Flashing member and a method for making a flashing member

Abstract

A flashing member (30, 32, 33) for a roof window (1) and a method for making a flashing member is disclosed. The flashing member is made from a sheet material and comprises an elongate main element (301) and at least one end element (302), attached to the main element (301) at one end by a folded seam connection (303). The main element (301) comprises a first section (3011) extending along a length axis (L) and a height axis (H) of the flashing member, and a second section (3012) extending along the length axis and a width axis (W). The main element (301) is made from an aluminium alloy having elongation at break of at least 6% and the end element (302) is made from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of at least 12%.

Claims

1. A flashing member for a roof window comprising a frame, said frame comprising a plurality of frame members including a top frame member, a bottom frame member, and two side frame members, said plurality of frame members delimiting a frame opening and each of said plurality of frame members having an outer side facing away from the frame opening, where said flashing member is formed from a sheet material, where said flashing member comprises an elongate main element having two ends and at least one end element, where the elongate main element comprises a first section extending along a length axis and a height axis of the flashing member, and a second section extending along the length axis and a width axis of the flashing member, said length axis extending between the two ends of the elongate main element, and where the at least one end element is attached to the main element at one end and connected to the first section and the second section by a folded seam connection, the elongate main element is formed from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of at least 6% and that the at least one end element is formed from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of at least 12% and larger than the elongation at break of the elongate main element.

2. The flashing member according to claim 1, where the elongate main element is formed from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of 6-24% and that the at least one end element is formed from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of 12-32%.

3. The flashing member according to claim 1, where the elongate main element is formed from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of at least 15% and that the at least one end element is formed from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of at least 30%.

4. The flashing member according to claim 1, where the folded seam connection is a flat lock seam.

5. The flashing member according to claim 4, where each of the at least one end element and the elongate main element comprises a bent edge, where said bent edges hook into each other, and where the flat lock seam has been compressed so that the bent edges are pressed firmly against each other.

6. The flashing member according to claim 1, where height axis and the width axis are substantially perpendicular to each other, and the first section and the second section extend in directions that are substantially perpendicular to each other.

7. The flashing member according to claim 1, where the elongate main element further comprises a planar third section extending between the first section and the second section, said planar third section extending along the length axis and at an angle to both the first section and the second section.

8. The flashing member according to claim 7, where the planar third section extends at angles of at least 110 degrees, with respect to the first section and the second section.

9. The flashing member according to claim 7, further comprising at least one of: a fourth section extending from an edge of the first section opposite the planar third section, said fourth section being configured for engaging with an exterior side of a frame member in the mounted state, a fifth section extending from an edge of the fourth section opposite the first section, such that the first section, the fourth section and the fifth section form a right-angled U-shape, a reinforcement element configured for being mounted at an interior side of the first section, a sixth section extending from an edge of the second section opposite the planar third section, and a skirt element attached to the sixth section or the second section.

10. The flashing member according to claim 1, where the flashing member is configured for use as a bottom flashing member mounted at the bottom frame member of the roof window mounted in an inclined roof.

11. The flashing member according to claim 10, where a skirt element extends in continuation of the second section.

12. The flashing member according to claim 1, where the sheet material is sheet metal.

13. The flashing member according to claim 1, where a total height of the elongate main element along the height axis is 25-60 mm.

14. A roof window mounted in an inclined roof structure, where a flashing member according to claim 1 is mounted at the bottom frame member of the roof window, below the roof window when seen in a direction of inclination of the inclined roof structure.

15. A method for making a flashing member for a roof window comprising a frame, said frame comprising a plurality of frame members including a top frame member, a bottom frame member, and two side frame members, and said plurality of frame members delimiting a frame opening, each of said plurality of frame members having an outer side facing away from the frame opening, said method comprising the steps of: A) providing a first piece of sheet material and a second piece of sheet material, B) forming an elongate main element having two ends from the first piece of sheet material, such that the elongate main element comprises a first section extending along a length axis and a height axis of the flashing member, and a second section extending along the length axis and a width axis of the flashing member, said length axis extending between the two ends of the elongate main element, C) forming an end element from the second piece of sheet material, D) attaching the end element to the elongate main element at one end of the elongate main element by a folded seam connection, thereby connecting the end element to the first section and the second section, the elongate main element is formed from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of at least 6% and that the end element is formed from an aluminium alloy having an elongation at break of at least 12%.

