Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
2007063
INSULATION SYSTEM FOR METAL ~UILDINGS
Backaround of the Invention
The present invention pertains g~nerally to insulation
for metal buildings such as farm outbuildings, warehouses
and the like. More particularly, the present invention
pertains to an insulation system for a metal building
wherein the insulation material is encased in order to
prevent moisture from adversely affecting the insulation
material and its insulating properties.
A common and widely used construction technique for
metal buildings consists of an assembly of metal framework
components such as beams, columns, rafters, metal siding and
metal roofing that are all preengineered and manufactured
off site in order to meet the given specifications required
for the particular building. Thermal insulation is almost
always another necessary component in order to allow for a
finished structure that is economical to heat and/or cool as
required based upon its end use and the desired internal
atmosphere. For economic reasons, it is important for all
com~onents to be designed for quick and efficient on-site
construction as well as to meet the physical design
requirements.
A typical design and assembly sequence for such metal
buildings includes as a first step erecting and fastening
large steel support beams to concrete footers and foundation
walls. Typically large bolts are anchored in the cured
concrete and these bolts are used to secure the support
beams. The next step is to assemble and fasten steel cross
members to the erected beam structure. Once the steel frame
is fabricated, if the building is to be insulated, the next
step is to unroll the rolls of fiberglass insulation
(batting) over the cross members. Each successive strip of
insulation is connected to the adjacent strip by taping or
stapling together the edges of each unrolled length. The
next step is to place the exterior metal siding or roofing
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over the insulation and drive screws through the metal
siding or roofing and the insulation into the metal cross
members. Various trim pieces, gutters, etc. are put in
place last.
There are two major factors that limit the effectiveness
of the insulation in this type of construction. First, the
steps of unrolling and applying insulation and assembling
the sheet metal siding or roofing over the insulation
typically takes place over several days, weeks or even
1~ months, depending upon the particular size and site of the
building. Invariably, there are changing weather conditions
during this period of time that will expose the fiberglass
insulation to moisture in the form of rain, snow, etc.
Since the insulation is of an open fibrous nature, it
readily soaks up such moisture. This can be a severe
problem because a moisture impervious vapor barrier is
typically on the underside of the insulation (interior of
the building) and serves to hold the moisture in by
preventing any gravitational draining. Once the sheet metal
is applied over the top of the insulation, the water is
effectively trapped in the insulation where it can remain
- almost indefinitely. The insulating properties of the
fiberglass are greatly reduced when the fiberglass is
moisture-laden. Further, since the fiberglass is merely
draped over the frame structure cross members, the weight of
water from a significant water build-up can cause insulation
to sag, tear and delaminate.
The second factor is the necessity for driving screws
through the outer sheet metal, through the insulation and
into the cross members of the structure in order to complete
the assembly. This particular approach limits the thickness
of the insulation which can be used. Typically, no more
than six inches of thickness can be used and more commonly
thinner insulation is used to ease assembly. Since the
insulating value (R-value) of fiberglass is increased
greatly by increasing the thickness, metal structures such
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as those described herein are limited to a relatively
inefficient insulation compared to most residential home
construction where insulation thicknesses of up to 12 inches
or greater are commonly used. To further compound this
limitation, the insulation thickness is even less at the
point where it is pinched (compressed) by the screws joining
the sheet metal to the cross members of the frame.
A variety of metal building insulation concepts and
structures have been patented over the years and the
following list is a sampling of such concepts and
structures.
Patent No. Patentee Issue Date
4,700,521 Cover 10/20/1987
4,445,305 Orie, Sr. 05/01/1984
4,434,592 Reneault et al. 03/06/1984
4,399,645 Murphy et al. 08/23/1983
4,303,713 Clemensen et al. 12/01/1981
4,279,112 Bertrand 07/21/1981
4,143,495 Hintz 03/13/1979
4,120,123 Knudson 10/17/1978
3,729,879 Franklin 05/01/1973
Cover discloses thermal insulation for walls, ceilings
and floors of building structures comprising alternate
layers of low emissivity sheets and batts of low-heat
conductive material laminated together to form a single
insulation batt. The low-heat conductive material is
preferably fiberglass or rock wool. The low emissivity
sheets may be a metal foil or a metal which is vacuum
deposited on a substrate. The alternating layers are
laminated together using a solvent-based pressure-sensitive
adhesive.
