Wall cladding and method for covering interior walls

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a wall cladding board for interior walls, wherein cladding boards are designed to allow them to be easily fitted and easily replaced with boards of a different appearance, whenever it is desired to renew the design / appearance of the interior of the room in which these cladding boards are installed.

Description

D E S C R I P T I O NWALL CLADDING BOARD AND METHOD FOR COVERING INTERIOR WALLSTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of wall cladding boards and, in particular, to a structure based on a cladding board, the main feature of which is the ease with which the cladding boards can be fitted to a support, without the use of adhesives, screws, nails or any other external devices.BACKGROUND

[0002] The need to clad a wall internally naturally arises for aesthetic and comfort reasons. Depending on the requirements to be met in a particular room of a building, the cladding of its walls can also take on great importance by fulfilling acoustic insulation functions or, as it is often the case, with the cladding on the internal side of external walls, as well as by playing an important role in the thermal insulation of the room that is circumscribed by these walls. In order to materialise the cladding of interior walls or the cladding on the inside of exterior walls, there are a number of solutions, the choice of which depends essentially on the aesthetics to be adopted, the price, the suitability of the solution for the supporting wall and the technical requirements to be met. These can be as diverse as, for example, the acoustic, thermal or even hygiene requirements the wall has to fulfil.

[0003] Among the wide range of solutions and materials for internal wall cladding, there are several supports that make use of cladding boards. These include, for example, plasterboard structures or cladding boards with wood or wood-based panels. The former consist of an assembly made up of a support structure, usually made of metal rails, which can be self-supporting or simply lean against a wall. Plasterboard boards are screwed to this support structure and then covered with a putty to hide joints, screw heads and possible imperfections and give the wall a homogeneous and uniform appearance. Subsequent painting finalises the coating. In turn, in what concerns to cladding with wood or wood-based panels, the cladding board can also include a support structure made of metal profiles or wooden slats. In this case, the wood or wood-based panels are screwed or nailed to the support. Alternatively, the boards can simply be adhered to the back wall using glue or Velcro strips (loop side applied to the wall and hook side to the board). However, in this case it must be ensured that the face of the wallis properly levelled and any cracks that the wall may have must be sealed to prevent water infiltration, as this would have a detrimental effect on the cladding boards.

[0004] Although the cladding boards mentioned above are widely accepted on the market and, in some cases, have been commercialised and applied for many years, there are significant disadvantages related to their application. For example, when it comes to cladding boards with wood panelling and its derivatives for interior walls or the inside of exterior walls, there are disadvantages whenever the panelling is directly fixed to the supporting wall, using glue or Velcro, as condensation / humidity problems can occur when water comes into contact with the surface of the wall. The fact that there is no space left between the wall and the boards can also be a disadvantage, as this can be useful for accommodating cables and pipework or for filling with insulation. If, on the other hand, the boards are attached to a support, made of metal or wood, it is quite common for them to be nailed or screwed to the support structure in order to ensure their fixation. This requires carpenters or installers with some degree of specialisation to carry out this work, as well as the need for specific tools to carry out the nailing or screwing of the boards. Due to the need for nails and screws, the time taken to complete this type of cladding is also penalised. There is therefore a need for a simple, quick-fit wall cladding system with variants that can be used to clad the internal face of the walls.

[0005] These facts are disclosed in order to illustrate the technical problem addressed by the present disclosure.GENERAL DESCRIPTION

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a wall cladding board and a method for covering interior walls with such wall cladding board.

[0007] In the present disclosure, a cladding board is easily and quickly fitted, enabling the cladding to be easily changed and as often as desired, while also eliminating the need for specialised carpenters or installers. The cladding board is therefore based on a support structure that can be glued, nailed or screwed to the supporting wall. The support structure comprises at least one channel in its squares ready to receive constant grooves on the back face of the cladding boards. This structure must be made of sufficiently elastic and malleable material to recover the deformations induced by the grooves in the boards when they are fitted, and the boards must be made of rigid, durable material.

[0008] The present application describes a wall cladding board comprising a front face, preferably having a larger section and intended to be visible for decorative and / or signallingpurposes, and a back face having a smaller section, intended to be hidden by being absorbed into a support structure.

[0009] The back face, absorbed by the support structure, comprises:• A rear face parallel to the front face;• Four faces perpendicular to each other and comprised between the edges that limit the rear face of the hidden portion of the board and the edges due to the intersection of the rear face of the visible portion of the board with the invisible portion of the same board;• A ridge, that in an embodiment can have a circular cross-section that develops along the entire upper horizontal edge of the back face of the hidden portion of the board.

[0010] A wall cladding board designates a rigid or semi-rigid construction element intended to be mounted on a building wall so as to form at least part of a visible interior wall surface, the wall cladding board having a front face and a back face opposite the front face. The front face is the surface intended to face an interior space after installation. The back face is the surface opposite the front face and intended to face a building wall or a support structure in an installed state.

[0011] The installed state refers to the condition in which the wall cladding board is mounted on a substantially vertical building wall by engagement with a support structure, under the action of gravity, without external fasteners directly fixing the wall cladding board to the building wall. In the installed state, the upper edge of the wall cladding board is the edge oriented upward relative to gravity, the lower edge is the edge oriented downward relative to gravity, and side edges are edges oriented laterally.

[0012] A hidden portion of the wall cladding board is a portion of the back face or a side face which, in the installed state, is concealed from view by overlap with another wall cladding board or by engagement with the support structure.

[0013] A ridge is a continuous protruding feature extending from the back face or from a side face of the wall cladding board, the ridge having a defined cross-section and extending substantially parallel to the upper edge of the wall cladding board. A channel is a recessed or open profile formed in or on the support structure and configured to receive the ridge of the wall cladding board by relative insertion movement. The expression complementary in shape means that the ridge and the channel have mating geometries permitting insertion of the ridge into the channel with elastic deformation of at least one component and resulting in mechanical engagement in the installed state.

