AU2007211921A1 - Roof Sheeting Clip - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant Actual Inventors Metroll Queensland Pty Ltd Jeffrey Thomson Keith Woolf Brian Borg Roger Thompson Address for Service: Invention Title: CULLEN CO Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street Brisbane Qld 4000 Australia Roof Sheeting Clip Details of Associated Provisional Applications 2006904619 filed 24 August 2006 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it, known to us: ROOF SHEETING CLIP Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a cladding assembly and in particular to a retaining member for locking a ribbed panel to a support structure. The present invention also relates to a method for locking a ribbed panel to a support structure.

The present invention further relates to the locking of a variety of panels used for cladding to a support structure. Whilst the invention particularly relates to the fixing of a roofing panel to a support structure, the retaining member, or clip, may be used in the locking of a variety of other panels to various support structures.

Brief Discussion of the Prior Art Panels used as claddings for roofs are typically formed from a rolled steel sheet having a series of parallel ribs extending longitudinally along the panel. These roofing panels are typically fastened to the underlying structure in an overlapping manner to provide the desired weather resistance. Often the roofing panels are secured to the support structure with fasteners that extend through the panels and are fixed into the support structure. The use of fasteners that are fixed through the panel results in a structure that is more susceptible to leakage due to the holes in the roofing panels that must be adequately sealed.

In order to overcome the potential for leakage through the roofing panels, it is known to use clips that are secured to the support structure and which clips are adapted to extend into the ribs of the roofing panel and retain the roofing panel in position by engaging with the ribs. Advantageously, the absence of any fasteners that extend through the roofing panel also results in a more aesthetically pleasing cladding due to the use of the concealed fixing.

Generally, the clips used to engage with the ribs of the roofing panel are rigid and do not undergo substantial deformation during the installation of the roofing panels. Typically, it is the ribs of the roofing panel that splay in order to be received over the clips. As such, the clips are typically designed to be manufactured to undergo minimal deformation during the installation process.

Summary of the Invention We have now found that by providing a concealed clip with resiliently deformable wings that extend substantially perpendicularly from the body of the clip, and which are swept into locking engagement with corresponding lands in the channels of the ribbed panel provides a relatively easy installation of ribbed panels to the support structure, or provides a useful or commercial choice.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a cladding assembly comprising at least one ribbed panel and a multiplicity of retaining members wherein said at least one ribbed panel comprises ribs having a channel for receiving retaining members wherein said channels have opposed sidewalls, each sidewall having a land for engaging the retaining members and wherein the retaining members comprise a body adapted to be affixed to a support structure and a pair of wings wherein said wings are resiliently deformable and in a disengaged condition extend substantially perpendicularly to the body and in an engaged condition are pressed into a swept configuration wherein the wings engage the lands of the channel.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a retaining member for locking a ribbed panel to a support structure, the retaining member comprising a body and a pair of wings wherein the body is adapted to be affixed to a support structure and said wings are resiliently deformable and in a disengaged condition extend substantially perpendicularly to the body and in an engaged condition are pressed into a swept configuration wherein the wings lockingly engage lands disposed on side walls of a channel of the panel.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for locking a ribbed panel to a support structure, the method comprising the steps of: affixing a plurality of retaining members to a support structure in a spaced apart array; and pressing the ribbed panel into locking engagement with the retaining members, wherein the ribbed panel comprises ribs having a channel for receiving the retaining members wherein said channels have opposed sidewalls, each sidewall having a land for engaging the retaining members when the ribbed panel is pressed into locking engagement with the retaining members and wherein the retaining 4 members comprise a body by which the retaining members are affixed to the support structure and a pair of wings wherein the said wings are resiliently deformable and in a disengaged condition extend substantially perpendicularly to the body and in an engaged condition wherein the ribbed panel is pressed into locking engagement with the retaining members the wings lockingly engage with the lands of the channel.

The ribbed panels for use in the present invention may be of any convenient configuration. Rib panels formed from a sheet of rolled steel are particularly suited for use in the present invention. It is envisaged that panels formed from other materials and combinations of materials may also be used to effect with the present invention. In particular, an insulated panel having an insulating foam disposed between a lower ribbed sheet and an outer skin are also envisaged as being useful in the present invention in a manner whereby the retaining member extends into and engages a channel in the lower ribbed sheet of the panel.

