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A method for installing wall panels to a wall of a building is provided. The method applies the rainscreen principle. Interlocking components are used to attach aluminum or other wall panels to an exterior wall. In one aspect, the method includes operatively connecting a plurality of attachment clip

A method for installing wall panels to a wall of a building is provided. The method applies the rainscreen principle. Interlocking components are used to attach aluminum or other wall panels to an exterior wall. In one aspect, the method includes operatively connecting a plurality of attachment clips to a wall surface of the exterior building wall. The method also includes providing a first panel perimeter strip and a second panel perimeter strip. The first panel perimeter strip is fastened to a first wall panel along a first side surface of the first wall panel, while the second panel perimeter strip is fastened to a second wall panel along a first side surface of the second wall panel. The method then includes sliding the first panel perimeter strip onto a first wing member of an attachment clip, thereby connecting the first wall panel to the wall, and sliding the second panel perimeter strip onto a second opposing wing member of the attachment clip, thereby connecting the second wall panel to the wall. In this way, the first side surfaces of the first and second wall panels are adjacent. The attachment clips and the panel perimeter strips represent a wall panel attachment system that is held together non-adhesively. Of significance, the system is configured to allow wall panels to be secured to a wall in any sequence or direction.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for installing wall panels to an exterior wall of a building, each of the wall panels being polygonal and having an exterior surface and at least two side surfaces bent inwardly at an angle to the respective exterior surfaces and defining a hollow interior portion, and the method compris

1. A method for installing wall panels to an exterior wall of a building, each of the wall panels being polygonal and having an exterior surface and at least two side surfaces bent inwardly at an angle to the respective exterior surfaces and defining a hollow interior portion, and the method comprising: operatively connecting a plurality of attachment clips to a wall surface of the exterior building wall, wherein: each of the attachment clips has a central fastening surface and two opposing wing members, andeach wing member extends outwardly from the central fastening surface in a substantially symmetrical manner;providing a plurality of panel perimeter strips, each panel perimeter strip comprising: a generally C-shaped member configured to reside and to extend at least partially along an inside portion of a side surface, anda receiving member integrally attached to the C-shaped member that extends beyond the side surface of the wall panel and provides a slot adapted to interlock a wing member of an attachment clip;fastening panel perimeter strips along at least two of the side surfaces of a first wall panel;fastening panel perimeter strips along at least two of the side surfaces of a second wall panel;sliding a first panel perimeter strip of the first wall panel onto a first wing member of an attachment clip, thereby connecting the first wall panel to the wall;sliding a second panel perimeter strip of the second wall panel onto a second opposing wing member of the attachment clip, thereby connecting the second wall panel to the wall such that the first and second wall panels are adjacent;placing an infill strip into the slot of the first and second panel perimeter strips between the attachment clip and the one or more through openings, thereby covering the central fastening surface;wherein: the attachment clips and the panel perimeter strips comprise a wall panel attachment system,the wall panel attachment system is held together non-adhesively,the attachment clips carry the dead loads of the wall panels,either the infill strip is engaged with the slot of the first panel perimeter strip prior to installing the second wall panel to the wall, or the infill strip is introduced to the slots of the first and second adjacent panel perimeter strips after the two adjacent wall panels have been installed to the wall; andthe system is configured to allow wall panels with attached panel perimeter strips along respective side walls to be secured to attachment clips in any sequence or direction. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the infill strip comprises a strip of aluminum composite material. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the infill strip is fabricated from a substantially rigid material comprising a metal material, a polycarbonate material, polyethylene, or combinations thereof. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein: each of the first and second wall panels has four sides with corresponding side surfaces; andthe exterior surface of each of the panels is substantially flat. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wall panel and the second wall panel each have one or more through-openings that permit fluid communication from an atmosphere into the hollow interior portion of the wall panel so as to permit ingress and egress of air and moisture to provide a pressure-balanced and moisture-drained interior environment for the wall panel. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: fastening a bracket assembly to the exterior building wall; and wherein: the step of operatively connecting the attachment clip to the first wall panel of the exterior building wall comprises fastening the attachment clip to the bracket assembly using one or more fasteners; andthe infill strip covers the one or more fasteners of the bracket assembly. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein: fastening the first panel perimeter strip to the first wall panel comprises running at least one rivet through the first panel perimeter strip and through the one side surface of the wall panel; andthe through-opening through the wall panel defines the at least one rivet such that the interior portion of the wall panel is ventilated at least partially through the at least one rivet. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first bracket assembly comprises two back-to-back L angle brackets fastened to each other to form a generally Z-shaped assembly, a first end of which is for attachment to the wall and a second end of which is for fastening to the attachment clip. 9. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the one or more fasteners comprises a threaded fastener. 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first panel perimeter strip is fastened to a side surface of first wall panel before being fastened to the first bracket assembly. 11. The method of claim 5, further comprising: installing a panel stiffener component inside the hollow interior portion of the first and second wall panels to reinforce the exterior surfaces of the wall panels and preventing deforming or popping of the wall panels. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the wall panels comprises an aluminum composite material. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the wall panels comprises an aluminum composite material which is routed and bent generally perpendicularly to form the exterior and side surfaces. 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising: operatively connecting at least one attachment clip to the wall surface of the exterior building wall adjacent a side surface of the first panel opposite the side surface at which the second panel is located;fastening a third panel perimeter strip along a side surface of a third wall panel; andsliding the third panel perimeter strip fastened to a side surface of the third wall panel onto a wing member of one of the at least one attachment clips disposed opposite the side surface at which the second panel is located. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: applying an isolation tape between the attachment clip and the bracket assembly. 16. The method of claim 14, wherein: the first and second opposing wing members are vertically oriented;each of the first, second and third panel perimeter strips is vertically oriented; andthe first, second and third wall panels are in horizontal relation. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: operatively connecting a horizontally-oriented attachment clip to a wall surface of the exterior building wall;fastening a horizontal panel perimeter strip along a horizontally-oriented side surface of each of the first, second, and third wall panels;also sliding the horizontal panel perimeter strips of the first, second and third wall panels onto a wing member of the horizontally-oriented attachment clip; andsliding a horizontally-oriented panel perimeter strip of a fourth wall panel onto an opposing wing member of the horizontally-oriented attachment clip below the first, second or third wall panel. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein: the first and second opposing wing members are horizontally oriented;each of the first, second and third panel perimeter strips is horizontally oriented; andthe first, second and third panels are in vertical relation.