CZ20011249A3 - Eaves system - Google Patents

Abstract

A seal (12) for the spigot part (4) of a gutter comprises a sealing element (18) of flexible compressible material and retaining means (20) of a more rigid material. The retaining means (20) is connected to the spigot (4) by means of clips (16). Also disclosed is a gutter union (30) having two spigots (4) each of which is provided with a seal (12) of the type mentioned above, although a plain seal could be attached to the spigots (4) instead. The gutter union can join two uniform lengths of gutter (32). In another embodiment, the gutter union (40) is provided with a protrusion (56) fitting into an oversize slot (58) in the gutter for allowing thermal expansion of the gutter without breaking the seal.

Description

The gasket (12) for the gutter pin portion (4) comprises a sealing member (18) of resilient compressible material and a holding means (20) of more rigid material. The retaining means (20) is connected to the pin (4) by means of clips (16). The gutter connector (30) has two pins (4), each of which is formed with a gasket (12) of said type, although a flat gasket fixed to the pin (4) could be used instead. The gutter connector connects the two gutter lengths (32). In another embodiment, the gutter connector (40) is formed with a protrusion (56) engaging a larger slot (58) in the gutter to allow thermal gutter expansion without damaging the gasket.

CZ 2001 - 1249 A3

<—32 (21) Document number:

2001 -1249 (13) Document type: A3 (51) Int. Cl. ⁷ ;

E 04 D 13/068 ·· ·

Gutter system

Technical field

The present invention relates to eaves and gaskets for eaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditionally, plastic gutters or gutters are extruded in a continuous length with a uniform cross-section before being cut into pieces of a standard length, for example a length of 4 to 5 meters. To join these gutter lengths together, the connector is separately formed by injection molding to wrap and clamp around the outer surfaces of the two respective ends. In other words, a double-sided sleeve is used to receive the two ends of the gutters. Such arrangements are well known in the art. A gasket is generally required for each end of the eaves. These seals are typically located in recesses formed around the inner periphery of the respective parts of the sleeve to form a seal around the outer surface of the eaves. The gutter outer surface is particularly suitable for providing a good seal, as it is necessarily made smooth to provide an acceptable external appearance. In contrast, the texture of the inner surface of the gutter is less critical as it will not be visible and can therefore be relatively rough so as to minimize the cost of the required extruder.

GB-A-2323866, which has not yet been published prior to the priority date of the present invention, describes a gutter system comprising a plurality of injection molded plastic gutter sections each having a main portion of substantially constant cross section extending from one end of the gutter section to a relatively short section with a reduced cross-section at the other end forming a pin whose outer cross-section substantially corresponds to the inner cross-section of the main section, the pin being formed with a seal around its outer surface and adapted to fit into said one end of the same gutter section to form a sealed joint between the two eaves sections.

In GB-A-2323866 it is proposed that the seal could be connected to the outer surface of the pin, for example by glue, by ultrasonic welding or by co-forming. However, it can now be assumed that this may not be the most appropriate method of attaching the seal to the pin, one problem is that these techniques, such as co-forming, narrow the choice of material for the seal. A seal that is compatible with, for example, UV-stable PVC used for the gutter section may have poor properties, such as excessive compression set, which could reduce the effectiveness of the seal. If the sealing material is incompatible with the gutter section material, then there will be no effective connection between them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a formed gutter section having a main portion extending from one end to a relatively short portion with a reduced cross-section at the other end forming a pin whose outer cross-section substantially aligns with the inner cross-section of the main portion; around its outer surface and is adapted to be fitted to said one end of the same eaves section to form

a sealed joint between two eaves sections, wherein the seal comprises a sealing member of resilient compressible material and a retention means of a more rigid material, the retention means being connected to the pin.

