U.S. patent application number 11/420099 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-30 for self-aligning roofing shingles.
Invention is credited to David A. Geary.
Application Number | 20060265989 11/420099 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37461709 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060265989 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Geary; David A. |
November 30, 2006 |
Self-Aligning Roofing Shingles
Abstract
A self-aligning roofing shingle with a shingle body defining a
top edge, and at least two spaced locating features proximate the
top edge of the shingle body, each locating feature defined by a
projection and an indentation, wherein a projection of one shingle
in a first course of shingle locates in an indentation of a mating
shingle in an adjacent course of shingles.
Inventors: |
Geary; David A.;
(Northborough, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MIRICK, O'CONNELL, DEMALLIE & LOUGEE
100 FRONT STREET
WORCESTER
MA
01608
US
|
Family ID: |
37461709 |
Appl. No.: |
11/420099 |
Filed: |
May 24, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60684090 |
May 24, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/518 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 1/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/518 |
International
Class: |
E04D 1/00 20060101
E04D001/00 |
Claims
1. A self-aligning roofing shingle, comprising: a shingle body
defining a top edge; and at least two spaced locating features
proximate the top edge of the shingle body, each locating feature
comprising a projection and an indentation, wherein a projection of
one shingle in a first course of shingle locates in an indentation
of a mating shingle in an adjacent course of shingles.
2. The self-aligning roofing shingle of claim 1 in which the
shingle body is generally rectangular.
3. The self-aligning roofing shingle of claim 1 further comprising
a locating strip carrying the locating features and coupled to the
shingle.
4. The self-aligning roofing shingle of claim 3 in which the
locating strip runs the length of the shingle.
5. The self-aligning roofing shingle of claim 4 in which the
locating strip carries a series of regular projections and
indentations.
6. The self-aligning roofing shingle of claim 5 in which the
locating strip has a generally serpentine shape, with projections
located above indentations.
7. The self-aligning roofing shingle of claim 1 in which the
projections have straight edges.
8. The self-aligning roofing shingle of claim 1 in which the
projections are rounded.
9. The self-aligning roofing shingle of claim 1 in which the
shingle has spaced slots along its lower edge, and in which the
locating features are arranged such that the shingles in adjacent
courses can be aligned such that the slots are misaligned.
10. A roofing shingle system comprising a number of courses of the
self-aligning roofing shingles of claim 1, and further comprising a
starter strip located underneath the first course of the
shingles.
11. A self-aligning roofing shingle, comprising: a generally
rectangular shingle body defining a top edge; and a locating strip
running the length of the shingle and defining a series of regular
projections and indentations that define locating features
proximate the top edge of the shingle body, wherein a projection of
one shingle in a first course of shingle locates in an indentation
of a mating shingle in an adjacent course of shingles.
12. A roofing shingle system comprising a number of courses of the
self-aligning roofing shingles of claim 11, and further comprising
a starter strip located underneath the first course of the
shingles.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of Provisional application
Ser. No. 60/684,090 filed on May 24, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to roofing shingles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Traditional asphalt roofing shingles are rectangular and
have two spaced slots along their bottom edge. The shingles are
laid such that the slots of shingles in adjacent courses are fully
offset.
[0004] In order to properly install shingles, each course musty be
plumb and parallel to the adjacent courses. Doing so requires some
degree of skill, which makes shingles relatively difficult and
expensive to install.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is therefore and object of this invention to provide a
roofing shingle that is self-aligning with shingles located above
it in an adjacent course, so that there is no need to manually
align the shingles in order to properly shingle a roof.
[0006] This invention comprises an asphalt-style roofing shingle
with a series of locating features (which may comprise tabs) that
properly align the shingles, one above the other, as the courses
are laid down on the roof. In the preferred embodiments, the
alignment is accomplished by adding features proximate to or
extending from the normal upper edge of the shingle. When the next
course is laid down over the shingle, the features interlock. This
ensures proper alignment of the shingle and also helps hold them in
place while they are being nailed. The result is that the shingles
are easier to install, which saves installation time.
[0007] The invention features a self-aligning roofing shingle with
a shingle body defining a top edge, and at least two spaced
locating features proximate the top edge of the shingle body, each
locating feature defined by a projection and an indentation,
wherein a projection of one shingle in a first course of shingle
locates in an indentation of a mating shingle in an adjacent course
of shingles. The shingle body may be generally rectangular. The
self-aligning roofing shingle may further comprise a locating strip
carrying the locating features and coupled to the shingle. The
locating strip may run the length of the shingle. The locating
strip may carry a series of regular projections and indentations.
