This application claims benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional App. No. 63/330,365, filed April 13, 2022, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by specific reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a flat siding product with a unique end-joint flashing treatment.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Flat siding is an exterior cladding product that may be installed in horizontal, vertical or diagonal orientations. It may be installed fully flush with the wall. It may come in various dimensions (e.g., U” thick x 8” wide x 16’ long), with various surface textures (e.g., smooth, cedar, and the like). It may be fashioned of various materials, including, but not limited to, sawn wood, engineered wood composites of various types, cellulose fiber cement, or combinations thereof. Oriented, multilayer wood strand boards of the abovedescribed type, and examples of processes for pressing and production thereof, are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,511, U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,984, U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,976, U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,631, U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,394, U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,786, U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,743, and U.S. Pat. App. No. 17/747,930, all of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by specific reference for all purposes.

Installation of flat siding products present a unique challenge when the aesthetic desire for a “blind nail” attachment (i.e., the nail head is not visible and does not penetrate the outer surface of the siding) is coupled with the engineering need to withstand local building code requirement for specified wind loads (i.e., so that adjacent pieces remain fully flush on the wall and resist being pulled away or detached from the wall). Various modifications of a shiplap or tongue-and-groove joint profile with locking edges may be used to secure the two adj acent products. However, the locking flanges or profile elements of the respective joint edges prevent prior-art flashing devices from directing water out and away from the end joint, which typically is a flat or butt joint with respect to the siding boards meeting end-to-end.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET ( RULE 26) SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention modifies the ends of the siding, during manufacture or in a factory setting, to adjust the locking flange profile. This allows the ends and edges to precisely mate with a unique piece of factory-produced or pre-made flashing of similar or matching profile. Thus, the flashing piece fits with the ends of the adjacent siding boards and aligns with the profile of the locking edges so the system sheds water effectively and prevents water from penetrating behind the siding. In addition, the factory-modified siding and the pre-manufactured flashing pieces are supplied as a ready -to-install system that simplifies the siding installation process and shortens the time and cost of installation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a front partial perspective view of a flashing piece with a “dog-leg” lower edge in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, installed behind the joint between the ends of two pieces of siding.

Figure 2 shows a back partial perspective view of Figure 1, with the flashing piece away from the two pieces of siding.

Figure 3 shows a side cutaway view of the flashing piece of Figure 1 inserted between an upper piece of siding and a lower piece of siding, prior to sliding the upper piece of sliding downward to form the profile joint with the lower piece of siding.

Figures 4A-B show front partial perspective views of an embodiment of a flashing piece where only a portion of the lower edge form a “dog-leg,” with two tabs on the lower edge to either side.

Figure 5 shows a front partial perspective view of the flashing piece of Figures 4A- B installed behind the joint between the ends of two upper pieces of siding, and above a continuous portion of a lower piece of siding.

Figure 6 shows a side cutaway view of the configuration of Figure 5, after sliding the upper piece of siding downward to begin forming the profile joint with the lower piece of siding (note that spacing between elements is not necessarily to scale).

Figure 7 shows a front perspective of another embodiment of the flashing piece of Figures 4A-B, with the “dog-leg” section and the area of the flashing above it being corrugated.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET ( RULE 26) Figure 8 shows a front perspective of another embodiment of the flashing piece of Figures 7, but fully corrugated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In several exemplary embodiments, the present invention comprises a system, method, and associated flashing device(s). Portions of the lower edge proximate the ends of siding pieces 2L, 2R (for the left piece and right piece, respectively) are modified as discussed below, and the joints between the ends are backed by a unique flashing piece during installation. The upper edges 10 and lower edges 12 of each siding piece form corresponding profiled portions of a locking flange joint 20. The locking flange joint is formed when an upper siding piece (or row of siding pieces) is installed above a lower siding piece.

An example of a locking flange joint system with a modified shiplap joint is described in U.S. Pat. App. No. 18/097,447, filed Jan. 16, 2023, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by specific reference for all purposes. That reference discloses a unique modified shiplap joint with matching or corresponding reverse curves (S-curve), where two simple curves turn in opposite directions (e.g., a first curve followed immediately by a second curve in the opposite direction). The opposing edges or ends of a piece of flat siding comprise one-half of the modified shiplap joint: an underlap edge, and an overlap edge. In a horizontal configuration, the underlap is the top edge of the siding, and the overlap is the lower edge of the siding, so that when two siding pieces are assembled, any water or moisture on the exterior of the siding will run down the exterior side or face of the siding, and not enter or flow into the joint and thus potentially get behind the siding. The ends of the siding pieces on the same row form vertical butt joints, often with a gap between the ends. While the present invention may be used with the locking flange joint system with a modified shiplap joint as described in U.S. Pat. App. No. 18/097,447, the present invention may be used other form of joint systems with adjustments made to match the adjusted joint profiles.

According to several embodiments of the present invention, the profiled joint portion along the lower edge 12 of the siding pieces is adjusted or modified during manufacture of the siding piece in the factory, or after manufacture but in a factory setting.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET ( RULE 26) As seen in Figure 3, a portion of material 12a is absent, not present, or removed from the profiled joint section, for a modified section 14 proximate the end. As seen in Figure 1, approximately 2.5 inches of the locking tab or spline for the “underlap” or “lower” component of a locking joint at the ends of the siding has been removed, although the actual distance may vary, as described below. Doing this at the factory or during the manufacturing process has the advantage of allowing a precise removal or cut. An improper cut, such as a joint flange being too deeply or improperly cut, could weaken the siding product and affect its performance.

