Rain screen siding system

Abstract

A rain-screen siding system for buildings, including clips to support siding boards parallel with a flat surface of a building wall structure but spaced apart from the building wall to allow air to circulate between the building wall structure and the siding boards. The clips include paired, opposed channels and the siding boards have tongues that fit into the channels. Drainage grooves are defined in the clips. Bottom support members may extend horizontally to support the siding boards at the bottom of the rain screen siding. Corner closing members are provided to protect end faces of siding boards at an exterior corner of a building wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rain screen siding system, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of mounting clips of unitary construction; 
 (b) a plurality of siding boards supported on the mounting clips, wherein each siding board has a width and includes:
 (i) an inner face; 
 (ii) an outer face; 
 (iii) a first tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a first margin of the board; 
 (iv) a parallel, oppositely directed second tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a second margin of the board, the first and second tongues respectively defining opposite longitudinally extending margins of the inner face; and 
 (v) a skirt portion including a marginal portion of the outer face located along the second margin of the siding board and spaced outwardly apart from and extending beyond a margin of the second tongue; 
 
 (c) and wherein each of the mounting clips includes:
 (i) a planar mounting base having an outer face; 
 (ii) a standoff structure attached to the mounting base and extending outwardly therefrom; 
 (iii) a first pair of inner and outer channel wall members defining a first, upwardly-open, channel; 
 (iv) a second pair of inner and outer channel wall members defining a second, oppositely directed, downwardly-open channel; and 
 (v) the standoff structure including an upper support member extending downward obliquely from the outer face of the mounting base and a lower support member extending generally horizontally from a lower margin of the mounting base to the inner channel wall of the second, downwardly-open channel, said standoff support structure interconnecting the channel wall members with the mounting base, and said inner channel wall members being parallel with and spaced apart from the mounting base:; and wherein 
 
 d) a first tongue of a first one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the second, downwardly-open channel, and a second tongue of a second one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the first, upwardly-open, channel, with the skirt portion of the second one of the plurality of siding boards extending alongside and being spaced outwardly apart from the first tongue of the siding board engaged in the second, downwardly-open, channel, and the tongues of the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards thus engaged in the mounting clip being spaced apart from one another and defining an open passageway between the adjacent first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards, through which an unobstructed flow of air is possible to ventilate an air space adjacent said inner face of each of said plurality of siding boards. 
 
     
     
       2. The rain screen siding system of  claim 1  including an elongate rail including a support member engaging a groove defined in the second margin of one of the plurality of siding boards between said second tongue and said skirt portion thereof. 
     
     
       3. The rain screen siding system of  claim 1  wherein said siding boards are installed in a non-horizontal orientation, the system including an elongate rail including a support member engaging a lower end of each of said plurality of siding boards. 
     
     
       4. The rain screen siding system of  claim 1  wherein the outer channel wall members of said first and second channels of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips define a substantially planar outer face of said siding attachment mounting clip. 
     
     
       5. The rain screen siding system of  claim 1  wherein all of said inner and outer channel wall members of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips are parallel with said planar mounting base thereof. 
     
     
       6. The rain screen siding system of  claim 1  wherein said outer channel walls wall members of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips are coplanar. 
     
     
       7. The rain screen siding system of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of drainage grooves are defined in a rear side an inner face of said planar mounting base of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips. 
     
     
       8. The rain screen siding system of  claim 1  wherein an interior surface of at least one of said outer and inner channel wall members of each of said first and second channels of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips defines a plurality of drainage grooves. 
     
     
       9. The rain screen siding system of  claim 1  wherein said upper support member of at least one of said plurality of attachment mounting clips extends to a central member located between the first, upwardly-open channel and the second, downwardly-open channel. 
     
