Patent Application
20110185668
This invention relates to an improved roofing system and roofing shingles that may be utilized in the roofing system. In particular, the invention relates to the construction of roofing shingles featuring unique dimensions and a roofing system that utilizes the shingles.
Asphalt roofing products are often divided into three broad groups: shingles, roll roofing and underlayment. Shingles and roll roofing typically function as outer roof coverings designed to withstand exposure to weather and the elements. Shingles and roll roofing generally contain the same basic components which provide protection and long term wear associated with asphalt roofing products. These components include a base material made from an organic felt or fiberglass mat which serves as a matrix to support the other components and gives the product the required strength to withstand manufacturing, handling, installation and service in the intended environment. An asphalt coating formulated for the particular service application is often applied to the base material to provide the desired long-term ability to resist weathering and to provide stability under the anticipated temperature extremes. An outer layer of mineral granules is also commonly applied to the asphalt coating to form a surface exposed to the weather which shields the asphalt coating from the sun's rays, adds color to the final product and provides fire resistance.
Typically, shingles are installed on a roof deck such that the shingles are in a row from left to right and the lateral edges of the shingles in the row are contiguous with each other so as to abut each other, i.e. their lateral edges are adjacent to one another. Each row represents a course and the shingles are applied in overlapping courses on the roof deck, wherein the buttlap portion of a subsequent course is placed on the headlap portion of a previous course. The headlap portion of a conventional shingle is at least as wide as the buttlap portion of the shingle so that when the shingles are installed on a roof deck in overlapping courses, the entire buttlap portion of a subsequent course has headlap beneath it. This manner of installation prevents leakage to the roof deck where the lateral edges of the shingles abut each other.
In a typical roofing system, contiguous shingles in a row abut each other at their lateral edges. Thus, when the shingles are exposed to wet weather, it is possible that leakage can occur at the region where the shingles abut. To prevent that, overlapping subsequent rows of shingles are installed in an offset pattern and each shingle's headlap portion is at least as wide as the buttlap portion. Thus, when the shingles are applied to the roof in a plurality of courses and the buttlap portion of a second course of shingles is laid over the headlap portion of a first row of shingles there is always headlap present underneath the regions where the contiguous shingles in a row abut. Any water penetrating the places where lateral edges of shingles abut contacts the headlap rather than the roof deck.
In certain instances, for aesthetic purposes, shingles have been applied to a roof deck such that the lateral edges of neighboring shingles overlap. U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,701 describes single layer tabbed asbestos cement roofing shingles comprising varying length tabs. When the shingles are applied to a roof deck, their lateral edges overlap. The shingles comprise tabs which extend above and over the buttlap portion of a previous course when a subsequent course is installed. The overlapping and varied lengths of tabs are intended to create a more dimensional appearance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,823 describes single layer asphalt roofing shingles. The shingles are not tabbed but instead comprise various projections. The shingles are installed such that their lateral edges overlap to create what is described as a “shadow effect” which will vary depending on the time of day.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,333,279 and 4,527,374 describe strip or tabbed single layer asphalt shingles. The shingles comprise various edges at least one of which is an alignment edge. The shingles are overlapped using the alignment edge in order to achieve a desired pattern when the shingles are installed on a roof deck.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,779 describes a laminated roofing shingle system including a reduced-width headlap portion and an interply material that is installed under the buttlap portion in order to compensate for the reduced-width headlap portion and provide protection to the roof deck.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0182032 describes a multi-layer laminate shingle with a reduced-width headlap portion. The shingle has a base layer and at least a second layer above the base layer. At one end of the shingle the base layer projects beyond the second layer while at the other end the second layer projects beyond the base layer. When the shingles are laid in a course along the roof, the projecting end of the second layer overlaps the projecting end of the base layer of the next shingle, forming a shiplap joint over all or substantially all of the width of the shingle.
Each of the above-referenced patents is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes within this application.
In accordance with the present invention, a roofing system is provided having a multiplicity of courses of laminated roofing shingles having a reduced-width headlap portion wherein the lateral edges of the shingles in a single course overlap adjacent previously installed shingles.
The shingles of the present invention are laminated shingles and have a width (w) and a length (l). The shingles further comprise a headlap portion and a buttlap portion, each having a width and a length, wherein the width of the headlap portion is less than the width of the buttlap portion. In addition, the shingles comprise a leading edge and a trailing edge. In certain embodiments of the invention, the shingles may comprise only a buttlap portion.
When the shingles of the present invention are installed on a roof deck, the trailing edge of a subsequently installed shingle in a course overlaps the leading edge of the adjacent previously installed shingle in the same course to provide an overlap region.
Thus, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a roofing system is provided comprising laminated roofing shingles having a reduced-width headlap portion and a buttlap portion and further comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge. The roofing system comprises a plurality of courses. Each course is comprised of a plurality of shingles wherein the trailing edge of a subsequently installed shingle installed in a course overlaps the leading edge of an adjacent previously installed shingle installed in the same course. In a preferred embodiment, the overlap region is about 1 inch to about 6 inches. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the overlap region is about 3 inches.
