Abstract: A vent is disclosed that is particularly suited to use in ventilating attic spaces beneath a hip roof. The vent is configured to be installed along a hip of the roof overlying and covering a ventilation slot formed through the roof deck along the hip. The vent includes an elongated laterally flexible top panel from which baffle arrays depend. The baffle arrays are formed of a plurality of depending arcuately curved vanes that arc away from the vent. The vanes are aerodynamically shaped to redirect wind-blown rain and snow away from the vent and are configured to block the migration of rain and snow through the vent. A pair of spongy conformable filler strips is attached beneath the edge portions of the vent. The filler strips conform to the shapes of underlying shingles when the vent is installed to fill any gaps that otherwise might be formed between the vent and the shingles.

Abstract: A solar ridge vent includes an elongated laterally flexible panel having edge portions and ventilation grids extending along the edge portions. Channel members extend along the edge portions of the panel and define channels that have channel openings facing inwardly. The channels are sized to receive edges of auxiliary components to hold the auxiliary components on the ridge vent. The auxiliary components may be ridge cap shingles, slate cap shingles, light emitting emergency location panels, or fluid heating panels. In a preferred embodiment, solar power generating panels are configured to be mounted on the ridge vent with its edges held in the channels. A remote electrical box has chargeable batteries, a power inverter, and an AC outlet to provide electrical power in an emergency.

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 solar ridge vent includes an elongated laterally flexible panel having edge portions and ventilation grids extending along the edge portions. Channel members extend along the edge portions of the panel and define channels that have channel openings facing inwardly. The channels are sized to receive edges of auxiliary components to hold the auxiliary components on the ridge vent. The auxiliary components may be ridge cap shingles, slate cap shingles, light emitting emergency location panels, or fluid heating panels. In a preferred embodiment, solar power generating panels are configured to be mounted on the ridge vent with its edges held in the channels. A remote electrical box has chargeable batteries, a power inverter, and an AC outlet to provide electrical power in an emergency.

Abstract: A solar panel array comprises a first plurality of solar panels arranged side-by-side in a first course and a second plurality of solar panels arranged side-by-side in a second course, the second course partially overlapping the first course. Electrical energy produced by each solar panel of the array is aggregated with the electrical energy produced by the other solar panels of the array without physical electrical contacts between the solar panels. In one embodiment, contactless inductive couplers are used to couple the electrical energies of the panels together.

Abstract: A solar roofing panel has a rectangular body with solar cells exposed on the upper surface of the body and an electrical junction box on the lower surface of body along the forward edge portion thereof. A cutout is formed in the upper edge portion of the rectangular body at a corner thereof. When a plurality of solar panels are arranged on a roof in courses with an upper course partially overlapping a lower course, the junction boxes of roofing panels in the upper course are disposed in the cutouts of roofing panels of the lower course. Accordingly, the solar roofing panels present a low profile mimicking the profile of slate-style shingles.

Abstract: A solar roof shingle for providing AC electrical power when exposed to sunlight includes a shingle frame having a bottom panel supportable on a roof deck, a top panel, and a thickness between the bottom panel and the top panel. The solar roof shingle also includes a solar collector mounted to and covering at least a portion to the top panel of the shingle frame, with the solar panel producing DC electrical energy at DC terminals when the solar collector is exposed to sunlight. A nano-inverter is disposed within the shingle frame between the bottom panel and the top panel and is electrically coupled to the DC terminals. The nano-inverter converts DC electrical energy to AC electrical energy available at AC terminals mounted to the shingle frame. The nano-inverter has a maximum power rating of 150 Watts or less so that it produces substantially less heat during operation allowing the thickness of the solar roof shingle to approach that of a standard roofing shingle.

Abstract: An impeller exhaust ridge vent is provided for covering a ridge slot formed along the ridge of a roof. The ridge vent has an elongated laterally flexible center panel with edge portions along which vents are formed. Standoffs can depend from the bottom of the center panel for supporting the center panel a predetermined distance above the roof deck so that attic air can vent through the ridge slot, beneath the center panel, and exit through the vents. A base panel can be provided to cover the roof deck and form a smooth substantially sealed air duct for passage of the air. Upstanding wind baffles are disposed outboard of and spaced from the vents. One or more tangential impellers is rotatably mounted in the pace between the vents and wind baffles and can be free spinning or driven by an electric motor. Rotation of the tangential impellers creates a cross-flow fan effect that draws air forcibly from beneath the center panel and exhausts it to ambience. The attic space is thereby actively ventilated.

Abstract: Ridge vents and deck covers are disclosed that have a fibrous mesh mat and a moisture barrier. The mesh mat may be contoured to define a variety of structures and may have regions of relatively higher fiber density and regions of relatively lower fiber density. Solar cells may be exposed on the ridge vents to collect solar energy when the vents are exposed to sunlight.

