FR2968740A1 - Sealing piece for sealing gap between two photovoltaic panels in roof, has longitudinal anchor including two sides, where upper sealing lip protrudes laterally with respect to upper portion of one side of anchor - Google Patents

Abstract

The sealing piece has a longitudinal anchor (1) including two sides (14), where elastically deformable reliefs (4) project from one of the sides of the anchor. An upper sealing lip (3) protrudes laterally with respect to an upper portion of one side of the anchor. The anchor is made of a material, and the upper sealing is made of another material, where the latter material has a Young's modulus lower than the Young's modulus of the former material, and the anchor is in the form of a strip. An independent claim is also included for a roof comprising photovoltaic panels.

Description

The invention relates to a sealing piece for sealing a slot, in particular an interval between two fixed elements. Fixed element means any part or element in the general sense, the two elements being fixed relative to each other. In particular, two fixed elements may be of the panel type, in particular photovoltaic panels. A slot may also be a groove or a groove in a room, particularly in a profiled room. Roof-integrated photovoltaic panels act as roofs and, as for a conventional roof, water-tightness problems must be solved. In most photovoltaic roof integration methods, the photovoltaic panels are installed in adjacent rows spaced apart, thereby forming a slot. A sealing piece is generally placed in or above this slot during assembly of the panels to make the assembly impervious to precipitation. Various types of sealing pieces exist, from sealant to metal parts to be fitted. Among these many solutions, the sealing parts with elastic casing (or clip) have the advantage of being simple and quick to install. However, this type of sealing part also has disadvantages. Indeed, they often have legs and / or lugs intended to be elastically deformed when introduced into a slot between two adjacent fixed elements. They provide a function of maintaining (anti-tearing) of the sealing piece in the gap, generally by exerting a lateral elastic force - due to their deformation relative to a form of rest - on the walls of the fixed elements forming the slot. Such legs / pins must therefore be rigid enough to resist creep and not to see their maintenance function degrade over time.

This type of elastic sleeve parts also has a sealing portion that abuts on the external surfaces of the adjacent fixed elements, so as to close the gap between these elements, and to make the assembly impervious to infiltration. water, in particular liquid water, in particular rainwater. This sealing part must be flexible enough to come into contact with the entire length of the fixed elements despite any surface irregularities, in order to create a seal. This part of a sealing piece must also withstand external conditions (UV, alternating cold and hot, rain and dry periods, etc.). However, it is impossible to find a material to ensure the two functions, divergent, provided by each of the two parts of a sealing piece. There is therefore a need for a type of sealing piece that is simple and easy to assemble, but also that has durable mechanical performance and optimizes the functions provided by each of its different parts. The invention aims to overcome these disadvantages by providing a simple and easy assembly sealing part. The invention also relates to a sealing part durably resistant to the weather, including wind and precipitation, and to external conditions, including UV, and the phenomenon of corrosion in general. The invention also relates to a sealing member whose sealing function remains durable over time.

The invention also relates to a particularly suitable sealing piece for sealing a slot between two fixed elements, in particular an interval between two photovoltaic panels. In addition, the invention provides a sealing piece which is light.

