AU2015100858A4 - Roof sheet rib end cap - Google Patents

Abstract

TITLE: METAL ROOF SHEET RIB END CAP An arrangement for sealing the open rib end on ribbed profile roof sheeting. Said arrangement is used in conjunction with other fixing components in attaching gutter guard mesh to ribbed profile roof sheeting. Said "Rib End Cap" arrangement is to be manufactured from metal or plastic, preferably from colour matching colorbond zincalume sheet. Said "Rib End Cap" comprises an essentially flat sheet, manufactured in the shape of the rib profile and encompasses a 90 degree folded tab, comprising a centre hole designed to accept a fastener, preferably a colour matching screw or rivet. Said "Rib End Cap", is positioned against the open rib end of roof sheet with tab resting on top of rib. A screw is then inserted through the centre hole of tab into the top of rib securing "Rib End Cap" to roof sheet. Used in conjunction with gutter guard mesh and fixing accessories, said "Rib Cap End" combines to provide a neat, secure seal against leaf debris, bushfire embers and vermin entering the roof cavity. FIELD OF THE INVENTION: The invention relates to gutter guard, as a means of sealing the open rib end of ribbed profile roof sheeting. -n -n t'J Cl I-&. ~?Thv. e I-J .g~9 -n Cl Cl-~.

