Skylight with heat-and moisture-releasing grooves

Abstract

A skylight system including a light-admitting cap adapted to fit over a grooved flashing is disclosed. The grooves are constructed in such a way that they will dissipate heat and remove condensation, but they will not admit the passage of unwanted objects, such as dust or bugs, and they are placed in the flashing rather than the cap so as to allow the cap's form to be less obtrusive than would otherwise be possible. The flashing is formed of a single piece of material, which may be aluminum, to reduce the likelihood of warping, or of cracks forming therein. The system further includes an extension tube communicating between the structure's exterior and a desired location inside the structure, and an inner trim ring with a filter and a diffuser adapted to moderate the intensity of the admitted light.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A skylight venting system wherein a light admitting cap having an interior surface is adapted to fit over a flashing and form at least a partial seal between said interior surface of said cap and an exterior surface of said flashing, said seal area being a contact zone about at least a portion of a periphery of said flashing, the invention comprising: 
 indents extending through the contact zone whereby moisture may travel from said interior surface of said cap through said contact zone to the exterior of said flashing.    
     
     
         2 . The skylight system of  claim 1  wherein said indents are located in said flashing.  
     
     
         3 . The skylight system of  claim 2  wherein the top of said flashing forms a collar to receive said cap around it; said indents being located in said collar.  
     
     
         4 . The skylight system of  claim 1  wherein said indents are elongate channels.  
     
     
         5 . The skylight system of  claim 4  wherein the length of said elongate channels is in the range between one sixteenth of an inch and one and a half inches.  
     
     
         6 . The skylight system of  claim 5  wherein the depth of said elongate channels is in the range between one sixty-fourth of an inch and one quarter of an inch.  
     
     
         7 . The skylight of  claim 1  wherein said flashing is constructed from a single piece of material.  
     
     
         8 . The skylight of  claim 7  wherein said material is aluminum.  
     
     
         9 . The skylight of  claim 7  wherein said flashing comprises: 
 (1) a base;  
 (2) a neck rising in a substantially vertical direction out of said base; and  
 (3) a collar defining an opening in said neck distal from said base.  
 
     
     
         10 . The skylight of  claim 9  wherein said collar includes a gasket.  
     
     
         11 . The skylight of  claim 9  wherein said neck comprises a lower perimeter and an upper perimeter, said lower perimeter greater than said upper perimeter, said lower perimeter substantially parallel to said base and said upper perimeter angled with respect to said base such that the surface of said neck transitions from a least height where said upper perimeter most closely approaches said lower perimeter to a greatest height where said upper perimeter most greatly diverges from said lower perimeter.  
     
     
         12 . The skylight of  claim 9  wherein said indent is located in said collar.  
     
     
         13 . The skylight of  claim 12  wherein said collar contains a plurality of said indents, the spacing between each pair of adjacent indents being substantially equal, said indents being substantially perpendicular to said opening in said neck.  
     
     
         14 . The skylight of  claim 1  wherein said cap is dome-shaped, said opening is circular, and said band is a ring.  
     
     
         15 . The skylight of  claim 14  wherein said cap is formed of an acrylic material.  
     
     
         16 . The skylight of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (4) an extension tube in contact at a first end with said flashing;  
 (5) an inner band forming a perimeter of a second end of said extension tube;  
 (6) a gasket interposed between said second end of said extension tube and said inner band;  
 (7) a cover depending from said inner band; and  
 (8) a filter interposed between said gasket and said cover.  
 
     
     
         17 . The skylight of  claim 16  wherein said inner band is ring shaped.  
     
     
         18 . The skylight of  claim 17  wherein said inner band comprises a first ring and a second ring, said first ring including at least one keyhole, said second ring including at least one standoff adapted to fit into said keyhole, said first ring further including at least one mounting aperture for attaching said first ring to said structure.  
     
     
         19 . A skylight adapted to admit light into the interior of a structure, said light originating from a source outside said structure, said skylight comprising: 
 (1) a light-admitting acrylic dome, said dome having a circular opening;    (2) a ring forming a perimeter of said opening;    (3) a silicon layer between said dome and said ring, said silicone layer tending to bond said dome to said ring;    (4) a flashing adapted to interface with said dome at said ring, said interface comprising a contact zone, said flashing constructed of a single piece of aluminum, said flashing further comprising: 
 (a) a flat base;  
 (b) a neck rising in a substantially vertical direction out of said base, said neck comprising a lower perimeter and an upper perimeter, said lower perimeter greater than said upper perimeter, said lower perimeter substantially parallel to said base and said upper perimeter angled with respect to said base such that the surface of said neck smoothly transitions from a least height where said upper perimeter most closely approaches said lower perimeter to a greatest height where said upper perimeter most greatly diverges from said lower perimeter; and  
 (c) a collar defining an opening in said neck distal from said base;  
   (5) indents extending through said contact zone whereby moisture and heat may travel from an interior surface of said dome through said contact zone to the exterior of said flashing.    (6) an extension tube in contact at a first end with said flashing;    (7) an inner trim ring forming a perimeter of a second end of said extension tube, said inner trim ring comprising a first ring and a second ring, said first ring including at least one keyhole, said second ring including at least one standoff adapted to fit into said keyhole, said first ring further including at least one mounting aperture for attaching said first ring to said structure;    (8) a gasket interposed between said second end of said extension tube and said inner trim ring;    (9) a cover depending from said inner trim ring; and    (10) a filter interposed between said gasket and said cover.    
     
     
         20 . A method of illuminating a structure by introducing light into the interior of said structure, said light originating from a source outside said structure, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (1) providing a skylight to be installed in said structure, said skylight comprising: 
 (a) a light-admitting cap, said cap having an opening;  
 (b) a band forming a perimeter of said opening;  
 (c) a flashing adapted to interface with said cap at said band, said flashing including at least one indent, said indent permitting the release of condensation that may be present on a surface of said cap;  
 (d) an extension tube in contact at a first end with said flashing;  
 (e) an inner band forming a perimeter of a second end of said extension tube;and  
 (f) a cover depending from said inner band;  
   (2) making an opening in said structure; said opening communicating between an outer surface and an inner surface of said structure, said opening passing through any intervening material, said opening suitable to receive said skylight;    (3) arranging said flashing and said cap on said outer surface of said structure above said opening;    (4) placing said extension tube in said opening;    (5) attaching said inner band to said inner surface of said structure below said opening; and    (6) attaching said cover to said inner band.