U.S. patent application number 10/828434 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-02 for manually separable ridge vent.
Invention is credited to Headrick, J. Charles, Headrick, John C. II.
Application Number | 20040237428 10/828434 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46301203 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040237428 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Headrick, J. Charles ; et
al. |
December 2, 2004 |
Manually separable ridge vent
Abstract
A ridge vent has an elongated body having a width sufficient to
span the ridge of a roof along which the ridge vent is installed.
Tear lines of relative weakness are formed at spaced intervals
along the elongated body. The tear lines may be formed by score
lines, perforations, or otherwise and are configured to allow the
body of the ridge vent to be separated manually at a selected tear
line by grasping the body and tearing along the tear line.
Depending partitions may be disposed on the underside of the body
on either side of each tear line to form end walls at new ends
formed when the ridge vent is separated along a tear line.
Inventors: |
Headrick, J. Charles;
(Alpharetta, GA) ; Headrick, John C. II; (Atlanta,
GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
P.O. Box 7037
Atlanta
GA
30357-0037
US
|
Family ID: |
46301203 |
Appl. No.: |
10/828434 |
Filed: |
April 20, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10828434 |
Apr 20, 2004 |
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10421193 |
Apr 23, 2003 |
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10421193 |
Apr 23, 2003 |
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10293376 |
Nov 12, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/198 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 13/176
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/198 |
International
Class: |
E04B 007/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A ridge vent for installation along the ridge of a roof to
provide attic ventilation, said ridge vent comprising: an elongated
flexible top panel having a central portions and edges; wind
baffles extending along said top panel outboard of said edges
defining openings between said edges and said wind baffles; a
plurality of ribs spanning said openings between said edges and
said wind baffles; and at least one score line extending laterally
across said top panel, said score line being configured to permit
manual separation of said top panel along said score line.
2. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a
plurality of score lines extending across said top panel at spaced
intervals.
3. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said score line
is formed in an underside of said top panel.
4. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 3 and wherein said score line
is configured to allow said top panel to be folded over onto itself
to weaken said top panel along said score line and then torn apart
along said weakened score line to separate said top panel.
5. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a
bending notch formed in at least one of said edges at an end of
said score line.
6. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 5 and further comprising a pair
of bending notches formed in said edges of said top panel at either
end of said score line.
7. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a
cutting guide formed in at least one of said wind baffles to
indicate a position at which said wind baffle should be cut.
8. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 7 and wherein said cutting
guide comprises a notch.
9. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 7 and wherein said cutting
guide is longitudinally offset from said score line to form a lip
when said wind baffle is cut at said cutting guide and said top
panel is separated at said score line.
10. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 9 and further comprising a
cutting guide formed in each of said wind baffles, said cutting
guides being longitudinally aligned with each other.
11. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 7 and further comprising
indicia on said wind baffle adjacent said cutting guide for
instructing an installer to cut said wind baffle at said cutting
guide.
12. A ridge vent as claimed in claim 11 and wherein said wind
baffle is formed with a top lip that bears said indicia.
13. A method of manually separating a ridge vent having a flexible
top panel with a central portion and edges and a pair of wind
baffles extending along the top panel outboard of the edges
thereof, said method comprising the steps of: (a) cutting one of
the wind baffles at a predetermined longitudinal location along
said ridge vent; (b) cutting the other one of said wind baffles
substantially at the predetermined longitudinal location along said
ridge vent; (c) folding said top panel along a lateral line located
generally at the predetermined longitudinal location along said
ridge vent to weaken said top panel along said lateral line; and
(d) separating said top panel along said weakened lateral line,
14. The method of claim 13 and wherein the predetermined
longitudinal location corresponds generally to the location of a
score line formed laterally across the top panel.
15. The method of claim 14 and wherein step (c) comprises folding
said top panel along the score line.
16. The method of claim 15 and wherein step (d) comprises
separating top panel along the score line.
17. The method of claim 13 and wherein the lateral line in step (c)
is offset from the location where the wind baffles are cut in step
(b) to form a lip when the top panel is separated in step (d).
18. A ridge vent section for installing end-to-end with like ridge
vent sections along the ridge of a roof to form a ridge vent, said
ridge vent section comprising: a flexible top panel having a
central portion and edges; a pair of wind baffles extending along
said top panel outboard of said edges to form ventilation openings
between said edges and said wind baffles; a plurality of buttresses
extending laterally from said top panel to said wind baffles for
attaching and supporting said wind baffles; a plurality of spaced
apart ribs extending from said edges to said wind baffles; a tear
line formed in said top panel at a predetermined longitudinal
location, said tear line extending laterally across said top panel
from one of said edges to the other; and a cutting guide in each of
said wind baffles generally at said predetermined longitudinal
location.
19. A ridge vent section as claimed in claim 18 and further
comprising bending notches formed in said edges of said top panel
at said predetermined longitudinal location.
20. A ridge vent section as claimed in claim 18 and further
comprising indicia on said wind baffles to instruct and installer
to cut said wind baffles at said cutting guides.
21. A ridge vent section as claimed in 18 and wherein said tear
line comprises a score line formed in said flexible top panel.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/421,193 filed on Apr. 23, 2003, which, in
turn, is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/293,376 filed Nov. 12, 2002. My prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,227,963
and 6,371,847 are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set
forth herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates generally to attic ventilation and
more specifically to "shingle-over" ridge vents installable along
an open ridge of a roof to provide ventilation.
