Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The present invention relates in general to
an improved skylight construction, and is concerned,
more particularly, with an improved curb frame
construction particuLarly as it pertains to improved
thermal characteristics of the skylight and ease of
fabrication. The skyligh-t described herein is
particularly characterizecl by an improved resis-tance
to thermal transfer of heat through the skylight.
One typical prior art skylight fra~e i5
made of a metal material such as an extruded aluminum.
S~e, for example, U. ~. Patent 4,073,097, issued
February 1~, 1978. One of the problems with such curb
frames is that they pe~mit heat conduction there-
through. Furthermore, there is a tendency in cold
weather for condensation to form because of an
insufficient temperature differential between the
inside and outside of the panels or domesn Accordingly,
curb frames have also been constructed of a the.rmo-
plastic material such as polyvinylchloride~ In either
case, the thermal transfer is to be minimize~.
Accordingly, i.t is an object of the present
i.nventio.n to provide a skylight construction that is
particularly characterized by improved thermal trans-
~er so as to provide increased resistance to thermal
transfer of heat through the skylight~
~ -3-
. ~
Another object of the ~resent invention is to provide
an improved skylight construction that is easier to fabricate
~pro~iding an interconnecting arrangement for a section of the
skylight that does not require welding. More par~icularly~
recesses are provided in the bottom of ~he curb for permitt-
~ing a snap engagement o the inner and ou~er aluminum walls
forming the support for under the curb.
? ~ Still another object of the present invention is to provid
, an improYed skylight curb frame construction combining a curh
of a rigid ~hermoplastic in combination l~ith a flexible
thermoplastic forming a plurality of gaskets for sealing the
- ; curb frame to, not only the dome but also the support member
for the curb frame.
Another object of the present invention is ~o provide
a skylight construction that minimizes air exfiltra~ion
; ~ through the skylight. The forming of a positive seal is im-
, portant with regard to the skylight. The preferred composite
$ ~ PVC is important rom the standpoint of energy conservation.
.
_m~ of the Invention
~ To accomplish the foregoing and other objec~s of ~he
! I invention, there is provided a skylight cons~ruction adapted
i to be itted into an opening in a building such as the roof
' of a residential house. This skylight construction comprises
~q
1 25 a curb frame extending abou~ the opening and having means for
i receiving nails or the like for securing the frame in place
about the opening. In one embodiment, one or more transparent
or translucent thermoplastic domes cover the opening and ex-
tend at the edge to the curb frame. In another embodiment
the dome may be replaced by one or more one or more Elat
glass panels. A retainer extends about the periphery of the
~r`skylight for holding the dome or panel on the curb frame. In
accordance with the preferred form oE this in~en~ion the curb
frame is constructed o a rigid plastic, preferably polyvinyl-
chloride (P~C). The curb rame may be heat welded at the!
~'
s
a~
corners of the frame and has integral therewith a plurality
~-p of gaskets formed of a flexible portion of P~C or the like
s fo~ sealing between the curb frame and the covering means
ovèr the opening. Also, gasket means are provided in~egral
5 with the curb frame for sealing wi~h the aluminum support
wa~ particularly the outer aluminum wall. This eliminates
energy waste by air infil~ration and prevcn-ts water leakage.
The curb frame may be constructed of a rigid PVC having a
hardness in the shore scale for (D), while the gasket may
10 be of a flexible PVC having a hardness in the shore hardness
. range 'IA". A heat plattent high frequency, ul~rasonic or
~' other thermoplastic welding technique may be used to weld
the curb, and also a~ the same time weld the gasket for a
continuous seal. This provides an extremely tight skylight
15 construction which is an energy-saving feature o~ the inven-
tion. The curb frame preferably also includes a third gaske-t
that is flexible, integral with the curb frame and contacts
the retaining means for the pla~es or domes to form a seal
therewith~ The curb frame may have a hollow construction3
20 preferably has weep holes therein, and includes means on
the inner side thereof defining a condensation gutter. rhe
curb frame is also preferably provided with two bottom re-
cesses into which the inner and out r aluminum walls snap
fit without the requirement for any welding between ~ ese
25 walls. These aluminum walls or skins define a compartment
for containing fiber glass insulation and form the underside
support for the curb frame.
13rief ~escription o~ the ~rawin~s
3~ ~ume~ous other objects, features and advan~ages of the
invention should now become apparent upon a reading of the
ollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
4' FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a domed skylight
35 c ~stTuction employing the features of the present invention;
;~ FIG. 2 is a cross-section ~of the curb frame itself;
and
~ FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of ~he skylight
construction of FIG. 1.
. 1 ~
-
t
~I .,
', ,
t
J
~, 6-
~,
7~i
:'~ Detailed Description
,
Referring now to the drawiTIgs~ FIGS. 1-3 show an
;- embodiment of the invention incorporating the features
~ of the invention. This embodimen~ is in the -form of a
-~ 5 skylight of domedconstruc~ion. It is understood that the
prlncipals of thîs invention may also be applied to a flat
~' type skyligh~ or numerous o~her forms of skylight cons~ruc-
; tion.
