One Step Exterior Flashing Device

Abstract

A flashing device comprising a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of an overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, and a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel. A system for flashing can comprise such a flashing device. A kit, building system or structure can comprise a flashing device as described and an overlaid wood composite panel.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] Construction of buildings involves introduction of various apertures, e.g., for passage of various penetrants including utility/plumbing pipes. These apertures are potential sources of entry of atmospheric or environmental substances, especially water. Water has a natural tendency to travel rearwardly on the exterior of a pipe for entry into the building. If water enters through an exterior building wall, it can cause substantial damage.

[0002] In order to minimize the entry of substances, flashing may be installed during construction. Flashing is the system used to seal edges at walls, expansion joints, and other places where the exterior envelope is interrupted or terminated. Most effective flashing systems utilize the use of gravity, sealing tapes, or a combination of both to drive away water from a wall. Flashing is often made of rubber, tar, asphalt, synthetic polymers, or various metals. Flashing devices used to prevent moisture from penetrating seams are well known in the industry.

[0003] Currently, flashing electrical boxes, vents, and openings is a multi-step process. Because of the nature of housewraps and felt paper, there is no standard way of flashing openings in wall or roof systems. Improper flashing practices result in water intrusion towards the interior of a home, leading to water-/moisture-related problems.

[0004] One current product, for example, is the flashing system shown in FIG. 1B. This product is installed over sheathing 120 in several steps: 1) A flange 112 with rubber seal gasket 114 seals around the conduit 30 after installing housewrap, felt, or building paper 140 beneath the lower half of the penetration. 2) The flange 112 is pushed flush against the wall 120. 3) The flange 112 is nailed 116 at the top corners; and 4) housewrap, felt, or building paper 140 is placed over the top half of the flange 112 to create a natural water drainage plane.

[0005] Another flashing system is shown in FIG. 1A. The steps for installing this can include 1) installing a penetrant 30 in the sheathing 120; 2) applying flashing tape 214 around the penetrant 30; 3) placing housewrap, felt or building paper 140 over the sheathing 120 but under the flashing 214 which is around and under the lower half of the penetrant 30; and 4) applying housewrap, felt or building paper 140 over the top half of the penetrant 30. Another type of flashing is a "flap-type" system for non-standard openings such as a faucet.

[0006] These processes are inefficient and laborious. There exists a need for a simplified article, flashing system, and method for providing flashing for openings in walls, roofs, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Described herein are articles and methods for flashing openings in walls, roofs, and the like.

[0008] In one aspect, described herein is a flashing device. The device can comprise a flange, a gasket, an opening, and an adhesive. The device can comprise

(a) a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening, wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of an overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, (b) a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and (c) an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel. Optionally, the device can comprise an intermediate layer between the flange and the adhesive backing.

[0009] In another aspect, described herein is a building system or kit comprising an overlaid wood composite panel and a flashing device of the invention. The system or kit can comprise (a) a flashing device comprising a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening, wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of an overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel,

a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel, and (b) an overlaid structural sheathing panel.

[0010] In a further aspect, described herein is a method of flashing penetrations comprising adhesively attaching to an overlaid structural sheathing panel

a flashing device comprising (i) a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening, wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of an overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, (ii) a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and (iii) an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel.

[0011] Additional advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the aspects described below. The advantages described below will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several aspects described below. Like numbers represent the same elements throughout the figures.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows several different types of installed flashing from a vertical cross-sectional view of a wall. A=use of flashing tape; B=Quickflash (Quickflash Weatherproofing Products, Inc..RTM., Las Vegas, Nev.) flashing system; C=an embodiment of a flashing device of the current invention.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a flashing device of the current invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Before the present articles, devices, and/or methods are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the aspects described below are not limited to specific example embodiments, specific embodiments may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0016] In this specification and in the claims which follow, reference will be made to a number of terms which shall be defined to have the following meanings:

[0017] It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "an adhesive" includes mixtures of adhesives; reference to "a polymeric material" includes mixtures of two or more such materials, and the like.

[0018] "Optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

[0019] Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" one particular value, and/or to "about" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.

[0020] For purposes of this application, the term "overlaid" panel will refer either to panels used for walls, roofs, or other uses. Traditionally, "overlaid" refers to walls and "roof underlayment" generally applies to roofs; however, for ease of usage herein "an overlaid panel" is any panel with an overlay attached, e.g., ZIP.TM. Wall or Roof Sheathing, whether used as wall or roof since structurally they are considered sufficiently similar in the context of flashing.

[0021] A device is described herein which is used as flashing on openings in walls, roofs, and the like. The device comprises a flange, a gasket, an opening, and an adhesive.