     
       10. A rain screen siding system, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of mounting clips of unitary construction;   (b) a plurality of siding boards supported on the mounting clips, wherein each siding board has a width and includes:
 (i) an inner face; 
 (ii) an outer face; 
 (iii) a first tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a first margin of the board; 
 (iv) a parallel, oppositely directed second tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a second margin of the board, the first and second tongues respectively defining opposite longitudinally extending margins of the inner face of the siding board; and 
 (v) a skirt portion including a marginal portion of the outer face located along the second margin of the siding board and spaced outwardly apart from and extending beyond a margin of the second tongue; 
   (c) and wherein each of the mounting clips includes:
 (i) a mounting base having a planar inner face that is adapted to be mounted directly on a flat vertical surface of a building wall structure; 
 (ii) a standoff structure attached to the mounting base and extending outwardly therefrom; 
 (iii) a first pair of inner and outer channel wall members defining a first, upwardly-open, channel spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base; 
 (iv) a second pair of inner and outer channel wall members defining a second, oppositely directed, downwardly-open channel spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base and aligned with the first, upwardly-open channel; 
 (v) a central member located between the first channel and the second channel and interconnecting the respective inner and outer channel wall members of the first channel and interconnecting the respective inner and outer channel wall members of the second channel; and wherein 
 (vi) the standoff structure includes a support member extending outwardly from the mounting base to one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of at least one of the first, upwardly-open channel and the second, downwardly-open, channel, said support member interconnecting said one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of the at least one of the first channel and the second channel with the mounting base, and said one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of the at least one of the first channel and the second channel being spaced apart from the inner face of the mounting base; and wherein 
   (d) the first tongue of a first one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the second, downwardly-open, channel, and the first margin thereof is thereby spaced outwardly apart from the mounting base, and wherein the second tongue of a second one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the first, upwardly-open, channel, and the second margin of the second one of the plurality of siding boards is thereby spaced outwardly apart from the mounting base with the skirt portion of the second one of the plurality of siding boards extending alongside and being spaced outwardly apart from the first tongue of the one of the siding boards that is engaged in the second, downwardly-open, channel, the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards thus being spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base so as to create a continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards, and wherein the respective first and second tongues of the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards engaged in the channels of the mounting clip are thus spaced apart from the building wall structure by equal distances and spaced apart from one another and define an open passageway between the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards, through which an unobstructed flow of air is possible to ventilate the continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards.   
     
     
       11. The rain screen siding system of claim 10 including an elongate rail including a support member engaging a groove defined between said second tongue and said skirt portion of the second margin of one of the plurality of siding boards. 
     
     
       12. The rain screen siding system of claim 10 wherein said siding boards are installed in a non-horizontal orientation, the rain screen siding system including an elongated rail including a support member engaging a lower end of each of said plurality of siding boards. 
     
     
       13. The rain screen siding system of claim 10 wherein the mounting base of each of said mounting clips is planar and all of said inner and outer channel wall members of the first and second channels of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips are parallel with said mounting base thereof. 
     
     
       14. The rain screen siding system of claim 10 wherein a plurality of drainage grooves are defined in an inner face of said mounting base of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips. 
     
     
       15. The rain screen siding system of claim 10 wherein an interior surface of at least one of said outer and inner channel wall members of at least one of said first and second channels of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips defines a drainage groove. 
     
     
       16. The rain screen siding system of claim 10 wherein the inner channel wall member of the first, upwardly-open channel extends upward above and beyond the support member of the standoff structure. 
     
