U.S. patent application number 10/280021 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-15 for building ventilation system and method.
Invention is credited to Henderson, John Charles, McCorsley, Curtis.
Application Number | 20030089060 10/280021 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23133264 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030089060 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Henderson, John Charles ; et
al. |
May 15, 2003 |
Building ventilation system and method
Abstract
A ventilation system and material therefor includes a passage
beneath the shingle layer of the roof of a building. The passage
leads from the exterior of the building to the interior of the
attic of the building. The passage is plugged with an air permeable
polymeric material to allow passage of air from the exterior of the
building to the interior of the building, and vice versa. The
polymeric material is preferably shaped with a tapered
thickness.
Inventors: |
Henderson, John Charles;
(Springfield, PA) ; McCorsley, Curtis; (Asheville,
NC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
US
|
Family ID: |
23133264 |
Appl. No.: |
10/280021 |
Filed: |
October 25, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10280021 |
Oct 25, 2002 |
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09294404 |
Apr 20, 1999 |
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6487826 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/302.1 ;
52/93.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 13/178 20130101;
E04D 13/152 20130101; E04D 13/172 20130101; F24F 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/302.1 ;
52/93.2 |
International
Class: |
E04B 001/70; E04F
017/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A ventilation system for a building with a roof having a
protective outer layer over an underlayer, comprising: a first
opening located under the protective outer layer and over the
underlayer in the roof of the building, a second opening in the
underlayer of the roof; an air passageway defined by the first
opening and the second opening and a space running between the
first and second openings and between the protective outer layer
and the underlayer; and an air permeable material within said air
passageway
2. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the layer of air
permeable material substantially fills the air passageway.
3. The ventilation system of claim 2, wherein the permeable
material is a low density layer of matting composed of an air and
liquid water permeable three-dimensional matrix of polymeric
material.
4. The ventilation system of claim 3, wherein said low density
layer has a top face having a peak and valley configuration.
5. The ventilation system of claim 3, wherein said polymeric
material is selected from the group consisting of nylon and
polyester.
6. The ventilation system of claim 3, wherein more than 91% of the
matrix is open space.
7. The ventilation system of claim 3, wherein the matting has a
transverse strength of at least 600 N/m.
8. The ventilation system of claim 3, wherein the matting has a
transverse strength of at least 1000 N/m.
9. The ventilation system of claim 2, wherein said low density
layer has a tapered thickness.
10. The ventilation system of claim 9, wherein a first end of the
tapered thickness is at least about 0.5 inches.
11. The ventilation system of claim 10, wherein the first end of
the tapered thickness is between about 0.5 inches and about 1.0
inches and a second end of the tapered thickness is between about 0
and about 0.25 inches.
12. The ventilation system of claim 11, wherein said tapered
thickness is about 0.625 inches at the first end and about 0.125
inch at the second end.
13. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the air permeable
material is a solid material containing a tunnel or tunnels for the
passage of air between the first opening and the second
opening.
14. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the protective outer
layer comprises shingles and the underlayer comprises wood
sheathing.
15. The ventilation system of claim 2, further comprising a fabric
layer adhered to the outside of said polymeric material layer.
16. The ventilation system of claim 12, wherein said fabric is a
non-woven nylon.
17. A method of ventilating a building, comprising: providing a
first passage located beneath a shingle layer of a roofing of a
building, the passage leading from the exterior of the building to
the interior of the roof of the building, said passage filled with
a low density layer of matting composed of an air and liquid water
permeable three-dimensional matrix of polymeric material; providing
a second passage from the exterior of the building to the interior
of the building, the second passage altitude being above the first
passage; ventilating the attic area of the building with air
entering and exiting through said first and second passages.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein more than 91% of the matrix is
open space.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the matting has a transverse
strength of at least 600 N/m.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the matting has a transverse
strength of at least 1000 N/m.
21. A ventilated building, comprising: a building having a roof; a
passage located underneath a shingle layer of the roof and
extending from the exterior of the building to the interior of the
roof of the building, said passage filled with a low density layer
of matting composed of an air and liquid water permeable
three-dimensional matrix of polymeric material.
