Patent Publication Number: US-2020291659-A1

Title: Profile element and facade system with profile element

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to European Patent App. No. EP19162007.9 (Publication No. EP3536873A1) for PROFILE ELEMENT, FACADE SYSTEM WITH PROFILE ELEMENT filed on Mar. 11, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated by this reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a profile element for attaching a facade panel to a building wall or facade beam, a facade system, and a construction kit with the profile element for producing a facade by mounting facade panels on a building wall or a facade beam. In particular, the invention relates to facade systems for curtain-type, rear-ventilated facades. The invention may be used in the case of small or medium format facade panels, which are made in particular from glass fiber concrete or fiber cement. 
     Prior Art 
     Prior art profile elements and facade systems are generally known. However, these are complex and therefore expensive to manufacture and use. 
     US Patent Application No. 2014/0325927A1 discloses a wall panel consisting of a thin stone slab of 3-10 mm thickness, a reinforcement plate attached to this stone slab and a frame comprising this reinforcement plate. The reinforcement plate is the same size as the stone slab and is glued to it. The frame consists of individual beams, which individually form one side of the frame, and is attached to the reinforcement plate. In the upper and lower beams of the frame recesses for receiving hooks are provided. Using these hooks, the wall plate is fastened to the facade. The wall panels must be fastened from the bottom up. It is not possible to remove or install a wall plate placed in the middle of the facade. 
     The present invention solves the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a profile element for an alternative facade system that is inexpensive to manufacture, flexible and easy to use and yet easy to mount or to dismount. In particular, individual facade panels can be replaced on a finished facade without having to dismantle adjacent panels. A facade system according to the present invention that can be efficiently and economically produced and has only a few individual parts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the invention relates to a profile element for arrangement on the back of a facade panel and a method for fastening the facade panel to a building wall or a facade beam via the profile element. According to the invention, the profile element is integrally formed and has a receiving section, a fastening section and a mounting section, wherein the receiving section forms a receiving space at its free end and the fastening section is positioned with respect to the facade panel so that the mounting section extends beyond the facade panel. 
     In this way, a facade system is created, wherein there is no need for the profile element to cooperate with other elements of the facade system in order to fulfill its carrying function. Only the integrally formed profile element must be connected to the facade panel, and the facade element thereby created is fixed to the building in the area of the mounting section extending beyond the facade panel. Due to their shape, the profile elements have the advantage that each facade element can be installed or removed independently of the neighboring facade elements. 
     Advantageous embodiments of the profile element are also described herein. The advantageous variants of embodiments described below, either alone or in combination with each other, result in further improvements of the profile element. 
     According to a first advantageous embodiment of the profile element according to the invention, the receiving space is essentially U-shaped and has a first leg of the U-shaped receiving space, which lies in the same plane as the fastening section resting on the back of the facade panel. This makes it possible to place the profile element on the facade panel and fasten it. The profile elements are mechanically fastened to the facade panel, for example screwed, but can in principle also be glued or otherwise attached by devices, materials or methods known in the art. For this purpose, for example, the TU-S blind fastening system from SFS or undercut anchor systems from Fischer or Keil can be used. It is also conceivable that rivets may be used to fasten the profile elements on the facade panel. 
     According to a further advantageous embodiment, the profile element according to the invention has a second leg in the area of the receiving space, which lies in the same plane as the mounting section. This makes it possible to place the profile element on a wall of a building or on a facade beam and then to fasten it without the facade element being able to tilt. In one embodiment, the facade panel with the profile elements is mounted on a wall of a building or on a facade beam by screws, the screws being placed in the area of the mounting section. In particular, when the facade panels in the installed state are mounted so that a gap is formed between the facade panels, and if this gap is sufficiently large dimensioned, it is possible for a tool to reach the screws in the area of the mounting section to screw on the facade panel together with profile elements or to detach it from the wall or facade beam. The gap between the installed facade panels should therefore be between 5 mm and 20 mm, between 6 mm and 10 mm, or about 8 mm. With this gap dimension, on the one hand, the facade appears elegantly styled and offers sufficient visual protection for the elements attached behind the facade and, on the other hand, is large enough to easily reach the screws with a tool. 
     With regard to the U-shaped receiving space, which is formed from a first and a second leg that extend from a base, it should be noted that this U-shaped receiving space can also be formed so that the second leg together with the base and the facade panel forms the receiving space. The first leg can therefore be omitted. 
