581 results about "Roof tile" patented technology

Improved photovoltaic devices, and more specifically, improved building integrated photovoltaic devices are described herein. In one embodiment, the photovoltaic roofing structure may be comprised of a roofing tile having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a recessed portion; a photovoltaic module sized to fit within the recessed portion of the roofing structure.

This invention describes a non-imaging, non-tracking, integrally-formed solar radiation concentrator that passively concentrates both diffuse and direct solar radiation onto photovoltaic cells to produce electricity, incorporating its features into a shingle-like element useful as a roofing material and in other structural applications. The substantially transparent, solar concentrating elements of the invention may also incorporate a system to remove waste energy in the form of heat that is not utilized in the generation of electricity. The invention further provides a thermal energy recovery system including a forced convection air system for removing waste heat from the concentrating shingle assembly and using it, if desired, for building space heat or domestic water heating.

A hardwood floor system with press down locking mechanism. Each floor board is equipped with both male and female locking mechanisms. The male locking mechanism of a floor bard can be locked into the female locking mechanism of an adjacent floor board by simply exerting downward force on the floor board. The female locking mechanism is equipped with a spring slot that enables easy engagement of male and female locking mechanisms. The invention may be applied not only floor boards, but also to wall tiles and roof tiles.

A connector system for photovoltaic roof tiles has a body and a plug assembly with latching means. The body portion has a latching member and a rib defining a recess for mating with the plug assembly. A pair of cavities extends inwardly from the recess. The latching member has a projection, and integral conductors are formed within the body portion. The plug assembly has an indentation for retentively receiving the projection, and an indentation for receiving the rib. A pair of protrusions extends from a peripheral end of the plug assembly and receives a cable terminal of the plug assembly. The protrusions engage with and seal off the cavities to form an electrically conductive path with the cable terminals when the body and the plug mate. The latching projection retentively engages the plug. The plug assembly disengages by manipulation of the latching member projection member.

A method and apparatus for installing a stanchion on a tile roof includes a tile which has an aperture and a stanchion which fits through the aperture. An existing roof tile is removed and the stanchion is connected to the roof sheathing at the place of removal. The tile is then placed over the stanchion so that the stanchion project through the aperture. In an embodiment of the invention, a sleeve surrounds the aperture and a seal provides a weather proof seal between the stanchion and the sleeve.

The present invention relates to low-cost, efficiently-manufactured, polymer-based products useful as roofing shingles and similar products. The inventive shingles are weatherproof, inexpensive to manufacture and durable, particularly as contrasted with conventional shingles in areas of the country subject to hail damage. The invention also includes a method of making such shingle products. In a preferred embodiment, products of this invention use rubber material as the polymer base in combination with specific types of polyolefins. The rubber material can be most efficiently provided by the use of crumb rubber particles from spent automobile tires and other recycled rubber debris which are readily available and of very low cost. The products will have an average life far greater than that of current commercial roofing shingles, which are made using fiberglass or asphalt.The products of the instant invention are produced by extrusion as a mixture of materials, which product and its materials can be summarized as follows as a roofing shingle product which comprises:a. one or more side-branched polyolefins as an elastomer;b. optionally a blend of additional synthetic polymers, such as ethylene and propylene, as a second elastomer; andc. a rubber fraction, preferably obtained in part from recycled spent automotive or truck tires, and similar sources of waste rubber (sometimes known as "crumb rubber"), ground or recycled into particles having a mesh size of from 10 to 30 (i.e., approximately from about 500 to about 1000 microns).

A roof ventilation apparatus provides a vent tile shaped like a roof tile itself, and thus is inconspicuous and unobtrusive when installed, and blends with the field and/or ridgeline tile. The base of the unit may be used to mark the opening, after which a hole is cut in the roof, roofing cement is applied to the base flange, and the base is secured in place. The unit cover is then placed over the base and the remainder of the roof tile application is completed.

An integrated solar roofing system for installation on a roof surface and for converting solar energy into electrical energy. The system comprises a first row of photovoltaic (PV) roofing tiles having a plurality of electrically interconnected PV cells. The roofing tiles comprise a first tab that extends from the tile base and has at least one mounting hole. The first tab exposes a first electrically conductive material on the first side of the first tab. The roofing tiles further comprise a second tab located on the second side of the tile base and having at least one mounting hole extending through the second tab and tile base. The second tab exposes a second electrically conductive material on the second side of the tile base. The first tab of each roofing tile in the first row is at least partially superposed over the second tab of an adjacent roofing tile aligning the mounting holes so that the roofing tiles are in electrical series communication along the first row. The system further comprises a second row of PV roofing tiles partially overlapping the first row such that the first and second tabs of the first row are concealed.

