Unit skylight system

Abstract

An improved skylight system comprises a unitary light transmitting skylight lens having a main lens body, an outwardly projecting horizontal support flange, a surrounding downwardly and outwardly extending skirt panel, and a horizontal lower attachment lip extending from the skirt panel. The attachment lip is held in a channel formed by an upper hold-down flange and a cooperating lower flange of a mounting frame. The lens is fitted over a roof curb and attached thereto by driving fasteners through a vertical attachment collar that depends from the inner edge of the lower flange of the mounting frame into the curb.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A unit skylighting system for mounting a unit skylight on a roof, the roof having a structural curb bounding an aperture for admitting light into a building interior, the curb having a top surface and an outer side, the unit skylighting system comprising:
 a unitary light transmitting lens having a main lens body, a horizontal support flange extending outwardly from said main lens body, a downwardly depending skirt panel extending outwardly from said support flange, and a lower attachment lip, said support flange resting directly on the top surface of the curb such that said main lens body spans the full aperture, said skirt panel having a lower edge spaced from the outer side of the curb, said lower attachment lip extending outwardly from said lower edge, and   a mounting frame including a U-shaped portion having an upper hold-down flange, a lower flange, a channel defined by said upper and lower flanges, and an attachment collar depending downwardly from said lower flange, said lower attachment lip of said lens received in said channel, and   fasteners attaching said attachment collar to the curb below the top surface thereof, tightening said fasteners driving said attachment collar toward and securing said attachment collar to the curb thereby urging the U-shaped portion of said mounting frame onto said lower attachment lip and holding said lens onto the top surface of the curb.   
     
     
         2 . The improved unit skylighting system of  claim 1 , the top surface of the curb having an inner edge, wherein:
 the main lens body of said lens has a sloped perimeter edge, and   the support flange of said lens meets said sloped perimeter edge at the inner edge of the curb.   
     
     
         3 . The improved unit skylighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said support flange includes an outer portion that extends outwardly beyond the outer side of the curb. 
 
     
     
         4 . The improved unit skylighting system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said lower flange is parallel to and vertically spaced from said support flange. 
 
     
     
         5 . The improved unit skylighting system of  claim 3  wherein:
 said attachment collar is horizontally spaced from the outer side of the curb, and 
 said support flange, said skirt panel, said attachment collar, and the curb define an unobstructed downwardly-facing opening for accommodating roofing material applied to the curb. 
 
     
     
         6 . The improved unit skylighting system of  claim 5  wherein:
 said attachment collar is horizontally spaced from the outer side of the curb by approximately ½″. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method for installing a unit skylight on a roof, the roof having a structural curb bounding an aperture for admitting light into a building interior, the curb having a top surface and an outer side, the method comprising:
 securing a mounting frame to a unitary light transmitting lens by
 inserting a lower attachment lip of said lens into a channel of a U-shaped portion of said mounting frame, said lower attachment lip extending outwardly from the lower edge of a skirt panel, said skirt panel depending downwardly and extending outwardly from a horizontal support flange, said support flange extending outwardly from a main lens body of said lens, said channel defined by an upper hold-down flange of said mounting frame and a lower flange thereof disposed parallel to said upper flange, 
 applying a water resistant seal between said lower flange and said lower attachment lip, 
   positioning said support flange onto the top surface of the curb such that said skirt panel and said lower attachment lip extend outwardly from and below the top surface of the curb, and   attaching said mounting frame to the curb thereby securing said lens on the curb.   
     
     
         8 . The method for installing a unit skylight on a roof of  claim 7  further comprising:
 attaching said mounting frame to the curb by fastening an attachment collar to the curb, said attachment collar depending from an inner edge of the lower flange of said mounting frame. 
 
     
     
         9 . A unit skylighting system for mounting a unit skylight on a roof having a structural curb bounding an aperture for admitting light into a building interior, the curb having a top surface and an outer side, the unit skylighting system comprising:
 a unitary light transmitting lens having a main lens body, a horizontal support flange extending outwardly from said main lens body, a downwardly depending skirt panel extending outwardly from said support flange, and a lower attachment lip, said support flange resting directly on the top surface of the curb such that said main lens body spans the full aperture, said support flange including an outer portion that extends outwardly beyond the outer side of the curb, said skirt panel having a lower edge spaced from the outer side of the curb, said lower attachment lip extending outwardly from said lower edge, and   a mounting frame including a U-shaped portion having an upper hold-down flange, a lower flange, a channel defined by said upper and lower flanges, and an attachment collar depending downwardly from said lower flange and spaced from the outer side of the curb, said lower attachment lip of said lens received in said channel,   an unobstructed downwardly-facing opening defined by said support flange, said skirt panel, said attachment collar, and the curb, said opening for accommodating roofing material applied to the curb, and   threaded fasteners attaching said attachment collar to the curb below the top surface thereof, tightening said fasteners driving said attachment collar toward and securing said attachment collar to the curb thereby urging the U-shaped portion of said mounting frame onto said lower attachment lip and holding said lens onto the top surface of the curb.