Patent Publication Number: US-2013231042-A1

Title: Vent plate with weather barrier for an exterior wall

Description:
FIELD 
     This relates to a plate that surrounds one or more pipes in an exterior wall. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vents, such as exhausts or fresh air intakes, through exterior walls of structures are required for certain appliances, such as water heaters, furnaces, etc. Other types of piping may also be installed in exterior walls, such as water line for a hose bib, etc., a gas line for a natural gas barbecue, etc. Once installed, it is necessary to finish the exterior wall around these pipes. As the pipes are round, and the space between multiple pipes may be small, this is generally difficult, particularly when installing vinyl siding. 
     SUMMARY 
     There is provided a vent plate for an exterior wall of a building having at least one protruding object. The vent plate comprises a plate body with a first face and a second face. The first face faces the exterior wall and the second face faces away from the exterior wall. One or more holes extend between the first face and the second face for receiving one or more protruding objects. One or more seals are positioned about the one or more holes and seal against the outer diameter of the piping that is received in the holes. 
     According to another aspect, there may be a vapour resistant barrier that extends outward from the first face of the plate body. 
     Although the plate body may be any shape, in one aspect the outer perimeter of the plate body may be a rectangular shape. This may be preferred as it facilitates the installation of some siding, such as vinyl siding. 
     Different types of seals may be used in conjunction with the vent plate, however in one aspect the seals may be made of an elastomeric layer that is secured to the second surface of the plate body. The elastomeric layer preferably has holes that correspond to the holes in the plate body and the holes in the elastomeric layer preferably have an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the piping to seal against the piping. 
     In one aspect, the vapour resistant barrier may be a flexible sheet of weather resistant material that may be may be secured to the elastomeric layer to provide additional weather protection. 
     In one aspect, the vapour resistant barrier may be one or more drip guards secured to at least one of an upper edge and a lower edge of the plate body. The vapour resistant barrier may further comprise flanges extending outward from the one or more drip guards. 
     In one aspect, the protruding object may be piping that extends through the exterior wall. The protruding object may have a rectangular or round cross-section. 
     According to another aspect, the one or more seal comprises a sheet made from flexible material and a protrusion engaging collar, the protrusion engaging collar extending outward from the sheet and defining a hole. The collar may have a first inner perimeter adjacent to the wall cover portion and a second inner perimeter spaced from the sheet, the first inner perimeter being larger than the outer perimeter of the protruding object and the second inner perimeter being equal to or smaller than the outer perimeter of the protruding object, the collar providing a seal around the outer diameter of the protruding objet when installed. The sheet may further comprise a wall cover portion that extends outward from the first face of the plate body, the wall cover portion acting as a vapour resistant barrier. The sheet may be resilient, and the second inner perimeter is smaller than the outer perimeter of the protrusion, the second inner perimeter providing a resilient seal around the outer diameter of the vent. The wall cover portion may comprise a textured surface may comprises bumps or ridges that permits airflow between the sheet and the exterior wall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vent plate. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a vent plate for more than one pipe. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view in section of the vent plate installed on a structure. 
         FIG. 4  is a front plan view of the vent plate installed on a structure. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternative vent plate. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a further alternative vent plate. 
         FIGS. 7-11  are variations of a seal to be used with the vent plate. 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded side elevation view of the seals shown in  FIGS. 7-11  being installed as part of the vent plate. 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevation view in section of a variation of the vent plate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A vent plate, generally identified by reference numeral  10 , will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 13 . 
