Abstract:
Roofing material which is formed by one or more bituminous layers and is also provided with a liner and/or reinforcement.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present innovation pertains to roofing material which is formed of or more bituminous layers and is also provided with a plastics liner and/or a reinforcement, more particularly of plastic and/or glass. 
         [0002]    A roofing material of this kind is known. 
         [0003]    In the case of known roofing material, the liner and/or reinforcement is formed, for example, by a nonwoven polyester web and/or glass web, respectively a woven fabric or cloth, or else of a combination of these materials. It is passed through a bath of melted bituminous material, with the bituminous material depositing on the opposite sides on and/or in the liner or reinforcement, and forming a coating. 
         [0004]    In the case of known roofing material, the liner and/or reinforcement necessarily has a melting point which is considerably higher than the temperature of the bituminous coating bath, of around 180° C., through which it is conveyed with a corresponding expenditure of force. 
         [0005]    In order to be able to process bitumen into a bituminous roofing membrane, it must be liquid. When bitumen is heated to melting temperature, to 50° C. or 60° C., for example, it becomes soft. It is therefore not liquid and not yet suitable for processing in a roofing membrane. 
         [0006]    In the case of the materials which are generally utilized for the liners, the situation is different. On reaching the melting temperature, these materials turn almost immediately into a liquid form. One of the reasons for this is that their mass is too low, which is for example at 100 g/m 2 . 
         [0007]    The temperature at which the bitumen becomes liquid (in other words the processing temperature) is dependent on the nature of the bitumen. If filler and modifier are added to the bitumen and the bitumen is modified, a bituminous mass is formed, in other words a bitumen compound having a high viscosity. With a modified bitumen of this kind and hence a bitumen compound with numerous additions (fillers, modifier), it is necessary, in order ultimately to give the bitumen compound a liquid form, to hold the processing temperature higher—at 200° C., for example. If only a few additions are present, the bitumen compound may already be liquid at a lower temperature, such as at 100° C. The processing temperature of the corresponding bitumen grade is therefore 100° C. 
         [0008]    The melting point of the plastics liner is usually about 250° C., as is the case for the nonwoven polyester web that is often utilized. The bituminous coating bath usually possesses a processing temperature of around 180° C. 
         [0009]    The lifetime of the bituminous roofing material runs to about 25 to 30 years, after which, for example, cracking occurs or the roof covering must be taken down for other reasons. Within this period, the bituminous constituents remain almost intact and are outstandingly suitable, accordingly, for recycling. Since the roofing material wastes, however, contain not only bitumen and bitumen mixture but also the material of the liners and/or reinforcement, the material is often incinerated. This has very detrimental consequences for the environment, and leads to a high level of CO 2  emission. There is in fact a method known by which the roofing material wastes are recycled, by heating them and recovering the melted bitumen, although even with that method it remains necessary to incinerate the remaining wastes of the liners or reinforcement. 
         [0010]    The object of the present innovation is therefore to counteract these disadvantages of the known roofing material. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    In principle the liner and/or reinforcement may consist (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which corresponds to or is below that of the bituminous layer(s). 
         [0012]    In a first aspect of the invention, the newly developed roofing material has the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists exclusively (or at least near-exclusively) of a material having a melting temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of the bituminous layer or layers and corresponds more or less to the processing temperature of the bituminous layer or layers. 
         [0013]    A liner may consist, among other materials, of a plastics nonwoven (non-woven fabric, evidently nonwoven web), a woven fabric, or a cloth. 
         [0014]    On the basis of a further feature of the roofing material corresponding to this innovation, the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which corresponds to or is below that of the bituminous layer(s) or which corresponds to or is below the processing temperature of the bituminous layer or layers. 
         [0015]    A further feature of the newly developed roofing material is that the liner and/or reinforcement is formed (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which is between 50° C. and 220° C., more precisely between 100° C. and 200° C. 
         [0016]    A further feature of the newly developed roofing material is that the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which corresponds to or is below 180° C. 
         [0017]    A further feature of the newly developed roofing material is that the reinforcement is formed by fibers and/or wires. 