22. The building of claim 21, wherein more than 91% of the matrix
is open space.
23. The building of claim 21, wherein the matting has a transverse
strength of at least 600 N/m.
24. The building of claim 21, wherein the matting has a transverse
strength of at least 1000 N/m.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] This invention relates to the ventilation of building
structures. More particularly, this invention is directed to a
system and material for improving ventilation within the attic
areas of residential, light commercial, and other buildings.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Ventilation is conventionally provided in residential and
light commercial buildings through the use of soffit vents. The
soffit is the band of ceiling-like area covering the bottom of the
roof overhang. A soffit vent is a strip vent or the like installed
in the soffit to ventilate the attic and the roof to provide air
circulation in this otherwise enclosed space. However, some
buildings with soffit vents have ineffectual ventilation as a
result of clogging of the vents. For example, clogging often
results from insulation having been pushed into the eaves and
covering the vent openings, preventing air from getting into or out
of the building through the openings. Clogging of the vents can
also occur when paint is applied to the vents and the secondary
surrounding structure without ensuring that the paint does not dry
clogging the vents.
[0005] Other conventional methods for supplying air to the attic
include louvered vents or ridge vents located in the portion of the
structure at or near the ridge of the roof, as well as gable vents
and turbines located on the roof structure. Each of these
approaches, however, does not provide optimal air ventilation in
the attic. The louvered vents that are located near the top of the
roof generally provide ventilation only to the top of the roof at
the ridge line, and thus not to the entire attic. The turbines that
are attached to the roof require both a hole in the shingles and
the roof deck, thus increasing the chances of water penetration
into the attic; furthermore, they require energy for operation.
[0006] Roof structures not providing adequate ventilation to the
attic area are known to produce high temperatures in the attic
during the summer months. This typically results in reduced shingle
life and increased air conditioner usage, and associated costs.
[0007] Another problem with conventional ventilation systems is the
formation of ice dams on roofs during winter months in geographic
areas that receive heavy amounts of snow. A conventional roof
allows snow to slide down the roof until the snow stacks up against
the gutter. Heat within the attic, which is generally above the
freezing point of water, allows melted snow to back-up on the roof,
enabling the water to migrate under the edge of the shingle and
onto the wood roof deck. This water may eventually deteriorate the
deck structure and eventually work its way through the ceiling of
the structure. Although some government authorities require the use
of a plastic or metal snow shield to help alleviate this problem,
such requirements are not universal. Furthermore, this problem can
occur in other geographic areas under severe weather
conditions.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,627 to Culton et al. discloses a
ventilated roof construction that allows for air circulation
beneath shingles to stall deterioration.
[0009] In other fields of art, materials are used that are composed
of low density matted thermoplastic macro-filaments irregularly
looped and intermingled in highly porous and/or open peak and
valley, three-dimensional sheet structures. Such materials are
disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,212,692; 4,252,590; and
RE. 31,599; the entire contents of each of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference. One application of these
materials has been as soil retention matting for use in the
building industry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] A ventilation system for building structures provides a
passage or passages from the exterior of the building to the
interior of the attic area of the building. Each passage is filled
with an air permeable solid material, preferably a low density air
and, possibly, liquid permeable three-dimensional matrix of matted
polymeric material. The air permeable material allows air to enter
into and ventilate the attic of the building. The opening of each
passage at the exterior of the building is preferably located near
the eave of the roof structure, between the shingles and the roof
deck or decking or sheathing and the opening preferably extends
around the entire perimeter of the outer edge of the roof. A slot
in the roof sheathing provides an air passage into the attic area.
Optionally, a conventional opening is preferably located at the
apex of the roof to provide in combination with the opening beneath
the shingle, a ventilation system going from the lower part of the
roof to the upper part of the roof. In warm weather, warm air will
generally be ventilated out of the building through the top of the
roof, with cooler air being pulled in from the lower part of the
roof. In cooler weather, cool air will tend to move out of the
lower areas of the roof. The air driving force within the attic may
be the differential air temperature in the attic. A vent system
will function more efficiently where there is a slight breeze
creating a venturi. The present invention allows air to enter the
attic at the opposite end from which one would normally expect to
find the venturi (usually at the apex of the roof since air flow is
the least restricted at this point). The system functions when an
adequate air supply enters through the ventilation system of the
invention to replace air being sucked out due to the pressure
differential at the venturi. Also, the formation of ice dams at the
base of the roof may be prevented.
