Elementia SAB de CV)
• Original Assignee: Plycem USA, Inc. (Elementia SAB de CV)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Gregory F., Shaw, Robert D., Morse, Rick James
• Application Number:
  US10/955,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20060068188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/304.400
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 13/02 with fibres or particles being present as additives in the layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 13/045 of foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 13/12 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/02 2 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/04 Cellulosic plastic fibres, e.g. rayon
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/025 Polyolefin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0278 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/08 Closed cell foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/712 Weather resistant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7265 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/04 Tiles for floors or walls
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/06 Roofs, roof membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2607/00 Walls, panels
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/077 composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels E04F13/075 takes precedencenot used, see E04F13/0866
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0866 composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels or layered panels layered products as such in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04; E04F13/0864, E04F13/0875 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0869 having conduits for fluids
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0871 having an ornamental or specially shaped visible surface E04F13/0867 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/141 with an outer layer of concrete E04F13/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/185 : with an outer layer imitating natural stone, brick work, tiled surface or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 : Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249976 : Voids specified as closed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249982 : With component specified as adhesive or bonding agent

Abstract

A product comprises a fiber cement substrate, and a porous, closed cell foam joined to a substantial portion of a major surface of the fiber cement substrate.

Claims

1. A product comprising:

a fiber cement substrate; and

a porous, closed cell foam joined to a substantial portion of a major surface of the fiber cement substrate.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein the substrate is shaped as a section of siding, a shake, a soffit, a roofing tile or shingle, a panel, or a trim piece.

3. The product of claim 1, wherein:

the substrate is shaped as a section of siding or a shake; and

the foam covers a surface of the siding or shake, except in a region where the section of siding or shake is to overlap an adjacent section of siding or shake.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein:

the substrate is shaped as a section of siding or a shake; and

the foam covers a major surface of the section of siding or shake, except in a relatively narrow region adjacent to a first edge of the substrate.

5. The product of claim 4, wherein the foam is tapered from a relatively large thickness adjacent the narrow region to a relatively small or zero thickness at a second edge of the substrate opposite the first edge.

6. The product of claim 1, wherein:

the substrate is a soffit or a panel; and

the foam covers an entire rear major surface of the soffit or panel.

7. The product of claim 1, wherein the foam comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, or polystyrene.

8. The product of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive for bonding the foam to the substrate.

9. The product of claim 1, wherein the foam is bonded to the substrate without an adhesive therebetween.

10. The product of claim 9, wherein the foam is attached to the substrate by fusing, or forming the foam on the substrate.

11. The product of claim 9, wherein the foam is attached to the substrate by mechanical fastening.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein the foam is attached to the substrate using staples, flanges or prongs

13. The product of claim 1, wherein the fiber cement substrate comprises cellulosic fiber.

14. The product of claim 1, wherein the foam comprises polyurethane.

15. A product comprising:

a fiber cement substrate; and

a closed cell foam joined to a substantial portion of a major surface of the fiber cement substrate, at least one major surface of the foam having a plurality of grooves therein.

16. The product of claim 15, wherein the substrate is shaped as a section of siding, a shake, a soffit, a shingle, a roofing tile or shingle, a panel, or a trim piece.

17. The product of claim 16, wherein the grooves are oriented relative to the substrate in a direction that has a vertical component when the siding, shake, soffit, roofing tile or shingle, panel, or trim piece is installed.

18. The product of claim 15, wherein the grooves are located on the major surface of the foam facing away from the fiber cement substrate.

19. The product of claim 15, wherein the grooves have a substantially semi-circular cross-section.

20. The product of claim 15, wherein the foam comprises polypropylene, polyethylene polyurethane, or polystyrene.

21. The product of claim 15, wherein the fiber cement substrate comprises cellulosic fiber.

22. The product of claim 15, wherein the grooves are oriented in a direction that is not parallel or perpendicular to side edges of the panel.

23. A method comprising:

providing a fiber cement substrate; and

joining a porous, closed cell foam to a substantial portion of a major surface of the fiber cement substrate.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the substrate is shaped as a section of siding, a shake, a soffit, roofing tile or shingle, a panel, or a trim piece.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the substrate is shaped as a section of siding, a shingle or a shake; and

the joining step includes covering a surface of the siding, shingle or shake with the foam, except in a region where the section of siding, shingle or shake is to overlap a neighboring section of siding, shingle or shake.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the substrate is shaped as a section of siding, a shingle or a shake; and

the bonding step includes covering a major surface of the siding, shingle or shake with the foam, except in a relatively narrow region adjacent to a first edge of the substrate.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the foam is tapered from a relatively large thickness adjacent the narrow region to a relatively small or zero thickness at a second edge opposite the first edge.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the substrate is a soffit or a panel; and

the bonding step includes covering an entire rear major surface of the soffit or panel.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the foam is made of polypropylene or polyethylene.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the joining step comprises:

providing the foam in the form of a sheet; and

bonding the foam to the substrate with an adhesive.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the foam is bonded to the substrate without an adhesive therebetween.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the foam is attached to the substrate by mechanical fastening.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the foam is attached to the substrate using staples, flanges or prongs

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the foam is attached to the substrate by fusing, or forming the foam on the substrate.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the bonding step includes pouring the foam onto the substrate, and allowing the foam to solidify.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein the foam comprises polyurethane.

37. A method comprising:

providing a unitary panel, section of siding, roofing tile or shingle, shake, soffit or trim piece including a fiber cement substrate and a porous, closed cell foam bonded to a substantial portion of a major surface of the fiber cement substrate; and

mounting the panel, section of siding, roofing tile or shingle, shake, soffit or trim piece on a building surface.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising permitting moisture to drain from between the substrate and the building surface by way of interstices between cells of the foam.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the foam is tapered from a relatively large thickness adjacent a narrow region along a first edge of the substrate to a relatively small or zero thickness at a second edge of the substrate opposite the first edge, the method further comprising:

overlapping a second section of siding, shingle or shake with the first section of siding, shingle or shake, so that a rear surface of the foam on each of the first and second sections of siding, shingles or shakes contacts the building surface.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the foam covers a major surface of the siding, shingle or shake, except in a region where the section of siding, shingle or shake is to overlap a neighboring section of siding, shingle or shake.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the mounting step includes:

positioning the section of siding, shingle or shake so that a major surface of the foam contacts the building surface and acts as a spacer to position the region of the section of siding, shingle or shake at a non-zero distance from the building surface.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the mounting step includes:

positioning the section of siding, shingle or shake so that a major surface of the foam faces away from the building surface and acts as a spacer to position a bottom portion of an adjacent second section of siding, shingle or shake at a non-zero distance from the building surface.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein:

the foam covers a rear surface of the siding, shingle or shake, except in a region where the section of siding, shingle or shake is to overlap a neighboring section of siding, shingle or shake, and the mounting step includes;

positioning the section of siding, shingle or shake so that a bottom edge of the foam rests on a top edge of an adjacent section of siding, shingle or shake.

44. A method comprising:

providing a fiber cement substrate;

forming a plurality of grooves in a surface of a layer of closed cell foam; and

joining the closed cell foam to a substantial portion of a major surface of the fiber cement substrate.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the substrate is shaped as a section of siding, a shake, a soffit, roofing tile or shingle, a panel, or a trim piece.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the grooves are oriented so that they have a direction with a substantial vertical component when the siding, shake, soffit, roofing tile or shingle, panel, or trim piece is installed.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the grooves are located on the major surface of the foam facing away from the fiber cement substrate.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the grooves have a substantially semi-circular cross-section.