Rooftop Air Recirculation Device

Abstract

A rooftop device and method for collection of heated air for recirculation and/or ventilation. The rooftop device supplements cooling of roof structures and supplements building heat systems. A roof cap including an air passage is connected to air outlets disposed within the roof structure of a building and to air passages formed by panels mounted over the surface of a building's roof. The roof cap is connected to a vent which either exhausts air to the atmosphere and/or recirculates air to a building air handling system. Air flow within the device is enhanced by a fan disposed within the device.

1 . A rooftop device, said rooftop device comprising:
 a roof cap defining one or more air passages;   openings in said roof cap located proximally to and communicating with air passages incorporated into a roof structure; and   outlet means located at the distal end of said roof cap.   
   
   
       2 . The rooftop device of  claim 1  wherein said roof cap is mounted on the peak of said roof structure. 
   
   
       3 . The rooftop device of  claim 1  wherein said roof cap is mounted on a flat portion of said roof structure. 
   
   
       4 . The rooftop device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of substantially transparent panels mounted on the surface of said roof structure, said panels further comprising support structures defining passages for air flow wherein said passages communicate with said inlet means of said rooftop device. 
   
   
       5 . The rooftop device of  claim 1  further comprising one or more generally vertical ducts at one or both outer ends of said roof cap, the generally vertical ducts having connecting means to said outlet means of said roof cap. 
   
   
       6 . The rooftop device of  claim 5  further comprising one or more air exhaust outlets. 
   
   
       7 . The rooftop device of  claim 6  wherein at least one of said one or more exhaust outlets opens to the atmosphere. 
   
   
       8 . The rooftop device of  claim 6  wherein at least one of said one or more exhaust outlets communicates with a building's air handling system. 
   
   
       9 . The rooftop device of  claim 1  wherein said rooftop device further comprises a fan disposed within said air passages and said fan is positioned to cause air to be moved from said roof cap air passages to said outlet means. 
   
   
       10 . The rooftop device of  claim 9  wherein said fan is disposed within said outlet means. 
   
   
       11 . The rooftop device of  claim 9  wherein said fan is reversible. 
   
   
       12 . The rooftop device of  claim 5  wherein said one or more generally vertical ducts at one or both outer ends of said roof cap further comprises a valve for selecting the direction of exhaust air flow from said roof cap one of one or more exhaust outlets. 
   
   
       13 . The rooftop device of  claim 5  wherein said air passages further comprise air intakes distal to the roof peak. 
   
   
       14 . The rooftop device of  claim 1  wherein said air passage communicates with outlets to vent heated air from under a roof structure. 
   
   
       15 . A method of collecting and redirecting heated air from the roof of building, comprising capturing air within a roof cap and redirecting said captured air to a vertical vent. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein air directed to the vertical vent is redirected to one or more exhaust outlets, and wherein those exhaust outlets either direct the air flow to the exterior of the structure or direct the air into an air handling system for the building. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein heated air is captured from passages contained within the structure of the said roof. 
   
   
       18 . A method of heating and collecting air on the surface of a roof of a structure, comprising allowing air to be heated by ambient sunlight, wherein said air is disposed within passages between the surface of a roof and substantially transparent panels disposed upon supports connected to the panels and the surface of the roof. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the air heated by ambient sunlight is allowed to rise within the passages between the surface of the roof and the substantially transparent panels and thence into a roof cap. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said heated air is forcibly moved within the said passages and the said roof cap by means of a fan disposed within said roof cap. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said roof cap contains one or more air passages that are connected to a vertical vent, and wherein said vertical vent allows said heated air to be selectively exhausted to either the atmosphere or into the air handling system of a structure. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said heated air is selectively exhausted to either the atmosphere or into the air handling system of a structure by means of a valve disposed within said vertical vent.