COMPOSITE SIDING USING A SHAPE MOLDED FOAM BACKING MEMBER

• US 20110154759A1
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progressive Foam Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Progressive Foam Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Culpepper, Patrick M., Wilson, Richard C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,225,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/302.1
• 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

A panel for mounting on an exterior wall includes a shaped, molded backing member and a siding member attached to the backing member wherein the shape-molded backing member includes a rear face and an opposing front face. The shape-molded backing member is composed of closed cell expanded polystyrene foam, the front and rear faces having an outer surface composed of a tough smooth skin.

Claims

1. A panel for mounting on a wall comprising:

a shape-molded backing member composed of closed cell expanded foam having a rear face and an opposed front face having at least one shape-molded contour defined therein the shape-molded backing member having an outer surface composed of a tough smooth skin and having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge; and

a siding member in overlying relationship with the front face of the shape-molded backing member and having an overhang extending beyond at least one of the first and second side edges.

2. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the shape-molded backing member has a thickness between ¼

inch and 4 inches.

3. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the at least one shape-molded contour comprises at least one shoulder, a planar region extending from a depressed edge of the at least one shoulder, and an outwardly extending region extending from the planar region opposite the shoulder, the shape-molded contour having the tough, smooth skin.

4. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the siding member has a thickness between 0.020 and 0.039 inches inclusive.

5. The panel member of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer interposed between at least a portion of the front face of the backing member and the siding layer, wherein the adhesive is continuously flexible, non-latex adhesive.

6. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the shape-molded backing member comprises a plurality of regions within the backing member, each region having a different density of closed cell expanded foam, the region configured to provide structural integrity and support to a resulting siding panel through different densities.

7. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the shape-molded backing member further includes opposing side faces contiguously positioned between the front and rear faces, at least one of the side faces having the tough smooth skin.

8. The panel member of claim 7, wherein the opposing side faces are planar and configured to abut a side face of an adjacent shape-molded backing member between the overhang and the wall.

9. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the shape-molded backing member further includes at least one upper face and one lower face contiguously positioned between the front and rear faces, one or both of the upper face and lower face having a tough smooth surface.

10. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the front face of the shape-molded backing member proximate the top edge includes at least one outwardly projecting lip member comprised of shape-molded foam and extending away from the wall beyond an upper edge of the siding member.

11. The panel member of claim 9, wherein the rear face comprises a lateral relief spanning the width of the rear surface along the bottom edge of the rear face of the backing member, the lateral relief configured to be in overlaying relationship with the outwardly projecting lip member of an adjacent shape molded backing member.

12. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the rear face of the shape-molded backing member includes at least one lateral relief defined proximate the bottom edge along the width, the lateral relief configured to receive a projecting lip of an adjacent siding member.

13. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the rear face of the shape-molded backing member includes a water management means for directing water down and out of the wall.

14. The panel member of claim 13, wherein the water management means comprises diagonal grooves alternating between a wide channel and a narrow channel across the rear face.

15. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the at least one shape-molded contour comprises a centrally positioned ridge spanning a width of the backing member.

16. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the front face comprises spaced parallel grooves.

17. The panel member of claim 1, wherein the front face comprises a vertical detent along at least one of the first and second side edges of the front face, the vertical detent configured to received the overhang of the siding member of an adjacent panel member.

18. A panel for mounting on a wall comprising:

a backing member having a front face, a rear face, and opposing side faces; and

a siding member overlaying and attached to the front face of the backing member, the siding member having an overhang extending beyond the front face along both side edges of the front face;

wherein the backing member has a length between 48 and 240 inches and a thickness between 0.25 and 4 inches and is composed of closed cell expanded polystyrene foam, and wherein the opposing side faces are planar and figured to abut a side face of an adjacent backing member between the overhang and the wall.

19. A shape-molded backing panel configured for overlaying relationship with a siding member, the backing panel comprising:

a rear face configured to be mounted on a wall of a building;

a front face contoured to complement contours of the siding member; and

opposing side faces extending between vertical edges of the rear face and front face, wherein the front face has a vertical relief along each vertical edge configured to receive a vertical edge of an adjacent siding member.

20. The shape-molded backing panel of claim 19, wherein every surface of the shape-molded backing panel has a tough smooth skin formed of closed polymeric cells.