Patent Publication Number: US-6212833-B1

Title: Tapered ridge vent for the peak or ridge of a framed roof structure

Description:
This is a continuation in part of my copending application having Ser. No. 09/294,404, filed Apr. 20, 1999. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a roof vent for permitting hot air to escape from an attic area. More particularly, the invention relates to a tapered roof vent forming part of the roof ridge for providing a vent on one side of the roof line to reduce or substantially eliminate rain, turbulence and wind disturbances from interfering with the venting process. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     At the present time, roof vents are mounted along the roof ridge to provide a vent from the attic area of a house or other structure, to reduce the build-up of heat in the summer. While venting roofs is a necessary part of house construction, use of auxiliary vents are not cost effective. Specifically, the use of separate exhaust fans and vents adds significant cost to the dwelling and have considerably shorter effective life-spans. 
     In order to preserve the appearance of the house, the height of the vent is kept at a minimum. For that reason, conventional roof vents are open on both sides of the roof ridge, so that they cooperate with a slit or opening in the roof decking to allow air to vent in both directions. Because of this conventional design, the house roof is exposed to high wind, rain and storms in both directions perpendicular to the length of the roof along the roof ridge. This causes damage to the roof deck, sheathing and tarpaper. 
     It is estimated that, in the United States, westerly driven winds are associated with 90% of the damaging high winds from storms. Manufacturers of conventional two sided roof vents are forced to protect themselves against damage claims by substantial insurance claims. If a conventional vent were to be used on only one side of the roof ridge line, the opening would have to be so large to be effective that even more damage to the roof deck and perhaps other parts of the attic and roof system. A larger opening would not be facing these westerly winds, of course, but the size itself would still provide undesirable access to the interior of the roof. 
     It would be of great advantage in the art if a roof vent system could be provided that would eliminate significant exposure to prevailing storm winds and the like, while permitting venting of the attic in a simple, easy to install and attractive manner. 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved roof ridge vent. 
     Another object is to provide a roof ridge vent device that is easy to install in conventional roof construction, utilizing conventional roof decking construction. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a roof ridge vent while eliminating at least half of any lift up to which the roof would conventionally be exposed. 
     Other objects will appear hereinafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It has now been discovered that the above and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished in the following manner. The unique aspect of this invention is the use of a tapered ridge vent for the peak or ridge of a framed roof structure and the like. 
     A roof vent device is formed from upper and lower outer surfaces sized to define a generally rectangular configuration having a linear axis. Inside the outer surfaces is a tapered matrix having its taper directed perpendicularly to the axis. The device thus has a thin linear edge and a thick linear edge along the outer edges of the configuration and parallel to the axis. It also has tapered linear edges along the outer edges of the configuration perpendicular to that axis. 
     The tapered matrix includes a gap or opening at the middle of the tapered linear edges that extends over the linear axis of the outer surfaces. The gap serves as an entrance for an air tunnel to the vent in a roof ridge to vent air from beneath the roof ridge. The gap also defines a pivot point about which the configuration can be folded to conform to a roof having any roof pitch. In a preferred embodiment, a baffle is formed by extending the lower outer surface out from the thick linear edge. The baffle may be of various shapes, and is used to deflect outside air coming at the tunnel without inhibiting air flow out of the air tunnel entrance. 
     The lower surface is attached to the tarpaper on the roof deck, and shingles are placed over the upper outer surface. For that reason, the outer surfaces do not need to be impermeable. The shingles and tarpaper preserve the integrity of the structure as intended. 
     The preferred material for the matrix is polymeric wire, such as stiff nylon wire, formed into a passage capable of supporting the outer surfaces. When the matrix is defined by wire, a passage capable of supporting the outer surfaces is provided. Preferred geometry for the matrix is a plurality of decreasingly tall geometric shapes having a larger base attached to the lower outer surface and small top attached to the upper outer surface. Pyramids, cones and other less conventional shapes may be used, as long as substantially more than half of the space between the upper and lower surfaces is open. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is hereby made to the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a roof ridge illustrating placement of the device of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the design of the vent device used in the roof ridge of FIG. 1 prior to bending; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the vent device of FIG. 2, after bending to conform to a roof ridge; and 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the ridge vent device of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-3. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is useful for most forms of roofing that have a peak along an axial direction. For purposes of illustration, the present invention is shown on a shingle roof, but is not limited to this embodiment. As seen in FIG. 1, the typical roof ridge is shown  10 , generally, as having an asphalt shingle ridge capping  11  along the entire length of the roof, so as to define an axis  13 . A structural ridge board  15  is part of the attic rafter system for many roof designs. The roof is built on a rafter system on which roof decking  17  or sheathing with tarpaper, on top of which are the shingles  19 . In most roof ridge assemblies, a small (e.g., 1.5 inches, more or less) piece of roof decking  21  is added to fill the void atop the ridge board  15 , and a small (e.g., 1 inches, more or less) slit  23  in the roof decking  17  is provided to permit air to escape the attic  25 , generally along the entire length of the roof ridge axis  13 . 
