CA1201264A - Skylight - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A skylight in which the window is mounted on an integrally molded unitary frame which is suitably vacuum molded of a synthetic plastic; the frame can be provided with an integral self-flashing flange and molded in drain-age means effective to drain water outwardly of the sky-light; the integrally molded plastic frame overcomes con-densation problems associated with welded frames assembled from extruded aluminium frame members, and leakage problems associated with frames of welded together extruded plastic frame members.

Description

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This invention relates to a skylight, more especially the invention is concerned with an improved, less costly, domes skylight in which leakage of water through the skylight into the interior of a building is substantially reduced or eliminated.
Skylights generally comprise a frame structure housing a window, the frame structure being mounted in an opening in the roof of a house or other building. Such sky-lights are desirably of a relatively light weight Jo avoid undue pressure on the roof structure or the need for expensive reinforced supporting structures.
Originally the frame structures for such sky-lights were Eormed prom ln~lividual wooden frame members which were joined together.
With the increase in price and decrease in availability of wood and the development of aluminium as an alternative light weight constructional material, the use of wooden frame members has been largely replaced by extruded aluminium members, such extruded aluminium members being welded together to form the skylight frame.
he widely used skylight frames constructed by welding, from extruded aluminium members have a number of - problems associated with them, in particular, aluminium is a good conductor of heat, thus heat is readily conducted from an interior of a building in the region of the sky-light. This conduction of heat produces a condensation of water vapour in the interior of the building onto the interior facing surfaces of the aluminium frame, the con-densed water can frequently be observed on the interior of the roof, or the adjacent interior walls of a building having such an aluminium frame skylight, as well as on the floor below the skylight.

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In addition weather stripping or flashing mate-rial is required with such aluminium frame skylights to pre-vent access of rain water or water from melting snow, between the periphery of the aluminium frame and the roof opening in which it is mounted.
In attempts to overcome these problems aluminium frames having insulated curbs have been developed. The curb is mounted in the roof opening and is formed from inner and outer extruded aluminium members welded together, with the space between then filled with fibre glass insulation.
Silicone seals are formed between the curb and the remainder of the aluminium frame. Such insulated frames are more costly in material and oE larger slze beiny, in particular, of greater height, for a given window area, than non-insulated frames.
It has been proposed to employ frames made of extruded plastic members, welded together in the manner of the aluminium members. Although such frames overcome some of the problems associated with aluminium frames, parti-cularly in that they are non-heat conducting, they have not proved to be especially satisfactory and are relatively costly to assemble. In particular the welds formed in joining the extruded plastic members represent an inherent weakness in the resulting frames. The welds frequently fail or are initially incomplete and thus unsatisfactory, parti-cularly if the weld is formed on one side only to reduce the manufacturing costs.
Cracks in such frames in the region of the weld, as a result of an incomplete weld or failure in the weld permit access of water, for example, when it is raining.
An object of the present invention is to provide a skylight having a frame which is not subject to the dis-~20~
advantages associated with conventional frames formed fromextruded aluminium members and frames formed from extruded plastic members welded togethern Another object of the invention is to provide a skylight which requires no expensive welding operations in its assembly, and is o relatively simple manufacture and assembly, not requiring skilled tradesmen.
Yet a further object of the invention is to pro-vide such a skylight which can be readily mounted in a roof opening and requires no auxilliary insulation or weather stripping.
According to the invention there is provided a skylight in which a window is mounted on a Erame in which the frame is an integrally molded unitary structure.
Molding the frame as a unitary structure avoids the need for welding and thus avoids inherent weakness in the frame which might result in cracking. In addition drain-age channels can be molded into the frame and the frame can be molded with an intricate configuration with portions thereof inclined at an angle to deflect water outwardly of the skylight to reduce access of water to the building interior, this i5 particularly important in skylights which are to be mounted in an inclined roof in which the sky-light adopts an inclined position with one side being dis-posed higher than the other.
The molding of the frame as an integral unit avoids lines of weakness at the juncture of parts of the frame which are inclined at different angles to each other.
The frame may be molded with an integral self-flashing flange to further reduce the possibility of leak-age into the interior.

