WO2020161422A1

WO2020161422A1 - Tile having a substantially flat structure

Info

Publication number: WO2020161422A1
Application number: PCT/FR2020/050172
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philippe Male; Jean Paul FREYSSINET; Rémi OGEZ; Khalid Maman
Original assignee: Terreal
Priority date: 2019-02-05
Filing date: 2020-02-03
Publication date: 2020-08-13
Also published as: EP3921486B1; FR3092351A1; EP3921486A1; FR3092351B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a tile (1) having a substantially flat structure, comprising an inner surface (3) opposite a roof having a slope and an outer surface (2) opposite the inner surface (3), the outer surface (2) comprising: - a gauge (4), - an upper interlocking portion (5), the upper interlocking portion (5) being configured to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction, - an outer lateral interlocking portion (6), the outer lateral interlocking portion (6) being configured to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in a transverse direction of the roof, wherein the outer surface (2) has an adjustment portion (19) which is substantially planar and located between the upper interlocking portion (5) and the gauge (4), at least a part of the adjustment portion (19) being configured to be overlapped by the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the adjustment portion (19) is inclined in a direction opposite to the slope of the roof with respect to the gauge (4).

Description

Title of the invention: Tile with a substantially flat structure |

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to the field of construction. The invention relates more particularly to the field of roofing elements, such as tiles, for producing roofing surfaces.

Tiles are used in constructions for covering surfaces such as roofs. The tiles are arranged on the surface to be covered so as to have an inclination with respect to a horizontal plane to guarantee protection against rainwater while allowing rainwater to flow.

Technological background

[0003] In these particular constructions, the surface to be covered may have extreme inclinations. Indeed, on certain surfaces, the covering is operated by tiles arranged with a low slope inclination. In this case, the flow of rainwater on this type of construction is slower and the risk of infiltration is greater. In fact, in this type of construction, the wind has a greater impact on the water flowing over the tiles and can thus influence the direction of the water flowing. In this case, rainwater can be caused to run off against the slope and seep between the tiles.

[0004] The tiles of the prior art comprise, on their outer surface commonly called the upper surface, an upper interlocking portion designed to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the line of greatest slope of the roof. These tiles also include on their outer surface an outer side interlocking portion designed to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in the transverse direction, the transverse direction being orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The part of the external surface left free by the overlaps is called the exposure of the tile and is intended to receive rainwater directly.

[0005] During strong gusts of wind, the rain water therefore tends on this type of tiles arranged at a low slope to infiltrate into the overlapping zones, in particular by capillary action between two tiles, and therefore to cause failure waterproofing of tile assemblies. In addition, the closer the slope of the roof is to 0%, the greater the wind. has a hold on the runoff of rainwater which increases the risk of failure. In fact, in the prior art, few tile designs allow an arrangement on a slope of less than 25%, in particular in geographic areas of concomitant wind / high rain.

[0006] The aim of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

summary

[0007] An idea underlying the invention is to improve the watertightness of tiles arranged at low slopes, especially in areas of overlap with other tiles.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the invention provides a tile with a substantially flat structure, in particular intended for laying on a roof with a low slope, comprising an internal surface intended to be placed opposite a roof having a slope and an outer surface opposite the inner surface,

the external surface comprising:

- a substantially flat exposure intended to receive rainwater directly,

- an upper interlocking portion located in the extension of the exposure in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the line of greatest slope of the roof, the upper interlocking portion being configured to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction,

- an external lateral interlocking portion located at a lateral edge of the gauge, the external lateral interlocking portion being configured to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in a transverse direction of the roof, the transverse direction being orthogonal to the longitudinal direction,

wherein the outer surface has an adjustment portion configured to allow adjustment of the overlap between the tile and an adjacent identical tile in the longitudinal direction, the adjustment portion being located between the top engagement portion and the exposure, at the at least a part of the adjustment portion being configured to be overlapped by the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction, and in which the adjustment portion is inclined in a direction opposite to the slope of the roof relative to the exposure.

