Covering support system

A covering support system includes a covering support that has a support member defining a support surface and that is connected to a mounting member so that when the mounting member is rigidly mounted relative to a wall stud, the support surface is substantially flush with an exterior surface of the wall stud and disposed from the exterior of a building surface by the overhang distance.

BACKGROUND

A common practice in the construction industry is the application of covering, e.g., cladding, panels, siding, sheathing, on exterior walls of buildings. Typically, the covering is attached to studs defining a frame of an outside wall. The studs may be load bearing or non-load bearing. For multi-story buildings, especially commercial buildings, the building studs may not extend over the exterior surface of the floor/ceiling slab between each floor. Therefore, the covering may overhang the exterior surface of the slab but is not attached to the slab. Because the covering is typically not reinforced and instead is designed with expectation that it will receive much of its structural support from the frame to which it is to be attached, the section of covering that overhangs the exterior slab surface is much more susceptible to damage than the sections of covering that are attached to the studs. Pressure on the overhanging portion of the panel, such as that caused by impacts to the panel during building construction, or by strong winds, may cause the panel to bend or fracture.

One solution is to build an exterior frame in which non-load bearing studs extend across the exterior surface of the slab. While this provides ample support for the covering, the building of the exterior frame adds additional square footage to the exterior footprint of the building, and is also more expensive than building a frame structure between each floor that spans from only the floor surface to the ceiling surface.

SUMMARY

This specification describes technologies relating to a covering support system that provides structural support for a covering that overhangs an exterior surface of floor slab or column. The covering support system can be used with a covering support frame that can be separately constructed for each floor. In the examples described below, the covering support system is described in the context of panels or sheathing as the covering. However, other coverings, such as siding, cladding, skins, etc., may also be supported by the covering support system.

In an aspect, the covering mounting system includes a covering support comprising: a mounting member configured to be rigidly mounted to one or more of a wall stud or stud track that overhangs an exterior building surface by an overhang distance; a support member defining a support surface and that is connected to the mounting member so that when the mounting member is rigidly mounted relative to the wall stud the support surface is substantially flush with an exterior surface of the wall stud and disposed from the exterior building surface by the overhang distance; and a bracing component connected to the support member and that provides rigid support to the support member to reduce flexion of the support member and thereby maintain the disposition of the support surface from the exterior building surface by the overhang space.

In an aspect, the covering mounting system includes a covering support comprising: means for rigidly mounting the covering support to one or more of a wall stud or stud track that overhangs an exterior building surface by an overhang distance; means for defining a support surface and that is connected to means for rigidly mounting so that when the means for rigidly mounting is rigidly mounted relative to the wall stud the means for defining a support surface is substantially flush with an exterior surface of the wall stud and disposed from the exterior building surface by the overhang distance; and means for bracing connected to the means for defining a support surface and for providing rigid support to means for defining a support surface to reduce flexion of the means for defining a support surface and thereby maintain the disposition of the means for defining a support surface from the exterior building surface by the overhang space.

The systems and features described in this document can be used to realize one or more of the following advantages. Cost savings are achieved by obviating the need to build an exterior frame structure that spans exterior slabs and columns. The cost savings are due in part to the reduced complexity of the frame structure that is built between floors, which reduces time and material requirements. Additional cost savings are achieved by maximizing the usable space of a building footprint, as the usable space is not reduced by the space required for an exterior framing structure.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. Furthermore, in several drawings element numbers are be omitted to avoid congestion in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a cross-sectional side view of a covering support system10. In the examples described below, the covering support system10is described in the context of a panel support system that supports panels. However, other coverings, such as cladding, skins, siding, etc. may also be supported by the covering support system. Accordingly, applications of the system10are not limited to panels.

The covering support system10includes a panel support100that, when rigidly mounted to one or both of a wall stud200or stud track300, provides a support surface132that provides support for sheathing410. The support surface132is preferably flush with an exterior surface of the wall stud200, as will be described in more detail below. The support surface132is an outer surface of a support member130and is disposed from an exterior slab surface402of a slab400by an overhang distance d1. The support member130may optionally be dimensioned so that it is spaced apart from the surface by a distance dz. A bracing component134is connected to the support member130and provides rigid support to the support member130to reduce flexion of the support member130, which helps maintain the disposition of the support surface from the exterior slab surface402.

The panel support100includes a mounting member that attaches to one or both of the wall stud200or stud track300. The mounting member may take several forms, and the example shown inFIG. 1is a flange110. The flange110and other forms of the mounting member are described in more detail below.

The wall stud200is one of multiple wall studs that are received in the stud track300. As shown inFIG. 1, the stud track300may be a conventional stud track that is of a width that completely receives the wall stud and overhangs the slab400by the overhand distance d1. However, when the flange110is used for the mounting member of the panel support100, at least the top stud track300may be of a width that is less than the wall stud track300. In this implementation, one vertical end of the stud track300, formed by a flange302, may be received in a slot202in the wall stud200.

Various implementation of the support system100will be described in more detail with reference toFIGS. 2A-5B. In particular, a first implementation is described with reference toFIGS. 2A-2D, which depict cross-sectional and perspective views of the first example implementation of the panel support system100.

In the implementation ofFIGS. 2A-2D, the panel support100has a support member130that includes an exterior surface132upon which sheathing410may be mounted. Any conventional mounting fixture or adherent may be used to mount the sheathing410to the exterior surface132.

