AU2017200123B2

AU2017200123B2 - A clip

Info

Publication number: AU2017200123B2
Application number: AU2017200123A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Campbell John Seccombe
Original assignee: BlueScope Steel Ltd
Current assignee: BlueScope Steel Ltd
Priority date: 2008-11-11
Filing date: 2017-01-09
Publication date: 2019-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 2029-11-11
Also published as: AU2009236021A1; AU2017200123A1

Abstract

A concealed fixing retaining clip (3) for fixing a roof cladding sheet or other cladding sheet to an 5 underlying support structure is disclosed. The clip includes a base (5) having at least one opening (21) through which a fastener can be extended to secure the clip to underlying support structure, one side wall (7) only that extends from the base, and retaining members (9) 10 for engaging opposed re-entrant portions in opposed sides of a rib (17) of a cladding sheet (19) extending from the side wall. 8580406_1 (GHMatters) P79450.AU.2 9/01/17

Description

A CLIP

The present invention relates to a clip for fixing a roof or other cladding sheet to an underlying support structure.

The present invention relates particularly, although by no means exclusively, to a clip for fixing a roof cladding sheet to an underlying roof support structure.

Typically, roof cladding sheets are roll-formed from painted or unpainted steel strip and include one or more parallel ribs with opposed sides, pan sections, and side edge formations that enable the sheets to be positioned side by side in overlapping relationship.

It is known to secure cladding sheets to an underlying roof support structure, such as roof purlins, by fastening the sheets directly to the underlying structure using fasteners, such as roofing nails and screws, that pierce the sheets and penetrate the underlying structure.

It is also known to secure cladding sheets to an underlying structure by using clips that are secured to the structure by fasteners and are formed to extend into the ribs and include retaining members, such as tabs, that can engage re-entrant portions of the ribs and thereby retain the sheets to the clips. These clip assemblies are often preferred over nails because they enable concealed fixing of cladding sheets to an underlying structure.

In use, the concealed fixing retaining clips are secured to an underlying structure at spaced intervals related to the spacing between the ribs of the cladding sheets. Thereafter, cladding sheets are positioned on the clips in overlapping relationship by successively pressing the sheets down onto the clips so that the sides of the ribs are initially forced outwardly to allow the reentrant portions of the ribs to pass over the retaining members and then snap inwardly into engagement with the retaining members .

There are a number of known concealed fixing retaining clips. The clips include a series of clips disclosed in International application PCT/GB91/00450 (WO 91/12392) in the name of Stramit Industries Limited, a clip disclosed in Australian patent 685102 and other Australian patents and patent applications in the name of Stramit Corporation, and clips disclosed in International applications PCT/AU01/00818 (WO 01/02666) and PCT/AU2003/000985 (WO 2004/013430) in the name of the applicant. The clips disclosed in International applications PCT/AU01/00818 and PCT/AU2003/000985 are marketed in Australia by the applicant under the trade mark KLIPLOK.

The present invention provides an alternative concealed fixing retaining clip to the above-mentioned clips that has advantages over one or more of these clips.

The above description is not to be taken as an admission of the common general knowledge in Australia and elsewhere.

The applicant has developed a concealed fixing retaining clip that is a relatively straightforward construction compared to the above-mentioned clips and has at least comparable performance to one or more of these known clips .

The clips disclosed in International applications PCT/AU01/00818 and PCT/AU2003/000985 and a number of the other known clips have a basic structure that comprises a base, a pair of side walls that extend upwardly from the base, and retaining members extending from the side walls that can engage re-entrant portions of cladding sheets.

The present invention is based on a realisation that, in a number of situations, it is not necessary for clips to have a pair of side walls extending from a base and retaining members extending from the side walls and a clip that has a single side wall extending from a base and retaining members extending from the side wall can provide acceptable performance and has advantages over the prior art clips .

The present invention provides a concealed fixing retaining clip for fixing a roof cladding sheet or other cladding sheet to an underlying support structure that includes :

(a) a base having at least one opening through which a fastener can be extended to secure the clip to underlying support structure;

(b) one side wall only that extends from the base, wherein the side wall includes a rib to improve the strength and stiffness of the side wall, wherein the rib is centrally located and extends from the base to an upper end of the side wall; and (c) retaining members for engaging opposed reentrant portions in opposed sides of a rib of a cladding sheet extending from the side wall, wherein the retaining members are parallel to each other and extend over the base of the clip and are spaced apart on opposite sides of the opening in the base.

The benefit of having the retaining members parallel to each other and extend over the base of the clip and spaced apart on opposite sides of the opening in the base of the clip is that there is alignment of force transfer when the clip is subjected to uplift forces - if the retaining members do not extend sufficiently to flank the opening in the clip, there is a tendency for the clip to fold out when the clip is subjected to uplift forces that act on the retaining members and are transferred via the side wall to the base and act to pull the retaining members upwardly away from the base.

The retaining members may be in the form of tabs .

