HK1117579B - Shingle configured for attachment to a roof and method for installing it - Google Patents

Description

Shingle configured to be attached to a roof and method of installing the same

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to improved building materials and more particularly to shingles for application to roofs that require resistance to high winds.

Background

The vast majority of roofing shingles in the united states are relatively inexpensive and are made from thin sheets of asphalt-coated building material that are used in overlapping rows to protect the interior of a house from the elements. In contrast, relatively expensive, "specialty" shingles have long been constructed from a variety of thicker, natural elements including natural slate, clay, wood, and concrete. Recently, advances in polymer technology have led to the emergence of a new class of "synthetic" shingles, whereby the more expensive natural materials are mimicked by injection molded synthetic shingles, often at lower installation costs.

Prior art composite shingles are generally rectangular and include generally flat top and bottom surfaces. These types of shingles are typically installed by securing a first horizontal row or "course" of shingles along the bottom of the roof in a straight line parallel to the roof contour line or "eave". Each shingle is individually secured, one shingle at a time, with a small gap or "keyway" between adjacent shingles. In addition, in prior art shingles, each adjacent layer of shingles overlaps the previous layer of shingles by at least 50%, so that precipitation of any type will cascade down the roof from one layer of shingles to the next, so that water is transported across the surface of the shingles layer by layer from shingles at the top ridge of the structure until the water safely flows from the roof to the gutter or out of the house or building. The importance of overlapping at least 50% of the shingles of a lower course with the shingles of an immediately higher course is to ensure that water flowing down the roof structure does not drip through the keyways between the shingles, which would otherwise create the risk of water leaking down onto any underlying roof structure (roofing underlayment or shingles), which ultimately protects the valuable items and inhabitants of any roofed structure.

Despite the wide acceptance, the prior art shingles and methods of installation have various drawbacks. A large portion of each shingle is dedicated to providing the horizontal overlap necessary to protect the underlying roofing material from water draining into the keyway. This limits the specific gravity of the actual exposed area provided by each prior art shingle to about 50% of its overall size, thus doubling the actual required roofing material to successfully drain water from the roof. In addition, it is difficult to maintain consistent alignment of horizontal rows of shingles across the entire roof surface. An incorrect, uneven tilting of a single tile in a manner that is not exactly parallel to the eaves may result in an enlarged mis-alignment of a subsequent adjacent tile, wherein said subsequent adjacent tile is positioned with reference to said single incorrectly placed, uneven tile. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved shingle that overcomes these and other deficiencies in the prior art.

Disclosure of Invention

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes a shingle configured to be attached to a roof. The shingle preferably comprises a body comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall; a water diverter tab connected to the first sidewall and an anchor tab connected to the second sidewall. The present invention also includes a method of installing a shingle constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiments. The method comprises the following steps: securing the first shingle to the underlying surface by passing at least one fastener through the upper end of the first shingle and passing at least one fastener through an anchoring tab extending from the first side of the first shingle; interlocking the second shingle with the first shingle by inserting a water diverter tab connected to the second side of the second shingle into a water diverter tab opening in the first side of the first shingle; and securing the second shingle to the underlying surface by passing at least one fastener through the upper end of the second shingle and passing at least one fastener through the anchoring tab extending from the first side of the second shingle.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a shingle configured to be connected to a roof, the shingle comprising: a body comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall; a water diverter tab connected to the first sidewall; and an anchor tab connected to the second side wall, wherein the second side wall includes a water diverter tab opening for receiving a water diverter tab of a laterally adjacent shingle.

Optionally, the first side wall comprises an anchoring tab opening for receiving an anchoring tab of a laterally adjacent shingle.

Optionally, the shingle further comprises: a water diverter tab stop; and a water diverter tab recess defined by a space between the water diverter tab stop and the second side wall.

Optionally, the water diverter tab includes: a substrate for repelling water; and a lip.

Optionally, a plurality of support bars are included that extend downwardly from the body.

Optionally, the shingle further comprises a cross-bar extending downwardly from the body and connecting the plurality of support bars.

Optionally, the plurality of support bars and the first side wall comprise a wedge-shaped portion.

Optionally, the shingle includes a drain adjacent the second sidewall for preventing moisture from pooling under the shingle.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a shingle configured to be connected to a roof, the shingle comprising: a body comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, an upper end, a lower end, a first side, and a second side, wherein the body has a width defined as the distance between the first side and the second side, and a length defined as the distance between the upper end and the lower end; a water diverter tab connected to the first side for securing the shingle to a laterally adjacent shingle; and an anchor tab connected to the second side.

Optionally, the body further comprises a recess adjacent the second side for receiving a water diverter tab of a laterally adjacent shingle.

