U.S. patent application number 13/905830 was filed with the patent office on 2014-12-04 for ridge vent cap.
This patent application is currently assigned to Stouffer Technologies, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Stouffer Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to John D. Stouffer.
Application Number | 20140357181 13/905830 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51985641 |
Filed Date | 2014-12-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140357181 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stouffer; John D. |
December 4, 2014 |
Ridge Vent Cap
Abstract
A ridge vent end cap that can be readily bent to conform to
roofs of varying pitches while enclosing ridge vents of various
styles. The end caps are bent and fashioned for a flat blank, which
is configured to allow it to be bent and formed into a shape that
accommodates various styles of ridge vents and that encloses ridge
vents on roofs with varying pitches. The bent finished end cap has
a top ridge beam and a pair of end panels, bottom flaps and corner
flaps. Each corner flap has its own top corner flap and a bottom
corner flap. A preformed key hole slot along the central axis/plane
of the blank or finished end cap allows the end cap to bend without
buckling so that the end panels slide over one another to enclose
the end open of the ridge vent while conforming to the pitch of the
roof. A tooth is formed in one of the bottom flaps, which bites
into the roof shingles helps ensure that the end panels cannot be
pried up or burrowed under by rodents and insects.
Inventors: |
Stouffer; John D.; (Granger,
IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Stouffer Technologies, Inc. |
Granger |
IN |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Stouffer Technologies, Inc.
Granger
IN
|
Family ID: |
51985641 |
Appl. No.: |
13/905830 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/367 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 13/174 20130101;
F24F 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/367 |
International
Class: |
F24F 13/20 20060101
F24F013/20 |
Claims
1: An end cap for enclosing the open end of a ridge vent mounted to
a sloped roof, the end cap comprising: a cap body having a pair of
integral end panel portions having an upper edge and a beam portion
integrally connecting the pair of end panel portions along their
upper edge, the cap body having a key hole slot formed therein
between the pair of end panels so that the pair of end panels may
slide relative to and over one another.
2: The ridge vent end cap of claim 1 wherein the pair of end panels
each having an integral bottom flap portion bent relative to the
end panel to lie under the ridge vent.
3: The ridge vent end cap of claim 1 wherein one the pair of end
panels has a protrusion part extending from the bottom edge thereof
for embedding into the sloped roof when the end cap is affixed to a
ridge vent.
4: The ridge vent end cap of claim 1 wherein each of the pair of
end panel portions has an integral corner flap bendable relative
thereto.
5: The ridge vent end cap of claim 4 wherein the corner flap of
each of the end panel portions also has a top flap and a bottom
flap bendable relative to the corner flap for overlying the ridge
vent.
6: An end cap for enclosing the open end of a ridge vent mounted to
a sloped roof, the end cap comprising: a cap body formed from a
flat pre-configured blank, the blank having a pair of integral end
panel portions configured therein, and a beam portion integrally
connecting the pair of end panel portions in a side by side
relation, the blank body having a key hole slot formed therein
between the pair of end panels to define adjacent edges of the pair
of end panels so that the pair of end panels may slide relative to
and over one another when bent to form the cap body.
7: The ridge vent end cap of claim 6 wherein the pair of end panels
each having an integral bottom flap portion bent relative to the
end panel to lie under the ridge vent.
8: The ridge vent end cap of claim 6 wherein one the pair of end
panels has a protrusion part extending from the bottom edge thereof
for embedding into the sloped roof when the end cap is affixed to a
ridge vent.
9: The ridge vent end cap of claim 6 wherein each of the pair of
end panel portions has an integral corner flap bendable relative
thereto.
10: The ridge vent end cap of claim 9 wherein the corner flap of
each of the end panel portions also has a top flap and a bottom
flap bendable relative to the corner flap for overlying the ridge
vent.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to ridge vents for sloped roofs, and
in particular ridge vent end caps that can conform to sloped roofs
of varying pitches.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Ridge vents are a type of vent installed at the peak of a
sloped roof which allows warm, humid air to escape a building's
attic. Ridge vents are most common on shingled residential
buildings. Ridge vents allow warm air to flow through from attics
during summer months to cool the building to reduce cooling costs.
During winter months, these vents allow moisture to escape attics,
which prevents the deterioration of attic insulation. While roof
ridge vents help maintain the climate within the attics, they allow
provide a point of egress for small animals to enter the
building.
[0003] Typically, end caps are fashioned and bent from metal
flashing and scrap pieces of sheet metal to enclose the ends of
roof ridge vents. While most type of ridge vent can be readily
adapted for use on roofs of differing pitches, end caps must be
fashioned or bent not only to accommodate the particular style of
configuration of ridge vent, but also the particular pitch of the
roof the vent to which the vent is mounted. End caps fashioned and
bent to enclose a particular ridge vent mounted to one roof will
not adequately enclose or seal the end opening of the same ridge
vent on a roof having a different pitch.
