1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device with flat, panel-shaped components, in particular for covering sloping roofs or facades, in which rows of components are fixed, disposed under one another, overlapping in a shingle-like way.
2. The Prior Art
Known tiles have lateral, downwardly projecting noses, and form with the adjacent tile a channel for draining rainwater or water from melting snow. If roofs or facades are supposed to be covered with flat, panel-shaped components instead of with tiles, these elements must overlap such that water cannot flow between the components. If the components contain photovoltaic elements, surface is lost through this overlapping which is not exposed to the sun. If, moreover, the components lie on top of one another in their overlapping regions, there is a risk of damage to the photovoltaic elements, and the replacement of the components is made more difficult or made impossible.
The international patent application WO 97/37091 shows a bearing element for fixing a panel-shaped component to a sloping roof. The bearing element has spacers which allow panel-shaped components to be kept in shingle-like configuration. Nevertheless there are no indications in this document as to how water is drained from a roof constructed in this way. The international patent application WO 01/54205 also concerns the configuration of panel-shaped components on a roof, and proposed is to seal off the places between the adjacent components. Also in the international patent application EP 0 710 750, sealing measures are described for panel-shaped elements.
With this state of the art as a point of departure, the invention has the object of proposing a device with flat, panel-shaped components which has an especially simple design consisting of only few elements, and with which no sealing measures are necessary between the components.