AU598414B2 - Lightweight insulation batt - Google Patents

Description

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7 598414 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: Lodged: Class Int. Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: This document contains the amndments made under Section 49 and is correct for printing. Related Art: 0 '4V TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Rolf Karl HARTELT and Ann Jean HARTELT 327 Scoresby Road, Ferntree Gully, Victoria 3156, Australia Rolf Karl HARTELT SMITH SHELSTON BEADLE 207 Riversdale Road Box 410) Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: LIGHTWEIGHT INSULATION BATT The following statement is a full description the best method of performing it known to us: of this invention, including Page 1 Our Ref: JC:WB14 har I- la 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 06 *0 13 14 15 S0 16 17 18 19 B 0 8 21 00 0 22 23 S 24 26 00*0 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 This invention relates to an improved insulation product, and more particularly relates to an improved lightweight insulation batt for use in insulating the walls of buildings.

In AU-B-82192/82 (526490) there is described a method of insulating the ceiling of a building, which comprised the steps of placing loose fill insulating material directly above the ceiling lining material to a desired thickness, applying a coating of liquid glue or adhesive to the surface of the insulating material remote from the lining material and allowing the glue or adhesive to dry or set forming a cohesive skin on the surface of the insulating material.

The method of AU-B-82192/82 has proved very satisfactory, particularly with the use of preferred materials such as cellulose fibre material for the loose fill insulating material, and diluted P.V.A. glue for the liquid glue. However such a method, and the sulting in situ insulation, is only suitable for insulating ceilings, and it has become apparent that there is a need for a similarly effective insulation for the walls of buildings.

Presently available fibreglass insulation batts for walls are unsatisfactory, as they degrade over time. It has been found, for example, that after a period of from to 7 years, fibreglass batts used in wall cavities disintegrate. The constituent fibres fall under the influence of gravity to the bottom of the cavity, leaving other portions of the cavity without any insulating material.

Furthermore, another serious consequence of such batt disintegrations is that glass fibres of a length dangerous to human lung tissue are released, and may find their way into the living space of a dwelling or other building.

Other insulation materials have disadvantages.

Mineral wool (rockwool) batts are used in wall cavities, but 890309,lwbdat.008,harl22.spe,

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2 to wear "full protective clothing including gloves and face mask" to "reduce skin irritation" (Insulation Guide, Energy Information Centre, Victoria, March 1987).

Furthermore, foam insulation normally installed in situ by combining chemicals which are pumped from a gun into wall cavities. Urea formaldehyde and Urethane foams are two examples of foam insulation. However, such foam insulation contains phenyl resins, which are now believed to contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer, and which are accordingly not likely to be used in the future. Clearly, an effective and safe insulation batt is needed.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved insulation product capable of being effectively used to insulate the walls of a building.

o 600 15 In this specification, including the claims, the term o0 0 00 00 'loose fill cellulose fibre insulation matccial' is defined as oooo000o 0 cellulose fibre insulation material manufactured from newsprint which is pulverised into a fine fluff, and treated with a fire 0 retardant. Suitable fire retardants are borax or boracic acid.

A similar definition of loose fill cellulose fibre insulation material may be found in the booklet "Insulation Guide" published in March 1987 by Energy Information Centre, Victoria.

0' 0 The invention provides a lightweight insulation batt comprising loose fill cellulose fibre insulation material (as 25 hereinbefore defined) bound in a substantially rigid matrix with o66 a binding agent.

;In a form of the invention which may be preferred, a I loose fill cellulose fibre material, which contains suitable c3 spe.020/hartelt I 1V 1 I It -2achemical additive fire retardants as previously stated, moisture repellents, and vermin repellents, is mixed with a liquid glue or adhesive and is then placed in a suitable mould, in which the mixture is allowed to dry. The mixing of the loose fill material and the glue or adhesive may take place in the mould itself, and may be mixed using industrial mixing machinery. The drying of the material could be forced by heating and/or air circulation.

For 9* 9 e o 0 0 So 09 0 000 0 o 00 0 0 00000 a 9 0 009 0 0 0 00 0 00 0 0 0 «0 0 0 9 0 0 0e.020/hartelt 1 I ~i i i 3 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 S 24 26 C 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 example, it is suggested that in a large-scale plant for producing such batts, industrial microwave ovens could be used to dry the mixture quickly and thoroughly.

In a preferred form of the invention the liquid glue or adhesive comprises P.V.A. glue diluted with water although it will be appreciated that other forms of glue or adhesive could be used. The P.V.A. glue, normally supplied as a thick paste, is diluted with water in a ratio between 2:1 and 10:1 of water:glue. The P.V.A. adhesive has the advantage over other adhesives in that it has no odour, it does not burn and is not toxic. Many different types of P.V.A. glue are available and may be used although it has been found that some glues may be diluted with water more readily than others. Other types of glue are "stickier" and others have good penetration. A particularly suitable P.V.A. glue has been found to be P 15 P.V.A. glue supplied by Polystick Chemicals Pty. Ltd.

The following Example describes one insulation product portion produced in accordance with the present invention.

Example 1 An amount of cellulose fibre loose fill material was placed in a bucket. A mixture of water and Polystick P 15 P.V.A. glue mixed in the approximate ratio 7:1 or 8:1 was added to the cellulose fibre material and mixed therewith.

The mixture was then placed in a rough mould and allowed to dry, with some supply of hot air to the mixture to aid drying.

When the mixture had dried, it was removed from the mould, and was found to be a strong, lightweight material which could be readily sawn or otherwise fashioned into a desired shape. The thickness of the batts would determine the R rating thereof. For example, a batt according to the Example, having a thickness of 10 cm, would rate at approximately R2.8.

It can be seen from this Example that insulation batts could be produced in accordance with this invention, which batts could be supplied in standard sizes, which could 890309,lwbdat.008,har322.spe, i i 4 37 batts could be produced in accordance with this invention, 38 which batts could be supplied in standard sizes, which could 1 be sawn into desired shapes on site and which would provide 2 the same excellent heat insulation for walls (and other 3 locations) as the method of Australian patent no. 526490 4 provides for ceilings.

It is felt that a less dilute solution of glue in 6 water would be as effective, and allow quicker drying, 7 perhaps a water:glue ratio of between 2:1 and 7:1, although 8 this may vary in relation to the particular glue or adhesive 9 used.

Thus it can be seen that the insulation product of 11 this invention provides a strong but easily fashioned batt, 12 one with excellent heat insulation and fire-retardent 13 properties, and one which is not harmful to health.

14 It is initially envisaged to produce batts of 50mm, 75mm and 100mm thickness, although any particular 16 dimension may be obtainable by adjustments to mould sizes.

17 The entire contents of the provisional 18 specification lodged with Australian patent application no.

19 PG 2787 are hereby imported into this specification and form part of the disclosure of this specification.

21 The claims form part of the disclosure of this 22 specification.

23 The entire contents of the complete specification 24 and claims of AU-A-36603/84 are hereby imported into this specification.

890309,!wbdat.008,har422.spe,

Claims (11)

1. A rigid lightweight insulation batt comprising loose fill cellulose fibre insulation material (as hereinbefore defined) bound in a rigid matrix with a P.V.A. glue.

2. An insulation batt according to claim 1, wherein said batt further includes wood pulp fibre.

3. An insulation batt according to claim 2, wherein said material includes at least one chemical additive.

4. An insulation batt according to claim 3, wherein said additive is a fire repellent and/or a moisture repellent, and/or a vermin repellent.

A method of producing a rigid lightweight insulation batt, including the steps of mixing loose fill cellulose fibre insulation material (as hereinbefore defined) with an acqueous dispersion of a P.V.A. glue, and drying the mixture to produce a rigid matrix of said material bound by said P.V.A. glue.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said material has at least one chemical additive thereto.

7. A method according to claim 5 or 6 wherein heat is applied j 20 to said mixture. S8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said heat is applied by exposing said mixture to microwave radiation.

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9. A rigid lightweight insulation batt produced by the method of any one of claims 5 to 8.

10. A rigid lightweight insulation batt substantially as herein described, with reference to the Example.

11. A method of producing a rigid lighteight insulation batt, dALcLsubstantially as herein described with reference to the Example. pe.020/hartelt DATED this ',larch 213 199(J SMITH SHELSTON BEADLE Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: ROLF KARL HARTELT and ANN JEAN HARTELT i t t I L I a a It Ia a a t a 020/hartelt