The support member130is further braced by a flange134that forms a bracing component. In some implementation, the thickness of the support member130and the span over which the member130is to be provide support may obviate the need for a separate support. In these implementations, a separate bracing component is not required for the support member130.

Another flange, flange110, is used as a mounting member. The flange110includes a second flange112that extends substantially perpendicularly from the flange110. The support surface132and the surface of the flange112are approximately spaced apart by a distance Ws, which is approximately equal to the interior width of the stud200ofFIG. 2B.

The stud200ofFIG. 2Bincludes a first stud member212defining a first stud surface213. The first stud member212may also have a flange fold208that forms a surface substantially parallel to body surface of the stud200. Likewise, the stud200includes a second stud member214defining a second surface215opposite the first stud surface213, and also includes a similar fold210, thus forming a slot into which the panel support100may be received. When the stud200receives the panel support100, as shown, for example, in the cross-section view ofFIG. 2A(note the upper stud200inFIG. 2Ais a mirrored configuration of the stud200ofFIG. 2B), the flange112and the flange forming the support surface132are received in slots formed by the stud members212and214and folds208and210. After insertion, the flange110may be rigidly attached to the stud200by fasteners, adherents, welds, or other rigid attachment means.

The stud track300includes a base301, a first vertical flange302extending upward from a first side of the base301and running substantially a length of the first stud track300, and a second vertical flange304extending upward from a second side of the base301that is opposite the first side of the base301and also running substantially the length of the first stud track200. The width Wstof the first stud track is less than a width Wsof a stud that is designed to be received within the first stud track300. Accordingly, the first stud includes a slot202that receives one of the flanges of the stud track300, e.g., flange302. The difference between the width of the stud track300and the width of the stud200is approximately the overhang distance d1. When the slot202in the side surface of the stud200receives the flange302, the second stud member214abuts the second vertical flange304of the first stud track300.

Likewise, the flange110in the panel support100also includes a slot114that is operatively aligned with the slot202and the flange302so that it, too, receives the flange302of the stud track300when the panel support100is inserted into the stud200and the stud, in turn, is received in the stud track300.

When so assembled as shown inFIG. 2A, the support surface132of the panel support100is substantially flush with the exterior surface (e.g., surface213) of the stud200. Accordingly, when each stud200in a sheathing support wall is affixed with a respective panel support100, the panel supports100provide support surfaces132that overhang the exterior surface402of the slab400. This allows for a structurally sound mounting frame upon which panels, such as sheathing410, may be attached to the exterior of a building.

In another implementation, respective mating flanges are provided on the stud200and the panel support100for additional structural support. One example implementation is shown inFIGS. 3A-3C. As show in3B, a mating flange204is formed in the stud200by a cut and fold of a portion of the frame of the stud200. The slot202may optionally extend above the mating flange204. A reciprocal mating flange116is likewise formed in the plane support100.

When the panel support100, stud200and stud track300are assembled in a manner similar to the assembly described with reference toFIG. 2A, and as shown inFIG. 3A, the mating flanges116and204overlap and can be connected by fasteners, welds, etc. Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 3A, the mating flanges116and204may also be proximate to the flange302of the stud track300such that they can be attached to the flange302of the stud track for additional structural support.

Although a mating flange is shown on both the stud200and the panel support100, in some implementations only the panel support includes the mating flange.

FIGS. 4A and 4Bare perspective views of another example implementation of the panel support system. The mating flanges221and119are formed by perpendicular metal structures having respective bases220and118and that are respectively attached to the stud200and the panel support100. The flange221is aligned with the slot202in the stud200, and the flange119is aligned with the slot114in the panel support100. The resulting assembled configuration is similar to that ofFIG. 3A, where the mating flanges119and221may be adjacent the flange302of the stud track300so that they may be attached to the flange302of the stud track for additional structural support.

The panel support100ofFIGS. 2A-4Bhas a mounting surface132with a width that is approximately equal to a width of the exterior stud surface, e.g., surface213of the stud200. Accordingly, a panel support100is typically provide for each stud. The studs, in turn, are typically spaced apart according to building code requirements.

However, in another implementation, the panel support may have a continuous support surface that spans a multiple of studs that are spaced apart in the first stud track. This implementation is shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, which are cross-sectional and perspective views of another example implementation of the panel support system. In the implementation ofFIGS. 5A and 5B, the panel support500has a support surface532and a correspond flange540extends from the support surface532and serves as a mounting member. The flange540runs a length of the panel support500. The support member530may include a fold544and a set of braces made from angled flanges that each have a base542and a perpendicular flange543. As shown inFIG. 5A, the flange540may be positioned under a stud track and stud. A conventional stud240and stud track350may be used. Alternatively, the stud200and stud track300ofFIGS. 2A and 2Bmay be used. The flange540may be affixed to the stud track350(or stud track300, if used instead of the stud track350) by fasteners, welds, and the like.

The panel support500may also be used to provide support for other exterior building surfaces, such as a column surface.FIG. 6is a top cross-section view of the panel support500ofFIG. 5Bbeing used to provide support for sheathing over a vertical column surface442of a vertical column440. The portion of the slab400shown is the floor surface of the slab400. Studs200are positioned adjacent the vertical column400. The exterior surface of the vertical column442is substantially flush with the exterior surface of the slab, as indicated by the stud track flange302. A respective panel support500is attached to each stud200in a vertical manner by connecting the flange540of the panel support500to the stud200along the length of the stud200. The flange540may be affixed to the stud200by fasteners, welds, and the like.