AU2015100841A4 - A Shed - Google Patents

Abstract

A shed includes upright walls and a roof. At least one of the walls includes a corrugated sheet having generally horizontally extending parallel corrugations and generally vertically extending slots intersecting the corrugations at an edge portion of the sheet. A post includes a coupling formation. The coupling formation has a longitudinally extending base. Two longitudinally extending channel walls project from a side of the base so that the base and the channel walls define a longitudinally extending passage. A rib extends from an internal surface of at least one of the channel walls and into the passage such that the sheet can slide into engagement with the post by receiving the rib in the slots of the sheet.

Description

1 A SHED FIELD [0001] Various embodiments of a shed and components of a shed are described herein. SUMMARY [0002] Various exemplary embodiments of a shed include upright walls and a roof, at least one of the walls including: a corrugated sheet having generally horizontally extending parallel corrugations and generally vertically extending slots intersecting the corrugations at an edge portion of the sheet; and a post including a coupling formation, wherein the coupling formation comprises: a longitudinally extending base; two longitudinally extending channel walls that project from a side of the base so that the base and the channel walls define a longitudinally extending passage; and a rib extending from an internal surface of at least one of the channel walls and into the passage such that the sheet can slide into engagement with the post with the rib received in the slots of the sheet. [0003] The coupling formation may include a rib extending into the passage from the internal surface of both channel walls and the slots may be defined in the corrugations on both sides of the sheet. The ribs may extend lengthwise along the passage. The two ribs may project into the passage from opposite sides. The ribs may be aligned with each other. Alternatively, the one rib may be offset from the other rib, in which case the slots defined in opposite sides of the corrugated sheet may be offset from each other to correspond with the ribs. [0004] One of the posts may be a corner post at a corner of the shed, the corner post including two coupling formations which are oriented generally orthogonal to each other. [0005] One of the walls may include a door.

2 [0006] A rear wall of the shed may be of a different height to a front wall of the shed so that the roof slants from the rear wall to the front wall. The rear wall may be taller than the front wall or vice versa. [0007] The post may include two female coupling formations that are configured so that their open sides face at right angles to each other. [0008] Various exemplary embodiments of a kit for constructing a shed include the corrugated sheet and the posts defined and descried hereinabove. [0009] Various exemplary embodiments of a method of erecting a shed includes sliding an edge portion of a corrugated sheet into engagement with a post of the shed, the corrugated sheet having generally horizontally extending parallel corrugations and generally vertically extending slots intersecting the corrugations at the edge portion of the sheet, the post including a longitudinally extending passage and a rib extending into the passage such that the sheet can slide into engagement with the post by receiving the rib in the slots of the sheet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a shed. [0011] Figure 2 shows a front view of the shed of figure 1. [0012] Figure 3 shows a side view, from one side, of the shed of figure 1. [0013] Figure 4 shows a rear view of the shed of figure 1. [0014] Figure 5 shows a sectioned side view of the shed of figure 1, sectioned along section line V-V of figure 2. [0015] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a door of the shed of figure 1. [0016] Figure 7 shows a sectioned top view of the shed of figure 1, sectioned along section line VII-VII of figure 2, with Figures 7a, 7b, and 7c showing features enlarged. [0017] Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a corrugated wall sheet of one of the walls of the shed connected to a coupling formation of the shed of figure 1. [0018] Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the wall sheet of figure 9 received in a post of the shed of figure 1.

