This invention relates generally to a panel for use as a roof vent, and more particularly, to a hinged vent panel for use on a sloping roof to allow for attic ventilation and to inhibit the flow of insulation out of an attic area into the soffit of a structure to block a soffit attic vent.
Homes and commercial buildings with sloped or pitched roofs typically include an open, unheated attic. The area of the attic is typically insulated by a layer of fibrous insulation, for example, loosefill fiberglass, batts or rolls of fiberglass insulation, or other insulation materials such as cellulose, mineral wool. Building codes often require that an unheated attic be vented to release heat and moisture that may otherwise build up. Often the vents are positioned in the soffit at the eaves of the house to allow airflow from the soffit vents to the peak vents. Due to the position of the soffit vents, heat loss at the eaves may occur and with freezing and thawing temperatures, ice dams may form at the eaves, thereby causing roof leaks usually in the coldest of weather. In the summer, improper ventilation of the attic causes heat to buildup within the attic, which will increase the temperature within the structure. An unvented attic may also permit humidity to condense on the underside of the roof during winter. In addition, a roof vent also may create an uninsulated space between the insulation and the underside of the roof to prevent unwanted condensation.
To achieve such venting, a wide variety of sheet-like products have been used which are fastened to the underside of the roof between the rafters. Some of these products include flanges that provide ease of fastening and a spaced or offset wall forming open troughs extending end-to-end. It has been found that such products when made from an extruded foam polystyrene sheet have excellent break resistance and resist moisture so they will not rot or deteriorate. Generally, extruded polystyrene has greater strength than simply expanded polystyrene such as bead board or sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,612 discloses a baffle vent that is positioned against the underside of a roof to allow air-flow from the soffit vent over the interior surface of the roof. The baffle vent is described as an elongated self-supporting unitary structure of sheet-like material having a generally channel-shaped cross-section defining longitudinal sidewalls joined by a bottom wall. The baffle vent includes flanges that project from the top edges of the sidewalls to facilitate the attachment of the baffle vent to the underside of the roof. A triangular cross-sectional longitudinal reinforcing rib in the bottom wall runs along the length of the baffle vent to resist a collapse of the baffle vent if subjected to external forces such as from roof insulation. The narrow apex of the triangular cross-sectional longitudinal reinforcing rib prevents the use of staples or other fastener within the channel.
It has also been found that a hinged roof vent will allow venting of an open attic space to the soffit vent and serves as a dam to inhibit loose fill insulation from blocking airflow from the soffit vents to the hinged vent chute. U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,991 discloses a hinged vent chute that includes an elongated chute segment and an insulation darn segment. The vent or air passage from the soffit to the open attic space is provided by one or more upwardly open channels extending from a lower end to an upper end of the elongated chute segment. The air passes through the channel(s) and over an interior surface of the roof from the soffit region of the roof and up into the open attic space beneath the roof. The hinged vent chute has a hinge or fold line which joins the insulation dam segment to the elongated chute segment. The hinge or fold line permits the insulation dam segment to be folded or bent downward at the hinge or fold line relative to the elongated chute segment and secured in place to form an insulation dam which prevents loose fill insulation in an attic from flowing down into a soffit region of a roof and blocking airflow. The hinged roof vent of U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,991 includes at least two hinges and cut-lines which must be manipulated by the installer. The number of steps required to install the hinged roof vent increases the cost of installation. In addition, the complexity of the vent increases production costs such as the cost of manufacturing the mold for forming the vent. Further, the shape of the hinge also allows more air to flow through the vent than is necessary and allows loosefill insulation to escape from the attic and block the soffit vents.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a hinged roof vent that allows a suitable amount of air to circulate through the attic while providing venting. It is also useful to have a hinged roof vent that provides structural integrity when compressed by the installation of insulation.
A hinged roof vent panel for use at the eaves of a building structure is disclosed. The hinged panel includes flanges that have a hinge, walls raised from the lateral flanges and insulation blocking walls raised from above the flanges by the walls to form ventilation troughs. Each insulation blocking wall includes a hinge and a cut marking line and the cut marking line separates the insulation blocking wall into an insulation damn and a vent portion. In one embodiment of the invention, the hinge is positioned on the insulation damn portion. In another embodiment, gussets and/or saddles may be formed along the lateral walls. In yet another embodiment, the roof vent includes a number insulation blocking walls with a base positioned between the insulation blocking walls. The base preferably includes a perforation that allows the panel to be divided without the use of a cutting tool. In yet another embodiment, a trapezoidal ridge extends substantially the length of the panel. The trapezoidal ridge includes a land that is level with the insulation blocking wall. Preferably, the base of the trapezoidal ridge is sized to allow the use of an air-nailer or stapler to secure the panel to the roof deck. Preferably, the hinged roof vent panel is formed of an extruded foam polystyrene sheet.
A hinged roof vent panel is provided which includes a combination of hinged ridges that allow the panel to be cut and folded to form an insulation block. The insulation block inhibits the flow of loosefill insulation which may block soffit vents and which provides suitable ventilation to inhibit condensation during cold periods and to allow acceptable airflow during warm periods. The vent panel may be thermoformed from a thin sheet of extruded polystyrene foam into the shape described and claimed herein. The panel is relatively planar and stackable so that a large number of panels may be packaged together for shipping.
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The invention of this application has been described above both generically and with regard to specific embodiments. Although the invention has been set forth in what is believed to be the preferred embodiments, a wide variety of alternatives known to those of skill in the art can be selected within the generic disclosure. The invention is not otherwise limited, except for the recitation of the claims set forth below.