     
       17. A rain screen siding system, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of mounting clips of unitary construction;   (b) a plurality of siding boards supported on the mounting clips, wherein each siding board has a width and includes:
 (i) an inner face; 
 (ii) an outer face; 
 (iii) a first tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a first margin of the board; 
 (iv) a parallel, oppositely directed second tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a second margin of the board, the first and second tongues respectively defining opposite longitudinally extending margins of the inner face of the siding board; and 
 (v) a skirt portion including a marginal portion of the outer face located along the second margin of the siding board and spaced outwardly apart from and extending beyond a margin of the second tongue; 
   (c) and wherein each of the mounting clips includes:
 (i) a mounting base adapted to be mounted to a flat surface of a building wall structure and having a planar inner face; 
 (ii) a standoff structure attached to the mounting base and extending outwardly therefrom; 
 (iii) a first pair of inner and outer channel wall members defining a first, upwardly-open, channel spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base; 
 (iv) a second pair of inner and outer channel wall members defining a second, oppositely directed, downwardly-open channel spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base; 
 (v) a central member located between the first channel and the second channel and interconnecting the respective inner and outer channel wall members of the first channel and interconnecting the respective inner and outer channel wall members of the second channel; and wherein 
 (vi) the standoff structure includes a support member extending outwardly from the mounting base to one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of at least one of the first, upwardly-open channel and the second, downwardly-open, channel, said support member interconnecting said one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of the at least one of the first channel and the second channel with the mounting base, and said one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of the at least one of the first channel and the second channel being spaced apart from the inner face of the mounting base; and wherein 
   (d) the respective outer channel wall members of said first and second channels of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips cooperatively define a substantially planar outer face of said at least one of said mounting clips; and wherein   (e) the first tongue of a first one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the second, downwardly-open, channel, and the first margin thereof is thereby spaced outwardly apart from the mounting base, and wherein the second tongue of a second one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the first, upwardly-open, channel, and the second margin of the second one of the plurality of siding boards is thereby spaced outwardly apart from the mounting base with the skirt portion of the second one of the plurality of siding boards extending alongside and being spaced outwardly apart from the first tongue of the one of the siding boards that is engaged in the second, downwardly-open, channel, the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards thus being spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base so as to create a continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards, and wherein the respective tongues of the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards engaged in the mounting clip are thus spaced apart from one another and define an open passageway between the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards, through which an unobstructed flow of air is possible to ventilate the continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards.   
     
     
       18. A rain screen siding system, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of mounting clips of unitary construction;   (b) a plurality of siding boards supported on the mounting clips, wherein each siding board has a width and includes:
 (i) an inner face; 
 (ii) an outer face; 
 (iii) a first tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a first margin of the board; 
 (iv) a parallel, oppositely directed second tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a second margin of the board, the first and second tongues respectively defining opposite longitudinally extending margins of the inner face of the siding board; and 
 (v) a skirt portion including a marginal portion of the outer face located along the second margin of the siding board and spaced outwardly apart from and extending beyond a margin of the second tongue; 
   (c) and wherein each of the mounting clips includes:
 (i) a mounting base adapted to be mounted to a flat surface of a building wall structure and having a planar inner face; 
 (ii) a standoff structure attached to the mounting base and extending outwardly therefrom; 
 (iii) a first pair of inner and outer channel wall members defining a first, upwardly-open, channel spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base; 
 (iv) a second pair of inner and outer channel wall members defining a second, oppositely directed, downwardly-open channel spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base; 
 (v) a central member located between the first channel and the second channel and interconnecting the respective inner and outer channel wall members of the first channel and interconnecting the respective inner and outer channel wall members of the second channel; and wherein 
 (vi) the standoff structure includes a support member extending outwardly from the mounting base to one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of at least one of the first, upwardly-open channel and the second, downwardly-open, channel, said support member interconnecting said one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of the at least one of the first channel and the second channel with the mounting base, and said one of the central member or the respective inner channel wall member of the at least one of the first channel and the second channel being spaced apart from the inner face of the mounting base; and wherein 
   (d) said outer channel wall members of the first and second channels of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips are coplanar; and wherein   (e) the first tongue of a first one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the second, downwardly-open, channel, and the first margin thereof is thereby spaced outwardly apart from the mounting base, and wherein the second tongue of a second one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the first, upwardly-open, channel, and the second margin of the second one of the plurality of siding boards is thereby spaced outwardly apart from the mounting base with the skirt portion of the second one of the plurality of siding boards extending alongside and being spaced outwardly apart from the first tongue of the one of the siding boards that is engaged in the second, downwardly-open, channel, the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards thus being spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base so as to create a continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards, and wherein the respective tongues of the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards engaged in the mounting clip are thus spaced apart from one another and define an open passageway between the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards, through which an unobstructed flow of air is possible to ventilate the continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards.   
     
