GB2169326A

GB2169326A - Structural assembly comprising panel member and support

Info

Publication number: GB2169326A
Application number: GB08529065A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Friedrich Kaspers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-01-09
Filing date: 1985-11-26
Publication date: 1986-07-09
Also published as: GB2169326B; DE8500381U1; GB8529065D0

Abstract

A structural assembly, of which four alternative forms are shown in cross-section in Fig. 1, comprises a horizontal elongate support (1) with a channel (2) having a lateral opening and slidably receiving one edge of a panel member (4) such as a roofing panel. The panel member has a ridge (5) on at least one face along the edge, to retain the panel member while giving sufficient play in the channel to allow expansion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Panel member and supporting structure therefor The invention relates to a supporting structure for horizontal panel members such as roofing panels, the structure having at least one horizontal channel open laterally outwards to receive the panel member. The invention also relates to panel members, and is especially useful in roofing panels. A further aspect of the invention concerns a structural assembly comprising a supporting structure and a panel member of the aforesaid types.

Such structural assemblies may be used over swimming pools, or as sun porches, hot houses, terrace awnings, winter gardens or the like. They may take the form, modified as required, of a saw-tooth roof, northern light roof, barrel roof or gabled roof, and may be provided as required with appropriate strutting and plinths.

When aluminium or steel constructions are glazed with plastics sheets or panels, or are boarded, the different heat expansion coefficients cause problems. When fixing plastics sheets on an aluminium construction, these difficulties have been overcome by making fairly large perforations or longitudinal holes in the plastics sheets for receiving fixing members.

This works, but only when the perforation is sufficiently large in comparison with the fixing members, each fixing member is fitted exactly at the centre of the perforation, and the pressure of application of the fixing members is not too high, so that the plastics sheet can expand freely. Apart from the fact that this demands accurate processing, deficiencies in sealing can also occur, all the more so as, on the one hand, the application pressure of the fixing members must not be too high, while, on the other hand, it must be high enough to ensure a seal. Otherwise, moisture enters through the perforation.

As in practice plastics sheets frequently become torn, deficiencies in sealing occur, plates buckle, etc., recourse has been had to laying the plastics sheet loosely on the supporting structure, so as then to secure them at the edges with appropriate clamping members.

However, in such a case the plastics panels can withstand practically no snow or wind loading. With only a slight loading, they slip out of the clamping members and break inwards.

Furthermore it is known in the case of swimming baths to use sections with channels open laterally outwardly, into which channels the plastics plates or panels are inserted laterally and retained in the channels with some play. However, the plates or panels frequently suffer misalignment and jamming when pushed in or out and, in addition, they cannot bear any snow or wind loadings.

The invention provides a structural assembly comprising: a generally horizontally-disposed elongate supporting structure with a longitudinal channel having an elongate opening, narrower than the height of the channel, on one side; and a generally horizontally-disposed panel member of which one edge is received in the channel through the opening, the panel being retained slidably within the channel by means of a ridge formed on one face of the panel member along the said edge, such that there is some play between the edge and the channel walls but that the thickest part of the panel member edge is wider than the elongate opening in the channel.

According to a further aspect, the invention provides a roofing panel, having a ridge formed on one face and along one edge, to retain the panel slidably in a hollow groove in a structure for supporting the panel by its said edge.

The invention avoids the need for the provision of holes in the panel member, and avoids the risk of jamming, while it permits uneven heat expansion of the panel member and supporting structure. An assembly according to the invention can also withstand snow and wind loadings.

Preferably, the panel member has a further ridge formed on its other face along the said edge.

Preferably, the periphery in cross-section of the ridge or of both ridges corresponds in shape to the shape in cross-section of the adjacent inner walls of the channel.

The or each ridge may be welded or adhered to the panel member.

If need be it is possible also to provide ridges on the transverse edges of the panel member. After the supporting structure is completed, the panel member(s) provided with the ridge(s) is(are) pushed in from the front with the ridge(s) into the corresponding channel(s), and is(are) in this manner retained slidably. They are able to move in the longitudinal as well as the transverse direction, i.e. to expand or to contract. As the ridge(s) prevent(s) the panel member(s) from sliding out of the channel(s), snow and wind loadings can also be borne. The panel member(s) can be sealed off from the outside, i.e. the upper side, with suitable wedge seals. However, it is possible to do without such seals as the slight amount of rain water entering the channel is led away along the bottom section of the channel which acts as a water gutter.

If the supporting structures are provided with two such channels it is possible to dispose two panel members one above the other, so as to achieve a greater insulation effect, or have the panel members disposed in respective channels and slidable to give a variable degree of overlap, in order to be able to open or close large areas. If thermal control elements are used, an effective automatic ven tilation and temperature regulation can thus be provided.

It is possible to use supporting structures with thermal separation therebetween. If required, the widths of the openings in any of the channels that are too great can be reduced in size by separate replaceable insertion or application sections, to retain thinner-walled panel members. It is possible to use supporting structures in which the overall outline is made up of several individual sections, in order to support panel members of different thicknesses by means of different section combinations. It is also possible to use inserted or pushed-in sections reinforcements for the supporting structures, so as to be able to support greater loads.

In order that the invention may be better understood, several preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows, in cross-section, several different embodiments of a structural assembly according to the invention; and Figure 2 shows part of a further embodiment, in crosssection.

A section 1 of a structural support is represented on the right-hand side of Figure 1.

