Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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COMPOSITE PANEL, A COMPOSITE PANEL WITH AN EDGE BAND, AND
METHOD OF APPLYING AND MANUFACTURING THE SAME
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a composite panel. More particularly, the
present
invention relates to a composite panel and edge band applied to the panel for
insulating an installation from its surrounding environment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Known in the art are composite panels typically consisting of two aluminum or
other
metal exterior planar surfaces sandwiching a typically polyurethane foam core.
These panels are used in air-conditioning and heating system ventilation
installations
on walls and doors in order to insulate the installation from the outside
environment.
Specifically, known to the Applicant are the composite panels of the company
P3 srl
of Italy, which provides examples of such composite panels in their product
catalogue. Similarly, edge bands, which contour the edges of a panel, are
known for
wood panels.
More specifically, known to the Applicant is European patent No. EP 1 626 133
131
granted to Lambert and made public August 30, 2006. This document relates to a
thin thermal insulator having multiple layers. More specifically, Lambert
teaches a
multilayer insulator having two aluminum sheets on its exterior surfaces and
at least
three insulating layers which include at least one air-bubble film and at
least one
plastic foam, preferably polyethylene. According to Lambert, the invention
resides in
the insulator having at least two supplementary aluminum sheets for placing
inside
the insulator, and which separate the insulating layers. The insulating layers
are
welded or glued homogenously along their entire surface. Lambert does not
suggest
an edge band.
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Also known to the Applicant is US patent application publication no. US
2010/0071294 Al filed by Crunkleton and made public March 25, 2010. Crunkleton
teaches a metal composite tile used for decorative purposes which consists of
first
and second metal sheets sandwiching a non-metal core (a polymer of some kind).
A
release paper is removably adhered to the first metal sheet for decorative
purposes.
Crunkleton does not suggest that the tile provides insulation or corrosion-
resistant
properties.
US patent 7,799,710 131 granted September 21, 2010 to Tan teaches a foamed
composite armor laminate for providing superior impact and ballistic
resistance
properties. The armor consists of multiple alternating plies of open or closed
cell
polymeric foam laminated with interleaved layers of ballistic resistant fabric
such as
metallic or ceramic sheets, plates or fabrics. Tan does not suggest an edge
band,
nor does the armor laminate seem to provide any insulating or corrosion-
resistant
properties.
The Applicant is aware of the case study published in the May, 2011 edition of
British Plastics and Rubber entitled "Case study: Plasma activation eliminates
masking and safeguards glass fibre composites". The article discussed using
plasma
pretreatment to increase the surface energy of a plastic material so as to
increase
the adhesion of the material to a foam. The plasma activates the surface of
metals,
plastics, glass or ceramics, thus increasing the adhesive strength of the
material
when an adhesive is applied thereto.
Other prior art known to the Applicant include US patent no. 4,543,295; US
patent
application publication nos.: 2005/0037188 Al; 2005/0019535 Al; 2004/0018348
Al; as well as foreign publications JP3205162 A and GB 2 398 096 A.
Certain edge bands are also known in the art. A technical product sheet
produced by
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Hexcel Corporation of Stamford, Connecticut and entitled "Sandwich Panel
Fabrication Technology" discloses on page 8 various types of edge closures
including fillers, bonded sections, press-fit components, and tapes. The
purported
purpose of these edge closures is to seal the sandwich panel so as to prevent
moisture ingress. US patent 7,168,148 B2 granted to Groll on January 30, 2007
teaches a method of manufacturing composite cookware. The cookware comprises
a bonded composite sheet consisting of an aluminum layer sandwiched between
two
layers of stainless steel. An edge of the aluminum layer is then exposed and
treated
by a micro arc oxidation process to form an aluminum oxide coating on the
exposed
edge. Other prior art known to the Applicant relating to edge bands include US
patent numbers: 6,063,475; 7,846,536 B2; and US patent application publication
number 2010/0004399 Al.
Also known to the Applicant are the substantial drawbacks associated with some
of
the prior art panels and/or edge bands, notably: a) two thin aluminum or metal
exterior planar surfaces are not effective at preventing corrosion when the
panel is
exposed to the outside environment; b) many prior art panels lack the rigidity
required for certain applications; c) as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, prior
art edge
bands, sometimes referred to as "clip" bands, are often installed such that
there is
gap between the edge band surface and the foam core in which moisture, debris
etc.
accumulate, thus causing potential fungal growth, reducing the thermal
effectiveness
of the panel, and creating cleanliness issues; d) prior art panels also
produce a
thermal bridge between one exterior surface and another, thereby reducing the
insulating effectiveness of the panel; etc.
