Veneer Panel And Veneer Corner With Mounting Systems

Patent No. US11346114 (titled "Veneer Panel And Veneer Corner With Mounting Systems") was filed by Stone Creek Products Llc on Jan 15, 2021.

’114 is related to the field of prefabricated building materials, specifically veneer panels designed to mimic the appearance of natural stone or brick. Traditional installation of such panels can be time-consuming and require specialized skills. The patent addresses the need for a more efficient and versatile mounting system that simplifies installation and allows for on-site adjustments.

The underlying idea behind ’114 is to create a veneer panel with an integrated mounting system that allows for quick and easy attachment to a building surface. This is achieved through a combination of features, including a three-section mounting member embedded within the panel, a backing with strategically placed slots and attachment points, and an orthogonal support member for added stability.

The claims of ’114 focus on a veneer panel comprising a veneer body, a backing attached to the rear face of the veneer body, and a three-section mounting member. The backing has raised peripheral edges defining a setting space, a first elongated slot, a first mounting member attachment means, and an orthogonal support member. The three-section mounting member has an anchoring fin embedded within the veneer body, a hanger section for mounting the veneer panel, and a backing attachment mid-section connecting the anchoring fin and hanger section.

In practice, the three-section mounting member is secured to the backing via the backing attachment mid-section, with the anchoring fin extending into the veneer body and the hanger section protruding from the rear of the panel. This design allows the panel to be easily hung on a mounting rail or similar structure attached to the building surface, while the orthogonal support member provides additional support and alignment. The anchoring fin, embedded in the veneer body, ensures a secure and durable connection between the mounting system and the panel itself.

This approach differentiates itself from traditional veneer panel installation methods by integrating the mounting hardware directly into the panel. This eliminates the need for separate fasteners and complex alignment procedures. The use of a three-section mounting member with a distinct anchoring fin, hanger section, and backing attachment mid-section provides a robust and reliable mounting solution that simplifies the installation process and enhances the overall stability of the veneer panel.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the late 2010s when ’114 was filed, prefabricated veneer panels were an established alternative to natural stone or brick cladding, at a time when installation of such panels, while simpler than traditional masonry, still presented challenges in terms of time, complexity, and adaptability to edges and corners.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because the prior art of record did not either anticipate or render obvious a veneer panel that includes a veneer body with a backing having all the elements recited in claim 1.

Claims

This patent contains 16 claims, with claim 1 being independent. The independent claim focuses on a veneer panel comprising a veneer body, a backing with specific features like slots and attachment means, and a three-section mounting member. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features and variations of the veneer panel described in the independent claim, such as additional slots, specific angles, and different materials.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
Anchoring fin (Claim 1)	“The three-section mounting member has an anchoring fin, a hanger section, and a backing attachment mid-section connecting the anchoring fin and hanger section is such that: (i) the backing attachment mid-section is secured flush to the backing within the setting space through the mounting member attachment means; (ii) the anchoring fin adjoins the backing attachment mid-section to form a first obtuse structural angle, the anchoring fin extending from the backing attachment mid-section outwardly and upwardly into the veneer body at a first acute angle; and (iii) the hanger section adjoins the backing attachment mid-section to form a second obtuse structural angle, the hanger section extending from the backing attachment mid-section, through the elongated slot, and outwardly and downwardly from the rear of the backing at a second acute angle, wherein the second acute angle is a hanging angle.”	A section of the three-section mounting member that is embedded within the intermediate thickness of the veneer body.
Hanger section (Claim 1)	“The three-section mounting member has an anchoring fin, a hanger section, and a backing attachment mid-section connecting the anchoring fin and hanger section is such that: (i) the backing attachment mid-section is secured flush to the backing within the setting space through the mounting member attachment means; (ii) the anchoring fin adjoins the backing attachment mid-section to form a first obtuse structural angle, the anchoring fin extending from the backing attachment mid-section outwardly and upwardly into the veneer body at a first acute angle; and (iii) the hanger section adjoins the backing attachment mid-section to form a second obtuse structural angle, the hanger section extending from the backing attachment mid-section, through the elongated slot, and outwardly and downwardly from the rear of the backing at a second acute angle, wherein the second acute angle is a hanging angle.”	A section of the three-section mounting member used for mounting the veneer panel to a vertical surface.
Intermediate thickness (Claim 1)	“In one aspect, the invention provides a veneer panel that includes (a) a veneer body having a front face, a rear face and an intermediate thickness therebetween, the intermediate thickness defining a first and a second opposite plane parallel side; and (b) a frame partially embedded in the intermediate thickness of the veneer body, the frame having: (i) an exposed, elongated J-shaped fastening member at the rear edge of the first opposite plane parallel side, the J-shaped fastening member comprising a tall planar rear section, a short planar forward section, and a base section joining the tall planar rear section to the short planar forward section to form a groove, the tall planar rear section comprising a fastening hole for securing the veneer panel to a surface; (ii) an exposed, elongated flange at the bottom edge of the rear face of the veneer body, the flange comprising a plane which is between the plane of the tall planar rear section and the plane of the short planar forward section of the J-shaped fastening member, thereby enabling the flange to rest in the groove of a second J-shaped fastening member above which the veneer panel is mounted; and (iii) a connecting rib connecting the J-shaped fastening member and the flange.”	The distance between the front face and the rear face of the veneer body, defining two opposite plane parallel sides.
Raised peripheral edges (Claim 1)	“The backing has: (i) raised peripheral edges defining a setting space within which the rear face and a rear portion of the intermediate thickness of the veneer body are disposed, the raised peripheral edges comprising a pair of opposite and parallel peripheral edges; (ii) a first elongated slot through which a three-section mounting member extends from the setting space through the backing to the rear of the backing, the first elongated slot being parallel to and nearer a first peripheral edge of the pair of opposite and parallel peripheral edges; (iii) a mounting member attachment means adjacent the first elongated slot between the first elongated slot and the first peripheral edge that secures the three-section mounting member to the backing; and (iv) an orthogonal support member extending rearwardly from the rear of the backing, the orthogonal support member comprising a first mating connector of a pair of mating connectors.”	Edges of the backing that are raised to define a setting space.
Three-section mounting member (Claim 1)	“In another aspect, the invention provides a veneer panel that has: (a) a veneer body having a front face, a rear face and an intermediate thickness therebetween, the intermediate thickness defining a first and a second opposite plane parallel side; (b) a backing attached to the rear face of the veneer body, and (c) a three-section mounting member comprising an anchoring fin embedded within the intermediate thickness of the veneer body, a hanger section for mounting the veneer panel to a vertical surface, and a backing attachment mid-section connecting the anchoring fin and hanger section.”	A mounting member having an anchoring fin, a hanger section, and a backing attachment mid-section.

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US11346114

STONE CREEK PRODUCTS LLC

Application Number: US17150559
Filing Date: Jan 15, 2021
Status: Granted
Expiry Date: Feb 14, 2040
External Links: Slate, USPTO, Google Patents

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