A roof, wall or façade structure

Abstract

A roof, wall or façade structure suitable for new flat or pitched roofs, or renovation or reconstruction thereof, to a kit of parts for constructing, reconstructing or renovating a roof, wall or façade structure and a method for constructing or reconstructing a roof, wall or façade structure.

1 . A roof, wall or façade structure comprising:
 a retaining element having a head section for engaging and holding at least one building sheet of a roof, wall or façade, a base section spaced from the head section, and a connecting member fixedly connecting the head section and the base section, and 
 a supporting rail comprising a first profile section for detachably receiving and holding the base section of the retaining element and a second profile section, wherein the base section, when positioned in the first profile section is rotatable relative to the supporting rail around the axis perpendicular to the supporting rail between a first position at which the base section is freely detachable from the first profile section of the supporting rail and a second position at which the base section is secured in the first profile section of the supporting rail, the rotation enabling the alignment of the longitudinal axis of the head section of the retaining element with the flanged edges of the building sheet, and 
 a mounting element comprising a head portion for receiving and holding the second profile section of the supporting rail, a foot portion spaced from the head portion for mounting the mounting element on a roof, wall or façade substructure and a connecting portion connecting the foot portion and the head portion, wherein the supporting rail is rotatable around its longitudinal axis when held by the head portion of the mounting element to enable alignment of the longitudinal axis of the elongate head section of the retaining element with the inclination of the wall, roof or façade. 
 
     
     
         2 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to claim wherein the head section of the retaining element is elongate for engaging at least one building sheet of a standing seam roof, wall or façade, by flanging a free end of the building sheet over the elongate head section. 
     
     
         3 . The standing seam roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the head section of the retaining element is elongate for engaging at least one building sheet of a standing seam roof, wall or façade, by flanging a free end of the building sheet over the elongate head section, a base section spaced from the elongate head section, and a connecting member fixedly connecting the elongate head section and the base section. 
     
     
         4 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining element is moveable in the longitudinal direction of the first profile section to adjust the position of the retaining element with respect to the free end of the building sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 2  comprising one or more retaining elements wherein the elongate head section comprises a middle section and two dome-shaped end sections. 
     
     
         6 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 2  comprising one or more retaining elements wherein the elongate head section comprises a middle section and two dome-shaped end sections, and wherein the diameter of the middle section is not constant. 
     
     
         7 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , comprising one or more mounting elements wherein the length of the connecting portion of the mounting elements is variable to allow the distance between the head portion and the foot portion to be adapted to a desired distance when constructing the roof, wall or façade structure, and wherein the length of the connecting portion is fixable to keep the desired distance between the head portion and the foot portion after construction. 
     
     
         8 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 7  comprising one or more mounting elements wherein the connecting portion of the mounting elements comprises a telescoping section, wherein one part of the telescoping section is fixedly attached to the head portion, and wherein another part of the telescoping section is fixedly attached to the foot portion. 
     
     
         9 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1  wherein the retaining element is fixedly connected to the supporting rail in the second position. 
     
     
         10 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , comprising one or more retaining elements produced by die-casting. 
     
     
         11 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to any one of the preceding claims comprising one or more retaining elements consisting of die-cast metal, such as zinc or a zinc alloy, or a suitable polymer such as polyamide or glass-fibre reinforced polyamide. 
     
     
         12 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1  wherein one or more of the mounting elements D comprise a tubular connecting portion, a head portion releasably fixed thereto on one end, and a foot portion releasably fixed thereto on the other end. 
     
     
         13 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting rail and/or the mounting element comprise metal or a polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of parts for constructing or reconstructing a roof, wall or façade structure comprising one or more retaining elements, one or more supporting rails and one or more mounting elements the retaining elements, supporting rails and mounting elements being according to any one of  claim 1 , the kit of parts optionally also comprising one or more building sheets for forming a roof, wall or façade. 
     
     
         15 . The method of constructing or reconstructing a roof, wall or façade structure using the kit of parts according to  claim 14  comprising the steps of securing one or more mounting elements to a building by fixing the foot portion to a building, providing one or more supporting rails and positioning the second profile section of the supporting rail over the head portion of the mounting element for holding the supporting rail in place, mounting the base section of one or more retaining elements in the first profile section of the supporting rail, providing at least one building sheet, wherein the head sections of retaining elements engage and hold the at least one building sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 5 , comprising one or more retaining elements wherein the middle section is substantially rotationally symmetric along its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         17 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the middle section is substantially rotationally symmetric along its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         18 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the mounting elements D comprise a tubular connecting portion, a head portion releasably fixed thereto on one end, and wherein the foot portion comprises a ball-and-socket joint. 
     
     
         19 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting rail and/or the mounting element comprise steel, aluminium or polyamide. 
     
     
         20 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting rail and/or the mounting element consist of metal or aluminium or a polymer. 
     
     
         21 . The roof, wall or façade structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting rail and/or the mounting element consist of steel, aluminium or polyamide.