[0009] Thanks to these characteristics, the inclination of the adjustment portion makes it possible to improve the tightness of the upper overlap zone with an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction. Indeed, the adjustment portion is inclined in a direction opposite to the slope so that the tile and the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction have a different inclination in the overlap area. This difference in inclination makes it possible to create between these two tiles a divergent zone forming a larger reservoir. This zone forming a reservoir makes it possible to collect the rainwater pushed by the wind which will have lost speed when arriving in this zone.

[0011] In addition, this difference in inclination also makes it possible to limit the infiltration by capillary action between these two tiles in order to improve the tightness of the assembly.

The expression "substantially plane" or "substantially flat" is to be interpreted throughout the application as meaning that the element is generally flat, that is to say that the gauge does not have general curvature.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the exposure is plane.

[0014] According to embodiments, such a tile may include one or more of the following characteristics.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the adjustment portion is planar so that the angle between the adjustment portion and the gauge is constant.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the adjustment portion is curved so that the angle between the adjustment portion and the gauge is variable.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the angle formed between the adjustment portion and the gauge is between 0.5 ° and 15 °, preferably between 0.5 ° and 3 °.

[0018] Thus, the adjustment portion is always inclined relative to a horizontal plane in the direction of the slope of the roof so as to cause the runoff of rainwater by gravity as soon as the wind pressure weakens , towards the bottom of the tile while having a different inclination of the exposure.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the adjustment portion comprises a first adjustment portion and a second adjustment portion connected to the first adjustment portion, the first adjustment portion being located between the gauge and the second adjustment part, the first adjustment part and the second adjustment part having a different inclination from each other.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the second adjustment part is more inclined than the first adjustment part in the direction opposite to the slope of the roof relative to the gauge.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the contact between the support bar and the adjustment portion of the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction is made on the first adjustment portion. [0022] Thus, this makes it possible to create a pressure drop for a flow of rainwater which would pass under the support bar and which would lead to the second adjustment part with a sudden increase in the passage section. This increase in passage section is due in particular to the difference in inclination.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the tile has a ridge extending in the transverse direction at the junction between the gauge and the adjustment portion.

Thus, when mounting between the tile and the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction overlapping the tile at the level of the upper interlocking portion and the adjustment portion, the design of the junction makes it possible to facilitate the assembly of these two tiles by allowing manufacturing tolerances.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the junction between the gauge and the adjustment portion forms a step extending in the transverse direction.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the internal surface comprises a support bar protruding and extending in the transverse direction, the support bar being configured to act as a support in a lower portion of the tile.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the support bar is configured to come into contact with an adjustment portion of an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction.

Thus, the contact between the support bar and the adjustment portion is adjustable in the longitudinal direction so as to modulate a vertical overlap dimension, that is to say the dimension of the tile covered by the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the support bar is adapted to take a plurality of positions on the adjustment portion so as to adjust a vertical overlap dimension. The support bar can thus be placed between the sealing bar and the ridge separating the gauge 4 from the adjustment portion 19.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the support bar is located at a distance in the longitudinal direction from a lower edge of the gauge forming a tile nose.

Thus, the zone located under the tile between the lower edge and the support bar makes it possible to limit the infiltration by capillary action of rainwater between the tiles and moreover acts as a loss zone. load for the flow going up the tile in the direction of the support bar. [0032] According to one embodiment, the distance between the support bar and the lower edge of the gauge in the longitudinal direction is between 5 and 30 mm, preferably is of the order of 10 mm.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the support bar is located in the continuity of a lower edge of the gauge.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the internal surface comprises at least one tenon, preferably at least two, configured to form a positioning stop, the at least one tenon being intended to come into contact with a batten of the roof , and in which the tile comprises an upper edge, the tenon being located to the right of the upper edge.

