A tile system comprises at least two tiles and at least one elongate support. Each tile is generally rectangular in shape and has a first edge, and a second edge, the second edge being generally opposite the first edge. Each elongate support has an attachment portion and a support portion. Proximate the first edge each tile is provided with a groove, the groove being configured to receive the support portion of one of the elongate supports and a portion of an adjacent tile proximate its second edge.

A shingle comprises an overlay, an underlay, and a height increasing material disposed between the overlay and the underlay. The height increasing material includes a first adhesive adhered to the overlay, height increasing granules adhered to the first adhesive, and a second adhesive adhered to the height increasing granules and the underlay. The height increasing material can extend along front ends of tab portions of the overlay, along front cutout edges that extend between tab portions of the overlay, or both.

A fastener-protecting roofing shingle provides a solution for roofing nails or fasteners that become damaged due to weather exposure resulting from damaged roofing shingles. A nailing line is placed above a seamline rather than on or below the seamline, as is conventionally found. By placing the nailing line further from the seamline, which typically borders the exposed and the overlapped sections of a shingle, nails are better-protected from being exposed to the elements, which decreases the chances of failure due to the nail rusting. Due to the shift in the nailing line, a spotted adhesive may be positioned approximately two inches below the nailing line for improved rooftop adherence, and the length of a solid section may be increased. Furthermore, the apparatus directs rainwater straight down the roof. Solid adhesive strips prevent water from pooling or leaking laterally out to the sides and into other layers of shingling.

A shingle comprises an overlay, an underlay, and a height increasing material disposed between the overlay and the underlay. The height increasing material includes a first adhesive adhered to the overlay, height increasing granules adhered to the first adhesive, and a second adhesive adhered to the height increasing granules and the underlay. The height increasing material can extend along front ends of tab portions of the overlay, along front cutout edges that extend between tab portions of the overlay, or both.

There is provided a cladding member (13) formed of a supporting body portion (67) having mounts (54) and a head portion (12), and an absorber surface portion (70) having a peripheral boundary wall (71) defining a recess into which a solar cell array (removed in this view for clarity) is bonded. The supporting (67) and absorber surface (70) body portions are pressure moulded from polyvinyl ester/glassfibre (30%)/fire retardant (40%)/pigment sheet moulding compound. Complementary bonding portions (72) form a glue line in assembly and have complementary water passages (73) defined therebetween. The bonding portions (72) contrive a generally sinusoidal glue space (74) that is longer that the transverse sectional dimension of the boding portions (72), cooperating with the adhesive system to resist water pressure in the passages (73).

Disclosed is a roofing underlayment providing mechanical and electrical connection for solar shingles that includes a water-impervious membrane adapted to be attached to a roof. The underlayment also includes a mechanical attachment member configured to mechanically attach a solar shingle to the roof, as well as an electrical conductor having an electrical first portion of which is embedded within the membrane, having an electrical second portion which is configured to electrically connect to a solar shingle, and having an electrical third portion which is configured to electrically connect to an electrical circuit. An air gap is provided that allows for air flow below the solar shingles. The air gap comprises a space between a bottom surface of the solar shingles and a bottom surface of the membrane.

The invention is an electrical and mechanical roof underlayment which provides electrical and mechanical connection of solar shingles to a roof. The underlayment simplifies the installation of solar shingles allowing the shingles to be installed and connected together in the same step. The underlayment includes a membrane which has embedded electrical conductors and electrical connectors that provides an electrical connecting system extending to an electrical circuit. The membrane further has embedded mechanical members with mechanical connectors that secure the shingles to the membrane. The membrane is structurally attached to a roof surface. The structural attachment may be an adhesive attachment. Solar shingles are connected to the membrane by an integral clasping mechanism that mechanically and electrically connects the shingles to the membrane. No external wiring, connectors or devices are required to make the electrical connection between the shingles and the membrane. Contacts are integral and embedded into each individual shingle.

A shingle which includes a substrate, granules deposited on the substrate, a first material strip applied to the top of the substrate, a second material strip applied to the bottom of the substrate, and an adhesive applied to the second material strip. The second material strip is positioned along an edge of the substrate such that when a shingle is applied to a roof overlaying an existing shingle, the adhesive adheres the second material strip of the overlaying shingle to the first material strip of the existing shingle. The second material strip is applied to the bottom of the substrate prior particles being applied to the bottom surface of the substrate.

A metallic roof material 1 according to the present invention comprises: a front substrate 10 made of a metal sheet, the front substrate 10 comprising a body portion 100 formed into a box shape; a back substrate 11 arranged on a back side of the front substrate 10 so as to cover an opening of the body portion 100; and a core material 12 filled between the body portion 100 and the back substrate 11, the metallic roof material 1 being tightened to a roof base by driving at least one tightening member into the body portion 100, wherein a top plate portion 101 of the body portion 100 comprises at least one protruding rib 3 comprised of at least one protrusion 30 disposed along a side of a polygon or along a circle, and wherein the metallic roof material 1 is configured such that the tightening member is driven into an inner region 3a of the protruding rib 3.

The invention is an electrical and mechanical roof underlayment which provides electrical and mechanical connection of solar shingles to a roof. The underlayment simplifies the installation of solar shingles allowing the shingles to be installed and connected together in the same step. The underlayment includes a membrane which has embedded electrical conductors and electrical connectors that provides an electrical connecting system extending to an electrical circuit. The membrane further has embedded mechanical members with mechanical connectors that secure the shingles to the membrane. The membrane is structurally attached to a roof surface. The structural attachment may be an adhesive attachment. Solar shingles are connected to the membrane by an integral clasping mechanism that mechanically and electrically connects the shingles to the membrane. No external wiring, connectors or devices are required to make the electrical connection between the shingles and the membrane. Contacts are integral and embedded into each individual shingle.