Flashing device for use with exterior siding

• US 5,586,415 A
• Filed: 06/03/1994
• Issued: 12/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fred M. Fisher, Jack R. Powis
• Original Assignee: Fred M. Fisher, Jack R. Powis
• Inventors: Fisher, Fred M., Powis, Jack R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Wynn E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McTigue, Aimee E.
• Application Number:
  US08/253,916
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 52/58, 52/61, 52/204.53, 52/211, 52/105, 52/D16, 156/257
• US Class Current: 52/58
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 1/62 Tightening or covering joints between the border of openings and the frame or between contiguous framesE06B1/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2001/628 Separate flexible joint covering strips; Flashings

Abstract

A water flashing device is provided for use in conjunction with the installation of exterior building siding materials to create a moisture-impervious barrier that directs water to the exterior of the siding to prevent damage to building walls caused by water and moisture. The flashing device has a substantially rectangular planar structure and is preferably configured to be secured tightly adjacent to any corner of a window or door opening, most effectively at the bottom corners of a window opening in a building exterior wall to be covered by vinyl siding materials. The flashing device is formed of a flexible, waterproof material and has an engagement surface and a water-diverting surface. The engagement surface may be completely covered with a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive or may include selectively placed strips of pressure sensitive adhesive that is protected by a release paper until the flashing device is to be installed.

Claims

1. A preformed, ready made corner flashing means for creating a moisture-impervious water-directing barrier at either a right or a left corner of a frame of a door or a window located on an exterior wall of a building in cooperation with an exterior wall siding material consisting of a plurality of individual longitudinal panels having a horizontal orientation, wherein a top of each panel includes locking means configured to engage a correspondingly configured engagement means on a bottom of an adjacent overlapping panel for securing the siding panels together, said flashing means comprises a substantially rectangular flat planar structure formed of a flexible, waterproof sheet material selected from the group consisting of foam, vinyl, plastic and coated paper, said flashing means having one corner removed to form a right angle notch configured to fit securely and tightly against any corner of the frame with and under the siding panels so that a minor portion of a wall engaging bottom surface of the flashing means directly contacts and is adhesively secured to the wall adjacent to the frame and a major portion of the wall engaging surface of the flashing means is held away from contact with the wall and in contact with the locking means of one siding panel in an orientation that causes water to be directed along a top water diverting surface of the flashing means and through drain holes in the engagement means of an adjacent siding panel.

2. The flashing means described in claim 1, wherein said flexible, waterproof material is a closed cell foam sheet material.

3. The flashing means described in claim 1, wherein said flexible, waterproof material is a vinyl sheet material.

4. The flashing means described in claim 1, wherein selected areas of a pressure sensitive adhesive covered by a removable release paper are located on the minor portion of the wall engaging surface adjacent to the right angle notch to optimally position and temporarily secure the flashing means to the wall adjacent to a right frame corner or a left frame corner.

5. The flashing means described in claim 1, wherein the wall engaging surface is completely covered with a layer of a pressure sensitive adhesive and said adhesive layer is covered by a layer of a removable release paper, wherein said release paper layer includes a pattern of score lines positioned to permit the selective removal of the release paper from the minor portion or from the major portion.

6. A preformed, ready made universal corner flashing device configured for installation on an exterior wall of a building to create a moisture-impervious, water-directing barrier at a right or left bottom corner of a window located in the exterior wall, wherein said barrier is formed between said exterior wall and longitudinal, horizontal strips of an exterior siding material covering said exterior wall, each of said siding strips including a locking means configured to engage a correspondingly configured engagement means on the bottom of an adjacent overlapping panel, said flashing device comprising a substantially rectangular planar structure formed of a flexible closed cell foam or a vinyl sheet material with a right angle notch located in one corner and sized to fit tightly adjacent to a right or a left corner, a wall engaging lower surface and an opposed water-diverting upper surface, wherein areas of pressure sensitive adhesive covered by a removable release paper are located at least along edges of the notch and edges of the rectangular flashing device contiguous with the notch edges on said wall engaging surface to temporarily secure said flashing device in place on said exterior wall, said areas of pressure sensitive adhesive being located on the flashing device adjacent to the right or the left corner to secure the flashing device while said siding is installed so that said water-diverting surface is positioned relative to the strips of siding adjacent to a window to contact the locking means of a siding strip to direct water away from said exterior wall through drains in said siding strips to the exterior of said siding.

7. The flashing means described in claim 6, wherein a layer of said pressure sensitive adhesive completely covers said wall engaging surface and said release paper is scored in a pattern that permits an easy removal of the release paper only in the area adjacent to the notch when said flashing means is secured to a right or the left bottom corner.