16. The method according to claim 15, where step D) comprises the steps of: D1) folding an edge flange of the second piece of sheet material into a hook shape and engaging said edge flange of the second piece of sheet material with an edge flange of the first piece of sheet material, and D2) folding said edge flanges onto the first piece of sheet material thereby forming the folded seam connection.

17. The method according to claim 16, where step D) comprises the step of: D3) compressing the folded seam connection into a flat lock seam by pressing in a direction perpendicular to the length axis.

18. The method according to claim 15, where step B) comprises forming a planar third section extending between the first section and the second section by bending the first piece of sheet material twice along two parallel lines, so that said planar third section extends along the length axis and at an angle to both the first section and the second section.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising one or more of the steps of: E) forming a fourth section extending from an edge of the first section opposite the planar third section by bending the first piece of sheet material, F) forming a fifth section extending from an edge of the fourth section opposite the first section by bending the first piece of sheet material, such that the first section, the fourth section and the fifth section form a right-angled U-shape, G) attaching a reinforcement element at an interior side of the first section, H) forming a sixth section extending from an edge of the second section opposite the planar third section by bending the first piece of sheet material, I) attaching a skirt element to the sixth section.

20. The flashing member according to claim 7, where the planar third section extends at angles of at least 120 degrees, with respect to the first section and the second section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0043] In the following description embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the schematic drawings, in which

[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roof window mounted in an inclined roof structure with a flashing assembly;

[0045] FIG. 2 is enlargement of the section marked II in FIG. 1;

[0046] FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 1, but showing only the flashing assembly and with sealing elements removed;

[0047] FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 2, but showing only the flashing assembly and with sealing elements removed;

[0048] FIG. 5 is a perspective partial view of a bottom flashing member, at the position marked V in FIG. 4;

[0049] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

[0050] FIG. 7 is a top view as indicated by the arrow VII in FIG. 5;

[0051] FIG. 8 shows a cross-section along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 4;

[0052] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a reinforcement element; and

[0053] FIG. 10 corresponds to FIG. 8, only seen from a slightly different angle and further showing a bottom frame member of a roof window and an insulating frame.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0054] Referring initially to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a roof window 1 is shown mounted in an inclined roof structure 2, also referred to as a pitched roof structure, with a flashing assembly 3 covering the joint between the roof window and the roof structure. The roof structure is pitched with a downward direction of inclination D and comprises rafters 21, an underroof 22, counter-battens 23, and laths 24. The roof structure and the flashing assembly are here configured for use with an undulated roofing material (not shown), such as tiles. The roofing material will be supported by the laths, and the bottom flashing member 30 of the flashing assembly is connected to a skirt element 31 configured for extending over the roof material underneath the roof window. On the side flashing members 32 and the top flashing member 33, sealing elements 34 are provided for closing a gap between the flashing assembly 3 and the roofing material.

[0055] As better seen in FIG. 2, and in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 where the sealing elements 34 on side flashing members 32 have been removed, the bottom flashing member 30 comprises an elongate main element 301 and two end elements 302, one at each end of the main element as seen along a length axis L. The end elements overlap with the side flashing members 32 and the skirt element 31 extends over the total length of the main element and two corner elements, so that water draining off the side flashing members will be lead over the end elements onto the skirt element, from where it may drain off onto the roof structure underneath the roof window.

[0056] In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 the main element 301 of the bottom flashing member 30 has been shown as transparent, so that a reinforcement element 35 located on the interior side of the main element is visible. The reinforcement element will be described in more detail below.

[0057] The shape of the main element 301 of the bottom flashing member 30 is seen in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, which show a section of the righthand end of the bottom flashing member 30, corresponding to the position marked V in FIG. 4, and a cross-section along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5. In these figures, the roof window, the roof structure, and all other parts of the flashing assembly have been removed, so that only the main element 301 and the righthand end element 302 are seen.

[0058] The main element 301 comprises a first section 3011 extending along the length axis L and a height axis H, a second section 3012 extending along the length axis and a width axis W, and a planar third section 3013 extending between the first section and the second section, along the length axis and at an angle to both the first section and the second section. The third section thus also extends at an angle to the height axis H and to the width axis W.

[0059] In the embodiment in FIG. 6, the height axis H and the width axis W extend at an angle of 83 degrees to each other, the angle between the first section 3011 and the third section 3013 is 135 degrees, and the angle between the third section 3013 and the second section 3012 is 128 degrees.

