Reinforced sidings

• US 7,658,051 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cellofoam North America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Georgia Foam, Inc. (Cellofoam North America, Inc.)
• Inventors: Benes, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr.; Richard E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akbasli; Alp
• Application Number:
  US11/142,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20060042183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 525/55, 522/33, 524/32, 521/778, 524/03, 522/045.2, 522/94, 525/22, 523/65, 525/20, 525/43, 527/481, 523/098, 523/099, 525/731, 527/941
• US Class Current: 52/745.21
• 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

Methods for fabricating sidings and methods for securing those sidings to structures are disclosed. Additionally, this disclosure teaches embodiments of sidings that can be secured to structures. For some embodiments, the siding comprises an insulation and a panel. The insulation and the panel are coupled to each other prior to installation of the siding. This coupling is achieved by non-adhesive coupling mechanisms.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating sidings, the method comprising

the steps of:

providing an insulation having a first coefficient of thermal expansion;

providing an exterior siding panel having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, where the first coefficient of thermal expansion is not equal to the second coefficient of thermal expansion; and

non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel to permit the panel and insulation to move independently of each other when the ambient temperature changes comprising the steps of;

aligning the insulation with the panel; and

driving a mechanical fastener through the insulation and the panel comprising the step of;

driving the mechanical fastener through the insulation and the panel comprising the step of driving the mechanical fastener through the insulation prior to driving the mechanical fastener through the panel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the insulation comprises providing the insulation having a flame-retardant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the insulation comprises providing the insulation having a termite treatment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel comprising mechanically fastening the insulation to the panel while still permitting independent movement of the insulation and the panel caused by differential thermal expansion.

5. A method for fabricating sidings, the method comprising:

providing an insulation having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and a contoured front side and a flat back side;

providing a panel having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, where the first coefficient of thermal expansion is not equal to the second coefficient of thermal expansion, and a contour corresponding substantially to the contour of the insulation front side and a nailing hem with a plurality of orifices; and

non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel so the insulation and panel may move independently of each other when the ambient temperature changes,

wherein non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel comprises driving a fastener through the insulation and the panel,

wherein driving the fastener through the insulation and the panel comprises;

driving the fastener through the insulation back side toward the insulation front side; and

driving the fastener through the panel back side toward the panel front side.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the insulation comprises providing the insulation having a flame-retardant.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the insulation comprises providing the insulation having a termite treatment.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein driving the fastener through the insulation and the panel comprises:

registering a location of an orifice of the panel; and

timing the driving of the fastener so that the fastener is driven through the orifice of the panel in response to registering the location of the orifice of the panel.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein driving the fastener through the insulation and the panel comprises:

registering a location of an orifice of the insulation; and

timing the driving of the fastener so that the fastener is driven through the orifice of the insulation in response to registering the location of the orifice of the insulation.

11. The method of claim 5, driving the fastener through the insulation and the panel comprises driving the fastener through a panel nailing hem.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel comprising automating the non-adhesively coupling.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein automating the non-adhesively coupling comprises:

detecting a location of a panel nailing hem; and

driving the fastener through the panel nailing hem in response to detecting the location of the nailing hem.

14. The method of claim 5 further comprising nailing the non-adhesively coupling of the insulation and panel to a structure through a panel nailing hem.

15. A method for fabricating sidings, the method comprising:

providing an insulation having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and an insulation front side, and an insulation back side;

providing a panel having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, where the first coefficient of thermal expansion is not equal to the second coefficient of thermal expansion, and a panel front side, a panel back side, and at least one panel orifice;

non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel to permit the insulation to move independently of the panel when the ambient temperature changes,

wherein non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel comprises;

detecting a location of at least one panel orifice;

in response to detecting the location of at least one panel orifice, driving a fastener through the insulation and the panel orifice, wherein driving the fastener through the insulation and panel orifice comprises;

driving the fastener through the insulation back side toward the insulation front side; and

driving the fastener through the panel back side toward the panel front side.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein driving the fastener through at least one panel orifice further comprises applying a counter force to a force driving the fastener so that the insulation and panel maintain alignment.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein driving the fastener through the insulation further comprises applying a counter force to a force driving the fastener so that the insulation and the at least one panel orifice maintain alignment.

19. A method for fabricating sidings, the method comprising:

providing an insulation having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and an insulation front side, an insulation back side, and at least one insulation orifice;

providing a panel having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, where the first coefficient of thermal expansion is not equal to the second coefficient of thermal expansion, and

a panel front side, a panel back side, and at least one panel orifice;

aligning the at least one insulation orifice with the at least one panel orifice; and

non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel,

wherein non-adhesively coupling the insulation to the panel permits the panel and insulation to move independently of each other when the ambient temperature changes and comprises;

detecting a location of the at least one panel orifice;

in response to detecting the at least one panel orifice, driving a fastener through the at least one panel orifice and the insulation, wherein

driving the fastener through the aligned at least one insulation orifice and the at least one panel orifice comprises;

driving the fastener through the insulation back side toward the insulation front side; and

driving the fastener through the panel back side toward the panel front side.