[0022] Also disclosed is a method of installing a flashing system on an aperture within structural sheathing by, e.g.,:

a. "locking and sealing" the diameter of a penetrant, such as a pipe, located within an aperture in structural sheathing with a rubber seal gasket, b. sealing a flange comprising the gasket against the structural sheathing with a self-adhesive backing.

[0023] Use of a flashing device of the invention can eliminate the need for steps of using a secondary tape or caulking to seal around a penetration/penetrant and/or fastening a flashing flange with mechanical type fasteners, e.g., nails or staples. Further, the device can eliminate layering of housewrap, etc. over and under a flashing device.

[0024] A device of the invention can complement, for example, the ZIP System.TM. (wall and roof) product line (Huber Engineered Woods LLC, Charlotte, N.C.; www.huberwood.com; http://huberwood.com/)--the invention can provide easier flashing installation compared with current traditional felt, building paper, or housewrap, essentially transforming a multi-step flashing process into a one-step flashing process.

A. Articles

[0025] A flashing device of the current invention allows for one step flashing without the need for additional securing means (e.g., nails, staples, or caulk) and without the need to overlap/layer the flashing with building paper or housewrap of any sort. However, either additional securing means or building paper/housewrap or both could also be used with the device, if desired.

[0026] In one aspect described herein are articles for flashing openings in walls, roofs, and the like. A flashing device 10 of the invention can comprise a flange 12, a gasket (e.g., rubber gasket) 14, and an adhesive (e.g., a self-adhesive) backing 16. See, e.g., FIG. 2 for an example embodiment. The device can be used, for example, in combination with structural sheathing with built-in water-resistive barriers (or built-in roof underlayment) such as the ZIP.TM. Wall or Roof system, described in, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,737,155 and 6,772,569 and U.S. Published Applications 2005/0229504, 2005/0257469, and 2005/0229524, hereby incorporated by reference for their teachings on overlaid building panels. The device can be used on other construction panels or materials as well, e.g., coated panels, insulation board, panels with post-manufacture applied coatings (e.g., spray or trowel-applied water-resistive barriers), etc.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 1C, an installed embodiment of a flashing device 10 is shown. FIG. 1C illustrates a device 10 in place on a pipe 30 installed on an overlaid panel wall 20. The device 10 has a gasket 14 with an opening 18 sized to permit passage of a pipe 30 therethrough and sufficiently small to snugly surround the pipe 30 such that an essentially water-tight seal at the interface of the pipe 30 and the gasket 14 is formed. A flange 12 surrounds the gasket 14, and preferably is a plastic flange 12 with the gasket 14 centrally disposed therein, as shown. Such configuration can be achieved by differing processes such as injection molding insert techniques or by adhesively securing the gasket 14 to the flange 12 across a pre-formed opening 18 in the flange 12.

[0028] An adhesive backing 16 seals the device 10 to an overlaid wall panel 20, thereby making the device 10 an integral permanent component of the wall 20. When water travels rearwardly on the exterior of the pipe 30 from its opening, the water simply encounters the gasket 14 in sealing engagement with the exterior surface of the pipe 30. Because the water can travel rearwardly no further, it simply flows downwardly by gravitational force over the flange 12 and to the ground.

[0029] Final finishing material such as siding, brick, stucco through which the pipe 30 projects is applied directly on and over the device 10, thereby making the device 10 an integral component of the wall 20 for the life of the building structure.

[0030] Installation of a flashing device of the invention on a roof would be very similar. Final finishing material for roof can include shingles, tile, metal, and the like.

[0031] A flange 12 of the device can comprise a material substantially impervious to water, for example, a polymeric material (e.g., plastic, vinyl, etc.), metal (e.g., galvanized steel), or resinated paper. The material is preferably flexible but with rigidity effective to retain its shape. The shape of the flange is not critical; any shape which is effective for preventing atmospheric penetration of the opening can be used. For example, in FIG. 2, the flange is generally rectangular in shape, more particularly, square. One of ordinary skill in the art in the art can determine an effective shape. The flange comprises a front surface 12a and a back surface 12b (not shown). The flange is preferably made of a one-piece unitary sheet material and is substantially planar in order to fit essentially flush to a wall, roof, or other surface in which the penetration is found. However, if the surface to which the flange is to be attached is not planar, then the flange need not be planar. The size of the flange is one which is effective for preventing atmospheric penetration of the opening. One of ordinary skill in the art in the art can determine an effective size. For example, one example embodiment has dimensions of 8'' W.times.8'' L.times.1/8'' thick. The flange can be formed by methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art such as by molding or extruding.

