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US 11,601,085 B2Granted
Photovoltaic roofing systems with bottom flashings
AssigneeCertainTeed Corporation
InventorsChristopher C. Fisher, Robert L. Jenkins, Robin M. Duarte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates particularly to photovoltaic roofing systems for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy, specifically, the use of bottom flashings in such systems. Methods for installing such systems and replacing non-photovoltaic roofing elements in such systems are also described.
Claims20
A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end, a bottom end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposing the first lateral side, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
- a plurality of contiguously-disposed, discrete photovoltaic roofing elements, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements including one or more bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements disposed in a row at the bottom edge thereof, each of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements having a bottom end;
- one or more bottom flashing elements disposed along and extending along the entire bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each of the one or more bottom flashing elements having an upward-facing surface, a top end and a bottom end, the top end of each of the one of more bottom flashing elements being substantially disposed under at least one of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements at the bottom end thereof such that each of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements is disposed on one or more of the bottom flashing elements, and such that the bottom end of each of the one or more bottom flashing elements protrudes beyond the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, wherein each of the one or more bottom flashing elements comprises
- a top end piece having a top end forming the top end of the bottom flashing element, the top end piece being affixed to the roof;
- and
- a bottom end piece separate from the top end piece, the bottom end piece having a bottom end forming the bottom end of the bottom flashing element, the bottom end piece not being affixed to the roof or to the top end piece, the bottom end piece being removably interlocked with the top end piece so as to hold it in position relative to the top end piece, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements do not extend to the bottom end piece of any of the bottom end flashing elements;
- and
- a plurality of non-photovoltaic roofing elements disposed in a row extending along the entirety of the bottom end of the one or more bottom flashing elements, each non-photovoltaic roofing element having an exposure zone at a bottom end thereof and a headlap zone at a top end thereof, the headlap zone of each non-photovoltaic roofing element being disposed under one or more of the bottom end flashing elements at the bottom end thereof, such that each of the bottom flashing elements is disposed on the headlap zone of one or more of the non-photovoltaic roofing elements, and each of the non-photovoltaic roofing elements of the row is overlapped by one or more of the bottom end flashing elements.
4 more elements
A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end, a bottom end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposing the first lateral side, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
- a plurality of contiguously-disposed, discrete photovoltaic roofing elements, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements including one or more bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements disposed in a row at the bottom edge thereof, each of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements having a bottom end;
- one or more bottom flashing elements disposed along the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each of the one or more bottom flashing elements having an upward-facing surface, a top end and a bottom end, the top end of each of the one of more bottom flashing elements being substantially disposed under at least one of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements at the bottom end thereof such that each of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements is disposed on one or more of the bottom flashing elements, and such that the bottom end of each of the one or more bottom flashing elements protrudes beyond the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, wherein each of the one or more bottom flashing elements comprises
- a top end piece having a top end forming the top end of the bottom flashing element, the top end piece being affixed to the roof;
- and
- a bottom end piece separate from the top end piece, the bottom end piece having a bottom end forming the bottom end of the bottom flashing element, the bottom end piece not being affixed to the roof or to the top end piece, the bottom end piece being removably interlocked with the top end piece so as to hold it in position relative to the top end piece, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements do not extend to the bottom end piece of any of the bottom end flashing elements;
- and
- a plurality of non-photovoltaic roofing elements disposed in a row extending along the entirety of the bottom end of the one or more bottom flashing elements, each non-photovoltaic roofing element having an exposure zone at a bottom end thereof and a headlap zone at a top end thereof, the headlap zone of each non-photovoltaic roofing element being disposed under one or more of the bottom end flashing elements at the bottom end thereof, such that each of the bottom flashing elements is disposed on the headlap zone of one or more of the non-photovoltaic roofing elements, and each of the non-photovoltaic roofing elements of the row is overlapped by one or more of the bottom end flashing elements,
- wherein the plurality of contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements are arranged in a plurality of vertically-overlapping rows, with the row of bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements being overlapped by a first course of photovoltaic roofing elements disposed up-roof from the row of bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements, and the first course of photovoltaic roofing elements being overlapped by a second course of photovoltaic roofing elements disposed up-roof from the first course of photovoltaic roofing elements, and the second course of photovoltaic roofing elements being overlapped by a third course of photovoltaic roofing elements disposed up-roof from the second course of photovoltaic roofing elements.
