Roof vent having elongated baffles and discharge channels

Abstract

A roof vent construction which is comprised of an assembly including a cowl, a base, and a cowl retaining member. These elements provide a structure which provides cover for rain and discourages rain and/or debris from entering the vent underneath the cowl, but nevertheless allows for suitable ventilation as needed. One concept relates to the use of a vent structure having a base with ventilation and water/debris channeling features, combined with a cowl that has ventilation features, with the base and vent cooperating to provide particular ventilation paths that provide water drainage. This vent structure may be flat or profiled.

1 . A roof vent assembly for use in connection with an inclined roofing support structure and a plurality of tile members supported by said inclined roofing support structure, said roof vent assembly having an interior and an exterior and configured to be placed into a position among said tiles and to define a vented enclosure to facilitate ventilation of said support structure in either direction along a ventilation path portion beginning from a location within said inclined roofing support structure, then into an interior cavity of said vented enclosure, then out of said vented enclosure, then to a location generally above and to the exterior of both said vented enclosure and said inclined roof support structure, said roof vent assembly defining at least one water discharge opening, said roof vent assembly comprising:
 A) a base member generally defining an interior side and an opposite exterior side, and including a generally planar base member body portion having an interior base side and an opposite exterior base side, said base member body portion itself including a plurality of elongate substantially parallel base member ventilation openings therethrough to facilitate airflow between said interior and exterior base sides, said base member also including a plurality of elongate base member baffles extending generally perpendicularly from said interior side of said generally planar base member body portion and extending substantially along the length of and adjacent to said base member ventilation openings, such that each elongate base member ventilation opening has one base member baffle proximate each of its elongate edges, said plurality of base member baffles positioned in pairs intermediate said each of said base member ventilation openings such that an elongate discharge channel is positioned intermediate each of said elongate base member ventilation openings, said elongate discharge channels defined at least partially by a pair of said base member baffles and an intermediate portion of said base member body portion, said discharge channels being in communication with said at least one water discharge opening to facilitate the discharge of water from within said discharge channels out of said roof vent assembly through said water discharge opening; and   B) a cowl member defining an interior side and an opposite exterior side, and including a generally planar cowl body portion having an interior cowl side and an opposite exterior cowl side, said cowl member body portion including a plurality of elongate substantially parallel cowl member ventilation openings therethrough to facilitate airflow between said interior and exterior cowl sides, said cowl member also including a plurality of elongate cowl member baffles extending generally perpendicularly from said interior cowl side of said cowl member body portion and extending substantially along the length of and adjacent to said cowl member ventilation openings, such that each elongate cowl member ventilation opening has one cowl member baffle proximate each of its elongate edges,   said base and cowl members relatively positioned such that their respective interior sides combine to at least partially define said roof vent assembly interior cavity and also positioned such that when said roof vent assembly is installed on an inclined roofing support surface, said elongate discharge channels are likewise inclined, and water falling directly downwardly substantially along a gravity axis under the influence of gravity may fall directly into said roof vent assembly through said elongate cowl member ventilation openings, downwardly into said elongate discharge channels, and be guided under the influence of gravity along said elongate discharge channels and out of said roof vent assembly via said water discharge opening, and   said base and cowl members also relatively positioned such that at least a portion of said airflow when passing into said elongate cowl ventilation openings from the exterior of said roof vent assembly is directed laterally relative to said gravity axis, passes along a serpentine path past at least one cowl member baffle and at past least one base member baffle, and finally passes out of said roof vent assembly through at least one of said elongate base member ventilation openings.   
   
   
       2 . The roof vent assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said cowl member includes a plurality of tab members extending from said cowl member body portion towards said base member when said roof vent assembly is assembled, said tab members being in substantial alignment with said base member ventilation openings so as to discourage wind-driven rain from being blown up said roof and into said base member ventilation openings. 
   
   
       3 . The roof vent assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said base member baffles, cowl member baffles, and said discharge channels are all elongate and have substantially parallel longitudinal axes. 
   
   
       4 . The roof vent assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said base member baffles, cowl member baffles, and said discharge channels are all elongate and have substantially parallel longitudinal axes. 
   
   
       5 . A roof vent assembly for use in connection with an inclined roofing support structure and a plurality of tile members supported by said inclined roofing support structure, said roof vent assembly having an interior and an exterior and configured to be placed into a position among said tiles and to define a vented enclosure to facilitate ventilation of said support structure in either direction along a ventilation path extending from the interior of said inclined roofing support structure, to the interior of said roof vent assembly, and finally to the exterior of said roofing support structure, said roof vent assembly comprising:
 A) a base member configured for being attached to and supported by said inclined roofing support structure, said base member including a generally planar base member body portion having a leading edge and a trailing edge, said leading edge when installed being substantially horizontally oriented and positioned downslope from said trailing edge, said base member also defining a plurality of base member ventilation openings and comprising a plurality of substantially vertically oriented base baffles, said base baffles extending upwardly from said base member and into said interior of said roof vent assembly, and being disposed adjacent opposite sides of each of said base member ventilation openings; and   B) a cowl member configured for mounting substantially vertically above said base member so that said interior of said roof vent assembly is defined at least partially by at least said base and cowl members, said cowl member defining a plurality of cowl member ventilation openings therethrough and also comprising a plurality of substantially vertically oriented cowl baffles extending into said interior of said roof vent assembly, said cowl member ventilation openings also being disposed adjacent opposite sides of each of said cowl member ventilation openings,   wherein said cowl member is configured to be mounted relative to said base member such that each of said cowl member ventilation openings are vertically offset from each of said base member ventilation openings when said vent assembly is installed on an inclined surface, and   wherein at least a portion of water or debris entering at least one of said cowl member ventilation openings under the influence of gravity tends to be channeled between a pair of adjacent base baffles positioned below at least one of said cowl member ventilation openings to said horizontally oriented leading edge of said base member body portion, said leading edge being opposite said horizontally oriented trailing edge of said base member, said base member being installed on said inclined roofing support structure such that said leading edge is positioned downslope from said trailing edge.   
   
