Synthetic roof tiles with reinforcing rib structures and methods for making the same

Abstract

Presented are construction roofing and siding tiles with optimized reinforcement rib structures, methods for making and methods for using such rib-reinforced tiles, and synthetic “hollow-back” roof tiles with force-distributing structural rib patterns. A construction tile, which may be a polymeric roof tile, includes a tile body with a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, and a tile frame that projects from and extends around the perimeter of the rear face. One or more fastener bosses project from the rear face of the tile body; each fastener boss receives therethrough a fastener to thereby mount the construction tile to a support surface. A network of reinforcement ribs project from the rear face of the tile body and intersect the fastener boss(es). The reinforcement ribs extend between the fastener boss(es) and the tile frame to thereby transmit forces from the tile body's peripheral edge to the fastener boss(es).

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A construction tile, comprising:
 a tile body including a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, and a tile frame projecting from and extending around a perimeter of the rear face;   a fastener boss projecting from the rear face of the tile body and configured to receive therethrough a fastener to thereby mount the construction tile to a support surface; and   a plurality of reinforcement ribs projecting from the rear face of the tile body, the reinforcement ribs being configured to transmit forces between a peripheral edge of the tile body and the fastener boss.   
     
     
         2 . The construction tile of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement ribs include a force applying rib projecting from the rear face of the tile body, the tile frame including a pair of sidewalls having a wall height, and the force applying rib having a rib height greater than the wall height. 
     
     
         3 . The construction tile of  claim 2 , wherein the force applying rib includes a first force applying rib located at a first position and a second force applying rib located at a second position laterally spaced from the first position. 
     
     
         4 . The construction tile of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement ribs include a plurality of circular ribs concentric with and circumscribing the fastener boss. 
     
     
         5 . The construction tile of  claim 4 , wherein the reinforcement ribs further include a plurality of curvilinear ribs extending between and adjoining the tile frame and an outermost circular rib of the plurality of circular ribs. 
     
     
         6 . The construction tile of  claim 5 , wherein the tile frame includes a first rectilinear sidewall adjoining a first rectilinear end wall at a first corner, and wherein the curvilinear ribs adjoin the tile frame adjacent the first corner. 
     
     
         7 . The construction tile of  claim 5 , wherein each of the curvilinear ribs includes an elongated straight segment adjoining the outermost circular rib and an elongated curved segment adjoining the elongated straight segment and the tile frame. 
     
     
         8 . The construction tile of  claim 1 , wherein the tile frame includes a first rectilinear sidewall adjoining a first rectilinear end wall at a first corner, and wherein the reinforcement ribs include a plurality of curvilinear ribs extending between and adjoining the fastener boss and the tile frame adjacent the first corner. 
     
     
         9 . The construction tile of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement ribs include a series of arcuate ribs sharing a common geometry and each having a distinct size. 
     
     
         10 . The construction tile of  claim 9 , wherein each of the reinforcement ribs has a semi-dihedral spherical polygon geometry with a distinct height and/or a distinct width with the reinforcement ribs inset one inside the other. 
     
     
         11 . The construction tile of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener boss includes first and second cylindrical fastener bosses projecting substantially orthogonally from respective first and second locations of the rear face of the tile body. 
     
     
         12 . The construction tile of  claim 1 , wherein the tile frame projects orthogonally from and extends continuously around the perimeter of the rear face. 
     
     
         13 . The construction tile of  claim 1 , wherein the tile body, the fastener boss, and the reinforcement ribs are integrally formed as a single-piece structure from a polymeric material. 
     
     
         14 . A polymeric roof tile, comprising:
 a roof tile body including a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, and a tile frame projecting from and extending around a perimeter of the rear face, the tile frame including a pair of sidewalls having a wall height;   a plurality of reinforcement ribs integral with and projecting from the rear face of the tile body, each of the reinforcement ribs having a first rib height equal to or smaller than the wall height of the sidewalls; and   a plurality force applying ribs integral with and projecting from the rear face of the tile body, each of the force applying ribs having a second rib height greater than the wall height.   
     
     
         15 . The polymeric roof tile of  claim 14 , wherein the force applying ribs include first and second force applying ribs located at respective first and second positions on the rear face. 
     
     
         16 . The polymeric roof tile of  claim 14 , wherein the force applying ribs include a side force applying rib separate from or integral with a front force applying ribs to individually or collectively define a multiaxis force applying rib. 
     
     
         17 . The polymeric roof tile of  claim 14 , wherein the force applying ribs include a plurality of horizontal force applying ribs extending transversely across a width of the tile body and/or a plurality of vertical force applying ribs extending transversely across a longitudinal length of the tile body. 
     
     
         18 . The polymeric roof tile of  claim 14 , wherein the front face of the roof tile includes a nonplanar region, and wherein the force applying ribs extend beyond the reinforcement ribs to a distance that is equal to or greater than a height of the sidewalls as measured in an uninstalled configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The polymeric roof tile of  claim 14 , wherein the front face of the roof tile includes a nonplanar region, and wherein the force applying ribs extend beyond the reinforcement ribs to a distance that is equal to or greater than a height of the bottom edge of the tile frame as measured in an uninstalled configuration. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a construction tile for mounting onto a support surface via a fastener, the method comprising:
 forming a tile body including a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, and a tile frame projecting from and extending around a perimeter of the rear face;   forming a fastener boss projecting from the rear face of the tile body, the fastener boss configured to receive therethrough the fastener to thereby mount the construction tile to the support surface; and   forming a plurality of reinforcement ribs projecting from the rear face of the tile body, the reinforcement ribs configured to transmit forces between a peripheral edge of the tile body and the fastener boss.