U.S. patent number RE32,539 [Application Number 06/846,710] was granted by the patent office on 1987-11-10 for skylight construction.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Wasco Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Paul A. Couture, Arthur P. Jentoft.
United States Patent |
RE32,539 |
Jentoft , et al. |
November 10, 1987 |
Skylight construction
Abstract
The skylight may be of the domed-type or flat type and of single
or double glass (acrylic or other transparent or translucent
plastic) construction. The skylight fits within an opening in a
roof or the like and has a peripheral curb of aluminum or the like
material which is fixed to the roof construction about the opening.
The curb member or frame at its top receives a flexible
thermoplastic (such as PVC) gasket compressible against the edge of
the glass or plastic dome or panel. In accordance with one
embodiment of the invention the frame may be constructed of a
material such as PVC, in which case the top gasket may be integral
with the frame or curb. In this case there may also be a second
flexible thermosplastic gasket adapted to contact a retainer
secured to the curb for retaining the dome or panel on the curb. In
another embodiment of the invention the frame or curb may be
constructed of aluminum or the like having a thermal bridge
associated with the frame to minimize the transfer of heat from one
side of the frame extrusion to the other. The frame may also have
associated therewith stops extending upwardly for limiting the
position of the domes or panels. These stops are useful in
transportation of the unit and also when the unit is to be
installed on a slanted roof.
Inventors: |
Jentoft; Arthur P.
(Kennebunkport, ME), Couture; Paul A. (Emery Mills, ME) |
Assignee: |
Wasco Products, Inc. (Sanford,
ME)
|
Family
ID: |
27126664 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/846,710 |
Filed: |
April 1, 1986 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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923245 |
Jul 10, 1978 |
|
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Reissue of: |
175306 |
Aug 4, 1980 |
04439962 |
Apr 3, 1984 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/200;
49/DIG.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D
13/0305 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04D
13/03 (20060101); E04B 007/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/200 ;49/DIG.1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Friedman; Carl D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 923,245
filed July 10, 1978, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A skylight construction for an opening in a building
comprising:
a curb frame extending about the opening and having means for
securing the frane in a fixed position about the opening, said curb
frame being of heat conductive material and having an inner section
and an outer section,
transparent or translucent means covering the opening and extending
at its edges to the curb frame,
means over the frame for retaining the covering means to the curb
frame,
gasket means carried by said inner section of said curb frame,
means for securing said retaining means to said outer section of
said curb frame to sandwich said transparent or translucent means
between a portion of said retaining means and said gasket means,
and
a low heat conductive plastic bridge disposed between said outer
section and said inner section of said curb frame for impeding heat
transfer through the curb frame,
said curb frame inner section and said curb frame outer section
including respective facing walls, each having interlocking
surfaces adapted to hold said plastic bridge in a position adjacent
said gasket means and underlying said transparent or translucent
means,
said curb frame having means supporting said gasket means by and
over one of said facing walls.
2. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
curb frame has a cavity defined between sections for accommodating
the bridge.
3. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
means for supporting said gasket means includes interlocking means
therebetween.
4. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
gasket means is supported over and by said curb frame inner section
facing wall.
5. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 including means
defining a condensation gutter in the inner section of the curb
frame.
6. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said
condensation gutter is defined in part by the facing wall of the
inner section of the curb frame.
7. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
means for securing the retaining means includes a bolt and
associated bolt retainer disposed in the outer section of the curb
frame.
8. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 including a
downwardly directed end of the outer section of the curb frame.
9. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
curb frame inner and outer sections have respective base walls with
the inner section base wall in part defining a condensation gutter
and the outer section base wall having means in part defining the
means for securing the retaining means.
10. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 9 including
respective facing walls of the inner and outer curb frame sections
each extending from a respective base wall and holding therebetween
the plastic bridge.
11. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 including stop
means mounted outside of but adjacent at least one edge of the
covering means.
12. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
means supporting said gasket means comprises a substantially
horizontal wall having an open channel for receiving a ridge of the
gasket means.
13. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
means supporting said gasket means includes a substantially
vertical wall having a drainage hole therein and in part defining a
condensation gutter.
14. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
means supporting said gasket means is an integral extension of one
of said facing walls having an open channel for receiving a ridge
of the gasket means.
15. A skylight construction as set forth in claim 14 wherein
therein is provided a passage hole both through said facing walls
and said plastic bridge so as to provide drainage through the
construction. .Iadd.
16. A skylight construction for an opening in a building
comprising:
a curb frame extending about the opening and having means for
securing the frame in a fixed position about the opening, said curb
frame being of heat conductive material and having an inner section
and an outer section,
transparent or translucent means covering the opening and extending
at its edges to the curb frame,
means over the frame for retaining the covering means to the curb
frame,
gasket means carried by said curb frame,
means for securing said retaining means to said curb frame to
sandwich said transparent or translucent means between a portion of
said retaining means and said gasket means, and
a low heat conductive plastic bridge disposed between said outer
section and said inner section of said curb frame for impeding heat
transfer through the curb frame,
said curb frame inner section and said curb frame outer section
including respective facing walls, each having interlocking
surfaces adapted to hold said plastic bridge in a position adjacent
said gasket means and underlying said transparent or translucent
means,
said curb frame having means supporting said gasket means by and
over one of said facing walls. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A skylight
construction as set forth in claim 16 wherein said gasket means is
carried by the inner section of the curb frame. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18.
A skylight construction as set forth in claim 16 wherein said
retaining means is secured to said outer section of said curb
frame. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to an improved skylight
construction, and is concerned, more particularly, with an improved
curb frame construction characterized by an improved resistance to
thermal transfer of heat through the skylight.
The co-pending application Ser. No. 923,245 shows different
constructions for a skylight employing a curb frame constructed of
a relatively rigid thermoplastic material such as
polyvinylchloride. However, for some applications it is desirable
to maintain a more rigid curb frame such as one constructed
primarily of aluminum. It is, therefore, one intended object of
this invention to provide a skylight construction having a curb
frame constructed in aluminum and which is yet characterized by a
thermal bridge associated with the frame for minimizing heat
transfer through the skylight.
One object of the present invention is to thus provide improved
skylight construction having a curb frame that may be constructed
of a metal material such as aluminum and which is yet provided with
a thermal bridge associated with the frame.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an
improved skylight curb frame construction combining a curb of a
rigid material which may either be aluminum, some other metal, or a
very rigid polyvinylchloride, in combination with a flexible
thermoplastic material forming one or more gaskets for sealing the
curbed frame to, for example, the dome or panel associated
therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
skylight construction that is characterized by being
energy-saving.
As depicted in co-pending application Ser. No. 923,245, there is a
securing screw or bolt for securing the dome to the frame by means
of a retainer. When the skylight is transported, especially with a
flat plate construction, the dome may shift and engage the bolt or
screw causing a cracking or damage to the dome.
Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide
stop means associated with the frame for limiting the position of
the dome relative to the frame and preventing damage to the dome or
plate forming the skylight. The stop means are also useful in
connection with installation of the skylight on a slanted roof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To accomplish the foregoing and other objects of the invention,
there is provided a skylight construction adapted to be fitted into
an opening in a building such as the roof of a residential house.
