Patent Publication Number: US-2018038109-A1

Title: Insulated modular roof system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to roofing systems, in particular insulated roofing systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The background information discussed below is presented to better illustrate the novelty and usefulness of the present invention. This background information is not admitted prior art. 
     Various roofing systems are known both for flat and sloped roofs to insulate and waterproof the roof. On flat roofs the most common roofing system for waterproofing is a built up laminar structure comprising a plurality of felt layers with each layer or series of layers over-laid with a hot bituminous (tar) composition to bind the felt to the roof. A layer of gravel tops off the structure. However, this is a very labour intensive process and requires onsite machines and equipment (e.g. to provide the hot tar). 
     In recent years, as the advantages of applying insulation on the exterior as opposed to the interior of the roof deck have become known, the built up roof structure has been applied over insulation materials, typically sheets of insulation material. This created new problems as the insulating materials had poor mechanical properties, needed to be fastened to the roof deck, are subject to degradation by UV radiation and absorbed moisture. In addition such built up roof systems are very labour intensive making them less economical. 
     Numerous attempts have been made unsuccessfully to solve one or more of these problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,687 is directed for retro-fitting roofs, is field applied and non-modular. In particular, the foamed in place insulation described in this patent is designed to be applied over a roof deck or existing roof substrate and a rubber membrane is then glued over top of the sprayed insulation. Although this addresses some of the problems, a foamed-in place roofing installation is still very labour intensive to apply and requires spray foaming equipment on-site. Furthermore, when one spray-foams a large surface area there are often ripples, localized hills and valleys and other imperfections that are formed and which translate into corresponding ripples, hills, valleys and imperfections in the overlying rubber membrane. These imperfects can then trap water or other precipitation in localized areas, preventing desired run-off, and ultimately resulting in ponding and of such standing water seeping through cracks in the rubber membrane. 
     Additionally, even on roofs that are classified as being “flat” it may desirable to have a slight roof slope for water to run off. A typical minimum roof slope is 1% (⅛″ per 1′). However, minimum slope for a “flat” roof is often set by building code to 2%. However, even for an experienced and skilled spray-foam application worker, it is difficult to create a flat non-ponding surface using an on-site, foamed-in place insulation method. Moreover, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to create a slightly sloped roofing surface (from one side of the roof to another) using such an on-site, foamed-in place insulation method; especially in new construction wherein there is no pre-existing, pre-sloped roof deck. In such cases, the system and method of U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,687 will simply not work. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a modular roofing system which can be applied in new buildings, reduces on-site installation time, does not require a pre-existing, pre-sloped roof deck, does not require (or reduces the need for) on-site spay-foaming equipment, can be installed by unskilled laborers and can provide for an overall slope to the resulting roof structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the invention provides an insulated modular roof system for a roof structure, comprising a plurality of modular panels suitable for installation onto the roof structure, and a water-proof membrane. Each of the plurality of modular panels comprises a first planar member, an insulating layer covering substantially all of the first planar member and a second planar member suitable to cover substantially all of the insulating layer. Preferably, the insulated modular roof system further comprising a joint closure member and, when at least one pair of modular panels is placed in a generally abutting arrangement, the system further comprising a joint fill material, suitable for filling any empty space between a pair of abutting modular panels. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the drawings, several aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in detail in the figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, partial cut-away view of a first embodiment of the insulated modular roof system; 
         FIG. 2  is a close-up perspective view of the embodiment of the insulated modular roof system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a close-up side view of the embodiment of the insulated modular roof system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the insulated modular roof system, illustrating a slight slope to the overall roof; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of one corner of a modular panel of yet another embodiment of the insulated modular roof system, the remaining corners being substantially mirror or flipped images thereof; and 
         FIGS. 6 a  and 6 b    are perspective views of some of the components of the embodiment of the insulated roof system of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is of preferred embodiments by way of example only and without limitation to the combination of features necessary for carrying the invention into effect. Reference is to be had to the Figures in which identical reference numbers identify similar components. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features are shown in schematic or diagrammatic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
     A first preferred embodiment of the insulated modular roof system  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . The system  10  is comprised of a plurality of modular panels  20  and a water-proof member  28 . The water-proof member  28  may be provided in sections on each modular panel  20  (e.g. the embodiment of  FIG. 5 ) or it may be provided separately and placed (or sprayed) over a plurality of adjacent panels  20  (e.g. the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ). The system  10  preferably further comprises at least one planar fill, or joint closure, member  30  and joint fill material  40  suitable for filling or packing any empty space between adjacent modular panels  20  (e.g. the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-6 ). 
