WO2003074811A1

WO2003074811A1 - Improvements in and relating to conservatory roof structures and valley assemblies therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2003074811A1
Application number: PCT/GB2003/000826
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Kerr
Original assignee: Burnden Holdings (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 2002-03-01
Filing date: 2003-02-27
Publication date: 2003-09-12
Also published as: AU2003207352A1; GB0204880D0

Abstract

A covering (10, 42, 44) for a valley assembly arranged to prevent ingress of materials into the assembly.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO CONSERVATORY ROOF STRUCTURES AND VALLEY ASSEMBLIES THEREFOR

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to valley assemblies for conservatory roofs, conservatory roof structures and methods for producing such assemblies.

Background to the Invention

In a conservatory roof structure, valley assemblies are provided with a plurality of wings extending from a central valley. The assemblies are generally aluminium hollow extrusions supporting glazing panels. These aluminium extrusions are generally clad by means of poly vinyl chloride (PVC) extrusions to provide aesthetic value and environmental protection. The assemblies are subject to a number of environmental factors from the weather and environment maintained within the conservatory by the owner.

It is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to obviate or overcome a problem of the prior art, whether referred to herein or otherwise.

Statement of the Invention

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a covering for a valley assembly arranged to prevent ingress of materials into the assembly. In another aspect, the present invention provides a valley assembly comprising a central body and at least one wing connected to the central body, the wing having a box construction.

Preferably, the wing is rotationally mounted with respect to the body.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a covering means arranged to cover a valley assembly, the valley assembly comprising at least a central portion and a wing portion with the covering means comprising a cap for engaging with the centre portion, and a gasket means for engaging with the wing portion.

Preferably, the gasket means is arranged to form a seal with respect to the cap.

Preferably, the seal between the cap and the gasket means is arranged to accommodate a variety of angles between the wing and centre portion.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a valley assembly comprising drainage chambers arranged to channel water.

Preferably, the valley assembly comprises a centre portion and at least one wing arranged to cooperate with the centre portion, the wing further comprising a drainage chamber adjacent to the position at which the wing cooperates with the centre portion. Preferably, the drainage chamber is arranged to inhibit the ingress of water into the connection between the wing and centre portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perpendicular cross section of a valley assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perpendicular cross section of a valley assembly in use according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of a valley assembly in use according to the present invention, with the wings at a different angle from that shown in figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the assembly shown in figure 2.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment a valley assembly according to the present invention. The valley assembly comprises a centre body 10 arranged to cooperate with two wings 20, 30.

The wings 20, 30 are rotatably mounted with respect to the centre 10 via key and slot arrangements (14, 32; 12, 22). In use, each of the wings is arranged to support one or more separate glazing panels. Such a rotatable mounting allows the glazing panels to be mounted at a variety of angles. Further, any slight movement within the angle of the panels e.g. due to thermal expansion of a conservatory roof, can be easily accommodated.

Each of the wings 20, 30 also has a protruding lip (24, 34) arranged to cooperate with respective lips (16, 18) on the centre 10. Such lips act to limit the rotational movement of the wings with respect to the centre . Further, these lips (16, 18, 24, 34) act so as to prevent ingress of unwanted matter (e.g. water, ice, leafs) into the key and slot arrangement (12, 22; 14, 32) .

Each wing also comprises a variety of connecting means

(23, 25, 27, 28, 29; 33, 35, 37, 38, 39) arranged for connection to other assemblies e.g. glazing panels, glazing bars and gaskets. The body of each wing is also formed into a chamber (26, 36) , with the connecting means arranged around the external periphery of this chamber. Such a chamber or box section acts to provide a ridged wing structure whilst minimising weight.

Preferably, the valley centre and wings are formed of aluminium, although it will be appreciated that the construction is not limited to this material, and may take the form of other materials e.g. PVC.

Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of the valley assembly of figure 1 in use. The valley assembly acts to support two glazing sheets (102, 202) and the respective glazing bars (100, 200) . This support is provided by supporting members 300, 302, 304 which are arranged to cooperate with the lower surfaces (lower in the sense shown in the figure) of the centre and wing components, with cooperating means from each of the supporting means (300, 302, 304) engaging with respective cooperating means (15, 23, 25, 33, 35) within the centre 10 and wings 20, 30.

