Patent ID: 7866107

Claim:
A cladding element for constructing building facades, comprising a substantially platelike element having a front side from which a plurality of angular protrusions of substantially angular cross section extend, wherein the platelike element has on substantially diametrically opposite ends connection devices configured and arranged for connection to respective adjacent cladding elements, one of said connection devices is in the form of a strutlike protrusion of strutlike cross section, and the other of said connection devices is in the form of a receiving part of U-shaped cross section having a first leg and a second leg defining an opening therebetween; wherein the strutlike protrusion has a thickened or offset portion on a free end portion thereof, and the U-shaped receiving part of the other connection device has a thickened portion on a free end portion of a first leg thereof; wherein the opening of the U-shaped receiving part has a width slightly less than a thickness of the thickened or offset portion of the strutlike protrusion, and at least one of the first and second legs is resiliently elastically deformable such that the deformable leg is movable to a deformed position to allow insertion of the thickened or offset portion of the strutlike protrusion, the deformable leg returning to its undeformed position upon full insertion of the strutlike protrusion; wherein in a connected state of two adjacent cladding elements, the thickened or offset portion of the strutlike protrusion of one connecting element engages in detent-locking fashion with the thickened portion of the first leg of the U-shaped receiving part; and wherein the platelike element has a plurality of offset rear protrusions which protrude from the rear side of the platelike element.