Insulation plate for retaining roof decking membranes and for removing the adhesive release film or release sheet

Abstract

An insulation plate has an external peripheral edge portion provided with a continuous circumferential array of serrated teeth. The serrated teeth are adapted to engage a release sheet, disposed upon an underlying environmental membrane of a fully-adhered environmental membrane system covering roof decking substructural components, as the release sheet is effectively moved into engagement with the serrated teeth. In this manner, the release sheet is readily and easily severed along a well-defined locus where—by the release sheet can be easily removed so as to uncover an adhesive layer disposed upon the upper surface portion of the underlying environmental membrane in preparation for securing an overlying environmental membrane atop the underlying environmental membrane in order to form the fully-adhered environmental membrane system. Alternatively, the continuum of serrated teeth may be oriented axially downwardly so as sever the release sheet as the insulation plate is effectively rotated along with a threaded screw fastener as the latter is threadedly engaged within the underlying roof decking substructure. In addition, both the radially outwardly and axially downwardly oriented serrated teeth also serve to fixedly and assuredly retain the underlying membrane upon the underlying roof decking substructure in order to effectively resist uplifting wind forces.

1 . An insulation plate for securing an underlying environmental membrane, having a release sheet removably disposed upon the external surface portion thereof, to an underlying substructure, comprising: 
 an insulation plate having an external peripheral edge portion;    an aperture defined within a central portion of said plate for receiving a fastener for securing said insulation plate to an underlying substructure; and    a plurality of teeth disposed upon said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate for cutting the release sheet of the underlying environmental membrane when said plurality of teeth engage the release sheet of the underlying environmental membrane so as to facilitate the severing of the release sheet of the underlying environmental membrane along a locus substantially defined by means of said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       2 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said insulation plate has a circular configuration.    
   
   
       3 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth are disposed within a continuous array upon said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       4 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said continuous array upon said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate comprises an array of serrated teeth.    
   
   
       5 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth project radially outwardly from said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate such that when the release sheet of the underlying environmental membrane is brought into engagement with said plurality of radially outwardly projecting teeth, said plurality of radially outwardly projecting teeth will sever the release sheet of the underlying environmental membrane along said locus substantially defined by means of said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       6 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth project axially downwardly from said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate such that when said insulation plate is rotated while said insulation plate is being fixedly secured to the underlying substructure, said plurality of axially downwardly projecting teeth will sever the release sheet of the underlying environmental membrane along said locus substantially defined by means of said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       7 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein: 
 each one of said plurality of teeth has the configuration of an isosceles triangle, a tooth depth, as measured between root and crest portions of each one of said plurality of teeth, of approximately 0.030 inches, the pitch, as defined between successive crest portions of adjacent ones of said plurality of teeth, being approximately 0.046 inches, and an included angle, as defined between the equal sides of said isosceles triangle, of approximately 60°.    
   
   
       8 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein: 
 each one of said plurality of teeth has the configuration of an isosceles triangle, and a tooth depth, as measured between root and crest portions of each one of said plurality of teeth, of approximately 0.015 inches.    
   
   
       9 . An insulation plate for securing an underlying environmental membrane to an underlying roof decking substructure, comprising: 
 an insulation plate having an external peripheral edge portion;    an aperture defined within a central portion of said insulation plate for receiving a fastener for securing said insulation plate to an underlying roof decking substructure; and    a plurality of teeth disposed upon said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate for engaging the underlying environmental membrane when said insulation plate is secured to the underlying roof decking substructure so as to facilitate the gripping of the underlying environmental membrane by said plurality of teeth of said insulation plate in order to positively assist the resistance of uplifting wind forces.    
   
   
       10 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said insulation plate has a circular configuration.    
   
   
       11 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth are disposed within a continuous array upon said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       12 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said continuous array upon said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate comprises an array of serrated teeth.    
   
   
       13 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth project radially outwardly from said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       14 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth project axially downwardly from said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       15 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 each one of said plurality of teeth has the configuration of an isosceles triangle, a tooth depth, as measured between root and crest portions of each one of said plurality of teeth, of approximately 0.030 inches, the pitch, as defined between successive crest portions of adjacent ones of said plurality of teeth, being approximately 0.046 inches, and an included angle, as defined between the equal sides of said isosceles triangle, of approximately 60°.    
   
