Patent Application
20060230694
1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is generally directed to panels used for buildings and more particularly to skylights for roof panels.
2. Description of Related Art
Many storage building or shed users have to deal with a lack of light in a storage building that has no electricity or other means of illuminating the interior space. Others have tried to solve this problem in various ways, for example: by running electric power to the building and using lights; by using lights powered by batteries; by using windows in the walls of the building; and by using skylights in the roof of the building.
However, current solutions for a skylight on a pitched roof require multiple components to ensure water management and structural integrity. Multiple components complicate the assembly and/or installation of the skylight, and increase the cost for the skylight feature. All of these ways can be costly and complicated for the average consumer, especially if assembly and/or installation are to be performed by the consumer.
3. Summary of the Invention
In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a roof assembly includes a skylight panel and a roof panel. The roof panel may include a skylight opening to accommodate the skylight panel, and may include water management channels disposed adjacent to the skylight panel. The skylight panel may be adapted to be snap-fit to the roof panel, and the water management channels include channels formed in the roof panel.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a roof panel includes a skylight opening adapted to accommodate a skylight panel, a raised lip surrounding the skylight opening, and at least one gutter channel disposed adjacent to the raised lip.
The skylight along with the roof geometry provides a simplified assembly with a minimum of components while still providing water management, structural integrity, and durable construction, preventing the skylight assembly from leaking and providing increased roof structure rigidity. This eliminates the need for additional flashing or other components associated with water management.
Objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the drawing figures, in which:
FIG. is a perspective view of an interior side of a snap-fit skylight panel according to an alternative embodiment of the invention; and
With reference initially to
The roof panel 22 includes a skylight opening 29 adapted to accommodate the skylight panel 24 and may also include a plurality of straight water management channels 30 distributed along the surface of the roof panel assembly 20. The roof panel 22 may further include arcuate water management channels such as, for example, an upper arcuate water management channel 32, an intermediate arcuate water management channel 34, and a lower arcuate water management channel 36. The lower arcuate water management channel 36 may be connected to gutter channels 38 and 40, that may be disposed adjacent to side edges 42 and 44 of the skylight panel 24. Weep hole openings 54 may be provided between the roof panel 22 and the skylight panel 24, for example, to provide drainage of condensation from the interior surface of the skylight panel 24. One or more of the water management channels 30, 32, 34, and/or 33, and/or one or both of the gutter channels 38 and/or 40 may be integrally formed as part of the roof panel 22.
The roof panel 22 may be formed from a plastic material by any suitable process, such as for example, blow molding. Manufacturing the roof panel 22 using a blow-molding process enables structure such as the water management channels 30, 32, 34, and 36 and/or the gutter channels 38 and 40 to be integrated and manufactured in a single part during a single process step. Blow-molding also allows the geometry on the exterior of the roof panel 22 to be different from the interior of the roof panel 22, utilizing double-walled construction, that may also provide an added benefit of thermal insulation. However, any suitable material and any suitable process could be used for forming the roof panel 22. The skylight panel 24 may also be made from a plastic material, and may be formed by an injection molding process. Again, any suitable material and any suitable process could be used for forming the skylight panel 24.
With reference to
The skylight panel 24 may also include a perimeter flashing flange 45 spaced apart from a perimeter mounting flange 47. When the skylight panel 24 is mounted to the roof panel 22, to cover the skylight opening 29, the perimeter flashing flange 45 and the perimeter mounting flange 47 may straddle a raised lip 49 on the roof panel 22 that surrounds the skylight opening 29.
As shown in
In operation, when the roof assembly 20 in the vicinity of the skylight panel 24 is exposed to precipitation such as rain, melting snow, melting ice, sleet, and the like, water flows from the upper edge 26, is diverted away from the skylight panel 24 by the upper arcuate water management channel 32, the intermediate arcuate water management channel 34, and the lower arcuate water management channel 36, and may drain from the roof panel assembly 20 via the gutter channels 38 and 40. Should water collect in the lower arcuate water management channel 36 and/or the gutter channels 38 and/or 40 (e.g., due to heavy rain and or debris in the gutter channels 38 and/or 40), the raised lip 49, the perimeter flashing flange 45, and the gasket 48 each serve to prevent water from leaking between the roof panel 22 and the skylight panel 24.
As shown in
Although certain embodiments have been described herein in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all embodiments of the teachings of the disclosure that fairly fall within the scope of permissible equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60672688 | Apr 2005 | US |
