Arrangement of a substrate for grassing a roof and procedure for its fabrication.

The invention relates to a substrate arrangement for roof according to the preamble of claim 1, a method for producing this substrate assembly, an apparatus for performing this method as well as a backing plate for such a substrate assembly.

The term "roof" is meant a substrate in each area planting, which is not in communication with the ground and thus the groundwater. Such roof thus forms not only ornamental gardens on the roofs of residential and commercial buildings, but also covers the roofs of underground garages and other underground facilities.

The particular advantage of a green roof is not only in the esthetic effect and environmental improvement, but especially in the heat-insulating effect of the roof. Here are those temperature fluctuations, which is exposed to the construction underlying the roof, so greatly reduced that logically the roofing far lesser impact by temperature fluctuations.

To keep the weight load on the roof structure as low as possible, it seeks to use a very thin substrate layer carrying the actual vegetation and is generally referred to hereinafter as "vegetation substrate". This layer therefore has only a relatively small recording and storage efficiency for water.

Therefore, it is necessary firstly to ensure proper drainage, so that even with a large thunderstorm or rain on the roof waterproofing accumulates no hydrostatic water pressure. On the other hand, it is necessary that a certain amount of water is stored in order to avoid the drying up of vegetation substrate and thus failures in the planting.

Furthermore, it should be ensured that the vegetation substrate is not washed away at its surface by water running possible.

When storing water is to ensure that in the area of ​​plant roots always are reasonable proportion of air is present; this is not due to, for example, water supersaturation of the case, this leads to the precipitation fouling.

Finally, the entire substrate assembly should turn preferably also be as viable in order to allow the driving eg garden machined equipment such as lawn mowers and the like, as far as this makes the type of planting required.

It is already known, for water storage and drainage below the vegetation substrate to arrange a water storage layer of open-cell foam whose pore size is such that this layer like a sponge absorbs a large amount of water and holds back, but excess water can seep down. Below this water storage layer, a drainage layer is arranged, which serves allows quickly drain the water from the roof.

This substrate assembly has proven itself in use, but can not be used in those cases where a greater load carrying capacity is required because the carrying capacity of water storage layer is relatively low, and since, as already mentioned above, the often thin layers of vegetation substrate not for a sufficient effect kraftverteilende care, so that the force applied to the vegetation substrate loading essentially unchanged strikes the rigid foam.

This disadvantage can help the generic, known substrate arrangement (DE-OS 35 02 296) from the fact that it uses a carrier plate having upwardly open water storage chambers. Above the carrier plate is the vegetation substrate, while below the support plate a Dränagezone attached. In the water storage chambers a wick cloth dips, which is in contact with a support plate on the set irrigation fleece.

When irrigation to fill the water storage chambers with water until they are filled. Upon further irrigation water via the water storage chambers overflows and passes through channels from the top of the support plate down in the Dränagezone.

The roof supporting the substrate assembly, in order to allow for drainage or run downhill. Since setting a free water level in the Wasserpeicherkammern, they must be relatively small in order to avoid that in downhill laid carrier plate, the storage volume of the water storage chambers is reduced drastically. For this reason, the known substrate assembly for greening pitched roofs is also unsuitable.

The same applies to similar substrate assemblies that operate with water storage and which make up the water level within a rubble-like layer, which is formed for example from Blähtonkörpern as in a hydroponics.

Of course, these substrate assemblies also sealing problems; when a water storage chamber or a large water storage area is leaking, the water runs off, so that ultimately the water supply of the plants is not fully ensured at all points.

At a higher load on the known substrate assembly water is squeezed from the wick tabs and irrigation fleece and flows back only partially in the water storage chambers. For frequently repeated stress thus the water storage chambers are pumped literally.

Starting from this prior art, the invention has the object of developing the known substrate assembly to the effect that for the same load capacity and loading the storage capability is improved, regardless of frequent strain, and also creates the possibility that the substrate assembly on more slope in relocate.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1.

