AU2009100264A4 - A Roof Assembly - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT A ROOF ASSEMBLY The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: A ROOF ASSEMBLY 5 TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a roof assembly. The present invention also relates to a roof panel for the roof of a building. In addition, the present invention relates to a gutter for wholly mounting to the underside of a building 10 roof. BACKGROUND The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be 15 taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. Bushfires can result in the destruction of homes and other buildings. Buildings can catch fire when burning embers enter gutters loaded with leaves. 20 Embodiments of the present invention impede the burning of buildings during bushfires. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 25 According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a roof assembly including: a building roof defining one or more drainage apertures; a gutter for wholly mounting beneath the roof in register with the 30 apertures so that rainwater can drain through the apertures and into the gutter. The gutter is wholly mounted beneath the roof and leaves are thereby impeded from entering the gutter. Further, the roof impedes burning embers 2 from entering the concealed gutter to impede the burning of the building during bushfires. The gutter may be mounted between building eves and the outermost edge of 5 the roof. The building roof may include corrugated iron sheet panels or other like sheet material defining peaks and troughs. The apertures may form spaced apart sets, with each set being located in a respective trough of the sheet material. 10 The gutter may include a pair of inwardly extending mounting portions to facilitate mounting to the underside of the roof. The roof assembly may further include a plurality of fasteners (e.g. screws) each extending through a respective peak of the sheet material and through one of the mounting 15 portions. The upper end of the gutter may define two channels in which tails of the fasteners can be located. 20 The roof assembly may further include a hose fitting for mounting to an upper end of the gutter to facilitate hosing out of the gutter. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a roof panel for a building roof, the panel defining drainage apertures located in 25 troughs of the panel and through which rainwater can drain. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gutter for wholly mounting to the underside of a building roof, the gutter including a pair of mounting portions to facilitate mounting of the gutter to the 30 underside of the roof.

3 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient 5 information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows: 10 Figure 1 is a sectional view of a roof assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a partial plan view of the roof assembly of Figure 1; and 15 Figure 3 is an end sectional view of a gutter of the roof assembly of Figure 1; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a roof 20 assembly 2 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Turning to Figure 1, the roof assembly 2 includes a corrugated building roof 4 supported by a wall 6. As can best be seen in Figure 2, the roof 4 defines drainage apertures 8 which form spaced apart sets, with each set being located in a respective trough 10 of the roof 4. Returning to Figure 1, the roof assembly 2 further includes a 25 gutter 12 which is wholly mounted beneath the roof 4 in register with the apertures 8 so that rainwater can drain through the apertures 8 and into the gutter 12. A detailed description of the roof assembly 2 is provided below. As can best be seen in Figure 1, the roof assembly 2 further includes eaves 30 14 mounted adjacent the wall 6 and facia 16 mounted adjacent to the eaves 14. The gutter 12 is wholly mounted beneath the roof 4 between the facia 16 and the free outermost edge of the roof 4. Leaves and burning embers are prevented from entering the concealed gutter 4 and cannot pass through apertures 8, thereby impeding the burning of the building including the roof 4 assembly 2 during bushfires. A plurality of fasteners in the form of screws 18 extend through peaks of the roof 4 and through the gutter 12. Turning to Figure 2, the screws 18 extend through peaks 20 of the corrugated 5 roof 4 on opposite sides of the gutter 12. The roof includes a plurality of corrugated iron sheet panels or other like sheet material panels defining peaks 20 and troughs 10. The gutter 12 is shown in detail in Figure 3. The gutter 12 includes a flat base 10 22, and a major side 24a and minor side 24b extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base 22. The upper end of the gutter 12 defines two channels 26a, 26b (or recesses) in which the tails of the screws 18 are safely located. The gutter 12 defines a pair of inwardly extending mounting portions 28a, 28b for abutting against the underside of the roof 4 during mounting of 15 the gutter 12. In use, the screws 18 each extend through a respective peak of a sheet panel of the roof 4 and through one of the mounting portions 28a, 28b into one of the channels 26a, 26b. The roof assembly 2 further includes a male hose fitting 30 for mounting to an 20 upper end of the gutter 12. In use, a female hose connector can engage with the fitting 30, and the hose can be turned on so that the gutter 12 is flushed wherein any collected debris is washed down a drain pipe at the lower end of gutter 12. 25 A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, the roof 4 included a plurality of corrugated 30 sheet panels. In an alternative embodiment, the corrugated sheets may be replaced by other panels defining peaks and trough such as those sold under the trade marks Trim deckTM or Klip LokTM.

5 As can best be seen in Figure 1, the roof 4 may form an angle of between 5 and 25 degrees with the horizontal, and typically 15 degrees. In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language 5 more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims 10 appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims (5)

1. A roof assembly including: a building roof defining one or more drainage apertures; a gutter for wholly mounting beneath the roof in register with the apertures so that rainwater can drain through the apertures and into the gutter.

2. A roof assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roof defines peaks and troughs, and the apertures form spaced apart sets within respective troughs.

3. A gutter for wholly mounting to the underside of a building roof, the gutter including a pair of mounting portions to facilitate mounting of the gutter to the underside of the roof.

4. A gutter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mounting portions extend inwardly and the gutter defines two recesses in which tails of fasteners can be located.

5. A roof panel for a building roof, the panel defining drainage apertures located in troughs of the panel and through which rainwater can drain. Dated this 2 3 rd day of March 2009 CYRIL JONES by my attorneys Cullen & Co. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys