When different weather screening building com- ponents are to be connected with each other, it is important that tightness against weather conditions is secured, also at the junction points between the components.

When installing e. g. roof-penetrating struc- tures such as roof windows in inclined roof struc- tures, it is thus important to provide as tight a transition as possible between the actual window and the surrounding roof covering.

This is normally obtained by connecting a flashing to the frame of the window where, in case of a rectangular window with the frame side portions ex- tending in the direction of inclination of the roof at each side portion, such a flashing comprises a side flashing made as a substantially L-shaped sheet member with a first leg extending upwards along the frame side portion concerned and a second leg pro- truding perpendicularly hereon in the plane of the roof surface.

With a view to providing a sealing transition between the second leg of the side flashing and the

surrounding roof covering, an element of the kind mentioned in the introduction is usually used, where, in a mounted position, said element is connected to the flashing, e. g. by gluing the bottom surface of the element to the protruding leg of the side flash- ing. After connecting the flashing to the frame of the window, the roof covering is put on top of the actual flashing and thus over the sealing elements of the side flashing. In case of profiled roof covering material such as roof tiles with varying cross- sectional shapes, it is necessary that the sealing element has a relatively large extent in the height direction, so that a sealing transition is also es- tablished even if the element is located under the highest part of the profiling. On the other hand, this implies that when placing the element differ- ently relative to the profiling, an unwanted deforma- tion of the element will occur, which will possibly entail that grooves are created where water and other types of precipitation can penetrate and seep through to the roof structure located under the roof cover- ing. In order to avoid this, the element is cut to size in the height direction dependent on the loca- tion relative to the profiling. As this cutting is bound to take place in the actual fitting position, the working conditions can possibly entail that this is not always done accurately, particularly in case of long windows with corresponding long sealing ele- ments.

On this background, it is the object of the in- vention to provide an element of the kind described in the introduction, where said element is univer- sally applicable and makes it possible to obtain im-

proved tightness and at the same time to facilitate the work routine in connection with the adaptation to the shape of the individual roof covering.

This object is obtained with such an element which is characterized by said element being provided with at least one weakening portion in the longitudi- nal direction of said element and situated at a dis- tance from said first portion.

In this way, the element can in a simple manner be adapted to the profiling of e. g. roof tiles by cutting or tearing superfluous parts away along such a weakening portion and thereby reducing the height of the element.

Even though the element may be used universally in weather screening building components, a preferred embodiment is characterized in that the element is designed to provide a sealing transition between a flashing surrounding a roof-penetrating structure, and a surrounding roof covering.

In one embodiment of the invention, each weak- ening portion comprises a slit emanating from a wall surface of the element. If the slit or the slits are provided on an external wall surface, the element can be bent, and thereby the cut-off of the top part of the element is made easier.

Preferably the slits extend substantially par- allel to said first portion, which provides a good abutting surface against the second building compo- nent situated above the element.

In order to further facilitate the cutting-off, the slits can extend along mainly half of the cross section of the element.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, each at

least one weakening portion comprises at least one cavity which is preferably situated at a distance from each external wall surface of the element.

In a further embodiment, the element has such a cross section that the side surfaces emanating from the first portion converge upwards in the height di- rection. Apart from making the actual cutting or tearing easier, it becomes easier for the top part of the element to adapt to the shape of the other build- ing component due to the smaller amount of material.

With a view to making it possible to adapt the height of the element more accurately, there can be two or more longitudinal weakening portions located at a mutual distance between the first and the second portion. If these weakening portions are designed as slits, they preferably emanate from the same wall surface of the element.

The element is preferably made from a flexible, elastic and preferably compressible material in order to provide as good an abutment as possible against the roof covering.

In the following, the invention will be de- scribed in further detail with reference to the sche- matic drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an element in a first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of an element in a second embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3 shows a sectional view through a roof penetrating roof structure with a flashing and an element according to the invention.

The element shown in Fig. 1 and generally des- ignated 1 has a substantially elongated shape and a

pre-defined cross section which is substantially uni- form in the shown embodiment. The element is designed with a first portion in the form of a bottom surface 2 adapted to abut on a first building component, in the described embodiment a flashing, and furthermore has two external wall surfaces in the form of side surfaces 3 and 4 as well as a top surface 5 which constitutes a second portion of the element. The cross section of the element 1 is in the embodiment shown mainly trapezoidal, as the side surfaces 3,4 emanating from the bottom surface 2 converge upwards in the height direction and end in a top surface 5 which is narrow in comparison to the bottom surface 2. The element 1 is preferably made from a flexible, elastic and compressible material i. e. a soft foam plastic.

