WO1997005345A1

WO1997005345A1 - Metal roof panel

Info

Publication number: WO1997005345A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/011814
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert E. Schultz
Original assignee: Englert/Rollformer, Inc.
Priority date: 1995-08-02
Filing date: 1996-07-17
Publication date: 1997-02-13

Abstract

A metal roof panel (10) having parallel upper (12) and lower (14) longitudinal edges which is bent in opposite directions at substantially right angles along at least one pair of straight lines parallel to the edges so as to form at least one Z-shaped bend (20, 26) parallel to the edges. The spacing between adjcant Z-shaped bends and between each of the edges and the Z-shaped bend adjacent each edge is substantially equal, so as to divide the panel into at least two longitudinal rows. The panel further has a plurality of linear impressions (34), with each of the linear impressions extending only within a respective one of the rows. The linear impressions and the Z-shaped bends together form a design which simulates the appearance of traditional roofing material.

Description

META ROQF PANEL

CROSS-REFERENCE TQ RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. patent application Serial No. (Docket 01ENG95035) and to U.S. patent application Serial No. (Docket 01ENG95037) , both filed on even date herewith, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to roofing materials and, more particularly, to an improved metal roof panel. Traditional roofing material is supplied in relatively small pieces. For example, slate tiles and wood shakes are supplied as individual shingle units. Conventional asbestos shingles are supplied as panels approximately three feet long with one row of shingles. Installation of such roofing material is therefore very time consuming, since only a small area of the roof can be covered by each shingle or panel of roofing material. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved roofing material which is much more economical in terms of installation time as compared to the aforedescribed traditional roofing material.

Another problem with traditional roofing material is the disposal thereof. In addition to taking up space, some traditional roofing materialε, such as asbestos shingles, are considered to be hazardous substances. It is therefore another object of this invention to provide an improved roofing material which may be recycled.

Metal roofing is known which is both relatively economical to install and which may be recycled. However, such metal roofing is typically provided as elongated panels which are installed generally vertically from the eave to the peak of a roof. Such roofing material has been used almost exclusively for commercial and industrial buildings because its aesthetic appearance is substantially different from generally accepted notions of how a residential roof should appear. It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a metal roof panel which is shaped and formed to simulate the appearance of traditional residential roofing material.

Installation time of roofing material is inversely related to the area covered by each roof panel. Therefore, if a metal roof panel was available that traversed a complete section of roof, this would save installation time. However, different roofs have different lengths, so standardizing panel sizes would be difficult. On the other hand, it is known to use a roll forming machine on-site to shape sheet metal supplied in the form of a coiled strip into roof gutters and house siding of indeterminate length. It is therefore yet another object of this invention to provide a metal roof panel which is amenable to on-site formation by a roll forming machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing and additional objects are attained in accordance with the principles of this invention by providing a metal roof panel having parallel upper and lower longitudinal edges. The panel is bent in opposite directions at substantially right angles along at least one pair of straight lines parallel to the edges so as to form at least one Z-shaped bend parallel to the edges. The spacing between adjacent Z-shaped bends and between each of the edges and the Z-shaped bend adjacent each edge is substantially equal so as to divide the panel into at least two longitudinal rows. The panel further has a plurality of linear impressions, with each of the linear impressions extending only within a respective one of the rows.

In accordance with an aspect of thiε invention, each of the linear impresεionε is in the form of a straight line transverse to the edges.

In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, the straight line impressions are each orthogonal to the edges. In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the straight line impresεions within each row are equally spaced. The straight line impressions in adjacent rows extend substantially midway between each other. Accordingly, the panel simulates a plurality of rows of overlapping offset roofing shingles.

In accordance with yet a further aspect of this invention, the panel is of indeterminate length. Accordingly, the panel can be formed on-site to whatever length is necessary to traverse seamlessly a complete section of roof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements in different figures are identified by the same reference numeral and wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a metal roof panel constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the roof panel of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the roof panel of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated in the drawings, the inventive metal roof panel, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, can be of any desired length (indeterminate length) so that it can seamleεεly traverεe a complete section of roof. Accordingly, the design of the roof panel 10 is such that it can be shaped from a coiled strip of sheet metal by an on-site roll forming machine, such as that disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Serial No. (Docket 01ENG95037) .

The panel 10 has an upper longitudinal edge 12 and a lower longitudinal edge 14. The edges 12, 14 are parallel to each other, since the sheet metal strip from which the panel 10 is formed is of uniform width. The panel 10 is shaped by being bent in opposite directions at substantially right angles along at least one pair of straight lines 16, 18 parallel to the edges 12, 14 so as to form at least one Z-εhaped bend 20 parallel to the edgeε 12, 14. Illuεtratively, there is a second set of straight lines 22, 24 and a second Z-shaped bend 26. The spacing between adjacent bends 20, 26 and between each of the edges 12, 14 and the bend adjacent each edge is εubstantially equal so that the panel 10 is divided into at least two (illustratively three) longitudinal rows 28, 30, 32.

The panel 10 is further formed with a plurality of linear impressions 34. Each of the impressions 34 extends only within a respective one of the rows 28, 30, 32. Illustratively, the linear impressions 34 are straight lines transverse to the edges 12, 14. Preferably, the straight line impresεions 34 are each orthogonal to the edges 12, 14. Additionally, the impressions 34 within each of the rows 28, 30, 32 are equally spaced, and the impressions 34 in adjacent rows extend substantially midway between each other. The panel 10 has a first surface 36 which is visible when the panel 10 is inεtalled on a roof and a εecond opposed surface 38 which is hidden when the panel 10 is installed on a roof. As best shown in Figure 1, the Z-shaped bends 20, 26 are so oriented that they form downward steps when the surface 36 is traversed in a direction from the upper edge 12 to the lower edge 14. Accordingly, due to the "stepping" effect of the rows 28, 30, 32 and the staggering of the impressions 34, the panel 10 simulates three rows of overlapping offset roofing shingles.

