WO2008030123A1

WO2008030123A1 - A flashing device

Info

Publication number: WO2008030123A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2007/000269
Authority: WO
Inventors: Terry Wells
Original assignee: Terry Wells
Priority date: 2006-09-10
Filing date: 2007-09-10
Publication date: 2008-03-13
Also published as: NZ546119A

Abstract

This invention relates to a weather-proofing flashing device such as flashings used in exterior building elements that penetrate from outside to inside. In particular, a flashing configured to cover a meter box of a building, and characterised in that, part of the flashing is configured to be internally mounted behind a cladding of the building. The flashing has a vertical portion incorporating a mounting means, a second substantially planar elongating portion depending outwards from the base of the vertical portion and, a third portion with an exterior lip.

Description

A FLASHING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a flashing device.

BACKGROUND ART

With the recent controversy concerning the so-called 'leaky building' syndrome, there is perceived to be a need for more effective flashing systems for building constructions in order to prevent or significantly minimise the possibility of damage from the ingress of water and moisture.

There are numerous commercially available flashing materials and systems where many forms of flashing are known.

Traditional flashings were formed from sheets of lead and conformed on site to shapes required. Lead is toxic, heavy, expensive and requires a lot of labour. It is also difficult to have it satisfactorily retain a painted surface. Subsequently, there have been improvements to flashing materials used in the industry.

New Zealand Patent No. 524654 discloses a cover material for a flashing that retains its density after being heavily deformed during mounting. The cover is comprised of a plastically deformable metal mesh or metal plate and an elastomeric layer formed of glue or joint sealant with added silane or amine based adhesive promoters.

New Zealand Patent No. 290455 is construction material especially for use as a flashing comprising a normally planar sheet of unexpanded material, such as aluminium, having a plurality of lines of spaced apart transverse perforations which allow the planar sheet to be malleable and expandable in accommodating a non- planar profile. An expandable waterproofing layer of a material such as polyisobutylene is provided beneath the planar sheet. New Zealand Patent No. 284438 relates to a deformable sheet material consisting at least partly of a sheet metal or metal foil which is corrugated, e.g. by rolling, in continuous wave form in two directions substantially orthogonal to each other. The sheet material may consist of aluminium foil designed as a ribbon or a stamp which prior to the rolling is folded in a longitudinal direction where an intermediate layer, e.g. of aluminium, can be placed between the two material layers.

New Zealand Patent No. 244476 is a lead free flashing with a sandwiched or layered structure and has a stress damping and stabilising layer of ductile material and a metallic foil sheeting.

These flashing materials can be used for a wide number of applications as they are non-specific to cover many scenarios where flashings are required in the building industry.

However, this is the disadvantage of these materials as they require the flashings to be cut, moulded, or fabricated on site to suit the job in question. This is time consuming, expensive and sometimes ineffective due to irregular workmanship resulting in multiple gaps and leaks.

Another disadvantage of fabricating flashings on site not designed for a specific application is the waste of material.

These disadvantages have led to specific flashings being developed in the industry.

For example, a saddle flashing disclosed in New Zealand Patent No. 537553 is a flashing that sits on a timber member and is suitable for waterproofing timber members such as deck railings that penetrate a building envelope from outside to inside.

Soaker flashings are for inserting under the corners of fabricated metal joinery such as a window frame. New Zealand Patent No. 509711 discloses such a flashing which is fastened and has a recessed portion and a tongue which enable drainage of any moisture that may penetrate through corner joints or screw fastenings of such joinery.

There are a number of specific roof flashings in the industry such as New Zealand Patent No. 333714 and New Zealand Patent No. 211849 which disclose flashing devices for sealing the point where a pipe passes through a roof surface including a resilient sleeve bonded to a deformable metal base. The sleeve is conical in shape and can be cut to seal tightly round a range of pipe sizes.

However, the flashing devices above and other prior art documents do not offer a suitable weather-proofing solution for an exterior protrusion of a building such as an electricity or gas meter box.

An electricity or gas meter box is an essential requirement to house the components which monitor the utilities of a building.

These boxes are required to be accessed by utility companies and subsequently are often located and mounted as an exterior protrusion of a building. Therefore, they are subjected to environmental conditions such as sun, wind and rain.

This can lead to weather damage such as cracked or frayed wiring leading to hazardous situations such as electrical shorting.

Also, water can enter the area where this exterior protrusion is attached to the building creating damp rot, mildew and mould to the building materials. This can lead to water damage and 'leaky building' syndrome.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a flashing device which is simple and cost effective to manufacture and suitably protects this type of exterior protrusion.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at provide the public with a useful choice. All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning - i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term 'comprised' or 'comprising' is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a flashing configured to cover an exterior protrusion of a building, and

characterised in that,

part of the flashing is configured to be internally mounted behind a cladding of the building.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a flashing which has a vertical portion incorporating a mounting means,

a second substantially planar elongating portion depending outwards from the base of the vertical portion and,

a third portion with an exterior lip.

