Patent Application
20060135011
This invention relates to thermal insulation blankets comprising laminated thermoplastic layers for use in building structures, particularly, metal buildings, such as barns, and retail/warehouse structures.
In the trend to have large retail shops in the form of “box-warehouse” structures where the goods on sale are viewed by public purchasers, shoppers and the like, aesthetic pleasing surroundings, particularly, for open-viewed ceilings of reduced capital cost, are desired by the wholesaler/retailer. Also, it is also known that good insulation that reduces heat gain or loss and improves animal comfort can increase animal productivity and reduce animal mortality.
Thermal insulation blankets comprising laminates of layers of thermoplastic materials, such as, for example, polyethylene sheets and bubble-packs, are used extensively as insulation in such buildings, particularly, metal structures.
Also used in such structures are thermal blankets comprising thermoplastic laminates having a scrim layer to provide additional strength, which laminates are used in conjunction with additional layers of fibreglass and or other non-thermoplastic insulation materials. However, while such fibreglass materials offer well-known advantages as insulation materials, in their use in the aforesaid box warehouse buildings, they suffer from significant, including seasonal, disadvantages. For example, although a thickness of 0.5 cm may be effective in certain circumstances, the fibreglass is generally used at a significant thickness of between 2.5 cm-15 cm. Further, while not only presenting moisture-condensation problems, particularly, in cooler climates, it also provides a nesting habitat for rodents and birds. Thus, precautions against health hazards during'installation and subsequently, must be taken. Yet further, the viewing of the fibreglass in the aforesaid “open-ceiling” structure may not be conducive to the image the store owner wishes to portray.
There is, therefore, a need for a thermal insulation blanket for use in the aforesaid buildings, which does not suffer from the aforesaid disadvantages, while providing satisfactory thermal insulation values, strength and visual appearance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an aesthetically-pleasing thermal insulation blanket for use in building structures, particularly, those with open ceilings visible to employees and the public, and having satisfactory strength and insulative properties, without the need for non-thermoplastic materials, such as fibreglass or like insulation materials.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides an improved lightweight, compact, multi-layer thermoplastic insulation blanket for thermally insulating a building structure, said blanket comprising a laminate of a first layer;
a second layer;
a bubble layer; and
a third layer;
the improvement comprising a scrim laminated to said first and second layers as to be visible through said first layer.
By the term “scrim” in this specification and claims is meant a mesh or net-like arrangement of longitudinal and transverse members formed of a strengthening material, such as a thermoplastic material or metal strand or fibre, woven or laminated to or embedded in a thermoplastic material. The presence of the scrim provides strength and reduces the a mount of tearing or breaking (running) of the laminate.
By the term “bubble” and “bubble-pack” is meant a plurality of longitudinally and transversely spaced discrete semi-spherical sealed air encapsulated pockets as is well-known in the art.
Preferably, each of the layers is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinylchloride.
Preferably, the layers are formed of polyethylene.
In alternative embodiments the first and/or second layers is a metallized thermoplastic layer or is laminated to a metal foil, preferably, aluminum.
The absolute and relative thickness of each of the layers in the laminate and the resultant cumulative laminated blanket may be readily determined by the person skilled in the art.
It is an essential feature of the present invention that the “scrim” appearance be visible.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a building structure provided with thermal insulation comprising an insulation blanket as, hereinabove, defined.
In order that the invention may be better understood, preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
With reference to
The bubble-pack layer is preferably of a thickness selected from 0.5 cm to 1.25 cm. The other polyethylene layers are each of a thickness, preferably, selected from 1 to 6 mls.
It would be understood by the person skilled in the art that additional layers may be present in the blankets as hereinabove defined depending on the degree of insulation desired or on a cost-effective basis.
The laminated blankets according to the invention may be readily manufactured by processes well-known in the art, for example, as described, in part, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,514,596 B1, issued Feb. 4, 2003 to Orologio, Furio.
Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to those particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments which are functional or mechanical equivalence of the specific embodiments and features that have been described and illustrated.
