Roofing shingles with sealant pressure relief channel

Abstract

A roofing shingle has an upper surface, a lower surface, and a sealant material applied along the lower surface. A pressure relief channel is formed along the lower surface of the roofing shingle, with a release strip applied over the pressure relief channel. When the roofing shingle is paired with another roofing shingle in a stack, the sealant material of the roofing shingle is arranged in registration with the release strip and pressure relief channel of the other roofing shingle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A roofing shingle comprising:
 at least one layer of a shingle material including:
 an upper surface forming an exterior surface of the roofing shingle and having a headlap portion configured to be overlapped by at least one additional roofing shingle arranged in a next higher course of roofing shingles on a roof; 
 a lower surface opposite the upper surface; and 
 a pressure relief channel formed in the upper surface and extending along a portion of the headlap portion of the roofing shingle; 
   a release strip positioned over the pressure relief channel; and   a strip of sealant material applied along at least a portion of the lower surface;   wherein the strip of sealant material applied to the lower surface is not aligned with the pressure relief channel formed in the upper surface;   wherein the roofing shingle is configured to be stacked in a stack of roofing shingles with the upper surface of the roofing shingle facing upwardly and with the lower surface of the roofing shingle facing downwardly and with the strip of sealant material applied along the lower surface of the roofing shingle aligned with a pressure relief channel formed in an upper surface of an adjacent roofing shingle of the stack of roofing shingles; and   wherein the pressure relief channel of the roofing shingle is configured to at least partially receive the strip of sealant material of the adjacent roofing shingle therein.   
     
     
         2 . The roofing shingle of  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface further includes an exposure portion adjacent the headlap portion; and wherein the strip of sealant material is applied to the lower surface opposite the exposure portion. 
     
     
         3 . The roofing shingle of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure relief channel comprises a depression formed in the upper surface and having a depth of 0.001 inch to 0.075 inch. 
     
     
         4 . The roofing shingle of  claim 1 , and further comprising at least one additional layer attached to the at least one layer and including the lower surface. 
     
     
         5 . The roofing shingle of  claim 1 , wherein the release strip is configured to extend along and at least partially conform to a surface of the pressure relief channel when the roofing shingle and the adjacent roofing shingle are arranged in the stack of roofing shingles with the strip of sealant material of the adjacent roofing shingle at least partially received within the pressure relief channel of the roofing shingle. 
     
     
         6 . The roofing shingle of  claim 1 , wherein the strip of sealant material comprises a width of ⅛ inch to 1 inch; wherein the pressure relief channel comprises sides, a width that extends between opposite sides and exceeds the width of the strip of sealant material by ¼ inch to 1 inch, and a depth equal to or less than a thickness of the strip of sealant material; and wherein the release strip overlaps each side of the pressure relief channel by 1 inch or less. 
     
     
         7 . The roofing shingle of  claim 1 , wherein when the roofing shingle and the adjacent roofing shingle are arranged in the stack of roofing shingles, the release strip of the roofing shingle is received within and at least partially conforms to a surface of the pressure relief channel of the roofing shingle; and wherein the sealant material of the adjacent roofing shingle remains substantially contained within the pressure relief channel of the roofing shingle. 
     
     
         8 . The roofing shingle of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional strip of sealant material applied to the lower surface in proximity with the strip of sealant material; and wherein the release strip comprises a width sufficient to cover both the strip of sealant material and the at least one additional strip of sealant material. 
     
     
         9 . The roofing shingle of  claim 1 , wherein a depth of the pressure relief channel comprises a depth that is less than or substantially equal to a thickness of the sealant material of the strip of sealant material. 
     
     
         10 . A stack of roofing shingles, comprising:
 a plurality of roofing shingles, each of the roofing shingles comprising:
 an upper surface including a headlap portion configured to be overlapped by at least one additional roofing shingle arranged in a next higher course of roofing shingles on a roof; 
 a lower surface opposite the upper surface; 
 a pressure relief channel formed in the upper surface of the roofing shingle and extending along a portion thereof; 
 a release strip positioned along the upper surface of the roofing shingle and covering the pressure relief channel; and 
 a strip of sealant material disposed along at least a portion of the lower surface of the roofing shingle; 
 wherein the strip of sealant material applied to the lower surface is not aligned with the pressure relief channel formed in the upper surface; 
   wherein the plurality of roofing shingles are configured to be stacked in a stack of roofing shingles with the upper surface of each roofing shingle facing upwardly and with the lower surface of each roofing shingle facing downwardly and with a strip of sealant material positioned along a lower surface of a first roofing shingle of the stack of roofing shingles aligned with a pressure relief channel formed in an upper surface of a second roofing shingle; and   wherein the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle is configured to at least partially receive the strip of sealant material of the first roofing shingle therein.   
     