   
       16 . The insulation plate as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein: 
 each one of said plurality of teeth has the configuration of an isosceles triangle, and a tooth depth, as measured between root and crest portions of each one of said plurality of teeth, of approximately 0.015 inches.    
   
   
       17 . A fully-adhered roof decking assembly, comprising: 
 a roof decking member;    a layer of insulation disposed atop said roof decking member;    a first underlying environmental membrane having a first internal surface portion thereof disposed atop said layer of insulation, having an adhesive layer disposed upon a second external surface portion thereof, and having a release sheet removably disposed atop said adhesive layer;    a second overlying environmental membrane adhered to said adhesive layer of said first underlying environmental membrane after said release sheet has been removed from said adhesive layer of said first underlying membrane; and    an insulation plate for securing said first underlying environmental membrane to said roof decking member,    said insulation plate having an external peripheral edge portion; an aperture defined within a central portion of said insulation plate for receiving a fastener for securing said insulation plate to said roof decking member; and a plurality of teeth disposed upon said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate for cutting said release sheet of said first underlying environmental membrane when said plurality of teeth engage said release sheet of said first underlying environmental membrane so as to facilitate the severing and removing of said release sheet from said first underlying environmental membrane, along a locus substantially defined by means of said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate, in preparation for adherence of said second overlying environmental membrane to said adhesive layer of said first underlying environmental membrane.    
   
   
       18 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said insulation plate has a circular configuration.    
   
   
       19 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth are disposed within a continuous array upon said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       20 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein: 
 said continuous array upon said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate comprises an array of serrated teeth.    
   
   
       21 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth project radially outwardly from said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate such that when said release sheet of said first underlying environmental membrane is brought into engagement with said plurality of radially outwardly projecting teeth, said plurality of radially outwardly projecting teeth will sever said release sheet of said first underlying environmental membrane along said locus substantially defined by means of said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       22 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth project axially downwardly from said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate such that when said insulation plate is rotated while said insulation plate is being fixedly secured to said roof decking member, said plurality of axially downwardly projecting teeth will sever said release sheet of said first underlying environmental membrane along said locus substantially defined by means of said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       23 . A roof decking assembly, comprising: 
 a roof decking member;    a layer of insulation disposed atop said roof decking member;    an underlying environmental membrane disposed atop said layer of insulation; and    an insulation plate for securing said underlying environmental membrane to said roof decking member, said insulation plate having an external peripheral edge portion; an aperture defined within a central portion of said plate for receiving a fastener for securing said insulation plate to said roof decking member; and a plurality of teeth disposed upon said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate for engaging said underlying environmental membrane when said insulation plate is secured to said roof decking member so as to facilitate the gripping of said underlying environmental membrane by said plurality of teeth of said insulation plate in order to positively assist the resistance of uplifting wind forces.    
   
   
       24 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said insulation plate has a circular configuration.    
   
   
       25 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth are disposed within a continuous array upon said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       26 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein: 
 said continuous array upon said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate comprises an array of serrated teeth.    
   
   
       27 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth project radially outwardly from said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       28 . The roof decking assembly as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein: 
 said plurality of teeth project axially downwardly from said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate.    
   
   
       29 . A method of forming a fully-adhered roof decking assembly, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a roof decking member;    positioning a layer of insulation atop said roof decking member;    positioning a first underlying environmental membrane atop said layer of insulation such that an adhesive layer of said first underlying environmental membrane, covered by a removable release sheet, is externally disposed;    positioning an insulation plate, having an external peripheral edge portion, an aperture defined within a central portion of said insulation plate for receiving a fastener, and a plurality of teeth disposed upon said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate, over said first underlying environmental membrane;    securing said insulation plate to said roof decking member by inserting said fastener through said aperture of said insulation plate and into said roof decking member;    peeling a portion of said removable release sheet away from said first underlying environmental membrane, so as to expose said adhesive layer of said first underlying environmental membrane, and moving said peeled portion of said removable release sheet into engagement with said plurality of teeth disposed upon said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate such that said plurality of teeth disposed upon said external peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate can cut said release sheet along a locus substantially defined by means of said peripheral edge portion of said insulation plate so as to facilitate the removal of said release sheet from said first underlying environmental membrane; and    adhering a second overlying environmental membrane onto said exposed adhesive layer of said first underlying environmental membrane after said release sheet has been removed from said adhesive layer of said first underlying membrane.