Roofing components having vacuum-formed thermoset materials and related manufacturing methods

Abstract

Methods of vacuum-forming a roofing component of thermoset material includes providing a mold shaped as a roofing component; providing a thermoset material; heating the thermoset material; disposing the thermoset material about the mold; and vacuuming the thermoset material to assume a shape of the mold, the thermoset material being cured during heating.

1 . A method of vacuum-forming a roofing component of thermoset material, the method comprising:
 providing a mold shaped as a roofing component;   heating the mold;   disposing a thermoset material about the mold; and   vacuuming the thermoset material to assume a shape of the mold, the thermoset material being cured by the heated mold.   
   
   
       2 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the mold is a male-shaped mold or a female-shaped mold. 
   
   
       3 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the roofing component is a skylight, a tube or a flashing component. 
   
   
       4 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the mold is heated to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
   
   
       5 . The method as in  claim 4 , further comprising heating the thermoset material to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit to render the thermoset material pliable before vacuuming the thermoset material, the mold being heated to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit after the thermoset material has assumed the shape of the mold to cure the thermoset material in the shape of the mold. 
   
   
       6 . The method as in  claim 5 , further comprising flash heating the mold from about about 100 degrees Fahrenheit to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. 
   
   
       7 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the thermoset material is heated by the mold until a shape memory is imparted to the thermoset material 
   
   
       8 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the thermoset material is heated by the mold for about three minutes. 
   
   
       9 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the thermoset material is a terpolymer elastomer. 
   
   
       10 . The method as in  claim 9 , wherein the terpolymer elastomer is ethylene propylene diene monomer. 
   
   
       11 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the thermoset material, when cured, has a thickness of about 0.1 inches to about 0.5 inches. 
   
   
       12 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the mold has a first surface configured for contact shaping the thermoset material and an opposing second surface, and further comprising heating at least the first surface prior to vacuuming the thermoset material thereon. 
   
   
       13 . The method as in  claim 12 , further comprising heating the second surface. 
   
   
       14 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the mold. 
   
   
       15 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising mating a complementary shaped roofing structure with the thermoset material while heating the mold. 
   
   
       16 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising securing a complementary shaped roofing structure and the thermoset material together. 
   
   
       17 . The method as in  claim 16 , wherein the roofing structure and the thermoset material are secured together by heat, compression, an adhesive, a tape, a mechanical device and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising heat curing a second thermoset material onto the cured thermoset material. 
   
   
       19 . A method of vacuum-forming a roofing component of thermoset material, the method comprising:
 providing a mold shaped as a roofing component;   heating the mold to a first temperature;   disposing a thermoset material about the mold;   vacuuming the thermoset material to assume a shape of the mold;   heating the mold to a second temperature greater than the first temperature, the thermoset material being cured by the heated mold while under vacuum.   
   
   
       20 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the first temperature is about 100 degrees Fahrenheit to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit to render the thermoset material pliable before vacuuming the thermoset material, and the second temperature is about 300 degrees Fahrenheit to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit to cure the thermoset material in the shape of the mold. 
   
   
       21 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the mold is heated at the second temperature for about three minutes. 
   
   
       22 . The method as in  claim 19 , further comprising inserting a complementary shaped roofing structure in the mold and mating the thermoset material therewith while heating the mold at the second temperature. 
   
   
       23 . A roofing component system including a component made of thermoset material formed by a vacuum and heating process, the roofing component system comprising:
 a thermoset material shaped and cured by a heated mold, the thermoset material being shaped as a roofing component by heating the mold for at least about three minutes at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit;   a roofing structure attached to the roofing component-shaped thermoset material; and   means for attaching the roofing structure to the roofing component-shaped thermoset material.   
   
   
       24 . The component system as in  claim 23 , wherein the thermoset material is a terpolymer elastomer. 
   
   
       25 . The roofing component system as in  claim 23 , wherein the roofing structure is a tubular skylight or a flashing component. 
   
   
       26 . The roofing component system as in  claim 23 , wherein the means for attaching is selected from the group consisting of a ring, an adhesive, a tape, a screw, a rivet, a bolt and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       27 . A method of vacuum-forming a roofing component of thermoset material, the method comprising:
 providing a mold shaped as a roofing component;   providing a thermoset material;   heating the thermoset material;   disposing the thermoset material about the mold; and   vacuuming the thermoset material to assume a shape of the mold, the thermoset material being cured during heating.   
   
   
       28 . The method as in  claim 27 , wherein the thermoset material is heated to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
   
   
       29 . The method as in  claim 27 , wherein the thermoset material is heated for about three minutes. 
   
   
       30 . The method as in  claim 27 , wherein the heating is performed by selecting from the group consisting of heating the mold, placing the mold and the thermoset material in a heating chamber, disposing a heating element proximate the mold and the thermoset material, and combinations thereof.