Optionally, the water diverter tab includes: a substrate for repelling water; and a lip.

Optionally, the method further comprises: a first side wall extending downwardly from the first side portion; and a second sidewall extending downwardly from the second side, the recess being adjacent the second sidewall.

Optionally, the second side wall includes a water diverter tab opening and the first side wall includes an anchor tab opening.

Optionally, a support bar extending downwardly from the body is also included.

Optionally, the support bar and the first side wall comprise a wedge-shaped portion.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of installing shingles, comprising the steps of: securing a first shingle to an underlying surface by passing at least one fastener through an upper end of the first shingle and at least one fastener through an anchoring tab extending from a first side of the first shingle; interlocking a second shingle with the first shingle by inserting a water diverter tab connected to a second side of the second shingle into a water diverter tab opening in a first side of the first shingle; and securing the second shingle to the underlying surface by passing at least one fastener through an upper end of the second shingle and at least one fastener through an anchoring tab extending from a first side of the second shingle.

Optionally, the interlocking step further comprises nesting the anchor tab of the first shingle in an anchor tab opening in the second side of the second shingle.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a top view of a shingle constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the top of a shingle constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom of the shingle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the lower end of the shingle of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the lower ends of two shingles when installed;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the lower ends of two shingles when installed, partially cut away to show the interlocking water diverter tab and anchor tab;

FIG. 7 is a partial cut-away top view of the lower ends of two shingles when installed, partially cut away to show the interlocking water diverter tab and anchor tab;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a second side of two vertically overlapping shingles constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a front view of a first side of the shingle of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a first side of one of the shingles of FIG. 8 with the water diverter tab removed;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a preferred mounting structure for a plurality of shingles constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 illustrates a shingle (shingle)100 constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The shingle 100 includes a body 101, an anchor tab 114, and a water diverter tab 116. Body 101 includes a top surface 102, a bottom surface 103 (shown in fig. 3), a lower ("heel") end 104, an upper ("top") end 106, a first side 108, and a second side 110. The shingle 100 preferably includes one or more fastener receiving areas 112 adjacent the tip end 106. The fastener receiving area 112 may be used to secure the upper end 106 of the shingle 100 to the underlying roofing material and shingle by using conventional fasteners such as nails or screws. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the shingle 100 further includes a first sidewall 109 adjacent to and extending downwardly from the first side 108, and a second sidewall 111 adjacent to and extending downwardly from the second side 110. The shingle 100 further includes a lower end wall 113 and an upper end wall 115 extending downwardly from the lower end 104 and the upper end 106, respectively.

In the preferred embodiment, the shingle 100 is constructed of a composite material. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the shingle 100 is constructed of one or more plastics that are suitably flexible and resilient to allow for the use of standard roofing nails (roof nails) or standard roofing screws (roof bolts) during installation of the shingle 100. The material chosen for the construction of the shingle 100 should also allow for the creation of a selected texture on the top surface 102. For example, the shingle 100 may include a texture similar to slate, clay tile, wood grain, tile, or concrete tile shingles. Polyvinyl plastics are currently the preferred material for construction. While synthetic materials are presently preferred, it should be understood that alternative deformable materials, such as other polymers, metals, dirt, concrete, and ceramics, for example, may also be used.

Referring now also to fig. 2-4, there are shown a top side perspective view, a bottom side perspective view, and a lower side end front view, respectively, of the shingle 100. The shingle 100 preferably includes an anchor tab 114 connected to the second side 110 and a water diverter tab 116 connected to the first side 108. The anchor tab 114 is preferably configured to receive a suitable anchor, such as a nail or screw, and, together with the fastener receiving area 112, secure the shingle 100 to the underlying roofing material. The anchor tabs 114 form an inboard "wind clip" and generally improve the resistance of the shingle 100 to high winds. The water diverter tab 116 preferably includes a base 118 and a "lip" 120 extending upwardly from the base 118. The water diverter tab 116 forms a "channel" that captures water between the lip 120 and the first sidewall 109.

In a preferred embodiment, the lip 120 of the water diverter tab 116 and the second sidewall 111 are configured to form an interlocking relationship between laterally adjacent shingles 100a and 100 b. The water diverter tab 116 is preferably received by a water diverter tab opening 117 in the second side wall 111 of a laterally adjacent shingle. The lip 120 of the water diverter tab 116 is preferably captured in the water diverter tab recess 119 of a laterally adjacent shingle. The recess 119 is preferably defined by the second side 111 and the tab stop 121. The tab stop 121 is connected to the bottom surface 103 and preferably extends the length of the water diverter tab opening 117. The anchoring tab 114 is preferably received by an anchoring tab opening 122 in the first side wall 109 of a laterally adjacent shingle 100.

