SUPPORT FOOT FOR A FREE STANDING STRUCTURE

Abstract

A support foot for supporting a free standing structure on a support surface such as a rooftop includes a holding means for holding a profiled section to which other parts of said structure can be mounted. The profiled section includes at least one wall having apertures formed in it. The support foot includes a base part having a socket. The support foot furthermore includes a securing element adapted to be received in the socket and having at least one movable catch member to catch an edge of one of said apertures so as to secure the profiled section element to the support foot. The catch member is movable from a pre-assembly position, in which it can be inserted through the aperture, to a securing position, in which it engages over the edge of the aperture.

Claims

1. A support foot for supporting a free standing structure on a support surface such as a rooftop, the support foot including a holding means for holding a profiled section to which other parts of said structure can be mounted, wherein the profiled section comprises at least one wall having apertures formed in it, the support foot comprising: a base part having a socket, and a securing element adapted to be received in the socket and having at least one movable catch member to catch an edge of one of said apertures so as to secure the profiled section element to the support foot, wherein the catch member is movable from a pre-assembly position, in which it can be inserted through the aperture, to a securing position, in which it engages over the edge of the aperture.

2. The support foot according to claim 1, wherein the securing element comprises a sliding surface associated with the catch member, said sliding surface being biased resiliently outwardly and adapted to slide along an edge of the socket when the securing element is inserted in the socket, such that the sliding surface is forced inwardly by the edge of the socket, whereby the catch member is moved from the preassembly position to the securing position.

3. The support foot according to claim 2, wherein the securing element comprises two opposing bodies connected by a hinge, wherein the sliding surface is formed on the body side facing away from the hinge, and wherein the catch member is formed on top of the body.

4. The support foot according to claim 3, wherein a hinging axis defined by the hinge lies in a centre plane which extends between the two opposing bodies.

5. The support foot according to claim 4, wherein the securing element is substantially of symmetrical design, wherein the centre plane constitutes a plane of symmetry.

6. The support foot according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the bodies has a locking lug formed on the side of the sliding surface, and wherein the socket is formed with a locking recess to cooperate with the locking lug when the securing element is fully inserted in the socket.

7. The support foot according to claim 1, wherein the securing element is made of a plastics material.

8. The support foot according to claim 1, wherein the base part is made of a plastics material.

9. The support foot according to claim 1, wherein the socket is shaped and dimensioned to receive an end portion of a profiled section element in upstanding position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The invention will be further described in the following detailed description with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a view in perspective of a preferred embodiment of a support foot according to the invention,

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a view in perspective of the support foot of with a profiled section element secured to it,

[0025] FIG. 3 shows in a view in perspective the support foot of FIG. 1 before assembly,

[0026] FIG. 4 shows in a view in perspective the support foot of FIG. 1 in a pre-assembly state,

[0027] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the support foot of FIG. 1 in the pre-assembly state of FIG. 4 during assembly with a profiled section element,

[0028] FIG. 6 shows in a view in perspective a cross section of the support foot of FIG. 1 in the assembled state of FIG. 2 with the profiled section element secured to it,

[0029] FIG. 7 shows a front elevational view of a securing element of the support foot of FIG. 1,

[0030] FIG. 8 shows a top elevational view of the securing element of FIG. 7,

[0031] FIG. 9 shows a view in perspective of the support foot of FIG. 1 with a rubber underlay, and

[0032] FIG. 10 shows a view in perspective of the support foot in a different modus assembled with an upstanding profiled section element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In FIG. 1 a support foot 1 is shown which is adapted to support a free standing structure on a support surface such as a flat roof. Free standing structures may be frameworks for supporting installations like climate installations, solar panels, walkways, piping etc. on rooftops which are horizontal or have a small inclination.

[0034] Such frameworks often comprise profiled section elements, which are generally hollow or channel shaped elements made of metal, although also plastic profiled elements are known but less feasible for a support framework application as indicated above.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a profiled section element 100, which is commonly used in such frameworks. This typical profiled section element is often called a mounting rail in the relevant field. In the following description and in the figures the mounting rail is used by way of practical example of a profiled section element. The profiled section element 100, as is shown in FIG. 2, generally has a C-shaped cross section, having a bottom wall 101, two opposing lateral walls 102 extending from the bottom wall, and an upper side opposite the bottom wall, which upper side includes two flanges 103 and a longitudinal slot 104 defined between the flanges 103. In this example the bottom wall 101 of the profiled section element 100 is provided with oblong apertures 105 with rounded end portions, which is a common feature for such mounting rails. It is noted that the profiled section element 100 is only intended as an example and also other profiled section elements can be used with the support foot 1.