The invention also relates to a robust sealing piece, capable of withstanding shocks and efforts for example due to their handling by users, or to forces exerted by panels between which said sealing member is introduced. To do this, the invention relates to a generally profiled sealing piece comprising: - an anchor spar: o having two side flanks, at least one of which has protruding reliefs, o adapted to be elastically deformable laterally, - at least one upper sealing lip, o extending laterally with respect to an upper portion of at least one lateral flank of said anchor beam, o adapted to be elastically deformable in flexion, characterized in that: the anchor spar is made of a first material different from a second material in which each upper sealing lip is made, - said second material has a Young's modulus lower than the Young's modulus of said first material. A sealing member according to the invention extends in a longitudinal main direction. It is generally profiled, that is to say that it has a profile, with a cross section similar to the other end of the longitudinal length. It can therefore be made from a shaped piece (for example by extrusion), to which it was eventually removed, deformed or added portions. It can also be carried out by any other suitable manufacturing process, in particular by molding, in particular by thermomolding, and / or overmolding. Such a sealing piece according to the invention is adapted to be introduced into a slot formed by a gap between two fixed elements, or by a groove in a part. It has for this purpose an anchor spar whose shape and the material in which it is made are chosen so that it is adapted to be introduced by lateral elastic deformation (between its flanks) in such a slot. This form and this material of the anchor spar are also chosen so that the anchor spar can anchor the sealing piece in the slot, that is to say oppose the tearing of the piece of sealing out of the slot, once said anchor beam has been introduced. A sealing piece according to the invention - and in particular the anchoring spar of such a part - is adapted to be introduced into all types of slots between two fixed elements, for example: - between two rigid panels, for example two panels of vertical walls; two photovoltaic panels; a vertical wall panel and a horizontal photovoltaic panel, etc., - in a profile with a groove. The shape, the dimensions, and the material (s) in which (such) a sealing piece (and in particular the anchor spar) is made are chosen according to the geometry of the slot and the type of fixed elements (in particular of the material in which the fixed elements are made). In particular, an anchor spar of a sealing member according to the invention has two lateral flanks, that is to say two external lateral flanks, which are generally (but not necessarily) its faces having the largest surface area. . In certain embodiments of the invention, these two flanks may be elastically close to one another, that is to say that the anchor spar is elastically deformable laterally, or that its thickness is variable. . Such an anchor spar is particularly deformable in lateral compression. This property can be conferred by the combination of its material and its shape to be introduced deformed 2968740 s with respect to a form of rest in a slot, and resiliently bear on the walls of the slot. For example, such an anchoring spar may take the form of a tongue made of elastic polymeric synthetic material, in particular thermoplastic, or of composite material. In another example, such an anchor spar may have two substantially parallel metal tongues in a form of rest and whose relative angle varies during lateral deformation. At least one of the flanks of such an anchor beam 10 has reliefs which are adapted to create a transverse force of friction on the walls of a slot in which said anchor beam is intended to be introduced. Thus, by elastic return of said anchor spar when it is introduced deformed (in particular in lateral compression) in a slot, a lateral force is applied by its flanks on the walls of the slot, and the transverse forces, accentuated by the reliefs present on the surface of at least one flank, are all the more important. Thus, an anchoring spar according to the invention does not necessarily remain in a deformed position in the slot in which it is introduced, especially if its lateral flanks have reliefs conjugated to recesses in the walls of the slot, thereby ensuring anchoring function (anti-tearing) when said anchor beam is inserted in such a slot. Such protrusions projecting from the surface of the flanks of the anchor spar may be of different natures and are in particular adapted firstly to the surface nature of the walls of a slot in which the anchoring spar 25 must be introduced. and secondly to the nature of the flanks of the anchor spar. That is to say that such reliefs are adapted in particular according to the shape and roughness of the flanks of the anchor spar and the walls of the slot. Thus, reliefs on the surface of the sill flanks anchoring a sealing member according to the invention may be for example microreliefs, lugs, a rib, lips, etc ...

If such reliefs are advantageous for creating and / or improving anchoring of the anchor beam in a slot, they do not necessarily ensure only this function. Thus they can provide an additional or independent function, for example guiding infiltrated water, or others.

In addition, advantageously and according to the invention, the two flanks of an anchor spar have reliefs, including reliefs of the same type on each of the two flanks. Furthermore, a sealing member according to the invention has at least one upper sealing lip which projects laterally with respect to a flank of the anchor beam. The upper sealing lip is said to be upper because when the sealing piece is laid horizontally in a slot (the main length of the sealing piece is substantially horizontal), the upper sealing lip is located above, and is in any case the highest portion of the sealing piece. Such an upper sealing lip is in any case the outermost part of a sealing part mounted in a slot. The upper sealing lip is made of a material and has a shape chosen so that it is elastically deformable, especially in bending. It can for this purpose have a proximal end (near its point of attachment to the base of the upper portion) thinned. So that such an upper sealing lip is adapted so that its distal end can bear elastically along its entire length on the outer surface of a fixed element forming a slot in which the sealing piece is at least partially introduced. Such an upper sealing lip thus makes it possible to make the slot airtight (at least on the side of which said upper sealing lip is located). It generally also has deformability in compression. An upper sealing lip according to the invention can make a slot airtight in a number of ways, in particular depending on its width and the way in which the sealing piece is introduced into the slot. Thus, for example, an upper sealing lip may be sufficiently short to be able to be introduced into the slot and to close the slot by leaning against a side wall of a fixed element forming said slot by bending deformation and / or compression. In another example, an upper sealing lip may be sufficiently wide to be able to bear from the outside, on the external surface of a fixed element forming the slot. It then completely covers the slot portion located between the side of which it projects and the wall of the slot vis-à-vis the flank. It also covers a portion of the outer surface of a fixed element forming this wall of the slot. In this second example the upper sealing lip can serve as a stop in depth to the introduction of the sealing piece in the slot. In a sealing member according to the invention, each upper sealing lip is made in a second Young's modulus material (or modulus of elasticity) lower than the first material in which the anchor beam is made. That is, each upper sealing lip is more flexible than the anchor spar, so that it is specifically adapted to provide a seal, regardless of the characteristics of the anchor spar. The anchor spar being made of a more rigid material, it can be specifically adapted to withstand tearing forces, said anchor spar being introduced into a slot, and regardless of the characteristics of each upper lip of seal. The anchor spar is in any case steeper than the upper sealing lips by their respective materials and shapes. The anchor spar may also be adapted specifically to resist creep when introduced deformed into a slot. Thus, an anchor spar according to the invention may for example be made in rigid synthetic materials such as: thermosetting polymeric materials, polymethacrylates, polycarbonates, composite materials with carbon fibers or polyamide, metal alloys, but also polyethylenes, polypropylenes polyurethanes, polyacetates, polyamides, polyesters (eg polybutylene terephthalates). Similarly, the upper sealing lips may be made of: thermoplastic polymeric material such as polymers belonging to the family of polyolefins (polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.) polyvinyl chloride, ethylenebutyrene-styrene stylene (SEBS) , ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM), in particular EPDM sulfurized or peroxidized, or any other equivalent deemed suitable. In particular, advantageously and according to the invention: the first material of the anchoring spar is a polyamide, in particular a copolyamide of the PA 6 / 6-6 type, the second material of each upper sealing lip is an EPDM . A sealing piece according to the invention thus makes it possible to optimize the functions of each of the parts (anchoring spars and upper lip (s) sealing) of a sealing piece while avoiding having choosing a compromise material whose characteristics are a compromise to meet the expected antagonistic characteristics of each of the two parts of the sealing piece. In particular, each upper sealing lip is advantageously made of a second material such as a peroxidized EPDM (Ethylene-Propylene-Diene-Monomer) polymer. The anchor spar according to the invention is in particular advantageously made of a first material such as a copolyamide copolymer PA 6 / 6-6.