BACKGROUND
[0003] It is important when constructing modern homes and other
buildings that the attic space of the building be adequately
ventilated. The failure to provide adequate ventilation can result
in a variety of serious problems including, for example, the
accumulation of moisture in and around the attic space and problems
associated therewith. A variety of attic ventilation techniques and
products have been used over the years to provide attic
ventilation. These include open-eve vents, attic fans, and
convection vents spaced along a roof near its ridge. More recently,
so called "shingle-over ridge vents" have become increasingly
ubiquitous in homes and commercial buildings. A shingle-over ridge
vent is a long usually plastic panel that generally is installed
along the ridge of a roof covering an open slot formed therealong.
The ridge vent is formed with air passageways and openings that
allow hot air within the attic to escape through the ridge slot
while the ridge vent covers the open slot preventing rain and
debris from entering the attic. Once installed, the ridge vent is
covered over with shingles to provide an aesthetically pleasing
substantially normal appearance along the roof ridge.
[0004] Ridge vents generally are available in two fundamental
configurations; namely, relatively short panel-type ridge vents,
which are individually positioned and installed end-to-end along a
roof ridge, and so-called "rolled" ridge vents, which are long
continuous vents that are provided in rolls and are un-rolled along
a roof ridge and attached with nails or staples. Each has its
advantages and shortcomings. For instance, panel ridge vents can be
designed with more elaborate features such as wind baffles outboard
of the vent openings that improve air flow by generating low
pressure regions just inboard of the wind baffles in the regions of
the vent openings. For this and other reasons, panel-type ridge
vents in general are highly efficient at providing attic
ventilation. However, they are difficult and time consuming to
install because each panel must be installed separately in
end-to-end relationship with adjacent panels.
[0005] Rolled ridge vents, on the other hand, are simple to install
relative to panel-type ridge vents because a roofer need only roll
the vent out along the ridge, cut it to length, and attach it to
the roof. However, since rolled ridge vents must be flexible in
order to be rolled, they typically are much less sophisticated in
design and configuration than panel-type ridge vents. Sometimes
rolled ridge vents are nothing more that long bats of loosely woven
fibrous plastic material that presumably allow air flow to flow
through their open weave structure. Traditionally, rolled ridge
vents have not included the complex air channels, vents, and wind
baffles of panel-type ridge vents. As a result, rolled ridge vents,
although easy to install, have been shown to be exceedingly
inefficient at providing attic ventilation and some are not much
better than having no vent at all.
[0006] At least one attempt has been made to develop a ridge
ventilation system that is rollable into compact rolls for
convenient storage and installation yet that includes some of the
sophisticated design features and provides the efficient air flow
characteristics of panel-type ridge vents. U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,315
discloses such a rollable ridge vent. In this design, a plastic
central panel is formed with wind baffles outboard of the panel's
edges. The wind baffles are corrugated or, according to the patent,
"undulating," to allow the panel to be rolled-up into a compact
roll similar to open weave mat-type rolled ridge vents. When
rolled, the corrugated wind baffles flex in an accordion-like
manner to allow for the rolling of the vent. The panel also is
formed with a somewhat elaborate array of supports on its underside
to maintain spacing between the roof decking and the panel such
that air flow allegedly is not restricted. While the design of this
ridge vent may be a step in the right direction, it nevertheless
has its own set of problems and shortcomings. For example, the
corrugated or "undulating" configuration of the wind baffles
increases substantially the amount of plastic required to mold the
panel and thus increases the cost of the product. This is also true
for the elaborate support structures on the underside of the panel.
More importantly, the support structures and vent design of this
product decreases its net-free-area (NFA) and therefore decreases
its ventilation efficiency. It also is believed that the corrugated
or undulating shape of the side baffles disrupts the laminar flow
of wind across the vent, thereby destroying or degrading the
formation of a low pressure region (sometimes referred to as the
"venturi effect") just inboard of the wind baffles, which accounts
for much of the increased efficiency of panel-type ridge vents.
Accordingly, although the product disclosed in the '315 patent
purportedly is rollable, it still fails to provide the
corresponding high efficiency ventilation of well designed
panel-type ridge vent systems.
[0007] Another problem with rollable ridge vents, and, indeed,
panel-type ridge vents as well, relates to the need to cut the
vents near the end of a ridge along which they are being installed.
Specifically, when the end of the ridge is reached during
installation, the ridge vent must be cut to length so that the end
of the vent is spaced properly from the end of the roof ridge. For
rolled ridge vents, this means that the installed length of vent
must be cut from the remaining roll. For panel-type ridge vents,
the last panel, which can be four or five feet long, often is too
long and must be cut, again so that the end of the vent is properly
spaced from the end of the roof ridge. In either case, the vent
must be carefully measured, marked, and cut with a knife or other
sharp tool. This process is time consuming, can be frustrating for
the installer, and is subject to human error in measurement and
cutting.
[0008] Cutting the end of a ridge vent also can result in a gap
between the roof deck and the vent panel at the end of a length of
ridge vent. Such a gap is unacceptable because it provides an entry
point for blowing rain, insects, and vermin to enter the attic.
