Vented wall girts

Abstract

The invention is directed to an improved sub-structural wall construction component which provides support for exterior building cladding materials, allows for air ventilation to aid in drying the exterior wall cavity, and allows for drainage of incidental moisture that may infiltrate into the exterior wall cavity.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A sub-structural wall construction component that includes a) one or more bottom flange elements, b) a top flange element, and c) one or more vented web elements. 
     
     
         2 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , including first and second bottom flange elements and first and second vented web elements, a first edge of said first vented web element is connected to a first edge of said top flange element, a second edge of said first vented web element is connected to a first edge of said first bottom flange element, a first edge of said second vented web element is connected to a second edge of said top flange element, and a second edge of said second vented web element is connected to a first edge of said second bottom flange element. 
     
     
         3 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a majority of a top surface of at least one of said bottom flange elements is located in a plane that is generally parallel to a top surface of said top flange element. 
     
     
         4 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said bottom flange elements includes a plurality of holes. 
     
     
         5 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said top flange element is generally a flat structure wherein a top surface generally lies in a single plane. 
     
     
         6 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a top surface of at least one of said vented web elements lies in a plane that is non-parallel to a plane of a top surface of said top flange element and/or a top surface of at least one of said bottom flange elements. 
     
     
         7 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a top surface of at least one of said vented web elements angles upwardly from a top surface of at least one of said bottom flange elements at an angle of about 5°-185°. 
     
     
         8 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 7 , including first and second vented web elements, at least a portion of a top surface of each of said vented web elements are parallel to one another and/or angle toward one another. 
     
     
         9 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said vented web elements includes a plurality of openings. 
     
     
         10 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 9 , wherein a surface area of said openings on said vented web elements is less than 70% of a total surface area of a top surface of said vented web element. 
     
     
         11 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a top surface of said top flange element has a width that is greater than a width of a top surface of at least one of said vented web elements. 
     
     
         12 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a top surface of said top flange element has a width that is greater than a width of a top surface of at least one of said bottom flange elements. 
     
     
         13 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a top surface of said top flange element has a width that is greater than a combined width of a top surface of at least one of said bottom flange elements and a top surface of at least one of said vented web elements. 
     
     
         14 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a top surface of at least one of said bottom flange elements has a width that is generally greater than a width of a top surface of at least one of said vented web elements. 
     
     
         15 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the top flange element is elevated above a top surface of at least one of said bottom flange elements. 
     
     
         16 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 1 , including a stiffener element on one or more of said bottom flange elements. 
     
     
         17 . A sub-structural wall construction component that includes first and second bottom flange elements, a top flange element, and first and second vented web elements, a first edge of said first vented web element is connected to a first edge of said top flange element, a second edge of said first vented web element is connected to a first edge of said first bottom flange element, a first edge of said second vented web element is connected to a second edge of said top flange element, and a second edge of said second vented web element is connected to a first edge of said second bottom flange element, a majority of a top surface of said first and second vented web elements lies in a plane that is non-parallel to a plane of a top surface of said top flange element, a majority of a top surface of said first and second vented web elements lies in a plane that is non-parallel to a plane of a top surface of said first and second bottom flange elements, a majority of said top surface of said first vented web element angles upwardly from said top surface of said first bottom flange element at an angle of about 50°-80°, a majority of said top surface of said second vented web element angles upwardly from said top surface of said second bottom flange element at an angle of about 50°-80°, a majority of said top surface of each of said vented web elements angle toward one another, said first and second vented web elements each include a plurality of openings, a surface area of said openings on said first vented web element is less than 50% of a total surface area of said top surface of said first vented web element, a surface area of said openings on said second vented web element is less than 50% of a total surface area of said top surface of said second vented web element. 
     
     
         18 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said top surface of said top flange element has a width that is greater than a width of said top surface of at least one of said vented web elements, said top surface of said top flange element has a width that is greater than a width of said top surface of at least one of said bottom flange elements. 
     
     
         19 . The sub-structural wall construction component as defined in  claim 17 , including a stiffener element on one or more of said bottom flange elements. 
     
     
         20 . A method providing support for exterior building cladding materials and to allow for air ventilation to aid in drying of an exterior wall cavity and to allow for drainage of incidental moisture that may infiltrate into the exterior wall cavity that is formed between the cladding materials and the exterior surface of the building comprising:
 a. providing cladding material;   b. providing a sub-structural wall construction component, said sub-structural wall construction component including a) one or more bottom flange elements, b) a top flange element, and c) one or more vented web elements;   c. securing said sub-structural wall construction component so said exterior surface of the building by inserting at least one fastener through said one or more bottom flange elements; and,   d. securing said cladding materials to said top flange element of said sub-structural wall construction component such that an interior surface of said cladding materials are caused to be spaced from said exterior surface of the building by said sub-structural wall construction component.