Insulated weather-resistant interlocking roof system and method

Abstract

A roofing system has individual roofing panels that include a metal outer skin surrounding an insulation layer, a factory-applied protective membrane of polyisobutylene, and interlocking components for providing a rigid roof that is self-supporting and requires no sub-deck. The panels with pre-applied protective membranes are adapted to be factory-shipped to a job site so that assembly and sealing can be achieved in a one-step process.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A structural roof panel comprising 
 an upper membrane having a generally rectangular shape;    a lower membrane having a similar shape as, and being positioned below and generally parallel to, said upper membrane,    an intermediate section between said upper and lower membranes; and    an outer membrane fixed to the upper surface of said upper membrane.    
     
     
         2 . A panel according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said outer membrane comprises polyisobutylene.    
     
     
         3 . A panel according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said upper and lower membranes comprise steel sheets; and    said intermediate section comprises polyurethane foam.    
     
     
         4 . A panel according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a first male tongue and a first female groove running along and generally parallel to a first sidewall of said panel; and    a second male tongue and a second female groove running along and generally parallel to a second sidewall of said panel, said second sidewall being opposite to and generally parallel to said first sidewall; and    said first and second tongues and grooves being adapted to lockingly engage, respectively, with corresponding tongues and grooves on similar panels placed adjacently to said roof panel.    
     
     
         5 . A panel according to  claim 4 , further comprising 
 a first and second steel lining member associated with and lining each of said first and second female grooves, respectively.    
     
     
         6 . A panel according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 said first and second sidewalls are angularly offset with respect to said upper membrane by a first angle.    
     
     
         7 . A panel according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said first angle is in the range of approximately 0 degrees to 45 degrees.    
     
     
         8 . A panel according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said first angle is approximately 45 degrees.    
     
     
         9 . A panel according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 said first male tongue is positioned above said first female groove, and said second female groove is positioned above said second male tongue.    
     
     
         10 . A panel according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 said outer membrane comprises polyisobutylene.    
     
     
         11 . A panel according to  claim 4 , further comprising 
 attaching means for attaching said panel to a structure upon which said panel is positioned, said attaching means comprising a screw hole in said panel extending from said lower membrane and into said intermediate section and being adapted to receive a screw therein.    
     
     
         12 . A panel according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said outer membrane extends beyond at least one edge of said upper membrane so as to form a lap section for overlapping a joint between said roof panel and an adjacently placed, like panel.    
     
     
         13 . A panel according to  claim 12 , further comprising 
 adhesive fixed to the underside of said lap section for adhering to said adjacently placed, like panel; and    a peel-away sheet covering said adhesive and being selectively removable to expose said adhesive.    
     
     
         14 . A roofing system for assembling a roof directly upon a series of generally parallel, laterally-spaced elongated structural support members, said system comprising 
 a series of generally rectangular panels each adapted to span at least the length of the distance between a successive pair of said structural support members;    each said panel comprising a first male tongue and a first female groove on one sidewall, and a second male tongue and a second female groove on an opposite sidewall, thereby adapting each panel to be adjacently positioned and interlocked with another panel by mating of said first and second male tongues with said first and second female grooves; and    each said panel comprising a membrane of polyisobutylene fixed to the top surface of each panel.    
     
     
         15 . A roofing system according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 each said panel further comprises a lap portion of said polyisobutylene membrane that extends beyond at least one side of said panel, said lap portion being adapted to overlap a joint between an adjacently placed panels.    
     
     
         16 . A roofing system according to  claim 15 , wherein 
 said lap portion is provided with adhesive fixed to the underside of said lap portion for adhering to said adjacently placed panels.    
     
     
         17 . A roofing system according to  claim 16 , further comprising 
 a peel-away sheet covering said adhesive and being selectively removable to expose said adhesive.    
     
     
         18 . A roofing system according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 each panel comprises an upper and lower steel membrane, each being generally parallel to the other; and    an intermediate portion between said upper and lower steel membranes.    
     
     
         19 . A roofing system according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 said one sidewall and said opposite sidewall are each angularly offset with respect to said upper membrane at an angle in the range of about 0 degrees to 45 degrees.    
     
     
         20 . A roofing system according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 said one sidewall and said opposite sidewall are each angularly offset with respect to said upper membrane at an angle of about 45 degrees.    
     
     
         21 . A roofing system according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 each panel comprises attaching means for attaching said panel to said structural support members, said attaching means comprising a screw hole in said panel extending from said lower membrane and into said intermediate section and being adapted to receive a screw therein.    
     
     
         22 . A method of making a structural roof panel, said method comprising 
 providing an upper membrane;    providing a lower membrane,    providing an intermediate layer between said upper and lower membranes; and    adhering to said upper membrane an outer membrane of polyisobutylene.    
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 said upper and lower membranes are provided on rolls which are controllably unrolled generally simultaneously, while said upper and lower membranes are maintained in spaced apart, generally parallel relationship;    said outer membrane is provided on a roll which is positioned above said upper membrane and controllably unrolled;    an adhesive is applied between said upper membrane and said outer membrane; and    a pressure roller biases said outer membrane against said upper membrane to facilitate adhesion therebetween.    
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein 
 prior to the step of applying adhesive, a first cutter cuts off said upper and lower membranes, and said intermediate layer, thereby forming a generally rectangular panel; and    subsequent to biasing said outer membrane against said upper membrane, a second cutter cuts off said outer membrane at a desired length relative to said panel.    
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein 
 said desired length to which said outer membrane is cut is longer than the length of said panel.    
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 said panel includes opposed sidewalls extending between said upper membrane and said lower membrane, each sidewall being formed with a male tongue and a female groove adapted to mate in interlocking fashion with like tongues and grooves on adjacently-placed, like panels.    
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein 
 said method is a single, continuous process.    
     
     
         28 . A method of assembling a roof structure, said method comprising 
 providing a plurality of roof panels each having a pre-applied, weather-resistant outer layer;    placing said roof panels adjacently with respect to each other; and    structurally attaching said panels to each other.    
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28 , further comprising 
 overlapping at least a portion of one of said panels with respect to an adjacently placed panel thereby forming a weatherproof, water-tight sealed joint.    
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein 
 said outer layer comprises a membrane of polyisobutylene.    
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein 
 an adhesive is pre-applied to the underside of said portion.