The tabs may be a mirror image of each other about a centre-line plane that passes perpendicularly through the base of the clip.

The tabs may extend outwardly and downwardly relative to each other as viewed when the clip is positioned with the base of the clip on a horizontal surface.

The tabs may describe a relatively steep approach angle relative to a rib of a cladding sheet so that there is gradual rather than sudden outward deflection of the sides of the rib of the cladding sheet when, in use, the cladding sheet is forced downwardly onto the clip to position the sheet on the clip. This feature contributes to minimising denting of the sheet.

With this arrangement, the tabs may be relatively long, preferably at least 25% of the height of the clip.

The approach angle described by each tab and the base of the clip may be between 40° and 75°.

Alternatively, the tabs may describe a relatively gentle approach angle relative to a rib of a cladding sheet so that there is sudden rather than a gradual outward deflection of the sides of the rib of the cladding sheet when, in use, the cladding sheet is forced downwardly onto the clip to position the sheet on the clip.

With this arrangement, the tabs may be relatively short, preferably less than 25% of the height of the clip.

The approach angle described by each tab and the base of the clip may be less than 40°.

Each tab may have a sharp outer end that contacts and thereby engages securely the re-entrant portion of one of the ribs of a cladding sheet when, in use, the cladding sheet is positioned on the clip.

Typically, the base extends in a first plane and the side wall extends in a second plane that is perpendicular to the first plane and the tabs extend in respective third planes that are perpendicular to the second plane. With this arrangement, in use, when a cladding sheet is mounted on the clip, with the retaining members engaging opposed re-entrant portions of a rib of the cladding sheet, a longitudinal direction of the rib is transverse to the second plane and parallel to the third planes .

According to the present invention there is also provided a clip assembly which includes:

(a) an elongate strap for mounting to an underlying structure; and (b) a plurality of the concealed fixing retaining clips described above mounted to an upper surface of the strap, with the base of each clip mounted to the strap and the retaining members of each clip extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of the strap.

The present invention is described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a clip in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the clip shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sketch of a side view of the clip shown in Figure 1 that illustrates engagement of a cladding sheet with the clip.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate one, although not the only, embodiment of a clip 3 in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 illustrates the interaction between the clip 3, described in more detail hereinafter, and a cladding sheet, generally identified by the numeral 19, positioned on the clip. The cladding sheet 19 is a typical roof cladding sheet that is roll-formed from sheet steel and includes a leading edge (not shown), a trailing edge (not shown), at least one lengthwise extending rib, generally identified by the numeral 17, and pair of

2017200123 11 Jun 2019 lengthwise extending pans 31 on opposite sides of the rib 17. The cladding sheet 19 may be of any suitable length and width and may include any suitable number of ribs 17 separated by pans 31. The rib 17 includes two sides that are separated by a flat upper section 33. Each side includes a section 41 that extends outwardly and downwardly from the upper section 33, a section 43 that extends downwardly and inwardly from the lower edge of the section 41, and a section 45 that extends downwardly and outwardly from the section 43 and merges with a pan 31.

The sections 43 define opposed re-entrant portions of the rib 13 and are hereinafter referred to as re-entrant portions 43.

The clip 3 is formed by folding a flat metal, preferably steel (but not necessarily spring steel), blank into the configuration shown the Figures.

The clip 3 includes:

(a) a base 5;

(b) a single side wall 7 that extends perpendicularly from the base 5; and (c) retaining members in the form of a pair of tabs for engaging the re-entrant portions 43 of the rib 17 of the cladding sheet 19 shown in Figure 3.

The base 5 includes an opening 21 to facilitate securing the clip 3 to an underlying roof structure, such as a roof purlin (not shown) by fasteners (not shown).

The side wall 7 and the base 5 are generally straight walls. The base 5 extends in a first plane and

2017200123 11 Jun 2019

- 8 the side wall 7 extends in a second plane that is perpendicular to the first plane.

The side wall 7 includes a reinforcing rib 11 to improve the stiffness of the side wall 7. The rib 11 is substantial and extends from the base 5 to an upper end of the side wall 7. The rib 11 is curved when viewed in transverse section, as shown in the Figures.

The tabs 9 are parallel to each other and are oppositely angled outwardly and downwardly with respect to each other from upper edges 61 of the tabs 9 and extend over the base 5 of the clip 3 and are spaced apart on opposite sides of the opening 21 in the base 5.

The upper edges 61 of the tabs 9 are spaced the same distance D from a centre-line plane X-X that passes through the opening 21 in the base 5. As is indicated above, the benefit of this arrangement is that there is alignment of force transfer when the clip 3 is subjected to uplift forces. Specifically, by positioning the tabs 9 to flank the opening 21 in the base 5 (as shown in Figure 2), the clip can resist a tendency for the clip 3 to fold out when the clip is subjected to uplift forces that act on the tabs 9 and are transferred via the side wall 7 to the base 5 and act to pull the tabs 9 upwardly away from the base.

