Abstract:
A heating system particularly adopted to prevent winter mix accumulation on boat dock roofs which is intended to be retro fitted to an existing roof structure is provided in which a panel is mounted to the an accessible second side of the roof in heat transfer relationship with the roof so as to enable the panel to transfer heat from the panel to the external facing side of the roof.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Priority is claimed under provisional application 60/903,992, filed Mar. 1, 2007, incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention relates to a heat producing panel for placement on an interior surface so as to prevent the accumulation of any of the winter mix precipitation on an exterior surface of the a structure where the panel is placed. While the invention is described with particular reference to roofs for boat docks, those skilled in the art will recognize the wider applicability of the inventive principles disclosed herein after. 
         [0004]    Boat dock structures commonly found in marinas and individual homes located on lakes and rivers typically have a boat slip covered by a roof. The roof commonly is constructed from corrugated metal material, is relatively inexpensive and generally light weight. Often an individual boat slip will include a hydraulic lift for raising and associated pleasure craft from the water during periods of non-use. It is now generally a common to store pleasure craft in the boat dock even during winter months, especially where winters normally are not very severe. 
         [0005]    Unfortunately, even areas associated with the relatively mild winters often have a freak storms which can and often do deposit significant amounts of a winter mix in the form of sleet or snow or ice and/or combinations thereof which causes the boat dock and supporting structure to collapse, causing significant damage both to the roof, dock and any pleasure craft being housed in the dock. For example,  FIG. 1  is a pictorial representation illustrating a collapsed boat dock roof and the damage that can occur with these somewhat unexpected winter storms appear. 
         [0006]    The prior art is replete with examples of constructions and designs for heaters directed toward solving the problem of excessive snow accumulation or the accumulation of any other winter mix precipitation. While these prior art devices works well for their intended purposes, they do not address nor are the adaptable to problems associated with boat dock roofs. Roofs for boat docks conventionally are constructed from a corrugated metal material. As indicated above, they are relatively thin, do not support a great deal of weight, and are relatively inexpensive. Consequently, merely adopting solutions provided by the prior art alone or in combination to boat dock applications, for example, do not solve the problems associated with protecting such roofs. These problems include providing a low-cost structure of for protecting the roof during winter storms, providing an easy to install and easy to remove a structure for accomplishing the protection, and providing an aesthetically pleasing solution to the protection problem. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Briefly stated, the present invention provides a heating system for a roof having a first side exposed to weather and a second side physically accessible and generally visible to an observer. In one preferred embodiment, the system is designed to protect a boat dock roof and includes a panel configured to mate with the second side of the roof at one or more locations along the roof structure. The panel has a heating device associated with it. Preferably, simplified controls are operatively connected to the heating device. An attachment mechanism is provided for mounting the panel in heat transfer relationship to the boat dock roof. 
         [0008]    A method for preventing damage to corrugated boat dock roofs caused by the accumulation of winter mix precipitation also is provided. 
         [0009]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention as well as presently preferred embodiments thereof will become more apparent from the reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    In the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial representation of a collapsed boat back; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a view in perspective of one illustrative embodiment of heating system of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a view in side elevation of heating system is shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a view in perspective of the mounting side of the heating system shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of a simplified control system employed with the heating system shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , reference number one indicates a boat dock roof which is collapsed under the weight of snow associated with a winter storm. As indicated in  FIG. 1 , the roof  1  includes or is constructed from a corrugated sheet metal material, having a plurality of lands  2  and grooves  3 . The roof  1  has a first side  4  which is intended to be exposed to the weather, and a second side  5  which normally is visible and accessible from the boat dock, and is generally hidden in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0019]    One illustrative embodiment of heating system  6  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . The system  6  preferably is a panel  7  molded from any suitable material. The panel  7  includes a first side  8  which is intended to face the boat dock side of the roof  1 . A side  9  of the panel  7  of faces and is attached to the side  5  of the boat dock roof  1  as later described in greater detail. 
         [0020]    The panel  7 , in the embodiment illustrated, generally is rectangular in shape, having a length dimension  10  and a width dimension  11 . As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art the shape of the panel  7  may very and other embodiments of this invention. 
         [0021]    The roof  1  facing side  9  of the panel  7  has at least one and preferably has a plurality of projections  12  associated with it. The projections  12  are intended to mate with the roof  1  between adjacent lands  2  and groves  3  of the roof  1 , permitting the side  9  of the panel  7  to abut the grooves  3  side of the roof  1  in application use. The number and spacing of the projections  12  are a matter of design choice. In general, I have found that both the number and spacing depend upon the size of the individual panels  7 , the size of the roof  1  and the number of panels  7  the employed for protecting the roof  1 . 
         [0022]    In the panel  7  embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , a heating element  15  is integrally formed with the panel  7 . That is to say, the heating element  15  is molded within the material forming the panel  7 . Other embodiments of the invention may employ heating elements which are positioned along one side or the other of the panel  7 . For example, various forms of commercially available heat tape may be used in conjunction with the panel  7 , if desired. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a simplified control circuit  20  preferably is employed with the heating system  6  of the present invention. As their shown, a pair of conductors  21  is operatively connected to the heating element  15  and to a control box  23 . Preferably, the heating element  15  operates in conjunction with common 110 V electrical systems, indicated generally by the reference numeral  24 . With that arrangement, the control box  20  need be little more than a manual switch and associated indicator lights, if desired, to show the operating condition of the heating element  15 . In more esoteric versions of the heating system  6 , a controller  25  having inputs from at least one additional sensor  26 , all intended to operate from either 110 V or 220 V electrical supply lines may be employed, if desired. I have found, however, that the simpler the control system provided in conjunction with the heating system  6 , the easier it is to make a cost benefit analysis for incorporating heating system  6  in present the boat dock installations. 
         [0024]    In application will use, the panel  7  may be attached to the roof one by any convenient method. Conventional mechanical fastening devices may be used, if desired, where those devices do not interfere with the operation of the heating element  15  in use. Alternatively, the panel  7  may be bonded to the roof  1  by a suitable epoxy or other acceptable material. 
         [0025]    One of the features of the panel  7  and the construction technique used to make it is that the material used to mold the panel  7  may be pigmented, if desired. Consequently, the use of the panel  7  tends to blend with the color of the side  5  of the roof  1  in application will use. 
         [0026]    In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results are obtained. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. While the invention has been described in particular detail with respect to boat dock applications, it easily finds use with corrugated roofs in particular, and any heat conductive roof in general.