Furthermore, advantageously and according to the invention, said anchor spar has a generally tongue shape. Thus, in particular, the anchor spar has a height greater than its thickness. The anchor spar may be in the general form of a continuous tongue from one longitudinal end of the anchor spar to the other, or be separated into several sections along its length. A tongue-shaped anchoring spar therefore generally has three distinct dimensions, in the order of the largest to the smallest (usually): its longitudinal length, its height between an upper edge and a lower edge, its thickness between its two side flanks. If such an anchor spar has a general shape of tongue, nothing prevents to proceed with withdrawals, deformations or additions of material, so that it is not strictly a parallelepiped tongue. In addition, a sealing member according to the invention advantageously has at least one upper sealing lip projecting laterally with respect to an upper portion of each lateral flank of said anchor beam.

Such a sealing piece therefore has at least two upper sealing lips, in particular two upper sealing lips, one on each side of the anchor beam, that is to say of said sealing piece. . This arrangement makes it possible to make a tight slot on each side of the anchor spar and thus to ensure a good seal.

The two upper sealing lips may or may not be symmetrical relative to a median plane of the sealing part, depending in particular on the shape and nature of the fixed elements forming a slot to be sealed by a sealing member according to the invention. In addition, advantageously and according to the invention, each upper sealing lip is part of a single portion, said upper portion formed in said second material different from said first material of the anchor spar. Thus, all the upper sealing lips are made in an upper portion situated above the upper edge of the anchor spar. The upper portion advantageously has i0 a base having side flanks which may for example be in extension of the side flanks of the anchor beam. The upper sealing lips extend projecting from this base. In addition, the upper sealing lips generally protrude from one end of this base of the upper portion, so that when the sealing piece according to the invention is mounted in a slot, the upper sealing lips form the outermost part of said upper portion, and therefore the sealing piece. The upper portion is entirely made of the same second material as the upper sealing lips, whose Young's modulus is lower than the Young's modulus of the anchor spar. The upper portion can be assembled in different ways to the anchor beam to mechanically form a single sealing piece according to the invention. Also the upper portion may for example be assembled to the anchor beam by gluing, and / or welding (including heat sealing), and / or co-extrusion, and / or overmolding, and / or rigid assembly, or other. Similarly, the anchor spar may for example be assembled to said upper portion by gluing, and / or welding, and / or co-extrusion, and / or overmolding, and / or rigid assembly, or other. In particular, advantageously and according to the invention, said upper portion comprises a base having assembly forms of a first series of assembly forms and the upper part of said anchor spar has assembly shapes of a second series of assembly forms, the assembly shapes of the second series of assembly shapes being conjugated to the assembly forms of the first series of assembly forms. Thus, for example, the upper portion and the anchor spar may have, in transverse cross-section (or in section through a median plane), one or more "T" patterns conjugated so as to be assembled by their longitudinal ends. (respectively by their flanks).

All other forms of conjugated assemblies can be envisaged. In addition, as a variant or in combination, nothing prevents to consider a bonding or welding of the two parts in addition to their rigid assembly. Also, nothing prevents the overmoulding of a portion over at least a portion of another portion of the sealing piece, forming, upon overmolding, complementary shapes, the piece of sealing resulting thereby being very mechanically resistant. Furthermore, a sealing member according to the invention advantageously has at least one intermediate sealing lip, extending laterally projecting from at least one lateral flank of the base of said upper portion. Such an intermediate sealing lip extends laterally projecting from at least one lateral flank of the base of said upper portion and is advantageously made in the same second material as the upper portion. This intermediate sealing lip is adapted to come into contact, in particular in abutment, with a wall formed by a fixed element forming the slot when the sealing piece is sufficiently inserted into said slot. It is particularly deformable in compression and / or flexion. An intermediate sealing lip is always inserted into the slot. It advantageously extends over the entire length of the sealing member 20, so that it opposes a second sealed barrier to the introduction of liquid into the slot, making the latter tight. In addition, advantageously and according to the invention, the distance of a distal end of each intermediate sealing lip from the side flank of which it projects is less than the distance of a distal end of each upper sealing lip. protruding from the same lateral flank of the upper portion relative to this lateral flank. Thus, an intermediate sealing lip can be introduced into a slot to create a second sealing barrier, an upper sealing lip creating a first sealing barrier from the outer surface of a fixed member forming the slot. taking support on it. Indeed, on the same side of the upper portion (and therefore of the sealing piece), the upper sealing lip extends further from the side of which it projects than the intermediate sealing lip located on the same sidewall. The upper sealing lip thus extends over a distance much greater than half a width of the slot so that it can not be introduced into the slot and forms a first sealing barrier on the outside of the slot. slot, on an outer surface of a fixed member forming said slot. Since such an upper sealing lip bears on an outer surface of a fixed element forming the slot, it also serves as a stop at depth for the introduction of the sealing piece into the slot. In particular, the lower surface of such an upper sealing lip bears on an outer surface of a fixed element forming the slot and serves as a stop. Advantageously, in the embodiment in which a sealing part according to the invention has two intermediate sealing lips, it also has at least one intermediate sealing lip on each of the flanks of its upper portion. Thus, the upper portion has at least two intermediate sealing lips. In this way a second sealed barrier is formed on each side of the sealing member, that is to say on each of its flanks formed respective sides of the anchor spar and the upper portion. Indeed, each intermediate sealing lip has dimensions adapted to bear against a wall of the slot in which the sealing member must be introduced, so as to form a second sealed barrier.

