This invention relates in general to construction of buildings. More specifically, the invention relates to construction of eaves for roofs on buildings.
Eaves are common on many types of buildings. Eaves extend the roof line some distance beyond the walls of the underlying building, ensuring that water run-off from the roof falls at least a nominal distance from the building's walls. Water that falls near the walls may, over time, damage the walls and/or base of the building. Additionally, eaves may fulfill an aesthetic function.
Eaves may be constructed of a single piece that is attached to the edge of the roof of a building. This type of construction is economical for the builder, but may lead to warping of the eave. This can lead to misalignment of building parts and consequent exposure of the interior of the building to the outside environment. To remedy this problem, eaves are often constructed of multiple pieces to reinforce the structure of the eave and thereby prevent warping.
Present methods in the art involve roofing elements such as rafters penetrating through the sides of a building to frame an eave. This can be a time consuming and undesirable method of construction for multiple reasons. First, siding elements must be cut to a shape that allows the rafters to extend through the voids of the building. Irregularities in cutting these void shapes may additionally compromise any nominal seal between building pieces.
Alternatively, the siding components of the building may be cut shorter to allow rafters to pass over the siding. However, this results in an incomplete interior wall, with voids over the interior wall extending away from the interior in-between the rafters. In other present methods, a thin sheet may be attached to the underside of the eave. While this may assist in preventing the eave from warping, it will not add significant additional structural support to the eave. Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these and other issues.
In one embodiment, a method of making an eave for a roof on a building is provided. The method may include providing a structure with at least two sides and a roof frame. The method may further include coupling at least two of a plurality of eave blocks with a first trim piece. In some embodiments, a second eave trim piece may also be coupled with at least two of the plurality of eave blocks. The method may also include a step of coupling at least two of the plurality of eave blocks with a side of the structure. The method may additionally include coupling a roof piece with a top of the roof frame and a top of at least two of the plurality of eave blocks.
In another embodiment, a kit for making a building with an eave is provided. The kit may include a plurality of frame and siding members which may assembled to frame and side a structure with at least two sides and a roof frame. The kit may further include a plurality of eave blocks, a first trim piece, and a roof piece. At least two of the plurality of eave blocks may be coupled with the first trim piece and at least two of the plurality of the eave blocks may be coupled with a side of the structure. The roof piece may be coupled with a top of the roof frame and a top of at least two eave blocks.
In another embodiment, a building with an eave is provided. The building may include a structure with at least two sides and a roof frame. The building may further include a first trim piece and a plurality of eave blocks. At least two of the plurality of eave blocks may be coupled with the first trim piece, and at least two of the plurality of eave blocks may be coupled with a side of the structure. The building may also include a roof piece. The roof piece may be coupled with a top of the roof frame and a top of at least two of the plurality of eave blocks.
The present invention is described in conjunction with the appended figures:
In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same numerical reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a letter that distinguishes among the similar components and/or features. If only the first numerical reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components and/or features having the same first numerical reference label irrespective of the letter suffix.
The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It will be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, methods, processes, and other components may be shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known processes, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process may be complete when its operations are completed, but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a procedure, etc.
For the purposes of this description, an “eave” is defined as the part of a roof that extends outward from the walls of a building or structure. The “top of a building,”“top of a structure,” or similar terms, are defined as the part of a building or structure on which a roof is constructed.
Coupling in any of the steps and/or embodiments of the invention may, merely by way of example, include fastening with nails, fastening with screws, fastening with nuts and bolts, fastening with rivets, fastening with glue, fastening with staples and/or fastening with woodworking joints (for example, dowel, dovetail, and/or finger joints). The frame members, siding members, eave blocks, trim pieces, roof piece and/or any other component of the invention may, merely by way of example, be made from oriented strand board, particle board, fibreboard, plywood, structurally insulated panels, siding material, vented soffit material, wood, cement board, composite, plastic, polymer and/or metal.
In some embodiments, the eave blocks may, merely by way of example, be cut from 2-by-4 softwood lumber. As known in the art, a 2×4 piece of softwood lumber has a cross section with actual dimensions of about 1½ inches (3.8 centimeters) by about 3½ inches (8.9 centimeters).
In some embodiments, the trim pieces may, merely by way of example, be cut from a trim piece that has a width of about 2½ inches (6.4 centimeters) to about 5½ inches (14.0 centimeters), and in some cases, either about 3½ inches (8.9 centimeters) or about 5½ inches (14.0 centimeters). The thickness of the trim piece may be about ⅜ of an inch (0.95 centimeters) to about ¾ of an inch (1.9 centimeters), and in some cases may be about ½ of an inch (1.3 centimeters).
