Precipitation control system

Abstract

There is disclosed a roof vent having rain control means to reduce rain water splashing into the opening in a roof vent. The baffle has a number of ridges or channels that direct rain water into a number of droplet pathways. The falling water creates a rain curtain that deflects rain water that enters into the roof vent from travelling into interior of the building. At the base of the roof vent is one or more splash deflectors that changes the angle of water impacting the base of the roof vent to limit the amount of deflected water that can enter into the opening in the roof vent. The rain curtain and one or more splash deflector may act in concert to further divert rainwater.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A roof vent comprising:
 a. A base for securing the roof vent to a roof, the base including a perimeter securing flange and upstanding walls defining a central passageway, said passageway sized and shaped to register with an opening in said roof to permit air to pass through said opening and through said passageway of said base;   b. A cover on said base for covering said passageway, said cover including a grill for permitting air to pass through said cover; and   c. A baffle located between said grill and said passageway to block precipitation from passing directly through said grill and into said passageway,   
       wherein at least one of said base and said cover includes a means to control rain to further limit rain water from passing through said grill and indirectly splashing into said passageway. 
     
     
         2 . The roof vent of  claim 1  wherein said rain control means is on said cover. 
     
     
         3 . The roof vent of  claim 2  wherein said rain control means is on said baffle. 
     
     
         4 . The roof vent of  claim 3  wherein said baffle includes an exterior face and said rain control means comprises ridges on said exterior face of said baffle to direct water droplets downwardly. 
     
     
         5 . The roof vent of  claim 4  wherein said ridges are generally parallel, vertical and in spaced apart relation. 
     
     
         6 . The roof vent of  claim 5  wherein droplet pathways are defined between said ridges. 
     
     
         7 . The roof vent of  claim 6  wherein said droplet pathways are sized and shaped to divide precipitation passing through said grill and impinging upon said baffle into separate streams to form a droplet curtain extending downwardly from a lower edge of said baffle. 
     
     
         8 . The roof vent of  claim 1  wherein said rain control means is on said base. 
     
     
         9 . The roof vent of  claim 8  wherein said rain control means further comprises at least one splash deflector. 
     
     
         10 . The roof vent of  claim 9  wherein said at least one splash deflector is placed on said base generally below said baffle, and spaced laterally from said grill. 
     
     
         11 . The roof vent of  claim 10  wherein said at least one splash deflector includes an angled top face for directing splashes generally along said base. 
     
     
         12 . The roof vent of  claim 11  wherein said rain control means comprises a plurality of splash deflectors, each of said splash deflector directing splashes at a different angle to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The roof vent of  claim 12  wherein said splash deflectors are spread apart to permit water to run therebetween. 
     
     
         14 . The roof vent of  claim 7  wherein the rain control means further includes splash deflectors located beneath said droplet curtain.