Powered ridge ventilation system and method

Abstract

There is provided a ridge ventilation system that comprises a ridge slot disposed longitudinally in a ridge of a roof and a fan disposed in the ridge slot for actively exhausting air from an attic substantially enclosed by the roof, sidewalls and ceiling into the ambient atmosphere. There is further provided a method for ventilating that comprises disposing a ridge slot longitudinally in a ridge of the roof and operating a fan disposed in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere. Lastly, there is provided a method for installing the ridge ventilation system that comprises constructing a ridge slot longitudinally disposed in a ridge of the roof and disposing a fan in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to roof ridge vents. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a powered ridge ventilation system and method for actively ventilating an upper part (e.g., attic) of a structure (e.g., building or house).

2. Description of the Prior Art

Ventilation systems have been used in buildings for ventilation of inner parts of the buildings. These ventilation systems include combinations of roof vents, ridge vents, gable vents, soffit vents and the like. In particular, a roof ridge vent is incorporated into a ridge or apex of a roof that encloses the attic to ventilate (exhaust) excessive heated air that becomes trapped therein. More specifically, as solar heat becomes incident on the roof, the air in the attic is heated and becomes trapped if it remains unventilated.

Known roof ridge vents are static vents. More specifically, a fraction of the trapped hot air escapes through the static roof ridge vent from air currents in the surrounding environment and from hot air expanding and escaping through the roof ridge vent. However, the static roof ridge vent cannot ventilate all the excess heated air in the attic. In addition, the roof ridge vent depends on incoming external air through a soffit/eave vent to ventilate the hotter air trapped in the attic. The incoming cooler air entering the attic displaces the heated air, which is exhausted through the roof ridge vent. However the static roof ridge vent's ability to exhaust air is reduced by the transiency of wind speed, which affects the volume of air entering the soffit/eave vent. This increases energy costs associated with the cooling and the heating of the building.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for providing a ridge ventilation system and method to overcome the limitation imposed by the transient wind speed and to improve the efficiency of the ventilation achieved by a roof ridge vent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a powered ridge venting system and method for actively ventilating the attic of a building.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a ridge ventilation system comprising a ridge slot disposed longitudinally in a ridge of a roof and a fan disposed in the ridge slot for actively exhausting air from an attic substantially enclosed by the roof, sidewalls and a ceiling into the ambient atmosphere.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for ventilating an attic substantially enclosed by a root sidewalls and a ceiling, the method comprising disposing a ridge slot longitudinally in a ridge of the roof and operating a fan disposed in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic or crawl space into the ambient atmosphere.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for installing a ridge ventilation system for ventilating an attic substantially enclosed by a roof, sidewalls and a ceiling, the method comprising constructing a ridge slot longitudinally disposed in a ridge of the roof and disposing a fan in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art, in view of the following detailed description taken in combination with the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a partial view of an upper part of a structure that incorporates the powered ridge ventilation system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional perspective view of the upper part of the structure in FIG. 1, which incorporates the powered ridge ventilation system according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a side perspective view of the upper part of the structure in FIGS. 1 and 2, which incorporates the powered ridge ventilation system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an exemplary illustration depicting a partial view 100 of an upper part of a structure that incorporates the powered ridge ventilation system according to the present invention. As depicted in the partial view 100, the upper part of the structure includes conventional roof 104 and ceiling 116 that substantially enclose a space typically referred to as the attic 114. Conventional sidewalls 102 may further bound the attic. The powered ridge ventilation system 120 comprises a ridge slot 112, a fan 122, and a roof ridge vent 106 for exhausting or ventilating air from the attic 114 or crawl space through the ridge slot 112, fan 122 and roof ridge vent 105 into the ambient atmosphere.

The ridge slot 112 is an opening in the ridge 118 of the roof 104. More specifically, the ridge slot 112 is constructed at the ridge of the roof 104. The fan 122 is disposed within the ridge slot 112 and the roof ridge vent 106 covers the ridge slot 112 and overlaps the roof 104 to prevent precipitation (e.g., rain, snow), insects and debris from entering the attic 114. The roof ridge vent 106 is conventionally secured to the roof 104.

For best operation, it is preferable that the fan 122 is vertically disposed in the ridge slot 112 to be within a close, predetermined distance to the roof ridge vent 106. The fan 122 is preferably disposed from about one to about twelve inches below the roof ridge vent 106 in the ridge slot 112.

The roof ridge vent 106 comprises a plurality of vent slots 108 on both sides of the roof ridge vent 106 to exhaust or ventilate air from the attic 114 into the ambient atmosphere and a plurality of external baffles 110 to control the flow of precipitation that is incident on the roof ridge vent 106. Although the roof ridge vent 106 is depicted with external baffles, it is to be noted that the roof ridge vent 106 may instead comprise a plurality of internal baffles (not shown). However, any other known apparatus, device or vent that allows the exhaust of air from the attic 114 into the ambient atmosphere, while preventing precipitation and other unwanted elements from entering the ridge slot 112 from the ambient atmosphere is applicable herein and is considered within the scope of the present invention. The powered ridge ventilation system 120 will be described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 below.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary illustration depicting a cross-sectional perspective view 200 of the upper part of the structure in FIG. 1, which incorporates the powered ridge ventilation system according to the present invention. As depicted in the cross-sectional view 200, the fan 122 is preferably a centrifugal fan disposed in the ridge slot 112 longitudinally along the ridge 118 of the roof 104. An inlet fan guard 204 prevents human injury during operation of the fan 122 and further prevents debris and insulation in the attic 114 from entering the fan 122. The inlet fan guard 204 is preferably a wire mesh guard. Alternatively, the fan guard 204 is a fiberglass filter. Furthermore, the fan guard 204 may be any other known filter. It is noted that the fan guard 204 is not limited and may be anything that can prevent human injury during operation of the fan 112 and further protect the fan 112 from debris and insulation in the attic 114.

Further with reference to FIG. 2, the fan 112 comprises a plurality of blades 202 that create a radial flow of air 210 through the fan 122 when powered via any conventional electrical power source 206. It is noted the electrical power source 206 may instead be a solar power source (not shown). More specifically, in operation the fan 122 intakes air from the attic 114 and exhausts that air via flow 212 into the ambient atmosphere. That is, the fan 122 creates a pressure differential between the attic 114 and the ambient atmosphere, thereby actively exhausting the trapped air from the attic 114 through the roof ridge vent 106 into the ambient atmosphere. The combination of the centrifugal fan and the roof ridge vent 106 optimally ventilates the attic 114. Although for clarity and brevity the powered ridge ventilation system 120 depicts one fan 122 and one roof ridge vent 106, it is within the scope of the present invention that there may be a plurality of centrifugal fans (not shown) and corresponding roof ridge vents disposed longitudinally along the ridge 118 of the roof 104.

Alternatively to the preferred centrifugal fan 122 of the powered ridge ventilation system 120, an axial fan (not shown) may be disposed in the ridge slot 112 perpendicularly to the ridge 118 of the roof 104, to provide flow of air from the attic 114 through the roof ridge vent 106 into the ambient atmosphere. In addition, a plurality of axial fans and roof ridge vents 106 may be disposed along the ridge 118 of the roof 104. Furthermore, other known types of fans and combinations thereof may easily be incorporated into the powered ridge ventilation system 120 and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

The power ridge ventilation system 120 can also be installed for ridge board applications and truss style attic designs.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary illustration depicting a side perspective view 300 of the upper part of the structure in FIGS. 1 and 2, which incorporates the powered ridge ventilation system according to the present invention. As depicted in the side perspective view 300, the fan 122 of the power ridge ventilation system 102 is housed in a fan housing 302 and is protected by the inlet fan guard 204. The powered ridge ventilation system may further preferably comprise a temperature sensor 304 that is enabled to detect when the temperature in the attic 114 exceeds a first predetermined temperature and signal the fan 122 to switch on and begin operating. In addition, the sensor 304 is further enabled to detect when the temperature in the attic 114 is equal to or falls below a second predetermined temperature and signal the fan 122 to switch off and stop operating. Other known sensing techniques may easily be incorporated into the powered ridge ventilation system 120 and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. That is, alternatively to the temperature sensor 304, a pressure sensor or a moisture sensor may be installed in the attic 114 and provide signals to the fan 122. Yet further, a light sensor may be installed at a location where daylight is incident on the sensor. Furthermore, an automatic switch such as a timer switch, a manual toggle switch, or an automatic/manual combination switch may be provided for signaling the fan 122 to start and to stop.