5 more elements
A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end, a bottom end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposing the first lateral side, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
- a plurality of contiguously-disposed, discrete photovoltaic roofing elements, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements including one or more bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements disposed in a row at the bottom edge thereof, each of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements having a bottom end;
- one or more bottom flashing elements disposed along the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each of the one or more bottom flashing elements having an upward-facing surface, a top end and a bottom end, the top end of each of the one of more bottom flashing elements being substantially disposed under at least one of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements at the bottom end thereof such that each of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements is disposed on one or more of the bottom flashing elements, and such that the bottom end of each of the one or more bottom flashing elements protrudes beyond the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, wherein each of the one or more bottom flashing elements comprises
- a top end piece having a top end forming the top end of the bottom flashing element, the top end piece being affixed to the roof;
- and
- a bottom end piece separate from the top end piece, the bottom end piece having a bottom end forming the bottom end of the bottom flashing element, the bottom end piece not being affixed to the roof or to the top end piece, the bottom end piece being removably interlocked with the top end piece so as to hold it in position relative to the top end piece, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements do not extend to the bottom end piece of any of the bottom end flashing elements,
- wherein in each of the one or more bottom flashing elements
- the top end piece has a bottom end, the top end piece comprising at its bottom end one or more folded-under sections of material;
- and
- the bottom end piece has a top end, the bottom end piece comprising at its top end one or more folded-over sections of material,
- wherein the one or more folded-under sections of material of the top end piece interlock with the one or more folded-over sections of material of the bottom end piece;
- and
- a plurality of non-photovoltaic roofing elements disposed in a row extending along the entirety of the bottom end of the one or more bottom flashing elements, each non-photovoltaic roofing element having an exposure zone at a bottom end thereof and a headlap zone at a top end thereof, the headlap zone of each non-photovoltaic roofing element being disposed under one or more of the bottom end flashing elements at the bottom end thereof, such that each of the bottom flashing elements is disposed on the headlap zone of one or more of the non-photovoltaic roofing elements, and each of the non-photovoltaic roofing elements of the row is overlapped by one or more of the bottom end flashing elements.
9 more elements
A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end, a bottom end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side opposing the first lateral side, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
- a plurality of contiguously-disposed, discrete photovoltaic roofing elements, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements including one or more bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements disposed in a row at the bottom edge thereof, each of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements having a bottom end, the plurality of contiguously-disposed, discrete photovoltaic roofing elements being disposed directly against the roof deck or directly against one or more sheets of membrane or underlayment disposed against the roof deck;
- one or more bottom flashing elements disposed along the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each of the one or more bottom flashing elements having an upward-facing surface, a top end and a bottom end, the top end of each of the one of more bottom flashing elements being substantially disposed under at least one of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements at the bottom end thereof such that each of the bottom end photovoltaic roofing elements is disposed on one or more of the bottom flashing elements, and such that the bottom end of each of the one or more bottom flashing elements protrudes beyond the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, wherein each of the one or more bottom flashing elements comprises
- a top end piece having a top end forming the top end of the bottom flashing element, the top end piece being affixed to the roof;
- and
- a bottom end piece separate from the top end piece, the bottom end piece having a bottom end forming the bottom end of the bottom flashing element, the bottom end piece not being affixed to the roof or to the top end piece, the bottom end piece being removably interlocked with the top end piece so as to hold it in position relative to the top end piece, wherein the plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements do not extend to the bottom end piece of any of the bottom end flashing elements;
- and
- a plurality of non-photovoltaic roofing elements disposed in a row extending along the entirety of the bottom end of the one or more bottom flashing elements, each non-photovoltaic roofing element having an exposure zone at a bottom end thereof and a headlap zone at a top end thereof, the headlap zone of each non-photovoltaic roofing element being disposed under one or more of the bottom end flashing elements at the bottom end thereof, such that each of the bottom flashing elements is disposed on the headlap zone of one or more of the non-photovoltaic roofing elements, and each of the non-photovoltaic roofing elements of the row is overlapped by one or more of the bottom end flashing elements.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.