[0014] An elastically deformable interface piece is a distinct element made of an elastomeric or resilient polymer material and arranged between the ridge and the channel so as to undergo elastic deformation during insertion of the ridge into the channel and elastic recovery after insertion. Elastic deformation designates a reversible deformation which substantially disappears after removal of the applied load. Elastic recovery designates the return of the elastically deformable interface piece toward its undeformed shape after insertion of the ridge into the channel.

[0015] Manual insertion means insertion of the wall cladding board into the support structure performed by a single person using hand force only, without the use of powered tools. Manual removal means disengagement of the wall cladding board from the support structure performed by a single person using hand force only, without destructive action or powered tools. Retention designates resistance to disengagement of the wall cladding board from the support structure in the installed state, resulting from a combination of geometric engagement between the ridge and the channel, frictional forces generated by elastic recovery of the elastically deformable interface piece, and the weight of the wall cladding board.

[0016] A support structure is a structural arrangement fixed to a building wall and comprising at least one channel configured to receive the ridge of the wall cladding board. Adjustable members are components of the support structure whose position relative to the building wall is adjustable in order to accommodate dimensional tolerances or size variations of wall cladding boards. A batten is an elongated structural element of the support structure extending substantially horizontally or vertically and configured to support one or more wall cladding boards.

[0017] A lightweight material refers to a material having a density lower than 2.0 g / cm3.

[0018] A semi-circular cross-section or concavity refers to a cross-section corresponding to at least half of a circular shape, within normal manufacturing tolerances.

[0019] A fitting channel is a recessed profile formed in a lower face of the wall cladding board and configured to cooperate with a complementary feature of the support structure or with an adjacent wall cladding board in the installed state.

[0020] The ridge width Br is defined as the maximum transverse width of the ridge cross-section and is measured using a calibrated digital caliper with a resolution of 0.01 mm. The ridge height Hr is defined as the maximum projection of the ridge from the adjacent surface of the wall cladding board and is measured using the same instrument.

[0021] The channel effective width Be is defined as the minimum internal width of the channel available for receiving the ridge, and the channel depth He is defined as the distance from the channel opening to the deepest internal surface of the channel. These dimensions are measured using a calibrated digital caliper or depth gauge.

[0022] The elastic modulus of the elastically deformable interface piece is measured according to ISO 37:2017 - Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic - Determination of tensile stress - strain properties or ISO 7743:2017 - Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic - Determination of compression stress-strain properties, depending on whether the interface piece primarily undergoes tensile or compressive deformation in use, at a temperature of 22 °C. The reported elastic modulus corresponds to the secant modulus measured at 10% strain.

[0023] The admissible elastic deformation of the elastically deformable interface piece is defined as the maximum reversible strain that does not result in a permanent deformation exceeding 5% after unloading. It is measured by deforming the interface piece to the target strain, holding the deformation for 60 seconds, unloading the interface piece, and measuring residual deformation after a recovery time of 5 minutes.

[0024] The manual insertion force is defined as the maximum force required to insert the ridge fully into the channel until the wall cladding board reaches its installed position. The insertion force is measured by fixing the support structure to a rigid test frame, positioning the wall cladding board vertically, and applying a relative insertion movement at a constant speed of 50 mm / min using a tensile or compression testing machine, the peak force recorded during insertion being taken as the insertion force.

[0025] The retention force is defined as the force required to disengage the wall cladding board from the support structure in a direction opposite to insertion. The retention force is measured by applying an upward tensile force to the fully installed wall cladding board at a constant speed of 50 mm / min using a tensile testing machine, the maximum force recorded immediately before disengagement being taken as the retention force. The weight of the wall cladding board acts as a constant gravitational load during the retention force measurement.

[0026] In an embodiment, the support structure of the wall cladding board comprises vertical and horizontal battens made of deformable material and capable of elastic recovery from induced deformations, which form interlocking frames ready to receive the cladding boards and in which the horizontal battens of approximately rectangular cross-section have, on their underside, a small channel of negative shape to that of the at least one ridge present in the cladding board.

[0027] In an embodiment, the wall cladding board comprises a battened structure, made of rigid, low-deformability material, whose battens project in the same positions as the battens of the support structure, and which make it possible to create an air cavity between the wall to be clad and the rear faces of the cladding elements.

[0028] In an embodiment, the wall cladding board comprises a cladding element and a support element, dispensing the need to use nails, screws, adhesives or Velcro to attach the cladding boards.

[0029] The present disclosure advantageously overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and shortcomings and consists of a wall cladding board that are easily and quickly fitted , without the use of nails, screws or other fixing solutions, such as glue or Velcro. This boards have several possible embodiments, which differ above all in the mechanism for fitting the boards.

[0030] The presented disclosure is a wall cladding board in which the innovation lies in the way the cladding boards fit into the support structure. Unlike the majority of wall cladding boards in which the cladding boards are screwed or nailed to a support against the wall to be clad, requiring specialised and expensive labour for this purpose, the present technology directs this labour only to the execution of the support structure, since the fitting of the cladding boards is extremely easy, fast and eliminates the need for screws, nails or adhesives to fix them. As a result of this ease of fitting, it is guaranteed that any person not qualified in carpentry work can fit the cladding boards, without even having to use tools typically associated with fixing boards. Due to its characteristics, the disclosure also makes it possible to easily replace a cladding board if it is damaged and, given the modularity of the technology, to change the final appearance of the clad wall whenever desired, simply by removing the previously fitted cladding boards and replacing them with new ones of the same size and shape and with a different appearance, which can be customised according to the client's wishes.

