Abstract:
A self-sealing roofing nail for reducing or preventing roof leaks. The self-sealing roofing fastener includes a pointed fastener shaft and a fastener head. A small sleeve having a rupturing shell containing a volume of sealant is disposed over the fastener shaft and adjacent the fastener head. When the self-sealing roofing fastener is driven into a structure using a hammer or a nail gun, the shell ruptures and releases the sealant between the fastener head and a structure. The released sealant seals the puncture caused by driving the roofing fastener into the structure.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     There are no current co-pending applications. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to roofing materials and supplies. More particularly, this invention relates to self-sealing roofing fasteners having a pointed fastener shaft, a fastener head, and a sleeve with a rupturing shell that contains a volume of sealant and which is disposed over the shaft and adjacent the head. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One (1) of America&#39;s major economic activities is construction. Buildings need to be planned, financed, erected, torn down, moved, wired, re-wired, refurbished, remodeled, and enlarged. Anyone involved in the physical aspects of construction can testify to just how strenuous construction is, whether it is carpentry, bricklaying, foundation work or just about any other task associated with construction. 
     One (1) particularly difficult and dangerous construction task is roofing. A roofer typically carries heavy loads, endures high temperatures, and climbs steep ladders and roofs at dangerous elevations. A roofer usually lays a protective coated paper underlay over wood flooring and then lays shingles or other roofing material over the coated paper. The various layers are typically nailed down using roofing fasteners such as nails. One (1) task that must often be performed is sealing the roofing fasteners with tar after they have installed the various roofing materials. Sealing is not only messy, but takes time, which results in lost profits. Should the roofing fasteners not be properly sealed roof leaks may result, causing warranty work and unhappy customers. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for self-sealing roofing fasteners that can be quickly and easily installed. Such self-sealing roofing fasteners would automatically seal nail holes when the fastener is installed. This would eliminate having to stop and seal the nail holes or to go back and seal them afterwards. That would save time and money, resulting in a higher quality job with minimal work. Beneficially self-sealing fasteners would be suitable for use with both existing nail guns and hammers, would be available in a range of different lengths and styles, and would reduce the mess of sealing nail holes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention provide for self-sealing roofing fasteners that automatically seal nail holes when the self-sealing roofing fasteners are installed. Such roofing fasteners can be implemented for use with existing nail guns and hammers and can be made available in a range of different lengths and styles. 
     A self-sealing fastener that is in accord with the present invention includes a fastener head, a fastener shaft that extends from the fastener head, and a sealing sleeve around the fastener shaft and adjacent the fastener head. The sealing sleeve includes an outer shell that retains a sealant. The self-sealing fastener maybe a hollow, cylindrical plastic form having an inner diameter that is dimensioned to fit snugly and permanently over the fastener shaft to restrict the flow of the sealant on the shaft. The sealant is beneficially an air-curable liquid sealing material such as tar or an adhesive. 
     A self-sealing fastener system that is in accord with the present invention includes a plurality of fasteners, each having a fastener shaft that extends from a fastener head and a sealing sleeve that is located around the fastener shaft and adjacent to said fastener head. Each sealing sleeve includes an outer shell that retains a sealant. A pair of parallel coil wires connects the plurality of fasteners into a coil of fasteners. Each sealing sleeve is a hollow, cylindrical plastic form having an inner diameter that is dimensioned to fit snugly and permanently over a fastener shaft to restrict the flow of the sealant on the shaft. The sealant is beneficially an air-curable liquid sealing material such as tar or an adhesive. 
     An alternative self-sealing fastener that is in accord with the present invention includes a fastener head, a fastener shaft that extends from the fastener head, a sealant over the fastener shaft and adjacent the fastener head, and a coating over the sealant. The coating is preferably a sprayed on plastic material. The sealant is beneficially an air-curable liquid sealing material such as tar or an adhesive. 
