US 2005/0239394 A1 · Solar-powered attic vent with a one-piece, fitted skeleton

Abstract

The present invention provides a solar-powered ventilation system for an attic or rafter space that mimics the appearance of the roofing material and thus has little effect on the appearance of the building. The vent has two pieces, a primary vent and a secondary vent. The primary vent is installed on a roof deck over a ventilation opening cut through the deck. The secondary vent is constructed to look like the surrounding field tiles and is installed over the primary vent. The secondary vent includes a solar panel preferably attached to the top surface of the secondary vent. One or more vent openings in the secondary vent and an opening in the primary vent conduct air between the attic or rafter space and the outside. In certain preferred embodiments, a solar-powered fan is also preferably located underneath the secondary vent.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A roof vent, comprising:

a vent skeleton having skeleton vent openings there through for ventilating through a roof opening a volume of air underneath a roof;
a cap substantially covering the skeleton vent openings;
and
a solar array integrated with the roof vent in a position capable of receiving sunlight when the roof vent is installed on a roof, wherein the vent skeleton and cap are configured to, when installed on a roof, together substantially mimic surrounding roofing tiles.

1 more element

A roof system for a sloped roof, comprising:

a plurality of roofing tile segments mounted on the roof in horizontal rows forming alternating parallel pan channels and cap columns to channel rain and snow, wherein one of the tile segments comprises,
a vent skeleton having an upslope edge and a downslope edge, the vent skeleton being formed of a single continuous piece of material having an exposed pan section forming a segment of pan channel and a cap section, including one or more skeleton vent openings in ventilating communication with a roof opening, the cap section forming a segment of a cap column, the pan and cap sections being overlapped by tile segments in an upslope row of tile segments and overlapping tile segments in a downslope row of tile segments,
a fan unit mounted to the vent skeleton in a position inline with the skeleton vent opening and the vent opening through the roof,
a vent cap having an elongated axis parallel to the cap column and extending from the portion of the cap section overlapped by tile segments in the upslope row to form a vent opening in ventilating communication with the skeleton vent opening, and
a solar array mounted in a position to receive sunlight, the array being electrically connected to the fan unit so as to power the fan unit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Solar-powered attic vent with a one-piece, fitted skeleton

Life of this patent

Solar-powered attic vent with a one-piece, fitted skeleton

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10