[0031] The wall cladding board as shown here is essentially intended for cladding interior walls or for cladding the inside part of exterior walls. In one embodiment, the board includes a support structure, preferably made of cork, which is fixed to the back wall using screws or nails. This support structure forms a kind of moulding of a certain depth, with a channel in each horizontal batten that plays a key role in fixing the support elements. The cladding boards, on the other hand, are boards made of a rigid material, preferably wood or wood waste derivatives, whose outer face has a good finish and anaesthetic appearance, while its back face has at least one ridge along its entire upper back horizontal edge. Due to the deformability of the support material and its ability to elastically recover induced deformations, when a cladding board isaligned with the "negative" present in the support and pressed against it, the support will wrap around the ridge present in the rigid material on the back face of the cladding board, fixing it.

[0032] An aspect of the disclosure comprises a wall cladding board for interior walls and interior parts of exterior walls, comprising: a cladding board comprising a front face and a back face parallel to the front face; a support structure; wherein the back face of the cladding board comprises at least one ridge configured to engage with the support structure; wherein the support structure comprises at least one channel to receive the at least one ridge of the back face of the cladding board allowing said cladding board to be attached and replaced by hand.

[0033] An aspect of the disclosure comprises a wall cladding board for interior walls and interior parts of exterior walls, comprising: at least one cladding board comprising a rigid body having a front face and a back face parallel to the front face, wherein the back face comprises at least one continuous ridge extending along an upper edge of a hidden portion of the cladding board; a support structure fixed to a building wall and comprising at least one channel complementary in shape to the ridge; at least one elastically deformable interface piece arranged on the ridge, within the channel, or between the ridge and the channel; wherein the ridge and the channel are configured such that the cladding board is mountable by a single operator using hand force only, without tools, adhesives or mechanical fasteners, manual insertion of the ridge into the channel producing a controlled elastic deformation of the deformable interface piece, and wherein after insertion the cladding board is retained, and wherein after insertion the at least one cladding board is retained on the support structure without external fasteners by a combination of geometric interference, friction generated by elastic recovery of the at least one elastically deformable interface piece, and the weight of the at least one cladding board; wherein the at least one cladding board is manually removable by lifting the at least one cladding board against the weight and frictional forces.

[0034] In an embodiment, the wall cladding system comprises the wall cladding board having a front face and a back face opposite the front face, a support structure fixed to a building wall, and an elastically deformable interface piece, wherein the back face of the wall cladding board comprises at least one continuous ridge extending substantially parallel to an upper edge of the wall cladding board in an installed state, wherein the support structure comprises at least one channel complementary in shape to the ridge, wherein the elastically deformable interface piece is arranged on the ridge, within the channel, or between the ridge and the channel, wherein insertion of the ridge into the channel produces elastic deformation of the elastically deformable interface piece and elastic recovery after insertion, and wherein, in the installed state, the wall cladding board is retained on the support structure without external fasteners by a combinationof geometric engagement between the ridge and the channel, friction generated by elastic recovery of the elastically deformable interface piece, and the weight of the wall cladding board, the wall cladding board being manually removable by lifting against gravity and frictional forces.

[0035] In an embodiment, the ridge has a width Br from 3 mm to 12 mm and a height Hr from 2 mm to 8 mm, and wherein the channel has an effective width Be greater than Br by 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm and a depth He greater than Hr by 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, thereby defining a geometric drop preventing unintentional release.

[0036] In an embodiment, the elastically deformable interface piece has an elastic modulus from 2 MPa to 50 MPa, preferably 15 MPa to 35 MPa.

[0037] In an embodiment, the admissible elastic deformation of the elastically deformable interface piece is from 5% to 25%, preferably 10% to 20%.

[0038] In an embodiment, a force required for insertion of the wall cladding board into the support structure is from 30 N to 120 N, and wherein a retention force opposing removal is at least 150 N.

[0039] In an embodiment, the battens have an elastic modulus of at least 500 MPa such that deformation during insertion occurs predominantly in the elastically deformable interface piece.

[0040] In an embodiment, the wall cladding board is made of a lightweight material having a density lower than 2.0 g / cm3

[0041] In an embodiment, the support structure of the wall cladding board comprises vertical and horizontal battens.

[0042] In an embodiment, the ridge-channel geometry of the wall cladding board is configured to guide insertion by a combined rotational and translational manual movement, such that correct positioning and retention of the cladding board are achieved automatically upon reaching an end-of-travel position, without visual alignment tools or fasteners.

[0043] In an embodiment, the retention force opposing removal of the wall cladding board is greater than the maximum manual insertion force by at least a factor of 1.5, preferably at least 2.0.

[0044] In an embodiment, the wall cladding board further comprises a battened structure, in particular a battened structure with the battens projecting in the same position as the vertical and horizontal battens of the support structure.

[0045] In an embodiment, the cladding boards of the wall cladding board are made of lightweight materials selected from the group consisting of wood, composite, polymer, and their combinations.

[0046] In an embodiment, the support structure of the wall cladding board comprises adjustable members to accommodate cladding boards of varying sizes.

[0047] In an embodiment, the geometry of the back face of the cladding board of the wall cladding board is the same as the geometry of the front face of the cladding board.

[0048] In an embodiment, the at least one ridge of the wall cladding board is positioned on a backward outer edge of the upper side face of the cladding board.

[0049] In an embodiment, the at least one ridge of the wall cladding board comprises a semicircular cross-section.

[0050] In an embodiment, the wall cladding board comprises a fitting channel on a lower face of the cladding board.

[0051] In an embodiment, the fitting channel of the wall cladding board comprises a semicircular concavity format.

[0052] In an embodiment, the front face of the wall cladding board includes a textured surface or printed design.

[0053] In an embodiment, the back face of the wall cladding board further comprises a resilient material layer to improve sound insulation.

[0054] In an embodiment, the at least one elastically deformable interface piece is made of a material selected from a list consisting of: cork, Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) polymer, Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), or a combination thereof

[0055] It is also described a method for covering interior walls with at least one wall cladding board comprising the following steps: rotating the cladding board with the at least one ridge pointing upwards, and with the back face pointing downwards; placing the cladding board next to the lower edge of the fitting channel of a vertical fitting batten; rotating the cladding board to a vertical position, and applying force, until the fitting ridge of the cladding board is connected to the fitting channel of a vertical fitting batten.

[0056] It is also described a method for covering interior walls with at least one wall cladding board described in any of the previous claims, comprising the following steps: positioning thecladding board with the at least one ridge pointing upward towards the channel of the support structure; manually inserting the ridge into the channel by a rotational movement followed by a seating movement until an end-of-travel position is reached, so as to elastically deform the elastically deformable interface piece; and allowing elastic recovery of the elastically deformable interface piece to generate a retention force exceeding the manual insertion force.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] The following figures provide preferred embodiments for illustrating the disclosure and should not be seen as limiting the scope of invention.

[0058] Figure 1: Illustration of two cladding boards seen in perspective from their front faces, with situation a) showing a board with a square face and situation b) a half-board with a rectangular face, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(1) Square faced cladding board;(2) Half cladding board;(3) Flat front face;(4) Filleted edge;(5) Side face;(6) Side face of the smallest square;(7) Circular section fitting ridge;(8) Visible front face of the half board;(9) Filleted edge of the half board;(10)Side face of the half board;(11)Side face of the smallest square of the half board;(12)Half board fitting ridge.

[0059] Figure 2: Illustration of a square-faced cladding board seen in section and perspective through: a) its front face; b) its back face, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(1) Square faced cladding board;(3) Flat front face;(4) Filleted edge;(5) Side face;(6) Side face of the smallest square;(7) Circular section fitting ridge;(13)Cutaway section;(14)Back face.

[0060] Figure 3: Illustration representing a) a square-faced cladding board seen in 2D rightlateral projection, and b) the same board in the process of being fitted to the support structure against the wall to be clad, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(1) Square faced cladding board;(4) Filleted edge;(5) Side face;(6) Side face of the smallest square;(7) Circular section fitting ridge;(15)Horizontal fitting batten;(16) Fitting channel;(17)Horizontal spacer batten;(18)Backrest wall.

[0061] Figure 4: Three-dimensional view of the cladding boards supporting and fitting structure, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(15)Horizontal fitting batten;(16) Fitting channel;(19)Vertical fitting batten.

[0009] Figure 5: Illustration of thecladding support for interior walls, seen in a two-dimensional cross-section in two possible configurations, such as a) with an air gap between the cladding boards and the backrest wall, and b) without an air gap between the cladding boards and the backrest wall, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(1) Square faced cladding board;(4) Filleted edge;(5) Side face;(6) Side face of the smallest square;(7) Circular section fitting ridge;

[0062] Half board fitting ridge;(15)Horizontal fitting batten;(17)Horizontal spacer batten;(18)Backrest wall;(20)Air cavity.

[0010] Figure 6a: Perspective view of the front face of the square structure that supports and attaches the cladding boards to a back wall already clad with cladding boards. The same figure shows a cross-section of the cladding system, which allows a better understanding of the arrangement of its elements, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(15)Horizontal fitting batten;(18)Backrest wall;(19)Vertical fitting batten;(21)Snap frame.

[0010] Figure 6b: Perspective view of the front face of the square structure that supports and attaches the cladding boards to a back wall already clad with cladding boards. The same figure shows a cross-section of the cladding system, which allows a better understanding of the arrangement of its elements, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(1) Square faced cladding board;(2) Half cladding board;(18)Backrest wall;(19)Vertical fitting batten;(22)Horizontal joint;(23)Vertical joint.

[0011] Figure 6c: Detailed cross-section of the cladding system illustrated in the previous figures (Figures 6a and 6b), wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(1) Square faced cladding board;(15)Horizontal fitting batten;(17)Horizontal spacer batten;(18)Backrest wall;(20)Air cavity;(22)Horizontal joint;(23)Vertical joint.

[0012] Figure 6d: Detailed view of the fitting of the cladding boards to the support that attaches said cladding boards to the backrest wall, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(1) Square faced cladding board;(4) Filleted Bevelled edge;(12)Half board fitting ridge;(15)Horizontal fitting batten;(17)Horizontal spacer batten;(18)Backrest wall;(20)Air cavity;(22)Horizontal joint;(23)Vertical joint.

[0013] Figure 7: Illustration of an example of the application of the board cladding support in the form of an interior wall cladding. The example shows two walls of a generic room, seen from the inside, and illustrates three different stages in the execution of the cladding support, wherein the numbered elements correspond to:(1) Square faced cladding board;(2) Half cladding board;(18)Backrest wall;(24)Floor slab;(25)Supporting structure (Set of horizontal and vertical battens);(26) Fitting frame;(27)Joint between boards.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] The present disclosure relates to wall cladding systems for interior walls and interior parts of exterior walls. In particular, the disclosure concerns wall cladding boards mountable without external fasteners by engagement with a support structure, and corresponding methods of installation.

[0064] A wall cladding system for interior walls comprises a wall cladding board, a support structure fixed to a building wall, and an elastically deformable interface piece. The wall cladding board includes a continuous ridge extending parallel to an upper edge of the board, while the support structure includes a complementary channel. During installation, manual insertion of the ridge into the channel elastically deforms the interface piece, and elastic recovery generates frictional and geometric engagement. The wall cladding board is retained without external fasteners by the combined effect of geometric engagement, friction, and the weight of the board, while remaining manually removable. A corresponding installation method is also provided.

[0065] Referring to the figures, some of the embodiments are now described in more detail, as well as other aspects and advantages of the wall cladding support. The models shown are merely examples and can be varied. The figures attached represent embodiments that, however, do not intend to limit the technology herein disclosed.

