Bitumen Membrane Welding Device with Lifting Ramps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for welding bitumen membranes to substrates are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to errors, especially when dealing with large areas or roof edges, due to the need for constant hand-held burner operation and manual alignment, which can lead to uneven heating and increased risk of leaks or damage.
Innovation Solution
A device with a lifting element that allows successive longitudinal sections of the bitumen membrane to be raised and heated directly, enabling direct welding to the substrate without rolling up the membrane, combined with a pressure roller for uniform pressing and adjustable burner segments for efficient heat distribution, allowing for continuous operation and reduced energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hand-held gas burner is used to heat the bitumen membrane and substrate, then welding can be performed, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical operation of holding and moving a gas burner with an automated welding device that incorporates a burner mounted on a wheeled cart. The device can be pushed along the roof, automatically heating and welding the bitumen membrane to the substrate, thereby converting a labor-intensive manual process into a more efficient semi-automated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The welding device combines multiple functions into a single unit: it includes a burner for heating, wheels for mobility, and can weld both the bitumen membrane and the substrate simultaneously. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate manual operations of heating, positioning, and pressing, thereby improving productivity while maintaining welding quality.
2Productivity
If the bitumen membrane is heated insufficiently or unevenly, then welding can be completed faster, but unwelded areas occur leading to leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The automated welding device with its mounted burner provides more consistent and controlled heating compared to manual operation. The burner can be positioned closer to the membrane and maintained at a steady distance, ensuring uniform heat distribution across the welding area, which prevents unwelded spots while maintaining efficient welding speed.
3Ease of operation
If the bitumen membrane is rolled up before welding, then it can be handled easily, but the process becomes time-consuming and requires constant unrolling
Solution Approach 1:
The bitumen membrane is pre-rolled into bundles for easy transport and storage, but before welding begins, the membrane is unrolled and laid out on the substrate in its final position. The welding device then proceeds to weld the membrane while it remains in this unrolled state, eliminating the need for repeated rolling and unrolling operations during the welding process.
4Reliability
If the hot wedge is used to heat the bitumen membrane from below, then welding can be performed, but the starting area cannot be welded to the device
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of heating the bitumen membrane from below using a hot wedge that cannot reach the starting area, the patent positions the burner above the membrane to heat it from the top. This inverted approach allows the burner to access and weld the starting area of the membrane, as well as all subsequent areas, eliminating the limitation of the hot wedge design.
5Ease of operation
If the device is stopped during welding with the hot wedge under the membrane, then operation can be paused, but the membrane can be damaged by direct contact with the heated wedge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hot wedge system with a burner-mounted system that heats the membrane from above without direct contact. This eliminates the risk of membrane damage from direct contact with a heated surface, while still allowing the device to be stopped and restarted during welding operations, as the burner can be easily controlled and repositioned.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method significantly reduces labor and time required for welding, minimizes the risk of leaks and damage, and allows for efficient welding of large areas and roof edges, while ensuring uniform heating and reduced energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
the underside of the raised longitudinal sections is heated by means of a burner device integrated in the lifting element and melted
Implementation Method 2
the underside of the raised longitudinal sections is heated by means of a burner device integrated in the lifting element and melted
Implementation Method 3
a pressure roller presses the heated bitumen membrane onto the substrate, so that the bitumen membrane is welded to the substrate over the entire surface and homogeneously
Data Source
AI summary
The device (200) has a lever element (204) movable in a longitudinal direction (X) of an asphalt sheeting (8) and comprising ramps (204a, 204b) for successive lifting of elongate sections of the asphalt sheeting. The ramps rise based on a side of the lever element, where the side points in a movement direction during normal use. A flame burner (205) fuses a lower side of the sheeting and is arranged in such a manner that lower sides of the elongate sections leaving from the ramps are exposed to heat. A pressing roller (202) presses the fused elongate sections on a subsurface (9). An independent claim is also included for a method for complete welding of a starting area of an asphalt sheeting.