Sealing Clip for Roofing Beam Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Roofing devices with longitudinal carrier profiles face challenges in sealing butt joints due to high mechanical stress from thermal expansion and weather influences, leading to potential water ingress and costly maintenance, as conventional elastic seals degrade over time.
Innovation Solution
A sealing clip with a web and arms that hooks and latches onto the profiles, creating a form-fit seal without being between them, thus avoiding stress from thermal expansion and providing easy, tool-free installation, and protection from weather effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an elastic seal is inserted between longitudinal carrier profiles to seal the joint, then the joint is sealed against water ingress, but the seal is subjected to high mechanical stress from thermal expansion and weather influences, leading to degradation and loss of sealing properties over time
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the joint area between the longitudinal carrier profiles and relocated to the upper side of the profiles. The sealing clip is positioned on top of the profiles rather than being inserted into the joint, thereby removing the seal from the harmful thermal expansion zone while maintaining effective water ingress prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing clip acts as an intermediary element that provides the sealing function without being directly subjected to the thermal expansion forces between the profiles. By positioning the seal on the upper side and using the clip's arms to engage with the profile structure, the sealing function is decoupled from the high-stress joint area.
2Reliability
If a seal is provided in the joint between wall connection profiles, then water ingress is prevented, but the assembly becomes more complex and requires considerable effort for proper installation with correct prestress and elongation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing clip is designed to be self-installing on the upper side of the profiles. The clip's arms automatically engage with the profile structure through hooking and latching mechanisms, eliminating the need for complex prestressing operations or specialized installation tools. The seal serves itself by simply being positioned and secured in place.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of installing the seal from the joint area between profiles (conventional approach), the sealing clip is installed from the upper side of the profiles. This inverted installation approach simplifies the process by allowing the clip to be secured using the profile's upper structural features rather than requiring insertion into the tight joint space.
3Reliability
If the seal is located between longitudinal carrier profiles, then it seals the joint effectively, but it is exposed to thermal expansion forces that cause crushing and deformation at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the joint area between the longitudinal carrier profiles and relocated to the upper side of the profiles. The sealing clip is positioned on top of the profiles rather than being inserted into the joint, thereby removing the seal from the harmful thermal expansion zone while maintaining effective water ingress prevention.
4Reliability
If the seal is exposed to weather influences and UV radiation in the joint area, then it performs its sealing function, but it degrades over time requiring costly maintenance and dismantling
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the joint area between the longitudinal carrier profiles and relocated to the upper side of the profiles. The sealing clip is positioned on top of the profiles rather than being inserted into the joint, thereby removing the seal from the harmful thermal expansion zone while maintaining effective water ingress prevention.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a sealing clip for sealing a joint between longitudinal beam profiles for a roofing structure, comprising: a web; a first arm adjoining a first side of the web; a second arm adjoining a second side of the web; and an inner surface laterally bounded by the first and the second arm, wherein the inner surface is provided as a sealing surface, the first arm having a locking element for engaging behind a first profile section and the second arm having a locking element for locking with a second profile section. The present invention further relates to a roofing structure, in particular a patio roof, with such a sealing clip and a method for sealing a joint between a first and a second longitudinal beam profile for such a roofing structure.