Middle flashing assembly and a method for weather-proofing a roof window arrangement

Abstract

A middle flashing assembly for use in a roof window arrangement with a first roof window located above a second roof window when seen in the direction of inclination of the roof structure is disclosed. It comprises a middle flashing member configured for extending between the roof windows and having at least one engagement section configured for engagement with a connector element extending from the first roof window towards the second roof window. It further comprises an edge supporting rail and an edge gasket both extending on the interior side of the middle flashing member in parallel with a longitudinal edge. The edge gasket is located between the middle flashing member and the edge supporting rail in the mounted state. An end section extends beyond the middle flashing member in the length direction for engagement with the connector element. A method for weather-proofing a roof window arrangement is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A middle flashing assembly for use in a roof window arrangement mounted in an inclined roof structure and including at least two roof windows each comprising a frame and a pane, where a first roof window is located above a second roof window when seen in a direction of inclination of the inclined roof structure, said middle flashing assembly comprising a middle flashing member comprising a first part and a second part, where the first part is configured for extending between a bottom frame member of the first roof window and a top frame member of the second roof window in a mounted state, said first part having an interior side adapted for facing an interior of a building covered by the inclined roof structure, an exterior side adapted for facing an exterior, a first edge adapted for being located at the first roof window in the mounted state, a second edge adapted for being located at the second roof window and defining a length direction of the middle flashing assembly, and two side edges extending between the first and second edges, where an engagement section of said first part is provided at one or both side edges of said first part, wherein said engagement section of said first part is configured, in the mounted state, to engage a connector element configured, in the mounted state, to extend from the frame of the first roof window towards the second roof window, and where the second part is located on the interior side of the first part, extending from the second edge away from the first part, the middle flashing assembly further comprises an edge supporting rail and an edge gasket both extending on the interior side of the middle flashing member in parallel with the second edge in the mounted state, said edge gasket being located between the middle flashing member and the edge supporting rail in the mounted state and having a gasket end section extending beyond the middle flashing member in the length direction, said gasket end section being configured for engagement with the connector element.

2. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 1, where the edge supporting rail has a rail end section extending beyond the middle flashing member in the length direction, said rail end section being configured for engagement with the connector element.

3. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 2, where the rail end section is shorter than the gasket end section.

4. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 3, where the gasket end section is configured to extend across an entire width of the connector element.

5. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 3, where the rail end section is provided with at least one attachment element, said attachment element being adapted for engagement with the connector element.

6. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 2, where the rail end section is provided with at least one attachment element, said attachment element being adapted for engagement with the connector element.

7. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 6, where the gasket end section is provided with at least one attachment element, said attachment element being adapted for engagement with the connector element.

8. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 7, where the edge supporting rail has an L-shaped cross-section, where a first leg of the L extends in parallel with the first part of the middle flashing member in the mounted state and a second leg of the L extends in parallel with the second part of the middle flashing member.

9. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 8, where the edge gasket has an S-shaped cross-section where an upper part of the S is adapted for hooking over the edge supporting rail while a lower part of the S is adapted for covering a joint between the edge supporting rail and a cover member positioned below the edge supporting rail.

10. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 9, further including a connector element configured for being arranged with an exterior side of the connector element facing the exterior in the mounted state, an interior side of the connector element facing the inclined roof structure, a first end facing the first roof window, and a length direction of the connector element extending from the first end towards a second open end, where the exterior side comprises a gutter with two longitudinal edges extending between the first and second ends, at least one of said longitudinal edges being configured for engagement with the engagement section, where a connecting section on the interior side is configured for being connected to a bracket used for connecting a roof window to a load-bearing structure of the inclined roof structure, and where the connector element is configured for being arranged with the first end of the connector element at an outer side of a bottom frame member of the first roof window and the second end of the connector element at the second roof window.

11. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 2, where the gasket end section is configured to extend across an entire width of the connector element.

12. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 2, where the gasket end section is provided with at least one attachment element, said attachment element being adapted for engagement with the connector element.

13. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 1, where the gasket end section is configured to extend across an entire width of the connector element.

14. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 13, where the rail end section is provided with at least one attachment element, said attachment element being adapted for engagement with the connector element.

15. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 1, where the gasket end section is provided with at least one attachment element, said attachment element being adapted for engagement with the connector element.

16. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 1, where the edge supporting rail has an L-shaped cross-section, where a first leg of the L extends in parallel with the first part of the middle flashing member in the mounted state and a second leg of the L extends in parallel with the second part of the middle flashing member.

17. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 1, where the edge gasket has an S-shaped cross-section where an upper part of the S is adapted for hooking over the edge supporting rail while a lower part of the S is adapted for covering a joint between the edge supporting rail and a cover member positioned below the edge supporting rail.

18. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 1, further including a connector element configured for being arranged with an exterior side of the connector element facing the exterior in the mounted state, an interior side of the connector element facing the inclined roof structure, a first end facing the first roof window, and a length direction of the connector element extending from the first end towards a second open end, where the exterior side comprises a gutter with two longitudinal edges extending between the first and second ends, at least one of said longitudinal edges being configured for engagement with the engagement section, where a connecting section on the interior side is configured for being connected to a bracket used for connecting a roof window to a load-bearing structure of the inclined roof structure, and where the connector element is configured for being arranged with the first end of the connector element at an outer side of a bottom frame member of the first roof window and the second end of the connector element at the second roof window.

19. The middle flashing assembly according to claim 18, where an end surface at the second end of the connector element extending from the exterior side towards the interior side in a direction, which is non-parallel to the length direction, is provided with at least one attachment element, said attachment element being adapted for engagement with the edge supporting rail and/or the edge gasket.

20. A method for weather-proofing a roof window arrangement mounted in an inclined roof structure and including at least two roof windows each comprising a frame and a pane, where a first roof window is located above a second roof window when seen in a direction of inclination of the inclined roof structure, said method comprising the following steps: arranging a middle flashing member with a first part extending between a bottom frame member of the first roof window and a top frame member of the second roof window, said first part having an interior side facing an interior of a building covered by the inclined roof structure, an exterior side facing an exterior, a first edge located at the first roof window, a second edge located at the second roof window and defining a length direction of the middle flashing assembly, and two side edges extending between the first and second edges, and with an engagement section at one or both side edges in engagement with a connector element extending from the frame of the first roof window towards the second roof window is provided, and with a second part on the interior side of the first part extending from the second edge away from the first part, arranging an edge supporting rail on the interior side of the middle flashing member in parallel with the second edge, arranging an edge gasket on the interior side of the middle flashing member in parallel with the second edge so that the edge gasket is located between the middle flashing member and the edge supporting rail and so that a gasket end section of the edge gasket extends beyond the middle flashing member in the length direction, and so that said gasket end section is in engagement with the connector element.

Description

(1) In the following the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the non-limiting embodiments shown in the drawing, where:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective partially cut-away view of a roof window arrangement according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. 1 but with some of the flashing members removed,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the detail marked III in FIG. 2, where covering and cladding members of the flashing assembly have been removed,

(5) FIGS. 4-8 are perspective views of different stages of the mounting of a middle flashing assembly, each view corresponding substantially to the view in FIG. 3, but seen from a different angle,

(6) FIG. 9 is a perspective cross-section along the line IX in FIG. 1, and

(7) FIG. 10 is a simplified cross-section corresponding to FIG. 9, but seen directly from the side and with back-ground items removed.

(8) A roof window arrangement in an inclined roof structure including a first roof window 1 located above a second roof window 2 when seen in the direction of inclination of the roof structure is seen in FIG. 1. In addition to the roof windows, it comprises a flashing assembly 3 which includes a middle flashing member 30 extending between the two roof windows, a bottom covering 31 and a cladding 32 on the first window, a cladding 34 on the second window, and side flashing members 35, 36 at the first and second roof windows, respectively. Furthermore, it includes a connector flashing member 33 extending between the middle flashing member 30 and the side flashing member 35 of the first roof window 1 and between the claddings 32, 34 on the two windows.

