The present invention relates to a covering panel for external building faces, particularly but not exclusively industrial buildings, prefabricated or otherwise, for storage or office use.

It is known to cover the outer walls of buildings with what is known as "external insulation", the function of which is substantially thermal and acoustic insulation.

In conventional solutions, panels of thermally insulating material are anchored to the facade of the building; these panels can be made of, e.g., extruded polystyrene, expanded polystyrene (EPS) and the like. The panels are then typically covered with one or more layers of plaster - with optional interposition of a rigid strengthening net - in order to protect the thermally insulating material from atmospheric agents. Especially in industrial applications, the whole can then be further covered by panels or slabs of various materials, e.g., aluminum, wood, etc., the function of which is both aesthetic and to offer further protection.

In other cases, a substructure is fixed to the wall of the building and is composed of a metallic profile or wood frame, adapted to contain nonrigid thermally insulating material, e.g., rock wool, glass wool and the like. The frame can then be covered with rigid panels of various materials, e.g., wood, aluminum and the like.

Conventional systems such as those described above suffer several drawbacks, however.

First of all, installing the external insulation is very laborious, with high costs both in terms of labor and materials.

Furthermore, such operation necessarily requires the installation of scaffolding outside the building, with an increase in costs and further administrative complications owing to the fact that the installation of the scaffolding is often subject to municipal permits and, in some cases, subject to taxation. Also, in the event of any resizing, stripping or restyling of the building, the material of the external insulation provided as described above is mainly unrecoverable, with consequent waste of materials and further administrative problems associated with the disposal of the debris.

Furthermore, any operations to remove the covering are likewise laborious, costly, and wasteful in terms of time.

Moreover, external insulation coverings provided as described above can be easily prone to phenomena of condensation. In order to prevent such drawback, it may be necessary to add an additional ventilation layer, also external, to the covering, with further multiplication of the installation costs and times.

With the intention of simplifying installation operations, panels of semirigid thermally insulating material are also known, such as the above- mentioned expanded polystyrene, which are contoured to mutually couple by interlocking and are optionally already provided with an external finishing covering.

Such systems slightly speed up the laying of the covering, but are easily prone to infiltrations in the interlocking area between the panels, as well as to the above-mentioned phenomena of condensation.

Furthermore, although they have a partially modular structure, they offer no possibility to retrospectively modify the external covering alone, both for practical and for merely aesthetic purposes.

Therefore, the aim of the present invention is to provide a covering panel for external building faces which overcomes the drawbacks of the above-mentioned conventional insulation systems, specifically, which can be installed and optionally removed much more simply and rapidly, possibly even by a single operator and without the use of scaffolding, which can be recovered, e.g., in the event of resizing, stripping or restyling of the building, and which offers high performance levels in terms both of thermal and acoustic insulation, and of limiting condensation. Within this aim an object of the invention is to provide the above- mentioned panel at low cost.

This aim and this and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a covering panel for external building faces according to claim 1, while the dependent claims define other characteristics of the invention which are advantageous, although secondary.

The invention will be now described in more detail, with reference to some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments thereof, which are illustrated for the purposes of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the covering panel according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the covering panel according to the invention, in the disassembled configuration;

Figures 3-5 are three perspective views of the covering panel in Fig. 1 in three respective consecutive steps of assembly;

Figure 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the covering panel according to the invention, in the assembled configuration;

Figure 7 is a partially sectional front elevation view of the covering panel according to the invention, in the assembled configuration;

Figure 8 is a front elevation view of a generic outer wall of bricks of a building, on which some covering panels according to the invention are applied;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a first alternative embodiment of the invention;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing a second alternative embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing a third alternative embodiment of the invention.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a covering panel 10 according to the invention is shown, which is adapted to be applied to outer facades of buildings in any state, both unfinished, e.g., in brick, and completely or partially finished, e.g., by application of a protective layer of plaster.

The panel 10 comprises a support 12 which is preferably molded from synthetic material, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, or a combination thereof, or other thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers that have a suitable resistance to atmospheric agents.

The support 12 is provided with a rectangular base 14 and a perimetric wall 16 which rises on one side of the base 14 so as to define a rectangular seat 17.