This skylight construction comprises a curb frame extending about
the opening and having a means for receiving nails or the like for
securing the frame in place about the opening. In one embodiment,
one, two or more transparent or translucent thermoplastic domes
cover the opening and extend at the edge to the curb frame. In
another embodiment the dome is replaced by one, two or more glass
panels. A retainer extends about the periphery of the skylight for
holding the dome or panel on the curb frame. In the disclosed
embodiments the curb frame may be constructed either of a rigid
plastic, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), or it may be constructed
of a rigid metal such as aluminum. However, the preferred
construction in accordance with this invention is of aluminum in
combination with a thermal bridge which essentially forms a thermal
break in the aluminum frame extrusion. The thermal bridge may be
provided by having grooves in the aluminum extrusion which are
filled with a plastic which may be urethane. After the plastic
hardens, the extrusion is saw cut along the bottom of the groove to
interrupt the continuity of the aluminum. The plastic thus provides
the structural continuity and any transfer of heat from one side of
the extrusion to the other must pass through the lower heat
transmitting plastic thermal bridge.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention the
frame is of a construction different from that shown in co-pending
application Ser. No. 923,245 so as to permit the use of a thinner
upright wall (wall 12 in Ser. No. 923,245). Also, the frame
construction accommodates the well liner (liner 14 in Ser. No.
923,245) beneath the extrusion thus making for a somewhat more
compact construction.
In either embodiment; that is one employing a plastic curb frame or
one employing a metal curb frame, there are provided preferably a
series of stops associated with the frame and extending upwardly
therefrom essentially placed between the frame and the retainer
secured thereabove. These stops are useful in the transportation of
these skylights to prevent damage to the dome and are also useful
in preventing damage when the skylight is to be installed on a
slanted roof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the invention
should now become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a domed skylight construction
through a section of the curb frame;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view like the one shown in FIG. 1 for a
different configuration frame;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view substantially the same as the one
shown in FIG. 2 and also showing the stop means of the
invention;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the
invention using the thermal bridge; and
FIG. 5 is an alternate cross-sectional view of the thermal bridge
version of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, some of the embodiments show the
dome skylight such as in FIGS. 1 and 2 while some of the other
embodiments such as shown in FIG. 3 depict a flat skylight
construction.
The skylight construction spans an opening 10 which may be a square
or rectangular shape and defined in part by upright walls 12. A
finish material or well liner 14 is provided on the inside of the
opening 10. In accordance with the present invention it is
preferred that liner 14 extend to a bottom wall 15 of the curb
frame 20.
In FIGS. 1-3, like reference characters are used to identify
similar components. In FIG. 1 the curb frame 20 is construced of
aluminum. In FIGS. 2 and 3 the curb frame is constructed of a
plastic such as PVC. In FIG. 1 the skylight construction includes a
pair of domes 16 and 18 which are preferably acrylic thermoplastic
domes, a curb frame 20 of aluminum and a retainer 22 which may also
be constructed of aluminum.
FIGS. 1-3 show a plug 23 which can be removed if condensation
drainage is required. The holes are plugged with the plug 23 to
prevent energy loss due to air exfiltration. In FIG. 1 about the
wall 12 there may be provided a flashing or roofing felt strip 24
which extends along the outer surface of the wall and about the top
thereof depicted in FIG. 1. The curb frame 20 may be extruded in
straight sections and is secured to the top of the wall 12 over the
flashing strip 24. The curb frame 20 may be secured to the wall 12
by means of a number of nails 26 which extend through the flange 28
of the curb frame 20. The curb frame also has a sealing gasket 48
received at the upper horizontal wall 36 of the curb frame. The
wall 36 has an open channel for receiving a ridge 49 of the
cup-shaped gasket 48. The bottom wall 30 of the frame may have
nipples 38 to provide means for embedding in mastic. The mastic 40
may be laid between the flashing strip 24 and the base wall 30.
The curb frame also has an internally threaded recess which
receives the bolt 54 used for securing the retainer 22 to the curb
frame 20. In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 it is noted that,
wherein the frame is constructed in PVC there is provided a further
gasket 50 as taught in our copending application Ser. No. 923,245.