In a further preferred embodiment, the reduced-width headlap portion of the laminated shingles of the present invention has width that is less than the width of the buttlap portion of the shingle. The headlap portion in certain embodiments may be completely eliminated. In a preferred embodiment, the width of the headlap portion is from about 0% to about 50% the width of the buttlap portion. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the width of the headlap portion is about 10% the width of the buttlap portion.
The laminated shingles of the invention are preferably comprised of conventional asphaltic laminated roofing shingle materials known in the art, provided that the headlap portion of the shingle has a reduced-width. Further, the laminated shingles of the invention comprise a first shingle sheet and a second shingle sheet, wherein the second sheet is attached to the underside of the first shingle sheet, wherein both sheets have substantially the same length, and wherein the lateral edges of the first sheet are substantially aligned with the lateral edges of the second sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the laminated shingle is a laminated shingle described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,358, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, wherein the headlap portion of the shingle has a reduced-width. The laminated shingle as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,358 comprises a first shingle sheet and a second shingle sheet wherein both sheets have substantially the same length, and wherein the lateral edges of the first sheet are aligned with the lateral edges of the second sheet.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in which:
The preferred embodiments of the present invention and its advantages are best understood by referring to
A laminated shingle 20 incorporating one embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Referring again to
Depending upon the desired application and appearance of each shingle 20, the buttlap portion may have any desired configuration known in the art, such as a plurality of dragon teeth and spaces. The buttlap portion further comprises a backer strip 80 that is adhered beneath, for example, the dragon teeth. The laminated shingle of the invention may have more than two layers. The skilled artisan will appreciate the many different known laminated shingles that may be used in accordance with the invention. Any laminated shingle is suitable and may be created with a reduced-width headlap for use in the roofing system of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, the laminated shingle comprises a first shingle sheet and a second shingle sheet having substantially the same width. The second shingle sheet is disposed beneath the first shingle sheet. The lateral edges of the first shingle sheet are substantially aligned with the lateral edges of the second shingle sheet.
For one embodiment of the present invention, the reduced-width headlap laminated shingle 20 may be formed from a fiberglass mat (not shown) with an asphalt coating on both sides of the mat. If desired, the present invention may also be used with shingles formed from organic felt or other types of base material, including but not limited to synthetic mats or synthetic glass/hybrid mats having an appropriate coating. Nonlimiting embodiments of coatings include, asphalt and modified bituminous coatings based on atactic polypropylene (APP), styrene-butadiane-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene (SEBS), amorphous polyalpha olefin (APAO), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), synthetic rubber or other asphaltic modifiers.
Referring to
An important feature of the present invention includes providing a laminated shingle with a reduced-width headlap portion. For the embodiment of the present invention shown in
The reduced-width headlap of the present invention is desirable because it allows for a reduction in the weight of the shingles of the invention, as well as a reduction in the amount and cost of the materials used to make the shingle. The reduced-width headlap is made possible by the presence of overlap region 70, which further protects the roof deck from water leakage.
The following Tables illustrate the materials used and the design characteristics for laminated reduced-width headlap shingles made in accordance with the invention. For comparison, Table I shows the materials used to make a conventional laminated shingle, as well as the design characteristics of the shingles. Tables II-IV show the materials used to make shingles in accordance with the invention, with each successive table representing a shingle design with a decreasing headlap portion.
In Table I, the conventional shingle has a headlap portion having a width of 7.625 inches and a buttlap portion (exposure) of 5.625 inches, with an overall shingle width of 13.25 inches and a backer strip width of 6.625 inches. The shingle length is 37.25 inches. The width of the headlap portion in this conventional shingle is approximately 135.6% the width of the buttlap portion. The cost per square foot is $19.003.
Table II represents a shingle made in accordance with the invention having a headlap of 3.25 inches, a buttlap portion (exposure) of 6.5 inches, a backer strip of 7.125 inches and a total shingle width of 9.75 inches. The shingle length is 37 inches. In this embodiment, the width of the headlap is 50% the width of the buttlap portion. The cost per square foot for this shingle is $14.677, which is approximately 23% less than the conventional shingle of Table I.
Table III represents a shingle made in accordance with the invention having a headlap of 3.0 inches, a buttlap portion (exposure) of 6 inches, a backer strip of 6.625 inches and a total shingle width of 9 inches. The shingle length is 36.25 inches. In this embodiment, the width of the headlap is 50% the width of the buttlap portion. The cost per square foot for this shingle is $14.966, which is approximately 21% less than the conventional shingle of Table I.
Table IV represents a shingle made in accordance with the invention having a headlap of 2.813 inches, a buttlap portion (exposure) of 5.625 inches, a backer strip of 6.25 inches and a total shingle width of 8.438 inches. The shingle length is 37.25 inches. In this embodiment, the width of the headlap is 50% the width of the buttlap portion. The cost per square foot for this shingle is $13.732, which is approximately 28% less than the conventional shingle of Table I.
It should be understood that the above examples are illustrative, and that compositions other than those described above can be used while utilizing the principles underlying the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60900408 | Feb 2007 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12025978 | Feb 2008 | US |
| Child | 13019573 | US |