In operation of the roof ventilation system 120 in accordance with the preferred implementation of FIG. 3, when solar heat becomes incident on the roof 104 and heats the air in the attic 114, the temperature sensor 304 detects when the temperature is equal to or exceeds a first predetermined temperature and signals the fan 122 to begin operating. The operation of the fan creates a pressure differential between the attic 114 and the ambient atmosphere. This pressure differential causes air currents 306 to flow from the attic 114 into the roof ridge ventilation system 120. More specifically, air currents 306 enter through the inlet fan guard 204 and the fan housing 302 and radially flow through the fan 122. The air currents 306 are actively exhausted via flows 210 from the fan 122 through vent slots 108 on both sides of the roof ridge vent 106 into flows 212 in the ambient atmosphere. Once the temperature sensor 304 detects that the temperature is equal to or below the second predetermined temperature, it signals the fan 122 to stop operating. The cycles of operation of the roof ventilation system 120 are preferably controlled in accordance with the temperature sensor 304.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with regard to a preferred embodiment thereof it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A ridge ventilation system comprising: a ridge slot disposed longitudinally in a ridge of a roof; and a fan disposed in the ridge slot for actively exhausting air from an attic substantially enclosed by the roof, sidewalls and a ceiling into the ambient atmosphere.

2. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan disposed in the ridge slot longitudinally along the ridge of the roof.

3. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the fan is an axial fan disposed in the ridge slot perpendicularly to the ridge of the roof.

4. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the fan is connected to an electrical power source.

5. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the fan is connected to a solar power source.

6. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, wherein the switch is an automatic switch or a manual switch.

7. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor enabled for signaling the fan when to start operating and when to stop operating.

8. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 7, wherein the sensor is one selected from the group consisting of: a temperature sensor; a pressure sensor; a moisture sensor; and light sensor.

9. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, further comprising a switch for signaling the fan when to start operating and when to stop operating.

10. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 1, further comprising a fan housing for housing the fan in the ridge slot.

11. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 10, further comprising a roof ridge vent disposed over the ridge slot and overlapping the roof adjacent to the ridge slot.

12. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 11, wherein the fan is disposed in the ridge slot from about one inch to about twelve inches below the roof ridge vent.

13. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 11, wherein the roof ridge vent comprises a plurality of vent slots for actively exhausting the air from the attic.

14. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 11, wherein the roof ridge vent comprises a plurality of external baffles for controlling flow of precipitation incident on the roof ridge vent.

15. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 11, wherein the roof ridge vent comprises a plurality of internal baffles for controlling flow of precipitation incident on the roof ridge vent.

16. The ridge ventilation system according to claim 10, further comprising an inlet fan guard disposed on the fan housing.

17. A method for ventilating an attic substantially enclosed by a roof, sidewalls and a ceiling, the method comprising: disposing a ridge slot longitudinally in a ridge of the roof; and operating a fan disposed in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere.

18. The method for ventilating according to claim 17, further signaling the fan when to start operating and when to stop operating.

19. A method for installing a ridge ventilation system for ventilating an attic substantially enclosed by a roof, sidewalls and a ceiling, the method comprising: constructing a ridge slot longitudinally disposed in a ridge of the roof; and disposing a fan in the ridge slot to actively exhaust air from the attic into the ambient atmosphere.

20. The method for installing a ridge ventilation system according to claim 19, further comprising securing a roof ridge vent over the ridge slot and overlapping portions of the roof adjacent to the ridge slot.