[0036] The support foot 1 comprises a base part 2 and a securing element 3, which are preferably two separate parts, as can be best seen in FIG. 3. Both parts 2, 3 are preferably made of plastic by injection moulding, but one or both parts 2, 3 may also be made of another material for example steel or another metal.

[0037] The base part 2 comprises a base plate 21, which in the shown example is substantially square with rounded corners, but which may have any other suitable shape, such as circular, triangular, polygonal, etc. The base plate 21 is intended to be placed on a support surface such as for example a rooftop. Under the base plate 21 a rubber underlay 50 may be arranged, which is shown in FIG. 9. The underlay 50 increases the grip of the support foot on the support surface and provides vibration insulation between the support surface and the framework.

[0038] In a middle portion on the top side of the base plate 21 a socket 22 is located. The socket 22 in this embodiment has a generally rectangular cross section and defines a receiving space 23. The socket has opposing lateral walls 22A and opposing head walls 22B.

[0039] From the outside of the lateral walls 22A of the socket 22 stiffening ribs 24 are extending outwardly on the upper side of the base plate 21 towards the edge of the base plate 21. From the outside of the head walls 22B of the socket 22 stiffening ribs 25 are extending outwardly on the upper side of the base plate 21 towards the edge of the base plate 21. The stiffening ribs 24 and 25 have an upper edge 24A, 25A, which extends substantially parallel to the base plate 21, and an inclined edge 24B, 25B which extends from the upper edge 24A, 25A towards the base plate 21.

[0040] The securing element 3 of the support foot 1 is adapted to be received in the receiving space 23 of the socket 22. This is illustrated inter alia in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

[0041] The securing element 3 comprises two opposing bodies 31 connected by a hinge 32 as is best visible in FIGS. 3 and 5. In this embodiment shown in the figures, the hinging axis defined by the hinge 32 lies in a centre plane which extends between the two opposing bodies 31. In the FIGS. 7 and 8 the centre plane is illustrated by a dash dotted line indicated by “CP”. In a possible embodiment the securing element 3 may have a substantially symmetrical shape with respect to the centre plane CP.

[0042] In this embodiment the two opposing bodies 31 are formed as two blocks, which are connected by a film hinge 32. The opposing bodies 31 can be hinged from an open state as is shown in FIGS. 3-5 to a closed state as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.

[0043] The opposing bodies 31 each have a sliding surface 33. In an unloaded state the sliding surfaces 33 are biased outwardly by the resilience of the film hinge 32, such that the sliding surfaces are inclined with respect to the centre plane CP as is best seen in FIG. 7. In an unloaded state the two sliding surfaces 33 in this specific embodiment form a tapering shape, wherein the sliding surfaces 33 are adapted to slide along an upper edge of the socket walls 22B when the securing element 3 is inserted in the socket 22.

[0044] At first the respective sliding surfaces 33 will rest on the upper edge of the respective socket walls 22B as is shown in FIG. 4. When the securing element 3 is pushed into the socket 22 the sliding surfaces 33 slide along the edge of the socket walls 22B which forces the respective sliding surfaces 33 inwardly whereby the opposing bodies 31 are moved to the closed state shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, wherein abutment surfaces 38 of the opposing bodies 31 abut each other.

[0045] n an upper side 34 of the respective bodies 31 a catch member formed. In this specific embodiment the catch member 35 is formed as a sort of boss which has an undercut 36 formed in it (cf. FIG. 7), which is adapted to grip in a hooking manner over an edge of an aperture 105 in the profiled section element 100 as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. The edge of the aperture 105 is thus received in the undercut 36 as is best visible in the view of FIG. 6. The surface 37 of the boss at the undercut 36 is rounded and corresponding to the rounding of the end portions of the aperture 105, such that a sturdy engagement between the catch member 35 and the edge of the aperture 105 is achieved.

[0046] It must be noted that also other hooking shapes formed on the bodies 31 are conceivable than the one specifically shown in the embodiment in the figures.

