ROOFING WITH MOVABLE SLATS

Abstract

 Roofing with movable slats 4 coupled rotatably with a supporting structure, wherein the ends thereof are provided with a cap 7, characterized in that the cap is adjacent to the slat edge and the cap has a pass-through main opening 6 adjacent to a slat groove 5. From the outside, the cap is provided with an adjacent thereto a profile body which portion has round edges, and on the axis thereof is located a slat fastening adjacent to the cap main opening. Adjacent to a cap resistance surface plane, formed at the body round edges, is a seal mounted with the lower portion thereof in a pre-gutter profile which from the bottom is covered with a main gutter profile.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to roofing with movable slats, which is provided to protect a selected place against solar radiation and rainfall.

[0002] Roofs are known on the market where rainwater via grooves in suitably shaped slats is drained towards the edges thereof and further to the gutter profile which is located a short distance below the edge of the slat set. The slats placed adjacent in relation to each other can rotate along the longitudinal axis thereof enabling in a single position cooperation of an identical slat set, and when equipped with seals, tight closing of the roof, or by rotation, change the position separating the tightening surfaces away such forming gaps between the slats which permit light penetration such that direct solar radiation against the surface under the roof is impossible. The longer edge of the gutter profile is perpendicular to the longer edge of the slat set and the interior of the profile is located such that all the water falling down along the slat edges enters the gutter profile. Further, via the drains located at the end of the gutter profiles the water is evacuated outside the roof.

[0003] In the constructions known on the market, to enable slat rotation and tight closing of the roof the gutter profiles are located at a significant distance from the slat set edge, said distance must be larger than the distance from the slat rotation axis to the external outline thereof. This results in the water flowing down the slat edges falls down from a significant height causing drops splashing and as a consequence water enters under the roof. Moreover, said water splashing results in single droplets set on the internal side of the slats and accumulate over time into larger drops that flow along slightly bent under gravitation slats and fall down outside of the area protected by the gutter profile. Moreover, minimal amounts of water remaining after rain in the gutter profiles evaporate, and then due to a difference in temperature inside and outside of the roof, condense on the internal surface of the slats having an adverse impact on visual effect perceived by the user, and additionally resulting in detaching the drops outside of the area protected by the gutter profile. Additionally, even when the rain water is drained in a correct manner and splashing against the protected area does not occur, due to the construction of some pergolas on the market, rain water can be visible from the interior under the roof for the user located under the pergola, which also adversely affects aesthetic qualities of the construction.

[0004] From patent description WO2014170920 known is an orientable roofing element for canopies, pergolas, coupled rotatably with the pergola supporting structure, forming, in a coplanar configuration, a continuous roof. Each roofing slat is constituted by a profiled element that comprises a first surface, arranged downward, which is slightly concave, and a second surface, arranged upward, that has a substantially flat part extending from a first longitudinal edge to the vicinity of the centerline. A surface from the centerline to the second edge is lowered with respect to said second surface portion forming a recess and a channel for the collection and flow of rainwater. Between said surfaces, in the central portion of the rotatable element a groove is provided for the rotatable elements of said slat.

[0005] When rainwater enters a V-shaped groove, said groove behaves like a gutter intended to convey the water gathering at the surface of the slat. At the ends of said gutters in the slats located is the longer edge of the gutter profile, which is perpendicular to the longer edge of the slat set. The gutter profile is located such that all the water falling down along the slat edges enters the gutter profile, and further, via the drains located at the ends of the gutter profiles the water is evacuated onto the ground.

[0006] It is known from Polish invention PL437167 a pergola, a load-bearing structure formed from vertical columns coupled in relation to each other by longitudinal beams, and the beams are coupled in relation to each other with crossbars providing support for climbers. The pergola is characterized by the longitudinal beams located at different levels and the coupling crossbars having in the cross-section thereof a shape similar to "S" and rotatably mounted in the longitudinal beams with pins coupled with a drive, and at the longitudinal beam located lower is mounted a semi-open gutter coupled with a vertical gutter and a container. On the pins are seated gears on which a chain is placed and connected with the drive.

[0007] From patent description EP2011932 known is a structure adapted to convey rainwater in awnings, pergolas and the like. An appropriately designed awning or pergola excellently performs a covering function, not only against the sun but also against the rain, and in some cases against snow (and the load associated with it). Said structure to convey rainwater comprises a fixed supporting structure for movable cross-slats, characterized by said slats located terminally with a collecting groove rigidly coupled with the pergola. Said collecting groove is open in the upper region and is provided with at least one protruding spout for the outflow of the water.

[0008] From patent description WO02021141613A1 is known a pergola with slat shutters that can be adjusted by rotation by a given rotation angle, which comprises at the outline lateral gutters to drain water from the slats. Water from the gutters along the interior of the columns of the supporting structure is drained outside. In the pergolas available on the market, water from the slats is drained via a relevantly shaped slat towards the edge thereof where a groove is located and the water from the groove is drained through the opening in the cap to the gutter profile.