Here, the water storage chambers are filled according to the invention of a spongy packing from verrottungssicherem open pore, wasseraufsaugendem foam flush substantially with the upper edge of the supporting walls of the support plate. The water storage chambers have base openings on the Dränagezone out.

The filler acts as a sponge, water and takes up to its saturation. Is further fed from above the water, then delivers the appropriate amount of water on the underside of the filling body again and passes through the bottom openings of the water storage chambers into the Dränagezone.

Here, however, always remains in the packing even at its saturation, a certain proportion of air, so that the danger of a lack of air is completely excluded.

The storage capacity of the filler is substantially independent of its spatial position, so that the substrate assembly of the invention can also be installed on steep downhill documents, has come to ensure that the excess water escapes by gravity to the bottom openings.

As a result of this effect of the packing, it is also possible to increase the water storage chambers, so that the entire storage volume of the support plate can be increased ver, insofar as their viability is not compromised.

Due to the capillary and the water is pumped up when the vegetation substrate overlying the filler should be dry in the packing. On the other hand if an excessive water volume, the water is always derived in a substantially vertical direction in the Dränagezone; a cross-flow at the bottom of the vegetation substrate, such as is possible with the overflow of the water storage chambers the generic substrate assembly is thus avoided, so that the vegetation substrate also can not be washed away there.

In the substrate assembly according to the invention can virtually any capacity can be set, by a suitable choice of the material of the support plate and by a suitable choice of the cross section of the water storage chambers.

The walls of the water storage chambers may have about their height across a constant width, which has the advantage that a particularly large volume of water storage chambers is formed in this way.

To prevent buckling of the walls under high loads, but they are widened in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the underside of the support plate out, so that will be formed downward tapered water storage chambers. It therefore represents the support plate is a very viable entity that nevertheless a high volume fraction of the water storage chambers is unnecessary, so that on the one hand high hydrating action and on the other hand high load capacity is guaranteed.

Depending on the load, the water storage chambers may have according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention square, honeycomb or round cross-section, in particular a carrier plate with round water storage chambers adapted to receive inclined forces also to its surface, as when walking or even driving a sloping roof occur. In order to increase particularly in this case, the buckling strength of the walls even further, these are rounded off at the bottom edges of the water storage chambers.

The openings in the bottom of the water storage chambers should always be relatively small, in order to achieve that the filler possible lies flat so that a very high storage capacity of the packing is ensured by avoiding local overloading. It would therefore, in principle appropriate to provide for a plurality of smaller openings in the floor.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous to each floor to provide only a single opening which is large enough that it is not accidentally blocked during installation of the support plate.

As far as the packings are fixed in the carrier plate, they can even serve to anchor roots, which grow into the pores of the packing, but without thereby to lead to the roots of the total water storage chamber, as may be the case with the generic substrate assembly. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, an additional root anchoring layer is provided, which serves not only to the roots to provide support, but also prevents forces on the roots and the substrate in the packings are introduced, which could result in water is pressed out from the filling bodies and thus lost water storage volume.

Such root anchoring layer is preferably made of a coarse mash ingen woven, knitted or grid of plastic or other material, preferably of a polyolefin formed. Such a wide-meshed tissue sealing Amend when there is strong rooted, the stability of the plant.

The root anchoring layer may be disposed above the carrier plate and moved either loose in the vegetation substrate or pointwise fixed to the carrier plate or individual carrier plates. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention but the root anchoring layer is secured directly to the top of the packing. Here, the root anchoring layer takes when it is deeply rooted, the largest share of the introduced into the roots forces and transmits them to the walls of the support plate. At the same time the root tips engage into the pores of the packing, so that with a drying up of the vegetation substrate from above watering the plants is guaranteed so long as it is stored so long in the packing or water.

It is according to another embodiment of the invention either expedient to arrange the filter layer below the openings of the carrier plate or the size of the pore openings of the filling body to set so that this filler body in turn act as a filter and prevent the ingress of fine particles from the vegetation substrate. In this filter stable packings can be dispensed with a filter fleece, if the butt edge region is sealed.

