Resaturation of asphalt shingles

Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Repairing or restoring consumer used articles for reuse – Inorganic material containing articles

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C264S343000, C427S138000, C427S140000, C106S244000, C106S246000, C106S277000, C516S029000, C516S047000, C516S198000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06495074

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a method for maintaining as well as restoring the flatness and flexibility to asphalt roofing shingles and strips of flat roofing.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 AND 1.98
This invention is a method of maintaining as well as restoring the flatness and flexibility to asphalt roofing materials, flat strips and shingles, which have become hardened, inflexible, and may be curled. Hardening, inflexibility, shrinking, and curling is a natural consequence of exposure to the atmosphere, weather and sun for an extended period. These effects result in breakage of the shingles, spontaneous cracking, and, subsequently, leakage and are generally taken as an indication that the roof must be replaced. Such degraded asphalt roofing materials will be termed “aged shingles” in this application.
Most asphalt is derived from the distillation of petroleum and is the residue which has a boiling point of greater than 600 degrees C. Asphalt is made primarily of hydrocarbons of various length along with molecules incorporating nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen.
A number of chemical processes have been implicated in the reaction of asphalt with air, moisture, and sunlight including the following. Evaporation causes loss of volatile materials, in a process which is strongly impacted by temperature. Oxidation involves the reaction of oxygen with the chemical components of the asphalt and the reaction also is very temperature dependent. The result is incorporation of oxygen in the asphalt structure or the loss of a portion of that structure in the form of carbon dioxide or water. The asphalt therefore may lose or gain weight. Incorporation of oxygen into asphalt results in the oxidation of polar aromatic compounds resulting in compounds which are insoluble in paraffins and are termed asphaltenes. Asphaltenes have been implicated in the hardening of asphalts. Carbonization is the formation of free or elemental carbon from the asphalt and is accompanied by the loss of hydrogen from the asphalt molecules. Oxidation and carbonization both are highly stimulated by sunlight. Polymerization is due to condensation and polymerization of the component long chain molecules of asphalt. It takes place rapidly in newly poured asphalt and thereafter takes place predominantly on the surface of an asphalt shingle. Asphalt absorbs moisture to a certain degree, and when this happens, water soluble components of the asphalt are leached out. Water induced leaching is especially noticeable in asphalt which has been significantly oxidized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,270 discloses an apparatus for cleaning build-up roofs by removing residual dust and fines. Such dust is stated to absorb hot resaturant material applied to the roof, thereby preventing the saturation of the roof mat by applied resaturant. The apparatus uses a combination of high and low pressure washing and a vacuum chamber to remove disrupted fines before the fines resettle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,375 discloses a resaturant for flat built-up roofs in the form of a oil phase emulsion in a water phase. The oil phase consists of a blend of bitumen and aromatic hydrocarbons. A built-up roof is constructed of one or more layers of tar- or asphalt-impregnated felt. A sealant layer of tar or asphalt covers the felt and gravel is spread on the top to provide abrasion resistance. As the built-up roof ages, the sealant layer becomes eroded, checked, and cracked. In addition, the felt layers lose their flexibility and become torn. These processes result in leakage of water through the roof. The resaturant restores the waterproof qualities and furthermore restores the suppleness of the felt layers, thereby extending the lifetime of the built-up roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,497 discloses a cold patch composition for pavement repair which is uses recycled asphalt roofing wastes as a source of asphalt, filler, and fiber. The asphalt roof wastes are ground to provide a desirable particle size distribution, aggregate (crushed stone) is added, along with solvent (petroleum distillate solvents, including fuel oil, kerosene, mineral spirits, flux oils and the like) and anti-strip agents, which affect the water/moisture stability in the asphalt in some way. The resulting cold patch has properties of work ability and green-strength unexpected for a cold patch containing so large a proportion of recycled asphalt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,586 discloses a maintenance system for residential roofing materials which includes film forming emulsion polymers and water soluble polyvalent metallic salts. A film is formed on the surface of the roofing material which has the properties of enhancing the appearance of the roof by suppressing the growth of algae. The polymers act to retain the preferred polyvalent metallic salts of copper, tin and zinc and thereby sustain their antimicrobial effect.
None of the prior art disclosures achieve the results of the present invention, that of maintaining as well as restoring to a flattened and supple form roofing shingles which have dried-out, become hard, and curled up. A typical asphalt shingle roof has a lifetime of about 20 years. A new roof may be applied over the old shingles, but accepted practice requires that old shingles be removed before a third roof is applied, at a removal cost approximating the cost of applying a new roof. A single use of the resaturant of the present invention extends the life of a 20-year roof by about three years or 15%. The treatment may be repeated for at least one additional extension of roof life. Thus the present invention provides substantial economic advantage to the user by deferring the costs of removal of the old roof and installation of the new roof.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.
This invention is a method of maintaining as well as restoring asphalt roofing shingles and strips which have become hardened, inflexible and curled through the process of weathering, termed “aged shingles” in this disclosure. The term “roo” will be used to mean asphalt shingles and strips applied to both flat and peaked roofs or to vertical walls. The term “resaturant” will be used to include liquids whose use in maintaining and restoring aged shingles is disclosed in this application. Other terms may be used to describe resaturants, such as rejuvenator, renewer, reinvigorator, preserver, preservative, sealer and sealant. The invention involves applying a resaturant to a roof which needs treatment. Suitable resaturants include fatty acid methyl esters, methyl esters of soybean oil, and petroleum distillates, and water emulsions of these resaturants, and mixtures of these resaturants, and water emulsions of mixtures of these resaturants.
An objective of this invention is to extend the lifetime of asphalt shingle and strip roofs.
Another objective is to cause hardened and curled asphalt shingles to become supple and to flatten.
Another objective is to provide a nonflammable method of treating asphalt shingles with resaturant.
Another objective is to provide a resaturant emulsion which allows convenient limitation of the amount of resaturant applied in a single application of the emulsion.
Another objective is to provide a method of treatment of weathered asphalt shingles and strips which allows spraying of the treatment solution.
Another objective is to provide a method of treatment of asphalt shingles and strips which can be brushed onto the surface being treated.
Another objective is to provide a method of treatment of asphalt shingles and strips which can be rolled onto the surface being treated.
Another objective is to provide a resaturant which has minimal rates of evaporation from the asphalt shingles or strips after treatment.
Another objective is to provide a resaturant which can be readily absorbed by the asphalt shingles or strips.
Anoth

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