Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ROOF COVERING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
° The present invention relates to roof covering assemblies and a
method
for covering a roof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
roof covering
' , which is detachably engaged with the roof deck. Even more particularly,
the present
invention relates to detachably securing flat and shingle roof coverings to a
roof using a
hook and loop fastener.
BACKGROUND OF THE ITv'VENT1ON
», Ever since mankind emerged from the cave, the construction of
adequate and durable shelter has been a significant issue In the course of
shelter
development (e g., from straw house to stick house to brick house), a foremost
concern
has been the search for an inexpensive, durable and waterproof ro~tinL
material While
in some environments, a thatched or sod roof may be suitable. m most. it is
nit Over
the years, various materials have been employed as the ewernal cwenng material
for
roofs, including slate, wood (c.g., shake shingles), clay tile, metal sheets,
asbestos-based
materials, asphalt-based materials and plastic materials These roofing
materials have
been used in the form of shingles and/or flat roofing. One currently available
asphalt-
based shingle material is a three-tab asphalt shingle. Each three-tab shingle
is
approximately one foot high by three foot wide, and is twice slotted alon; its
bottom
edge to form three tabs along its lower half which, upon assembly with other
shin'=ies to
form a roof coverin';, are the only portions of the shin~Tle which remain
visible. An
asphalt three-tab shingle bears backing sand or other granular materials
(e.g., mica) on
its back surface and facing granules on its front surface. The granular
material on the
__ back surface of the shingle provides weight to the shingle and acts as a
blocking material
to keep the shingles from sticking together when bundled for shipping and
storage. On
the visible tabs of the shingle, the facing granules may be of any desired
color for
aesthetic purposes. Another type of asphalt-based shingle is referred to as a
laminated
shingle, which is constructed and applied to a roof similarly to a three-tab
shingle, but
s~ has a multi-ply siungle construction and may not have tabs formed therein.
White a structure's roof may serve to block the sun and wind from its
interior, the roofs primary purpose is to serve as a moisture harrier.
However, for most
conventional shingle roof covering materials (and specifically for three-tab
or laminated
asphalt shingles and flat roofing), the attachment of the external roof
coveting can
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require the use of nails or staples driven through each shingle and the
underlying roof
deck. Thus, any moisture barner provided by the roof deck or the shingle
itself is
violated by the use of such fasteners. In some jurisdictions, building code
requirements
may dictate that an underlying layer of roofing felt (an asphalt-saturated
felt material) be
laid over the roof deck (typically a wooden roof deck) prior to application of
the
shingles. The roofing felt is required only for the initial few feet of a roof
line, or may be
required over the entire roof deck. In cold weather climates, roofing felt may
serve as
an initial moisture barrier below the three-tab asphalt shingles, and
specifically adjacent
the lower portion of the roof line where ice dams may form which can cause
water to
m- seep under and upwardly on a roof through the shingles to the roof deck In
some
jurisdictions, an ice dam material (e.g., a heavy felt layer adhered to the
roof deck) may
also be required for up to the first six feet of the roof deck. The use of
staples or nails to
secure the shingles to the roof deck also penetrates any underlying roofing
felt or ice
dam material, thus compromising their ability to sen~e as moisture barriers In
addition,
nails and staples are a rather permanent forn~ of attachment Once secured by
such
fasteners, a shingle may not be easily realigned or replaced.
Another localized concern for roofing materials relates to durability in
high wind conditions. Three-tab asphalt shingles are laid in overlapping
courses so that
the tabs at the bottom portion of each shingle are the only parts of that
shingle which are
Zo ,visible once a roof covering assembly has been constructed. Each shingle
is formed with
a strip of seal-down asphalt on its front surface above its tabs (in the upper
"head-lap"
area of the shingle). In order to hold or seal down the tabs when the wind is
blowing,
the shingles are arranged so that the seal-down strip of asphalt on the
shingles of one
course is covered by the ends of the tabs of the shingles of the next course.