[0060] The total height h of the main element along the height axis H is in this embodiment approximately 40 mm and the height of the first section 3011 and the width of the second section 3012 along the width axis W are each approximately 20 mm. It is to be understood that these dimension may vary depending on the intended use of the flashing member and that the relative dimensions, such as the width of the second section relative to the height of the first section, may also be different than shown, for example to facilitate the attachment of a skirt as will be described below. The same applies to the angles mentioned above, and the need for changing a dimension may result in a change in one or both angles between sections or vice versa.

[0061] In addition to the first, second, and third sections, the main element 301 here further comprises a fourth section 3014 extending from an edge of the first section 3011 opposite the third section, a fifth section 3015 extending from an edge of the fourth section opposite the first section, and a sixth section 3016 extending from an edge of the second section opposite the third section. All are made from one piece of sheet metal and are separated from each other by bends. The function of the fourth, fifth, and sixth section will be described in further detail below.

[0062] The joint between the main element 301 and the righthand end element 302 is embodied as a folded seam connection 303, which is shown from above in FIG. 7. On the main element 301 an edge has been bent such that an edge flange 3017 extends back along the main body 3018 of the element forming a hook shape. On the end element 302 an edge has been bent twice, such that an edge flange 3027 extends back towards the main body 3028, at a 90 degrees angle to the main body, and forming a hook shape engaging with the hook shape on the main element 301. The folded seam connection shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 has been formed by the following sequence of steps:

[0063] Bending the edge flange 3017 of the main element 301 so that it extends at 90 degrees relative to the main body 3018;

[0064] Bending the edge flange 3027 of the end element 302 so that it extends at 180 degrees relative to the main body 3028, forming a hook shape; Hooking the end element 302 onto the edge flange 3017 of the main element 301, such that the edge flanges 3017, 3027 extend in parallel and adjacent to each other; and

[0065] Folding both edge flanges 3017, 3027 onto the main body 3018 of the main element thereby forming the folded seam connection as shown in FIG. 7.

[0066] The folded seam connection 303 shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 may be transformed into a flat lock seam by pressing in a direction perpendicular to the length axis as indicated by the arrow P. When doing so, the sheet material of the main element 301 and the sheet material of the end element 302 will be compressed and brought into tight contact with each other, eliminating the space 3031 seen in FIG. 7. This compression with result in a stronger connection, as friction between the main element 301 and the end element 302 will prevent them from moving in relation to each other, and the absence of a space between them will contribute to an increased watertightness.

[0067] It is to be understood that the lefthand end element can be connected to the main element in the same way as described above, but that it is does not need to be the case and/or that the end elements may be embodied differently. It is also possible to have a flashing member with an end element only at one end, for example if it is to be used in a group of roof windows mounted closely adjacent to each other.

[0068] In FIG. 8 the main element 301 in FIG. 6 is shown with a reinforcement element 35 at the interior of the first section 3011 and a skirt element 31 attached at the second section 3012, extending in continuation thereof.

[0069] The reinforcement element 35, which is shown in FIG. 9, has the overall shape of an L with a first leg 351 extending along the first section 3011 in the mounted state and a second leg 352 extending along the fourth section 3014. In the mounted state shown in FIG. 10, the first leg extends along an outer side 111 of a frame member 11 of the frame of the roof window, here a bottom frame member, and holes 354 are provided so that the reinforcement element can be attached to the frame member using screws or like fasteners. The second leg 352 rest on the exterior side 112 of the frame member 11, i.e. the side facing the exterior in the mounted state of the roof window, and thus determines how deep in the roof structure the flashing member 30 reaches. In this embodiment the reinforcement element 35 further comprises a shorter third leg 353, which engages with a groove 113 in the outer side 111 of the frame member. The third leg may help in positioning the flashing member 30 correctly during mounting and may help to prevent that the flashing member is lifted off the frame member once mounted, for example under the influence of wind suction. The length of the second leg 352 corresponds to the distance between the first section 3011 and the fifth section 3015 of the main element 301, which form a right-angled U-shape together with the fourth section 3014, so that the bottom flashing member can hook onto the reinforcement element 35 as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10. The unit consisting of the main element 301 and the reinforcement element 35 is stronger and stiffer than the main element 301 alone, giving the bottom flashing member a better resistance to wind loads, particularly to wind suction.

[0070] As is best seen in FIG. 6, the fifth section 3015 is here formed from two layers of the sheet material bent onto each other, where the interior layer 30151 is shorter than the exterior layer 30152, so that a recess is formed between the interior layer and the fourth section 3014. This allows the bottom flashing member 30 to snap onto the reinforcement element 35, the edge of the second 352 leg of the reinforcement element opposite the first leg 351 engaging with the recess. The fifth section may, however, also be a simple one-layer edge flange.