(9) As is seen in FIG. 2, where side flashing members 35, 36 and the connector flashing member 33 has been removed, the connector flashing member 33 covers a connector element 6, which is attached to a connector bracket 41 interconnecting the mounting brackets 11,21 of the two roof windows 1,2. The attachment of the connector element to the connector bracket may for example be achieved by passing bolts through openings 611 (shown in FIG. 3) in the connector element and through similar aligned openings in the connector bracket.

(10) In FIG. 3, where the bottom covering 31 and the claddings 32,34 have also been removed, the detail marked III in FIG. 2 is seen more clearly.

(11) The middle flashing member 30 comprises a first part 301 having a first edge 3011 located at the first roof window 1 and a second edge 3012 located at the second roof window 2. The middle flashing member thus extends between a bottom frame member 12 of the first roof window 1 and a top frame member (not visible in FIG. 3) of the second roof window 2.

(12) The extend of the second edge 3012 defines a length direction L of the middle flashing assembly.

(13) The middle flashing member 30 further comprises two side edges extending between the first and second edges 3011, 3012. Only one 3013 is seen in FIGS. 1-3 and this side edge has a bent edge 303 serving as an engagement section, which projects into the gutter on the exterior side of the connector element 6. This engagement with the flange 621 defining the longitudinal edges of the gutter prevents the middle flashing member from moving away from the connector element and from moving towards the interior. When the connector flashing member 33 is mounted on top and attached to the tubular attachment element 622, for example by means of a screw, the middle flashing member is further prevented from moving towards the exterior.

(14) Turning now to FIGS. 4-8 an example of the mounting of a flashing assembly by means of a connector element according to the invention is shown.

(15) FIG. 4 shows the connector element 6 mounted on the connector bracket (not visible) as in FIG. 2 and extending between the cladding 32 of the first roof window and the cladding 34 of the second roof window. The mounting bracket 11 and frame 12 of the first roof windows is seen in the background and a cover rail 371 is attached to the top frame member (not visible) of the second roof window.

(16) In FIG. 5 a supporting element 372 has been attached to the top corner of the frame of the second roof window so that is supports the upper end 341 of the cladding 34 and a cover member 373 has been arranged on the exterior side of the cladding 34, so that the upper end 341 is sandwiched between the two. Furthermore, a cover gasket 374 extends along the exterior edge of the cover rail 371 and has a length so that it overlaps with the cover member 373 on the cladding 34. Both the cover member 373 and the cover gasket 374 may be arranged behind attachment sections 63 of the connector element 6 so that they are prevented from moving away from the first roof window.

(17) In FIG. 6 an edge supporting rail 375 has been arranged on one side of the connector element 6 on top of the cover gasket 374 and a side flashing supporting element 376 has been arranged on the other side of the connector element overlapping the cladding support element 372 and the cover member 373. Both the edge supporting rail 375 and the side flashing supporting element 376 are provided with circular openings which have been fitted over the attachment elements 632 of the connector element 6 so that the attachment elements project through the openings.

(18) The edge supporting rail 375 has an L-shaped cross-sectional shape and is arranged with a first leg 3751 of the L extends extending towards the first roof window and the second leg 3752 extending downwards towards the cover rail 371.

(19) In FIG. 7 an edge gasket 377 has been attached to both attachment elements 632 by two openings in the edge gasket fitting over them, so that the edge gasket 377 overlaps the gap between the edge supporting rail 375 and the side flashing supporting element 376. The outer ends of the attachment elements 632 are substantially flush with the outer side of the edge gasket 377.

(20) The edge gasket 377 has an S-shaped cross-section where an upper part of the S hooks over the edge supporting rail 375, while a lower part overlaps the cover rail 371, thus weather-proofing the joint between the edge supporting rail and the cover rail.

