Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
  • E04B7/00—Roofs; Roof construction with regard to insulation
  • E04B7/16—Roof structures with movable roof parts
  • E04B7/163—Roof structures with movable roof parts characterised by a pivoting movement of the movable roof parts
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
  • E04B7/00—Roofs; Roof construction with regard to insulation
  • E04B7/16—Roof structures with movable roof parts
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F10/00—Sunshades, e.g. Florentine blinds or jalousies; Outside screens; Awnings or baldachins
  • E04F10/08—Sunshades, e.g. Florentine blinds or jalousies; Outside screens; Awnings or baldachins of a plurality of similar rigid parts, e.g. slabs, lamellae
  • E04F10/10—Sunshades, e.g. Florentine blinds or jalousies; Outside screens; Awnings or baldachins of a plurality of similar rigid parts, e.g. slabs, lamellae collapsible or extensible; metallic Florentine blinds; awnings with movable parts such as louvres

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a slatted roof.
• the present invention also relates to a kit of parts and a method for assembling such a slatted roof.
• the present invention further relates to a terrace canopy comprising such a slatted roof.
• Slatted roofs are usually installed to screen off or, on the contrary, to clear an outside area.
• terrace canopies are often arranged at houses, restaurants, shops, etc. in order to screen an outdoor terrace or the like from sun rays, precipitation and/or wind or, alternatively, to temporarily let in sun rays.
• These canopies can be designed, for example, in the form of an awning, a pergola, a veranda, a carport, a pavilion, etc.
• a slatted roof typically comprises a frame comprising at least two beams which extend mutually parallel and to which a plurality of slats are pivotally connected between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, there is a gap between the slats and in the closed position the slats together form a continuous cover.
• the incidence of light, radiant heat and ventilation to the space below the slats can be controlled. For example, by directing the slats, the sun and/or wind can be shielded off or can be allowed to pass.
• the slatted roof serves as protection against the sun, precipitation, wind, etc. for a space located below.
• the slats can optionally be provided slidably in the slatted roof, in which case they are typically slidable between a position in which they are distributed over the slatted roof and a position in which they are arranged substantially on one side of the slatted roof.
• rotatable slats it is also possible to include one or more fixed slats in the slatted roof.
• a fixed slat is understood to mean a slat that is fixedly connected to the beams and is therefore neither rotatable nor slidable.
• a problem with such a slatted roof is the integration or attachment of various components in or to slats that influence the deflection of the slats.
• An example of such integration is disclosed in WO 2021/048773 A1 wherein a slat is disclosed with an integrated heating element therein.
• an extra weight is added to the slat compared to the other slats in the slatted roof. Adding this additional weight then affects the deflection of the slat and typically causes the slat with the integrated component to have a higher deflection than the adjacent slats.
• a related problem with such a slatted roof is the manufacturing tolerance of the individual slats.
• the allowed manufacturing tolerance for aluminium extrusion profiles (typically, a slat is a profile extruded from aluminium or an alloy thereof) is laid down in NBN EN 12020-2:2017.
• the allowed manufacturing tolerance regarding the straightness of an extrusion profile is a deflection of maximum 3 mm for a profile with a length between 5 and 6 m.
• the maximum manufacturing tolerance allows for a deflection difference of 6 mm between adjacent slats.
• higher manufacturing tolerances may even be used for profiles with a complex design.
• This second alternative embodiment uses a variably positioned weight element depending on the weight of the functional components selected by the end user. More specifically, the higher the mass of the selected functional components, the less centrally the weight element should be placed in the longitudinal direction of the slat.
• the use of a weight element with a fixed mass is advantageous because tin that case, only one element has to be provided.
• the provision of weight element displacing means is advantageous for the correct placement of the weight element and prevents them from having to be displaced by hand into a slat which may have a length of 2 to more than 5 m.
• both alternative embodiments provide the desired load to obtain the desired deflection.
• the first embodiment does this by varying the load via the mass of the weight element located in a fixed location.
• the second embodiment does this by varying the load by providing a constant mass of the weight element but varying its location along the slat.
• the second embodiment has the added advantage that the control of the deflection of the rigid slat can accurately be done because the position can typically be adjusted substantially continuously, while the addition and/or removal of weight (i.e. the first embodiment) is done in discrete steps.
• kit of parts for assembling a slatted roof as described above, the kit comprising the frame, the set of slats and an additional load formed by one or more of a plurality of mutually different functional components and /or a weight element.
