GB2356664A

GB2356664A - Clipping system for louvres

Info

Publication number: GB2356664A
Application number: GB9927832A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Braybrook
Original assignee: AVENUE TECHNOLOGY Ltd; Levolux AT Ltd
Current assignee: AVENUE TECHNOLOGY Ltd; Levolux AT Ltd
Priority date: 1999-11-26
Filing date: 1999-11-26
Publication date: 2001-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 2019-11-26
Also published as: GB2356664B; GB9927832D0; GB2356664C

Description

2356664 A CLIPPING SYSTEM This invention relates to a clipping system for

connecting solar shading or ventilation louvres to elongate support members of the type which include a channel of substantially C-shaped cross section. Such support members will be referred to hereinafter as support members of the type hereinbefore defined.

According to the present invention, there is provided a clipping system for connecting solar shading or ventilation louvres to elongate support members of the type hereinbefore defined, the clipping system comprising a plurality of clips which can be inserted through the openings of the channels of the support members, and a plurality of spacer elements for retaining the clips in the channels, the spacer elements being wider than the openings in the channels and being insertable into the channels by inserting them through the openings at an angle thereto or by sliding them along the channels, each clip having a base, mounting means which in use projects from the base and through the opening of one of the channels and to which in use solar shading or a ventilation louvre can be attached, a first end portion interengageable with a first end portion of one spacer element and a second end portion slidably interengageable with a second end portion of another spacer element.

Preferably, the first end portion of each clip is interengageable with the first end portion of the said one spacer element by pivoting the clip relative to the spacer element.

Preferably, the first end portion of each clip and the first end portion of the spacer element are so shaped that pivotable movement of the clip relative to the spacer element causes the clip and spacer element to be firmly engaged in the channel.

Preferably, the second end portions of the clips and the spacer elements are serrated.

Preferably, the second portion of each clip is inclined to the base of the 10 clip.

Conveniently, the mounting means of each clip comprises two formations which are spaced apart in use longitudinally of the channel.

It is thus possible to provide a clipping system which eradicates the need to drill any holes in the support members. This has the advantage of speeding up assembly. Also, the support members and all parts of the clipping system can be made of the same material. Furthermore, the above mentioned clipping system has the ability to offer a variable pitch between clips. 20 The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a perspective view of an elongate support member to which a -3clipping system according to the invention can be fixed, Figure 2 is a sectional side view of part of the support member and one embodiment of the clipping system according to the present invention, and Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, similar to Figure 2, showing the manner in which one end of each clip can be engaged with one end of a spacer element.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown therein an elongate support member 10 which can be attached to a building in any convenient way. It may also be formed as an integral part of a curtain walling mullion or as part of a glazing bar. The elongate support member 10 is of extruded aluminium and has a stem portion 11 and a head portion 12 which defines a C-shaped channel 13 having a base 14, two side walls 15 and 16 and two inturned flanges 17 and 18 extending towards one another from the free edges of the two side walls 15 and 16, respectively.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, the clipping system shown therein comprises a plurality of clips 20 and a plurality of spacer elements 21. The clips 20 have a width just less than the width of the opening between the inner edges of the inturned flanges 17 and 18 so that they can be inserted into the channel 13 in a direction normal to base 14 of the channel 13.

Each clip 20 has a base 19 and mounting means in the form of first and second formations 22 and 23 spaced apart along the base 19 for supporting solar shading or ventilation louvres (not shown). The formations 22 and 23 project through the opening of the channel 13 and are hook-shaped at their free ends. The upper hook-shaped formation 22 is relatively short, but the lower formation 23 is much longer and projects away from the elongate support member 10 at a downwardly inclined angle.

The upper end of the base 19 of each clip 20 has an end portion in the form of a further hook-shaped formation 24 and the lower end of the base 19 of each clip has a serrated tail 25. The lower end of each spacer element 21 has a lug 26 which can be engaged by the hook-shaped formation 24 of a clip 20 by pivoting the clip 20 relative to the spacer element 21 in the manner shown in Figure 3. The lug 26 of the spacer element 21 and the hook-shaped formation 24 of the clip 20 are so shaped and dimensioned that as the clip 20 is pivoted relative to the spacer element 21 the base 19 of the clip 20 is urged into wedging engagement with the base 14 of the channel 13 and the spacer element 21 is urged into wedging engagement with the under faces of the inturned flanges 17 and 18 to hold the clip 20 and spacer element 21 firmly in place in the channel 13. This will prevent movement of the clips 20 and spacer elements 21 along the channel of the elongate support member.

The upper end of each spacer element 21 has a serrated portion 27 which is slidably interengageable with the serrated tail 25 of a clip 20.

-5 The serrated tail 25 may be inclined at very small angle, typically about 1', to the plane of the base 19 of its respective clip 20 so that when the upper end of the clip 20 is engaged by the lower end of one spacer element 21 and the serrated tail 25 of the clip 20 is slidably engaged by the serrated portion 27 of another spacer element 21, the clip 20 and the spacer element 21 are even more forcibly urged into wedging engagement with the base 14 of the channel 13 and the under faces of the inturned flanges 17 and 18, respectively.

Two or more parallel spaced elongate support members 10 can be used, together with clips 20 and spacer elements 21, to support solar shading or ventilation louvres. In order to assemble the clips 20 and spacer elements 21 in the channels of the elongate support members 10, a spacer element 21 can first be inserted through the opening of the channel 13 either at an angle thereto or by sliding the spacer element 21 along the channel 13. A clip 20 is then inserted through the opening and pivoted so that the hook-shaped formation 24 engages the lug 26 of the spacer element 21. A further spacer element 21 can then be inserted again at an angle to the opening or by sliding it along the channel and slidably engaged with the tail 25 of the clip 20. Further clips 20 and spacer elements 21 can be inserted in a similar manner.

The clipping system described above provides an easy and convenient manner of attaching clips to an elongate support member and eradicates the need to drill any holes in the support members. This makes assembly quick and easy. Also, the support members, clips and spacer elements can be made of the same material, such as aluminium.

Claims

-6CLAIMS

A clipping system for connecting solar shading or ventilation louvres to elongate support members of the type hereinbefore defined, the clipping system comprising a plurality of clips which can be inserted through the openings of the channels of the support members, and a plurality of spacer elements for retaining the clips in the channels, the spacer elements being wider than the openings in the channels and being insertable into the channels by inserting them through the openings at an angle thereto or by sliding them along the channels, each clip having a base, mounting means which in use projects from the base and through the opening of one of the channels and to which in use solar shading or a ventilation louvre can be attached, a first end portion interengageable with a first end portion of one spacer element and a second end portion slidably interengageable with a second end portion of another spacer element.
2. A clipping system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end portion of each clip is interengageable with the first end portion of the said one spacer element by pivoting the clip relative to the spacer element.
3. A clipping system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first end portion of each clip and the first end portion of the spacer element are so shaped that pivotable movement of the clip relative to the spacer element causes the clip and spacer element to be firmly engaged in the channel.
4. A clipping system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second end portions of the clips and the spacer elements are serrated.
5. A clipping system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second portion of each clip is inclined to the base of the clip.
6. A clipping system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting means of each clip comprises two formations which are spaced apart along the base of the clip.
7. A clipping system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
8. A clipping system as claimed in any one of the accompanying drawings in combination with a plurality of solar shading or ventilation louvres and a plurality of elongate support members.