WO2008109915A1

WO2008109915A1 - Fibre cement cladding system

Info

Publication number: WO2008109915A1
Application number: PCT/AU2008/000141
Authority: WO
Inventors: Uwe Kramer; Bill Thompson; Doug Lavender
Original assignee: CSR Building Products Ltd
Current assignee: CSR Building Products Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-15
Filing date: 2008-02-06
Publication date: 2008-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-15

Abstract

The present invention comprises in combination, a first and second sheet member, each member having a front and rear major surface joined by a notched edge portion. The sheet members are joined in end to end relationship by interconnecting the notched edge portion of the first sheet member to the notched edge portion of the second sheet member. This is achieved by fixing an elongate connector, which has a substantially constant cross-section therebetween, such that a recess is formed in the vicinity of the interconnected notched edge portions. This recess is adjacent the respective front major surfaces of the sheet members and is filled with a filler material.

Description

FIBRE CEMENT CLADDING SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the joining of sheet members. More particularly, although not exclusively, the present invention relates to the joining of fibre cement sheet material to form a cladding system.

BACKGROUND ART

Typically, monolithic fibre cement cladding systems are installed to timber or steel framed residential houses. Fibre cement sheets are vertically fixed to the external structural framing in members with mechanical fasteners. This method requires additional framing to be installed behind the joints of the sheets because firstly, the framing is not adequately wide enough to form a joint and secondly, the set out of the framing does not consistently correspond with the width of the sheets. Either way, the integrity of the joint is often compromised and is not positioned in a correct plane to enable flat and seamless jointing to occur between adjacent sheets.

Typically, fibre cement sheets are joined by fibre glass tape, which is embedded in a joining composition located between the two sheets. The joining composition is typically a low modulus acrylic or styrene acrylic based composition. One of the problems associated with such conventional joining is that if a sufficient load is applied to the joint laterally the joint may fail.

The present invention seeks to overcome some of the problems associated with the abovementioned prior art. In particular, it ameliorates the ease of installation and allows for an "off stud joint" where sheet members are installed either direct to the frame or on battens, without the need for additional joint support. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect the present invention consists in combination of a first and second sheet member, each member having a front and rear major surface joined by a notched edge portion, the sheet members are joined in end to end relationship by interconnecting the notched edge portion of the first sheet member to the notched edge portion of the second sheet member by adhesively fixing an elongate connector having a substantially constant cross-section therebetween such that a recess is formed in the vicinity of the interconnected notched edge portions adjacent the respective front major surfaces of the sheet members, and the recess is filled with a filler material.

Preferably, each notched edge portion has a first edge surface extending from the rear major surface, and a second edge surface substantially parallel to the first edge surface and joined thereto by an end surface that is at right angles to both the first and second edge surfaces.

Preferably, the elongate connector has an H-shaped constant cross-section when viewed in end view and the elongate connector is made of plastic, preferably polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Preferably the sheet members are made of fibre cement and the filler material is an acrylic based composition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG 1 is a schematic plan view of first and second members in combination joined in accordance with the present invention; FIG 2 is a plan schematic diagram of the sheeting members of Figure 1 installed in an "off stud joint" configuration; and

FIG 3 is an enlarged schematic underside perspective view of the joint detail shown in Figure 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the joining of adjacent sheet members to form a cladding system. As shown in the accompanying drawings, a first sheet member 1 is joined to an adjacent second sheet member 2 by means of an elongate connector member 3 and a filler material 5.

As is best illustrated in FIG 1 and FIG 2, the sheet members 1 and 2 are fibre cement sheets, each having a front major surface 9 and a rear major surface 10. Each of the sheets 1 and 2 has a notched portion 8 joining the rear major surface 10 to the front major surface 9. The notched portion 8 has orthogonal corners, and is substantially rectangular in shape. Each of the notched portions 8 has a first edge surface 11 extending from the rear major surface 10, and a second edge surface 12, which is substantially parallel to the first edge surface 11. The second edge surface 12 is joined to the first edge surface 11 by an end surface 13 that is at right angles to both first and second edge surfaces 11 and 12.

The elongate connector 3 has a substantially constant cross-section, which is H-shaped when viewed in end view. The elongate connector 3 is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). When the notched edge portions 8 of the respective sheet members 1 and 2 are placed in end to end proximity to each other, the H- shaped connector 3 is used to interconnect the notch portions 8 of the sheet members. Adhesive glue 4 is used to secure the H-shaped connector 3 to the respective edge portions 8. Once the H-shaped connector 3 has joined the two notch portions 8 of the respective, adjacent sheet members 1 and 2, a recess 14 is formed in the vicinity of the interconnected notched portions, adjacent to the respective front major surfaces 9 of the sheets. This recess 14 is then filled with filler material 5, which is a conventional acrylic based composition.

In this joining arrangement, the sheet members 1 and 2 are supported by the H-shaped connector 3 that is glued into place. The joint is then subsequently finished in much the same way as traditional external fibre cement joining system.

The essential feature of the invention is the gluing of the H-shaped connector 3 into the pre-formed recess 14 of the sheets. This arrangement provides a structural connection, as well as support for a concealed joint. This ensures that the H-shaped connector 3 is covered by filler material 5 and cannot be seen, thereby providing a generally aesthetically pleasing finish. In addition, the resulting joint provides strength from loads that may be applied laterally. The resultant joint enables an "off stud joint" and fastener installation. This can be seen in FIG 3, where the joint location is not in the vicinity of the stud 15.

Whilst in the embodiment shown in the drawings, the H-shaped connector 3 is made of PVC, it should be understood that in other embodiments, the H- shaped connector can be made from other plastics or any other suitable materials.

Whilst in the embodiment described above and depicted in the accompanying drawings shows that sheets 1 and 2 are fibre cement panels, in other embodiments not shown in the drawings, the panels 1 and 2 can be sheets that are made of any other suitable type of material.

In other embodiments not shown in the drawings, rather than the H-shaped connector 3 being adhered to the notched edge portions 8 of the sheets 1 and 2, the H-shaped connector may be secured to the edge portions by way of mechanical fasteners or any other suitable type of fastening means. It should be understood that in other embodiments not shown in the drawings, the recess 14 can filled with any other suitable filler material 5 rather than a conventional acrylic based composition.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be used in relation to the joining of fibre cement sheet material to form a cladding system, although the present invention is not exclusively restricted to this application.

In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the word "comprising" is not intended to have the exclusive meaning of the word (such as "consisting only of"), but rather has the non-exclusive meaning, in the sense of "including at least". The same applies, with corresponding grammatical changes, to other forms of the word such as "comprise", etc.

Claims

1. In combination, a first and second sheet member, each member having a front and rear major surface joined by a notched edge portion, said sheet members are joined in end to^' end relationship by interconnecting the notched edge portion of the first sheet member to the notched edge portion of the second sheet member by fixing an elongate connector having a substantially constant cross-section therebetween such that a recess is formed in the vicinity of the interconnected notched edge portions adjacent the respective front major surfaces of the sheet members, and wherein the recess is filled with a filler material.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the elongate connector is adhesively fixed between the notched edge portions of the first and second sheets.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein each notched edge portion has a first edge surface extending from the rear major surface, and a second edge surface substantially parallel to said first edge surface and joined thereto by an end surface that is at right angles to both said first and second edge surfaces.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the elongate connector has an H- shaped constant cross-section when viewed in end view.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the elongate connector is made of plastic.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein the elongate member is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sheet members are made of fibre cement.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein the filler material is an acrylic based composition.