Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward insulation devices that include a plurality of vacuum-insulated capsules.
Vacuum-insulated panels (VIPs) are known. Generally, these panels include a gas-tight enclosure that encapsulates a rigid core that has been air evacuated. The enclosure is typically made of a membrane that prevents the passage of air, and the rigid core is typically a highly-porous material that supports the enclosing membrane against atmospheric pressure once the air is evacuated. Since VIPs prevent the transfer of heat based upon a vacuum, they are very efficient and therefore highly desirable.
While desirable, VIPs can be difficult to install since their size is not easily manipulated once the panel is constructed. This is in sharp contrast to many other insulation devices, such as rolled insulation or insulation board, which can be easily cut and shaped to meet configurational demands related to installation. If one attempts to alter the dimensions of a VIP, such as by cutting the length and/or width of the VIP, the vacuum seal is lost thereby destroying the insulating properties of the VIP.
Likewise, the ability to secure a VIP into its desired location of use is limited. Indeed, in many situations it is desirable to fasten an insulating device to a building structure. For example, insulation boards are often secured to a roof surface by using mechanical fasteners such as nails and the like. VIPs cannot be secured in this fashion since any mechanical fastener that would pierce the vacuum-sealed enclosure would destroy the evacuated chamber and thereby destroy the insulating properties of the board.
One or more embodiments of the present invention provide an insulation device comprising a first plurality of vacuum-insulated capsules connected along a first plane, where each vacuum-insulated capsule within said first plurality has a common first geometric shape extending from the first plane and a second plurality of vacuum-insulated capsules connected along a second plane, where each vacuum-insulated capsule within said second plurality has a common second geometric shape extending from the second plane, where said first and said second geometric shapes are complementary, and where said first plurality of vacuum-insulated capsules are intermeshed within said second plurality of vacuum-insulated capsules to form the insulation device.
Embodiments of the invention are based, at least in part, on the discovery of an insulating device including a plurality of first and second planarly arranged vacuum-insulated capsules intermeshed with each other. As a result of this assembly, the insulating devices of the present invention can be cut to a desire width or length without having an appreciable impact on the insulating properties of the insulating device. Likewise, the insulating devices of the present invention can advantageously be mechanically fastened to a building structure without having an appreciable impact on the insulating properties of the overall insulating device. Additionally, the intermeshed plurality of insulating capsules can be encased within a protective material such as foam.
Devices of the invention can be described with reference to the drawings. For example,
With reference again to
While
In one or more embodiments, the components of the upper and lower portions need not be symmetrical. For example, as shown in
Practice of the present invention is not necessarily limited by the construction of the various vacuum-insulated capsules. Indeed, the skilled person can fabricate the vacuum-insulated capsules by using various known techniques. And, once the teachings of this invention are understood, the known techniques can be applied to create the devices of this invention. In one or more embodiments, the vacuum-insulated capsules can be manufactured from materials known for preparing vacuum-insulated panels. For example, and as shown in
In one or more embodiments, core 73 may include a rigid, highly-porous material that supports the membrane walls against atmospheric pressure once the air is evacuated. In one or more embodiments, examples of vacuum insulated panels include silica (e.g., fumed or precipitated silica), alumina, titania, magnesia, chromia, tin dioxide, glass wool, fiberglass, carbon, aluminosilicates (e.g., perlite), open-cell polystyrene, or open cell polyurethane. In these or other embodiments, core 73 may include an aerogel such as carbon aerogels, silica aerogels, and alumina aerogels. Other examples of materials that are suitable for forming a core are known in the art as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Publ. Nos. 2013/0216854, 2013/0216791, 2013/0142972, 2013/0139948, 2012/0009376, 2009/0126600, 2008/0236052, 2004/0058119, 2003/0159404, and 2003/0082357 which are incorporated herein by reference.
