Universal mounting clip for siding strips installed in a horizontal overlapping pattern

Abstract

A universal mounting clip for installation of siding strips in a horizontal, overlapping pattern includes a unitized clip body of U-shaped cross section having a front panel, a rear panel, and an interconnecting top panel. The clip body can be made of a structural metal, a structural thermoplastic compound, or a composite material. The front panel of each clip also has at least one adhesive pad that will bond the front panel of the clip to the back side of the next overlapping siding strip. The universal siding installation clip fits over a top edge of the siding strip, and a securing screw is run through the aperture in the front panel of the clip, through the siding strip, and through an opening in the rear panel, and then into the sheathing material, thereby spacing the siding strip from the sheathing material and subsequently-installed siding strips.

1 . A universal mounting clip for installation of siding strips in a horizontal, overlapping pattern comprises:
 a unitized clip body of U-shaped cross section having a front panel, a rear panel, and an interconnecting top panel, said body sized to fit over an upper edge of an associated siding strip, and said front panel having an aperture sized to accept a securing screw which passes through the siding strip and anchors the clip and siding strip to exterior wood fiber wall sheeting; and   at least one double-stick adhesive pad, one major surface of which is bonded to an outer surface of the front panel of said body, the other major surface exposed to bond to a rear surface of an overlapping siding strip.   
     
     
         2 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 1 , wherein said unitized clip body is made from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, injection-molded structural plastic and composite materials. 
     
     
         3 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 1 , wherein said rear panel is equipped with an opening aligned with the aperture, and through which the securing screw passes after passing through the associated siding strip. 
     
     
         4 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear panels have beveled inner edges to facilitate the installation of the clip body on an associated siding strip. 
     
     
         5 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 1 , wherein the rear panel is tapered in thickness so as to provide support for the back side of an associated siding strip with minimal stress on the strip when secured to the wood fiber sheeting of an exterior wall. 
     
     
         6 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one double-stick adhesive pad is die cut from 3M VHB double-stick adhesive tape. 
     
     
         7 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 1 , wherein said clip body is stamped and formed as a monolithic structure from structural sheet metal, and wherein said rear panel is provided with corrugations of increasing depth so as to provide a rear panel which linearly increases in thickness from top to bottom. 
     
     
         8 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 4 , wherein the front and rear panels have a separation distance adjacent the beveled edges that is less than the separation distance where they are attached to the top, this reduced separation distance providing an interference fit of the clip on the siding strip after installation thereon. 
     
     
         9 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel is sufficiently thick to provide adequate ventilation between overlapping siding strips, yet sufficiently thin to prevent wasps and yellow jackets from crawling between overlapped siding strips. 
     
     
         10 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 2 , wherein said body is made of injection molded polymers selected from the group consisting of ABS, PVD and polycarbonate. 
     
     
         11 . A universal mounting clip for installation of siding strips in a horizontal, overlapping pattern comprises:
 a unitized clip body of U-shaped cross section having a front panel, a rear panel, and an interconnecting top panel, said body sized to fit over an upper edge of an associated siding strip;   an anchoring screw which is run through said front panel, through the associated siding strip, through the back panel, and into the exterior wood fiber wall sheeting; and   at least one double-stick adhesive pad, one major surface of which is bonded to an outer surface of the front panel of said body, the other major surface exposed to bond to a rear surface of an overlapping siding strip.   
     
     
         12 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 11 , wherein said unitized clip body is made from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, injection-molded structural plastic and composite materials. 
     
     
         13 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 11 , wherein said front panel is equipped with an aperture through which the anchoring screw passes, and said rear panel is equipped with an opening that is aligned with the aperture, and through which the securing screw passes after passing through the associated siding strip. 
     
     
         14 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 11 , wherein the front and rear panels have beveled inner edges to facilitate the installation of the clip body on an associated siding strip. 
     
     
         15 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 11 , wherein the rear panel is tapered in thickness so as to provide support for the back side of an associated siding strip with minimal stress on the strip when secured to the wood fiber sheeting of an exterior wall. 
     
     
         16 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one double-stick adhesive pad is die cut from 3M VHB double-stick adhesive tape. 
     
     
         17 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 1 , wherein said clip body is stamped and formed as a monolithic structure from structural sheet metal, and wherein said rear panel is provided with corrugations of increasing depth so as to provide a rear panel which linearly increases in thickness from top to bottom. 
     
     
         18 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 14 , wherein the front and rear panels have a separation distance adjacent the beveled edges that is less than the separation distance where they are attached to the top, this reduced separation distance providing an interference fit of the clip on the siding strip after installation thereon. 
     
     
         19 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 11 , wherein the front panel is sufficiently thick to provide adequate ventilation between overlapping siding strips, yet sufficiently thin to prevent wasps and yellow jackets from crawling between overlapped siding strips. 
     
     
         20 . The universal mounting clip of  claim 12 , wherein said body is made of injection molded polymers selected from the group consisting of ABS, PVD and polycarbonate.