Orie, Sr. discloses a secondary roof system for
application over existing metal roofs of the cleat panel or
structural panel type. Elongated expanded polystyrene
insulation panels are inserted in the roof pans of the
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existing metal panel roof. A plurality of interlockedsecondary metal roof panels having the same width as the
original roof panels is disposed over the insulation panels
and the interlocking edges attached to the upwardly
projecting joints of the existing metal roof panels.
Reneault et al. discloses a heat and sound-insulating
structure for boarding or other non-loading walls. The
disclosed structure comprises a heat-insulating panal
maintained between an inner metal revetment and an outer
metal revetment. The revetments are provided with ribs
which project into the panel and the ribs of the two
revetments are perpendicular to one another. A thin core of
insulating material is applied against one of the revetments
by a thin and sold metal sheet.
Murphy et al. discloses bladder insulation which is
adapted to be inserted within the wall cavities of existing
buildings in order to provide for high-quality insulation
having a high R-value. The invention describes a bladder or
impervious bag constructed of two thermoplastic sheets of -
material hermetically sealed at both ends and on each of the
sides. The preferred film used herein is urethane, although
- polyethylene of 4-15 mils in thickness may be employed on ~-
the inside and/or on the outside of the bladder. This bag
can be inflated within the wall cavity and filled with
various insulative materials and/or pressurized with various
fluorinated hydrocarbon gases. The invention also includes
a means for inserting the bladder within the wall of the
structure and rigidifying the bladder by adherence to studs
or a polymerization technique to form a polyisocyanate on
the interior side of the bladder.
Clemensen et al. discloses a roof-insulating structure
and a method of making the same. This particular invention
is intended for improving the insulation quality of a metal
building roof. The disclosed structure includes a
self-supporting medium density thermal insulation blanket
having elongated slits and notches in the top thereof so
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that the blanket can be folded into a U-shaped
configuration. The U-shaped blanket is received on the tGp
and the sides of a pair of adjacent and parallel roof
purlins and spans the width therebetween. The U-shaped
configuration of the blanket provides means for providing a
thick blanket of low-density thermal insulation inside
thereof and between the purlins for increasing the
insulation R factor of the insulated roof.
Bertrand discloses a method for improving the thermic
insulation of a building with the rigid frame structure.
The method is used to insulate a metal building which has a
rigid frame structure comprised of metal columns, beams,
braces and rafters which are rigidly fixed to each other.
There is a sheet metal roof and sheet metal wall panels
which are secured to the frame by metallic fasteners. A
thick layer of insulating material is first placed on the
inner surfaces of the roof and wall panels before they are
secured to the rigid frame and the insulating material is
then pinched between said panels and the frame members.
Then, insulating covers are glued in place on each of the
members of the rigid frame to completely cover all exposed
portions of such members within the building and under the
layer of insulating material. The purpose of this assembly
is to reduce heat loss and greatly alleviate the formation
of condensate moisture within the building.
Hintz discloses a sound-absorbing panel having a front
and a rear sheet, the front sheet being corrugated and
perforated, and including a filler of particles of elastic
material between the two sheets.
Knudson discloses a structural cap and composite
structure for buildings and similar structures. The
invention dis~loses a structural cap which fastens along its
opposite side edges to the seam structure joining a
generally channel-shaped structural panel to adjacent
similar panels in order to form a four-sided, closed,
generally tubular, composite structure that has considerably
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greater load-bearing strength than the connected panel
alone. When temperature differentials between the inside
and outside are a factor, a body of heat insulation is
provided in the closed space as well as heat insulation
between the fastening side edges of the cap and connecting
seam structures. Each structural cap is preferably made as
a one-piece body of sheet metal that is shaped to have an
intermediate cover portion that overlies the bottom of the
panel and side edge portions on opposite sides o~ the cover
portion including side wall sections that recess the cover
portion inwardly of the outside of the panel and reinforces
side walls of the panel.