The gasket 50 may be slightly deflected in seals against the wall
56 of the retainer. The top wall 58 of the retainer presses against
the edges 17 and 19 and the edge 19 rests upon the cup shaped
gasket 48 which compresses to seal against the dome. A single dome
may be sufficient for certain applications and in such case the
seal 60 between domes is, of course, not necessary. In the
embodiment of FIG. 3 wherein the dome is essentially a flat panel
it is noted that these are identified by reference characters 16A
and 18A to denote this difference in form of the domes. With regard
to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 these are primarily
adapted for use with a flat surface 62. In this connection there
may be provided a layer 124 which extends over the top surface of
the member 62 which may be a roof sheating. There may be provided a
number of nails such as the nail 126 shown in FIG. 2. A final
roofing layer 127 may also be used in association with providing a
tight seal between the skylight construction and the roof to which
it is affixed.
FIG. 3 shows one important feature of the present invention in the
form of a stop 70 which may be used essentially in place of one of
the bolts 54. The stop 70 may be screwed into the accommodating
recess previously meant for the bolt or it can be driven into the
screw groove or hole for the bolt 54. It is preferred that the
stops 70 be provided with at least two per side of the frame. In
the case of transportation of the skylight prior to its being
installed these stops are helpful in preventing the panels such as
domes 16 and 18 from contacting the bolts 54. It is noted in this
connection that the side 71 of the stop 70 extends beyond the bolt
54 so that there would be contact with the stop prior to any
contact with the bolt 54. These stops are also helpful in
connection with installation of the skylight on a slanted roof
where the panels may apt to slide when being installed or might
tend to slide after a period over which they have been installed.
The stops 70 preferably have a flat side facing the panels and are
preferably constructed of a plastic such as PVC. Contact with the
stops would not damage the panels in any way.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show two further embodiments of the present invention
both employing the thermal bridge concept of the present invention.
In FIGS. 4 and 5 reference characters are used like those employed
in identifying like components in FIGS. 1-3. Thus, in FIGS. 4 and 5
there is shown the upright wall 12, the well liner 14, the curb
frame 20, and the retainer 22. As is apparent in FIGS. 4 and 5 the
curb frames 20 are of different overall extruded configuration and
also differ from the configurations shown in FIGS. 1-3. However,
the curb frames are similar in that in FIGS. 4 and 5 they include
means defining an internally threaded passage for receiving the
bolts 54 which are used for securing the retainer 22 to sandwich
the domes 16 and 18 between a wall of the retainer and the gasket
48 supported by a section of the curb frame. FIGS. 4 and 5 also
show plugs 23.
Each of the frames in FIGS. 4 and 5 includes an inner section 20A
and an outer section 20B bridged by means of the thermal bridge 21.
The section 20A is the section from which the gasket 48 is
supported such as from the wall 36. Again, the gasket 48 includes a
lower ridge 49 accommodated by a channel in the wall 36. The outer
section 20B of the frame is for supporting the bolts 54.
The facing section of ends 20A and 20B as depicted, for example, in
FIG. 5 form a cavity of somewhat rectangular form. In FIGS. 4 and 5
the frame is shown in its final configuration. The thermal bridge
21 may be formed by first providing a groove in the aluminum
extrusion such as in the wall 23. The cavity can then be filled
with a plastic such as urethane. After the plastic hardens, the
extrusion may then be saw cut along the bottom of the groove so as
to break the continuity of the aluminum. This saw cut can be made
in the wall 25 with the cuts in walls 23 and 25 defining grooves
23A and 25A as depicted clearly in FIG. 5. A similar technique can
also be used in connection with the fabrication of the curb frame
of FIG. 4. After the plastic in the cavity hardens and the lower
cut is made in the aluminum extrusion there is a structural
continuity but essentially a structural discontinuity as far as
heat transfer is concerned as the heat must pass from one side of
the extrusion to the other through the much lower heat transmitting
plastic thermal barrier.
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the use of an
aluminum extrusion for the frame there are mitre cuts at the
corners of the frame which are usually welded in a conventional
manner. However, the plastic forming the thermal barrier cannot be
welded and thus a caulking is used to complete the seal along the
mitre. For one version a narrow joint seam sealant is used while
for another version one may use a "hot melt" butyl to seal the
exposed mitre. The "hot melt" sealant hardens almost instantly as
it cools to allow immediate handling.
* * * * *