[0071] Likewise, the shorter third leg 353 of the reinforcement element 35 is here shown as made from two layers of sheet material to provide strength and stiffness, but could also be a one-layer edge flange.

[0072] The reinforcement element 35 shown is considerably shorter along the length axis L than the main element 301. A longer reinforcement element would provide more strength in the mounted state, but could also make mounting more difficult.

[0073] It would also be possible to mount the bottom flashing member 30 without the reinforcement element 35. In that case the fourth section 3014 of the main element 301 would rest directly on the exterior side 112 of the frame member 11, or the first section 3011 could be attached to the outer side 111 the frame member 11 using screws or like fasteners as described with reference to the reinforcement member above. In the latter case, the main element could be without the fourth section.

[0074] The sixth section 3016 of the main element 301 is used for the attachment of the skirt element 31 as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10. The sixth section 3016 forms a hook shape together with the second section 3012, and the skirt element also has a bent edge 311 forming a hook shape. These two hook shapes engage with each other and may be pressed more tightly together than shown to establish a firm connection. Alternatively, or additionally, an adhesive or sealing (not shown) may be provided between them.

[0075] As seen in FIG. 10 a space 4 is present between the bottom flashing member 30 and an insulating frame 5 arranged at the outer side 111 of the bottom frame member 11. This space may give room for component of the roof structure or for additional insulating material.

[0076] The slight upward inclination of the sixth section 3016 also explained with reference to FIG. 6 may facilitate connection to the skirt member 31, but in the embodiment shown it corresponds to the inclination of the parts of the end elements 302 extending from the ends of the side flashing members 32 to the skirt member 31, as is best seen in FIG. 4. As is well known to the skilled person, this inclination will depend on how deep the roof window is mounted in the roof structure and the kind of roofing material to be used. Had the flashing assembly 3 been intended for use with a flat roofing material, such as slate, the inclination would not have been necessary, and the first section 301 and the second section 302 of the main element could have been perpendicular to each other.

[0077] The flashing assembly 3 shown in the drawing is configured for being made entirely from aluminium alloy 3003, temper H41 whereas at least some elements of the applicant prior art flashing assemblies have been made from the more ductile aluminium alloy 8011, containing less manganese and more iron and silicon.

[0078] The reinforcement element 35 may be made from the same aluminium alloy, and so may the outer parts of the skirt element 31.

[0079] Above the flashing member has primarily been described with reference to a bottom flashing member 30, but could also be a top flashing member 33 or possibly a side flashing member 32, even though end elements are most commonly used on top and bottom flashing members. The relative dimensions of the first, second, and third sections might then be different, and the fourth, fifth and sixth sections might be embodied differently or not be present. In case of a top flashing member 33 the second section would be considerably longer than the second section 302 shown in the drawing, so that it could extend up underneath a roof material above the roof window 1, or a flat sixth section extending in continuation of the second section could be provided. In case of a side flashing member 32, the sixth section would replace the outer section 321 on which the sealing element 34 is located in FIG. 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0080] 1 Roof window [0081] 11 Bottom frame member [0082] 111 Outer side [0083] 112 Exterior side [0084] 113 Groove [0085] 2 Roof structure [0086] 21 Rafter [0087] 22 Underroof [0088] 23 Counter-battens [0089] 24 Lath [0090] 3 Flashing assembly [0091] 30 Bottom flashing member [0092] 301 Main element [0093] 3011 First section [0094] 3012 Second section [0095] 3013 Third section [0096] 3014 Fourth section [0097] 3015 Fifth section [0098] 30151 Interior layer [0099] 30152 Exterior layer [0100] 3016 Sixth section [0101] 3017 Edge flange [0102] 3018 Main body [0103] 302 End element [0104] 3027 Edge flange [0105] 3028 Main body [0106] 303 Folded seam connection [0107] 3031 Space [0108] 31 Skirt element [0109] 311 Bent edge [0110] 32 Side flashing member [0111] 321 Outer section [0112] 33 Top flashing member [0113] 34 Sealing element [0114] 35 Reinforcement element [0115] 351 First leg [0116] 352 Second leg [0117] 353 Third leg [0118] 354 Hole [0119] 4 Space [0120] 5 Insulating frame [0121] L Length axis [0122] H Height axis [0123] W Width axis [0124] D Direction of inclination [0125] P Pressure