     
       19. A rain screen siding system, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of mounting clips of unitary construction;   (b) a plurality of siding boards supported on the mounting clips, wherein each siding board has a width and includes:
 (i) an inner face; 
 (ii) an outer face; 
 (iii) a first tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a first margin of the board; 
 (iv) a parallel, oppositely directed second tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a second margin of the board, the first and second tongues thus extending along respective opposite longitudinally extending margins of the inner face; and 
 (v) a skirt portion including a marginal portion of the outer face located along the second margin of the siding board, the skirt portion being spaced outwardly apart from and extending beyond a margin of the second tongue, and the second margin of the siding board defining a groove extending along and between the skirt portion and the second tongue; 
   (c) and wherein each of the mounting clips includes:
 (i) a mounting base having an outer face and an opposite planar inner face adapted to be mounted directly on a flat vertical surface of a building wall structure; 
 (ii) a standoff structure attached to the mounting base and extending outwardly from the outer face of the mounting base; 
 (iii) an upwardly-directed member supported by the standoff structure; 
 (iv) a pair of inner and outer channel wall members supported by the standoff structure and defining a downwardly-open channel; and wherein 
 (v) the standoff structure includes a support member extending from the outer face of the mounting base to one of the upwardly-directed member or the inner channel wall member of the downwardly-open channel, said support member interconnecting the one of the upwardly-directed member or the inner channel wall member with the mounting base, and said upwardly-directed member and said outer channel wall member of the downwardly-open channel being spaced apart from the inner face of the mounting base by equal distances; and wherein 
 (d) the first tongue of a first one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged comfortably, with some space to accommodate some swelling, in the downwardly-open channel, and the upwardly-directed member of the mounting clip is located in the groove defined between the skirt and the second tongue of a second one of the plurality of siding boards, with the skirt portion of the second one of the plurality of siding boards extending alongside and being spaced outwardly apart from the first tongue of the first one of the plurality of siding boards that is engaged in the downwardly-open channel, the siding boards thus being spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base so as to create a continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards, and wherein the first and second tongues of the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards are thus spaced apart from the inner face of the mounting base by equal distances and spaced apart from one another and define an open passageway between the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards, through which an unobstructed flow of air is possible to ventilate the continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards. 
   
     
     
       20. The rain screen siding system of claim 19 including an elongate rail including a support member engaging the groove defined in the second margin of one of the plurality of siding boards between said second tongue and said skirt portion thereof. 
     
     
       21. The rain screen siding system of claim 19 wherein said siding boards are installed in a non-horizontal orientation, the system including an elongate rail including a support member engaging a lower end of each of said plurality of siding boards. 
     
     
       22. The rain screen siding system of claim 19 wherein a plurality of drainage grooves are defined in an inner face of said mounting base of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips. 
     
     
       23. The rain screen siding system of claim 19 wherein each of the mounting clips further includes an inner channel wall located between the upwardly-directed member and the mounting base, supported by the standoff structure and extending upward above and beyond the support member of the standoff structure. 
     
