MOUNTING DEVICE USING OPPOSING SEAM FASTENERS FOR HOLLOW RIB STANDING SEAM PANELS

• US 20130145711A1
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RMH Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Dustin M.M. Haddock, Robert M.M. Haddock
• Inventors: Haddock, Robert M.M., Haddock, Dustin M. M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,844,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/478
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/10 Snow traps ; Removing snow from roofs; Snow melters
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0821 the additional fastening elements located in-between two adjacent covering elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0096 by using permanent deformation
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/615 for fixing to protruding parts of buildings, e.g. to corrugations or to standing seams
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking

Abstract

A building system (38) is disclosed in the form of a standing seam panel assembly (80) and one or more mounting devices (40). The mounting device (40) includes a slot (52) for receiving at least an upper section of a hollow seam rib (86) of the panel assembly (80). At least one opposing pair of seam fasteners (74) engage opposing sides of the seam rib (86). These seam fasteners (74) may be activated to significantly reduce the size of an open space that initially exists between opposing, spaced internal surfaces (92a, 92b) of the seam rib (86).

Claims

1. A building system comprising:

a building surface comprising a plurality of interconnected panels and a plurality of standing seams, wherein each said standing seam is in the form of a hollow seam rib defined by a pair of adjacent, interconnected panels; and

at least one mounting device, wherein each said mounting device comprises;

a mounting body;

a slot extending into said mounting body and having a non-adjustable configuration, wherein at least an upper section of one of said hollow seam ribs of said building surface is disposed within said slot;

a first seam fastener that extends through said mounting body, into said slot, and into engagement with a first side of said hollow seam rib;

a second seam fastener that extends through said mounting body, into said slot, and into engagement with a second side of said hollow seam rib, wherein said first and second seam fasteners are axially aligned, wherein opposing internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib at a first location are spaced apart by a distance of at least about 0.35 inches prior to engaging said first and second seam fasteners with said hollow seam rib, wherein an open space exists throughout an entirety of the spacing between said opposing internal surfaces, and wherein said first location coincides with where said first and second seam fasteners engage said hollow seam rib; and

at least one attachment mounting fastener extendable into said mounting body.

2. The building system of claim 1, wherein a configuration of said mounting body is selected from the group consisting of one-piece construction, including no separable parts, an extrusion, and all combinations thereof.

3. The building system of claim 1, wherein said slot is defined by a first slot sidewall, a second slot sidewall, and a slot base extending between said first and second slot sidewalls.

4. The building system of claim 3, wherein said first slot sidewall is always maintained in a fixed position relative to said second slot sidewall based upon said non-adjustable configuration of said slot.

5. The building system of claim 3, wherein said slot is further defined by first and second curved transition sections, wherein said slot base is flat, wherein said first slot sidewall comprises a first flat section and a second flat section with said first curved transition section being disposed between said first flat section of said first slot sidewall and said slot base and with said first flat section of said first slot sidewall being located between said first curved transition section and said second flat section of said first slot sidewall, wherein said second slot sidewall comprises a first flat section and a second flat section with said second curved transition section being disposed between said first flat section of said second slot sidewall and said slot base and with said first flat section of said second slot sidewall being located between said second curved transition section and said second flat section of said second slot sidewall, wherein a first included angle exists between said slot base and said first flat section of said first slot sidewall, wherein a second included angle exists between said slot base and said first flat section of said second slot sidewall, and wherein said first and second included angles are each greater than 90°

.

6. The building system of claim 5, wherein said first and second included angles are of a common magnitude.

7. The building system of claim 6, wherein a magnitude of each of said first and second included angles is within a range of about 93°

to about 105°

.

8. The building system of claim 5, wherein said first flat section of said first slot sidewall is orientated as a mirror image of said first flat section of said second slot sidewall.

9. The building system of claim 5, wherein said second flat section of said first slot sidewall is oriented as a mirror image of said second flat section of said second slot sidewall.

10. The building system of claim 5, wherein said second flat section of said first slot sidewall and said second flat section of said second slot sidewall are at least substantially parallel.

11. The building system of claim 10, wherein a third included angle exists between said first and second flat sections of said first slot sidewall, wherein a fourth included angle exists between said first and second flat sections of said second slot sidewall, and wherein said third and fourth included angles are each substantially greater than 90°

but less than 180°

.

12. The building system of claim 11, wherein a magnitude of each of said third and fourth included angles is within a range of about 165°

to about 177°

.

13. The building system of claim 10, wherein said first seam fastener extends through said second flat section of said first slot sidewall, and wherein said second seam fastener extends through said second flat section of said second slot sidewall.

14. The building system of claim 1, wherein a first slot depth section extends away from a slot base in a depth dimension, wherein a second slot depth section extends away from said first slot depth section in said depth dimension with said first slot depth section being located between said slot base and said second slot depth section in said depth dimension, wherein a width of said slot continually increases throughout said first slot depth section proceeding from said slot base and in a direction of said second slot depth section, and wherein said width of said slot is at least substantially constant throughout said second slot depth section.

15. The building system of claim 1, wherein said opposing internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib at said first location are spaced apart by no more about 0.125 inches after engaging said first and second seam fasteners with said hollow seam rib.

16. The building system of claim 1, wherein said opposing internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib at said first location are in contact after engaging said first and second seam fasteners with said hollow seam rib.

17. The building system of claim 1, further comprising:

an attachment positioned on said mounting device and secured to said mounting device via said at least one attachment mounting fastener.

18. An installation method for a standing seam building surface comprising a hollow seam rib, wherein opposing internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib are separated by an open space having a width of at least about 0.35 inches at a first location and that spans an entirety of the spacing between said opposing internal surfaces, said method comprising the steps of:

positioning a mounting body on said hollow seam rib of said standing seam building surface, wherein said positioning step comprises disposing said hollow seam rib within a slot of said mounting body;

moving a first seam fastener along a first axial path in a first direction, wherein said moving a first fastener step comprises advancing said first seam fastener relative to said mounting body and into said slot to engage a first sidewall of said hollow seam rib at said first location; and

moving a second seam fastener along said first axial path in a second direction that is opposite of said first direction, wherein said moving a second seam fastener step comprises advancing said second seam fastener relative to said mounting body and into said slot to engage a second sidewall of said hollow seam rib at said first location; and

disposing said opposing internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib within 0.125 inches of each other at said first location and measured along said first axial path, wherein said disposing step comprises using said moving first and second seam fastener steps.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

terminating said moving first and second seam fastener steps so that said opposing internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib remain spaced apart at said first location.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said disposing step comprises disposing said opposing internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib in contact with each other at said first location.

21. An installation method for a standing seam building surface comprising a hollow seam rib defined by first and second sidewalls that are separated from one another by an open space that extends from an interior of said first sidewall to an interior of said second sidewall, said method comprising the steps of:

positioning a mounting body on said hollow seam rib of said standing seam building surface at said first location, wherein said positioning step comprises disposing said hollow seam rib within a slot of said mounting body;

moving said first sidewall of said hollow seam rib at least about 0.125 inches through said open space and in a direction of said second sidewall, wherein said moving said first sidewall step comprises advancing said first seam fastener relative to said mounting body and into said slot to engage said first sidewall of said hollow seam rib;

moving said second sidewall of said hollow seam rib at least about 0.125 inches through said open space and in a direction of said first sidewall, wherein said moving said second sidewall step comprises advancing said second seam fastener relative to said mounting body and into said slot to engage said second sidewall of said hollow seam rib, wherein said moving first and second seam fastener steps are executed in opposite directions along a common axial path.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib, opposite of where said first and second seam fasteners engage an exterior of said hollow seam rib, are separated by a distance of at least about 0.35 inches prior to said advancing said first and second seam fastener steps.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said moving said first and second sidewall steps are executed to dispose internal surfaces, opposite of where said first and second seam fasteners engage an exterior of said hollow seam rib, within 0.125 inches of each other.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

terminating said advancing first and second seam fastener steps so that internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib, opposite of where said first and second seam fasteners engage an exterior of said hollow seam rib, remain spaced from one another.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein internal surfaces of said hollow seam rib, opposite of where said first and second seam fasteners engage an exterior of said hollow seam rib, are in contact after said moving said first and second sidewalls steps.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

anchoring an attachment relative to said mounting body.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said anchoring step comprises:

disposing said attachment on said mounting body; and

directing a first attachment mounting fastener through said attachment and into threaded engagement with said mounting body.