         [0018]    A further feature of the newly developed roofing material is that the liner is composed of one or more kinds of plastics polypropylene, polyamide (nylon), polyethene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyacrylonitrile (acrylic), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), and such materials. 
         [0019]    In accordance with this innovation, the liner consists (almost) exclusively of one or more of the stated materials. The newly developed roofing material contains (almost) no materials whose melting temperature is substantially higher than the processing temperature of the bitumen or bitumen mixture of the roofing material. 
         [0020]    After attainment of the lifetime and after the associated taking-down, the bituminous roof covering is melted, with that part of the liner and/or reinforcement whose melting point is below that or below the processing temperature of the bitumen or bitumen mixture melting away in the hot liquid bitumen or bitumen mixture. Through a weight ratio of the liner or coating of 1/40, for example, it is possible to disregard the effect of the melted liner or of the support on the quality of the recycled bitumen. A plastic such as polypropylene may even improve the bitumen quality. 
         [0021]    Since the roofing material comprises (almost) exclusively liners having a melting and/or processing temperature which are substantially equal to or lower (or even possibly, to a small extent, higher—but not more than about 20° C.) than those and/or than the processing temperature of the bitumen or bitumen mixture, it can be recycled. This takes place in a single step, without any need for mechanical separation of the solid parts from the melted liquid bitumen. 
         [0022]    The roof lining in accordance with the invention, furthermore, in a second aspect of the invention, has the feature that a liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, is formed exclusively or almost exclusively of wires or loose fibers embedded into the bituminous layer or layers. 
         [0023]    In accordance with the feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the fibers or wires consist of a plastic or of glass. 
         [0024]    In accordance with a further feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, consists exclusively or almost exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which is the same as or higher than that of the bituminous stratum or strata. 
         [0025]    Furthermore, in accordance with a further feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, consists exclusively or almost exclusively of a material having a processing temperature which is the same as or higher than that of the bituminous stratum or strata. 
         [0026]    In accordance with another feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, consists exclusively or almost exclusively of a material having a melting temperature not only above 100° C. but also, in particular, above 150° C. 
         [0027]    In accordance with another feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, consists exclusively or almost exclusively of a material having a melting temperature above 200° C. 
         [0028]    In accordance with a further feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the fibers and wires consist, among others, of aramide, polyester, or glass, or other fibers having a melting and processing temperature which is the same as or higher than that of the bituminous stratum or strata. 
         [0029]    In accordance with yet a further feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the amount of fibers is 0.01 weight percent to 25 weight percent. 
         [0030]    In accordance with yet a further feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the amount of the fibers is 0.1 weight percent to 5 weight percent. 
         [0031]    In accordance with a further feature of the roof lining according to the invention, the length of the fibers or wires is 0.1 mm to 500 mm, and in accordance with yet a further feature they have a diameter of 0.001 mm to 5 mm. 
         [0032]    The length of the fibers or wires, in accordance with yet a further feature of the roof lining according to the invention, is 1 mm to 50 mm. This length is in particular 5 mm, and in accordance with yet a further feature they have a diameter of 0.004 mm to 2 mm and in particular a diameter of 0.014 mm. 
         [0033]    In accordance with the invention, the liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, consists exclusively or almost exclusively of one or more of the abovementioned materials. After it has been stripped off, the bituminous roof lining is melted. The fibers or wires here remain scattered within the melted bitumen or the bitumen mixture. The influence of the fibers or wires on the quality of the recycled bitumen can be disregarded. Since exclusively or almost exclusively loose fibers or wires are incorporated in the roof lining material, said material can be recycled in one step, without any need to carry out mechanical deposition of the solid parts of the melted bitumen. 
         [0034]    On the roofs, the quality of the bitumen mixture of the roof covering experiences virtually no change within a period of 25 years, and after recycling may be considered as new or as reusable for the new bituminous roof lining. The result, so to speak, is a sustainable “cradle to cradle” product with no CO 2  problem. 
         [0035]    In a first variant, the invention extends to a series of embodiments as follows: 
         [0036]    1. In a first aspect of an embodiment, the roofing material is one which is formed by one or more bituminous layers and which also, with a liner and/or the reinforcement, consists (almost) exclusively of a material for which the melting point corresponds to or is below that of the bituminous layer(s). 