3 [0019] Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional profile view of a corner post of the shed of figure 1. [0020] Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional profile view of an end post of the shed of figure 1. [0021] Figure 12 shows a cross-sectional profile view of another embodiment of a corner post of the shed of figure 1. [0022] Figure 13 shows a cross-sectional profile view of a door post of the shed of figure 1. [0023] Figure 14 shows a diagrammatic view of key dimensions of embodiments of the shed of figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0024] In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates an exemplary embodiment of a shed. [0025] The shed 10 comprises a rear wall 20, two side walls 30, 40, a front wall 50 including a front door 60, and a roof 70. The rear wall 20 is at a rear 12 of the shed 10. The front wall 50 is at a front 14 of the shed 10. [0026] The shed 10 stands on a base 16 with the walls 20, 30, 40, 50 upright and the roof 70 fixed on top of the walls. The walls 20, 30, 40, 50 define an open-topped enclosure which is closed off by the roof 70. The roof 70 is located at the top 18 of the shed 10. [0027] The walls 20, 30, 40, 50 each comprise a corrugated sheet 80 held between posts 90. Each post 90 includes a coupling formation 100 which the corrugated sheet 80 engages, as described in more detail below. [0028] The coupling formation 100 includes two spaced apart channel walls 102 that extend from respective sides of a web or base 104 of each post 90. The base 104 and the channel walls 102 together define an elongated passage 106 or channel on at least one side of the base 104 and a longitudinal side opening 108. The coupling formation 100 extends along a length of the post 90. [0029] The coupling formation 100 includes two ribs 110 extending longitudinally along the passage 106 and projecting into the passage 106 from each wall 102. The ribs 110 project transversely from the opposite walls 102 of the coupling formation 100.

4 The ribs 110 are directly opposite each other, but may also be offset from one another. The ribs 110 have a wider base where they connect to the walls 102 and taper to a narrower head. [0030] Three of the corner posts 90.1 include two coupling formations 100.1 and 100.2. The two coupling formations 100.1, 100.2 of the corner posts 90.1 are arranged to be generally orthogonal relative to each other. That is to say the channel walls 102 of one of the coupling formations 100.1 extend perpendicular to the channel walls 102 of the other coupling formation 100.2. The two coupling formations 100.1, 100.2 are oriented so that their side openings 108 are square relative to each other. [0031] Figure 10 shows a cross sectional profile view of one of the corner posts 90.1. The channel walls 102 of the coupling formation 100.1 project slightly further from the base 104 than the channel walls 102 of the coupling formation 100.2. The passage 106 of the coupling formation 100.1 is thus slightly deeper than the passage 106 of the coupling formation 100.2. [0032] One of the corner posts 90.2 includes a shoulder 112 against which a free end of the door 60 buts in a closed condition of the door. The shoulder 112 extends from an external side of one of the channel walls 102. The shoulder 112 extends generally perpendicular to the channel wall 102, parallel to the ribs 110. Figure 12 shows a cross sectional view of the profile of the corner posts 90.2. [0033] The door 60 includes end posts 90.3 at opposite ends of the door 60. Each end post 90.3 comprises a coupling formation 100. Figure 11 shows a cross sectional view of the profile of one of the end posts 90.3. [0034] The door 60 forms part of the front wall 50 of the shed 10. The door 60 is hingedly connected to a door post 90.4 by two or more hinges 62. The door post 90.4 is the same as the end post 90.3, but additionally includes a projecting flange 114. The flange 114 projects from the base 104 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the channel walls 102 project from the base 104. Figure 13 shows a cross sectional view of the profile of the door post 90.4. [0035] The hinges 62 support the door 60 so that it hangs from the door post 90.4. [0036] The door 60 includes stiffener sections 66 extending across the door 60 from one end post 90.3 to the other end post 90.3. The stiffener sections 66 are fixed to the inside of the sheet 80 of the door 60.

