System for attaching cladding to construction elements

Abstract

A system that includes an elongated structure that secures adjacent cladding panels to a construction element and sheds at least 70% of fluid trapped between the cladding panels and the construction element. A system that includes an elongated structure that can include an upper receptor configured to receive a lower edge of a first cladding panel and secure the first cladding panel to the upper receptor, and a lower receptor configured to receive an upper edge of a second cladding panel and secure the second cladding panel to the lower receptor. A method that includes receiving a lower edge of a first cladding panel at an upper receptor of an elongated structure, receiving an upper edge of a second cladding panel at a lower receptor of the elongated structure, aligning first cladding panel with second cladding panel based on relative position of the upper receptor to the lower receptor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for securing cladding panels, the system comprising:
 an elongated structure configured to retain adjacent cladding panels to a construction element and to shed away from the construction element at least 70% of fluid trapped between the cladding panels and the construction element.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated structure comprises an upper receptor that is configured to receive a lower edge of a first cladding panel and a lower receptor that is configured to receive an upper edge of a second cladding panel, and wherein the upper receptor is configured to divert the fluid away from the construction element. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a lower portion of the first cladding panel forms a longitudinal channel, and wherein a first plurality of weep holes are formed along the longitudinal channel in a lateral portion of the lower portion. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein fluid diverted by the upper receptor flows from the upper receptor into the longitudinal channel and exits the longitudinal channel through the first plurality of weep holes, wherein the fluid exits the longitudinal channel onto the second cladding panel which is below the longitudinal channel, and wherein the fluid is diverted to an exterior surface of the second cladding panel. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid is diverted away from the construction element to a second plurality of weep holes in the lower edge of the first cladding panel, wherein the fluid flows through the second plurality of weep holes, onto the upper edge of the second cladding panel, and along the upper edge to an exterior environment, and wherein the exterior environment is external to the cladding panels and the construction element. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the upper receptor is angled relative to the construction element and comprises a third plurality of weep holes formed in a lower portion of the upper receptor, wherein the fluid flows through the third plurality of weep holes and onto the second cladding panel which is below the third plurality of weep holes, and wherein the fluid is diverted to an exterior surface of the second cladding panel. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the lower receptor is angled relative to the construction element and comprises a fourth plurality of weep holes formed in a lower portion of the lower receptor, wherein the fluid flows through the fourth plurality of weep holes and onto a second elongated structure positioned below the elongated structure, and wherein the fluid is diverted by the second elongated structure to an exterior surface of a third cladding panel, which is below the second cladding panel. 
     
     
         8 . A system for securing cladding panels, the system comprising:
 an elongated structure configured to be attached to a construction element, wherein the elongated structure comprises:
 an upper receptor configured to receive a lower edge of a first cladding panel and retain the first cladding panel to the upper receptor; and 
 a lower receptor configured to receive an upper edge of a second cladding panel and retain the second cladding panel to the lower receptor. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the elongated structure further comprises a support, wherein the upper receptor and the lower receptor protrude from one side of the support, and wherein an opposite side of the support is configured to be attached to the construction element, wherein the upper receptor is angled at a first angle relative to the support and the lower receptor is angled at a second angle relative to the support, and wherein the first angle is different than the second angle. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the upper receptor receives the lower edge of the first cladding panel and retains the lower edge in the upper receptor via first retention features, wherein the lower receptor receives the upper edge of the second cladding panel and retains the upper edge in the lower receptor via second retention features, and wherein the first retention features or the second retention features comprise at least one of:
 pairs of protrusions of the upper receptor that are configured to engage pairs of protrusions of the lower edge;   a plurality of protrusions on the lower edge that are configured to axially engage a plurality of openings in the upper receptor;   an upturned flange of the upper receptor that are configured to engage a longitudinal channel in the lower edge;   a rounded portion at an end of the lower edge that are configured to axially snap into the upper receptor, wherein the upper receptor is bifurcated and comprises two curved legs that are configured to receive the rounded portion therebetween; or   a first convoluted portion at an end of the lower edge that is configured to slide longitudinally into a second convoluted portion of the upper receptor.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the elongated structure further comprises a support, wherein the upper receptor, the lower receptor, and a diverter protrude from one side of the support, wherein an opposite side of the support is configured to be attached to the construction element, wherein the diverter is positioned above the upper receptor and protrudes farther from the support than the upper receptor, and wherein the diverter is configured to divert fluid away from the support and past the upper receptor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein a longitudinal channel is formed at a bottom portion of the first cladding panel, and wherein the diverter is configured to divert fluid away from the support, past the upper receptor, and into the longitudinal channel. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the elongated structure further comprises one or more alignment features that are aligned with an alignment aid on the construction element when the elongated structure is being attached to the construction element. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the alignment features are:
 one or more alignment holes spaced along the elongated structure,   two or more alignment notches positioned at opposite ends of the elongated structure, or   a longitudinal edge of the elongated structure.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the alignment aid is one of:
 a line marked on the construction element, and wherein each of the alignment features is aligned to the line on the construction element to ensure the elongated structure is located at a predetermined spacing on the construction element when the elongated structure is installed on the construction element; and   a longitudinal recessed channel, and wherein the elongated structure is positioned in the longitudinal recessed channel, which ensures that the elongated structure is located at a predetermined spacing from an adjacent elongated structure on the construction element when the elongated structure is installed on the construction element.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein a lower portion of the first cladding panel comprises a loop portion and a biasing portion, and wherein the loop portion limits a distance of insertion of the lower edge into the upper receptor due to engagement of the loop portion with an end surface of the upper receptor, wherein the biasing portion stores energy when the lower edge is inserted into the upper receptor, and wherein the biasing portion applies a biasing force on the lower edge that tends to urge the lower edge out of the upper receptor. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the elongated structure further comprises a support, wherein the upper receptor is angled relative to the support by an angle greater than 90 degrees, and wherein fluid is diverted away from the support to a first plurality of weep holes in the lower edge of the first cladding panel, wherein the fluid flows through the first plurality of weep holes onto the upper edge of the second cladding panel and along the upper edge to an exterior environment, and wherein the exterior environment is external to the cladding panels and the construction element. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the elongated structure further comprises a support, wherein the upper receptor is angled relative to the support by an angle less than 90 degrees, and wherein fluid is diverted toward the support and to a second plurality of weep holes in the upper receptor, wherein the fluid flows through the second plurality of weep holes, onto the lower receptor, onto the upper edge of the second cladding panel, and along the upper edge to an exterior environment, and wherein the exterior environment is external to the cladding panels and the construction element. 
     
     
         19 . A method for aligning adjacent cladding panels, the method comprising:
 receiving a lower edge of a first cladding panel at an upper receptor of an elongated structure;   receiving an upper edge of a second cladding panel at a lower receptor of the elongated structure; and   aligning the first cladding panel substantially parallel with the second cladding panel based on a relative position of the upper receptor to the lower receptor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 diverting fluid away from a construction element, via a diverter or the upper receptor, wherein the fluid runs down an exterior surface of the construction element and engages the elongated structure; and   expelling the fluid through a first plurality of weep holes at a bottom portion of the first cladding panel, wherein the fluid is expelled into an exterior environment that is external to the first cladding panel and the construction element.