1

Title of Invention

An underroof collar, a kit including an underroof collar and a roof window, a mounted roof window, and a method for sealing the joint between a roof window and a roof structure.

5

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an underroof collar for use with a roof window mounted in a inclined roof structure defining a roof plane, wherein said roof window comprises a frame delimiting a frame opening and having an outer side facing away from the frame opening, wherein said underroof collar comprises an inner portion, which is configured for extending along the outer side of the frame of the roof window, and an outer portion, which is configured for extending away from the roof window and for overlapping with sections of an underroof extending along the roof window, said inner portion delimiting a collar opening, and wherein said underroof collar comprises a plurality of collar members each having a length direction extending along the collar opening. The invention further relates to a method for sealing the joint between a roof window mounted in an inclined roof structure and an underroof of said roof structure.

Background Art

In roofs covered by tiles and other roofing materials an underroof is typically provided underneath the roofing material to divert any precipitation penetrating through the roofing material, for example snow entering through small gaps between tiles, and any condensation forming on the interior side of the roofing material. In this context the term “interior” is used to indicate a direction towards the interior of a building covered by the roof, and the term “exterior” is used for the opposite direction, away from the interior of the building.

30 When a roof window is mounted in the roof, an opening is cut in the roof structure, thereby interrupting the underroof. After mounting of the roof window in said opening, an underroof collar is used for sealing the joint between the roof window and the underroof. The inner portion of the underroof 141864

2 collar is typically attached to the frame of the roof window, for example by means of staples or an adhesive, and the outer portion of the underroof collar, also referred to as a skirt portion, overlaps with the sections of the underroof extending along the opening closest to the roof window. The outer portion may

5 be attached to the roof structure, for example by means of staples, and/or to the underroof, for examples by means of adhesive tape, thereby keeping the underroof collar in its intended position. In some roof structures, laths for supporting the roofing material extend on the exterior side of the underroof. To be able to reach over such laths and down to the underroof between them, at least the outer portion of the side collar members of the underroof collar may be provided with a surplus of material, for example being made from a pleated material. Examples of underroof collars are disclosed in EP0994992B1 , EP1774118B1 , EP1896673B1 , and EP2284329A2.

The underroof collars are typically made from a textile material, such

15 as a non-woven material, which is waterproof but vapour-permeable, and flashing and covering members are arranged on top of the underroof collars to protect them from weather and mechanical wear.

Attempts have been made to facilitate mounting of an underroof collar by making the inner portion of the underroof collar from an elastic material, by

20 fixating a pleating or folding of the outer portion of the underroof collar so that it only unfolds when the surplus of material is needed, and by packaging the underroof collar in a manner, which eases unpacking and mounting. Improved handleability of underroof collars during mounting in roof structures, however, continues to be desired by installers.

Summary of Invention

With this background, it is an object of the invention to provide an alternative underroof collar, which makes the work of the installer easier.

This and further objects are achieved with an underroof collar of the

30 kind mentioned in the introduction which is furthermore characterised in that the underroof collar further comprises at least one attachment member, which is attached to the inner portion and which is configured for being inserted in an 141864

3 opening between the frame of the roof window and an insulating member arranged at the outer side of the frame.

The provision of an attachment member on the underroof collar configured for being inserted in an opening between the frame and an

5 insulating not only allows for a relatively easy installation of the underroof collar, as the attachment member(s) can simply be inserted in the opening(s), but also increases the likelihood of the inner portion of the underroof collar actually being attached. Adhesive on the inner portion, as has been used in the prior art, will typically be covered by a cover strip in the state of delivery of the underroof collar, and it happens that the installer forgets to remove the cover strip. Attachment members are less likely to be overlooked or forgotten, as they will typically be more distinct from the other parts of the underroof collar, typically being made from a stiffer material. Another advantage of the attachment members over the adhesive is that there is virtually no risk of the attachment members sticking together or sticking to other parts of the underroof collar, which is a known problem with adhesives, particularly when handling underroof collars in windy conditions.

