초록

A siding panel assembly for covering an exterior building wall includes a first elongated component and a second elongated component. The first and second components are adapted to be connected at a joint. The joint allows the first and second components to slide laterally relative to one another.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A siding panel assembly for use in external siding of a building structure, comprising: a first panel component including a body having a front face a portion of which defines an exposed face of the siding panel assembly, and a rear face, the first panel component having a lo

What is claimed is: 1. A siding panel assembly for use in external siding of a building structure, comprising: a first panel component including a body having a front face a portion of which defines an exposed face of the siding panel assembly, and a rear face, the first panel component having a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the first panel component and a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and a second panel component including a body having a front face a portion of which defines an exposed face of the siding panel assembly, and a rear face, the second panel component having a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the second panel component and a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second panel component being separate from and slidably engageable with the first panel component to form the panel assembly, the first panel component including a channel having a width extending along the lateral axis, the channel being located on the rear face of the first panel, the channel having an interior cavity and a slot opening formed on the bottom of the channel, the slot opening having a thickness dimension and permitting access to the interior of the channel from the bottom of the first panel, the second panel component having a locking lip formed at an end of the body and adapted for receipt within the cavity of the channel of the first panel component, the locking lip having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the slot opening such that the first and second panel components may be connected to each other by sliding the locking lip into the channel cavity in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first panel component with a portion of the body of the second panel component extending through the slot opening, the locking lip having a width in the lateral direction that is less than the width of the channel so as to define a sliding gap, the gap permitting the locking lip of the second panel component to slide freely within the channel of the first panel component in a direction substantially parallel to the lateral axis of the first panel component while the first and second panel components remain connected to each other; the assembly permitting relative lateral movement between the first and second panel components for accommodating changes in the building structure; wherein the channel includes a rear leg that extends downward past the slot opening and the bottom of the body of the first panel component to define a planar support member, and wherein a support member lip is formed on a lower end of the planar support member and projects forwardly, the support member lip adapted to contact the rear face of the second panel component for providing support for a portion of the second panel component at a location spaced apart from the connection between the locking lip and the channel. 2. The siding panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking lip of the second panel component is free to slide within the channel of the first panel component over a distance that is at least 0.25 inches. 3. The siding panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first panel component includes a locking tab and the second panel component includes a flange adapted to receive the locking tab to provide for attachment of the first panel component of one siding panel assembly to the second panel component of an adjacent panel assembly. 4. The siding panel assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first panel component includes an attachment hem adjacent the locking tab. 5. The siding panel assembly according to claim 3, wherein the locking tab of the first panel component includes a looped portion. 6. The siding panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein body of the second panel component includes an angled wall and wherein the locking lip includes a bead formed by the wall being folded over itself. 7. The siding panel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first and second panel components are oriented such that the locking lip slides in the channel so as to provide substantially vertical adjustment of the first panel component relative to the second siding component. 8. A siding panel assembly comprising: a first siding panel component having a length extending along a longitudinal axis of the first siding panel component, the first siding panel component having a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first siding panel component including a body, a locking tab, an attachment edge and a channel, the body having a first face a portion of which forms an exposed face of the panel assembly, and an opposite second face on the rear side of the body from the first face, and the body including a substantially planar portion, the attachment edge located along at least a portion of an upper edge of the first siding panel component, the locking tab located between the attachment edge and the body, and the channel located adjacent a lower edge of the body and extending rearward from the second face, the channel having a width extending substantially along the lateral axis, the channel having an interior and a slot opening communicating with the interior, the slot opening located on the bottom of the channel; and a second siding panel component having a length extending along a longitudinal axis of the second siding panel component, the second siding component having a lateral axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second siding panel component including a body having a first face a portion of which forms an exposed face of the panel assembly, and an opposite second face on the rear of the body, a locking lip, and a flange, the locking lip located along at least a portion of an upper edge of the second siding panel component, the locking lip having a thickness that is greater than a thickness defined by the slot opening in the channel such that the first and second siding panel components are connected to each other by insertion of the locking lip into the interior of the channel in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first siding panel component with a portion of the body of the second panel component extending through the slot opening, the flange connected to the body and defining a second edge of the second siding panel component, the locking lip and channel dimensioned to define a slide gap between the locking lip and the channel in the lateral direction such that the first and second siding panel components are free to slide with respect to each other along the lateral axis over a predetermined distance while remaining connected, the locking tab and flange adapted to provide for releasable attachment of the locking tab of a first siding panel assembly to the flange of a second siding panel assembly. 9. The siding panel assembly according to claim 8, wherein the body of each of the first and second siding panels components is dimensioned and textured to resemble at least one standard wooden exterior wall plank. 10. The siding panel assembly according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second siding panel components comprises a thermoplastic polymer material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and mixtures and copolymers thereof. 11. The siding panel assembly according to claim 10, wherein the first and second siding panel components are fabricated by injection molding. 12. The siding panel assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first siding panel component includes a generally planar support member extending from a wall of the channel, the support member substantially parallel to the planar portion of the body. 13. The siding panel assembly according to claim 12, wherein the support member includes a lip. 14. The siding panel assembly according to claim 8, wherein locking lip includes a wall and a bead, the wall of the locking lip folded about the bead. 15. The siding panel assembly according to claim 8, wherein the first and second siding panel components are oriented such that the locking lip slides in the channel so as to provide substantially vertical adjustment of the first siding panel component relative to the second siding panel component. 16. The siding panel assembly according to claim 8, wherein the channel includes a rear leg that extends downward past the slot opening and the bottom of the body of the first siding panel component to define a planar support member, and wherein a support member lip is formed on a lower end of the planar support member and projects forwardly, the support member lip adapted to contact the second face of the second siding panel component for providing support for a portion of the second siding panel component at a location spaced apart from the connection between the locking lip and the channel.