U.S. patent application number 11/112883 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-26 for soffit vent.
This patent application is currently assigned to BUILDING MATERIALS INVESTMENT CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Adem Chich, Sudhir Railkar, Walter Zarate.
Application Number | 20060240762 11/112883 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37187555 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060240762 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Railkar; Sudhir ; et
al. |
October 26, 2006 |
Soffit vent
Abstract
A soffit vent comprising a unitary bottom panel with extending
side walls, one or more interior walls extending from the bottom
panel, a one or more open channels created by the side walls,
interior walls and bottom panel and one or more closed channels
adjacent to the open channels.
Inventors: |
Railkar; Sudhir; (Wayne,
NJ) ; Zarate; Walter; (Prospect Park, NJ) ;
Chich; Adem; (Kearny, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Attn: William J. Davis, Esq.;GAF MATERIALS CORPORATION
Legal Department, Building No. 8
1361 Alps Road
Wayne
NJ
07470
US
|
Assignee: |
BUILDING MATERIALS INVESTMENT
CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
37187555 |
Appl. No.: |
11/112883 |
Filed: |
April 22, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/260 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 7/02 20130101; E04D
13/152 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/260 |
International
Class: |
F24F 7/02 20060101
F24F007/02 |
Claims
1. A soffit vent comprising: a bottom panel with extending side
walls adapted to be fixed to a soffit area, a front opening and
channel for conveying air.
2. A soffit vent as in claim 1 wherein: the front opening is below
the plane of the soffit area.
3. A soffit vent as in claim I wherein: the bottom panel is
contoured.
4. A soffit as in claim I wherein: the side walls are adapted to
receive fastening means.
5. A soffit vent as in claim 4 wherein: the fastening means is
selected from the group consisting of nails, screws, adhesives and
clamps.
6. A soffit vent as in claim I wherein: the side walls are
contoured.
7. A soffit vent as in claim 1 wherein: the bottom panel has one or
more bottom openings.
8. A soffit vent as in claim 1 wherein: the opening is
substantially covered by an air permeable material.
9. A soffit vent as in claim 1 wherein: the bottom panel extends
from a proximal end to create an angle relative to the soffit area
of 1-180 degrees and curves a known radius to a distal end.
10. A soffit vent as in claim 9 wherein: the angle created by the
bottom panel is 90 degrees.
11. A soffit vent as in claim 9 wherein: the angle created by the
bottom panel is 45 degrees.
12. A soffit vent as in claim 1 wherein: the bottom panel and side
walls extend above the soffit area.
13. A soffit vent as in claim 1 further comprising: one or more
side walls.
14. A soffit vent comprising: a plurality of bottom panels with
extending side walls fixed to each other and adapted to be fixed to
a soffit area having a front opening and channel for conveying
air.
15. A soffit vent as in claim 14 wherein: the front opening is
below the plane of the soffit area.
16. A soffit vent as in claim 14 wherein: one or more of the
plurality of bottom panels with extending side walls are
interrupted by spacers.
17. A soffit vent as in claim 14 wherein: the bottom panel is
contoured.
18. A soffit as in claim 14 wherein: the side walls are adapted to
receive fastening means.
19. A soffit vent as in claim 18 wherein: the fastening means is
selected from the group consisting of nails, screws, adhesives and
clamps.
20. A soffit vent as in claim 14 wherein: the side walls are
contoured.
21. A soffit vent as in claim 14 wherein: the bottom panel has one
or more bottom openings.
22. A soffit vent as in claim 14 wherein: the opening is
substantially covered by an air permeable material.
23. A soffit vent as in claim 14 wherein: the bottom panel extends
from a proximal end to create an angle relative to the soffit area
of 1-180 degrees and curves a known radius to a distal end.
24. A soffit vent as in claim 23 wherein: the angle created by the
bottom panel is 90 degrees.
25. A soffit vent as in claim 23 wherein: the angle created by the
bottom panel is 45 degrees.
26. A soffit vent as in claim 14 wherein: the bottom panel and side
walls extend above the soffit area.
27. A soffit vent comprising: a unitary bottom panel with extending
side walls; a one or more open channels created by the side walls,
interior walls and bottom panel.
