Batten Mounting Water Management System

Abstract

An elongate batten ( 1 ) adapted for positioning intermediate an inner wall framing member ( 2 ) and an outer wall cladding sheet ( 3 ) to facilitate dispersion and evaporation of moisture from a wall cavity. The batten includes at least one channel to facilitate migration and drainage of moisture between the batten and the framing member.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
   
   
       41 . An elongate batten adapted for positioning intermediate an inner wall framing member and an outer wall cladding sheet to facilitate dispersion and evaporation of moisture from a wall cavity, said batten including at least one longitudinally extending channel to facilitate migration and drainage of moisture between the batten and the framing member along the length of the batten. 
   
   
       42 . A batten according to  claim 41 , wherein the at least one longitudinal channel is formed in an inner surface of the batten adapted for face-to-face engagement with an adjacent outer surface of the underlying framing member. 
   
   
       43 . A batten according to  claim 41 , wherein the at least one longitudinal channel is formed in an outer surface of the batten adapted for face-to-face engagement with an adjacent inner surface of the overlying cladding sheet. 
   
   
       44 . A batten according to  claim 41 , wherein the at least one longitudinal channel extends through the batten. 
   
   
       45 . A batten according to  claim 41 , including a plurality of said longitudinal channels disposed in generally parallel side-by-side relationship and extending along substantially the entire length of the batten. 
   
   
       46 . A batten according to  claim 45 , wherein the longitudinal channels are respectively formed between adjacent pairs of a corresponding plurality of longitudinal ridges, said ridges collectively defining the inner surface of the batten. 
   
   
       47 . A batten according to  claim 41 , wherein the batten includes a generally transverse channel to facilitate migration and drainage of moisture across the batten. 
   
   
       48 . A batten according to  claim 47 , wherein said transverse channel is formed in the inner surface of the batten adapted for face-to-face engagement with the adjacent outer surface of the framing member. 
   
   
       49 . A batten according to  claim 47 , wherein the transverse channel is formed in an outer surface of the batten adapted for face-to-face engagement with an adjacent inner surface of the overlying cladding sheet. 
   
   
       50 . A batten according to  claim 47 , wherein the transverse channel extends through the batten. 
   
   
       51 . A batten according to  claim 41 , including a plurality of said longitudinal channels disposed in generally parallel side-by-side relationship and extending along substantially the entire length of the batten, the longitudinal channels being respectively formed between adjacent pairs of a corresponding plurality of longitudinal ridges, said ridges collectively defining the inner surface of the batten, and a plurality of said transverse channels to facilitate migration and drainage of moisture across the batten, said transverse channels being disposed in generally parallel side-by-side relationship. 
   
   
       52 . A batten according to  claim 51 , wherein the transverse channels are defined by a corresponding series of openings formed in the respective longitudinal ridges. 
   
   
       53 . A batten according to  claim 52 , wherein the openings defining the respective transverse channels are transversely aligned. 
   
   
       54 . A batten according to  claim 52 , wherein the openings defining the respective transverse channels are transversely staggered. 
   
   
       55 . A batten according to  claim 51 , wherein the transverse and longitudinal channels form a ventilation and drainage matrix adapted to permit migration of moisture in liquid or vapour form across, along and through the batten. 
   
   
       56 . A batten according to  claim 55 , wherein the longitudinal and transverse channels are disposed in generally orthogonal relationship. 
   
   
       57 . A batten according to  claim 55 , wherein at least some of the transverse and longitudinal channels respectively intersect. 
   
   
       58 . A batten according to  claim 41 , being formed from a plastics material adapted to resist moisture permeation, and adapted to be readily cut to desired lengths using conventional sawing tools. 
   
   
       59 . A batten according to  claim 41 , incorporating pre-formed lines of weakness disposed at predetermined intervals, to permit the batten to be manually divided into small sections of desired length, without the need for cutting or sawing. 
   
