The invention relates to a panel clip assembly for use with a skylight or roof panel system and with improved allowances for noise-reduced longitudinal and transverse panel movement in response to thermal expansion and also for rotational and pivotal movement of the panels in response to other forces, including seismic activity.
It is well known to secure standing seam roof and wall panels, including translucent such panels, to purlin or girt substrates using hidden clips and related clip assemblies. Examples of various of these clip assemblies are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4, 184,299, 4,193,247, 4,361,998, 4,495,743, 4,543,760, 4,575,983, 5,001,882, 5,181,360, 5,222,341, 5,363,624 and 5,606,838. As noted in this prior art, a continuing problem has existed concerning the impact of thermal forces (expansion and contraction) on panels supported and joined together by clip assemblies. If clip assemblies are too rigid, damage may occur to the panels or clip assemblies during thermal expansion or contraction. In addition, undesirable frictional noises are caused by panel movement resulting from thermal and other forces, i.e., panels rubbing against the clip assembly and/or the substrate.
In response to these concerns, clip assemblies have been designed with two interlocking but moveable pieces. More specifically, it is known to use a clip assembly with a lower base member that is fixed to a substrate and an upper clip member which is attached to the base member in such a manner that the clip member can slide parallel to the seam created by adjoining panel members. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,514,952 and 4,575,983. This sliding movement helps relieve expansion and contraction forces that run parallel to the panel seam.
Existing clip assemblies continue to experience problems from thermal forces, however. In particular, existing clip assemblies are too rigid in respect to, and do not adequately address, thermal forces that are applied perpendicular to panel seams (and perpendicular to the sliding movement allowed for in the clip assemblies described above). Thus, wear and damage problems from such forces continue to exist. In addition, unwanted frictional noises have not been satisfactorily eliminated or reduced.
Further, there exists a need for an improved clip assembly which satisfactorily allows for and addresses a range of other panel movements, including (i) rotational panel movement in response to loading and other forces or misaligned clip assemblies, and (ii) upward panel movement due to, e.g., wind forces or an uneven substrate surface.
No existing clip assembly addresses the need for an assembly that allows for and addresses these various ranges of movement experienced by panels and that also eliminates or reduces corresponding frictional noises. It is therefore an object of the present invention, as detailed in the drawings and corresponding description set forth below, to address these needs. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to allow for rotational panel movement in the horizontal plane of the panel and also for pivotal or rotational movement of the panels about the axis of the mount member that is transverse to the seam formed by adjoining panels. It is a further object of the present invention to allow for panel movement, also in the plane of the panel, that is perpendicular or transverse to the seam formed by adjoining panels and, typically, arises from thermal expansion or contraction. It is also an object of the present invention to reduce wear and noise resulting from frictional movement of roof panels against a substrate or clip assembly. It is an additional object of the present invention to allow for lateral and twisting panel movement in response to seismic activity, such as an earthquake
The present invention is an improved clip assembly for securing standing seam skylight or roofing panels to a substrate and that allows for a full range of movements by the panels while eliminating or reducing frictional noises. The clip assembly consists of (a) a fixed base member attached to the substrate; (b) an interim rotational mount member that attaches to the base member through use of a pin assembly (e.g., a nut and bolt) in such a manner that the mount member and corresponding panels can rotate horizontally in the plane of the panels and also pivot about the axis of the pin assembly; and (c) an upper clip member which slidably attaches to the rotational mount member and that engages the skylight or roof sheets. In particular, the pin assembly passes through horizontal slots or oblong holes in the mount member.
Thus, the pin assembly can slide horizontally within these slots or oblong holes and the mount member and the upper clip member slidably attached thereto can rotate in the horizontal plane of the panels. This rotational movement compensates for conditions where the clip installer may not place the clip assembly parallel to the standing seams or in the case of rotational/twisting loading forces on the panels. In addition, the pin assembly used to attach the base member to the mount member has an outside diameter that is less than the lesser (minor) inside diameter (i.e., the vertical diameter) of the corresponding horizontal slot or oblong hole within the mount member. As a result, the pin assembly also acts as a hinge, allowing the mount member to pivot about the axis of the pin assembly. In connection with thermal forces, the upper clip member is fixed in the seam between panel(s) while the lower base member is fixed to the substrate and the upper clip and interim mount members are capable of being slidably engaged to one another. Finally, the interim mount member of the clip assembly can slide within the base member and along the pin assembly, thus compensating for structural or thermal movement in the direction perpendicular to the seam. As such, the clip assembly of the present invention offers great strength while allowing panel alignment and movement in a range of movements and direction not provided for in prior art. In addition to addressing thermal expansion, the range of panel movements provided by the present invention also addresses forces and movements caused by seismic activity, i.e., the present invention allows for lateral and twisting panel movements that result from earthquakes or other shifting of the earth's surface.