(21) In FIG. 8 the middle flashing member 30 has been arranged with the bent edge 301 projecting into the gutter of the connector element 6 as described above and with the second part 302 hooking over the edge supporting rail 375 and the edge gasket 377. The system of rails 371,375 and gaskets 374,377 thus provides a weather-proof connection between the middle flashing member 30 and the second roof window. As is seen, the end section 3770 of the edge gasket 377 extends beyond the middle flashing member in the length direction L.

(22) The middle flashing element 30 too has an opening 304, which in the correctly mounted state is aligned with the left-hand attachment element 632 on the connector element 6. A screw or like fastener (not shown) may be passed through this opening 304 and directly into the elongate receiver 633 of the connector element 6. It is, however, also possible to make the attachment element 632 slightly bigger, so that it also projects through the opening 304 in the middle flashing element, and it may even be provided with barb-like projections (not shown) allowing it to snap out on the outer side of the second part 302 of the middle flashing member.

(23) The side flashing member 35 (shown only in FIG. 1) is provided with a similar opening fitting with the right-hand attachment element 632 and corresponding elongate receiver 633, and the connector flashing member 33 has two openings matching the position of the attachment elements 632 in the same way as described for the second gasket 377. This means that when the connector flashing member 33 has been arranged on top of the middle flashing member 30 and the side flashing member 35, two screws or like fasteners passed through all of the aligned openings are sufficient for securing all three flashing members, the supporting elements, and the gaskets to the connector element 6 and thus indirectly to the load-bearing structure. This provides for a simple, reliable, and cost-efficient attachment of the flashing assembly, and the resilience of the edge gasket may help maintain a tight connection between the connector element 6 and the flashing members 30, 33, 35.

(24) The shape and the position of the edge supporting rail 375 and the edge gasket 377 in relation to the other parts of the roof window assembly is seen more clearly in FIGS. 9 and 10.

(25) Specifically, it is seen that edge supporting rail 375 has a third leg 3753, which extends from the L-shape described above and the cover gasket 374 is attached to this leg by an engagement section of the cover gasket being inserted in a groove at the end of the third leg. The cover gasket 374 is here shown in its uncompressed state, but is will be understood that it will be deformed by the contact with the cover rail 371 in the mounted state.

(26) The cover rail 371 is here composed of three interconnected aluminium profiles, one of which is attached to the top frame member 22 of the second roof window, but it may be embodied differently.

(27) The edge gasket 377 too is shown in its uncompressed state. In the mounted state the section of the lower part 3771, which is here illustrated as coinciding with the cover rail 371, will be pressed slightly upwards in the mounted state so that it abuts on the outer surface of the cover rail.

(28) As is seen the lower part 3771 of the edge gasket fits into a hollow formed by the inwards bend on the cover rail 371 and the inclination of the third leg 3753 of the edge supporting rail 375. This in combination with the tight contact between the lower part 3771 of the edge gasket and the cover rail 371 caused by the elasticity of the edge gasket 377 means that water will be kept away from the joint between the cover rail 371 and the edge supporting rail 375. In this embodiment a weakening in the form of a reduced material thickness defines the bend on the lower part of the edge gasket 377, but the S-shape could also be achieved in other ways.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(29) 1 First roof windows 11 Mounting bracket 12 Bottom frame member 2 Second roof window 21 Mounting bracket 3 Flashing assembly 30 Middle flashing member 301 First part 3011 First edge 3012 Second edge 3013 Side edge 302 Second part 303 Bent edge 304 Opening 31 Bottom covering 32 Cladding 33 Connector flashing member 34 Cladding 35 Side flashing members 36 Side flashing members 371 Cover rail 372 Supporting element 341 Upper end 373 Cover member 374 Cover gasket 375 Edge supporting rail 3751 First leg 3752 Second leg 3753 Third leg 376 Side flashing supporting element 377 Edge gasket 3770 End section 3771 Lower part of edge gasket 41 Connector bracket 6 Connector element 611 Openings 621 Flange 622 Tubular attachment element 63 Attachment section 632 Attachment element 633 Elongate receiver L Length direction