[0032] Within the flange 12 is an opening 18. The opening 18 is preferably essentially centrally located within the flange 12. The size of the opening is effective to receive a protrusion therethrough, e.g., a pipe. One example embodiment of the device has a 3'' diameter circular opening. The opening is to be placed over a penetrant in a roof, wall, or the like. The opening can, e.g., be essentially circular in shape, though the shape is not critical. A variety of shapes and sizes of openings can be provided in order to accommodate various protrusions.

[0033] A gasket 14 can comprise a polymer, e.g., a plastic film or a polymeric elastomeric material, for example, rubber, nitrile, EPDM, polyurethane, polyurea, mixtures therof, copolymers thereof, and the like. Further, the gasket can comprise a solid or porous material, e.g., closed-cell foam. The gasket is intended to fit snugly around the protrusion. The gasket is oriented substantially in the same plane as the flange but is flexible and when installed will likely deform outside the flange plane. The gasket can be any element of the device which is effective for preventing atmospheric penetration of the opening. One of ordinary skill in the art can determine an effective gasket. The gasket 14 can be an elastomeric material with an opening 18 sized to permit passage of a penetrant/protrusion (e.g., pipe 30) therethrough and sufficiently small to snugly surround the penetration/protrusion such that an essentially water-tight seal at the interface of the penetration/protrusion and the elastomeric material is formed, for example, having a 2'' diameter circular opening. Rubber and plastic film having such elastomeric properties are two examples of usable elastomeric material.

[0034] The gasket 14 can be sized and shaped to be simply fitting within the opening 18 in the flange 12, e.g., as shown in FIG. 2, or can be differently sized and shaped. For example, the gasket can be formed in essentially the same size and shape as the flange but for the size of the opening therein. In an embodiment where the flange and gasket have similar sizes and shapes, the gasket would form an intermediate layer between the flange and the adhesive backing.

[0035] An adhesive backing 16 can, for example, be a pressure-sensitive self-adhesive backing. The adhesive backing 16 serves to adhere the flashing device 10 to a wall 20, roof, or the like. The adhesive can comprise any adhesive which is effective for preventing atmospheric penetration of the opening and an effective adhesion between the flange 12 and the wall 20. For example, in an example embodiment, the adhesive can be acrylic, butyl, rubber, polyurethane or urethane, silicone, epoxy, latex, anaerobic, cyanoacrylate, asphaltic, oleoresinous, nitrile, or polysulfide. Examples of adhesives used in construction can be found in Handbook of Adhesives and Sealants in Construction, Amstock, Joseph S., 2001, McGraw-Hill, New York. Choice of adhesives for use on an overlaid wood composite panel can be more flexible than many other surfaces due to the character of an overlay, e.g., the overlay found on ZIP.TM. sheathing. One of ordinary skill in the art can determine an effective adhesive and an effective amount of adhesive to use. The adhesive can be applied to the device using conventional methods, such as spray coating or application with a roller.

[0036] The flashing device 10 can be assembled by, e.g., adhesively bonding the gasket to the flange or by injection molding insert techniques of forming the gasket within the flange. The flange, gasket, and adhesive backing can be manufactured using conventional methods; one of skill in the art can determine how to manufacture the components and combine them together.

[0037] The flashing can be adhesively attached to a surface, e.g., of a wall. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present flashing device can vary widely in many shapes and sizes commensurate with the dimensions of the conduit access hole and service required, e.g., conduit, gas line, drainage line, duct work and the like.

System

[0038] A system of the invention can comprise an overlaid wood composite panel. In particular, an example wood composite is oriented strand board, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,525,394 and 5,635,248, herein incorporated by reference in their entireties. Embodiments of systems of the invention can comprise conventional wood composite panels as well as specialty panels such as the ZIP System.TM. overlaid panels (described in, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,737,155 and 6,772,569 and U.S. Published Applications 2005/0229504, 2005/0257469, and 2005/0229524), coated panels, and the like.

[0039] A system of the invention preferably comprises a wood composite panel with an integral water-resistive barrier/underlayment and a flashing device as described above.

[0040] The invention can include a kit comprising an overlaid wood composite panel (such as those described in, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,737,155 and 6,772,569 and U.S. Published Applications 2005/0229504, 2005/0257469, and 2005/0229524) and a flashing device of the invention as described above. The kit can comprise a plurality of flashing devices of varying shapes, sizes, and opening sizes, for example.