In such an arrangement, the thermoplastic rubber sealing member may, if desired, be co-formed with a retaining means of a compatible material, such as polypropylene, which may then be connected to the pin by a mechanical means such as a snap fit, an interference fit ), buckle or the like. While polypropylene might not be a suitable material for the gutter section itself due to degradation under the effects of UV radiation, its use as a retainer for the sealing element should not be problematic. In use, the retaining means will be positioned between the pin and the inner wall of the next eaves section and hence will be protected from the effects of UV radiation.

By providing a seal for attachment to the post, no special cooperating means or the like need be provided on the eaves section that receives the post. Thus, the gutter may have a substantially uniform cross-section along most or nearly its entire length. The advantage of this arrangement is that the gutter can be cut virtually anywhere along its length and still forms a well-sealed joint with the pin, since the gasket secures the pin, so that the gutter (gutter section) no longer has to be.

If the seal is not connected to the pin at the production stage, the cost of manufacturing the components is reduced. The retaining means need not be fixed to the sealing element so that their connection is watertight, but must only be held in place. By allowing a mechanical connection to the pin, the seal can be fixed manually. For example, the seal could be supplied separately for connection to the pin at a desired location and at a desired time. This also opens the possibility for the seal to be replaced, the experiment becoming worn or damaged, the old seal being simply removed from the pin and the new seal being attached in place.

Accordingly, in a further aspect, the present invention provides a gasket for a gutter section as described above, the gasket comprising a gasket of a resilient compressible material and a stiffening material retainer attached to the gasket, the holding element being adapted to engage the gutter pin. .

In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gutter system comprising a plurality of gutter sections as described above, wherein the pin of one gutter section is seated to an end with a larger cross-section of another gutter section to form a sealed joint therebetween.

The gutter systems of GB-A-2323866 and the gutter systems described above consist in that the gutter sections themselves are joined together without separate couplings of the type required in conventional extruded gutter sections. Such couplings are typically formed with sleeves having seals on their inner walls for sealing around the outer surfaces of the eaves sections received within the sleeves. However, this poses problems if the outer surface of the eaves sections is not uniform. For example, problems could arise in sealing against a gutter section that has been profiled with a pattern along its length. Moreover, such couplings have a bulky appearance since they are necessarily of larger cross-section than the gutter itself. Therefore, it is now proposed to apply the concept of coupling of the above-mentioned type with a pin to the gutter connectors.

Accordingly, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gutter connector for joining together two gutter sections, the connector having a pair of pins whose outer cross-sections substantially align with the inner cross-sections of the gutter sections, each pin being formed with a seal around its outer surface and adapted for. fitting to the end of said eaves section so as to form sealed joints between the coupling and the two eaves sections.

The advantage of using a gutter coupling having a pair of pins is that the above-described advantages resulting from the use of pins can be achieved while still allowing the use of an extruded gutter. The extruded gutters are preferably injection molded, which entails the advantage of a relatively low cost of production and the possibility of using a continuous manufacturing process.

The pins may be different to allow connection of different gutter sections or gutters. Preferably, however, the pin portions are the same to allow the matching gutters to be joined.

The seals on the pins may be attached thereto by means of adhesive, co-molding, ultrasonic welding, or the like. Preferably, however, the seal of each pin comprises a sealing member of resilient compressible material and a retaining means of a more rigid material, the retaining means being connected to the pin. This method of attachment is advantageous for the reasons described above.

♦ · · ·

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gasket for a gutter clutch pin as described above, the gasket comprising a sealing member of resilient compressible material and a retainer of stiffer material engaging the sealing member, the retaining member adapted to engage the gutter pin. couplings.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gutter system comprising a plurality of gutter sections joined together by couplers as described above, wherein each coupling pin is fitted to the end of a respective gutter section to form a sealed joint therebetween.

Preferably, one or each of the pair of gutter clutch pins as described above is provided with means cooperating with, or cooperating with, means on the gutters (gutter sections) to be coupled to allow a limited amount of longitudinal displacement of the pin relative to the respective gutter. (gutter section). This is a new stand-alone feature and, therefore, according to another aspect, the present invention provides a plastic gutter and a pin acceptable in said gutter, wherein the outer cross-section of said gutter coincides with the inner cross-section of said gutter. them.

By allowing a limited amount of displacement in the joint between the spigot and the gutter, the thermal expansion of the gutter can be considered without the two elements being easily separated from each other. In preferred embodiments, a displacement of between 1 mm and 10 mm, particularly preferably between 2 mm and 7 mm, particularly preferably 4 mm, is allowed.

The co-operating means may take any suitable form,

but preferably comprise a projection configured to protrude into the opening, the displacement being limited by the edge of said opening. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the projection is formed on the pin and the opening on the eaves. The pin may be part of the gutter length, for example integrally formed with the gutter, or it may be part of a separate coupling, for example with two pins.

The gasket for the gutter connector as described above may be of the same type as used for gutter sections with integral pins in the system described previously.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a seal for use on an outer surface of a pin that is adapted to be fitted to the end of a gutter section to join two gutter sections together, the gasket comprising a sealing member of resilient compressible material and a more rigid material retaining means coupled to the sealing element, wherein the retaining means is adapted to engage the pin.

The gasket retaining means as described above may take any suitable form. For example, it may include two portions formed at respective lateral ends of the sealing member such that in use, the seal is stretched around the outer surface of the pin. Preferably, however, the retaining means is in the form of a frame and can therefore surround or substantially surround the sealing element.

The retaining means may be connected to the pin by any suitable means. For example, the retaining means may be clamped over the upper edge of the pin or may be provided with clips, holes or the like adapted to receive corresponding projections from the pin or vice versa. In a preferred embodiment, the retaining means comprises protrusions on

Each end of the seal for insertion into recesses or holes formed in a wort portion of the pin.

Alternatively, it is also possible to provide means for engaging the recess in the material of the sealing element itself, such as a hook, a pin or the like. This could eliminate the need for a two-piece seal, which would further reduce manufacturing costs. In a more general aspect, the present invention provides a seal for engagement with a spigot adapted to be inserted into a gutter as described above, the seal comprising two oppositely facing sealing surfaces, one for sealing against the outer surface of said spigot and the other for sealing. against the inner surface of said eaves; and means formed on the seal to cooperate with corresponding means on the pin portion to allow the seal to be mechanically coupled to said pin portion.

The gasket according to this aspect of the present invention may simply be made of one suitable material having corresponding fit and compression properties, such as rubber or the like, or may be reinforced at their ends to allow mechanical bonding, for example by adjusting the edges to strengthen them.

In the following description, some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an injection molded gutter having a mechanically fixed bolt at one end thereof with a seal according to the invention;

Fig. 2a shows a front view of said seal;

Fig. 2b shows a plan view of said seal;

Fig. 2c shows a side view of said seal;

Fig. 2d shows a sectional view of said seal;

Fig. 2e shows a detail view of the gasket clip;

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a double stud for connecting two extruded gutters;

Giant. 4 shows a second embodiment of the double bolt in the assembled state; and

Giant. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the seal and pin connection of the embodiment of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an injection molded gutter 2 at one end of which a pin 4 is formed which is adapted to be received at the opposite end of the same gutter 2a so as to form a continuous outer surface when the gutter system is assembled. Hooks 6 are formed on the upper edges of the pin 6 for engaging around the tongues 8 formed on the upper edges of the main sleeve portion of the adjacent eaves 2a. The support strut 10 is formed over the open top of the pin portion 4 to impart greater rigidity and stability to the gutter. The features of this eaves mentioned above are explained in more detail in co-pending patent application No. GB-A-2323866 of the same applicant.

· »·· · · · ·

A seal 12 is formed around the pin 4, which is well illustrated in Figures 2a to 2e. A slot 14 is provided on each hook 6 for receiving the clamps 16 on the seal.

