Tiles, roof and building structure

Abstract

Tiles comprising a mating surface and a roofing surface, wherein the roofing surface is elevated above the mating surface and is shaped to guide or direct a liquid to flow from an upstream first end to a downstream second end under the influence of gravity when the mating surface rests on a leveled surface, and wherein the mating surface comprises a mating or coupling means which is adapted to make complementary mating or coupling engagement with a support member or a support surface having a complementary mating or coupling means.

1 . A tile comprising a mating surface and a roofing surface, wherein the roofing surface is elevated above the mating surface and is shaped to guide or direct a liquid to flow from an upstream first end to a downstream second end under the influence of gravity when the mating surface rests on a leveled surface, and wherein the mating surface comprises a mating or coupling means which is adapted to make complementary mating or coupling engagement with a support member or a support surface having a complementary mating or coupling means. 
     
     
         2 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the first end and the second end of the roofing surface are at different elevation levels relative to the leveled surface and collectively define a draining slope on the roofing surface when the mating surface rests on the leveled surface. 
     
     
         3 . A tile according to  claim 2 , wherein the mating or coupling means on the support member or the support surface comprises a coupling or engagement surface on which there is formed a plurality of coupling or engagement members, the plurality of coupling or engagement members being distributed in a regular matrix having a uniform spacing along first and second orthogonal axes; and wherein the mating or coupling means on the mating surface of the tile comprises a plurality of coupling or engagement members which is adapted to enter into complementary mating engagement with the plurality of coupling or engagement members on the support member or the support surface. 
     
     
         4 . A tile according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of coupling or engagement members on the mating surface of the tile is distributed in a matrix, the matrix having a uniform spacing along first and second orthogonal axes, the uniform spacing being the same as that on the matrix on the coupling or engagement surface of the support member or the support surface. 
     
     
         5 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the roofing surface is elevated above the mating surface by an elevation means, the elevation means defining the elevation of the first end and the elevation of the second end when the mating surface makes mating or coupling engagement with the support member or the support surface. 
     
     
         6 . A tile according to  claim 5 , wherein the mating or coupling means on the mating surface is an integral part of the elevation means. 
     
     
         7 . A tile according to  claim 6 , wherein the elevation means comprises a plurality of elevation members which extends downwardly from the roofing surface, and wherein the mating or coupling means of the tile is defined collectively by the free ends of the plurality of elevation members. 
     
     
         8 . A tile according to  claim 7 , wherein each elevation member of the tile comprises a supporting column, the supporting columns of the tile collectively defining the elevation means and each supporting column defining an axial bore which is adapted for making individual mated engagement or coupling with a coupling or engagement member on the support member or support surface. 
     
     
         9 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the downstream second end of the roofing surface overhangs or projects beyond the mating surface of the tile. 
     
     
         10 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the roofing surface comprises first and second lateral sides which interconnect the upstream first and downstream second ends of the roofing surface, the lateral sides overhanging or projecting beyond the mating surface of the tile. 
     
     
         11 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second lateral sides of the roofing surface are adapted to overlap with lateral sides of adjacent tiles when the tiles are mounted on the support member or the support surface to form a roof. 
     
     
         12 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the roofing surface is either a liquid repelling surface or a liquid collection surface, the liquid repelling surface being adapted to direct a liquid collected by the roofing surface to be dispersed towards the lateral sides of the roofing surface when flowing from the upstream first end to the downstream second end, and the liquid collection surface being adapted to direct a liquid collected by the roofing surface to be concentrated in a portion of the roofing surface intermediate the first and second lateral sides of the roofing surface when flowing from the upstream first end to the downstream second end. 
     
     
         13 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the roofing surface has a uniformly arcuate profile between the upstream first and the downstream second ends. 
     
     
         14 . A tile according to  claim 13 , wherein the roofing surface is either convexly or concavely curved along an axis of symmetry, the axis of symmetry extending between the upstream first and the downstream second ends and is intermediate the first and second lateral sides of the roofing surface. 
     
     
         15 . A tile according to  claim 1 , wherein the roofing surface comprises an upstream first end, a downstream second end and a downstream third end, the upstream first end being intermediate the downstream second and third ends; wherein the upstream first end is a liquid dividing ridge adapted to divide liquid falling on the roofing surface to flow either towards the downstream second end or the downstream third end. 
     
     
         16 . A tile according to  claim 15 , wherein the upstream first end extends across the lateral sides of the roofing surface. 
     
     
         17 . A set of tiles comprising a first type of tiles each having a liquid collection surface and a second type of tiles each having a liquid repelling surface, wherein each type of tiles is a tile comprising a mating surface and a roofing surface, wherein the roofing surface is elevated above the mating surface and is shaped to guide or direct a liquid to flow from an upstream first end to a downstream second end under the influence of gravity when the mating surface rests on a leveled surface, and wherein the mating surface comprises a mating or coupling means which is adapted to make complementary mating or coupling engagement with a support member or a support surface having a complementary mating or coupling means, and wherein the first and second types of tiles are such that lateral sides of adjacent tiles of different types will overlap with a lateral side portion of a tile of the first type immediately underneath an overlapping lateral side portion of a tile the second type when mounted on a support member or a support surface, and wherein the overlapping side portions are complementarily curved such that liquid repelled by a tile of the second type will be collected by a tile of the first type when mounted on a support member or a support surface. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A roof comprising a plurality of tiles according to  claim 1 , assembled on a support member or a support surface, wherein the tiles are assembled to form a corrugated roof comprising a plurality of alternately disposed liquid repelling ridges and liquid collecting channels, and wherein each liquid repelling ridge is assembled from a plurality of tiles each having a liquid repelling surface, and each liquid collecting channel is assembled from a plurality of tiles each having a liquid collection surface. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A roof according to  claim 19 , wherein a tile of the first type or a tile of the second type in the roof is overhung by three adjacent tiles while overhanging another three adjacent tiles. 
     
     
         22 . A building structure comprising a roof constructed from a plurality of tiles according to  claim 1 .