As the
z s assembled roof is exposed to heat (via the sun) in excess of 160°
F. (71.1 ° C.), the seal-
down strip of asphalt softens and "flows" onto the back surface of the
overlying shingle
tab above it to bond that tab to the course of shingles below. Such bonding is
particularly important where high winds are likely, in order to minimize roof
damage and
costs from storms such as hurricanes, tornados, and/or straight-line wind
storms. These
3o storms often damage not only the roof covering assembly itself, but also
cause water to
be driven up under the shingles, causing water damage that can result from the
roof
moisture barrier integrity being compromised during such a storm. With respect
to
asphalt shingle construction, some jurisdictions with high wind considerations
also
require that the shingle be of a certain weight, in order to further minimize
its being
T
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peeled offthe roofby such winds. Shingle constructions which fold over to
mechanically interlock adjacent shingle courses have been proposed, but such
shingles
must still be nailed or stapled to the roof deck.
Flat roofing typically uses of ethylene propylene diene monomer
(EPDM) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets or membranes of 10-SO ft. (3-IS m)
widths. In most cases there is an underlayment of an insulation board placed
on top
of the roof and under the membrane These are typically held down periodically
with lag bolts and large washers. The membrane is laid over the roof surface
and
the large sheets are spliced and sealed at the seams to create one continuos
sheet of
impervious (to water) membrane the size of the entire roof A flat roofing
membrane must also be firmly attached to the roof because wind blowine across
a
flat roof causes a liftins~ force that can actually cause the membrane to
balloon,
eventually stretching out the membrane to the point of causing failure The
membrane is normally attached to the roof in one of three ways to prevent
lifting
Rocks have heen placed on top of flat roofing memhrane; to hold
down the membrane hocks arc cheap hut they are heavy and put additional strain
on the roof Thev can also be ditlicult to hoist to the top of buildings and
can be
difficult to obtain in big cities. Also, in high winds there is the potential
for the
rocks to blow off the roof and cause damage to surrounding buildings, people,
cars,
etc. A layer of liquid adhesive placed between the Insulation board and
roofing
membrane has also been used to adhere the membrane in place. However, EPDM
and PVC can be difficult materials to adhere, typically requiring the use of
aggressive liquid adhesives. Such liquid adhesives are difficult to work with
and
most emit environmentally unfriendly volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Alternative water based adhesives have trouble giving good adhesion to EPDM
and
PVC and can take a longer time to dry. This delay in drying can result in
failures if
the lifting force of a wind is sufficient to separates the membrane from the
adhesive
before it is fully dried. Flat roofing membranes have also been held down
using
strips of metal placed on top of the membrane at spaced intervals and lag
bolted
Jo through the membrane to the roof. The holes formed in the membrane for the
lag
bolts have to be sealed and can form cites for water intrusion through the
membrane, thereby reducing the useful life of the flat roofing long before the
membrane material has lost its moisture resistance. In addition, the membrane
can
still lift and stretch in between the metal strips.
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Therefore, there is a need for an improved roofing cover system that
avoids at least some or all of the problems associated with roof covering
systems
used in the past.
s SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above need is satisfied by providing a roof covering assembly
according to the present invention in which a roof covering is detachabiy
securable to a
roof by the use of a hook and loop fastener system.
In one aspect of the present invention, a roof covering assembly is provided
which
comprises a first and second complementary part of a hook and loop fastener
and a roof
covering. The first part of the hook and loop fastener is securable onto a
portion of a
roof deck The roof covering is disposable over the roof deck, and the second
complementary part of the hook and loop fastener is secured on a portion of
the back
surface of the roof covering. The roof coverinu is detachably engacable with
the roof
deck via the hook and loop fastener after the first part of the hook and loop
fastener is
secured onto the roof deck In a one embodiment, the first part of the hook and
loop
fastener is defined by a hook-engaginu material and the second part of the
hook and
loop fastener is defined by a plurality of outwardly projecting hooking stems
formed to
releasably engage the hook engaging material upon contact therewith. It is
desirable for
the first part of the hook and loop fastener to be borne by a flexible, water-
impervious
substrate sheet.
