Apparatus for providing air flow in a building wall

Abstract

An inter-panel ventilation apparatus is installed in a building wall between rows of siding, for providing air flow to and from an interstitial space between exterior and interior building wall layers. The inter-panel ventilation apparatus has a hood for carrying away water to an exterior of the building wall, and upper and lower apertured venting components respectively engaged with adjacent upper and lower siding panels. A plurality of inter-panel ventilation apparatus may be connected together with couplers to form a ventilation trim extending along a length of the building wall.

1 . A ventilation apparatus for installation in a building wall, the apparatus comprising:
 a base mountable to an interior wall layer;   a hood projecting outwardly and downwardly from the base to an exterior of an exterior wall layer;   an apertured upper venting component located above the hood for providing ventilation between the exterior of the exterior wall layer and an upper interstitial space, the upper interstitial space extending above the ventilation apparatus and located between the interior and exterior wall layers; and   an apertured lower venting component located below the hood for providing ventilation between the exterior of the exterior wall layer and a lower interstitial space, the lower interstitial space extending below the ventilation apparatus and located between the interior and exterior wall layers.   
   
   
       2 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apertured upper venting component projects outwardly from the base and engages a lower portion of an upper siding panel of the exterior wall layer. 
   
   
       3 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the apertured lower venting component projects inwardly from an interior surface of the hood and engages an upper portion of a lower siding panel of the exterior wall layer. 
   
   
       4 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the apertured lower venting component projects downwardly from an undersurface of the hood and engages an upper portion of a lower siding panel of the exterior wall layer. 
   
   
       5 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the upper venting component comprises:
 an upper-apertured portion projecting outwardly from the base; and   an outer portion depending from the upper-apertured portion and engageable with an inward face of the lower portion of the upper siding panel.   
   
   
       6 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the outer portion of the upper venting component comprises an outwardly projecting lip engageable with a lower edge of the upper siding panel. 
   
   
       7 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the lower venting component comprises:
 a lower apertured portion projecting inwardly from the interior surface of the hood; and   an inner portion depending from the lower apertured portion and engageable with one or more of: an inward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel and an outward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel.   
   
   
       8 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the inner portion of the lower venting component comprises a first connecting flange for abutting against the inward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel. 
   
   
       9 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the lower venting component comprises a second connecting flange depending from the lower apertured portion, the second connecting flange spaced outwardly from the first connecting flange for receiving the upper portion of the lower sliding member between the first and second connecting flanges. 
   
   
       10 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein the lower venting component comprises:
 an upper apertured segment projecting downwardly from an undersurface of the hood; and   a lower segment depending from the upper apertured segment and engageable with one or more of: an inward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel and an outward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel.   
   
   
       11 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein:
 the lower venting component comprises a ledge flange which projects inwardly from between the upper apertured segment and the lower segment;   an outward face of the lower segment is engageable with an inward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel; and   an upper edge of the lower siding panel abuts against an undersurface of the ledge flange.   
   
   
       12 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the hood comprises:
 a spacer portion projecting outwardly from the base; and   a protective portion extending downwardly from the spacer portion.   
   
   
       13 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the hood comprises an inclined drip edge extending downwardly and outwardly from a lower edge of the protective portion and wherein the protective portion extends more sharply downwardly than the drip edge. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the base, the hood and the upper and lower venting components are integrally formed. 
   
   
       15 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the hood comprises:
 a spacer portion projecting outwardly from the base; and   a protective portion extending downwardly from the spacer portion.   
   
   
       16 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the hood comprises an inclined drip edge extending downwardly and outwardly from a lower edge of the protective portion and wherein the protective portion extends more sharply downwardly than the drip edge. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the base, the hood and the upper and lower venting components are integrally formed. 
   
   
       18 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the lower venting component comprises:
 an upper apertured segment projecting downwardly from an undersurface of the hood; and   a lower segment depending from the upper apertured segment and engageable with one or more of: an inward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel and an outward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel.   
   
   
       19 . A ventilation apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein:
 the lower venting component comprises a ledge flange which projects inwardly from between the upper apertured segment and the lower segment;   an outward face of the lower segment is engageable with an inward face of the upper portion of the lower siding panel; and   an upper edge of the lower siding panel abuts against an undersurface of the ledge flange.   
   
   
       20 . A building wall ventilation system comprising:
 a plurality of ventilation apparatus according to  claim 1 ; and   one or more couplers for connecting a pair of horizontally adjacent ventilation apparatus in edge to edge relationship to form a ventilation trim extending along a horizontal length of the building wall.   
   
   
       21 . A building wall ventilation system comprising:
 a plurality of ventilation apparatus according to  claim 18 ; and   one or more couplers for connecting a pair of horizontally adjacent ventilation apparatus in edge to edge relationship to form a ventilation trim extending along a horizontal length of the building wall.   
   
   
       22 . A building wall ventilation system according to  claim 21  wherein each one of the couplers comprises:
 one or more upper transversely extending flanges shaped for slideable engagement with the upper venting components of a corresponding pair of horizontally adjacent ventilation apparatus; and   one or more middle transversely extending flanges shaped for slideable engagement with the hoods of the corresponding pair of horizontally adjacent ventilation apparatus.   
   
   
       23 . A building wall ventilation system according to  claim 22  wherein each one of the couplers comprises one or more lower transversely extending flanges for slidable engagement with the lower venting components of the corresponding pair of horizontally adjacent ventilation apparatus. 
   
   
       24 . A building wall ventilation system according to  claim 22  wherein the one or more middle transversely extending flanges comprise a U-shaped receptacle for receiving lowermost edges of the hoods of the corresponding pair of horizontally adjacent ventilation apparatus. 
   
   
       25 . A building wall ventilation system according to  claim 18 , comprising one or more upper ventilation apparatus for installation between an upper edge of the exterior wall layer and a soffit, each upper ventilation apparatus comprising:
 a base mountable to the exterior building wall layer;   an apertured upper venting portion extending upwardly from the base for providing ventilation to the upper interstitial space, the upper interstitial space extending below the upper ventilation apparatus and located between the interior and exterior wall layers; and   a hood projecting outwardly and downwardly from above the apertures of the upper venting portion.   
   
   
       26 . A building wall ventilation system according to  claim 23 , wherein the hood of each upper ventilation apparatus comprises:
 a spacer portion projecting outwardly from the base; and   a protective portion extending downwardly from the spacer portion.   
   
   
       27 . A building wall ventilation system according to  claim 25 , wherein the upper ventilation apparatus comprises a flange projecting outwardly from the base for engagement with the upper edge of the exterior wall layer. 
   
   
       28 . A building wall ventilation system mountable in wall between an upper siding component and a lower siding component, the ventilation system comprising:
 a base mountable to an interior wall layer,   an upper apertured element located between the interior wall layer and an interior surface of the upper siding member for venting an upper interstitial space, the upper interstitial space extending above the ventilation apparatus and located at least in part between the interior wall layer and the upper siding component;   a lower apertured element for venting a lower interstitial space, the lower interstitial space extending below the ventilation apparatus and located at least in part between the interior wall layer and the lower siding component; and   a hood for covering the lower apertured element.