Roof structure

Abstract

To provide a roof structure that can improve the aesthetic design of inspection hatches and their surrounding areas. [Solution] The roof structure 10 is a 100-unit roof structure comprising a roof 12, a rain gutter 32 positioned below the side of the roof 12, an eaves 14 positioned on the underside of the roof 12, an inspection opening 42 provided between the rain gutter 32 and the eaves 14, a cover material 44 that opens and closes the inspection opening 42 with a gap between it and the rain gutter 32, and a gap concealing part 45 that hides the gap.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a roof structure that can be used, for example, as a carport.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of a roof structure installed as a carport or the like, having an eaves on the lower surface side of the roof. Such a roof structure has a rain gutter for draining rainwater or the like that has fallen on the roof.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Depending on the installation location and usage conditions of the roof structure, fallen leaves or the like may accumulate a lot in the rain gutter. In that case, it is convenient for the roof structure to have an inspection opening that allows easy inspection of the rain gutter from under the roof without, for example, climbing onto the roof. On the other hand, considering the design of the roof structure, it is desirable that the inspection opening be hidden from view as much as possible when not in use.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a roof structure capable of improving the design of the inspection opening and its peripheral portion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A roof structure according to one aspect of the present invention is a roof structure having a roof, comprising a rain gutter disposed on the lower side of the roof, an soffit disposed on the lower side of the roof, an inspection opening provided between the rain gutter and the soffit, a cover material that opens and closes the inspection opening with a gap between it and the rain gutter, and a gap concealing part that hides the gap. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above embodiment of the present invention, the aesthetic design of the inspection opening and its surrounding area can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a top-down perspective view of a roof structure according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the roof structure from below. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of a portion of the roof structure. [Figure 4] This is a side cross-sectional view of the cover material and its surrounding area. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is an exploded view with the cover material removed. [Figure 6] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the process of attaching the cover material shown. [Figure 7] Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the arrangement of gap-concealing parts for a modified rain gutter, as shown in Figure 4. [Figure 8] This is a side cross-sectional view of a cover material equipped with a gap-concealing portion according to a modified example, and its surrounding portion. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is an exploded view with the cover material removed. [Figure 10] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the process of attaching the cover material shown. [Figure 11] Figure 8 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the arrangement of gap-concealing parts for a modified rain gutter, as shown in Figure 8. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the roof structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the roof structure 10 according to this embodiment comprises a roof 12, an eaves 14, support columns 16, and beams 18. The roof structure 10 is an outdoor structure that can be used as, for example, a carport, a terrace roof, or a storage shed. In this embodiment, a roof structure 10 that is a carport is given as an example.

[0011] In the following description of the components of the roof structure 10, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the side of the roof 12 with the rain gutter 32 will be considered the front, and the side closer to the viewer from the front will be referred to as the front, the side further away as the rear, the upper side as the top, the lower side as the bottom, the left side as the left, and the right side as the right. These directions are for convenience of explanation, and each direction may change depending on the use of the roof structure 10, the installation situation, or the viewer's perspective. In addition, depending on the installation posture of the roof structure 10, each component may be installed at a slightly tilted position from the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions, but in this application, these cases are also referred to as front, back, left, right, and up and down.

[0012] The roof 12 and soffit 14 are supported, for example, by four support columns 16 and two beams 18. Two support columns 16 are erected on each side of the roof structure 10, two at the front and two at the back. The upper ends of the left and right pairs of support columns 16 are connected by beams 18 that extend to the left and right. The roof 12 and soffit 14 are supported by two beams 18 at the front and back, with both ends supported by support columns 16. The number of support columns 16 and beams 18 can be appropriately changed depending on the size and specifications of the roof structure 10.

[0013] The roof 12 has a plurality of roofing materials 22 fixed to rest on the upper surfaces of a pair of front and rear beams 18, and fascia boards 24a to 24d that form a frame surrounding the four perimeter ends of the roofing materials 22.

[0014] The roof material 22 of this embodiment is composed of a folded plate having a gable shape extending in the front-rear direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the beam 18. The roof materials 22 are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction. A tight frame 26 having a wave shape is screwed to the upper surface of each beam 18. The roof material 22 is screwed such that the inner surface of the top of the gable shape is against the tight frame 26, and the outer surface of the valley bottom between the gable shapes is screwed to the upper surface of each beam 18. A rectangular tube-shaped reinforcing material 28 extending in the front-rear direction is inserted inside some of the roof materials 22.

[0015] The nose hiding materials 24a to 24d can be formed of, for example, extruded members of an aluminum alloy. The nose hiding materials 24a to 24d are provided so as to enclose the peripheral edge portions of the roof material 22. The front and rear nose hiding materials 24a and 24b hide the front and rear end faces of the roof material 22. The left and right nose hiding materials 24c and 24d hide the side end faces of the roof materials 22 at both the left and right ends. The roof 12 has a water gradient that slopes downward gradually from the rear to the front. The roof 12 may have a water gradient only in the roof material 22, and the nose hiding materials 24a to 24d forming a frame shape as a whole may be installed horizontally.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the lower side (front side) nose hiding material 24a can have a nose hiding portion 30 that hides the front end face of the roof material 22 and a rain gutter 32. The nose hiding portion 30 stands upward from the vertical wall outside the rain gutter 32, and the upper end bends toward the roof material 22 side to cover and hide the end face of the roof material 22. The other nose hiding materials 24b to 24d do not have the rain gutter 32, but the other configurations can be the same as those of the nose hiding material 24a. The rain gutter 32 is a gutter that collects and drains rainwater etc. that has fallen on the roof material 22. The rain gutter 32 has, for example, drain pipes 33 connected to both the left and right ends. In FIG. 2, only a part of the drain pipe 33 is shown, but the drain pipe 33 extends, for example, along a nearby column 16 to near the ground.

[0017] The eaves ceiling 14 is a ceiling arranged on the lower surface side of the roof 12. The eaves ceiling 14 has a plurality of eaves ceiling members 34 and end members 36 and 37 that serve as a surrounding edge that hides the ends of the eaves ceiling members 34.

[0018] Multiple reinforcing members 28 are installed on the upper surface of the beam 18 at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction and extend in the front-rear direction. Multiple rectangular tubular base materials 38 are fixed to the lower surface of each reinforcing member 28 at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction and extend in the front-rear direction. Each soffit material 34 is screwed to the lower surface of the base material 38 and extends in the front-rear direction. The soffit material 34 is made up of thin rectangular panels in plan view, and the soffit 14 is formed by arranging multiple soffit materials 34 on the left and right sides (see Figure 2). The soffit materials 34 are provided, for example, in front of the front beam 18, covering the roof 12 from below; between the front and rear beams 18, 18, covering the roof 12 from below; and behind the rear beam 18, covering the roof 12 from below. In Figure 2, the illustration of some of the soffit materials 34 is omitted, and the configuration of the underside of the roof 12 is shown.

[0019] The soffit material 34 located in front of the front beam 18 has its front end surface 34a hidden by an end member 36 and its rear end surface 34b hidden by an end member 37 (see Figure 3). The end member 36 is fixed to the lower surface of the reinforcing material 28 with screws 40. The end member 37 is fixed to the side surface of the beam 18 with screws. The end members that hide the side end surfaces of the soffit material 34 at both the left and right ends can be configured by omitting the hook portion 48 and fixing portion 50 described later from the end member 36. The end surfaces of the soffit material 34 between the front and rear beams 18, 18 and behind the rear beam 18 are also hidden using end members with a similar configuration to the end members 36, 37 and the end members that hide the side end surfaces of the soffit material 34.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, the roof structure 10 has an inspection opening 42 between the end member 36 at the front end of the soffit 14 and the rain gutter 32. The inspection opening 42 is an opening provided between the rain gutter 32 and the end member 36. The inspection opening 42 can be used to remove debris such as fallen leaves that clog the upper part of the rain gutter 32 and the drain pipe 33. The inspection opening 42 can be provided near the left and right drain pipes 33, which are most likely to be clogged with fallen leaves, etc., along the entire length of the rain gutter 32 (see Figure 2). The inspection opening 42 may also be provided along the entire length of the rain gutter 32. The front-to-back width of the inspection opening 42 can be set to a width that allows a person to insert (for example, about 200 mm), and the left-to-right length of the inspection opening 42 can be set to a length sufficient for removing fallen leaves, etc. (for example, about 500 mm). The width and length of the inspection opening 42 can be changed as appropriate.