This particular embodiment of the invention additionally comprises covering means (10, 42, 44) arranged to prevent the ingress of materials into the mechanics of the valley assembly (10, 20, 30) . The covering means is preferably made of PVC. The covering means is preferably arranged to provide a smooth upper surface (upper in the sense shown in the figure) so as to prevent the accumulation of material such as leafs.

In this preferred embodiment, the covering means is formed in three separate pieces. A central cap 40 is arranged to cooperatively engage with the valley centre 10. The centre cap 40 has two protruding flanges 41 extending sideways. Two gasket means 42, 43 are arranged to cooperate with a respective one of the valley wings (20, 30), via respective cooperation means 43, 45 arranged to engage with the cooperation means located on the wings (28, 29; 38, 39) .

These gasket means 42, 43 are arranged with gasket members 46, 48 at each side. Preferably, these gasket members 46, 48 are flexible and/or resilient. Preferably the gasket members are formed by co-extrusion. The respective gasket member 46 adjacent to the valley centre 10 is arranged to slidably cooperate with the adjacent flange 41 extending from the valley centre, so as to form a substantially water tight seal. Similarly, the gasket member 48 away from the valley centre is arranged to form a watertight seal by being placed in contact with the glazing sheet (102, 202) .

Preferably, the gasket assembly (10, 42, 44) is substantially formed from PVC.

Whilst the covering means 40, 42, 44 is arranged to prevent ingress of unwanted materials into the structure of the valley assembly, the valley assembly is further designed to prevent any materials that do pass the covering means inhibiting the valley assembly performance.

Figure 3 illustrates a similar (albeit slightly different) valley assembly to that shown in figure 2. Figure 3 illustrates how the configuration of the valley assembly changes when the glazing sheets (102, 202) are more acutely angled. As can be seen, as the pitch of the wing formed by the assembly increases, the co-extruded gaskets 46 simply slide up the valley centre top cap 40 so as to maintain a seal. Similarly, the protruding flanges 16, 18 from the valley centre 10 act to slide along the respective wing assemblies (20, 30) so as to maintain a seal, and prevent ingress of materials into the rotational movement means (12, 14, 22, 32).

Further, each wing 20, 30 is formed with various drainage channels/drainage chambers (21A, 21B, 31A, 31B) so as to easily allow water to be channelled away from the valley assembly.

First drainage chambers (21A, 31A) are arranged in the periphery of the wings (20, 30) adjacent to the ends of the glazing sheets (102, 202). Such chambers (31A, 21A) allow any moisture from the sheets, or that has bypassed the end gaskets 48 to be easily removed from the assembly.

Further, secondary drainage chambers (21B, 31B) are arranged to collect any water that has passed through the seal formed between the gasket members 46 and the valley centre top cap 40.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A covering for a valley assembly arranged to prevent ingress of materials into the assembly.

2. A valley assembly comprising a central body and at least one wing connected to the central body, the wing having a box construction.

3. A valley assembly according to claim 2, in which the wing is rotationally mounted with respect to the body.

4. A covering means arranged to cover a valley assembly, the valley assembly comprising at least a central portion and a wing portion with the covering means comprising a cap for engaging with the centre portion, and a gasket means for engaging with the wing portion.

5. A covering means arranged to cover a valley assembly according to claim 4, in which the gasket means is arranged to form a seal with respect to the cap.

6. A covering means arranged to cover a valley assembly according to claim 5, in which the seal between the cap and the gasket means is arranged to accommodate a variety of angles between the wing and centre portion.

7. A valley assembly comprising drainage chambers arranged to channel water.

8. A valley assembly according to claim 7, in which the valley assembly comprises a centre portion and at least one wing arranged to cooperate with the centre portion, the wing further comprising a drainage chamber adjacent to the position at which the wing cooperates with the centre portion.

9. A valley assembly according to claim 8, in which the drainage chamber is arranged to inhibit the ingress of water into the connection between the wing and centre portion.