Abstract: A ridge vent with powered forced air ventilation is configured to be installed along the ridge of a roof covering an elongated ridge slot on either side of the ridge. A blower is mounted in a blower opening formed at a predetermined location along the ridge vent on one side of the ridge and includes a blower housing forming an inlet within the attic and an outlet oriented to force air upwardly through the vent slot to be expelled through the ridge vent. A pair of baffles are hingedly secured to the blower housing adjacent its outlet and can be attached to a roof deck to secure the blower and help to isolate its outlet from the attic space below. An impeller is disposed in the housing and is driven by an electric motor.

Abstract: A solar insert for shingled roofs includes an insert with a generally wedge-shaped body designed to be installed beneath a shingle and a face that is exposed and extends along a lower edge of the shingle. The face preferably is angled with respect to the shingle and a solar collector in the form of a thin-film solar strip is mounted to and extends along the face. The inserts of multiple shingles are electrically coupled together to form an electrical grid for aggregating the electrical energy of the individual solar collectors and delivering it to a remote location for storage or use. In a second embodiment, a shingle has a solar collector strip mounted to its surface extending along a forward edge of the shingle, and in another, the solar collector surrounds the tabs of their shingles. The solar collectors not only generate electrical energy from the sun; they also enhance the appearance of a shingled roof by providing a look of increased thickness and texture.

Abstract: A solar panel system includes a plurality of solar modules that produce DC electrical energy when exposed to sunlight. Each of the solar modules includes a frame, a photovoltaic panel mounted to the frame, and an electrical coupling for outputting the DC electrical energy from the photovoltaic panel. The solar modules are mounted to the deck of a roof having a ridge and a ridge vent extending at least partially along and covering the ridge of the roof. One or more micro-inverters is located beneath the ridge vent and each is electrically connected to a bank of two or more solar modules selected from the plurality of solar modules. The micro-inverters on the roof convert the DC electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic panels to AC electrical energy, and the AC electrical energy is aggregated from the micro-inverters and delivered to a remote electrical system.

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.

Abstract: A solar module for a roof covering system that generates electrical power from sunlight includes a frame having a bottom surface supported on a deck of a roof, a top surface, and a thickness between the bottom surface and the top surface. The solar module also includes a solar element mounted to the top surface of the frame which has an upper surface. a micro-inverter mounted to the top surface of the frame and to the side of the solar element, and a raised access panel that is removably coupled to the frame to surround the micro-inverter. The raised access panel has an access panel top surface that is elevated above the upper surface of the solar element. The top surface of the frame forms a water shedding surface below the micro-inverter for directing water away from the roof.

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: This invention relates to a novel thermoplastic profile roofing strip and an apparatus for welding the thermoplastic profile roofing strip to a thermoplastic roofing membrane.

Abstract: A solar insert for shingled roofs includes an insert with a generally wedge-shaped body designed to be installed beneath a shingle and a face that is exposed and extends along a lower edge of the shingle. The face preferably is angled with respect to the shingle and a solar collector in the form of a thin-film solar strip is mounted to and extends along the face. The inserts of multiple shingles are electrically coupled together to form an electrical grid for aggregating the electrical energy of the individual solar collectors and delivering it to a remote location for storage or use. In a second embodiment, a shingle has a solar collector strip mounted to its surface extending along a forward edge of the shingle, and in another, the solar collector surrounds the tabs of their shingles. The solar collectors not only generate electrical energy from the sun; they also enhance the appearance of a shingled roof by providing a look of increased thickness and texture.

Abstract: A fascia vent for a roof structure includes a fascia board for attachment along the lower ends of roof rafters that support a roof deck above an attic space. The fascia vent has an exposed outside face and an inside face at least partly exposed to the attic space. In one embodiment, a plurality of slots are formed along the inside face of the fascia board with a lower end of the slots communicating with ambience along the bottom edge of the fascia board and an upper end of the slots communicating with the attic space. In another embodiment, a plurality of spaced vent pockets are formed in the inside face and a slot is formed along the bottom edge of the fascia vent communicating with the vent pockets. In use, hot air vented from the attic is replaced by fresh air that flows through the fascia vent and into the attic space.

Abstract: A fascia vent for a roof structure includes a fascia board for attachment along the lower ends of roof rafters that support a roof deck above an attic space. The fascia vent has an exposed outside face and an inside face at least partly exposed to the attic space. A plurality of slots are formed along the inside face of the fascia board with a lower end of the slots communicating with ambience along the bottom edge of the fascia board and an upper end of the slots communicating with the attic space. In use, hot air vented from the attic is replaced by fresh air that flows through the lower ends of the slots and into the attic space.

Abstract: A solar insert for shingled roofs includes an insert with a generally wedge-shaped body designed to be installed beneath a shingle and a face that is exposed and extends along a lower edge of the shingle. The face preferably is angled with respect to the shingle and a solar collector in the form of a thin-film solar strip is mounted to and extends along the face. The inserts of multiple shingles are electrically coupled together to form an electrical grid for aggregating the electrical energy of the individual solar collectors and delivering it to a remote location for storage or use. In a second embodiment, a shingle has a solar collector strip mounted to its surface extending along a forward edge of the shingle, and in another, the solar collector surrounds the tabs of their shingles. The solar collectors not only generate electrical energy from the sun; they also enhance the appearance of a shingled roof by providing a look of increased thickness and texture.