The present invention relates to roof systems and in particular to apparatus for dispersing water at roof connections including roof valleys and gutters.
A roof valley is the region where two roof sections meet. The region may be a connection of two roofs, or brick (such as a wall or chimney) and a roof. The region may be at a ninety (90) degree angle or a substantially V-shaped configuration which generally slopes in one direction toward an edge. It is common in fabricating the valleys of shingled roofs to line or flash the valley with a strip of sheet metal. During heavy rains and strong winds, large volumes of water and debris may back up over the flashing and under shingles. This may cause leakage and even water damage to the inside of the building.
The present invention addresses the long felt need within the art to disperse water at roof connections to prevent leakage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to roof systems and in particular to apparatus for diffusing water at roof connections.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a roof diffuser adapted to be mounted to a roof portion is provided, the apparatus comprising: a top edge portion; a side edge portion having a substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the top edge portion and a curved portion in communication with the substantially straight portion; a protrusion, wherein the protrusion meets the curved portion of the side edge portion; at least two steps, wherein each of the steps is substantially parallel to the top edge portion and located above the protrusion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a roof diffuser adapted to be mounted to a roof portion is provided, the apparatus comprising: a top edge portion; at least one side edge portion having a substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the top edge portion and a curved portion in communication with the substantially straight portion; a protrusion, wherein the protrusion meets the curved portion of each side edge portion and is a kickout at an angle between fifteen and ninety degrees; and at least three steps, wherein each of the steps is substantially parallel to the top edge portion, and is narrower than the step it is below. The steps are also located above the protrusion.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a roof diffuser adapted to be mounted to a roof portion is provided, the apparatus comprising: a top edge portion; two opposing side edge portions, each side edge portion having a substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the top edge portion and a curved portion in communication with the substantially straight portion; a protrusion, wherein the protrusion meets the curved portion of each side edge portion; at least two steps, wherein each of step is substantially parallel to the top edge portion, is narrower than the step it is below and is located above the protrusion and between the two opposing side edge portions.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts the present invention;
FIG. 2 depicts the present invention;
FIG. 3 depicts the present invention;
FIG. 4 depicts the present invention; and
FIG. 5 depicts the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
With reference to FIGS. 1-5, a roof diffuser (10) adapted to be mounted to a roof portion is provided. The term roof portion includes the roof and roof gutters and intended to refer to any top portion of a house. The roof diffuser (10) may have a top edge portion (12); a side edge portion (14) having a substantially straight portion (16) being substantially perpendicular to the top edge portion (12). There is a curved portion (18) in communication with the substantially straight portion (16). The protrusion (20) meets at least a portion of the curved portion (18) of the side edge portion. The roof diffuser has at least two steps (e.g. 22, 24, 26) wherein each of at least two steps (22, 24, 26) is substantially parallel, as shown in FIG. 1 it is parallel from a front view, to the top edge portion (12) and located above the protrusion (20). The term step is intended refer to the fact that it protrudes relative to the roof (52), as can be seen in FIG. 2. The top edge portion (12) may have at least one cut corner (28). As shown, the cut corner (28) may be approximately 45 degrees from the top edge portion (12). Also, as shown in FIG. 1, each step may be narrower than the step it is below. For example, step (24) is narrower than step (22) and step (26) is narrower than step (24). The top of each step (e.g. 22, 24, 26) may be angled downward away from the side edge portion (14) to direct flow away from the side edge portion (14). The steps may be angled in a number of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the steps may be angled to zig-zag (with one step directing water in one direction and the next step directing water in the opposite direction) or direct water in any desired direction or place.
As shown in FIG. 2, the top of each step (50) is at an angle between ten and ninety degrees from the roof (52). The protrusion (20) may be at an angle (54) between fifteen and ninety degrees, preferably around a forty five degree kick out. It should be understood that the angles may vary without departing from the scope of the present invention. FIG. 3 depicts the apparatus (10) attached to a roof (19), above the gutter (17).
As shown in FIG. 4, the protrusion (120) may be adapted to fit in a gutter opening (70). Also, the roof diffuser apparatus may have a top edge portion (100) and two opposing side edge portions (102 and 104), each side edge portion (102 and 104) having a substantially straight portion (106) being substantially perpendicular to top edge portion (100) and a curved portion (108) in communication with the substantially straight portion (106). There may be a protrusion (20), wherein the protrusion meets the curved portion (108) of each the opposing side edge portions (102 and 104). There may be at least two steps (e.g. 110, 112, 114), wherein each of the steps is substantially parallel to the top edge portion (100), is narrower than the step it is below and is located above the protrusion (20) and between the two opposing side edge portions (102 and 104). The top of each step (110, 112, 114) is at an angle between ten and ninety degrees from the roof portion (116). As shown in FIG. 4, the invention may be used in a roof gutter (166). The term roof portion in this situation refers to the inside of the gutter (116). The angle is measured between the roof portion (the gutter (116)) and the step (110, 112, 114). The angle is not depicted in FIG. 4, as it is a front view and the angle would only be viewable from a side view as in FIG. 2. The top of each step (110, 112, 114) may be angled downward (118, 128) away from the middle edge portion (120) to direct flow away from the middle edge portion (120). The top of each step (110, 112, 114) may also be angled upward from the middle edge portion (120) to direct flow toward the middle edge portion (120). The middle edge portion (120) may also form a channel to direct flow towards the gutter opening (70). Also, the protrusion (20) may be adapted to fit in a gutter opening (70). As shown, the roof diffuser apparatus may be folded along a center fold (120) at a ninety degree angle. As depicted in FIG. 5, the apparatus (300) may be utilized in a number of different locations including at the connection between a chimney (306) and a roof (308), between two roof sections (308 and 310), and as depicted in FIG. 4, inside of a gutter (116).
It should be understood that the foregoing relates to preferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Patent Application
20080190041