Throughout the present specification the term 'flashing' should be understood to mean a weather-proofing device which prevents the ingress of water to a building.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of flashing an exterior protrusion of a building,

characterised by the steps of:

a) configuring the flashing so that it covers the exterior protrusion of the building; and

b) internally mounting part of the flashing behind a cladding of the building.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the flashing is pre-formed and manufactured from polyvinylchloride (PVC). The advantages of a thermoplastic material such as PVC is that it is rigid with a degree of flexibility that offers lightweight strength.

This material is able to be moulded and pre-formed into the required shape which allows ease of manufacture. This enables the flashing device to be manufactured in a high volume with a cost effective price.

However, this should not been as a limitation of the present invention. Other embodiments of the flashing material may include tin, aluminium, fibreglass, plastic, composite or any other such material.

Throughout the body of this specification the term 'exterior protrusion' should be understood to mean an article that is either mounted or located on and protrudes out of the exterior of the building.

In preferred embodiments an exterior protrusion may include an electricity meter box, a gas meter box or any other such exterior protrusion.

The exterior protrusion may only protrude partially out of the exterior of the building. For example, an electricity meter box that is partially mounted into the interior of a building, but protrudes out towards the exterior.

There are a number of advantages associated with part of the flashing configured to be internally mounted behind the cladding of the building.

First, it prevents the ingress of water from the outside of the cladding to the interior framework and wall cavities of the buildings.

Often water can enter an exterior protrusion creating damp rot, mildew and mould to the building materials. This can lead to water damage and 'leaky building' syndrome.

This can impact on the structural integrity of the building often leading to costly repairs. For example, the interior and exterior need to be prised open for inspection and sometimes it is difficult to ascertain exactly where the location of the water is entering the building.

Furthermore, water entering a building creates a damp atmosphere leading to an unhealthy environment for the occupants of the building.

Secondly, having an internally mounted portion enables the flashing to be partially concealed from the exterior cladding of the building. This provides enhanced aesthetic appeal not withstanding the functional benefits outlined above.

The flashing is configured to be internally mounted behind any cladding material used for the outside facing of a building.

In preferred embodiments the cladding material may include weatherboard manufactured from timber.

However, this should not be seen as a limitation on the embodiments envisaged for this invention. Other embodiments envisaged include brick, insuclad and prefabricated panelling such as Hardie Plank™ or any other such material.

The advantage of a vertical portion of the flashing is that it allows the device to be concealed within the cladding of the building while providing an optional mounting means.

In preferred embodiments of the invention the mounting means may be formed by a series of spaced apart perforations. Each perforation is designed for an external securing device to engage.

In preferred embodiments the perforations are 3 mm in diameter and spaced apart every 100 mm.

However, this should not be seen as a limitation on the embodiments envisaged for this invention. Any other size and spaces of perforations can easily be conceived. The perforations may be holes that are drilled or punched out during the manufacturing process.

The advantage of multiple perforations is that it allows a number of mounting positions for the flashing device. The device can be easily configured to mount on any building structure for ease and variety of installation options. For example, the framework of a building.

Throughout the body of this specification the term 'external securing device' should be understood to mean a device which attaches the flashing device to the internal component of the building.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention a clout will be inserted directly into the flashing or perforation. Other embodiments envisaged may include screws, rivets, dynabolts, an industrial adhesive or any other such securing device known in the art.

The second portion of a flashing is substantially planar and this provides a flat surface for the water to run off the exterior protrusion.

In preferred embodiments the planar surface is tilted at a relative angle of 8° to 12° upwards from the horizontal when mounted to allow water to run off and prevent water from remaining on top of the exterior protrusion.

The planar surface elongates outwards from the base of the vertical portion providing a continuous flashing for weather protection between the interior and exterior of a building. This long and narrow portion also covers the top of the exterior protrusion.

The third portion, an integrated external lip provides an additional weather seal between a door and the top of the exterior protrusion.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, there may be additional components that can be attached to the flashing. These include jamb and sill component flashings.

Throughout the body of the specification the term 'jamb' is defined as a vertical side member of the flashing and 'sill' is defined as the horizontal piece along the outside lower portion of the exterior protrusion.

In preferred embodiments the jamb and sill components are manufactured by the same method and from the same material as the flashing device. For example, they may be moulded from PVC with the inclusion of perforations for mounting.

The jamb and sill components provide additional weather protection from the elements by covering the side and sill of the external protrusion.

In preferred embodiments the jamb and sill components are attached by clouts inserted directly into the components or the perforations. Other embodiments envisaged include glue or weather-proofing adhesives such as All Clear™ manufactured by Selleys, New Zealand or Fix All MS Sealant manufactured by Holdfast Manufacturing Limited, New Zealand.

In further preferred embodiments Gator P.E.F Rod manufactured by Holdfast Manufacturing Limited, New Zealand may be inserted into the lugs of the jamb and sill components.

The P.E.F. Rod may be foam and applied in combination with a sealant such as Fix All MS Sealant manufactured by Holdfast Manufacturing Limited, New Zealand, which provides a watertight seal between the exterior protrusion and the jamb and sill components.

