Standing Seam Panel Clip With Sealant Encapsulation Chambers

Abstract

A standing seam assembly in which a male sidelap extending from a panel has a male leg member, a female sidelap extending from a second panel has a female leg member shaped to fit over the male leg member. Sealant is supported over a clip that connects the male and female sidelaps to underlying support structure, the clip forming upper and lower sealant chambers. The sealant is disposed in the upper and lower sealant chambers in the assembled mode to encapsulate the clip, the clip has a clip tab engaging the male and female leg members, the clip tab has a clip inclined portion with a sealant flow hole cooperating with the male and female leg members so that the clip inclined portion forms the upper and lower sealant chambers.

1 . In a standing seam roof assembly in which roof panels are supported by underlying support structure in overlapping edge relationship to form a standing seam assembly, the improvement comprising:
 a male sidelap extending from a panel and having a male leg member;   a female sidelap extending from a second panel, the female sidelap having a female leg member shaped to fit over the male leg member;   sealant supported by one of the female leg member and the male leg member; and   clip means for connecting the male and female sidelaps to the support structure, the clip means forming an upper sealant chamber and a lower sealant chamber, the sealant disposed in the upper and lower sealant chambers in the assembled mode and encapsulating a portion of the clip means, the clip means having a clip tab shaped to engage and be retained with the male leg member and the female leg member in the assembled mode, the clip tab having a clip inclined portion cooperating with the male and female leg members to form the upper and lower sealant chambers, the clip inclined portion having a sealant flow hole communicating between the upper and lower sealant chambers, the clip tab having a clip dimple portion supporting one end of the clip inclined portion; and   wherein the sealant is supported by the female leg member to align with the upper sealant chamber of the inclined portion of the clip tab in the assembled mode, the sealant caused to partially extrude through the sealant flow hole from the upper sealant chamber to the lower sealant chamber while assuming the assembled mode and a portion of the sealant in the upper and lower sealant chambers caused to flow around the edges of the clip tab.   
     
     
         2 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 1  wherein the clip tab has clip end edges, and wherein the clip inclined portion has a clip end notch in at least one of the clip end edges. 
     
     
         3 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 2  wherein the clip end notch is tapered. 
     
     
         4 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 3  wherein the clip end notch is coined to be smooth and substantially burr free. 
     
     
         5 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 4  wherein the clip means comprises:
 a clip body; 
 a clip base slidably supporting the clip body. 
 
     
     
         6 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 5  wherein the clip body has a groove forming connector, and where the base has a clip retaining tongue disposed to be received in the groove forming connector whereby the clip body is permitted to slide relative to the clip base. 
     
     
         7 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 6  wherein the clip base further comprises:
 stop means for limiting the sliding movement of the clip body along the clip base. 
 
     
     
         8 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 7  wherein the clip base has a plurality of bearing feet spaced to support the clip base on the underlying support structure. 
     
     
         9 . In a standing seam roof assembly in which roof panels are supported by underlying support structure in overlapping edge relationship to form a standing seam assembly, the improvement comprising:
 a male sidelap extending from a panel and having a male leg member;   a female sidelap extending from a second panel, the female sidelap having a female leg member shaped to fit over the male leg member;   a sealant; and   clip means for connecting the male and female sidelaps to the support structure, the clip means having a clip tab shaped to engage and be retained with the male leg member and the female leg member in the assembled mode, the clip tab having a clip inclined portion on the clip tab and cooperating with the male leg member and the female leg member to form a lower sealant chamber and an upper sealant chamber, the female leg having a clip dimple portion supporting one end of the clip inclined portion, the clip inclined portion having a sealant flow hole communicating between the upper sealant chamber and the lower sealant chamber, the sealant supported by the female leg member to align with the upper sealant chamber in the assembled mode, the sealant partially extruded from the upper sealant chamber to the lower sealant chamber to encapsulate a portion of the clip tab while assuming the assembled mode, a portion of the sealant caused to flow around the edges of the clip tab.   
     
     
         10 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 9  wherein the clip tab has clip end edges, and wherein the clip inclined portion has a clip end notch in at least one of the clip end edges. 
     
     
         11 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 10  wherein each clip end notch is tapered. 
     
     
         12 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 11  wherein each clip end notch is coined to be smooth and substantially burr free. 
     
     
         13 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 12  wherein the clip means comprises:
 a clip body; 
 a clip base slidably supporting the clip body. 
 
     
     
         14 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 13  wherein the clip body has a groove forming connector, and where the base has a clip retaining tongue disposed to be received in the groove forming connector whereby the clip body is permitted to slide relative to the clip base. 
     
     
         15 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 14  wherein the clip base further comprises:
 stop means for limiting the sliding movement of the clip body along the clip base. 
 
     
     
         16 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 15  wherein the clip base has a plurality of bearing feet spaced to support the clip base on the underlying support structure. 
     
     
         17 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 16  wherein the clip tab has clip end edges, and wherein the clip inclined portion has a clip end notch in at least one of the clip end edges. 
     
     
         18 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 17  wherein each clip end notch is tapered. 
     
     
         19 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 18  wherein each clip end notch is coined to be smooth and substantially burr free. 
     
     
         20 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 19  wherein the clip means comprises:
 a clip body; 
 a clip base slidably supporting the clip body. 
 
     
     
         21 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 20  wherein the clip body has a groove forming connector, and where the base has a clip retaining tongue disposed to be received in the groove forming connector whereby the clip body is permitted to slide relative to the clip base. 
     
     
         22 . The standing seam assembly of  claim 21  wherein the clip base further comprises stop means for limiting the sliding movement of the clip body along the clip base. 
     
     
         23 . In a standing seam roof assembly in which roof panels are supported by underlying support structure in overlapping edge relationship to form a standing seam assembly, the improvement comprising:
 a male sidelap extending from a panel and having a male leg member;   a female sidelap extending from a second panel, the female sidelap having a female leg member shaped to fit over the male leg member;   sealant supported by one of the female leg member and the male leg member; and   clip means for connecting the male and female sidelaps to the support structure, the clip means forming an upper sealant chamber and a lower sealant chamber, the sealant disposed in the upper and lower sealant chambers in the assembled mode and encapsulating a portion of the clip means, the clip means having a clip tab shaped to engage and be retained with the male leg member and the female leg member in the assembled mode, the clip tab having a clip inclined portion cooperating with the male and female leg members so that the clip inclined portion forms the upper and lower sealant chambers, the clip inclined portion having a sealant flow hole.