Moisture diverting insulated siding panel

Abstract

A siding panel product is provided comprising a first polymeric siding panel having a butt end and a top end, a front surface comprising a plurality of front faces defined between the top and butt ends and separated by at least one shoulder surface to define a stepped contour, and a rear surface. An insulation backing is coupled to the rear surface of the siding panel. The insulation backing comprises at least first and second insulation members coupled to the rear surface of said siding panel. The first insulation member has a bottom edge thereof coupled proximate to the stepped contour and the second insulation member has a top edge thereof coupled proximate to the stepped contour.

1 . A siding panel product comprising:
 a first polymeric siding panel comprising a butt end and a top end, a front surface comprising at least one front face defined between said top and butt ends, and a rear surface, the siding panel including interlocking means for interlocking with a second similar siding panel product, the interlocking means having a downwardly depending male member disposed at said butt end and an upwardly open female portion at the top end to receive the downwardly depending male portion of the second similar siding panel product; and   an insulation backing coupled to the rear surface of the siding panel.   
   
   
       2 . The siding panel product of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation backing is secured to the first polymeric siding panel at least in part by a mechanical fit with the first polymeric siding panel. 
   
   
       3 . The siding panel product of  claim 2 , wherein a top end of the insulation backing is mechanically secured to the first polymeric siding panel at the top end of the first polymeric siding panel and a bottom end of the insulation back is mechanically secured to the first polymeric siding panel at the butt end of the first polymeric siding panel. 
   
   
       4 . The siding panel product of  claim 3 , wherein the insulation backing comprises a continuous piece of foam backing extending from the top end of the first polymeric siding panel to the butt end of the first polymeric siding panel. 
   
   
       5 . The siding panel product of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric siding panel has a nailing hem positioned at the top end thereof, wherein a rear surface of the insulation backing is substantially planar with a rear surface of the nailing hem. 
   
   
       6 . The siding panel product of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface of the first polymeric siding panel includes a plurality of front faces defined between the top and butt ends and separated by at least one shoulder surface to define a stepped contour between the faces, wherein a front surface of the insulation backing is shaped to substantially conform with the rear surface of the first polymeric siding panel. 
   
   
       7 . The siding panel product of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric siding panel comprises one or more weep openings formed at the butt end thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The siding panel product of  claim 7 , wherein the insulation backing comprises one or more channels formed through the insulation backing configured to transport moisture from a rear surface of said insulation backing toward said one or more weep openings. 
   
   
       9 . The siding panel product of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more channels slope from the rear surface of the insulation backing toward a front surface of the insulation backing. 
   
   
       10 . The siding panel product of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric siding panel comprises a rear wall at the butt end of the first polymeric siding panel, the rear wall being spaced from the front face of the first polymeric siding panel, wherein the front face and the rear wall form a cavity for receiving a bottom end of the insulation backing, wherein the bottom end of the insulation backing is secured to the first polymeric siding panel at least in part by a mechanical fit within the cavity. 
   
   
       11 . The siding panel product of  claim 10 , wherein the rear wall extends from the downwardly depending male member. 
   
   
       12 . The siding panel product of  claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric siding panel product includes a nailing hem wall at the top end thereof, and an intermediate wall disposed between the nailing hem wall and the front face of the first polymeric siding panel, the intermediate wall being connected to both the front face of the polymeric siding panel and the nailing hem wall, wherein the intermediate wall and the nailing hem wall form a portion of the upwardly open female portion of the interlocking means. 
   
   
       13 . The siding panel product of  claim 12 , wherein the intermediate wall and the front face of the polymeric siding panel form a recess for receiving a portion of the top end of the insulation backing, wherein the top end of the insulation backing is secured to the first polymeric siding panel at least in part by a mechanical fit within the recess. 
   
   
       14 . The siding panel product of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation backing has a plurality of channel-forming spacing elements formed on a front or rear surface thereof. 
   
   
       15 . A siding panel product comprising:
 a first polymeric siding panel comprising a butt end and a top end, a front surface comprising a plurality of front faces defined between said top and butt ends and separated by at least one shoulder surface to define a stepped contour, and a rear surface, the siding panel including interlocking means having a downwardly depending male member disposed at said butt end and an upwardly open female portion disposed proximate to said top end to receive the downwardly depending male portion of a second similar siding panel product, the first polymeric siding panel having a nailing hem at the top end thereof; and   a foam insulation backing disposed behind the first polymeric siding panel and shaped to conform generally with the rear surface of the siding panel, the foam insulation backing being secured to the first polymeric siding panel at least in part by a mechanical fit within a profile of the first polymeric siding panel.   
   
   
       16 . The siding panel product of  claim 15 , a rear surface of the insulation backing is substantially planar with a rear surface of the nailing hem. 
   
   
       17 . The siding panel product of  claim 15 , wherein the first polymeric siding panel comprises one or more weep openings formed at the butt end thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The siding panel product of  claim 17 , wherein the insulation backing comprises one or more channels formed through the insulation backing configured to transport moisture from a rear surface of said insulation backing toward said one or more weep openings, wherein the one or more channels slope from the rear surface of the insulation backing toward a front surface of the insulation backing. 
   
   
       19 . The siding panel product of  claim 15 , wherein the first polymeric siding panel comprises a rear wall at the butt end of the first polymeric siding panel, the rear wall being spaced from a bottommost one of the front faces of the first polymeric siding panel, wherein the bottommost one of the front faces and the rear wall form a cavity for receiving a bottom end of the insulation backing to mechanically secure the bottom end of the insulation backing within the cavity. 
   
   
       20 . The siding panel product of  claim 19 , wherein the first polymeric siding panel product includes an intermediate wall disposed between a wall of the nailing hem and the topmost one of the front faces of the first polymeric siding panel, the intermediate wall being connected to both the topmost one of the front face of the polymeric siding panel and the nailing hem wall, wherein the intermediate wall and the nailing hem wall form a portion of the upwardly open female portion of the interlocking means and wherein the intermediate wall and the topmost one of the front faces of the polymeric siding panel form a recess for receiving a portion of the top end of the insulation backing, wherein the top end of the insulation backing is secured to the first polymeric siding panel at least in part by a mechanical fit within the recess.