Patent ID: 8544223
Filing Date: 2013-10-01
Classification: E04D

Abstract:
1. An architectural structure for passing sunlight into an interior region of a building having supporting structure while limiting the infiltration of water, air and sound comprising: interlocking metal first and second locking engagement members each having a pair of arms defining upwardly and downwardly disposed cavities, a guide member associated with one of the first and second locking engagement members and a cavity for receiving the guide member associated with the other of the first and second locking engagement members, the guide member and the cavity being positioned between the pair of arms of the first and second locking engagement members, at least one of the first and second locking engagement members having a retention clip receiving member; at least two adjacent transparent or translucent modular panel units each having opposed elongated top and bottom modular panels that are subject to horizontal thermal expansion and contraction with changes in ambient temperature, the panel units including resilient areas at their opposite lateral edges and corresponding elongated upwardly and downwardly directed seam flanges disposed at their opposite lateral edges, the seam flanges being captured in the upwardly and downwardly directed cavities of the interlocking first and second locking engagement members to fix the panels onto the locking engagement members; at least one retention clip disposed between the adjacent transparent or translucent modular panel units and the interlocked engagement members and in engagement with a retention clip receiving member; and the adjacent panel units having corresponding locking engagement members interlocked with opposite locking engagement members of adjacent panel units by way of engagement of corresponding guide members and cavities of the first and second locking engagement members, with resilient areas of adjacent panel units abutting and sealing, where the pair of panel units are laterally movable with the first and second locking engagement members in response to horizontal expansion and contraction of the top and bottom seam flange panels of the panel units when the first and second locking engagement members are interlocked.