In one embodiment, a method of making an eave for a roof on a building is provided. The method may include providing a structure with at least two sides and a roof frame. The method may further include coupling at least two of a plurality of eave blocks with a first trim piece. The method may also include a step of coupling at least two of the plurality of eave blocks with a side of the structure. The method may additionally include coupling a roof piece with a top of the roof frame and a top of at least two of the plurality of eave blocks.
In some embodiments, the first trim piece may be coupled with a side of the eave blocks. In other embodiments, a second trim piece may also be coupled with a bottom of the eave blocks. The eave blocks may be coupled with either one of or both of the trim pieces prior to coupling the eave blocks with the side of the structure. In some embodiments the eave blocks may be coupled with the roof piece prior to coupling the eave blocks with the side of the structure.
In some embodiments, the second trim piece may be vented soffit material or other materials with passages which allow air flow through the material. In these embodiments, passages which allow air flow may also be made through the sides of the building above the level of the second trim piece. These passages may possibly be created by drilling or other similar method. In other embodiments, the siding of the building may be cut short so as to allow air to flow over the top of the siding and through the vented eave. In some embodiments, materials such as vented soffit material may be used for at least a portion of the upper side of the building to create the air flow passages. The combination of these air flow passages may allow air to move between the inside of the building, the inside of the eave, and the outside of the building.
In some embodiments, the roof piece may be coupled with the top of the structure and the top of the eave blocks such that the roof piece extends onto at least a portion of the top of the roof frame. In other embodiments, the roof piece may extend substantially to the highest vertical point on the top of the roof frame. In embodiments where the roof piece extends partially onto the top of the roof frame, a roofing sheet may be coupled with the top of the roof frame to complete the roof in the area between the roof piece and the highest vertical point on the top of the roof frame.
In some embodiments, coupling the eave blocks with the first trim piece may include coupling the eave blocks at regular or irregular intervals along a length of the first trim piece. In these or other embodiments, coupling the eave blocks with the side of the structure may include coupling every other eave block coupled along at least some portion of the length of the first trim piece with the side of the structure.
In some embodiments, the roof frame may include at least one rafter element which ends at an interior of a side of the structure. In these embodiments, coupling the eave blocks with the side of the structure may include coupling at least one of the eave blocks with at least one of the rafter elements. In some embodiments, eave blocks may be coupled with the side of the structure, in-between the locations where the rafter elements end at an interior of the side of the structure. In these embodiments, an eave block may be coupled with the roof piece and/or trim pieces at a location on the outside of the side of the structure that corresponds with the location of the rafter element on the inside of the structure, but may or may not be coupled with the side of the structure.
In embodiments where the roof frame comprises at least one rafter element, at least a portion of the top of the eave blocks may be parallel with a top of the rafter elements. In some embodiments, the top of the eave blocks may have multiple faces, with one being at an angle parallel with the rafter elements. In various embodiments, the angle of the roof compared to the ground (or other generally horizontal plane) may be between about 9 degrees and about 45 degrees. For example, in some embodiments where the structure is a barn or other building with a steep roof angle, at least a portion of the top of the eave blocks may have a matching steep angle. In another example, where the structure is a shed or other building with a shallow roof angle, at least a portion of the top of the eave blocks may have a matching shallow angle.
In another embodiment, a kit for making a building with an eave is provided. The kit may include a plurality of frame and siding members which may assembled to frame and side a structure with at least two sides and a roof frame. The kit may further include a plurality of eave blocks, a first trim piece, and a roof piece. At least two of the plurality of eave blocks may be coupled with the first trim piece and at least two of the plurality of the eave blocks may be coupled with a side of the structure. The roof piece may be coupled with a top of the roof frame and a top of at least two eave blocks.
In some embodiments, a side of the eave blocks may be coupled with the first trim piece. In other embodiments, the kit may also contain a second trim piece, and the second trim piece may be coupled with a bottom of the eave blocks.
In some embodiments, the kit may further include instructions instructing a user to couple the eave blocks with the first trim piece prior to coupling the eave blocks with the side of the structure. Additional and/or alternative instructions may also be provided instructing a user to couple the eave blocks with a second trim piece and/or with the roof piece prior to coupling the eave blocks with the side of the structure. Various other possible instructions are also possible, including those instructing a user to couple any of the aforementioned components with each other prior to coupling with other aforementioned components.
Other possible instructions include instructing a user to only couple certain eave blocks with certain other components. For example, in some embodiments, the kit may include instructions instructing a user to couple at least a portion of the total number of eave blocks with the first trim piece at various intervals along the length of the first trim piece. The instructions may further instruct a user to thereafter couple only every other eave block along some portion of the length of the first trim piece with the side of the structure. Which eave blocks the instructions instruct a user to couple with the side of the structure may be related to locations of rafter elements which terminate on the inside of the side of the structure. In some embodiments, the instructions may instruct the user to only couple the eave blocks not at a location corresponding with the location of an interior rafter element. In some kit embodiments, at least a portion of the top of the eave blocks may be parallel with a top of rafter elements present in the roof frame of the structure.
In some embodiments, various components of the kit may be pre-coupled. In some embodiments the roof piece, the first trim piece, and/or the second trim piece may be pre-coupled with the eave blocks. In these embodiments, the pre-coupled piece may then be coupled with the top of the roof frame and/or the side of the structure to make an eave.
In another embodiment, a building with an eave is provided. The building may include a structure with at least two sides and a roof frame. The building may further include a first trim piece and a plurality of eave blocks. At least two of the plurality of eave blocks may be coupled with the first trim piece, and at least two of the plurality of eave blocks may be coupled with a side of the structure. The building may also include a roof piece. The roof piece may be coupled with a top of the roof frame and a top of at least two of the plurality of eave blocks.
In some embodiments, the first trim piece may be coupled with a side of the eave blocks. In other embodiments, the building may also include a second trim piece, which may be coupled with a bottom of the eave blocks. In various embodiments, only some eave blocks may also be coupled with the side of the structure as discussed above in regards to the method and kit embodiments of the invention.
Turning now to
In
In some embodiments, all eave blocks 260 may be coupled with the side of the structure through siding member 230B. The coupling mechanism, nails for example, may also couple the eave blocks 260 with other members and/or elements of the structure. In other embodiments, only every other eave block 260 may be coupled with the side of the structure. For example, in some embodiments, eave blocks 260B may be coupled with the side of the structure while eave blocks 260A may not. The proximity of rafter elements 220 to eave blocks 260A may make it more difficult in some embodiments to perform coupling operations such as nailing or screwing components of the invention. Eave blocks 260B on the other hand may easily be coupled from the interior of the structure, free from obstruction by the rafter elements 220. In other embodiments, eave blocks 260 may be located such that no eave block 260 is proximate to rafter elements 220. In some embodiments, merely by way of example, the structure may be constructed such that the rafter elements are spaced at about 24 inch intervals (61.0 centimeters), center-to-center. In these or other embodiments, eave blocks 260 may be coupled with the side of the building such that eave blocks 260 are spaced at about 12 inch intervals (30.5 centimeters), center-to-center. In some embodiments, the centers of eave blocks 260 may be substantially aligned with the center of rafter elements 220. In other embodiments, the centers of eave blocks 260 may be offset from the center of rafter elements 220.
Also shown in this embodiment is roof piece 250. In this embodiment, roof piece 250 extends to only a portion of the top of the roof frame. In other embodiments, roof piece 250 may extend to a greater portion of the top of the roof frame. In some embodiments, roof piece 250 may extend substantially to the highest vertical point at the top of the roof frame. In embodiments where roof piece extends only partially to the top of the roof frame, a roof sheet 240 may be coupled with the top of the roof frame to complete the roof of the structure.
As discussed above, eave block 260A may be cut from a 2-by-4 piece of softwood lumber. The lengthwise grain direction of the 2-by-4 piece of softwood lumber may be in the same direction as directional arrow 320. In some embodiments, this may advantageously allow eave block 260 to be cut from short scrap pieces of 2-by-4 piece of softwood lumber used to frame the building. It will now be apparent that the eave block 260 may also possibly be cut from other small scrap or leftover pieces from other areas of the structure's construction.
In this embodiment, eave block 260A may be dimensioned as follows: the bottom may be about 3.5 inches (8.9 centimeters) in length; the top may be in the range of about 3.5 inches (9.1 centimeters) to about 4.0 inches (10.2 centimeters) in length, and in some cases may be about 3.7 inches (9.4 centimeters) in length; the left side may be about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in length; and the right side may be in the range of about 3.8 inches (9.7 centimeters) to about 4.8 inches (12.2 centimeters) in length, and in some cases may be about 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) in length. The width of eave block 260A may be about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters). The dimensions of the top and right side of the eave block may, in some embodiments, depend on the slope of the rafter elements of the structure. In some embodiments, at least some of the dimensions of the eave blocks may depend on the dimensions of the trim pieces. In some embodiments, at least some of the dimensions of the eave blocks may be substantially the same as dimensions of the trim pieces.