According to one embodiment, the upper interlocking portion comprises at least one sealing bar, preferably at least two sealing bars, forming a projection and extending in the transverse direction, the at least one sealing strip being configured to form an obstacle to the flow of water, and in which the at least one sealing strip is interrupted by a strip outlet configured to allow water to flow.

[0036] Thus, the sealing strip (s) make it possible, in addition to the inclination of the adjustment portion, to improve the sealing of the tile by forming an obstacle to the progression of rainwater going back to the wind the tile. In addition, the outlet of the sealing bar helps guide rainwater to a preferential drainage area.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the upper interlocking portion comprises a retention zone surrounded by a plurality of walls forming a projection, a first wall of the plurality of walls being one of the at least one sealing bar, a second wall of the plurality of walls being configured to separate the outer side interlocking portion from the upper interlocking portion, and wherein the second wall includes a zone outlet configured to allow flow of water from the zone retention towards the external lateral interlocking portion

[0038] Thus, the retention zone makes it possible to channel rain water which would have passed through the outlet of the sealing bar in order to evacuate it towards the external lateral interlocking portion in order to improve sealing tile by guiding rainwater to a drainage area.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the internal surface comprises an internal lateral engagement portion comprising at least one rib extending in the longitudinal direction, and in which the external lateral engagement portion comprises at least one groove extending in the longitudinal direction, the at least one groove being configured to receive one of the at least one rib of the internal lateral interlocking portion of the adjacent tile in the transverse direction, a bottom wall of the at least one groove comprising a stepped portion extending over at least part of the dimension of the groove in the longitudinal direction, the stepped portion comprising at least one riser surface facing a lower longitudinal end of the tile to prevent rainwater from rising in the groove.

[0040] Thus, the groove with the stepped portion makes it possible to improve the sealing of the lateral overlap area with an adjacent tile in the transverse direction. Indeed, the orientation of the counter step makes it possible to form an obstacle to the rise of rainwater in the groove which could be due, for example, to a gust of wind infiltrating between the tiles.

According to one embodiment, the stepped portion comprises at least one step, the at least one step remaining inclined relative to a horizontal plane when the tile is in use so as to ensure a flow of water from rain by gravity towards a lower end of the tile.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the stepped portion is located in an upper part of the external lateral interlocking portion, and the crenellated portion comprises at least two steps and two counter steps, preferably three steps and three against steps, at least one of or each step remaining inclined relative to a horizontal plane when the tile is in use so as to provide a flow of rainwater by gravity to a lower end of the tile.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the stepped portion extends over the entire dimension of the groove in the longitudinal direction.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the stepped portion extends over part or all of the dimension of the groove in the transverse direction.

According to one embodiment, the groove is a first groove, the outer lateral engagement portion comprises a second groove extending in the longitudinal direction parallel to the first groove, the first groove being placed between the gauge and the second groove.

According to one embodiment, the outer lateral interlocking portion comprises a third groove extending in the longitudinal direction parallel to the first groove, the second groove being located between the first groove and the third groove. Thus, increasing the number of grooves in the external lateral interlocking portion makes it possible to improve the tightness of the lateral overlap zone of the tile by creating a plurality of drainage channels rain.

[0048] According to one embodiment, a bottom wall of the second groove and / or the third groove comprises a staircase portion extending over at least part of the dimension of the groove in the longitudinal direction.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the dimension of the first groove in a thickness direction is smaller than the dimension of the second groove and / or of the third groove in the thickness direction, the thickness direction being orthogonal to the longitudinal and transverse directions.

According to one embodiment, the exposure has a lower edge forming a tile nose, the dimension of the second groove and / or of the third groove in a direction of thickness being decreasing in the longitudinal direction of the interlocking higher towards the tile nose, the thickness direction being orthogonal to the longitudinal and transverse directions.

