LAMINATED PROFILE STRUCTURE FOR BUILDINGS AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SUCH A STRUCTURE

Abstract: A laminated profile structure for roofs and outside walls of buildings comprises a profiled sheet (10) having a plurality of parallel tops (11) and a slab (13) of insulating material attached to the profiled sheet. The space between the insulating slab (13) and the profiled sheet (10) in its tops is filled with heat insulting material (14, 15). A layer (14) of the heat insulating material in the tops close to the insulating slab (13) is compressible. An outer layer (15) of the heat insulating material in the tops is rigid. Due to the application of the heat insulating material in the tops a profile structure is obtained that reduces the risk of spreading of a fire and of occurrence of condensate and that has a higher resistance against concentrated loads. In the manufacturing of the profile structure the profile sheet is positioned with the tops downwards. The tops are filled with liquid plastic foam and a compressible material. The compressible material (14) is compressed, when the insulating slab (13) is applied, so that the space in the tops is completely filled. The compressible material is further compressed during the expansion occurring during the hardening of the plastic foam.

Description: Laminated profile structure for buildings and a method of manufacturing such a structure. Technical Field The present invention is related to a laminated profi¬ le structure for buildings of the type comprising a profi¬ led sheet having a plurality of parallel tops and inter e- diate connections and a slab of heat insulating material attached to the profiled sheet at its connections. The pro¬ filed structure is primarily intended to be used as a buil¬ ding element for roofs and outside walls of buildings. The invention is also related to a method of manufacturing such a profile structure. Background Art It has been proposed to use laminated profile structu¬ res comprising a profiled metal sheet and a slab of heat insulating material attached to the metal sheet when con- structing roofs of buildings. Such a combination of a pro¬ filed metal sheet and an insulating slab will result in a building structure or element that has the advantage of the profiled metal sheet with regard to resistance and appea¬ rance and further has some heat insulating capacity. How- ever, the building element also has several disadvantages. Firstly, the building element is not satisfactory in view of the risk of fire, as the air channels provided between the profiled metal sheet and the insulating slab within the tops of the profiled metal sheet cause a rapid spread of a fire started in or at any part of the roof construction. Secondly, condensation easily occurs in the space open to air circulation in the tops of the profiled metal sheet, and the condensate can give rise to damages by damp in the building. Thirdly, there is a considerable risk of breaking or buckling the material in the tops of the profiled metal sheet, e. g. when point loads or concentrated pressures occur during work on the roof. OMP Disclosure of Invention The main objects of the invention are to provide a laminated profile structure for roofs and outside walls of buildings that does not suffer from th above mentioned disadvantages, and a simple method of manufacturing such a profile structure. According to the invention, these objects are obtained by a profile structure and a manufac¬ turing method having the features set forth in the attached claims. Due to the fact that the space in the tops of the pro¬ filed sheet is completely filled with heat insulating mate¬ rial adhering to the inside surfaces of the tops and being compressible close to the insulating slab, the circulation of air in the tops is efficiently eliminated. This will prevent the spreading of possible fire as well as the for¬ mation of condensate on the inside surfaces of the tops. Furthermore, due to the presence of the heat insulating material the tops become substantially more resistant, so that the risk of breaking or buckling is eliminated or at least substantially reduced. Due to the fact that the heat insulating material in the tops is compressible at least close to the insulating slab, the special advantage is obtained that the space in the tops always is completely filled with heat insulating material that sealingly abuts the inside surfaces of the tops and the insulating slab, even during movements in the roof due to e. g. load varia¬ tions or thermal stresses. The splitting of the heat insu¬ lating material into two layers enables the use of a more rigid or stiff material in the outer portions of the tops. This will give a more rigid pro iled sheet -and better pos¬ sibilities to walk on the profiled structure. Due to the fact that the tops of the profiled sheet during the manufacturing of the laminated profile structure according to the invention are partly filled with a plastic foam and then completely filled with a material that is compressed into the tops and then can be further compres¬ sed, when the plastic foam expands during the hardening, a "BUR OM very good adherence is obtained between the plastic foam and the inside surfaces in the tops of the profiled sheet, as the plastic foam during the hardening and also after¬ wards is forced against the profiled sheet by the compres- sible material. Furthermore, the insulating slab can be connected with the profiled sheet, as soon as the compres¬ sible material has been applied, so that the profiled structure rapidly can be prepared. Thus, the plastic foam can harden during the storing of the structure, and the hardening does not have to take place during the presence of the structure in the moulding tools or jig. One embodiment of the laminated profile structure according to the invention and one example of the manufac¬ turing method will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the laminated profile structure according to the invention. Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, of the profile structure shown in Figure 1 with the tops of the profiled sheet turned downwards. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention The laminated profile structure shown in Figure 1 comprises a profiled sheet 10 that is provided with a plu- rality of parallel tops 11 and intermediate connections 12. The sheet is a trapezoidal aluminium sheet. The profiled sheet 10 is at its connections 12 attached to a slab 13 of heat insulating material, e. g. cellular plastic. The spa¬ ces formed by the tops 11 of the profiled -sheet between the profiled sheet and the heat insulating slab are completely filled with heat insulating material. This heat insulating material consists of a first layer 14 of compressible mate¬ rial, e. g. mineral wool or glass wool, arranged adjacent the insulating slab, and a second layer 15 of plastic foam, e. g. a polyurethane foam, arranged in the outer portions of the tops. The first layer 14 consists of a material that is easy to compress and that is elastic, so that it reco- - B URE OMP vers its original shape, when the compressing force ceases. The second layer 15 consists of a substantially rigid mate¬ rial. The insulating slab 13 is attached to the profiled sheet 10 by gluing. The layer 14 should have a thickness of at least a fifth (1/5) of the height of the tops. The profiled structure is manufactured by first fil¬ ling a plastic foam, e. g. a polyurethane foam, into the tops 11 of the profiled sheet 10, when the tops are turned downwards, as shown in Figure 2. The tops are only partly filled, e. g. to the level corresponding to half the top height. Then a compressible material 14 is applied on the plastic foam in the tops, the compressible material having a volume that is larger than the rest of the space in the tops, as shown in the sectioned portion of the profile structure. The compressible material has preferably, but not necessarily, the shape of strips which have been profi¬ led so that the portion of the strips running into the tops has a shape in conformity with the shape of the rest of the space in the tops. Because the strips have a larger volume than the rest of the space in the tops, they will partly project from the tops, as shown in Figure 2. Vhen the com¬ pressible material has been applied in the tops, glue is applied on the connections 12 of the profiled sheet and possibly also on the compressible material. This can be done in a conventional gluing line. Alternatively, the glue can be applied to the insulating slab 13. Then the insula¬ ting slab is applied to and forced against the profiled sheet 10, thus pushing the compressible material into the tops, as shown in Figure 2. The prepared profile structure is then transferred to a storage, where the plastic foam is allowed to harden. During this hardening the plastic foam 15 expands in the tops, but this expansion is absorbed by the compressible material 14 which is then further compres¬ sed. Thus, the compressible material will become forcefully compressed during the manufacture and contributes to some extent to force the plastic foam towards the inside surfa¬ ces of the tops, so that a good adherence between the pro- filed metal sheet and the plastic foam in the tops is assu¬ red during the full lifetime of the profile structure, even if the profile structure is exposed to heavy and variable loads. Due to the compressibility and elasticity of the compressible material it is assured that the heat insula¬ ting material in the tops of the profiled sheet always sea- lingly abuts the profiled sheet 10 as well as the insu¬ lating slab 13. This fact will prevent air circulation through the tops, so that the risk of spreading of a fire and the occurrence of condensate is eliminated or at least substantially reduced. Only the damp diffusing through the heat insulating material can condensate, and this damp quantity is considerably less than the damp quantity ente¬ ring into the tops through the convection of the air in open or only partly filled tops. If the heat insulating material in the outer portion of the tops, i. e. the layer 15, is substantially rigid, a considerable stiffening of the profile structure and a con¬ siderable reinforcement of the tops is obtained. This rein- forcement substantially reduces the risk of damages to the tops during storing, transportation and assemblage and due to loads during the period of time the structure is in use. Thus, it