Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-11
2001-05-01
Johnstone, Adrienne C. (Department: 1733)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C052S169500, C052S169140, C052S515000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224700
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to methods for waterproofing architectural components in situ by applying waterproofing compositions to form elastomeric membranes over the components and adhering polymeric sheets to surfaces of those membranes to protect the surfaces from punctures and tears.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically, architectural components such as walls are designed, at least in part, to isolate the interiors of buildings from the environment. For example, the walls of a building are typically constructed so as to exclude excessive levels of water and water vapor from the interior of the building. Apart from possible discomfort of occupants of the building, excessive levels of water or water vapor may lead to impairment of materials used to construct the building. For this reason, those skilled in the art have adopted various techniques for waterproofing architectural components.
Prefabricated “peel and stick” waterproofing materials have been proposed, such as those shown in Uffner U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,478,912 and 4,537,921, and in Harkness U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,567. These materials have have included contact adhesives for adhering the materials to the exteriors of architectural components they were intended to waterproof. While these “peel and stick” materials were easy to apply under ideal circumstances, they did not conform well to irregular surfaces. Apart from this, the adhesives used to secure these materials to the architectural components often did not bond tightly or durably with the exteriors of the components.
One prior art technique for waterproofing architectural components included spreading asphaltic or bituminous materials over the components and allowing the materials to harden to form water-resistant layers. One drawback to this technique was that the water-resistant layers formed in this manner were prone to cracking as the underlying architectural components themselves expanded, contracted or cracked. Such cracking of the water-resistant layers provided water-conducting channels through the layers, thereby compromising the value of the layers as waterproofing. Attempts to prevent such cracking by adhering textile materials or felt to the exteriors of the layers were not uniformly successful.
Roberts et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,531 proposed a solvent mixture of a petroleum distillate and toluene used to dissolve a hydrocarbon resin and block copolymers of styrene and butadiene. The solution was applied to newly constructed basement walls to provide a water-resistant elastomeric coating on the walls.
Raskin et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,752,275 proposed a masonry construction unit having on one surface an initial coating comprising a polyester resin and a filler; a fibrous mat bonded to the initial coating; and a finish coating on the outer surface of the fibrous mat. After eliminating any moisture in the masonry construction unit, the initial coating was applied by means, for example, of a blade or trowel. While the initial coating was in a more or less tacky state, a layer of fibrous mat material was applied thereover. Upon the surface of this mat there was then applied the finish coating. Surfaces formed in this manner have been criticized as being fragile, subject to cracking similar to that which bedeviled water-resistant layers formed from asphaltic or bitumenous materials.
K-Gall U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,058 proposed a waterproof covering device including a textile core. The textile core was covered on its external side with an external waterproof pellicle or film and was united with a base through an internal film. To manufacture the covering device, a fluid material which would produce the internal film was brought on the surface of the base. While a part of this fluid material was still in its fluid state, the textile core was laid down on it. The external pellicle apparently was formed on the textile core either before or after the textile core was laid down on the internal film. An important characteristic of this covering device lay on the fact that there remained, between the external pellicle and the internal film, a portion of non-impregnated textile which retained its flexibility.
Despite these proposals, there remains a need in the art for methods for waterproofing architectural surface in which durable waterproofing coverings are formed in situ in a relatively fast and efficient manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This need and others are addressed by a method for waterproofing an architectural component comprising the steps of applying a waterproofing composition to an exterior of the component above a grade line to form a non-swellable elastomeric membrane having a tacky surface and pressing a flexible, non-porous polymeric sheet formed of a material stronger than the elastomeric membrane onto the tacky surface of the elastomeric membrane. Since the membrane which couples the flexible, non-porous polymeric sheet to the exterior of the architectural component is elastomeric, it can stretch to accomodate expansion, contraction or cracking of the underlying architectural component without cracking itself. On the other hand, the inherent weakness of the elastomeric material leaves its surface vulnerable to punctures and tears. The polymeric sheet which adheres to the surface of the elastomeric membrane acts as a tough skin to protect the surface of the elastomeric membrane from damage.
Exemplary waterproofing compositions include solutions of non-swellable thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene/butadiene block copolymers dissolved in volatile organic solvents. Preferably, such compositions are airlessly sprayed or painted onto the architectural components by techniques familiar to those of ordinary skill in the art to form viscous films on the components' exteriors. As the volatile organic solvents evaporate, the thermplastic elastomers harden to form the elastomeric membranes.
Exemplary polymeric sheets include two-ply cross-laminated high density polyethylene sheets. Preferably, upper edges of the polymeric sheets are secured to the exteriors of the architectural components by means of waterproof securing aids such as mastic or fiber glass-backed adhesive tape to prevent moisture from seeping downwardly past the polymeric sheets and the elastomeric membranes. The polymeric sheets may also be secured around windows or other openings in a similar fashion to prevent water from seeping through the waterproofing system.
In accordance with an especially preferred embodiment, bricks are laid adjacent the polymeric sheets to form exterior walls or other features of buildings. Weep or drainage holes are formed in the lowest courses of the bricks, either in the bricks themselves or in the surrounding mortar. Water which condenses and collects on the surfaces of the polymeric sheets runs downwardly between the sheets and the bricks so as to drain through the weep holes to the exteriors of the buildings.
The invention will be further described in conjunction with the appended drawings and detailed description.
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“Material Safety Data Sheet
Biebel & French
Johnstone Adrienne C.
Mar-Flex Systems, Inc.
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