The support plate can in turn consist of a plastic foam, which can also be porous, if appropriate, and in turn has water-retaining ability; the ability of water retention but resigned over the load. It is also possible not to form the support plate and the walls made of solid foam, but to form from a sheet or plate, said film or sheet may be a solid plastic material or possibly a foamed plastic material.

Although polystyrene foam appears particularly advantageous as the material of the carrier plate, it is basically also possible to use completely different materials for the support plate, for example, concrete with aggregates (zBEPS, straw) or without this, sheet metal, and the like.

The filler may be composed of a variety of materials, provided they do the desired sponge-like effect, since the packing themselves with appropriate dimensioning of the water storage chambers need no or receive only small forces. Preferably, however, rigid polyurethane foam, wherein the suitable pore size can be adjusted easily and is completely rot-proof also for years to come.

are according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, as in the generic substrate assembly, the edges of the support plates designed so that they complementarily the edges of adjacent support plates below. or overlap. But while even at the generic substrate assembly overflowing water must be passed through channels in the carrier plates to Dränagezone so that the edge joints between adjacent support plates also form such channels in the substrate assembly according to the invention the edge of adjacent carrier plates is optionally configured yet under indentation of a seal groove, that the best possible seal against water takes place, in order to achieve that all reaching to the substrate arrangement water has to flow through the filling bodies, to obtain these possible saturated.

Moreover, a further embodiment of the invention is that the walls between adjacent water storage chambers having at its top a notch; Namely, when, in a continuous process for forming the foam filler is filled in the water storage chambers as described further below, then this foam between two adjacent chambers forms a bead which extends over a wall of time and is exposed to the load. A corresponding notch on this point on the wall this caterpillar remains unloaded.

The invention also relates to a process for the production as simple as possible the above-described substrate assembly according to the invention.

It would in principle be possible to deform the support plates on the one hand and on the other hand the filling bodies in separate operations and then to insert the filling bodies in the carrier plates, glued or otherwise incorporate. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the carrier plate is first made either so that the bottom of the water storage chambers is closed. In this so closed water storage chambers plastic now is filled, which foams in the water storage chambers, in an amount such that the water storage chambers are at least completely filled. When using polyurethane foam results in the additional advantage that it is very tacky, so that it is firmly adhered to the walls of the water storage chambers.

Subsequently, the sealed openings are opened in the bottom of the water storage chambers, either by decreasing the carrier plate of a correspondingly shaped device or by sawing, punching, cutting, milling or other working out at a downstream processing station.

To the extent that forms on the surface of the filler body formed by foaming a sealed surface, as is the case with some foam materials, the pores are open or perforations introduced in this surface skin subsequently again. When the packing protrudes beyond the carrier plate, it is possible for example to cut the protruding part, at the same time open pores are produced. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is particularly advantageous to incorporate in the surface skin of the filler openings by means of a needle roller, which openings may be sized now that they prevent despite using a large pore packed foam penetration of fine particles from the vegetation substrate and filter stable.

According to a further embodiment of the method the material forming the root anchoring layer coarse mesh or grid is applied to the carrier plate before foaming of the water storage chambers, which by this root anchoring layer through the foaming process takes place. For this purpose, however, it is necessary to hold down the root anchoring layer, so that they will not be pushed by the push-up foam. hold to hold down, it is possible, the root anchoring layer baste previously on the support plate; it is also possible to hold down the root anchoring layer by means of rollers. Due to the high adhesive power of polyurethane foam, it is expedient, however, to apply a stick-film between the rollers and the support plate, which may remain as a protective film on the support plate and need not be removed until after installation.

According to another embodiment of the invention it is also possible to impress the root anchoring layer in the as yet uncured foam, which can also be done by rolling the interposition of a film.