         [0037]    2. This roofing material is one which, corresponding to embodiment 1, possesses the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material having a processing temperature which corresponds to or is below that of the bituminous layer(s). 
         [0038]    3. This roofing material is one which, corresponding to embodiment 1 and 2, possesses the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which is between 50° C. and 220° C. or more precisely between 100° C. and 200° C. 
         [0039]    4. This roofing material is one which, corresponding to the aforementioned embodiment, possesses the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material whose processing temperature is below 180° C. 
         [0040]    5. This roofing material is one which, corresponding to the aforementioned embodiment, possesses the feature that the reinforcement is formed by fibers and/or wires. 
         [0041]    6. This roofing material is one which, corresponding to the aforementioned embodiment, possesses the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement is formed of one or more plastics, such as, for instance, polypropylene, polyamide (nylon), polyethene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyacrylonitrile (acrylic), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), or a similar material. 
         [0042]    In a further variant, the invention extends to a series of embodiments as follows: 
         [0043]    1. In a further aspect of the embodiment, the roofing material is one which is formed by one or more bituminous layers and which is also provided with a liner and/or reinforcement and which possesses the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of the bituminous layer or layers, and which corresponds largely to the processing temperature of the bituminous layer or layers. 
         [0044]    2. This roofing material is one, corresponding to the mandates of embodiment 1, with the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which corresponds to or is below the melting temperature of the bituminous layer or layers. 
         [0045]    3. This roofing material is one, corresponding to the mandates of embodiment 1 and 2, with the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature which is between 50° C. and 220° C., more precisely between 100° C. and 200° C. 
         [0046]    4. This roofing material is one, corresponding to the mandates of the preceding embodiment, with the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists (almost) exclusively of a material having a melting temperature below 180° C. 
         [0047]    5. This roofing material is one, corresponding to the mandates of the preceding embodiments, with the feature that the reinforcement is formed by fibers and/or wires. 
         [0048]    6. This roofing material is one, corresponding to the mandates of the preceding embodiments, with the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement consists by one or more kinds of the plastics polypropylene, polyamide (nylon), polyethene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyacrylonitrile (acrylic), ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and such materials. 
         [0049]    In a second variant, the invention extends to a series of embodiments as follows: 
         [0050]    1. In a second aspect of the embodiment, a roof lining is one composed of one or more bituminous strata and additionally having a liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, with the feature that this liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, is formed exclusively or almost exclusively of wires or loose fibers embedded into a bituminous stratum/in bituminous strata, equipped. 
         [0051]    2. A roof lining according to embodiment 1, with the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, consists exclusively or almost exclusively of a material having a melting temperature above 100° C. and, further, in particular above 150° C. 
         [0052]    3. A roof lining according to embodiment 1 and 2, with the feature that the liner and/or reinforcement, more particularly strengthening, consists exclusively or almost exclusively of a material having a melting temperature above 200° C. 
         [0053]    4. A roof lining according to embodiments 1, 2, and 3, with the feature that the fibers or wires consist of a plastic or glass. 
         [0054]    5. A roof lining according to any of the aforementioned embodiments, with the feature that the fibers or wires consist of aramide, polyester, or glass, or other fibers or wires, with a melting point above the processing temperature of the bitumen or bitumen mixture. 
         [0055]    6. A roof lining according to any of the aforementioned embodiments, with the feature that the amount of fibers is 0.1 weight percent to 5 weight percent. 
         [0056]    7. A roof lining according to any of the aforementioned embodiments, with the feature that the amount of fibers is 0.1 weight percent to 5 weight percent. 
         [0057]    8. A roof lining according to any of the aforementioned embodiments, with the feature that the length of the fibers or wires is 0.1 mm to 500 mm. 
         [0058]    9. A roof lining according to any of the aforementioned embodiments, with the feature that the length of the fibers or wires is 1 mm to 50 mm and in particular 5 mm. 
         [0059]    10. A roof lining according to any of the aforementioned embodiments, with the feature that the diameter of the fibers or wires is 0.001 mm to 5 mm. 