Description

2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: Most buildings incorporate a gutter system in their design to divert rain water from the roof surface. It has become common practice to employ gutter guard systems to assist in rain water harvesting, bushfire hazard reduction and in screening against bird and pest entry. Predominantly manufactured from metal or plastic, gutter guard is available in a vast array of mesh configurations which is attached to the gutter and roof surface by various fixing methods. Since the introduction of continuous Colorbond Zincalume sheeting several decades ago, metal roofing has made a significant resurgence in Australia and now accounts for the majority of roofs on new dwellings and commercial and industrial buildings. As previously mentioned, there are numerous gutter guard products available on the market, each promoting their effectiveness, unfortunately though most fall short of the mark. Some exclude large leaf debris but fail to divert fine debris, others fail to adequately capture rainwater during heavy rainfall, the water instead sheeting over the mesh. Some provide little resistance to the entry of birds or large pests such as possums, which is often the primary reason homeowners seek gutter guard. Another vital consideration is durability and longevity, many gutter guard systems prove to be an expensive investment therefore the homeowner needs assurance that the product will hold up to the varied claims and warranties being offered. Lastly, ease of installation and maintenance is crucial as installers will generally seek the most effective, economical and simplest method available. When installing gutter guard the most common method of attaching mesh to the metal roof has been to use "saddles" which are normally manufactured by press stamping colorbond steel to match the roof profile, generally custom orb "corrugated" or Trimdek. The mesh is then sandwiched between the saddle and roof sheet on the highest profile point and secured with a fixing screw, providing a secure gapless joint between mesh and sheet thereby preventing debris, pests and fire embers from entering the gutters and roof cavity. This system has proven relatively effective when used on domestic roofing which generally use Custom orb or Trimdek profile to suit a "pitched roof". However when we look at commercial / industrial buildings we find that the majority of these roofs are" flat or very low pitched" and are generally clad with high ribbed roof sheeting which tends to create some gutter guard installation obstacles. Due to the current lack of an effective, purpose designed system for high ribbed roof sheeting, gutter guard is generally excluded on commercial buildings which often proves a costly omission. The fact that these roofs are typically quite high and not easily accessed implies that maintenance is often overlooked until a problem is evident, such as blocked and overflowing gutters which may cause expensive internal water damage to ceilings, office equipment and warehouse stock. This leads to the advantages of this invention. As previously mentioned, most commercial and industrial buildings have "High Ribbed" profile roof sheeting such as Kliplok, Metlok, Speed Deck, Long Span, Mono Clad, Spandek to name a few .This type of "High Rib" roof sheeting is particularly popular as it is negates the need for external fixings screws which pierce the sheet, as for example on Custom Orb "corro" or Trimdek sheeting. Instead an internal bracket system is used to attach the sheets, which also allows for expansion and contraction of the sheet providing excellent waterproofing qualities and therefore comes highly 3 recommended by man Lfacturers on roofs from flat to minimal pitch. This type of sheeting is also available in long lengths and allows for relatively quick and simple installation. Unfortunately though, when it comes to sourcing a gutter guard system for high ribbed sheeting, it appears nothing currently exists to adequately meet all of the requirements. The flat pitch of the installed roof sheets, combined with the height of the rib profile, (which range between 30 - 60mm) has hindered gutter guard manufacturers efforts in producing a simple system which allows for clear water flow whilst adequately screening both the gutter opening and sheet rib end. Firstly, most of the existing systems require the mesh be cut to fit the sheet profile. This poses an immediate problem in that sheet profile dimensions vary significantly between manufacturers, also installers may stretch the roof sheets when laying, therefore" pre-cut profile mesh" rarely fits satisfactorily. Some installers "manually cut" the mesh on- site to fit the profile of the sheet, however this method proves extremely time consuming and the effectiveness and finish of the job is totally dependent on the competence of the installer. Secondly, many of the systems require that the mesh, once cut to fit the rib, is then fixed to the top of the rib. The corresponding section between the ribs is then turned down to meet the "pan" (the flat section on which the water flows) and often silicone sealed to the sheet. This method creates a "dam like effect" (of up to 60mm high, depending on sheet profile) which leads to a build-up of damp debris promoting premature corrosion and the possible back up of water. Other methods require that the mesh be" manually cut" to fit the rib profile, the rib section of mesh is then pushed into the end of the rib in an effort to form a screen. The section of mesh between the ribs is then attached to the "pan" (the flat section on which the water flows) by means of screws, flat metal strips or simply silicone sealed to the top of the pan. This method also proves problematic in that the pan of the sheet generally contains several strengthening ribs approximately 2mm in height and once the mesh and flat strip or silicone is attached a lip of approximately 5mm is often formed creating a barrier which may catch debris, promote corrosion and obstruct water flow. Prior to roof sheet installation it is possible to simply attach the gutter guard mesh to the guttering and the fascia board then lay roof sheets on top of mesh, this may work effectively but does not screen the rib ends from debris, pests or bush fire embers which is where use of this "Rib End Cap" invention may also be implemented. Ideally though on new or existing roofs, this proposed "Rib End Cap" system would be combined with rigid metal mesh panels of expanded, woven or micro mesh, manufactured preferably from aluminium, stainless steel or zincalume colorbond in the required dimension to suit the specific application. These panels would be firstly attached to the outer gutter edge using fixing screws or angle trims, screw holes would then be pre-drilled into the raised strengthening ribs on the pan of the roof sheet, approximately 15mm from the end of sheet. The rigid mesh panel would then be attached to the underside of the sheet by screwing through the pre drilled holes, thereby drawing the mesh into tight contact with the underside of roof sheet. The "Rib End Caps" would then be attached to each rib providing a seamless screened gutter guard system without the need for any profile cutting of the mesh. This system will prove, quick and simple to install, aesthetically pleasing, durable and best of all extremely effective allowing for numerous mesh types to be installed to suit specific applications.

4 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: In a broad form this" Rib End Cap" (FIG 3) invention provides a preferably flat sheet of steel, aluminium or plastic, preferably though manufactured from but not limited to colour matching colorbond zincalume steel, approximately .5mm to 1 mm in thickness, fabricated to correspond in shape to the required rib end profile (FIG 2) and comprising a 90 degree folded tab (FIG 4) which contains a centre hole of approximately 3mm to 5mm in diameter. (FIG 5) This "Rib End Cap" (FIG 3) is positioned against the end of the roof sheet over the corresponding open rib (FIG 2), a fixing screw (FIG 6) is then inserted into the centre hole (FIG 5) and screw fixed to the top of the rib (FIG 7) providing a neat, secure seal, preventing debris, bushfire embers and pests from entering the guttering and roof cavity via the open rib end of the sheet. A mesh of specified dimension, in either roll or piece form (preferably a rigid mesh panel FIG8) is then attached to the outer/upper edge of the guttering (FIG 9) by means of a fixing screw (FIG 6) or a 90 degree angled fixing trim (FIG1O). The mesh (preferably a rigid mesh panel) (FIG 8) is then attached to the underside of the roof sheeting (FIG 11) by firstly drilling or screwing a fixing screw (FIG 6) into the end of the roof sheet approximately 15mm from the sheet end on the top of the "pan strengthening rib"(FIG 12) to produce a hole (FIG 13). Said holes are then produced on every "pan strengthening rib" along the total gutter line. The fixing screw (FIG 6) is then re- inserted into the hole (FIG 13) and screwed into the mesh panel (FIG 8) drawing the mesh into tight contact with the underside of the roof sheeting (FIG 11), combining with the "Rib End Cap" (FIG 3) to create a secure, neat and effective screen against debris, pests and bushfire embers entering the gutter and roof cavity. If required a 90 degree pick hook may be inserted into the holes of the mesh and used to hold the mesh in place against the sheet whilst screw fixing.