B. Methods

[0041] The articles described above can be manufactured using known methods to one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the device can be molded. In another example method, the flange and gasket can be stamped out of a sheet material, including the center hole in each. The gasket can then be applied to the flange using an adhesive, e.g., manually using a hand roller or automatically using automatic dispensing and application equipment. The self-adhesive backing can be applied by coating, such as by a hand roller or automatic application equipment. Optionally, the adhesive backing can be provided with a release film applied to the adhesive backing. If a release film is applied, it can be stamped out of a sheet release liner material and then applied to the self-adhesive backing. Another example method of manufacturing would be to layer the adhesive backing between release films in roll form using suitable means (e.g., roll-coating, curtain coating) then stamp out the layered release film-backing in the same shape as the flange. In this method, one release film is removed from the adhesive backing to be applied to the flange, with pressure, leaving the second release film to be removed from the adhesive backing by an installer.

[0042] The invention includes a method for flashing an opening comprising installing a device of the invention over an opening or penetration in a structural sheathing panel and sealing the device to the structural sheathing panel. The gasket and opening of the device fits over any penetrant through the opening or penetration. The method can further comprise providing an overlaid wood composite panel as the structural sheathing panel, preferably a ZIP System.TM. panel as described above.

[0043] A method of installing a flashing system on apertures can comprise

a. placing a flashing device of the invention over a penetrant, such that the exterior (e.g., diameter) of the penetrant, such as a pipe, is sealed with the gasket of the device, and b. sealing the device against the structural sheathing panel with a self-adhesive backing of the device.

[0044] Throughout this application, various publications are referenced. The disclosures of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the compounds, compositions and methods described herein.

[0045] Various modifications and variations can be made to the compounds, compositions and methods described herein. Other aspects of the compounds, compositions and methods described herein will be apparent from consideration of the specification and practice of the compounds, compositions and methods disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary.

Claims

1. A flashing device comprising (a) a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of an overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, and (b) a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and (c) an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the flange comprises polymeric material, metal, or resinated paper.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the flange is planar.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the gasket comprises rubber, nitrile, EPDM, polyurethane, polyurea, mixtures therof, or copolymers thereof.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises acrylic, butyl, rubber, polyurethane or urethane, silicone, epoxy, latex, anaerobic, cyanoacrylate, asphaltic, oleoresinous, nitrile, or polysulfide adhesive.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the protrusion is a pipe.

7. A system for flashing comprising (a) a flashing device comprising (i) a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of an overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, and (ii) a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and (iii) an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel and (b) an overlaid structural sheathing panel.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the flange comprises polymeric material, metal, or resinated paper.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the gasket comprises rubber, nitrile, EPDM, polyurethane, polyurea, mixtures therof, or copolymers thereof.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the wherein the adhesive comprises acrylic, butyl, rubber, polyurethane or urethane, silicone, epoxy, latex, anaerobic, cyanoacrylate, asphaltic, oleoresinous, nitrile, or polysulfide adhesive.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the wherein the overlaid structural sheathing panel is a resin-impregnated paper overlaid wood composite structural sheathing panel.

12. A building kit comprising (a) a flashing device comprising (i) a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of an overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, and (ii) a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and (iii) an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel and (b) an overlaid structural sheathing panel.

13. A structure having (a) at least one exterior wall, the exterior wall comprising (i) an overlaid structural sheathing panel, and (ii) an opening in the overlaid structural sheathing panel, and (b) a flashing device adhesively attached to the exterior wall comprising (i) a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, and (ii) a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and (iii) an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel.

14. The structure of claim 13 further comprising siding, brick or stucco installed externally to the external wall and the flashing device.

15. The structure of claim 13 further comprising a protrusion through the opening in the panel.

16. The structure of claim 15 wherein the protrusion is a pipe.

17. The structure of claim 13 further comprising (c) a roof comprising (i) a structural sheathing panel with integral underlayment, and (ii) an opening in the integrally underlaid structural sheathing panel, and (d) a flashing device adhesively attached to the roof comprising (i) a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of the integrally underlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, and (ii) a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and (iii) an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the integrally underlaid structural sheathing panel.

18. A method for flashing comprising (a) adhesively attaching a flashing device comprising (i) a flange comprising a front surface, back surface, and an opening wherein the opening is essentially centrally located in the flange and wherein the flange is suitable for attachment to a surface of an overlaid structural sheathing panel over a protrusion through the sheathing panel, and (ii) a gasket effective to essentially seal the perimeter of the protrusion to water, and (iii) an adhesive backing located on a back surface of the flange wherein the backing comprises an adhesive effective to permanently attach the flashing device to the surface of the overlaid structural sheathing panel to an overlaid structural sheathing panel.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the overlaid structural sheathing panel is a resin-impregnated paper overlaid wood composite structural sheathing panel.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising installing a protrusion through the overlaid structural sheathing panel.