The ribbed panels for use in the present invention include a number of ribs that may extend along the length of the panel which have a channel for receiving the retaining members. The channels are formed with opposed side walls which have a land for engaging the retaining members. In a preferred form, the channels have tapered sidewalls forming a generally truncated V-shaped cross section. Tapered sidewalls are preferred as the tapered sidewalls advantageously assist in the location and insertion of the retaining members within the channels.

The lands located on the sidewalls may preferably be formed by a simple step in the sidewall, allowing the land to be simply rolled into the sheet from which the ribbed panel is formed. It will be appreciated however that the land may be provided by other suitable means.

The retaining members for use in the present invention are preferably made from plastics material and are injection moulded. It will be appreciated however that the retaining members of the present invention may be made from other materials suitable to provide wings which are resiliently deformable upon being pressed into the respective channels of the ribbed panel. For example, the retaining members may be fabricated from nylon material or engineered nylon materials.

In the preferred form of the invention, the retaining members are formed of injection moulded plastics material, nylon material, or engineered nylon material, and N have a body adapted to be affixed to the support structure. The body may preferably tbinclude an aperture extending therethrough so that the retaining member may be screwed, riveted or nailed to the support structure.

It is preferred that the body of the retaining member be shaped to correspond to the shape of the channel in order to be closely received therein to provide additional structural support to the ribbed panel.

The retaining members have a pair of wings that are resiliently deformable and in a disengaged condition, remote from the ribbed panel, extend substantially perpendicularly to the body. Upon engagement of the ribbed panel, the wings are lo pressed into a swept configuration and "clip" into position against the land formed on the sidewalls of the channel. The deformation of the wings to be received within the channel is an important aspect of the present invention in that it allows the wings to follow the profile of the channel and thereby provide additional support to the ribbed panel and also an additional locking strength whereby the removal of the panel from the retaining members is resisted.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the retaining members are mounted upon a positioning base that can assist in positioning the retaining members at the appropriate spacing to correspond to the position of the bases within the ribbed panels. The positioning base may be screw fixed or otherwise mounted on the support structure and the retaining members attached thereto. Preferably once the positioning channel with the retaining members in place is screw fixed or otherwise attached to the support structures, the retaining members are themselves screw fixed or otherwise attached to the support structure through the positioning base.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a top view of a retaining member according to one aspect of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the retaining member shown in figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the retaining member shown in figure 6 1; Figure 4 shows a side view of the retaining member shown figure 1; Figure 5 shows the retaining member shown in figure 1 with a ribbed panel positioned thereabove; Figure 6 shows the retaining member shown in figure 1 with the ribbed panel pressed thereon.

Detailed Description of the Drawings Figures 1 to 4 show a retaining member 10 according to one aspect of the present invention. The retaining member 10 has a pair of substantially horizontal wings 11 and 12. A recess 13 extends through the wings 11 and 12 and extends part way through the retaining member 10. A bore 14 extends completely through the retaining member 10. Recess 13 is contained within a body 15 of the retaining member The body 15 of the retaining member 10 has a triangular frame 16 to which the wings 11 and 12 are attached. The body also includes a central column 17 within which the recess 13 is disposed. The central column 17 extends from the base 18 of the body 15 to the wings 11 and 12.

The bore 14 extends through the wings 11 and 12 and also through the base 18.

Base 18 is adapted to be received on a positioning channel (not shown) and lugs 19 and 20 are adapted to engage with the positioning channel (not shown) and retain the retaining member 10 in the desired position. Flanges 21 and 22 on the triangular frame 16 are adapted to engage with the inner surface of the channel of a ribbed panel and assist in supporting the ribbed panel and providing a snug fit of the retaining member 10 within the channel. Providing a snug fit within the channel ensures that the ribbed panel is locked onto the retaining member.

