U.S. patent application number 11/365188 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-06 for system for overlaying the overhang of a building.
This patent application is currently assigned to The AMOS Corporation. Invention is credited to Roger F. Shugart.
Application Number | 20070204528 11/365188 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38470242 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070204528 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shugart; Roger F. |
September 6, 2007 |
System for overlaying the overhang of a building
Abstract
A system for protecting the overhang portion of a building
comprising sheets of impervious material largely pre-formed before
delivery to job site to minimize on-site shaping and forming,
including the optional use of one or more pre-formed pieces to be
fitted together on-site, and also including an optional S-fold
connector to join together side-by-side sheets of the impervious
material.
Inventors: |
Shugart; Roger F.; (Pelham,
AL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRADLEY ARANT ROSE & WHITE, LLP;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPARTMENT-NWJ
1819 FIFTH AVENUE NORTH
BIRMINGHAM
AL
35203-2104
US
|
Assignee: |
The AMOS Corporation
|
Family ID: |
38470242 |
Appl. No.: |
11/365188 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/90.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 13/152
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/090.1 |
International
Class: |
E04B 7/02 20060101
E04B007/02 |
Claims
1. An overlay sheet of substantially impervious material, having
edges, for use in covering an overhang of a building which overhang
includes a frieze board attached to a side of a building, a soffit,
and a fascia board beyond the soffit, wherein an area near an
extremity of the sheet is configured to underlie the bottom width
of the frieze board and form a drip edge at substantially the outer
end of said bottom width, turning up over at least a part of the
outer face of the frieze board, thence turning substantially
horizontally a distance at least far enough to exceed the distal
bottom edge of the fascia board.
2. An overlay sheet as described in claim 1 wherein the
substantially impervious material forms a drip edge near
substantially the distal bottom edge of the fascia board.
3. An overlay sheet as described in claim 1 wherein the drip edge
is a separate piece attached to the substantially impervious
material.
4. An overlay sheet as described in claim 2 wherein the drip edge
near substantially the distal bottom edge of the fascia board is a
separate piece attached to the substantially impervious
material.
5. An overlay sheet as described in claim 1 wherein the distal end
of the substantially impervious material turns upward over at least
a part of the fascia board.
6. An overlay sheet as described in claim 2 wherein the distal end
of the substantially impervious material turns upward over at least
a part of the fascia board.
7. An overlay sheet as described in claim 3 wherein the distal end
of the substantially impervious material turns upward over at least
a part of the fascia board.
8. An overlay sheet as described in claim 4 wherein the distal end
of the substantially impervious material turns upward over at least
a part of the fascia board.
9. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 1 above, wherein a
separate piece of substantially impervious material covers the
distal end of the overlay sheet of said claim and further covers
substantially the remaining upper face of the fascia board.
10. A first overlay sheet as described in any of claim 2 above,
wherein a separate piece of substantially impervious material
covers the distal end of the overlay sheet of said claim and
further covers substantially the remaining upper face of the fascia
board.
11. A first overlay sheet as described in any of claim 3 above,
wherein a separate piece of substantially impervious material
covers the distal end of the overlay sheet of said claim and
further covers substantially the remaining upper face of the fascia
board.
12. A first overlay sheet as described in any of claim 4 above,
wherein a separate piece of substantially impervious material
covers the distal end of the overlay sheet of said claim and
further covers substantially the remaining upper face of the fascia
board.
13. A first overlay sheet as described in any of claim 5 A first
overlay sheet as described in any of claim 1 above, wherein a
separate piece of substantially impervious material covers the
distal end of the overlay sheet of said claim and further covers
substantially the remaining upper face of the fascia board.
14. A first overlay sheet as described in any of claim 6 above,
wherein a separate piece of substantially impervious material
covers the distal end of the overlay sheet of said claim and
further covers substantially the remaining upper face of the fascia
board.
15. A first overlay sheet as described in any of claim 7 above,
wherein a separate piece of substantially impervious material
covers the distal end of the overlay sheet of said claim and
further covers substantially the remaining upper face of the fascia
board.
16. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 8 above, wherein a
separate piece of substantially impervious material covers the
distal end of the overlay sheet of said claim and further covers
substantially the remaining upper face of the fascia board.
17. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 9 above, wherein
the separate piece of substantially impervious material includes a
bend in the upper end thereof to permit attachment of the separate
piece to portions of the building exclusive of the fascia, soffit
and frieze.
18. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 10 above, wherein
the separate piece of substantially impervious material includes a
bend in the upper end thereof to permit attachment of the separate
piece to portions of the building exclusive of the fascia, soffit
and frieze.
19. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 11 above, wherein
the separate piece of substantially impervious material includes a
bend in the upper end thereof to permit attachment of the separate
piece to portions of the building exclusive of the fascia, soffit
and frieze.
20. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 12 above, wherein
the separate piece of substantially impervious material includes a
bend in the upper end thereof to permit attachment of the separate
piece to portions of the building exclusive of the fascia, soffit
and frieze.
21. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 13 above, wherein
the separate piece of substantially impervious material includes a
bend in the upper end thereof to permit attachment of the separate
piece to portions of the building exclusive of the fascia, soffit
and frieze.
22. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 14 above, wherein
the separate piece of substantially impervious material includes a
bend in the upper end thereof to permit attachment of the separate
piece to portions of the building exclusive of the fascia, soffit
and frieze.
23. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 15 above, wherein
the separate piece of substantially impervious material includes a
bend in the upper end thereof to permit attachment of the separate
piece to portions of the building exclusive of the fascia, soffit
and frieze.
24. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 16 above, wherein
the separate piece of substantially impervious material includes a
bend in the upper end thereof to permit attachment of the separate
piece to portions of the building exclusive of the fascia, soffit
and frieze.
25. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 1, wherein an edge
of the overlay sheet is joinable to the edge of a substantially
side-by-side lying separate second overlay sheet by means of an
S-fold strip connector in which the first overlay sheet may be held
in one fold of the S-fold strip and the second overlay sheet may be
held in the other fold of the S-fold strip.
26. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 2, wherein an edge
of the overlay sheet is joinable to the edge of a substantially
side-by-side lying separate second overlay sheet by means of an
S-fold strip connector in which the first overlay sheet may be held
in one fold of the S-fold strip and the second overlay sheet may be
held in the other fold of the S-fold strip.
27. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 3, wherein an edge
of the overlay sheet is joinable to the edge of a substantially
side-by-side lying separate second overlay sheet by means of an
S-fold strip connector in which the first overlay sheet may be held
in one fold of the S-fold strip and the second overlay sheet may be
held in the other fold of the S-fold strip.
28. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 4, wherein an edge
of the overlay sheet is joinable to the edge of a substantially
side-by-side lying separate second overlay sheet by means of an
S-fold strip connector in which the first overlay sheet may be held
in one fold of the S-fold strip and the second overlay sheet may be
held in the other fold of the S-fold strip.
29. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 5, wherein an edge
of the overlay sheet is joinable to the edge of a substantially
side-by-side lying separate second overlay sheet by means of an
S-fold strip connector in which the first overlay sheet may be held
in one fold of the S-fold strip and the second overlay sheet may be
held in the other fold of the S-fold strip.
30. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 6, wherein an edge
of the overlay sheet is joinable to the edge of a substantially
side-by-side lying separate second overlay sheet by means of an
S-fold strip connector in which the first overlay sheet may be held
in one fold of the S-fold strip and the second overlay sheet may be
held in the other fold of the S-fold strip.
31. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 7, wherein an edge
of the overlay sheet is joinable to the edge of a substantially
side-by-side lying separate second overlay sheet by means of an
S-fold strip connector in which the first overlay sheet may be held
in one fold of the S-fold strip and the second overlay sheet may be
held in the other fold of the S-fold strip.