Section 1 may be of aluminium, but couid also be a steel or plastics section. In this example, it is substantially square in crosssection and, on at least one side, in the vicinity of its longitudinal side face, has a channel 3, substantially square, inwardly delimited by a wall 2, which channel extends in the longitudinal direction of the section 1. The channel has an elongate opening along one side. The channel 3 receives the side edge of a plastics sheet or panel 4, which may be a single pane, double pane or treble pane panel, particularly of clear or tinted plastics. The plastics sheet or panel 4 has, along one edge, a plastics lug or ridge 5 on either the upper or the lower face or both, firmly secured by means of expansion welding or by a suitable adhesion process.

The or each ridge has a rectangular crosssection. The plastics lug(s) or ridge(s) and the plastics sheet or panel 4 are arranged within the channel with some play adjacent the inside walls of the channel 3. Because of the provision of the plastics lugs 5, the edges of the plastics plate or panel 4 which have the ridges 5 can be pushed into the channels 3 and held therein, without the need to provide perforations or to use clamping elements. The ridges 5 act at the same time as guides when the plates or panels 4 are moved with respect to the sections 1, possibly for ventilation purposes. The plates or panels 4 are able to expand freely in conformity with the prevailing heat expansion conditions, yet they are held securely in the sections 1. In addition, plates or panels so constructed can bear snow and wind loadings.As a result of the matching of the outline of the ridges 5 to the cross-section of the inner walls of the channel 3, it is possible, on the one hand, to achieve over a large area the engagement of the laterally outwardly-facing wall of the ridge 5 with the adjacent inner surface 6 of the channel 3 of one section 1, and on the other hand, the same degree of engagement of the inwardly-facing wall of the ridge 5 with the adjacent inner surface 6 of the channel 3 of an adjoining section 1 also receiving the same sheet or panel 4. This arrangement prevents seizure on pushing the panels in or out, and also prevents their jamming in use.

If the sections 1 are curved in the longitudinal direction, and the plates or panels 4 are correspondingly curved, the ridges 5 may, if required, consist of laminated portions, in order that the bending of the plates or panels 4 on pushing in and out should not be hindered by the fact that they impart additional rigidity to the plates or panels 4.

The sections 1 may have, on their underside, hollow channels 7, flatter than the panelreceiving channels 3, which are used to receive T-head screws, so that other building members, bracing, etc., may be secured at any convenient place. Such channels 7 may also be provided on the upper side of the sections 1.

It is possible to provide one (Fig.2) or two (Fig.1) or more channels 3 one above the other, in the or each section 1.

In the embodiment represented on the lefthand side of Figure 1, the channel 3 is partcircular in cross-section, i.e. the channel is part-cylindrical, while the plastics ridges 5 are correspondingly in the shape of a segment of a circle. (Other cross-sectional shaped of channels may be provided).

If need be, for sealing purposes, a seal 8' may also be positioned on the upper side of the plate or panel 4, cooperating with the section 1 for preventing the penetration of water or the like.

In the form shown in Figure 2, the channel 3 is formed by means of two sections 1a, 1b, section 1 a having two inwardly-directed ribs 8 which are hook-shaped in cross-section, and section la having corresponding ribs 9, the ribs 8, 9 being sufficiently elastic for the ends, hook-shaped in cross-section, to hook positively one into the other on pressing the section Ib onto the section la. If required, the ribs 8 and/or 9 may have support shoulders 10 for the hook-shaped end of the associated rib 9 or 8.

Preferably, the plastics plates or panels are of acrylic glass or polycarbonate. They may be some 6 mm thick, whereas the lugs or ridges 5 may be some 4 to 16 mm thick.

Claims

1. A structural assembly comprising: a generally horizontally-disposed elongate sup porting structure with a longitudinal channel having an elongate opening, narrower than the height of the channel, on one side; and a generally horizontally-disposed panel member of which one edge is received in the channel through the opening, the panel being retained slidably within the channel -by means of a ridge formed on one face of the panel member along the said edge, such that there is some play between the edge and the channel walls but that the thickest part of the panel member edge is wider than the elongate opening in the channel.

2. A structural assembly according to claim 1, wherein the panel member has a further ridge formed on its other face along the said edge.

3. A structural assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the periphery in cross-section of the ridge or of both ridges corresponds in shape to the shape in crosssection of the adjacent inner walls of the channel.

4. A structural assembly according to claim 3, wherein the channel is part-cylindrical and the or each ridge defines a segment of a circle in cross-section.

5. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the supporting structure is of aluminium.

6. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the panel member is of plastics material.

7. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each ridge is welded to the panel member.

8. A structural assembly according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the or each ridge is adhered to the panel member.

9. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each ridge comprises laminated plastics material.

10. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the width of the elongate opening in the channel is reduced in size by a replaceable insert section or laid-on section.

11. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein a seal is provided externally between the panel member and the adjoining edge of the elongate opening.

12. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the supporting structure has on the inside or the outside one or more screw-receiving channels to receive Thead screws.

13. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the supporting structure is provided with reinforcement insert sections.

14. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one further similar channel disposed above the said channel, such that a plurality of panel members mounted in respective channels are rela tiveiy movable.

15. A structural assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the supporting structure is formed of two interconnected elements which jointly define the said channel.

16. A structural assembly according to claim 15, wherein the interconnected elements have elastic ribs in engagement one with the other with projections, hook-shaped in crosssection, which form the inner limiting wall opposite the elongate opening of the said channel.

17. A structural assembly according to claim 15 or 16, wherein one of the said elements is provided with an abutment shoulder for the other element.

18. A roofing panel, having a ridge formed on one face and along one edge, to retain the panel slidably in a hollow groove in a structure for supporting the panel by its said edge.

19. A supporting structure for supporting a panel member in an elongate channel, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A panel member with a ridge along one edge, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A structural assembly comprising a supporting structure and a panel member, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.