Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Enclosure or cover – with supplemental fluid-guiding port...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-09
2001-04-10
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Enclosure or cover, with supplemental fluid-guiding port...
C454S365000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212833
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a roof vent for permitting hot air to escape from an attic area. More particularly, the invention relates to a tapered roof vent forming part of the roof ridge for providing a vent on one side of the roof line to reduce or substantially eliminate rain, turbulence and wind disturbances from interfering with the venting process.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At the present time, roof vents are mounted along the roof ridge to provide a vent from the attic area of a house or other structure, to reduce the build-up of heat in the summer. While venting roofs is a necessary part of house construction, use of auxiliary vents are not cost effective. Specifically, the use of separate exhaust fans and vents adds significant cost to the dwelling and have considerably shorter effective life-spans.
In order to preserve the appearance of the house, the height of the vent is kept at a minimum. For that reason, conventional roof vents are open on both sides of the roof ridge, so that they cooperate with a slit or opening in the roof decking to allow air to vent in both directions. Because of this conventional design, the house roof is exposed to high wind, rain and storms in both directions perpendicular to the length of the roof along the roof ridge. This causes damage to the roof deck, sheathing and tarpaper.
It is estimated that, in the United States, westerly driven winds are associated with 90% of the damaging high winds from storms. Manufacturers of conventional two sided roof vents are forced to protect themselves against damage claims by substantial insurance claims. If a conventional vent were to be used on only one side of the roof ridge line, the opening would have to be so large to be effective that even more damage to the roof deck and perhaps other parts of the attic and roof system. A larger opening would not be facing these westerly winds, of course, but the size itself would still provide undesirable access to the interior of the roof.
It would be of great advantage in the art if a roof vent system could be provided that would eliminate significant exposure to prevailing storm winds and the like, while permitting venting of the attic in a simple, easy to install and attractive manner.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved roof ridge vent.
Another object is to provide a roof ridge vent device that is easy to install in conventional roof construction, utilizing conventional roof decking construction.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a roof ridge vent while eliminating at least half of any lift up to which the roof would conventionally be exposed.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been discovered that the above and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished in the following manner. The unique aspect of this invention is the use of a tapered ridge vent for the peak or ridge of a framed roof structure and the like.
A roof vent device is formed from upper and lower outer surfaces sized to define a generally rectangular configuration having a linear axis. Inside the outer surfaces is a tapered matrix having its taper directed perpendicularly to the axis. The device thus has a thin linear edge and a thick linear edge along the outer edges of the configuration and parallel to the axis. It also has tapered linear edges along the outer edges of the configuration perpendicular to that axis.
The tapered matrix includes a gap or opening at the middle of the tapered linear edges that extends over the linear axis of the outer surfaces. The gap serves as an entrance for an air tunnel to the vent in a roof ridge to vent air from beneath the roof ridge. The gap also defines a pivot point about which the configuration can be folded to conform to a roof having any roof pitch. In a preferred embodiment, a baffle is formed by extending the lower outer surface out from the thick linear edge. The baffle may be of various shapes, and is used to deflect outside air coming at the tunnel without inhibiting air flow out of the air tunnel entrance.
The lower surface is attached to the tarpaper on the roof deck, and shingles are placed over the upper outer surface. For that reason, the outer surfaces do not need to be impermeable. The shingles and tarpaper preserve the integrity of the structure as intended.
The preferred material for the matrix is polymeric wire, such as stiff nylon wire, formed into a passage capable of supporting the outer surfaces. When the matrix is defined by wire, a passage capable of supporting the outer surfaces is provided. Preferred geometry for the matrix is a plurality of decreasingly tall geometric shapes having a larger base attached to the lower outer surface and small top attached to the upper outer surface. Pyramids, cones and other less conventional shapes may be used, as long as substantially more than half of the space between the upper and lower surfaces is open.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5022314 (1991-06-01), Waggoner
patent: 5095810 (1992-03-01), Robinson
patent: 5167579 (1992-12-01), Rotter
patent: 5651734 (1997-07-01), Morris
patent: 5704834 (1998-01-01), Sells
patent: 5946868 (1999-09-01), Morris
Friedman Carl D.
Munday John S.
Varner Steve
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