Crowning panel assembly

Abstract

A panel assembly (40) that addresses oil canning when installed over a substrate or deck (72) is disclosed. The panel assembly (40) includes a panel (42). The panel (42) includes a first primary panel surface (44) that faces the substrate (72) in the installed configuration, as well as a second primary panel surface (46) that faces away from the substrate (72) in the installed configuration. Another component of the panel assembly (40) is a first structure (60) that is disposed between the panel (42) and the substrate (72). Typically, either a first surface (62) of the first structure (60) is chemically bonded directly to the first primary panel surface (44) such that an interface between the first surface (62) and the first primary panel surface (44) includes a chemical bond, or a second surface (64) is chemically bonded directly to the substrate (72) such that an interface between the second surface (64) and the substrate (72) includes a chemical bond. In any case, the first structure (60) produces a convexity on the second primary panel surface (46) to address oil-canning effects or stress wrinkling of the panel (42).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 805,275, that was filed on Jun. 20, 2006, that is entitled “CROWNING PANEL ASSEMBLY,” and the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention generally relates to building surfaces that are susceptible to oil canning or stress wrinkling and, more particularly, to reducing its visual impact on building surfaces.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Metal panels are being increasingly used to define building surfaces such as roofs and sidewalls. One type of metal panel is a standing seam panel, where the edges of adjacent standing seam panels of the building surface are interconnected in a manner that defines a standing seam. Standing seam panels are expensive compared to other metal panels, and building surfaces defined by metal panels may be mo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0026]Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the fifth aspect of the present invention. Further features may also be incorporated in the fifth aspect of the present invention as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. Generally, the fifth aspect may be characterized as addressing oil canning or stress wrinkling. T

Problems solved by technology

Standing seam panels are expensive compared to other metal panels, and building surfaces defined by metal panels may be more costly than other types of building surface constructions.

In any case, standing seam panels, as well as possibly other panels, may include a relatively large, planar or flat base section that may tend to exhibit waviness or other surface irregularities after the panel is installed.

This is commonly referred to in the art as “oil canning.” Although oil canning does not necessarily adversely affect the performance of the building surface defined by a plurality of metal panels, many owners and building designers find the aesthetics visually distracting and unacceptable, particularly in view of the premium cost associated with metal panel building surfaces.

This process is expensive

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