A building element such as a roof tile, window pane, or building façade element includes a fluorescence collector comprising a substrate and particles dispersed in the substrate to absorb light from a plurality of directions and radiate the absorbed light. The fluorescence collector has opposing surfaces and a connecting surface between the opposing surfaces. A solar energy converter is configured for receiving radiated light from the fluorescence collector.

A photovoltaic module for installation with roof tiles on a sloping roof. The photovoltaic module includes a photovoltaic panel; a frame surrounding the panel; and attachment structure for allowing the panel and the frame to be attached to a sloping roof in an interlocking and overlapping fashion with roof tiles while allowing adjustment of the location of the panel and the frame along the slope of the sloping roof.

A photovoltaic tile with photovoltaic cell and a heat sink. The heat sink is attached on a side of the cell opposite to the light-receiving side of the photovoltaic cell and can remove heat caused by light absorbed by the photovoltaic cell but not converted to electricity as well as heat generated by electrical resistance. A photovoltaic tile formed of such cells can exhibit greater energy conversion efficiency as a result of the ability to dissipate the heat. The tiles can be arranged on a roof to protect the roof structure and generate electricity. Photovoltaic tiles comprising interlocking mechanical and electrical connections for ease of installation are described. Methods of making photovoltaic tiles involve e.g. laminating a heat sink to a photovoltaic cell and/or injection molding.

The invention relates to a novel archaized building which has the advantages of energy conservation and emission reduction and a construction method thereof. The invention is applicable to various archaized buildings, and the novel archaized building is characterized by comprising a Chinese round-ridge gabled roof 1, a gable and hip roof 2, a wall body, a flat roof eaves cap, a festoon gate, a verandah 3, a screen wall 4, a courtyard wall 5 and the like; completely based on the external shapes of the existing archaized buildings, the novel archaized building adopts lightweight steel construction as a structural support framework or a support member bar of purlins, square-columns, beams, rafters, pillars, the wall body and roofing tiles, and adopts modern construction materials such as thin steel plates, aluminium alloy plates, GRC or glass fiber reinforced plastic and the like which are made into various novel components and parts such as purlins, square-columns, pillars, the wall body and roofing tiles; factory production (including painting and colored drawing) is carried out, and the novel components and parts are assembled on-site and replace the existing traditional archaized building materials such as wooden beams, pillars, rafters, soil calcined tiles and the like as well as the retarded construction technology, thus achieving the aim of energy conservation and emission reduction, clean construction and installation, increment of working efficiency, reduction of erection time and cost reduction.

A roofing system having shingles. The shingles include a front side, a back side, a pair of spaced-apart side edges, and spaced-apart top and bottom edges, an adhesive, and a backing material. The adhesive is applied to a portion of the shingle for affixing the backing material to the shingle and covering a portion of the back side.

A roofing module provides weather protection generates electrical power. The module comprises a base having a plurality of curved crests and curved pans. The crests and pans have contours sized and shaped to match the size and shape of the contours and pans of conventional clay or concrete S-tiles to enable the base to interlock with the conventional clay or concrete S-tiles. The base is made from lightweight plastic material. Each crest of the base includes a depressed portion. A photovoltaic panel is positioned in the depressed portions of at least two curved crests and span across at least one curved pan between the at least two curved crests.

A structure fixing apparatus for attaching a structure on roof tiles, for example, the structure being a solar cell apparatus, includes a support device for supporting attachment hardware which is a part of a base for fixing a solar cell module, a fixing member formed to reach a sheathing through the support device and a roof tile, and a tubular portion formed to surround the fixing member and to be inserted in a through hole formed in the roof tile. The tubular portion is formed to be smaller in size than the through hole formed in the roof tile and to be in non-contact with the through hole.

A building roof tile system and integrated solar energy system is disclosed that includes a solar thermal collector which is intended to replace a standard flat concrete roof tile or an S-tile type clay roof tile so as to be integrated with the concrete tiles and photovoltaic (“PV”) solar panels that are also designed to look like common concrete roof tiles. The solar thermal collector includes mounting components that allow the collector to be mounted in a manner similar to that of the concrete and PV roof tiles, so as to be discretely integrated with the other roof tiles.

Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems provide for solar panel arrays that can be aesthetically pleasing to an observer. BIPV systems can be incorporated as part of roof surfaces as built into the structure of the roof, particularly as multi-region roofing modules that have photovoltaic elements embedded or incorporated into the body of the module, in distinct tiles-sized regions. Such multi-region photovoltaic modules can replicate the look of individual roofing tiles or shingles. Further, multi-region photovoltaic modules can include support structures between the distinct regions having a degree of flexibility, allowing for a more efficient installation process.

A design is presented for an integrated solar-voltaic roof tile that is durable, consistent in color with common roofing materials, and allows for installation of a roof system that produces cost-effective electricity from solar power. The design includes: 1. An elastomeric or polymeric substrate roof tile material. 2. An integrated solar-voltaic cell, which is molded into the roof tile, and appears as an integral part of the roof tile material. 3. A protective covering material composed of coated glass or a clear polymeric material that allows persons to walk on the roof without damaging the covering material, underlying solar-voltaic cell, or substrate material, and prevents water from entering the solar voltaic cell. 4. Electrical leads and plates built into the substrate material that connect to the solar-voltaic cell and, when roof tiles are installed in a traditional fashion, connect to each other so that the current from each solar voltaic cell flows through the roof system to a common electricity collector point, from which it is flows to a induction system that coverts direct current into alternating current and from which the current flows to the house electrical system or the public electricity grid.

The present invention is directed toward apparatuses, systems and methods for solar panels capable of rooftop installation. In some embodiments, a low profile solar panel is provided, comprising: a solar laminate; and a flexible material sheet adhered to the solar laminate, wherein the flexible material sheet is configured to operate as a frame that supports and houses the solar laminate. In some such embodiments, the low profile solar panel further comprises a secondary sheet, wherein the secondary sheet is disposed on an edge formed by adhering the flexible material sheet to the solar laminate.

Methods and structures involving the use of a double-sided adhesive membrane assembly having one adhesive surface with low initial tackiness to permit a substrate to be re-positionable even if pressed into contact against the adhesive. The method allows wood deck components, flooring planks, roofing tiles, and other building material components to be fastened together conveniently while securing a waterproofing and/or sound-deadening effect.

A photovoltaic tile with photovoltaic cell and a heat sink. The heat sink is attached on a side of the cell opposite to the light-receiving side of the photovoltaic cell and can remove heat caused by light absorbed by the photovoltaic cell but not converted to electricity as well as heat generated by electrical resistance. A photovoltaic tile formed of such cells can exhibit greater energy conversion efficiency as a result of the ability to dissipate the heat. The tiles can be arranged on a roof to protect the roof structure and generate electricity. Photovoltaic tiles comprising interlocking mechanical and electrical connections for ease of installation are described. Methods of making photovoltaic tiles involve e.g. laminating a heat sink to a photovoltaic cell and/or injection molding.

The invention relates generally to framing systems and more particularly is concerned with systems adapted to mount panels or laminates in an array (12) on a supporting roof structure (10) of a building exemplified with the mounting of solar electric photovoltaic (PV) panels. The framing system described uses extruded elongate elements with a sealing element (37) to frame the PV panel as a weatherproof PV solar roof tile. Individual frame element profiles effectively embody the PV building integration (BiPV), or mounting method, of the solar tile within the frame itself. Only a few additional flashing components are needed to complete the PV tile array as part of the roof, or with minor variations, as a PV wall cladding. Full BiPV panel mounting methods show potential to be used for co-generation (PV/T) of solar thermal energy capture in buildings. The batten support structures (11) of the solar tile permit variation in roof batten spacing to be tolerated in retro-fit situations, make trafficable roof with the tiles possible and provide long term weather-ability as a building element through moisture reduction by air flow and smaller surface contact. Draining of internal roof condensate from the back of the tiles to the exterior is another feature of the frame system described.

An extruded concrete interlocking roof tile has upper and under surfaces, upper and lower edges, two opposite side edges, with the upper surface having a recess extending transversely between the two opposite side edges adjacent the upper edge for receiving a lower edge region of an adjacent tile in overlapping relationship, and in that an integral spacer acts between the recess floor and the undersurface of the adjacent tile.