Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Cover with projecting restrainer; e.g. – snow stop
Reexamination Certificate
1997-03-07
2001-07-31
Safavi, Michael (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Cover with projecting restrainer; e.g., snow stop
C052S098000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266929
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus for preventing large sheets of ice or snow from sliding or falling from roofs, harming persons or objects below.
Existing snow guards are attached to surfaces of sloped roofs of buildings using adhesives and through fasteners, such as screws. When through fasteners are used, holes formed in the roof promote water entry and destruction of the roof and its underlying support surface. Adhesives, when applied to connecting surfaces of existing snow guards, may fail after installation. Needs exist for snow guards having connecting surfaces that provide for long term adhesive attachment.
Snow guards are typically configured to attach to either flat roof surfaces or to seams of roofs. Some roofs have stiffening ribs or strengthening ribs at intervals that run up and down the roofs. Needs exist for universal snow guards that may be effectively positioned and connected to flat surfaces and to roofs having raised ribs.
Building owners demand snow guards that are cost effective, that is, snow guards having low costs and high lifetimes. Owners also prefer snow guards that do not detract from the architectural beauty of the buildings. Needs exist for snow guards that address those user preferences.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a one-piece, lightweight snow guard made of clear plastic. The snow guard includes a base having a bottom and a top. A plate having a front wall and a back wall extends upward from the top of the base. Support members have first edges connected to the top of the base and second edges connected to the front or back wall of the plate. The snow guard is preferably made of polycarbonate. The bottom of the base is connected to a roof using an adhesive. Preferably, the base includes lower side portions, a raised middle portion and upward and inward sloping portions connecting the middle portion to the side portions. The middle and sloping portions define a region for receiving a roof rib and adhesive. Breakaway baffles extend from the bottom of the middle portion for retaining adhesive underneath the base. The baffles breakaway before the channel is filled with adhesive and the base is positioned over a seam. The bottom surfaces of the side portions include multiple spaced vents for venting gases and for increasing adhesive-bonded surface area. Preferably, the snow guard includes three support members. A first support member projects from an approximate middle of the base and extends from the font wall of the plate toward a front of the base. Second and third support members are positioned about a quarter of the way in from opposite side edges of the top surface of the base and extend to the back wall of the plate.
The present snow guard is made of a lightweight and durable plastic and is preferably transparent. Only adhesive is required to mount the snow guard on a roof surface. Vent channels are provided in the bottom surface of the base. Those vents allow any gases that are trapped between the bottom surface of the base and the roof surface to escape. Thus, the present invention provides for outgassing, which greatly facilitates the curing of the adhesive. The vents provide increased bonding surface area and create tractor tire like patterns in the cured adhesive, further improving the strength of the attachment.
The present snow guard may be used on flat roof surfaces or may be attached to roof stiffening ribs. The base of the snow guard includes a raised longitudinal channel for receiving adhesive and a roof rib. Breakaway baffles extend from the bottom surface of the base across the channel. For attaching the snow guard to a flat roof surface, the baffles remain in place when adhesive is provided in the channel. As the base is pressed against the roof surface, the baffles prevent the adhesive from sagging out of the ends of the base through the raised channel before the adhesive becomes fully cured. Gases formed on curing are allowed to exit the region between the base and the roof surface through interstitial spaces in the adhesive within the vents. To attach the snow guard to a roof stiffening rib, the baffles are removed or oriented upward, thereby allowing the channel of the base to receive the roof rib, with the lower side portions of the base extending along the flat roof surfaces adjacent the raised rib. Gases exit through the vents provided in the lower side portion of the bottom surface of the base.
A snow guard apparatus includes a base having a top surface and a bottom surface. A plate extends from the top surface of the base. Support members have lower edges integrally attached to the top surface of the base and inner edges integrally attached to the plate. The base further includes multiple vents provided in the bottom surface of the base. The vents extend inward from side edges of the base.
In preferred embodiments, the base includes a central, elevated, longitudinal, rib-receiving channel. The base has low side portions, an elevated middle portion, and upward and inward sloping portions extending from the low side portions to the elevated middle portion. The sloping portions and middle portion define the rib-receiving channel. The vents are provided in the bottom surface of the side portions and terminate where the sloping portions meet the side portions. Baffles extend from the bottom surface of the middle portion. The baffles are removably or movably connected to the bottom surface of the middle portion.
The snow stop plate is integrally attached to the top surface of the base and extends generally perpendicularly from the base. The plate has a front wall, a back wall, a top extending between upper edges of the front wall and the back wall, and sides extending between side edges of the front wall and the back wall. The sides slope upward and inward from the top surface of the base to the top of the plate. Preferably, the plate gradually decreases in thickness as the plate extends upward from the top surface of the base.
The support members preferably include a first support member having an inner edge integrally attached to the front wall of the plate, a second support member having an inner edge integrally attached to the back wall of the plate, and a third support member having an inner edge integrally attached to the back wall. All three members have outer edges sloping downward and outward from the plate to the top surface of the base. In preferred embodiments, the first member extends from approximately a center of the front wall. The second member extends from a region of the back wall near a left side of the plate, and the third member extends from a region of the back wall near a right side of the plate. The plate preferably extends upward between the sides of the base near the front end of the base.
The base, the plate and the support members are made of plastic and are molded as a one-piece structure. Preferably, the plastic is a transparent plastic. In preferred embodiments, the plastic is polycarbonate.
A method for preventing snow and ice from falling from roofs includes the steps of providing multiple snow guards and adhesively attaching the snow guards to a roof surface. Attaching the snow guards further comprises applying adhesive in the channel and to the bottom surface of the base, pressing the bottom surface of the base against the roof surface, and allowing gas to exit from between the roof surface and the lower surface of the base through the vents. When rib-receiving channels are provided and the snow guard is to be attached to a flat roof surface, adhesively attaching the snow guards further includes filling the rib-receiving channel and coating the underside of the base with adhesive, placing the bottom surface of the base on the flat roof surface, and preventing adhesive from exiting ends of the base by providing baffles extending from the bottom surface of the middle portion. For attachment on a roof with strengthening ribs, the step of adhesively attaching the snow guard further includes removing the baffles and placing the rib-rece
Creighton Wray James
Narasimhan Meera P.
Safavi Michael
Wilkens Kevin D.
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