It is basically possible to separately introduce the components of the foam in the water storage chambers and only therein initiate foaming. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, a pre-mixed, foamable material is already introduced continuously from a mixing and dosing in the past run under him water storage chambers in which the already initiated foaming process is completed.

The invention also concerns a particularly simple apparatus for carrying out the inventive method; it would be possible to arrange adjacent to each row of water storage chambers a separate mixing and dosing head, juxtaposed to attach these heads and through move the support plate under these heads. However, the device according to the invention has on one Ausschäumstation which the carrier plates are fed by means of a roller or belt conveyor, only a single mixing or dispensing head to which is moved in the direction of movement of the plates and transversely to this.

It would be basically a meandering or serpentine path of movement of the mixing head expedient; according to a preferred Ausgesatltung the invention, this trajectory but the form of a double loop track, which is composed of straight curves, each of which forms the shape of a Z and a mirror-Z. These two curves are superimposed on each other and cross each other in the center.

Such curve allows for relatively slow movement of the filling of all water storage chambers by a single mixing and dosing.

In use, the substrate assembly according to the invention, a sufficiently high thickness of the vegetation substrate forms, provided on each water storage chamber after a long time a vault-like stress distribution, which ensures that all applied forces are introduced into the walls of the support plate.

The object of the invention is, for example, explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing; This shows:<ul><li>Fig. 1 shows a substrate assembly according to the invention in cross-section,</li><li>Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of a erfindungungsgemäßen substrate assembly,</li><li>. 3 shows the cross section of a preferred form of water storage chambers, such as may be used in the arrangement of Fig. 1 and Fig 2,</li><li>Fig. 4a and b show cross sections through further embodiments of a water storage chamber,</li><li>FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c the top view of different embodiments of carrier plates, and </li><li>Fig. 6a and 6b different embodiments of the edge forming the support plate according to the invention.</li></ul>

In Fig. 1 a first embodiment of a substrate assembly is shown with a formed of a vegetation substrate layer 1, a carrier carrying this plate 2, and one among these arranged Dränagezone substrate 3. This assembly rests on a roof structure 4.

The vegetation substrate layer 1 shown is about 5 to 20 cm thick and useful in this thickness only for extensive greening (lawn, Käruter and the like). If intensive planting is to take place, such as bushes, trees and the like, then the thickness of the vegetation substrate layer should be increased to about 20 to 60 cm.

On the vegetation substrate layer 1 facing surface of the support plate 2, a root anchoring tissue 5 is attached to this, which is formed by a wide-meshed knitted fabric, for example polyethylene.

In the carrier plate 2 water storage chambers 6 are formed, the width of which decreases from top to bottom and are down largely closed. The water storage chambers 6 are completely filled with filling bodies, which are the clarity of illustration by not shown in the drawing.

In the bottom, each water storage chamber 6 has an opening 7, whose diameter is substantially smaller than that of the soil.

Through the openings 7, the water storage chambers 6 are connected to the lower surface of the supporting plate the second

The carrier plate 2 is seated on a non-woven filter layer 8, which in turn rests on a so coarsely porous layer 9, that the water is not retained in the pores, but can proceed unhindered.

The individual water storage chambers separated from each other walls are widening 10 down and are so stable adapted to all applied to the vegetation substrate 1 forces forward into the large-pore foam layer 9 down.

After prolonged use forms over the top of each filling body or of any water storage chamber 6 a dome-like stress distribution, which ensures that the forces can be reliably introduced into the walls 10 and not in the packing.

In FIG. 2, a further embodiment of a substrate assembly is shown which is similar to that in FIG. 1. Like reference numerals indicate like elements, which are not mentioned in the substrate assembly of FIG. 2 in detail.

