Abstract:
A roof spoiler to protect a roof and house from hurricane wind. The spoiler can automatically extend in the event of wind pressure and can re-direct airflow away from the roof. When wind is no longer present, the spoiler can automatically retract to a retracted position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus to provide stability for a roof. More particularly, the present invention can be affixed to a roof before a storm in order that damage from the wind can be minimized.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Hurricanes and other natural disasters can do enormous damage to a house.  
         [0005]     What is needed is an improved way to stabilize a roof of a house  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a roof spoiler to help stabilize a roof in the event of large winds (such as a hurricane) which can destabilize the airflow in a direction which can reduce damage to the roof.  
         [0007]     The above aspects can be obtained by an apparatus that includes (a) a bracket mounted to a roof; (b) a rotatable flap connected to the mounting bracket to rotate around an axis, (c) wherein the flap can be in both a retracted position and an extended position.  
         [0008]     These together with other aspects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1A  is a drawing of extended spoilers and air flow, according to an embodiment;  
         [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a drawing of a roof and respective airflow without spoilers;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1C  is a drawing of a roof and pressure exerted therein;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2A  is a drawing illustrating various views of spoiler assemblies, according to embodiments;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2B  is a drawing illustration further views of spoiler assemblies, according to embodiments;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3A  is a drawing of various parts to air spoilers in a retracted position, according to embodiments;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3B  is a drawing of various parts to air spoilers in an extended position, according to embodiments;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a drawing of additional parts for air spoilers, according to embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a drawing of a roof with retracted spoilers attached, according to an embodiment;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6A  is a drawing of a roof spoiler with a pivot, according to an embodiment;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6B  is a drawing of a roof spoiler with a rudder, according to an embodiment.  
         [0021]      FIG. 7A  is a drawing of a retracted roof spoiler using a lanyard, according to an embodiment;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7B  is a drawing of a semi-extended roof spoiler using a lanyard, according to an embodiment;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7C  is a drawing of a fully extended roof spoiler using a lanyard, according to an embodiment;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7D  is a drawing of a semi-extended roof spoiler using brackets, according to an embodiment; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 7E  is a drawing of a fully extended roof spoiler using brackets, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.  
         [0027]     The present general inventive concept relates to an apparatus and method to help stabilize a roof (and thus a house) in the event of catastrophic wind, and to help prevent wind damage to the house. At significant velocities, wind life can be tremendous and can peel the roof deck up and off the house or other structure. Because the roof deck prevents flexural loads in the walls. If it is removed the walls and other structures fail rapidly after that.  
         [0028]     In an aircraft, it is the stability of the air flow (laminar flow) that creates the lift effect causing flight. A similar effect is what peels off a roof deck in a hurricane or other wind-event.  
         [0029]     The simplest form of the invention would be to simply screw down a piece of angle to the roof in several places. This could serve to spoil the airflow of storm (as discussed herein). A drawback to this method is that it would not look aesthetically pleasing.  
         [0030]     The present invention can provide folding flaps (typically automatic) that can look more like the rest of the roof when not needed.  
         [0031]      FIG. 1A  is a drawing of extended spoilers and air flow, according to an embodiment.  
         [0032]     A roof  100  contains a first air spoiler  102  and a second air spoiler  104 . The two air spoilers disrupt (or spoil) the airflow, so that the air flow is not concentrated on the roof which can cause damage.  
         [0033]      FIG. 1B  is a drawing of a roof and respective airflow without spoilers.  
         [0034]     Note that the airflow develops a laminar flow which can cause damage to the roof and supporting structure.  
         [0035]      FIG. 1C  is a drawing of a roof and pressure exerted therein.  
         [0036]     Note that as air stacks against the roof, its velocity increases. As the velocity increases, the pressure it exerts against the surface drops. After air passes an obstruction, then it must spread out again.  
         [0037]     Compare the air flow in  FIG. 1A  with that in  FIG. 1B .  
         [0038]      FIG. 2A  is a drawing illustrating various views of spoiler assemblies, according to embodiments.  
         [0039]     Box  200  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention using a retractable bracket. A first connector  201  is connected to a second connector  202 . A side view of the pair of connectors  204  is illustrated. The entire assembly is illustrated as spoiler  206 , which includes a flap  207 . A partially retracted spoiler  208  and a completely retracted spoiler  210  are illustrated. Connectors  201  and  202  can be the same part with a pivot pin or bolt in the middle so that they can fold in the juncture.  
         [0040]      FIG. 2B  is a drawing illustration further views of spoiler assemblies, according to embodiments.  
         [0041]     In another embodiment, a side bracket  212  is used which can mount onto a roof. The mounting can be accomplished using any mounting method, such as screws. A side view of the side bracket  214  is also illustrated. The side bracket can have a circular groove to receive and guide the flap  216 . The flap  216  is prevented from extending beyond a portion where the groove allows. A flap side  218  is also illustrated.  