         [0060]    11. A roof lining according to any of the aforementioned embodiments, with the feature that the diameter of the fibers or wires is 0.004 mm to 2 mm and in particular 0.014 mm. 
         [0061]    Working examples of the invention are now described below, with reference to the drawing, in comparison to the prior art, which in part is likewise depicted. The drawing is not necessarily intended to depict the working example to scale; instead, where useful for elucidation, the drawing has been executed in diagrammatic and/or slightly distorted form. In respect of supplements to the teachings which can be discerned directly from the drawing, reference is made to the relevant prior art. It should be borne in mind here that diverse modifications and amendments concerning the form and detail of an embodiment may be made without departing from the general concept of the invention. The features of the invention that are disclosed in the description, in the drawing, and in the claims may, not only individually but also in any desired combination, be essential for the development of the invention. Moreover, the scope of the invention encompasses all combinations of at least two of the features disclosed in the drawing, the description and/or the claims. The general concept of the invention is not confined to the exact form or the detail of the preferred embodiments that are shown and described below, or confined to any subject matter that would be restricted in comparison to the subject matter claimed in the claims. In the case of stated ranges of dimensioning, the intention is that values lying within the stated limits should also be disclosed as limiting values and should be capable of being claimed and used at will. Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the description below of the preferred embodiments, and also with reference to the drawing; 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0062]      FIG. 1 : a diagram of an apparatus and a method for producing a roofing material according to a first embodiment; 
           [0063]      FIG. 2 : a diagram of an apparatus and a method for producing a roofing material according to a second embodiment; 
           [0064]      FIG. 3 : a diagram of an apparatus and a method for producing a roofing material according to a third embodiment; 
           [0065]      FIG. 4 : a diagram of an apparatus and a method for producing a roofing material according to a fourth embodiment; 
           [0066]      FIG. 5 : a diagram of an apparatus and a method for producing a roofing material according to a fifth embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0067]    The apparatus and the production method according to  FIG. 1  has: 
         [0068]    a bitumen supply  11 , an upper calibrating roller  12 , a lower calibrating roller  13 , at  14  a support belt or support lattice of bitumen-free material, such as silicone or Teflon, a bitumen collecting tank  15 , a reverse roller  16 , a nonwoven or woven fabric liner  17 , a bituminous roofing membrane  18 , a cooling air supply  19 . 
         [0069]    The apparatus and the production method according to  FIG. 2  has: 
         [0070]    a bitumen supply  21 , an upper calibrating roller  22 , a lower calibrating roller  23 , at  24  and  26  a support roller and a positioning roller, respectively, a bitumen collecting tank  25 , a nonwoven or woven fabric liner  27 , a bituminous roofing membrane  28 , and a cooling air supply  29 . 
         [0071]    The apparatus and production method according to  FIG. 3  has: 
         [0072]    a bitumen coating tank  31 , a support belt  32 , with drive, a liner  33 , and a calibration device  34 . 
         [0073]    The apparatus and the production method according to  FIG. 4  has: 
         [0074]    a bitumen supply  41 . 1  for the bottom edge of the roofing membrane, a bitumen supply  41 . 2  for the top edge of the roofing membrane, an introduction unit  43  for the liner  47 , a straight roofing membrane  48  with the liner  47  and outer strata of bitumen, and a support belt  44 . 
         [0075]    The apparatus and the production method according to  FIG. 5  has: 
         [0076]    a bitumen supply  51 , with bitumen mixture  1  to be supplied and with reinforcing fibers  2  to be supplied, and a support belt  54 . 
         [0077]    In general it has proved advantageous for the melting temperature of the support (e.g., 150° C.) to be above the melting temperature of the bitumen layer (e.g., 120° C.) and below the processing temperature (e.g., 180° C.) of the bitumen layer. In a modification, the melting temperature of the support may also be at the processing temperature (e.g., 180° C.) of the bitumen layer or within a range which is limited to a temperature of not more than 20° C. above the processing temperature of the bitumen layer. 
         [0078]    In the case of the fibers, the melting temperature of the fibers ought always to be higher than the processing temperature of the bitumen.