According to one embodiment, the internal lateral engagement portion of the tile comprises the same number of ribs as the external lateral engagement portion comprises grooves, so that each rib of the internal lateral engagement portion is intended to come to be placed in a groove of the external lateral interlocking portion of an adjacent tile in the transverse direction.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the tile is made of terracotta, concrete or any material suitable for covering a surface of a building.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the invention provides a tile construction, wherein the construction comprises a plurality of the aforementioned tiles, the tiles being arranged in a plane inclined at an angle to a horizontal plane, the angle defining a slope of the construction, the upper interlocking portion of at least one of said tiles being overlapped by at least one of the adjacent tiles in the longitudinal direction, and the lateral interlocking portion of at least one of said tiles being overlapped by at least one of the adjacent tiles in the transverse direction.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the slope is less than 35%, preferably less than 20%.

Brief description of the figures [0055]. The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will emerge more clearly during the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. , with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0056] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the outer surface of a tile according to a first embodiment.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the internal surface of the tile according to the first embodiment.

[0058] Figure 3 shows a side view of a tile overlapped by an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction, according to the first embodiment.

[0059] Figure 4 shows a partial side view of a tile overlapped by an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction, according to a second embodiment.

[0060] Figure 5 shows a partial sectional view of a tile overlapped by an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction, according to a third embodiment.

[0061] Figure 6 shows a top view of a tile overlapped by an adjacent tile in the transverse direction, according to one embodiment.

Figure 7 shows a partial sectional view along the line VI-VI of Figure 5.

Figure 8 shows a partial sectional view along line VII-VII of Figure 5.

[0064] FIG. 9 represents a view in partial section along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 5.

[0065] Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the outer surface of a tile according to a fourth embodiment.

[0066] Figure 11 shows a perspective view of the outer surface of a tile according to a fifth embodiment.

[0067] Figure 12 shows a perspective view of the outer surface of a tile according to a sixth embodiment.

Description of embodiments

In the description, the longitudinal direction is the direction of the largest dimension of the tile and usually corresponds to the line of greatest slope of the roof and the transverse direction corresponds to the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction so that the longitudinal and transverse directions form the plane of the roof. In the following, there will be described a tile 1 with a substantially flat structure intended for installation on a covering surface with a low slope, in particular a roof, according to a plurality of embodiments. The tile 1 comprises an internal surface 3 intended to be placed facing a roof and an external surface 2 opposite the internal surface 3.

Figure 1 shows a tile 1 according to a first embodiment, oriented towards the side of the outer surface 2. As can be seen in this figure, the outer surface 2 comprises a substantially plane exposure 4 intended to directly receive the 'rainwater. The outer surface 2 also includes an upper engagement portion 5 located in the extension of the gauge 4 in the longitudinal direction. The upper interlocking portion 5 is in particular designed to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In addition, the outer surface 2 comprises an outer lateral interlocking portion 6 located at level d. 'a lateral edge of the exposure 4. The external lateral interlocking portion 6 is in particular designed to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in the transverse direction as shown in FIG. 5.

The outer surface 2 also comprises an adjustment portion 19 located between the exposure 4 and the upper interlocking portion 5. The adjustment portion 19 is designed to allow an adjustment of the overlap between the tile and the adjacent tile. in the longitudinal direction so as to obtain a so-called variable gauge tile 1. In fact, at least a part of the adjustment portion 19 is overlapped by the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction so that this part is the same function as the upper interlocking portion 5. Likewise, a part of the adjustment portion 19 which is not overlapped by the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction has the same function as the gauge 4. This is called when the adjustment portion 19 is fully overlapped as "minimum gauge" and when the adjustment portion 19 is overlapped at the minimum of "maximum gauge".