Accordingly, special end plugs are sometimes provided and must be
installed in the cut end of the ridge vent to plug the gap. This is
even more time consuming and frustrating and can even be skipped by
an installer, causing leakage and infestation problems. Another
problem when cutting some types of ridge vent is the resulting
production of scrap pieces of vent. This is particularly true with
molded plastic ridge vents because a length of the cut-off portion
of the vent must be removed up to the next end wall and
discarded.
[0009] Accordingly, a need persists for a ridge vent that provides
the ease of installation of a traditional rolled ridge vent product
and also the highly efficient air-flow and ventilation
characteristics of a panel-type ridge vent system. Such a ridge
vent should have a high net free area for unhampered flow of air
from the attic space, should require a minimum volume of plastic
for its fabrication, and should verifiably exhibit ventilation
characteristics comparable to those of panel-type ridge vents. A
further need exists for a ridge vent, be it rolled or panel-type,
incorporating features that eliminate the need to measure and cut
the vent at the end of a roof ridge. These features should allow
the vent to be separated manually, quickly, and easily without
cutting and, once separated, should, in some configurations,
provide its own end plug or end wall to prevent leakage and
infestation at the end. All of this should be accomplished without
creating excessive scrap. A need also exists for a traditional
efficient panel-type ridge vent section that is easily and
accurately separated to accommodate the end of a vent run. It is to
the provision of a ridge ventilation system that addresses these
and other needs that the present invention is primarily
directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Briefly described, the present invention, in one preferred
embodiment thereof, comprises a rollable baffled ridge vent system
that provides both convenience of installation and highly efficient
ventilation. The ridge vent system includes an elongated plastic
ridge vent that is supplied in rolls and that is unrolled and
attached along the ridge of a roof in a manner similar to
traditional open weave mat-type ridge vents. However, the vent of
this invention has a configuration similar to panel-type ridge
vents. More specifically, the vent, which preferably is formed of
injection molded plastic, has a top panel with a flexible central
portion and edges. A substantially flat upstanding wind baffle is
positioned along and outboard of the edges of the panel. A series
of narrow louvers or ribs extend from the edge of the panel
downwardly to the bottom portion of the wind baffle. The spaces
between the louvers together form an opening though which attic air
can escape laterally from beneath the panel.
[0011] In order to provide for rollability of the vent, the
substantially flat upstanding outboard wind baffle is defined by a
series of relatively short baffle sections that each is supported
by a pair of buttresses extending laterally from beneath the panel.
The buttresses project a significant distance inwardly toward the
center portion of the panel such that, in addition to supporting
the baffle sections, they also form a series of laterally extending
supports on the underside of the panel. These supports rest on the
roof and maintain spacing between the roof shingles and the
underside of the panel to provide a plenum through which air flows
laterally out the side vents. Since the supports are relatively
thin and extend in a lateral direction relative to the panel, they
do not significantly reduce the NFA of the vent and thus do not
degrade the air flow through the vent.
[0012] The sectioned substantially flat baffle sections are aligned
and co-extensive and together form a substantially continuous
outboard substantially flat wind baffle similar to those of
panel-type ridge vents. This configuration preserves the laminar
flow of wind across the vent and the resulting low pressure in the
region of the louvered opening, which enhances air flow. However,
when the vent is rolled up along its length, the adjacent baffle
sections splay with respect to each other. This allows long
sections of vent to be delivered in rolls and rolled out along a
roof ridge for installation similar to traditional open weave
mat-type vents. The spacing between the ribs of the louvered vent,
the space between the edges of the panel and the baffle, and the
thickness of the laterally extending supports are selected to
provide the maximum possible NFA. All of these features provide
ventilating performance similar to that of traditional panel-type
ridge vents. Further, the flat design of the baffles and the simple
lateral supports/baffle buttresses require a minimum of plastic
material during fabrication.
[0013] In another preferred embodiment, a length of ridge vent,
which may be a rollable or panel-type ridge vent, is provided at
spaced intervals along its length with transversely extending tear
lines. The tear lines, which are lines of relative weakness, are
designed to allow the ridge vent to be selectively separated
through a manual tearing action by an installer. In one
configuration, the tear lines are defined by score lines of
decreased thickness molded into and extending across the vent. In
another, the tear lines are defined by perforations extending
laterally across the ridge vent. On the underside of the vent
panel, a pair of closely spaced depending lateral partitions are
located on either side of each tear line. In this way, when a ridge
vent is separated along a selected tear line, an end wall or end
plug is automatically disposed at each of the resulting ends where
the vent was separated.
[0014] In use, an installer installs ridge vent of this embodiment
along the ridge of a roof in the usual way. When the end of the
roof ridge is reached, a tear line that is near where the vent
should terminate is selected and the vent is separated simply be
being manually torn along the tear line. The resulting end is then
attached to the roof with nails or staples with one of the
depending partitions automatically forming an end wall or end plug
that prevents leakage and infestation through the end of the ridge
vent. Ridge shingles are then installed on top of the vent in the
traditional way and installation is completed.
[0015] In another configuration, a panel-type ridge vent section
having outboard wind baffles is provided with a series of lateral
score lines across its top panel. Cutting guides are formed in the
lips of the wind baffles and bending notches are formed in the top
panel edges at the ends of the score lines. To separate the panel
of this embodiment, the wind baffles are cut at the cutting guides,
the top panel is folded onto itself along a score line, which
weakens the panel along the score line, and the top panel is torn
apart or separated along the weakened score line.