In a preferred embodiment, clip and base members can be of variable lengths, with longer lengths being used in cases where increased strength is desired. The upper clip member, like the lower base member, may be short in length (for example, 1½ inches) or may be continuous for the length of the skylight or roofing panels (for example, 20 feet).
Addressing noise and friction reduction, skylight or roof panels in the present invention are elevated above the substrate, thus reducing the possibility of rubbing on the substrate (which may cause wear or noise). In addition, the fasteners (such as screws) that are used to hold the clip assembly to the substrate are located at recessed portions of the base member, thus eliminating the possibility of rubbing or friction between the bottoms of the panels and the tops of the fasteners. Further, elastomeric cushioning inserts can be attached to either the base member or the mount member for the purpose of cushioning the skylight or roofing panels where they make contact with the base member. These inserts, too, are intended to reduce wear and noise. Preferably, the upper clip member is made of steel (either stainless or plated carbon steel), and the lower mount member is made of extruded aluminum or steel, such that the intersecting movement between them will be of relatively low friction, allowing free movement and further reducing the possibility of noise.
In an alternative embodiment, where conditions do not require an allowance for rotational and pivotal adjustments, the interim mount can be removed and the upper clip member can attach directly to a base member in a sliding manner. In this embodiment, elastomeric cushioning inserts can again be used. Further, the fasteners which fasten the base member to the substrate are recessed into the base member, thus eliminating the possibility of the skylight or roofing panels rubbing against these fasteners.
In all embodiments, the upper clip member includes upper flanges and lower flanges which act to limit movement of the roof panels in response to upward forces such as wind up-lift.
The clip assembly of the present invention may also be used with wall panel systems.
Other objects and features of the invention, both as to construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent and best understood from review of the following description of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In use, and referring in particular to
The novel aspects of the present invention are revealed, in part, by a closer examination of the connection between base member 11 and mount member 12. Referring to
Pin 13 passes through and is rigidly fixed to upper flanges 33 of base member 11. Mount member 12 has downwardly extending flanges 34 which are positioned between upper flanges 33. Oblong holes 35 are located within flanges 34 and, as described above, pin 13 passes through oblong holes 35. The width between the outer sides 34a and 34b of flanges 34 is less than the width between the inner sides 33a and 33b of flanges 33, creating gaps 18 between flanges 33 and 34.
This configuration and means of attaching mount member 12 to base member 11 allows mount member 12, upper clip member 14 and corresponding panels 19 to rotate horizontally in the plane of the panels and also to pivot at pin 13.
More specifically, and referring to
Similarly, and referring to
The present invention further addresses thermal contraction and expansion forces, as well as movement caused by seismic activity, through gap 18. More specifically, in the course of assembling roof or skylight panels, it is desirable that the upper portion of a clip assembly (that which contacts the panels)—clip member 14 in the present invention—has the ability to move in a direction perpendicular to the panel seam. In present clip assembly 10, this perpendicular panel movement is permitted by gap 18. Gap 18, which in a preferred embodiment is approximately ⅛ inch, accommodates perpendicular thermal movement of the panels and also will compensate for conditions where panels may be slightly wider or narrower than their nominal sizes or where field adjustment is necessary. Again, the width of gap 18 can vary to obtain the same purpose.
Finally, in connection with the ability of the present invention to allow for a full range of panel movements, upper clip member 14 slides within mount member 12. As shown in
Bottom flanges 22 of clip member 14, as shown in
Clip member 14 also includes top flanges 21 that act to limit upward movement of typical roof or skylight panels 19, caused typically by wind up-lift, as shown in FIG. 4.
For common applications, clip member 14 is preferably about 1½ inches long. However, for certain high-strength applications, clip member 14 can be much longer, perhaps as much as 20 feet. When clip member 14 of clip assembly 10 is of a greater length, clip assembly 10 not only allows for unlimited amounts of movement, but also acts to reinforce the roofing or skylight panel 19 to thus increase the strength of said panels.
The clip assembly of the present invention contributes further beneficial properties in respect to the reduction of friction and resulting wear and noise associated with panel movement. In the first instance, and referring to
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20030188500 A1 | Oct 2003 | US |