1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of construction and pertains particularly to methods and apparatus for supporting equipment on a membrane roof.
2. Discussion of the State of the Art
In the field of construction, particularly roofing, membrane roofing as it is known in the art is becoming a staple for certain roof systems that formerly would be covered in asphalt or tar. Membrane roofing panels are typically available in sheets or rolls that may be cut to length and that may be secured to an unfinished roof surface, and heat welded together to form a unitary membrane.
Although there are a variety of membrane roofing materials available, more common compositions include Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Ketone Ethylene Ester (KEE), Chloro-Sulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) and Thermoplastic PolyOlefin (TPO). Membrane roofing sheets may be adhered, setter nailed, stapled or otherwise fastened to an unfinished roof with an overlapping edge of an adjacent sheet heat welded over the fastener line to cover and seal the fasteners. Heat welding the panels together involves a surface-to-surface heating and fusion of the interfacing surfaces of adjacent panels or sheets, requiring a certain minimum temperature.
Membrane panels or sheets may be custom fabricated and may be offered in standard sizes. The material resiliency including flexibility may be designed into the product through varying the percentage of certain materials in the composite such as different percentages of rubber added to the composite.
Installing fixtures such as pipe brackets, solar panels, roof vents, air-conditioners, and other like accessories can be problematic after a membrane roof is installed, in that support structures designed to hold the fixtures in place are conventionally fastened to the roof over the membrane material, with fasteners penetrating the membrane material at each anchor point. Typically a sealant material is applied around penetrating fasteners to prevent leaking, but these materials are subject to weathering and tend to form leaks over time.
It has occurred to the inventor that such penetrations have a collective negative effect on the long-term viability of the roofing system in protection against leakage. Roof mastic or other after-market sealers do not last as long as the membrane materials of the roof systems and therefore periodic reapplication of such sealing products is often required to preserve the integrity of the system, or leaks are sure to occur.
It has also occurred to the inventor that certain mounting apparatus may require reinforcement such as by stacking and bonding plate materials forming the base of the apparatus wherein that reinforced apparatus may be fastened to the roof membrane using fasteners that penetrate, at least into the membrane roofing.
Therefore, what is clearly needed is a reinforced roof mount for supporting utilities on a membrane roof that includes a membrane covering for sealing off any exposed anchor points on the apparatus.
In one embodiment of the invention a mounting assembly for a membrane roof is provided, comprising a metal base plate coated on both sides with material compatible to heat weld to roofing membrane material, having length and width dimensions, having a plurality of openings spaced around an outer periphery, and having at least one hole through the base plate within the pattern of openings around the outer periphery, a bolt having a length, a head with a diameter larger than the diameter of the at least one hole, and a threaded portion of a diameter to pass through the at least one hole, and a first sheet of roofing membrane material having length and width dimensions smaller than those of the metal base plate. The bolt is passed through the at least one hole in the metal base plate from one side with the head of the bolt welded or otherwise adhered to the metal base plate, and the first sheet of roofing membrane is positioned over the head of the bolt and heat welded to the heat-weld compatible material on the base plate completely around the head of the bolt, blocking any leak path around the bolt.
In one embodiment the metal base plate is formed from a pre-fabricated galvanized steel sheet, pre-coated on both upper and lower surfaces with the material compatible with heat welding to roofing membrane. Also in one embodiment the material compatible to heat weld is one of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Ketone Ethylene Ester (KEE), Chloro-Sulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) or Thermoplastic PolyOlefin (TPO), or another known roofing membrane material. Also in one embodiment the pattern of holes in the metal base plate define an inner boundary, and further comprising a sheet of membrane roofing material having outer length and width dimensions substantially larger than the dimensions of the metal base plate and having a substantially centered cut-out with dimensions smaller than the inner boundary defined by the pattern of holes around the periphery of the metal base plate.
