Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Attorney Docket No. Amico-032
TOP OF WALL VENTILATION SCREED DEVICE AND ASSEMBLY
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]
This application claims priority to provisional patent application number
62/714,361 filed August 3, 2018 which is incorporated herein by reference. The
present
disclosure generally relates to a device configured to allow ventilation and
the escape of
water or other moisture, typically in the form of vapor at the top of a
building or wall
structure.
BACKGROUND
[0002]
For purposes of the foregoing specification and appended claims the term
"vapor," whether or not accompanied by any words such as "moisture," "water"
or other
words describing similar matter or states of matter, refers to all forms of
liquid and gases
not limited to water, water vapor, moisture as created by any means.
[0003]
This invention addresses the condition that walls hold vapor and moisture and
their inability to allow vapor and moisture to escape so the wall can dry is a
major factor in
the premature deterioration of a structure. Building science, construction
practices and
emerging energy codes have changed greatly over recent decades resulting in
significantly
better insulated walls. Consequently these newer wall designs allow less means
for vapor
and moisture to escape and less air flow. This has led to increasingly
premature deteriora-
tion of walls of buildings and structures.
[0004]
Established wall designs and construction are intended to keep water out of
walls but not necessarily to allow them to breathe. Building wraps
traditionally prevent wa-
ter intrusion but do not let moisture out. A better wall design must allow for
moisture and
vapor to move through a predetermined path depending upon when the inside and
outside
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temperatures have the sufficient temperature difference to create and hold
excess mois-
ture.
[0005] Further, air pressure differential from inside and outside the wall
due to tem-
perature and or wind can force moisture into the wall through the wall's
surface, in addition
preventing vapor and moisture from escaping. This prevents condensation from
escaping
and inhibits drying. Further, when cold air contacts hot air, or vice versa,
condensation oc-
curs and moisture is formed inside the walls of buildings and structures.
[0006] As a result, moisture and water accumulates without a means to
escape caus-
ing the sheathing of walls to absorb moisture. Plywood, cement board, or OSB
(Oriented
Strand Board), which is more prone to absorb moisture can begin to mold,
deteriorate, rot
and hold more water. As the sheathing fails the weight of the finish material
will begin to
crack. This allows more moisture accumulation in the walls. Ultimately the
finish material
can fall away from the building or structure. Areas receiving 20-inches or
more of rain a
year are the most susceptible to this type of deterioration.
[0007] Designs currently available use casing beads for the top of walls
of a structure
or a building. The current art does not facilitate the ventilation of a
primary drainage cavity
or the drying of the inside of the wall. Some of these areas of concern are at
the top of full
height walls and step walls, changes in roofline where a vertical element
terminates into a
non-vertical structure such as a dormer and roof for the removal of vapor from
the top of
the wall. In areas as noted above where greater rainfall is typical a more
defined escape
means for vapor and moisture is required over current methods.
[0008] Current commercially available accessories for stucco, stone and
other finish-
es do not address these conditions and constraints on air and vapor flow
throughout a wall.
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Therefore the present invention is necessary to accommodate the different
forms and func-
tion of the building envelope and prevent premature deterioration of the
walls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In one embodiment, a ventilation screed is provided comprising: a
perforated
attachment flange portion that is substantially vertical and has a top end and
a bottom end
and at least one perforation between the top end and the bottom end; a first
substantially
horizontal flange portion having a first end and a second end and attached to
the top end of
the perforated attachment flange at the first end; a first vertical flange
portion having a top
end, a bottom end and a mid-section and attached at a point along a mid-
section to the
second end of the first substantially horizontal flange portion and having a
first return leg; a
second vertical flange portion attached to the underside of the first
substantially horizontal
flange portion along a mid-section and having a second return leg; a stepped
flange portion
attached to the top end of the first vertical flange portion and having a
first substantially hor-
izontal portion, a substantially vertical portion and a second substantially
horizontal portion
that is parallel to first substantially horizontal flange portion; at least
two drain vent open-
ings in the first substantially horizontal flange portion between the first
return leg and the
second return leg.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] In the following section, the present disclosure will be described
with
reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 depicts a front view of the present invention;
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[0013] FIG. 3 depicts a back view of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 depicts a side view of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 depicts a side view of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 depicts a top view of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 7 depicts a bottom view of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 8 depicts the present invention in a sample environment as it
may be
installed.
[0019] FIG. 9 depicts a side view of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 10 depicts two ventilation screeds with a connector between
them; and
[0021] FIG. 11 depicts a ventilation screed with a water seal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details
are set forth in
order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it will
be understood
by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced
without these
specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures,
components and
layouts have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present
disclosure.