Thus, advantageously, a sealing member according to the invention has an upper sealing lip and at least one intermediate sealing lip on each of its flanks, so that it opposes at least two successive sealed barriers on each of his flanks. In addition, each lip (upper and / or intermediate) sealing forms a relief which can partially contribute to the anti-tearing function of the reliefs of at least one side of the anchor beam. The reliefs of each side of the anchor spar can be of different types. In particular, advantageously and according to the invention, each side flank of the anchor spar has raised lugs.

Thus, each lateral side of the anchor spar having pins, it can bear elastically on each side on the walls forming the slot. Pins according to the invention can be distributed in different ways on the sides of the anchor spar, for example they can be punctual at a distance from each other, or continuous along the length of a flank of the anchor spar. They may also be symmetrical, facing each side of the anchor spar with respect to a median plane, and / or alternately distributed on one side and the other of this median plane. Moreover, such lugs may be formed in different ways, for example they may be extruded together with the anchor spar, or they may be made after the manufacture of the anchor spar by a partial cut of a piece of the spar. anchoring beam and a definitive folding of this cut portion, especially when anchor beam has a general shape of tongue. They can also for example be formed directly when the part is made by molding. In addition, such lugs may have different shapes, adapted according to the end use of the sealing piece and the nature of the walls forming the slot. These lugs are, however, advantageously asymmetrical so as to be less opposed to the introduction of the anchor spar into a slot than to the extraction of the anchor spar of this slot. Thus, for example, the lugs may have a profile with a transverse cross-section in "V" or half-"V". These pins provide a function of maintaining (anti-tearing) anchor spar (and therefore the sealing piece) in a slot. In particular, they make it possible to maintain the support of a flexible part whose function is to produce a tight barrier such as an upper sealing lip, for example, on a wall to be sealed. Such lugs are particularly rigid enough to resist creep and do not see their maintenance function degrade over time.

Furthermore, advantageously and according to the invention, the anchor spar has a variable height along its longitudinal length. The shape of the lower edge of the anchor beam is adapted so that, when mounting the sealing part substantially horizontally, any residual water infiltrated or condensed along the sealing part is guided by gravitation along this song towards a point of the sealing piece to which it is desired to recover this water. In general, the most advantageous points for the recovery of this water are located at the longitudinal ends of the anchor spar. Therefore, a lower edge shape of the anchor spar is chosen so that at least one of the longitudinal ends of the anchor spar is the lowest point of its lower edge, said sealing piece being mounted in a slot. Thus, the lower edge of the anchor spar can have different shapes, among which, for example: a rectilinear shape, the edge being then obliquely (or obliquely) longitudinally, that is to say that the height of the anchor spar varies longitudinally, a first of its longitudinal ends being higher than its second longitudinal end, - an inverted "V" shape, this inverted "V" shape being symmetrical or non-symmetrical with respect to the center of the sealing piece, - a curved form of monotonous curvature, that is to say always of the same sign, free of point of inflection, adapted to guide water towards one, the other or its two longitudinal ends.

Thus, although the lower edge of the anchor beam is advantageously rectilinear, it is not necessarily and may have a curved shape or any shape. Numerous other arrangements of shape can be made on the anchor spar and / or on the upper portion of a sealing piece according to the invention, in particular to improve their mechanical strength, the sealing provided, etc ... In particular, a sealing member according to the invention advantageously has at least one water guide groove extending longitudinally along the entire length of a sidewall of said sealing member. A water guide groove according to the invention opens through its two longitudinal ends to the respective longitudinal ends of the sealing piece. At least one of the longitudinal ends of a water guide groove is its lowest point when the sealing piece is mounted substantially horizontally, this longitudinal end of the groove and therefore also its nearest point of the internal field anchor spar. Such a water guide groove may have various forms, among which, for example: a rectilinear shape, the groove then being disposed obliquely, that is to say that a first of its longitudinal ends emerges higher on a longitudinal end of the sealing piece that its second longitudinal end opening on the second longitudinal end of the sealing piece, - an inverted "V" shape, this inverted "V" shape being 25 or not symmetrical with respect to the center of the sealing piece, the highest point of the groove being the tip of the inverted "V", - a curved form of monotonous curvature, that is to say always of the same sign, free from point of inflection, adapted to guide water towards one or the other or both longitudinal ends of the groove.

