Roof flashing assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a roof flashing assembly for use on a sloped roof surface having an elongate projection extending substantially upwardly therefrom in skewed relation thereto. The roof flashing assembly has a resilient, flexible, sleeve sized to fit over, and surround, the projection. The sleeve has a base portion, a neck portion and a passageway defined therebetween for receiving the projection therethrough. A bellows tube is formed on the neck portion to permit the sleeve to flex adaptively to accommodate for the skewed orientation of the projection relative to the sloped roof surface. The roof flashing assembly also includes a grommet which is positionable in surrounding relation with the projection. The grommet has three beveled lip members, which frictionally sealingly engage the exterior surface of the projection when urged in abutting relation therewith. An annular gasket positionable below the base portion of the sleeve, is also provided. The gasket frictionally sealingly engages the external surface of the projection. When urged in abutting relation with the sloped roof surface, flexible ring seal members formed on the underside of the gasket create a watertight seal with the roof surface. During installation, anchoring means are used to secure the sleeve and the gasket to the sloped roof surface.

1 . A roof flashing assembly for use on a sloped roof surface having an elongate projection extending substantially upwardly therefrom in skewed relation thereto, the projection having at least one side wall defining an external surface, the roof flashing assembly comprising: 
 a resilient, flexible, sleeve sized to fit over, and surround, the at least one side wall of the projection; the sleeve having a base portion for location adjacent to the roof surface, an upstanding neck portion joined thereto and a passageway defined between the base portion and the neck portion for receiving the projection therethrough;    the neck portion having a proximal end adjacent to the base portion, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and bellows means disposed between the proximal and distal ends in substantially coaxial relation with the passageway; the bellows means permitting the sleeve to flex adaptively to accommodate for the skewed orientation of the projection relative to the sloped roof surface;    a resilient upper sealing means positionable adjacent to the distal end of the neck portion in surrounding relation with the projection for frictionally sealingly engaging the external surface of the projection;    a resilient lower sealing means positionable below the base portion in surrounding relation with the projection for sealingly engaging the external surface of the projection, the lower sealing means being sized and configured to frictionally sealingly engage the roof surface when urged in abutting relation therewith; and    anchoring means for securing the sleeve and the sealing means to the sloped roof surface.    
   
   
       2 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper sealing means includes a grommet having an aperture defined therein, the aperture being sized and shaped to permit close-fitting frictional sealing engagement between the grommet and the exterior surface of the projection.  
   
   
       3 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 2  wherein the grommet is an annular grommet having a circumferential wall defining an interior grommet surface, and circumferential lip means extending radially inward from the interior grommet surface; the interior grommet surface and the circumferential lip means co-operating one with the other to define the grommet aperture.  
   
   
       4 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 3  wherein the circumferential lip means includes at least one beveled lip member terminating with a free edge; the free edge of the at least one beveled lip member being urged to bear against the exterior surface of the projection in frictional sealing engagement therewith when the roof flashing assembly is operatively connected to the roof surface.  
   
   
       5 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 4  wherein the circumferential lip means includes three, vertically spaced, beveled lip members.  
   
   
       6 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 5  wherein the beveled lip members have internal diameters of equal size.  
   
   
       7 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 2  wherein the shape of the grommet aperture is chosen from the group consisting of: (a) substantially circular; (b) substantially triangular; (c) substantially square; and (d) substantially rectangular.  
   
   
       8 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper sealing means is integrally formed with the neck portion of the sleeve.  
   
   
       9 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 8  wherein the upper sealing means is fabricated from EPDM.  
   
   
       10 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the grommet is releasably detachable from the distal end of the neck portion.  
   
   
       11 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 10  wherein the grommet is fabricated from a homogeneous elastomeric material.  
   
   
       12 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 11  wherein the homogeneous elastomeric material is chosen from the group consisting of: (a) rubber; (b) neoprene; and (c) polyurethane.  
   