The locating strip may have a generally serpentine shape, with
projections located above indentations. The projections may have
straight edges, or may be rounded, or any other shape. They can be
made by die-cutting traditional shingle material. The shingle may
have spaced slots along its lower edge, and the locating features
may be arranged such that the shingles in adjacent courses can be
aligned such that the slots are misaligned.
[0008] A roofing shingle system may comprise a number of courses of
these self-aligning roofing shingles, and further comprise a
starter strip located underneath the first course of the
shingles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and other objects and features of the invention will
become more apparent based upon the following description together
with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 1B a back view of one
embodiment of the shingle of the invention;
[0011] FIGS. 2A and 2B are similar views of another embodiment of
the invention;
[0012] FIGS. 3A and 3B are similar views of yet another embodiment
of the invention, with FIG. 3C being a side view of this
embodiment;
[0013] FIGS. 4A and 4B are similar views of yet another embodiment
of the invention, with FIG. 4C showing a starter strip that can be
used with the invention;
[0014] FIGS. 5A and 5B are similar views of yet another embodiment
of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 6 shows the shingles of the invention in place on a
roof; and
[0016] FIG. 7 is an exploded view similar to that of FIG. 6 that
helps to illustrate the manner in which the shingles are laid on
the roof
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] The invention is shown conceptually in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in
which shingle 10 is a typical 3-tab shingle with slots 18 and 19 in
the lower half of the shingle. Typical asphalt shingles have
parallel bottom edge 13a and top edge 13b. In the invention, a
locating strip 12 is added to the back of the shingle proximate
upper edge 13b. Strip 12 has a series of regularly-spaced
projections 14 and 16 and mating indentations 15 and 17. In this
embodiment, strip 12 is formed with a regular series of projections
along the top and matching indentations along the bottom. This can
be created by forming, such as by die cutting, a strip of asphalt
shingle material to create the serpentine shape. The strip is then
attached to the back of the shingle with adhesive. Alternative
manufacturing options such as directly forming the shingle with the
locating features therein are possible. However, another advantage
of the added strip design is that, as shown in the side view of
FIG. 3C, the additional strip adds to the thickness at the top of
the shingle such that when the shingle is laid on top of another
shingle, the added thickness maintains the top surface of the
shingle in more or less a single plane. This helps to prevent
cupping of the shingles, and thus provides an improved finished
appearance as well as potentially a longer life and more resistance
to wind damage.
[0018] FIGS. 2-5 show alternatives for the unlimited possible
shapes of interlocking locating features, as well as location of
the features either projecting above the top edge of the shingle or
located just below or at the top edge of the shingle. Locating
strip 22 of shingle 20, FIG. 2, is located below the straight top
edge of the shingle. Strip 34 of shingle 30, FIG. 3, illustrates a
larger quantity and different shape for the projections 32. Strips
42 and 52 of shingles 40 and 50, FIGS. 4 and 5, are additional
examples. FIG. 4C shows starter strip 44 that can be used in the
invention. The projections and indentations can have any convenient
shape, such as the straight-edged or rounded geometric shapes shown
in the drawings, or other more curvilinear shapes.
[0019] By properly sizing and locating the shingle locating
features such that the mating features of overlapping shingles
interfit with one another, as a new course of shingles is laid over
an existing course, the shingles are properly aligned such that the
slots 18, 19 alternate as shown in layout 80, FIG. 6. The relative
shingle locations are shown in more detail in layout 90, FIG. 7,
with overlaid vertical axes illustrating the relative locations of
shingles 30a and 30b.
[0020] Also shown in FIG. 7 is another advantage in which starter
strip 44 can be laid down at the bottom edge of the roof. Strip 44
can have a width that is about the same as the width of shingle 30a
from its bottom edge up to the bottom of the locating strip that is
added to the back of the shingle. In this case, the starter strip
fills in the space between this portion of the back of the shingle
and the roof, thus presenting a flat surface to the roof This strip
would typically be about 7 inches high so that the underlayment is
not exposed beneath the slots of the first course of shingles when
they are laid over this starter strip. As an alternative, regular
straight-edge shingles can be used instead of this special starter
strip, as is typically done today.
[0021] The invention accomplishes interlocked shingles that are
level and plumb across both the width and height of the roof,
thereby substantially facilitating installment and also creating a
better looking end result. In order to accomplish this result, the
shingles should have at least two spaced locating features
proximate their top edge, so that the shingle laid on top of such
shingle is positively located by the at least two locating
features.
[0022] Although specific aspects of the invention are shown in some
drawings and not others, this is not a limitation of the invention.
Rather, the invention is defined by the following claims.
* * * * *