28. A soffit vent as in claim 27 wherein: the one or more open
channels are below the plane of the soffit area.
29. A soffit vent as in claim 27 wherein: the bottom panel is
contoured.
30. A soffit as in claim 27 wherein: the side walls are adapted to
receive fastening means.
31. A soffit vent as in claim 30 wherein: the fastening means is
selected from the group consisting of nails, screws, adhesives and
clamps.
32. A soffit vent as in claim 27 wherein: the side walls are
contoured.
33. A soffit vent as in claim 27 wherein: the bottom panel has one
or more bottom openings.
34. A soffit vent as in claim 27 wherein: the one or more open
channels is substantially covered by an air permeable material.
35. A soffit vent as in claim 27 wherein: the bottom panel extends
from a proximal end to create an angle relative to the soffit area
of 1-180 degrees and curves a known radius to a distal end.
36. A soffit vent as in claim 35 wherein: the angle created by the
bottom panel is 90 degrees.
37. A soffit vent as in claim 35 wherein: the angle created by the
bottom panel is 45 degrees.
38. A soffit vent as in claim 27 wherein: the bottom panel and side
walls extend above the soffit area.
39. A soffit vent as in claim 27 further comprising: one or more
interior walls extending from the bottom panel.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to a soffit vent system
that provides for venting of a building or other structure while
preventing insects and environmental elements, such as water and
snow, from entering the structure through the ventilator and can be
made to fit a variety of pre-existing and newly constructed
buildings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A soffit or eave is the exposed undersurfaces of any
exterior overhanging section of a roof eave. A soffit vent is
typically an air inlet source located at the downslope eave or in
the soffit of a roof assembly. Soffit vents typically comprise
perforated, louvered or baffled vent openings in the underside of
the eaves of an overhanging roof or the fascia covering the ends of
roof rafters when the roof has no soffit or has very narrow soffit.
Soffit vents are commonly part of an attic ventilation system that
may comprise roof vents, ridge vents, gable vents, power vents,
roof louvers, turbines and the like.
[0003] The vent openings allow outside air to flow into the
structure. This air exchange helps to prevent degradation of the
roof structure, reduces the accumulation of condensation in the
insulating material covering the floor of the attic cavity thereby
increasing the efficacy of heating and cooling of the interior
space in the building covered by the roof structure.
[0004] A soffit vent is typically used in conjunction with a roof
ridge ventilator overlying the open roof along the length of the
roof for exhausting the air from the space below the roof and the
ceiling of the attic, i.e., as the air entering the attic through
the soffit vent mixes with the warmer air in the attic, it has to
be expelled through an opening in the roof ridge where the lighter,
warmer air accumulates. Desirably, the volume of air intake through
the soffit ventilator should be balanced by the volume of air
exhaust through the roof ridge ventilator.
[0005] The terminology "Net Free Open Area" or NFA means the
cross-sectional area of a ventilator system which is open for
passage of air therethrough. This area value does not always
correspond to a specific volume of air intake/exhaust through a
soffit ventilator and roof ridge ventilator. Thus in many existing
and newly built buildings there tends to be an out of balance
soffit/roof ridge ventilation system. This, in part, is due to the
fact that the normal stack effect movement of air results in low
air intake volume. The stack effect is caused by outside air being
more dense than air inside a building structure. Therefore the
reduction in pressure with height is more rapid outside and the
absolute pressure inside the structure is greater than that outside
at all levels above the opening.
[0006] The total pressure difference distributed across a structure
can be modified through design of building components i.e., soffit
vents because it depends upon the relative resistances to flow. A
soffit vent may be a part of an active venting system or a passive
venting system. Much of the prior art suffers from the problem low
NFA, and reduced air intake volume.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This invention provides an improved soffit vent that
increases airflow into the building structure thus maximizing the
efficiency of a ventilation system or natural ventilation. The
soffit vent comprises a curved bottom panel with extending side
walls adapted to be fixed to the soffit area of the building
structure creating a front opening and channel for conveying air.
The bottom panel can be contoured to direct and/or streamline the
flow of air. The side walls can also be contoured to direct and/or
streamline the flow of air.
