Repositionable cable clip system for use on standing seam metal roofs

Abstract

A repositionable roof clip assembly may include a mounting block including: a first wall, a second wall, a top wall joining the first wall and second wall and creating a gap therebetween; and at least one cable clamp including: a lower guide, an upper guide; and a bendable member joining the lower and upper guides and can be bent over a heating cable such that the heating cable is trapped between the upper guide and the lower guide.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A roof clip assembly for use in securing a heating cable to a metal roof seam comprising:
 a mounting block including:
 a first wall; 
 a second wall; 
 a top wall joining the first wall and second wall and creating a gap therebetween; and 
   at least one cable clamp including:
 a lower guide; 
 an upper guide; and 
 a bendable member joining the lower and upper guides and can be bent over a heating cable such that the heating cable is trapped between the upper guide and the lower guide. 
   
     
     
         2 . The roof clip assembly of  claim 1  wherein the lower guide is curved. 
     
     
         3 . The roof clip assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper guide is curved. 
     
     
         4 . The roof clip assembly of  claim 2  wherein the lower guide has a radius. 
     
     
         5 . The roof clip assembly of  claim 4  wherein the upper guide has a radius equal to the radius of the lower guide. 
     
     
         6 . A system for preventing a buildup of ice on a metal roof with a plurality of seams forming channels between the seams, the system comprising:
 a plurality of roof clip assemblies adustably fastenable to seams on a metal roof;   a heating cable routable through the plurality of roof clip assemblies; and   a routing pattern for the heating cable in which:
 the heating cable passes through a first cable clamp of a first roof clip assembly of the plurality of roof clip assemblies, the first roof clip assembly positioned on a first seam of the plurality of seams at a lower location; 
 the heating cable continues upward along one side of the first seam through a routing clamp of a second roof clip assembly of the plurality of roof clip assemblies, the second roof clip assembly positioned on the first seam at an upper location, wherein the routing clamp of the second roof clip assembly spans across the first seam; 
 the heating cable continues downward along a second side of the first seam through a second routing clamp of the first roof clip assembly; 
 the heating cable is routed below an upper surface of the metal roof to a second seam of the plurality of seams; and 
   wherein the routing pattern is repeated for a desired number of seams of the plurality of seams;   wherein the channels between the seams remain clear of horizontally-oriented lengths of heating cables.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein at least one of the plurality of roof clip assemblies comprises:
 a mounting block connectable to a seam; and 
 at least one cable clamp fastened to the mounting block. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the mounting block comprises:
 a first wall; 
 a second wall; 
 a top wall joining the first and second walls and creating a gap therebetween; and 
 set screws passing through at least one of the first and second walls and usable to create a friction fit with the seam when tightened. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the mounting block further comprises a block hole in the top wall usable to receive a fastener connecting the at least one cable clamp to the mounting block. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the at least one cable clamp comprises a single cable clamp. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the at least one cable clamp comprises two cable clamps. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the at least one cable clamp comprises:
 a lower guide; 
 an upper guide; and 
 a bendable member joining the lower and upper guides and can be bent over the heating cable such that the heating cable is trapped between the upper guide and the lower guide. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the first roof clip assembly comprises two cable clamps. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the second roof clip assembly comprises a single cable clamp that spans across the first seam. 
     
     
         15 . A method of preventing a buildup of ice on a metal roof with a plurality of parallel seams forming channels between the seams, the method comprising:
 adjustably fastening a plurality of roof clip assemblies to upper and lower locations on each of a plurality of seams using set screws to form a friction fit; and   routing a heating cable through the plurality of roof clip assemblies such that the channels formed between adjacent seams of the plurality of seams remain free of horizontal lengths of the heating cable.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein fastening the plurality of roof clip assemblies to the upper and lower locations on each of the plurality of seams comprises, for each of the plurality of clips:
 placing a mounting block over the seam; 
 tightening the set screws to fix the mounting block to the seam; and 
 fastening at least one cable clamp to the mounting block. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein fastening the at least one cable clamp to the mounting block comprises fastening a single cable clamp to the mounting block. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein fastening at the least one cable clamp to the mounting block comprises fastening two cable clamps to the mounting block. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein fastening the plurality of roof clip assemblies to the upper and lower locations on each of the plurality of seams comprises placing roof clip assemblies having two cable clamps at the lower locations. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein fastening the plurality of roof clip assemblies to the upper and lower locations on each of the plurality of seams comprises placing roof clip assemblies having a single cable clamp at the upper locations.