NZ744820A - Profiled element for terraces and balconies - Google Patents

Abstract

A profiled element (10) for terraces and balconies, which comprises a substantially flat wing (11) for anchoring the profiled element to the floor, a front portion (12) for protecting an outer edge (13) of a floor paving and protruding outward with respect thereto, a drip lip (14) which is constituted by a contoured element that extends downward from the wing (11), in a region to be arranged at an edge of a terrace (21); the drip lip (14) comprises, at a lower end, at least one first protrusion (18) and at least one second protrusion (19), lower than the first protrusion, both protruding outward with respect to the front portion (12). ed by a contoured element that extends downward from the wing (11), in a region to be arranged at an edge of a terrace (21); the drip lip (14) comprises, at a lower end, at least one first protrusion (18) and at least one second protrusion (19), lower than the first protrusion, both protruding outward with respect to the front portion (12).

Description

PROFILED ELEMENT FOR TERRACES AND BALCONIES This application claims priority from Italian patent application 102017000094883, filed 22 August 2017, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference.

The present invention relates to a profiled element for terraces and balconies.

The use is widespread of profiled elements for laying along the external perimeter of terraces and of balconies, to protect the edges of the tiles and to ensure correct drainage of water downward.

Profiled elements are known which are provided with a perforated wing for anchoring to the balcony, over which the tiles are laid, which ensures the fixing of the profiled element to the support and which has drainage slots for the outflow of any water that seeps under the tiles. They also have a front portion in front of the outer edge of the floor paving, with the interposition of sealant, and they are characterized by the presence of a drip lip element, which is constituted by a drip edge projection that protrudes outward at the lowest point of the profiled element, with the purpose of slowing the water and redirecting it outward, in order to make the water drip away from the walls, while favoring its vertical descent.

Figure 1 shows an example of such conventional profiled elements.

In the example, the profiled element is generally designated by the reference letter A, the wing with the letter B, a slotted drainage hole with C, the front portion with D and the drip edge projection with E.

As will be made clear below, these show room for improvement.

First of all, especially for abundant quantities of water, the drip edge projection is often, not sufficient to ensure a vertical descent of the water, which instead tends to veer toward the vertical wall below the terrace.

Often during the laying of profiled elements the operators cannot maintain an optimal distance from the edge of the tiles, which would assist in preventing the falling water from veering toward the wall.

Sealant is inserted between the front portion and the outer edge of the tiles, and the grip of this sealant to the front portion is not always guaranteed.

Furthermore, the sealant obstructs the drainage slots, thus limiting the drainage capacity of the system.

Another drawback lies in the fact that affixing connector elements between two profiled elements is not easy for the operators, who have to carry out this operation after laying the profiled elements.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a profiled element for terraces and balconies which is capable of improving the known art in one or more of the above mentioned aspects.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a profiled element for terraces, in order to prevent the return of the water toward the wall and favor a better outflow of water that has seeped under the tiles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a profiled element that ensures an optimal hold on the floor paving and on the edge of the tiles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a profiled element that facilitates the affixing of the connectors.

Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the known art in an alternative manner to any existing solutions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a profiled element that is highly reliable, easy to implement and low cost.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a profiled element for terraces and balconies according to claim 1, optionally provided with one or more of the characteristics of the dependent claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the profiled element according to the invention, which is illustrated for the purposes of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein: - Figure 1 shows an example of conventional profiled elements.

- Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the profiled element according to the invention; - Figure 3 is a perspective view of the profiled element according to the invention; - Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an enlarged detail of a variation of the profiled element according to the invention; - Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a connector coupled to a profiled element according to the invention.

With reference to the figures, the profiled element according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, comprises: - a substantially flat wing 11 for anchoring the profiled element to the floor, - a front portion 12 for protecting the outer edge 13 of the floor paving and protruding outward with respect thereto, - a drip lip 14 constituted by a contoured element that extends downward from the wing 11, in the region to be arranged at the edge of the terrace 21.

The wing 11, as can be seen in the perspective view in Figure 3, is provided with openings 15 and holes 16 of diameter comprised preferably between 2 mm and 10 mm, which make it possible to mechanically affix the profiled element by way of nails and/or screws before laying the floor.

The wing 11 is provided with dovetail longitudinal incisions 17 in order to facilitate the anchoring of adhesive and a connecting strip, which are conventional.

The drip lip 14 comprises, at the lower end, at least one first protrusion 18 and at least one second protrusion 19, lower than the first, both protruding outward with respect to the front portion 12.

Advantageously, the second protrusion 19 protrudes further outward than the first protrusion 18.

The second protrusion 19 has an inclination with respect to a horizontal plane which is comprised between 20° and 65°.

According to a first variation, the first protrusion 18 and the second protrusion 19 consist of two cusps, as shown in Figure 2.

In a second variation, they consist of two tabs, as shown in the enlargement in Figure 4.