[0023] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic
described in
connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the
present
disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an
embodiment" or "according to one embodiment" (or other phrases having similar
import) in
various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring
to the same
embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or
characteristics may be
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combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Also, depending on
the
context of discussion herein, a singular term may include its plural forms and
a plural term
may include its singular form. Similarly, a hyphenated term may be
occasionally
interchangeably used with its non-hyphenated version, and a capitalized entry
may be
interchangeably used with its non-capitalized version. Such occasional
interchangeable
uses shall not be considered inconsistent with each other. It is noted that
various figures
(including component diagrams) shown and discussed herein are for illustrative
purpose
only, and are not drawn to scale.
[0024] The present invention has a drain/vent opening designed to maximize
the
Venturi effect by moving water vapor and air at a higher speed. The speed of
the mois-
ture moving through the drainage cavity is lower than the speed at the
aperture/drain
openings because the cross-sectional area at the drainage cavity is greater
than that of
the drain holes or apertures. Water appears in four forms and it moves from
one form
to another as it navigates its way within a wall. First, water in its
different forms; solid,
liquid, vapor and adsorbed, follows several basic rules of physics. Water runs
downhill
due to gravity. Second, air carrying water vapor moves from areas of higher
air pres-
sure to areas of lower air pressure. Third, water in the vapor form diffuses
from warm
to cold driven by the thermal gradient.
[0025] A primary drainage plane is not the complete solution for
evaporation and
drainage of moisture in walls. The key is air pressure from the outside of a
structure and the
temperature difference between the outside and inside of a structures' walls
is how water
gets into walls. This invention allows for the escape of water in different
forms and
with actual ventilation to dry the inside of the wall rather than relying on
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air temperature allowing warm air to rise and cold air to sink.
[0026] It is not whether water or moisture forms or gets into the walls of
a struc-
ture but, more significantly, when. Due to installation, design and the
loading of a struc-
ture cracks appear and water or moisture enters without a means to escape.
Once wa-
ter or moisture is absorbed by the wall components such as the sheathing, mold
and de-
terioration begin. Once signs of deterioration or odor appear the damage is
already done
and cannot be repaired without disassembling the wall.
[0027] Building codes require moisture barriers within wails. More
frequently than
not the barrier is penetrated by fasteners holding the building wrap or paper
to the sheath-
ing and these fastener holes are a means for moisture to enter a wall.
Traditional weep
screeds, j-metal and or casing beads, even when punched with holes, do not
allow the effec-
tive escape of water or moisture from the wall. Once the stucco is applied to
the substrate
any such punched holes are often sealed. With traditional weep screeds the
initial shrink-
age of stucco as it dries pulls back from the screed allowing a minute space
for vapor to
slowly escape. As water moves from form to form the passage of moisture is
greatly re-
duced.
[0028] With reference to Figures 1-9, the present invention provides a
ventilation
screed (100) comprising: a perforated attachment flange portion (102) that is
substantially
vertical and has a top end (104) and a bottom end (106) and at least one
perforation (108)
between the top end (104) and the bottom end (106); a first substantially
horizontal flange
portion (110) having a first end (112) and a second end (114) and attached to
the top end
(104) of the perforated attachment flange at the first end (112); a first
vertical flange portion
(116) having a top end (118), a bottom end (120) and a mid-section (122) and
is attached
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at a point along a mid-section to the second end (114) of the first
substantially horizontal
flange portion (110) and having a first return leg (124); a second vertical
flange portion
(126) attached to the underside of the first substantially horizontal flange
portion (110)
along a mid-section and having a second return leg (128); a stepped flange
portion (130)
attached to the top end (118) of the first vertical flange portion (118) and
having a first sub-
stantially horizontal portion (132), a substantially vertical portion (134)
and a second sub-
stantially horizontal portion (136) that is parallel to first substantially
horizontal flange por-
tion (110); at least two drain vent openings (138) in the first substantially
horizontal flange
portion (110) between the first return leg (124) and the second return leg
(128). There
may also be a friction bead along a bottom side of the first vertical flange
portion (132) of
the stepped flange portion (130). The friction bead may also act as a stop to
hold the con-
nector in place. The bead may be made of resilient material and allow movement
with
changes in temperature or air pressure to minimize cracking or other damage to
the clad-
ding, such as stucco or cementitious fiber board, it stops or terminates. The
term mid-
section refers to the section in the middle of a portion between two ends or
sides. It is an
area that is not encompassed by the ends or sides of a portion, but is between
two ends or
sides of a portion. The first substantially horizontal flange portion (110)
may be at an angle
between 83 and 90 degrees to enable water and vapor to be gravity driven
toward the at
least two drain vent openings (138).
