U.S. patent application number 10/890632 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-20 for roof tile.
Invention is credited to Baker, Kevin John.
Application Number | 20050011137 10/890632 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34063963 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050011137 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Baker, Kevin John |
January 20, 2005 |
Roof tile
Abstract
A roof tile 1, having a length, a width and a height, has an
upwardly extending elongate passage 6 having a substantially
unobstructed pathway from an outlet 4 at the lower end of the
passage to an inlet 2 at an upper end of the passage. A downwardly
extending passage 7 communicating with the inlet 2 and adapted to
connect to a duct creating a flow path through the passage, through
the inlet and along the tile to the outlet. The upwardly extending
passage 6 is substantially the length and width of the tile and has
a substantially greater width than height.
Inventors: |
Baker, Kevin John;
(Nicholls, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WELSH & KATZ, LTD
120 S RIVERSIDE PLAZA
22ND FLOOR
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Family ID: |
34063963 |
Appl. No.: |
10/890632 |
Filed: |
July 14, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 1/24 20130101; E04D
1/18 20130101; E04D 13/17 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/022 |
International
Class: |
E04B 007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 14, 2003 |
AU |
2003903630 |
Dec 19, 2003 |
AU |
2003907081 |
Claims
The claims defining the invention are as follows:
1. A roof tile having a length, a width and a height, including: an
upwardly extending elongate passage having a substantially
unobstructed pathway from an outlet at the lower end of the passage
to an inlet at an upper end of the passage, a downwardly extending
passage communicating with the inlet and adapted to connect to a
duct, wherein the upwardly extending passage is substantially the
length and width of the tile and has a substantially greater width
than height.
2. A roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the downwardly
extending passage is adjacent the inlet on the side of the inlet
remote from the outlet.
3. A roof tile according to claim 2, wherein the inlet, in use, is
located below the course of tiles positioned above the roof
tile.
4. A roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the roof tile includes
an insect barrier.
5. A roof tile according to claim 1, wherein the downwardly
extending passage is orientated perpendicularly to the upwardly
extending passage.
6. A roof tile according to claim 5, wherein the downwardly
extending passage is cylindrical.
7. A roof tile according to any one of claims 1, wherein the
downwardly extending passage is adapted to be able to be connected
to at least two sized ducts.
8. A roof tile according to claim 1 wherein the roof tile is made
from plastic.
9. A roof tile according to claim 8 wherein the roof tile includes
a light transmitting portion.
10. A roof tile according to claim 9 wherein the roof tile is
adapted to be connected to light conveying duct.
11. A roof tile according to claim 1 wherein the roof tile is made
from metal.
12. A roof tile according to claim 1 wherein the roof tile is made
from a combination of metal and plastic.
13. A roof tile according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of length to
width to height is 16:12:1.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the provision for
ventilation of exhaust gases from within a building having a tiled
roof. Usually the exhaust gases take the form of air containing
undesirable odours or moisture.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Ventilation through roofing is commonly used to remove heat,
moisture or undesirable odours from within a building. In the case
of a tiled roof this is typically achieved by a tubular structure
extending vertically through the tiles. This necessitates cutting
tiles and fitting flashing around the tubular structure. The
tubular structure is unsightly especially those fitted with a cover
to prevent ingress of large objects.
[0003] Problems also arise when exhaust gases from inside a
building, for example from a bathroom or kitchen, are extracted
into the roofing cavity. These exhaust gases are often not fully
extracted from the roofing cavity due to many factors including
poor circulation and/or ventilation despite having a roof
ventilation structure. This can create some problems, for example
increased moisture in the roofing cavity which increases mould
growth and may produce undesirable smells which are hard to
remove.
[0004] To overcome the aesthetic problems, roof tiles with flow
passages through the body of the tile have been used. These are
typically moulded to the profile of the existing roof tiles and
simply substituted for original roof tiles.
[0005] For example, UK patent application 2 262 295 shows a roof
ventilating tile of the same shape and size as a conventional roof
tile. The tile has a through duct which opens at opposite ends of
the tile. The tile is intended to be laid so that the duct is open
to the exterior at the lower end of the tile and is open to the
interior of the roof at the upper end. In another example, UK
patent application 2 279 675 shows a hollow roofing tile which is
shaped externally identically with adjacent solid tiles.