32. A first overlay sheet as described in claim 8, wherein an edge
of the overlay sheet is joinable to the edge of a substantially
side-by-side lying separate second overlay sheet by means of an
S-fold strip connector in which the first overlay sheet may be held
in one fold of the S-fold strip and the second overlay sheet may be
held in the other fold of the S-fold strip.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] It is generally desirable and customary in construction of
residential buildings, and some commercial buildings, to extend the
roof (usually but not always slanted) beyond the edge of the
building structure it covers. This extension results in an overhang
which allows rainwater and other precipitation to fall off the roof
or into an attached gutter with relatively little roof run-off
touching the exterior sides of the building. Of course, winds can
blow moisture, during a rain, against the sides of a building,
sometimes up under the overhang, although the overhang reduces the
amount of such moisture contact. Furthermore, the heat of the sun
can cause damage to paint on and under the overhang and in other
nearby areas, notwithstanding the overall protectiveness of the
overhang system.
[0002] To minimize maintenance and to shield exposed, and generally
wood, components of overhang systems, such exposed components have
often been overlaid with metal sheet or other relatively imperious
material, often prepainted with permanent or semi-permanent paint
or baked-on enamel. Major problems associated with the use of metal
and other types of overlay materials have been that: (1) they in
many cases must be fabricated in the field in order to configure
and conform them to the particular shape of the structure to which
they are affixed; (2) the various difficulties of on-site
fabrication must be overcome, including cutting, shaping,
attaching, connecting adjacent pieces of the overlaid covering,
providing vent spaces, and otherwise producing an attractive and
effective exterior appearance in the overlaid areas; and (3)
on-site fabrication has not heretofore produced innovative
configurations which tend to maximize the protective effectiveness
of the overlays.
[0003] In the past, various approaches have been proposed to
produce improved overlay systems for the overhang portions of a
building, of which examples are: Brochu, USP Application
Publication No. US 2005/0193642 A1; Gibson, U.S. Pat. No.
6,026,616; Hicks, U.S. Pat. No. No. 5,941,028; Lloyd-Jones, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,347,691; Maloney, U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,808; Martin, U.S.
Pat. No. No. 6,955,010 B2; Merkin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,048; Norton,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,158; Schroter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,275;
Strength, U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,933; Zaccagni, U.S. Pat. No.
5,797,220; Zaccagni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,375; and Zacagni, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,735,084. Some of the systems heretofore proposed
contemplate coverage of not only the overhang areas but also all or
most exterior areas of the house. Others provide for cornice pieces
which are primarily decorative; such as Norton and Strength, supra.
Others are concerned with facilitating the ease of bending metal
cladding or overlays, such as in Zaccagni (U.S. Pat. No.
5,950,375). Others focus on ventilation issues, such as Hicks and
Martin. In each case, the other inventors have focused on systems
which implicitly or explicitly are intended to start on or around
the fascia face at the end of the roof rafters and then proceed
toward the vertical side of the building where the overlay
terminates in some manner that is usually incidental to the primary
protective purposes of the overlay. An unarticulated premise of
many other systems is that primary attention should be given to
covering and protecting the fascia and soffit areas of an overhang,
without being much concerned about the terminus of the overlay near
the side of the building.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an
effective configuration of overlays or cladding which can be
largely pre-cut prior to delivery to the installation site,
facilitating ease of in-field construction, and at the same time
enhancing the level of protection against precipitation and insect
or animal damage afforded thereby.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a side view of an overhang area of a building
showing an overlay of relatively impervious material affixed in
accordance with the present invention.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a perspective front and side view of an overhang
area of a building showing an overlay of relatively impervious
material affixed, partially, in accordance with the present
invention.
[0007] FIG. 3 shows two pieces of an overlay system joinable so
that the two pieces together can snugly clad almost any overhang
configuration.
[0008] FIG. 4 shows a means for joining laterally certain adjacent
portions of the overlay pieces.
[0009] FIG. 5 shows an end view of an S-fold connector.