Franklin discloses an insulation assembly for a building
structure and a device for quickly and easily securing the
insulation to wall joists so as to eliminate the job of
stapling insulation to the joists. The present insulation
assembly consists of a soft wooley insulation material such
as fiberglass placed between paper or equivalent sheets
which are glued together along their side edges. The side
edges on one outer side having a pressure-sensitive adhesive
applied thereto which is covered by removable protective
strip of paper that can be peeled off to expose the adhesive
for placement of the insulation assembly against the wall
joists.
Although these listed references clearly disclose a
number of insulation concepts for use with metal buildings,
none provide the specific construction which is provided by ~-
the present invention. Those disclosures which provide
hothing more than sandwiching a thickness of insulation
between metal surfaces or a sheet metal panel and a frame
represent the typical type of prior device that this
invention improves upon. The enclosed insulation mats of
the present invention are simply not disclosed or suggested
by the listed references.
For example, in Murphy et al. which discloses a flexible
bladder which is filled with insulation and disposed between
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side walls of a building, that would not be appropriate for
the metal building construction in view of the fact that the
insulation assembly is shaped by the space between the side
walls and does not come as an enclosed panel in roll form.
The entire structure of Murphy is geared to insulating a
space which is otherwise virtually inaccessible and thus a
deflatable bladder is required. None of these aspects are
applicable to the metal building construction which is
completely open and able to receive insulation panels.
Another reference of interest is Bertrand, but here, in
a method considerably different from the present invention,
a thick layer of insulating material is actually fixed to
the inner surfaces of the sheet metal roof and wall panels
before they are bolted onto the rafters of the frame. It is
clear from the disclosure that this thickness of insulating
material is not encased in a moisture-impermeable envelope
but merely covered with insulating covers to protect exposed
portions. The only aspect of Bertrand which in any way
relates to the concerns over moisture is the described
condensation phenomenon and to overcome this particular
problem, the exposed parts of the frame structure of the
building are insulated with the use of rigid coverings 19
which are made of insulating material.
Finally, the Franklin reference is possibly of some
particular interest for its disclosure of an insulation
assembly which includes some type of insulation material
such as fiberglass placed between long panels of a material
such as paper whose outer edges are joined together so as to
create a pocket for the insulation material on the
interior. One side of the sealed edge is provided with a
pressure-sensitive adhesive strip protected by a
plastic-coated paper strip. This allows this particular
insulation assembly to simply be stuck on or between floor,
wall or ceiling studs or joists. This particular technique
is intended only to substitute for the stapling procedure
which the patent suggests takes a great amount of time, and
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that technique is to be replaced by an insulation assembly
that has self-contained means to attach the insulation to
the studs or joists of a building. Again, this particular
invention focuses on a situation and problem completely
unrelated to the present invention and attempts to satisfy
or overcome that problem by a structure and method which is
different from the present invention.
An improvement to these aforementioned concepts and
structures and one which overcomes the various problems with
some of the present insulation methods for metal buildings
is offered by the present invention. The present invention
provides an improved thermal insulation system for
insulating preengineered metal buildings. The thermal
insulation system consists of fiberglass batting enclosed in
any of a variety of heat-sealable plastic films or metal
- foil/film laminates as dicated by the desired thermal
performance or physical characteristics of the insulation. ;~
The insulation system of the present invention serves to
eliminate the major problem of water saturation that often
occurs during installation of the current and most widely
used insulation systems. Moisture saturation is a condition
that can greatly reduce the insulation R factor and
virtually offset the entire value of the insulation. The
system of the present invention also eliminates the handling
and health concerns associated with exposed fiberglass
materials. ;
Summary of the Invention
, An insulation mat for use in insulating the roof or side
wall of the metal building according to one embodiment of
the present invention comprises a fluid-impermeable top skin
having a gener.ally rectangular peripheral edge, a
fluid-impermeable bottom skin having a generally rectangular
peripheral edge, the top and bottom skins being sealed
together in the pro~imity of their peripheral edges and
defining thereby a sealed interior cavity therebetween and
insulation material disposed within the interior cavity.