[0066] With reference to Figures 1 to 7, the present disclosure relates to a ridge-channel engagement arrangement for cladding boards intended for interior and exterior applications in buildings, wherein each cladding board is fixed to a support structure by direct mechanical engagement, without the use of adhesives, screws, nails or other external fastening elements.

[0067] The ridge-channel engagement arrangement comprises a cladding board provided with at least one ridge, a support structure fixed to the building structure and provided with at least one complementary channel, and at least one deformable element arranged on the ridge, within the channel, or between both. Engagement is achieved by manual insertion of the ridge into the channel, causing a controlled elastic deformation, after which the cladding board is retained by a combination of geometric interference, frictional forces and its own weight.

[0068] This configuration enables tool-free installation and removal while ensuring stable retention during use.

[0069] In an embodiment, the ridge comprises a width (Br) in the range of 3 to 12 mm, preferably from 5 to 8 mm, and a height (Hr) in the range of 2 to 8 mm, preferably from 3 to 6 mm. The ridge is provided with fillet radii (Rr) equal to or greater than 0.5 mm, preferably equal to or greater than 1.0 mm, in order to allow progressive insertion, reduce stress concentrations and cooperate with the channel to provide retention by gravitational drop. This geometry is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

[0070] In an embodiment, the channel comprises an effective width (Be) greater than the ridge width (Br) by 0.2 to 1.0 mm, and a depth (He) greater than the ridge height (Hr) by 0.5 to 2.0 mm. After insertion, the ridge settles into a position in which removal requires upward displacement against the panel's own weight and the frictional forces generated at the interface. This retention-by-drop effect is illustrated in Figures 3 to 5.

[0071] In an embodiment, the elastic interface may be formed from technical cork, Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) polymer, Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), flexible polymers or hybrid layers. The admissible elastic deformation (e) lies from 5% to 25%, preferably from 10% to 15%. The elastic modulus (Ee) of the deformable material ranges from 2 to 50 MPa. The function of this interface is to absorb manufacturing tolerances, generate a normal force N and maintain contact after repeated mounting and dismounting cycles, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0072] In an embodiment, the support structure has an elastic modulus (Es) of at least 500 MPa, for example when made of wood, metal or composite materials. The minimum thickness of battens or profiles ranges from 15 to 30 mm, preferably at least 20 mm. This ensures that deformation occurs predominantly in the elastic interface rather than in the support itself. These aspects are illustrated in Figures 1 and 7.

[0073] In an embodiment, the force required for manual engagement (Fi) ranges from 30 to 120 N, preferably not exceeding 80 N. This allows tool-free installation with tactile control and repeatability, as illustrated in Figures 6a to 6d.

[0074] In an embodiment, the minimum retention force (Fr) is at least 150 N per engagement point for interior applications and at least 300 N per engagement point for exterior applications. The relationship between a minimum retention force higher than the force required for manual engagement ensures a stable post-installation state, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 7.

[0075] In an embodiment, the coefficient of friction (p) between the cladding board and the support structure lies from 0.3 to 0.7, preferably equal to or greater than 0.45. This interaction is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

[0076] In an embodiment, dimensional tolerances for the ridge are from 0.2 to 0.5 mm, and for the channel are from 0.3 to 0.8 mm. The residual clearance after engagement is preferably no greater than 0.5 mm. Compensation is provided by the elastic interface while maintaining the functional effect, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

[0077] The numerical values disclosed represent preferred functional ranges intended to ensure the described technical effect and may be adjusted by a person skilled in the art without departing from the inventive concept.

[0078] One of the embodiments of the present disclosure is a wall cladding board suitable for cladding interior walls and exterior walls from the inside. This cladding board is based on a base unit which is a cladding board that can be seen in two of its variants in Figure 1. From figure la), a square faced cladding board (1) is represented in perspective. This cladding board has a well-finished flat front face (3) which is intended to be the visible face and which has four filleted edges (4). The rounding of the edges may have an aesthetic function, but it is mainly due to the need to smooth the edges in order to avoid injury to the skin tissue of the person holding said cladding board and to promote a good finish on the edges. The rounding can be any size compatible with the size of the side faces (5) of the visible portion of the board. This visible portion of the board will always be outside the support structure once the board is fitted, and is comprised by the flat front face (3), the side faces (5) and the plane circumscribed between the back edges of the side faces, a plane that is parallel to the flat front face (3), and that will touch the support once the board is fitted. In addition to the visible portion of the cladding board, said cladding board has a portion of the square smaller than the square on which the visible flat front face (3) is inscribed. This portion is developed over a sufficient distance to allow said cladding board to fit into the frame of the support structure that will receive the plate and which will naturally hide the mounted cladding board. As such, the side faces of this smallest square (6) portion will be enveloped by the support structure and, as a result, will not be visible when the cladding board is applied. The hidden portion of the board is limited by the back plane of the visible portion, the side faces (5) and the plane circumscribed by the back edges of the side faces, which is parallel to the plane of the visible flat front face (3) of the plate. An extremely important feature for the effectiveness of the fitting is the existence of a small circular section fitting ridge (7) that develops along the entire upper edge of the back face of the board and which, due to the friction created between said fitting ridge and the support, will make allow the materialisation of the connection between the cladding board and that same support.

[0079] In the embodiment shown in Figure lb), a variant of the board shown in a) is illustrated, which is a half board with a rectangular face (2). This variant of the cladding board ischaracterised by its visible front face (8), whose edges are filleted (9) and by the existence of an entire visible portion of the board, which includes not only the visible front face (8) with the filleted edges (9), but also several side faces (10) with a width corresponding to the difference between the thickness of the visible portion of the board and the width of the filleted edge. As with the square-faced cladding board (1), this visible portion of the plate is bounded at the back by a plane inscribed in the back edges of the side faces (10), parallel to the visible front face of the half board (8). A second lower rectangular portion also makes up this board, being limited by the backplane of the visible portion, the side faces (11) perpendicular to each other and the plane inscribed in the back edges of the side faces which is parallel to the plane containing the visible front face of the board. Along the upper rear edge of the hidden portion of the plate, the half board fitting ridge (12) develops, which fulfils the functions already mentioned for the square faced cladding board (1). The presence of the filleted edge of the half board (9) on the edges of the visible front face (8) is also due to the reasons already mentioned for the square faced cladding board (1).

