Abstract: A roof integrated photovoltaic (RIPV) system has a plurality of solar tiles that are mounted to a roof. The tiles may be mounted using a metal batten and hanger system or some other attachment system. Each tile has an electrical edge junction extending rearwardly from its top edge. The edge junction is coextensive with or contains the plane of the solar tile and may be slightly thicker than the solar tile. Sockets on opposed ends of the edge junction receive plugs of electrical cables for interconnecting the array of solar tiles together electrically. The edge junctions provide for a low profile installation that mimics the appearance of a traditional roofing tile such as a slate tile. The slightly thicker edge junctions may raise solar tiles of one course above the surfaces of solar tiles of a next lower course to provide ventilation for the RIPV array and to provide accommodating space for system wiring.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a system of integrated roofing accessories on a plurality of roofs, where at least one integrated roofing accessory on each roof may include: i) at least one transceiver configured to produce millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency signals using fifth generation cellular networking (5G) protocols, ii) at least one dielectric antenna in electrical communication with the at least one transceiver for emitting the mmWave frequency signals according to the at least one 5G protocol, iii) an edge computing device having at least one processor and at least one non-transitory storage with software to operate the edge computing device in communication with the at least one transceiver, and iv) at least one power supply. The software is configured to cause, when executed, the integrated roofing accessories to form a 5G network using the mmWave frequency signals which communicates with at least one computing device.

Abstract: An asphalt-based shingle is formed with a substrate saturated with asphalt, an asphalt coating on the saturated substrate, and a top film bonded to the surface of the asphalt coating covering at least a portion of the shingle to be exposed when installed. The top film may be configured to mimic the appearance of traditional clay granules on the shingle or another shingle surface. More specifically, the top film is printed or coated with an image that mimics the appearance of a clay granule bed and is embossed, pressed, or molded to mimic the texture of a clay granule bed. The top film is UV resistant to protect the asphalt below from deterioration. An anti-stick film may be bonded to the back of the shingle to prevent shingles from sticking together when stacked into a bundle.

Abstract: Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method comprising: obtaining asphalt shingle waste (ASW) and performing grinding, screening, and separating steps on the ASW. In some embodiments, granules are removed from the ASW. In some embodiments, the method transforms ASW into ASW powder. In some embodiments, the ASW powder is formed into a plurality of briquettes. In some embodiments, at least one of: the ASW powder, the plurality of briquettes, or any combination thereof is fed into a mixing process that results in an ASW powder filled coating.

Abstract: A high speed granule delivery system and method is disclosed for dispensing granules in intermittent patterns onto a moving asphalt coated strip in the manufacture of roofing shingles. The system includes a granule hopper and a rotationally indexable pocket wheel in the bottom of the hopper. A series of pockets are formed in the circumference of the wheel and the pockets are separated by raised lands. A seal on the bottom of the hopper seals against the raised lands as the wheel is indexed. In use, the pockets of the pocket wheel drive through and are filled with granules in the bottom of the hopper. As each pocket is indexed beyond the seal, it is exposed to the moving asphalt coated strip below and its granules fall onto the strip to be embedded in the hot tacky asphalt.

Abstract: An applicator is disclosed for applying sealant to a moving substrate. The applicator includes a wheel having a periphery. A plurality of spaced apart footprints extends around the periphery of the wheel and each footprint has a sealant receiving feature. A reservoir is provided for containing a supply of sealant to be applied to the moving substrate. The wheel is rotatably mounted at least partially in the reservoir such that as the wheel rotates, each of the spaced apart footprints repeatedly moves through a supply of sealant in the reservoir to pick up a charge of sealant, around one side of the wheel toward the moving substrate, adjacent the moving substrate to transfer the sealant charge to the substrate, and around the other side of the wheel back toward the supply of sealant. At least one stop is formed on each of the footprints for inhibiting sealant picked up by the footprint from being urged rearwardly on the footprint by high speed rotation of the wheel.

Abstract: A multi-layer cap shingle for installation along a ridge, hip, or rake of a roof includes a forward exposure area and a rear headlap area. The multi-layer cap shingle includes at least two layers of shingle material, a top layer and a bottom layer each having opposed edges. The layers are bonded together with patches of lamination adhesive adjacent their opposed edges. The bottom layer is configured with a deformation-absorbing mechanism such as a pair of slots extending from a forward edge reawardly inboard of the lamination adhesive patches. When the multi-layer cap shingle is bent over a roof ridge, the slots of the bottom layer of shingle material narrow in width to account for the fact that the bottom layer must bend around an arc of slightly smaller radius than the top layer of shingle material.

Abstract: A vent is disclosed that is particularly suited to use in ventilating attic spaces beneath a hip roof. The vent is configured to be installed along a hip of the roof overlying and covering a ventilation slot formed through the roof deck along the hip. The vent includes an elongated laterally flexible top panel from which baffle arrays depend. The baffle arrays are formed of a plurality of depending arcuately curved vanes that arc away from the vent. The vanes are aerodynamically shaped to redirect wind-blown rain and snow away from the vent and are configured to block the migration of rain and snow through the vent. A pair of spongy conformable filler strips is attached beneath the edge portions of the vent. The filler strips conform to the shapes of underlying shingles when the vent is installed to fill any gaps that otherwise might be formed between the vent and the shingles.

Abstract: A solar module for a roof covering system that generates electrical power from sunlight includes a frame having a bottom surface supported on a deck of a roof, a top surface, and a thickness between the bottom surface and the top surface. The solar module also includes a solar element mounted to the top surface of the frame which has an upper surface, a micro-inverter mounted to the top surface of the frame and to the side of the solar element, and a raised access panel that is removably coupled to the frame to surround the micro-inverter. The raised access panel has an access panel top surface that is elevated above the upper surface of the solar element. top surface of the frame forms a water shedding surface below the micro-inverter for directing water away from the roof.

Abstract: A process for in-line extrusion of polymeric coatings onto roofing shingles during manufacturing includes moving a web of shingle substrate material in a downstream direction and extruding a liquefied coating of polymeric material onto at least one surface of the moving web to form a thin film. The liquefied coating may be a molten polymeric material that forms a thin film on a back surface of the shingle material to prevent sticking and eliminate the need for a traditional back dusting with material such as powdered stone. The polymeric film further may be applied to the substrate material in lieu of a saturation coating of asphalt, thus reducing cost and weight while providing a comparable moisture barrier and a lighter more flexible shingle.

Abstract: It has been discovered that the efficiency of asphalt blow stills can be improved by sectionalizing the blow still with perforated plates at various heights within the blow still. The perforated plates which contain a multitude of holes act to reduce air bubble size and improve the dispersion of the air bubbles throughout the asphalt flux. This increases the total surface area per unit volume of the air bubbles and promotes a faster processing time. The perforated plates also increase the contact time between the air bubbles and the asphalt flux which further results in improved efficiency and reduced blow times. This is beneficial because faster processing times can be achieved resulting in more efficient use of equipment, higher levels of productivity, lower energy requirements, cost savings, reduce blow loss, and reduced thermal history to which the asphalt is exposed.

Abstract: In some embodiments, asphalt shingle waste (ASW) is obtained. In some embodiments, sufficient grinding steps and screening steps can be performed on the ASW to result in ASW powder. In some embodiments, the grinding steps and screening steps can exclude wet extraction steps. In some embodiments, ASW powder and an asphalt coating can be fed into at least one first mixer to form a mixture of the ASW powder and the asphalt coating. In some embodiments, the mixture of the ASW powder and the asphalt coating can be heated to form a heated mixture. In some embodiments, the heated mixture of the ASW powder and the asphalt coating can be conveyed to at least one second mixer. In some embodiments, at least one filler material can be combined with the heated mixture in the second mixer to obtain an ASW powder filled coating.

Abstract: A roof integrated photovoltaic (RIPV) system has a plurality of solar tiles that are mounted to a roof. The tiles may be mounted using a metal batten and hanger system or some other attachment system. Each tile has an electrical edge junction extending reawardly from its top edge. The edge junction is coextensive with or contains the plane of the solar tile and may be slightly thicker than the solar tile. Sockets on opposed ends of the edge junction receive plugs of electrical cables for interconnecting the array of solar tiles together electrically. The edge junctions provide for a low profile installation that mimics the appearance of a traditional roofing tile such as a slate tile. The slightly thicker edge junctions may raise solar tiles of one course above the surfaces of solar tiles of a next lower course to provide ventilation for the RIPV array and to provide accommodating space for system wiring.

