Patent Application
20130189471
This patent generally pertains to flexible wall panels and, more specifically, to fire resistant insulated flexible wall panels.
A demising wall is an interior wall, curtain or panel often used for dividing one leased portion of a building from another. Although such demising walls may not be as permanent as the building's exterior walls, demising walls preferably are sturdy for security, fire resistant for safety, and lightweight and flexible for versatile configurability. The term, “fire resistance” is a measure of a material's ability to resist or delay burning.
Flame-spread index and smoke-developed index are related to fire resistance in that the indices are quantitative values representative of a structure's tendency to promote flames and smoke, respectively. Flame-spread and smoke-developed indices, as referenced herein, are defined by a conventional standard test known as ASTM E84-11a (as it existed on Sep. 26, 2011). The ASTM E84-11a test standard, also known as Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Material is provided by the American Society for Testing and Materials and is further published under UL 723, UBC 8-1, and NFPA 255. The test, for example, basically involves exposing a test specimen of a given nominal size to a flaming fire in a 25-foot tunnel The resulting propagation of flame and smoke from the test specimen is compared to that resulting from similar shaped specimens of mineral fiber cement board and select grade red oak flooring.
In some situations, a demising wall may be insulated for thermal resistance. The term, “thermal resistance” is an inverse measure of a structure's ability to conduct heat. Thermal resistance, as used herein, is in terms of R-value, which is the temperature differential (degrees-Fahrenheit) across a generally planar structure divided by the heat flux (Btu/hr per square-foot) through the structure. The heat flux is the heat transfer per unit area of a generally planar surface of the structure, wherein the heat transfer is in a direction perpendicular to the structure's planar surface. Thermal resistance and R-values as used herein are in units of (degree-Fahrenheit)/(Btu/hr per square-foot).
As for example uses and configurations of wall panel 10,
Referring to
To provide panel assembly 28 with relatively high thermal resistance and lightweight construction, some examples of core 24 include, but are not limited to, rayon fiber batting, polyester fiber batting and polyethylene bubble pack (with or without foil). In some examples, core 24 has a thickness 30 of about 0.75 inches and a thermal resistance of about R-3. In some examples, core 24 includes two or more layers. For example, in the illustrated example of
However, some such core materials have a relatively low fire resistance rating. To protect core 24 and improve the panel assembly's overall fire resistance, flame-spread index and/or smoke-developed index, core 24 is positioned or disposed (e.g., sandwiched) between pads 26, which have a greater fire resistance (e.g., a higher rating) than core 24. Even though core 24 is relatively flammable, pads 26 tend to resist and/or snuff out combustion that might otherwise quickly spread through core 24. Some examples of pad 26 include, but are not limited to, carbon fiber batting, fiberglass cloth, reinforced aluminum foil, rock wool batting and ceramic fiber batting. In examples where core 24 is made of 0.75-inch thick rayon fiber batting, positive results have been achieved with each pad 26 being made of carbon fiber batting having a thickness 32 of approximately 0.25 inches. Although some examples of pads 26 have a thermal resistance of less than 0.5-R, the core's relatively high thermal resistance compensates for that.
Outer skin 20 helps hold multilayer portion 22 together to complete panel assembly 28. Some examples of outer skin 20 include, but are not limited to, polyester fabric, PVC coated polyester, silicone rubber coated fiberglass cloth, and aluminized fiberglass cloth. Some examples of outer skin 20 also include a known fire retardant to suppress, reduce and/or delay combustion of skin 20. Some examples of skin 20 are about 0.015 inches thick with less thermal resistance than that of core 24 and pad 26.
In some examples, skin 20 and pads 26 are coupled together via fasteners. In the illustrated example of
In some examples, grommets, snaps, clips, laces, zippers, seals, connecters, tongue-in-groove joints, hook-and-loop joints, and/or additional features and elements are added to panel assembly 28 to facilitate various divider uses, such as those shown in
Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of the coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