[0010] FIG. 6 shows a top view of an S-fold connector of the type
shown in FIG. 5, showing an edge of an overlay piece inserted into
on of the folds of the S-fold connector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] FIG. 1 shows, in a typical overhang 1 of a building, a
rafter 3 supporting a roof 2 which extends slightly outwardly
beyond the upper terminus of rafter 3. The fascia 5 extends
vertically below the roof 2. To enclose the space formed by the
conjunction of the fascia 5, the rafter 3 and the side 13 of the
building, there is often a soffit 14 built in, which runs generally
horizontally from frieze 6 to a fascia 5 attached to the side 13 of
the building. This is a typical configuration of existing
construction prior to the application of overlay materials as will
be described herein. Overlays or cladding consisting of relatively
impervious materials are considered often to be desirable, because
they provide for greater protection against the elements and
against insect intrusion through cracks in and around wood, and
rodent intrusion, and because an overhang area of a building
requires considerably less maintenance when overlaid with a
relatively impervious, durable and frequently permanently
colored-to-blend material. Metal with baked-on enamel finishes are
very good for this purpose, but certain plastics and polyvinyl
materials are also suitable for many situations.
[0012] In the case of the present invention, the relatively
impervious overlay material fits under frieze 6 in area 12 and
forms a drip edge 11 just before turning vertically to cover a part
of the outward-facing vertical side of frieze 6 in the area 10 (the
overlay can also extend beneath the soffit 14 without turning
vertically to cover any of the outward-facing vertical side of the
frieze), then extending generally horizontally in area 9 below the
soffit 14 to point 7, where a drip edge can be formed in that
general vicinity or where the overlay can extend generally
vertically in area 8 to cover outer face 4 of fascia 5. Drip edges,
whether used at points 11 or 7 (or both) can either be an integral
part of the basic overlay material, or they can be pre-formed and
attached to the basic overlay, as desired. As will be explained
later in the discussion of FIG. 3, the overlay in area 8 can
comprise and preferably will comprise two pieces of overlay
material, but of course the invention can be a single piece of
overlay, or at least a single strip joined laterally with other
strips, or it can comprise multiple pieces joined together at
various points along its length, with optional drip edges molded in
or added thereto. Of course, the benefits of the sealing and
protective effects are best achieved when the number of pieces or
strips are minimized.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows the overhang of FIG. 1 from a perspective which
shows the fascia 5 running horizontally with an overlay strip 8
with fascia cover 15 in place over a part of the fascia 5. FIG. 2
also shows the soffit 14 covered beneath, with overlay 9 (in one or
more parts) and running to frieze 6, where it turns vertically
downward to form a partial cover of the frieze in area 10 before
looping still more downward to form a drip edge 11, and then
continuing to cover the bottom edge of fascia 6 in area 12, until
it connects with the side 13 of the building.
[0014] Although it might not be apparent, when viewing the overlay
after installation, the overlay of the present invention is
designed to be installed beginning with the underside of frieze 6
and working outwardly toward the fascia 5. Because friezes vary
little in thickness, it is possible to pre-form, in factory or
shop, a first piece overlay strip which is pre-configured to
accommodate the frieze at one end, with drip edge, followed by a
vertical upturn to cover a part of the outer face of the frieze,
and then extending in a length long enough to cover the soffit. The
only significant variable on this first piece of the overlay
material is the length of the soffit (measured from side of the
building to the fascia). Thus, it is possible to produce a first
overlay piece which is standard for virtually all overlay
configurations, except for the soffit dimension (and perhaps an
optional drip edge addition); therefore the only in-field
adjustment which must be made is to bend such first overlay piece
at the outer terminus of the soffit. A second overlay piece is
required to assure complete coverage of the fascia. However, fascia
boards are generally found in a few discrete dimensions;
consequently, by pre-forming, in factory or shop, sets of these
second pieces in the common discrete dimensions corresponding to
fascia dimensions, it is possible to have pre-formed second pieces
that join with the first pieces to completely cover the portion of
the overhang system desired to be covered with those two pieces,
with no forming, cutting or configuring required in the field
except for a single bend to adjust the first piece to the
dimensions of the soffit.