[0006] Roof tiles with duct connections have been used to connect
exhaust ducts to the roof tiles. For example GB 2 262 949 shows a
ventilator for a tiled roof with a circular-section pipe, however
the ventilator does not match the existing tiles. In another
example, WO 98/15701 shows a covert roof ventilator with an upper
wall of shape complementary to roof tiles with which it is to be
used. The ventilator also has an apertured lower wall spaced form
the upper wall with an elongate aperture formed at a toe portion of
the ventilator having a combined grill and baffle. A spigot extends
from the aperture which when in use may be connected to a soil
pipe. The grill prevents the ingress of small mammals and birds to
the inside of the ventilator while the baffle prevents the ingress
of driven rain and snow. An upstanding wall further prevents the
ingress of driven rain and snow. The baffle and wall mean greater
complexities in the manufacturing process including more intricate
mouldings. Further the baffle and wall creates a complex flow path
for the exhaust gases. Additionally a separate upper wall is
required for each style of tile. This leads to uneconomical
production costs and assembly problems.
[0007] Therefore it would be desirable for a roof tile to remove
the exhaust gas from the building directly to the outside of the
roof, be aesthetically pleasing whilst being simple in
construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly in one aspect the present invention is a roof
tile, having a length, a width and a height, including an upwardly
extending elongate passage having a substantially unobstructed
pathway from an outlet at the lower end of the passage to an inlet
at an upper end of the passage, a downwardly extending passage
communicating with the inlet and adapted to connect to a duct. The
upwardly extending passage is substantially the length and width of
the tile and has a substantially greater width than height.
[0009] Preferably, the downwardly extending passage is adjacent the
inlet on the side of the inlet remote from the outlet. Even more
preferably the inlet is located below the course of roof tiles
above the roof tile.
[0010] Preferably, the roof tile includes an insect barrier.
[0011] Preferably the downwardly extending passage is orientated
perpendicularly to the upwardly extending passage. Preferably, the
downwardly extending passage is cylindrical. Even more preferably,
the downwardly extending passage is adapted to be able to be
connected to at least two different sized ducts.
[0012] Preferably the roof tile is made from metal, plastic or a
combination of metal and plastic. In one embodiment, when the roof
tile is made of plastic, the roof tile includes a light
transmitting portion. The roof tile may also be adapted to be
attached to a light conveying duct.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Some of the embodiments of the invention will now be
described with reference to the following drawings:
[0014] FIG. 1--A perspective view of the outer surface of a roof
tile according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 2A--A cross-sectional view B-B of the roof tile shown
in FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 2B--A cross-sectional view B-B of the roof tile shown
in FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 3--A cross-sectional view A-A of the roof tile shown in
FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 4--A perspective view of a roof tile according to
another embodiment of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 5--A plan view of the underside of a roof tile
according to another embodiment of the invention showing attachment
lugs.
[0020] FIG. 6--A representative drawing of the roof tile as shown
in FIG. 1 installed in a tiled roof.
[0021] The roof tile of the present invention is suited to enable
ducted exhaust gases to an outside space through an inclined tiled
roof. The roof tile replaces an existing normal tile and is ideally
connected to an exhaust gas duct.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, the roof tile 1 generally has the same
shape as the existing roof tiles. It is generally rectangular in
shape being defined by a length, a width and a height. Generally
such tiles have a greater length than width and a substantially
greater width than height. For example a length:width:height ratio
of 16:12:1 is common.
[0023] The roof tile has an inlet 2 near the upper end 3 and outlet
4 at the lower end 5. When installed, the inlet 2 is vertically
displaced from the outlet 4. An upwardly extending passage 6
extends from the outlet 4 to the inlet 2. This passage is
substantially unobstructed allowing generally free air flow from
the inlet 2 to the outlet 4. In one embodiment this passage extends
the full length of the tile. A downwardly extending passage 7 is
connected to the inlet 2 and is adapted to be connected to a duct,
not shown. As a consequence, the flow path is from the passage 7
through the inlet and along the length of the tile to the
outlet.
[0024] The downwardly extending passage 7 is designed to reduce the
flow resistance of exhaust gas when the air flow is in the
direction from the inlet 2 to the outlet 4. It is also designed to
increase the flow resistance when the air flow in the direction
from the outlet 4 to the inlet 2.
[0025] The design and position of the downwardly extending passage
7 varies from application to application depending upon various
factors such as the exhaust gas temperature, pressure and flow
rate, and physical limitations on the passage such as a roofing
truss support or additional devices in the roofing cavity eg hot
water service. The position of the downwardly extending passage 7
is generally at or near the upper end 3 of the roof tile 1. As
shown in FIG. 6, the roof tile 61 may extend beyond the normal
length of the roof tiles so that the inlet 62 and downwardly
extending passage 63 are below the course of tiles above the roof
tile 64 when installed on the roof. The cross-section of the
downwardly extending passage could also be any suitable shape, for
example rectangular, square or circular.