     
       24. A rain screen siding system, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of mounting clips of unitary construction;   (b) a plurality of siding boards supported on the mounting clips, wherein each siding board has a width and includes:
 (i) an inner face; 
 (ii) an outer face; 
 (iii) a first tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a first margin of the board; 
 (iv) a parallel, oppositely directed second tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a second margin of the board, the first and second tongues respectively defining opposite longitudinally extending margins of the inner face; and 
 (v) a skirt portion including a marginal portion of the outer face located along the second margin of the siding board, the skirt portion being spaced outwardly apart from and extending beyond a margin of the second tongue, and the second margin of the siding board defining a groove extending along and between the skirt portion and the second tongue; 
   (c) and wherein each of the mounting clips includes:
 (i) a mounting base having an outer face and an opposite planar inner face adapted to be mounted on a flat surface of a building wall structure; 
 (ii) a standoff structure attached to the mounting base and extending outwardly from the outer face of the mounting base; 
 (iii) an upwardly-directed member supported by the standoff structure; 
 (iv) a pair of inner and outer channel wall members supported by the standoff structure and defining a downwardly-open channel; and wherein 
 (v) the standoff structure includes a support member extending from the outer face of the mounting base to one of the upwardly-directed member or the inner channel wall member of the downwardly-open channel, said support member interconnecting the one of the upwardly-directed member or the inner channel wall member with the mounting base, and said upwardly-directed member and said inner channel wall member of the downwardly-open channel being spaced apart from the mounting base; and wherein 
   (d) the upwardly-directed member and the outer channel wall member of said downwardly-open channel of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips cooperatively define a planar outer face of said mounting clip; and wherein   (e) the first tongue of a first one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the downwardly-open channel, and the upwardly-directed member of the mounting clip is located in the groove defined between the skirt and the second tongue of a second one of the plurality of siding boards, with the skirt portion of the second one of the plurality of siding boards extending alongside and being spaced outwardly apart from the first tongue of the first one of the plurality of siding boards that is engaged in the downwardly-open channel, the siding boards thus being spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base so as to create a continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards, and wherein the first and second tongues of the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards are thus spaced apart from one another and define an open passageway between the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards, through which an unobstructed flow of air is possible to ventilate the continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards.   
     
     
       25. A rain screen siding system, comprising:
 (a) a plurality of mounting clips of unitary construction;   (b) a plurality of siding boards supported on the mounting clips, wherein each siding board has a width and includes:
 (i) an inner face; 
 (ii) an outer face; 
 (iii) a first tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a first margin of the board; 
 (iv) a parallel, oppositely directed second tongue extending along the siding board adjacent a second margin of the board, the first and second tongues respectively defining opposite longitudinally extending margins of the inner face; and 
 (v) a skirt portion including a marginal portion of the outer face located along the second margin of the siding board, the skirt portion being spaced outwardly apart from and extending beyond a margin of the second tongue, and the second margin of the siding board defining a groove extending along and between the skirt portion and the second tongue; 
   (c) and wherein each of the mounting clips includes:
 (i) a mounting base having an outer face and an opposite planar inner face adapted to be mounted on a flat surface of a building wall structure; 
 (ii) a standoff structure attached to the mounting base and extending outwardly from the outer face of the mounting base; 
 (iii) an upwardly-directed member supported by the standoff structure; 
 (iv) a pair of inner and outer channel wall members supported by the standoff structure and defining a downwardly-open channel; and wherein 
 (v) the standoff structure includes a support member extending from the outer face of the mounting base to one of the upwardly-directed member or the inner channel wall member of the downwardly-open channel, said support member interconnecting the one of the upwardly-directed member or the inner channel wall member with the mounting base, and said upwardly-directed member and said inner channel wall member of the downwardly-open channel being spaced apart from the mounting base; and wherein 
   (d) said upwardly-extending member and said outer channel wall member of said downwardly-open channel of at least one of said plurality of mounting clips are coplanar; and wherein   (e) the first tongue of a first one of the plurality of siding boards is engaged in the downwardly-open channel, and the upwardly-directed member of the mounting clip is located in the groove defined between the skirt and the second tongue of a second one of the plurality of siding boards, with the skirt portion of the second one of the plurality of siding boards extending alongside and being spaced outwardly apart from the first tongue of the first one of the plurality of siding boards that is engaged in the downwardly-open channel, the siding boards thus being spaced outwardly apart from the inner face of the mounting base so as to create a continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards, and wherein the first and second tongues of the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards are thus spaced apart from one another and define an open passageway between the first and second ones of the plurality of siding boards, through which an unobstructed flow of air is possible to ventilate the continuous air space adjacent the inner faces of the plurality of siding boards.