It can be seen from Figures 2a to 2e that the seal 12 is shaped to conform to the profile of the pin portion 4 of Figure 1. The seal 12 comprises a sealing element 18 made of thermoplastic rubber and supported by a frame 20 made of polypropylene. As can be seen from the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2d, the sealing member 18 has three longitudinal ribs 22 which will be sealed in use against the smooth inner surface of the length of the eaves 2a. One longitudinal ridge 24 is formed to make a sealing contact with the pin 4 ,.

The frame 20 surrounds (surrounds) the sealing element 18 on all lateral sides and is connected thereto by ultrasonic welding or co-molding. Clips 16 are integrally formed at two ends of the frame 20, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 2e. The heads 26 of the hook clips 16 are adapted to snap into slots 14 formed on the pin 6 hooks so as to engage the projection formed here (not shown) and thereby retain the seal 12 on the pin 4. The seal 12 can simply snap into place by pushing up once it is properly aligned on the pin. The seal may be removed using a sharp tool, such as a screwdriver, to release the hooks 16, or may need to be torn off. This is not essential, however, because the seal will only need to be removed when it in any event requires replacement.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the seal 12 is received in the recess 28 in the pin portion. The depth of this recess is such that the frame 20 is in alignment with the outer surface of the pin portion 4 ^{with the} sealing member 8 protruding therefrom. Just as the protruding fit of the sealing element 18 in the pin 4 allows this recess 28 of the seal to align correctly with the slots 14 during insertion. This makes the process of snapping the seal onto the pin 4 extremely simple.

FIG. The gutter connector 30 is shown with a pair of pins for connecting two lengths of the extruded gutter 32. Each clutch pin is identical to the pin portion 4 of FIG. 1 and need not be described in further detail below. Although the twin-pin gutter connector 30 is formed with recesses 28 and slots (not shown in FIG. 3) in the hooks 6 to attach a seal 12 of the above type, it is not necessary to use such a seal. Instead, for example, a tape seal or the like may be glued, co-formed or ultrasonically welded to each post.

Obviously, it can be seen that by means of a gutter coupling 30 with a pair of pins, two lengths of the gutter 32 in the manner of a pipe coupling can be simply connected together. This is an extremely fast and easy on-site assembly. Moreover, since the overall dimensions of the coupling are smaller than they would be for the corresponding outer coupling, material savings are thereby ensured.

Giant. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the coupling 40 with a pair of pins for connecting the two lengths of the extruded gutter 42. In this embodiment, the shape of the upper edges of the extruded gutters differs from the shape previously described in that these edges have hook formations 44 rather than similar hooks being formed on the pin. As a result, the means of attaching the seal to the pin are different. This can be particularly noticeable with reference to Fig. 5. As before, the seal comprises a sealing element.

9 9 999 9 9 and frame 4.6. The frame differs in this embodiment in that, rather than being formed with a clasp (see clasp 16 in Fig. 2a), it is formed with a horizontally extending rectangular projection 48. This projection 48 fits into a corresponding slot 50 formed in the upper edge 52 of the pin and formed to ensure that the top of the gasket frame 46 is aligned with the top edge 52 of the pin. This allows the assembly to easily slide into the extruded gutter 42.

In the middle along the pin pair coupler 40, a central post 54 is formed to act as end stops when two gutter lengths 42 are fitted. As will be seen from FIG. 4, when the gutters 42 are mounted, the central post 54 is aligned with the outer and upper surfaces of the gutters 42, thereby creating a smooth continuous surface.

There are rectangular protrusions 56 at each end of the twin-pin coupling (only one of which is visible in FIG. 5). These protrusions are aligned with corresponding rectangular slots 58 formed in the hook formations 44 at the upper edges of the eaves lengths 42. The slots 58 are longer than the protrusions 56 to allow a limited amount of longitudinal displacement of any length of eaves 42 relative to the connector 40. This is advantageous. to allow thermal expansion of plastic gutters without destroying the gasket.