     An alternative self-sealing fastener system that is in accord with the present invention includes a plurality of fasteners, each having a fastener head, a fastener shaft that extends from the fastener head, a sealant over the fastener shaft and adjacent the fastener head; and a coating over the sealant. A pair of parallel coil wires connects the plurality of fasteners into a coil of fasteners. In practice the coating is a sprayed on plastic material. The sealant is beneficially an air-curable liquid sealing material such as tar or an adhesive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a coiled configuration of self-sealing fasteners  10  that are in accord with the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a section view of a self-sealing fastener  10  taken along section line A-A of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2   b  is section view of the self-sealing fastener  10  of  FIG. 2   a  after installation; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a spray coated fastener  120  embodiment that is in accord with the principles of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the spray coated fastener  120  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  fastener 
               30  fastener shaft 
               32  fastener head 
               34  coil wire 
               40  sealing sleeve 
               42  outer shell 
               44  sealant 
               100  structure 
               120  spray-coated fastener 
               122  spray-coating 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, which is depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  2   a , and  2   b  and in terms of an alternate embodiment, which is depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the principles of the present invention provide for self-sealing fasteners  10  that automatically seal respective penetration areas during installation of the fasteners  10 . The fasteners  10  are envisioned as taking the form of a roofing nail or similar fastener that is susceptible to producing a leak within a structure  100  (see  FIG. 2   b ) after installation. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of fasteners  10  can be configured in the form of coiled roofing nails such as those used with standard pneumatic nail guns. As shown, each fastener  10  is welded to a pair of parallel coil wires  34 . Each fastener  10  comprises a sealing sleeve  40  that is inserted onto a fastener shaft  30  of the fastener  10  and positioned immediately adjacent a fastener head  32 . The sealing sleeve  40  aids in sealing holes made by the fastener  10  during installation. Referring now to  FIG. 2   a , each fastener  10  is also envisioned as being made available as individual nails rather than as part of a spool. This enables a user to install the fasteners  10  with a hammer or similar tool. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , the fastener  10  generally takes the form of a common roofing nail. The fastener  10  has a pointed cylindrical fastener shaft  30  and a perpendicularly extending fastener head  32 . While  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  show rather plain nails, it should be understood that fasteners  10  may incorporate features such as ribbed or threaded fastener shafts, specialized fastener heads, and the like. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , the fastener  10  also includes a sealing sleeve  40  having a hollow cylindrical shape with an inner diameter dimensioned to fit snugly and permanently over the fastener shaft  30  to restrict the flow of the sealant on the shaft. The sealing sleeve  40  has an outer shell  42  which provides containment and encapsulation of a core comprised of a sealant  44 . That sealant is envisioned as being an air-curable liquid sealing materials such as tar, various industrial adhesives, and the like. The outer shell  42  forms a thin and easily ruptured sealed barrier. It is envisioned that the outer shell  42  is made from polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene, or the like. The sealing sleeve  40  is positioned immediately adjacent the fastener head  32  on the fastener shaft  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2   b , as the fastener  10  is driven through a structure  100  by the pneumatic nail gun or by a hammer, the outer shell  42  of the sealing sleeve  40  ruptures and deforms to release the contained sealant  44 . The sealant  44  seals the fastener head  32  and the structure  100  so as to provide a waterproof protective seal that prevents leakage over time. 
     Beneficially a plurality of the fasteners  10  may be configured for use with existing unmodified nail guns to perform new roofing jobs, replacement roofing jobs, as well as a variety of projects designed to cover a structure  100 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , perspective and section views of an alternate spray-coated embodiment  120  according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. In lieu of the outer shell  42  to contain the sealant  44 , the spray-coated embodiment  120  provides a spray-coating  122  that contains and positions the sealant  44 . The spray-coating  122  comprises a sprayed-on or similarly applied material such as latex, vinyl, various sprayed adhesives, or the like. The spray-coating  122  is thin enough to enable rupturing to release the sealant  44 . 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the fastener  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIG. 1  or alternately in  FIG. 4 . 
     The method of utilizing the preferred embodiment of the fastener  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: procuring the fastener  10  in a desired fastener style and individual or coiled format based upon a particular building project and fastener driving method; utilizing the fastener  10  to secure materials such as shingles, metal roofing, cedar shakes, rolled roofing, siding, and other building materials, in a conventional manner to a structure  100  comprising sheathing, wall coverings, and the like; providing a sealing of the materials and structure  100  via the coincidental collapsing of the sealing sleeve  40  and the penetration of the fastener  10  into the structure  100 ; and, benefiting from avoidance of possible damage due to leakage commonly associated with penetrating installation of fasteners. The method of utilizing the alternate spray coated embodiment  120  may be accomplished in like manner as the preferred embodiment  10  described above. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.