Pan Tile with Converging Side Segments for Roofing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roofing systems are costly and labor-intensive due to the high number of both underlying and exterior tiles required, especially when using expensive ceramic materials, and they often necessitate significant amounts of securing materials like cement or polyurethane.
Innovation Solution
A pan tile system with a machine-manufactured, ceramic or fiberglass base and side segments that are dimensioned to support a greater number of exterior tiles, reducing the overall number needed and incorporating features like converging side segments and surface treatments for efficient installation and reduced material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional roofing systems use traditional overlapping tiles, then adequate coverage and support are achieved, but the number of tiles and labor required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The pan tile is divided into distinct functional segments: a base portion for support and side segments for structural reinforcement and tile spacing. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing the overall number of tiles needed while maintaining adequate coverage and support.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds vertical dimensionality by incorporating side segments that extend upward from the base. These side segments create a three-dimensional structure that provides both structural support and physical spacing for adjacent tiles, eliminating the need for additional tiles to provide spacing functions.
2Reliability
If ceramic materials are used for tiles, then aesthetic appeal and durability are improved, but material cost and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter from traditional ceramic to concrete or concrete composite materials. This parameter change maintains the durability and aesthetic appeal requirements while significantly reducing manufacturing costs and enabling machine-manufactured production, as concrete can be molded into the complex pan tile shape with side segments more economically than ceramic.
3Strength
If traditional roofing systems use multiple layers of tiles, then adequate structural support is achieved, but the amount of securing material like cement or polyurethane required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the support function and spacing function into a single integrated pan tile structure. The side segments provide both structural reinforcement and physical spacing for adjacent tiles, eliminating the need for additional securing material that would otherwise be required to maintain tile spacing and support multiple tile layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the spacing and support functions from the traditional multi-layer tile system and incorporates them directly into the pan tile structure itself. By building the spacing features and support structure into the tile design, the system eliminates the need for excessive securing materials like cement or polyurethane that would be required to hold separate spacing elements in place.
Data Source
AI summary
A pan tile for use in a roofing system, wherein a plurality of such pan tiles are disposed in confronting, supported relation on an underlying roof support and in underlying, at least partially supporting relation to plurality of overlapping, exteriorly exposed roof tiles, wherein the pan tiles may be structured individually or integrally in longitudinal arrays. The pan tile includes a planar base and two oppositely disposed planar side segments extending outwardly from opposite peripheries of said base at a common, preferred obtuse angle. Leading and trailing ends of pan tiles have a greater and lesser transverse dimension respectively, wherein the side segments or oriented in a converging configuration extending from the leading end to the trailing end of the pan tile. Solar energy systems may also be incorporated in the individual pan tiles and/or the longitudinal arrays thereof.