초록

A vent baffle can be arranged so as to direct air near an underside of a roof. The vent baffle can feature bending structures, which can allow the vent baffle to transition from a substantially columnar orientation to a bent orientation.

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1. A vent baffle comprising: a base wall elongated in a longitudinal direction such that the vent baffle defines a maximum length in the longitudinal direction that is greater than a maximum width of the vent baffle in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;a firs

1. A vent baffle comprising: a base wall elongated in a longitudinal direction such that the vent baffle defines a maximum length in the longitudinal direction that is greater than a maximum width of the vent baffle in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;a first side wall extending upwardly from the base wall;a second side wall extending upwardly from the base wall, wherein the base wall cooperates with the first and second side walls to define a channel that is open above the base wall such that the channel is configured to direct airflow past an underside of a roof;a bending region that is configured to permit the vent baffle to transition from a columnar orientation to a bent orientation and that extends in the longitudinal direction, the bending region comprising a first set of accordion pleats that are present when the vent baffle is in the columnar orientation and that are configured to move relative to each other so as to permit the vent baffle to transition to the bent orientation, wherein the accordion pleats are arranged serially in the longitudinal direction such that at least a first accordion pleat is adjacent to a second accordion pleat in the longitudinal direction, and wherein at least a portion of the first accordion pleat is configured to one or more of expand and contract relative to at least a portion of the second accordion pleat in the longitudinal direction when the vent baffle is transitioned from the columnar orientation to the bent orientation; anda reinforcement member that extends in the longitudinal direction alongside the bending region with a length in the longitudinal direction that substantially corresponds with a length of the bending region in the longitudinal direction, wherein the reinforcement member is configured to resist transitioning of the vent baffle from the columnar orientation to the bent orientation. 2. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein the accordion pleats extend in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the base wall. 3. The vent baffle of claim 2, wherein the bending region is constricted to one or more of the base wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall, and wherein the bending region further comprises a second set of accordion pleats that extend in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the base wall and are spaced from the first set of accordion pleats. 4. The vent baffle of claim 3, wherein the first set of accordion pleats and the second set of accordion pleats are separated from each other via at least a portion of a rib that extends in the longitudinal direction. 5. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement member comprises a rib structure. 6. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein an attachment flange that extends from the first side wall comprises the reinforcement member. 7. The vent baffle of claim 6, wherein the reinforcement member is integrally formed with the attachment flange. 8. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first set of accordion pleats extend between the first side wall and the second side wall. 9. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein the first set of accordion pleats defines a cross-sectional profile that resembles one of a sine wave and a triangle wave. 10. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein the base wall comprises at least a portion of the bending region, and wherein the bending region is at an intermediate position within the base wall such that a first portion of the base wall on one side of the bending region extends in a first direction and a second portion of the base wall on another side of the bending region is configured to extend in a second direction that is nonparallel to the first direction when the vent baffle is bent. 11. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein the bending region further comprises a second set of accordion pleats arranged serially such that at least one accordion pleat within the second set is adjacent to another accordion pleat within the second set. 12. The vent baffle of claim 11, wherein the first set of accordion pleats is separated from the second set of accordion pleats by at least a portion of a structural rib that extends in the longitudinal direction and is positioned between the first and second side walls. 13. The vent baffle of claim 11, wherein an extent of the first set of accordion pleats in the longitudinal direction is approximately the same as an extent of the second set of accordion pleats in the longitudinal direction. 14. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal extent of the bending region is within a range of between about 1/20 and about ¼ of a longitudinal length of the vent baffle. 15. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein at least portions of multiple sets of adjacent accordion pleats are configured to compact toward each other simultaneously as the vent baffle bends at the bending region. 16. The vent baffle of claim 15, wherein at least portions of multiple sets of adjacent accordion pleats are configured to spread apart from each other simultaneously as the vent baffle bends at the bending region. 17. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein at least portions of multiple sets of adjacent accordion pleats are configured to spread apart from each other as the vent baffle bends at the bending region. 18. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein when the vent baffle is in the columnar orientation, a cross-sectional profile of an upper surface of the accordion pleats is substantially the same as a cross-sectional profile of a lower surface of the accordion pleats. 19. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein the bending region comprises a foam material. 20. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein a structural rib that extends in the longitudinal direction comprises at least a portion of the first set of accordion pleats. 21. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein the bending region comprises polystyrene, high impact polystyrene, rubber base polystyrene, polypropylene, or paper fiber. 22. The vent baffle of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the first accordion pleats includes substantially V-shaped portions. 