GB2389862A

GB2389862A - Low thermal conduction gutter element

Info

Publication number: GB2389862A
Application number: GB0214024A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Watson; Alan Brown
Original assignee: C A GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: C A GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 2002-06-19
Filing date: 2002-06-19
Publication date: 2003-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2022-06-19
Also published as: GB0214024D0; GB2389862B

Abstract

A gutter element 1 comprises a rigid first panel having at least one first flange 5 to be mounted to a building panel 12, a second panel to be mounted to a support, having at least one second flange to engage said first flange, a cavity defined between the flanges which contains thermally insulating material 9 and where at least one flange includes a plurality of apertures. The flanges may be joined by use of rivets 15, screws, crimps, or welding, and the panels may be made of galvanised steel, aluminium or stainless steel. The panels may have a coating of sealing material.

Description

Low Thermal Conduction Gutter Element The present invention relates to

building elements, and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to gutter elements for reducing heat loss from buildings via thermal conduction through the metal skins of building puttering elements and roof panels. In many countries, building regulations defining the performance of thermal insulation are becoming increasingly stringent. Many modern buildings, particularly buildings made from prefabricated metallic panel elements, incorporate thermally insulated Puttering elements in the roofing of the building. These metallic puttering elements are usually joined to the roof panels by means of rivets or screws for strength.

Prior art Buttering and roofing assemblies of this type suffer

from the drawback that the metallic joint between roof and gutter offers a significant thermal bridge between the inside of the building and the outdoors, permitting substantial heat conduction from inside the building to outside.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a building element comprising: a substantially rigid first panel having at least one first flange adapted to be mounted to a building panel; and a second panel adapted to be mounted to a support and having at least one second flange adapted to engage a respective said first flange to define a cavity between said first and second panels accommodating thermally insulating material; ..

f -2 wherein at least one said first flange includes a plurality of apertures for reducing the area of thermal contact between said flange and a building panel mounted thereto.

This provides the advantage that heat conduction between the gutter element and the roof panel is reduced, and therefore heat loss from inside the building to the atmosphere is also reduced. In a preferred embodiment, said first panel comprises a pair of said first flanges and said second panel comprises a pair of said second flanges.

Said apertures may be provided adjacent said cavity in use.

By providing apertures above the insulation cavity of the building element, and not on the portions of the respective flanges that are bonded together, this provided the advantage that the strength of the joint is not reduced.

A respective distal end of at least one said second flange may be substantially free of said apertures.

Cooperating said first and second flanges may be joined in use by means of rivets, said rivets being placed adjacent distal ends of said flanges.

Cooperating said first and second flanges may be joined in use by means of screws, said screws being placed adjacent distal ends of said flanges.

Cooperating first and second flanges may be joined in use by means of crimping and/or welding.

,. .....

( -3 This provides the advantage of avoiding gaps between the flanges, which could result in moisture or air penetration.

Said first and second panels may comprise metallic material.

Said metallic material may be galvanized steel and/or aluminium and/or stainless steel.

This provides the advantage of protecting the building element from the effects of atmospheric corrosion.

Said first and/or second panels may further comprise a respective coating of sealing material.

This provides the advantage of further increasing the insulating properties of the building element.

Said sealing coating may overlap at least some of said plurality of apertures.

This provides the advantage of waterproofing the insulating cavity. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective schematic of a Buttering element embodying the present invention; and Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the Buttering element or Figure 1 incorporated into the roofing structure of a building.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a gutter element 1 is formed from a lower panel 2 for mounting to supports 13 and an upper panel .. .. .,

3 for supporting roofing panels 12, both of metal such as galvanized steel or durable plastics material. The upper panel 3 defines a channel 4 for the collection of rain water and is formed such that upper flanges 5 of the upper panel sit on lower flanges 6 of the lower panel 2. The channel 9 is received in a corresponding channel portion 7 of the lower panel 2 to define a cavity S. The cavity 8 is filled with a slab of thermally insulating material 9.

A series of apertures 10 are cut into the upper flanges 5 so that they are positioned above the cavity 8 containing insulating material 9. A layer of protective plastic or membrane material 11 is laid on top of the upper panel 3 to minimise weathering and seal the cavity 8.

When roofing panels 12 are laid on the respective flanges 5 of the upper panel 3, it can be seen that the area of contact between the underside of roofing panel 12 and upper flange 5 is substantially reduced from that of prior art Buttering

elements, in which no apertures 10 are formed.

The gutter element 1 is supported by supports 13 which are in turn supported from below by a beam 14 which is part of the structural frame of a building. Roof panels 12 are positioned such that they are supported by the upper flanges 5 of the gutter element 1. The roof panels 12 are fixed through to the gutter 1 by rivets 15. The region of flanges 5 denoted by 16 shows where the apertures of Figure 1 are positioned.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiment is described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the invention is not limited to forming apertures in insulating ,, : ' ';

-5 gutter elements, the invention could equally be used in drip flashing for building walls, or other thermal bridges in buildings formed from metallic panels. It will also be understood that a wide range of different shapes of aperture is possible.

Claims

-6 CLAIMS

1. A building element comprising: a substantially rigid first panel having at least one first flange Adapted to be mounted to a building panel) and a second panel adapted to be mounted to a support and having at least one second flange adapted to engage a respective said first flange to define a cavity between said first and second panels accommodating thermally insulating material; wherein at least one said first flange includes a plurality of apertures for reducing the area of thermal contact between said flange and a building panel mounted thereto.

2. A building element according to claim 1, wherein said first panel comprises a pair of said first flanges and said second panel comprises a pair of said second flanges.

3. A building element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said apertures are provided adjacent said cavity in use.

4. A building element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a respective distal end of at icast one said flange is substantially free of said apertures.

5. A building element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein cooperating said first and second flanges are joined in use by means of rivets, said rivets being placed adjacent distal ends of said flanges.

6. A building element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein cooperating said first and second flanges are

-7 joined in use by means of screws, said screws being placed adjacent distal ends of said flanges.

7. A building element according to any one or the preceding claims, wherein cooperating said first and second flanges are joined in use by means of crimping and/or welding.

8. A building element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first and second panels comprise metallic material.

9. A building element according to claim 8, wherein said metallic material is galvanized steel and/or aluminium and/or stainless steel.

10. A building element according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said first and/or second panels further comprise a respective coating of sealing material.

11. A building element according to claim 10, wherein said sealing coating overlaps at least some of said plurality of apertures.

12. A building element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.