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The frame may suitably be molded of a plastic mate-rial particularly a synthetic polymer or copolymer of high molecular weight, which will produce a rigid molded structure.
Suitable plastics material include acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymers, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) and polycarbonates~ It will be recognized that such copolymers and polymers are available in different grades with a variety of physical characteristics, and the appropriate grades can be readily determined from the technical information provided by the suppliers, so as to produce a relatively rigid frame with desired strength characteristics .
Any molding process can be employed which permits the formation of a molded article having an open or hollow interior, for example, vacuum molding, rotary molding or injection molding. Vacuum molding is especially preferred and either the positive mold method or the negative mold method may be used.
The skylight may be manufactured ready for mount-ing in a roof opening and of relatively short height such that it is of low profile, and sits low in the roof structure.
The invention is illustrated in a particular embodiment by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is an isometric view, with part cut away, of a skylight of the invention mounted in an opening of an inclined roof, FIGURE 2 is a cross-secti.onal side view of the skylight of Figure 1, in a horizontal disposition, FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the mounted skylight of Figure 1, FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of the skylight of Figure 1, and FIGURE 5, which appears on the same sheet as Figure 2, illustrates schematically the molding of frames for a sXylight of Figure 1, of different sizes.
With further reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, a skylight 10 includes a window 12, an integrally molded fra~e14 and an integrally molded retainer 16, mounted on an inclined roof 52.
Window 12 includes an outer transparent dome 18 having a peripheral flange 19 and an inner transparent dome 20 having a peripheral flange 21, outer dome 18 has a greater radius of curvature than inner dome 20, the domes 18 and 20 being spaced apart to define an air space 22 therebetween.
Frame 14 is of generally rectangular cross-section and includes a curb portion 24 and a peripheral self-flashing flange 26 which includes an upper portion 26a, side portions 26b and 26c and a lower portion 26d. Curb portion 24 includes an outer vertical wall 28 and an inner vertical wall 30 connected by an upper curb wall 32. The continuous flange 26 extends outwardly in elongated fashion, from a lower edge of outer wall 28.
Upper wall 32 includes an inclined deflection barrier 33 adjacent inner wall 30, which slopes downwardly towards outer wall 28 to a molded gutter 35.
Upper wall 32 further includes a plurality of spaced apart support walls 34 between outer Hall 28 and gutter 35. The support walls 34 are separated my side GEL

drainage channels 36 molded in upper wall 32 in the sides of the frame 14, and corner drainage channels 38 molded in the top wall 32 at the corners of the frame 14.
A plurality of spaced apart outwardly facing integral spacers 40 are molded in an outer wall surface 47 of outer vertical wall 28.
Retainer 16 is of generally rectangular cross-section and includes a top wall 42 and a side wall 44, having an inner wall surface 45.
The outwardly extending peripheral flanges 19 and 21 of the domes 18 and 20 are disposed on the support walls 34 ox frame 14 with spaced apart unitary spacers 46 between the peripheral flanges 19 and 21. Retainer 16 is disposed over the peripheral flange 19 with top wall 42 engaging flange 19 and side wall ~4 engaging spacers 40. Securing screws 50 pass through side wall 44, spacers 40 and outer vertical wall 28 to secure the retainer 16, window 12 and frame 14 as an assembled skylight 10.
As more particularly shown in Figures 1 and 3, the skylight 10 is mounted in a roof opening of roof 52 having shingles 58.
The upper portion 26a and side portions 26b and 26c of flange 26 are mounted under shingles 58 adjacent the upper and side edges of the roof opening by nails 62 which pass through shingles 58 and holes in flange 26 into the roof structure.
The lower portion 26d of flange 26 is secured over ; the shingles 58 adjacent the bottom edge of roof opening by nails 62 passing through holes in flange 26 and shingles 58 into the roof structure.

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The curb portion 24 of frame 14 is disposed over a roof framing member (not shown) in the roof opening.
Drainage passages 48 are defined between retainer 16 and frame 14 by inner wall surface 45 of side wall 44 of retainer 16 and outer wall surface 47 of outer wall 28 of frame 14, between the integral spacerS 40.
The drainage passages 48 communicate with the side drainage channels 36 and the corner drainage channels 38 which in turn communicate with gutter 35.
The domes 18 and 20 are suitably acrylic domes and provide a large surface area for collection of solar heat and light. sir space 22 between domes 18 and 20 provides an insulating space.
The configuration of cuxb portion 24, and parti-cularly the relative positions of deflection barrier 33, gutter 35, channels 36 and 38, and passages 48 are dis-posed such that when mounted in a roof either in a horizontal position or an inclined position, water within the structure of the skylight 10 will flow outwardly from gutter 35 through channels 36 and 38 to passages 48 and then out of the skylight 10 along flanges 26.
The most likely point of entry of rain water or water from melting snow, in the skylight 10 is at the top between peripheral flange 19 of outer dome 18 and top wall 42 of retainer 16, this water will flow outwardly along the top of peripheral flange 19 under top wall 42, and will then flow downwardly between inner wall surface 45 of retainer 16 and outer wall surface 47 of outer vertical wall 28. The inclination of deflection barrier 33 is effective to prevent any significant access of water or moisture which condenses on the underside of inner dome 20, ~Z~ 6~
into the roof opening; water condensing on the underside of dome 20 will flow outwardly and any water falling on deflection barrier 33 will flow downwardly to gutter 35 and - from there to the channels 36 and 38 and then along passages 48 and along the flange 26 externally of the skylight lOo The unitary structure of frame 14 resulting from the integral molding avoids the potential for passage of water through the frame through cracks formed by incomplete or inadequate welds.
10The molding of retainer 16 as an integral member 'sinu.larly eliminates the potential for access of water through cracks in the retainer structure, although it is less important that retainer 16 be an .integrally mo:Lded member.
With reference to Figure 5 there is illustrated a simple vacuum molding technique for economically producing molded frames of different sizes, for use in the invention, with a minimum loss of molding material. In accordance with this technique a mold is designed to simultaneously produce two or more frames in a single operation. In ,the embodiment illustrated in Figure5, a small size frame 64 ;is formed simultaneously with a larger frame 66. The frame 64 being formed from the material which would, otherwise, have been cut away and discarded in the manufacture of frame 66. The cut lines to separate frames 64 and 66 are shown by dotted lines 68 and 70. The cut lines to remove the central material to be discarded from frame 64 are shown by the dotted line 72 and 74.
It will be recognized that the double dome structure of the skylight 10 can be replaced by a single dome structure if preferred.

