Corrugated polymeric zigzag sheet for greenhouse roof structures

• US 6,959,519 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Adriaansen, Frans
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KATCHEVES, BASIL S
• Application Number:
  US10/249,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20040177582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 52/18, 521/711, 522/02, 524/73, 527/831.1, 527/831.4, 527/861, 525/37, 527/831.5
• US Class Current: 52/537
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/1438 Covering materials therefor; Materials for protective coverings used for soil and plants, e.g. films, canopies, tunnels or cloches
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/322 with parallel corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/54 Slab-like translucent elements floors for transmitting light E04B5/46; translucent or open-work ceilings E04B9/32, E04B9/34; translucent roof coverings E04D3/06, E04D3/28
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 2003/285 with specially profiled marginal portions for connecting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 3/28 of glass or other translucent material
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 3/32 of plastics, fibrous materials, or asbestos cement
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 3/3606 the fastening means being screws or nails
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 3/365 by simple overlapping of the marginal portions with use of separate connecting elements, e.g. hooks or bolts for corrugated sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor

Abstract

A sheet structure includes a pair of corrugated sheets formed in a zigzag pattern, the pair comprising an upper sheet and a lower sheet. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the pair of corrugated sheets further includes a flat portion disposed at selected intervals between individual zigzags. The flat portions of the upper sheet are aligned with corresponding flat portions of the lower sheet so as to maintain the upper and lower sheets in a double wall configuration.

Claims

1. A sheet structure, comprising:

a pair of corrugated sheets formed in a zigzag pattern, said pair comprising an upper sheet and a lower sheet; and

each said pair of corrugated sheets further including a flat portion disposed at selected intervals between individual zigzags;

a spacer element disposed between corresponding flat portions of said upper and lower sheets; and

securing means for affixing said pair of corrugated sheet to a support member, at one or more of said flat portions, said securing means extending through said spacer element and said corresponding flat portions of said upper and lower sheets;

wherein said flat portions of said upper sheet are aligned with corresponding flat portions of said lower sheet so as to maintain said upper and lower sheets in a double wall configuration.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said flat portions are further disposed along the length of said corrugated sheets.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said zigzag pattern is characterized by a series of triangular peaks.

4. The structure of claim 3, further comprising a trapezoidal shaped wing, formed along opposing sides of said pair of sheets, each said trapezoidal shaped wing having said upper sheet in contact with said lower sheet along at least a portion thereof.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein selected portions of said upper sheet are formed so as to come into contact with corresponding selected portions of said lower sheet, thereby forming said flat portions.

6. The structure of claim 5, wherein said flat portions further comprise inwardly disposed U-shaped sections of said upper and lower sheets.

7. The structure of claim 6, further comprising side laps disposed at opposing side edges of the structure, said side laps formed by joining said upper and lower sheets together.

8. The structure of claim 7, further comprising end laps disposed at opposing ends of the structure, said end laps formed by joining said upper and lower sheets together.

9. The structure of claim 7, wherein said side laps are downwardly disposed so as to accommodate overlapping with an adjacent sheet structure.

10. The structure of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower sheets are formed from a light-transmitting, polycarbonate material.

11. A roof structure, comprising:

a first corrugated, light-transmitting sheet formed in a zigzag pattern, said first corrugated sheet further including at least one flat portion disposed at selected intervals between individual zigzag;

a second corrugated, light-transmitting sheet formed in a zigzag pattern, said second corrugated sheet also including a flat portion disposed at selected intervals between individual zigzags;

said first and said second sheets arranged into an upper sheet and a lower sheet wherein said flat portions of said upper sheet are aligned with corresponding flat portions of said lower sheet so as to maintain said upper and lower sheets in a double wall configuration;

a spacer element disposed between corresponding flat portions of said upper and lower sheets; and

securing means for affixing said first corrugated sheet to a roof support member, at one or more of said flat portions, said securing means extending through said spacer element and said corresponding flat portions of said upper and lower sheets.

12. The roof structure of claim 11, further comprising a trapezoidal shaped wing formed at opposing sides of said first and second sheets, wherein said trapezoidal shaped wing is configured so as to accommodate overlapping with an adjacent sheet.

13. The roof structure of claim 11, wherein said zigzag pattern is characterized by a series of triangular peaks.

14. The roof structure of claim 11, wherein said flat portions are further disposed along the length of said corrugated sheets.

15. The roof structure of claim 11, wherein selected portions of said upper sheet are formed so as to come into contact with corresponding selected portions of said lower sheet, thereby forming said fist portions.

16. The roof structure of claim 15, wherein said flat portions further comprise inwardly disposed U-shaped sections of said upper and lower sheets.

17. The roof structure of claim 16, further comprising side laps disposed at opposing side edges of the structure, said side laps formed by joining said upper and lower sheets together.

18. The roof structure of claim 17, further comprising end laps disposed at opposing ends of the structure, said end laps formed by joining said upper and lower sheets together.

19. The roof structure of claim 17, wherein said side laps are downwardly disposed so as to accommodate overlapping with an adjacent double wall sheet.

20. The roof structure of claim 11, further comprising a trapezoidal shaped wing, formed along opposing sides of said upper and lower sheets, each said trapezoidal shaped wing having said upper sheet in contact with said lower sheet along at least a portion thereof.