In another aspect of the invention a method for providing a mounting bolt on a membrane roof is provided, comprising steps of forming a metal base plate coated on both sides with material compatible to heat weld to roofing membrane material, the metal base plate having length and width dimensions and a plurality of openings spaced around an outer periphery, and having a hole through the base plate within the pattern of openings around the outer periphery, coating the metal base plate on both sides with material compatible to heat weld to roofing membrane material, passing a bolt having a length, a head with a diameter larger than the diameter of the hole, upward through the hole, adhering the bolt head to the metal base plate, covering the head of the bolt with a first piece of roofing membrane with outer dimensions substantially larger than a diameter of the head of the bolt, and heat welding the piece of roofing membrane to the metal base plate completely around the head of the bolt, sealing any leak path through the metal base plate around the bolt, fastening the metal base plate to a membrane-covered roof with the bolt facing upward, by passing fasteners through individual ones of the plurality of openings spaced around the outer periphery of the metal base plate, and into decking under the membrane of the membrane covered roof, forming a second piece of roofing membrane having outer length and width dimensions substantially larger than the dimensions of the metal base plate, and having a substantially centered cut-out with dimensions smaller than an inner boundary defined by the pattern of holes around the periphery of the metal base plate, heat welding the second piece of roofing membrane to the metal base plate within the boundary defined by the pattern of holes, completely around the boundary, and heat welding the second piece of roofing membrane to the membrane of the membrane-covered roof completely around the outer periphery of the metal base plate, covering all of the openings in the pattern of openings.
In one embodiment the metal base plate is formed from a pre-fabricated galvanized steel sheet, pre-coated on both upper and lower surfaces with the material compatible with heat welding to roofing membrane. And in one embodiment the material compatible to heat weld is one of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Ketone Ethylene Ester (KEE), Chloro-Sulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) or Thermoplastic PolyOlefin (TPO), or another known roofing membrane material.
In various embodiments described in enabling detail below the inventor provides a unique roof mount and methods for facilitating mounting utilities on a membrane roof. The present invention is described using the following examples, which may describe more than one relevant embodiment falling within the scope of the invention.
The term membrane roof refers to a flexible resilient roof formed with panels of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Ketone Ethylene Ester (KEE), Chloro-Sulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) and Thermoplastic PolyOlefin (TPO), or any other membrane roofing material known in the art. Such materials may be heat welded together to fuse the roofing panels together presenting a leak-proof membrane covering. Membrane roofing is typically available in sheets or rolls that are fastened to an unfinished roof surface and then overlaid and heat-welded together, covering the fasteners on each successive panel to seal the covering over the roof.
An important material in membrane roofing is thermoplastic PolyOlefin (TPO) in examples described in this specification. However the present invention does not strictly depend on TPO for successful application. Therefore, other flexible or membrane type roofing materials may also be considered for heat weld such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Ketone Ethylene Ester (KEE), Chloro-Sulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE), or Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), and other similar materials.
In one embodiment base plate 100 has multiple through holes 102 arranged in a peripheral edge pattern for accepting fasteners to anchor base plate 100 to structure underlying a membrane roof. Referring now to the side view, the metal portion of base plate 100 has a thickness dimension A. Dimension A may be a standard dimension of between one sixteenth of an inch and one eight of an inch. The pre-coated metal sheet may also be available in other thickness dimensions without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Pre-coating 103 has a thickness dimension B.
Base plate 100 in this example has an overall common length and width dimension C, reflecting a general geometric shape such as a square or a circle. However, base plate 100 may be provided in just about any geometric shape without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In this embodiment base plate 100 is in the shape of a square with rounded corners having a length and width (C). In other embodiments rectangular, annular, elliptical, and other shapes or patterns may be used.
Referring again to
Referring now to
Base plate 200 has an overall length and width dimension D presenting a general geometric shape such as a square or a circle. However, base plate 200 may be provided in essentially any geometric shape without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In this embodiment base plate 200 is in the shape of a rounded square having a length and width D. In other embodiments rectangular, annular, elliptical, and other shapes or patterns may be used.