[0026] A sealing section 8 can be shaped to conform to the profile
9 of the existing tiles. Shaping of the sealing section 8 may be
done by cutting away part of the sealing section 8 so that the
profile 9 is obtained. For example, the profile 9 could be obtained
by abutting an existing tile end to the sealing section 8, marking
the profile 9, removing the existing tile and cutting along the
profile markings 9 using tin sips. The shaped sealing section 65 is
shown in FIG. 6. This shape conformable sealing section means that
the tile can be installed universally regardless of the shape of
the existing tiles.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 2A, the flow of an exhaust gas 20 through
the roof tile 21 can be seen by arrows indicating the direction of
the flow. The exhaust gas may be from an apparatus within the
roofing cavity, such as a heating/cooling apparatus, or from an
internal space in the building, such as a bathroom. The exhaust gas
may contain water and any other material which could cause an
unpleasant odour or condition in the roofing cavity.
[0028] One example is a bathroom exhaust fan which extracts steam
from a bathroom so that the mirrors in the bathroom do to not fog
up with the steam whilst having a hot shower. The steam may collect
in the roofing cavity if the cavity does not have adequate
ventilation and create a build up of water from the condensed
steam. This may cause problems such as weakening of ceiling
plaster, unsightly damp spots in the ceiling of the building, and
mould growth, which may cause health problems. All of these
problems are undesirable in many buildings.
[0029] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a duct would be connected
to the exhaust fan so that the extracted steam would flow through
the duct to the downwardly extending passage of roof tile, through
the upwardly extending passage and out to the atmosphere. This
eliminates any additional dampness in the roofing cavity from the
bathroom steam.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 2B, air flow from the atmosphere 22, such
as wind, is restricted due to the length of the roof tile 23. This
is without the need for additional baffles or complexity in the
construction of the roof tile 1.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, the roof tile 30 includes an outer
section 31, an underneath section 32. This construction allows for
a simple yet strong tile to be formed. A central brace 33 may also
be included to strengthen the exhaust roof tile 30. The upwardly
extending passage 34 extends the width and height of the roof tile
30.
[0032] The outer section 31 and underneath section 32 can be joined
by any appropriate means such as welding, including resistance spot
and laser welding, or by mechanical means such as screws, bolts or
rivets.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 4, the roof tile 40 includes an outer
section 41, an underneath section 42 and a sealing section 43. A
mesh 46 may also be included near the lower end 44 to prevent
foreign materials, for example insects, from travelling up the roof
tile 40. The roof tile also includes a downwardly extending passage
45 which is connected to the outer section 41 and underneath
section 42 and is adapted to be connected to a duct, not shown.
[0034] It may also be necessary for a sealant to be applied around
the exhaust roof tile 40 when installed to increase the weather
resistance of the roof. Further it may also be necessary for
sections of the tile or tiles above the exhaust roof tile to be
removed so that a flat surface is on the underside of the tile or
tiles is obtained.
[0035] The roof tile can be made from any suitable material for
example plastic or metal. A roof tile made from a metal may also
have a protective coating, for example zinc coated steel or
galvanised steel. Zincanneal.RTM. made by BHP Steel has been found
to be beneficial in certain circumstances as it is fire resistant,
especially in bush fire prone areas. The roof tile may then be
painted to match the colour of the existing roof tiles so as to be
more aesthetically pleasing. A roof tile made from plastic is also
beneficial as the weight of the tile is reduced. A plastic roof
tile also allows for colouring and more intricate shapes to be
formed through moulding. However, a combination of metal and
plastic components whilst maintaining the advantages of both
materials is also beneficial. For example, having a body made from
metal provides fire resistance and the downwardly extending passage
from plastic so as to involve more intricate shaping is especially
beneficial.
[0036] A roof tile made from plastic may also include a light
transmitting portion, for example a transparent plastic portion, to
provide light to the roof cavity or another part of a building when
attached to a light conveying duct. Alternatively the tile may be
made form a non opaque plastic, for example polycarbonate or
acrylic. The light conveying duct can be attached to the roof tile
by any suitable means, for example by screws, rivets or otherwise.
Referring to FIG. 5, the roof tile 50 is provided with lugs 51 so
as to attach a light conveying duct to the roof tile without the
need for any further fastening. However, if required, the light
conveying duct can be fastened to the roof tile by both the lugs
and additional means such as screws. The light conveying duct can
then connected to a diffuser in an enclosed room of the building,
providing natural light into that room.
[0037] The foregoing describes only certain embodiments of the
present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in
the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the
present invention.
[0038] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not,
and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of
suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general
knowledge.
* * * * *