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one object of the present invention is to provide an
improved insulation mat for metal buildings.
Related objects and advantages of the present invention
will be apparent from the following description.
Brief Description of the Drawing~
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a metal building
with insulation mats applied to the roof according to a
typical embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial end elevational view in full section
of the roof portion of the FIG. 1 building.
FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the roof portion as
taken along plane 3~3 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of an insulation
mat comprising a portion of the FIG. 1 building.
FIG. 5 is a section view of the FIG. 4 insulation mat
showing its attachment to an adjacent insulation mat.
FIG. 6 is a partial, full section view of an alternate
joining technique for adjacent insulation mats according to
the present invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the
principles of the invention, reference will now be made to
the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific
language will be used to describe the same. It will
nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope
of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and
further modifications in the illustrated device, and such
further applications of the principles of the invention as
illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally
occur to one s~illed in the art to which the invention
relates.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated in partial and
diagrammatic form a metal building 20 which includes a
partially completed roof 21. Roof 21 includes steel cross
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members 22, insulation mats 23 and ribbed or corrugated
sheet metal roofing panels 24. The building 20 includes a
lower base 27, upright corner columns 28, outer side braces
29 and interior columns 30.
It is to be understood that building 20 is intended to
merely represent one possible construction for a metal
building of the type employing insulation material above the -~
roof frame and below the sheet metal roof covering. While
virtually any style of metal building will be suitable for
10 the present invention, the specifics of the roof style and
side wall construction are important. The roof structure
illustrated is believed to be the most representative of the
roof style of metal buildings for which the present
invention would be used.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a partial end
view, in full section, of roof 21 as disposed across roof
support beams 33, a joined pair of which is illustrated.
There is one support beam secured to the top of each of the
columns 28 and 30. The support beams are arranged in pairs
20 extending inwardly and upwardly from opposite sides of the
building. Each aligned pair of support beams is jointed at
abutment line 34 which is parallel with the apex of the roof
which in the exemplary embodiment is a gable roof design.
Although there are four corner columns, the number of
25 interior columns 30 will depend upon the size of the
building, predominantly controlled by the length dimension.
However, if the building is particularly high, a greater
number of interior columns may be desired as would be
expected simply based upon the area between columns.
The support beams extend laterally and generally
parallel to each other and the cross members run
longitudinally.the length of the building. The cross
members 22 which are generally parallel to each other will
vary in number depending on the size of the building. The
35 cross members are arranged substantially perpendicular to
the support beams. Each cross member is a generally
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U-shaped channel with the lower side joined to the support
beams and the upper, opposite side providing the support
surface for the insulation mats 23. The mats are arranged
as generally rectangular members which extend longitudinally
in a direction and plane substantially parallel to the
support beams and substantially perpendicular to the cross
members. The final components of roof 21, with the
exception of attachment hardware are roofing panels 24.
These generally rectangular panels are arranged to extend
longitudinally in the same direction as the insulation mats
and substantially parallel to the mats and to the plane of
the mats.
FIG. 3 provides a side edge view of the FIG. 2 structure
as viewed along line 3-3. As illustrated, the roofing
panels 24 are disposed with generally rectangular
corrugations 35 and are joined edge to edge in overlapping
relation. A plurality of insulation mats 23 are likewise
arranged in a side-by-side relation for the full length of
the building. As will be described in greater detail
hereinafter, each insulation mat is formed by filling an
enclosed, water-impermeable envelope with insulation
material. The sealed edges of the enclosed envelopes are
joined together in order to create an integral insulation
covering for at least one-half of the entire roof.
Referring to FIG. 4, a portion of one insulation mat 23
is illustrated. Mat 23 has a length (L) which varies
depending on the roof size or wall height but a width (w)
which is typically 4 feet for the roof or 6 feet for a side
wall. The thickness (t) will range from 1-1/2 inches to 6
inches. Sealed edge 36 extends on the illustrated side for
the full length and the opposite side which is not
illustrated al~o has a sealed edge. Enclosed envelope 37
has a top skin 38 and an opposite side bottom skin 39.
