FI114408B - Design for an openable roof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for openable roofs, especially for glazed verandas and balconies. The arrangement comprises a substantially horizontal supporting section (10) which defines an elongate guiding channel (11) having an elongate side opening (12), and a substantially horizontal roofing panel (20) which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the supporting section (10) and whose one lateral edge (21) extends through the side opening (12) into the guiding channel (11) of the supporting section (10). A plurality of separate guiding and spacing members (40) are mounted spaced from each other in the direction of the guiding channel (11) on the lateral edge (21) received in the guiding channel (11) and abut against the inner wall of the guiding channel (11), thereby ensuring that there is a play in the side opening (12) both upwards and downwards between the panel (20) and the supporting section (10). The guiding and spacing members (40) are designed so as to allow a turning movement of the panel (20). Compressible sealing means (50) are arranged in the guiding channel (11) between the side opening (12) and the guiding and spacing members (40).

Description

114408 Sliding roof arrangement

The present invention relates to an arrangement for sliding roofs, in particular sliding roofs for glazed verandas and balconies, which arrangement comprises a substantially horizontal support member defining an elongate guide channel having an elongated side opening and a second side edge of the roof panel extending into the guide member opening channel. through and which is movable relative to the support member in its longitudinal direction.

More particularly, the invention relates to an arrangement for opening roofs according to the preamble of claim 10.

By "substantially horizontal support member" is meant a member that is either horizontal or slightly angled with respect to the horizontal, depending on the desired slope.

An arrangement of the above type must be designed taking into account several factors. First, the arrangement must be designed taking into account the fact that during installation, it may be difficult to fasten the support members between which the roof panels are movably, accurately positioned relative to one another. Secondly, it should be noted that once the installation is completed, some parts of the arrangement may gradually move.

Thirdly, the arrangement must resist any downward bending of the panel when subjected to wind or snow loads. Fourth, the arrangement must be sufficiently tight under all circumstances. Fifth, the panel should always be easy to move; in particular, the mobility of the panel must not be jeopardized by, or due to, dirt or water penetrating the control channel! · 25 that the panel is inclined. Sixthly, the arrangement, especially the panel and all control elements, should be long-lived and withstand a large number of panel opening and closing movements. Finally, the arrangement must be easy to install and the manufacturing costs must be reasonable.

To date, there are no arrangements for sliding roofs of the type mentioned in the introduction that satisfy all of the above '1; 'Criteria.

Examples of the two previous arrangements of the above type are described in GB-A-2,169,326 and in U.S. Pat. EP-A1-0 239 141.

i * »T; The 35 GB patent application 2,169,326 discloses a structure designed specifically to cope with the problems caused by different thermal expansion coefficients of the panel and the supporting structure. For this purpose, this prior art arrangement may also move laterally with respect to the guide portion, i.e. transverse to the direction of its displacement. The height of the side passage of the guide channel is less than the inside height of the guide channel, and the side edge of the panel is provided with an elongate brush at least on one side which prevents the panel 5 from falling out and extending continuously along the side edge. The document also describes applications in which the panel is provided with two such brushes which prevent the panel from falling out and are placed opposite one another on the other side of the panel. The brush or brushes are provided with a clearance leaving the duct interior wall, but they are so high that they cannot move out through a portion of the side opening, thereby preventing the lateral edge of the panel from falling out of the guide duct. According to British Patent Application 2,169,326, the panel rests and slides at its lower edge at a distance from its lateral edge disposed in the guide channel, directly against the elongated upwardly supporting portion of the side defining the lower edge of the lateral opening 15.

EP-A1-0 239 141 discloses an arrangement having both a fixed and a movable panel. The movable panel rests, like the panel of GB patent application 2,169,326, on its underside at an elongated, upwardly directed edge of the part, in this case, through a friction-reducing plastic strip.

