Ridge Vent Cap
A ridge vent end cap that can be readily bent to conform to roofs of varying pitches while enclosing ridge vents of various styles. The end caps are bent and fashioned for a flat blank, which is configured to allow it to be bent and formed into a shape that accommodates various styles of ridge vents and that encloses ridge vents on roofs with varying pitches. The bent finished end cap has a top ridge beam and a pair of end panels, bottom flaps and corner flaps. Each corner flap has its own top corner flap and a bottom corner flap. A preformed key hole slot along the central axis/plane of the blank or finished end cap allows the end cap to bend without buckling so that the end panels slide over one another to enclose the end open of the ridge vent while conforming to the pitch of the roof. A tooth is formed in one of the bottom flaps, which bites into the roof shingles helps ensure that the end panels cannot be pried up or burrowed under by rodents and insects.
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This invention relates to ridge vents for sloped roofs, and in particular ridge vent end caps that can conform to sloped roofs of varying pitches.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONRidge vents are a type of vent installed at the peak of a sloped roof which allows warm, humid air to escape a building's attic. Ridge vents are most common on shingled residential buildings. Ridge vents allow warm air to flow through from attics during summer months to cool the building to reduce cooling costs. During winter months, these vents allow moisture to escape attics, which prevents the deterioration of attic insulation. While roof ridge vents help maintain the climate within the attics, they allow provide a point of egress for small animals to enter the building.
Typically, end caps are fashioned and bent from metal flashing and scrap pieces of sheet metal to enclose the ends of roof ridge vents. While most type of ridge vent can be readily adapted for use on roofs of differing pitches, end caps must be fashioned or bent not only to accommodate the particular style of configuration of ridge vent, but also the particular pitch of the roof the vent to which the vent is mounted. End caps fashioned and bent to enclose a particular ridge vent mounted to one roof will not adequately enclose or seal the end opening of the same ridge vent on a roof having a different pitch.
The present invention seek to provide a ridge vent end cap that can be readily bent to conform to roofs of varying pitches while enclosing ridge vents of various styles. The end caps of this invention are bent and fashioned from a flat metal or plastic blank, which is configured to allow it to be easily bent and formed into a shape that accommodates various styles of ridge vents and that enclose ridge vents on roofs with varying pitches. The bent finished end cap has a top ridge beam and a pair of end panels, bottom flaps and corner flaps. Each corner flap has its own top corner flap and a bottom corner flap. A preformed key hole slot along the central axis/plane of the blank or finished end cap allows the end cap to bend without buckling so that the end panels slide over one another to enclose the open end of the ridge vent while conforming to the pitch of the roof. A tooth is formed in one of the bottom flaps, which bites into the roof shingles helps ensure that the end panels cannot be pried up or burrowed under by rodents and insects. The corner flaps along with their top and bottom flaps may be used as desired, whether being bent to nest against and affixed to the top, bottom and sides of the ridge vent, unbent to cover the end opening of the ridge vent, or simply cut off and discarded.
The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
The present invention may take form in various system and method components and arrangement of system and method components. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating exemplary embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. The drawings illustrate the present invention, in which:
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings,
One skilled in the art will note that the configuration of the flat blank, which is fashioned into the finished bent end cap allows the end cap to fully enclose the open ends of most styles of ridge vent, as well as to accommodate for roofs of differing pitches. The preformed key hole slot along the central axis/plane of the blank or finished end cap allows the end cap to bend without buckling so that the flat end panels slide over one another to enclose the open end of the ridge vent while conforming to the pitch of the roof. The tooth formed in one of the bottom flap, which bites into the roof helps ensure that the end panels cannot be pried up or burrowed under by rodents and insects. The folded ridge beam provides rigidity to the end cap. The corner flaps along with their top and bottom flaps may be used as desired, whether being bent to nest against and affixed to the top, bottom and sides of the ridge vent, unbent to cover the end opening of the ridge vent, or simply cut off and discarded.
The pre-fashioned blanks can be stacked for convenient storage before being bent in the finished configuration as needed for any particular ridge vent. Unneeded flaps can be easily cut off with shears in the field before installation. The fold lines formed in the flat blanks allow for clean precise bends, which result in an aesthetically clean bent finished end cap. Preformed nail/screw holes in the blank allow the end cap to be easily secured to the ridge vent and roof and prevents the caps and vents from being crimped or otherwise damaging while being mounted together.
It should be apparent from the foregoing that an invention having significant advantages has been provided. While the invention is shown in only a few of its forms, it is not just limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.
The embodiment of the present invention herein described and illustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is presented to explain the invention so that others skilled in the art might utilize its teachings. The embodiment of the present invention may be modified within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1: An end cap for enclosing the open end of a ridge vent mounted to a sloped roof, the end cap comprising:
- a cap body having a pair of integral end panel portions having an upper edge and a beam portion integrally connecting the pair of end panel portions along their upper edge, the cap body having a key hole slot formed therein between the pair of end panels so that the pair of end panels may slide relative to and over one another.
2: The ridge vent end cap of claim 1 wherein the pair of end panels each having an integral bottom flap portion bent relative to the end panel to lie under the ridge vent.
3: The ridge vent end cap of claim 1 wherein one the pair of end panels has a protrusion part extending from the bottom edge thereof for embedding into the sloped roof when the end cap is affixed to a ridge vent.
4: The ridge vent end cap of claim 1 wherein each of the pair of end panel portions has an integral corner flap bendable relative thereto.
5: The ridge vent end cap of claim 4 wherein the corner flap of each of the end panel portions also has a top flap and a bottom flap bendable relative to the corner flap for overlying the ridge vent.
6: An end cap for enclosing the open end of a ridge vent mounted to a sloped roof, the end cap comprising:
- a cap body formed from a flat pre-configured blank, the blank having a pair of integral end panel portions configured therein, and a beam portion integrally connecting the pair of end panel portions in a side by side relation, the blank body having a key hole slot formed therein between the pair of end panels to define adjacent edges of the pair of end panels so that the pair of end panels may slide relative to and over one another when bent to form the cap body.
7: The ridge vent end cap of claim 6 wherein the pair of end panels each having an integral bottom flap portion bent relative to the end panel to lie under the ridge vent.
8: The ridge vent end cap of claim 6 wherein one the pair of end panels has a protrusion part extending from the bottom edge thereof for embedding into the sloped roof when the end cap is affixed to a ridge vent.
9: The ridge vent end cap of claim 6 wherein each of the pair of end panel portions has an integral corner flap bendable relative thereto.
10: The ridge vent end cap of claim 9 wherein the corner flap of each of the end panel portions also has a top flap and a bottom flap bendable relative to the corner flap for overlying the ridge vent.
Type: Application
Filed: May 30, 2013
Publication Date: Dec 4, 2014
Applicant: Stouffer Technologies, Inc. (Granger, IN)
Inventor: John D. Stouffer (Granger, IN)
Application Number: 13/905,830
International Classification: F24F 13/20 (20060101);