[0080] Figure 2 helps highlight the geometric characteristics of the square faced cladding board (1) illustrated in Figure la), representing it in cross-section and in perspective from its front face (Figure 2a)) and from its back face (Figure 2b)). In addition to the geometric features already shown by analysing Figure 1 and also numbered in Figure 2, the back face (14) of the board also stands out as a flat face, completely parallel to the plane in which the visible flat front face (3) of the board develops. This face limits the hidden portion of the board, facing the wall to be clad when the fitting to the support is complete. This figure also emphasises the shape that any crosssection of the panel can take, as shown by the section obtained in cross-section (13).

[0081] The square-faced cladding board can take on various sizes, although the preferred dimensions produce a 1.0 x 1.0m square on the visible front face or 0.6m x 0.6m in an alternative variant of this piece. The square on which the non-visible portion of the board is inscribed has smaller dimensions, preferably set back 0.03m from each edge of the square on the visible portion, which gives the preferred dimensions of 0.94m x 0.94m or 0.54m x 0.54m in the variant piece. The thickness of each of the visible and hidden portions of the part is preferably 0.05m in both cases, which ensures a total thickness of 0.1m for the board, even in its variant version. It should be noted that the adoption of 0.05m as the preferred thickness for both portions of the board is due to the fact that this thickness ensures that the necessary friction is mobilised between the surface of the hidden portion of the board and the support, so that the board is properly secured and that, as far as the thickness of the visible portion of the board is concerned, it ensures a considerable area on its side faces, so that the person installing or detaching theboard can have a considerable surface area to press down and trigger the necessary procedures for fitting or detaching the board. The radius of the filleted edge (4), in turn, can take on different values, although in the embodiments presented in the disclosure, the radius ranges from 0.005 m to 0.030 m, preferably from 0.010 m to 0.020 m while the circular section fitting ridge (7), with a circular cross-section, can take on a radius ranging from 0.0010 m to 0.0035 m, preferably from 0.0020 m to 0.0030 m. In an embodiment, the rectangular face half cladding board (2), on the other hand, will have the same preferred dimensions as those described for the square faced board (1), with the exception of the widths of the squares in the visible and hidden portions, which in this case are half the size - a width of 0.5m or 0.3m in the visible portion and a width ranging from 0.10 m to 0.60 m, preferably from 0.20 m to 0.45 m in the hidden portion. It should be noted that the dimensions presented here are only the preferred dimensions, but the present disclosure is not restricted to these dimensions alone. On the contrary, the disclosure can take on embodiments of different dimensions, always imbued with the spirit and principles that govern the present creation.

[0082] In what concerns to the material that makes up the cladding boards (1) and (2), they can be made from a material that ensures a good appearance and is rigid and non-deformable, such as wood or wood derivatives, which includes wood derivatives with the inclusion of material from wood-cellulose waste from several industries such as biomass.

[0083] Figure 3a) shows a 2D side projection of the square faced cladding board (1) (also valid for the half cladding board (2)), where various geometric features of this board are seen, such as the filleted edge (4) of the front face frame, the flat side face (5) of the visible portion of the board, the flat side face of the smallest square (6) of the hidden portion of the board and the circular section fitting ridge (7) that develops along the top back edge of this same hidden portion. Once again, the difference in dimensions and the clear division between the visible and hidden portions of the cladding board are clearly evident. Figure 3b) shows, in lateral projection, the type of movement required to fit the square faced cladding board (1) into the support structure that is fixed to the backrest wall (18) to be clad. The support structure is shown here in section and consists, in this case, of a horizontal fitting batten (15) which is screwed, nailed or glued to a horizontal spacer batten (17), which in turn is fixed to the backrest wall (18). The horizontal fitting batten (15) has a channel at its lower rear end which is the same size as the circular section fitting ridge (7) of the boards it is intended to accommodate. This channel, which is called the fitting channel (16), is nothing more than the negative of the circular section fitting ridge (7) of the board and its function is to accommodate and completely enclose that same fitting ridge. Something that is also visible in Figure 3 is the method of fitting the cladding boardto the horizontal fitting batten (15). The movement of the board should be rotational, as indicated by the direction of the arrow in the figure. The board must be handled in such a way that it is aligned and close to the square of the fitting structure, with the visible flat front face (3) facing the applicator and the circular section fitting ridge (7) facing upwards and towards the support. Then, in a slightly inclined position, insert the part of the hidden portion containing the fitting ridge into the frame of the support and, as soon as it feels that the ridge is close to the fitting channel of the horizontal batten, rotate the plate using the axis containing the fitting ridge as a hinge. After applying some pressure to the front face of the board, the plate will fit into the frame formed by the support's battens and the fitting will take place.

[0084] Figure 4 illustrates a view of the support for fitting cladding boards for interior walls, with some sections of its structure shown in cross-section. This figure shows the battens used to receive the cladding boards. In fact, the entire structure of the boards support is made up of a set of horizontal (15) and vertical (19) battens which form, in the space between them, fitting frames ready to receive the hidden portions of the cladding boards. Visible at the bottom of the horizontal battens is the fitting channel (16) with the functions mentioned above. In the specific case of the support illustrated in Figure 4, the vertical battens are mismatched with a translation of half a frame (or half a horizontal batten) in relation to the rows below and above. This arrangement is purely for aesthetic reasons, and the battens may adopt different configurations in order to organize the fitting boards differently too.