There are a number of advantages associated with this flashing device.

It is specifically designed, pre-moulded and pre-manufactured for an exterior protrusion of a building, in particular a meter box. This allows the flashing to be installed without the flashing required to be cut, moulded or fabricated on site. Manufacturing on site is labour intensive, time consuming, expensive and often ineffective due to irregular workmanship leading to leaks and a waste of material.

The flashing is able to be moulded from readily assessable materials such as PVC. This enables the flashing to be manufactured with a high volume and at a cost effective price.

One of the features is that it contains multiple perforations. The advantage of multiple perforations is that it allows a number of mounting positions for the flashing device. The device can be easily configured to mount on any building structure for ease of installation, for example the framework of a building.

A part of the flashing is able to be internally mounted behind the cladding of the building. This not only prevents the ingress of water from the outside cladding to the interior framework in the wall cavities of a building, but it enables the flashing to be partially concealed from the exterior cladding of the building. This provides enhanced aesthetic appeal.

A further advantage of this flashing is that it offers a total weather-proofing solution for meter boxes and the like. It covers the top of the exterior protrusion and also can be bought pre-packaged with complementary jamb and sill components.

The jamb and sill components provide additional weather protection from the elements by covering the side and sill of the exterior protrusion.

This prevents water entering the building through the exterior protrusion which can create damp rot, mildew and mould to the building materials. This can lead to water damage and 'leaky building' syndrome which impacts on the structural integrity of the building. This damage is costly to repair. Furthermore, this flashing protects the contents of the exterior protrusion i.e. electricity or gas meter components.

It prevents these components being subjected to the environmental conditions of sun, wind, snow and rain which can cause cracked or frayed wiring leading to hazardous situations such as electrical shorting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 : shows a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the head of the flashing;

Figure 2: shows a diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a side profile of the top of the flashing above a meter box;

Figure 3: shows a diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention, positions of the head, jamb and sill flashing components;

Figure 4: shows a diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an end profile of the sill component; and

Figure 5: shows a diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an end profile of the jamb component. BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The flashing and components are manufactured from PVC material and are injection moulded.

With reference to figure 1 , there is provided a perspective view of the head component of the flashing (1 ) with optional perforations (2), 3 mm in diameter and spaced 100 mm apart.

Figure 2 shows a side profile of the head component of the flashing mounted above a meter box (3) with depth 195 mm and door (4). This is inserted behind the cladding of the building. The cladding is then installed to this section of the building.

The head flashing component consists of three portions. A vertical portion (5) with an optional mounting means i.e. perforations (2). A clout is inserted into these perforations or directly into the vertical portion (5) and secured to a 90 mm by 45 mm nog (6).

A second substantially planar elongating portion 107 mm (7) depending outwards there from the base of the vertical portion (5) provides a flat surface for the water to run off the top of the meter box (3).

The planar surface is tilted at an angle from 8° to 12° upwards to allow water to run off and prevent it from remaining on top of the meter box (3).

The third portion, an external lip 12 mm (8) provides an additional weather seal between the door (4) and the top of the meter box (3).

The entire head component of the flashing is manufactured and moulded out of PVC material with support lugs (9). This moulding technique incorporates injection moulding, an industrial process well known to a person skilled in the art. Figure 3 outlines the position of the head flashing Z, the jamb Y and sill X components in relation to the meter box. However, the components are not shown for clarity.

Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Namely, the end profile of the sill component with length 90 mm and width 40 mm. A foam Gator P. E. F Rod manufactured by Holdfast Manufacturing Limited, New Zealand (10) is inserted onto a lug (11) before applying Fix All MS Sealant manufactured by Holdfast Manufacturing Limited, New Zealand (12) which provides a watertight seal underneath the sill of the meter box. This component is also installed behind the cladding of the building and secured with clouts.

Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Namely, the end profile of the jamb component with length 50 mm and width 40 mm. It contains 10 mm lugs (13) to provide support against the side of the meter box (3). It is secured with clouts and meets the head flashing and sill component to provide complete weather protection.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A flashing configured to cover a meter box of a building, and

characterised in that,

2. A flashing as claimed in claim 1 which has a vertical portion incorporating a mounting means,

a third portion with an exterior Np.

3. A flashing as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the flashing is pre-formed.

4. A flashing as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 3 wherein the mounting means is a series of spaced apart perforations configured to engage with an external securing means.

5. A flashing as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the second substantially planar elongating portion is tilted at a relative angle of 8° to 12° from the horizontal when mounted

6. A kitset which includes a flashing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 and jamb and sill component flashings.

7. A kitset as claimed in claim 6, wherein the jamb and sill components are configured to cover a side and sill of the meter box.

8. A method of flashing a meter box of a building, characterised by the steps of:

a) configuring the flashing so that it covers the meter box of the building; and

b) internally mounting part of the flashing behind a cladding of the building.

9. A flashing substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of flashing a meter box of a building substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

11. A kitset including a flashing substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.