• substantially includes variations of +/-10% or less, preferably +/-5% or less, more preferably +/-1% or less, and more preferably +/-0.1% or less, of the specified condition, as far as the variations are applicable to function in the present invention. It is to be understood that the term “substantially A” is intended to also include “A”.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a canopy 1 for a ground surface, for instance a terrace or garden.
• the canopy comprises a plurality of columns 2 supporting different beams 3, 4, 5.
• the columns and beams together form frames to which wall infills 6 and/or roof coverings 7 can be attached, as described hereafter.
• the canopy 1 comprises three types of beams 3, 4, 5, namely: a beam 3 serving on the outside of the canopy 1 as an external pivot beam 3; a beam 4 serving centrally in the roof 1 as a central pivot beam 4; and a beam 5 serving as tension beam 5.
• the beams 3, 4, 5 can be attached to other structures, for example a wall or facade, instead of resting solely on columns 2 as shown in Figure 1 . In such a way the terrace canopy 1 can be used in general for shielding an outdoor space, as well as an indoor space.
• the roof 1 shown in Figure 2 comprises four support columns 2 which support a frame, also called a roof frame.
• the frame is formed from two external pivot beams 3 and two tension beams 5 between which a terrace canopy 7 is provided. Between two support columns 2 and a pivot beam 3 or tension beam 5, a wall infill 6 can optionally be provided.
• Wall infills 6 are typically intended to shield openings under the canopy 1 between the columns 2.
• the wall infills 6 can be stationary or movable.
• Movable side walls include, for example, roll-in and roll-out screens and/or wall elements that are slidably arranged relative to each other, etc.
• Stationary side walls can be manufactured from different materials, such as plastic, glass, metal, textile, wood, etc. Combinations of different wall infills 6 are also possible.
• Figure 2 illustrates a wall infill in the form of a roll-in and roll-out screen 6.
• the screen 6 extends between two adjacent columns 2 and can be rolled out from the external pivot beam 3.
• the screen 6 mainly serves as a wind and/or sun screen.
• the terrace canopy 7 is formed by slats which are rotatably attached at their front ends to the pivot beams 3.
• the slats are rotatable between an open position and a closed position.
• In the open position there is an intermediate space between the slats through which, for example, air can be introduced into the underlying space or can leave this underlying space.
• In the closed position the slats form a closed roof with which the underlying space can be shielded from, for example, wind and/or precipitation, such as rain, hail or snow. With regards to the discharge of precipitation, the slats are typically inclined towards one of the two pivot beams 3.
• Figure 2 illustrates the closed position wherein the slats 7 together form a substantially continuous cover. In the open position (not shown) a gap is present between the slats 7.
• transverse direction of the slatted roof means the direction along which the slats 7 extend as indicated by arrow 9 in Figure 2 .
• the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the slatted roof are substantially perpendicular to each other.
• transverse direction of a slat is intended to mean the direction which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of a slat as indicated by arrow 37 in Figure 3A .
• infill elements of, for example, polycarbonate, glass, wood, etc. can be used to at least partially fill the hollow slats, for instance to obtain a different appearance of the slat, in particular if the slat is manufactured from a transparent material, like glass.
• each slat 7 is fitted into the roof frame according to the principle of double support. In other words, each slat 7 is connected at both ends to the roof frame. This can be a fixed or a movable, in particular rotatable, connection.
• the length L of a slat 7 is defined as the distance between its ends viewed in the longitudinal direction 36 of the slat 7.
• a next type of load is a point load in the middle of the slat 7 viewed in its longitudinal direction.
• Other locations for the point load (e.g. not in the middle of the slat) are also possible and the skilled person is believed to be able to calculate the resulting deflection f.
• both the rigid slat 7' and the ordinary slate 7 are manufactured from aluminium with a modulus of elasticity of 70 GPa.
• the ordinary slat 7 has a moment of inertia of 385000 mm 4 and a weight of 3.1 kg/m.
• the rigid slat 7' has a moment of inertia of 850000 mm4 and a weight of 5 kg/m.
• both slats 7, 7' are 4.4 m long. In this way, the ordinary slat 7 has a theoretical deflection (in the middle of the slat) of 5.51 mm, while the rigid slat 7' has a theoretical deflection of 4.02 mm.
