Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Specified terranean relationship – Mobile home skirt
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-23
2001-03-27
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Specified terranean relationship
Mobile home skirt
C052S169500, C052S169900, C052S299000, C052S741300, C052SDIG003
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205720
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to building foundations and more particularly to a foundation skirting for mobile homes and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Skirting systems have been used for many years around mobile homes or trailer houses for the purpose of insulating the trailer from outside temperature changes and also for improving the appearance of the mobile home or trailer house. Representative of the art is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,904 to Stoecker which discloses a portable skirting system. While this system is undoubtedly quite portable, it provides little or no support for the outer walls of the mobile home. Such support along the perimeter of a mobile home is needed for many of today's newer mobile homes due to the increasing size of today's mobile homes as well as the increasing use of heavy dry wall on the home's exterior walls. Unless supported, the exterior walls of many of these homes using dry wall will sag and possibly even buckle.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a prefabricated foundation panel and foundation assembly for mobile homes and the like which is easily installed about the lower periphery of a mobile home and easily uninstalled if the owner is desirous of moving the home.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a prefabricated foundation panel and foundation assembly which is capable of supporting a load of up to 1000 pounds or more per linear foot.
It is a yet further object of the invention to provide such a prefabricated foundation panel and foundation assembly for mobile homes and the like which is aesthetic and which is strong enough to permit backfilling of soil against it.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a prefabricated foundation panel and foundation assembly which is weather resistant and capable of being easily insulated.
The present invention addresses these problems by providing a prefabricated foundation panel for being supported on a footing to support the perimeter floor sill of a mobile home and the like. The panel has a generally rectangularly shaped frame including generally elongate, parallel and spaced, metallic top and bottom members as well as a plurality of spaced metallic cross members which are rigidly affixed to the top and bottom members preferably by welding. In addition, the outermost cross members of the frame are positioned so that they are flush with the ends of the top and bottom members. The top, bottom and cross members collectively define a plurality of spaces extending through the frame from a first side thereof to a second side thereof. A facing is also provided for the panel which is attached to the first side of the frame and which covers the plurality of spaces.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the facing has a coating of aggregate adhered to it for decorative purposes as well as a plurality of uniquely camouflaged vent holes. The vent holes are defined by the open ends of cylindrical projections which extend outwardly from and through the facing. The distance which the projections extend, i.e. their height, is slightly less than the thickness of the aggregate coating. As such, the aggregate serves to hide or camouflage the vent holes.
As mentioned, the panels are prefabricated and are easily installed around the lower periphery of a mobile home by simply fastening the top member to the underside surface of the mobile home's floor sill and the bottom member to the concrete footing which preferably extends around the perimeter of the home. Adjacent panels are easily installed by simply abutting an end of the adjacent panel (which is defined by an outermost cross member of the panel) flush up against that of the first panel installed. The flush abutting ends, i.e. the flush abutting outermost cross members of the adjacent panels, are then affixed to each other, preferably with self drilling screws. The top and bottom members of the adjacent panel are then fastened to the floor sill and footing, as previously described. Additional panels are then similarly installed until the entire perimeter of the mobile home is enclosed.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Brian D. Smith, P.C.
Friedman Carl D.
Tran Phi Dieu
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