Method and apparatus for attaching a membrane roof using an arm-held induction heating apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for operating an induction heating apparatus, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a unitary induction heating apparatus, which comprises;
(i) an electrical power supply, (ii) a controller, (iii) an induction coil, (iv) a base portion which includes a mechanical guide structure, and (v) a longitudinal member that is placed between a first portion and a second portion of said unitary induction heating apparatus, said longitudinal member including an attachment device;
wherein;
said first portion includes at least one of said electrical power supply and said controller, andsaid second portion includes at least one of said induction coil and said base portion;
(b) temporarily attaching said induction heating apparatus to an arm of a human user, in which said attachment device of the longitudinal member is placed in physical communication with said human arm;
(c) placing said human user with said attached induction heating apparatus atop a membrane roof structure under construction, said membrane roof structure including a lower substrate, a plurality of thermally insulative members, a plurality of attachment members, and an upper membrane structure, wherein;
(i) said plurality of attachment members are at least partially electrically conductive, and (ii) a layer of thermally-activated adhesive material is affixed to an upper surface of said plurality of attachment members;
wherein;
said second portion extends at least somewhat downward toward said membrane roof structure under construction, andsaid first portion extends at least somewhat upward away from said membrane roof structure under construction;
(d) placing a fastener portion of said plurality of attachment members through said plurality of thermally insulative members, and into said lower substrate, thereby attaching said plurality of thermally insulative members to said lower substrate;
(e) placing said upper membrane structure atop said plurality of thermally insulative members, and atop said plurality of attachment members;
(f) placing said base portion of the induction heating apparatus above said membrane surface, and mechanically locating at least one of said plurality of attachment members using said mechanical guide structure of said base portion, while said user of the induction heating apparatus operates in a standing position; and
(g) energizing said electrical power supply and said induction coil, thereby emitting a magnetic field from said induction coil, raising a temperature of at least one of said plurality of attachment members, and thereby raising a temperature of said thermally-activated adhesive material such that said thermally-activated adhesive material adheres to a bottom surface of said upper membrane structure, while said user of the induction heating apparatus remains in a standing position.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved induction heating apparatus is provided for attaching membrane roofs. A top membrane layer is attached to attachment disks that hold sheets of thermal insulation to the top of roof substrates. The heating apparatus emits a magnetic field that raises the temperature of the disks and a heat-activated adhesive on top of the disks which, after cooling, becomes adhered to the bottom surface of the top membrane layer. The disks in turn are attached via fasteners to the substrate portion of the roof structure. The apparatus includes a set of bottom guides that allow a user to find the attachment disks mechanically, without actually seeing those disks beneath the top membrane layer. A triple-racetrack coil provides improved positioning tolerance in all directions, for coil placement during a heating event. An optional temperature sensor can “test” the heating effect on the top membrane layer, during/after a heating event.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for operating an induction heating apparatus, said method comprising:
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(a) providing a unitary induction heating apparatus, which comprises;
(i) an electrical power supply, (ii) a controller, (iii) an induction coil, (iv) a base portion which includes a mechanical guide structure, and (v) a longitudinal member that is placed between a first portion and a second portion of said unitary induction heating apparatus, said longitudinal member including an attachment device;wherein; said first portion includes at least one of said electrical power supply and said controller, and said second portion includes at least one of said induction coil and said base portion; (b) temporarily attaching said induction heating apparatus to an arm of a human user, in which said attachment device of the longitudinal member is placed in physical communication with said human arm; (c) placing said human user with said attached induction heating apparatus atop a membrane roof structure under construction, said membrane roof structure including a lower substrate, a plurality of thermally insulative members, a plurality of attachment members, and an upper membrane structure, wherein;
(i) said plurality of attachment members are at least partially electrically conductive, and (ii) a layer of thermally-activated adhesive material is affixed to an upper surface of said plurality of attachment members;wherein; said second portion extends at least somewhat downward toward said membrane roof structure under construction, and said first portion extends at least somewhat upward away from said membrane roof structure under construction; (d) placing a fastener portion of said plurality of attachment members through said plurality of thermally insulative members, and into said lower substrate, thereby attaching said plurality of thermally insulative members to said lower substrate; (e) placing said upper membrane structure atop said plurality of thermally insulative members, and atop said plurality of attachment members; (f) placing said base portion of the induction heating apparatus above said membrane surface, and mechanically locating at least one of said plurality of attachment members using said mechanical guide structure of said base portion, while said user of the induction heating apparatus operates in a standing position; and (g) energizing said electrical power supply and said induction coil, thereby emitting a magnetic field from said induction coil, raising a temperature of at least one of said plurality of attachment members, and thereby raising a temperature of said thermally-activated adhesive material such that said thermally-activated adhesive material adheres to a bottom surface of said upper membrane structure, while said user of the induction heating apparatus remains in a standing position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An induction heating apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a lower base portion, (b) an upper body portion, and (c) a handle portion located therebetween; (d) an electrical power supply and a controller; (e) a manually-operable actuation device located in said handle portion; (f) an attachment device located in said handle portion for releasably attaching said handle portion to an arm of a human user; (g) an induction coil located in said base portion; and (h) a mechanical guide structure located along a bottom surface of said base portion, said mechanical guide structure being of a size and shape to assist in positioning said induction heating apparatus proximal to an attachment member used in a membrane roof structure; wherein said upper body portion includes at least one of said electrical power supply and said controller. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An induction heating apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a lower base portion, (b) an upper body portion, and (c) a handle portion located therebetween; (d) an electrical power supply and a controller, at least one of which is located in said upper body portion; (e) a manually-operable actuation device located in said handle portion; (f) an induction coil located in said lower base portion; and (g) a plurality of heat sink elements located on a surface of said lower base portion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An induction heating apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a lower base portion, (b) an upper body portion, and (c) a handle portion located therebetween; (d) an electrical power supply and a controller, at least one of which is located in said upper body portion; (e) a manually-operable actuation device located in said handle portion; (f) an induction coil located in said lower base portion; and (g) at least one temperature sensor located near a bottom area of said lower base portion. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification