Connecting device adapted to connect the translucent element of a roof skylight to a support structure, and method for connecting the translucent element to a support structure 5 The invention relates to a connecting device adapted to connect the translucent element of a roof skylight to the support structure window device. The invention also relates to a method for connecting a translucent element to a support structure on the roof of a building.
10 Skylights are used for closing off openings in walls, roofs and the like and for providing light from outside into buildings. The known skylight typically comprises a translucent element, for instance in the form of a dome, and a support structure which usually comprises a circumferential body that is placed in a cavity or opening, made in the roof. The support structure supports the translucent element and connects it to the substrate in 15 the form of a wall or roof.
A skylight is usually guaranteed for a prolonged period of time, typically 10 to 30 years. An important part of the guarantee involves the resistance against leakage, in other words water tightness. A skylight preferably has to maintain water tightness during its 20 lifetime.
It is an object of the invention therefore to provide a skylight that has an improved water tightness when compared to the known skylight. It is also an object to provide a method for obtaining such an improved skylight.
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These and other objects are achieved according to the invention by providing a connecting device adapted to connect the translucent element of a roof skylight to the support structure thereof, the connecting device comprising a first and a second element adapted to be positioned on either side (opposite sides) of the translucent element and to 30 clamp the translucent element between them by tightening cooperating connecting means of the elements, the first and second element in the tightened position defining a common bore through which a screw and/or nail can be provided for attachment to the support structure. The connecting device provides an improved water tightness, and in 2 particular over a prolonged period of time, i.e. a period of time typically extending over the guarantee period of between 10 and 30 years.
The invention also provides a method for connecting the translucent element of a roof 5 skylight to the support structure thereof, the method comprising providing a connecting device according to any one of the preceding claims, positioning the first and second element on opposite sides of the translucent element, clamping the translucent element between said elements by tightening cooperating connecting means of the elements, provide fixing means such as a screw and/or nail through a common bore of said 10 elements, and fixing the assembly of the elements and the translucent element to the support structure by for instance screwing and/or nailing.
The translucent element of a roof skylight may be made from various materials, such as from plastics, like polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and/or polycarbonate, and/or glass, 15 and may also comprise a composition of at least two plates, positioned at some distance from each other, between which plates a gas is located. The translucent element of a skylight is typically attached to a circumferential body of for instance metal, plastic or wood, aluminium, ABS, polyolefins, polyvinyl chloride and the like. The invention provides an improved connecting device for connecting the translucent element to such 20 a support structure.
In a preferred embodiment, the connecting device according to the invention further comprises means adapted to prevent loosening of the first and second element in the tightened position. These means in particular are instrumental in substantially keeping 25 the tightening forces at the desired level. This helps to avoid or hinder leakage occurring after some time, due to gradual loss of the tightening force between the elements and the translucent element.
In another preferred embodiment, the connecting device is characterized in that the 30 connecting means of the first and/or second element are adapted to tighten the translucent element between said elements by rotation, and the means adapted to prevent loosening comprise a number of projections preventing counter rotation.
3
In still another preferred embodiment, the connecting device according to the invention has a first element comprising a longitudinal body that is insertable in a hole of the translucent element and has a flange part and a central bore, the second element comprising a longitudinal body with a central bore for receiving the longitudinal body 5 of the first element, and the means adapted to prevent loosening comprising a number of cooperating projections, defined on the outer and/or inner surface of the longitudinal body of said elements.
In another preferably embodiment of the connecting device according to the invention, 10 the second element comprises an inner longitudinal body that is insertable in the central bore of the first element and extends within the central bore of the second element, the inner longitudinal body having projections that cooperate with the projections of the first element, defined on the inner surface of the longitudinal body of this element.
More preferred, the projections comprise longitudinal ridges. An additional advantage 15 of the invention is that when some tightening force is lost, this force can be increased again by rotating the first and second element in the tightening direction until a ridge of the first element is overcome by a ridge of the second element, as in a rattle. The ridge projections interlock again but in a more rotated position than before, whereby the force is upgraded to a higher level.
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To further increase the water tightness properties of the connecting device, the first and/or second part are preferably substantially manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of styrene copolymers, such as ABS and ASA, and polyformaldehydes (polyacetals), such as polyoxymethylene (POM). Especially the 25 latter are preferred.
In another embodiment of the invention, the first element of the connecting device comprises a longitudinal body that is insertable in a hole of the translucent element and has a flange part and a central bore, the second element comprises a longitudinal body 30 with a central bore for receiving the longitudinal body of the first element, and the connecting means comprise a number of cooperating treads, defined on the outer and/or inner surface of the longitudinal body of said elements. It is particularly preferred to adopt connecting means in the form of a number of cooperating asymmetrical treads.
The usual symmetric treads have a symmetrical cross-section, typically shaped as 4 isosceles triangles. Asymmetrical treads have an asymmetrical cross-section, typically shaped as right-angled triangles. Connecting means in the form of a number of cooperating asymmetrical treads at least partially prevent loosening of the connection between the first and second element.
5
In yet another embodiment of the connecting device according to the invention, the first element comprises a flange adapted to abut against the translucent element in the tightened position, the flange having a central bore to accommodate a rotating device, such as a screwdriver and the like.
10
It also has advantages when the connecting device according to the invention further comprises a capping element adapted to be placed or clicked onto the second element to substantially cover said element, and/or an anti-theft cap adapted to be placed or clicked onto the screw or nail to substantially cover said element, and prevent that the nail or 15 screw can be removed too easily.
The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: figure 1 shows a bottom view in perspective of the first element of a connecting device 20 according to the invention; figure 2 shows a bottom view in perspective of the second element of a connecting device according to the invention; figure 3A shows a cross-sectional view of the first element of a connection device according to the invention along the line A-A (see figure 3B); 25 figure 3B shows a bottom view of the first element of figure 3A; figure 4A shows a cross-sectional view of a connection device according to the invention along the line B-B (see figure 4B); figure 4B shows a top view of the second element of figure 4A; figure 5 shows an exploded view of another embodiment of the connecting device 30 according to the invention; figure 6 shows a side-view of an embodiment of the connecting device according to the invention in the tightened state; figure 7A shows a top view in perspective of another embodiment of a second element according to the invention; and 5 figure 7B shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of figure 7A.
With reference to figures 1 and 2, a first element 1 and a second element 2 of a connecting device 3 are shown. As shown in figure 5, the connecting device 3 is 5 adapted to connect a translucent element 4 of a roof skylight to the support structure (not shown) thereof. The translucent element 4 may for instance be a plate of glass, insulating glass or may be a plate or dome of PMMA, polycarbonate or else. The connecting device 3 comprises a first element 1 which is shown in more detail in figures 1, 3A and 3B, and a second element 2, which is shown in more detail in figures 2, 4A 10 and4B.
The first element 1 comprises a longitudinal body 10, a flange part 11 and a central bore 12. The longitudinal body 10 can be inserted in a hole 41 made in the translucent element 4. The second element 2 comprises a longitudinal body 20 with a central bore 15 22 for receiving the longitudinal body 10 of the first element 1. The second element 2 is preferably also provided with a flange part 21. Preferably, the flange part 21 is at least at the outer circumference thereof provided with a collar 23 of resilient material, such as a rubber, to prevent leakage between the flange part 21 and the translucent element 4. The first and/or second element (1,2) may be manufactured from any suitable material, 20 preferably a polymer, and most preferably a material selected from the group consisting of styrene copolymers, such as ABS and ASA, and polyformaldehydes (polyacetals), such as polyoxymethylene (POM).
In use, the first and second element (1,2) are positioned on either side of the translucent 25 element 4, as shown in figure 5, where the first element 1 is positioned below the translucent element 4 and the second element 2 above the translucent element 4. The first and second elements (1, 2) are provided with connecting means (14, 24) in the form of screw thread 14 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the longitudinal body 10 of the first element 1, and screw thread 24 provided on the inner 30 circumferential surface of the longitudinal body 20 of the second element 2. Both screw threads (14, 24) cooperate to tighten the translucent element 4 between the first and second elements (1, 2) by mutual rotation of the elements (1, 2). In the tightened position, the first and second elements (1,2) define a common bore, formed by the central bores (12, 22) through which a screw 30 can be provided for attachment to the 6 support structure (not shown). The first element 1 is provided with means adapted to prevent loosening of the first and second element, once they have been brought in the tightened position, as described above. The means adapted to prevent loosening of the first and second element are formed by a number of projections in the form of 5 longitudinal ridges 15, provided on the inner surface of the central bore 12 of the first element and extending in the longitudinal direction R of the elongated body 10. Likewise, the second element 2 comprises means adapted to prevent loosening of the first and second element in the form of a number of longitudinally extending projections 25 (in the embodiment shown the number of projections 25 are three). The projections 10 25 are impinge on projections 15 and substantially prevent counter rotation, i.e. rotation in a direction that is opposite to the direction of rotation for tightening. This inhibits loosening of the first and second elements (1,2) and the translucent element in between. It turns out that the connecting device 3 improves the water tightness, in particular over an extended period of time. In the embodiment shown, the projections 25 are provided 15 on an inner longitudinal body 26 that is insertable in the central bore 12 of the first element 1 and extends within the central bore 22 of the second element 2, the inner longitudinal body 26 having projections 25 that cooperate with the projections 15 of the first element 1, defined on the inner surface of the longitudinal body 10 of this element 1.
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The translucent element 4 of a roof skylight is, according to one embodiment of the invention, connected to the support structure thereof, by positioning the first element 1 with its flange 11 against the translucent element 4 at one side thereof (for instance below translucent element 4, as shown in the figure), and the second element 2 on the 25 other side, also with its flange 21 against the translucent element 4. The longitudinal body 10 is thereby inserted in hole 41 of the translucent element, and into the central bore 22 of the second element 2. By rotating the elements (1,2) relative to each other they are brought together by the screw threads (14, 24) and finally clamp the translucent element 4 between said elements. When sufficiently tightened, fixing means in the form 30 of a screw 30 are inserted through the common bore of the elements (1,2), which bore is formed by the central bores 12 and 22 of the elements (1, 2). The assembly of the elements (1,2) and the translucent element 4 is then fastened to the support structure (not shown) by screwing screw 30 into the support structure, which typically is a PYC or polyester upstand or concrete or timber roof beam or the like. As shown in figure 5 7 and 6, the connecting device 3 is then preferably provided with a capping element 40 adapted to be placed or clicked onto the second element 2 to substantially cover said element 2, and further protect the connection. Preferably, an additional anti-theft knob 50 is provided onto the screw 30.
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With reference to figures 7A and 7B another embodiment of a second element 2 according to the invention is shown. The second element 2 comprises a longitudinal body 20 with a central bore 22 for receiving the longitudinal body 10 of the first element 1. The second element 2 is provided with a flange part 21, which flange part 21 10 is at least at the outer circumference thereof provided with a collar 23 of resilient material, such as a rubber, to prevent leakage between the flange part 21 and the translucent element 4. The first and second elements (1,2) are provided with connecting means (14, 24) in the form of screw thread 14 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the longitudinal body 10 of the first element 1, and screw thread 24 provided 15 on the inner circumferential surface of the longitudinal body 20 of the second element 2. Both screw threads (14, 24) cooperate to tighten the translucent element 4 between the first and second elements (1, 2) by mutual rotation of the elements (1, 2). In the tightened position, the first and second elements (1,2) define a common bore, formed by the central bores (12, 22) through which a screw 30 can be provided for attachment 20 to the support structure (not shown). The means adapted to prevent loosening of the first and second element are in this embodiment formed by a locking pin 31 having a central bore 32 through which a screw 30 can be provided, as described above. To connect the translucent element 4 of a roof skylight to the support structure thereof, the first element 1 is positioned with its flange 11 against the translucent element 4 at one side thereof, 25 and the second element 2 positioned on the other side of the translucent element 4, whereby its flange 21 lies against the translucent element 4. The longitudinal body 10 of the first element 1 is thereby inserted in hole 41 of the translucent element, and into the central bore 22 of the second element 2. By rotating the elements (1, 2) relative to each other they are brought together by the screw threads (14, 24) and finally clamp the 30 translucent element 4 between said elements. To lock the first element 1 relative to element 2 and thereby inhibit loosening of the first and second elements (1,2) and the translucent element in between, the locking pin 31 is then inserted into the central bore 22 of the second element 2. Since the diameter of the locking pin 31 is adapted to tightly fit with the internal diameter of the longitudinal body 10 of the first element 1, 8 jamming the locking pin 31 into central bore 22 will cause the longitudinal body 10 to be deformed outwards and against the treads 24 of the second element 2. The treads 14 and 24 are hereby pressed firmly against each other, thereby securing the connection between both elements (1,2). The clamping forces between the body of locking pin 31 5 and the body 10 of the first element 1 may be adjusted by adjusting the diameter of the bodies. In the tightened position, the first and second elements (1,2) define a common bore, formed by the central bores (12, 32) of the first element 1 and the locking pin 31 through which a screw 30 can be provided for attachment to the support structure, as already described above.