A curved groove may also be oriented upwards or downwards, provided that at least one of its longitudinal ends is its lowest point, that is to say the closest to the lower edge of the spar anchor.

Such a water guide groove provides a gravitational guidance function to water infiltrated or condensed along a side of the sealing member to at least one of its longitudinal ends. It is possible to provide a water guide groove whose lowest point is not at least one of its longitudinal ends, especially in the case where it is desired to guide water to another point in the room. only one of its longitudinal ends. This guide groove may be made in the sidewall of the anchor spar, in the side of the upper portion, or in both provided that an assembly of the two parts such as each part the water guide groove formed in the anchor beam is in continuity with each portion of the water guide groove made in the upper portion. Advantageously, a sealing member according to the invention has at least one water guide groove on each of its flanks.

An intermediate sealing lip can also guide water. In particular, an intermediate sealing lip can provide a function equivalent to a water guide groove and guide water towards at least one end of a sealing member according to the invention. In addition, advantageously and according to the invention, the anchor spar has at least one projection protrusion protruding from at least one of its songs. A protrusion of stillation according to the invention may have different shapes, for example a lug shaped tip down. Such protrusion is protruding from one of the songs of the anchor spar. In particular, it projects from its lower edge when the sealing piece is intended to be placed substantially horizontally. If, on the other hand, the sealing member is intended to be placed substantially vertically, at least one such protrusion of stopping protrudes from the edge of a longitudinal end of the anchor spar.

Each protrusion of stillation is advantageously located at the lowest point of the lower (respectively longitudinal) edge of the anchor spar. Thus, any seepage water and / or condensation may flow along the water guide groove and possibly along the longitudinal end edge of the sealing piece, and / or run along the edge bottom of the anchor spar towards a protrusion of stillation. Such a protrusion stagnation provides a function of facilitating the flow of water drop by drop. The realization of a (or) protuberance (s) of stillation makes it possible to control the point (s) of the sealing piece from which (of) any infiltration water and / or of condensation are evacuated from the sealing piece. Numerous other functional forms can be added to a sealing piece according to the invention, in particular to improve its sealing efficiency, its ease of assembly, its robustness and / or its resistance to tearing off.

The invention also relates to a sealing part characterized in combination by all or some of the characteristics mentioned above or below. The invention also extends to a roof of photovoltaic panels characterized in that at least one sealing member characterized in combination by all or some of the characteristics mentioned above or below, is mounted between two adjacent photovoltaic panels forming a slit. In particular, a sealing member according to the invention can be mounted between two columns or between two rows of photovoltaic panels, is advantageously mounted between two rows of adjacent photovoltaic panels, or between at least one upper panel, higher on the roof as the sealing piece, and a lower panel, lower on the roof than the sealing piece. The longitudinal main dimension (or length) of the sealing piece, is disposed substantially horizontally, and its anchor spar is introduced into a slot between two panels in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main plane of the roof. A roof of photovoltaic panels according to the invention can be used as a roof, or simply be placed over-roofing. Other aims, features and advantages of the invention appear on reading the following description of two preferred embodiments given as non-limiting examples, and which refer to the appended figures in which: FIG. a schematic perspective view of a sealing member according to an embodiment according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a sealing member according to the invention, according to Figure 1 FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view in longitudinal section through a vertical median plane, in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2; FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a sealing piece according to the invention, in accordance with FIG. 1, 2 and 3, according to the plane IV-IV of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view through a transverse cross-section of a sealing member according to the invention, in accordance with FIGS. , 3 and 4, in the state mounted between two photovoltaic panels, - Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a chevron mounting a roof of photovoltaic panels, on which the longitudinal ends of two sealing parts according to the invention, in accordance with Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are viewed from the side in the state mounted on said chevron.

A sealing member according to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 is intended to be mounted substantially horizontally in a slot, for example approximately width, formed between two adjacent photovoltaic panels 9.

It has an anchor beam 1 in the form of a tongue, that is to say that the anchor beam is longer than high and higher than thick. The anchor spar is also continuous longitudinally from one longitudinal end to the other of the sealing member. The anchor beam 1 has a lower oblique edge 13 from the middle of its length. The lower edge 13 of the anchor spar 1 therefore has an inverted "V" shape. The anchor beam 1 thus has a variable height along its length: it has a height hl lower in the middle to its height h2 at its longitudinal ends. In addition, the anchoring spar 1 has a protrusion 5 of stillation having a triangular triangular lug shape, projecting downwards from the lower edge 13 of the anchoring spar 1 at each of the longitudinal ends 12 of the latter. This protrusion 5 of stillation facilitates the formation of drops of water infiltrated or condensed on the sealing piece and guided to this protrusion 5 of stillation, for example by the lower edge 13 at an angle.

