Patent ID: 7694478

Claim:
A panel attachment system comprising: a plurality of covering panels each presenting a flange and a lip, wherein— the flange extends generally perpendicularly from the panel and includes a planar surface with at least one locking member protruding perpendicularly therefrom and away from the edge of the flange and occupying only a portion of the length of the planar surface, and the lip is operable for mating engagement with a corresponding lip of an adjacent panel by at least partially overlapping the corresponding lip such that at least a portion of the lip rests on top of at least a portion of the corresponding lip; a plurality of retaining members each having a slot operable to be positioned substantially along the length of one or more of the flanges for receiving the one or more of the flanges and interlocking with the locking member of each of the one or more of the flanges in order to secure the flanges to the retaining member such that the panels are positioned above the retaining member, wherein each retaining member includes a drainage channel positioned proximate the slot and each drainage channel is in register with a drainage channel of at least one adjacent retaining member such that the drainage channels of the plurality of retaining members form a continuous, composite drainage channel spanning all of the retaining members and at least two of the covering panels; and at least one mounting structure for securing the retaining member to a surface, such that the retaining member and the mounting structure are positioned between the panel and the surface.