The adjustment portion 19 is inclined relative to the gauge 4 in a direction opposite to the slope of the roof. Indeed, the exposure 4, when the tile 1 is placed on a roof, is inclined by a value also to the slope of the roof. The adjustment portion 19 due to its inclination with respect to the gauge 4, is inclined by a value less than that of the gauge 4 with respect to the slope of the roof so as to form a portion of tile with a lower slope. However, the inclination of the adjustment portion 19 is always less than the slope of the roof so as to keep over the entire external surface 2 of the tile 1 an inclination in the direction of the slope. In Figure 1, the junction between the adjustment portion 19 and the gauge 4 is made by a ridge extending in the transverse direction so as to form a dihedral. In an embodiment not shown, the junction between the adjustment portion 19 and the gauge 4 is made by a step extending in the transverse direction.

The outer lateral interlocking portion 6 comprises from the inside of the tile 1 towards the outside, a first groove 8, a second groove 9, and a third groove 10. The grooves 8, 9, 10 are separated from each other by a wall, and extend in the longitudinal direction. Each groove 8, 9, 10 is designed to receive part of the inner surface 3 of an adjacent tile in the transverse direction.

As visible in Figure 1, a bottom wall of the first groove 8 comprises over part of its length a stepped portion 14 composed of a plurality of steps 15 and risers 16. The risers 16 are oriented so as to be turned towards a lower longitudinal end of the tile 1 in order to prevent rainwater from rising in the first groove 8.

In other embodiments not shown, the stepped portion 14 may extend over the entire length of the first groove 8. The stepped portion 14 may also be provided in the second groove 9 and / or in the third groove 10.

The upper engagement portion e comprises a plurality of sealing strips 22 forming projections and extending in the transverse direction. The sealing strips 22 are designed to form obstacles to the progress of rainwater, in particular rainwater rising up the tile 1. The upper engagement portion 5 comprises a strip outlet 23 locally interrupting the flow. sealing strip 22 directly adjacent to the adjustment portion 19 in order to guide the rainwater towards an evacuation zone.

The upper interlocking portion 5 also comprises a retention zone 24 formed between an upper edge of the tile 1 and the sealing strips 22. The retention zone 24 is framed by a plurality of walls forming a projection allowing to contain the rainwater which would reach the retention zone 24. A first wall of the retention zone 24 is formed by one of the sealing bars 22 while a second wall 25 of the retention zone 24 is formed by the separation between the external lateral interlocking portion 6 and the upper interlocking portion 5. The second wall 25 is equipped with a zone outlet 26 locally interrupting the second wall 25. The zone outlet 26 is designed to guide the rainwater from the retention zone 24 to the external lateral interlocking portion 6, namely the first groove 8. The outer surface 2 comprises nailing holes 27 having projecting walls so that the inside of the hole is not invested by rainwater. One of the holes 27 is located in an upper part of the outer side engagement portion 6 while the other of the orifices 27 is located in the upper engagement portion 5. The nailing holes 27 are designed to accommodate a fixing device, for example a nail, in order to fix the tile 1 to a batten 100 of the roof 1. The nailing holes 27 are blind, therefore made so as not to be open so in the event of non-nailing in a hole 27 not to compromise the waterproofing of the tile.

Figure 2 shows a tile 1 according to the first embodiment, oriented on the side of the internal surface 3. As can be seen in this figure, the internal surface 3 comprises a support bar 17 forming a projection and s 'extending in the transverse direction. The support bar 17 is designed to form the support in a lower portion of the tile 1 on an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction.

The internal surface 3 comprises two tenons 20 forming a projection located to the right of the upper edge 21 of the tile 1. The tenons 20 are designed to position the tile 1 on a batten 100 of a roof. Indeed, the tenon 20 comprises a wall which comes into contact with a wall of the batten 100 while a part of the internal surface 3 of the tile 1 comes into contact with another wall of the batten 100 which makes it possible to block the translation. of the tile in the longitudinal direction and also forms a fulcrum of the tile 1 on the roof. The nailing holes 27 are located in alignment with a stud 20 in the longitudinal direction. Indeed, in order to ensure that the nailing of the tile is done properly in the batten 100, the nailing hole is placed at a distance from the tenon 20 less than the width of the batten 100. The placement of the tenon 20 to the right of the upper edge 21 of the tile 1 allows the nailing orifice to be raised on the tile as much as possible and thus reduce the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the upper engagement portion 5.

The internal surface 3 also comprises an internal lateral interlocking portion 7 in particular designed to overlap an adjacent tile in the transverse direction. The internal side interlocking portion 7 comprises from the inside to the outside of the tile

I, a first rib 11, a second rib 12 and a third rib 13. In fact, the internal lateral interlocking portion 7 comprises the same number of ribs

II, 12, 13 that the outer lateral interlocking portion has grooves 8, 9, 10. This allows when a tile 1 overlaps the outer lateral interlocking portion 6 of an adjacent tile in the transverse direction, as can be seen in FIG. 5, that each rib 11, 12, 13 is housed in a groove 8, 9, 10 of the external lateral interlocking portion 6. This is referred to as a triple lateral interlocking tile. The assembly formed by a rib 11, 12, 13 and a groove 8, 9, 10 thus forms a water discharge channel in the longitudinal direction with a sealing barrier separating each of the discharge channels of water thus formed, the sealing barrier being formed by the contact between a wall of a rib 11, 12, 13 and a wall of a groove 8, 9, 10.

Figures 3 and 4 show two embodiments of the tile 1 illustrated during the overlap with an adjacent identical tile in the longitudinal direction. As can be seen in these figures, the tenons 20 come into abutment against a batten 100 in order to position the tile 1 on the roof. In addition, the support bar 17 is placed in the adjustment portion 19 of the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction. The maximum gauge is therefore reached when the support bar 17 is placed against the sealing strip 22 directly adjacent to the adjustment portion 19 while the minimum gauge is reached when the support strip 17 is placed at the limit. of the adjustment portion 19 at the junction with the gauge 4.

The difference between the first embodiment illustrated in Figure 3 and the second embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 is located at dimension 28 in the longitudinal direction between the support bar 17 and the edge lower gauge 18 of gauge 4. Indeed, in the first embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the support bar 17 is located at a distance from the lower edge 18 in the longitudinal direction, for example between 5 and 30 mm, so that the support bar 17 is located more inside the internal surface 3 of the tile 1. While in the second embodiment of FIG. 4, the support bar 17 is located in the continuity of the lower edge 18 of gauge 4 so that the dimension in the longitudinal direction between these two elements is zero.

FIG. 5 represents a third embodiment of the tile 1 illustrated during the overlap with an identical adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction. As in the second embodiment, the support bar 17 is located in the continuity of the lower edge 18 of the gauge 4. However, in this embodiment, the support bar 17 has a larger longitudinal dimension while by protruding less than in the second embodiment. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the support bar 17 here comprises a boss of concave shape which makes contact with the adjustment portion 19 of the lower tile. In addition, the longitudinal dimension of the adjustment portion 19 has been decreased and the adjustment portion 19 includes a first adjustment portion 191 and a second adjustment portion 192 connected to the first adjustment portion 191. second adjustment part 192 is more inclined than the first adjustment part 191 in the direction opposite to the slope of the roof by in relation to gauge 4. Contact between the support bar 17 and the adjustment portion 19 of the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction is made on the first adjustment portion 191.

Figures 6 to 8 show a tile 1 which is overlapped by an adjacent tile in the transverse direction. Indeed, as can be seen in Figure 6, the outer lateral interlocking portion 6 of the tile 1 is found to interlock with the internal lateral interlocking portion 7 of the adjacent tile in the transverse direction. The external lateral interlocking portion 6 and the internal lateral interlocking portion 7

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate in particular the lateral interlocking of a tile 1 with an adjacent tile in the transverse direction, using two cuts in the transverse direction of the interlocking at two different levels. Indeed, Figure 7 illustrates the lateral interlocking in a lower portion of the tiles 1 while Figure 8 illustrates the lateral interlocking in an upper portion of the tiles 1.

