Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ ~l 56376
This invention relates to an automatically clamping heat
insulation board made of tough-viscous plastic foam substances
as well as a process for the thermal insulation of roofs,
especially steep roofs.
Tough-viscous plastic foam substances, for example, those made
of polystyrene particle foam, are Used on a large scale to
insulate buildings and building parts, above all roofs,
against t~le effect of cold and heat. By nature, t~ley have a
10 relatively high degree of stiffness. As a result of this high
degree of mechanical stiffness, it is, for example, much more
difficult and more time consuming to install boards made of
tough-viscous plastic foam substances as heat insulation
between the roof rafters, than in the case of soft fiber
insulating substances. The rafter interval within a field and
also from one field to the next is changed mostly by virtue
of inaccurate placement and by the shifting of t~le rafters;
this is why each individual board must be specially tailored.
Cold bridges or crack damage~ develop on roof insulation
20 tracks due to shrinkage or thermal contraction of the stiff
pla6tic foam boards or due to chans~es in the shape of t~le
carrying structure.
To correct this deficiency, EP-A-0 Olg 058 proposed the use
of heat insulation boards made of tough-viscous plastic foam
substances, especially polystyrene, that, on both sides, are
provided with a plurality of slits and that, on the four front
surfaces, have mutually opposite groove and spring profiles.
30 When these board are laid, two or more boards are in eacll case
a6sembled on the front surfaces by means of a groove and
spring Connection; of this board composite, the board part
that protrudes over the interval between the roof rafters is
cut off plus a small added segment; the properly tailored
board composite is compressed by that added segment and is
inserted between the rafters. ;rhe cut piece can be connected
2 1 56376
witll another board piece in the manner described and can be
inserted in another rafter interval. These heat insulation
boards offer the advantage that practically non-cutting roof
insulation i8 possible with their help. sesides, t~le boards
can be compressed by means of the slit arrangement to a slight
degree and that leads to a restoring force. As a result, the
board6 automatically hold in the interval between rafters.
The disadvantage here, however, is represented by the great
production effort that results from the placement of the slits
10 in the board.
DE-U-93 14 719 . 8 describes an insulation board that consists
of plastic foam material that has been made elastic by bending
or crumbling the surface of the cells. In that way, the board
can be elastically compressed at least in one direction
parallel to the cover surfaces and will clamp automatically
between the roof rafters. of course, in these boards, t~le
compressibility is not yet optimal and the tension of the
board can let us after some time.
The object of the invention was to provide a heat insulation
board, especially for the heat insulation of roofs, tllat can
be placed in a simple manner, that gets along without
additional fastening means, and that is easy to manufacture.
The object of the invention was achieved rather surprisingly
by means of a heat insulation board made of tough-viscous
plastic foam material, especially polystyrene particle foam,
in which are made cavities that extend parallel to the cover
30 surfaces in the direction of the longitudinal axis of tlle
board and that run through the entire board.
The obj ect of the invention accordingly is a heat insulation
board made of tough-viscous plastic foam, especially
polystyrene particle foam, in which are made cavities running
along the direction of the longitudinal axis of t~le board,
~ 2 1 56376
throughout the entire board.
The object of the invention furthermore is a process for the
insulation of steep roofs, using tlle heat insulation board
according to the invention.
The heat insulation boards according to the invention
preferably have raw densities of between 7 and 40 kg/m3, in
particular, lo and 30 kg/m3. The dimensions of the heat
10 insulation boards according to the invention can be selected
as desired in keeping with the particular area of use. When
the heat insulation boards according to the invention are
used for the insulation of steep roofs, the width should be
400 to 2,000 mm, in particular, 500 to 800 mm, the length
should be 400 to lo,ooo mm, in particular, 500 to 1,250 mm,
and the thickness should preferably be between 40 and 200 mm.
The heat insulation boards meet the requirements of DIN
(German Industrial Standard) 18 164.
In particular, the heat insulation boards consist of
polystyrene foam. Compared to extruded polystyrene foam, one
preferably uses polystyrene particle foam.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the heat insulation
boards according to the invention consist of elastified tough-
viscous plastic foam, especially elastified polystyrene
particle foam.
30 Cavities run through the entire board. They can have
different shapes, for example, they can be square,
rectangular, round, or triangular. To ensure the stability
of t~le board, they should not take up any more than 20% of the
board's volume. A cavity volume accounting for between 7 and
12% of the board volume is advantageous.
