Exterior Panel System

Abstract

An exterior panel system is disclosed. The exterior panel system has at least one panel having a main surface and at least one panel side wall. The system has at least one gutter having gutter surface and at least one gutter side wall. The system has a lower receiver configured to join the panel and the gutter to an exterior wall. The panel is located adjacent the gutter and the at least one panel side wall located adjacent to the gutter surface and adjacent to at least one gutter side wall. The exterior panel system is capable of providing water proofing or water resistance to the exterior of a building utilizing dry joins that do not require the use of seals or expandable sealant during installation.

1 . An exterior panel system, comprising:
 a panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall;   a gutter having a water channel the water channel comprising a gutter rear wall and at least one gutter side wall, the at least one gutter side wall extending from the gutter rear wall;   a lower receiver configured to join the panel and the gutter to an exterior wall;   the panel located adjacent the gutter and the at least one panel side wall is received into the water channel and extends toward the gutter rear wall, the at least one panel side wall is adjacent to the at least one gutter side wall;   the gutter rear wall at least partially comprises an angled surface, the angled surface extends forward relative to the panel.   
     
     
         2 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel has a lower panel lip, and wherein the gutter has a gutter lower lip, wherein the lower gutter lip and the bottom panel lip each configured to be received in the lower receiver. 
     
     
         3 . The exterior panel system of  claim 2 , wherein the panel is a first panel and wherein the system comprises a second panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall, the second panel located below the first panel;
 each of the first and second panels having an upper recessed surface and a top lip receiver; the upper recessed surface extending above the main surface and recessed from the main surface; the top lip receiver located adjacent the recessed surface to create a receiving gap there between; and,   the lower receiver is the top lip receiver of the second panel.   
     
     
         4 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel side wall comprises at least two panel side walls on opposite sides of the main surface; and
 wherein the at least one gutter side wall comprises at least two gutter side walls on opposite sides of the gutter surface; at least one of the two panel side walls located between the gutter side walls and at least one of the two gutter side walls located between the panel side walls.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The exterior panel system of  claim 4 , where an overlap space exists along the gutter surface between at least one of the panel side walls and the at least one gutter side wall. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel comprises a bottom wall, the bottom wall comprises at least one weep opening; and wherein the angled surface is angled forward to direct water to the at least one weep opening. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the gutter comprises at least one blocking wall extending from a rear surface of the gutter and configured to disturb or stop the circulation of air behind the exterior panel system. 
     
     
         13 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel comprises a bottom wall and a vent wall extending from the bottom wall, the vent wall comprises a pressure equalizing vent opening. 
     
     
         14 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a first panel and wherein the system comprising a second panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall; the second panel adjacent the first panel; the gutter positioned between the first and second panels;
 the at least one gutter side wall comprises at least two gutter side walls on opposite sides of the gutter surface;   the at least one panel side wall of each of the first and second panels is located between the at least two gutter side walls.   
     
     
         15 . A dry joint for an exterior panel system, comprising:
 a panel having a panel main surface, at least one panel side wall;   a gutter having a water path, the water path comprising a gutter rear wall and at least one gutter side wall;   a receiver configured to join the panel and the gutter to an exterior wall;   the panel located adjacent the gutter and the at least one panel side wall extends into the water path and toward the gutter rear wall, the at least one panel side wall overlaps the at least one gutter side wall;   the gutter rear wall of the water path at least partially comprises an angled surface to direct water forward relative to the panel, the angled surface ends adjacent a bottom of the panel;   the at least one panel side wall has an angled rear edge, the angled rear edge is angled to accommodate the angled surface of the rear wall.   
     
     
         16 . The dry joint of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one panel side wall contacts the at least one gutter side wall at the point of overlap. 
     
     
         17 . The dry joint of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one panel side wall is spaced apart from the at least one gutter side wall to create an overlap area between at least one panel side wall and the at least one gutter side wall along the gutter rear wall and along the panel main surface. 
     
     
         18 . The dry joint of  claim 15 , wherein the panel has a lower panel lip, and wherein the gutter has a gutter lower lip, wherein the lower gutter lip and the bottom panel lip each are configured to be received in the receiver. 
     
     
         19 . The dry joint of  claim 15 , wherein the panel is a first panel and wherein the system comprises a second panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall;
 each of the first and second panels having an upper recessed surface and a top lip receiver; the upper recessed surface extending above the main surface and recessed from the main surface; the top lip receiver located adjacent the recessed surface to create a receiving gap there between; and,   the receiver is the top lip receiver of the second panel.   
     
     
         20 . A method of expelling water from behind a panel of an exterior panel system, comprising the steps of:
 providing a gutter located behind a portion of a first panel of an exterior panel system, the gutter comprising a water channel, the water channel comprising a gutter rear wall and at least one gutter side wall, the gutter rear wall at least partially comprises an angled surface, the angled surface extends forward relative to the panel, the panel comprising a panel front surface and a panel side wall, the panel side wall received into the water channel;   directing water caught in the gutter behind the first panel along the angled surface and through a panel weep hole in a bottom surface of the first panel on to an exterior surface of a second panel of the exterior panel system located below the gutter.   
     
     
         21 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a first panel and wherein the system comprises a second panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall, the second panel located below the first panel;
 at least the second panel comprises a top receiver, the lower receiver is the top receiver of the second panel;   wherein the system comprising a third panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall, the third panel located horizontally adjacent to the first panel;   the gutter configured to be positioned between the first and third panels;   the at least one gutter side wall comprises at least two gutter side walls on opposite sides of the gutter rear wall;   the at least one panel side wall of each of the first and third panels is located between the at least two gutter side walls.   
     
     
         22 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a first panel and wherein the system comprises a second panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall, the second panel is located below the first panel, the second panel is horizontally offset from the first panel; the first panel releasably joined to the second panel;
 wherein the system comprises a third panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall, the third panel horizontally adjacent to the first panel; the gutter configured to be positioned between the first and third panels;   the at least one gutter side wall comprises at least two gutter side walls on opposite sides of the gutter rear wall;   the at least one panel side wall of each of the first and third panels is located between the at least two gutter side walls;   the water channel of the gutter having an exit that is positioned to direct water onto a exterior surface of the second panel.   
     
     
         23 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel has a lower panel lip, and wherein the gutter has a gutter lower lip, wherein the lower gutter lip and the bottom panel lip each configured to be removably received in the lower receiver; the panel has a flexed position and a standard position; the panel is biased to the standard position; when the panel is flexed the position it can be withdrawn from the lower receiver, when the panel is in the standard position the bottom panel lip is configured to be retained in the lower receiver. 
     
     
         24 . The exterior panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a first panel and wherein the system comprises a second panel having a panel main surface and at least one panel side wall; each of the first and second panels are configured to be fastened to an exterior wall by one or more fasteners along only a top portion of each panel; the first panel is configured connected to the exterior wall by a releasable connection to the second panel at a bottom portion of the first panel, the releasable connection comprising the lower receiver. 
     
     
         25 . The exterior panel system of  claim 24 , the first panel comprises a lower hook; the second panel comprises an upper hook receiver, the upper hook receiver of the second panel is said lower receiver; and wherein the releaseable connection comprises the lower hook of the first panel and the upper hook receiver of the second panel. 
     
     
         26 . The exterior panel system of  claim 15 , wherein the panel main surface and the panel side wall form a panel L-shape, and the gutter rear wall and the at least one gutter side wall from a gutter L-shape, the panel L-shape overlaps with the gutter L-shape so that the panel side wall is received into the water channel, the at least one gutter side wall is located behind the panel main surface, and the panel main wall and gutter rear wall at least partially overlap.