It can thus be seen in Figures 7 and 8 that the third rib 13 has a decreasing thickness in the longitudinal direction and in the direction of the slope and that in the same way the third groove 10 has a decreasing depth in the direction longitudinal so that the thickness of the third rib 13 is adapted to the depth of the third groove 10.

The second groove 9 also has a decreasing depth in the longitudinal direction and in the direction of slope. However, the second rib 12 for its part has a constant thickness in the longitudinal direction. In fact, the second rib 12 has, in the embodiment shown, a particular shape making it possible to ensure that a wall of the second rib 12 is always in contact with a wall of the second groove 9 at least along a line of contact. The second rib 12 therefore comprises, in order to be made walls inclined relative to the walls of the second groove 10. During the lateral interlocking of the tiles 1, a wall of the third rib 13 is pressed against a wall of the third groove 10 of so as to limit the flow of rainwater from the second groove 9 towards the third groove 10. The inclined walls of the second rib 12 also make it possible to limit the flow of rainwater from the first groove 8 towards the second groove 9 while ensuring contact with a wall of the second groove 9 while freeing itself from manufacturing tolerances which could, in the case of non-inclined walls, induce a gap between the two walls.

Figure 9 illustrates a sectional view of the first groove 8 and in particular of the stepped portion 14 of the first groove 8. In the embodiment illustrated in this figure, the stepped portion 14 is located in a part upper portion external lateral interlocking 6 and is composed of three steps and three counter steps. As specified above, the three risers form an obstacle to the rise of rainwater in the first groove 8, and therefore three successive obstacles in the longitudinal direction. The three steps are inclined relative to a horizontal plane in the same direction as the slope of the roof so as to ensure the flow of rainwater by gravity towards a lower end of the tile 1.

Figures 10 to 12 correspond to three other embodiments in which the gauge 4 has been modified to include a hollowed portion 29, the other remaining elements therefore identical to the first, second or third embodiment. The fourth embodiment of FIG. 10, the fifth embodiment of FIG. 11 and the sixth embodiment of FIG. 12 are distinguished by different shapes of the hollowed-out portion 29. The hollowed-out portion 29 is however overall of these embodiments a substantially planar surface located below in the thickness direction of the surface forming the gauge 4 and located in a lower portion of the outer surface 2 in the longitudinal direction. Thus, the flow of rainwater is facilitated and is directed in particular from gauge 4 to the hollowed portion 29.

In Figures 10 and 11, the junction between the hollowed portion 29 and the gauge 4 is formed by a step while in Figure 12, the junction between the hollowed portion 29 and the gauge 4 is gradually made using inclined walls. In addition, in Figure 10, the hollowed portion 29 is located mainly in a lower portion of the gauge 4 near the outer side engagement portion 6. In Figures 11 and 12, the hollow portion 29 is centered in a portion lower gauge 4.

Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is in no way limited thereto and that it includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these come within the scope of the invention.

The use of the verb "to include", "to understand" or "to include" and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or other steps than those stated in a claim.

In the claims, any reference sign between parentheses cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims

[Claim 1] [Tile (1) with a substantially flat structure, in particular intended for laying on a roof with a low slope, comprising an internal surface (3) intended to be laid opposite a roof having a slope and an external surface (2) opposite the internal surface (3),

the outer surface (2) comprising:

- a substantially flat gauge (4) intended to directly receive rainwater,

- an upper interlocking portion (5) located in the extension of the exposure (4) in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the line of greatest slope of the roof, the upper interlocking portion (5) being configured to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction,