The roof covering can include a flat roof covering comprising a
membrane having the second complementary part of the hook and loop fastener
secured
on a portion of the back surface thereof, wherein the membrane is detachably
engagable
zs with the roof deck via the hook and loop fastener after the first part of
the hook and
loop fastener is secured onto the roof deck. It may be desirable for the
second
complementary part to be a nonwoven material. The roof covering can also
comprise
one or more shingles suitable for being disposed over the roof deck in
overlapping
courses. The back surface of each shingle has the second complementary part of
the
3o hook and loop fastener secured on a portion thereof, wherein each of the
shingles is
detachably engagable with the roof deck via the hook and loop fastener after
the first
part of the hook and loop fastener is secured onto the roof deck.
The roof covering may also comprise a combination of a flat roof
covering and one or more shingles. In addition, the roof covering assembly of
the
t. , ..
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present invention can include the roof deck.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for
covering a roof deck with a roof covering. The method comprises the steps of
aflyxing
a first part of a hook and loop fastener onto the roof deck; aligning a roof
covering over
the roof deck, the roof covering material having a second complementary part
of the
hook and loop fastener on a portion of the back surface thereof; and urging
the roof
covering against the roof deck with force sufficient to detachably engage the
first and
second parts of the hook and loop fastener together for holding the roof
covering onto
the roof deck. In a one embodiment, the affixing step includes covering at
least a
portion of the roof deck with a layer of water-impervious material
When the roof covering includes the above flat roof covering, the step
of aligning comprises aligning the membrane over the roof deck, and the step
of urging
comprises urging the membrane against the roof deck with force sufficient to
detachable
engage the first and second parts of the hook and loop fastener together for
holding the
membrane onto the roof deck When the roof covering includes a plurality of the
above
shingles, the step of alignin<, comprises aligning a first or more rows of
theshinr;les over
the roof deck, and the step of urging comprises urging the shingles against
the roof deck
with force sufficient to detachably engage the first and second parts of the
hook and
loop fastener together for holding the shingles onto the roof deck.
~o
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be further explained with reference to the
attached figures, wherein like structures are referred to by like numerals
throughout the
several views.
2s FIGS. IA and 1B are isometric partial views of a roof deck showing
two stages of its covering with the roof covering assembly of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a three-tab shingle of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a three-tab shingle of the present
invention;
3o FIG. 4 is sectional view as taken laterally through a roof deck showing
the inventive roof covering assembly in generated form for clarity;
FIG. $ is an enlarged sectional view showing the opposed parts of the
hook and loop fastener in engaged relation;
FIGS. 6A and 6B are isometric partial views of a roof deck showing
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two stages of its covering with an alternative embodiment of the roof covering
assembly
of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken laterally through a roof deck showing an
alternative embodiment of the inventive roof covering assembly in generated
form for
s clarity; and
FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view showing the opposed parts of an
alternative hook and loop fastener in engaged relation.
While the above-identified drawings features set forth several
embodiments, other embodiments of the present invention are also contemplated,
as
,:, noted in the discussion. This disclosure presents illustrative embodiments
of the present
invention by way of representation and not limitation Numerous other
modifications
and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art which fall within
the scope
and spirit of the principles of this invention
DI:TAILf:D DESCRY TIO\ OF E~1f30I)l~1fW'TS
In modern structure construction. roof lines are usually sloped to
facilitate water run ofl'. .~W illustrated in FIGS 1:1 and 1 f3, a roof deck
10 is supported
above walls 12. The roof deck 10 presents a generally planar sloped surface
for
supporting a roof covering assembly to provide protection for the structure
from the
elements. The roof deck 10 may be formed from any suitable construction
material,
such as concrete, metal or wood. For a typical dwelling structure
construction, the roof
deck 10 is formed from plywood sheets supported by an underlying roof frame or
truss
structure (not shown).
In FIG. 1 A, the roof deck 10 has its top surface 14 covered by a first
z; part 16 of a hook and loop fastener structure. The first part 16 is borne
by a flexible
vapor barrier sheet 18 which is secured to the roof deck. It is desirable for
the sheets 18
to be laid edge to edge or slightly overlapping to provide a secure vapor
barrier over the
entire roof deck 10. As seen in FIG. 1B, a plurality of shingles 20 are laid
in overlapping
rows or courses over the roof deck 10. The first course of shingles 20 is laid
along the
30 lowermost edge of the roof deck 10, and subsequent courses are overlaid on
each other
as the roof covering is advanced up the roof deck 10. A second complementary
part 22
(FIG. 3) of a hook and loop fastener is secured on a back surface of each
shingle 20.
The second part 22 engages the first part 16 on the roof deck to secure each
shingle 20
to the roof deck.
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In a desired embodiment, the first part 16 of the hook and loop fastener
is the loop portion which presents for engagement a surface having multiple
exposed
fiber loops. It is desirable for the second part 22 to include a plurality of
hooking stems
. formed and disposed to engage the fiber loops of the loop portion of the
first part 16, in
typical hook and loop fastener fashion. As used herein, "hook and loop
fastener" means
any two-part mechanical fastener which operates on contact or pressure to
mechanically
engage two components. A typical example of a hook and loop fastener using
fibers
and hooking stems is the Velcro~-type mechanical fastener. Other suitable
mechanical
fastener assemblies will also suffice, as discussed below, so long as they
achieve the
characteristic of mechanical ensageability and separabilitv without damage to
the pans
being joined and separated, and provide sufficient engagement force
The application of the invention is illustrated herein via a typical three-
tab asphalt shingle constmction flrnvevcr, the invention is equally applicable
to other
shingle types (e.g , laminated shingles) and other shingle materials (e.g ,
wood, plastic,
etc ), and the discussion using three-tab shingles is intended to be
illustrative, not
limiting, in this regard
As seen in FIG l I3, each row or course of shingles is forn~ed from a
plurality of three-tab shin~~les. FIGS '_' and 3 illustrate a three-tab
shingle 2U embodying
the present invention. Each shingle 20 has a bottom edge 24, a top edge 26 and
side
edges 28 and 30. Each shingle has a head lap or upper header portion 32 and a
butt part
or lower tab portion 34. A pair of slots or cut-outs 36 extend from the bottom
edge 24
through the lower tab portion 34 to define three shingle tabs 38.
Each shingle 20 is formed from an underlying flexible substrate material
(typically fiberglass or organic paper) which bears a coating of asphalt on
each major
surface thereof. The asphalt coatings in turn each bear a particle or sand
layer
embedded thereon. A front surface 39 of the shingle 20 is illustrated in FIG.
2, and has
its entire surface covered with granule, except for a longitudinally extending
strip of
exposed seal-down asphalt 40. This strip 40 extends generally across the
shingle's
length, along the juncture of the header and tab portions 32 and 34. After
assembly, the
30 only visible portions of the shingle 20 will be the tabs 38. Thus, the
prime granule borne
on the front surface 39 of each tab 38 may be any desired color or pattern to
achieve a
particular appearance for the roof covering.
On its back surface 41 (FIG. 3), each shingle 20 also has its asphalt layer
covered with a granular material (e.g., backing sand or mica). Desirably, the
only
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portions of the back surface 41 of the shingle 20 not covered by a granular
backing
material would be those portions bearing the second part 22 of the hook and
loop
fastener. In a desired embodiment, a minor section of the upper header portion
32 bears
the second parts 22 of the hook and loop fastener. A section of second part 22
is
adhered directly to the asphalt layer on the back surface 41 of the shingle
adjacent each
edge 28 and 30, and above each slot 36. During construction of a shingle 20,
the
asphalt coating is applied in molten form, and the second part 22 may be
bonded thereto
by setting it into the molten asphalt coating. While the asphalt coating is
still soft, the
granular backing material is applied, which embeds and adheres to the asphalt
coating
m everywhere but where the second part 22 sections have been laid .As
illustrated in FIG
3, four second pan sections 22 are provided for each shingle, adyacent its top
edge 26
These take the place of mechanical fasteners (nails or staples) and in a
desired
embodiment, the central second part sections ?2a are two-inch by two-inch
sections,
while the edge second pan sections 22b are one-inch by tu-o-inch sections
.. FIG 4 illustrates the orientation of the components during sequential
assembly of a roof covering of the present invention. The sheet I 8 is adhered
to the top
surface 14 of the roof deck 10 by suitable means, such as a pressure sensitive
adhesive.
The sheets 18 are laid edge to ed;e or slightly overlapping, and the sheet
material is a
water-impervious material, thereby forming a vapor barrier across the roof
deck 10. It
is desirable for the sheet 18 to be formed from 3M product X1~TL.-5008
(Knitted Loop
Tape), available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, Saint Paul,
Minnesota. This material has a polyolefin film backing or substrate with
pressure
sensitive adhesive on one side, and a warp-knitted polyester fabric bonded on
its other
side. This relatively thin material is available in roll form (without a
liner) and can simply
be unrolled and adhered on a roof deck by its pressure sensitive adhesive. A
desirable
width for the roll material is about 36 inches. The sheet 18 is applied over
the entire
surface 14 of the roof deck 10, thereby presenting a complete moisture barner
and
presenting the first part 16 of the hook and loop fastener for use in securing
the shingles
20 thereto.
so A first course or row of shingles is then laid along the lowermost edge
of the roof deck 10. The shingles 20 of that first row are laid so that their
bottom edges
24 extend slightly beyond the lowermost edge of the roof deck 10. The second
part 22
of the hook and loop fastener (having hooking stems thereon) engages upon
contact the
first part 16 to secure each shingle 20 to the roof deck 10. Urging the first
and second
....... f._. ~ . ..,.. .._........
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parts 16 and 22 together by pressure further engages the hooking stems and
fiber loops
for secured (but still detachable) engagement. A second row or course of
shingles 20 is
then laid to partially overlie the first course. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the
tab 38 of a
shingle 20 in a second course is aligned to overlie the upper header portion
32 of the
s shingle 20 in the first course. Further, the bottom edge 24 of the shingle
20 of the
second course is aligned to overlie the seal-down asphalt strip 40 on the
front surface 39
of the shingle 20 of the lower course. Again, once aligned (as seen in FIG.
4), the
shingle 20 of the second course is laid onto the roof deck 10 so that the
hooking stems
of its second part 22 engage the fiber loops of the first part 16. This
overlying
arrangement is sequentially continued until the entire roof deck 10 is covered
with
shingles 20 (see FIGS. 1 B and 4).
While each shingle 20 is releasable adhered to the roof deck 10 via the
hook and loop fastener stmctures, the shingle: 20 themselves become bonded
tos!ether
via the seal-down asphalt strips 40 r1s the roof is exposed to a heatine~
histon~ (seasonal
elevated temperatures and exposure to the sun), the heat curable asphalt strip
-t0 softens
and "flown" onto the back surface of the shingle tab of the overleinL shingle
20, thereby
adhering the two overlapping shingles together
FIG. S illustrates in enlarged detail the hook and loop mechanical
fastener engagement relationship. The first part 16 has a plurality of exposed
fiber loops
45, some of which are engaged by the second part 22 The second part 22 in turn
is
formed as a generally planar substrate 50 having a plurality of hooking stems
52
projecting outwardly therefrom. It is desirable for the hooking stems 52 to be
formed
integrally with the substrate 50. Each hooking stem 52 includes means for
hooking an
opposed surface (such as a loop material), which is shown as a head 54 on the
end of
z5 each hooking stem 52. The head 54 may be any suitable shape or
configuration to serve
as a means to snag one or more of the fiber loops 45 for engagement therewith
upon
contact. It is desirable for the second part 22 to be formed from 3M product
SJ3504,
available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, Saint Paul,
Minnesota.
Suitable hooking stnrctures and methods of their formation are disclosed in
Melbye et
3o al. U.S. Patent No., Chesley U.S. Patent No. 5,505,747, Nestegard U.S.
Patent No.
4,894,060, Thomas et a(. U.S. Patent No. 5,058,247, and in pending U.S. patent
application Serial No. 08/181,195 (filed January 14, 1994), pending U.S.
patent
application Serial No. 08/048,874 (filed April 18, 1992), and pending U.S.
application
Serial No. 08/372,106 (filed January 13, 1995), which are all incorporated by
reference
_. ... . T._ _~ ~~___ _._ __.
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herein.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, each shingle has an asphalt coating 56 on a back
surface of a shingle substrate 58, and an asphalt coating 60 on a front
surface of the
shingle substrate 58. Sand particles or granules are embedded in the asphalt
coatings 56
s and 60 on both surfaces of the shingle substrate, backing sand 62 on the
back surface
and facing granules 64 on the front surface. The facing granules 64 on the
tabs 38 are
prime granules and may include decorative features.
A roof covering assembly formed according to the present invention
provides a durable, water-resistant and inexpensive barrier to the elements.
Its assembly
causes no damage to the roof deck or a moisture barrier layer laid thereon by
use of
penetrating nails, staples or other such fasteners Thus, the present roof
covering
assembly provides a roof covering of high integrity, convenience and
versatility
The non-invasive hook and loop fastener has the advantage of radically
simplifying the construction process It allows easy repositioning of shingles
during
assembly if they are rnis~ili~:ned or misplaced This further allows
versatility and
experimentation during assembly to achieve desired shingle color combinations,
patterns
or effects. Further, the roof covering assernbl~~ of the present invention can
be
assembled relatively quickly and without highly skilled laborers. As a result,
the
workplace is safer and cleaner.
The degree of adhesion achieved by the hook and loop fastener is a
function of many variables. Some of these include the density of the hook and
loop
components, their relative sizes (e.g., height of loops and length of hooking
stems) and
the weight of the shingle itself. A low profile hook and loop fastener
structure is
desired. The engaging force can be increased by increasing the relative
surface area of
the hook and loop fastener (e.g., by increasing the size of the second parts
22 on the
back surface 41 of each shingle 20) or by other means such as changing
densities of the
hooking stems or head sizes, etc. Higher engaging forces may be desired in
climates
where high winds are more likely (such as hurricane-prone areas).
A fizrther advantage in using a hook and loop fastener structure is that
3o the loop material provides a cushioning layer for the shingles. This may
enhance the
aesthetic appearance of the roof covering by giving it a three-dimensional
aspect. The
hook and loop fastener provides yet a further advantage for the roofing
structure by
providing some inherent expansion between relative roofing components without
undue
strain or damage. For example, the components of the roofing assembly are
formed
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from different materials (e.g., wood, asphalt, etc.), which will expand and
contract at
different rates as the temperature changes. The use of a hook and loop
fastener allows
some give laterally (without sacrificing engagement strength) to facilitate
such different
thermal expansion rates of materials. Indeed, relative movement of the shingle
and roof
deck may actually enhance the holding force of the opposed hook and loop
fastener
parts by causing them to work together and further engage. While the
orientation
disclosed above has the loop part of the hook and loop fastener on the roof
deck and the
hook part of the hook and loop fastener on back surface of the shingles, that
orientation
may be reversed.
Numerous alternative constructions are also possible for the inventive
roof covering assembly. For instance, in FIGS 6A and 6B, the first part of the
hook
and loop fastener is disposed on the roof deck 10 in longitudinally ewending
strips 70,
rather than covering the entire roof deck 10 with mechanical fastener material
Such
strips 70 could be applied in various ways For example. the step; 70 having
exposed
fiber loops on their top side rnay have pressure sensitive adhesme on a back
side and be
directly applied to the top surface 1-1 ~f the roof dec4: !0, or onto a
roofing felt layer
(such as felt sheets 72 in FIG. 6A) applied over some or all of the roof deck
10
Alternatively, one or more strips 70 may be disposed on a larger sheet of
water-
impetvious material which has pressure sensitive adhesive on a back side
thereof for
_. covering the entire roof deck with a water-resistant layer. The strips 70
are arranged
across the roof deck 14 to align with the second part of the hook and loop
fastener on
the back surface of the shingles 20, as illustrated in FIG. 6B.