The anchor spar 1 has two main lateral surfaces, or side flanks 14. Each of these flanks 14 has lugs 4 projecting laterally. The lugs 4 are attached by their lower proximal end to the sides of the anchor spar so that they are flexible in flexion around this fastener. Their distal end, which is also the highest portion of each lug 4, is the most protruding with respect to the flanks 14. This dissymmetry allows the lugs 4, and therefore by extension to the anchor spar and the piece of sealing, to be inserted easily into a slot while strongly opposing their tearing of this slot once introduced. Indeed, the distal ends of said lugs 4 being oriented upwards, they oppose the extraction of the sealing piece. This is an embodiment of the anchoring function of the anchor spar 1. Indeed, as shown in Figure 4, to introduce the sealing member in the slot, the lugs 4 are elastically deformed in bending towards a median plane of the anchor beam. Once introduced, the lugs 4 can exert a normal pressure on the side walls of the photovoltaic panels located on either side of the slot, or exceed the thickness of the panels, as shown in FIG. hanging on the underside of the photovoltaic panels. Many other embodiments of the lugs may be provided, for example, the lugs 4 may be made in such a way as to be nested elastically (clipped) in a groove on the side walls of the photovoltaic panels 9 forming the slot. Each mode of operation of the lugs is in particular dependent on the height of the panels and the height position of the lugs on the sides of the anchor spar 1. The lugs 4 of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6 are all made at the same height and are spaced from each other longitudinally. In addition, the lugs 4 are alternately projecting from one side then from the other side of said anchor beam 1, that is to say that they are alternately projecting from one side to the other of a median plane of the sealing piece. Each of the lateral flanks 14 of the anchor spar also has two continuous water guide grooves 8 along the entire length of each of the flanks 14, from one longitudinal end to the other longitudinal end of the anchor spar. Each groove 8 water guide serves as a guide to any seepage water and / or condensation towards its (their) end (s) the (the) lowest (s). In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, each groove is adapted to guide water towards its longitudinal ends opening respectively to the longitudinal ends of the anchor beam. Indeed, each of the grooves has an inverted "V" shape, so that its longitudinal medium is also the highest point. The water guided by the groove 8 water guide is then guided by each longitudinal end towards one of the two protuberances 5 of stillation, so that the recovery of infiltrated and / or condensed water is facilitated: it is sufficient to provide a gutter 91 under each protrusion 5 of stillation, as shown in Figure 6. The protuberances 5 of stillation are formed at the longitudinal ends of the lower edge 13 of the spar 1 anchor. They have a form of lug tip chiseled, downward. So that when the sealing piece is mounted substantially horizontally, each protrusion 5 of stillation facilitates the formation of drops of water by gravity. The set of structures for guiding condensed and / or infiltrated water (grooves 8 water guide, lower edge 13 diagonally, protuberances 5 of stillation, ...) make it possible to control the evacuation of this water towards the water. one or other of the longitudinal ends of the sealing piece. This ensures that any condensed water and / or infiltrated is recovered by another structure, for example gutters 91, at specific points under the sealing piece. Thus a vertical seal is maintained despite any infiltration or condensation.

The anchoring spar 1 is made of polyamide, in particular copolyamide of the PA 6 / 6-6 type, for example Vitamide® sold by the company Jackdaw (Savigny, 69592 France) under the reference Vitamide TS10BK1898 / 1F, chosen for its Young's modulus of about 2 GPa making it possible to produce an anchor spar - in particular spurs 4 - as described above laterally elastic, in particular in flexion. Thus an anchoring spar according to this embodiment of the invention can be introduced by elastic deformation, in particular by elastic deformation of the lugs 4, in a slot between two photovoltaic panels, and oppose its tearing due to the normal forces and transverse that its lugs 4 exert on the side walls and / or lower photovoltaic panels 9 forming the slot.

The upper part of the anchor spar 1 has a lower thickness, it is thinned. Thus, it is possible to overmould an upper portion 2 on this thinned portion, while maintaining a continuity of the respective lateral flanks of the anchor spar 1 and of the upper portion 2.

Advantageously, the anchor spar has, in its thinned upper portion, assembly shapes 6 formed by transverse bores, for example circular recesses, apparent in FIG. 3. When overmoulding the upper portion 2 on the spar 1 anchoring, the material of the upper portion is introduced into these bores and the inside of the base of the upper portion 2 thus adopts assembly shapes 6 conjugate to the forms 6 of assembly formed by transverse bores in the anchor spar. The two parts are then mechanically linked and can be separated only by at least partial destruction of one of them.