Represented by:

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1.

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PATENTOVÉ

Claims (3)

A gutter system comprising two gutter sections joined together by means of a coupling having a pair of pins whose outer cross-sections substantially align with the inner cross-sections of said gutter sections, each pin being formed with a seal around its outer surface and pins mounted to the ends of said gutter sections to form sealed joints between the coupling and the two gutter sections, characterized in that one or each of the pair of gutter clutch pins is formed with means cooperating on the gutter section with which said pin is connected to allow a limited amount of longitudinal displacement of said pin relative to to the respective gutter section. · »·· ·· ··. .1 ···· ··· · j ♦? · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 18. A seal for engaging a pin that is adapted to be inserted into a gutter section having a main portion extending from one end to a relatively short section with a reduced cross section at the other end forming a pin portion whose outer cross section substantially aligns with the inner cross section of the main section characterized in that it comprises two oppositely facing sealing surfaces, one for sealing against the outer surface of said pin and the other for sealing against the inner surface of said main part of the eaves section; and means formed on the gasket to cooperate with corresponding means on the pin to allow mechanical sealing of the gasket to said pin portion. Represented by: • · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · WO 00/20704 2/7 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) •• p ^ / Gáá / oíáo: *::: ···················· The gutter system of claim 1, wherein the pin portions are the same. A gutter system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cooperating means comprises a protuberance configured to protrude into the opening, said longitudinal displacement being limited by the edge of said opening. The gutter system of claim 3, wherein said protrusion is formed on one of the coupling pins. A gutter system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a displacement of between 1 mm and 10 mm is possible. A gutter system according to claim 5, characterized in that a displacement of between 2 mm and 7 mm is possible. ·· ·· A gutter system according to claim 6, characterized in that a displacement of 4 mm is possible. A gutter system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seals are connected to the respective pins by adhesive, through co-molding, or by ultrasonic welding. 9. A gutter system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the seal for each pin comprises a sealing member of resilient compressible material and a retention means of stiffer material, the retention means being connected to the post. A gutter connector for use in a gutter system as defined in any preceding claim. A gasket for a gutter system or coupling as defined in any preceding claim, comprising a sealing member of resilient compressible material and a stiffer material retaining means coupled to the sealing member, wherein the retaining means is adapted to engage the gutter pin. couplings. A formed gutter section having a main portion extending from one end to a relatively short portion with a reduced cross-section at the other end forming a pin whose outer cross-section substantially aligns with the inner cross-section of the main portion, the pin being formed with a seal around its outer surface; is adapted to be inserted into said one end of the same eaves section so as to form a sealed joint between two eaves sections, characterized in that the seal comprises a sealing member of resilient compressible material and 9 * • 999 retaining means of stiffer material, the retaining means being connected to the pin. 13. A gutter seal as defined in claim 12, comprising a sealing member of resilient compressible material and a stiffer material retaining means coupled to the sealing member, the retaining means adapted to engage the gutter pin. 14. A gasket for use on an outer surface of a pin adapted to be fitted to the end of a gutter section to join two gutter sections together, comprising a sealing member of resilient compressible material and a stiffer material retention means coupled to the sealing member; wherein the retaining means is adapted to engage the pin. A gutter section, system or seal according to claim 9, 12, 13 or 14, wherein the retaining means is in the form of a frame so as to surround or substantially surround the sealing element. A gutter section, system or seal according to claim 9 or 12 to 15, wherein the retaining means comprises protrusions at each end of the seal for insertion into recesses or holes formed in the upper portion of the pin. A gutter system comprising a plurality of gutter sections as defined in claim 12, 15 or 16, wherein the pin of one gutter section is fitted to an end with a larger cross-section of another gutter section to form a sealed joint therebetween. 3/7 WO 00/20704 FIG.2Ï. SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) • · · · · · Φ ·