F1G. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the roof covering assembly of the
present invention wherein each shingle 20 is again secured to the roof deck 10
via
opposed hook and loop fastener components 16 and 18, but where overlapping
shingles
are also connected using opposed hook and loop fastener components. In other
words,
the seal-down asphalt strip 40 on the front surface of the shingle 20 is
replaced with
opposed complementary hook and loop fastener parts 116 and 122 borne on the
shingles 20. The first part 116 (having exposed fiber loops) is on the front
surface of the
3o shingle 20, and the second part 122 (having the hooking stems) is on the
back surface,
adjacent the bottom edge 24. The first row of shingles 20 have a second part
123
adjacent their bottom edges 24 which engages the first part 16 on the roof
deck 10.
This type of mounting arrangement provides the advantage of immediate
securement of
the tabs 38 of each shingle 20 to the underlying structure. There is no need
to wait for
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the sun to heat and soften an asphalt bonding strip in this embodiment--the
assembly is
immediately resistant to high winds and adverse weather conditions without
waiting for
any heat exposure, bonding and curing of a seal-down asphalt adhesive.
In the context of this disclosure, the term "hook and loop fastener"
refers not only the hooking stem/fiber loop hook and loop materials (which are
often
referred to as Velcro~-type hook and loop material), but also to other
intermeshing
two-part mechanical fasteners. F1G. 8 illustrates a two-part, hermaphroditic,
mushroom-shaped head mechanical fastener wherein the opposed fastener parts
are
formed and mated to engage upon pressurized contact. In this embodiment, the
roof
ro deck 10 may have a water-impervious layer 80 adhered to its top surface 14,
with one
part 82 of the mechanical fastener adhered thereto by an adhesive or other
suitable
means (or formed integrally with the water-impervious layer) The other part 84
of the
mechanical fastener is bonded to the shingle substrate SS by an asphalt layer
56 The
proposed mechanical fastener parts 8'_' and 84 have identical profiles in this
example On
each part, a plurality of stems 86 arc formed, each with a must~ro~m-shaped
head 83.
The heads S 3 have bottom edges which, when pushed together as illustrated in
FIG 8,
engage to mechanically couple the fastener parts 82 and 84 together
FIG. 8 illustrates but one example of such opposed mechanical
fasteners. Other examples are known by commercial names such as "Scotchmate"
and
,.a "Dual Lock," both available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing
Company, Saint
Paul, Minnesota. One advantage of using some types of mechanical fasteners
instead of
the Velcro-type mechanical fastener is that engagement is not effective until
some
pressure is applied between opposing fastener parts. Thus, the shingles can be
laid out
on the roof deck, and then realigned and moved without having to disengage the
fasteners. The shingles are then affirmatively secured to the roof deck by
applying
pressure to the fastener components to "snap" them together. Again, attachment
ease
{engagement by force) and holding power (disengagement strength) may be
altered
through the choice of stem density. A further advantage from this type of
mechanical
fastener for unskilled laborers is the tactile feel and audible "click" or
"snap" which can
3o be heard when the fasteners interengage upon the application of such
pressure.
Although the discussion has centered on asphalt three-tab shingles,
shingles of other materials and flat roofing constructions can also be adhered
by the
present invention. In the case of a plastic shingle or tile, an in-mold
application of the
hooking stems may be possible directly onto the back surface of the plastic
shingle or
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tile, as the shingle or tile component is formed. Stems could be molded as
projecting
from the back surface of the shingle or tile, and then heated during a post-
molding
manufacturing phase to form heads on the ends of the stems for hooking
purposes.
Likewise, while various adhesive means are disclosed herein, other means for
securing
the components together are equally applicable. The second part of the hook
and loop
fastener may be secured to the shingle by an asphalt coating or by some other
form of
bonding (e.g., ultrasonic welding) or some other suitable adhesive, whether
thermally-
activated or pressure sensitive or other. Further, the water-impervious layer
disposed on
the roof deck may itself comprise a coating or may be a discrete sheet adhered
by means
m of a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive, so long as it is adhered to the
roof deck to
sufficiently prevent its separation during high winds.
Although the present invention has been described in detail above with
reference to shingle roof covering embodiments, workers skilled in the an will
recoenize
that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit
and scope
of the invention For instance, in addition to being applicable to other
shingle roof
coverings, the teachings of the present invention are also applicable to flat
roof
coverings Below are described three exemplary roof covering assemblies which
have
flat roof coverings that are secured to a roof with a hook and loop fastener,
according to
the present invention.