In addition, the side edge of the panel extends in the same manner as in the GB patent application past a portion of this support edge and laterally into a portion of the guide channel. Inside the guide passage there is clearance up and down between the side edge of the panel and the inside wall of the guide passage. Therefore, a certain degree of vertical reversibility should also be possible in this prior art arrangement. An elongate brush-type strip is mounted van control channels in the top wall and extending downwardly in sliding engagement with the upper side of the panel • * I "with.

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A further example of roof panels having a certain degree of pivoting about their support line is described in US-A-3 550 335, however, which relates to solid panels. As in the two above documents, the panels are resting at their lower edges, spaced straight up:: '; the support edges in a plane that coincides with the side opening of the control channel.

However, none of the above is a system of prior art • · », *. not all of these requirements are met.

»·»; According to the present invention, an arrangement of sliding roofs having the features defined in the appended claims is formed to satisfy the above requirements.

3, 114408

The arrangement for opening roofs according to the invention is characterized by what is said in the characterizing part of the independent claim.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

A characteristic feature of the invention is that the panel may be inclined up to a certain extent transverse to its direction of movement in the guide channel, while maintaining satisfactory sealing and mobility. This feature is not found in any prior art arrangement. In addition, according to the present invention, there is no wear of the panel due to its movement since the side of the panel does not rest directly against the support member but rests with separate control and spacer members.

For a better understanding of the invention, an exemplary non-limiting embodiment of the invention will now be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view of the opening roof to which the present invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of Fig. 1 line IV-IV with * some structural members removed for clarity, v FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3, with some structural members removed for clarity, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in Fig. 3, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the inventive arrangement of Figs. 1-7 with some parts cut away, Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4, but showing !!; 30 is a schematic perspective view of a roof panel according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

It is to be understood that the arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings is; shown only schematically, and that the proportions between the various parts may use the '!'! 35 of the drawings.

The roof arrangement shown in the drawings comprises two horizontal, support members 10 and four substantially identical roof panels 20, 4 114408, which at their opposite side edges 21 are movably disposed in support members 10. Support members 10 are preferably extruded aluminum sections. Ceiling panels 20 may be made of glass sheets, transparent plastic sheets, or other sheets.

As best shown in the cross-sectional views in Figures 4 and 5, each support member 10 comprises four elongated U-shaped guide channels 11 for receiving one roof panel 20. The roof panels 20 are movable in the longitudinal direction of the support members 10 between the closed positions shown in Figure 2, in which the panels 20 are partially overlapped, and the open positions in which the panels 20 are more or less displaced together. Of course, the number of panels 10 20 and control channels 11 may vary. Furthermore, it is also possible that one or more panels 20 are permanently installed.

The arrangement according to the invention relates generally to the support of the panels 20 and the possibilities for moving them in the control channels 11 and the seals therewith, and since this arrangement in the illustrated embodiment is identical to all the panels 20, only one such arrangement will be described below.

Figures 4 and 5, now specifically referred to, illustrate how the side edge 21 of the panel 20 extends through the side opening 12 in the guide channel 11 of the support member 10. For stiffening purposes, the side edge 21 of the panel 20 is disposed on a 20 load-sharing edge 30 and which may comprise an extruded aluminum part. The edge portion may be attached in any suitable manner to the side edge 21 of the panel, for example by gluing, and this joint should be waterproof. In the embodiment illustrated, the peripheral portion is substantially completely received inside the guide channel 11, but it may, in other embodiments, extend beyond the guide channel.

The peripheral portion 30 is provided with five longitudinal, parallel mounting grooves (see also Fig. 3), namely the upper and lower outer grooves 31, the upper and lower inner grooves 32 and the peripheral grooves 33.

In the upper and lower inner grooves 32 of the peripheral part 30, a plurality of separate guide and spacer members 40 are disposed spaced apart in the direction of the control channel 11, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 8. Corresponding guides: spacer members 40 are also mounted in the peripheral groove 22 The grooves 32 and 33 and the spacer members are so constructed that, during installation, the spacer members can be; insert the edge portion 30 from the end into the correct position and then secure it

I I

I 35 in some suitable way, for example by local deformation of the edge portion •.

