Roof panel for a sun room

Abstract

A roof panel ( 20 ) for a sun room has a polystyrene foam core ( 40 ) and two aluminum covers ( 42 ) and ( 44 ) adhered to the top ( 41 ) and bottom ( 43 ) of the foam core. At least one groove ( 46 ) is cut into the foam core and a rib ( 56 ) is laterally fitted into the groove. The rib has its minor axis vertically oriented and its major axis running longitudinally with or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the panel to provide significant increase in strength to the panel.

The embodiments in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follow:  
     
         1 . A panel for a sun room roof comprising; 
 a structural foam core member having a thickness with a top and bottom and at least one groove longitudinally extending therein and intercepts and is open to one of the top or bottom;    a planar structural support member mounted in a respective one of said at least one groove;    a top and bottom structural cover member adhered onto the respective top and bottom of the foam core.    
     
     
         2 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 said at least one groove extending from the top of the foam core member and ending a distance from the bottom of the foam core member such that said foam core member has at least one bridging span section under said at least one groove that is thick enough to retain the foam core member as a single unitary member; and  
 said bottom structural cover member on the bottom of said foam core member does not touch any planar structural support member or any groove.  
 
     
     
         3 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 2  further comprising: 
 said at least one respective groove and planar structural support member both extend substantially the entire length of said panel.  
 
     
     
         4 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 3  further comprising: 
 said at least one respective groove and planar structural support member each being two in number with each being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of said panel;  
 a centered sky light hole cut in said foam core member between said two structural supports;  
 a skylight mounted in said center hole between said grooves and planar support members.  
 
     
     
         5 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 3  further comprising: 
 said at least one respective groove and planar structural support member each being three in number with one of said grooves and one of said planar structural support members aligned along a longitudinal centerline and the other two grooves and planar structural support members being spaced between the longitudinal centerline and a lateral side of said panel.  
 
     
     
         6 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 5  further comprising: 
 each planar structural member being made from aluminum and having a thickness of approximately 0.065.″ 
 
     
     
         7 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 4  further comprising: 
 each planar structural member being made from aluminum and having a thickness of approximately 0.065.″ 
 
     
     
         8 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 3  further comprising: 
 each planar structural member being made from aluminum and having a thickness of approximately 0.065.″ 
 
     
     
         9 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 said at least one respective groove and planar structural support member each being two in number with each being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of said panel;  
 a centered sky light hole cut in said foam core member between said two structural supports;  
 a skylight mounted in said center hole between said grooves and ribs.  
 
     
     
         10 . A roof panel as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 said at least one respective groove and planar structural support member each being three in number with one of said grooves and one of said planar structural support members aligned along a longitudinal centerline and the other two grooves and planar structural support members being spaced between the longitudinal centerline and a lateral side of said panel.  
 
     
     
         11 . A sun room having side walls and a roof having a set of connecting roof panels; 
 said panels have each end supported by a side wall, said sun room comprising:    each roof panel having a structural first foam core member having a thickness with a top and bottom at least one groove longitudinally extending therein;    at least one planar structural support member mounted in said at least one groove;    a top and bottom structural cover member adhered onto a respective top and bottom of the foam core.    
     
     
         12 . A sun room as defined in  claim 11  further comprising: 
 said structural first core member being a structural foamed plastic material.  
 
     
     
         13 . A sun room as defined in  claim 12  further comprising: 
 said at least one groove extending from one of the top or bottom of the foam core member and ending a distance from the other of the bottom or top of the foam core member such that said foam core member has at least one bridging span section that is thick enough to retain the foam core member as a single unitary member; and  
 one of said structural cover members of said roof panel does not touch any planar structural support member or any groove.  
 
     
     
         14 . A sun room as defined in  claim 13  further comprising: 
 at least one respective groove and planar structural support member both extending substantially the entire length of said panel.  
 
     
     
         15 . A sun room as defined in  claim 13  further comprising: 
 said at least one respective groove and planar structural support member each being two in number with each being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of said panel;  
 a centered sky light hole cut in said foam core member between said two structural supports;  
 a skylight mounted in said center hole between said grooves and ribs.  
 
     
     
         16 . A sun room as defined in  claim 13  further comprising: said at least one groove and planar structural support member each being three in number with one of said grooves and one of said planar structural support member aligned along a longitudinal centerline and the other two grooves and planar structural support member being spaced between the longitudinal centerline and a side wall of said panel.  
     
     
         17 . A sun room as defined in  claim 16  further comprising: 
 each planar structural member being made from aluminum and having a thickness of approximately 0.065.″ 
 
     
     
         18 . A sun room as defined in  claim 14  further comprising: 
 each planar structural member being made from aluminum and having a thickness of approximately 0.065.″ 
 
     
     
         19 . A sun room as defined in  claim 13  further comprising: 
 each planar structural member being made from aluminum and having a thickness of approximately 0.065.″ 
 
     
     
         20 . A sun room as defined in  claim 12  further comprising: 
 said at least one respective groove and planar structural support member each being two in number with each being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of said panel;  
 a centered sky light hole cut in said foam core member between said two structural supports;  
 a skylight mounted in said center hole between said grooves and ribs.  
 
     
     
         21 . A sun room as defined in  claim 12  further comprising: 
 said at least one respective groove and planar structural support member each being three in number with one of said grooves and one of said planar structural support members aligned along a longitudinal centerline and the other two grooves and planar structural support members being spaced between the longitudinal centerline and a lateral side of said panel.  
 
     
     
         22 . A sun room roof assembly comprising: 
 a set of panels sealingly joined together with one end supported by a panel rail on a wall and a second end supported by a sun room wall;    each of said panels having a structural foam core member having at least one groove longitudinally extending therein;    at least rib member having its minor axis vertically oriented and its major axis longitudinally extending along the length of said panel; said rib being mounted in said at least one groove;    a top and bottom structural cover member adhered onto a respective top and bottom of the panel foam core member.    
     
     
         23 . A sun room roof assembly as defined in  claim 22  wherein at least one panel has: 
 said at least one respective groove and said rib each being two in number with each being spaced from a longitudinal centerline of said panel;  
 a centered sky light hole cut in said foam core member between said two structural supports;  
 a skylight mounted in said center hole between said grooves and ribs.  
 
     
     
         24 . A sun room roof assembly as defined in  claim 22  wherein at least one panel has: 
 said at least one respective groove and said rib each being three in number with one of said grooves and one of said ribs aligned along a longitudinal centerline and the other two grooves and ribs being spaced between the longitudinal centerline and a lateral side of said panel.  
 
     
     
         25 . A sun room roof assembly as defined in  claim 22  wherein at least one panel has: 
 said at least one groove being formed by a saw blade or router for cutting into the top or bottom of the foam core member and said at least one rib laterally positioned into the respective groove from said top or bottom.