[0029] Figure 1 provides an example of the perforations (108) of the
perforated at-
tachment flange portion is two rows of triangular openings (105 and 107). As
can be seen
the triangular openings are alternating large and small triangles which also
alternate in their
orientation. The large triangle has the peak at the bottom and the small
triangle has the
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peak at the top. This could also be reversed (the large triangle having the
peak at the top
and the small triangle having the peak at the bottom). There may also be at
least one row
of circular openings (109). The circular openings (109) may be used to attach
the ventila-
tion screed (100) by a nail or fastener being driven through the circular
opening (109) and
into the underlying surface.
[0030]
As shown in Figure 8, a gasket (800) is under a soffit (802), the ventilation
screed (804) is under the gasket (800). The gasket may also be referred to as
a moisture
seal or water seal. The environment as installed may have a sheathing (806),
building
wrap (808), reticulated foam (810) or "AMICO Greenscreen ," grade D paper
(812), lath
(814) and stucco or siding (816 and 818). The reticulated foam (810) could
also be an in-
sect screen, it could be an unwoven polymer such as cellulose, nylon or spun
polypropyl-
ene fiber, or it could be even a nylon or polypropylene screen, although that
would be less
durable. There may be AMICO Greenscreen , or another rain screen or solid or
corrugated furring strips to the right of the ventilation screed (804), then
lath and brick
or stone veneer. The AMICO Greenscreen , or another rain screen or solid or
cor-
rugated furring strips may be installed parallel to and between siding and the
perfo-
rated attachment flange portion (820). There may also be a screen vertical and
perpen-
dicular to at least a portion of the perforated attachment flange portion.
There may al-
so, or alternatively, be a mesh vertical and perpendicular to at least a
portion of the perfo-
rated attachment flange portion. There may also be reticulated foam (which may
be in the
same location as the rain screen or solid or corrugated furring strips) to the
right of the ven-
tilation screed, then lath and brick or stone veneer. The reticulated foam
insert may be in-
stalled parallel to the siding. The AMICO "Greenscreen " refers to a brand of
polypropyl-
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ene entangled mesh, but it could also be a polymer strand matrix with a dimple
structure.
The AMICO Greenscreen provides a drainage path and ventilation for moisture
between
the exterior wall finish and sheathing. It is a polymer strand matrix with a
unique dimple
design that exhibits superior compressive strength. When installed according
to the pre-
sent invention is allows over 99% of moisture and vapor to drain and escape
from the wall.
There may also be a screen parallel to at least a portion of the perforated
attachment
flange portion. There may also, or alternatively, be a mesh parallel to at
least a portion of
the perforated attachment flange portion. A shown, in Figure 8, there may be a
ventilation
screed (804) with a moisture seal that is a gasket (800) between the
ventilation screed
(804) and a soffit (802) of a building. The optional "gasket" is provided to
assist in getting a
superior, and depending on the design of the gasket moveable, moisture barrier
at the junc-
ture of vertical and horizontal surfaces such as a soffit, or between the
finish and a window
or door jamb or whatever through wall penetration is required, such as but not
limited to
hose bib or louvered vent or vent shroud. The first substantially horizontal
portion and the
substantially vertical portion of the stepped flange portion are sized to
receive a thickness
of finish (818). For example, the finish (818) may be a piece of siding that
is sized to be
received in the stepped flange portion as depicted in Figure 8 to be
substantially in-line with
the first vertical flange portion (116).
Figure 10 depicts that there may be a connector
(1510) between two adjacent ventilation screeds (1500 and 1502). The connector
(1510)
allows for easy installation and ensures that the installation is even and co-
planar. Figure
also depicts that another connector (1504) may be used. Any number of
ventilation
screeds may be connected using any desired number of connectors.