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It will be understood too that the frame 14 and retainer l may be treated to improve their appearance and weather resistance, for example, they may be painted with coloured compositions having a resistance to fading, Coat-ings may also be provided to improve the ultraviolet stability of the plastics material employed in tne manufacture of the parts and thi,s may be achieved by coating o:r extruding appropriate coating compositions onto the molded parts.
m e skylight of the invention provides a light-weight assembly of simple structure having the advantage of employing lightweight acrylic domes which Kermit maximum penetration of solar heat and light even when the sun is on the horizon, and which through their ability to bend or refract light will p:ick up at least 2.5 -times as much light as a similarly sized window, while at the same time avoiding the disadvantages of leakage of water through the skylight structure and the use of expensive aluminium parts and welding operations.
The skylights of the invention employing acrylic dome windows represent an effective and energy efficient means to provide natural daylight, especially suited to correct lighting deficiencies in poorly layed out houses, houses facing north, and row and town houses which are limited to,two sides for light. The light weight of the skylights of the invention permits larger skylights and larger light entering windows without the need for elaborate supporting structures thereby maximizing the access of natural light and solar energy,

Claims (16)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A skylight comprising:
a supporting frame, and a window mounted on said frame, said frame being an integrally molded unitary structure, consisting essentially of a synthetic plastic material and drainage means molded in said frame effective to drain water outwardly from within said skylight.

2. A skylight according to claim 1, wherein said frame includes a continuous self-flashing flange extending outwardly of its perimeter.

3. A skylight according to claim 2, wherein said frame is molded of a synthetic polymer or copolymer of high molecular weight, which will produce a rigid molded structure.

4. A skylight according to claim 3, wherein said frame is vacuum molded from acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer.

5. A skylight according to claim 2, wherein said window is mounted at its peripheral edge on said frame by an integrally molded retainer.

6. A skylight according to claim 5, wherein said drainage means comprises a drainage gutter and a plurality of spaced apart drainage channels molded in said frame effective to drain water between said frame and said retainer outwardly of the interior of said skylight to an upper side of said self-flashing flange.

7. A low-profile skylight comprising:
an integrally molded frame of synthetic plastic material, a window retainer mounted peripherally on said frame, a domed window having an outwardly extending peripheral mounting edge, said edge being mounted between said retainer and said frame, said frame including an inner curb portion having an inner downwardly directed wall spaced apart from an outer downwardly directed wall by an upper wall, a continuous elongated flange extending out-wardly from a lower edge of said outer wall, a plurality of outwardly facing, spaced apart, spacers integrally formed in said outer wall, a plurality of drainage passages defined between said spacers, by an outer surface of said outer wall and an inner surface of said retainer, a plurality of spaced apart molded drainage channels in said upper wall, adjacent said outer wall, said drainage channels being separated by spaced apart support walls for the domed window peripheral mounting edge, said drainage channels communicating with said drainage passages and being disposed relative to said drainage passages such that water between said retainer and frame drains outwardly to an upper side of said self-flashing flange.

8. A skylight according to claim 7, wherein said domed window comprises an inner domed window member and an outer domed window member, each member having an out-wardly extending peripheral mounting edge, said outer member having a greater curvature than said inner member, and said members being spaced apart to define an air space between facing curved surfaces of the members.

9. A skylight according to claim 8, wherein said upper wall includes an inclined deflection barrier adjacent said inner wall, said barrier sloping down-wardly towards said outer wall, and a gutter between said barrier and said support walls, said gutter com-municating with said drainage channels.

10. A skylight according to claim 9, wherein said frame is vacuum molded from acrylonitrile-styrene-buta-diene copolymer.

11. A skylight according to claim 7, wherein said frame and said retainer are generally rectangular.

12. In combination an inclined roof having shingles thereon and a roof opening, and a skylight as defined in claim 7, mounted in said roof opening with a lower side of said continuous flange secured on said roof over roof shingles adjacent a lower edge of said opening, and upper and side sides of said continuous flange secured on said roof under roof shingles adjacent upper and side edges of said opening.

13. In a method of manufacturing a skylight com-prising a supporting frame and a window mounted on said frame, the improvement comprising molding said frame of a synthetic plastic material as an integral unitary structure, including molding drainage means in said structure, effective to drain water outwardly from within said skylight.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said frame is vacuum molded.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said plastic material is an acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer.

16. A method according to claim 14, including vacuum molding said drainage means.