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US4953537A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Barrel-shaped solar roofing element and method for its manufacture

Assignee: INNER SOLAR ROOF SYSTEM Inc 731 NE 69TH ST BOCA ROTAN FL 33487 A CORP OF FL
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Filing: 1989-09-18
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Granted: 1990-09-04
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Expires: 2009-09-18
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Abstract

Abstract A barrel-shaped solar roofing element consisting of a portion of a conical-shaped panel of a material such as PVC plastic formed by injection molding adapted for receiving an impingement of solar energy upon an outer surface thereof and constructed of insulative material having a relatively thin dimension, a passway extending throughout the panel for conduiting a heat exchanger fluid, the passway having a male coupling at one edge of the panel and a female coupling at a generally distal edge of the panel and constituting a fluid circuit, or at least a portion thereof, each of the male coupling and female coupling formed for interlocking with a complementary or mating kind of coupling of an adjacent panel.

Inventors

  • 👤 Joseph Allegro

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 10:03
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24S; F24S20/00; F24S20/60; F24S20/69; F24S10/00; F24S10/50; F24S10/501; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B10/00; Y02B10/20; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40; Y02E10/44; Y10; Y10S; Y10S126/00; Y10S126/907; Y10S126/908

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim 118 words
A solar roofing element system comprising a curved panel portion of plastic formed by injection molding having a liquid passageway therethrough and presenting an outer surface adapted for receiving solar energy constructed generally of insulative material having a relatively thin dimension between the outer surface and the liquid passageway comprising a tapered barrel-shaped construction with a smaller substantially closed end of conic section opposed to a larger substantially closed end of conic section, and means for connecting the passageway extending throughout the panel to a solar system for processing heat exchange fluid, including a male coupling and a female coupling at opposite ends of the passageway being adapted for interlocking of adjacent panels with the couplings when installed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 118 words
A solar roofing element system comprising a curved panel portion of plastic formed by injection molding having a liquid passageway therethrough and presenting an outer surface adapted for receiving solar energy constructed generally of insulative material having a relatively thin dimension between the outer surface and the liquid passageway comprising a tapered barrel-shaped construction with a smaller substantially closed end of conic section opposed to a larger substantially closed end of conic section, and means for connecting the passageway extending throughout the panel to a solar system for processing heat exchange fluid, including a male coupling and a female coupling at opposite ends of the passageway being adapted for interlocking of adjacent panels with the couplings when installed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 11 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the panel is of PVC.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the element is of a decorative color.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the element has flanges extending from the curved surface containing at least two mounting holes for receiving roofing nails.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
The system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of panel elements have their passageways connected for processing heat exchange fluid in a solar energy system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 35 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the element is hollow underneath the curved panel portion and a polyurethane foam insulator panel is introduced in the hollow for residing between the element and a roof surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
The system of claim 1 wherein grooves or ridges are formed in the curved panel portion to both enhanced solar heating and strength and rigidity to the structure of the panel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system of claim 1 wherein panel elements have a longitudinal dimension along two sides of which flanges extend to mate with flanges of adjacent panel elements when installed as shingles on a roof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein an exterior surface of the panel is copper coated.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 91 words
The method of making solar energy roofing element comprising the steps of forming by an injection molding process a plastic element configured to have a curved wall portion having an internal liquid transfer passageway and an outer surface adapted for exposure to solar radiation to heat liquid in the passageway, forming flanged elements thereon adapted to fit in shingled arrangement on a roof and forming the curved panel portion with a smaller end of conic section disposed downwardly on a tapered barrel-shaped body from a larger end of the conic section.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 91 words
The method of making solar energy roofing element comprising the steps of forming by an injection molding process a plastic element configured to have a curved wall portion having an internal liquid transfer passageway and an outer surface adapted for exposure to solar radiation to heat liquid in the passageway, forming flanged elements thereon adapted to fit in shingled arrangement on a roof and forming the curved panel portion with a smaller end of conic section disposed downwardly on a tapered barrel-shaped body from a larger end of the conic section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of forming substantially closed end walls at opposite ends of the curved portion providing a heat accumulating compartment partially surrounded by the curved wall portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of molding a male coupling and a female coupling in the end walls for interlocking together in a system of end to end panels with a common passageway for conduction of heat transfer liquid through the system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 10 including the step of molding the panel from PVC.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 10 comprising the step of producing the curved panel portion from outer and inner laminations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 10 including the step of providing in the flanged elements of the panel at least one mounting hole for a receiving roofing nail.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 10 including the steps of producing ridges in an outer surface of the curved panel portion with a polyurethane foam layer to insulate the hollow area from a roof on which the element is installed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of providing a hollow area inside said curved panel portion and attaching a polyurethane foam layer to insulate the hollow area from a roof on which the element is installed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 53 words
A solar roof panel system, comprising molded PVC plastic with tapered barrel-shaped outer surfaces installed on a sloping roof as shingles with a larger tapered end directed downwardly on the roof slope and having a longitudinal liquid passageway through individual elements terminating into interfitting couples for coupling the panel elements end to end.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 53 words
A solar roof panel system, comprising molded PVC plastic with tapered barrel-shaped outer surfaces installed on a sloping roof as shingles with a larger tapered end directed downwardly on the roof slope and having a longitudinal liquid passageway through individual elements terminating into interfitting couples for coupling the panel elements end to end.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 36 words
The system of claim 18 having a barrel shape adjacent the liquid passageway extending from a planar footprint surface for presenting a conical area to solar radiation of greater surface area than the footprint surface area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 18 interlocked with similar panels in a solar energy collecting system with a liquid flow network.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 20 installed on a roof with said panel elements as shingles.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4428361A Cited
US4454863A Cited
US4202319A Cited
DE2650208A1 Cited
US4244353A Cited
US4428360A Cited
US4146014A Cited
US4158357A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-09-03 1994-03-05 1994-09-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-09-03 1998-03-05 1998-09-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-09-03 2002-03-05 2002-09-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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