Patent ID: 8312685

Claim:
In a roof system having a plurality of panels mounted to a roof structure wherein the panels comprise a plurality of rows of panels, at least some of said rows of panels being arranged in an overlapping fashion of the panels of one row with respect to the panels of an adjacent row whereby the foot of a panel in an overlying row is located above the head of at least one panel in an underlying row with the lower surface of the overlying panel being above the upper surface of an underlying panel, fastening members fastening said panels to said roof structure, the improvement being in a plurality of spacers mounted between a respective said lower surface of said overlying panel and said upper surface of said underlying panel to separate at least a portion of said surfaces, each of said spacers being separate and distinct from said fastening member, said spacer being of a wire/band form structure, said spacer being mounted in place with a portion of said spacer between adjacent side by side panels and at least one other portion of said spacer between said lower surface of said overlying panel and said upper surface of said underlying panel, said spacer being otherwise free of mounting structure to mount said spacer in position, said wire/band form spacer being bent/bendable to include both horizontal and vertical portions, said spacer having a pair of free ends and an intermediate portion, said free ends being horizontal and extending outwardly and away from each other, and at least some of said intermediate portion being vertical.