Method and apparatus to detect and locate damage and breaches in roof membranes

• US 7,554,345 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2007
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Detec Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Detec Systems LLC
• Inventors: Vokey, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Vincent Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOAI AN D
• Application Number:
  US11/949,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 324/522, 324/512, 324/500, 324/718, 324/713, 324/691, 324/649, 324/600, 324/456, 324/216, 324/237, 324/238, 324/240, 324/715, 735/92, 73/11.7, 702/35, 702/36, 340/605, 340/539.22
• US Class Current: 324/718
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/006 Provisions for detecting water leakage
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/16 using electric detection means G01M3/045, G01M3/06, G01M3/12, G01M3/20, G01M3/24, G01M3/26 take precedence

Abstract

A leak in a membrane on top of a horizontal roof deck is located by a manually operable carriage which is swept over the upper surface of the membrane on the roof deck. A measuring and switching circuit generates a voltage having a positive attached to the roof deck and a negative attached to conductive brushes on the carriage. The brushes are arranged to form an outer peripheral contact with an inner contact inside the outer contact. Thus the presence of a leak is detected by the outer set of conductive brushes at distance from the leak and by the inner conductive brush when directly over the leakage site.

Claims

1. A method of locating a leak in a roof, where the roof comprises a generally horizontal roof support deck with a water impermeable membrane applied onto the upper surface of the support deck, the method comprising:

providing a first conductor arrangement for engaging the roof above the membrane;

providing a return conductor arrangement for electrical connection to the support deck;

generating an electrical potential between the first and return conductor arrangements;

mounting the first conductor arrangement on a carriage which can be moved over the roof so as to scan the first conductor arrangement over selected areas of the roof while the first conductor arrangement remains in contact with the roof as the carriage is moved;

sensing the current flowing from the roof support deck to the first conductor arrangement;

and detecting the changes in current as the first conductor arrangement is scanned over the selected areas of the roof to locate the leak in the membrane.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the carriage is mounted on roller wheels for carrying the carriage in rolling movement over the roof.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the carriage includes a handle such that the carriage can be manually rolled across the roof.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first conductor arrangement comprises at least one conductive component arranged for engaging the roof and for sliding over the roof while in contact therewith.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the conductive component comprises a conductive brush.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first conductor arrangement includes first and second conductor members which are electrically isolated from each other, wherein an electrical potential is arranged to be applied between the first conductor member of the first conductor arrangement and the roof support deck and between the second conductor member of the first conductor arrangement and the roof support deck and wherein the current flowing from the roof support deck to the first and second conductor members is independently sensed to detect the changes in current as the first conductor arrangement is scanned over the selected areas of the roof to locate the leak site in the membrane.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein there is provided a measuring and switching circuit which includes two independent leakage current detection components sharing a common power supply source.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the first conductor member is an inner member and the second member is an outer shielding member surrounding the first inner member with both the first inner member and the second outer member engaging the roof.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first conductor arrangement includes a vertically floating support to maintain intimate contact with the roof while accommodating variances in the roof surface.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the circuit includes variable sensitivity of the changes and an output display for providing a visual indication of the changes to an operator.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the circuit includes an audible alert.

12. A method of locating a leakage site in a roof, where the roof comprises a generally horizontal roof support deck with a water impermeable membrane applied onto the upper surface of the support deck, the method comprising:

providing a first conductor arrangement for engaging the roof above the membrane;

providing a return conductor arrangement for electrical connection to the roof support deck;

wherein the first conductor arrangement includes first and second conductor members which are electrically isolated from each other;

wherein the first conductor member is an inner member and the second member is an outer shielding member at least partly surrounding the first inner member;

generating an electrical potential between the first conductor member of the first conductor arrangement and the roof support deck;

generating an electrical potential between the second conductor member of the first conductor arrangement and the roof support deck;

scanning the first conductor arrangement over selected areas of the roof such that both the first inner member and the second outer member engage the roof as the first conductor arrangement is scanned;

independently sensing the current flowing from the roof support deck to the first and second conductor members of the first conductor arrangement;

and locating the leakage site by;

detecting changes in the sensed current received by the second outer conductor member at a distance from the leakage site with the second outer conductor member shielding the first inner conductor member to reduce communication of current thereto from the leakage site;

and detecting the changes in the sensed current received by the first inner conductor member when the first inner conductor member is over the leakage site and the second outer shielding conductor member acts as a shield around the leakage site.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the first conductor arrangement is mounted on a carriage which can be moved over the roof so as to scan the first conductor arrangement over selected areas of the roof while the first and second conductor members remain in contact with the roof as the carriage is moved.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the carriage is mounted on roller wheels for carrying the carriage in rolling movement over the roof and wherein the carriage includes a handle such that the carriage can be manually rolled across the roof.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein the first and second conductor members each are arranged for engaging the roof and for sliding over the roof while in contact therewith.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein the conductor members each comprise a conductive brush.

17. The method according to claim 12 wherein the conductor members each include a vertically floating support to maintain intimate contact with the roof while accommodating variances in the roof surface.

18. The method according to claim 12 wherein the current is independently sensed by a circuit which includes variable sensitivity of the changes and an output display for providing a visual indication of the changes to an operator.

19. The method according to claim 12 wherein the current is independently sensed by a circuit which includes an audible alert for indicating when the inner conductor member is over the leakage site.

20. The method according to claim 12 wherein the potential applied across the conductive detectors and the roof deck when selected and across the conductive detectors and the roof deck when not selected is substantially the same.

21. Apparatus for locating a leak in a roof, where the roof comprises a generally horizontal roof support deck with a water impermeable membrane applied onto the upper surface of the support deck, the apparatus comprising:

a conductor arrangement for engaging the roof above the membrane including first and second conductor members which are electrically isolated each other;

a carriage carrying the first and second conductor members which can be moved over the roof so as to scan the members over selected areas of the roof;

wherein the first conductor member is an inner member and the second member is an outer shielding member at least partly surrounding the first inner member with both the first inner member and the second outer member engaging the roof;

and a circuit arranged to sense current flowing from the roof support deck to each of the first and second members, the circuit including two independent current detection components respectively for the first and second conductor members;

the circuit being arranged to detect changes in current as the conductor members are moved over the roof.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the carriage includes a handle such that the carriage can be manually rolled across the roof.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the conductor members each comprise a conductive brush.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the conductor members each include a vertically floating support to maintain intimate contact with the roof while accommodating variances in the roof surface.

25. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the circuit includes variable sensitivity of the changes and an output display for providing a visual indication of the changes to an operator.

26. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the circuit includes an audible alert for indicating when the inner conductor member is over the leakage site.

27. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the carriage is mounted on roller wheels for carrying the carriage in rolling movement over the roof.