23. A vent baffle for installation in a roofing structure, the vent baffle comprising: a base wall elongated in a longitudinal direction such that the vent baffle defines a maximum length in the longitudinal direction that is greater than a maximum width of the vent baffle in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the base wall comprising a first region and a second region;a first side wall extending from the base wall;a second side wall extending from the base wall, wherein the base wall cooperates with the first and second side walls to define a channel that is open above the base wall such that the channel is configured to direct airflow past an underside of a roof;a bending region extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the first and second regions of the base wall are connected to opposite longitudinal ends of the bending region, wherein the bending region is configured to permit the second region of the base wall to transition from an original orientation relative to the first portion of the base wall to a displaced orientation relative to the first portion of the base wall, and wherein the bending region comprises a plurality of accordion pleats that extend transversely relative to the longitudinal direction and that are configured to do one or more of compress and expand relative to each other when the second region of the base wall is transitioned from the original orientation to the displaced orientation; andan attachment flange extending from an upper end of the first side wall so as to have an inner edge at the upper end of the first side wall and an outer edge that is spaced from the inner edge, wherein the attachment flange comprises a reinforcement member that extends in the longitudinal direction alongside the bending region and is spaced from both the inner and outer edges of the attachment flange, and wherein the reinforcement member is configured to resist transitioning of the second region of the base wall from the original orientation to the displaced orientation. 24. The vent baffle of claim 23, wherein the reinforcement member comprises a rib structure. 25. The vent baffle of claim 24, wherein the vent baffle further comprises a second reinforcement member, and wherein the first and second reinforcement members are at opposite sides of the bending region. 26. The vent baffle of claim 23, wherein the reinforcement member is integrally formed with the attachment flange. 27. The vent baffle of claim 23, wherein the attachment flange comprises portions that extend alongside the first and second regions of the base wall, and wherein the attachment flange is configured to bend so as to define a rounded transition between the portions that extend alongside the first and second regions of the base wall. 28. The vent baffle of claim 27, wherein the first side wall comprises a portion of the bending region. 29. The vent baffle of claim 23, wherein the bending region is configured to deform elastically. 30. The vent baffle of claim 23, wherein the bending region is configured to permit the second region of the base to transition from the original orientation to the displaced orientation without any folding, cutting, or tearing of the bending region. 31. A vent baffle for installation in a roofing structure, the vent baffle comprising: a base wall elongated in a longitudinal direction such that the vent baffle defines a maximum length in the longitudinal direction that is greater than a maximum width of the vent baffle in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the base wall comprising a first region and a second region;a first side wall extending from the base wall;a second side wall extending from the base wall, wherein the base wall cooperates with the first and second side walls to define a channel that is open above the base wall such that the channel is configured to direct airflow past an underside of a roof, and wherein the channel is open at longitudinally opposite ends of the vent baffle;a bending region extending in the longitudinal direction between the first and second regions of the base wall, the bending region comprising a plurality of accordion pleats arranged serially in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the bending region is configured to permit the second region of the base wall to transition from an original orientation relative to the first portion of the base wall to a displaced orientation relative to the first portion of the base wall, wherein the plurality of accordion pleats are present in the bending region when the base wall is in the original orientation, and wherein the plurality of accordion pleats are configured to move relative to each other so as to permit the second region of the base wall to transition from the original orientation to the displaced orientation;a first attachment flange extending transversely from an upper end of the first side wall alongside at least a portion of the first and second regions of the base wall and alongside the bending region; anda second attachment flange extending transversely from an upper end of the second side wall alongside at least a portion of the first and second regions of the base wall and alongside the bending region,wherein each of the first and second attachment flanges is configured to be attached to an underside of a roof at an exterior of the channel,wherein each of the first and second attachment flanges comprises a reinforcement member extending in the longitudinal direction alongside the bending region, wherein the reinforcement member is configured to resist movement of the second region of the base wall from the original orientation to the displaced orientation, andwherein the portion of each of the first and second attachment flanges that extends alongside the bending region is configured to bend so as to define a rounded transition between the remaining portions of the first and second attachment flanges, respectively, such that the attachment flanges adjust to conform to the underside of the roof. 32. The vent baffle of claim 31, further comprising a structural rib that extends upwardly from the base wall within the bending region. 33. The vent baffle of claim 31, wherein the bending region is configured to compress as the second portion of the base wall transitions from the original orientation to the displaced orientation. 34. The vent baffle of claim 31, wherein portions of adjacent accordion pleats compress toward each other while other portions of adjacent accordion pleats maintain their spacing relative to each other during transition of the second region of the base wall from the original orientation to the displaced orientation. 35. The vent baffle of claim 31, wherein the reinforcement member comprises a structural rib. 36. The vent baffle of claim 31, wherein the first attachment flange defines a lateral edge that is opposite the first side wall, and wherein the reinforcement member of the first attachment flange is at a position between the lateral edge and the first side wall.