Many other methods of manufacture can be implemented to achieve such an assembly of the anchor beam 1 and the upper portion 2. For example, it is possible to independently manufacture the anchor spar with assembly shapes for example "T" and the upper portion 2 so that its base has forms of inverted "T" conjugate assemblies. These assembly reasons 6 allow the two parts to be mechanically secured, that is to say to mechanically form only one sealing piece and have a high mechanical strength, especially in the sense of their height. . Thus when the anchor beam 1 is inserted into a slot between two photovoltaic panels 9 as shown in Figure 4, it ensures effective maintenance of the upper portion 2 against the outer surfaces of the photovoltaic panels 9. Indeed the upper portion 2 ends on its upper part by two upper sealing lips 3, due to one laterally projecting from each side flanks 21 of its base. The upper portion has a thickness between these two lateral flanks of smaller dimension than the slot in which the sealing member is to be introduced, in particular it has a thickness equal to the thickness of the anchor spar 1. Its flanks 21 are also in extension of the flanks 14 of the anchor spar.

The upper sealing lips 3 extend laterally from the flanks 21 of the upper portion 2 over a width greater than half a width of the slot between two adjacent panels 9. Also, the distal end of each upper sealing lip 3 is thicker than its point of attachment proximal to a flank 21 of the upper portion 2. Thus, the distal end of each upper sealing lip 3 is lower than its proximal attachment. In this way, when the sealing piece is introduced into the slot, as in FIG. 4, the upper sealing lips 3 are in flexion and the distal ends of the upper sealing lips 3 are maintained along their entire length. support, by flexural springback, on the outer surfaces of the photovoltaic panels 9 to form a first watertight barrier. The upper portion 2 has an outer upper surface rounded so as to discharge water, particularly precipitation, to the distal ends of the upper sealing lips 3, and thus to the impermeable outer surfaces of the photovoltaic panels 9. upper has two intermediate sealing lips 7, each projecting from a side flank 21 of the upper portion below said upper sealing lips 3. The intermediate sealing lips 7 are part of the upper portion 2 and they are therefore made of the same material. These intermediate sealing lips 7 extend laterally from the flanks 21 of the upper portion 2 over a lateral distance relative to the lower flank to which each upper lip 3 of sealing extends, in particular each lip 7. intermediate sealing extends substantially over a lateral distance of about half a width of the slot. Thus, the distal end of each lip 7 intermediate sealing is at least in contact, if not in support as in Figure 4, on the side wall of the photovoltaic panel facing the side of which said lip 7 intermediate sealing strikes. Thus each lip 7 intermediate sealing forms on the side of which it projects, a second sealed barrier. A sealing member according to the invention is intended to be mounted between two photovoltaic panels 9, that is to say that it has, in the mounted state, a photovoltaic panel 9 vis-à-vis each of his flanks. In addition, in a roof made of photovoltaic panels, the sealing piece is mounted so that its protuberances 5 of stillation are above a gutter 91 of a chevron 92 mounting, to allow the recovery of Condensed and / or infiltrated waters, as taught in FIG. 6. In addition, the sealing piece has at each longitudinal end of its anchor spar, a centering tab 11 attached by its lower part to the anchor spar. This tongue 11 of centering is flexible around this point of attachment low. It guides the sealing piece during its assembly and to compensate for differences in length between two rafters 92 due to manufacturing tolerances, thermal deformations and possible assembly errors.

The sealing part according to this embodiment also has bellows 21 for compensation at its longitudinal ends, in extension of the flanks 21 of its upper portion 2. These bellows 21 compensation are made through transverse openings. Such bellows 21 compensation also compensate for differences in length between two rafters 92 due to manufacturing tolerances, thermal deformation and possible mounting errors. In addition, the upper portion 2 of the sealing member has, on the uppermost part of its longitudinal ends, in particular in extension of the upper sealing lips 3, an end lip 22.

This end lip 22 is intended to complete the seal at the level of the connection between orthogonal slots with respect to each other, in particular at a junction between a row of photovoltaic panels 9 and a column of photovoltaic panels 9. Thus this thinned portion of the upper portion 2, said end lip 22, is for example clamped between the upper portion of a mounting chevron 92, and a closure piece 93 assembled on said chevron 92 mounting. Each of these structures 11, 22, 23 makes it possible in particular to compensate for longitudinal thermal deformations of the sealing part, while continuing to ensure a good seal of a slot in which the sealing part is inserted, and therefore the good sealing of a roof of photovoltaic panels. On a roof made of photovoltaic panels 9, a seal according to the invention is advantageously arranged between two photovoltaic panels, that is to say between two columns or between two rows of photovoltaic panels, in particular between two rows of photovoltaic panels. photovoltaic panels 9, that is to say between an upper panel and a lower panel. Thus, a sealing member according to the invention has for example a length (its main longitudinal dimension) of between 5 cm and 100 m, in particular between 50 cm and 10 m, in particular the size of a photovoltaic panel is between 1 m and 5 m, commonly 1 meter. Similarly, a slot created by the edges facing two adjacent photovoltaic panels has a width generally between 1 mm and 10 cm, in particular between 5 mm and 10 mm, commonly about 7 millimeters.