Disposed between the top and bottom skins is suitable
insulation material 40. In this arrangement it is to be
understood that the front edge 41 is sealed as will be the
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rear edge once the length of each individual insulation mat
23 is determined. The individual insulation mats may be cut
from a larger rolled strip which may be formed in any length
such as a 100-foot length or more and cut to the desired
length at the site and then sealed on its trailing edge.
Four-foot wide rolled strips are used for the mats for the
roof and six-foot wide strips are used for the side wall
mats. A suitable material for top skin 38 and bottom skin
39 is any of a variety of heat-sealable plastic films or
metal foil/film laminates such as polyethylene film,
polypropylene film, metalized plastic film etc., which are
suitable moisture barriers. The interior insulation
material may be fiberglass batting or loose, discrete -
insulation such as cellulose, or polyurethane. The
double-skin, filled envelope design enables the plastic film
to be dispensed from rolls and the edges sealed as the
insulation is inserted between the two skins. Once the
desired length is selected, the trailing edge is sealed, the
leading edge having already been sealed at the start of the
process of forming the mat 23.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, mat 23 is formed with
the outer side edges of the top skin 38 and bottom skin 39
pinched together and sealed. In the exemplary embodiment,
these outer side edges are heat-sealed and the double
thickness of sealed edge 36 may be used to join adjacent
mats to each other, if desired, as illustrated in FIG. 5.
This joining step may be achieved by the use of stables or
tape or adhesive which is applied as the mats 23 are
positioned over the cross members 22. Adhesive may also be
used to join the outer side edges of the skins into sealed
edge 36. Either with or without being joined together with
staples or adhesive or even by heat-sealing, adjacent mats
may be closely positioned by turning the abutting sealed
edges upwardly or downwardly and pushing the mat bodies
close together, as illustrated in FIG. 6. In the preferred
approach, the tabs (sealed edges 36) which are formed by
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heat-sealing the top and bottom skins are turned upwardly
and adjacen~ tabs stapled together. This stapling step
helps to prevent individual mats from shifting and becoming
misaligned during assembly as part of the roof. However,
the final assembly step is to drive screws 42 through the
outer roofing panels, through the insulation and into the
metal cross members. The remainder of the building
structure is then completed such as attaching trim pieces,
gutters, etc. It is also to be noted that the described
apparatus and method with regard to the roof structure is
equally applicable to siding panels and the procedure which
has been described would be virtually the same.
What is thus provided by the present invention is a very
manageable insulation system for metal buildings which not
only provide the desired insulation, but which provides that
insulation in a simple, efficient and cost-effective
manner. First, by encasing the fiberglass insulation or
loose, discrete insulation within a fluid-impermeable
flexible plastic film envelope, any handling concerns or
exposure to the fiberglass is eliminated. This is an
advantage not only at the work site but in handling and
shipping of the fiberglass to bring it to the work site.
Another advantage is that the encased insulation may be
stored at the work site without concerns with regard to
environmental conditions and may be installed onto the cross
member without particular concern that if the building is
not completed, moisture may attack the insulation making it
virtually worthless. The presence of the sealed edges on
either side of the insulation mat provides a number of
desirable options for joining adjacent mats together as well
as for assembly of mats to the structure. The encased
insulation may be made in virtually any length and actually
dispensed in a prefab roll. All of these particular
benefits provide a most desirable insulation concept which
is not provided by any of the presently existing or known
insulation techniques.
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Another option with the present invention is to ~:
completely encase and seal closed the panel of insulation
and then puncture one skin and draw a vacuum. Since the
encased fiberglass (or loose, discrete insulation) is
5 flexible and compressible, a much larger thickness can be :
encased and reduced in thickness by drawing the vacuum. :~
While the finished thickness may be the same as the
"as-received," nonencased fiberglass, the R-value will be
much higher. . :
While the invention has been illustrated and described
in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the
same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive
in character, it being understood that only the preferred
embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes
and modifications that come within the spirit of the
invention are desired to be protected.
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