[0047] In use the base part 2 is placed with its base plate 21 on the support surface such as a rooftop. Next the securing element 3 is loosely arranged in the socket 22 of the base part 2 such that the state is achieved as is shown in FIG. 4. In this state the securing element rests with the respective sliding surfaces 33 thereof on the edge of the socket 22. In this position the catch members 35 are in a pre-assembly position, i.e. in this specific embodiment in a tilted position and spread apart from each other. Next, a profiled section element 100, in this example a mounting rail, is arranged on top of the securing element 3. Thereby an underside of the bottom wall 104 of the profiled section element 100 engages the respective edges 39 between the respective abutment surfaces 38 and the respective top surfaces 34, which edges extend most upwardly due to the tilted state of the opposing bodies 31. This can be best seen in FIG. 5. The respective catch members 35 are inserted through respective apertures 105 in the bottom wall 104 of the profiled section element 100 (cf. FIG. 5). Next the user can push the rail down towards the base part 2, whereby the bottom wall 104 forces the edges 39 down and the abutment surfaces 38 start to tilt towards each other. Also the catch members 35 start to tilt such that they move towards each other and the edges of the respective apertures 105 are received in the respective undercuts 36 formed in the catch members 35. By continuing pushing down, the sliding surfaces 33 will slide along the edge of the socket 22 and the opposing bodies 31 will further tilt toward each other until the abutment surfaces 38 abut each other. At that point the surface 37 engages firmly against the edge of the aperture 105 and the catch members are in their securing position. The profiled section element 100 is then secured to the support foot 1.

[0048] In the embodiment shown in the figures, at an underside of each of the sliding surfaces 33 a locking lug 40 is formed. In the underside of the socket 22 at least one corresponding locking recess 26 is formed. When the securing element 3 has gripped the profiled section element 100 and is further pushed down into the socket at least one of the locking lugs 40 will snap into the locking recess 26. Thereby the securing element 3 is locked in the socket 2 and the profiled section element 100 is fixedly secured to the support foot 1. Near the locking recess 26 the base plate 21 is provided with an access opening 27 which allows a user to access the locking lug 40 and push it out of the recess, for example with a screw driver, in case the securing element 3 and the base part 2 have to be released from each other. Alternatively or additionally the locking recess 26 may also be formed as a through opening in the head wall 22B of the socket whereby also from outside the socket 22 the locking lug 40 may be accessed and pushed out of the locking recess 26 to release the securing element 3 from the base part 2.

[0049] In order to add some resilience to facilitate the snapping action and the possible release of the snapping locking lug 40 and recess 26, the opposing bodies 31 are provided with a slot 41 extending from the bottom end upward to some extent. Thereby the lower end of the sliding surface 33 is formed as a deformable tongue 42 on which the locking lug 40 is formed. By pushing this deformable tongue 42 inwardly, the locking lug 40 can be decoupled from the locking recess 26.

[0050] The stiffening ribs 24 have an upper edge 24A, which adjoins the upper edge of the socket 22. In the region adjacent the socket 22 the upper edge 24A is at the same level. The upper edge 24A has an elevated portion 28 at a certain distance from the socket 22. The distance between two opposite elevated portions 28 is slightly larger than the outer width of the profiled section element 100 that is mounted on the support foot 1, such that the profiled section element 100 fits between the elevated portions 28 as may be seen in FIG. 2. The elevated portions 28 thus provide lateral support to the profiled section element 100 and facilitates a good lateral holding of the position of the profiled section element 100 on the support foot 1.

[0051] The upper edge of the head wall 22B of the socket 22 has an elevated portion 29, which has a length that is slightly smaller than the width of the apertures 105 in the bottom wall 104 of the profiled section element 100. The elevated portion 29 of the upper edge of the socket wall 22B is inserted in the aperture 105 in the mounted state and prevents a shifting in the lateral direction of the profiled section element 100 relative to the socket 22. A good lateral holding of the position of the profiled section element 100 on the support foot 1 is thereby facilitated.

[0052] The stiffening ribs 25 have an elevated portion 25A on the upper edge thereof. In the embodiment shown in the figures the elevated portion 25A on the rib 25 and the elevated portion 29 on the upper edge of the socket wall 2213 adjoin each other and form a T-shape. At the end of the elevated portion 25A remote from the socket wall 22B an end portion 25C of the upper edge of the rib 25 is formed which is recessed with respect to the elevated portion 25A and which lies on the same level as the upper edge of the socket 22. The elevated portion 25A is adapted to be received in the aperture 105. The distance between the ends of the two elevated portions 25A is slightly smaller than the distance between two remote end edge portions of two consecutive apertures 105. This prevents shifting in the longitudinal direction of the profiled section element 100 relative to the socket 22. A good longitudinal holding of the position of the profiled section element 100 on the support foot 1 is thereby facilitated.

[0053] The socket 22 of the base portion 2 is dimensioned such that it is also adapted to receive an end portion of a profiled section element 100, in this example a mounting rail, in an upstanding fashion as is visible in FIG. 10. This feature makes the support foot 1 more versatile in application. In this application the securing element 3 can thus be omitted.