5 [0037] The posts 90 described above have profiles that are suited for fabrication by extrusion. The material can thus be any material that is suited for extrusion, such as polyvinyl chloride or aluminium. Thus, examples are plastics materials, aluminium or aluminium alloys. For outdoor use, the plastics material can be treated in a conventional manner to be UV resistant. The material can also be a moulded material, such as a moulded composite material. [0038] The hinges 62 are fixed to the door post 90.4 and the end post 90.3 by fasteners such rivets or nut-and-bolt assemblies 64, shown in figure 7c. The shanks of the fasteners 64 extend through leaves 68 of the hinge 62 and through the channel walls 102. [0039] Figure 8 shows a section of one of the corrugated sheets 80 of the shed 10. The sheet 80 has parallel corrugations 82 comprising alternating grooves, depressions or valleys and ridges, crests or apexes. Sheet 80 has a wave profile, but other squarer type profiles as is well known for corrugated roof sheets and corrugated wall cladding may also be suitable. The sheets 80 are oriented so that the corrugations extend generally horizontally in the erected condition of the shed 10. [0040] Each sheet 80 defines a series of spaced apart elongate slots 84 extending across consecutive apex regions of the corrugations in an edge portion 86 of the sheet 80. The slots 84 are generally transverse to the corrugations 82. The slots 84 intersect the corrugations 82. The slots 84 extend into the corrugations 82 to a depth that is less than half the thickness of the sheet. In use, the slots 84 extend vertically. [0041] The sheets 80 shown are of corrugated iron. The sheets 80 may be of other corrugated materials as well. The sheet 80 include edge portions 86 that form male coupling formations which are integral with the sheet 80. The edge portions 86 couple to the connecting formations 100 of the posts 90. [0042] The slots 84 can be milled after the sheet 80 is formed or, alternatively, the slots 84 can be moulded together with the sheet 80. With metal corrugated panels, the slots can simply be punched out. With other panels, the slots can be cut with DIY equipment or the panels can be supplied with the slots. Either way, forming the slots is generally a simpler process than that associated with fixing connectors to the sheets. [0043] The edge portion 86 of the sheet 80 is received in the passage 106 of the coupling formation 100 so that the ribs 110 are received in the slots 84 to engage the sheet 80. The slots 84 in the edge portions 86 allow the ends of the sheet 80 to slide 6 into the passage 106 into engagement with the posts 14. In particular, the sheet 80 slides into engagement with the post 90 in a lengthwise direction along the ribs 110 in a direction along the height of the post 90. [0044] During assembly, the edge portion 86 slides lengthwise between the channel walls 102 with the slots 84 engaged by the ribs 110. The slots 84 and the ribs 110 are positioned and sized so that the ribs 110 can be received in the slots 178. Thus, the sheet 80 can be secured to the coupling formation against extraction in a direction orthogonal to the ribs 110. The edge portions 86 of the sheets 80 may additionally be secured in the coupling formations 100 by a fastener extending between the opposite channel walls 102 and through the sheet 80. [0045] The two corner posts 90.1 and 90.2 at the front of the shed 10 are shorter than the two corner posts 90.1 at the rear of the shed. The rear wall 20 thus has a different height to the front wall 50. The roof 10 has a pitch due to the difference in height between the corner posts at the front 14 and rear 12 of the shed 10. The roof 70 slants downwardly from the rear wall 20 to the front wall 50. The upper edges of the sheets 80 of the side walls 30, 40 of the shed 10 are slanted to correspond with the pitch of the roof 70. [0046] The roof 70 comprises a corrugated sheet 80 having rails 72 along its opposite edge portions 86. The rails 72 have the same configuration as the posts 90.3. The rails 72 are butt ended by end caps 74. The roof 70 is fixed on top of the walls 20, 30, 40, 50 using brackets 76 and fasteners (not shown). [0047] The rails 72 can be extruded. Thus, the rails 72 can be extruded of a material suitable for extrusion. Such material can include a plastics material or aluminium or aluminium alloy. [0048] The base 16 may be a concrete slab or any other suitable flat support. The shed 10 is fixed to the base using conventional fastening mechanisms such as bolts. [0049] The shed 10 can be of any suitable size for different applications. Figure 14 shows the key dimension of the shed 10 for a "large", "standard" and "kids" shed. [0050] The shed components described above are suitable for providing a modular shed assembly that can be easily and quickly assembled or erected without the need for special tools. The walls 20, 30, 40, 50 are assembled by sliding the posts 90 onto the edge portions 86 of the sheets 80. The horizontal orientation of the corrugations of the walls gives the shed 10 a particular aesthetic look.

