Straight face siding

• US 7,467,500 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Crane Building Products LLC
• Inventors: Fairbanks, Larry R., DeWorth, Samuel W., Barber, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): YIP, WINNIE S
• Application Number:
  US11/690,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20070245665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 523/098, 52518-520, 525/22, 52535-536, 525/39, 525/43, 525/45, 525/49, 525/55, 527/481, 527/941, 527/981
• US Class Current: 52/522
• 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 48/914 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: 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 siding panel and a method of making the siding panel. The siding panel comprises a planar portion extending the longitudinal length of the siding panel. The planar portion comprises a first edge and a second edge. The width from the first edge to the second edge is at least about 4.0 inches. The planar portion has a surface variance of less than about 0.05 inches relative to an imaginary straight line connecting the first edge and the second edge, and the radius curvature between the first edge and the second edge is at least about 85 inches.

Claims

1. A siding panel unit comprising:

a siding panel comprising a first portion extending the longitudinal length of the siding panel, said first portion comprising;

a first edge and a second edge;

a width of at least about 4.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge; and

a slight curvature between said first edge and said second edge such that said slight curvature has a surface variance of less than about 0.05 inches relative to an imaginary straight line connecting said first edge and said second edge; and

a reinforcement panel adjacent to said first portion;

wherein said surface variance is determined prior to said first portion being positioned adjacent to said reinforcement panel; and

wherein said siding panel unit simulates the appearance of straight face siding.

2. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said siding panel is comprised of vinyl.

3. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said siding panel is comprised of polypropylene (PP).

4. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said siding panel is comprised of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS).

5. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said siding panel is comprised of acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylic (ASA).

6. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said siding panel is comprised of plastic resin selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, nylon, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polycarbonate, polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), thermoplastic olefins, other similar or conventional plastic resins, and alloys, blends, and coextrusions of these resins.

7. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement panel is comprised of foam.

8. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said first portion has an average thickness in the range from about 0.040 inches to about 0.050 inches.

9. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said first portion has said width of at least about 6.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge.

10. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said surface variance is less than about 0.04 inches.

11. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein said surface variance is less than about 0.03125 inches.

12. The siding panel unit of claim 1 wherein:

said first portion has said width of at least about 6.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge; and

said surface variance is less than about 0.04 inches.

13. The siding panel unit of claim 1 further comprising a second portion extending the longitudinal length of the siding panel, said second portion comprising:

a first edge and a second edge;

a width of at least about 4.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge of said second portion; and

a slight curvature between said first edge and said second edge such that said slight curvature has a surface variance of less than about 0.05 inches relative to an imaginary straight line connecting said first edge and said second edge of said second portion;

wherein said second portion is connected to said first portion by a first seam to define a stepped contour; and

wherein said reinforcement panel is adjacent to said second portion.

14. The siding panel unit of claim 13 wherein a height of said first seam is at least about 0.5 inches.

15. The siding panel unit of claim 13 further comprising a third portion extending the longitudinal length of the siding panel, said third portion comprising:

a first edge and a second edge;

a width of at least about 4.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge of said third portion; and

a slight curvature between said first edge and said second edge such that said slight curvature has a surface variance of less than about 0.05 inches relative to an imaginary straight line connecting said first edge and said second edge of said third portion;

wherein said third portion is connected to said first portion by a second seam to define a stepped contour; and

wherein said reinforcement panel is adjacent to said third portion.

16. The siding panel unit of claim 15 wherein a height of said second seam is at least about 0.5 inches.

17. A siding panel unit comprising:

a siding panel comprising a first portion extending the longitudinal length of the siding panel, said first portion comprising;

a first edge and a second edge;

a width of at least about 4.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge; and

a radius curvature between said first edge and said second edge of at least about 85 inches; and

a reinforcement panel adjacent to said first portion;

wherein said radius curvature is determined prior to said first portion being positioned adjacent to said reinforcement panel; and

wherein said siding panel unit simulates the appearance of straight face siding.

18. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said siding panel is comprised of vinyl.

19. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said siding panel is comprised of polypropylene (PP).

20. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said siding panel is comprised of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS).

21. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said siding panel is comprised of acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylic (ASA).

22. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said siding panel is comprised of plastic resin selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, nylon, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polycarbonate, polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), thermoplastic olefins, other similar or conventional plastic resins, and alloys, blends, and coextrusions of these resins.

23. The siding panel of claim 17 wherein said reinforcement panel is comprised of foam.

24. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said first portion has an average thickness in the range from about 0.040 inches to about 0.050 inches.

25. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said first portion has said width of at least about 6.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge.

26. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said radius curvature is at least about 117 inches.

27. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein said radius curvature is at least about 148 inches.

28. The siding panel unit of claim 17 wherein:

said first portion has said width of at least about 6.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge; and

said radius curvature is at least about 117 inches.

29. The siding panel unit of claim 17 further comprising a second portion extending the longitudinal length of the siding panel, said second portion comprising:

a first edge and a second edge;

a width of at least about 4.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge of said second portion; and

a radius curvature between said first edge and said second edge of said second portion of at least about 85 inches;

wherein said second portion is connected to said first portion by a first seam to define a stepped contour; and

wherein said reinforcement panel is adjacent to said second portion.

30. The siding panel unit of claim 29 wherein a height of said first seam is at least about 0.5 inches.

31. The siding panel unit of claim 29 further comprising a third portion extending the longitudinal length of the siding panel, said third portion comprising:

a first edge and a second edge;

a width of at least about 4.0 inches from said first edge to said second edge of said third portion; and

a radius curvature between said first edge and said second edge of said third portion of at least about 85 inches;

wherein said third portion is connected to said first portion by a second seam to define a stepped contour; and

wherein said reinforcement panel is adjacent to said third portion.

32. The siding panel unit of claim 31 wherein a height of said second seam is at least about 0.5 inches.