Sensing roofing system and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12051996-B2
Application number	US-202318463074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2023
Priority date	Sep 13, 2022
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A method including: obtaining a flexible underlayment, wherein the flexible underlayment comprises: a first sensor, wherein the first sensor comprises a first flexible circuit, and wherein the first flexible circuit is configured to: measure a first value representative of a first roofing system condition measurement, wherein the first flexible circuit measures the first value at a first location, wherein a first location identifier indicative of the first location is stored in a database in communication with the first sensor; determine a first roofing system condition in the first location based at least in part on the first value and the first location identifier; and generate a first notification representative of the first roofing system condition; installing the flexible underlayment on a roof deck of a steep slope roof of a structure; installing a first roofing shingle over the flexible underlayment and above at least the first sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a roof deck of a steep slope roof of a structure;
a flexible underlayment installed on the roof deck,
wherein the flexible underlayment comprises:
a first layer,
a first sensor integral with the first layer,
wherein the first sensor comprises a first flexible circuit, and
wherein the first flexible circuit is configured to:
 measure a first value representative of a first roofing system condition,
 wherein the first flexible circuit measures the first value at a first location,
 wherein a first location identifier indicative of the first location is stored in a database in communication with the first sensor,
 determine the first roofing system condition in the first location based at least in part on the first value and the first location identifier, and
 generate a first notification representative of the first roofing system condition in the first location; and

a second sensor integral with the first layer,
wherein the second sensor comprises a second flexible circuit, and
wherein the second flexible circuit is configured to:
 measure a second value representative of a second roofing system condition,
 wherein the second flexible circuit measures the second value at a second location,
 wherein the second location is different from the first location,
 wherein a second location identifier indicative of the second location is stored in the database in communication with the second sensor,
 determine the second roofing system condition in the second location based at least in part on the second value and the second location identifier, and
 generate a second notification representative of the second roofing system condition in the second location;

a first roofing shingle installed on the flexible underlayment,
wherein the first roofing shingle is disposed above at least the first sensor; and

a second roofing shingle installed on the flexible underlayment,
wherein the second roofing shingle is disposed above at least the second sensor,
wherein at least one of the first roofing shingle and the second roofing shingle comprises a photovoltaic module.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first roofing shingle is installed on the flexible underlayment with first fasteners,
wherein the second roofing shingle is installed on the flexible underlayment with second fasteners,
wherein the first and second fasteners do not penetrate either of the first sensor and the second sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible underlayment comprises at least one of:
a fiberglass material,
a fiberglass-reinforced material, or
a polypropylene material.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sensors are disposed on a surface of the flexible underlayment.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor comprises a first printed sensor on a surface the flexible underlayment, and
wherein the second sensor comprises a second printed sensor on the surface.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sensors are disposed within an interior of the flexible underlayment.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second sensors comprises at least one of:
a moisture sensor,
a temperature sensor,
a strain sensor,
a thermal sensor,
a ground fault sensor,
an integrated flex-circuit antenna array, or
an air quality sensor.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first fasteners comprises at least one of: nails, rivets, staples, screws, and adhesive.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first roofing shingle and the second roofing shingle comprises a photovoltaic module.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first roofing shingle comprises a photovoltaic module, and the second roofing shingle comprises a non-photovoltaic module.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible underlayment further comprises:
a first indication on a surface of the flexible underlayment,
wherein the first indication indicates either:
the first location of the first sensor, or
a first fastener area adjacent the first location and configured to receive a first fastener without penetrating the first sensor; and

a second indication on the surface,
wherein the second indication indicates either:
the second location of the second sensor, or
a second fastener area adjacent the second location and configured to
receive a second fastener without penetrating the second sensor.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first indication comprises a first printed marking on a surface of the flexible underlayment.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first fastener,
wherein the first fastener penetrates the first roofing shingle, the flexible underlayment, and the roof deck without penetrating the first sensor and without penetrating the second sensor.

Assignees

• GAF Energy LLC

Inventors

• Nguyen Thierry
• Alovert Igor
• Perkins Richard
• Bunea Gabriela
• Bossini Angelo

Classifications

• B32B2419/06

  Roofs, roof membranes · CPC title

• E04D3/40

  Slabs or sheets locally modified for auxiliary purposes, e.g. for resting on walls, for serving as guttering; Elements for particular purposes, e.g. ridge elements, specially designed for use in conjunction with slabs or sheets {(E04D13/15 and E04D13/174 take precedence; ridge sealing E04D1/36; solar collectors F24S20/67)} · CPC title

• E04D12/002

  Sheets of flexible material, e.g. roofing tile underlay · CPC title

• H02S20/24

  specially adapted for flat roofs · CPC title

• G08B25/018

  Sensor coding by detecting magnitude of an electrical parameter, e.g. resistance · CPC title