The opening at the frame of the roof window may be an opening in the frame itself, an opening in an insulating member, possibly forming part of an insulating frame arranged around the frame during installation of the roof window, or an opening formed between the frame of the roof window and such an insulating member. An opening formed between the frame of the roof window and an insulating member may preferably extend substantially in parallel to the outer side of the frame.

It is presently preferred that at least one attachment member is provided on each collar member. This will help to ensure that all collar members are arranged correctly in relation to the frame of the roof window.

The/each attachment member may be provided with a barb to reduce the risk of the attachment member being detached from the opening, which

30 may for example happen if wind pulls on the underroof collar during installation or if the installer pulls on other collar members to get the underroof collar in place. The barb may be configured for engaging with an insulating member, 141864

4 which is typically made from an elastic material, in which case the barb may form an indentation in the material of the insulating member by compressing it. It is, however, also possible to pre-form an indentation for engagement with the barb, either in an insulating member or in the frame of the roof window.

5 It is also, or alternatively, possible for the attachment member to be made from an elastic material, so that it may deflect during insertion into the opening and snap into a locking engagement with the frame of the roof window and/or the insulating member. The locking engagement may be established by friction and/or by mechanical means.

A simple projection may be used as an alternative to the barb, serving substantially the same function. As an example, a bead at the edge of a plateshaped attachment member may snap or fall into a recess or an opening in the frame or in the insulating member.

A barb or other projection may be local or extend over the entire

15 attachment member in the length direction.

The attachment member may be a local member, in which case each collar member is preferably provided with two or more attachment members, but in one embodiment an attachment member extends over substantially the entire length of a collar member in the length direction. In addition to providing

20 a continuous attachment, an attachment member extending over substantially the entire length of the collar member may provide stiffness to the inner portion of the underroof collar, which may facilitate installation. To facilitate storage and packaging, such an attachment member may be provided with one or more hinges or weakenings allowing the collar member to be folded. For the same purpose, the attachment members of neighbouring collar members are preferably not connected to each other at the comers of the underroof collar.

Furthermore, an attachment member extending over substantially the entire length of a collar member may provide improved weather proofing compared to when using local attachment members, since the underroof collar

30 may be kept in tight contact with the frame of the roof window over the entire length of the attachment member and hence substantially the entire length of a collar member. 141864

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An attachment member extending over substantially the entire length of a collar member will typically be inserted in a groove extending over the entire length of a corresponding member of the frame of roof window, said groove constituting the opening. In case the groove is formed in an insulating

5 member, the groove and possibly also the attachment member, may be slightly longer than the frame of the roof window.

In one embodiment the/each attachment member forms part of a rail member extending over substantially the entire length of a collar member in the length direction, said rail member being plate-shaped having two major surfaces interconnected by minor surfaces. Such a rail member may be inserted in a groove extending between the frame of the roof window and an insulating member and arranged such that a first major surface extends along the outer side of the frame and such that the outer portion of the underroof collar extends away from a second major surface, away from the frame.

For ease of installation, the inner portion of the underroof collar will typically be attached to the second major surface of the rail member, facing away from the frame of the roof window in the mounted state, but it may also be attached to the first major surface, in which case it may be brought into close contact with the frame of the roof window during installation.

In one embodiment an edge section of the inner portion having a width perpendicular to the length direction of 10-100 mm, preferably 15-50 mm, is attached to a major surface of the rail member. If attached to the second major surface of the rail member, it may be arranged to extend substantially in parallel to the outer side of the frame and such that the edge of the inner portion, facing away from the outer portion, faces away from an interior of a building covered by the roof structure. In this way the underroof collar will extend up along the outer side of the frame, thereby forming a L-shape, which may contribute to deflecting any water being pushed up against the frame of the roof window, for example under the influence of wind. A similar or supplementary effect may be

30 achieved by using a rail member made from a watertight material.

Depending on the design of the attachment member and the material used for the frame of the roof window and the insulating member, the 141864

6 attachment member may be made from different materials. Particularly the stiffness of the attachment member and the friction between the attachment member and the opening into which it is inserted can be taken into consideration when choosing the material. When using a rail member as

5 attachment member, polypropylene (PP) or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) may be employed.