[0011] The polymeric material layer is preferably shaped with a
tapered cross section, with the wide area of cross section
preferably located at or near the external opening of the passage.
A protective layer preferably covers the polymeric material layer
to protect against bugs from entering the system and/or to slow the
velocity of air entering the system to prevent water from being
driven under the shingle and into the slot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] These and other advantages and features of this invention
will be apparent from the following, especially when considered
with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a
residential home in which a first embodiment of the ventilation
system in accordance with the present
[0014] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing a portion of a
residential home in which a second embodiment of the ventilation
system in accordance with the present invention has been
installed;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of a residential
home featuring a ventilation system in accordance with the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is an illustration of an embodiment of the
ventilation system of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a layer of material in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention preferably
used as part of the ventilation system of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the layer of material
taken from perspective 6-6 of FIG. 5, all in accordance with the
present invention; and
[0019] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of a residential
home featuring a ventilation system in accordance with the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The present invention is directed to a ventilation system
for use in buildings, and to a specially constructed material
therefor. The specially constructed material provides an air
permeable passageway from the exterior of a building into the
interior of the roof area of the building. The ventilation system
is suitable for use in residential, commercial and generally any
other type of building that has an attic or an air space into which
an airflow opening can be made in accordance with the present
invention. The roof will preferably have at least some degree of
slope to prevent water infiltration into the slot.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the ventilation
system for a building 30 having a roof 32. The roof is shown
supported with roof sheathing or decking 40 over rafters 35. A slot
or opening 44 is located through the roof decking 40. The slot 44,
in a preferred embodiment, is an approximately one inch slot offset
about six and one-half to seven and one-half inches from the end of
the roof decking 40, adjacent to a gutter 37. The slot 44
preferably is installed to make a continuous opening along the
bottom of the roof of the building. In one preferred embodiment,
the slot 44 does not extend up the sides in the direction of the
ridge. In other embodiments, a slot does extend up the sides in the
direction of the ridge. Alternatively, a plurality of slots 44 can
be periodically installed at spaced locations around the building
to provide adequate ventilation. The slot is preferably located
just above a fascia board 36.
[0022] The roof 32 may include a layer of shingles 34. The gutter
37 is adjacent to the fascia board 36 and is located a spaced
distance under the shingles 34. An opening 38 is formed in the
space between the shingles 34 and the gutter 37. The opening 38
extends between the shingles and the roof decking 40 at least to
the slot 44, and preferably a short distance beyond the slot 44. An
air ventilation passageway is formed from the exterior of the
building to the interior of the building by the combination of the
opening 38 and the slot 44.
[0023] An air permeable layer or plug 10 fills the passageway
formed between opening 38 and slot 44 to provide a plugged
ventilation pathway. The air permeable layer 10 provides a flowpath
or flowpaths for air to either enter or exit the attic area of the
building 30. Of course, because the plug preferably fully occupies
the opening, an air passageway is provided, but the opening does
not provide an area for insects or other materials to enter the
attic space. Alternatively, the plug 10 may be composed of a
material containing air passage tunnels. This alternative plug
could be, for example, an extruded or assembled article.
[0024] A layer of conventional insulation 60 is also shown,
although the presence or absence of insulation is not necessary as
part of the present invention. Likewise, although the roof system
has been described above as containing all of the various
components, it will be readily apparent that all of those
components are not necessary in all embodiments of the present
invention, and the present invention can be applied to a wide
variety of roofing systems.
[0025] In order to create a vertical draft, it is preferable to
provide a secondary opening or openings, preferably at a height
different from the altitude of the passageway formed by opening 38
and slot 44 and plugged by layer 10. One suitable type of secondary
opening is a "ridge vent". One example of a preferred secondary
opening, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is a conventional vent 70, such
as, preferably, a ROLL VENT.RTM., provided at or near the apex of
the roofing. For optimal results, a vent will preferably be located
at or near the highest point in the attic, since that will be the
location of the lightest, and thus warmest, air. This vent is
preferably a ridge vent. To allow air to passively exit the attic
through the ridge vent, it is desirable to supply a cooler air at
the lowest point in the attic space. This can be accomplished using
a soffit vent or using the under the shingle vent of this invention
located at the base of the roof line. Using such an arrangement,
optimal air turnover is achieved as the cool air is heated when
heat is transferred from the hot exterior of the roof. One
preferred vent is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,942,699, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference herein.
[0026] The present invention may be installed on new buildings, or
retrofitted into existing buildings. In FIG. 2, the ventilation
system of the present invention is shown installed on a building
31, which includes a conventional soffit vent 39. Although only one
soffit vent 39 is shown, many may exist at spaced locations around
the periphery of the building. The common problem of insulation 62
getting pushed adjacent to, and blocking the air flow through, the
soffit vent 39 is represented. The present invention provides an
air passageway to the attic even after the soffit opening has been
blocked.
[0027] Heat, represented by H and the double arrows, tends to rise
within the building, and move by conduction or convention into the
attic area. With the system of the present invention, in the summer
months cooler air will be pulled in through the opening 38 (and the
soffits if they are not blocked) and warmer air will exit the
building through the ridge vent 70.
[0028] In FIG. 3, another embodiment of the ventilation system of
the present invention is shown installed on a building that
includes a conventional soffit vent 39. In this embodiment, a layer
100 includes an optional hinge 16 for adaptability for use in both
initial roofing installations and for re-roofing installations or
for buildings that also require an ice dam system
[0029] FIG. 4 provides a schematic illustration of the ventilation
system of the present invention as it would tend to operate during
warm weather. Ventilation pathways, represented by V, bring cooler
air into the building 30 through openings 38. This cooler air
pushes warmer air out through the ridge vent 70 at or near the apex
of the roof 32.
[0030] A preferred embodiment of the air permeable plug 10 is shown
in FIG. 5. The plug 10 is preferably shaped with a tapered cross
section from a wide end 12 to a thin end 14. The tapered cross
section provides a wedge shape, which enables the plug 10 to be
installed easier between the shingles 34 and the roof decking 40.
When installed in a roof, the wider end 12 preferably faces toward
the outside of the house in order to provide a relatively large
passage for venting air. The thinner end, which extends up the
roof, provides a flush installation between the shingles 34 and the
decking 40. Installation in this manner also tends to provide a
more even and smooth slope to the roof line. While it is preferred
that the tapered cross section plug 10 be used in the invention,
plugs having different cross sections may alternatively be used.
For example, a plug having a rectangular cross section could be
used. However, an air space may be formed between the shingles 34
and roof decking 40 after the end of the rectangular embodiment
plug extending up along the roof. Also, if the product has a sharp
corner, it may cause the shingle to crack. Thus rounded corners are
preferred. Other possible shapes include various combinations of
flat and tapered sections.
[0031] The wedge shaped cross section preferably has a thickness at
the wide end 12 of about 0.2 to about 1.5 inches, and more
preferably between about 0.625 and about 0.75 inches, and a
thickness at the thin end 14 of about 0.0 inches to about 0.25
inches, and preferably about 0.125 inches. The material preferably
has a weight between about 5 to about 25 oz./sq. yd. and, more
preferably, about 7.7 oz./sq. yd. to about 11.8 oz./sq. yd.
[0032] The length of the layer 10 from wide end 12 to thin end 14,
in a most preferred embodiment, is about eleven and one-half or
about twelve inches, although any effective length or lengths may
be used. For example, the layer 10 could be provided in a number of
lengths ranging from ten inches to forty inches, such as twelve
inches, twenty-four inches, and thirty-six inches, and in models
with and without the hinge 16 feature. Also, the layer 10 could be
provided in long sections of different lengths or, for example, in
specified lengths of, for example, 8 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet and 20
feet.
[0033] The material 11 used for the plug 10 may be any air
permeable material. Preferably the material 11 is an air and liquid
water permeable, three-dimensional matrix of thermoplastic
micro-filaments irregularly looped and intermingled in a highly
porous or open, three-dimensional sheet structure. Examples of
three-dimensional matrix materials that may be utilized for the
layer include, but are not limited to, ENKAMAT.RTM. and
ENKADRAIN.RTM., which are manufactured by Akzo Nobel Geosynthetics
Company of Enka, N.C. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,212,692; 4,252,590; and RE
31,599, the entire contents of each of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference, disclose three-dimensional
matrices that may be used for the layer of air and liquid water
permeable three-dimensional matrix of the present invention. Such
materials achieve a hollow space or proportion of voids of more
than 95%, compared to other mattings that have a hollow space
reaching a maximum of about 91 to 92%. Such materials also have a
high transverse strength of at least 600 N/m, or even at least
1,000 N/m. Especially preferred is a specially constructed wedge
shaped construction of ENKAMAT.RTM. material.
[0034] The preferred materials for the material 11 are
three-dimensional matrices of polymeric material including but not
limited to polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, for example
high density polyethylene, polyamides such as nylon 6, or other
polymeric material and blends or copolymers thereof. In one
exemplary embodiment, heavy nylon monofilaments fused at their
intersections are used. About 95% of the geomatrix is open. In the
exemplary embodiment, the polymeric material is preferably nylon 6
containing about 2% carbon black.
[0035] As shown in both FIGS. 3 and 5, the layer 10 may have the
optional hinge 16 described above.
[0036] The material 11 may have a "peak and valley" configuration
on at least one face
[0037] In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the plug
10 comprises a core material which may be coated or contained
within a covering material. As best seen in FIG. 6, a fabric layer
18 is preferably adhered to the material layer 11 so as to form the
plug 10. The fabric layer may be simply wrapped around the material
11, or optionally, the fabric layer 18 can be adhered to the
material 11 by means of an adhesive layer 19 or the equivalent. The
fabric layer 18 preferably encloses at least the wide end 12, that
is the end directly exposed to the outside environment, to prevent
wind driven water, insects and debris from penetrating into the air
permeable membrane 11, while providing adequate ventilation.
Colback.RTM. is an example of a suitable material that may be used
for the fabric layer 18, although any suitable material may be used
so long as it prevents water, insects and debris from penetrating,
while allowing air to pass through. A screen or screening material
that keeps insects and wind driven rain out is preferred. A
bicomponent screening material composed of nylon and polyester may
be used.
[0038] In FIG. 7, another embodiment of the ventilation system is
shown with an air permeable layer 200 that includes an overhanging
end flap 80. The end flap 80 is preferably composed of a layer 84
of a thin weight fabric bonded to a layer 82 of rigid material. The
rigid material 82 is preferably the same material used for the air
permeable layer 200. The end flap 80 is preferably affixed to the
layer 200 at a point 81 forming an angle .alpha. which is
preferably between about ten and fifty degrees, and more preferably
about thirty degrees. An open area 86 is created between the flap
80 and the layer 200. The flap 80 is effective as screen to prevent
insects and large amounts of water from reaching the layer 200. The
lower end of the flap 80 can be installed such that it abuts the
fascia board creating a seal.
[0039] An advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that
the roof shingles are not in contact with the roof deck in the
critical area near the edge of the roof, around the gutter. This
space between the shingle and the roof deck allows the outside air
to circulate under the shingle, keeping the shingle temperature at
ambient.
[0040] While the invention has been illustrated with one opening
under the eaves for ventilation, the opening preferably extends
along the entire length of each lower edge of the roof line.
Alternatively, spaced openings of shorter lengths can be used to
provide necessary ventilation. Also alternatively, the opening can
extend around the entire periphery of the roof or at spaced
locations around the periphery of the roof. Installation of the
ventilation system of the present invention does not require any
holes to be made through the shingles.
[0041] In an alternative arrangement, a plurality of openings may
be used to provide an adequate air flow throughout the attic area.
The use of any number of openings is within the scope of the
invention. Similarly, other changes and embodiments of the
invention are possible and the scope of the invention should be
considered to encompass all possible embodiments of the invention,
and any and all equivalents thereof.
* * * * *