Roofing system and method

• US 8,181,398 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rillito River Solar LLC (Esdec B.V.)
• Original Assignee: Vermont Slate & Copper Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Stearns, Brian Cecil, Lounsbury, Douglas Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Katcheves, Basil
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEPHAN, BETH A
• Application Number:
  US13/270,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 52/58
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/66 Sealings damp-proof courses E04B1/644; fire-proof sealings E04B1/948; additions of anti-leak properties to plaster C04B; bituminous sealing masses C08L95/00; sealings for hydraulic engineering work in general E02B3/16; against ground humidity or ground water E02D31/02; coverings against rain or other precipitations of the atmosphere E04D; composition of material or manufacture of sealing foils, see the relevant classes for these foils
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/04 Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the likegutter tiles E04D1/30; gutter slabs E04D3/40; vessels for collecting rainwater E03B3/03; street gullies E03F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/10 Snow traps ; Removing snow from roofs; Snow melters
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/14 Junctions of roof sheathings to chimneys or other parts extending above the roof
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/1407 for flat roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/147 specially adapted for inclined roofs trays for cavity walls E04B1/70
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 43/001 for sealing or insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0258 using resiliently deformable sleeves, grommets or inserts F16B43/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/021 Sealing means between support elements and mounting surface
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/23 specially adapted for roof structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A roof mounting system can include a roof substrate and flashing supportable on the substrate and including an outwardly extending projection having a concave interior side and an aperture extending through the projection between top and bottom surfaces of the flashing. A seal can extend through the aperture and contact at least a portion of the top surface and at least a portion of the bottom surface. The seal can be conformable with the concave interior side and can define a seal aperture substantially aligned with the flashing aperture. A mounting bracket can be supportable on the flashing and can define an aperture sized to receive at least a portion of each of the seal and the projection. A fastener can extend through the mounting bracket aperture, seal aperture, and flashing aperture to inhibit fluid flow through the flashing aperture.

Claims

1. A roof mounting system comprising:

a roof substrate;

flashing supportable on the roof substrate and including a top surface spaced from the roof substrate, a bottom surface facing the substrate, and an outwardly extending projection having a concave interior side, the flashing defining an aperture extending through the projection between the top surface and the bottom surface;

a seal for inhibiting fluid entry through the aperture, the seal extending through the aperture such that the seal contacts at least a portion of the top surface of the flashing and at least a portion of the bottom surface of the flashing, the seal being conformable with the concave interior side;

a fastener extending through the seal and the flashing aperture, wherein the seal is operable to inhibit fluid flow through the flashing aperture; and

a mounting bracket supportable on the roof by the fastener, the mounting bracket being operable to support at least one roof mounted fixture.

2. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the seal is an elastomeric washer.

3. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the fixture is one of a snow fence, a solar panel and an antenna.

4. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the seal substantially fills a cavity formed in the flashing between the concave interior side and the substrate.

5. The roof mounting system of claim 1, further comprising a top covering supportable on the roof substrate and including an exposed upper surface and a bottom surface facing the substrate, wherein the flashing is supportable on the exposed surface of the top covering.

6. The roof mounting system of claim 5, wherein the fastener extends through an aperture defined in the top covering, and wherein the seal is operable to inhibit fluid flow around the fastener and through the aperture in the top covering.

7. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the seal is maintained in compression between the flashing and the substrate.

8. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the seal positioned between the flashing and the concave interior side is maintained in compression.

9. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the projection defines a first height and the seal defines a second height, and wherein the second height is greater than the first height.

10. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the seal contacts the flashing along a contact length and wherein the projection defines a projection height, wherein the contact length is longer than the projection height.

11. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the seal is deformable by at least one of the flashing and the substrate during installation.

12. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the fastener and a second fastener extends through the substrate to connect the roof mounting system to the roof.

13. The roof mounting system of claim 1, wherein the flashing includes first and second opposite edges, and wherein the outwardly extending projection is positioned approximate half-way between the first and second opposite edges.

14. The roof mounting system of claim 13, wherein the flashing further includes third and fourth opposite edges, wherein the outwardly extending projection is positioned a first distance from the third edge and a second distance from the fourth edge, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

15. A roof mounting system comprising:

a roof substrate;

flashing supportable on the roof substrate and including a top surface spaced from the roof substrate, a bottom surface facing the substrate, and a frustoconical protrusion having a concave interior side defining a substantially frustoconical shaped recess, the frustoconical protrusion having a first height oriented substantially normal to the flashing, the flashing defining an aperture extending through the projection between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the aperture is substantially centrally located in the frustoconical protrusion;

a seal for inhibiting fluid entry through the aperture, the seal extending through the aperture such that the seal contacts at least a portion of the bottom surface of the flashing, the seal being conformable with the concave interior side of the frustoconical protrusion, wherein the seal contacts the bottom surface along a first length, wherein the first length is greater than the first height;

a fastener extending through the seal and the flashing aperture, wherein the seal is operable to inhibit fluid flow through the flashing aperture; and

a mounting bracket supportable on the roof by the fastener, the mounting bracket is operable to support at least one roof mounted fixture.

16. The roof mounting system of claim 15, wherein the seal further contacts at least a portion of the top surface of the flashing.

17. The roof mounting system of claim 15, wherein the seal substantially fills the frustoconical shaped recess.

18. The roof mounting system of claim 15, wherein the portion of the seal in the frustoconical shaped recess is maintained in compression.

19. The roof mounting system of claim 18, wherein the seal is maintained in compression between the substrate and the flashing.

20. The roof mounting system of claim 15, wherein the fixture is one of a snow fence, a solar panel and an antenna.

21. The roof mounting system of claim 15, further comprising a top covering supportable on the roof substrate and including an exposed upper surface and a bottom surface facing the substrate, wherein the flashing is supportable on the exposed surface of the top covering.

22. The roof mounting system of claim 21, wherein the fastener extends through an aperture defined in the top covering, and wherein the seal is operable to inhibit fluid flow around the fastener and through an aperture in the top covering.

23. The roof mounting system of claim 15, wherein the seal is an elastomeric washer.

24. The roof mounting system of claim 15, wherein the seal is deformable by at least one of the flashing and the substrate during installation.