     In a further embodiment, a stepped recess is formed on a free end of the mounting section and in a further embodiment, in the installed state, superposed facade panels are positioned such that the stepped recess of the one profile element protrudes into the receiving space of the other profile element. 
     Furthermore, a stop which is aligned essentially transversely to the leg can be formed on the free end of the second leg of the U-shaped receiving space. This stop can fix the stepped recess protruding into the receiving space with respect to its horizontal movement play. In order to be able to insert the recess into the receiving space or to take it out again, the height of the second leg is equal to or greater than the height of the recess. 
     The profile element may be attached exclusively to the back of the facade panel. Parts of the profile element can come to rest on the top or bottom of the profile element. There is no part of the profile element on the front of the facade panel. In a further embodiment, the profile element is arranged only on the back and top of the facade panel. 
     One to five profile elements can be fastened to a facade element. Furthermore, the profile elements may be made of aluminum and produced in an extrusion process and then anodized. Typical dimensions of a profile element for a facade panel with the dimensions of 15 cm×180 cm are 16 cm×6 cm, 3 profile elements being used with a length of the facade panel of 180 cm. The height of the facade panel can vary between 6.5 cm and 15 cm. 
     A construction kit with the profile element according to the invention described above additionally has a start and an end profile as the second and third profile elements. Using the start and end profiles, the facade panels can be mounted on the facade edge, usually at the bottom and at the top. Both the start and the end profile have certain features of the profile element, that is to say they are basically half a profile element formed either from the top or bottom section of the profile element according to the invention. The start profile is fastened to the building wall or facade beam and defines the bottom edge of the facade wall. Compared to the profile element, it has only one mounting section and the recess adjacent to the mounting section. In this way, the start profile is used to receive the profile element of the bottommost facade panel. 
     The end profiles, however, are only mounted on the back of the topmost facade panel of a facade wall or on a facade panel adjacent to a window sill, for example. The structure of the end profiles basically only differs in the mounting section. The end profile has mounting section that is, in the installed state, flush vertically oriented along the building wall. The profile is fastened with a screw above the upper edge of the facade panel. If the facade panel has to be narrower for reasons of space, for example, because it has to be installed under a window sill, the facade panel is cut accordingly and then the end profile is mounted on the back. The end profile is then also shortened to such an extent that the fastening continues to be above the top edge of the facade. A subject of the invention also relates to a facade system with the profile element described above for producing a building facade, comprising facade panels and profile elements connected or connectable to the facade panels. 
     The facade system according to the invention is particularly suitable for small or medium-sized facade panels in the typical size of a width of about 6 cm to 40 cm and a length of up to about 180 cm, wherein the facade panels can be made of glass fiber concrete, fiber cement or laminate panels plates also referred to as HPL-panels (High Pressure Laminate—HPL). The facade system may be used for horizontal orientations of the facade elements. However, vertical or diagonal orientations are also possible. 
     The height of the profile element, that is to say the distance from the mounting section to the receiving section, is greater than the height of the facade panel to which the profile element is attached. This facilitates both the mounting and dismantling of a facade panel, regardless of its position in the facade wall. 
     The optional features mentioned can be implemented in any combination, provided that they are not mutually exclusive. Further advantages and features of the invention result from the following detailed description of the invention with reference to schematic representations in the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In a representation that is not to scale: 
         FIG. 1  shows a sectional view through a facade system according to the invention with three facade elements in the installed state. 
         FIG. 2  shows a sectional view through a facade system according to the invention with three facade elements, the central facade element being shown in an uninstalled or dismounted state. 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of a further possible embodiment of a profile element. 
         FIG. 4  shows a vertical section of the profile element shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a side view of a start profile for receiving the profile element of the bottommost facade panels. 
         FIG. 6  shows a side view of an end profile as a partial profile of the profile element. 
         FIG. 7  shows a vertical section of the end profile shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  shows a sectional view through a façade system according to the invention with three facade elements and the correct arrangement of the three different profiles. 
         FIG. 9  shows a top view of a possible embodiment of a corner connection panel. 
         FIG. 10  shows a representation of a sheathing of a corner with a facade system according to the invention and the use of a corner connection panel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a sectional view through a facade system  11  according to the invention with three facade elements mounted one above the other in the installed state, a building wall or a facade support not being shown. The facade elements are all identical in construction and are formed from a facade panel  12  and a profile element  13 . Profile element  13  is designed as an aluminum extrusion part and has a receiving section  15 , a fastening section  17  and a mounting section  19 . At the free end of the receiving section  15 , a receiving space  21  is formed, which is U-shaped. The U-shaped receiving space is formed by two legs  23 ,  25 . A stepped recess  27  is formed on the free end of the mounting section. The height of profile element  13  is determined by the distance between receiving section  15  and mounting section  19 . 