[0008] The soffit area is generally of an even plane at the
undersurface of an exterior section of a roof. The present
invention provides a vent that comprises an inlet or front opening
dropping below the soffit area plane to scoop and direct air from
the environment exterior to the soffit area.
[0009] The vent is adapted to receive fastening means that can
include but are not limited to nails, screws, adhesives and clamps
that fasten the vent to the soffit area of a building structure.
Preferably, the side walls are adapted to receive fasteners that
fasten the soffit vent to the soffit area. The bottom panel has one
or more openings. The openings allow for the passage of air and can
be louvered with slats that are fixed or movable for admitting air
and shedding rain. The opening can be substantially covered by an
air permeable material. The openings preferable allow for the easy
passage of air but do not provide for the passage of insects or
other elements into the building structure.
[0010] The bottom panel of the vent preferably extends at its
proximal or distal end to create an angle relative to the soffit
area of the building structure of 1-180 degrees. The bottom panel
may also curve of a given radius from the proximal or distal end to
the opposite end. Alternatively the bottom may extend in a
substantially planar design to the opposite end. This design
provides for increased movement of air as the vent is positioned
away from the eave overhang surface, thereby effectively increasing
wind-aided air volume. The bottom panel and side walls can extend
above the soffit area of the building structure. This embodiment
provides for greater direction of airflow into the building space
being vented.
[0011] The vent can comprise a unitary bottom panel or a plurality
of curved bottom panels with extending side walls fixed to each
other and adapted to be fixed to the soffit area creating
substantially the same profile as a unitary or integrated design.
The vent can also comprise individual channels aligned in
substantially the same profile with or without spacers between the
channels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present
invention installed on a building structure;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an inlet portion of an
embodiment of the present invention installed on a building
structure;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a series of vents of an
embodiment of the present invention installed on a building
structure;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a series of vents of an
embodiment of the present invention installed on a building
structure;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0022] FIG. 11 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention provides an improved soffit vent that
maximizes the flow of air into a building structure through a vent
in the structures soffit. In FIG. 1 the schematic shows a side view
of vent 10 as installed on a building structure. The vent has front
openings at its distal end 40 to allow for the passage of air from
the surrounding environment. The air flows into the openings 41 in
a curved bottom 42 and is directed up into the structure space 20
above the eave soffit opening or soffit area 22 by the curved
bottom 42. It is preferred that the curved bottom 42 is louvered
with slats 45 at the openings 41 however other designs include, but
are not limited to, perforated screens, expanded metal, and slotted
plates. The curve of the bottom 42 is of a given radius to
aerodynamically convey intake air into the soffit area opening. The
bottom 42 may or may not be inclined.
[0024] The slats can be fixed or movable, horizontal, vertical, or
inclined and admit air while helping to shed rain. The slats 45
direct the flow of air and wind blown air through the vent and into
the structure space 20. In one embodiment the openings 41 on the
distal side of the vent 40 may be covered with an air permeable
material to allow the flow of air but prevent other elements from
entering the vent 10.
[0025] FIG. 1 shows the position of the soffit vent of the present
invention in relation to the roof 25 and side wall 30 of the
building structure. The vent 10 is positioned to provide the
opening 40 to face opposite and away from the side wall 30. The
positioning of the vent 10 in relation to the building structure is
to direct the openings 41 towards the flow of air. This could be in
any direction but is typically away from side walls 30 and towards
the open environment. This figure clearly demonstrates the present
invention provides an inlet, open channel, or front opening
dropping below the soffit area plane to scoop air from the
environment exterior to the soffit area.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the soffit vent 10. The
substantially horizontally planar louvered slats 45 extend in three
columns from first and second side walls 50, 52. The side walls
have preinserted fasteners 53 such as screws for fastening the vent
to the soffit area of the building structure. The bottom 42 is
preferably a unitary sheet extending from the first side wall 50 to
the second side wall 52 and from the distal end 40 to the proximal
end 43. The bottom panel 42 of the vent 10 extends at its proximal
end to create an angle relative to the soffit area of the building
structure of approximately 45 degrees to 90 degrees. This proximal
end has a curve of a given radius. The bottom extends from this
proximal end in a substantially planar design to the distal
end.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of two vent sections 10, 12
joined to cover the soffit area. The vent sections can be joined
using any known method including but not limited to adhesive,
preinstalled adhesive tape, mortise and tenon, and tongue and
groove. The sections may also be thermoformed together during
manufacture. Additionally, the vent sections may not be joined but
simply fixed to the soffit area of the building structure adjacent
to each other.
