Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIE.L,D OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a panel and associated
panel assembly, and more particularly, to a panel assembly
for the use in roofing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At the present time, there are available a large
range of different panel systems, for use as roofing and/or
siding. Additionally, the wide variety of known systems show
a wide variety of ways of both fastening individual panels
to the substructure, and ways of securing and sealing
adjacent panels to one another.
A common problem with conventional panelling
systems, particularly for roofing, is providing an effective
and durable seal between adjacent panel edges. A simple way
of securing the panels in position is to provide some sort
of fasteners passing through the panels themselves to the
substructure. This immediately gives the problem of
providing some sort of seal between the fastener and panel.
Bearing in mind that the panels can be subjected to
substantial thermal expansion and contraction in use,
providing a reliable and durable seal is not a simple
matter. There are a variety of known proposals, discussed
below, which provide for a variety of interlocking
arrangements between adjacent panel edges. Nonetheless, the
problem of securing the panels to the underlying structure
remains.
Further, known designs do not ade~uately provide a
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distinct and separa-te gutter system, to provide channels -to
drain water awayr separate from the main body of the panels.
U.S. Pa-tent 3,481,094 (Taylor) discloses a panel
structure with interlocking ribs at the edges. The ribs
extend upwards, to define separate spaces, one fox a sealing
mastic and the other to break any capillary ac-tion.
The Craik U.S. Patent 3,733,767 is concerned with
the panel assembly provided with f:Lange sections along
either edge for engagement with one another. When assembled,
a trapezoidal, closed cross-section is formed.
U.S. Patents 4,091,588 and 4,192,117 (Heirich)
relate to similar panel structures. The intention here is to
provide a panel system where the panels can be clipped
together by a linear motion, without having to rotate the
panels relative to one another. Again, such no separate
gutter system is provided.
U.S. Patent 4,283,897 (Thompson) provides a snap
action panel wall assembly. Here, complementary U-shaped
tongues and sockets are provided on adjacent panels for
sealing purposes, with again no separate gutter system.
Another interlocking building paten-t is disclosed
in Oehlert U.S. Patent 4,522,007. Again, this is intended to
provide a spring action interlocking system. Whilst one
channel edge has a generally U-shape, it is not intended to
~orm a gutter.
Harter et al. U.S. Patent 4,561,233 discloses a
wall panel, intended to permit hidden at-tachment of a wall
panel to another wall panel. As such, again no separa-te
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gutter is provided.
In U.S. patent 4,709,524, -there is disclosed a
pressure slip expansion joint including male and female
attachment members. No specific gutter system is provided.
Suggestions have been made for fastening roofing
panels in position, whilst eliminating the problem of
fasteners penetrating the panel itself. Some of these
approaches rely upon providing upstanding edges along
opposite edges of each panel. Then, separate fasteners are
provided which are located between the adjacent vertical or
upstanding edges of two panels and which are provided with
some arrangement to secure the two panel edges, and hence
the panels themselves, in position. The structures with
upstanding panel edges have various disadvantages. The edges
themselves can be liable to damage. Further so, in many
cases such an arrangement is not considered aesthetically
pleasing. Whilst some of these arrangements include gutters
between the edgs, this effectively introduces a third
component, and there is then the problem of two seals
instead of one at each panel joint.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a panel
assembly, which does not include exposed, upstanding edges,
which includes a concealed gutter, and which can
simultaneously eliminate the sealing problems associated
with fasteners passing through the panels themselves.
In accordance with the present invention, there is
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provided a panel, for use in association wi-th similar panels
to form a panel assembly, the panel comprising: a main panel
body; a first panel edge sec-tion extending along one edge of
the main panel body, and including first engagement means,
and being adapted to be secured to a substructure; a second
panel edge section extending along another, opposite edge of
the main panel body and including a gut-ter section and
second engagement means for engaging the first engagement
means of another panel in an assembled condition to secure
the second panel edge section to the first panel edge
section of said other panel and thereby to secure the second
panel edge section in position, the first and second
engagement means being such as to cause water running over
the first panel edge section to flow into the gutter
section.
Preferably, the first panel edge section is adapted
to receive a fastener, including, for example, recesses for
receiving the heads of fasteners. Then, the gutter
associated with the second edge section protects the part of
the first edge section with the fasteners.
