Rafter baffles

Abstract

A rafter baffle includes a first plate portion and a second plate portion facing a common plane. An arched portion extends between the first plate portion and the second plate portion and defines a flow channel. The arched portion may include a plurality of hourglass shaped projections extending inwardly into and along a length of the flow channel, an upstream dome extending inwardly into the first flow channel at a position upstream of a narrowed neck region of the plurality of hourglass shaped projections, and a downstream dome extending inwardly into the first flow channel at a position downstream of the narrowed neck region.

1 . A rafter baffle comprising:
 a first plate portion and a second plate portion facing a common plane; and   an arched portion extending between the first plate portion and the second plate portion and defining a flow channel, the arched portion including a plurality of hourglass shaped projections extending inwardly into and along a length of the flow channel, an upstream dome extending inwardly into the first flow channel at a position upstream of a narrowed neck region of the plurality of hourglass shaped projections, and a downstream dome extending inwardly into the first flow channel at a position downstream of the narrowed neck region.   
     
     
         2 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the upstream dome and the downstream dome comprise an ovoid-shaped dome. 
     
     
         3 . The rafter baffle of  claim 2 , wherein the ovoid-shaped dome comprises a single axis of symmetry extending along the length of the flow channel. 
     
     
         4 . The rafter baffle of  claim 2 , wherein the ovoid-shaped dome comprises a tapered portion extending toward the narrowed neck region. 
     
     
         5 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , wherein the upstream dome comprises a first ovoid-shaped dome including a first tapered portion extending toward the narrowed neck region, and the downstream dome comprises a second ovoid-shaped dome including a second tapered portion extending toward the narrowed neck region. 
     
     
         6 . The rafter baffle of  claim 5 , wherein the rafter baffle comprises a first axis of symmetry extending through the upstream dome and the downstream dome, and a second axis of symmetry extending through the narrowed neck region and orthogonal to the first axis of symmetry. 
     
     
         7 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of hourglass shaped projections are defined by accordion-shaped portions of the first arched portion. 
     
     
         8 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , wherein the arched portion comprises at least one of a first axis of symmetry extending along the length of the flow channel. 
     
     
         9 . The rafter baffle of  claim 8 , wherein the arched portion comprises a second axis of symmetry orthogonal to the first axis of symmetry and extending through the narrowed neck. 
     
     
         10 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the upstream dome and the downstream dome extends inwardly over only a portion of a height of the flow channels. 
     
     
         11 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a third plate portion facing the common plane; and   a second arched portion extending between the second plate portion and the third plate portion and defining a second flow channel, the second arched portion including a second plurality of hourglass shaped projections extending inwardly into and along a length of the second flow channel, a second upstream dome extending inwardly into the first flow channel at a position upstream of a second narrowed neck region of the second plurality of hourglass shaped projections, and a second downstream dome extending inwardly into the second flow channel at a position downstream of the second narrowed neck region.   
     
     
         12 . The rafter baffle of  claim 11 , wherein the first plate portion and the third plate portion comprise peripheral plate portions. 
     
     
         13 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , wherein the rafter baffle is configured in an installed configuration wherein the rafter baffle in positioned in a roof rafter, the first plate portion and the second plate portion are attached to an interior roof surface by a plurality of fasteners, and the flow channel extends upward along a slope of the interior roof surface. 
     
     
         14 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , wherein in a partially crushed state occurring in response to application of a crushing force to the rafter baffle against a structure with which the rafter baffle is coupled, at least one of the upstream dome and the downstream dome contacts the structure to oppose the crushing force effective to maintain a portion of an uncrushed volume of at least one of the flow channels. 
     
     
         15 . The rafter baffle of  claim 1 , wherein the upstream dome, the downstream dome, and the plurality of hourglass shaped projections are configured to and effective to direct air flow entering the narrowed neck region away from a periphery and toward a center of the flow channel, and to direct air flow exiting the narrowed neck region away from the center and toward the periphery of the flow channel. 
     
     
         16 . A process comprising:
 providing a rafter baffle comprising a first plate portion and a second plate portion facing a common plane, and an arched portion extending between the first plate portion and the second plate portion and defining a flow channel, the arched portion including a plurality of hourglass shaped projections extending inwardly into and along a length of the flow channel, an upstream dome extending inwardly into the first flow channel at a position upstream of a narrowed neck region of the plurality of hourglass shaped projections, and a downstream dome extending inwardly into the first flow channel at a position downstream of the narrowed neck region;   positioning the rafter baffle into a roof rafter; and   attaching the rafter baffle to a roof surface with a plurality of fasteners.   
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the attaching comprises passing a plurality of fasteners through the first plate portion and the second plate portion. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein the attaching comprises passing the plurality of fasteners through respective ones of a first plurality of embossings of the first plate portion and through a second plurality of embossings of the second plate portion. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 16 , comprising installing insulation on an exterior side of the rafter baffle. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , comprising installing a ceiling member to cover and substantially enclose the insulation.