         [0042]     In a further embodiment, a lanyard  220  (or cable, rope, etc.) can be used to restrict the opening of the flap to a desired angle (e.g. 90 degrees). See  FIGS. 7A, 7B , and  7 C for more detail on this embodiment. The lanyard  220  can have two eyelets that can be used to attach to the flap and the bracket. The lanyard can replace using the brackets (e.g. connectors  201   202 ).  
         [0043]     A bracket  224  can have two sides each at a right angle to each other. Each side can have three (or any number) of holes. One side of the bracket  224  can be mounted onto a roof directly (by using screws, nails, etc.) A bracket  217  can be connected to a side of the bracket  224  by using a screw or other connecting apparatus.  
         [0044]      FIG. 3A  is a drawing of various parts to air spoilers in a retracted position, according to embodiments.  
         [0045]     A left hand end bracket  336  and a right hand end bracket  332  has a flap connected therebetween  328 . A left screw  334  attaches the left hand end bracket  336  to the roof deck  326 . A right screw  330  attaches the right hand end bracket  332  to the roof deck  326 . A stop rod  331  can be used to guide the flap  328 .  
         [0046]     An end bracket  338  in a retracted position can have a circular groove to receive the stop rod  331  which is currently in the retracted position. Three (or any number) of screws can be used to mount the end bracket to the roof. Thus, the flap rotates around the axle.  
         [0047]      FIG. 3B  is a drawing of various parts to air spoilers in an extended position, according to embodiments.  
         [0048]     The flap in the extended position  340  is also illustrated. A side view of the slap  343  includes a stop rod and an axle. An end bracket in an extended position has the stop rod in the fully extended position.  
         [0049]      FIG. 4  is a drawing of a roof with brackets attached, according to an embodiment.  
         [0050]     A first bracket  414  and a second bracket  412  is secured to the roof (by nails, screws, glue, etc.) over roof shingles  410 . A flap  415  can be inserted between the brackets  412  and  414 . A flap  415  can be inserted into an end bracket using a sheet metal screw as an axle. A sheet metal screw can also be used as a stop rod (for the embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , item  358 ).  
         [0051]      FIG. 5  is a drawing of a roof with roof spoilers, according to an embodiment.  
         [0052]     The roof  500  has a plurality of roof spoilers to spoil the airflow. The spoilers may be placed in an orientation such as that illustrated relative to the wind currents (portrayed as arrows).  
         [0053]      FIG. 6A  is a drawing of a roof spoiler with a pivot, according to an embodiment. The end bracket can be extended to act as rudder, The flap with the end brackets can rotate around a pivot and self steer into the wind. The pivot can be inserted into a roof mount which can be mounted onto the roof.  
         [0054]      FIG. 6B  is a drawing of a roof spoiler with a rudder, according to an embodiment. A rudder can also be attached to the flap which can self steer into the wind.  
         [0055]      FIG. 7A  is a drawing of a retracted roof spoiler using a lanyard, according to an embodiment.  
         [0056]     A bracket  700  connects to a flap in a retracted position. An additional bracket (not pictured) can be located behind the bracket  700  which also connects to the flap.  
         [0057]      FIG. 7B  is a drawing of a semi-extended roof spoiler using a lanyard, according to an embodiment.  
         [0058]     The bracket  700  connects to a partially extended flap  702  and a lanyard  704 .  
         [0059]      FIG. 7C  is a drawing of a fully extended roof spoiler using a lanyard, according to an embodiment.  
         [0060]     The bracket  700  is connected to a fully extended flap  702 . The flap has a first end which is connected to the lanyard  704 . The lanyard  704  is connected to an end of the bracket  700 . The lanyard  704  can also be connected to a bracket, shingle, or any other piece of the apparatus that will secure the lanyard and prevent the flap  702  from extending beyond  90  degrees (or any other angle) in the wind.  
         [0061]      FIG. 7D  is a drawing of a semi-extended roof spoiler using brackets, according to an embodiment.  
         [0062]     A bracket  710  is attached to a flap  712 . The bracket  710  is connected to a first connector  714  and a second connector  716 . An additional bracket (not pictured) can exist behind the bracket  710  in order to secure the second connector  716 .  
         [0063]      FIG. 7E  is a drawing of a fully extended roof spoiler using brackets, according to an embodiment.  
         [0064]     The bracket  710  is attached to the flap  712 . The first connector  714  is connected to the second connector  716 . The second connector is connected to the bracket  710 . The first connector  714  and the second connector  716  serve to allow the flap to extend in the wind, while allowing the flap to automatically retract when there is no wind.  
         [0065]     One way to manufacture the present invention would be to build punch press dies for each individual part and run them from coil steel (preferably using corrosion resisting material) on high speed presses with automatic feeding un-coilers.  
         [0066]     One use can be to place several rows along a lower edge of a roof in a staggered alignment. A row at the peak of the roof may be preferred. The spoilers can be made to match the roofing shingles by coating them with the same aggregate as the singles or painting them the same colors as the roof.  
         [0067]     The measurements depicted in the figures are measured in inches and are only suggestions. Other measurements, sizes, configurations, etc. can be used as well.  
         [0068]     The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.