# US 2008/0184651 A1 · Roof truss system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0184651 A1 - Document ID: US20080184651A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/701,584 - Filed: 2007-02-02 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02 - Assignees: NOVA Chemicals Inc. - Inventors: Jay J. Bowman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080184651A1 ## CPC - E04C 3/11: with non-parallel upper and lower edges, e.g. roof trusses (arched girders, portal frames E04C3/38) - E04B 7/022: {consisting of a plurality of parallel similar trusses or portal frames} - E04B 7/22: the slabs having insulating properties, e.g. laminated with layers of insulating material - E04C 3/09: at least partly of bent or otherwise deformed strip- or sheet-like material - E04C 2003/0421: {comprising one single unitary part} - E04C 2003/0434: {the open cross-section free of enclosed cavities} - E04C 2003/0482: {Z- or S-shaped} - E04C: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S) - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) ## Abstract An adjustable roof truss that includes roof truss members, roof base members and a central body containing a polymer matrix. The roof truss members include a pivot end, a connection end, a roof facing edge, an inside edge, and a pivot surface. The roof base members include a receiving end, a connecting end, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a contact surface. The roof truss members are pivotally connected to the roof base members by a pivot fastener inserted through a pivot opening on the roof base members and a stator opening on the roof truss members. One or both of the roof truss members and the roof base members include an embedded portion extending from the roof facing edge or the bottom edge respectively into the central body. Expansion hole(s) are positioned along the embedded portion such that the polymer matrix expands through the expansion holes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adjustable composite roof truss comprising: one or more roof truss members that include a pivot end, a connection end, a roof facing edge, an inside edge, and a pivot surface; one or more roof base members that include a receiving end, a connecting end, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a contact surface; and one or more central bodies, substantially parallelepipedic in shape, comprised of an expanded polymer matrix, having opposite faces, a first surface and an opposing second surface; wherein the roof truss members are pivotally connected to the roof base members by a pivot fastener inserted through a pivot opening positioned between a midpoint and the receiving end along the contact surface of the roof base members and a stator opening located between a midpoint and the pivot end of the roof truss members; wherein one or both of the roof truss members and the roof base members include an embedded portion extending from the roof facing edge or the bottom edge respectively such that the embedded portion longitudinally extends across and into a central body; and wherein one or more expansion holes are positioned along the embedded portion between the first surface and the second surface of the central body such that the polymer matrix expands through the expansion holes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the roof truss members and roof base members pivot from a parallel orientation to an orientation where the roof truss members form and angle relative to the bass members. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the central body has a thickness measured as the distance between the first surface and the second surface of from 2 cm to 30.5 cm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the expanded polymer matrix comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of vinyl aromatic monomers; copolymers of at least one vinyl aromatic monomer with one or more of divinylbenzene, conjugated dienes, alkyl methacrylates, alkyl acrylates, acrylonitrile, and/or maleic anhydride; polyolefins; polycarbonates; and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix comprises carbon black, graphite or a combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix comprises an interpolymer of a polyolefin and in situ polymerized vinyl aromatic monomers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the roof truss members and/or the roof base members comprise a material selected from the group consisting of metal, construction grade plastics, composite materials, ceramics, and the like. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the roof truss members and/or the roof base members comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, stainless steel, tungsten, molybdenum, iron and alloys and combinations of such metals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein one or more surfaces of the roof truss members and/or the roof base members have a texturized surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the embedded portion of the roof truss members and/or the roof base members extends through the first surface and terminates at least 1 cm from the second surface of the central body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the embedded portion of the roof truss members and/or the roof base members extends through the first surface and terminates substantially flush with the second surface of the central body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the roof truss members and/or the roof base members further comprise one or more support openings along the pivot surface and/or contact surface respectively. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 12, wherein the support openings are adapted to receive a connecting bar extending from a first roof truss member or a first roof base member to a second roof truss member or a second roof base member, respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 12, wherein the support openings are adapted to receive utility lines. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 14, wherein the utility lines are one or more selected from the group consisting of water lines, waste lines, chases, telephone lines, cable television lines, antenna lines, electrical lines, ductwork, and gas lines. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The adjustable roof truss according to claim 1, wherein the expansion holes have a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of round, oval, elliptical, square, rectangular, rounded rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, parallelogram, oblong, octagonal and combinations thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A roof truss system comprising two or more adjustable roof trusses according to claim 1, wherein the connection end of a first roof truss member is connected to the connection end of a second roof truss member, and the connecting end of a first roof base member is connected to the connecting end of a second roof base member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The roof truss system according to claim 17, wherein the first roof base members are connected to a top surface of a wall and the second roof base members are connected to a top surface of a wall, wherein optionally the walls are connected. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The roof truss system according to claim 18, wherein a pivot opening end portion of the embedded portion and central body of the roof base members are removed to provide a support receiving space at the pivot opening end of the roof base members. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The roof truss system according to claim 19, wherein the support receiving space receives the top surface of the wall. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The roof truss system according to claim 17, wherein a roof decking surface, roof underlayment, and/or roofing materials are attached to the roof truss members. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The roof truss system according to claim 13, wherein the connecting bar has a cross-sectional shape that includes a web, a top flat portion extending perpendicularly from a first edge of said web, a first bottom portion extending from a second edge of said web, and a second bottom potion extending from an end of the first bottom portion. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The roof truss system according to claim 17, wherein two or more pairs of roof truss systems have the connection ends of the roof truss members connected and a ridge brace is attached to at least two connection ends of the roof truss members. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The roof truss system according to claim 22, wherein an angle of greater than 90 degrees is formed between the web and the first bottom portion and an angle formed by the plane of the second bottom portion extended to the web is greater than the angle formed with first bottom portion and the web. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) A method of constructing a building comprising: providing a slab or foundation having a series of walls extending therefrom having top surfaces; and attaching the roof truss system according to claim 17 to the top surfaces. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A building constructed according to the method of claim 25. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) A building comprising two or more of the adjustable composite roof trusses according to claim 1.