[0009] Due to the slat rotation and if the circumscribed external edges thereof, the distance from the center of the slat, where the outflow opening is located, would be significant and the outflowing water would splash. To avoid such a situation, significantly large, semi-circular openings should be milled in the gutter to enable rotation of the slat. It would be a timeconsuming process and such a structure significantly difficult to make it watertight. Moreover, the slats overlap when closing and the circumscribed circle should have an undercut or the slat must have an undercut, which again causes problems with watertightness.

[0010] The aim of the present invention is to solve the above problems.

[0011] An object of the present invention is roofing with movable slats mounted rotatably within the supporting structure, wherein the slat cross-section is formed such that the center of gravity of the slat cross-section corresponds to the axis of rotation thereof, and the slat is provided along the substantially longer side thereof with a groove. A slat end is provided with a cap which is adjacent to a slat edge and the cap has a pass-through main opening adjacent to the slat groove, and from the outside the cap has an adjacent thereto a profile body which portion has round edges and on the axis thereof is provided a slat fastening adjacent to the cap main opening. Adjacent to a cap resistance surface plane, formed at the body round edges, is a seal mounted by the lower portion thereof in a pre-gutter profile which from the bottom is covered with a main gutter profile. The resistance surface of the cap profile body has a recess for the seal. The slat is provided with water collecting surfaces. Rainwater enters the "V" shaped slat groove, where the lowest point of the groove is located in the center of the slat cross-section in the vicinity of the axis of rotation thereof, and the highest point is located in the left highest and right highest point of said slat cross-section.

[0012] Due to a double gutter configuration, most of water is collected by the pre-gutter, however in case the gutter and cap do not work well together (e.g. installation errors) the main gutter will collect leakage water. A troublesome area to secure against leakage is the contact surface between the cap and the slat, and in the case of the two gutters any leaking water from that area will enter the main gutter.

[0013] The slat axis of rotation located in the vicinity of the groove on the gutter profile surface results in, irrespective of the slat rotation angle, the water flowing from the groove via the cap main opening towards the pre-gutter profile does not practically alter in height, and due to that it is easier to control water splashing. Following the slat rotated to the vertical position, any flowing drops of water remaining on the upper slot surface or resulted from dew are stopped by means of supplementary water collecting surfaces, preventing waterfall on the protected area. The draining openings in the cap remove remaining water stopped by said water collecting surface and allow water to flow towards the pre-gutter profile and/or main gutter profile.

[0014] The subject of the present invention in its preferred embodiment is illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows an overview of roofing,

Fig. 2 shows a manner how water is evacuated from slat elements,

Fig. 3 shows a slat construction and manner of its cooperation with a cap,

Fig. 4 shows a slat construction and manner of its cooperation with a cap,

Fig. 5 shows a cap construction and particular elements thereof,

Fig. 6 shows cooperation of the set: slat - cap - seal - pre-gutter,

Fig. 7 shows cooperation of the set: slat - cap - seal - pre gutter with a main gutter profile,

Fig. 8 shows a view of how water is evacuated from a slat towards the ground,

Fig. 9 shows a view of surfaces collecting water drops.

[0015] Roofing comprise a load-bearing structure 1 formed with a perpendicular or square supporting structure 2 based on one or a plurality of legs 3, or without legs, and coupled with a load-bearing structure of a building, or having from one to a plurality of legs and simultaneously mounted into the load-bearing structure of the building. In the preferred embodiment, the most typical pergola with a perpendicular supporting structure based on four legs is presented. The roofing, instead of permanent roof, has longitudinal profiles, slats 4, rotating along the longer axis thereof.

[0016] Water is drained by slats differently than in the known constructions. Advantageously, in the new solution, a similar to a "V" letter shape of the upper portion of the slat cross-section forms a groove 5 in a slat 4, which results in water flowing from the left and right highest slat cross-section point to the lowest "V" groove point, located below the left and right highest point of said cross-section in the vicinity of the slat rotation axis. Advantageously, the slat cross-section is formed such that the center of gravity thereof corresponds to the slat rotation axis, which significantly reduces torque necessary for the slat set rotation. Further, from the groove 5 in the slat 4, water flows via a main opening 6 in a cap 7, adjusted in shape to the groove in the slat, and is drained from a pre-gutter profile 17 via openings 18. As a result, the main opening 6 in the slat cap almost remains unchanged in the height over the lower surface of the gutter profile 17 irrelevant of the slat rotation angle, which allows easier control over splashing of the water flowing from the slats into the gutter profile. In order to prevent flow of water drops remaining on the upper surface of the slats following the rainfall or due to dew during slats rotation, said upper surface is provided with supplementary water drop collecting surfaces 8, preventing water falling on the protected area (Fig.9). Due to draining openings 9 in the cap 7, the water drops stopped by the water drops collecting surfaces 8 flow to the pre-gutter profile 17 and/or main gutter profile 19.

[0017] The cap 7 is formed such to be tightly placed onto the sides of the slat 4 and such that with the slat forms the groove 5 collecting rain water. Advantageously, the cap has a dual-body form. It is in order to enable rotation of the slats located above the gutter profile where the distance from the slat rotation axis to the gutter profile edge must be slightly larger than the circumscribed slat cross-section. In the case of a single-body cap, such distance must have been be considerably large, such that the water flowing from the slats to the gutter profile would have fallen down from significant height causing splashing, and could have been visible for the user located under the pergola. In order to reduce said height, the gutter profile has been moved from below the slat near the lateral side thereof such that the gutter profile edge is located slightly below the slat rotation axis and below the lower edge of the main opening 6 (Fig. 6). The shape of the first body 10 corresponds to the shape of the slat, such that together form said groove 5. The second body 11 has from one side a form of a semi-cylinder 12 the center thereof corresponding to the slat rotation axis, and from another side a form of a cuboid 13 the lower surface thereof is tangential to the lower surface of the semi-cylinder. The tangential surface of the cylinder and lower surface of the cuboid have a recess 14 formed by the trapezoidal cross-sectional cutout along the line formed by the semi-cylinder edge and lower, tangential edge of the cuboidal part, which aim is to form a resistant surface 15 which cooperates with a seal 16, mounted to the pre-gutter profile 17, and due to which during normal roofing operation it is impossible for the seal to be shifted from a desired working position.

[0018] Such cap construction provides for tightness against the seal when the slat is closed with the lower surface of the cuboidal part 13 of the second body 11, and in the case of rotation, the seal cooperates with the surface of the semi-cylinder 12 of the second body 11 maintaining tightness and directing the water flow along the slats to the pre-gutter profile 17.

[0019] In order to provide greater tightness of the water flow area from the slats to the gutter profile and to reduce any leakage in said area resulting from the aluminum profile and cap 7 manufacturing deviations, or possible pergola assembling errors, the tight seal 16 is provided, which on one side it is mounted to the pre-gutter profile 17 and on the other side is securely latched to the cap 7 and cooperates with the resistance surface 15 thereof, formed such that the seal 16 cannot shift from the correct working position. In order to make the rain water invisible for the pergola user and to secure additional protection against possible leakage at the intersection of the slat 4, slat cap 7 and seal 16, the additional gutter profile 19 is provided, further referred to as the main gutter, which task is, apart from reducing any leakage in said area, to hide the rain water flow from the user. Moreover, due to the fact that the pre-gutter profile 17 is located higher than in the known constructions, the direct water flow from the pre-gutter profile 17 towards the draining chambers in the leg 3 would be impossible.

[0020] Said task is taken over by the main gutter profile 19 located below, which via a corner 20 drains the water to the draining chambers in the leg 3. Another reason to provide the two gutter profiles is the fact that the pre-gutter profile 17 mounted above would from the below be a visible step. In this situation, providing the main gutter profile 19 and mounting such that the lower surface thereof forms with the lower profile surfaces of the supporting structure 2 a single plane, solves the problem increasing pergola aesthetic qualities.

[0021] Due to said construction of the set: slat, cap, seal, pre-gutter, gutter profile, the rainwater cannot enter the inside of the roofing. Even in the case of water splashing, the water reenters the slat and is drained to the main gutter. Full functionality of the roofing is maintained.

Designations:

[0022] 

1.

Load-bearing structure

2.

Supporting structure

3.

Legs

4.

Slat

5.

Groove

6.

Main cap opening

7.

Cap

8.

Drop collecting surfaces

9.

Cap draining openings

10.

First cap body

11.

Second cap body

12.

First component of the second cap body

13.

Second component of the second cap body

14.

Supplementary cap element

15.

Cap resistance surface cooperating with a seal

16.

Seal

17.

Pre-gutter profile

18.

Pre-gutter profile openings

19.

Main gutter profile

20.

Corner

Claims

1. Roofing with movable slats coupled rotatably with a supporting structure, wherein the slat is provided along the substantially longer side with a groove, characterized in that a slat end (4) is provided with a cap (7) which is adjacent to a slat edge and the cap has a pass-through main opening (6) adjacent to a slat groove (5), and from the outside the cap has an adjacent thereto a profile body (11) which portion (12) has round edges and on the axis thereof is provided the slat fastening adjacent to the cap main opening, and adjacent to a cap resistance surface plane (15), formed at the body round edges, is a seal (16) mounted by the lower portion thereof in a pre-gutter profile (17) which from the bottom is covered with a main gutter profile (19).

2. Roofing according to Claim 1, characterized in that the resistance surface (15) of the profile body (11) of the cap (7) has a recess (14) for the seal (16).

3. Roofing according to Claim 1, characterized in that the slat is provided with water collecting surfaces (8).

4. Roofing according to Claim 1, characterized in that the center of gravity of the slat cross-section corresponds to the axis of rotation thereof.

5. Roofing according to Claim 1, characterized in that the shape of the slat groove (5) resembles a "V" letter, wherein the lowest point of the groove is located in the center of the slat cross-section in the vicinity of the axis of rotation thereof, and the highest point is located in the left highest and right highest point of said slat cross-section.

Drawing