[0004] The present invention seek to provide a ridge vent end cap
that can be readily bent to conform to roofs of varying pitches
while enclosing ridge vents of various styles. The end caps of this
invention are bent and fashioned from a flat metal or plastic
blank, which is configured to allow it to be easily bent and formed
into a shape that accommodates various styles of ridge vents and
that enclose ridge vents on roofs with varying pitches. The bent
finished end cap has a top ridge beam and a pair of end panels,
bottom flaps and corner flaps. Each corner flap has its own top
corner flap and a bottom corner flap. A preformed key hole slot
along the central axis/plane of the blank or finished end cap
allows the end cap to bend without buckling so that the end panels
slide over one another to enclose the open end of the ridge vent
while conforming to the pitch of the roof. A tooth is formed in one
of the bottom flaps, which bites into the roof shingles helps
ensure that the end panels cannot be pried up or burrowed under by
rodents and insects. The corner flaps along with their top and
bottom flaps may be used as desired, whether being bent to nest
against and affixed to the top, bottom and sides of the ridge vent,
unbent to cover the end opening of the ridge vent, or simply cut
off and discarded.
[0005] The above described features and advantages, as well as
others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary
skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description
and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The present invention may take form in various system and
method components and arrangement of system and method components.
The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating exemplary
embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.
The drawings illustrate the present invention, in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the flat blank of an embodiment of
the end cap of this invention in its unbent form;
[0008] FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the end cap of FIG. 1
in their finished bent form showing how the end cap may be bent to
accommodate ridge vents used on roofs of varying pitches;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the end cap of FIG. 1 and a
conventional shingle type ridge vent of pitch roof;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the end cap of FIG. 1
mounted to the ridge vent of FIG. 4;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a perspective of the end cap and ridge vent of
FIG. 5, with the ridge vent shown in shadow;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a top view of the end cap and ridge vent of FIG.
5;
[0013] FIG. 8 is a side view of the end cap and ridge vent of FIG.
5;
[0014] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the end cap of FIG. 1 and a
conventional metal ridge vent of pitch roof;
[0015] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the end cap of FIG. 1 and a
conventional metal ridge vent of pitch roof, showing the corner
flaps bent to cover the sides of the ridge vent;
[0016] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the end cap of FIG. 1
mounted to the ridge vent of FIG. 10;
[0017] FIG. 12 is a perspective of the end cap and ridge vent of
FIG. 11, with the ridge vent shown in shadow;
[0018] FIG. 13 is a top view of the end cap and ridge vent of FIG.
11; and
[0019] FIG. 14 is a side view of the end cap and ridge vent of FIG.
11.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] In the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that
form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration
specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be
practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to
enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it
is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that
logical, structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes
may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the
invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in
the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain
information known to those skilled in the art. The following
detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting
sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by
the appended claims.
[0021] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 illustrate an
embodiment of the ridge vent end cap of this invention, designated
as reference numeral 100. As shown in Fig. *, end cap 100 begins as
a flat blank of tin, steel, aluminum or other suitable metal. Metal
is a desirable material for the end cap because it is resistant to
animals and insect damaged. The flat blank has a particular outline
and configuration that allows it to be bent and formed to
accommodate various styles of ridge vents. The configuration also
allows the end cap to enclose ridge vents on roofs with varying
pitches. To faciliated the bends that form the finished end cap,
the blank has a number of fold lines cut, scored or otherwise
formed in the flat blank. Similar, nail holes can be preformed in
the blank to aid in affixing end cap 100 to the ridge vent itself.
While metal is often the desired material for the end cap,
Alternative embodiments may use a thin flat plastic blank, which is
likewise configured to be bent and formed to accommodate the
various styles of ridge vents and roof pitches. Again, fold lines
and nail holes are ideally formed in the flat plastic blank to aid
in bending the blank into its finished form. Still other
embodiments may be molded from plastics or other composite
materials directly into their finished form for use with specific
ridge vents and roof pitches.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows the basic shape and configuration of flat blank
102 that is bent to form end cap 100. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the basic
shape and configuration of the bent finished end cap 100. As shown,
both blank 102 and the bent finished end cap 100 are almost
symmetrical about a central vertical axis or plane in both flat
unbent form and bent finished form. End cap 100 is configured to
have a top ridge beam 110, two end panels 120, a pair of bottom
flaps 130, a pair of opposed corner flaps 140, each having a top
corner flap 150 and a bottom corner flap 160. Ridge beam 110 is
formed by folding over the top rectangular edge of the flat blank
twice along fold lines 111 and 113. The two end panels are
separated by a vertical key hole slot 121 that extends along the
central vertical axis of end cap 100. Bottom flaps 130 are bent at
90 degree angles to end panels 120 along fold lines 133 and
underlie the folded ridge beam 110. It should be noted that the
fold lines 133 are not parallel but angled with respect to fold
lines 111 of the ridge beam. Bottom flaps 130 are separated by an
inverted V-shaped notch 131 that extends from key hole slot 121. A
small slit 135 is formed in one of bottom flaps 130 to form a small
"tooth" or anchor blade 134. When affixed to a ridge vent and roof,
tooth 134 bites into shingling to hold down the bottom edge of end
panels 120 and prevent them from being pried upward. Corner flaps
140 extend outward from end panels 120 and as desired may be bent
back to affix the ends of end cap 100 to ridge vent 2 (FIGS. 9-14).
