Roofing Product With Zoned Functional Compositions And Methods Of Making The Same

Abstract

A roofing product having at least two separate zones, with one of the zones having one or more certain functional characteristics such as flame retardancy, solar reflectivity, weather resistance, selected coloring, heat stabilization, algae resistance, and/or solar collection for electrical generation, and another of the zones not having such functional feature(s). The different zones can be present in core or capstock material. The product can be made by any of various processes, such as co-extrusion, forming, molding, coinjection, shot injection moldings, multiple step injection moldings and/lamination.

1 . A synthetic polymer based roofing product having at least a first selectively located zone of the product that has one or more of the following features and at least a second zone of the product that is free of the same feature(s):
 (a) a flame retardant or resistant composition;   (b) a solar reflective component;   (c) multiple layers of different polymer based materials;   (d) a core of a first polymer-based material and a capstock or partial or complete covering of another polymer-based material;   (e) a weather-resistant composition in whole or in part;   (f) multiple colors;   (g) heat stabilizer composition;   (h) reduced-cost filler material;   (i) algae-resistant composition; and   (j) solar collection component for electrical generation.   
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein said feature is a flame retardant or resistant composition. 
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein said feature is a solar reflective component. 
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein said first zone comprises a capstock material. 
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein said second zone comprises a core material. 
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 4 , wherein said second zone comprises a core material. 
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein there is sharply delineated interface between said first and second zones. 
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein there is an interface between said first and second zones, with some intermixed material of the first and second zones. 
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein said first zone comprises a capstock material, and wherein said second zone comprises a core material. 
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 3 , wherein said first zone comprises a capstock material, and wherein said second zone comprises a core material. 
     
     
         11 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein said first zone comprises a core material and said second zone comprises a capstock material. 
     
     
         12 . The product of  claim 3 , wherein said first zone comprises a core material and said second zone comprises a capstock material. 
     
     
         13 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein at least one zone of material includes a strength-enhancing filler material. 
     
     
         14 . The product of  claim 13 , wherein said strength-enhancing filler material includes fibrous material. 
     
     
         15 . A process of producing a roofing product in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the process includes any of:
 (a) coextrusion of polymer based compositions;   (b) forming or molding to a desired shape;   (c) compression molding of the product;   (d) vacuum forming of the product;   (e) coinjection molding of the product   (f) two or more shot injection moldings of the product;   (g) multiple step injection molding of the product; and   (e) coinjection molding of the product   (f) two or more shot injection moldings of the product;   (g) multiple step injection molding of the product; and   (h) lamination of one or more selectively located zones to the product.   
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the process includes lamination of one or more selectively located zones to the product. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the process includes coextrusion of polymer based compositions. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the process includes compression molding of the product. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the process includes coinjection molding of the product. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the process includes forming or molding to a desired shape.