[0021] The inspection hatch 42 is not used except during inspections. Therefore, the roof structure 10 is equipped with a cover material 44 to close the inspection hatch 42 when not in use and to maintain its aesthetic appearance.

[0022] Next, the structure of the cover material 44 and its surrounding area will be described.

[0023] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the cover material 44 is a removable lid member that opens and closes the inspection opening 42 that is formed between the rain gutter 32 and the end member 36. The cover material 44 is fitted with a gap-concealing portion 45, which makes it possible to cover the inspection opening 42 almost completely without any gaps.

[0024] The rain gutter 32 is an upward-opening groove member and is positioned on the lower side of the roof 12. The rain gutter 32 is positioned below the roofing material 22 in the vertical direction and straddles the front side of the roofing material 22 in the front-rear direction. This allows the rain gutter 32 to catch rainwater that flows down in front of the roofing material 22. The rain gutter 32 has a pair of front and rear vertical wall sections 32a and 32b that form its groove shape. The front vertical wall section 32a is formed integrally with the fascia board section 30. The rear vertical wall section 32b rises upward facing the inspection opening 42. The upper end 32c of the vertical wall section 32b is positioned with a certain gap between it and the lower surface of the roofing material 22.

[0025] First, the cover material 44 can be formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy profile. The cover material 44 has a cover body 46, which is a lid member that opens and closes the inspection opening 42.

[0026] The cover body 46 may have a lid portion 46a, a fin portion 46b, and a connecting portion 46c. The lid portion 46a occupies most of the cover body 46 in the front-rear direction and has a semi-hollow shape with an open top surface to ensure rigidity. The lid portion 46a also serves as a part for gripping by hand when attaching or detaching the cover material 44. The fin portion 46b protrudes forward from the front side surface of the lid portion 46a. Reference numeral 47 in Figure 3 indicates an end cap that closes the small opening of the lid portion 46a.

[0027] The connecting portion 46c is a part for detachably connecting the cover material 44 to the end member 36. The connecting portion 46c may have a hooking portion 48 and a fixing portion 50. The hooking portion 48 is a part for hooking onto the end member 36. The hooking portion 48 has a hook shape that allows it to be hooked from above onto the object to be hooked (the hooked portion 60).

[0028] The fixing portion 50 is the part for screwing to the end member 36. The fixing portion 50 may have a plate portion 52 and a back plate 54. The plate portion 52 is formed as part of the cover material 44. The plate portion 52 protrudes rearward from the rear side surface of the lid portion 46a, and its surface direction is aligned with the front-to-back direction. The plate portion 52 abuts against the end member 36 and is fixed with screws 56. The plate portion 52 has a concave shape on its lower surface to accommodate the heads of the screws 57 that fix the back plate 54 to the plate portion 52. The lower surface of the plate portion 52 may not have a concave shape. In this case, the heads of the screws 57 can be accommodated by providing countersunk holes or the like on the lower surface of the plate portion 52.

[0029] The backing plate 54 is a metal plate used to screw the plate portion 52 to the end member 36. The backing plate 54 is made of, for example, stainless steel or steel, and has higher durability against repeated fastening of screws 56 than the plate portion 52 which is made of aluminum alloy. The backing plate 54 is placed on the upper surface of the plate portion 52 and fixed from below with screws 57. The screws 56 and 57 are positioned offset from each other in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the backing plate 54.

[0030] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the end member 36 can be formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy profile. The end member 36 extends in the left-right width direction of the soffit 14. The end member 36 may have a mounting plate 36a, an end concealing portion 36b, and a connecting portion 36c.

[0031] The mounting plate 36a is the part that secures the end member 36 to the lower surface of the reinforcing member 28 with screws 40. The end concealing part 36b is the part that encloses and covers the ends of each soffit material 34 that are arranged on the left and right. The end concealing part 36b extends downward from near the front-to-back center of the mounting plate 36a, then bends forward once, extends downward again, and then bends backward. As a result, the end concealing part 36b can cover and enclose the sides and bottom of the front end surface 34a of each soffit material 34.

[0032] The connected portion 36c is the part for connecting the connecting portion 46c of the cover material 44. The connected portion 36c may have a hooked portion 60 and a fixed portion 62. The hooked portion 60 is the part for hooking the hooked portion 48 of the cover material 44. The hooked portion 60 may be made of a plate piece that protrudes upward from an upward-facing surface formed in the middle of the end concealed portion 36b. The fixed portion 62 is the part for screwing the fixed portion 50 of the cover material 44. The fixed portion 62 may be made of a plate piece that protrudes forward from a vertical side surface formed in the middle of the end concealed portion 36b. This allows the fixed portion 62 to be easily fastened with a screw 56 from below by bringing the plate portion 52 into contact with it from above.

[0033] As described above, in this embodiment, the cover material 44 allows the inspection opening 42 to be opened and closed by connecting a connecting portion 46c provided on the rear end side of the cover body 46 to a connected portion 36c provided on the front end side of the soffit 14. Here, it is preferable to ensure a gap G between the cover material 44 and the rain gutter 32 to avoid damage and the generation of abnormal noise due to contact when the rain gutter 32 bends or moves due to snow accumulation or strong winds. In particular, the cover material 44 is made of metal and the rain gutter 32 is also made of metal. Therefore, if metal-to-metal contact occurs, so-called metal touch, there is a great concern that one or both will be damaged and abnormal noise will be generated. The gap G is, for example, about 50 mm and is not very noticeable in appearance. However, concealing the gap G improves the appearance of the roof structure 10.

[0034] Therefore, the cover material 44 of this embodiment is provided with a gap-concealing portion 45. The gap-concealing portion 45 is a member that conceals the gap G formed between the cover material 44 and the rain gutter 32. The gap-concealing portion 45 is, for example, fitted into a pocket formed on the upper surface of the tip of the fin portion 46b of the cover body 46 and protrudes toward the vertical wall portion 32b. The gap-concealing portion 45 can be made of a soft material such as rubber or resin. A tight material or airtight material can also be used for the gap-concealing portion 45 made of a soft material. Even when the tip of such a gap-concealing portion 45 is in contact with the vertical wall portion 32b, damage and the generation of abnormal noise are suppressed. In other words, the gap-concealing portion 45 made of a soft material can completely seal the gap G by contacting the vertical wall portion 32b while suppressing damage and the generation of abnormal noise.

[0035] When covering the inspection opening 42 with such a cover material 44, first, the hook portion 48 is hooked onto the hooked portion 60, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The cover material 44 is temporarily held in place by the end member 36 when the hook portion 48 is hooked onto the hooked portion 60, thus preventing it from falling during the work. If the back plate 54 is fastened to the plate portion 52 with screws 57 during the initial assembly, there is no need to remove it when attaching or detaching the cover material 44 during subsequent inspections.

[0036] During the hooking operation of the hook portion 48, the tip of the gap concealing portion 45 may come into contact with the side surface of the vertical wall portion 32b of the rain gutter 32 (see Figure 6). However, since the gap concealing portion 45 is made of a soft material, damage to the vertical wall portion 32b and the generation of abnormal noises are suppressed. In other words, the gap concealing portion 45 can slide smoothly along the side surface of the vertical wall portion 32b while being slightly deformed.

[0037] When the hook portion 48 of the cover material 44 is securely hooked onto the hooked portion 60, the lower surface of the plate portion 52 comes into contact with the upper surface of the fixed portion 62 of the end member 36 and the cover material 44 is placed on top (see Figure 4). At this time, the tip of the gap-concealing portion 45 comes into contact with the vertical wall portion 32b, completely sealing the gap G. Next, the fixing portion 50 is fastened to the fixed portion 62 with screws 56. The screws 56 are inserted from the bottom to the top of the fixed portion 62, through the through holes formed in the fixed portion 62 and the plate portion 52 respectively, and tightened into the screw holes of the back plate 54 (see Figures 5 and 4).

[0038] As a result, the cover material 44 is connected to the end member 36, and the inspection opening 42 is covered by the cover material 44, leaving a small gap G. The gap concealing part 45 can close the gap G at the same time as connecting the cover material 44 to the end member 36, and no special installation work is required. As a result, the inspection opening 42 is securely closed by the cover material 44 and the gap concealing part 45, and the inspection opening 42 is not exposed on the underside of the roof 12.

[0039] The operation to remove the cover material 44 from the inspection opening 42 is the reverse of the installation operation described above. That is, first remove the screw 56 to release the fixing part 50 from the fixed part 62. Then, by pulling the hook part 48 out from the hooked part 60, the removal of the cover material 44 is completed. Even at this time, since the gap concealing part 45 is made of a soft material, damage to the vertical wall part 32b and the generation of abnormal noise are suppressed.

[0040] As described above, the roof structure 10 of this embodiment includes a cover material 44 for opening and closing an inspection opening 42 provided between the rain gutter 32 and the end member 36 of the soffit 14, and a gap concealing part 45 for concealing the gap G between the cover material 44 and the rain gutter 32. This allows the roof structure 10 to cover the inspection opening 42 with the cover material 44 and the gap concealing part 45 when not being inspected, improving its aesthetic appeal. In particular, if the cover material 44 and the rain gutter 32 are made of metal, the gap G between them becomes even more important in order to avoid metal-to-metal contact. The gap concealing part 45 can further improve the aesthetic appeal of the roof structure 10 by concealing this gap G.

[0041] The gap-concealing section 45 can be formed from a soft material attached to the cover material 44. As a result, when the cover material 44 is connected to the end member 36 of the soffit 14, the gap-concealing section 45 is automatically positioned to cover the gap G. Therefore, the gap-concealing section 45 does not require separate installation work from the cover material 44, and is easy to install. Because the gap-concealing section 45 is made of a soft material, it is also possible to suppress mutual damage and the generation of abnormal noises due to interference with the rain gutter 32 when attaching or detaching the cover material 44.

[0042] The gap-concealing portion 45 protrudes from the cover material 44 toward the rain gutter 32, and its tip can come into contact with the rain gutter 32. In this way, the gap-concealing portion 45 forms part of the cover material 44 in appearance. As a result, the gap-concealing portion 45 itself is not conspicuous, and the aesthetic appearance of the roof structure 10 is further improved.

[0043] Figure 7 shows the inspection hatch 42 and its surrounding area of ​​a roof structure 10 equipped with a rain gutter 64 that has a slightly different shape from the rain gutter 32 shown in Figure 3. In Figure 7, the same reference numerals as those shown in Figures 1 to 6 indicate the same or similar configurations, and therefore, detailed explanations are omitted as they are assumed to have the same or similar functions and effects. The same applies to Figures 8 to 11 below.

[0044] The rain gutter 64 shown in Figure 7 is positioned slightly lower relative to the roof 12 compared to the rain gutter 32 shown in Figure 3. Therefore, the height of the upper end 32c of the vertical wall portion 32b of the rain gutter 64 is relatively low relative to the roof 12. The fascia board 24a on which the rain gutter 64 is installed has a slightly curved shape at the fascia portion 30, but the shape of the fascia portion 30 may be the same as that shown in Figure 3. In the example configuration shown in Figure 7, because the vertical wall portion 32b is at a low position, the tip of the gap concealing portion 45 contacts the upper end 32c, concealing the gap G. The gap concealing portion 45 may not contact the upper end 32c, but may be positioned to straddle the upper end 32c front to back. In other words, by installing the cover material 44 at a certain distance from the rain gutters 32 and 64, the gap concealing portion 45 can reliably conceal the gap G even for rain gutters 32 and 64 of different shapes. The backing plate 54 and screws 57 are not shown in Figure 7.

[0045] Figures 8 to 10 show the inspection hatch 42 and its surrounding area of ​​a roof structure 10 equipped with a gap concealing section 66, which has a different configuration from the gap concealing section 45 shown in Figure 4.