Similarly , top corner flaps 150 and bottom corner flaps 160 extend
from corner flaps 140 and may be bent along fold lines 153 and 163
respectively. In the flat unbent form, top corner flaps 150 and
bottom corner flaps 160 are separated from end panels 120 by
V-shaped notches 151 and 161 respectively.
[0023] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate how the configuration of the end
cap 100 can be bent to accommodate ridge vents on roofs with
various pitches. End cap 100 can be bent at is mid point of ridge
beam 110 along fold line 115 with end panels 120 slide overlapping
so that the bottom end of end panels 120 lay flat against and cover
the exposed end face of the ridge vent 10. As shown, key hole slot
121 allows end panels 120 to overlap one another without buckling
the flat surfaces of the end panels or ridge beam 110.
Consequently, its configuration, particularly the key hole slot 121
allows end cap 100 to be easily bent to conform to any roof pitch
and to provide a clean flat covering for most styles of ridge
vents.
[0024] FIGS. 4-8 show end cap 100 used on a shingle covered baffle
style ridge vent 10. Ridge vent 10 consist of a pair of porous
parallel side baffles 12 placed either side of the roof peak and a
covering row of top shingles 14. Side baffles 12 allow lateral air
flow into the roof without providing an egress for animal; however,
ridge vent 10 with an open ends 11, which are enclosed by end cap
100. As shown, blank 102 is bent to from end cap 100, which is
shaped to enclose the ridge vent open 11 and conform to the pitch
of the sloped roof 2. As shown, for use with ridge vent 10, corner
flaps 140 are not bent back, but remain in the plane of end panels
120. When end cap 100 is fitted to ridge vent 10, bottom flaps 130
and bottom corner flaps 160 slide under baffles 12. Top corner flap
150 is bent back to overlie ridge vent 10 so that the ends of
baffles 12 are interposed between the top and bottom corner flaps
150 and 160, respectively. End cap 100 is secured to ridge vent 10
by a nails or screws driven through nail hole 155 into vent baffles
12.
[0025] FIG. 9-14 show end cap 100 used on another style of ridge
vent 20. Ridge vent 20 consist of an elongated section of sheet
metal bent to form an elevated vent nailed or screwed to the peak
of sloped roof 2. As shown, ridge vent 20 has a pair of opposed
base flanges 22 and side walls 24 integral connected by a pitched
top 26. Again, blank 102 is bent to form end cap 1000, which is
shaped to enclose the open end 21 of ridge vent 20 and conform to
the pitch of the roof 2. As shown, for use with ridge vent 20,
corner flaps 140 are bent back to overlie vent side walls 24.
Similarly, bottom corner flap 160 can be bent outward to overlay
base flange 22. When end cap 100 is fitted to ridge vent 20, bottom
flaps 130 slide inward into the ridge vent opening. Top corner
flaps 150 are bent to overlie top 26 of ridge vent 20. End cap 100
is secured to ridge vent 20 by metal screws driven into ridge vent
20 through nail holes 145, 155 and 165 of corner flap 140, top
corner flap 150 and bottom corner flap 160, respectively.
[0026] One skilled in the art will note that the configuration of
the flat blank, which is fashioned into the finished bent end cap
allows the end cap to fully enclose the open ends of most styles of
ridge vent, as well as to accommodate for roofs of differing
pitches. The preformed key hole slot along the central axis/plane
of the blank or finished end cap allows the end cap to bend without
buckling so that the flat end panels slide over one another to
enclose the open end of the ridge vent while conforming to the
pitch of the roof. The tooth formed in one of the bottom flap,
which bites into the roof helps ensure that the end panels cannot
be pried up or burrowed under by rodents and insects. The folded
ridge beam provides rigidity to the end cap. The corner flaps along
with their top and bottom flaps may be used as desired, whether
being bent to nest against and affixed to the top, bottom and sides
of the ridge vent, unbent to cover the end opening of the ridge
vent, or simply cut off and discarded.
[0027] The pre-fashioned blanks can be stacked for convenient
storage before being bent in the finished configuration as needed
for any particular ridge vent. Unneeded flaps can be easily cut off
with shears in the field before installation. The fold lines formed
in the flat blanks allow for clean precise bends, which result in
an aesthetically clean bent finished end cap. Preformed nail/screw
holes in the blank allow the end cap to be easily secured to the
ridge vent and roof and prevents the caps and vents from being
crimped or otherwise damaging while being mounted together.
[0028] It should be apparent from the foregoing that an invention
having significant advantages has been provided. While the
invention is shown in only a few of its forms, it is not just
limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications
without departing from the spirit thereof.
[0029] The embodiment of the present invention herein described and
illustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form disclosed. It is presented to explain
the invention so that others skilled in the art might utilize its
teachings. The embodiment of the present invention may be modified
within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *