Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVED WALL FINISHING PANEL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for insulating
walls,
particularly subsurface walls, that provides improved flame retarding
performance and
which may also provide improved moisture control at the interface between the
insulation material and the masonry wall. More particularly, this invention
pertains to
an insulating process and apparatus in which at least one flame retardant
layer is
incorporated into an insulating system in combination with insulating
materials for
finishing walls and, for exterior or other cooled spaces, optionally including
at least one
layer of sorbent and/or wicking materials, for finishing walls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The exterior walls of a building are typically insulated in order to reduce
the
heating and cooling demands resulting from variations between the exterior
temperature
from the desired interior temperature. A wide range of fibrous, solid and foam
insulating materials have been used to achieve this insulation, with a common
insulating
material being faced or unfaced batts of mineral or glass fibers. Interior
walls, for
exaynple, walls that divide or define separate smaller spaces within the area
bounded by
the exterior walls may also include similar types of insulation for reducing
heat and/or
sound transmission through the walls.
When using a faced insulating product in which a facing layer, such as asphalt-
coated Kraft paper or a polymeric film, is adhered to the insulating layer,
the insulation
product is typically installed with the facing layer positioned toward the
interior space.
This orientation tends to reduce infiltration or diffusion of the moisture-
laden interior air
through the insulating layer to the interface between the insulating product
and the
exterior wall. Particularly in climates with long heating seasons, high
humidity and/or
extremely cold temperatures, using faced insulation products limits the amount
of
moisture from the interior air that can reach the cooler exterior wall and
condense to
form liquid water on the surface of the exterior wall.
As used herein, masonry walls include constructions utilizing clay brick,
concrete
brick or block, calcium silicate brick, stone, reinforced concrete and
combinations
thereof. Water present at the interface between the insulating product and the
inside
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surface of the exterior wall and/or the outer portion of the insulation
product is
associated with a host of problems including mold growth, efflorescence,
reduced
insulating efficiency and, if sufficiently cold, frost spalling resulting from
water freezing
and expanding within cracks and gaps in the masonry.
A major contributing factor to the accumulation of water at the interface and
the
resulting decreased performance of the associated masonry wall system is the
leakage of
warm humid air through the building envelope to surfaces that are at
temperatures below
the dew point of the adjacent air and the associated accumulation of
condensation within
the insulating layer and/or on the inside surface of the exterior wall.
Further, the use of such finishing and insulating systems for finishing
residential
basements can result in the materials being placed in general proximity to
heated
surfaces and potential ignition sources such as furnaces, boilers, water
heaters, space
heaters, etc. In recognition of these applications, the selection of and
particular
combinations of materials incorporated into such finishing and insulating
systems should
serve to suppress ignition and/or flame spread.
A need thus exists for improved systems and materials suitable for finishing
and
insulating both interior and exterior walls, that provides improved moisture
control,
particularly moisture resulting from condensation of water vapor on cool
surfaces and
improved flame retarding properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the problems outlined above, the present invention provides an
insulation product and an insulation system incorporating a flame retardant or
fire inert
filler material layer. The flame retardant layer will typically comprise a
fiberglass mat
into which one or more flame retardant or fire inert filler materials and/or
additives have
been incorporated.
As will be appreciated the selection and combination of the fillers and/or
additives will be guided by the performance requirements and economic
considerations.
The performance of any particular combination may further be evaluated using
one or
more of a variety of industry recognized tests focusing on parameters such as
flame
spread, smoke generation, etc. to ensure that the product provides
satisfactory
performance.
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To the extent that such products may be used for finishing and insulating
exterior
walls, particularly masonry walls, or unheated spaces, the finishing system
panels may
also incorporate one or more layers or regions of wicking media arranged to
transport
condensate from the interface between the insulating product and a cooled
surface, such
as an exterior wall, to a more interior location where it can evaporate and/or
more or
more sorbent material layers or regions for holding condensate. For example,
an active
layer or layers comprising one or more of a wicking fabric, wicking media and
sorbent
material may be provided on or near the exterior surface of the primarily
insulating
layer. When the insulating product is installed, the active layer will be
closely adjacent
and/or in contact with an inside surface of the exterior wall and thereby
positioned to
collect and/or redistribute condensate in a manner that will tend to maintain
the
insulating performance.
The insulation product is preferably installed with a corresponding support
element to form an insulation system. The support element will typically be
provided
along the lower edge of the insulation product and define a space between the
insulation
product and the floor. The support element may comprise several cooperating
elements
or structures and may, for example, include a baseboard portion to create a
more finished
appearance for the interior surface of the insulation system.
This space defined by the support element portion of the insulation system may
be used for routing an extension portion of the primary wicking material
toward and/or
into the interior space in order to increase the evaporation rate. Additional
elements,
such as vents, grills, fans, ducts, sorbent material, cable chamiels,
secondary wicking
materials and heaters, may be included in or connected to the support element
for further
improving the performance and versatility of the insulation system.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those
skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiment,
when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof
with
reference to the attached drawings in which:
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FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of an
insulation product and insulation system according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of
an
insulation product and insulation system according to the invention;
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of
an
insulation product and insulation system according to the invention;
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of
an
insulation product and insulation system according to the invention;
FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of
an
insulation product and insulation system according to the invention;
FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of
an
insulation product and insulation system according to the invention;
FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of
an insulation product and insulation system according to the invention as may
be applied
to new construction; and
FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of
an insulation product and insulation system according to the invention as may
be applied
to existing construction.
These drawings have been provided to assist in the understanding of the
exemplary einbodiments of the invention as described in more detail below and
should
not be construed as unduly limiting the invention. In particular, the relative
spacing,
positioning, sizing and dimensions of the various elements illustrated in the
drawings are
not drawn to scale and may have been exaggerated, reduced or otherwise
modified for
the purpose of improved clarity. Those of ordinary skill in the art will also
appreciate
that a range of alternative configurations have been omitted simply to improve
the
clarity and reduce the number of drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
As shown in FIG. 1, the insulation system 1 may be installed adjacent an
inside
surface of an exterior wall or a framing assembly 50 and above a floor 60. The
insulation system may include a supporting member or frame 100 that may be
attached
using fasteners 105 or adhesives (not shown) to the floor 60, a cover layer
10, typically a
woven or non-woven fabric sheet, which may comprise one or more polyolefins or
other
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natural or synthetic fibers, fillers, dyes, stabilizers, etc., to provide a
more aesthetically
pleasing appearance, a primary insulating layer 20, typically a semi-rigid
fiberglass,
which may be permeable to water vapor 12, mineral fiber web or a foam sheet, a
fire
retarding layer 30, and a secondary insulating material 40, again typically a
semi-rigid
fiberglass, mineral fiber web or a semi-rigid foam product such as Owens
Comings'
FOAMULAR , provided on the outside surface of the fire retarding layer. The
primary
and secondary insulating materials 20, 40 may be attached to the flame
retarding layer
30 using any suitable method such as melt bonding, discontinuous adhesive
layers,
pinning or mechanical fasteners. In applications in which condensation is
expected or
may occur, a space may be provided below the secondary insulating layer 40 to
reduce
the likelihood that condensate will be trapped at the interface between the
secondary
insulating layer and the wall 50. As will be appreciated, the supporting
member or frame
100 may be provided with, incorporate or cooperate with a range of structures,
devices
or fixtures including, for example, flanges, clips and retainers (not shown)
to allow the
composite panel to be removably fixed in position relative to the supporting
member
100. The supporting member 100 may also cooperate with vertical frame members
for
positioning the adjacent edge surfaces of adjoining panels relative to one
another to
improve the finished appearance of the installed product.
As used herein, the terms primary and secondary insulating materials relate to
the
relative position of the two layers in the illustrated embodiment with the
primary
insulating material being closer to the insulated space. Those of ordinary
skill in the art
will appreciate that the relative thickness and material selection for these
two insulating
materials can be customized to meet performance goals for various
applications. The
relative contribution of the two insulating layers to the overall R-value of
the insulating
product will necessarily vary with their relative thicknesses and compositions
and may
be relatively equal or may be heavily skewed toward one of the layers. For
instance, one
exemplary embodiment may be configured whereby the secondary insulating
material
layer would be rated a R-10 while the primary insulating material would only
be rated at
R-3 to R-4. The selection of the appropriate materials and thicknesses for a
given
application may be guided by reference materials readily available to those of
ordinary
skill in the art.
A second embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 2 in which the flame retarding
layer
is attached to the secondary insulating layer using mechanical fasteners 70
such as pins,
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staples or other suitable means to maintain the relative positioning of the
two layers. A
third embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3 in which the flame retarding layer
30 is
attached to the primary insulating layer 20 using a discontinuous adhesive or
melt
bonding points 80 to maintain the attachment between the two layers. A fourth
embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 4 in which the flame retarding layer 30 is
attached to
the secondary insulating layer 40, again using a discontinuous adhesive or
melt bonding
points 80. As also illustrated in FIG. 4, the supporting member or frame 100
may be
attached to the floor 60 using an adhesive layer 110, such as an epoxy resin,
rather than
the mechanical fasteners 105 as illustrated in FIG. 1.
lo The point attachments 80 are useful for generally maintaining the vapor
permeability of the two joined layers. In the event that one or more of the
layers is
generally impermeable to vapor or vapor permeability is not a concern, it will
be
appreciated that a continuous adhesive layer or sheet (not shown) may be used
to attach
the respective layers within the insulating system.
A fifth embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 5 in which a wicking layer 45 has
been
incorporated into the insulating system generally illustrated in FIG. 4. This
embodiment
would have particular utility for insulating below grade masonry walls or
other exterior
walls that are expected to reach temperatures below the dew point of the air
enclosed
within the finished space and/or may continuously or periodically extrude or
seep
moisture. The wicking material is arranged to collect and transport any such
liquid,
whether seepage or condensate, from the interface between the wall and the
insulating
system to an exposed area 45a that will allow for evaporation or other removal
means
and thereby prevent or reduce any significant collection of liquid at the
interface.
A sixth embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein the supporting structure
or
base 100 is attached to the wall 50 with a fastener 105 and/or an adhesive
(not shown).
The base 100 is configured to receive an external trim, fascia or finish piece
102 that can
be configured to provide external openings or vents 106 for improving the
evaporation
of collected and transported liquid from the terminal portion 45a of the
wicking layer 45
and may have an extension 104 that is configured to establish a friction fit
with the base
structure 100 that will tend to hold the terminal portion of the wicking layer
in place.
The base structure 100 may also provide one or more channels, guides or races
44 for
communication cable, networking cable and/or power cable distribution 46
concealed
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within the base structure while still keeping the cables readily accessible
for
reconfiguration.
As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the insulating system 1 may be used to finish
walls 50 in new construction, FIG. 7, and which may include a wicking layer
45, or used
to finish over existing walls, FIG. 8, in which case the incorporation of a
vapor barrier
layer may be helpful. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the insulating system 1 may be
installed
directly adjacent a wal150, for example a brick, block or concrete wall, and
may be
provided with a wicking layer 45 for removing liquid from the interface
between the
insulating systein and the wall. The insulating system I may include a number
of
vertical splines or frame portions 115 that may cooperate with the support
element 100
(not shown) for holding and positioning the insulating composite panel
portions of the
insulating system.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, when a conventional frame wall will framing members
61 and soft batt or other insulation 59 already in place, the insulating
system 1 may be
applied directly over the existing structure and may utilize one or more
barrier layers
such as asphalt-coated kraft paper 57 and/or a vapor retarding layer 55 such
as
TYVEK to seal the existing structure before applying the insulating system 1
to the
wall. Depending on the finishing requirements, the frame members may also be
adapted
to accommodate conventional drywall or other panels (not shown) suitable for
painting
or other finishing techniques. In such instances, the finish layer 10 may be
omitted from
the insulating system composite panels.
The flame retarding layer 30, will typically comprise a fiberglass mat that
incorporates one or more flame retardant fillers and/or flame retardant
additives.
Exemplary flame retardant fillers and additives include, for example, alumina
trihydrate
(ATH) (A1203 = 3H20), hydrated zinc borate (ZnB2O4 = 6H20), calcium sulfate
(CaSO4 = 2H20) also known as gypsum, magnesium ammonium phosphate
(MgNH4PO4 = 61120), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), ZnB, clay, calcium
carbonate,
carbon black, acid intercalated graphite, micro encapsulated H20, halogenated
fire
suppressants, intumescent phosphate compounds such as ainmonium polyphosphate,
organic and inorganic phosphate compounds, sulfate and sulfamate compounds
such as
ammonium sulfate and free radical scavenger materials such as antimony
trioxide.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that this list is exemplary
only and that
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other suitable compounds may be utilized to improve the fire retarding
properties of the
fiberglass mat.
The flame retarding layer 30, may also incorporate materials intended to
reduce
radiant heat transfer through the layer. Exemplary radiant barrier materials
include, for
example, fine metal particles, metal coated particles or metal films that will
tend to
reflect radiant energy and reduce the heating of materials, such as the
primary insulating
layer 20, protected by the flame retarding film 30. Thus positioned between
insulating
layers, the fire retarding layer 30 will improve the fire retarding
performance of the
insulating system without significantly affecting the handling and appearance
of the
insulating panel.
When utilized, the wicking material 45 will preferentially collect condensate
from water vapor that has diffused through or around the insulating system 1
from the
finished interior space, typically a heated room, to a point near or at the
cool, inside
surface of an exterior wall 50 when the temperature of the wall is below the
dew point of
the air reaching the wall. Similarly, the wicking material 45 will collect
water that
diffuses or seeps through the masonry wall 50 from its outside surface,
particularly for
subsurface portions of the exterior wall that are not completely sealed. In
addition to
seepage, it will be appreciated that in those regions subject to periods of
hot, humid
weather, water vapor diffusing from the environment outside the exterior wall
may
condense as it reaches the cooler inside surface resulting from the air
conditioning of the
interior space.
The wicking material 45 is preferably a non-woven material that can be formed
from a polymer or natural fiber. One suitable polymer for manufacturing the
wicking
material is rayon. Rayon fibers may be striated, or include channels, along
the length of
the fiber, which provide capillary channels within the individual fibers so
the wicking
action does not depend solely upon capillary action resulting from the
channels formed
between two adjacent fibers.
In addition to rayon fibers, other polymeric fibers including polyester,
nylon,
polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), may be manufactured
or
processed in a manner that will produce fibers including striations or
channels on their
surface. A number of fiber configurations have been developed that provide a
plurality
of surface channels for capillary transport of water and have been widely
incorporated in
active wear for improved comfort. These types of materials can be collectively
referred
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to as capillary surface materials (CSM) and include so-called deep-grooved
fibers that
have high surface area per unit volume as a result of their complex cross-
sectional
configuration. The capillary material layer can be provided in different
configurations
including, for example, a non-woven film or a fine mesh configuration.
As a result of gravity, the wicking materia145 will tend to transport any
water
collected at the interface between the insulating system 1 and the exterior
wa1150
downwardly along the interface and, near the lower edge of the insulation
product into a
terminal portion 45a that may be arranged inwardly toward the interior space
or in an
opening provided within the base structure 100 to allow for evaporation,
collection or
secondary removal techniques. Preferably, the terminal portion 45a will be
sized or
otherwise configured to provide for a removal or evaporation rate for the
transported
fluid sufficient to avoid or reduce undesirable accumulation of liquid within
the
insulating system or at the interface with the exterior wall.
There are several methods to form the wicking material which may be configured
as a non-woven film and/or as a relatively fine mesh. The fibers can be laid
down dry
with an acrylic emulsion being applied to the fibers and then cured by heating
or IJV
radiation exposure. Standard fiber binding einulsions such as acrylic or EVA
(ethylene
vinyl acetate) can be utilized.
In another embodiment of the invention the insulating system of FIG. 5 may be
modified with a layer of sorbent material replacing or supplementing the
wicking
material 45. These embodiments may be used to provide for the absorption of
water in
excess of the volume that can be successfully transported through the wicking
material
45 and thereby reduce the likelihood of water accumulating on the inside
surface of the
exterior wa1150 even during periods of excessive condensation or seepage. The
sorbent
material (not shown) may cooperate with the wicking materia145 to provide a
"damping" effect whereby periodic increases in the volume of water can be
removed
over a longer period of time and reduce the volume of fluid the wicking
material is
required to remove the condensate from the interface region. The sorbent
material layer
may be a separate premanufactured layer that is laminated to the secondary
insulating
layer 40 along with the wicking materia145 or may be incorporated in the
primary or
secondary insulating material(s) 20, 40 or flame retarding layer 30 as a
liquid and then
dried, cured and/or activated to form sorbent region(s).
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Depending on the volume of condensate and seepage that are anticipated for a
particular installation, the wicking material 45 present in the insulation
product
illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 may be replaced by a separate layer of sorbent
material.
Such an embodiment may be of particular utility for installations in which
brief periods
of high humidity are separated by longer periods of relatively low humidity.
In such an
environment, the sorbent material layer will collect and hold the condensate
formed from
diffusing moisture during periods of high humidity and allow the water vapor
to
evaporate and diffuse back through the primary insulating layer 20 and cover
layer 10
during periods of low relative humidity, thereby reducing or preventing the
formation of
water on the inside surface of the exterior wal150. A variety of sorbent
materials may
be used to form the sorbent material layer, but will generally be
characterized by their
ability to absorb and hold at least about five times, and preferably at least
about ten
times, their weight in water.
As reflected in the figures discussed above, the primary support element 100
and/or the trim element 102 (where shown) may be provided in a larger number
of
configurations and may be manufactured from a large number of materials
suitable for
extrusion or other forming techniques such as various polymers and metals. The
supporting element or structure 100/102 may be configured to provide one or
more
additional elements or structures that will tend to increase the rate of
evaporation of the
water and/or condensate that reaches the terminal portion 45a of the wicking
materia145
and may utilize a secondary wicking material (not shown).
As will be appreciated, the secondary evaporative and/or wicking material may
assume a wide range of configurations within, and/or partially without, the
support
element 100/102. It will also be appreciated that the particular embodiments
illustrated
and discussed herein, while exemplary, are not to be considered limiting or
exhaustive
and that a wide variety of configurations may be utilized to achieve the
desired
functionality and/or adapt the insulating system for more and less challenging
conditions.
The principle and mode of operation of this invention have been described in
its
preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that this invention may be
practiced
otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing
from its scope.
