Factory fabricated expansion joint cover

Abstract

Expansion joint cover for preventing moisture and debris from entering through a gap in a roof cover or a gap between a roof cover and a wall by providing a bellows-shaped device positioned into the gap and covering the gap with a flexible membrane which extends away from the bellows and covers a substantial portion around the bellows allowing contraction/expansion of the bellows for preventing entry of moisture and debris into the underlying structure.

1 . An expansion joint cover connecting two separate surfaces in a roof or roof/wall area comprising a flexible bellows covering a gap between the roof covering surfaces, said expansion joint cover comprising: 
 a flexible roofing membrane extending outwardly form the center of a bellows; and    a bonding adhesive securing the membrane and the foam bellows to each other at the center portion area of the membrane leaving portions of the foam un-bonded.    
     
     
         2 . The expansion joint cover of  claim 1  wherein an opening in a roof is covered by said expansion joint cover to exclude moisture and debris from entering an underlying structure.  
     
     
         3 . The expansion joint cover of  claim 1  wherein said bellows comprises: 
 a top portion containing a weathering membrane and flexible foam bellows therein attached and;    a bottom portion formed by the un-bonded sections of the flexible foam bellows.    
     
     
         4 . The expansion joint cover of  claim 1  wherein the weathering membrane attached to flexible bellows extends away for the bellows and is sealed into the adjacent roofing and or wall so that the movement of the structures occurs without creating a separation between the bellows and the roof deck.  
     
     
         5 . The expansion joint cover of  claim 1  wherein the single-ply water impermeable sheet is of a polymeric material consisting of thermoplastic olefins, chlorinated polyethylene, ethylene propylene diene rubber, silicone, Hypalon® and mixtures thereof and or in combinations with ridged nailing strips.  
     
     
         6 . The expansion joint cover of  claim 1  wherein said adhesive layer securing the membrane to the foam substrate is selected from a group consisting of: polyvinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl (acetate)-hot melt adhesive, pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesive atactic polypropylene, polyurethane adhesives, thermoplastic adhesive films based with co-polyamides, thermoplastic adhesive film based with mixed polyolefin, copolyamide, animal-based adhesive, asphalt-based adhesive styrol or verstate acrylate types and neoprene rubber cement base adhesive.  
     
     
         7 . The expansion joint cover of  claim 1  further comprising a release liner positioned on the top surface of the adhesive layer to facilitate transport and shipping of the expansion join cover, selected from the group consisting of kraft paper, a film-based, waxed, polycoated or polymeric film.  
     
     
         8 . The expansion joint cover of  claim 7  wherein the release liner is treated with a silicone or a fluorocarbon polymer.  
     
     
         9 . A method of preventing entry of moisture and debris into an underlying structure of a roof, said roof having a gap between two roof surfaces or a gap between a roof surface and a wall surface, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) positioning an expansion joint cover into said gap wherein said expansion joint cover comprises: 
 a flexible bellows for covering the gap between two surfaces of a roof or a gap of a wall-to-roof cover;  
 a single-ply flexible roofing membrane extending outwardly from said bellows onto a substrate;  
 a flexible closed cell foam positioned in said bellows; and  
 a bonding adhesive securing the roofing membrane and the bellows to each other at the center portion area of the bellows leaving portions of the foam un-bonded; and  
   b) placing said bellows and un-bound portions of said foam bellows within joint openings and forming flexed bellows through compression and sealing flange portions to adjacent exterior systems.