In this embodiment dimension D is substantially smaller than dimension C of base plate 100. Base plate 200 may be affixed to the top surface of base plate 100, typically centrally located on base plate 100. The smaller dimension of base plate 200 allows perforations 102 in base plate 101 to remain exposed for fastening purposes. More detail about assembling the roof mount is provided later in this specification.
Membrane material 300 may be formed of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Ketone Ethylene Ester (KEE), Chloro-Sulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) and Thermoplastic PolyOlefin (TPO), or any other membrane roofing material without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Membrane material 300 has a through opening 301 for placing over bolt 201. The diameter of opening 301 may be somewhat greater than the bolt diameter.
In one embodiment membrane piece 300 has a (length/width) dimension E that is substantially larger than the overall dimension D of the second base plate and substantially smaller than dimension C of the first base plate. Dimension E is the same (length and width), in this embodiment, reflecting a general geometric shape such as a square or a circle. However, membrane piece 300 may be provided of any geometric shape without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In this embodiment membrane piece 300 is in the shape of a rounded square having a length and width (E). In other embodiments rectangular, annular, elliptical, and other shapes or patterns may be used.
Membrane piece 300 may be laid over the roof mount assembly (first and second base plates) and heat welded to the base plates, covering second base plate 200 and a portion of base plate 100. Membrane 300 may be welded to the entire surface coating of the second base plate and the first base plate short of covering the multiple perforations around the periphery of the first base plate.
Stacking the second base plate over the first base plate in assembly of roof mount 400 provides extra durability for the mounting location (bolt holes). Roof mount 400 may be prepared in advance before sheet roofing is applied to the unfinished roof, and may be fastened to the roof over the membrane surface using conventional fasteners inserted through multiple peripheral perforations 102 provided for that purpose.
In general a process for creating and preparing roof mount 400 for installation includes cutting out the first and second base plates from a sheet of galvanized sheet metal pre-coated on one with membrane material. A step for placing through openings in the first and second base plates may be performed before or after the pieces are cut or stamped out of the sheet metal material.
Bolt is placed through the second base plate, then the second base plate is placed over the first base plate and is bonded to the top surface of the first base plate (pre-coating facing up). Membrane piece 300 may be precut from roofing or other sheet membrane material and may have bolt opening(s) placed there through before or after the second base plate is affixed to the first base plate. Membrane piece 300 is then positioned over the first and second base plates and heat welded to cover the surface areas of both plates save for the area on the first base plate containing perforations for fasteners.
In this example, the outer edge of membrane piece 300 lies past or covers the second base plate (200) on all sides, but ends short of interfering with openings 102 in first base plate 100. Perforations 102 may be added to base plate 100 before or after the two base plates are joined and covered with the first piece of membrane.
Second membrane piece 500 has a large cutout portion 501 to provide relief clearance for the area occupied by the second base plate. Cutout portion 501 has a major width/length dimension F in one embodiment. Dimension F is larger than dimension D of the second base plate and smaller than dimension C of the first base plate. In one embodiment the membrane material piece cut out to leave area 501 may serve as the first piece of membrane material 300 for heat weld to the first base plate.
Dimension G of membrane piece 500 is substantially larger than dimension C of the first base plate to allow for sufficient heat weld surface area when applying the roof mount to a membrane roof surface. The geometric shape of cutout portion 501 may vary without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In this embodiment second membrane piece 501 is rectangular with rounded corners as is the center cutout portion. It is not required that the geometric shape profile of membrane piece 501 be identical or similar to the overall geometric profile of roof mount 400 in order to practice the invention.
Membrane piece 501 may be applied over an installed roof mount to seal the roof mount to the surrounding membrane roof. Membrane piece 500 covers the fastening perforations in the first base plate sealing over those perforations to protect against leaks at the fastening points.
In general application, a roof mount such as roof mount 400 may be positioned or placed at any desired location on a membrane roof and fastened down to the roof surface through the membrane. After fasteners are used to secure the roof mount, membrane piece 500 may be heat welded to the roof mount and onto the surrounding roof surface to ensure leak-proof installation and to further stabilize the installation. Exact shapes and hole patterns as well as thickness of materials (metal, membrane and coatings) may vary according to what is actually mounted to the roof using the roof mount.