This is why the anchor spar 1 and the base of the upper portion 2 of a sealing member according to the invention has a width (dimension between their respective side flanks 14, 21) which is generally smaller than the width of the slot formed by two photovoltaic panels 9. Their width may however be equal to or substantially greater than the width of the slot in which the sealing piece is intended to be introduced since the anchor beam 1 and the upper portion 2 are elastically deformable laterally to be introduced therein. Thus the width of the anchor spar 1 and the base of the upper portion 2 may be between 1 mm and 10 cm, in particular about 5 mm for a slot of about 7 mm. In addition, the height of a sealing part according to the invention depends in particular on the thickness of a photovoltaic panel, in particular in an embodiment as represented in FIGS. 1 to 6, in which the anti-rotation pins tearing come to bear on the inner (rear) side of the photovoltaic panels. Thus, the height of such a sealing piece is between 1 cm and 30 cm, especially between 5 cm and 20 cm, and is currently about 85 millimeters. The invention can be the subject of numerous variants with respect to the embodiment described above and shown in FIGS. 1 to 6.

Indeed, the invention applies to sealing parts intended to seal all types of slots: in particular between walls, panels, etc ... A sealing part according to the invention may also be intended to be introduced into a groove made in an element, in particular in a profiled element.

In particular, it is possible to produce a sealing piece intended to be mounted between a vertical wall and a horizontal panel for sealing at the junction between the wall and the upper surface of the panel. Such a sealing member may have an upper sealing lip extending at least partially over the outer surface of the panel, and an upper sealing lip of smaller dimensions for engaging the wall. Such a sealing piece may also have intermediate sealing lips, and may possibly have lugs on one of its flanks. In addition, nothing prevents practicing (especially on the flanks and / or at the ends, respectively of the anchor spar and the upper portion) anchor reliefs of all types and sizes, adapted to the slot whose sealing part must seal. Also nothing prevents that protruding anchors longitudinally on the sidewalls of the anchor beam also have the function of guiding water to at least one longitudinal end of the sealing member. Other reliefs and parts may be provided on the anchor spar and / or on the upper portion to improve the anchoring and / or sealing of such a sealing piece.

Thus, other puddling protuberances may be provided, for example a sealing piece may have one, two, three, four, and so on. Similarly, the lugs of the anchor beam may have other shapes. In particular, they may have anti-creep support flanges on the edge of a panel allowing them to provide a durable hold (anti-tear) function over time. In addition, multiple forms of assemblies deemed appropriate for holding one workpiece relative to the other can be realized whether the upper portion is overmolded on the anchor spar or not. Furthermore, a sealing piece according to the invention can be made according to multiple manufacturing processes: by coextrusion of the upper portion and the anchor spar, by thermo-molding the anchor spar and by overmolding the upper portion (or vice versa), by 25 independent fabrications then assembly, etc.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS1 / - Sealing piece generally profiled comprising: - an anchor spar (1): o having two side flanks (14), at least one of which has reliefs (4) protruding, o adapted to be elastically deformable laterally, at least one upper sealing lip (3) extending laterally with respect to an upper portion of at least one lateral flank (14) of said anchor beam, adapted to be elastically deformable; in flexion, characterized in that: - the anchoring spar (1) is made of a first material different from a second material in which each upper lip (3) of sealing is produced, - said second material has a Young's modulus weaker than the Young's modulus of said first material. 20 / / - Sealing piece according to claim 1, characterized in that said spar (1) anchor has a general shape of tongue. 3 / - sealing piece according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it has at least one lip (3) upper sealing 25 laterally projecting from an upper portion of each sidewall (14). ) side of said anchor beam. 4 / - sealing piece according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each lip (3) sealing upper part of a single portion, said portion (2) upper, formed in said second material different from said first material of the anchor spar (1). 5 / - sealing piece according to claim 4, characterized in that said upper portion (2) comprises a base having forms (6) for assembling a first series of assembly forms and the upper part of said spar (1) anchor has forms (6) of assembling a second series of assembly forms, the assembly forms of the second series of assembly forms being conjugated to the forms (6) of assembly of the first series of forms of assembly. 6 / - sealing piece according to claim 5, characterized in that it has at least one lip (7) intermediate sealing, extending laterally projecting from at least one side flank (21) of the base of said upper portion. 7 / - sealing piece according to claim 6, characterized in that the distance of a distal end of each lip (7) intermediate sealing relative to the side flank (21) from which it projects is less than the distance of a distal end of each upper sealing lip (3) protruding from the same lateral flank (21) of the upper portion (2) with respect to this side flank (21). 8 / - sealing piece according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each side flank (14) of the anchor spar (1) has lugs (4) in relief. 9 / - sealing piece according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the anchor spar (1) has a variable height along its longitudinal length. 10 / - sealing piece according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it has at least one groove (8) water guide extending longitudinally along the length of a side of said piece 11. A seal according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the anchor spar (1) has at least one projecting protrusion (5) projecting from one to the less of his songs. 12 / - sealing piece according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: - the first material of the anchor spar (1) is a polyamide, in particular a copolyamide type PA 6 / 6-6 the second material of each upper sealing lip (3) is an EPDM. 13 / - Roof panels (9) photovoltaic characterized in that at least one sealing piece according to one of claims 1 to 12 is mounted between two adjacent photovoltaic panels (9).