     
         11 . The stack of roofing shingles of  claim 10 , wherein when the first and second roofing shingles are stacked, the strip of sealant material of the first roofing shingle remains substantially contained within the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle. 
     
     
         12 . The stack of roofing shingles of  claim 10 , wherein as the roofing shingles are stacked, the release strip of the second roofing shingle is at least partially received within the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle with the strip of sealant material of the first roofing shingle such that the release strip extends along and at least partially conforms to a surface of the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle and forms a liner between the strip of sealant material of the first roofing shingle and the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle. 
     
     
         13 . The stack of roofing shingles of  claim 10 , wherein the strip of sealant material comprises a self-seal sealant material. 
     
     
         14 . The stack of roofing shingles of  claim 10 , the strip of sealant material of the second roofing shingle is at least partially received within the pressure relief channel of the first roofing shingle without substantial compression of the sealant material of the strip of sealant material, and without bending or flexing of the first roofing shingle when the first roofing shingle and the second roofing shingle are stacked together to form the stack of roofing shingles. 
     
     
         15 . The stack of roofing shingles of  claim 10 , wherein the strip of sealant material comprises a thickness of 0.020 inch to 0.050 inch and a width of ⅛ inch to 1 inch; and wherein the pressure relief channel comprises sides, a depth that is less than or substantially equal to the thickness of the strip of sealant material, and a width that exceeds the width of the strip of sealant material by 1 inch or less. 
     
     
         16 . The stack of roofing shingles of  claim 10 , wherein when the strip of sealant material is at least partially received within the pressure relief channel when the first and second roofing shingles are stacked, a thickness of the strip of sealant material is reduced by 0.005 inches or less. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 moving a substrate of roofing shingle material along a path, the substrate having a coating layer applied along at least one surface thereof;   forming a pressure relief channel in the coating layer;   applying at least one strip of sealant material to the substrate;   applying a release strip over the pressure relief channel; wherein the release strip is configured to extend along and at least partially conform to a surface of the pressure relief channel of a first roofing shingle when the first roofing shingle and a second roofing shingle are stacked and the strip of sealant material of the second roofing shingle is at least partially received within the pressure relief channel of the first roofing shingle;   cutting the substrate to form a plurality of roofing shingles;   wherein each roofing shingle comprises an upper surface having a headlap portion defined therealong and a lower surface opposite the upper surface;   wherein the pressure relief channel is formed along the upper surface of the roofing shingle extending along a portion of the headlap portion;   wherein the strip of sealant material is positioned along the lower surface;   wherein the strip of sealant material is positioned along a lower edge of the roofing shingle, and the pressure relief channel is formed along an upper edge of the roofing shingle such that the strip of sealant material is not aligned with the pressure relief channel;   stacking the plurality of roofing shingles;   wherein the roofing shingles are configured to be stacked in a stack of roofing shingles with the upper surface of each roofing shingle facing upwardly and with the lower surface of each roofing shingle facing downwardly; and   wherein as the plurality of roofing shingles are stacked, the strip of sealant material applied to a lower surface of a first roofing shingle in a stack of roofing shingles is aligned with a pressure relief channel formed along an upper surface of a second roofing shingle in the stack of roofing shingles such that the strip of sealant material of the first roofing shingle is at least partially received within the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle;   wherein a portion of a surface of each roofing shingle directly opposite the pressure relief channel is substantially planar with a remainder of the surface.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the strip of sealant material of the first roofing shingle is at least partially received within the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle when the first roofing shingle and the second roofing shingle are arranged in the stack of roofing shingles without substantial compression of the sealant material of the strip of sealant material of the first roofing shingle and with the sealant material remaining substantially contained within the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the release strip is configured to extend along and at least partially conform to a surface of the pressure relief channel formed along the upper surface of the second roofing shingle when the first roofing shingle and the second roofing shingle are stacked and the strip of sealant material of the first roofing shingle is at least partially received within the pressure relief channel of the second roofing shingle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising applying a plurality of granules along the coating layer of the substrate.