In one flat roofing embodiment of the present invention, a
conventional EPDM roofing sheet, with a nonwoven fleece like material
partially
embedded in the underside thereof, can be secured with a hook and loop
fastener.
One such EPDM roofing sheet is manufactured by Carlisle SynTec Incorporated,
of
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 170I3, under the product designation "FleeceBACK" 100.
Zs FleeceBACK 100 Membrane incorporates a .045 inch ( I mm) or .060 inch ( 1.5
mm) thick Sure-Seal~ (black) or .060 inch (1.5 mm) thick Brite-PIyT"" (white-
on-
black) non-reinforced EPDM membrane laminated to a .05 S inch ( I .4 mm) thick
non-woven polyester fleece-backing. FleeceBACK 100 Membrane is available in
widths of 10 feet (3 mm) and lengths of 50 feet (15.2 m). In the flat roofing
3o industry, the nonwoven materials are typically used to enhance the bond
between
the adhesive and the roofing membrane by providing mechanical bonding. This
layer of nonwoven material also increases the stretch resistance of the
roofing ,
membrane. In this embodiment, instead of being used for better adhesion, the
nonwoven fleece functions as the loop portion of the hook and loop fastener.
The
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hook portion was a fabric cube gripping hook tape, with a high temperature
pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), manufacture by Minnesota Mining and
Manufacturing Company under the product No. #956. Other suitable hooking
structures and methods of their formation may be found in the references
incorporated
s by reference above (e.g., U.S. Patent No. 5,077,870). This hook tape was
bonded to
a foam insulation board by the PSA. The EPDM sheet was laid over the hook
covered foam board so that the hooks engaged into the nonwoven backside. It
was
observed that this attachment exhibited a high Shear strength in the range of
about
1 Spsi to about 20psi with moderate peel strength of at least about 0.75
Ibs/in width.
It is desirable for the attachment shear strength to be at least about 10 psi
and the
attachment peel strength to be at least about O.S lbs/in width It was also
observed
that as movement between the sheet and the insulation board increased, the
performance of the hook and loop engagement kept improving.
In an alternative flat roofing embodiment, a loop fabric material, for
.. example the woven loop material manufactured by 31~~f Company, Style'vo. SJ
3401, is substituted for the nonwoven fleece and embedded or adhered to the
EPDM roofing sheet of the previous embodiment. These loop materials can be
designed in conjunction with the hooks, according to techniques in the art, to
increase or decrease the shear and peel performance of the attachment as
desired.
In another flat roofing embodiment, a 3M "Dual Lock" self mating
,(hook and loop) fastener SJ-3550 was adhesively bonded to a foam insulation
board
with a High Temperature VHBTM PSA adhesive system and to an EPDM sheet
using 3M Heat bondable tape #4981. When the self mating side of the EPDM
sheet was applied over the self mating covered side of the insulation board, a
roller
25 was used to engage the self mating sides together. It was observed that
this
fastening system provided high shear strength and a moderate peel strength.
One
advantage of the self mating system was that it did not engage immediately
upon
contact between the sheet and the insulation board thereby greatly improving
the
ability to slide the sheet over the insulation board to get the proper
alignment.
3o Other hook and loop fasteners are disclosed in U. S. Patents Nos.
4,290,174,
4,290,832, and 4,322,875 and 5,040,275, which are ail incorporated by
reference
herein.
Advantages of using a hook and loop fastening system, such as that
disclosed above, to attach shingle and/or flat roof coverings to a roof can
include:
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PCT/US98/02943
-1$-
the elimination of VOCs; no need for curing or messy adhesives; no need to
form
holes through the roof covering; can be mounted to cover whatever area of the
flat
roofing membrane is desired to reduce the chances of ballooning; allows for
easy
engagement of the roof covering to the roof; and allows the roof covering to
be
cleanly removed for replacement. A self mating fastening system provides the
additional advantages of.- allowing for easier alignment and adjustability of
the roof
covering before engagement to the roof; and produces a positive locking feel
and
sound which provide a notification that the mating surfaces are engaged.