5, 114408

In the illustrated embodiment, the guide and spacer members 40 are designed as rod-like, massive slides made of a synthetic material with low friction against the inner wall of the guide channel 11. The slide members 40 have a convex exterior facing the inner wall 5 of the guide channel 11 for reasons to be explained later.

The panel 20 rests through the peripheral portion 30 and the lower sliders 40 at a level in the guide passage 11 such that there is a clearance in the plane of the side opening 12 both upwards and downwards between the support portion 10 and the panel 20.

The upper sliders 40 prevent the panel 10 from climbing into the guide-10 channel, e.g., when subjected to wind loads.

Since the panel 20 is provided with clearance both up and down in the side opening 12 of the guide channel 11 and because the support points of the panel 20 are positioned inside the guide channel 11, the panel has the ability to take a slightly inclined position as indicated by the double arrow P in FIG. . Such a tilt can occur if, for example, the support members 10 are not mounted exactly parallel and in line with one another, or if the panel 20 is bent downward due to wind and snow loads.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the walls of the support member 10 which form the top and bottom of the guide channel 11 are provided with longitudinal ridges 13 spaced horizontally from the side opening 12.

The brushes 13, which extend continuously along the entire length of the support member 10, act together with the slides 40 as guiding means, particularly during installation, with the side edges 21 of the panel 20 with the peripheral portion 30 mounted and the slides. 40 should be moved to the control channel 11 from the end of the support member 10. The brushes 13 are also • 25 cooperating with the slides 40 thus preventing the panels from falling out. The brushes 13 position in the horizontal direction, however, is such that the 20 above-mentioned turnability of the panel in the direction of arrow P is not jeopardized. For example, if, in Fig. 5, the side edge 21 is rotated slightly clockwise, the small sliders 40 should be able to slide in the left guide channel 30 away from the lower brush 13 while the upper sliders 40 ''; · 'Bounded to the right against the upper brush 13.

As best illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, as is known per se; '': Brush type strips 50 of the type are mounted on the upper: \ and lower outer grooves 31 of the peripheral portion 30. The brush type strips 50 are perfectly positioned; 35 inside the guide passage 11 disposed in the grooves' * 32 between the side opening 12 and the slides 40, and sealingly abutting against the upper and lower side walls of the guide passage 11. Brush-type strips 50 prevent water and dirt 6 114408 from laterally penetrating into control channel 11. The brush-type strips 20 being compressible panel above said desired maneuverability of the arrow P direction is not compromised.

The brush-type strips 50 extend from the outer edge 22 (Figs. 1 and 2) of the panel 20 to the transverse seal 52 (Fig. 3) spaced at the inner end edge 23 of the panel 20 (Figs. 1 and 2). This transverse seal 52 consists of a slightly wider brush-type seal fixedly mounted on the peripheral portion 30, the bristles sealingly engaging the entire inner wall of the guide channel 11 as shown in Figure 5 10 in the uppermost and only one guide channel 11. The transverse seal 52 serves to i.e., to prevent water, if any, from flowing in the control channel 10 into the inner end edge 23 of the panel 20 and down under the roof. The transverse seal 52 also effectively helps to keep the inner wall of the guide channel 11 free from dirt, thereby maintaining satisfactory sliding 15 between the sliders 40 and the inner wall of the guide channel 11. The upwardly extending end flanges 14 of the bottom walls of the guide channel 11 prevent any leakage of water entering the guide channel 11 into the space under the roof. These terminal flanges 14 may thus cause obstruction to the control channel 11 to force the leakage water in the direction of the sloping roof of the support member 10.

