Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Sheetlike element assembled parallel to existing wall,...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-28
2001-12-04
Lev, Bruce A. (Department: 3634)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Sheetlike element assembled parallel to existing wall,...
C052S506050, C052S543000, C052S712000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324807
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of attaching siding boards, and to a siding board attachment structure.
There are conventionally two known methods for attaching siding boards such as natural stone boards or ceramic board onto the wall of building, i.e. a so-called wet working method wherein siding boards are fixedly attached to a building frame by means of an embedding mortar or adhesive, and a so-called dry working method wherein siding boards are fastened to a building frame using a screw or a fastening member. The wet working method is advantageous in stabilizing the attachment of siding boards to a building frame, however, it takes a long time to completely cure the mortar or adhesive, frequently requiring a long working period. On the other hand, the dry working method is advantageous in that the fastening work is relatively simple and the working period is relatively short. However, if a screw is to be employed for fastening siding boards to a building frame, the head portion of screw is required to be hidden, while if a fastening member is to be employed for fastening siding boards to a building frame, the resultant structure may not be sufficiently aseismatic because the fastening of the siding board is effected by simply resting the siding board on the supporting portion of the fastening member.
There is also known, as a more improved fastening member, a structure as shown in
FIG. 9
wherein a fastening member
50
is provided with an engagement portion
51
consisting of an upwardly inclined hook
52
and a downwardly inclined hook
53
. In this case, the fastening member
50
is secured to a building frame
56
with a screw or a nail
55
while the downwardly inclined hook
53
engages with the top edge portion of a male portion
61
A of a lower siding board
60
A which has been attached in advance to the building frame
56
. Thereafter, the groove portion (female portion)
61
B formed at the lower fringe or edge of an upper siding board
60
B is placed to engage the upwardly inclined hook
52
, thus fastening the upper and lower siding boards
60
A and
60
B successively.
According to the siding board attachment structure using a fastening member having the aforementioned structure, since the upper fringe portion and the lower fringe portion of the siding board are placed to engage the downwardly inclined hook
53
and the upwardly inclined hook
52
, respectively, the resultant structure exhibits a relatively high stability against a seismic vibration. However, since the upper siding board
60
B is fastened in such a manner that the dead weight of the upper siding board
60
B is supported by the upwardly inclined hook
52
; it cannot therefore be said that the resultant siding board attachment structure is sufficiently stabile. Further, since siding boards are to be fastened while being rested on the upwardly inclined hooks
52
, the actual attachment work is required to be performed in such a manner as to keep both upper and lower siding boards sustained horizontally (otherwise, the dislocation due to slipping may be easily caused, thus making it difficult to perform the siding work). As a result, the overall shape of the siding board is limited to a square configuration, and the attaching direction is also restricted, thus inevitably restricting the design of the resultant wall structure as a whole (for example, a monotonic square pattern such as a brick work pattern or a tile work pattern). Therefore, it is difficult to realize a siding work which is rich in design.
Furthermore, in order to hide the inclined hooks
52
and
53
of the fastening member, the lower and upper fringe portions of the siding board are required to be worked to have a special configuration as shown in FIG.
9
.
In recent years, the kinds of siding board have become diversified. For example, a highly creative siding board
60
which is relatively small and thick (e.g. 35 mm×220 mm×455 mm) and provides a feeling of natural stone masonry as shown in
FIG. 10
is now increasingly commercialized. The fastening of this kind of siding board is usually effected using a fastening member as shown in FIG.
9
. Therefore, at least the upper and lower fringe portions of the siding board are required to be provided with a groove
63
which is adapted to be engaged with the downwardly inclined hook
53
and with the upwardly inclined hook
52
.
When the siding boards of this kind which are relatively thick and rich in creativity as mentioned above are to be fastened to a building frame by arraying them in a multi-stage pattern extending in the vertical direction, it is generally desirable to fasten the siding boards in such a manner as to leave a horizontal joint, i.e. a space of some degree between the upper fringe and the lower fringe of the vertically neighboring siding boards, thus making the space visible conspicuously to the eyes and hence providing the resultant structure with a voluminous feeling.
However, it is difficult, if such siding boards are to be fastened using the fastening member
50
having the aforementioned structure, to perform the siding work while leaving such a deep space between the upper fringe and the lower fringe of the vertically neighboring siding boards. Even if it is possible to leave a sufficient space between the upper fringe and the lower fringe of the neighboring siding boards, the hooks
52
and
53
as well as the groove
63
that has been formed in the siding board
60
may be made externally visible, thus yielding an unsightly external appearance and hence failing to obtain a good design.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problems accompanied with the conventional method of attaching siding boards or with the conventional siding board attachment structure.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of attaching siding boards as well as a novel siding board attachment structure. More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of attaching siding boards to obtain a siding board attachment structure exhibiting an increased fastening strength as well as an increased aseismatic property even if a fastening member is employed in the siding method.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of attaching siding boards and a siding board attachment structure, which are capable of providing a high degree of freedom in the shape of the siding board as well as in the direction of attaching the siding board, thus making it possible to construct a wall surface being rich in design as compared with the conventional wall surface, and at the same time, to simplify the attachment work of siding boards as compared with the conventional attachment work of siding boards.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of attaching siding boards and a siding board attachment structure, which renders a relatively thick sidewall of the siding board visible, thereby making it possible to easily obtain a siding board attachment structure of enhanced design quality.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a method of attaching siding boards to a building frame which comprises the steps of; fixing a suspender to said building frame, said suspender having a hook portion; and attaching a siding board provided with an engaging groove to said suspender by permitting said engaging groove of siding board to be engaged with said hook portion of suspender, thereby attaching siding boards to the building frame while maintaining the siding boards in a suspended state.
The present invention also provides, in order to achieve the aforementioned objects, a siding board attachment structure which comprises; a large number of suspenders each having a hook portion and fixed to a building frame; and siding boards each provided on the back surface thereof with an engaging groove which is engaged with said hook portion of the suspender, thereby rendering said siding boards t
Lev Bruce A.
Lowe Hauptman & Gilman & Berner LLP
Nichiha Corporation
LandOfFree
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