Cladding Panel and Cladding System Therewith

Abstract

A cladding system includes i) a panel having generally parallel front and back faces defining a thickness, two lateral sides, top and bottom edges, and first and second slits extending along at least a portion of the length of the panel from the back face thereof and having respective first and second openings that are substantially parallel to the bottom edge, wherein the first slit is oriented within the thickness towards the top edge and the second slit is oriented towards the bottom edge. The top and bottom edges are configured for complementary connection. The system further including at least one V-shaped mounting clip that is adapted to be removably receivable in the first and second planar slits from one of the two lateral sides, for attaching the panel to a wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cladding panel comprising:
 substantially parallel front and back faces, defining a thickness of the panel;   two lateral sides, defining a length of the panel;   top and bottom edges; the top and bottom edges being configured for complementary connection; and   first and second slits extending along at least a portion of the length of the panel from the back face thereof and having respective first and second openings that are substantially parallel to the bottom edge; the first slit being oriented within the thickness towards the top edge and the second slit being oriented towards the bottom edge; 
whereby, in operation, the first and second slits being configured for removably receiving together a V-shaped mounting clip from one of the two lateral sides, for attaching the panel to a wall. 
     
     
         2 . The cladding panel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second slits extends along the full length of the panel. 
     
     
         3 . The cladding panel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second slits extends from at least one of the two lateral sides and ends at a distance from the at least one of the two lateral sides. 
     
     
         4 . The cladding panel of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary connection is a tongue and groove connection. 
     
     
         5 . The cladding panel of  claim 1 , wherein the front face has a fieldstone or a brick-like finish. 
     
     
         6 . A cladding system comprising: 
 at least one cladding panel, each having generally parallel front and back faces defining a thickness of the at least one cladding panel, two lateral sides, defining a length of the at least one cladding panel, and top and bottom edges; the top and bottom edges being configured for complementary connection; the at least one cladding panel including first and second slits extending along at least a portion of the length of the at least one cladding panel from the back face thereof and having respective first and second openings that are substantially parallel to the bottom edge; the first slit being oriented within the thickness towards the top edge and the second slit being oriented towards the bottom edge; and   at least one V-shaped mounting clip that is adapted to be removably receivable in the first and second slits from one of the two lateral sides of the at least one cladding panel, for attaching the at least one cladding panel to a wall.   
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising at least one windowsill panel, each having generally parallel front and back faces defining a thickness of the at least one windowsill panel, two lateral sides, defining length of the at least one windowsill panel, top and bottom edges, and third and fourth slits extending along at least a portion of the length of the at least one windowsill panel from the back face thereof and having respective third and fourth openings that are substantially parallel to the bottom edge of the at least one windowsill; the third slit being oriented within the thickness of the at least one windowsill panel towards the top edge thereof and the fourth slit being oriented towards the bottom edge of the at least one windowsill panel; wherein the at least one V-shaped mounting clip is further adapted to be removably receivable in the third and fourth slits from one of the two lateral sides of the at least one windowsill panel, for attaching the at least one windowsill panel to the wall. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the complementary connection is a tongue and groove connection. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the front face of the at least one cladding panel has a fieldstone or a brick-like finish. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first and second slits extends along the full length of the panel. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first and second slits extends from at least one of the two lateral sides and ends at a distance from the at least one of the two lateral sides. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one V-shaped mounting clip includes a wall-mounting portion and a substantially V-shaped panel-mounting portion extending from the wall-mounting portion. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the wall-mounting portion includes at least one tongue having a fastener-receiving hole therein. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the substantially V-shaped panel-mounting portion includes a planar portion extending from the wall mounting portion so as to define an obtuse angle therewith, and two tabs, each extending from the planar portion on a respective lateral side of the panel-mounting portion so as to define a V-shape with the planar portion. 
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising at least one starter strip that is configured for both mounting to the wall and for complementary receiving the bottom edge of the at least one cladding panel. 
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the at least one starter strip includes a substantially flat wall-mounting portion, including first fastener-receiving holes, and a ground contacting portion that extends from the wall-mounting portion substantially perpendicularly therefrom; the ground-contacting portion being configured for said complementary receiving the bottom edge of the at least one cladding panel and including second fastener-receiving holes. 
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing a cladding panel comprising:
 providing a panel having generally parallel front and back faces defining a thickness, two lateral sides, and top and bottom edges; and   cutting first and second slits therein, each along at least a portion of the length of the panel from the back face thereof so that the first slit is oriented within the thickness towards the top edge and the second slit is oriented towards the bottom edge.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing the panel includes molding the panel in concrete. 
     
     
         19 . A panel comprising:
 a decorative side;   a back side opposite the decorative side; both the decorative and back sides extending in a first direction between opposite lateral sides and extending in a second direction between upper and lower sides; and   upper and lower parallel grooves in the back side extending from at least one of the two lateral sides for receiving corresponding portions of a mounting bracket; the upper groove having a portion extending from the back side substantially towards one of the upper and lower sides and the lower groove having a portion extending from the back side substantially towards another one of the upper and lower sides.