WATER LEAK DETECTION SYSTEMS FOR FLAT COMMERCIAL ROOF STRUCTURES
First Claim
1. A water leak detection system for use in connection with flat commercial roof structures, comprising:
- an insulation board assembly, with a flat top and bottom surface and four side surfaces, fixedly secured to the flat commercial roof structure;
a water detection sensor strip having a pair of separate electrical circuits fixedly secured thereon and spaced apart from each other by means of a predetermined gap so as to thereby define a normally open electrical circuit upon said water detection sensor strip, said water detection sensor strip being fixedly secured to at least two side surfaces of said insulation board assembly;
an electrical power source electrically connected to said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said water detection sensor strip; and
a control station electrically connected to said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said water detection sensor strip for receiving a water detection signal, from said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said water detection sensor strip, which is generated from said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said water detection sensor strip when water migrates into said gap defined between said pair of separate electrical circuits so as to effectively bridge said gap and thereby close said normally open electrical circuit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A leak detection system for flat commercial roof structures is disclosed in order to detect and subsequently repair a leak as soon as possible such that any damage to the roof, as well as to other structural and/or insulation components of the overall roof structure, can be minimized due to the absorption or migration of the water. The leak detection system may comprise elongated water detection sensor strips to be fixedly secured to at least two edge portions of insulation board assemblies, or alternatively, electrical circuits may be provided over the entire expanse of the major upper surface portion of each insulation board assembly, or alternatively still further, rolls of water detection sensor strips may be applied to different regions of the flat commercial roof structure.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A water leak detection system for use in connection with flat commercial roof structures, comprising:
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an insulation board assembly, with a flat top and bottom surface and four side surfaces, fixedly secured to the flat commercial roof structure; a water detection sensor strip having a pair of separate electrical circuits fixedly secured thereon and spaced apart from each other by means of a predetermined gap so as to thereby define a normally open electrical circuit upon said water detection sensor strip, said water detection sensor strip being fixedly secured to at least two side surfaces of said insulation board assembly; an electrical power source electrically connected to said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said water detection sensor strip; and a control station electrically connected to said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said water detection sensor strip for receiving a water detection signal, from said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said water detection sensor strip, which is generated from said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said water detection sensor strip when water migrates into said gap defined between said pair of separate electrical circuits so as to effectively bridge said gap and thereby close said normally open electrical circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A water leak detection system for use in connection with flat commercial roof structures, comprising:
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an insulation board assembly fixedly secured to the flat commercial roof structure, wherein said insulation board assembly comprises upper and lower major surface portions, wherein the insulation board substantially covers an entire surface area of the flat commercial roof structure; a pair of separate electrical circuits, spaced from each other by means of a predetermined gap, fixedly secured to said upper major surface portion of said insulation board assembly so as to substantially cover all portions of said upper major surface portion of said insulation board assembly and thereby define a normally open electrical circuit upon said upper major surface portion of said insulation board assembly, each one of said pair of electrical circuits comprises a plurality of electrical paths wherein each electrical path of a first one of said pair of electrical circuits is disposed adjacent to an electrical path of a second one of said pair of electrical circuits such that said electrical paths of said first one of said pair of electrical circuits are disposed in an interdigitated manner with respect to said electrical paths of said second one of said pair of electrical circuits; an electrical power source electrically connected to said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said upper major surface portion of said insulation board assembly; and a control station electrically connected to said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said upper major surface portion of said insulation board assembly for receiving a water leak detection signal, from said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said upper major surface portion of said insulation board assembly, which is generated from said normally open electrical circuit defined upon said upper major surface portion of said insulation board assembly when water migrates into said gap defined between said pair of two separate electrical circuits so as to close said normally open electrical circuit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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12. (canceled)
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18. A water leak detection system for use in connection with flat commercial roof structures, comprising:
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a flat substrate; and a plurality of rolls of water detection strips, each one of said rolls of water detection strips having a pair of separate electrical circuits fixedly secured thereon and spaced apart from each other by means of a predetermined gap so as to thereby define a normally open electrical circuit upon each one of said water detection strips, said plurality of water detection strips being fixedly secured to said flat substrate when said plurality of rolls of water detection strips are unrolled, each one of said pair of separate electrical circuits comprises a plurality of electrical paths wherein each electrical path of a first one of said pair of electrical circuits is disposed adjacent to an electrical path of a second one of said pair of electrical circuits such that said electrical paths of said first one of said pair of electrical circuits are disposed in an interdigitated manner with respect to said electrical paths of said second one of said pair of electrical circuits; a bus line electrically connected to each one of said normally open electrical circuits defined upon said plurality of water detection strips; and a control station electrically connected to said bus line for receiving a water detection signal, from any one of said normally open electrical circuits defined upon said plurality of water detection strips, which is generated from a particular one of said plurality of normally open electrical circuits defined upon said plurality of water detection strips when water migrates into said gap defined between said pair of separate electrical circuits defined upon said particular one of said plurality of normally open electrical circuits so as to effectively bridge said gap and thereby close said normally open electrical circuit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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19. (canceled)
Specification