Abstract:
A system for protecting the overhang portion of a building comprising sheets of impervious material largely pre-formed before delivery to job site to minimize on-site shaping and forming, including the optional use of one or more pre-formed pieces to be fitted together on-site, and also including an optional S-fold connector to join together side-by-side sheets of the impervious material.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     It is generally desirable and customary in construction of residential buildings, and some commercial buildings, to extend the roof (usually but not always slanted) beyond the edge of the building structure it covers. This extension results in an overhang which allows rainwater and other precipitation to fall off the roof or into an attached gutter with relatively little roof run-off touching the exterior sides of the building. Of course, winds can blow moisture, during a rain, against the sides of a building, sometimes up under the overhang, although the overhang reduces the amount of such moisture contact. Furthermore, the heat of the sun can cause damage to paint on and under the overhang and in other nearby areas, notwithstanding the overall protectiveness of the overhang system.  
         [0002]     To minimize maintenance and to shield exposed, and generally wood, components of overhang systems, such exposed components have often been overlaid with metal sheet or other relatively imperious material, often prepainted with permanent or semi-permanent paint or baked-on enamel. Major problems associated with the use of metal and other types of overlay materials have been that: (1) they in many cases must be fabricated in the field in order to configure and conform them to the particular shape of the structure to which they are affixed; (2) the various difficulties of on-site fabrication must be overcome, including cutting, shaping, attaching, connecting adjacent pieces of the overlaid covering, providing vent spaces, and otherwise producing an attractive and effective exterior appearance in the overlaid areas; and (3) on-site fabrication has not heretofore produced innovative configurations which tend to maximize the protective effectiveness of the overlays.  
         [0003]     In the past, various approaches have been proposed to produce improved overlay systems for the overhang portions of a building, of which examples are: Brochu, USP Application Publication No. US 2005/0193642 A1; Gibson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,616; Hicks, U.S. Pat. No. No. 5,941,028; Lloyd-Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,691; Maloney, U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,808; Martin, U.S. Pat. No. No. 6,955,010 B2; Merkin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,048; Norton, U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,158; Schroter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,275; Strength, U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,933; Zaccagni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,220; Zaccagni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,375; and Zacagni, U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,084. Some of the systems heretofore proposed contemplate coverage of not only the overhang areas but also all or most exterior areas of the house. Others provide for cornice pieces which are primarily decorative; such as Norton and Strength, supra. Others are concerned with facilitating the ease of bending metal cladding or overlays, such as in Zaccagni (U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,375). Others focus on ventilation issues, such as Hicks and Martin. In each case, the other inventors have focused on systems which implicitly or explicitly are intended to start on or around the fascia face at the end of the roof rafters and then proceed toward the vertical side of the building where the overlay terminates in some manner that is usually incidental to the primary protective purposes of the overlay. An unarticulated premise of many other systems is that primary attention should be given to covering and protecting the fascia and soffit areas of an overhang, without being much concerned about the terminus of the overlay near the side of the building.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     An object of the present invention is to provide an effective configuration of overlays or cladding which can be largely pre-cut prior to delivery to the installation site, facilitating ease of in-field construction, and at the same time enhancing the level of protection against precipitation and insect or animal damage afforded thereby. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an overhang area of a building showing an overlay of relatively impervious material affixed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a perspective front and side view of an overhang area of a building showing an overlay of relatively impervious material affixed, partially, in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  shows two pieces of an overlay system joinable so that the two pieces together can snugly clad almost any overhang configuration.  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  shows a means for joining laterally certain adjacent portions of the overlay pieces.  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  shows an end view of an S-fold connector.  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  shows a top view of an S-fold connector of the type shown in  FIG. 5 , showing an edge of an overlay piece inserted into on of the folds of the S-fold connector. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  shows, in a typical overhang  1  of a building, a rafter  3  supporting a roof  2  which extends slightly outwardly beyond the upper terminus of rafter  3 . The fascia  5  extends vertically below the roof  2 . To enclose the space formed by the conjunction of the fascia  5 , the rafter  3  and the side  13  of the building, there is often a soffit  14  built in, which runs generally horizontally from frieze  6  to a fascia  5  attached to the side  13  of the building. This is a typical configuration of existing construction prior to the application of overlay materials as will be described herein. Overlays or cladding consisting of relatively impervious materials are considered often to be desirable, because they provide for greater protection against the elements and against insect intrusion through cracks in and around wood, and rodent intrusion, and because an overhang area of a building requires considerably less maintenance when overlaid with a relatively impervious, durable and frequently permanently colored-to-blend material. Metal with baked-on enamel finishes are very good for this purpose, but certain plastics and polyvinyl materials are also suitable for many situations.  