- an external lateral interlocking portion (6) located at a lateral edge of the gauge (4), the external lateral interlocking portion (6) being configured to be overlapped by an adjacent tile in a transverse direction of the roof, the transverse direction being orthogonal to the longitudinal direction,

wherein the outer surface (2) has an adjustment portion (19) configured to allow adjustment of the overlap between the tile (1) and an adjacent identical tile (1) in the longitudinal direction, the adjustment portion (19) ) being located between the upper interlocking portion (5) and the gauge (4), at least part of the adjustment portion (19) being configured to be overlapped by the adjacent tile in the longitudinal direction,

the internal surface (3) comprising a support bar (17) forming a projection and extending in the transverse direction, the support bar (17) being configured to serve as a support in a lower portion of the tile (1 ) and to come into contact with the adjustment portion (19) of the adjacent tile (1) in the longitudinal direction, the contact between the support bar (17) and the adjustment portion (19) of the tile adjacent being adjustable in the longitudinal direction so as to modulate a vertical overlap dimension,

and in which the adjustment portion (19) is inclined in a direction opposite to the slope of the roof relative to the gauge (4).

[Claim 2] Tile (1) according to claim 1, in which the angle formed between the adjustment portion (19) and the exposure (4) is between 0.5 ° and 15 °, preferably between 0 , 5 ° and 3 °.

[Claim 3] A tile (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tile (1) has a ridge extending in the transverse direction at the junction between the exposure (4) and the portion of. adjustment (19). [Claim 4] Roof tile (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the support bar (17) is located at a distance in the longitudinal direction from a lower edge (18) of the gauge

(4) forming a tile nose.

[Claim 5] Tile (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the internal surface (3) comprises at least one tenon (20) configured to form a positioning stop, the at least one tenon (20 ) being intended to come into contact with a batten (100) of the roof, and in which the tile (1) comprises an upper edge (21), the tenon (20) being located in line with the upper edge (21) .

[Claim 6] Tile (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the upper engagement portion (5) comprises at least one sealing strip (22) protruding and extending in the transverse direction. , the at least one sealing strip (22) being configured to form an obstacle to the flow of water, and in which the at least one sealing strip (22) is interrupted by a strip outlet ( 23) configured to allow water circulation.

[Claim 7] A tile (1) according to claim 6, wherein the upper interlocking portion (5) comprises a retention area (24) surrounded by a plurality of protruding walls, a first wall of the plurality of walls. being one of the at least one sealing strip (22), a second wall (25) of the plurality of walls being configured to separate the outer lateral engagement portion (6) from the upper engagement portion (5), and wherein the second wall (25) comprises a zone outlet (26) configured to allow the flow of water from the retention zone (24) to the outer side interlocking portion (6).

[Claim 8] Tile (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which the internal surface (3) comprises an internal lateral interlocking portion (7) comprising at least one rib (11, 12,13) s 'extending in the longitudinal direction,

and wherein the outer lateral engagement portion (6) comprises at least one groove (8, 9, 10) extending in the longitudinal direction, the at least one groove (8, 9, 10) being configured to receive one of the at least one rib (11, 12, 13) of the internal lateral interlocking portion (7) of an adjacent tile in the transverse direction, a bottom wall of the at least one groove (8, 9, 10) comprising a stepped portion (14) extending at least a part of the dimension of the groove (8, 9, 10) in the longitudinal direction, the stepped portion (14) having at least one surface counter-step (16) turned towards a lower longitudinal end of the tile to prevent rainwater from rising in the groove (8,

9, 10). [Claim 9] A tile construction, wherein the construction comprises a plurality of tiles (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the tiles (1) being arranged in a plane inclined at an angle to a horizontal plane, the angle defining a slope of the construction, the upper interlocking portion (5) of at least one of said tiles (1) being overlapped by at least one of the adjacent tiles in the longitudinal direction, and the portion external lateral interlocking (6) of at least one of said tiles being overlapped by at least one of the adjacent tiles in the transverse direction.

[Claim 10] A construction according to claim 9, wherein the slope is less than 35%, preferably less than 20%. j