As in the prior art, this underroof collar may also comprise at least one side collar member made with a surplus of material to facilitate installation on roof structures comprising laths for supporting a roofing material.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a kit comprising an underroof collar of the type described above, a roof window, and a least one insulating member, where at least one the roof window and the insulating member are shaped such that an opening is present between them in a mounted state, said opening being configured for receiving the attachment

15 member of the underroof collar.

As described in the introduction, underroof collars are used only with some types of roofing materials, and insulating members may either not be needed or not desired or there may simply not be room for them. For these reasons, underroof collar, insulating members and insulating frames are

20 typically provided separately, adapted for installation situation. The roof windows on the other hand are typically suited for a wide range of installation situations. It is therefore presently preferred that the opening is formed by a recess in the insulating member, such that the outer side of the roof window simply delimits the opening at one side. In this way, standard roof windows can be used with no need for adaptation.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a roof window mounted in an inclined roof structure defining a roof plane, wherein said roof window comprises a frame delimiting a frame opening and having an outer side facing away from the frame opening, where an underroof collar of the type described

30 above is arranged with an inner portion extending along the outer side of the frame and an outer portion extending away from the roof window and overlapping with sections of an underroof extending along the roof window, and 141864

7 where at least one attachment member of the underroof collar is inserted in an opening between the frame of the roof window and an insulating member arranged at the outer side of the frame.

A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a method for sealing the joint

5 between a roof window mounted in an inclined roof structure defining a roof plane and an underroof of said roof structure, wherein said roof window comprises a frame delimiting a collar opening and having an outer side facing away from the frame opening, and wherein an underroof collar comprises an inner portion, which is configured for extending along the outer side of the frame of the roof window, and an outer portion, which is configured for extending away from the roof window and for overlapping with sections of an underroof extending along the roof window, said inner portion delimiting a collar opening, and wherein said underroof collar comprises a plurality of collar members each having a length direction extending along the collar opening, said method

15 comprising the steps of: arranging the inner portion of the underroof collar so that the inner portion extends along the outer side of the frame of the roof window, securing the underroof collar in an intended position in relation to the roof window and to the roof structure,

20 wherein the step of securing the underroof collar in the intended position comprises inserting at least one attachment member attached to the inner portion in an opening between the frame of the roof window and an insulating member arranged at the outer side of the frame.

The opening preferably extends substantially in parallel to the outer side of the frame so that, during the insertion, the least one attachment member is moved in direction, which is perpendicular to the roof plane. This may facilitate installation by bringing the inner portion of the underroof collar close to the frame of the roof window.

Embodiments and advantages described with reference to one aspect

30 of the invention also apply to the other aspects of the invention. 141864

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Brief Description of Drawings

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

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the making of an opening in a roof

5 structure comprising an underroof;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the installation of a roof window with an insulating frame in the opening in the roof structure made as in Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the installation of an underroof collar on a roof window installed as in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an attachment member of an underroof collar being inserted in an opening, here shown as a groove between a frame of a roof window and an insulating member;

Figs 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing the installation of an underroof collar with an attachment member in a groove between a frame of a

15 roof window and an insulating member; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view corresponding to Fig. 2 and showing how the underroof collar is attached to laths of the roof structure.

Description of Embodiments

20 Referring initially to Fig. 1 , it is shown how an opening 110 is cut in a roof structure 11 for mounting a roof window. As may be seen, sections of the laths 111 used for supporting the roofing material 112 have been removed, and the underroof 113 has been interrupted by cutting. As shown at the left-hand side of the opening 110, sections 114 of the underroof previously covering the area of the opening 110 are folded over the ends of the laths 111 and the same may be the case with the sections 115 of the underroof extending along the top and bottom of the opening 110. In this case the folded over sections 114 are secured to the laths 111 by means of staples.

A roof window 1 is then mounted in the opening 110 in the roof

30 structure 11 as shown in Fig. 2. In this case an insulating frame 7 surrounds the roof window 1 and mounting brackets 6 used for securing the frame (not visible in Fig. 2) of the roof window 1 to counter-battens 116 of the roof structure 141864

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11 span over the insulating frame 7. The insulating frame 7 may be a separate unit installed in the opening 110 in the roof structure 11 before installation of the roof window 1 , or it may be pre-mounted on the frame of the roof window 1 and installed in the roof structure 11 together with the roof window 1 . It is also

5 possible to use separate insulating members, for example if the space available in the roof structure does not allow the use of an entire insulating frame.

