Precipitation resistant ridge vent

Abstract

A precipitation resistant ventilator for a structure enclosing an interior space. The ventilator encloses a space that is in communication with the structure interior space. A thin sheet of air permeable water resistant material is disposed within the ventilator interior. The thin sheet of air permeable water resistant material forms a barrier that excludes the entry of precipitation and other foreign matter into the roof structure while still allowing air exchange.

1 . A vent for conveying air between a structure interior and the environment, comprising:
 a top panel having an interior surface and a multiplicity of discrete top panel air passages providing for fluid communication between the structure interior and the environment;   at least one vent part with a bottom surface and in a contacting relation with the interior surface of the top panel, the at least one vent part defining a plurality of discrete vent part air passages providing for fluid communication between the structure interior and the environment; and   a filter material secured to the bottom surface of the at least one vent part and to the top panel.   
   
   
       2 . The vent of  claim 1 , in which the top panel comprises a weatherproof three-ply material. 
   
   
       3 . The vent of  claim 2 , in which the three-ply material comprises a pair of outer plies and a series of cross walls disposed between the outer plies. 
   
   
       4 . The vent of  claim 2 , in which the three-ply material comprises a pair of outer plies and an intermediate ply disposed between the outer plies, the outer plies and the intermediate ply defining the plurality of top panel air passages. 
   
   
       5 . The vent of  claim 4 , in which the intermediate ply is generally convoluted or fluted. 
   
   
       6 . The vent of  claim 2 , in which the at least one vent part comprises at least one layer, the at least one layer comprising the three-ply material. 
   
   
       7 . The vent of  claim 6 , in which the three-ply material comprises a pair of outer plies and an intermediate ply disposed between the outer plies, the outer plies and the intermediate ply defining the plurality of vent part air passages. 
   
   
       8 . The vent of  claim 6 , in which the three-ply material comprises a pair of outer plies and a series of cross walls disposed between the outer plies. 
   
   
       9 . The vent of  claim 1 , in which a plurality of spaced apart vent parts are present. 
   
   
       10 . The vent of  claim 9 , in which at least one of the plurality of vent parts comprises a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers constructed from a weatherproof three-ply material. 
   
   
       11 . The vent of  claim 1 , in which the top panel is characterized by a longitudinal axis and in which the multiplicity of top panel air passages and the multiplicity of vent part air passages extend generally transversely or generally perpendicularly to the top panel longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       12 . The vent of  claim 11 , in which the top panel comprises a route defined therein, the route generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       13 . A vent, comprising:
 a top panel having a multiplicity of discrete top panel air passages;   a vent part contacting the top panel and having a bottom surface, an interior surface, and an exterior surface and formed from a three-ply material with a pair of outer plies and an intermediate ply disposed between the outer plies to define a multiplicity of discrete vent part air passages, each of the vent part air passages extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface; and   an air permeable filter attached to the vent and positioned to filter air being conveyed through the top panel air passages or the vent air part air passages.   
   
   
       14 . A device for venting a structure, comprising:
 a top panel having an interior surface and comprising a multiplicity of discrete top panel air passages;   a plurality of vent parts, at least one of the vent parts contacting the top panel interior surface, each of the plurality of vent parts having a bottom surface, an interior edge and an exterior edge and comprising at least one layer of a three-ply material, the three-ply material having a pair of outer plies and an intermediate ply disposed between the outer plies so as to define a multiplicity of discrete vent part air passages, each of the multiplicity of vent part air passages exposed at one of the interior edges and one of the exterior edges; and   a filtering material extending between the top panel and the bottom surface of one of the vent parts.   
   
   
       15 . A method of venting a structure with an interior and with a vent placed over an opening in the structure, the vent comprising a top panel, at least one vent part, and an air permeable filter material, the top panel having an interior surface and a multiplicity of discrete top panel air passages, the at least one vent part having a bottom surface and contacting the top panel interior surface, the at least one vent part comprising a weatherproof material defining a multiplicity of discrete vent part air passages, the filter material secured one of the at least one vent part and to the top panel; the method comprising allowing air exchange between the structure interior and the environment via the top panel air passages, the vent part air passages, and the filter material. 
   
   
       16 . A method of constructing a vent, comprising:
 contacting a vent part to a top panel, each of the top panel and the vent part comprising a weatherproof material defining a multiplicity of discrete air passages; and   securing an air permeable filter material to the top panel and to the vent part.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the filter material is secured to a bottom surface of the vent part. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the contacted top panel and the contacted vent part comprises a weatherproof three ply-material defining the multiplicity of air passages. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , in which the three-ply material comprises a pair of outer plies and an intermediate ply disposed between the outer plies so as to define the multiplicities of air passages. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , in which the intermediate ply is generally convoluted or generally fluted. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , in which the weatherproof material comprises a pair of outer plies and a series of cross walls disposed between the outer plies to define the multiplicities of air passages. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the vent part comprises a plurality of layers made from the weatherproof material. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , in which a route is defined in the top panel so as expose the air passages defined in the top panel. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 16 , in which a plurality of vent parts are contacted to the top panel. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising securing the vent part to the top panel. 
   
   
       26 . A method of installing a vent, comprising disposing the vent over an opening in a roof of a structure, the vent comprising a top panel, a vent part, and a filter material, the top panel having an interior surface and a multiplicity of discrete top panel air passages providing for fluid communication between the structure interior and the environment, the vent part with a bottom surface and in a contacting relation with the interior surface of the top panel, the vent part comprising a material defining a plurality of discrete vent part air passages providing for fluid communication between the structure interior and the environment, the filter material secured to the bottom surface of the vent part and to the top panel. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , in which the top panel comprises a three-ply material. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , in which the three-ply material comprises a pair of outer plies and an intermediate ply disposed between the outer plies, the outer plies and the intermediate ply defining the plurality of top panel air passages. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , in which the top panel comprises a pair of outer plies and a series of cross walls disposed between the outer plies. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , in which the intermediate ply is generally convoluted or fluted. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , in which the vent part comprises a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers comprising the three-ply material. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , in which the three-ply material comprises a pair of outer plies and an intermediate ply disposed between the outer plies to define the multiplicity of vent part air passages. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 26 , in which a plurality of opposed spaced apart vent parts are present. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , in which one of the plurality of vent parts comprises a plurality of layers. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 26 , in which the top panel is characterized by a longitudinal axis and in which the multiplicity of top panel air passages and the multiplicity of vent part air passages extend generally transversely or generally perpendicularly to the top panel longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , in which the top panel comprises a route, the route generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising securing the vent to the roof.