On the opposite side of the base 14 a ventilation chamber 18 is defined (Fig. 6) which has the same rectangular profile as the base 14, but is arranged offset in a parallel arrangement with respect to the latter on two adjacent sides of the rectangular profile. The chamber 18 is delimited by a perimetric rib 20 which, by way of the aforementioned offset arrangement with respect to the base 14, protrudes along two first adjacent sides 16a, 16b of the perimetric wall 16 and is retracted along the two opposite adjacent sides 16c, 16d. In the area in which it protrudes from the perimeter of the base 14, the bottom of the chamber 18 is joined (i.e. closed) continuously with the base 14.

A fin 22 juts outwardly parallel to the base 14 from the edge of the perimetric wall 16. The fin 22 extends along the first two adjacent sides 16a, 16b of the perimetric wall in alignment with the protruding portion of the chamber 18 and, at its opposite ends, ends before meeting the other two adjacent sides 16c, 16d of the perimetric wall 16. Between the fin 22 and the protruding portion of the chamber 18 a recess R is therefore defined in which the protruding portion S of the seat 17 of an adjacent panel can be engaged with interlocking (Fig. 2).

The perimetric rib 20 is lowered in 20r along its two opposite sides almost to the level of the base 14. On each one of the other two opposite sides of the perimetric rib 20 two aligned and laterally adjacent slots 24 are provided which extend parallel to the base 14.

The chamber 18 is closed frontally by a cover 26 with a corresponding rectangular profile, which can be made, e.g., of aluminum.

The cover 26 has a roof 28 and a perimetric edge 30 which engages on the perimetric rib 20. The perimetric edge 30 is provided with a plurality of ventilation openings 32 on each one of the two sides that are intended to engage the lower sides of the perimetric rib 20. Therefore, the ventilation openings 32 open into the inside of the chamber 18 through the lowered areas of the perimetric edge 30. A pair of aligned and laterally adjacent shaped tabs 33, which are provided in one piece on the other two sides of the perimetric edge 30, are adapted to engage the slots 24 with retention.

The base 14 is provided with two holes 34, 36 for fixing the panel 10 to the wall of a building by way of screws. In particular, one of the two holes, 34, is provided inside the chamber 18 proximate to the corner between the lowered retracted side and the retracted side adjacent thereto of the perimetric rib 20. The other hole, 36, is provided inside the chamber 18 proximate to the corner between the same lowered retracted side and the protruding side of the perimetric rib 20, but inside the perimeter of the seat 17.

The support 12 accommodates a portion of a block 38 of rigid thermally insulating material, e.g., high-density polystyrene. The block 38 takes the form of two superimposed parallelepipeds 38a, 38b, which are offset in a mutually parallel arrangement on two adjacent sides, corresponding to the arrangement of the chamber 18 with respect to the base 14. One of the two parallelepipeds, 38a, is dimensioned to be received snugly in the seat 17. The other parallelepiped, 38b, has the same profile but a greater thickness, and juts outside the seat 17 in alignment with the chamber 18 and the fin 22.

As illustrated in Figs. 3-5, the panel is assembled by inserting the block 38 of thermally insulating material into the seat 17 of the support (Fig. 3), then engaging the cover 26 in the perimetric rib 20 to form the chamber 18 (Fig. 4), and finally locking the cover by inserting the shaped tabs 33 into the slots 24 (Fig. 5).

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the panel 10 according to the invention is adapted to be installed in association with other, identical panels on the external facade of a generic wall of a building, e.g., a wall of bricks W. The panels 10 are engageable with each other by interlocking, and each one of them is fixed to the wall by way of a single screw C inserted in one of the two holes 34, 36, optionally by way of the use of conventional wall screw anchors (not shown).

In the example in Fig. 8, one can begin by fixing the first panel to the wall in a left-hand downward region by way of a screw inserted in the right- hand hole. Thereafter a second panel is engaged beside the first panel and is locked in place by way of an additional screw, again inserted in the right- hand hole, and so on, until a horizontal row is completed. Each one of the panels of the row will remain stably fixed to the wall both on its left side, owing to the interlocking engagement with the bordering side panel which is screwed to the wall on the adjacent side, and also on its right side, by way of the screw. Once the bottom row is complete, the row immediately above is formed by following the same procedure. Note that each panel of the higher row is locked both on its left- and right-hand sides in a manner similar to the lower row, and also on its lower side owing to the interlocking engagement with the underlying panel which is screwed to the wall on the adjacent side, and also on its upper side by way of the screw.

