Patent ID: 7631461

Claim:
A roofing member having thermal expansion relief capabilities when mounted onto a roof surface in laterally extending courses, comprising: a main body having side regions, a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface is formed with one or more depressions each positioned proximal to one of the side regions; and one or more spacer tabs each extending outwardly from at least one of the side regions of the main body adjacent to one depression of the one or more depressions; wherein a compressive force against a particular one of the spacer tabs of the roofing member caused by thermal expansion of an adjacent roofing member when such roofing members are both mounted in the same course causes failure of the respective main body side region at a location adjacent to the particular spacer tab of the roofing member such that the particular spacer tab is at least partially displaced into one of the depressions adjacent to the particular spacer tab, wherein the one or more spacer tabs and the respective adjacent one or more depressions are configured such that failure of the respective main body side region at a location adjacent to the particular spacer tab resulting from the compressive force against the particular spacer tab occurs as a first mode of failure whereby the particular spacer tab cantilevers into the respective depression, and wherein the failure of the respective main body side region at a location adjacent to the particular spacer tab resulting from the compressive force against the particular spacer tab further occurs as a second mode of failure whereby the particular spacer tab fully separates from the main body and is displaced inwardly from the position of the spacer tab at the first mode of failure.