       FIG. 1  illustrates four modular panels  20 , labelled individually as  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D, and three joint closure members  30 , labelled individually as  30 A,  30 B and  30 C. Each modular panel  20  preferably comprises a first planar member  22 , an insulating layer  24  covering substantially all of the first planar member  22 , a second planar member  26  suitable to cover substantially all of the insulating layer  24 . As mentioned, in some embodiments of the invention a water-proof member  28  portion is provided pre-assembled on each panel (see  FIG. 5 ). When installed on a building or roof structure RS, the modular panel  20  may be referred to as a roofing panel  20 , the first planar member  22  may be referred to a bottom planar member  22  and the second planar member  26  may be referred to as a top planar member  26 ; with the insulating layer  24  being generally sandwiched between the bottom and top planar members  22 ,  24 . 
     The use of “roofing”, “top,” and “bottom” are used herein as respective references to the orientation of the modular panel  20  on a substantially flat roofing structure RS, but there may be uses of the present disclosure where the modular panel  20  may be used in different orientations or on other parts of a building, such as in a substantially vertical orientation on the side of a building, used as siding. The term “up” and “down” may be used with respect to the ground. More specifically, the term “up” may be used to describe a vector that is normal to the ground and away from the ground. More specifically, the term “down” may be used to describe a vector that is normal to the ground and pointing toward the ground. A normal is a vector that is perpendicular to a surface such as the ground surface. In one embodiment, normal may be defined as a constituent being at +/−90 degrees with respect to a plane. 
     When installed on a building or roof structure RS, a plurality of modular panels  20  will be placed in a generally abutting arrangement so as to substantially cover the desired surface area of the roof structure RS with the first planar members  22 ; see the arrangement of panels  20 A,  20 B,  20 C and  20 D in  FIG. 1 . Preferably, the first planar member  22  of each modular panel  20  is in abutting relation with the first planar member  22  of an adjacent modular panel  20 ; see panels  22  labeled  22 C and  22 D in  FIG. 2 . The first and second planar members  22 ,  26 , as well as the planar joint closure member(s)  30 , may be rigid members constructed from oriented strand board (OSB), plywood, gypsum board or other suitably strong material typically used for sheathing in the roof construction industry. Advantageously, second planar member  26  provides additional support and protection to the system  10  as compared to U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,687 where a rubber membrane is simply applied over top of sprayed insulation. 
     In one embodiment of a modular panel  20 , first planar member  22  is preferably made up ⅜ inch thick oriented strand board (OSB) sheets, measuring approximately 96 inches×48 inches (8 feet×4 feet) in length and width. The insulating layer  24  preferably has slightly smaller length and width dimensions than the first planar member  22 , preferably measuring approximately 92 inches×44 inches in length and width. More preferably, the insulating layer  24  is mounted or placed substantially centered on the first planar member  22 , thereby providing a circumferential space or gap region G around the insulating layer  24 , revealing a portion of the first planar member  22  and preferably measuring approximately 2 inches wide, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 5 . 
     Advantageously, modular panel  20  can be fastened or mounted to the roof structure RS via one or more fasteners  35  driven, mounted or screwed through first planar member  22  at a desired position along said gap region G, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 . Advantageously said gap region G providing ease of access to an installer to fasten modular panel  20  to the roof structure RS. Fastener(s)  35  may be any suitable fastener, e.g. those types of fasteners used in the roofing industry to fasten sheathing to a roofing structure RS. For example, fasteners  35  may be self-tapping metal screws driven through the gap region G each approximately 12 inches apart from any adjacent fastener. Alternatively, modular panels  20  may be mounted to the roofing structure using a glue or construction adhesive. 
     Preferably, joint fill material  40  is subsequently provided or applied to the system  10 , so as to substantially fill-in all of the gap region G between adjacent modular panels, once said panels have been fastened to the roofing structure RS; see  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Advantageously, joint fill material  40  provides further insulating and vapour barrier features to the system  10 . More advantageously, since only a small proportion of the overall system  10  will require application of joint fill material  40  (the bulk of the insulating properties coming from the insulating layer  24  of the pre-assembled modular panels  20 ) onsite labour is significantly reduced as compared to cases where sprayfoam is applied onsite to the entire roofing surface. 
     Advantageously, a roof or roofing structure RS may quickly be covered by a plurality of modular panels  20  arranged in abutting relation, each panel  20  mounted to the roofing structure via fasteners  35  in the gap region G and without the need for hot bituminous (tar) composition to bind the panels  20  to the roof. More advantageously, by mounting the modular panels  20  to the roof structure via the first planar member  22 , and by closing the gap space G (and covering the fasteners  35 ) with joint fill material  40  the amount of heat loss through the system  10  is minimized as compared to cases where a modular panel  20  is mounted to the roof structure RS via a fastener that penetrates the first planar member  22 , the insulating layer  24  and the second planar member  24 . Instead, in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 , any thermal bridging that might otherwise occur across fastener(s)  35  is significantly reduced or eliminated by having the fastener(s)  35  driven through the first planar member  22  only. 
     The second planar member is preferably made up ⅜ inch thick oriented strand board (OSB) sheets and preferably has slightly smaller length and width dimensions than the insulating layer  24  to which it is mounted, preferably measuring approximately 90 inches×42 inches in length and width. More preferably, the second planar member  26  is mounted or placed substantially centered on the insulating layer  24 , thereby providing a circumferential ledge or shoulder region L (of exposed insulating layer  24 ) there-around, preferably measuring approximately 1 inch wide, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 . Advantageously, planar joint closure member(s)  30  may be mounted or placed between adjacent modular panels  20  by being positioned on a desired section of the circumferential ledge region L, prior to being fastened to one or more modular panels  20 ; see  FIGS. 2 and 3  showing closure member  30 C resting on ledges L of modular panels  20 C and  20 D. 
     The insulating layer  24  and the joint fill material  40  are preferably a polyurethane foam insulation and, more preferably, is a closed cell foam. In other embodiments, the insulating layer  24  and joint fill material  40  may be comprised of a foamed synthetic resin made of polystyrene, polyethylene, acrylic resin, phenol resin, urea resin, epoxy resin, diallylphthalate resin, urethane resin and the like. Advantageously, the use of closed cell foam insulation in the insulating layer  24  and joint fill material  40  provides an air/vapor barrier inherent in the modular panel  20  and system  10 , so as to efficiently insulate roofs and roof structures RS. More advantageously, if the same closed cell foam material is used for both the insulating layer  24  and the on-site applied joint fill material  40 , the resulting system  10  will then have a monolithic type insulation formation from one modular panel (e.g.  20 A) to the next panel (e.g.  20 B). The invention thereby provides an insulated modular modular roofing system  10  that can be quickly installed on a roofing structure RS, with minimal on-site labour, with a desired slope S pre-manufactured in each modular panel  20  and with a continuous (inherent) vapour barrier across the modular panels  20  on the roofing structure RS. Advantageously, the invention may allow for the roofing of a building without the need for additional vapour control, such as separate polyethylene sheets that are typically used between a roof deck or roof structure and any overlying insulating material. 
     The thickness of the insulating layer  24  may be determined by the insulation value that is desired to be achieved by the system  10 . For example, a 3.33 inch thick insulating layer  24  comprised of 2-pound polyurethane foam insulation, with the first and second planar member  22 ,  26  comprising ⅜ inch thick OSB sheets will typically provide an insulating value of R-20 to the modular panel  20  and the system  10 . A 5.83 inch thick insulating layer  24  comprised of 2-pound polyurethane foam insulation, with the first and second planar member  22 ,  26  comprising ⅜ inch thick OSB sheets will typically provide an insulating value of R-35. 
     During manufacture of the modular panel  20 , the insulating layer  24  may be mounted to the first planar member  22  using a suitable glue or adhesive. Or the insulating layer  24  may be sprayfoam-applied onto the first planar member  22  and then such sprayfoamed insulating layer  24  may cut or shaped to the desired thickness and slope S. This may be accomplished using a horizontal band saw or a horizontal fastwire foam cutter. The CUTLAS™ horizontal blade foam slitter is designed for slicing polyurethane foam into sheets of desired thickness and would be suitable for this application. 