• the present invention is further based on the additional loading of the rigid slat 7' such that the deflection of the rigid slat 7' is substantially the same as that of the adjacent slats 7.
• This additional load typically consists of a sum of two groups of loads, namely one or more point loads as a result of the integration of functional components in the slat 7' and one or more point loads as a result of applying a non-functional weight. Since the slat 7' has a predetermined bending resistance, there is a maximum theoretical load which causes the slat 7' to have the same deflection as the adjacent slats 7. The idea is that the sum of the two groups of loads together results in obtaining the maximum theoretical load.
• an end user has the choice to select one or more from a predetermined set of mutually different functional components for his slatted roof.
• Each component has its own weight and placement in or on the slat 7' and therefore exerts an additional point load which causes an additional deflection of the slat 7'. If this load/deflection is even lower than desired, an additional non-functional weight 10 is provided in the slat 7'.
• a weight element 10 is not necessary if the user selects functional components that together exert the maximum load.
• the reverse situation, i.e. only a weight element 10, is also possible. This is the case, for example, if the end user currently does not desire any functional components, but he does desire the option to add them later and therefor already includes a more rigid slat 7' in the slatted roof.
• Figures 5A to 8B illustrate two different embodiments for placing a weight element 10 in the slat 7' to obtain the desired deflection.
• a weight element 10 with a fixed location in the slat 7' but with a variable mass.
• the placement is preferably centrally in the slat 7' and this preferably in the longitudinal direction 36 and/or in the centre of gravity in the transverse direction 37 or evenly distributed at a substantially equal distance from the centre of gravity in the transverse direction 37.
• this is advantageous because the influence on the deflection is then maximum and in the transverse direction 37, this is advantageous for avoiding torsional effects on the slat 7'.
• the deflection increases or decreases. In other words, depending on the functional components chosen by the end user, more or less mass is added to the weight element 10 until the desired deflection is obtained.
• weight elements 10 with a variable placement in the longitudinal direction 36 in the slat 7' but with a fixed mass.
• the weight elements 10 are preferably located substantially in the centre of gravity or substantially evenly distributed at substantially equal distance from the centre of gravity in the transverse direction 37 to avoid torsional effects on the slat 7'.
• the deflection increases and vice versa when moving the weight elements 10 towards the ends of the slat 7'.
• only one movable weight element 10 is also possible or that more than two weight elements 10 can be provided.
• the invention can also be applied to a slat that is asymmetrically loaded by several functional components, which asymmetrical loading gives rise to torsional forces around the unloaded centre of gravity (in the transverse direction) of the slat.
• the weight element can be divided into several individual elements, which in turn are arranged asymmetrically to compensate for the torsional forces caused by the functional components.
• the invention allows to load the slat 7' additionally (i.e. additionally to the load caused by the functional components) to ensure that the slat 7' has the desired deflection (i.e. the same as the adjacent slats) and to ensure that no (or little) torsional forces act on the slat 7' in the transverse direction of the slat.
• weight elements 10 are advantageous because it has more degrees of freedom (e.g. the placement in the longitudinal direction of the slat, the placement in the transverse direction of the slat and/or the mass of each weight element) and thus allows a finer adjustment. For example, when using several functional components at different locations in the slat, several weight elements 10 allow to compensate for the necessary deflection, while the influence on the centre of gravity of the slat (both in the transverse and longitudinal direction) can be reduced to a minimum.
• degrees of freedom e.g. the placement in the longitudinal direction of the slat, the placement in the transverse direction of the slat and/or the mass of each weight element
• the weight element described above can also be used to accommodate manufacturing tolerances of the slats 7.
• a weight element can be placed in each slat 7 until the deflection of each slat 7 in the slatted roof is substantially the same.
• both the placement and/or the mass of the weight element can be adjusted.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Building Environments (AREA)
• Specific Sealing Or Ventilating Devices For Doors And Windows (AREA)
• Building Awnings And Sunshades (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (3)

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• 2021
  • 2021-08-30 BE BE20215684A patent/BE1029721B1/nl active IP Right Grant
• 2022
  • 2022-08-29 US US18/686,958 patent/US20240384531A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-08-29 EP EP22768481.8A patent/EP4396421B1/en active Active
  • 2022-08-29 AU AU2022339111A patent/AU2022339111A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-08-29 CA CA3230508A patent/CA3230508A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-08-29 WO PCT/IB2022/058059 patent/WO2023031757A1/en not_active Ceased

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