This may reduce construction costs associated with using a new piece of material to support the eave of the building. Additionally, construction costs of the methods, kits, and buildings of the present invention will also be reduced compared to using a new, continuous length piece of material to support the eave along the length of the side of the structure at the interface of the side of the structure and the eave. Furthermore, the strength of the eave may be improved because the eave is now fully supported under its entire width from the side of the structure.
It will also now be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention may also have aesthetic and practical advantages over existing building construction methods that extend rafter elements through the side of a structure. The present invention may not require the siding elements 230 of the structure to be cut short or to be cut to odd shapes to permit penetration by the rafter elements 220. This may assist in maintaining the nominal seal provided by the construction between the interior and the exterior of the structure. The interior of the building may also be more aesthetically pleasing because the walls of the building of the present invention may run from floor to roof continuously, without voids between rafter elements 220. Additionally, existing building construction methods may be more time consuming for all of the aforementioned reasons than the methods of the present invention, and thus more costly.
Other advantages may also exist over existing eave constructions that attach a sheet or trim piece with the underside of the eave. Aesthetically, the face of a first trim piece 270 coupled with the side of the eave blocks 260 may be more pleasing than the edge of a roof piece 250 and/or other components. Additionally, the first trim piece 270 and the eave blocks 260 may provide a stronger mounting point for such things as gutters and lights which may not be sufficiently supported by existing eave types that have little or no structural support for the eave.
In this embodiment, eave block 260C may be dimensioned as follows: the bottom may be in the range of about 5.5 inches (14.0 centimeters) to about 8.0 inches (20.3 centimeters) in length; the sloped portion of the top may be in the range of about 1.0 inches (2.5 centimeters) to about 5.0 inches (12.7 centimeters) in length, and in some cases may be about 3.7 inches (9.4 centimeters) in length; the horizontal portion of the top may be in the range of about 1.0 inches (2.5 centimeters) to about 7.0 inches (17.8 centimeters) in length, and in some cases may be about 2.1 inches (5.3 centimeters) in length; the left side may be about 2.3 inches (5.8 centimeters) in length; and the right side may be about 3.5 inches (8.9 centimeters) in length. The width of eave block 260A may be about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters). The dimensions of the top and left side of the eave block may, in some embodiments, depend on the slope of the rafter elements of the structure. In some embodiments, at least some of the dimensions of the eave blocks may depend on the dimensions of the trim pieces. In some embodiments, at least some of the dimensions of the eave blocks may be substantially the same as dimensions of the trim pieces.
As discussed above, eave block 260C may be cut from a 2-by-4 piece of softwood lumber. The lengthwise grain direction of the 2-by-4 piece of softwood lumber may be in the same as directional arrow 420. In some embodiments, this may advantageously allow eave block 260 to be cut from short scrap pieces of 2-by-4 piece of softwood lumber used to frame the building. Just as in regard to
In this embodiment, eave block 260D may be dimensioned as follows: the bottom may be in the range of about 3.0 inches (7.6 centimeters) to about 6.0 inches (12.2 centimeters) in length; the top may be in the range of about 3.25 inches (8.3 centimeters) to about 7.0 inches (17.8 centimeters) in length, and in some cases may be about 3.7 inches (9.4 centimeters) in length; the left side may be about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length; and the right side may be in the range of about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) to about 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) in length, and in some cases may be about 1.6 inches (4.1 centimeters) in length. The width of eave block 260A may be about 3.5 inches (8.9 centimeters). The dimensions of the top, bottom, and right side of the eave block may, in some embodiments, depend on the slope of the rafter elements of the structure. In some embodiments, at least some of the dimensions of the eave blocks may depend on the dimensions of the trim pieces. In some embodiments, at least some of the dimensions of the eave blocks may be substantially the same as dimensions of the trim pieces.
A number of variations and modifications of the invention can also be used within the scope of the invention. For example, in some embodiments, some rafter elements 220 may extend through the side of the structure and support at least a portion of the eave, while eave blocks 260 support other portions of the eave. In other possible embodiments, multiple roof pieces 250 may be used to complete the entire roof, including different sections along the length of the eave as it runs along the building edge.
The invention has now been described in detail for the purposes of clarity and understanding. However, it will be appreciated that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.
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