     For example, a partially assembled modular panel  20 , with a first planar member  22  measuring 4 feet×8 feet may have the insulating layer  24  sprayfoamed thereon to a minimum thickness (e.g. of at least 3.5 inches). This partially assembled modular panel  20  can then be moved through a CUTLAS™ horizontal blade foam slitter which is then set to cut off a thin top section of the sprayfoamed insulating layer  24  (e.g. to a height of 3.33 inches), thereby providing a smooth top surface, suitable to receive the second planar member. Alternatively, where a roof slope is desired, the CUTLAS™ horizontal blade foam slitter can be adjusted to cut the insulating layer  24  at a pre-set slope, resulting in a modular panel  20  that has that desired slope S with the insulating layer  24  having a first thickness (or height) H 1  at one end of the panel  20   a  and a second thickness (or height) H 2  at an opposing end  20   b  of the panel (see the embodiment of  FIG. 4 ). 
     Advantageously, by having a smoothly cut insulating layer  24 , and by utilizing the second planar member  26 , the water-proof member  28  on outside or top surface of the system  10  of modular panels  20  will be substantially smooth, thereby reducing or fully eliminating ponding or pooling of trapped water or other precipitation in localized areas. Furthermore, if a slight slope S has been provided by the modular panels  20 , then water or other precipitation will generally be directed to quickly run off of the outside or top surface of the system  10 . 
     One or more support members  50  may be provided in the modular panel  20 , preferably between first and second planar member  22 ,  26 , so as to offer additional structural support and/or mounting points for the second planar member  26 . Support members  50  may be made of metal, galvanized metal, plastic, wood or other suitable material. Preferably, support members  50  are z-girts  50   z . Advantageously, z-girt style support members  50 ,  50   z  provide anchor points for any fasteners  37  that may be used to mount second planar member  26  adjacent to the insulating layer  24 . More advantageously, z-girts  50   z  provide anchor points for any fasteners  39  that may be used to mount or place any planar joint closure member(s)  30  between adjacent modular panels  20 . 
     More preferably, z-girt support members  50   z  have a first end  51  and a second end  52 , wherein first end  51  is positioned substantially in the gap space G adjacent first planar member  22 , so that any fasteners  35  used to mount the modular panel  20  to the roof structure RS may be driven there-through; while second end  52  is spaced away from the gap space G and positioned substantially within the insulating layer  24 . Advantageously, first end  51  provides additional support or backing for fasteners  35 , while second end  52  provides a mounting point for fasteners  37  or fasteners  39 , while also proving a thermal break between fasteners  35  and  37 / 39  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). In one embodiment (e.g. see.  FIGS. 5-6   b ) an insulating member  60  is provided for each support member  50  between the first end  51  and planar member  22 , to further increase such thermal break and prevent thermal bridging between first planar member  22  and second planar member  26  (see  FIGS. 6 a -6 b   ). Insulating member  60  may be comprised of rigid insulation. 
     The water-proof membrane  28  is preferably an ethylene-propylene diene mar (EPDM) rubber membrane, but it may also be made of other suitable water-proof roofing material such as a membrane made from a variety of materials such as styrene-butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, polyisobutylene, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer, styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer, chlorinated polyethylene, polyurea coating, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, or SBS modified bitumen roofing membrane. 
     In the embodiments where the water-proof membrane  28  is provided in sections on each modular panel  20  (e.g.  FIG. 5 ), the length and width dimensions of the section  28   s  of the water-proof member  28  is preferably larger than the length and width of the first planar member  22 , so as to allow adjacent section  28   s  to overlap once any adjacent modular panels  20  are placed in abutting relation, or to overlap with any adjacent roofing flashing. Advantageously, such overlapping section  28   s  of water-proof member  28  can be taped and sealed (e.g. with seam tape and/or a solvent adhesive), after installation of the modular panels  20 , so as to provide an overall water-proof member  28  to the system  10 . For example, an installer can apply 75 mm (3″) wide EPDM seam tape to membrane  28  overlaps using a solvent adhesive. 
     Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications to the invention as described herein will be possible without falling outside the scope of the invention. In the claims, the word “comprising” is used in its inclusive sense and does not exclude other elements being present. The indefinite article “a” before a claim feature does not exclude more than one of the features being present.