Figure 5 shows the retaining member 10 located on a support structure (not shown) with a ribbed panel 30 positioned above the retaining member 10 for engagement therewith. Ribbed panel 30 has a channel 31 positioned above the retaining member 10. Channel 31 has a pair of opposed sidewalls 32 and 33 which are stepped to provide a pair of lands 34 and 35. The base 36 of the channel 31 is substantially flat providing a channel 31 is that is in the shape of a truncated V.

Figure 6 shows the ribbed panel 30 pressed down on to and in locking engagement with the retaining member 10. Upon pressing the ribbed panel 30 down on to the retaining member 10, the sidewalls 32 and 33 of the channel 31 sweep the wings 11 and 12 of the retaining member 10 into a swept condition as shown in figure 6. The wings 11 and 12 are pressed against the lands 34 and 35 and resiliently spring out into engagement with the upper sidewalls 37 and 38 of the ribbed panel Flanges 21 and 22 of the retaining member 10 extend from the triangular frame 16 into engagement with the sidewalls 32, 33 of the channel 31.

Throughout the specification and the claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to apply the inclusion of the stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the term "substantially" or "about" will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications to the invention described herein will be apparent without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The variations and modifications as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth.

It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, that reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country.

Claims (18)

1. A cladding assembly comprising at least one ribbed panel and a multiplicity of retaining members wherein said at least one ribbed panel comprises ribs having a channel for receiving retaining members wherein said channels have opposed sidewalls, each sidewall having a land for engaging the retaining members and wherein the retaining members comprise a body adapted to be affixed to a support structure and a pair of wings wherein said wings are resiliently deformable and in a disengaged condition extend substantially perpendicularly to the body and in an engaged condition are pressed into a swept configuration wherein the wings engage the lands of the channel.

2. The cladding assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sidewalls of the channels are tapered and form a generally truncated V-shaped cross section.

3. The cladding assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the land of each sidewall is formed by a simple step in the sidewall.

4. The cladding assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body of the retaining members includes an aperture extending therethrough.

The cladding assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body of the retaining members is shaped to correspond to the shape of the channel.

6. The cladding assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the assembly further comprises a positioning base, wherein the retaining members are mounted on the positioning base, and the positioning base is mounted on the support structure.

7. A retaining member for locking a ribbed panel to a support structure, the retaining member comprising a body and a pair of wings wherein the body is adapted to be affixed to a support structure and said wings are resiliently deformable and in a disengaged condition extend substantially perpendicularly to the body and in an engaged condition are pressed into a swept configuration wherein the wings lockingly engage lands disposed on side walls of a channel of the panel.

8. The retaining member of claim 7, wherein the body includes an aperture extending therethrough.

9. The retaining member of claim 7 or 8, wherein the body is shaped to correspond to the shape of the channel.

A method for locking a ribbed panel to a support structure, the method comprising the steps of: affixing a plurality of retaining members to a support structure in a spaced apart array; and pressing the ribbed panel into locking engagement with the retaining members, wherein the ribbed panel comprises ribs having a channel for receiving the retaining members wherein said channels have opposed sidewalls, each sidewall having a land for engaging the retaining members when the ribbed panel is pressed into locking engagement with the retaining members and wherein the retaining members comprise a body by which the retaining members are affixed to the support structure and a pair of wings wherein the said wings are resiliently deformable and in a disengaged condition extend substantially perpendicularly to the body and in an engaged condition wherein the ribbed panel is pressed into locking engagement with the retaining members the wings lockingly engage with the lands of the channel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sidewalls of the channel are tapered and form a generally truncated V-shaped cross section.

12. The method of claim 10 or 11, wherein the land of each sidewall is formed by a simple step in the sidewall.

13. The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the body of the retaining member includes an aperture extending therethrough.

14. The method of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the body of the retaining member is shaped to correspond to the shape of the channel.

The method of any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the step of affixing a plurality of retaining members to a support structure includes mounting the retaining member on a positioning base, and mounting the positioning base on the support structure.

16. A cladding assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

17. A retaining member for locking a ribbed panel to a support structure, the retaining member being substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

18. A method for locking a ribbed panel to a support structure, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.