     Profile element  13  and facade panel  12  are screwed together (screws not shown). The screwing takes place in the area of fastening section  17 . In this fastening section, profile element  13  is designed in such a way that fastening section  17  forms a support surface which can be placed flat on facade element  12  and subsequently screwed on. In the interaction between the support surface with a first leg  23  of receiving space  21 , the profile element is further stabilized on the facade panel because the first leg also rests on facade panel  12 . In the area of the free end of the profile part at which mounting section  19  begins, a cross strut  35  is formed, which forms a stop edge  37 . This stop edge  37  serves as a positioning aid, since this stop edge  37  abuts top longitudinal side  45  of facade panel  12  in the installed state. A little further towards fastening section  17 , a rib  33  is provided, which forms a further additional support on facade panel  12  for profile element  13 . 
     Mounting section  19  extends beyond longitudinal side  45  of facade panel  12 . In the area of mounting section  19 , which rests directly on a building wall or a facade beam (both not shown), profile element  13  with facade panel  12  carried by profile element  13  is fastened to the wall or the facade beam by means of a screw not shown. Support surface  22  formed in the area of mounting section  19 , which rests on the wall or the facade beam, is in the same plane as second leg  25  of receiving space  21 . Thus, it is possible to push profile element  13  together with the facade panel against the housing wall or against the facade beam during mounting, because profile element  12  rests cleanly. 
     The facade elements are mostly mounted from the bottom up on a building wall or a facade beam, which means that the bottommost row of the facade elements is the first to be screwed to the building. Then the second row follows. Here, the facade elements of the second row are placed or attached so that a recess  27  of a profile element  13  of the bottommost row of facades engages in receiving space  21  of a profile element  13  of the row of facades above. The facade elements are mounted in such a way that a gap is formed on all sides between adjacent facade panels  12 , which is about 8 mm wide. This ensures that facade panels  12  have enough space for expansion caused by heat. In addition, it is possible to reach the screws through gap  31  between facade panels  12  with a tool. 
     U-shaped receiving space  21  has a stop  29  at its free end. This stop  29  serves to limit or fix recess  27  protruding into receiving space  21  and thus profile element  13  as a whole with regard to the horizontal movement play. 
       FIG. 2  shows a sectional view through a facade system according to the invention with three facade elements, the central facade element being shown at a moment of installation or dismantling. The height h S  of second leg  25  is equal to or greater than the height h R  of recess  27 . In this way, it is ensured that it is possible that, retrospectively, a facade element can be dismantled from a facade system in the installed state or can be reinstalled, because this creates a sufficiently large space for movement. In  FIG. 2 , the central facade element is shifted in the direction of the facade element located above. As a result, recess  27  of the facade element located underneath no longer protrudes into receiving space  21  of the central facade element and the facade element can therefore be given away in relation to the housing wall. With this procedure, retrospectively installing or retrospectively dismantling individual facade elements is possible at any time in a simple manner. 
     As can be seen in both figures, profile elements  13  according to the invention have grooves  39 ,  41  on the side facing the building wall for receiving a corner connector  43 . Such a corner connector  43  is designed for example as an L-shaped metal angle and is only used in the area of corners and reveals of a building. Corner connector  43  is inserted into grooves  39  and  41  of those adjacent profile elements  13 , the facade panels of which on the face end at a building corner and which are mounted on different sides of the building. This corner connector  43  secures and fixes the facade in the corner areas of buildings. 
     A further embodiment of a profile element is shown in  FIG. 3 . In contrast to the previous embodiment, this embodiment has slight structural differences. Recess  27  at the free end of mounting section  19  is configured in a rounded shape, but still has a stepped structure. Furthermore, two support surfaces are arranged one below the other in fastening section  17 . This enables profile element  13  to be screwed onto facade panel  12  by two superposed screws  60 . Below and above the fastening section there are two ring-shaped screw receptacles  46  on profile element  13 . These are not completely closed in their ring shape but have an opening, which gives them a crescent shape. 