The profiled element 10 also comprises a spacer 20 for spacing the front portion 12 from the edge of the terrace 21, which consists of a tab that protrudes from the rear of the drip lip 14 and is designed to rest with its free end on the edge of the terrace 21.

The spacer element 20 prevents the front part of the profiled element from coming into contact with the water drained from the surface of the terrace.

The tab that defines the spacer element 20 must have a length preferably comprised between 5 mm and 20 mm.

The front portion 12 has a cross-section that is substantially shaped like a letter T rotated by 90°, comprising a central connection 22 to the wing 11 and a screen 23, substantially on a vertical plane of arrangement, with an upper portion 24 and a lower portion 25. Dovetail incisions are defined on the inner side of the upper portion 24, to improve the grip with a sealant for coverings.

The central connection 22 is inclined downward and is provided with water drainage openings 28. Such openings preferably have a length comprised between 2 mm and 40 mm, a width comprised between 1 mm and mm and a distance between centers comprised between 5 cm and 20 cm.

The lower portion 25 has, at the lower end, a tooth 26 which is directed inward for anchoring a connector 27 for connecting the profiled element 10 to a similar profiled element.

The connector 27 in its coupling with a profiled element 10 is shown in Figure 5.

The invention also relates to the connector 27, to be associated by snap action with a pair of profiled elements 10, between the first and second protrusions 18, 19 and the tooth 26. In particular, for such purpose, the connector 27 is provided with an end element 29 which is inserted by snap action between the two protrusions 18 and 19.

As shown in Figure 2, during installation of the profiled element 10 according to the invention, draining sponge tape 30 is conveniently used on the central connection 22 and adjacent to the inner side of the upper portion 24, and a layer of silicone sealant 31 is superimposed thereon. The draining sponge tape 30 prevents the sealant from obstructing the drainage openings Installation and operation of the profiled element, according to the invention, is evident from the foregoing description and, in particular, it is evident that the profiled element, by virtue of the spacer element and the double end projection of the drip lip, is capable of making water drip away from the walls, while favoring its vertical descent.

Furthermore, with the profiled element according to the invention, the stagnation of water that has seeped under the tiles is prevented, by favoring its drainage outward.

It should also be noted that by virtue of particular protrusions of the wing and of the upper portion of screen, the grip of adhesives is improved, thus ensuring an optimal hold.

In addition, it should be noted that the profiled element according to the invention facilitates the affixing of the connectors, which by virtue of snap action coupling can also be affixed after the installation of the profiled element.

Furthermore the connector, by virtue of the end part, contributes to keeping water away from the wall.

In practice it has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects by providing a profiled element for terraces that is capable of effectively preventing the return of water toward the wall and of favoring a better outflow of seeped water, and also of facilitating the affixing of connectors.

The invention, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In practice the materials employed, provided they are compatible with the specific use, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims (10)

1. A profiled element for terraces and balconies, which comprises a substantially flat wing (11) for anchoring the profiled element to the floor, a front portion (12) for protecting an outer edge (13) of a floor paving and 5 protruding outward with respect thereto, a drip lip (14) which is constituted by a contoured element that extends downward from said wing (11), in a region to be arranged at an edge of a terrace (21), said profiled element (10) being characterized in that said drip lip (14) comprises, at a lower end, at least one first protrusion (18) and at least one second protrusion (19), lower 10 than the first protrusion, both protruding outward with respect to said front portion (12).

2. The profiled element according to claim 1, characterized in that said second protrusion (19) protrudes further outward than said first protrusion (18). 15

3. The profiled element according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one spacer (20) for spacing said front portion (12) from the edge of the terrace (21), which consists of a tab that protrudes from the rear of said drip lip (14) and is designed to rest with its free end on said edge of the terrace (21). 20

4. The profiled element according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said front portion (12) has a cross-section that is substantially shaped like a letter T rotated by 90°, comprising a central connection (22) to said flat wing (11) and a screen (23), substantially on a vertical plane of arrangement, with an upper portion (24) and a lower 25 portion (25), dovetail incisions being defined on an inner side of said upper portion (24).

5. The profiled element according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lower portion (25) has, at a lower end, a tooth (26) which is directed inward for anchoring a connector (27) for 30 connecting said profiled element (10) to a similar profiled element.

6. The profiled element according to claim 1, characterized in that said second protrusion has an inclination with respect to a horizontal plane which is comprised between 20° and 65°.

7. The profiled element according to one or more of the preceding 5 claims, characterized in that said first and second protrusions (18, 19) consist of two cusps.

8. The profiled element according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first and second protrusions (18, 19) consist of two tabs. 10

9. The profiled element according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said central connection (22) is inclined downward and is provided with water drainage openings (28).

10. A connector for a pair of profiled elements (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, to be associated by snap action with said 15 pair of profiled elements (10) between said first and second protrusions (18, 19) and said tooth (26).