The covers can be applied either in each instance immediately after having screwed the panel to the wall, or all together once the job is finished. In Fig. 8, the panels 10 are shown without covers for greater clarity. Optionally, the covers can have different colors so as to create geometric figures, wordings, etc., for decorative or identification purposes. The openings 32 ensure the ventilation necessary to prevent the formation of condensation. Furthermore they permit the outflow of water in the event of precipitation.

Obviously, the thickness and the material of the block 38 can be chosen as a function of the degree of insulation desired.

As the person skilled in the art will appreciate, the covering panel described fully achieves the set aims, it being easily installed and removed simply and quickly even by a single operator, optionally using an elevated work platform or cherry picker, without requiring the installation of scaffolding, with consequent saving in terms of labor and simplified management.

Furthermore the panels can be removed and installed elsewhere in the event of resizing or stripping of the building, with at least partial recovery of the costs of installation and relief from duties associated with waste disposal.

Also, by using covers with different colors/materials, whenever desired it will be possible to vary the appearance of the building simply by varying the arrangement of the covers.

Furthermore, the implementation in multiple layers, specifically, from innermost to outermost, a layer of thermally insulating material, a layer of plastic supporting material with waterproof properties, shaped so as to protect the thermally insulating material, and a ventilated air chamber closed by an aluminum cover, ensures high performance levels in terms both of thermal and acoustic insulation, and of limiting condensation. Furthermore, the panel thus provided is sturdy and long-lasting over time.

Last but not least, the person skilled in the art will easily understand that the above mentioned panel is also economic in terms of producing its three basic components. In particular, both the support 10 and the block 38 can be molded, while the cover 26, if in aluminum, can be made from a punched and folded metal sheet. Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention, which differs from the previous embodiment only in that the block of insulation, which in the previous embodiment was made of a rigid material, is substituted by a layer of nonrigid thermally insulating material 138, e.g., rock wool or glass wool, adapted to be accommodated fully in the seat 117 of the support 112 without protruding outside. In this embodiment, therefore, the edge of the perimetric wall 116 abuts directly against the wall to be covered, which can be unfinished or already provided with a layer of cladding.

Figure 10 shows a further embodiment of the invention, which differs from the previous embodiments in that some of the covers, designated with 226, are contoured so as to engage a plurality of adjacent panels, e.g., four adjacent panels arranged in a square, instead of a single panel.

Figure 11 shows a further embodiment of the invention, which differs from the previous embodiment in that the various layers of the panel 310 have a parallelogram profile instead of a rectangular profile, optionally becoming a rhomboid profile.

Some preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, but obviously the person skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations within the scope of protection of the appended claims. In particular, the materials used can differ from what is described. For example, in the embodiments in which the thermally insulating material is rigid, different materials can be used such as expanded polystyrene, cork and the like. The material of the support can also be varied and does not necessarily have to be a plastic material; e.g., the support can be made of aluminum. Furthermore, although the fin defines a rigid interlocking seat that ensures a snug interlocking between the panels, it is not strictly necessary. Also, although in the embodiments described the ventilation chamber is formed by the perimetric rib integral with the support and by the cover that engages thereupon, the chamber could likewise be constituted by a self-contained hollow body that is removable in its entirety from the support. Last but not least, although the quadrilateral profiles are optimal from the functional point of view and in terms of manufacturing cost, obviously it would be possible to make panels with different polygonal profiles, e.g., hexagonal or octagonal, as long as the base and the ventilated chamber have an arrangement that is mutually offset along at least two adjacent sides. Obviously, the mutual engagement means between the cover and the support can be substituted by other, conventional fixing systems, such as screws, or they can be inverted, i.e., the slots could be provided on the cover and the tabs could be integral with the support.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. TO2015A000169 (102015902338515) from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.