ECB Foil Thermal Fusion for Bituminous Membrane Metal Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing devices for roofs, particularly those between roofing membranes and ducts, face issues with bond failure between metal sheets and bituminous membranes under load and deformation, leading to potential water leakage.
Innovation Solution
The use of a foil of Ethylene Copolymer Bitumen (ECB) is introduced to directly bond the bituminous membrane to the metal sheet through thermal fusion, eliminating the need for adhesives and enhancing the mechanical properties of the seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing device uses a metal sheet directly bonded to a bituminous membrane, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the bond fails under load and deformation over time leading to water leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a multi-layer composite structure consisting of a bituminous membrane layer, an ECB foil layer, and a metal sheet layer. The ECB foil acts as an intermediate bonding layer that combines the advantages of both bituminous materials and metal, providing improved adhesion and mechanical properties. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by enhancing bond durability through material composition while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ECB foil serves as an intermediary layer between the bituminous membrane and the metal sheet. This intermediate layer facilitates bonding by providing compatible surfaces for both materials, enabling thermal fusion with the bituminous membrane while maintaining adhesive bonding with the metal sheet. The mediator resolves the contradiction by preventing direct contact between incompatible materials and enabling durable bonding under load and deformation.
2Strength
If adhesive layers are used to bond the metal sheet to the bituminous membrane, then bonding strength is improved, but the device complexity increases and long-term reliability under deformation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional adhesive bonding with thermal fusion bonding using the ECB foil. The ECB foil is thermally fused to the bituminous membrane, creating a monolithic bond that eliminates the need for separate adhesive layers. This substitution resolves the contradiction by providing both high bonding strength and improved reliability under deformation, as the thermally fused bond maintains flexibility and adhesion where conventional adhesives would fail.
3Reliability
If the sealing device uses multiple layers including ECB foil, then bonding strength and reliability are improved, but manufacturing complexity and process difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the bonding functions of multiple layers into a unified ECB foil structure that performs both thermal fusion with the bituminous membrane and adhesive bonding with the metal sheet. This merging of functions into a single intermediate layer simplifies the manufacturing process by reducing the number of separate bonding operations required, while maintaining high seal reliability through the composite structure.
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 solution significantly improves the bonding strength between the bituminous membrane and the metal sheet, preventing water ingress and ensuring a durable, leakage-proof seal over time.
Implementation Method 1
the piece of the bituminous membrane (10) is bonded directly to the foil (20) of ethylene copolymer bitumen (ECB) by heating, wherein the foil (20) of ethylene copolymer bitumen (ECB) is furthermore bonded directly to the metal sheet (30) by heating
Implementation Method 2
which lining is degraded by the heating, whereby the foil of ethylene copolymer bitumen (ECB) is fused to the bituminous membrane by migration when the plastic material film layer has degraded as a consequence of the heating
Data Source
Figure 1~2a
Figure 2b~2c
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to sealing device (1) for installation in a roof (2), to form part of a vent (5) or a rain water drainage (6), the sealing device (1) comprising a bituminous membrane (10) having a perimeter (11), a first surface (12), an opposite second surface (14) and a through-going aperture (16), a foil (20) of ethylene copolymer bitumen (ECB) having a perimeter (21), a first surface (22), an opposite second surface (24) and a through-going opening (26) aligned with said through-going aperture (16) of said bituminous membrane (10), said foil (20) being fused to said bituminous membrane (10), a metal sheet (30) having a perimeter (31), a first surface (32), an opposite second surface (34) and a through-going aperture (36) aligned with said through going aperture (16) of said bituminous membrane (10), said foil (20) being fused to said metal sheet (30), and a metal collar (40) including i) a first portion (47) contacting said first surface (12) of said bituminous membrane (10) along the periphery (17) of said through-going aperture (16) of said bituminous membrane (10) and ii) a second portion (48) extending through said through-going apertures (16, 26, 36), preferably contacting said metal sheet (30).