         [0012]     In the case of the present invention, the relatively impervious overlay material fits under frieze  6  in area  12  and forms a drip edge  11  just before turning vertically to cover a part of the outward-facing vertical side of frieze  6  in the area  10  (the overlay can also extend beneath the soffit  14  without turning vertically to cover any of the outward-facing vertical side of the frieze), then extending generally horizontally in area  9  below the soffit  14  to point  7 , where a drip edge can be formed in that general vicinity or where the overlay can extend generally vertically in area  8  to cover outer face  4  of fascia  5 . Drip edges, whether used at points  11  or  7  (or both) can either be an integral part of the basic overlay material, or they can be pre-formed and attached to the basic overlay, as desired. As will be explained later in the discussion of  FIG. 3 , the overlay in area  8  can comprise and preferably will comprise two pieces of overlay material, but of course the invention can be a single piece of overlay, or at least a single strip joined laterally with other strips, or it can comprise multiple pieces joined together at various points along its length, with optional drip edges molded in or added thereto. Of course, the benefits of the sealing and protective effects are best achieved when the number of pieces or strips are minimized.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  shows the overhang of  FIG. 1  from a perspective which shows the fascia  5  running horizontally with an overlay strip  8  with fascia cover  15  in place over a part of the fascia  5 .  FIG. 2  also shows the soffit  14  covered beneath, with overlay  9  (in one or more parts) and running to frieze  6 , where it turns vertically downward to form a partial cover of the frieze in area  10  before looping still more downward to form a drip edge  11 , and then continuing to cover the bottom edge of fascia  6  in area  12 , until it connects with the side  13  of the building.  
         [0014]     Although it might not be apparent, when viewing the overlay after installation, the overlay of the present invention is designed to be installed beginning with the underside of frieze  6  and working outwardly toward the fascia  5 . Because friezes vary little in thickness, it is possible to pre-form, in factory or shop, a first piece overlay strip which is pre-configured to accommodate the frieze at one end, with drip edge, followed by a vertical upturn to cover a part of the outer face of the frieze, and then extending in a length long enough to cover the soffit. The only significant variable on this first piece of the overlay material is the length of the soffit (measured from side of the building to the fascia). Thus, it is possible to produce a first overlay piece which is standard for virtually all overlay configurations, except for the soffit dimension (and perhaps an optional drip edge addition); therefore the only in-field adjustment which must be made is to bend such first overlay piece at the outer terminus of the soffit. A second overlay piece is required to assure complete coverage of the fascia. However, fascia boards are generally found in a few discrete dimensions; consequently, by pre-forming, in factory or shop, sets of these second pieces in the common discrete dimensions corresponding to fascia dimensions, it is possible to have pre-formed second pieces that join with the first pieces to completely cover the portion of the overhang system desired to be covered with those two pieces, with no forming, cutting or configuring required in the field except for a single bend to adjust the first piece to the dimensions of the soffit.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates the first piece  15 -A and second piece  15 -B. The present invention contemplates that piece  15 -A will be delivered to the job site in a form as shown in  FIG. 3 , but without any bend at point  7 . That is, the part of  15 -A from point  16  to distal point  17  will be relatively flat and straight overlay material when delivered to the job site, with the bend at point  7  made at the job site (although the dimensions of the soffit could be communicated from measurements taken at the job site and the bend at  7  could be made at the factory or shop). Second overlay piece  15 -B would be delivered to the job site from a set of such second pieces of size suitable for covering the fascia desired to be covered. Piece  15 -B is fitted to piece  15 -A by setting bend  7  of piece  15 -A into the bend  7 -A of piece  15 -B, with  9 -A underlying a portion