In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views:
The present invention provides a ridge cap roofing product that is formed from a composite material. The ridge cap includes a back section having tapered lower edges so that when a number of ridge caps are installed in a partially overlapping fashion the covered ridge or hip will not have a sawtooth appearance. Moreover, the visible portion of the ridge cap's top surface may be textured or contoured to simulate the look of a conventional shingle. Also, the ridge cap is somewhat flexible so that it can be used on roofs that have a variety of pitches.
Turning now to
Front section 20 has a cross section that is generally in the shape of an inverted V with a rounded apex. Front section 20 is defined by two horizontal side edges 40, a front edge 50 and a vertical transition edge 60. Side edges 40 are generally equal in length, are generally parallel to each other, and are generally perpendicular to both front edge 50 and vertical transition edge 60. Front edge 50 and vertical transition edge 60 are generally equal in length and are generally parallel to each other. Thus, if front section 20 were pressed flat, it would have a rectangular shape. In a preferred embodiment, the length of side edges 40 is 8 inches and the length of front edge 50 and vertical transition edge 60 is 12 inches.
Back section 30, which also has a cross section that is generally in the shape of an inverted V with a rounded apex, is defined by two side edges 70 (only one side edge 70 is shown in the figures), vertical transition edge 60, and back edge 80. Vertical transition edge 60 is generally parallel to back edge 80 and has a longer length (i.e. back edge 80 is shorter than vertical transition edge 60). Each side edge 70 tapers upward and inward thereby connecting to one end of vertical transition edge 60 and one end of back edge 80. Side edges 70 are generally equal in length. Thus, back section 30 would have a generally trapezoidal shape if pressed flat. In a preferred embodiment, the length of side edges 70 is approximately 10¼ inches and the length of back edge 80 is 9 inches.
Back section 30 may be divided into central portion 90 and tapered portion 100. Central portion 90 is defined by vertical transition edge 60, horizontal transition lines 110 (only one horizontal transition line 110 is shown in the figures), and back edge 80. Horizontal transition lines 110 are generally equal in length, are generally parallel with each other, and generally perpendicular to vertical transition edge 60 and back edge 80. Central portion 90 would be rectangular if pressed flat. In a preferred embodiment, the length of horizontal transition lines 110 is 10 inches.
Tapered portion 100 of back section 30 extends away from central portion 90 at horizontal transition lines 110. Tapered portions 100 are defined by vertical transition edge 60, horizontal transition lines 110, and side edges 70. As stated previously, horizontal transition lines 110 are generally perpendicular to vertical transition edge 60. However, side edges 70 are not perpendicular to vertical transition edge 60 or parallel to horizontal transition lines 110. Instead, each side edge 70 tapers upward and inward as it proceeds away from the end of vertical transition edge 60 and toward the end of back edge 80. Thus, tapered portions 100 have a generally triangular shape.
Continuing with
Additionally, front section 20 and central portion 90 have a generally consistent thickness In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of front section 20 and central portion 90 is approximately ¼ inches.
Tapered portion 100 does not have a generally consistent thickness. Instead, the thickness of tapered portion 100 decreases from horizontal transition line 110, where the thickness is approximately equal to the thickness of central portion 90, to side edge 70. Moreover, the change in thickness causes the angle or slope of the exterior or upper surface of tapered portion 100 to be slightly greater than the slope of front section 20 and central portion 90.
As stated above, each tapered portion 100 has a generally triangular shape when viewed from the side, with side edge 70 tapering upward and inward as it proceeds away from one end of vertical transition edge 60 and toward one end of back edge 80. As seen in
Moreover, ridge cap 10 is a composite product that is slightly flexible so that it may conform to a range of roof pitches. As stated above, in a preferred embodiment, the angle β (
As will be discussed below, ridge cap 10 is installed so that it overlaps the shingles already installed on the roof. The shingles or the method by which they are installed may slightly change the effective pitch of the roof. For example, the shingles may be installed so that they stop short of the ridge instead of all the way up to the ridge or the shingles may not have a consistent thickness. Because it is flexible, ridge cap 10 will adapt to either situation and conform to the ridge or hip and the shingles already installed on the roof.
Referring now to
After the shingles 130 are installed, the roofer will couple the first ridge cap 10c to the ridge or hip 140 at the roof edge 150. Ridge cap 10c may be coupled to roof 120 in a variety of ways, including through the use of nails or adhesives. After installing ridge cap 10c, the roofer will couple the second ridge cap 10d to roof 120 so that its front section overlaps the back section of ridge cap 10c. Thereafter, the roofer will install additional ridge caps until ridge or hip 140 is covered. It should be understood that when the roofer reaches the opposite edge of the roof from where he or she began or reaches a gable, the roofer may cut one or more ridge caps removing the back section(s) 30 and attach the cut ridge cap or caps overtop the last full ridge cap until the roof edge or gable is reached.
As stated above, in one embodiment, the ridge cap of the present invention is a composite product. Thus, ridge cap 10 may be formed from suitable materials such as, but not limited to, rubber (e.g., ground up tire rubber), polymers such as polyethylene (e.g., various grades, recycled or virgin), fillers (e.g., glass, stone, limestone), asphalt embedded mats, or tile. In a preferred embodiment, the ridge cap is formed from a composite material that is composed of at least a polymer component and a filler component. In addition, a coloring agent may be added to the mixture so that the composite product more closely resembles a particular type of shingle. For example, for a composite slate product, a gray color may be added to the mixture. Similarly, for a composite tile product, a red color may be added to the mixture.
Ridge cap 10 may be made and cut, or molded, to shape using known techniques. For example, one manner of making ridge cap 10 relies on the use of a mixer and extruder. The ingredients that are used to form the ridge cap are mixed in the mixer and then passed through the extruder to an injection-molding machine that operates to heat the mixture into a molten state. The molten mixture is then fed into one or more molds that have been cast or machined, such as by digitized molding, to have the desired shape (including any contoured shape for simulating certain types of shingles such as slate, tile or asphalt shingles). After it has cooled, the ridge cap is removed from the mold, bundled with other ridge caps, and stored for later sale and use. Of course, as is known in the field, the above-stated steps may be automated. Moreover, many other methods of making composite versions of a starter block are also within the scope of the present invention, such as those described in U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 10/387,823 and 10/457,728, which are incorporated herein by reference.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, that the invention is not limited thereto, since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure of the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.
This application is a continuation of and claims priority to application Ser. No. 10/757,230, filed Jan 14, 2004 entitled RIDGE CAP ROOFING PRODUCT, now pending, which application is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent permitted by law.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10757230 | Jan 2004 | US |
Child | 11530094 | US |