Abstract:
A prefabricated cladding assembly ( 1 ) for mounting to the outside of buildings ( 10 ), said system comprising a cladding panel ( 2 ) having a mounting bracket ( 3 ) bonded thereto.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a cladding system for use in cladding the outside of buildings. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Decorative cladding and other types of fascias are commonly used to provide the outsides (and insides) of buildings with an attractive appearance. 
         [0003]    In particular cladding and other types of fascia, which are generally not structural in nature, are used to hide the less attractive materials used for the structural construction of the building or insulation and other materials used in the renovation of existing buildings. 
         [0004]    Cladding is typically affixed to the structural skin of a building by way of supporting brackets and/or frames. The cladding provides an outer skin which, in combination with other materials, provides the building with a weather resistant system and a more pleasing aesthetic appearance. 
         [0005]    At present the brackets, frames and cladding/fascia panels are normally delivered to a construction/building site as separate components. The components are fitted together and secured to the building. 
         [0006]    When a “non-visible” fixing is required, typically cladding panels are secured to a mounting bracket by drilling a hole in the back face of the panel and screw fixing the bracket onto the panel. However this method on construction requires the use of thicker, heavier panels to accommodate the bracket securely. 
         [0007]    The use of alternative fixing methods, such as adhesive bonding, does facilitate the use of thinner, lighter panels. However the conditions on a typical construction site are not always conducive to the consistent and secure bonding of panels to the supporting framework. 
         [0008]    Also there is a great emphasis on the skill and training of on site operatives to apply the various requirements of an adhesive system and install the panels in the correct manner often working at height on temporary access equipment 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In order to address the problems inherent in the on-site handling of cladding panels and their support element the present invention provides a prefabricated cladding assembly for mounting to the inside (and outside) of buildings. 
         [0010]    The present invention provides a method of factory based prefabrication of a cladding assembly for mounting to a building according to claim  1  and a prefabricated cladding assembly according to claim  4 . 
         [0011]    Further preferable features of the present invention are set out in the dependant claims. 
         [0012]    The on-site fabrication of cladding systems using bonding rather than screw fixing presents a number of problems due to the strict limitations in terms of temperature and humidity in which the adhesive is effective and other environmental conditions that are found on a construction site. 
         [0013]    This on-site environment may result in inconsistent bonding. This in turn could have an impact on the overall accuracy appearance and security of the site-fabricated cladding assemblies. 
         [0014]    By present invention seeks to address these problems by providing a prefabricated cladding assembly that is pre-formed off-site (such as in a factory) from a cladding panel and its mounting bracket. As the prefabrication takes place in controlled factory conditions the consistency and quality of the bond formed between the cladding panel and its mounting bracket can be more easily achieved. 
         [0015]    The improved accuracy and consistency of the cladding assembly&#39;s construction means that less on-site adjustments are required to align adjacent cladding panels, thus ensuring a high quality finish using the thinner, lighter cladding panels. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The present invention will now be described with reference to the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a prefabricated cladding panel according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the prefabricated cladding panel of  FIG. 1  adjacent to the a building structure having mounting means for the panel; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the prefabricated cladding panel mounted on the building structure shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a plan view of the prefabricated cladding panel mounted on the building structure shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    A preferred embodiment of the prefabricated cladding system of the present invention essentially comprises a prefabricated cladding panel  1 . The panel  1  is manufactured off-site by using adhesive, possibly in the form of adhesive tape  4 , to securely attach a piece of panel  2  to a mounting bracket  3 . 
         [0022]    As will be appreciated from the figures the mounting bracket  3 , which is preferably formed by the extrusion moulding of a suitable material (such as aluminium) is secured to the back of the panel  2 . It is envisaged that a wide range of suitable materials exist for the panel  2  and the actual material used would vary depending upon what finished appearance is required. 
         [0023]    Although the cladding panel  1  shown in  FIG. 1  only has a single mounting bracket  3  it is appreciated than multiple brackets might be secured to the back of the larger panel to better support the weight of the panel and any wind loading the panel may be exposed to. 
         [0024]    As will be appreciated from  FIG. 2 , the profile of the mounting bracket  3  is shaped to enable the bracket to be securely mounted on to a wall mounted carrier rail  5 . The rail  5  is preferably formed by the extrusion moulding of a suitable material that is typically the same as the mounting bracket  3 . 
         [0025]    The carrier rail  5  is attached to one or more vertical rails  6  by way of suitable fixing means  7  (such as screws or rivets). Preferably the vertical rails  6  are provided with locating means, which securely receive the fixing means  7  and enable the carrier rail to be mounted horizontally between neighbouring vertical rails  6 . 
         [0026]    Each of the vertical rails  6  is fixed to the building structure  10  using one or more support brackets  8 , which are typically made from aluminium. Each vertical rail  6  is secured to the one or more support brackets  8  by fixings  9 . 
         [0027]    Each of the support brackets  8  is securely fixed to the building structure  10  using suitable fixings  12 . Preferably the support brackets are formed from a suitable metal (such as aluminium). In addition an insulator material, such as a suitable plastic, is provided between the building structure  10  and each support bracket  8 . 
         [0028]    It has been discovered that by prefabricating the cladding panels  1  in the controlled environment of a factory it is possible to maintain high levels of accuracy with the placement of the mounting bracket  3  on the back of the panel  2 . This makes the use of adhesive to attach the bracket to the panel a more attractive option than is presently the case with the on-site fabrication of cladding panels using adhesive. 
         [0029]    By using adhesives rather that mechanical fixing mechanisms (e.g. nuts and bolts) it is possible to use thinner and more lightweight panels, which in turn provides cost savings. 
         [0030]    The improved consistency of the bracket placement provided by the factory prefabrication also makes the process of fitting the panels on site must quicker and easier. This is because, once the carrier rail  5  is correctly aligned—which is relatively straightforward to do as the workman will have full access to the rail  5  during its fitting—there is no further need to make major adjustments to ensure the correct alignment of the cladding panel  1  minor adjustments can be made by an alignment screw in the top row of brackets fitted to each panel. 
         [0031]    The process of applying cladding panels  1  to the outer surface of building surface involves the following process. Once the initial measurements have been taken the support brackets (with insulator inserts) are secured to the building in a spaced (e.g. grid) arrangement across the surface area that is to be clad. 
         [0032]    Next suitable lengths of vertical rails  6  are secured to the building surface by way of the support brackets  8 . Preferably the fixing are quick action fixings to enable a rapid construction process. The vertical rails  6  are mounted in parallel to one another across the surface area that is to be clad. 
         [0033]    Suitable lengths of carrier rail  5  are then secured perpendicular to the vertical rails  6  with a spacing that is appropriate to the size of the panelling used, or indeed the spacing of the corresponding mounting brackets  3  on the cladding panel  1  all fixings calculated to ensure they comply with the loadings that will be placed on the panel in use. Again quick action fixings  7  are preferable here to facilitate the rapid construction of the panel supporting frame work. 
         [0034]    Once the supporting frame work is in place on the building structure  10  the prefabricated cladding panels  1  can be located on the carrier rails  5 . The panels are secured by locating the mounting brackets  3  into the carrier rail  5 , the top row of mounting brackets  3  will have an adjustment screw for final adjustment and one of these top row will also have the provision to form a “fixed point” position.