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates the first piece 15-A and second piece
15-B. The present invention contemplates that piece 15-A will be
delivered to the job site in a form as shown in FIG. 3, but without
any bend at point 7. That is, the part of 15-A from point 16 to
distal point 17 will be relatively flat and straight overlay
material when delivered to the job site, with the bend at point 7
made at the job site (although the dimensions of the soffit could
be communicated from measurements taken at the job site and the
bend at 7 could be made at the factory or shop). Second overlay
piece 15-B would be delivered to the job site from a set of such
second pieces of size suitable for covering the fascia desired to
be covered. Piece 15-B is fitted to piece 15-A by setting bend 7 of
piece 15-A into the bend 7-A of piece 15-B, with 9-A underlying a
portion of area 9 and area 8-A fitting on the outside of area 8.
Generally, the length of area 8-A will exceed the length of area 8,
inasmuch as piece 15-B is designed to extend over portions of the
fascia to be covered which the up-bent area 8 is too short to
cover. The two pieces thus seated together are then joined by
screws, welding, adhesives or some kind of relatively permanent
joining means. The thus joined pieces 15-A and 15-B are attached to
the overhang area in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, using
screws or any other standard means for securing the joined overlay
pieces to the overhang area. The second piece need not necessarily
include a bend area 18 at the top, so long as it substantially
covers the fascia board. However, where present, area 18 can be
used as a surface area to be seated against a suitable portion of
the overhang construction to be covered such as the extensions of
the roof beyond the frame of the house. While shown in FIG. 3 in a
Z-shaped configuration, the second pieces could alternatively also
be in a substantially "bracket" configuration with the two end
portions 9A and 18 extending in the same direction rather than in
opposite directions (in which case the inwardly-turned portion 18
would be attached usually to a part of the ascending portion of the
roof, relative to the fascia board 5).
[0016] The utility of a drip edge, shown at point 11 (but which
could also be placed at other points along the overlay, such as at
point 7) is that it helps to shield somewhat vulnerable places from
precipitation, and provides a point for water reaching the drip
edge to drop off, since the water will not likely run upward on the
back (shielded) side of the drip edge. Thus, the drip edge at 11 is
made by a simple bend and back loop of the overlay material, or it
can optionally be added as a separate piece. It protects the
somewhat vulnerable point where area 12 meets the side of the
building just below the frieze, where moisture might be able to get
in, but for the shielding effect of the drip edge.
[0017] FIG. 3 also shows ventilation slots 19 which can optimally
be pre-configured into the overlay piece 15-A, if desired, in such
manner that there will always be sufficient ventilation slots,
regardless at what point bend 7 occurs.
[0018] FIGS. 4 and 5 show an S-fold connector piece 20 which can be
used to join overlay pieces together, especially in the soffit
areas 9. FIG. 4 shows a strip 20 which has a double fold (an
"S-fold") in it. The first fold is formed by bending a side portion
29 to form space 23 and then to fold once again the prior folded
portion 29 back in the direction of edge 30 with the fold occurring
at edge 28 of FIG. 4, with re-folded portion 25 extending to
substantially parallel edge of the fold 27 and forming space 26
made by said re-fold. FIG. 5 shows the S-fold connector as viewed
from the end thereof showing the double folds, all numerals having
the same references as in FIG. 4.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a drawing which shows the top fold (that is, the
fold having space 26 between portions 25 and 29 of the S-fold
connector shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) gripping an edge of soffit
portion 9 of the first overlay piece 15-A of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 does
not show an adjacent soffit portion being joined via the S-fold
connector, but it is apparent that a soffit edge of another first
piece 15-A could be slid into space 23 which lies between portions
29 and 21 of connector 20. When the adjacent soffit edge is held in
the first fold, as described above, there will then be two adjacent
first pieces 15-A gripped in the two respective and oppositely
oriented folds of the connector, and thus joined and held together.
The only portion of the S-fold connector visible to the eye after
it is used to join two adjacent soffit edges is a "seam" appearing
portion, which is in fact simply portion 25 of the connector. It
will be seen that this method can be used to join an indefinite
number of first overlay pieces together attractively. The same
principle can also be used to join second overlay pieces together,
when the S-fold connectors are appropriately sized to connect such
second overlay pieces. The S-fold connectors can be produced at the
factory or shop and can be cut into lengths corresponding to the
length of the adjacent edges being joined together.
* * * * *