Patent Publication Number: US-11396753-B1

Title: Finishing shingle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of provisional application No. 62/961,541 filed on Jan. 15, 2020, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a finishing shingle that allows a user to decoratively conceal apron flashings on a shingled roof. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The joint between roofing shingles and chimneys or dormers is highly susceptible to water intrusion that can enter the attic or dwelling. Therefore, an apron flashing is typically secured over the joint by sealing a portion to the chimney and extending it a predetermined distance over the adjacent shingles. Flashing is often constructed with a shiny, silvery metal that is unsightly, unpleasantly contrasts with the shingle appearance, and diminishes the aesthetic quality of the shingled roof. Furthermore, if the lower edge of the flashing is not accurately cut to align with the adjacent shingle course, the roof&#39;s appearance is further diminished. 
     Accordingly, there is currently a need for a device that eliminates the unsightliness associated with visible roof flashing. The present invention addresses this need by providing a finishing shingle that resembles a conventional shingle for overlaying exposed roof flashing. The finishing shingle not only decoratively conceals the apron flashing, but also protects it from impact damage caused by hailstorms and similar events. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a finishing shingle comprising a sheet having a front surface and a rear surface. The front surface is configured to resemble a conventional shingle installed on a roof with which the finishing shingle will be used. The sheet further includes a central, frangible seam longitudinally extending from one side edge to an opposing side edge that allows a worker to easily separate the sheet into two equal finishing shingles that are substantially half the size of a conventional shingle. Nail targets positioned on the top surface provide a template for a worker to nail the finishing shingle to the underlying flashing. Circular sealant patches on the rear surface are aligned with the nail targets to form a watertight seal around the nail and flashing. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a finishing shingle that conceals unsightly roof flashing. 
     It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a finishing shingle that resembles a select conventional roof shingle. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a finishing shingle that is easily separable into two finishing shingles that are each half the size of a conventional shingle. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts the finishing shingle according to the present invention being mounted on a roof. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an architectural-style finishing shingle according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the architectural-style finishing shingle. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the architectural-style finishing shingle. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the architectural-style finishing shingle. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a standard 3-tab style finishing shingle according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the 3-tab style finishing shingle. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the 3-tab style finishing shingle. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention relates to a finishing shingle  100  for covering and decoratively concealing exposed apron flashing  33  on a shingled roof  200 . The top or front surface of the finishing shingle is configured to resemble a conventional shingle installed on a given roof with which the finishing shingle will be used. The shingle is constructed similarly as conventional shingles and includes a fiberglass base layer infused with a binder and an asphalt material. The base layer is then dusted with a light coating of powdered material and ceramic coated materials are applied to the top surface. The ceramic-coated materials are preferably identical to or an equivalent of the ceramic-coated materials on the shingled roof  200 . The shingle exterior can be configured to resemble a 3-tab shingle  122 , or an architectural-style shingle  102  which resembles more traditional roofing materials, such as cedar shakes or slate tiles. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , the architectural-style finishing shingle  102  comprises a sheet having a front surface  108 , a rear surface  110 , two opposing side edges, an upper edge, and a lower edge. The sheet further includes a central, frangible seam  104  longitudinally extending from one side edge to the opposing side edge. The frangible seam  104  allows a worker to easily separate the sheet into two equal shingles  106  that are substantially half the size of a conventional shingle. For example, a conventional shingle is approximately 12-13⅞″×36″ while the resulting finishing shingle will be approximately 6-7″×36.″ The resulting equally sized shingles can then be used to cover the apron flashing  33  or could be used as a starter course shingle. Accordingly, one half of the sheet is a mirror image of the other half to form two identically configured finishing shingles when the sheet sections are separated. 
     Circular nail targets  112  positioned on the front surface, near the upper edge, provide a template for a worker to nail the finishing shingle to the underlying flashing. The front surface may also include tabs or aesthetic patterns  114  having equal or varying dimensions to resemble certain architectural-style roof shingles. On the rear surface are a series of circular sealant patches  116  aligned with the nail targets that form a watertight seal around the nail  120  as it is driven into the flashing. The sealant prevents moisture from seeping through the finishing shingle, flashing and roof structure. Preferably, the sealant patches are each covered with a protective layer that maintains sealant integrity during transport and handling. The rear surface also includes one or more parallel strips  118  of heat-activated adhesive to further bind the sheet to the flashing to prevent displacement by wind or other forces. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , the front surface of the finishing shingle  122  could resemble a conventional three-tab shingle having a front surface  128 , a rear surface  130 , two opposing side edges, an upper edge, and a lower edge  138 . The sheet further includes a central, frangible seam  124  longitudinally extending from one side edge to the opposing side edge. The frangible seam allows a worker to easily separate the sheet into two equal shingles  126  that are substantially half the size of a conventional shingle. For example, a conventional shingle is approximately 12-13⅞″×36″ while the resulting finishing shingle will be approximately 6-7″×36.″ The resulting, equally sized shingles can then be used to cover the apron flashing  33  or could be used as a starter course shingle. The rear surface also includes one or more parallel strips  142  of heat-activated adhesive to bind the sheet to the flashing to prevent displacement by wind or other forces. 
     Circular nail targets  132  positioned on the front surface, near the upper edge, provide a template for a worker to nail the finishing shingle to the underlying flashing. On the rear surface are a series of circular sealant patches  140  aligned with the nail targets that form a watertight seal around the nail  120  as it is driven into the flashing. Preferably, the sealant patches are each covered with a protective layer that maintains sealant integrity during transport and handling. 
     The front surface may also include false tabs or similar patterns  134  having equal or varying dimensions to resemble 3-tab roof shingles. Between each pair of tabs is a faux slot  136  formed of black ceramic-coated materials that resemble the equally spaced slots on the conventional shingle. 
     The above-described device is not limited to the exact details of construction and enumeration of parts provided herein. Although the finishing shingle has been depicted and described as resembling two discrete types of shingles, it can resemble virtually any type of known shingle. Furthermore, the size, shape, and materials of construction of the various components can be varied without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Although there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention is only to be limited by the following claims.