[0046] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the gap concealing portion 66 is formed integrally with the cover body 46. The gap concealing portion 66 is formed simultaneously with the extrusion molding of the cover body 46, and together with the cover body 46, it forms the cover material 44. The gap concealing portion 66 is provided in place of the fin portion 46b shown in Figure 4, and protrudes from the upper end of the front surface of the lid portion 46a toward the rain gutter 32. The gap concealing portion 66 gradually slopes upward in the direction from the cover body 46 toward the rain gutter 32, then bends and protrudes toward the front, and then bends downward again. The gap concealing portion 66 has a roughly mountain-shaped cross-section. This allows the gap concealing portion 66 to be positioned to straddle the end (upper end 32c) of the rain gutter 32 both front and back. In the gap concealing portion 66 shown in Figure 8, the inner surface of the mountain-shaped apex is in contact with the upper end 32c.

[0047] Therefore, in the roof structure 10 shown in Figure 8, the inspection opening 42 can be covered with the cover material 44 and gap concealment part 66 when not being inspected, improving the aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, since the gap concealment part 66 can be integrally molded with the cover material 44, the number of parts can be reduced, and costs can be lowered. If the cover material 44, including the gap concealment part 66, is formed of resin, metal contact with the rain gutter 32 can also be avoided.

[0048] The gap-concealing portion 66 is positioned to straddle the end of the rain gutter 32. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10, when connecting the cover material 44 equipped with the gap-concealing portion 66 to the end member 36, it is necessary to first hook the gap-concealing portion 66 onto the vertical wall portion 32b. This is because the gap-concealing portion 66 is made of a rigid material integrally molded with the cover body 46, and therefore cannot be hooked onto the vertical wall portion 32b by deforming it against the vertical wall portion 32b, as is the case with the gap-concealing portion 45.

[0049] Therefore, in the configuration examples shown in Figures 8 to 10, the cover material 44 has a connecting portion 68 with a different configuration from the connecting portion 46c shown in Figure 4, and the end member 36 can have a connected portion 70 with a different configuration from the connected portion 36c shown in Figure 4. The connecting portion 68 of the cover material 44 is configured by omitting the hook portion 48 and the back plate 54 from the connecting portion 46c shown in Figure 4. In other words, the connecting portion 68 has a plate portion 52. The connected portion 70 of the end member 36 is configured by omitting the hook portion 60 from the connected portion 36c shown in Figure 4 and adding a back plate 54. In other words, the connected portion 70 has a fixed portion 62 and a back plate 54. The back plate 54 is fixed to the upper surface of the fixed portion 62 with screws 57 similar to those in Figure 4 or welded to it.

[0050] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, in such a connecting portion 68 and connected portion 70, the upper surface of the plate portion 52 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the fixed portion 62, and the two are fastened together with screws 56 using a backing plate 54. As a result, in the roof structure 10 shown in Figures 8 to 10, when connecting the cover material 44 to the end member 36, the gap concealing portion 66 is first hooked onto the vertical wall portion 32b to temporarily hold the cover material 44 in place to prevent it from falling, and then the connecting portion 68 and connected portion 70 are connected afterward. In Figures 8 to 10, the screws 57 that fix the backing plate 54 to the fixed portion 62 are not shown.

[0051] Figure 11 shows a configuration in which the cover material 44, which has a gap-concealing portion 66 as shown in Figure 10, is applied to the rain gutter 64 shown in Figure 7.

[0052] In the rain gutter 64 shown in Figure 11, the vertical wall portion 32b is located at a low position, so the gap concealing portion 66 is positioned to straddle the upper end 32c with a gap between it and the upper end 32c. In other words, the gap concealing portion 66 does not come into contact with the upper end 32c, but straddles the upper end 32c front to back. Therefore, in the configuration example shown in Figure 11, the gap concealing portion 66 is less likely to cause mutual damage or generate abnormal noise due to metal-to-metal contact with the vertical wall portion 32b. That is, by installing the cover material 44 at a certain distance from the rain gutters 32 and 64, the gap concealing portion 66 can reliably conceal the gap G even for rain gutters 32 and 64 of different shapes.

[0053] As shown by the dashed line in Figure 8, a soft cushioning material 72 such as rubber or sponge may be attached to the gap between the gap-concealing portion 66 and the upper end 32c, that is, to the inside of the mountain shape of the gap-concealing portion 66. This will further suppress mutual damage and the generation of abnormal noise due to metal-to-metal contact between the gap-concealing portion 66 and the vertical wall portion 32b. The cushioning material 72 may be formed, for example, into a thin sheet and attached to the inside of the gap-concealing portion 66 as shown in Figure 8.