The seal between the panel 20 and the panel 20 'above is formed by a transverse upwardly directed brush-type strip 53. In the illustrated embodiment, such transverse brush type strips 53 are detected by only three left-hand panels in Figures 1 and 2. The brush type strip 53 is mounted upwardly in an open U portion 54,: 25 having a base sealingly connected to the upper side of panel 20 approximately parallel to plane; 3).

. On the side of the U-portion facing the outer end edge 22 of the panel 20, a vertical brush-like strip 57 (Fig. 3) is mounted on the holder 56 and slidably seals the support member 10 against the side. Corresponding brush type strip 57 [!;! It is understood that 30 is also provided at one end of the U-member 54 in Figure 3.

By means of the sealing arrangement j described above and shown in the drawings, a satisfactory circumferential sealing is formed in the space 60 which is open: towards the top of the roof (Figs. 6 and 3) between adjacent panels 20, 20 '. In the rain: and in the case of wind, there is an "air pocket" just behind this space next to the transverse seal 35 53 and the brush type seal 50. In other words, water is not • normally blown all the way to the transverse seal 53.

7 114408

Condensed water, if any, is collected from the uppermost panel 20 'to the U-section 54 and, after some decay, is led out through drain holes (not shown) to the adjacent panel 20.

The structural member 70 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is a U-shaped mounting member 5 having internal diameters substantially corresponding to the outer dimensions of the support member 10. When installing the ceiling, a first mounting part 70 is attached which may optionally consist of a plurality of separate parts instead of a continuous part. The support member 10 can then be mounted on the mounting member 70 and adjusted laterally before or after the panels 20 are mounted, after which the support member 10 is secured in a suitable manner.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

For example, the guide and spacer members 40 may be designed in some other way than as massive slides, e.g., as separate wheels or rolls, rotatably mounted on the peripheral member 30, as illustrated in cross-sectional view in FIG. replaced by wheels 41 disposed in respective openings in the peripheral portion 30 and each rotatably mounted on its horizontal axis. It will be appreciated that there is a limited clearance between the wheels 41 and the top wall of the guide channel 11 to allow rolling. The corresponding spacing can also be upward and laterally in an embodiment comprising slides. Such wheels or rollers 41 should have, as shown in Fig. 9, a convex interface with the inner wall of the guide channel 11 in the same manner as the sliding: 25 pieces 40 in the embodiment shown above for the pivoting of the panel 20. Similarly, the horizontally extending slides 40 in the peripheral groove 33 may be replaced by separate horizontal wheels or rollers. Figure 10 schematically depicts a roof panel 20 provided with such horizontal wheels 42 at the ends of the support members 10 and vertical wheels 41 as shown in Figure 9 over the length of the support members 10.

The slides 40 in the peripheral groove 33 may possibly be omitted, but they provide an advantageous guide when the side edges 21 of the panels 20 need to be moved to the support member 10 during installation.

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Claims (8)

