Abstract: A roofing material is provided having an asphalt-coated mat or felt made up of or in combinations of fiberglass, polyester, nylon, cotton, cellulosic fibers or materials, polyethylene, polypropylene, co-polymers, melamine, phenolic, acrylics, polycarbonate, carbon fiber, clay, metallic in woven, non-woven, strands or sheets, styrene compounds, rubber, silk, leather, or wool in a woven, non-woven, or solid form. The surfacing materials can be made up of or in combination minerals, plastic particles or film, metal particles or film, cement particles, clay particles, paints, coatings, glass, ceramics, wood, wood fiber, or composite materials.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying or dropping granules onto the asphalt coated surface of a moving sheet in shingle manufacturing is disclosed. The method includes sharing each drop between two or more blend rolls with a subsequent blend roll or rolls applying a partial drop directly on top of partial drops already applied by a first blend roll or rolls. High production speeds can be accommodated since each roll can be operated at slower rotation rates and with slower acceleration and deceleration requirements than would be required if the full granule drop were applied during the same time interval with a single blend roll.

Abstract: A roof integrated photovoltaic system includes a plurality of photovoltaic panels each having a right end, a left end, a front edge, and a back edge. A right end coupler is secured to the right ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels and a left end coupler is secured to the left ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels. The right end couplers and the left end couplers are configured to interlock and form a seal when two of the plurality of panels are moved into end-to-end engagement with each other. At least one front edge coupler is affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the front edges thereof and at least one back edge coupler is affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the back edges thereof.

Abstract: A roofing panel has a field, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first end, and a second end. The field of the roofing panel is ornamented such as by being coated and/or embossed and/or pressed to emulate the appearance of a traditional roofing shingle. A clip extends along the forward edge of the roofing panel and projects downwardly therefrom. A slot extends along the rear edge of the roofing panel and the slot has an upwardly facing elongated opening. The slot is cut short or truncated at the first end of the roofing panel such that the second end of a like shingle can be overlapped onto the first end in such a way that the ornamentation on the field of the roofing panel prevents water migration through the region of overlap of the roofing panel and the like roofing panel. The clip is configured to be pressed down by an installer through the opening of the slot and lock within the slot to attach one course of shingles securely to a next lower course of shingles.

Abstract: A method for applying coating material to a moving substrate such as a glass mat web in shingle manufacturing includes conveying the web through a narrow channel and ejecting at least one coating material onto at least one surface of the web as it is conveyed through the channel. In a preferred embodiment, multiple coating materials may be applied to one surface of the web and multiple coating materials may be applied to the other surface of the web. The coating materials may be molten asphalt or other coating materials. The pressure of the coating material is controlled as a function of the line speed of the moving substrate to ensure consistently thick coatings at various speeds, including relatively high speeds, of the web. An apparatus in the form of a slot die is disclosed for carrying out the method of the invention.

Abstract: A roof-mounted solar power system for generating electrical power that includes a plurality of solar modules adapted for generating electrical power from sunlight, and with each of the plurality of solar modules having substantially the same size, aspect ratio and surface coloring. The plurality of solar modules are mounted on the deck of a roof to form a bank of solar modules having at least one irregular edge. The solar power system further includes one or more non-power generating edge treatments having substantially the same size, aspect ratio and surface coloring as the solar modules and that are adapted for installation along the irregular edge. Each edge treatment is adapted for a cutting away of at least one corner thereof to smooth the irregular edge of the bank of solar modules to a regular edge.

Abstract: A laminated roofing shingle is disclosed comprising a posterior layer with tabs spaced apart by openings and an anterior layer with tabs spaced apart by openings, wherein the anterior layer is positioned offset from the posterior layer such that it partially overlaps the posterior layer in a manner such that the anterior layer does not entirely overlap the surface of the posterior tabs. A roofing system comprising a plurality of courses of the shingles is also disclosed as well as a method of manufacturing the shingle.

Abstract: A roof integrated solar panel system includes a plurality of solar panel modules, each modules having a frame, a photovoltaic panel mounted to the frame, and a micro-inverter mounted to the frame to one side of the photovoltaic panel and accessible from the top of the frame. The solar panel modules are installable on a roof in aligned or staggered courses to form the solar panel system, and with the installed courses of modules together forming a water barrier protecting the roof.