Turning to fig. 5-7, the interlocking relationship created by the engagement of the water diverter tab 116 and the anchor tab 114 of laterally adjacent shingles 100 is illustrated. During installation, the secured shingle 100b is secured to the underlying surface 200 by placing each fastener 133 into the fastener receiving area 122b and through the anchoring tab 114 b. The lip 120a of the free shingle 100a is then inserted through the water diverter tab opening 117b of the fixed shingle 100 b. The free shingle 100a is then rotated into contact with the underlying surface 200. As the free shingle 100a rotates, the lip 120a is captured in the water diverter tab recess 119 between the second sidewall of the fixed shingle 100b and the tab stop 121 b. At the same time, the anchor tab 114b and the fastener 133 are received in the anchor tab opening 122 in the first side wall of the free shingle 100 a. The free shingle 100a can then be locked into place by placing the fastener 135 through the fastener receiving area 112a and the anchoring tab 114 a. Thus, the fastened anchoring tab 114b acts to secure both lower end portions 104a, 104b of adjacent shingles 100a, 100b together.

In this manner, laterally adjacent shingles 100a and 100b can be "interlocked" with the water diverter tab 116 and the anchor tab 114 so that all four corners of the free shingle 100a are secured to the underlying surface 200. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 7, the interlocking water diverter tab 116a and anchor tab 114b cooperate to form a substantially continuous channel between adjacent shingles 100a and 100 b. The interlocking relationship between laterally adjacent shingles 100a and 100b provides improved resistance to both precipitation and high winds.

This interlocking structure also eliminates the need in the prior art for horizontally overlapping the main portion of adjacent shingles. Adjacent shingles 100 may not be installed with significant horizontal overlap to maximize the amount of exposed area provided by each shingle and the specific gravity of the total surface area required by each shingle. Maximizing the amount of exposed area provided by each shingle reduces the number of shingles required to cover a particular surface area of a roof. Maximizing the specific gravity of the total exposed surface area of the shingles reduces the amount of raw material required to cover a particular surface area of a roof. When combined, the greater exposure of each shingle and the greater specific exposure make more efficient use of raw materials for drainage purposes of the roof shingles.

Referring again to fig. 3, the shingle 100 also preferably includes a plurality of support bars 124. The support bars 124 preferably extend downwardly from the bottom surface 103 and extend a portion of the length of the shingle 100. The braces 124 improve the resistance of the shingle 100 to pressure shocks from debris or hail, as well as from sustained weights, such as the weight of a monitor standing on the shingle 100. Although three braces 124 are shown in fig. 3, it should be understood that a fewer or greater number of braces 124 may also be used, and that the structure of the braces need not all be perpendicular to the lower end 104 of the shingle 100.

Each shingle 100 also preferably includes a small vent 121 in the lower end wall 113 adjacent the water diverter tab recess 119. The vent 121 prevents water captured by the water diverter tab 116 and the anchor tab 114 from pooling under the shingle 100. The shingle 100 may also include a cross-bar 126 that extends horizontally across the shingle 100. The cross-bar 126 provides rigidity to the shingle 100 and protects the roof from water penetration if the lower end 104 is lifted by updraft or vacuum. If the updraft or vacuum lifts the lower end 104, the bottom of the cross bar 126 remains immediately adjacent to the underlying structure.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the shingle 100 has a stepped profile. Fig. 10 provides a front view of the first side wall 109 of the shingle 100 with the water diverter tab 116 removed for clarity. The first side wall 109 preferably includes a wedge-shaped upper portion 128, a generally vertical step 130, and a thinner lower portion 132. The stepped profile of the side wall 109 is configured such that the wedge-shaped upper portion 128 supports the shingle 100 on the underlying surface. As shown in fig. 8 and 9, the step 130 is configured to seat on the upper end 106 of the adjacent lower shingle 100. In this way, by simply seating the shingle 100 on top of the lower shingle, the shingle 100 can be easily installed with very little margin of error with reference to the lower shingle. The self-alignment provided by the stepped side wall 109 significantly facilitates installation of overlapping field shingles in subsequent courses. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the sidewalls 109, 111 and the support bars 124 are angled relative to the top surface 102 to adjust the elevation angle of the shingle 100 away from the underlying surface. In particular, the support bars 124 are beveled in correspondence with the wedge-shaped upper portions of the side walls 109, 111. The stepped profile also facilitates insertion of the water diverter tab 106 into an adjacent shingle.

In addition to facilitating and improving the installation operation, the stepped profile of the shingle 100 also eliminates the presence of wedge-shaped recesses or "gaps" that result from the overlapping installation of conventional rectangular shingles. In a preferred embodiment, the wedge-shaped upper portion 128 is configured to substantially occupy the space or "gap" that would otherwise occur with a standard flat rectangular shingle. In this way, the wedge-shaped upper side portion 128 effectively seals the underside of the shingle 100. At the same time, the side walls 109, 111 are configured to be suitable for use with a conventional "header" shingle 134, wherein the conventional "header" shingle 134 eliminates the space between the underside of the shingle 100 and the roof surface 200 created by the stepped side walls 109, 111 on the first horizontal row of shingles 100 parallel to the eaves of the roof surface 200.

Fig. 11 shows a currently preferred arrangement of a plurality of shingles 100. It should be understood that shingles constructed in accordance with the present invention have a wide variety of mounting methods and configurations. However, in the present preferred implementation, the shingle 100 is installed by first securing the underside portion of the first shingle 100a to the underlying material with suitable fasteners and anchor tabs 114. The upper left side corner of the first shingle may then be secured by driving a suitable fastener through one or more, preferably two, fastener receiving areas 112. The second shingle 100b is then positioned adjacent to the first shingle 100a by sliding the water diverter tab 116b under the second sidewall 111a of the first shingle 100 a. The second shingle 100b is then "interlocked" into position adjacent to the first shingle 100 a. The installation of the first shingle 100a is completed by fastening the upper end 106a of the first shingle 100a by driving suitable fasteners through one or more fastener receiving areas 112. With this method of installation, the water diverter tab 116b on the second shingle 100b is captured in the water diverter tab recess 119 of the first shingle 100 a. This process of interlocking adjacent shingles can be repeated in the same layer for subsequent shingles 100. The shingles 100 of the subsequent tier are preferably positioned with reference to the first tier using the vertical step 134.

It is clear that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those inherent therein. Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of disclosure in varying forms, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention disclosed herein and the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (17)

1. A shingle configured to be connected to a roof, the shingle comprising:

a body comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall;

a water diverter tab connected to the first sidewall; and

an anchor tab connected to the second sidewall,

wherein the second side wall includes a water diverter tab opening for receiving a water diverter tab of a laterally adjacent shingle.

2. The shingle of claim 1, wherein the first side wall includes an anchor tab opening for receiving an anchor tab of a laterally adjacent shingle.

3. The shingle of claim 2, further comprising:

a water diverter tab stop; and

a water diverter tab recess defined by a space between the water diverter tab stop and the second side wall.

4. The shingle of claim 3, wherein the water diverter tab comprises:

a substrate for repelling water; and

a lip portion.

5. The shingle of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of support bars extending downwardly from the body.

6. The shingle of claim 5, further comprising a cross-bar extending downward from the body and connecting the plurality of support bars.

7. The shingle of claim 5, wherein the plurality of support bars and the first side wall include a wedge-shaped portion.

8. The shingle of claim 1, wherein the shingle includes a drain opening adjacent the second side wall for preventing moisture from pooling under the shingle.

9. A shingle configured to be connected to a roof, the shingle comprising:

a body comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, an upper end, a lower end, a first side, and a second side, wherein the body has a width defined as the distance between the first side and the second side, and a length defined as the distance between the upper end and the lower end;

a water diverter tab connected to the first side for securing the shingle to a laterally adjacent shingle; and

an anchor tab connected to the second side.

10. The shingle of claim 9, wherein the body further comprises a recess adjacent the second side for receiving a water diverter tab of a laterally adjacent shingle.

11. The shingle of claim 10, wherein the water diverter tab comprises:

a substrate for repelling water; and

a lip portion.

12. The shingle of claim 11, further comprising:

a first side wall extending downwardly from the first side portion; and

a second sidewall extending downwardly from the second side, the recess being adjacent the second sidewall.

13. The shingle of claim 12, wherein the second side wall includes a water diverter tab opening and the first side wall includes an anchor tab opening.

14. The shingle of claim 13, further comprising a support bar extending downwardly from the body.

15. The shingle of claim 14, wherein the brace and the first side wall include a wedge-shaped portion.

16. A method of installing shingles, comprising the steps of:

securing a first shingle to an underlying surface by passing at least one fastener through an upper end of the first shingle and passing at least one fastener through an anchoring tab extending from a first side of the first shingle;

interlocking a second shingle with the first shingle by inserting a water diverter tab connected to a second side of the second shingle into a water diverter tab opening in a first side of the first shingle; and is

Securing the second shingle to the underlying surface by passing at least one fastener through an upper end of the second shingle and passing at least one fastener through an anchoring tab extending from a first side of the second shingle.

17. The method of installing shingles according to claim 16, wherein the interlocking step further comprises nesting the anchor tab of the first shingle in an anchor tab opening in the second side of the second shingle.