Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Lapped multiplanar surfacing; e.g. – shingle type – With fastener or anchor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-22
2003-05-06
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Lapped multiplanar surfacing; e.g., shingle type
With fastener or anchor
C052S553000, C052S520000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06557315
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to roofing shingles. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a roof covering using metal roofing shingles and with a process for constructing such roof coverings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Roof coverings made from sheet material shingles are well known. The shingles are usually made from sheet metal, notably copper, terne-coated stainless steel or aluminium, and are used to provide a long lasting roof.
Constructing metallic shingle roof coverings having water shedding joints has been attempted through either shingle overlap or folded over and interlocking edges. Simple overlapping of light gauge sheet metal shingles allows the transport of water across the overlap to the under-roof because the overlapping surfaces are not, in practice, plane, parallel, and thus, in close contact over the whole overlap area. Furthermore, the lower part of the shingles would be easily lifted by even slight winds.
That is the reason why most commercial sheet metal shingles are based on the concept of folded over edges designed to interlock with each other. However, such shingles fail to provide complete weatherproof protection.
Furthermore, folded-edge shingles have to be made from light gauge sheet metal, typically 0.020 inches thick, in order to be folded over a suitably small radius. This has an important bearing on hail resistance (proportional to the 3rd power of material thickness) and wind uplift resistance (proportional to the resistance of a fold to unfolding, which in turn is proportional to the 3rd power of material thickness). Besides this, folded-edge shingles must be made in relatively small sizes because folding and interlocking of all four sides allows practically for only one fastener per shingle; thus adequate fastening per unit surface limits the shingle size. This greatly affects manufacturing and installation costs, which depend upon shingle size.
Folded-edge shingles have another drawback when the chosen metal is aluminium. The shingles cannot be made from anodised sheet metal which cannot be folded over a small enough radius when anodised at architectural thickness (18 &mgr;m and over) and post-folding anodisation is uneconomical because of the small size of the shingles. Thus, aluminium folded-over shingles are inevitably painted. This leads to the loss of the distinctive, metallic aspect and to other problems associated with volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions at the painting line, colour degradation of the roof because of organic pigment sensitivity to UV rays, and finally, obnoxious emissions when recycling either process scrap or shingles, especially if the paint contains fluorocarbons.
Prior art metallic shingles, being essentially of the folded edge design, have other shortcomings. As for aesthetics, they cannot feature rounded corners (which constitute an important element among those that can be used to design distinctive geometric roof patterns). Concerning fabrication costs, folded-edge shingles are made from blanks that have several notches and re-entrant angles, which require custom dies; the blanks must further be processed in specially designed folding machines. Special elements are needed for building the roof covering at eaves, gable edges, hips and valleys.
There is an ongoing demand for a roof covering made of metal roofing shingles, which can shed water, prevent ingress of wind-driven rain, be weather resistant, resist the assaults of wind, UV rays, snow, ice, extremes of temperature (typically from −40° C. to +100° C.) while being relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to construct and having aesthetic value in terms of colour, texture or geometry.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved metal roofing shingle used for building an improved roof covering.
Another object of the invention is to provide a metal roofing tile free of the above-noted disadvantages.
A further object of the invention is to provide a metal shingle having non-folded edges.
Yet, another object of the present invention is to provide a shingle that is resistant to the action of UV rays, wind, hail, temperature extremes while remaining easy and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
Yet, a further object of the present invention is to provide a roof covering that is waterproof and has an exceptionally long life.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a roofing shingle for mounting to a roof surface which comprises:
a substantially flat and generally rectangular shaped panel made of metallic sheet material, the panel having a top side and an under side and defining side edges, the top side displaying along at least two of the side edges a series of dimples defining corresponding bosses on the under side;
a series of connecting elements having one end mounted to a corresponding boss and an opposite end projecting beyond the side edges, the connecting elements allowing connection with the roof surface; and
locating means on the top and under sides for positioning the shingle with a corresponding similarly constructed shingle to define an overlapping region therebetween.
Preferably, this one end of each connecting element is pivotally mounted to the corresponding boss.
Preferably, each connecting element consists of a tab member and the other end of the connecting element displays an aperture for receiving a fastening element for connection to the roof surface.
Advantageously, when the shingle is positioned with a corresponding similarly constructed shingle, the respective under sides of the positioned shingles are substantially parallel to one another in the overlapping region.
Preferably, the locating means consist of complementary top side and under side locating elements. More preferably, one of the top side and under side locating elements is mounted near side edges devoid of connecting elements and the other of the top side and under side locating elements is mounted near side edges including connecting elements.
Preferably, the under side locating element consists of a tab member having offset first and second body portions, the first body portion being mounted to the under side and the second body portion forming a gap with the under side.
Preferably, the top side locating element consists of at least one dimple formed on the top side and a flat band partially covering the dimple, the second body portion of the tab member of a corresponding similarly constructed shingle being received in this one dimple and contacting the flat band, the flat band having a thickness equal to or less than the gap between the second body portion and the under side, and this one dimple having a depth equal to or less than the depth of the corresponding boss of each of the series of dimples.
Advantageously, the flat band has a thickness equal to or less than the thickness of the shingle.
Preferably, the second body portion of the tab member defines a resilient stopper upwardly extending therefrom and abutting the under side, the flat band defines a free edge abutting the resilient stopper of a corresponding similarly constructed shingle, and the resilient stopper is deformable so as to substantially clear the gap between the second body portion of the tab member and the under side.
Advantageously, the shingle is made of metallic material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, terne-coated stainless steel, zinc, copper, clear-anodised aluminium and colour-anodised aluminium.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a roof covering for mounting to a roof surface defining a peripheral edge, the roof covering comprising:
interconnected shingles, each shingle comprising a substantially flat and generally rectangular shaped panel made of metallic sheet material, the panel having a top side and an under side and defining side edges, the top side displaying along at least two of the side edges a series of dimples defining corresponding bosses o
Friedman Carl D.
Slack Naoko
Tecta Inc.
LandOfFree
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