[0054] A roof structure according to one aspect of the present invention is a roof structure having a roof, comprising a rain gutter positioned below the side surface of the roof, an soffit positioned on the underside of the roof, an inspection opening provided between the rain gutter and the soffit, a cover material that opens and closes the inspection opening with a gap between it and the rain gutter, and a gap concealing part that hides the gap. With this configuration, the inspection opening can be covered and concealed by the cover material and the gap concealing part when not being inspected. As a result, the aesthetic appearance of the inspection opening and its surrounding area of ​​the roof structure is improved. In particular, when the cover material and rain gutter are made of metal, the gap between them becomes even more important in order to suppress damage and noise generation due to metal-to-metal contact between them. The gap concealing part can further improve the aesthetic appearance of the roof structure by concealing this gap.

[0055] The rain gutter and the cover material are made of metal, the cover material is detachably connected to the soffit, and the gap-concealing portion may be made of a soft material attached to the cover material. In this case, damage caused by metal contact and the generation of abnormal noise can be more effectively suppressed by the gap. Furthermore, by forming the gap-concealing portion that hides this gap with a soft material, mutual damage and the generation of abnormal noise due to interference with the rain gutter can also be suppressed.

[0056] The gap-concealing portion may be configured to protrude from the cover material toward the rain gutter, with its tip in contact with the rain gutter. In this configuration, the gap-concealing portion will visually form part of the cover material, thus preventing the gap-concealing portion itself from being conspicuous.

[0057] The cover material may have a configuration comprising: a cover body that is detachably connected to the soffit and has a gap between it and the rain gutter to open and close the inspection opening; and a gap-concealing portion that is integrally formed with the cover body, protrudes from the cover body toward the rain gutter, and is positioned to straddle the end of the rain gutter. In this case, the gap-concealing portion can be integrally molded with the cover material, thus reducing the number of parts and lowering costs.

[0058] The rain gutter may have a vertical wall portion that rises upward facing the inspection opening, and the gap-concealing portion may be configured to straddle the upper end of the vertical wall portion from above. In this configuration, when installing the cover material, the gap-concealing portion can be hooked onto the end of the rain gutter to temporarily hold the cover material in place and prevent it from falling, thereby improving the ease of installation of the cover material.

[0059] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be freely modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 10 Roof structure, 12 Roof, 14 Soffit, 22 Roofing material, 24a~24d Fascia board material, 32,64 Rain gutter, 34 Soffit material, 36,37 End members, 42 Inspection hatch, 44 Cover material, 45, 66 Gap concealment

Claims

1. A roof structure having a roof, A rain gutter positioned on the lower side of the aforementioned roof, The soffit, which is positioned on the underside of the aforementioned roof, An inspection opening is provided between the rain gutter and the soffit, A cover material that opens and closes the inspection opening while having a gap between it and the rain gutter, A gap-concealing part that hides the aforementioned gap, A roof structure characterized by having the following features.

2. A roof structure according to claim 1, The aforementioned rain gutter and cover material are made of metal. The cover material is detachably connected to the soffit, The gap-concealing portion is a soft material attached to the cover material. A roof structure characterized by the following features.

3. A roof structure according to claim 2, The gap-concealing portion protrudes from the cover material toward the rain gutter, and its tip is in contact with the rain gutter. A roof structure characterized by the following features.

4. A roof structure according to claim 1, The aforementioned cover material is A cover body that is detachably connected to the soffit and has the gap between it and the rain gutter, and opens and closes the inspection opening, The gap-concealing portion is formed integrally with the cover body, protrudes from the cover body toward the rain gutter side, and is positioned to straddle the end of the rain gutter, has A roof structure characterized by the following features.

5. A roof structure according to claim 4, The aforementioned rain gutter has a vertical wall portion that rises upward facing the inspection opening, The gap-concealing portion is positioned to straddle the upper end of the vertical wall portion from above. A roof structure characterized by the following features.

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