   
       60 . A batten according to  claim 41 , being formed substantially from PVC. 
   
   
       61 . A batten according to  claim 41 , being formed substantially from FRC. 
   
   
       62 . A batten according to  claim 41 , being between 30 and around 60 mm in width. 
   
   
       63 . A batten according to  claim 41 , being approximately 45 mm in width. 
   
   
       64 . A batten according to  claim 41 , being between 10 mm and around 30 mm in thickness. 
   
   
       65 . A batten according to  claim 41 , being approximately 19 mm in thickness. 
   
   
       66 . A batten according to  claim 51 , including three longitudinal channels, each being approximately 9.5 mm in width and approximately 17 mm in height, defined by respective intermediate ridges being approximately 2.5 mm in thickness. 
   
   
       67 . A batten according to  claim 66 , wherein the transverse channels are defined by a series of cutouts in the ridges, each cutout being generally U-shaped with a length of around 20 mm and a height of around 8 mm, the cutouts being spaced apart along the respective ridges with approximately 50 mm between centers. 
   
   
       68 . A batten according to  claim 67 , wherein corresponding cutouts on adjacent ridges are staggered. 
   
   
       69 . A batten according to  claim 41 , having any preformed length of around 2400 mm, and being adapted for division into smaller predetermined lengths on-site. 
   
   
       70 . A batten according to  claim 41 , wherein the outer surface is grooved, to facilitate the downward passage past the batten of water passing along the inner surface of the outer cladding material. 
   
   
       71 . A method of building construction, said method comprising the steps of:
 forming a structural frame from framing members, such that the framing members define cavities therebetween;   securing a plurality of battens to outer surfaces of at least some of the framing members, wherein each of said plurality of battens include at least one longitudinally extending channel to facilitate migration and drainage of moisture between the batten and the framing member along the length of the batten,   applying an outer cladding material to substantially cover the framing members and the battens; such that the battens collectively form a clearance space between the framing members and the cladding material;   the battens thereby facilitating drainage and ventilation of the cavities.   
   
   
       72 . A method according to  claim 71 , wherein the structural frame is formed substantially from a material selected from the group comprising timber, metal, FRC and plastics, and wherein the method is employed to construct a wall section of a building. 
   
   
       73 . A method according to  claim 71 , wherein the cladding material is FRC sheet. 
   
   
       74 . A method according to  claim 71 , wherein the battens are secured so as collectively to cover more than approximately 50% of the combined outer surface area of the framing members to which the method is applied. 
   
   
       75 . A method according to  claim 71 , wherein the battens are secured to the framing members by a fasting technique selected from the group comprising nailing, screwing, tacking, stapling, gluing, welding, chemical bonding, frictional engagement, and mechanical engagement. 
   
   
       76 . A method according to  claim 71 , including the further step of applying an internal lining material such that the framing members are effectively sandwiched, directly or indirectly, between the external cladding material and the internal lining material. 
   
   
       77 . A method according to  claim 76 , wherein the internal lining material is plasterboard. 
   
   
       78 . A method according to  claim 71 , including the step of pre-attaching the battens to the cladding sheets to form a batten and cladding sub-assembly, and subsequently securing the sub-assembly to the frame. 
   
   
       79 . A method according to  claim 71 , including the step of forming the at least one longitudinal channel or a generally transverse channel in the batten by a process selected from the group comprising: extruding; machining; milling; routing; casting; moulding; and fabricating; or a combination of those processes. 
   
   
       80 . A building or building section constructed by the method comprising:
 forming a structural frame from framing members, such that the framing members define cavities therebetween;   securing a plurality of battens to outer surfaces of at least some of the framing members, wherein each of said plurality of battens include at least one longitudinally extending channel to facilitate migration and drainage of moisture between the batten and the framing member along the length of the batten,   applying an outer cladding material to substantially cover the framing members and the battens; such that the battens collectively form a clearance space between the framing members and the cladding material.