In one or more embodiments, membrane 71 may include a material that is impervious or substantially impervious to the transmission or diffusion of air. For example, membrane 71, or at least a portion thereof, may include metal foil, such as aluminum foil. In these or other embodiments, membrane 71 may include a polymeric film such as, but not limited to, a multi-layered film including one or more polymeric layers designed to prevent or at least inhibit the transmission or diffusion of air. In particular embodiments, portions of membrane 71, such as base 75, may be fabricated from a first material, such as foil, and other portions, such as shroud 77, may be fabricated from a second material, such a polymeric film.
The individual vacuum-insulated capsules of the devices of the present invention are advantageously small, especially with respect to the width and length of the overall device. As the skilled person will recognize, this allows the device to be sized or secured using mechanical fasters while only destroying a minimal portion of the devices insulating properties. The size of the individual capsules can be described with reference to the inner volume of the capsule, which is, in most embodiments, proximate in volume to the volume of the core. In or more embodiments, the volume of the individual capsules is at most 16 cubic inches (0.262 liter), in other embodiments at most 12 cubic inches (0.0197 liter), in other embodiments at most 8 cubic inches (0.131 liter), in other embodiments at most 4 cubic inches (0.066 liter), in other embodiments at most 2 cubic inches (0.033 liter), and in other embodiments at most 1 cubic inches (0.016 liter). In these or other embodiments, the volume of the individual capsules is at least 0.1 cubic inches (0.0016 liter), in other embodiments at least 0.3 cubic inches (0.0049 liter), in other embodiments at least 0.5 cubic inches (0.0082 liter), in other embodiments at least 0.7 (0.0115 liter), in other embodiments at least 1 cubic inches (0.016 liter), and in other embodiments at least 2 cubic inches (0.033 liter). In one or more embodiments, the volume of the individual capsules is from about 0.1 cubic inches (0.0016 liter) to about 16 cubic inches (0.262 liter), in other embodiments from about 0.3 cubic inches (0.0049 liter) to about 12 cubic inches (0.0197 liter), and in other embodiments from about 0.5 cubic inches (0.0082 liter) to about 8 cubic inches (0.131 liter).
As suggested above, in one or more embodiments, the insulating device described above may be encased within a protective fortification or shield. For example, in one or more embodiments, and as shown in
In one more embodiments, the insulating devices of the invention can be fabricated into insulating devices for use in the construction industry. For example, the insulating devices can be fabricated into construction boards that can be used as insulating devices for roof and wall applications. Thus, embodiments of the present invention are directed toward a building structure having the insulation devices of this invention. In one or more embodiments, the insulation devices of this invention are mechanically attached to the building structure by using one or more known mechanical fasteners, such as nails or screws. In one or more embodiments, the insulating devices are mechanically attached to the building structure by piercing one or more of the vacuum-insulated capsules with one or more of the mechanical fasteners. As suggested above, while piercing these vacuum-insulated capsules will have a detrimental impact on the insulating properties of the particular capsules, the fact that any individual capsule contributes only a fraction of the overall insulating properties of the overall device allows the overall device to maintain its insulating properties while being mechanically attached to the building structure.
In one or more embodiments, the insulating devices are fabricated into construction boards having a thickness of from about 0.25 inch (0.635 cm) to about 12 inches (30.48 cm), in other embodiments from about 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) to about 10 inches (25.4 cm), in other embodiments from about 1 inch (2.54 cm) to about 6 inches (15.24 cm), and in other embodiments from about 2 inches (5.08 cm) to about 4 inches (10.16 cm). In these or other embodiments, the construction boards can have a width of from about 14 inches (35.56 cm) to 10 feet (3.048 m), in other embodiments from about 1 foot (0.3048 m) to about 8 feet (2.4384 m), and in other embodiments from about 2 feet (0.6096 m) to about 6 feet (1.8288 m). In these or other embodiments, the construction board can have a length of from about 4 feet (1.2192 m) to about 20 feet (6.096 m), in other embodiments from about 6 feet (1.8288 m) to about 18 feet (5.4864 m), and in other embodiments from about 8 (2.4384 m) to about 14 feet (4.2672 m).
Various modifications and alterations that do not depart from the scope and spirit of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. This invention is not to be duly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/073,447, filed on Oct. 31, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2015/058352 | 10/30/2015 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62073447 | Oct 2014 | US |