[0085] The support structure preferably has frame dimensions that are roughly the same as the dimensions of the squares formed by the hidden portions of the cladding boards. The battens of the structure also have a preferred thickness of 0.05m and a preferred width of 0.08m, in order to leave a visible joint between the slabs of 0.02m, although all these dimensions can be altered in order to achieve joints of greater or lesser width, according to the express wishes of the client.

[0086] The material that makes up the support for the cladding boards must be of a material that can accommodate the level of deformation necessary to allow the shapes defined by the rigid material of the cladding boards to fit and then recover elastically from these same deformations, returning to its initial shape and enveloping the hidden portion of the cladding boards. The preferred material for these battens is cork, given its capacity for compression.

[0087] Figure 5 shows two possible wall cladding situations using the cladding system under focus. Figure 5a) shows a cross-section of a wall clad with the cladding system in question and with provision for an air cavity. This shows the cladding boards (1) and the horizontal fittingbattens (15). According to detail i), it is also visible that the fitting battens (15) are attached to spacer battens (17) which make up an intermediate structure and are attached to the backrest wall (18) to be clad. The thickness of the spacer battens should be chosen according to requirements and also determines the thickness of the air cavity (20) created between the backrest wall (18) and the back face of the squared faced cladding board (1). The importance of this air cavity is that it ensures some air circulation between the wall to be clad and the back of the cladding, which prevents condensation problems and the absorption of moisture that could rise to the backrest wall by capillarity and which would be detrimental to the integrity of the substrate material and the cladding boards. The air cavity can also be filled with insulating material, making it an interesting solution whenever it is necessary to improve the thermal and / or acoustic characteristics of the room the wall surrounds. Another important function of the air cavity is to house cabling, ducts and piping for electrical instalations, infrastructures for telecommunications in buildings, HVAC, water supply and wastewater drainage installations, avoiding holes in the walls.

[0088] As for the situation shown in Figure 5b), the same clad wall is shown in cross-section without any air cavity. In order to adopt this solution, the main advantage of which is that it saves space otherwise needed to build the air cavity, it is important to check whether there are any problems with humidity or cracking in the wall to be clad. Once these problems have been overcome, this solution can be used, although it is always advisable to place a membrane between the backrest wall and the support for the cladding boards.

[0089] Another interesting detail that details i) and ii) clarify is the exact division between the portion of the cladding board that is visible, made up of the larger frame of which the filleted edge (9) and the side face (5) are part, and the portion of the board that is hidden, completely embedded in the support and of which the side face of the smallest square (6) and the fitting ridge (7) are part, completely surrounded by the lower channel of the horizontal fitting batten (15).

[0090] The spacer structure made up of the vertical and horizontal spacer battens (17) must be made of a material with considerable rigidity and low deformability, such as wood.

[0091] Figure 6a, in turn, shows, in perspective, a wall ready to be clad with the cladding boards of the present invention. This backrest wall (18), where the section resulting from cutting a circular surface is also shown, already has the support structure fixed to the face to be clad, ready to receive the boards, with the various rows of horizontal (15) and vertical (19) fitting battens and the snap frames (21) formed between these battens.

[0092] Figure 6b appears as a finalization of the execution of the backrest wall (18) cladding visible in Figure 6a, already showing the fitting frames filled with the cladding boards (1) and half cladding boards (2) that clad the wall in its entirety, forming horizontal (22) and vertical (23) joints between them.

[0093] Figure 6c shows, more closely, a detail of the cladding backrest wall (18) illustrated in Figure 6b. As well as seeing the square faced cladding boards (1) and the horizontal (22) and vertical (23) joints between them, it can also be seen the fitting battens (15) which rest against and attach to the spacer slats (17) which, by spacing the cladding boards of the backrest wall (18), form an air cavity (20) of equal thickness. The hidden portions of the cladding boards (1) are circumscribed between the vertical (19) and horizontal (15) fitting battens and that the vertical (23) and horizontal (22) joints run along the corresponding battens.

[0094] Figure 6d illustrates in detail the connection between the various elements that make up the cladding system of the exemplary backrest wall (18). As such, all the details of the fitting of the square faced cladding boards (1) to the supporting structure are visible. Along the vertical joints (23), the side face of the hidden portion of the board contacts the side face of the vertical batten. As the battens are made of a deformable material and the boards are held tightly to the batten, the tendency for the batten material to expand increases the friction produced between its side faces of the battens and the side faces of the hidden portion of the boards, helping to hold it within the fitting frame. Similar mechanics are achieved along the horizontal joints (22) where, once again, friction is produced in the contacts between the lower and upper faces of the horizontal fitting battens (15). In the contact between the lower face of the horizontal fitting batten (15) and the upper face of the hidden portion of the board, however, there is a fitting ridge (12) that adjusts to the negative in the reverse way that is present along the horizontal fitting batten (15). Additional stabilizing forces develop in this contact. Not only are the tangential friction forces increased, since the circular contact maximizes the contact area compared to the flat contact that would exist in the absence of the ridge, but also, in the event of any translational movement that tends to throw the board off the support, there will be a reaction induced by the walls of the batten channel on the walls of the fitting ridge of the cladding board. Furthermore, if the centre of mass of the cladding board "falls" outside the plane that externally limits the support structure, the force of gravity will cause the board to rotate away from the support, with rotation around the upper edge of the outer side of the horizontal batten where the board fits below. In this case, both the fitting ridge and the straight horizontal and vertical contacts between the board and the batten prevent this from happening.

[0095] Finally, Figure 6d shows, in greater detail, a spacer batten (17) which runs along the entire length of the fitting battens. This coincidence in the development of both is of great importance since, due to the high deformability of the material of which the fitting battens are made up, they could deform excessively if they did not have a back locking. The space left between the back faces of the cladding boards and the backrest wall is the air cavity (20), the importance of which was already discussed when Fig. 5 was analysed.