     Under shingles  19  and on top of roof decking  17  is the device of this invention  27 , which provides for a substantially improved vent for relieving heat buildup in attics. The device  27 , shown in cross section in FIGS. 2 and 3 and in perspective view in FIG. 4, includes an upper and lower surfaces,  29  and  31  respectively, which are sized to define a generally rectangular shape or configuration  33 , as seen in FIG.  4 . Configuration  33  is shown as being rectangular, and examples have been fabricated with a length of 48 inches and a width of 11.5 inches. Other dimensions are also suitable, as would be expected. Upper and lower surfaces  29  and  31  may be made from any durable substance, such as fiberglass, woven polymers such as polyamides (nylon), polyesters and the like. The function of the upper and lower surfaces is to hold the device  27  together and provide a base for mounting the internal portion therein. Any material that is capable of surviving long periods of time in the roof ridge environment can be used. 
     A matrix  37  is positioned between upper surface  29  and lower surface  31  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Matrix  37  is made from any material that can function over long periods of time in a roof ridge environment without deteriorating. Polyamide wire is the preferred material because it can be formed into a woven mesh having a desired shape by relatively simple and economic methods. Other materials are also suitable and are known in the trade as being capable of “weathering” suitably. One commercially available product having a matrix with the properties needed for the present invention is known as a SmartVent ventilation product used from ridge and sofit venting, available frm DCI Products, Inc, in Clifton Heights, Pa. 
     In addition to resistance to deterioration, however, the matrix must be capable of maintaining its shape after installation in a roof ridge, as described below. For that reason, it is preferred that the matrix be formed from a material that is sufficiently flexible to be woven into shape but strong enough to resist being flattened by the weight of the shingles. One preferred embodiment is to construct the matrix  37  into a series of geometric shapes  39  having a large cross section attached to the lower outer surface  31  and a small cross section attached to the upper outer surface  29 . Matrix  37  in FIG. 2, for example, shows a cross section shaped like a triangle, as the individual components  39  of matrix  37  are cone shaped, pyramidal or three-dimensional triangles. The rows of geometric shapes  39  are spaced to provide a maximized open tunnel  41  between shapes  39 . 
     The matrix  37  is also tapered, at least partially and preferably totally from a thin (e.g. 0.125 inches, more or less) linear edge  43  parallel to axis  13  to at least the midpoint  45  of matrix  37  which is to be positioned proximate slit  23  when installed. At midpoint  45 , the matrix  37  is generally flat  44  against upper outer surface  29  to permit air to flow into air tunnel  41  via opening  47 , as best seen in FIG.  2 . In the preferred embodiment, matrix  37  continues to taper in an increasing cross section from midpoint  45  (e.g., 0.5 inches, more or less) to a thick (e.g. 0.75 inches, more or less) linear edge  49  which is also parallel to axis  13 . It is also possible to construct a matrix that is not tapered from opening  47  to edge  49 , but the full taper is preferred. Configuration  33  thus has two edges  51  and  53  that are perpendicular to axis  13  and which both have a tapered cross section, seen in FIG. 4, for example. 
     Midpoint  45  also provides for easy installation of the present invention since there is no resisting matrix at midpoint  45  but rather the flattened portion  44 . Midpoint  45  defines a pivot point about which the configuration folds to conform to a roof pitch having a predetermined angle. The angle is determined by the construction of the roof and may be anywhere from less than 45°, to 90° as shown in FIG. 3, to more than 135°. In any configuration, the device of this invention functions effectively to provide a superior attic vent. 
     Since the present invention has a sealed end at thin linear edge  43 , weather coming at the roof from that direction does not enter the roof ridge at all. To prevent intrusion of rain and wind into the attic, in a flow counter to the venting function via air tunnel  41 , it is preferred, but not essential, to extend lower surface  31  out from the opening at thick linear edge  49  by a small distance  55  (e.g., 2 inches, more or less) along the roof deck  17 , then upward for a distance (e.g., 1 inches, more or less) sufficient to serve as a baffle  57 , as seen in FIG.  1 . Baffle  57  normally is perpendicular to roof deck  17 , but other angles are also contemplated by this invention. Thus, even when the location of the house provides for the west side of the house to face away from the street, and thus esthetically require the larger edge to face away from view, prevailing winds to not easily enter air tunnel  41  because of the protective function of baffle  57 . 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended to limit the invention to any specific embodiment. The dimensions and materials given are for the preferred embodiment and are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of this invention. The description of the invention is not intended to limit the invention, except as defined by the following claims.