2 1 56376
The polystyrene particle foam that is preferably used in
making the heat insulation boards according to the invention,
as well ae the foam boards as such, are made in the usual and
known fashion, as described, for example, in EP-8-106 129.
In describing the manufacture of the heat insulation boards
according to the invention, the terms "foam boards" and "foam
block6" are used with identical meanings, unless otherwise
indicated in the specification.
The foam boards can be elastified in different ways.
For example, it is possible to get polystyrene particle foam
with elastic properties by means of the elastif i~ation of
polystyrene pearls, for example, by means of the well-known
incorporation of elastomers, such as rubbers, into the
- polystyrene matrix and by foaming the thus elastified
particles .
20 It is also possible to treat expanded polystyrene pearls for
elastification in the plastified state with pressure.
In particular, tough-viscous foam substances -- such as
polyolefin or polystyrene foam, especially polystyrene
particle foam -- however are elastified by compressing,
specifically, upending of boards of blocks. The upending here
can be done by rolling or pressing the foam blocks.
In the process, one gets an anisotropy in that the cells are
30 upended in the direction of the board thickness.
A particularly good elastifying effect is achieved when the
foam boards are compressed in the direction of the board
thickness down to between 60 and 90% of their original
thickness, if the upending is eliminated, and if this process
is repeated at least once.
~- 2156376
Then the boards thus treated are stored until their complete
re-expansion, as a rule, at least for one day. Subsequently,
these foam blocks or boards can be brought to the desired
dimensions of the heat insulation boards in the known manner,
for example, by cutting perpendicularly to the direction of
elastif ication .
The cavities can be inserted already during t~le manufacture
of the foam boards by correspondingly fashioning the molds
lo into the boards, for example, by plates or rods that are
inserted into the mold in the direction of the desired
cavities .
But the cavitie6 can al60 be inserted into the compact board
following the molding step, for example, by drilling, cutting,
or other methods. Here one can use both elastified and non-
elastified boards.
The heat insulation boards according to the invention are
20 outstandingly 6uitable for the insulation of roofs, especially
steep roofs.
Quite surprisingly, they develop restoring force6 that
resemble those of a pressure 6pring. In that way, they can
be clamped between the roof rafters in a simple fashion.
For placement between the roof rafters, the heat insulation
boards are cut to the dimen6ion of the rafter interval by
means of an added segment that depend6 on the elastification
30 attained in the board and they can then be inserted between
the boards by bending them slightly.
By virtue of their restoring force, they are automatically
clamped between the roof rafters. ~dditional aids for
fastening them and holding them in place are not required.
21 56376
To prevent any cracks between the individual boards laterally
with respect to the roof rafters, it is advantageous to attach
a groove-spring profile at two opposite sides of the heat
insulation boards. In that way it is possible, after the
placement of the boards between the roof rafters, to shift the
boards along the direction of tile rafters until t~lere is a
connection between the groove and the spring SQ that one can
achieve complete ~ealing action.
lo In a particularly advantageous embodiment, as described in
EP-A-19 058, mutually opposite groove-spring profiles are
attached on all side surfaces. The remaining pieces that are
obtained on the groove-spring profile during the cutting of
the heat insulation boards can be assembled with a new board
and can be inserted between the roof rafters as described
above. In that way one can lay the heat insulation boards
practically without any loss. The groove-spring connection
ensures a perfect 6eat and outstanding wind-proof quality.
20 The heat insulation board according to the invention
facilitates simple insulation, especially between the roof
rafterg of steep roofs. The heat insulation boards according
to the invention have a very good heat insulation ef f ect even
in case of small thickness. By virtue of their restoring
force they have an excellent hold and no additional aids are
needed to fasten them.
sesides, the weight of the board can be reduced further by the
cavities .
The manufacture of the heat insulation boards according to the
invention is simpler and cheaper when compared to the heat
insulation boards described in EP-A-19 058.
2 1 56376
Exannples
Figure6 1 to 3 show an : ~ 1; t of the heat insulation board
according to the invention.
The cavities are made in the form of ~ectangles. Tlle groove-
sprin~ profile here extends only along two mutually opposite
sides of the board.
10 With this kind of board shape and with the board consisting
of poly6tyrene particle foam, with a raw density of 15 kg/m3,
it was possible to achieve a 5-~ compression.
Figures 4 to 6 show another embodiment of the heat insulation
board according to the invention; here, the cavities are also
made as rectangles; the board has mutually opposite groove-
spring profiles on all sides.
