Roofing construction tool

Abstract

A roofing construction tool including a substantially planar stand formed from a compressible material that includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls joining the top surface and bottom surface. The roofing construction tool may include friction enhancing structure provided on or adjacent the bottom surface and/or at least one weight embedded in the compressible material and having a density greater than a density of the compressible material.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A roofing construction stand consisting of:
 compressible foam that includes:
 a top surface having a width of at least 2 feet, 
 a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface and defining a second area of substantially similar shape as the first area, and 
 side walls joining an entirety of a perimeter of the top surface to the bottom surface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 1 , wherein the compressible foam is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate foam, low-density polyethylene foam, expanded polypropylene, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, and silicone foam. 
     
     
         3 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface is substantially square, substantially rectangular, or substantially octagonal. 
     
     
         4 . A method of stabilizing objects on a roof consisting of:
 placing the roofing construction stand of  claim 1  on a roof; and   placing an object on the roofing construction stand.   
     
     
         5 . A roofing construction tool consisting of:
 a substantially planar stand of compressible foam having a density of about 1-6 pounds per cubic foot, the substantially planar stand consisting of:
 a top surface having a first area with a width of about 2-5 feet and a length of about 2-5 feet, 
 a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface and defining a second area of substantially similar shape as the first area, and 
 side walls joining an entirety of a perimeter of the top surface to the bottom surface, the side walls having a height of about 6-14 inches. 
   
     
     
         6 . The roofing construction tool of  claim 5 , wherein the top surface is substantially octagonal, square or rectangular. 
     
     
         7 . The roofing construction tool of  claim 6 , wherein the compressible foam is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate foam, low-density polyethylene foam, expanded polypropylene, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, and silicone foam. 
     
     
         8 . The roofing construction tool of  claim 6 , further comprising a high friction layer adjacent the bottom surface. 
     
     
         9 . The roofing construction tool of  claim 8 , wherein the high friction layer is selected from the group consisting of latex, rubber, glass fiber, polyurethane, microcellular polyurethane, and ethylene vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         10 . A roofing construction stand comprising:
 a first foam layer having a first density, a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first surface;   a second foam layer having a second density greater than the first density, a first major surface adjacent the first major surface of the first foam layer, and a second major surface opposite the first major surface of the second foam layer, wherein the second major surface of the second foam layer is an outer surface; and   a third foam layer having a third density greater than the first density, a first major surface in contact with the second major surface of the first foam layer, and a second major surface opposite the first major surface of the third foam layer, wherein the second major surface of the third foam layer is an outer surface.   
     
     
         11 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein each of the first foam layer, second foam layer, and third foam layer have a thickness of about 1 to 6 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein the first density is about 1 to about 3 pounds per cubic foot. 
     
     
         13 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein the second density and third density is each about 3 to about 12 pounds per cubic foot. 
     
     
         14 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein the second surface of the second foam layer and third foam layer each have an area with a length of about 2 feet to about 5 feet, and a width of about 2 feet to about 5 feet. 
     
     
         15 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein the first, second and third foam layers define a substantially rectangular prism shape. 
     
     
         16 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein the first foam layer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate foam, low-density polyethylene foam, polyethylene foam, expanded polypropylene, and polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         17 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein the second foam layer and third foam layer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene foam, expanded polypropylene, polyurethane foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, silicone foam and latex foam. 
     
     
         18 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein the second major surface of the second and third foam layers each have a coefficient of friction sufficient to retain the stand in a stationary position on a roof inclined from 0 to about 60 degrees relative to horizontal. 
     
     
         19 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein the second major surface of the second and third foam layers is corrugated. 
     
     
         20 . The roofing construction stand of  claim 10 , wherein each of the first, second and third foam layers include a releasable fastener for releasably connecting each layer together.