114408 8 An arrangement for sliding roofs, in particular for glazed verandas and balconies, comprising a substantially horizontal support member 5 (10) defining an elongate guide channel (11) having an elongated side opening (12) and a substantially horizontal panel (20), movable longitudinally of the support member (10) and having a second side edge (21) extending through the side opening (12) into the guide channel (11) of the support member (10), characterized by a plurality of guide and spacer members (40) mounted spaced 10 apart in the direction of the guide channel (11), positioned at the side edge (21), positioned in the guide channel (11) and abutting against the inner wall of the guide channel (11) thereby ensuring a clearance in the side opening (12) both up and down between the panel (20) and support member (10) and the spacer members (40) are designed to allow the panel (20) to rotate with respect to the support member (10) in a plane 15 perpendicular to the movement of the panel (20) in the downward direction, and compressible sealing means disposed in the guide channels (11) between the side opening (12) and the guide and spacer members (40). The binding structure (21) of the construction enigt patent krav 1, the bending pattern of the att styr-och distansorganisation (40) and the cross-section of the panel (20) via en 20 kraftfördelande (30). Arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the guide and spacer elements (40) are connected to the side edge (21) of the panel (20) by means of a 20 load-sharing edge part (30). 3. The construction of the patent application 1 eller 2, the rotary panel and the glide element (40), the radial pa panelens (20), the respiratory underside and the glial element (40) of the radial pa panelens (40), tvärs panelens förskjutnings-: · 25 riktning, är convex mot styrkanalens (11) innervägg för att medge panelens (20) vridbarhet. Arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide and spacer elements comprise slides (40) arranged at a distance of two rows above and below the panel (20) respectively and having a cross section in the direction of movement of the panel. · With respect to 25 is convex towards the inner wall of the guide channel (11) thus allowing the panel (20) to pivot. . ; ·. Arrangement according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the load-distributing part (30) is provided with an upper and a lower mounting groove (32) for mounting the upper and lower rows of the sliding members (40). ; An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: * the guide and spacer members (40) comprise wheels or rollers extending f; upwards and downwards respectively from the side edge of the panel (20) and having a cross-sectional view transverse to the direction of movement of the panel (20) towards the inner wall of the guide channel (11) thus permitting the panel (20) I ·; 35 reversibility. 4. The construction of the patent patent No. 2 eller 3, with the turning profile av att den kraftfördelande Profilen (30), is made with respect to the respect. montagesjär (32) för montering av belt respektive undre rad av glidelement 30 (40). 5. The construction of the patent patent craven 1 eller 2, the rotary deck (40) utgörs av hjul eller roller, the utskjuter uppat respektive nedät fran panelens (20) the binder (21), and the lively tvärsektion,! ·. sett tvärs panelens (20) förskjutningsriktning, är convex mot styrkanalens (11) - j! 35 innervägg för att medge panelens (20) vridbarhet. 6. The construction of an engraving face of a patent pending craven, a tongue-and-groove attachment of a hopper, a langst 114408 11 sträckta borstlister (50), a binder of a plurality of styrofoam (40) sidan styrkanalens (11) sidoöppning (12). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressible sealing members comprise elongated ribs (50) of the type 714408 9 mounted on the lateral edge of the panel (20) on the one hand and the side opening of the guide channel (40) on the other. (12). The structure of the construction (5) is a patch panel (10) which has a flanged profile (10) and a flange (11) for the uppbärning av var sin takpanel (20). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support part (10) is provided with a plurality of parallel control channels (11) each for supporting one separate roof panel (20). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the two walls of the support member (10), which respectively form the top wall and the bottom wall of the guide channel (11), are provided with 10 longitudinal brushes (13). with spacer members (40) to prevent panels from falling out. «T *» »« t «# 1 1 · 1 t * 1 ·» »10 114408 Constructional profile for the horizontal profile (10), som definierar en 5 langstäckt och med en avläng sidoöppning (12) försedd styrkanal (11), samt en i barprofilens (10) längdriktning förskjutbar, väsentligen horizon panel (20), hos vilken en bindokant (21) sträcker sig genen (12) in i bar profile (10) styrkanal (11) tilt decknad av: et flertal separata styrkanal distansorgan (40), lane and monterade 10 med inbördes avständ i styrkanalens (11) uptagna sidokanten (21) och anligger mot styrkanalens (11) innervägg för att særställa att det i sidoöppningen (12) finns et spelrum både uppät- och nedat mellan panelen (20) och bärprofilen (10), och vilstyrkoch distansorgan (40) har en utformning som medger vridrörelse hos panelen (20) the relative profile profile (10) and the panel profile (20) are published shortly, and hoptryckbara tätningsorganen (50), the libraries and the styrkanalen (11) and the styrofoam distansorganen (40). 8. Constructing the face of the patent for the construction of the patented craven, the tongue-and-groove opening (10) som bildaren topp-vägg respektive en bottenvägg hos styrkanalen (11) and utformade var sin 10 longitudinell aäs (13) - och distansorganen (40) som utfallshinder. > - »·» e