Patent Publication Number: US-7721489-B1

Title: Vented gutter and fascia systems

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This is a utility patent application taking priority from provisional application No. 60/941,504 filed on Jun. 1, 2007. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to venting systems and more specifically to vented gutter and fascia systems, which either combines a gutter hanger with a ventilator or locates a ventilator behind a fascia. 
   2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
   U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,727 to Katt et al. discloses a roof ventilator. The Katt et al. patent provides a roof ventilating construction for use at the eaves, which provides necessary air inlet openings into the space between adjacent roof rafters and between the roof and insulation on the interior thereof to assure ventilation of the entire roof structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,875 to Olson discloses a gutter assembly and method of installation. The Olson patent includes a gutter assembly with a leaf guard and soffit strip for attachment along a roof edge. Ventilation openings may be formed through the soffit strip to allow ventilation into a rafter area of a roof. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,901 to Crosby discloses a one piece eaves treatment combining rain gutter, leaf screen, drip edge, fascia and soffit vent. The Crosby patent includes a gutter system, which combines a leaf screen, rain gutter, drip edge and soffit vent into a unitary, molded plastic structure. The gutter system forms the fascia along a roof eaves. U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,557 to Ayers, Jr. discloses a structural vent assembly for a roof perimeter. The Ayers Jr. patent includes a structural vent assembly having a back member; a mount member adapted to be secured to a support structure; a front member; and means for attaching the front member to the back and mounting members in a spaced apart relationship. 
   Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for vented gutter and fascia systems, which either combines a gutter hanger with a ventilator that may be customized for each application or locates a ventilator behind a fascia. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a vented gutter hanging system, which either combines a gutter hanger with a ventilator or locates a ventilator behind a fascia. A vented gutter system includes a gutter hanger and a ventilation strip. The gutter hanger preferably includes a lengthwise support, a plurality of hanger members and a plurality of mounting plates. The lengthwise support preferably includes an L-shaped cross section. Each hanger member includes a roof attachment leg, a gutter support leg and a fascia attachment member. Each mounting plate is attached to an end of a single fascia attachment member with any suitable process. The ventilation strip preferably includes a U-shaped cross section. A plurality of perforations are formed through the ventilation strip to allow the flow of air. 
   The plurality of hangers are attached to the lengthwise support with any suitable method. The ventilation strip is secured to a bottom of the plurality of hanger members with a plurality of fasteners. The vented gutter hanging system is secured to a roof by inserting a plurality of fasteners through the plurality of roof attachment legs into a roof and inserting a plurality of fasteners through the plurality of mounting plates into a fascia board. A gutter is attached to the plurality of gutter support legs and the lengthwise support with a plurality of fasteners. A drip edge is preferably laid over the plurality of roof attachment legs and hooked over an edge of the gutter. A plurality of fasteners are inserted through the drip edge into the roof. 
   A vented fascia system preferably includes a rear plate, a roof flange, at least two bracket spacers, a fascia plate and a ventilation strip. A fastening lip extends from a bottom edge of the rear plate. The roof flange includes a roof attachment leg and a vertical leg extending downward from an end of the roof attachment leg. Each bracket spacer includes a rear mounting leg, a front mounting leg and a middle leg. The rear mounting leg extends from one end of the middle leg and the front mounting leg extends from the other end of the middle leg in a direction opposite that of the rear mounting leg. A snap clip extends from a bottom of the fascia plate to retain a snap flange extending from an end of the ventilation strip. 
   An open ended roof truss will require the attachment of an angle to provide an attachment surface. The rear plate and the rear mounting legs of the at least two bracket spacers are attached to an end of a roof truss or to the angle with a plurality of fasteners. The roof attachment leg of the roof flange is attached to a roof sheathing with a plurality of fasteners. The vertical leg of the roof flange is attached to the front mounting legs of the at least two bracket spacers with a plurality of fasteners. The ventilation strip is attached to the fastening lip with a plurality fasteners. The snap flange of the ventilation strip is retained in the snap clip of the fascia plate. The fascia plate is secured to the vertical leg and the front mounting legs of the at least two bracket spacers with a plurality of fasteners. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vented gutter system, which combines a gutter hanger and a ventilator that may be adapted for each application. 
   Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide a vented fascia system, which locates a ventilator behind a fascia. 
   These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an end view of a vented gutter system with a gutter secured thereto and attached to a structure in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a vented gutter system in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is an end view of a vented fascia system attached to a structure in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a partially assembled vented fascia system attached to a structure in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of two adjacent rear plates of a vented fascia system in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of two rear plates overlapping each other of a vented fascia system in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a partially assembled vented fascia system attached to a structure with the addition of a ventilation strip in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a vented fascia system attached to a structure in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of two adjacent fascia plates of a vented fascia system in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of two fascia plates overlapping each other of a vented fascia system in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of two fascia plates assembled to each other with a fascia splice of a vented fascia system in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a perspective view of a vented gutter hanging system  1 . With reference to  FIG. 1 , the vented gutter hanging system  1  includes a gutter hanger  10  and a ventilation strip  12 . The gutter hanger  10  preferably includes a lengthwise support  14 , a plurality of hanger members  16  and a plurality of mounting plates  18 . The lengthwise support  14  preferably includes an L-shaped cross section for rigidity and strength. 