[0016] Accordingly, a rollable baffled ridge vent is now provided
that addresses successfully the problems and shortcomings of the
prior art. Long sections of the vent may be rolled-up into
convenient rolls and installed quickly and easily just like
mat-type ridge vents. Nevertheless, the vent of this invention
provides superior ventilation similar to traditional panel-type
ridge vents. It exhibits maximum NFA for superior air flow and
requires a minimum of plastic for its construction. The ridge vent
also incorporates features allowing it to be manually torn or
separated at the end of a roof ridge, thus eliminating the need for
measuring, cutting, and plugging the ridge vent at its end. These
and other features, objects, and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent upon review of the detailed
description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as
follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a short section of a
rollable baffled ridge vent that embodies principles of the present
invention in a preferred form.
[0018] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the
vent of FIG. 1 illustrating the baffle sections, their supporting
buttresses, and the louvered opening.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the underside of the vent
section of FIG. 1 illustrating the inward extension of the
buttresses to form lateral support structures beneath the
panel.
[0020] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the
underside of the vent shown in FIG. 3 illustrating more clearly the
design of the dual function buttress supports.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross section of the vent panel
section of FIG. 1 in which the integral self-sealing end wall of
the vent is visible.
[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates a long section of the ridge vent of this
invention rolled into a compact roll for shipping and for unrolling
onto a roof ridge for installation.
[0023] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a section of a ridge vent
that incorporates lateral tear lines according to principles of the
invention.
[0024] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the ridge vent section of
FIG. 7 showing the vent being separated by tearing action along the
tear line.
[0025] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the underside of the ridge
vent of FIG. 7 illustrating the closely spaced depending partitions
that straddle a tear line and form end walls when the vent is torn
along a tear line.
[0026] FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the vent section of FIG. 9
illustrating a preferred configuration of the depending partitions
and their relationship to a corresponding tear line.
[0027] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a section of a panel-type
ridge vent that embodies principles of the present invention in an
alternate form.
[0028] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the panel-type
ridge vent of FIG. 11 illustrating certain novel features in more
detail.
[0029] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of the underside
of the panel-type ridge vent of FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrating a
preferred configuration of the wind baffle and the score forming
the line of relative weakness.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like
reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several
views, FIG. 1 illustrates a relatively short section of a rollable
baffled ridge vent that embodies principles of the present
invention in a preferred form. It will be understood that a
complete ridge vent is much longer than the short section
illustrated in FIG. 1 for unrolling from a rolled-up configuration
along the ridge of a roof. A short section is illustrated in the
drawings for simplicity and clarity of description. The ridge vent
11, which is made of molded plastic, is formed with a top panel 12
having a laterally flexible central portion 13 and edges 14 and 16.
Wind baffles 17 and 18 extend along and outboard of respective
edges 14 and 16. Wind baffle 17 is defined by a plurality of
aligned coextensive substantially rectangular baffle sections 19
that together form a wind baffle that presents a generally flat or
smooth face to a lateral wind blowing across the ridge vent 11.
Similarly, wind baffle 18 is defined by a plurality of aligned
coextensive rectangular baffle sections 21 that also form a baffle
presenting a generally flat face to a lateral wind. The term "flat"
as used herein with respect to the wind baffles and the aligned
sections that define them means that the surfaces of the wind
baffles are substantially smooth in the longitudinal direction to
promote laminar wind flow and maximize the venturi effect mentioned
above. The may be somewhat curved in the lateral direction is
desired and the term "flat" is not meant to exclude such wind
baffle configurations.
[0031] Each of the baffle sections 19 is supported and held in
position outboard of edge 14 by a pair of buttresses 22 extending
laterally outwardly from beneath the top panel 12, as described in
more detail below. Each of the baffle sections 21 along the other
edge 16 of the top panel likewise is supported and held in position
outboard of edge 16 by a pair of buttresses 23 extending laterally
from beneath the top panel. The outboard positioning of the baffles
17 and 18 defines a longitudinal space or opening between the panel
edges and their respective wind baffles through which attic air can
escape from beneath the top panel. An array of spaced apart ribs 28
extend from the edge 16 of the top panel 12 to the bottom edge of
each baffle section 21. The ribs 28 span the opening between the
edge 16 of the panel and the baffle 21 to prevent insects and other
debris from entering through the opening while at the same time
allowing for the relatively free flow of attic air out through the
opening. Identical arrays of ribs span the opening along the other
edge 14 of the panel for the same purpose.
[0032] An end wall 24 depends from the top panel 12 on at least one
end thereof. This is the free or exposed end of the ridge vent that
is located near the end of a roof ridge when the ridge vent is
installed. The end wall 24 spans the gap between the top panel 12
and the roof shingles to prevent water, insects, and debris from
entering through the exposed end of the ridge vent. The end wall is
formed by a pair of solid side sections 26 that depend downwardly
to rest on the roof shingles and a fanned central section 27 in the
region between the side sections. The central section 27 is formed
by an array of side-by-side slightly tapered fingers or segments 30
(FIG. 5). When the ridge vent 11 is flexed laterally along its
central portion 13 during installation along a roof ridge, the
fingers 30 bunch together to form, along with the side sections 26,
a substantially impervious end wall across the width of the vent
11.