   
       13 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the sleeve is formed along a longitudinal sleeve axis; and    the neck portion has an undulated wall extending about its periphery, the undulated wall having formed therein in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal sleeve axis at least one circumferential bulge alternately disposed with at least one circumferential furrow, the at least one circumferential bulge and the at least one circumferential furrow defining the bellows means.    
   
   
       14 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 13  wherein the undulated wall of the neck portion has formed therein first and second circumferential bulges alternately disposed with first and second circumferential furrows.  
   
   
       15 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 14  wherein the first and second bulges each have an internal diameter, the internal diameter of the first bulge being equal to the internal diameter of the second bulge.  
   
   
       16 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the lower sealing means includes an annular gasket formed about a longitudinal gasket axis, the annular gasket having an outer flange portion surrounding an inner body portion;    the outer flange portion having an upper surface for abutting the base portion and a lower surface dimensioned and adapted for sealingly engaging the roof surface when the roof flashing assembly is operatively connected to the roof surface;    the inner body portion having proximal edges joined to the outer flange portion and opposed distal edges, the distal edges defining an aperture of the gasket through which the projection is received, the distal edges being urged to bear against the exterior surface of the projection in frictional sealing engagement therewith when the roof flashing assembly is operatively connected to the roof surface.    
   
   
       17 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 16  wherein the inner body portion further includes a circumferential channel disposed between the proximal edges and the distal edges thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 17  wherein the channel has a substantially curved profile.  
   
   
       19 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 18  wherein the profile of the channel is substantially semi-circular.  
   
   
       20 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 18  wherein the profile of the channel is substantially parabolic.  
   
   
       21 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 17  wherein the channel is defined by a downwardly concave surface extending between the proximal and distal edges of the inner body portion.  
   
   
       22 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 16  wherein the outer flange portion has at least one resilient ring seal member downwardly depending from its lower surface, the at least one ring seal member having a generally triangular profile when viewed in cross-section.  
   
   
       23 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 22  wherein the at least one ring seal member tapers downwardly from the lower surface of the outer flange portion to terminate at a free edge, the free edge of the at least one ring seal member being urged to bear against the roof surface in frictional sealing engagement therewith when the roof flashing assembly is operatively connected thereto.  
   
   
       24 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 23  wherein the inner body portion further includes a circumferential channel disposed between the proximal edges and the distal edges thereof, the channel having a base, the base of the channel extending downwardly beyond the free edge of the at least one ring seal member.  
   
   
       25 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 22  wherein: 
 the generally triangular profile of the at least one ring seal member is defined by an inner face and an outer face;    the outer face being disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal gasket axis; and    the inner face being disposed askew of the longitudinal gasket axis.    
   
   
       26 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 22  wherein: 
 the generally triangular profile of the at least one ring seal member is defined by an inner face and an outer face;    both the inner and outer faces being disposed askew of the longitudinal gasket axis.    
   
   
       27 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 22  wherein the outer flange portion has a plurality of concentrically mounted, resilient ring seal members downwardly depending from its lower surface, the plurality of ring seal members having diameters of outwardly increasing magnitude.  
   
   
       28 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 27  wherein the outer flange portion has six ring seal members.  
   
   
       29 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 16  further including means for aligning the annular gasket with the base portion of the sleeve.  
   
   
       30 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 29  wherein: 
 the base portion has an outwardly flaring peripheral flange, the peripheral flange having outermost edges; and    the aligning means is defined by an abutting wall extending along the periphery of the outer flange portion and standing proud of the upper surface thereof, the abutting wall being sized to permit close-fitting frictional engagement with the outermost edges of the peripheral flange when the roof flashing assembly is operatively mounted to the roof surface.    
   
   
       31 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 16  wherein the gasket is fabricated from EPDM.  
   
   
       32 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the anchoring means includes a hold-down ring and a plurality of fasteners for attaching the hold-down ring to the roof surface.  
   
   
       33 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 32  wherein the hold-down ring is deformable to adapt to a non-planar profile of the roof surface.  
   
   
       34 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 33  wherein the hold-down ring is cast aluminum.  
   
   
       35 . The roof flashing assembly of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is fabricated from EPDM.