The main difference of the second embodiment to the first lies in a reduced height of the Dränagezone 3; in the embodiment of FIG. 2 is in the Dränagezone 3 not, as in the embodiment of FIG. 1, a water dissipative, wholesale and open-cell foam provided but a free air gap with a relatively low level, which is determined and maintained by spacer feet 12 which are integrally formed on the underside of the carrier plate 2nd

Since the support plate 2 in turn consists of a very sustainable material, meet relatively few spacer feet 12, so that they do not impede the flow of water in the Dränagezone. 3

The shape of the filling bodies which are arranged in the water storage chambers 6, coincides with that of the embodiment of Fig. 1; these filling bodies each have the shape of a truncated pyramid of square section.

In Fig. 3 water storage chambers 6 are shown with a different education; complementary to those of each of the packed columns, not shown in Fig. 3 These are spherical truncated ausegbildet, the edge between the peripheral surface and the smaller top surface of the truncated cone is strongly rounded. This results in the lower region greatly thickened partitions 10, which thus have an increased resistance to kinking and provide a very high load capacity for besondes shown in Fig. 3 the support plate 2.

Another special feature of the carrier plate 2 shown in FIG. 3 consists in a notch 13, the separating in the top of the two adjacent water storage chambers 6 wall 10 is recessed.

In preparing the support plate, this may initially be formed without the bottom openings 7; then the carrier plate 2 is passed under a material not shown, continuously providing foamable dosing and mixing head, the notch 13 during the advance of the carrier plate 2 relative to the dosing and mixing head just passes under this. Since this head in turn continuously delivers the foamable material, drips and some of this material in the notch 13, the size of which is determined so that the passing into this notch material indentation 13 substantially just fills to its foaming. Thereby it is avoided that during foaming the water storage chambers 6 between each two adjacent water storage chambers a foam bead passes over the front end of the respective wall 10, projects beyond the upper surface of the supporting plate the second

After foaming the water storage chambers 6 and after solidification of the foam, the holes 7 are punched out from the bottom, milled with an end mill or introduced in any other way.

In Fig. 4 are enlarged and detallierter two different water storage chambers and thus filler 6, which may be formed either on one and the same carrier plate 2 or at different carrier plates.

. The packing for the water storage chambers 6 shown in Figures 4a and 4b agree in their dimensions in complete agreement; they are truncated pyramid.

The water storage chamber of the embodiment of Fig. 4b coincides with that of FIG. 4a substantially over one, with the exception of the fact that the bottom surface of the water storage chamber 6 is strongly reduced.

In Fig. 5a-c is a plan view of an embodiment of a carrier plate 2 in greatly reduced scale is shown in each case. The panels 2 are rectangular and have edge lengths preferably of 750 or 1000 mm.

The embodiment of FIG. 5a has water storage chambers 6, whose filler body is a truncated pyramid and which are shown in Fig. 4a. . The embodiment of Figure 5b has water storage chambers 6 with a honeycomb cross-section; this embodiment achieved at relatively high strength at particularly high water storage capacity of the carrier plate 2. The embodiment of Figure 5c has water storage chambers 6 with a round cross-section, as shown for example in Fig. 3. this support plate has particularly thick walls and is thus particularly stable.

As already shown in FIGS. 5a and 5c can be seen, two neighboring edges of the support plate 2 in a protruding strip, to the complementarily the other two edges are formed so that they engage over the bar 14 when stringing setting the carrier plates 2.

In Fig. 6a is a first embodiment of such a seal between two adjacent carrier plates 2 is shown, with a strip 14, having a substantially rectangular cross-section which is approximately half as high as the support plate 2, while the complementary formation 15 has the same cross-section as the strip 14, however, is arranged on the underside of the carrier plate 2nd

. In the embodiment of Figure 6b, both the rib 14 and the complementary formation 15 are formed with a substantially L-shaped cross-section, wherein one leg faces downwardly bzw- above; when such panels 2 are placed side by side, then over and engages behind the strip 14 the complementary formation 15 and forms a labyrinth seal which effectively prevents the seepage of water.

The invention relates also specifically to the carrier board itself, with or without packing in their water storage chambers, with or without root anchoring layer. The support plate is preferably 750 mm wide, 1000 mm long and 100 mm high, which has proved to be advantageous.