DRAWINGS: The invention may be better understood with reference to the illustrations of embodiments of the invention which: FIG.1 MESH: Depicts an enlarged view of the gutter mesh available in panel or roll format. FIG. 2 SHEET RIB END PROFILE: Depicts various roof sheet rib profiles. FIG.3 RIB END CAP: Depicts a dimensional view of various rib end caps. FIG. 4 90 DEGREE TAB: Depicts the rib end cap comprising a tab folded at 90 deg. FIG. 5 TAB CENTRE HOLE: Depicts the screw fixing hole in centre of 90 degree tab (FIG. 4) FIG. 6 SCREW FASTENER: Depicts fastening screw used to secure rib end cap (FIG. 3) and Gutter Angle Trim (FIG.10) FIG. 7 TOP OF RIB: Depicts top horizontal plain of ribbed roof sheet profile. FIG. 8 RIGID MESH PANEL: Depicts rigid mesh panel. FIG. 9 OUTER / UPPER GUTTER EDGE: Depicts top outer gutter edge to which (FIG.10) Angled Gutter Trim is attached to secure gutter mesh (FIG. 1) FIG. 10 90 DEGREE ANGLE GUTTER FIXING TRIM: Depicts 90 degree angle trim used to secure Gutter mesh (FIG. 1) to Outer gutter Edge (FIG. 9) FIG. 11 UNDERSIDE OF ROOF SHEET: Depicts underside of roof sheet to which mesh (FIG. 1) is secured with Fastening Screw (FIG. 6) FIG. 12 PAN STRENGTHENING RIB (PSR): Depicts low profile strengthening rib in pan (lowest plain of roof sheet) in which Screw Fasteners (FIG. 6) are inserted to secure mesh (FIG.1) in tight contact with Underside of roof sheet (FIG. 11) FIG. 13 HOLE IN (PSR): Depicts hole in (PSR FIG. 12) which are predrilled prior to inserting the Fastening Screw (FIG. 6) FIG. 14 MOULDED PLASTIC PLUG INSERT: Depicts alternative plastic moulded version of (FIG. 3) Rib End Cap which is inserted into (FIG. 2) and secured in place with (FIG. 6) Fastening Screw.

Claims (5)

1. An arrangement used in conjunction with gutter guard mesh for preventing leaf and debris and bushfire embers and pests and vermin entering into the gutter and roof cavity via the open rib ends on ribbed profiled roof sheeting. Said arrangement manufactured in shape to correspond with the required sheet rib profile comprises a tab folded horizontally at ninety degrees to the outer face of the rib end cap and includes a centre hole designed to accept a fixing screw or rivet for attaching the arrangement to the top horizontal plain of the roof sheet rib end.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arrangement is manufactured from plastic or powder coated metal such as aluminium or steel, preferably though manufactured from a similar colour matching material to the coloured zincalume roof sheeting commonly known as colorbond.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claims 1 & 2 wherein said arrangement is manufactured in alternate shape configurations, designed to correspond with the various commonly available roof sheet rib profiles.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claims 1, 2, & 3 wherein said arrangement is manufactured to incorporate a plurality of strengthening indents or ribs into the flat sheet of the rib end cap arrangement to produce a substantially rigid component.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 & 4 wherein said arrangement is manufactured to the corresponding sheet rib shape, preferably from plastic to form a moulded plastic plug comprising a hole in the top to accept a fixing screw said arrangement is inserted into the corresponding open rib end of the roof sheet and secured by means of a fixing screw.