The domed skyligh~ cons~ruction disclosed herein spans
an opening which may be of square or rectangu]ar shape and
' defined in part by structural member 10. A series of nails
- such as nail l4 shown in FIG. 1 is used for securing the
skylight to the structural member~
The skyligh~ construction comprises a dome 16 which is
lS preferably an acrylic thermal plas~ic dome. 'Ihere is also
provided a curb frame 20 of a ~hermal plastic which is pre-
~ ferably polyvinylchloride (PVC) along with a retainer 22.
i FIG. ~ is a cross~sec~ional view showing the construction
of the curb frame. FIG. 3 shows a corner of the frame of
FIG. 2 showing the corner sealing arrangement.
Over the s~ructural member 10 there is provided a wall12 that comprises an inner aluminum wall or skin 11 and an
outer aluminum wall or skin ~3. The wall 13 has an integral
curb flange 15 through which the nails 14 penetrate. Other
waterp~oofing means may be also associated with the skylighk
for securing it about the opening such as felt stripping.
The inner and outer skins 11 and 13 define an open space that
is to be filled with fiber glass insulation 18. At the lower
end oE the aluminum walls 11 and 13 there is provided a ~her-
mal break 19 w}~ich is preferably made of extruded rigid PVC.
FIG. 1 depicts 03le of the aspects of the present inven-
tion wherein the curb frame 20 is provided with downwardly
depending walls, such as walls 24 and 26 W}liCh along with
barbed wall 25 defines a pair of recesses 27 and 2~. These
P~:
recesses permit the snap engagement of the inner and outer
i
~ -7-
.,
aluminum walls without requiring any welding between the
:~ aluminum walls 11 and 13. In ~his regard it is noted in
FIG. 1 that the walls extend ver~ically but have slan~ed
- upper ends llA and 13A with the very ends of these walls
~ 5 snappîng into bar~s of the wall 25. This provides a united
,~ firm lnterlocking arrangement between the wall means 12 and
' the curb frame 20.
In addition ~o the downwardly depending walls just men-
tioned including walls 24, 25, and 26, there is also pro-
10 vided a base wall 30 and uprigh~ walls defining a trough 34.
The curb frame 20, of course, also provides support for the
dome 16. In one al~erna~e embodiment a pair of domes could
be provided. At the wall 36 ~here is provide~ a cup shaped
sealing gasket 48. In the trough 34 there is preferably dis-
15 posed a moisture absorbent material 42 which may be a cotton
or other fibrous batten of the like. The trough 42 with
the absorbent material is for receiving any condensation from
the dome 16 and collec~ing this condensation. The curb frame
is preferably also provided with openings or condensation
20 drainage holes 44 and 46 spaced therealong. These are also
referred to as weep holes for any excess wa~er permitting
the water to be removed from khe curb frame.
The extruded cur`b frame may be cons~ruc~ed of a weather-
~) able rigid thermal plastic material, such as a rigid PVC com-
pound of AST~I-D 1784-69 type 1334-C made by B.F. Goodrich Com-
pany of Cleveland, Ohio. The specific gravity of this material
t is on the order of 1.46. The material has a durometer D haId-
ness of 82-3. The tensile strength is 6200 lbs. per sq. inch
, and the tensile modulus is 355, aoo p.s.i. The IZOD impact at
32F. is 1.781 lbs. per inch. The hea~ distortion at 264 p.s.i.
is 163F.
'~ The curb frame also includes an internally threaded re-
cess 52 which receives bolt 54 for seeuring the retainer 22
~i to the curb frame 20. It is noted that the gasket 50 is
35 slightly deflec~ed and seals against the wall 56 of ~he re~ainer.
. .
.i,
i
.,
The top wall 58 of the retainer presses against the edge
17 of ~he dome 16. The bot~om of the edge 17 rests upon
~he cup-shaped gasket 48 which compresses to seal between
., the curb frame and the dome.
! 5 FIG. 3 shows a corner of the construction of the sky-
light curb frame wherein ~wo straight sections of ex~ruded
curb frame are joined. These sections are joined to form
the square or rec~angular overall configura~ion of the curb
frame. The joining is preferably accomplished by a heated
platten welding technique which welds the section of curb
frame at the same time also welding the gaske~s 48 and S0.
In addition to ~he gaske~s 48 and S0 ~here i5 also pro-
vided one other co-extruded flexlble gasket 60. This
flexible gasket seals the curb frame to the outer aluminum
wall 13. This arrangement eliminates energy-waste-ful air
infiltration an~ water leakage. As the wall 13 and inparti-
cular the slanted top end 13A is compressed into the recess
27 the wall is urged agalnst the flexible gas]cet 60.
What is claimed is:
1
~,