7 [0051] The posts 90 and sheets 80 described herein can form part of a kit for constructing a shed. [0052] In the specification, including the claims, where the context permits, the term "comprising" and variants thereof such as "comprise" or "comprises" are to be interpreted as including the stated integer or integers without necessarily excluding any other integers. [0053] It is to be understood that the terminology employed above is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The described embodiments are intended to be illustrative of the invention, without limiting the scope thereof. The invention is capable of being practised with various modifications and additions as will readily occur to those skilled in the art. [0054] Various substantially and specifically practical and useful exemplary embodiments of the claimed subject matter, are described herein, textually and/or graphically, including the best mode, if any, known to the inventors for carrying out the claimed subject matter. Variations (e.g., modifications and/or enhancements) of one or more embodiments described herein might become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this application. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the claimed subject matter to be practiced other than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, as permitted by law, the claimed subject matter includes and covers all equivalents of the claimed subject matter and all improvements to the claimed subject matter. Moreover, every combination of the above described elements, activities, and all possible variations thereof are encompassed by the claimed subject matter unless otherwise clearly indicated herein, clearly and specifically disclaimed, or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. [0055] The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate one or more embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of any claimed subject matter unless otherwise stated. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non claimed subject matter as essential to the practice of the claimed subject matter. [0056] The use of words that indicate orientation or direction of travel is not to be considered limiting. Thus, words such as "front", "back", "rear", "side", "up", down", "upper", "lower", "high"; "top", "bottom", "forwards", "backwards", "towards", "distal", "proximal", "in", "out"; "horizontal"; "vertical" and synonyms, antonyms and derivatives 8 thereof have been selected for convenience only, unless the context indicates otherwise. The inventor envisages that various exemplary embodiments of the claimed subject matter can be supplied in any particular orientation and the claimed subject matter is intended to include such orientations. [0057] Thus, regardless of the content of any portion (e.g., title, field, background, summary, description, abstract, drawing figure, etc.) of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, such as via explicit definition, assertion, or argument, or clearly contradicted by context, with respect to any claim, whether of this application and/or any claim of any application claiming priority hereto, and whether originally presented or otherwise: there is no requirement for the inclusion of any particular described or illustrated characteristic, function, activity, or element, any particular sequence of activities, or any particular interrelationship of elements; no characteristic, function, activity, or element is "essential"; any elements can be integrated, segregated, and/or duplicated; any activity can be repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any activity can be performed in multiple jurisdictions; and any activity or element can be specifically excluded, the sequence of activities can vary, and/or the interrelationship of elements can vary. [0058] The use of the terms "a", "an", "said", "the", and/or similar referents in the context of describing various embodiments (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,") unless otherwise noted. [0059] Moreover, when any number or range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that number or range is approximate. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value and each separate subrange defined by such separate values is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. For example, if a range of 1 to 10 is described, that range includes all values there between, such 9 as for example, 1.1, 2.5, 3.335, 5, 6.179, 8.9999, etc., and includes all subranges there between, such as for example, 1 to 3.65, 2.8 to 8.14, 1.93 to 9, etc. [0060] Accordingly, every portion (e.g., title, field, background, summary, description, abstract, drawing figure, etc.) of this application, other than the claims themselves, is to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive, and the scope of subject matter protected by any patent that issues based on this application is defined only by the claims of that patent.

Claims (5)

1. A shed that includes upright walls and a roof, at least one of the walls including: a corrugated sheet having generally horizontally extending parallel corrugations and generally vertically extending slots intersecting the corrugations at an edge portion of the sheet; and a post including a coupling formation, wherein the coupling formation comprises: a longitudinally extending base; two longitudinally extending channel walls that project from a side of the base so that the base and the channel walls define a longitudinally extending passage; and a rib extending from an internal surface of at least one of the channel walls and into the passage such that the sheet can slide into engagement with the post by receiving the rib in the slots of the sheet.

2. The shed of claim 1, wherein the coupling formation includes a rib extending into the passage from the internal surface of both channel walls and the slots are defined in the corrugation on both sides of the sheet.

3. The shed of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one of the posts is a corner post at a corner of the shed, the corner post including two coupling formations which are oriented generally orthogonal to each other.

4. The shed of any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the walls includes a door.

5. The shed of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a rear wall and a front wall of the shed are of different heights so that the roof slants from the rear wall to the front wall of the shed.