Consequently, there is still presently a need for a rigid composite panel
and/or edge
band that can provide full thermal insulation, while at the same time
providing
electrical, fire and water resistivity. Although different panels are already
known and
satisfy at least one of the above needs, there is still a need for a composite
panel
and/or edge band which will meet a majority, if not all, of the requirements
described
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above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a composite panel and/or edge
band
that addresses the above-mentioned needs.
According to the present invention, there is provided a rigid composite panel
for
mounting onto an installation and thermally insulating the installation from a
surrounding environment, the panel comprising:
- a thermally insulating foam core;
- at least two laminate assemblies, each laminate assembly having an inner
surface bondable to the foam core thereby forming a sandwich having
edges, and an outer surface interacting with the surrounding environment,
each laminate assembly providing additional thermal insulation and impact
resistance; and
- an edge band seamlessly mountable to the edges of the sandwich for
preventing fluid and debris from entering the sandwich and contacting the
foam core;
wherein each laminate assembly is treated before the edge band is mounted to
the
edges of the sandwich so as to increase an overall adhesive strength between
the
edges of the sandwich and the edge band and so as to allow for a smooth,
continuous and impermeable seal around the edges of the sandwich.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for
manufacturing a
rigid composite panel having an edge band, the method comprising the steps of
:
a) assembling a sandwich having edges, the sandwich consisting of a
thermally insulating foam core bonded between at least two laminate
assemblies;
b) treating each laminate assembly so as to increase the adhesive properties
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of the edges of the sandwich; and
c) bonding the edge band to the edges of the sandwich creating a seamless,
continuous and impermeable seal around the edges of the sandwich.
Preferably, the present invention permits an installation, such as an
industrial cooler
or furnace for example, to be properly thermally and electrically insulated
from a
surrounding environment. In a preferred embodiment, the panel according to the
present invention is installed onto a vertical or horizontal planar surface of
the
installation, such as a wall for example, thus insulating the installation
from its
surrounding environment.
Preferably also, the rigid composite panel according to the present invention
prevents the ingress and accumulation of fluid or debris into the panel due to
the
seamless edge band which contours the edges of the sandwhich.
Preferably also, the panel according to the present invention provides a
measure of
structural rigidity so as to resist dents, chips, dimples etc. resulting from
impacts or
scratches, thus better maintaining the insulation properties for which it is
advantageous.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent
upon
reading the detailed description and upon referring to the drawings in which:
Figures 1 and 2 are views of prior art composite panels equipped with an edge
or
"clip" band.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a rigid composite panel according to the
present
invention.
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Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the composite panel shown in
Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a cut-away view of the composite panel shown in Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a laminate assembly, according to a
preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a partial cut-away view along a line VII-VII of the laminate
assembly
shown in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a foam core, according to a preferred
embodiment
of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of an edge band, according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 10 is a cut-away view of support edge bands for structurally supporting
a
laminate assembly, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 10A is a close-up view a corner of the support edge bands shown in
Figure
10.
Figure 11 is a cut-away view of a sheet or laminate assembly dividing a foam
core,
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 12 is a cut-away view of a two-step composite panel, according to a
preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
INVENTION
According to the present invention, and as shown in Figures 3 to 4, the rigid
composite panel 10 is composed of a thermally insulating foam core 20, at
least two
laminate assemblies 30, and an edge band 40.
Referring to Figure 4, the laminate assemblies 30 are bonded, preferably by an
adhesive, to the foam core 20. The inner surfaces 32 of the laminate
assemblies 30
receive an adhesive which allows them to be bonded or attached to the
horizontal
surfaces (in the sense shown in Figure 4) of the foam core 20. The bonding of
the
laminate assemblies 30 to the foam core 20 creates a sandwich 50 with edges.
The
edge band 40 (shown in an exploded configuration) is then bonded to these
edges,
preferably by using an adhesive.
Figure 5 provides a cross-sectional view of the panel 10 when fully assembled
and
shows the relationship between the foam core 20, the laminate assemblies 30
and
the edge band 40. Thus, the rigid composite panel 10 of the present invention
is
formed and ready to be used for insulating purposes.
Turning now to the components and features of the panel 10, particularly the
laminate assemblies 30, Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a preferred embodiment of
the
laminate assemblies 30. Each laminate assembly 30 has an inner and outer
surfaces 32,34. The inner surface 32 is bonded to the foam core 20, again
preferably
by adhesive, although other techniques such as mechanical fasteners, for
example,
can be used. The outer surface 34 is exposed to the surrounding environment of
the
composite panel 10. The inner and outer surfaces 32, 34 are also preferably
coated
so as to provide insulation, fire retardation, electrical resistance,
corrosion resistance
etc. properties to the laminate assembly 30. These coatings can be PVDF or PE.
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Each laminate assembly 30 preferably also has at least two laminated sheets 36
which are each preferably made of plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, PVC,
ABS, or
other similar materials known in the art. The material of the sheets 36 allows
them to
resist indentations, nicks, scratches, or bumps, thus preserving the
properties of the
laminate assembly 30, as explained in more detail below. The sheets preferably
have a thickness of about 0.0118 inches, but this thickness can vary depending
on
the material used for their fabrication and the requirements of the
installation, as
apparent to a person skilled in the art. The laminate assembly 30 also
preferably
comprises a polymeric layer 38, which is inserted between the two sheets 36
and
bonded thereto, preferably by an adhesive. The layer 38 is preferably made of
any
insulating polymer, such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), fire-retardant
mineral,
and any other such insulating materials known in the art.
Turning now to Figure 8, the foam core 20 is the principal thermal insulator
of the
composite panel 10. The length and width of the core 20 can be varied so as to
match the dimensions of the laminate assemblies 30. The foam core 20 is
preferably
rigid foam so as to reinforce the structural rigidity to the panel 10.
Preferably, the
thickness of the core 20 is about 1.75 inches, but this thickness can vary
depending
on the material used for the core 20 and the installation requirements, as
apparent to
a person skilled in the art. The core 20 is preferably bonded to the inner
surfaces 32
of the laminate assemblies 30 by any suitable adhesive known in the art.
Preferably,
the core 20 is made from an insulating polymer such as EPS (STD, NEOPOR),
polyisocyanurate, etc. known in the art.
Figure 9 illustrates the edge band 40 according to a preferred embodiment of
the
present invention. The edge band 40 provides a seamless, smooth, and
continuous
seal between the edges of the sandwich 50 formed by the laminate assemblies 30
and the foam core 20, thereby preventing the ingress and/or accumulation of
moisture and/or debris. The edge band 40 is bonded to the edges of the
sandwich
50 by any suitable adhesive known in the art. The edge band 40 can be one
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continuous piece, such as a tape, which is bonded by rolling out the tape and
applying it to the edges of the sandwich 50. In another preferred embodiment,
the
edge band 40 can be discrete pieces or strips, as illustrated in Figure 4,
which are
each bonded separately to a an edge of the sandwich 50. It should be noted
that
even if the edge band 40 consists of discrete strips, the strips would be
bonded to
the sandwich and to each other so as to provide a seamless, smooth and
continuous
seal. Preferably, the edge band 40 is made from rigid or flexible PVC, ABS,
TPE,
polyethylene and/or any other suitable material known in the art. The edge
band 40
is able to be bonded seamlessly because the band 40 is tangentially assembled
with
adhesive to the exterior surfaces of the laminate assemblies 30 and foam core
20
(i.e. the edges of the sandwich 50).
In a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 10, the edge band 40 provides
structural support and reinforcement to the panel 10, as explained
hereinbelow. In
this embodiment, the edge band 40 has notches 42 at each end 44 of the edge
band
40. The notches 42 are designed, configured and manufactured to receive a
corresponding end 39 of the laminate assembly 30. When the end 39 is
adhesively
received in the notch 42, the laminate assembly 30 is constrained in its
motion
relative to the edge band 40, as illustrated in Figure 10.
Preferably, and as illustrated in Figure 11, the panel 10 can include an
additional
laminate assembly 30 and/or sheet 36 which is inserted into the panel 10 so as
to
divide its thickness (and the foam core 20) by a certain amount, i.e. in half
for
example. In another preferential embodiment, the panel 10 can be a "double"
panel
10, meaning that an additional foam core 20 can be bonded to either one of the
outer surfaces 34 of the laminate assemblies 30. Once so bonded, an additional
laminate assembly 30 can be bonded to the non-bonded surface of the additional
foam core 20, thus forming a double-layered panel. Of course, numerous
variants on
this design are possible, as apparent to a person skilled in the art. For
example, the
panel 10 can be made "triple", "quadruple", or any multiple according to this
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preferred embodiment depending on the insulation requirements and the
installation
size constraints. The panel 10 can also comprise alternating layers of foam
core 20,
laminate assemblies 30, or can be "stacked" meaning that the panels 10 are
stacked
together. In another preferred embodiment, the panel 10 can have a non-
quadrilateral profile such as, but not limited to, a triangle, a circle, an
ellipse, and any
other shape or size that would be suitable for a given installation.
