EXTERIOR BUILDING MATERIAL HAVING A HOLLOW THIN WALL PROFILE AND AN EMBOSSED LOW GLOSS SURFACE

• US 20080010924A1
• Filed: 07/03/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CertainTeed Corp. (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: CertainTeed Corp. (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Thomas, Bosler, Kenneth D., Suchyna, Mark, Dunmire, Mark, Pietruczynik, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US11/773,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/309.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/001 Combinations of extrusion moulding with other shaping operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0017 combined with blow-moulding or thermoforming
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/07 Flat, e.g. panels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/11 comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/12 Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/15 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. extrusion moulding around inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/175 comprising a multi-coloured single component, e.g. striated, marbled or wood-like patterned
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/304 specially adapted for bringing together components, e.g. melts within the die
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/04 using rollers or endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/06 using vacuum drums for thermoforming B29C51/225
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0072 Roughness, e.g. anti-slip
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2024/006 multi-channelled
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/60 Multitubular or multicompartmented articles, e.g. honeycomb
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/20 of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/36 spaced apart by transversely-placed strip material, e.g. honeycomb panels honeycomb or other core members for layered products B32B

Abstract

A building product which includes a hollow extrudate, unitary reinforcing ribs resisting collapse of the hollow extrudate and, in an embodiment, an exterior surface comprises a low gloss, textured pattern having a gloss level of less than about 50 on a 60° glossmeter, in which the textured pattern extends for about 2-20 feet. Methods and an apparatus for manufacturing such products are also provided by this invention.

Claims

1. A building product comprising:

a unitary extrudate having unitary reinforcing ribs;

a continuous length pattern of surface topography features embossed in exterior sides of the unitary extrudate, wherein the sides are supported to resist collapse thereof while heat and forces are applied to the sides during embossing; and

the sides form a hollow unitary extrudate with the ribs extending between the sides.

2. The building product of claim 1, wherein the unitary extrudate comprises a hollow extrudate supported by mandrels inside the hollow extrudate during embossing to resist collapse thereof.

3. The building product of claim 1, wherein the unitary ribs divide the extrudate into lengthwise interior sections, wherein the sections surround respective mandrels inside the hollow extrudate during embossing to resist collapse thereof.

4. The building product of claim 1, wherein the sides of the unitary extrudate are joined by a unitary hinge, and the sides being pivoted and closed together to form a hollow unitary extrudate.

5. The building product of claim 1, further comprising:

the unitary ribs comprising first ribs on a first side of the extrudate and second ribs on a second side of the extrudate;

the sides being joined by a unitary hinge, wherein the sides are pivoted and closed together to form the hollow unitary extrudate; and

the first ribs interlock with the second ribs.

6. The building product of claim 1 wherein exterior surface portions of the polymeric unitary hollow member comprise a low gloss textured pattern having a gloss level of less than about 50 on a 60°

glossmeter.

7. The building product of claim 1, comprising:

the unitary extrudate comprising a polymeric unitary hollow member either with a capstock layer or without a capstock layer, and with or without streaker material in the unitary extrudate.

8. The building product of claim 1 wherein the polymeric unitary hollow member is seamless along said all exterior sides.

9. The building product of claim 1, comprising:

one or more unitary ribs in the hollow interior portion.

10. The building product of claim 9 wherein each rib divides the hollow interior portion into cavities, wherein each rib is seamless within the hollow interior portion.

11. The building product of claim 9 wherein the ribs latch to one another.

12. The building product of claim 1 wherein the polymeric unitary hollow member comprises a coextruded substrate and a weather resistant capstock layer, wherein the capstock layer retains its thickness beneath the low gloss textured pattern to maximize a weather resistant thickness of the capstock layer.

13. The building product of claim 1 wherein the polymeric unitary hollow member comprises an extrudate without a capstock layer.

14. A method of making a building product, comprising:

extruding a unitary extrudate;

forming unitary reinforcing ribs on the unitary extrudate;

embossing a continuous length pattern of surface topography features in exterior sides of the unitary extrudate; and

supporting the sides to resist collapse thereof while heat and forces are applied during embossing.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

supporting the interior of the extrudate by mandrels during embossing to resist collapse thereof.

16. The method of claim 14, comprising:

extruding the unitary extrudate as a polymeric thin wall member with or without a unitary capstock layer and with or without streaker material in the unitary extrudate.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

vacuum embossing an exterior of the thin wall member to form a low gloss textured pattern having a gloss level of less than about 50 on a 60°

glossmeter;

calibrating a profile of the thin wall member;

cooling said profile after calibrating the profile; and

cutting said thin wall member to a length of about 2 feet to about 20 feet.

18. The method of claim 14, comprising:

extruding the unitary extrudate as a coextruded substrate and a weather resistant capstock layer, wherein the capstock layer retains its thickness beneath the low gloss textured pattern to maximize a weather resistant thickness of the capstock layer.

19. Apparatus for making a hollow polymeric building product, comprising:

extruder means for extruding a unitary polymeric extrudate with or without a capstock layer;

a vacuum embosser for embossing surface texture in exterior surfaces of the extrudate while supporting interior surfaces of the extrudate; and

a forming die for forming the extrudate into the polymeric building product.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, comprising:

mandrels supporting the interior surfaces of the extrudate while embossing the surface texture, or a mold belt supporting the interior surfaces of the extrudate while embossing the surface texture, or a mold chamber supporting the interior surfaces of the extrudate while embossing the surface texture.