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[0031]
Figure 11 depicts another embodiment that does not have a stepped flange
portion attached to the top end of the first vertical flange portion, instead
having a water
seal at the middle of a top of the second substantially horizontal flange
portion. This may
act similarly to the stepped flange. As can be seen in Figure 11, there is a
ventilation
screed (1101) comprising: a perforated attachment flange portion (1102) that
is substantial-
ly vertical and has a top end (1104) and a bottom end (1106) and at least one
perforation
(1108) between the top end (1104) and the bottom end (1106); a first
substantially horizon-
tal flange portion (1110) having a first end (1112) and a second end (1114)
and attached to
the top end (1104) of the perforated attachment flange at the first end
(1112); a first verti-
cal flange portion (1116) having a top end (1118), a bottom end (1120) and a
mid-section
(1122) and attached at a point along a mid-section to the second end (1114) of
the first
substantially horizontal flange portion and having a first return leg (1124);
a second vertical
flange portion (1126) attached to the underside of the first substantially
horizontal flange
portion along a mid-section and having a second return leg (1128); a second
substantially
horizontal flange portion (1130) attached to the top end (1118) of the first
vertical flange
portion and substantially parallel to the first substantially horizontal
flange portion; at least
two drain vent openings (1132) in the first substantially horizontal flange
portion between
the first return leg (1124) and the second return leg (1128); and a water seal
(1100) at the
middle of a top of the second substantially horizontal flange portion (1130).
As depicted
and discussed previously, the at least one perforation of the perforated
attachment flange
portion may have two rows of triangular openings. There may also be at least
one row of
circular openings. The two rows of triangular openings may be alternating
large and small
triangles. The first substantially horizontal flange portion may be at an
angle between 83
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and 90 degrees to enable water and vapor to be gravity driven toward the at
least two drain
vent openings. There may also be a connector between two adjacent ventilation
screeds.
There may also be a friction bead (1134) along a bottom side of the second
substantially
horizontal flange portion (1130). The present embodiment provides an improved
top of wall
termination of cladding that provides a grounding surface for and not limited
to cementitious
stucco finishes as well as a method for venting water vapor from within
exterior walls. In its most
general interpretation this invention for the termination of finish and
ventilation of walls includes
an integral nailing flange with or without holes or any shapes forming a
plurality of differing size
and shaped openings. These openings allow for mechanical fasteners or
adhesives. Extending
outward from the nailing flange is an integral plaster stop achieving the
function of casing bead
thus setting the depth or thickness of stucco finish. This invention is
designed to act as both a vent
and drain. Drain/vent apertures are located in the horizontal surface. In all
embodiments of the
invention, the size and shape of the venting mechanism apertures can vary with
the application of
the device. The angle of the ground flange is less than 90 degrees allowing
enhanced drainage
by gravity.
[0032]
In one embodiment, deflector surface/nubs are positioned adjacent to the
opening of the drain/vent hole which works to shroud the drain/vent opening
from wind
driven or sprinkler water backflow into the internal vapor/drainage cavity. An
extended
nub running the length of the invention closest to the attachment flange acts
to
terminate the stucco finish. Drainage and venting mechanism is defined by the
vapor
drainage cavity; apertures of the drainage vent surface running the length of
the invention;
cavity buttress (a term used to define the exposed front flange opposite the
rear opening in
the drainage cavity); extended grounding nub. Further embodiments of this
invention
allow for most any cladding material to be incorporated into this ventilated
wall
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invention, including but not limited to stucco, veneer stone, cement board
siding, metal
siding, and insulated metal siding. This ventilation screed according to the
present
invention may be factory fitted to accept any thickness of finish material,
including but not
limited to stucco, veneer stone or cement siding. The present embodiment
provides an
improvement over current art since current production capabilities and
processes cannot
easily extrude and punch holes. Traditional casing bead, plaster stop creates
a moisture
problem since vapor cannot escape the top of the wall. This condition is a
direct cause of
moisture induced problems, mold and deterioration, in areas below in the
stucco panel.
Traditional installation practices and building codes require layer(s) of
water resistant
barrier, WRB over framed and sheathed walls upon which a lath material, stucco
substrate, and specified layers or thicknesses of cementitious finish
materials would be
applied.
[0033] As the invention has been described, it will be apparent to those
skilled in the
art that the same may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit
and scope
of the invention. Any and all such modifications are intended to be included
within the
scope of the appended claims.
[0034] In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation and not
limitation,
specific details are set forth (such as particular structures, components,
techniques, etc.) in
order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed fencing system.
However, it will
be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed system may be
constructed in
other embodiments that depart from these specific details. That is, those
skilled in the art
will be able to devise various arrangements which, although not explicitly
described or
shown herein, embody the principles of the disclosed system. In some
instances, detailed
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descriptions of well-known components and construction methods are omitted so
as not to
obscure the description of the disclosed system with unnecessary detail. All
statements
herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the disclosed system,
as well as
specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and
functional
equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents
include both currently
known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, such as, for
example,
any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of
structure.
[0035]
As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the innovative concepts
described in the present application can be modified and varied over a wide
range of
applications. Accordingly, the scope of patented subject matter should not be
limited to any
of the specific exemplary teachings discussed above, but is instead defined by
the following
claims.
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