After mounting of the roof window 1 , an underroof collar 104 is arranged to surround the roof window 1 as shown in Fig. 3 with an inner portion 1041 extending along the roof window 1 and an outer portion 1042, also referred to as a skirt portion, extending over the roof structure 11 .

As shown in Fig. 4, the inner portion 1041 is attached at the frame 2 of the roof window 1 by hand, here by inserting an attachment member 1043 in the form of a plate-shaped rail member into a groove 105 between the frame 2 of the roof window 1 and the insulating frame 7.

Turning now to Figs 5 and 6, details of the installation of an underroof collar 104 are shown, and the thickness of the material of the underroof collar is exaggerated to make it clearly visible.

As may be seen, the attachment member 1043, which may be a rail member as in Fig. 4 or a local bracket, is inserted into a groove 105 extending between the frame 2 of the roof window 1 and an insulating member of the insulating frame 7 and substantially in parallel to an outer side 20o of the frame 2. The groove 105 is here formed entirely in the insulating member of the insulating frame 7, and the outer side 20o of the frame 2 is plane. The outer side of the frame being plane may facilitate installation by allowing the attachment member to glide over the outer side, thereby being guided into the groove.

An edge section 1044 of the inner portion 1041 is attached to the major surface 1045 of the attachment member 1043 facing away from the frame 2 of the roof window 1 , so that it extends substantially in parallel to the outer side

30 20o of the frame 2 in a mounted state and so that an edge 1046 of the inner portion 1041 facing away from the outer portion 1042 faces away from the roof structure 11. In this way the inner portion 1041 has been given an L-shape, 141864

10 which may facilitate diversion of water. Here, the edge section 1044 has a width perpendicular to the length direction L of 16 mm, but it will be understood that it may be smaller or larger depending for example on the construction of the roof window 1 and installation depth in the roof structure 11 , and that a similar

5 or supplementary effect may be achieved by using a rail member 1043 made from a watertight material.

In the embodiment in Figs 5 and 6, the attachment member 1043 is provided with a barb 1047 and an indentation 75 is provided in the insulating frame 7 matching the size and shape of the barb 1047. The engagement between the barb 1047 and the indentation 75, which is shown in Fig. 6, will hinder a retraction of the attachment member 1043 once inserted and will thus contribute to keeping the underroof collar 104 in place, both during and after installation. If the insulating frame 7 is made from an elastic material, the indentation 75 need not be pre-formed as in Fig. 5 but may be made by the barb 1047 during installation.

In this embodiment the width of the plate-shaped attachment member 1043 corresponds to the distance from the bottom of the groove or opening 105 to the top of the frame 2, but this need not be the case. While it is considered advantageous for insulating purposes that the groove or opening 105 is not deeper than needed for the insertion of the attachment member 1043, a deeper opening may for example allow the use of several different underroof collars having different attachment members. Likewise, if for example the frame 2 of the roof windows 1 extends in a height above the exterior side of the laths 111 , the attachment member may not extend to the top of the frame 2.

To complete the installation of the underroof collar 104, the outer portion 1042 is usually attached to the roof structure 11. This is shown in Fig. 7, where the outer portion 1042 is being attached to laths 111 by means of staples.

Components of the roof window 1 and underroof collar 104 are easily

30 disassembled and each component may in principle be reused, be recycled by appropriate environmentally responsible disposal means, or the material be recovered for other uses. 141864

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List of reference numerals

1 Roof window

104 Underroof collar

1041 Inner portion

1042 Outer portion I skirt portion

1043 Attachment member I rail member

1044 Edge section

1045 Major surface

1046 Edge

1047 Barb

105 Opening I groove

110 Opening

11 Roof structure

111 Lath

112 Roofing material

113 Underroof

114 Section of underroof

115 Section of underroof

116 Counter-batten

2 Frame

20o Outer side of frame

6 Mounting bracket

7 Insulating frame

75 Indentation

L Length direction