       FIG. 4  shows a vertical section of profile element  13 . It shows fastening section  17  of two superposed rows of holes  51 , which serve to receive screws for fastening profile element  13  at façade panel  12 . A horizontal row of holes is arranged in the mounting section, an elongated hole  53  and a circular hole  55  alternating in each case. Elongated holes  53  are aligned in the horizontal direction and have the same dimension in the vertical direction as circular holes  55 . These holes in mounting section  19  serve to fasten profile element  13  to a building wall  57  or a facade beam. Elongated holes  53  allow play in the horizontal direction to accommodate a possible expansion of profile element  13 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a start profile  113 , which defines the bottom edge of the facade. Start profile  113  has, as profile element  13 , a mounting section  119  with a recess  127  in which is formed in a stepped manner. Recess  127  is used to hold receiving section  15  of a profile element  13  which is mounted on the back of a facade panel (see  FIG. 8 ). The mounting section has in this case also a support surface  122 , which in the mounted state abuts the building wall. Using a screw  59 , supporting surface  122  and with it start profile  113  can be fastened to building  57 . In contrast to profile element  13 , start profile  113  has recess  127  not at the upper but at the lower free end. However, recess  127  is still directed upwards in order to ensure its functionality. Start profile  113  has a length corresponding to that of facade panel  12 . 
     End profile  213  is shown in sectional view in  FIG. 6 . End profile  213  has some identical features as a partial profile of profile element  13 . Receiving section  215  is constructed the same, on the one hand. Fastening section  217  also has a vertical support surface  218  in end profile  213 . Mounting section  219  is formed by a further vertically oriented support surface. Above fastening section  217  there is attached a leg  256  which comes to be flush with the surface of facade panel  12 . The fact that this surface rests on the facade surface prevents the end profile  213  from pivoting. Another horizontal connecting piece  258  connects to mounting section  219 . Said mounting section  219  begins below the center of end profile  213  and extends vertically upwards, so that, in use, the support surface representing mounting section  219  is flush with building wall  57  or the facade beam. 
     The vertical section of end profile  213  in  FIG. 7  shows the different through bores  251  arranged at end profile  213 . In fastening section  217  there are three through bores  251  arranged horizontally next to one another. Through these holes  251  screws  260  are passed, which fasten end profile  213  to facade panel  12 . Several rows of through holes are arranged in mounting section  219 , with an elongated hole  253  and a circular hole  255  alternating in the horizontal direction. In the vertical direction, the holes are always arranged one below the other and always have the same hole shape in a row. If below a ceiling or an upper limiter, facade panel  12  must be reduced in height, end profile  213  can be adapted to the new height of facade panel  12  by shortening of mounting section  219 . 
       FIG. 8  shows an example of the use of a construction kit according to the invention with three facade panels. Here the two lower facade panels  12  are fastened to the building wall  57  by means of a profile element  13  and top facade panel  12  is fastened to the building wall  57  by means of an end profile  213 . The fastening is made by screws  59 ,  259 . Adjacent facade panels are separated from one another in the fully mounted construction by a gap  31 . The gap  31  has a width such at that a screw  59  can be passed through this gap. This allows to fasten profile element  13  with a screw  59  and by using a tool to the building wall from the outside. The facade panels are usually mounted from bottom up. Start profile  113  is mounted at the bottom. It must be attached to that place at building wall  57  from which the facade is to be hoisted. Fastening of start profile  113  to wall  57  is preferably also done by screw connections. 
       FIG. 9  shows an alternative embodiment of a corner connector compared to the corner connector described above. This corner connector comprises a panel  61 , the edges of which can be held by grooves  39 ,  41  of profile element  13 . Panel  61  has a one-sided expansion  62  of the cross section on one side. On this side, two holes  63  are arranged at the same distance from the panel edge. The distance between holes  63  is the same as that between the annular screw receptacles  46  of profile element  13  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 10  shows the use of the corner connector panel shown in  FIG. 9  for sheathing a corner with facade plates  12 , which are fastened to building wall  57  by profile elements  13  according to the invention. As described above, profile elements  13  are fastened to the wall by means of a screw connection via their mounting section  19 . Corner connection panel  61  is to be attached to a profile element  13  of these facade panels  12  before mounting both facade panels  12 . Facade panels  12 , which are arranged perpendicular to one another, are at a distance from one another which is intended to enable a screw to be passed through and the screw to be fastened from the outside using a tool. The screw, which is advantageously a self-drilling screw, is inserted into the hole in the corner connector panel  61  and then into the annular screw receptacles  46  of profile element  13  of facade panel  12 , which has no corner connector panel  61 . 
     While the invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, it is apparent that changes, modifications, variations and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.