of area  9  and area  8 -A fitting on the outside of area  8 . Generally, the length of area  8 -A will exceed the length of area  8 , inasmuch as piece  15 -B is designed to extend over portions of the fascia to be covered which the up-bent area  8  is too short to cover. The two pieces thus seated together are then joined by screws, welding, adhesives or some kind of relatively permanent joining means. The thus joined pieces  15 -A and  15 -B are attached to the overhang area in the manner shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , using screws or any other standard means for securing the joined overlay pieces to the overhang area. The second piece need not necessarily include a bend area  18  at the top, so long as it substantially covers the fascia board. However, where present, area  18  can be used as a surface area to be seated against a suitable portion of the overhang construction to be covered such as the extensions of the roof beyond the frame of the house. While shown in  FIG. 3  in a Z-shaped configuration, the second pieces could alternatively also be in a substantially “bracket” configuration with the two end portions  9 A and  18  extending in the same direction rather than in opposite directions (in which case the inwardly-turned portion  18  would be attached usually to a part of the ascending portion of the roof, relative to the fascia board  5 ).  
         [0016]     The utility of a drip edge, shown at point  11  (but which could also be placed at other points along the overlay, such as at point  7 ) is that it helps to shield somewhat vulnerable places from precipitation, and provides a point for water reaching the drip edge to drop off, since the water will not likely run upward on the back (shielded) side of the drip edge. Thus, the drip edge at  11  is made by a simple bend and back loop of the overlay material, or it can optionally be added as a separate piece. It protects the somewhat vulnerable point where area  12  meets the side of the building just below the frieze, where moisture might be able to get in, but for the shielding effect of the drip edge.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  also shows ventilation slots  19  which can optimally be pre-configured into the overlay piece  15 -A, if desired, in such manner that there will always be sufficient ventilation slots, regardless at what point bend  7  occurs.  
         [0018]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show an S-fold connector piece  20  which can be used to join overlay pieces together, especially in the soffit areas  9 .  FIG. 4  shows a strip  20  which has a double fold (an “S-fold”) in it. The first fold is formed by bending a side portion  29  to form space  23  and then to fold once again the prior folded portion  29  back in the direction of edge  30  with the fold occurring at edge  28  of  FIG. 4 , with re-folded portion  25  extending to substantially parallel edge of the fold  27  and forming space  26  made by said re-fold.  FIG. 5  shows the S-fold connector as viewed from the end thereof showing the double folds, all numerals having the same references as in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a drawing which shows the top fold (that is, the fold having space  26  between portions  25  and  29  of the S-fold connector shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) gripping an edge of soffit portion  9  of the first overlay piece  15 -A of  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 6  does not show an adjacent soffit portion being joined via the S-fold connector, but it is apparent that a soffit edge of another first piece  15 -A could be slid into space  23  which lies between portions  29  and  21  of connector  20 . When the adjacent soffit edge is held in the first fold, as described above, there will then be two adjacent first pieces  15 -A gripped in the two respective and oppositely oriented folds of the connector, and thus joined and held together. The only portion of the S-fold connector visible to the eye after it is used to join two adjacent soffit edges is a “seam” appearing portion, which is in fact simply portion  25  of the connector. It will be seen that this method can be used to join an indefinite number of first overlay pieces together attractively. The same principle can also be used to join second overlay pieces together, when the S-fold connectors are appropriately sized to connect such second overlay pieces. The S-fold connectors can be produced at the factory or shop and can be cut into lengths corresponding to the length of the adjacent edges being joined together.