As shown in Fig. 3, with its bottom surface 2 the element 1 is, in a mounted position, fixed to a protruding leg 10 of a substantially L-shaped flash- ing rail 9. The fixation of the element 1 can take place in any suitable way, i. e. by affixing double adhesive tape to the bottom surface 2 of the element 1, said tape being covered by a covering foil when delivered. The flashing rail 9 makes up part of a flashing arrangement which aims at providing a sub- stantially weatherproof transition between a roof- penetrating structure 11, e. g. the frame of a roof window, and a second building component in the form of a surrounding roof covering 13,14. The flashing arrangement may be formed as an entire frame con- structed from differently shaped parts. The L-shaped flashing rail 9 is overlapped at the top end by a metal cap 12, which creates a screen against the

weather for the roof-penetrating structure.

When installing a roof-penetrating structure in an existing roof, the roof covering at the building- in position is removed prior to mounting the actual structure and the surrounding flashing. At the subse- quent re-establishing of the roof covering, it will normally be necessary to adapt the shape of the indi- vidual parts in order to secure a suitably sized overlap between the roof covering and the flashing.

In principle, the same circumstances apply when in- stalling roof-penetrating structures in new roofs or when completely renovating a roof structure.

As suggested in Fig. 3, which shows a roof cov- ering made from roof tiles 13,14, the roof tile 13 located closest to the structure 11 is cut to size in the longitudinal direction. In order to adapt the height of the element 1 to the profiling of the roof covering, the element 1 is provided with a number of longitudinal weakening portions located at a distance from the bottom surface 2.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the weaken- ing portions are designed as two slits 6,7 emanating from one of the side surfaces 3 of the element and extending approx. half-way through the cross section of the element 1. The slits 6,7 are preferably paral- lel to one another and to the bottom surface 2, and in the embodiment shown, they are positioned such that the lower slit 6 is situated at a relatively short distance form the bottom surface 2, while the upper slit 7 is situated approx. in the middle of the extension of the side surface 3 in the height direc- tion. In the state shown in Fig. 3, the element 1 is thus cut along the upper slit 7. As the element 1 is

furthermore made from a deformable material, the up- per section of the remaining part of the element 1 is adapted to the profiling of the roof tile by abutment on the portion 13a.

In the following, an alternative embodiment of element will be described with reference to Fig. 2.

Elements with the same or analogue function as in the embodiment in fig. 1 carry the same reference numer- als with the addition of'.

In this embodiment, each of the three weakening portions 6', 7', 8'are designed as a cavity extend- ing in the longitudinal direction of the element. In the embodiment shown, each cavity 6', 7', 8'has a substantially oblong cross-sectional shape with rounded edges, but other shapes are possible, just as it is an option to shape each weakening portion as a row of cavities located next to one another. In the embodiment shown, the cavities have a size such that the outer edges hereof are situated at a distance from the side surfaces 3'and 4'of the element. The cavities can furthermore be provided with one or more actual slits (not shown), extending from the cavity and outwards at a random angle against an external wall surface of the element. The external wall sur- faces can furthermore be provided with markings to indicate the location of the cavities.

The longitudinal weakening portion can be shaped in ways other than the slits and cavities shown and described. The element can thus be made with portions having a smaller material thickness or made from a material with a lower density than the remaining material, just as the number of weakening portions and the mutual position hereof in the height

direction of the element is variable. Further cutting of the element in the direction of the roof slope can also be carried out.

Even though in the above, only the use of an element in connection with a side flashing has been shown, the element can of course also be used for sealing between e. g. a valley gutter and a roof cov- ering located in the direction of the roof slope above the roof-penetrating structure. The use of the element is not limited to flashing of newly built roof-penetrating structures, as the element can also be used for the provision of a sealing transition be- tween existing roof-penetrating structures, including vertical walls, and a surrounding or abutting roof covering. The element can i. e. also be used for seal- ing between the ridge tiles and the top row of roof tiles and at the base of the roof in connection with the bottom row of tiles.