[0028] The vent may have short slated louver sections with one or
more supports between the side walls as shown in FIG. 4. This vent
comprises side walls 60, 62 and two supporting walls 63, 64 with
multiple louvered slats between. The supporting walls and side
walls may be contoured to enhance the air flow through the vent and
may continue beyond the soffit opening of the building structure
into the area above the soffit (not shown).
[0029] In FIG. 5 a side view of vent 100 is shown installed on a
building structure. This preferred embodiment of the vent has
openings at its distal end 104 to allow for the passage of air from
the surrounding environment. The air flows into the openings 104
and is directed up into the structure space 120 above the eave
soffit opening 122 by the curved bottom 142. It is preferred that
the curved bottom 142 is louvered with slats 145. The curve of the
bottom 142 is of a given radius to aerodynamically convey intake
air into the soffit opening from the distal end to the proximal
end.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
the soffit vent 200 installed in a series at the soffit area having
channels 208 with louvered openings 202. The louvered slats can be
inclined at an angle. The vents 200 can be fixed to each other,
integral with each other or independent of each other. In FIG. 6
three vents 200 are separately placed under an eave. The curved
bottom 206 directs incoming airflow up into the structure's space
above the vent 200. Again, the curve of the bottom 206 is of a
given radius to aerodynamically convey intake air into the soffit
opening. However, the bottom may also be angular and inclined
rather than curved.
[0031] FIG. 6 shows the top view of the vent 200 showing the
openings to the channels 208 providing for the air to flow through
the openings 202 and into the structure's space. Extending from the
bottom 206 of each vent 200 are a first and second side 210, 212.
The bottom 206 is preferably a unitary sheet extending from the
first side 210 to the second side 212 and from the distal end 216
to the proximal end 218.
[0032] The soffit vent is fixed to the soffit by known methods
including adhering, clamping, screwing, nailing, or by sliding into
a grooved channel. The ends of the side walls, the distal and
proximal ends of the bottom may provide for the vent being fixed by
screw or nail holes, nail gun, glue, preapplied glue or adhesives,
and other known methods. Additionally, the soffit vent can include
pre-inserted nails or other fasteners.
[0033] FIG. 7 is a schematic figure similar to FIG. 6. In FIG. 7
the channels 308 are contoured to enhance the flow of incoming air
through them. In additional embodiments the bottom may also be
contoured to aid in the aerodynamic conveyance of the air.
[0034] FIG. 8 provides a partially opened front distal end 309
front facer with additional louvers 310 on the side walls 312. The
additional louvers are provided to increase the airflow by
increasing the NFA. These openings may also be used in any of the
inventions' embodiments and are shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 also
depicts a partitioned channel to help direct the airflow into the
building structure.
[0035] In FIG. 9 the schematic represents the distal end with front
openings and side openings. The vent also shows a partitioned
channels formed by inner walls 318 to avoid the short circuiting of
the air entering from front and leaving from the side.
[0036] In FIG. 10 the schematic represents the full front opening
with lovers oriented vertical, horizontal and also with side
louvers at an angle. The vent once again shows partitioned channels
to avoid the short circuiting of the air entering from front and
leaving from the side.
[0037] FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the vent where the
distal end 320 lacks a front opening. This embodiment has louvers
322 extending at an angle from the bottom 324. The preferred angle
of the bottom in relation to the soffit area is 30 degrees but may
vary from 1 to 180 degrees. Additionally, the vent may extend into
the structure space above the soffit areas.
[0038] Accordingly, it should be readily appreciated that the
soffit vent of the present invention has many practical
applications. Additionally, although the preferred embodiments have
been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled
in the art that various modifications can be made without departing
from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example the
openings of the vent do not have to be louvered but instead may be
completely unobstructed or partially covered with any known design.
Additionally the opening of the vent in any embodiment may be fixed
at any angle substantially ranging from 1 degree to 180 degrees.
Such modifications are to be considered as included in the
following claims.
* * * * *