Abstract: Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method comprising: obtaining asphalt shingle waste (ASW) and performing grinding, screening, and separating steps on the ASW. In some embodiments, granules are removed from the ASW. In some embodiments, the method transforms ASW into ASW powder. In some embodiments, the ASW powder is formed into a plurality of briquettes. In some embodiments, at least one of: the ASW powder, the plurality of briquettes, or any combination thereof is fed into a mixing process that results in an ASW powder filled coating.

Abstract: It has been found that numerous benefits can be realized by air blowing asphalt in the presence of at least one highly saturated polymer, such as polyisobutylene, and a reactive polymer having glycidyl groups, such as an ethylene-glycidyl-acrylate. This allows for asphalt streams which would typically not be commercially viable for blowing into industrial asphalt that can be used in roofing products and a wide array of other applications. For instance, this technique can be used to air blow currently available paving grade asphalts into industrial asphalt for roofing products. Other potential benefits include shorter processing time (air blowing time), reduced emissions, and blown coatings with improved weatherability. In one embodiment of this invention asphalt is only partially air blown before adding the polymer to attain a product having desired characteristics for specific applications.

Abstract: A roofing material is provided having an asphalt-coated mat or felt made up of or in combinations of fiberglass, polyester, nylon, cotton, cellulosic fibers or materials, polyethylene, polypropylene, co-polymers, melamine, phenolic, acrylics, polycarbonate, carbon fiber, clay, metallic in woven, non-woven, strands or sheets, styrene compounds, rubber, silk, leather, or wool in a woven, non-woven, or solid form. The surfacing materials can be made up of or in combination minerals, plastic particles or film, metal particles or film, cement particles, clay particles, paints, coatings, glass, ceramics, wood, wood fiber, or composite materials.

Abstract: TPO and PVC building membranes are disclosed that comprise RFID tags that are capable of storing identifying information. The RFID tags may be embedded in the membranes. By appropriate positioning of the RFID tags in the core layer of the TPO and PVC membranes, the properties of the membranes such as waterproofness and strength are not degraded by the presence of the tags and the functionality of the tags is not compromised by the manufacturing process. A method of manufacturing the membranes is also disclosed.

Abstract: A roofing material is provided having an asphalt-coated mat or felt made up of or in combinations of fiberglass, polyester, nylon, cotton, cellulosic fibers or materials, polyethylene, polypropylene, co-polymers, melamine, phenolic, acrylics, polycarbonate, carbon fiber, clay, metallic in woven, non-woven, strands or sheets, styrene compounds, rubber, silk, leather, or wool in a woven, non-woven, or solid form. The surfacing materials can be made up of or in combination minerals, plastic particles or film, metal particles or film, cement particles, clay particles, paints, coatings, glass, ceramics, wood, wood fiber, or composite materials.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a thermoplastic polyolefin membrane are provided. The colored TPO membrane can have a cap layer having a top color layer and a white sub-layer having a solar reflectance underneath the top color layer, and a core layer underneath the cap layer. The colored TPO roofing membrane can have a reinforcing polyester scrim between the cap layer and the core layer. The white sub-layer can be made up of one or more layers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a flexible and tough polymer modified asphalt composition which comprises sparging an oxygen containing gas through a liquid high-vinyl polybutadiene modified asphalt, wherein the liquid high-vinyl polybutadiene modified asphalt contains from about 0.25 weight percent to about 20 weight percent of the liquid high-vinyl polybutadiene, wherein the oxygen containing gas is sparged through the liquid high-vinyl polybutadiene modified asphalt at a temperature within the range of about 400° F. to about 550° F. for a period of time which is sufficient to increase the softening point of the asphalt to a value which is within the range of 185° F. to 250° F. and to attain a penetration value of at least 15 dmm to produce the polymer modified asphalt composition.