Roofing sheets 701 are rolled out lengthwise and fastened (typically one edge) to the roof surface with subsequent sheets laid over the previous sheets to cover the fasteners illustrated herein as fasteners 702. In some cases fasteners are not used, and edges or other areas are secured to the underlying structure with adhesive. The overlapping area of a sheet of membrane is heat welded over the fasteners of each sheet installed to ensure watertight seal. Typically, wall or vertical covering is performed with the same material as the horizontal covering and wall sheets have adjacent edges overlapping and heat welded over the fastening lines of the edge panels or sheets on the horizontal surface or floor of the roof.
Roofing section 700 includes two roof mounts 400 installed over the membrane roof surface, each sealed by a membrane piece 500. The profiles of base plates 100 and 200 are visible in this depiction as broken boundaries. The inner edge of the second piece of membrane is visible as a solid boundary situated between the outer edge of the second base plate and the outer edge of the first piece of membrane. It is noted herein that roof mounts of the present invention may be secured to horizontal, sloping, and to vertical surfaces without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The bolts are exposed for receiving fixture or equipment brackets or apparatus that secure the equipment to the roof mount. Examples of the types of utilities served may include communications and satellite equipment, solar equipment, heating and air equipment, water tanks, and any other type of structure.
In most embodiments of the present invention there are more than one roof mount used to mount a utility to a membrane roof. For example, there may be four roof mounts positioned to accept a utility having four vertical mounting posts. It is also noted herein that roof mounts of the present invention may be used to add further structure to a membrane roof surface in areas that are supportive of the additional weight without creating penetration areas that must be roofed over or sealed with roofing patch materials to cover the penetrated or exposed areas. There are many possibilities.
In yet another alternative embodiment there may be a plurality of bolts extending from one roof mount assembly. This may be done by providing more than one bolt through a single second base plate 200, or by providing a plurality of base plates 200, all joined to a single first base plate in any pattern by adhesive or other joining technique. To accommodate a plurality of second base plates the first base plate may be made in any appropriate size.
It will be apparent to the skilled person that the dimensions and shape of the of the base plate may be varied, and there may be a plurality of bolts passed through a single base plate, and the plurality of bolts may be sealed to the base plate by one or more than one sheets of membrane material heat-welded to the base plate over the bolt heads.
It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the roof mount installation system of the invention may be provided using some or all of the mentioned features and components without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will also be apparent to the skilled artisan that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a single broader invention that may have greater scope than any of the singular descriptions taught. There may be many alterations made in the descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It will also be apparent to the skilled person that the arrangement of elements and functionality for the invention is described in different embodiments in which each is exemplary of an implementation of the invention. These exemplary descriptions do not preclude other implementations and use cases not described in detail. The elements and functions may vary, as there are a variety of ways the hardware may be implemented and in which the software may be provided within the scope of the invention. The invention is limited only by the breadth of the claims below.
The present application is a divisional application of pending application Ser. No. 14/448,798, filed on Jul. 31, 2014, and all disclosure of the prior application is incorporated herein at least by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4619094 | Yang | Oct 1986 | A |
4778702 | Hutter, III | Oct 1988 | A |
7712275 | Kelly | May 2010 | B2 |
20020066235 | Stearns | Jun 2002 | A1 |
20120138208 | Stanley | Jun 2012 | A1 |
20120233958 | Stearns | Sep 2012 | A1 |
20130009025 | Stearns | Jan 2013 | A1 |
20130074441 | Stearns | Mar 2013 | A1 |
20130298494 | Corsi | Nov 2013 | A1 |
20130305622 | Smeja | Nov 2013 | A1 |
20140331594 | Stearns | Nov 2014 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20160348372 A1 | Dec 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 14448798 | Jul 2014 | US |
Child | 15235415 | US |