     The vent plate is primarily designed to surround protruding objects from the exterior wall of the building, such as protruding objects due to penetrations through a wall in a building. The protruding objects may include penetrations or covers, such as air intake and exhaust vents for appliances such as furnaces, boilers, water heaters, etc., other types of vents, such as for dryers, bathroom vents, etc., water or gas lines, electrical boxes, or other utility lines and line covers. Accordingly, while a circular hole is depicted, it will be understood that the hole may be other shapes, such as rectangular, as depicted in  FIG. 6 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , vent plate  10  is designed to be installed on an exterior wall  12  of a building  14 . As can be seen, vent plate  10  includes a plate body  16  with a hole  18  extending through to receive piping  20 , or other type of penetration. For convenience, only piping will be discussed below, however it will be understood that other types of penetrations may equally be substituted. Preferably, hole  18  is large enough to accommodate piping  20  passing though at an angle, as either the pipe or the wall may be at not square or at an angle relative to each other. Plate body  16  is preferably a strong plastic material that will resist weather without degrading, and that can be properly worked to form the body. In one embodiment, plate body  16  is manufactured by milling, although other processes may also be used. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , plate body  16  has a first face  22  that is intended to face the exterior wall  12  of building  14  and a second face  24  facing away from exterior wall  12 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , plate body  16  may be provided with one or more holes  18  extending between first face  22  and second face  24 .  FIG. 2  shows two holes  18  that have a similar size. It will be understood that vent plate  10  may be designed with any number of holes  18  of similar or different sizes and in any configuration that is preferred by the user, and depending on the intended use. For example, vent plate  10  depicted in  FIG. 1  would be suitable for an appliance that only required an exhaust vent, such as a high efficiency water tank, while vent plate  10  depicted in  FIG. 2  would be suitable for an appliance that required both a fresh air intake and an exhaust vent, such as a high efficiency furnace. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there may be one or more seals  26  positioned about the one or more holes  18  to seal against the outer diameter of piping  20  passing through holes  18 . In the embodiment in  FIG. 1 , the seals  26  are provided by securing an elastomeric layer  28 , such as rubber foam, to first face  22  of plate body  16 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the seal is provided by providing holes in elastomeric layer  28  that are slightly smaller than the outer diameter of piping  20 , such that there is a compression-type seal provided. As will be understood, the primary purpose of seals  26  is not to seal between plate body  16  and building  14 , but rather to seal around piping  20  and prevent water from entering building  14  through this gap. This reduces the need for caulking to be used between piping  20  and exterior wall  12  as is done in most situations. 
     It will be understood that seals  26  may take other configurations. For example, rather than an elastomeric layer, a localized round seal  44  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) may be provided behind or within hole  18 . In a further embodiment, the seal may be provided by a thin sheet of resilient material that engages piping  20  as it is installed, such as a plastic sheet that is attached to first face  22  of plate body  16  and that has an inner collar that engages the outer diameter of the pipe and extends into hole  18 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , there is also provided a vapour barrier element that extends outward past the outer perimeter of plate body  16 . In  FIG. 1 , the vapour barrier element is a flexible sheet  28  of weather resistant material extending outward from first face  22  of plate body  16 . Flexible sheet  28  is preferably a material such as TYVEK® or another product having similar properties that is used to help increase the weather resistance of a building. Preferably, flexible sheet  28  resists moisture, but allows air to pass. In the depicted embodiment, flexible sheet  28  is secured to the back side of elastomeric layer  28 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , flexible sheet  28  (the edges of which are represented by dashed lines  30  in  FIG. 4 ) is intended to overlap with the rest of the sheets  32  of weather resistant material installed on the rest of building  12  (the edges of which are represented by dashed lines  33  in  FIG. 4 ). This facilitates the installation of the weatherproofing material, which would otherwise have to be cut around the piping, which is generally awkward, and may leave gaps in the material. By providing a regularly shaped plate body  16 , such as a rectangular body, which includes possible square shapes, the cuts are made easier and with the excess material on sheet  28 , gaps in the weatherproofing material are easily avoided. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , in an alternative embodiment, the vapour barrier element may be a drip edge  40 , which may be attached to first face  22  of plate body  16  or elastomeric layer to positioned above and below plate body  16  as shown, but may also just be placed above plate body  16 . Preferably, drip edge  40  is made from plastic and has a flange  42  that extends outward that can be overlapped by the weatherproofing material installed on the building. Other flanges (not shown) may extend outward from the sides of plate body  16  if desired or necessary. While not shown, drip edges  40  may be used in addition to flexible sheets  28 . Drip edges  40  may also be profiled to direct the flow of water, as depicted. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , during construction, piping  20  will be installed through exterior wall  12 . Vent plate  10  is then installed over piping  20  such that seals  26  seal around piping  20  and flexible sheet  28  is adjacent to wall  12 . Either before or after this, weatherproofing material  32  is installed on exterior wall  12 , and overlaps with flexible sheet  28 . Flexible sheet  28  is shown as being below weatherproofing material  32 , however it will be understood that the overlap may be provided in any manner consistent with construction practices. Referring to  FIG. 4 , vent plate  10  is preferably held in place by screws through screw holes  34 . In  FIG. 4 , exterior wall  12  has been finished with vinyl siding  38 . By providing a rectangular plate body  16 , j-trim  36 , which is commonly used to finish around doors and windows, may be used around vent plate  10 , and vinyl siding  38  may be cut to fit around it. Previously, vinyl siding  38  would be cut to fit around piping  20 , and an attempt would be made to caulk around the hole to seal siding  38  to piping  20 . This is less effective, as siding  38  is not fixed, and movement caused by wind, people brushing against the home, etc. will eventually cause this seal to break. As can be seen, vent plate  10  simplifies installation, ensures a proper seal around piping  20 , maintains the integrity of the weatherproofing of the building, and improves the aesthetic appearance of exterior wall  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , seal  26  may also be a resilient seal  100  made from a sheet  116  of flexible material. Sheet  116  has a wall cover portion  118  and a protrusion engaging collar  120 . As depicted in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , wall cover portion  118  has a planar surface that is preferably large enough to easily overlap with the weatherproofing material installed on exterior wall  14 , such as Tyvek™. Sheet  116  may be made from a resilient material and may also be made from an air-tight material. As many building codes require all weatherproofing materials to allow some air flow, it may be necessary to provide wall cover portion  18  with a contoured surface, such as ridges  121  as shown in  FIG. 9  or bumps  122  as shown in  FIG. 8 . Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , ridges  121  or bumps  122  may be on the front side or back side of wall cover portion  118 , and may be continuous or discrete. If on the front side, preferably they will form air flow conduits on the back side that will be against exterior wall  12 . Sheet  116  may also be flat as shown in  FIG. 7 , which is preferable when seal  100  is made of a weatherproofing material that is not airtight. Seal  100  may also be reversible by being turned inside out, such that the position of the ridges or bumps may be changed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , protrusion engaging collar  120  extends outward from wall cover portion  118  and defines a hole  124 . Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 9 , collar  120  has a first inner perimeter  126  that is adjacent to wall cover portion  118  and a second inner perimeter  128  spaced from wall cover portion  118 . First inner perimeter  126  is larger than the outer perimeter  130  of protrusion  20 , while second inner perimeter  128  is equal to or smaller than outer perimeter  130  of protrusion  20 . By providing a first inner perimeter  126  that is larger than outer perimeter  130  of protrusion  20 , it provides a guide and a start to insert protrusion  20  into collar  120 . Collar  120  provides a seal around the outer diameter of protrusion  20  when installed. As shown, protrusion  20  is piping that passes through a hole  133  in exterior wall  14  that has an outer diameter that is less than an inner diameter of hole  133 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , collar  120  may take different shapes. Preferably, the outside of collar  120  has a curved section  36  immediately adjacent to first inner perimeter  126 . This may help redirect moisture away from protrusion  20  and assist in it draining away.  FIG. 11  shows a collar  120  that tapers gradually and continually between first inner perimeter  126  and second inner perimeter  128 . In  FIG. 10 , second inner perimeter  128  is a lip  138  that extends inward from a straight portion  140  that extends between first and second collar perimeters  126  and  128 . As will be recognized by those in the art, collar  120  may take other shapes other than round, such as rectangular (where rectangular also includes squares). In addition, the design of collar  120  between first and second inner perimeter  126  and  128  on either the inside or outside of collar  120 , may vary depending on the preferences of the user. 
     If sheet  116  is made from a resilient material, second inner perimeter  128  is preferably smaller than outer diameter  130 . If sheet  116  is designed to provide a resilient seal, it will preferably be made from a resilient material that retains its elasticity, such as a cross-linked plastic or rubber. Other materials may stretch, or “creep” over time, reducing the seal. 
     Alternatively, a seal may be made or maintained using another element, such as a pressure member or a sealant (not shown). The pressure member may be an elastic band or other band fastener placed around collar  120  and tightened to induce a seal, while the sealant may be a strip adhesive, caulking, or other applied adhesive. This may be applied on the inside of collar  120  as it is installed over piping, or it may also be applied to the second inner perimeter  128  of collar  120  once installed. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , plate body  16  is installed over seal  100 . Seal  100  may be secured to plate body  16  prior to it being installed over piping  20 , or plate body  16  may be placed over seal  100  once seal  100  has been installed. As discussed above, plate body  16  is preferably secured in place using screws, which will also ensure seal  100  is secured properly. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , seal  100  may be formed with appendages that prevent water from entering behind plate body  16  once plate  10  is installed, similar to the embodiments shown in  FIG. 5 , rather than permitting the water to flow behind plate  16 . 
     In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. 
     The following claims are to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, and what can be obviously substituted. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.