[0033] It will be recognized by those of skill in the art that the
just described ridge vent resembles in many respects a traditional
panel-type ridge vent that is installed on a roof in separate
end-to-end sections. As a result, the ridge vent of the present
invention has been shown to provide the same or similar superior
attic ventilation as panel-type ridge vents. However, as a result
of the unique construction of the present ridge vent, and
particularly the sectioned design of the wind baffles 17 and 18,
the vent can be manufactured as long roof-length sections that are
rolled up into efficient rolls for storage and transport. During
installation, the sections simply are unrolled along the ridge of a
roof and attached to the roof decking with nails, staples, or other
appropriate fasteners. Thus, the ridge vent of this invention
offers both the superior ventilation of panel-type ridge vents and
the convenience and efficient installation of open weave mat-type
rolled ridge vents.
[0034] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the ridge vent 11
illustrating more clearly the design of the baffle sections 21.
Each baffle section 21 in the illustrated embodiment has a
substantially flat generally rectangular shape and is supported and
positioned outboard of the panel edge 16 by a pair of buttresses 23
that extend from beneath the top panel 12 adjacent the ends of the
baffle section. The baffle sections 21 are mutually aligned and
co-extensive with each other and together define the wind baffle
that extends along the length of the vent. Adjacent baffle sections
are separated by a narrow gap 20 that opens into the space between
buttresses 23 of the sections and ultimately into the space beneath
the top panel 12 of the vent. The gaps 20 are sufficiently small to
prevent insects and other debris from entering. However, in order
to prevent blowing rain from entering through the gaps 20 and
leaking into the attic space, the buttresses 23 are formed with
matching offsets 31. These offsets form an efficient barrier to
windblown rain that might enter the gaps 20 and prevent the
rainwater from migrating beneath the top panel 12 and into an
attic. A series of small tabs 35 are positioned along the bottom of
each baffle section 21. The tabs 35 rest on the shingles of a roof
on either side of the ridge and provide a narrow gap beneath the
baffle sections through which water entering through the vents or
the opening between the wind baffle and the top panel can escape.
FIG. 2 also provides a better view of the ribs 28 separated by
spaces 29 through which attic air escapes from beneath the top
panel 12. The ribs 28 preferably are as narrow as possible in their
transverse directions and each is formed with a generally
aerodynamic shape to present minimum resistance to air flow and to
maximize the net free area of the ridge vent 11.
[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underside of the ridge
vent of the present invention. An array of longitudinally extending
scores 32 are formed along the central portion of the panel 12 to
enhance the lateral flexibility of the panel in the region where it
will be bent over the ridge of a roof. The buttresses that support
the outboard baffle sections of the ridge vent extend laterally
inwardly toward the central portion of the panel to form a
plurality of supports 33. The supports 33 rest on the shingles of a
roof on either side of the roof ridge to support the top panel 12
and to maintain the proper spacing between the panel and the roof
shingles below. Significantly, and unlike many prior art ridge
vents, the supports 33 are relatively thin and extend only
laterally relative to the ridge vent. In this way, the supports 33
present the minimum possible obstruction to attic air moving
outwardly toward the edges of the vent. As a result, the net free
area of the ridge vent is maximized while also providing adequate
support for the top panel for receiving nails and shingles. In the
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, the supports 33 preferably
vary in length as shown in FIG. 3 and only every other buttress
extends inwardly a significant distance from the respective edge of
the panel 12. In this way, the volume of plastic required in the
fabrication of the ridge vent is minimized while providing adequate
support beneath the panel. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion
of the underside of the ridge vent illustrating in more detail the
configuration of the buttresses 23 and supports 33 on the underside
of the panel 12.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a ridge vent of the
present invention looking toward a depending end wall thereof. As
previously described, the end wall is formed by a pair of solid
depending side sections 26 and a fanned central section 27 defined
by a plurality of slightly tapered fingers 30. When the panel of
the ridge vent is bent across the ridge of a roof during
installation, the fingers 30 bunch together and may even overlap
one another to form a substantially impervious end wall at the
exposed free ends of a ridge vent installation. As best seen in
FIG. 4, the side sections 26 of the end wall, like the supports 33,
are inward lateral extensions of buttresses that support baffle
sections of the ridge vent.
[0037] As discussed above, one novel feature of the present
invention is its ability to be fabricated in long roof-length
sections that are rollable into convenient rolls. FIG. 6 is an end
view of such a roll illustrating how the uniquely designed and
supported baffle sections of the vent allow for the rollability of
the ridge vent. Specifically, when a length of ridge vent is rolled
with the top panel facing the center of the roll, the baffle
section 21 simply skew or splay with respect to each other with the
gaps 20 between adjacent baffle sections spreading into triangular
shapes as illustrated. In this way, a single ridge vent having a
length sufficient to extend from one end of a roof ridge to the
other can be rolled into a compact roll for shipment to a building
site. For installation, the ridge vent is simple unrolled along the
roof ridge, positioned, and attached to the roof decking with
staples, nails, or other appropriate fasteners.
[0038] The ridge vent of the present invention may be manufactured
using any appropriate fabrication technique, including, possibly,
extrusion techniques, roll molding techniques, or otherwise. In the
preferred embodiment, however, it has been found most efficient,
because of the somewhat complex profile of the vent, to injection
mold the vent in relatively short sections of, say, four or five
feet in length. These sections are then attached together during
the fabrication process in end-to-end relationship to form a
rollable ridge vent of any desired length. The sections may be
attached together by any appropriate technique such as, for
example, with adhesives, locking tabs formed on the ends of the
sections, or, preferably, by sonically welding the sections
together at their ends. If roll molding or extrusion techniques are
used instead, they may allow for the fabrication of the ridge vent
in arbitrarily long unitary sections.