[0096] Figure 7 shows three different stages of execution of the cladding support , condensing all the technical solutions described above. The example given shows a generic room in which two walls are visible with at least one of the faces indoors. These can constitute backrest walls (18). The walls are perpendicular to each other and rise from the floor slab (24). In Figure 7a), the sets of vertical and horizontal battens can be seen that make up the fitting and support structures (25) for the cladding, which are fixed to the walls using nails, screws and plugs or adhesives, the solution adopted always depending on the material in which the backrest wall is made. Figure 7b) shows a later stage in the wall cladding process, in which some of the fitting frames (26) of the supporting structure (25) have already been filled in by the interlocking squares of square faced cladding boards (1) and half rectangular-faced cladding boards (2). Figure 7c) corresponds to the final result of the cladding process in which the backrest walls (18) show their internal face completely covered by a combination of square-faced cladding boards (1) and half rectangular-faced cladding boards (2), forming a well-finished cladding surface, "broken" and decorated by the joints between the boards (27).

[0097] Insertion force tests were carried out using a manual dynamometer during the insertion sequence shown in Figures 6a to 6c, with acceptance criteria requiring the force required for manual engagement (Fi) to fall within the specified range. Retention tests were performed by perpendicular pull-out testing as illustrated in Figure 5, with acceptance criteria of minimum retention force (Fr) of at least 150 N for interior use and a minimum retention force (Fr) of at least 300 N for exterior use.

[0098] Additional safety tests included vibration cycles simulating wind loads, thermal cycling from -10°C to +60°C, and ageing tests under humidity and UV exposure. Expected results included absence of unintended release, full elastic recovery and variation of retention force (Fr) not exceeding 10%.

[0099] The term "comprising" whenever used in this document is intended to indicate the presence of stated features, integers, steps, components, but not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0100] The disclosure should not be seen in any way restricted to the embodiments described and a person with ordinary skill in the art will foresee many possibilities to modifications thereof. The above-described embodiments are combinable.

[0101] The following dependent claims further set out particular embodiments of the disclosure.

Claims

C L A I M S1. A wall cladding board for interior walls and interior parts of exterior walls, comprising: at least one cladding board comprising a rigid body having a front face and a back face parallel to the front face, wherein the back face comprises at least one continuous ridge extending along an upper edge of a hidden portion of the cladding board;a support structure fixed to a building wall and comprising at least one channel complementary in shape to the ridge;at least one elastically deformable interface piece arranged on the ridge, within the channel, or between the ridge and the channel;wherein the ridge and the channel are configured such that the cladding board is mountable by a single operator using hand force only, without tools, adhesives or mechanical fasteners, manual insertion of the ridge into the channel producing a controlled elastic deformation of the deformable interface piece, and wherein after insertion the cladding board is retained, andwherein after insertion the at least one cladding board is retained on the support structure without external fasteners by a combination of geometric interference, friction generated by elastic recovery of the at least one elastically deformable interface piece, and the weight of the at least one cladding board;wherein the at least one cladding board is manually removable by lifting the at least one cladding board against the weight and frictional forces.

2. The wall cladding board according to the previous claim, wherein the ridge comprises a width (Br) of 3 mm to 12 mm and a height (Hr) of 2 mm to 8 mm, and wherein the channel comprises an effective width (Be) greater than width (Br) by from 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm and a depth (He) greater than Hr by 0.5 to 2.0 mm.

3. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the at least one elastically deformable interface piece comprises an elastic modulus from 2 MPa to 50 MPa, preferably from 15 MPa to 35 MPa, and / or an elastic deformation from 5% to 25%, preferably from 10% to 20%.

4. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein a force required for manual insertion of the cladding board into the support structure is from 30 to 120 N, and a retention force opposing removal is at least 150 N.

5. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the support structure comprises vertical and horizontal battens.

6. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, further comprising a battened structure, in particular a battened structure with the battens projecting in the same position as the vertical and horizontal battens of the support structure.

7. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims 5 to 6, wherein the battens comprises an elastic modulus of at least 500 MPa, such that deformation during insertion occurs predominantly in the at least one elastically deformable interface piece.

8. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the cladding boards are made of lightweight materials selected from the group consisting of wood, composite, polymer, and their combinations.

9. The wall cladding board for placing clads by hand according to any of the previous claims, wherein the support structure comprises adjustable members to accommodate cladding boards of varying sizes.

10. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the geometry of the back face of the cladding board is the same as the geometry of the front face of the cladding board.

11. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the at least one ridge is positioned on a backward outer edge of the upper side face of the cladding board.

12. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the at least one ridge comprises a semi-circular cross-section.

13. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, comprising a fitting channel on a lower face of the cladding board.

14. The wall cladding board according to the previous claim, wherein the fitting channel comprises a semi-circular concavity format.

15. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the front face includes a textured surface or printed design.

16. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the back face further comprises a resilient material layer to improve sound insulation.

17. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the at least one elastically deformable interface piece is made of a material selected from a list consisting of: cork, Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) polymer, Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), or a combination thereof.

18. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the ridge-channel geometry is configured to guide insertion by a combined rotational and translational manual movement, such that correct positioning and retention of the cladding board are achieved automatically upon reaching an end-of-travel position, without visual alignment tools or fasteners.

19. The wall cladding board according to any of the previous claims, wherein the retention force opposing removal is greater than the maximum manual insertion force by at least a factor of 1.5, preferably at least 2.0.

20. Method for covering interior walls with at least one wall cladding board described in any of the previous claims, comprising the following steps:positioning the cladding board with the at least one ridge pointing upward towards the channel of the support structure;manually inserting the ridge into the channel by a rotational movement followed by a seating movement until an end-of-travel position is reached, so as to elastically deform the elastically deformable interface piece; andallowing elastic recovery of the elastically deformable interface piece to generate a retention force exceeding the manual insertion force.

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