Roofing assembly, modular roofing system, and method of roofing

Abstract

A roofing assembly, comprising: a membrane; a plurality of cords, attached in a spaced-apart configuration to the flexible membrane and extending in a first direction; a plurality of battens, attached in a spaced-apart configuration to the plurality of cords and extending in a second direction that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first direction, each of the battens being attached to at least one of the plurality of cords; wherein a first set of the battens is offset at least one end in the second direction from a second set of the battens.

1 . A roofing assembly, comprising:
 a membrane;   a plurality of cords, attached in a spaced-apart configuration to the flexible membrane and extending in a first direction;   a plurality of battens, attached in a spaced-apart configuration to the plurality of cords and extending in a second direction that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first direction, each of the battens being attached to at least one of the plurality of cords;   wherein a first set of the battens is offset at at least one end in the second direction from a second set of the battens.   
     
     
         2 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the membrane is a flexible membrane and/or wherein the membrane is waterproof and/or breathable. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first set of the battens are offset in the second direction at both ends from the second set of battens. 
     
     
         5 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first set of the battens and the second set of the battens are attached to the cords such that they alternate in a repeating pattern. 
     
     
         6 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 5 , further comprising at least one additional set of the battens, which are non-aligned with both the first set of the battens and the second set of the battens, wherein the at least one additional set of the battens are attached to the cords such that they alternate in a repeating pattern with the first set of the battens and the second set of the battens. 
     
     
         7 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the battens of the first set of the battens alternates with the battens of the second set of the battens. 
     
     
         8 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the battens are arranged such that they define or indicate at least partially an overlapping region of the membrane for overlapping with another, similar, roofing assembly. 
     
     
         9 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the overlapping region of the membrane extends along one side of the membrane and/or wherein the overlapping region of the membrane extends along two adjacent sides of the membrane. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the battens of at least one of the sets of the battens extend over an edge of the membrane, for engaging with the battens of another, similar, roofing assembly. 
     
     
         12 . A roofing assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the battens of at least one other of the sets of the battens align with the edge of the membrane. 
     
     
         13 . A modular roofing system comprising a plurality of roofing assemblies according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A roof comprising a receiving structure for a roof and one or more roofing assemblies according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A building having a roof according to  claim 14 . 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of laying a modular roofing assembly, comprising:
 providing a plurality of roofing assemblies, each roofing assembly comprising:
 a membrane; 
 a plurality of cords, attached in a spaced-apart configuration to the flexible membrane and extending in a first direction; and 
 a plurality of battens, attached in a spaced-apart configuration to the plurality of cords and extending in a second direction that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first direction, each of the battens being attached to at least one of the plurality of cords; 
 wherein a first set of the battens is offset at at least one end in the second direction from a second set of the battens; 
   laying a first of the plurality of roofing assemblies on a receiving structure for a roof;   laying a second of the plurality of roofing assemblies on the receiving structure such that the battens of the second of the plurality of roofing assemblies are interleaved with the battens of the first of the plurality of roofing assemblies.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising laying a third of the plurality of roofing assemblies on the receiving structure in a position such that the battens of the third of the plurality of roofing assemblies are parallel but not collinear with the battens of the first and second of the plurality of roofing assemblies. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising laying further roofing assemblies of the plurality of roofing assemblies such that the battens of each further roofing assembly of the plurality of roofing assemblies are interleaved with the battens of a previously lain roofing assembly such as the first, second, or third of the plurality of roofing assemblies. 
     
     
         20 . A method of laying a roofing assembly, comprising:
 providing a roofing assembly comprising:
 a membrane; 
 a plurality of cords, attached in a spaced-apart configuration to the flexible membrane and extending in a first direction; and 
 a plurality of battens, attached in a spaced-apart configuration to the plurality of cords and extending in a second direction that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first direction, each of the battens being attached to at least one of the plurality of cords; 
   attaching the roofing assembly at a lower edge of a receiving structure for a roof; and   laying and attaching the roofing assembly in a direction towards an upper edge of the receiving structure.   
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the membrane is a flexible membrane. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising a step of changing a distance between battens by squeezing or compressing the cord interconnecting two battens. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising overlapping the roofing assembly with another roofing assembly. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled)