Lightweight tile with tapered support

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a lighweight the with a tapered support angle reverse, to the angle of the roof, a tile having uniform contact with the roof surface that does not require battens and can be walked on without the fear of breaking. This the can be fabricated in several materials including concrete, ceramic, porcelain or clay. By increasing the surface area of the underside of this tile with numerous cavities and ribs, the capability for dissipating heat is greatly increased. The lightweight tile has the option of incorporating a breathable, underlying cushioning/insulating With this system of interlocking and overlapping tiles, when the top tile overlaps the tile below the top tile cantilevers and lays flat on the tile below it, greatly reducing the vulnerability to stress fracture because of the reverse angle and supporting ribs structure of the tile.

1 . A lightweight tile comprising:
 a) a tile having an upper surface, a lower surface, an upper end portion, a lower end portion and a right side and a left side;   b) a plurality of reverse angle tapered ribs located on the lower surface and running from said upper end portion to said lower end portion, wherein said ribs taper in a reverse angle resulting in said upper end portion resting flat on a tile mounting surface and said lower end portion held cantilevered above said tile mounting surface, allowing overlap of said tile upper end portion to said tile lower end portion; and   c) a plurality of grooves, concave recesses and smaller support ribs integral to said lower surface in both said reverse angle tapered ribs and said tile lower surface;   whereby the resulting tile is stronger, more impact resistant and lighter in weight than conventional tiles, yet allows overlapping and greater support on any mounting surface.   
     
     
         2 . The lightweight tile according to  claim 1 , wherein an insulating member is affixed to said tile lower surface. 
     
     
         3 . The lightweight tile according to  claim 1 , wherein upper end portion further includes a notch located in said upper end portion in the upper left corner of the lightweight tile. 
     
     
         4 . The lightweight tile according to  claim 1 , wherein lower end portion further includes a notch located in said lower end portion in the lower right corner of the lightweight tile. 
     
     
         5 . The lightweight tile according to  claim 1 , wherein drain trough is located along said right side of the lightweight tile. 
     
     
         6 . The lightweight tile according to  claim 5 , wherein a mating surface is located along said left side of the lightweight tile, allowing the mating and overlapping of said mating surface located on said left side of a first lightweight tile and the drain trough located on said right side of another lightweight tile placed adjacent to said first lightweight tile. 
     
     
         7 . The lightweight tile according to  claim 1 , wherein said lightweight tile is fabricated using materials selected from the list including concrete materials, ceramic materials, porcelain materials and clay materials. 
     
     
         8 . A lightweight roofing tile comprising:
 a) a double barrel tile configuration having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a central area;   b) said lower surface including integral tapered support ribs wherein said tapered support ribs are reverse tapered ribs; and   c) wherein said reverse tapered support ribs include a plurality of concave recesses supporting said central area of the lightweight double barrel roofing tile.   
     
     
         9 . The lightweight roofing tile according to  claim 8 , wherein said double barrel roofing tile is configured in a conventional “S” configuration roofing tile and incorporates two reverse tapered ribs each having a plurality of concave recesses supporting said central area of the conventional “S” configuration roofing tile. 
     
     
         10 . The lightweight tile according to  claim 8 , wherein said lightweight roofing tile is constructed from press molded ceramic materials. 
     
     
         11 . A method for making a lightweight tile, according to comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a tile having an upper surface, an upper end portion, a lower end portion and a right side and a left side;   b) providing a plurality of reverse angle tapered ribs located on the lower surface and running from said upper end portion to said lower end portion, wherein said ribs taper in a reverse angle resulting in said upper end portion resting flat on a tile mounting surface and said lower end portion held cantilevered above said tile mounting surface, allowing overlap of said tile upper end portion to said tile lower end portion; and   c) providing a plurality of grooves, concave recesses and smaller support ribs integral to said lower surface in both said reverse angle tapered ribs and said tile lower surface;   whereby the resulting tile is stronger, more impact resistant and lighter in weight than conventional tiles, yet allows overlapping and greater support on any mounting surface.   
     
     
         12 . The method for making a lightweight tile according to  claim 11 , wherein an insulating member is affixed to said tile lower surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method for making a lightweight tile according to  claim 11 , wherein upper end portion further includes a notch located in said upper end portion in the upper left corner of the lightweight tile. 
     
     
         14 . The method for making a lightweight tile according to  claim 11 , wherein lower end portion further includes a notch located in said lower end portion in the lower right corner of the lightweight tile. 
     
     
         15 . The method for making a lightweight tile according to  claim 11 , wherein drain trough is located along said right side of the lightweight tile. 
     
     
         16 . The method for making a lightweight tile according to  claim 15 , wherein a mating surface is located along said left side of the lightweight tile, allowing the mating and overlapping of said mating surface located on said left side of a first lightweight tile and the drain trough located on said right side of another lightweight tile placed adjacent to said first lightweight tile. 
     
     
         17 . The method for making a lightweight tile according to  claim 11 , wherein said lightweight tile is fabricated using materials selected from the list including concrete materials, ceramic materials, porcelain materials and clay materials. 
     
     
         18 . A method for making a lightweight roofing tile according to  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a double barrel tile configuration having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a central area;   b) providing said lower surface including integral tapered support ribs wherein said tapered support ribs are reverse tapered ribs; and   c) wherein said reverse tapered support ribs include a plurality of concave recesses supporting said central area of the lightweight double barrel roofing tile.   
     
     
         19 . The method for making a lightweight roofing tile according to  claim 18 , wherein said double barrel roofing tile is configured in a conventional “S” configuration roofing tile and incorporates two reverse tapered ribs each having a plurality of concave recesses supporting said central area of the conventional “S” configuration roofing tile. 
     
     
         20 . The method for making a lightweight tile according to  claim 18 , wherein said lightweight roofing tile is constructed from press molded ceramic materials.