[0039] The rolled ridge vent of the present invention, when
installed along the open ridge of a roof, provides superior
ventilation comparable to prior art panel-type ridge ventilation
systems. This is due, in part, to the maximized net free area of
the vent as discussed above. In addition, the outboard wind baffles
of the present vent are smooth and substantially flat in the
longitudinal direction rather than corrugated, undulating, or
otherwise discontinuous. As a result, the baffles do not tend to
disrupt the substantially laminar flow of wind up and over the wind
baffles and across the ridge vent as can be the case with
discontinuous baffles. It is believed that maintaining a laminar
flow, in contrast to the turbulent flow that can be caused by
discontinuous non-flat baffles, results in a more consistent and a
stronger low pressure region immediately inboard of the baffles.
This, in turn, draws more attic air through the roof ridge
resulting in better ventilation performance.
[0040] FIGS. 7-9 illustrate one embodiment of another unique aspect
of this invention; namely, a ridge vent that is manually separable
or tearable across its length without the need for measurement,
tools, or separate end plug installation. This feature is described
herein within the context of a ridge vent that resembles that of
FIGS. 1-6. However, it should be understood that the manually
separable feature of the invention is not limited to any particular
type or shape of ridge vent. Indeed, this feature can be applied to
enhance a rolled ridge vent such as that of FIGS. 1-6, a
traditional panel-type ridge vent such as that illustrated in my
prior incorporated patent, to a traditional fibrous mat type ridge
vent, or to any other type of ridge vent. Beyond ridge vents, this
unique feature also may be applied to other construction components
such as, for example, elongated under eve vents or any construction
component that must be cut, severed, or separated during
installation. The invention should therefore be interpreted broadly
to apply to any such construction component, even thought described
herein in the context of a ridge vent.
[0041] FIG. 7 illustrates a section of a ridge vent that
incorporates principles of the invention in a preferred form.
Again, the illustrated section in the figures may be a portion of a
longer panel-type ridge vent or a long roll of rolled ridge vent as
discussed above. A relatively short section is illustrated in the
figures for clarity of discussion. As with the embodiment of FIGS.
1-6, the ridge vent 11 has a top panel 12 with a central portion 13
and edges 14 and 16. Wind baffles 17 and 18 extend in a
longitudinal direction outboard of the edges 14 and 16 respectively
and are supported by buttresses 22 and 23. The particular
configuration of ridge vent illustrated in FIG. 7 is a rollable
ridge vent similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-6 and, accordingly,
each of the wind baffles is formed by a series of aligned baffle
sections 19 and 21 as discussed above. However, as mentioned above,
the ridge vent may be a panel-type ridge vent, in which case the
wind baffles generally may be continuous along the length of the
vent. Alternatively, the ridge vent also may be a woven mat-type or
any other type of ridge vent and the present aspect of the
invention is equally applicable.
[0042] The ridge vent 11 is formed with at least one tear line
extending transversely across the vent for manual separation of the
ridge vent along the tear line. In general, the tear line is a line
of relative weakness extending across the ridge vent and may take
on any of a number of configurations. In FIG. 7, two possible types
of tear line configurations are illustrated and are considered by
the inventors to be alternative best modes of carrying out the
invention. Specifically, tear line 46 is formed by a series of
perforations 48 formed in the top panel 12 and the perforations 48
are aligned with each other across the width of the panel.
Together, the aligned perforations form a line of relative weakness
along which the panel can be separated, as detailed below. As an
alternative to aligned perforations, tear line 49 is an example of
a tear line formed by a score 49 molded into the plastic of the
ridge vent. The score 49 forms a line of relatively thinner plastic
and thus defines the line of relatively weakness along which the
ridge vent may be separated.
[0043] In practice, transverse tear lines preferably are formed at
spaced intervals of, for example, one foot along the length of the
ridge vent. In a long rolled ridge vent, a large number of tear
lines are formed at these spaced intervals all along the length of
the ridge vent. In a panel-type ridge vent of, say, four or five
feet in length, three or four tear lines may be formed at one foot
intervals along the length of the vent. Of course, the tear lines
may be spaced at intervals other than one foot if desired and the
specific spacing suggested in the preferred embodiment is not a
limitation of the invention. Preferably, however, the tear lines
are positioned so that their ends are transversely aligned with a
gap between two baffle sections outboard of the panel edges, as
illustrated in FIG. 7.
[0044] FIG. 8 illustrates the manual tearing or separation of a
ridge vent along a tear line according to the invention. In
practice, the separation is accomplished by grasping one of the
edges of the ridge vent in each hand with one hand on either side
of a tear line. One section of the vent is then pulled back as
indicated by arrows 53. As this section is pulled back, the ridge
vent progressively tears or separates along the tear line, which,
in FIG. 8, is the tear line 46 formed by aligned perforations
48.
[0045] When the vent is completely separated, two new free ends 51
are left along what was the tear line. A pair of depending
partitions 52 (only one of which is visible in FIG. 8) molded on
the bottom of the vent panel straddling the tear line (described in
detail below) automatically form end plugs or end walls adjacent
each of the newly formed ends. The end wall at the new end of the
installed length of ridge vent prevents infestation and leakage
through the end of the vent. The end wall at the new end of the
separated length is ready for installation beginning at and end of
another roof ridge. Therefore, an advantage of the present
invention is that no scrap is created when the ridge vent is
separated along a tear line.
[0046] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the underside of a ridge
vent that incorporates tear lines according to the invention. Here,
slightly spaced apart depending partitions 56 and 57 are molded
into the ridge vent and these partitions span, i.e. are located on
either side of, a tear line. The partition 56 is formed with end
portions 58, similar to the supports 33 discussed above, and a
segmented central portion 61. The central portion 61 is defined by
a series of aligned and spaced depending segments 63 each supported
by a triangular brace 64. In a similar manner, the depending
partition 57 has end portions 59 and a segmented central portion
62.
[0047] When the ridge vent is separated along the tear line
extending between the two depending partitions 56 and 57, one of
the depending partitions becomes the end wall at one of the newly
formed ends and the other becomes the end wall at the other newly
formed end. The segmented central portions 61 and 62 function in
the same manner as the central portion 27 of a factory end wall
(FIG. 1) to allow the ridge vent to be bent over a roof ridge along
its center while forming a substantially impervious barrier against
leakage and infestation at the newly formed end.
[0048] FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the short section of ridge
vent illustrated in FIG. 9. Here, the tear line formed by the
series of aligned perforations 48 can be seen clearly extending
across the ridge vent between the two depending partitions 56 and
57. Although the perforations of the illustrated embodiment are
somewhat elongated with rounded ends, they might just as well take
on other shapes such as, for example, round, oval, rectangular, or
otherwise, all within the scope of the invention. The depending
partitions 56 and 57 extend along either side of the tear line and
each is composed of end portions and a segmented central portion as
described above. With regard to the segmented central portions of
the partitions, each segment of the central portion preferably is
tapered and formed with angled side edges as shown. In this way,
when one of the partitions forms an end wall at a newly separated
end, the bending of the ridge vent over a roof ridge causes the
angled edges of the segments to bunch or crowd together to form a
reliably impervious barrier at the new end of the ridge vent.
[0049] Installation of a ridge vent incorporating the manually
separable feature of this invention proceeds as follows. An
installer installs the ridge vent along a roof ridge in the
traditional way. If it is a rolled ridge vent, the vent is rolled
out along the roof ridge and attached with appropriate fasteners.
If it is a panel-type ridge vent, then individual panels are
fastened with appropriate fasteners along the roof ridge in
end-to-end relationship. In either case, when the end of the roof
ridge is reached, there generally is excess ridge vent that must be
removed from the installed portion of the vent. To remove the
excess portion, the installer simply selects a tear line near where
the vent needs to terminate. The vent is then grasped as described
above and the excess portion is simply torn away. The resulting new
end of the installed length of vent, which automatically
incorporates an end wall, is secured to the roof deck with
appropriate fasteners. All of this is accomplished quickly,
accurately, and easily without the need to measure and mark the
ridge vent, without requiring any knife or other tools whatsoever.
Shingles can then be attached atop the ridge vent in the
traditional manner to complete the installation. Since a depending
end wall also is automatically formed at the newly created end of
the torn away length of ridge vent, a new installation along
another roof ridge, either on the same building or a different
building, can be started at this free end. Thus, no scrap is
created either at the installation or the next installation.
[0050] FIGS. 11-13 illustrate yet another embodiment of a manually
separable ridge vent according to principles of the invention. The
ridge vent illustrated in these figures is a panel-type ridge vent
and this embodiment of the invention is particularly suited to and
will be described in the context of such panel-type vents. However,
it should be understood that this embodiment also may be applied to
rolled ridge vents or, indeed, to any type of ridge vent. The
invention as embodied in FIGS. 11-13 is not limited to a panel-type
vent.
[0051] Referring first to FIG. 11, a ridge vent 71, which
preferably is made of injection molded plastic, is seen to have an
elongated flexible top panel 72 with a central portion 73 and edges
or edge portions 74 and 76. An upstanding wind baffle 77 extends
substantially along the length of the ridge vent 71 outboard of the
edge 74 of the top panel 72. Similarly, an upstanding wind baffle
78 extends substantially along the length of the top panel outboard
of edge 76. A more detailed description of the configuration of the
wind baffles is presented herein with respect to wind baffle 77
outboard of edge 74. This description should be understood to apply
equally to wind baffle 78.
[0052] Referring specifically to FIGS. 11 and 13, the wind baffle
77 is seen to be configured with a generally elongated "Z-shaped"
cross-section. In other words, the wind baffle 77 is shaped with an
upstanding side wall 81, a lower foot 82, and an upper lip 79. As
perhaps best illustrated in FIG. 11, the upper lip 79 projects
laterally away from the edge 74 of top panel 72 for purposes
discussed in more detail below. As shown in FIG. 12, the top panel
72 extends at its end slightly beyond the ends of the wind baffles
77 and 78 to form a lip 83. The lip 83 is sized to overlap a
corresponding lateral trough (not shown) on the opposite end of a
like adjacent ridge vent when the vents are installed end-to-end
along a roof ridge. This lip-to-trough mating is known and
described in detail in my prior U.S. patents, which are
incorporated above by reference.