In this case, it is preferred to provide an
arrangement ensuring that water only enters the gutter, and
cannot find its way into the space between overlapping first
and second panel edge sections. Thus, the first panel edge
section can include a generally U-shaped part which receives
the gutter section, and the first panel edge section also
includes a downwardly projecting part that projects into the
gutter. This then ensures that any water running off the
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panel over the firs-t panel edge section wlll run down into
the gutter section. Alterna-tively, a caulked seal can be
provided to preven-t penetration of water between adjacent
first and second panel edge sections.
In a complete roof, -to finish the roof, snap on
cover plates can be provided, which can have a variety of
profiles. One variant of cover plate provides a completely
flush finish to the whole roof. In another variant, the
cover plate simply covers part of the gutter section so as
to reveal the panel detail, which in some cases may be
considered aesthetically preferable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
For a better understanding of the present
invention, and -to show more clearly how it may be carried
into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example,
to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a cross-section through a panel in
accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-section of part of a complete
panel assembly and substructure incorporating panels of
Figure l;
Figure 3 is a cross-section through a panel
assembly similar to Figure 2, showning an alternative
embodiment of a cover plate.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring flrst to Figure 1, a panel in accordance
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with the present invention is generally denoted by -the
reference 1. The panel 1 includes a main panel body 2, which
is shown as being generally planar. It will be appreciated
that this main panel body can be provided with a known
variety of patterns, e.g. ribs etc.
As viewed in Figure 1, along -the right hand edge,
there is a firs-t panel edge section 4. This first panel edge
section 4 comprises a ~-shaped part 6 and a downwardly
projecting part 8.
The U-shaped part 6 has a horizontal or planar base
10, a vertical flange 12 including the panel edge, and a
vertical portion 14 on the other side. The base 10 includes
either a rounded channel or a series of indentations for
fasteners, as indica-ted at 11.
The downwardly projecting part 8 has a stepped back
portion comprising an upper ver-tical web 16 and an upper
horizontal web 18. The horizontal web 18 continues into a
central vertical limb 20, which includes a rounded, recessed
channel 22, for reasons described below.
The panel edge section then turns back towards the
main panel body in a lower horizontal web 24. This is
followed an inclined piece 26 and then a short, lower
vertical web 28. The components 16 - 28 form the downwardly
projecting part 8.
Extending between the U-shaped part 6 and
downwardly projec-ting part 8 is a horizontal joining web 30
and a narrowed channel section 32.
Along the left hand edge of the panel 1, there is a
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second channel edge section, generally indica-ted by -the
reference 40. This channel edge section 40 includes a gutter
section 42, and a stepped back por-tion comprising upper
vertical and horizontal webs 44, 46, generally corresponding
to the vertical and horizontal webs 16, 18.
The gutter section 42 includes a central vertical
limb 48 provided with a rounded elongate channel 50.
Lower horizontal and vertical webs 52, 54 connect
to a planar base portion 56. The planar base 56 continues
into a lower vertical limb 58 and then a horizontal flange
60 including the actual panel edge. The components 48 - 60
thus define the gutter section 42.
Referring now to Figure 2, a substructure is
generally indicated at 70, and would comprise a plurality of
supporting girders or beams extending parallel to the plane
of the figure, i.e. perpendicular to the panels
themselves. The panels 1 are secured to the substructure 70,
commencing from the left hand side. Thus~ the panel,
indicated at la, is secured in position first. It is secured
by means of fas-teners, indicated schematically at 72,
located in the indentations 11 of the first panel edge
section 4. The second panel edge section 40 is secured
relative to an adjacent panel, in a manner to be described.
A further panel, indicated at lb, then has its
second panel edge section 40 engaged in the first panel edge
section 4. Thi.s is achieved by orienting the panel lb so
that it is in a roughly vertical plane and then inserting
the lower vertical limb 58 and horizontal flange 60 into the
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slot formed between -the planar base 10 and the horizon-tal
web 24. The horizon-tal Elange 60 is then inserted in-to -the
channel 32, the channel 32 being wide enough to permi-t a
cer-tain amount oE rotation between the various elements. The
panel lb is then rotated downwards so as to bring i-ts
vertical limb 58 and planar base 56 up agains-t the vertical
portion 14 and planar base 10 respectively of the panel laO
Simultaneously, the vertical web 54 of panel lb slides into
a facing position wi-th the vertical flange 12 of the panel
la.
As the two engaged panel edge sections 4, 40 are
brought into full engagement with one another, the
horizontal flange 60 is urged into the caulking 34 in the
channel section 32, thereby forming a wa-ter -tight seal.
Additionally, it will be seen that the downwardly projecting
part 8 of the panel la, projects downwards into the gutter
section 42 of the panel lb. Consequently, water running off
the panel la into the gutter section 42 will be directed by
the downwardly projecting part 8 into the gutter section 42,
and should have no tendency to run or flow towards the joint
between the adjacent panels la, lb. In any event, the
caulking 34 will prevent water attempting to seep between
the engaged panel edge sections 4, 40. As a consequence,
the fasteners 72 are fully protected from the exterior and
there is no need to provide any sealing around the fastener
72; however, at least for some applica-tions, it may be
desirable to provide sealing around the fasteners 72, as an
additional security measure.
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In use, the gutter section 42 serves to conduct
water flowing from adjacen-t parts of the panels la and lb
into it away from the roof. The size required for the gutter
section 42 will depend upon a variety of factors. Thus, -the
panels la, lb can have a variety of different widths and the
wider the main panel body 2 of each panel, then the larger
the cross-section required of -the gutter section 42. The
cross-section will also depend upon the slope of the roof
and the length of each gutter section ~2; a smaller slope
and longer gutter section requiring a larger gu-t-ter
cross-section to ensure adequate flow. Ideally, the gutter
section 42 should be configured to ensure that, even under
extreme operating conditions, the water does not rise up to
the level of the caulking 3~, so that reliance does not have
be placed on the sealing provided by the caulking 34.
Figure 2 also shows a cover plate 80 for finishing
the panel assembly. The cover plate 80 is formed from sheet
metal, and has a generally T-shaped cross-section,
conforming to the shape between the adjacent panels la, lb.
Thus, the cover plate 80 has a planar -top surface 82. At
either side, it has upper vertical and horizontal limbs 84,
86, corresponding to the stepped por-tions of the panels la,
lb. The horizontal limbs 46 continue into two lower vertical
limbs 88, which include tabs 90 projecting outwardly and
stamped from the sheet material. Finally, the lower end, two
outwardly directed horizontal flanges 92 are provided.
The cover plate 80 is thus retained by both the
outwardly directed tabs 90 which engage the channels 22, 50,
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and also by the flanges 92. In a variant embodimen-t, the
cover plate 80 terminates at -the -tabs 90, with the lower
parts of the vertical limbs 88 and the flanges 92 being
omitted.
The cover plate serves to provide a smooth finish
to the exterior of the panel assembly. Whils-t no specific
provision is made for a seal between the cover plate 80 and
the panels la, lb, it should serve -to restrict the amount of
water entering -the gutter section 42. As a consequence, the
flow in the gutter section 42 should be reduced. The cover
plate 80 can also serve the useful function of preventing
debris, e.g. leaves, dirt, etc., from clogging the gutter
section 42.
Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a variant of
a cover plate, indicated by the reference 96. Here, the
cover, plate 96 is a simple inverted U-shaped section having
a flat top surface 98 and two vertical limbs 100. The
vertical limbs 100 terminate in inwardly directed horizontal
flanges 102. A fastener 104 is itself secured to the planar
base 10 of the first panel edge section 4 and serves to hold
the flanges 102 against the planar base 10. The fastener or
clip 104 can be designed to enable the cover plate 96 to be
snapped into position. It will be appreciated -that here the
manner in which the fastener 104 is secured -to the planar
base 10 should be such as not to interfere with the
impermeability of the base 10. The cover plate 96 has -the
advantage that it completes the finish or appearance of the
panel assembly and provides a certain amount of protection
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for the gutter section 42, to preven-t debris etc. from
entering it. At the same time, the cover pla-te 96 is
recessed inwards from -the main plane of -the panel assembly,
to reveal the detail thereof.