In several embodiments, the top cut 14b of the modified section 14 may be orthogonal to the rear siding face, or angled downward (from back to front, so the front of the cut is lower). The angle of the top 72 of the (i.e., “dog-leg”) double-bent portion 70 of the flashing is selected to fit within this modified section. The angle of the top 72 may match the angle of the top cut 14b, or may be larger or smaller, thereby providing a space between the top cut and the top of the dog-leg to help prevent water from being trapped therein.

When two ends are placed adjacent to other, the respective modified section 14 of each end match, and together form a flashing space or area 15 of sufficient length to receive the double-bent (i.e., “dog-leg”) portion 70 of the flashing piece 30 lower edge, and allow the double-bent portion to fit within the siding pieces and in front of the corresponding profiled joint portion along the upper edge 10 of the siding piece or pieces 4 below.

While the distances the modified sections extend from their respective ends may differ, in a preferred embodiment the distances are the same so that the flashing piece 30 is effectively centered on the vertical butt joint 40. The distances are chosen such that they are sufficient when the siding is installed, including an appropriate gap in the butt joint 40, to precisely accommodate the width of the flashing piece comfortably but without allowing lateral movement, or significant lateral movement, of the flashing when in place.

During installation, a lower row of siding is installed by driving or inserting a nail or other fastener 62 into the top flange of the upper edge 10, which may have a groove or channel 60, when each piece of siding is mounted on a building or structure frame or sheathing. This forms a “blind nail” attachment when the overlap end of the vertically adjacent piece of siding is placed over this area (and thus the nail head 64 cannot be seen).

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET ( RULE 26) The depth of the groove or channel is such as to accommodate the nail or fastener head 64 (i.e., the top of the nail or fastener head does not extend above the front face 54 of the underlap), and allows the overlap portion, and thus the adjacent pieces of siding, to lie flat when the joint 20 is formed.

The next (upper) row of siding is installed above the previous row by each upper piece of siding placed above the lower pieces and moved downward so the profded joint portion along the bottom edge enters and engages the corresponding profiled joint portion along the upper edges of the lower pieces of siding. During this process, the flashing pieces 30 are inserted at the ends of the upper piece so that the lowermost leg 72 of the “dog-leg” 70 fits over some or all of the front face 54 of the underlap portion of the upper edge joint profile. The lowermost leg 72 may extend partially or completely over the nail or fastener head 64 and/or channel 60. In a preferred embodiment, the lowermost leg 72 at least downward past the point where the upper edge of the lower piece of flashing in that area extends. The upper siding pieces are then nailed or fastened into place, in the same manner described above.

As shown in Figure 5, the upper siding pieces are installed such that the vertical butt joints of a row are offset from the vertical butt joints of the adjacent rows. However, in some installations, the vertical butt joints for two or more adjacent rows may be aligned.

In some embodiments, the flashing piece may not be fastened to any siding piece or to the building or structure frame or sheathing. The lack of penetrations in the flashing help prevent water or moisture from penetrating into the frame or sheathing behind the siding. In other embodiments, the flashing piece may be fastened proximate its upper edge by nails or fasteners as described above. In a preferred embodiment, where the flashing piece extends to or near the height of the back edge of the respective piece of siding, the “blind nail” used to fasten the siding also acts to fasten the flashing piece, as seen in Figure 1.

Figures 4A-B through 6 show another embodiment of the flashing. In this embodiment, the dog-leg portion 70 does not extend the full width of the bottom edge of the flashing 30, but instead extends only across a center portion, while two tabs 78 parallel to and continuous with the main flashing section extend downward. The tabs 78 extend downward behind the profiled upper edge of the adjacent lower piece of siding, which

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET ( RULE 26) increases stability of the flashing and eases placement and installation, thereby reducing time and expense of installation. The tabs are shown as being 'A” in width, but may be of any suitable width and configuration.

Figures 7 and 8 show a further embodiment where some (i.e., partial) or all of the flashing is corrugated 90 (i.e., wavy, alternating curves, or with sine waves in crosssection). Figure 7 shows the corrugation on the dog-leg and extending upward therefrom to the upper edge of the flashing. Figure 8 shows the corrugation on the entirety of the flashing. The corrugation helps create a series of channels or space between the flashing and siding faces, thereby promoting the flow of water down the flashing and outward in the butt joint area. The width and depth of the channels may vary as needed, depending on the configuration.

Accordingly, this system allows the ends and edges of the adjacent pieces of siding (horizontally and vertically) to precisely mate with a piece of factory -produced or pre-made flashing of similar profile. Thus, the flashing piece fits with the ends of the adjacent siding boards and aligns with the profile of the locking edges so the system sheds water effectively and prevents water from penetrating behind the siding. The bottom edge of the flashing piece is twice bent, as described above, forming a sloped profile that may match the slope of the top cut. The “leg” section past the sloped profile is generally parallel to the main section and extends downward along the outer face of the “underlap” component, and between it and the inner face of the “overlap” component. In one exemplary embodiment, the flashing piece is 6-3/4” in length for the main pan section, the sloped section is ’A” long, and the leg section is A” long. In addition, the factory-modified siding and the premanufactured flashing pieces may be supplied as a ready-to-install system that simplifies the siding installation process and shortens the time and cost of installation.

The prefabricated flashing piece comprises corrosion and fire-resistant metal flashing, configured to align with the modified bottom edge of the siding, and the profile of the top edge of the adjacent piece of siding (typically the lower piece of siding). Flexible, fabric-style flashing is not suitable for open joints that expose the flashing to UV and fire. In one embodiment, the flashing piece is approximately 4 inches in width, which allows it to fit within the total of approximately 5 inches of flashing gap (2YY inches per piece, plus a gap between the ends, which may be approximately 3/16”).

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET ( RULE 26) Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments and examples described herein have been chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited for particular uses contemplated. Even though specific embodiments of this invention have been described, they are not to be taken as exhaustive. There are several variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET ( RULE 26)