[0053] A series of spaced apart buttresses 86 project downwardly
from the underside of the top panel 72 (FIG. 13) and laterally
outwardly therefrom to connect to the wind baffle 77. Thus, the
buttresses provide supports for the top panel 72 of the ridge vent
and also attach and support the wind baffle 77 in its position
outboard of edge 74. A longitudinally extending opening 70 is thus
defined between the edge 74 of the top panel and the wind baffle 77
through which rising air from an attic can escape from beneath the
top panel. As discussed above, the wind baffles 77 and 78 tend to
create low pressure zonesd in the regions of the openings 70 to
enhance the efficiency of air flow through the openings. A
plurality of downwardly sloped spaced apart ribs 87 extend from the
edge 74 of the top panel 72 and connect to the wind baffle 77 at
its lower foot 82 to prevent entry of insects, debris, and vermin
into an attic space below.
[0054] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the upper lip 79 of wind
baffle 77 is provided at intervals along its length with small
notches that form cutting guides 91. In the preferred embodiment,
the cutting guides 91 are positioned adjacent to corresponding
buttresses 86, as best illustrated in FIG. 12. Indentations, tabs,
or other structures may be substituted for the notches.
Instructional indicia 94 are molded into the plastic of upper lip
79 to indicate the purpose of the cutting guide to an installer. In
the illustrated embodiment, this indicia is the word "CUT" with an
arrow pointing to the cutting guide; however, the indicia obviously
may be other than that illustrated in the figures.
[0055] In conjunction with the cutting guides 91, laterally
extending score lines 93 are molded or otherwise formed in the
bottom surface of the top panel 72 and extending across the width
of the panel. Bending notches 92 are cut or molded in the edges 74
and 76 of the top panel at respective ends of the score lines 93.
Significantly, the score lines 93 and bending notches 92 are
longitudinally displaced from the cutting guides 91; i.e., they are
spaced longitudinally a short distance from respective buttresses
86. Thus, an overlap zone 96 (FIG. 12) is defined on the top panel
between each of the score lines 93 and the closest set of
buttresses 86.
[0056] With the just described ridge vent configuration,
installation along the ridge of a roof proceeds substantially as
follows. An installer begins installation in the usual way by
attaching ridge vent sections along the ridge of a roof in abutting
end-to-end relationship. Preferably, but not necessarily, the
installation begins at one end of the roof ridge starting with the
end of a ridge vent section having lip 83. Successive ridge vent
sections are abutted to previously installed sections with their
lips 83 overlapping corresponding troughs formed on the opposite
ends of the previously installed sections.
[0057] When the end of the roof ridge is reached, it usually is the
case that a full length ridge vent section is not required to
complete the span. In the past, this situation required tedious
measuring and cutting of a full ridge vent section followed by a
sometimes cobbled together abutting of the cut ridge vent piece to
the end of the previously installed section. With the present
invention, however, the installer need only estimate the required
length of the final ridge vent section by, perhaps, laying it along
the roof and selecting the closest score line 93. The wind baffles
77 and 78 are then simply cut with a utility knife at the cutting
guides 91 corresponding to the selected score line.
[0058] With the wind baffles cut, the ridge vent section is simply
folded back on itself along the selected score line 93. In this
regard, the bending notches 92 insure that the bending process
starts and proceeds along the score line 93. The act of folding the
ridge vent section stretches and stresses the plastic material of
the vent along the score line allowing the top panel 72 to be torn
apart easily along the score line.
[0059] After the cutting and folding operations, the installer
simply grasps the ridge vent section on either side of the selected
fold line and tears it apart. This results not only in a clean
straight edge, but also, because of the overlap zone 96, produces a
lip that is virtually identical to the lip 83 on the finished end
of a full length ridge vent section. Accordingly, the installer
need only install the now shortened vent section on the end of the
previously installed vent section in the usual manner; that is, by
overlapping the end trough of the previously installed section with
the newly formed lip of the shortened end section and nailing the
end section into place. This embodiment of the present invention
thus provides for the clean, fool proof, and accurate installation
of shortened ridge vent end sections to complete a ridge vent span
along the ridge of a roof.
[0060] The invention has been described herein in terms of
preferred embodiments that are considered by the inventors to be
the best mode of carrying out the invention. The specifics of the
illustrated embodiments are not, however, intended to be nor should
they be considered to be limitations of the invention. Indeed, the
spirit and scope of the invention is set forth only in the claims
hereof. Many additions, deletions, and modifications might be made
to the illustrated embodiments by skilled artisans without
departing from that spirit and scope. For instance, as previously
mentioned, the manually separable feature illustrated in FIGS. 7-10
is applicable to virtually any type of ridge vent including rolled
ridge vent, panel-type ridge vent, fiber mat ridge vent, or
otherwise. The tear lines may be formed in any appropriate manner
other than the perforations and score lines suggested in the
preferred embodiments. Indeed, any feature that allows the ridge
vent to be separated manually across its length is considered to be
within the scope of the definition of "tear lines." Thus, the term
"tear lines" as used herein and in the claims could be replaced
with equivalent terms such as "tear zones," "tear features,"
"separation lines," "separation zones" or the like, and all are
considered to be within the meaning of "tear lines." Finally, the
manually separability of this invention also may be applied to
numerous construction components other than just ridge vents. For
example, undereave vents also may benefit from this feature as may
other construction components that are installed in long lengths.
Additional variations may be implemented by those of skill in the
art all without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention set forth in the claims.
* * * * *