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  Exterior wall panel with enhanced interior facing surfaceUSPTO Application #: 20070175154Title: Exterior wall panel with enhanced interior facing surface Abstract: An insulation backing for use in a siding product or an insulated siding panel that includes a backing member composed of a closed cell polymeric material. The insulation backing or backing member including a rear face having a planar surface and at least one geometric region that deviates from the planar surface. (end of abstract) Agent: Young & Basile, P.C. - Troy, MI, US Inventors: Richard C. Wilson, Patrick M. Culpepper USPTO Applicaton #: 20070175154 - Class: 052521000 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070175154. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/753,152 filed on Dec. 21, 2005. BACKGROUND [0002] The present invention relates to a sidewall panel such as a siding element for an exterior wall of a building. The invention also relates to a backing member for use with siding. In particular, the invention provides a backing member and/or wall panel with an enhanced drainage plane located on the rear face of a backing member. The drainage plane can be composed of various geometric configurations sufficient to allow water to more efficiently dissipate from the surfaces within the exterior wall of a building. [0003] The construction industry, both new construction and remodeling, is increasingly confronted with problems associated with the buildup of moisture on surfaces within exterior walls. The moisture buildup can cause degradation of the exterior wall material and may result in growth of various types of molds. Such molds are frequently blamed for causing serious respiratory illnesses and other health conditions in humans and animals. Thus, it is desirable to provide material that minimizes the opportunity for mold growth. Building codes have long required that exterior walls be permeable so that moisture can escape in the event that moisture is introduced or established in the wall. In spite of serious efforts to prevent moisture buildup on exterior walls, occasionally water can find its way into these regions. Water introduction may be due to poor installation, inadequate flashing, leaking pipes, or irregularities in building practice. In some cases, water can be found or introduced into the exterior wall system in such large quantities that it overwhelms the system. In other words, the exterior wall material and system simply cannot dissipate the moisture fast enough to prevent or minimize the conditions that can promote mold growth and dry rot of the wooden framing. Thus, it is desirable to provide a system whereby moisture can be readily dissipated or removed from the exterior wall system. [0004] Exterior wall systems also must provide appropriate insulation characteristics to minimize undesired heat loss or heat dissipation. Such systems can include various backing or liner members adapted to be interposed between waterproof or essentially waterproof siding material and the exterior wall. It is desirable to provide a backing member and/or an integrated panel system having enhanced drainage characteristics. SUMMARY [0005] Disclosed herein is an insulated siding panel for mounting on a wall that includes a backing member and a siding layer affixed to a backing member. The backing member includes a rear face and an opposed front face. The backing member is composed of closed cells of expanded polymeric foam or cellular plastic with the rear face of the backing member having a planar surface and at least one geometric region defined thereon that deviates from the planar surface. The backing member may be shape-molded. [0006] Also disclosed herein is a shape-molded insulation backing element for use with an insulated siding product. The insulation backing element comprises a central core composed of a closed cell expanded polymeric foam. The outer surface of the insulation backing element will have at least one outer surface region that exhibits a tough, smooth skin composed of closed-cell polymeric foam. The insulation backing element has a front face region and a rear face region in contiguous contact with the central core and composed of closed cell expanded polymeric foam. The rear face region is adapted to overly at least one wall and includes at least one geometric element defined herein. The insulation backing element may be shape-molded BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts through the several views, and wherein, [0008] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a composite siding panel including an enhanced drainage plane as disclosed herein; [0009] FIG. 2 is a rear exploded perspective view of an insulation backing for use with a siding product including an enhanced drainage plane as disclosed herein; [0010] FIGS. 3A through 3D are rear plan views of the rear face or face region of FIG. 1 or 2 having various grooves and/or channels defining various patterns. [0011] FIGS. 4A through 4D are rear plan views of insulation backing or the backing member of a panel of FIG. 1 or 2 having at least one protruding geometric element in combination with at least one groove or channel; AND [0012] FIGS. 5A through 5D are rear plan views of the insulation backing or backing member of a panel in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing various nonlimiting examples of protruding geometric elements defined therein. DESCRIPTION [0013] Disclosed herein is an insulated siding panel having an enhanced drainage plane positioned on its rear face. The construction market utilizes a large number of insulated siding panel devices. One nonlimiting example of insulated siding panel devices includes the device depicted in FIG. 1. As broadly disclosed herein, the insulated siding panel 10 depicted in FIG. 1 includes a backing member 14 that can be attached or mounted to a siding layer 12. The siding layer 12 can be a contoured siding product and/or the backing member can be contoured, either complimentarily to the siding layer or contoured to provide or form geometric elements to the applied siding layer. [0014] The backing member 14 may be composed of a shape-molded polymeric material in whole or in part as desired or required. The term "shape-molded" as used herein is taken to mean that the contours and/or outer surfaces of one or more faces of the backing member 14 are fabricated by a molding operation or operations. Such molding operations will generally impart contours and geometric regions to the backing member 14. These contours and geometric regions typically possess a tough smooth outer skin. Nonlimiting examples of shape-molding processes that can impart such surface characteristics include molding processes employed with encapsulated cellular foam materials. [0015] It is contemplated that one or more faces can be composed in whole or in part of shape-molded surfaces as desired or required. Where less than all faces are characterized by shape-molded surfaces, it is contemplated that at minimum the rear face will exhibit at least a partially shape-molded surface. Where the backing member 14 has surfaces that are not shape-molded, the nonshape-molded surfaces and any contours thereon can be produced by any suitable method. Nonlimiting examples of such methods include wire-cutting. [0016] Thus it is contemplated that the shape-molding can provide or produce a finished product. However, it is also contemplated that the shape-molding process can be employed in combination with other cutting or formation process to provide additional features. [0017] It is contemplated that the rear face of the backing member 14 will be shape-molded in whole or in part. It is contemplated that, in various embodiments, the backing member 14 can have portions of at least front and rear faces that are shape-molded. In other embodiments it is contemplated that, in addition to shape-molding on the front and rear surfaces, various other surfaces such as side edges and top and bottom ends can be shape-molded, as desired or required. [0018] The siding layer 12 can be affixed to the backing member 14 in a wide variety of fashions. Such attachment fashions include, but need not be limited to, adhesive bonding, heat bonding, chemical bonding, interlocking of complimentary surfaces, mechanical fasteners, and/or the insertion or "dropping in" of the backing member 14 on site. [0019] Also disclosed herein is a shape-molded insulation backing 114 for use with a suitable siding product 112. The shape-molded insulation backing 114 can have characteristics as previously described with backing member 14. It is contemplated that at least a portion of at least one face of the shape-molded insulation backing member 114 will possess a tough, smooth skin. Continue reading... Full patent description for Exterior wall panel with enhanced interior facing surface Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Exterior wall panel with enhanced interior facing surface patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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