The panel 10 according to the present invention can be any three-dimensional
shape
and is not limited to parallelepipeds. For example, and as illustrated in
Figure 12, the
10 panel 10 can have a "step" configuration wherein both laminate assemblies
30 are
not of equal dimension. Similarly, the edge bands 40 can have a "z" or "s"
configuration so as to match the dimensions of the laminate assemblies 30, and
depending on the installation's requirements, as apparent to a person skilled
in the
art. Of course, numerous other shapes, configurations and/or geometries are
possible.
There is also provided a method for manufacturing a rigid composite panel 10
having
an edge band 40. The method has the steps of assembling the sandwich 50 with
edges, as described in more detail above. Then, each laminate assembly 30 is
treated so as to increase its adhesive properties, and the edge band 40 is
finally
bonded to the edges of the sandwich 50 so as to create the seamless,
continuous
and impermeable seal which is described above. When treating each laminate
assembly 30, the polymeric layer 38 is preferably treated along its exposed
edges. It
is understood that each laminate assembly 30 can be treated before or after
the
assembly of the sandwich 50. In fact, each laminate assembly 30 can be treated
at
any time before the edge band 40 is bonded to the edges of the sandwich 50.
The above-mentioned treatment in the context of the invention is preferably
plasma
treatment, but can also be corona treatment. It is understood in the art that
plasma
treatment has the effect of activating the surface of numerous types of
materials
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such as plastics, metals and glass. By activating the surface of these
materials, the
surface energy of a surface which is to be bonded is increased. The higher the
surface energy, the better the subsequent adhesion the surface will have to
another
material, such as a plastic. Thus, a stronger adhesive bond between the edges
of
the polymeric layer 38 and the edge band 40, as well as between the edges of
the
sandwich 50 and the edge band 40, is obtained by increasing the surface energy
of
the polymeric layer 38 via plasma treatment prior to the edge band 40 being
adhesively bonded to the edges.
Furthermore, the present invention is a substantial improvement over the prior
art in
that, by virtue of its design and components, the rigid composite panel 10
with an
edge band 40 is seamless, has a higher surface energy, is lightweight, easy to
install, and offers unique thermal insulating properties when compared to the
panels
known in the art. Hence, it may now be appreciated that the present invention
represents important unforeseeable advantages over other panels known in the
prior
art, in that the panel 10 according to the present invention prevents the
ingress
and/or accumulation of fluids and/or debris because of the continuous seal of
the
sandwich 50 provided by the edge band 40. Thus, the insulation properties are
better preserved and enhanced because no foreign matter that may negatively
affect
the insulating qualities of the panel 10 is introduced into the panel 10. The
seamless
seal also provides a further unexpected advantage in that the growth of mildew
and/or mold is greatly prohibited and even eliminated for most installations.
Indeed, contrary to panel shown in Figures 1 and 2, the edge band 40 according
to
the present invention forms a seamless seal with the sandwich 50 of the panel
10,
and this, without the use of mechanical fasteners in a preferred embodiment,
which
advantageously reduces manufacturing costs and manufacturing times. More
specifically, the seamless edge band 40 leaves no gap between the band 40 and
the
foam core 20 into which moisture and/or debris may ingress and/or accumulate.
In a
preferred embodiment, the edge band 40 beneficially provides structural
support to
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the panel 10 by employing notches 42, which support and retain the ends 39 of
the
laminate assemblies 30.
Yet another advantage of the panel 10 according to the present invention is
that the
coating on the inner and outer surfaces 32,34 of the laminate assemblies 30
further
enhances the desired properties of the panel 10 such as high thermal
insulation
efficiency, resistance to corrosion, and fire retardation and/or resistance.
The panel 10 according to the present invention is also more rigid than panels
known in the art. This rigidity and resistance to impact forces is derived
from the
material of the sheets 36, the structure of the foam core 20, and also from
the
reinforcement that results from having multiple layers of laminate assembly 30
and
foam core 20. Further rigidity is achieved by adhesively sealing all the
components
of the panel 10. This rigidity and resistance to impacts and indentations is
important
because, as it is well understood in the art, when composite panels have
indentations or scratches, the panels are less effective because the scratches
can
remove beneficial coatings on the outer surfaces of the panels, and the
indentations
can create a thermal bridge between the two sheets of the panel, thus allowing
energy to bypass the insulating foam core and reducing the insulation
efficiency of
the panel.
Of course, the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred
embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest
interpretation consistent with the description as a whole. Numerous
modifications
could be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the
scope of the claims, as apparent to a person skilled in the art. Furthermore,
it is
apparent that this invention can apply to many other uses.