   Each hanger member  16  includes a roof attachment leg  20 , a gutter support leg  22  and a fascia attachment member  24 . The roof attachment leg  20  extends from one end of the gutter support leg  22  and a fascia attachment member  24  extends from the other end thereof. Each roof attachment leg  20  may be bent relative to the gutter support leg  22  at nearly any angle to accommodate different roof pitches. The fascia attachment member  24  has an L-shaped cross section. Each mounting plate  18  is attached to an end of the single fascia attachment member  24  with metal locking, welding or any other suitable process. The ventilation strip  12  preferably includes a U-shaped cross section, but other cross sectional shapes may also be used. A plurality of perforations  26  are formed through the ventilation strip  12  to allow the flow of air in to a roof vent opening  102  of a roof  100 . 
   The plurality of hangers  16  are attached along a length of the lengthwise support  14  with metal locking, welding, a plurality of fasteners or any other suitable method. The ventilation strip  12  is secured to a bottom of the plurality of fascia attachment members  24  with a plurality of fasteners  28 . The vented gutter hanging system  1  is secured to the roof  100  by inserting a plurality of fasteners  30  through the plurality of roof attachment legs  20  into the roof  100  and inserting a plurality of fasteners  32  through the plurality of mounting plates  18  into a fascia board  104 . A gutter  106  including a plurality of gutter straps  108  are attached to the gutter support leg  22  and the lengthwise support  14  with a plurality of fasteners  34 . A drip edge  110  is laid over the plurality of roof attachment legs  20  and hooked over an edge of the gutter  106 . A plurality of fasteners are inserted through the drip edge  110  into the roof  100 . 
   The vented gutter hanging system  1  may be sold with the plurality of hanger members  16  attached to the lengthwise support and the ventilation strip  12  attached to the plurality of hanger members  16 . The vented gutter hanging system  1  may also be sold without the assembly of hanger members  16 , lengthwise support  14  and ventilation strip  12 . In either case, the plurality of mounting plates  18  would be attached to the plurality of hanger members  16 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 3-8 , a vented fascia system  2  preferably includes a rear plate  40 , a roof flange  42 , at least two bracket spacers  44 , a fascia plate  46  and a ventilation strip  48 . A fastening lip  50  extends from a bottom edge of the rear plate  40 . Two adjacent rear plates  40  are preferably overlapped as shown in  FIG. 6  when installed on a structure. The roof flange  42  includes a roof attachment leg  52  and a vertical leg  54  extending downward from an end of the roof attachment leg  52 . Each bracket spacer  44  includes a rear mounting leg  56 , a front mounting leg  58  and a middle leg  60 . The rear mounting leg  56  preferably extends substantially perpendicular from one end of the middle leg  60  and the front mounting leg  58  extends preferably substantially perpendicular from the other end of the middle leg  60  in a direction opposite that of the rear mounting leg  56 . 
   A plurality of perforations  55  are formed through the ventilation strip  48  to allow the flow of air. The ventilation strip  48  includes a vent base  62 , a front flange  64 , a rear flange  66  and a snap flange  68 . The front flange  64  extends upward from a front end of the vent base  62  and the rear flange  66  extends upward from a rear end of the vent base  62 . The snap flange  64  extends outward from a junction of the front flange  64  and the vent base  62 . A snap clip  70  is formed on a bottom of the fascia plate  46  and an offset leg  71  is formed on a top of the fascia plate  46 . The snap clip  70  is sized to receive the snap flange  68  of the ventilation strip  48 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 9-11 , two adjacent fascia plates  46  may be overlapped or a fascia splice  75  may be used to join the two adjacent fascia plates  46 . The fascia splice  75  includes substantially the same profile as the fascia plates  46 . A bottom of the fascia splice  75  is inserted into the snap clip  70  and is sized to receive a rear of the fascia plates  46 . An open ended roof truss  114  will require the attachment of an angle  72  to provide an attachment surface for the vented fascia system  2 . The angle  72  includes a first leg  74  and a second leg  76 , which extends from the first leg  74 . 
   The vented fascia system  2  is preferably assembled to a structure in the following manner. If an open ended roof truss  114  is used, the angle  72  must be attached thereto. A plurality of first fasteners  82  are threaded through the first leg  74  and into a bottom of the open ended roof truss  114 . The second leg  76  provides an attachment surface for a bottom of the rear plate  40  and the at least two brackets spacers  44 . The rear plate  40  and the rear mounting legs  56  of the at least two bracket spacers  44  are attached to an end of the roof truss  114  or to the second leg  76  of the angle  72  with a plurality of fasteners  84 . The roof attachment leg  52  of the roof flange  42  is attached to a roof sheathing  116  with a plurality of fasteners  86 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 7 , the vent base  62  of the ventilation strip  48  is attached to the fastening lip  50  with a plurality of fasteners  88 . The front flange  64  of the ventilation strip  48  is attached to the front mounting legs  58  with a plurality of fasteners  90 . With reference to  FIG. 8 , the snap flange  68  of the ventilation strip  48  is inserted into the snap clip  70  of the fascia plate  46 . The vertical leg  54  of the roof flange  42  and the offset leg  71  of the fascia plate  46  are attached to the front mounting legs  58  of the at least two bracket spacers  44  with a plurality of fasteners  92 . 
   While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.