In the clip shown in the Figures, there is a spacing S between the centre of the opening 21 and a line Y-Y through the centres of the tabs 9. It is preferred that this spacing be minimal to achieve maximum alignment of force transfer, as described above.

As can best be seen in Figure 2, the curved rib 11 and the positions of the tabs 9 define an opening that is aligned with the hole 21 in the base 5 and thereby

2017200123 11 Jun 2019

- 9 facilitates inserting a screw driver to drive a screw or other suitable fastener through the hole 21 into an underlying structure, such as a purlin (not shown).

Each tab 9 has a relatively steep approach angle of the order of between 40° and 75° described by the tab 9 and the base 5.

Each tab 9 terminates in a sharp lower outwardly facing (as opposed to inwardly turned) edge that forms a contact surface 25 for engaging a re-entrant section 15 of the rib 17 of the cladding sheet 19 (Figure 3).

In use, a plurality of the clips 3 are fastened to purlins (not shown) at spaced intervals along the length of the purlins using screws or other suitable fasteners (not shown).

Thereafter, cladding sheets 19 are successively placed over the purlins in overlapping relationship and engaged with the clips 3. Figure 3 illustrates the placement of one such cladding sheet 19 on a clip 3. This is achieved by successively pressing the leading edge formations, the ribs 17, and the trailing edge formations of the sheets 19 onto the clips 3 so that the leading edge formations, the ribs 17, and the trailing edge formations deflect outwardly and the tabs 9 of the clips 3 deflect inwardly. This movement allows the leading edge formations 8, the ribs 17, and the trailing edge formations to be positioned on the clips 3 with the surfaces 25 at the lower ends of the tabs 9 engaging the re-entrant portions 43 of the ribs 17 so that the cladding sheets 19 are secured to the clips 3.

As is indicated above, the applicant has found that the above-described clip, with a single side wall extending from a base and retaining members extending from

2017200123 11 Jun 2019 the side wall and arranged to flank an opening in the base can provide acceptable performance and has advantages over the prior art clips.

Many modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment of the roofing system described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A concealed fixing retaining clip for fixing a

roof cladding sheet or other cladding sheet to an underlying support structure comprises:

(a) a base having at least one opening through which a fastener can be extended to secure the clip to underlying support structure; (b) one side wall only that extends from the base, wherein the side wall includes a rib to improve the strength and stiffness of the side wall, wherein the rib is centrally located and extends from the base to an upper end of the side wall; and (c) retaining members for engaging opposed reentrant portions in opposed sides of a rib of a cladding sheet extending from the side wall, wherein the retaining members are parallel to each other and extend over the base of the clip and are spaced apart on opposite sides of the opening in the base. 2. The retaining clip defined in claim 1 wherein

the retaining members are in the form of tabs that are a

mirror image of each other about a centre-line plane that passes perpendicularly through the base of the clip. 3. The retaining clip defined in claim 2 wherein the

tabs extend outwardly and downwardly relative to each other as viewed when the clip is positioned with the base

of the clip on a horizontal surface. 4. The retaining clip defined in claim 2 or claim 3

wherein the tabs describe a relatively steep approach angle relative to a rib of a cladding sheet so that there is gradual rather than sudden outward deflection of the sides of the rib of the cladding sheet when, in use, the cladding sheet is forced downwardly onto the clip to position the sheet on the clip
5. The retaining clip defined in claim 4 wherein the tabs are relatively long, preferably at least 25% of the height of the clip.
6. The retaining clip defined in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the tabs describe a relatively gentle approach angle relative to a rib of a cladding sheet so that there is sudden rather than a gradual outward deflection of the sides of the rib of the cladding sheet when, in use, the cladding sheet is forced downwardly onto the clip to position the sheet on the clip.
7. The retaining clip defined in claim 6 wherein the the tabs are relatively short, preferably less than 25% of the height of the clip.
8. The retaining clip defined in any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein each tab has a sharp outer end that contacts and thereby engages securely the re-entrant portion of one of the ribs of a cladding sheet when, in use, the cladding sheet is positioned on the clip.
9. The retaining clip defined in any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein the base extends in a first plane and the side wall extends in a second plane that is perpendicular to the first plane and the tabs extend in respective third planes that are perpendicular to the second plane, whereby with this arrangement, in use, when a cladding sheet is mounted on the clip, with the retaining members engaging opposed re-entrant portions of a rib of the cladding

2017200123 11 Jun 2019 sheet, a longitudinal direction of the rib is transverse to the second plane and parallel to the third planes.
10. A clip assembly which comprises:

(a) an elongate strap for mounting to an underlying structure; and (b) a plurality of the concealed fixing

10 retaining clips defined in any one of the preceding claims mounted to an upper surface of the strap, with the base of each clip mounted to the strap and the retaining members of each clip extending transversely
15 to a longitudinal axis of the strap.