   
       6 . The roof vent assembly of  claim 5 , wherein air, when flowing along said ventilation path from within said inclined roofing support structure to said interior of said roof vent assembly said then outside of said roof vent assembly, flows upwardly through said base member ventilation openings, above said base baffles, below said cowl baffles, and then upwardly through said cowl member ventilation openings to outside of said roof vent assembly. 
   
   
       7 . The roof vent assembly of  claim 5 , wherein air, when flowing along said ventilation path from outside of said roof vent assembly to said interior of said roof vent assembly said then within said inclined roofing support structure, flows downwardly through said cowl member ventilation openings, below said cowl baffles, above said base baffles, and then downwardly through said base member ventilation openings into said roofing support structure. 
   
   
       8 . The roof vent assembly of  claim 5 , wherein said base member and said cowl member cooperate to generally simulate a tile member within said flat roof tile structure, and wherein said leading edge of said base member is positioned such that water channeled by said base baffles tends to flow out atop other tiles positioned lower on said flat roof tile structure. 
   
   
       9 . The roof vent assembly of  claim 5 , wherein said base member and said cowl member cooperate to generally simulate a “humped” tile structure. 
   
   
       10 . The roof vent assembly of  claim 5 , wherein said base member and said cowl member cooperate to generally simulate a “dual humped” tile structure. 
   
   
       11 . A roof vent assembly for use in connection with an inclined roof support structure and a plurality of tile members supported by said inclined roofing support structure in a roofing support plane having a slope axis, said vent assembly configured to facilitate air ventilation along a path from extending from the interior of said inclined roof support structure, to an interior cavity defined by said vent assembly, and finally to an exterior environment, said roof vent assembly comprising:
 A) a base member configured for attaching to and being supported by said inclined roof support structure, said base member comprising:
 i) a substantially planar base floor portion defining a plurality of elongate base member ventilation openings and comprising an upper side and a lower side opposite said upper side, said lower side being configured for installation facing said inclined roof support structure; and 
 ii) a plurality of elongate base baffle pairs extending from and perpendicular to said upper side of said floor portion, said base baffle pairs alternating in location relative to said base member ventilation openings such that each of said base baffle pairs are disposed intermediate two adjacent base member ventilation openings and each of said ventilation openings are disposed intermediate two adjacent baffle pairs, each of said base baffle pairs combining with a portion of said base floor portion to define elongate drainage channels having their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to said slope axis; and 
   B) a cowl member configured for attachment relative to said base member, said cowl member comprising:
 i) a substantially planar cowl portion defining a plurality of elongate cowl member ventilation openings configured to be positioned generally above said elongate drainage channels when said cowl member is attached relative to said base member and said roof vent assembly is installed, said planar cowl portion comprising an upper side and a lower side opposite said upper side, wherein said lower side is configured for being installed generally above said base floor portion; and 
 ii) a plurality of elongate cowl baffle pairs extending from said lower side of said planar cowl portion, said cowl baffle pairs alternating in location relative to said base member ventilation openings such that each of said cowl baffle pairs is disposed intermediate two adjacent cowl member ventilation openings and each of said cowl member ventilation openings is disposed intermediate two adjacent baffle pairs, 
 wherein:
 said base member and said cowl member define an interior cavity between said upper side of said base floor portion and said lower side of said planar cowl portion when said cowl member is attached relative to said base member, 
 said base ventilation openings are configured to facilitate air flow between said interior cavity and said inclined roof support structure, 
 said cowl ventilation openings are configured to facilitate air flow between said interior cavity and said exterior environment, and 
 air flowing between said roofing support structure and said exterior environment flows along a serpentine path through said roof vent assembly, said serpentine path extending through each of said base member ventilation openings, above each of said base baffle pairs, below each of said cowl baffle pairs, and through said cowl member ventilation openings. 
 
   
   
   
       12 . The roof vent assembly of Clam  11 , wherein said elongate base member ventilation openings, said elongate base baffle pairs, said elongate cowl member ventilation openings, and said elongate base baffle pairs are parallel to each other and lie substantially along said slope axis. 
   
   
       13 . The roof vent assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said cowl member ventilation openings define louvers extending substantially normal to said slope axis. 
   
   
       14 . The roof vent assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said cowl member further comprises screens disposed between said cowl member ventilation openings and said interior cavity.