In addition to the aforedescribed forming of the panel 10 to simulate rows of shingles, the edges 12, 14 are bent into complementary shapes εo that the upper edge of a firεt panel can be interlocked with the lower edge of a duplicate εecond panel. Illustratively, as best shown in Figure 2, the upper longitudinal edge 12 iε formed with two parallel right angle bends 40, 42 so that it overlies the first surface 36. Similarly, the lower longitudinal edge 14 iε formed with two parallel right angle bendε 44, 46 so that it underlies the second surface 38.

During the proceεε of covering a roof with a plurality of panels 10, the horizontal length of a complete section of roof is measured and a plurality of panelε 10 are formed, each to that length, preferably by an on-site roll forming machine. The strip of sheet metal from which the panel 10 is formed is illustratively twenty inches wide, εo that taking into account the dimensions of the interlocking edges, each panel 10 covers approximately an eighteen inch high horizontal strip of roof. Therefore, dividing the height of the roof by this eighteen inch strip width determines the number of panels needed to go from eave to peak. The lowermost roof panel 10 iε then put on the roof with the lower edge 14 adjacent the gutter edge (eave) of the roof. This lower edge is then secured to the roof in a conventional manner, as by nailing or clips. Clips are then utilized which extend into the channel formed by the bends 40, 42 and are nailed to the underlying roof structure. This is done at spaced intervals along the entire length of the panel 10. The next panel 10 is then placed on the roof above the first panel 10 with its lower longitudinal edge 14 inserted into the channel formed by the bendε 40, 42 of the firεt panel 10. The second panel 10 is then pulled upwardly to interlock the lower channel of the upper panel with the upper channel of the lower panel and clips are then inεerted into the upper channel of the upper panel and nailed to the underlying roof. This proceεε iε continued until an entire εection of roof iε covered from eave to peak by a plurality of the panels 10. It is noted that each set of clips holding the upper edge of a panel is covered by the next upper panel. As described, the panel 10 simulateε a plurality of rowε of overlapping offεet roofing εhingleε. Aε illuεtrated, the simulated shingleε are rectangular and of equal εize. Thus, the impressions 34 are straight lineε orthogonal to the edges 12, 14. Different regions of the United States, and different countries as well, may have different traditional roofing materials, which are not neceεεarily of rectangular εhape and equal εize. In εuch case, the impressions within each row would still be linear, but would not necesεarily be straight lines orthogonal to the edges 12, 14. Thus, i presεionε can be formed in the panel 10 to simulate slate tiles or wood shakeε. In all cases, however, the linear impressions would extend only within a single row.

Before being shaped and formed, the sheet metal strip which is supplied as a coil iε painted with a desired color, at least on the visible surface 36. The paint can be shaded and the sheet metal strip can be textured to enhance the simulative effect of the installed panel.

Accordingly, there has been disclosed an improved metal roof panel which is shaped and formed so aε to simulate the appearance of traditional residential roofing material. While an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed herein, it is understood that various modifications and adaptations to the disclosed embodiment will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and it is intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS;

1. A metal roof panel having parallel upper and lower longitudinal edges, said panel being bent in opposite directions at subεtantially right angles along at least one pair of straight lines parallel to said edges so as to form at least one Z-shaped bend parallel to said edges, the spacing between adjacent Z-shaped bends and between each of said edges and the Z-shaped bend adjacent said each edge being substantially equal so as to divide said panel into at least two longitudinal rows, said panel further having a plurality of linear impressionε, with each of said linear impressions extending only within a respective one of εaid rows, whereby the linear impresεionε and the Z-εhaped bendε together form a deεign εimulating the appearance of traditional roofing material.

2. The panel according to Claim 1 wherein εaid upper and lower longitudinal edges are bent into complementary shapeε εo that the upper edge of a firεt panel can be interlocked with the lower edge of a duplicate εecond panel.

3. The panel according to Claim 1 wherein said panel has a first surface adapted to be visible when εaid panel is installed on a roof and a second opposed surface adapted to be hidden when said panel is installed on a roof, and wherein said at leaεt one Z-εhaped bend is so oriented that it formε a downward εtep when traversing said first surface from said upper edge to said lower edge.

4. The panel according to Claim 3 wherein each of said linear impressions is in the form of a straight line transverεe to said edgeε.

5. The panel according to Claim 4 wherein said straight line impressionε are each orthogonal to said edges.

6. The panel according to Claim 5 wherein the straight line impreεεionε within each row are equally spaced, and the straight line impressionε in adjacent rows extend subεtantially midway between each other, whereby said panel simulates a plurality of rows of overlapping offset roofing shingles.

7. The panel according to Claim 1 wherein said panel is of indeterminate length.

8. The panel according to Claim 1 wherein there are exactly two Z-shaped bends and said panel is divided into three longitudinal rows.

9. The panel according to Claim 8 wherein said panel has a first surface adapted to be visible when said panel is installed on a roof and a second opposed surface adapted to be hidden when said panel is installed on a roof, and wherein said two Z-shaped bends are so oriented that they form downward steps when traversing said first surface from said upper edge to said lower edge.

10. The panel according to Claim 9 wherein each of said linear impresεionε is in the form of a straight line transverse to said edges.

11. The panel according to Claim 10 wherein said straight line impresεions are each orthogonal to said edgeε.

12. The panel according to Claim 11 wherein the straight line impresεionε within each row are equally spaced, and the straight line impressionε in adjacent rowε extend substantially midway between each other, whereby said panel simulates three rows of overlapping offset roofing shingleε.