will become possible to walk on a roof that has been built up by means of the profile structure according to the invention without incurring any risk of damages to the tops. At the same time, however, the profile structure maintains a good ability to take up strains due to load variations and thermal stresses, because the compressible layer 14 adjacent the insulating slab is resilient. This reduces the risk of separation of the profiled sheet 10 from the insulating slab 13 due to e. g. thermal stresses. While only one embodiment and only one example have been described above, it is obvious that many different embodiments and many manufacturing methods are possible within the scope of the invention. The heat insulating material in the tops and in the insulating slabs can be selected from a large grooup of suitable materials, and the "BUR O . WI profiled sheet must not necessarily consist of aluminium sheet or metal sheet but can also consist of e. g. plas¬ tics. Other sheet profile shapes than trapezoidal are also possible. It is not necessary to apply the compressible material in strips during the manufacturing. The compressible mate¬ rial can also consist of a more or. less liquid material that is applied in strings. It is also possible to use the same material in the whole space of the tops, provided that this material at least close to the insulating slab has some compressibility. The glue can be applied in many ways, e. g. by spraying or rolling and the glue can cover only the connections of the profiled sheet or the connections as well as the compressible material. The material forming the outer layer in the tops can be entered into the tops in a more or less liquid state but must be easily formable, so that the material can fill the tops completely irrespective of possible variations of the top sizes due to manufactu¬ ring tolerances.

Claims: Claims 1. Laminated profile structure for buildings, comprising a profiled sheet (10) having a plurality of parallel tops (11) and intermediate connections (12) and a slab (13) of heat insulating material attached to the profiled sheet at its connections (12), characterized in that the space bet¬ ween the insulating slab (13) and the profiled sheet (10) in its tops (11) is completely filled with heat insulating material (14,15) adhering to the inside surfaces of the tops and being compressible at least close to the insula- ting slab (13) . 2. Profile structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat insulating material (14,15) in the tops (11) of the sheet consists of an inner layer (14) close to the insulating slab (13) of a compressible material and an outer layer (15) of a material being less compressible than the material in the inner layer. 3. Profile structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the material in the outer layer (15) is substantially rigid. 4. Profile structure according to claim 2 or 3, characteri¬ zed in that the inner layer (14) consists of a fibrous material and that the outer layer (15) consists of hardened plastic foam. 5. Profile structure according to . anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner layer (14) has a thickness that is at least a fifth of the height of the tops (11). 6. Method of manufacturing a laminated profile structure for buildings, comprising a profiled sheet (10) having a plurality of parallel tops (11) and intermediate connec¬ tions (12) and a slab (13) of heat insulating material according to claim 1, characterized in that the profiled sheet (10) is positioned substantially horizontally with the tops (11) downwards, that the tops are partly filled OM with liquid plastic foam (15) and that strings of a com¬ pressible material (14) having a volume that is larger than the remaining space 'in the tops is applied on top of the plastic foam, the insulating slab (13) then being positio- ned over the profiled sheet (10) and forced against this sheet, so that the strings are compressed and completely . fill the space in the tops between the pastic foam and the insulating slab, glue having been applied between the pro¬ filed sheet (10) and the insulating slab (13), so that the insulating slab is attached to the profiled sheet at its connections (12). 7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the glue is applied on the insulating slab (13). 8. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that glue is sprayed over the profiled sheet (10), when the tops have been filled with plastic foam and compressible material has been applied in the tops. 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the glue is sprayed only on the connections (12) of the profi- led sheet. 10. Method according to anyone of claims 6-9, characterized in that the strings of compressible material (14) consist of strips which have been profiled before application on the plastic foam, so that the shape of the portion of the strips entering into the tops substantially conforms with the shape of the portion of the tops situated close to the insulating slab (13). ijΪJ E OMPI

Inventors: ANTIUS SVANTE, ANTIUS, SVANTE
Applicants: GRAENGES ALUMINIUM AB, GRAENGES ALUMINIUM AKTIEBOLAG
Application year: 1982
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: E04B7, E04C2, E04D3