GB2551897A

GB2551897A - An improved thin insulation system

Info

Publication number: GB2551897A
Application number: GB1707681.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thierry Laurent
Original assignee: Orion Financement SA
Current assignee: Orion Financement SA
Priority date: 2016-05-16
Filing date: 2017-05-12
Publication date: 2018-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-12
Also published as: ES2643757B2; ES2643757A2; BE1024281B1; GB2551897B; NL2018927B1; ES2643757R1; FR3051209A1; PL243341B1; PL421605A1; NL2018927A; FR3051209B1; GB201707681D0; BE1024281A1; DE202017102918U1

Abstract

A thermal insulation system for a building comprising at least 2 superposed sheets 100,200 each sheet comprising two films 110,120, bound together to form pouches 130 which are contain synthetic fibres 140. The sheets 100, 200 are assembled together along disjoint assembly portions A1, A2 with air cavities formed between the sheets. The films may be bound together to form pockets by stitching, welding or calendaring. The synthetic fibres may comprise polyester. The system may further include two diaphragms E1, E2, forming a cover around the sheets, one diaphragm being oversupplied relative to the other. Also included are claims to an assembly comprising the above insulation system and at least one spacer element configured to engage a rafter and clamp the insulation system thereto. The spacer element may be U shaped and may comprise metal or plastic.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Orion Financement (Incorporated in France)

Tour Maine Montparnasse, 33 avenue du Maine,

Paris Cedex 15 75755,

France (including Overseas Departments and Territori es) (56) Documents Cited:

US 20090258180 A1 JPH06114979 KR 1020100006468 (58) Field of Search:

INT CL B32B, E04B

Other: WPI, EPODOC, RM25. RM26 (72) Inventor(s):

Laurent Thierry (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

Vincent Gilbey

Cabinet Beau De Lomenie, 158 Rue de I'Universite, Paris Cedex 07 75340, France,

France (including Overseas Departments and Territori es) (54) Title of the Invention: An improved thin insulation system Abstract Title: Thin Insulation System (57) Athermal insulation system for a building comprising at least 2 superposed sheets 100,200 each sheet comprising two films 110,120, bound together to form pouches 130 which are contain synthetic fibres 140. The sheets 100, 200 are assembled together along disjoint assembly portions A1, A2 with air cavities formed between the sheets. The films may be bound together to form pockets by stitching, welding or calendaring. The synthetic fibres may comprise polyester. The system may further include two diaphragms E1, E2, forming a cover around the sheets, one diaphragm being oversupplied relative to the other. Also included are claims to an assembly comprising the above insulation system and at least one spacer element configured to engage a rafter and clamp the insulation system thereto. The spacer element may be U shaped and may comprise metal or plastic.

200

FIG.2

1/5

FIG.2

300

FIG.3

2/5

3/5 in

m

4/5

5/5

TITLE: AN IMPROVED THIN INSULATION SYSTEM

GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of multilayer insulating products for use particularly but not exclusively for providing buildings with thermal and acoustic insulation.

STATE OF THE ART

The thermal insulation of a building is an essential aspect of its energy consumption.

The various solutions in existence generally address several difficulties, in particular in terms of size, weight, cost, and ease of installation, and also in terms of effectiveness of thermal performance, in particular with respect to drafts, which makes it necessary to encapsulate traditional fiber insulating material with under-roof screens and a vapor-barrier screen.

Nevertheless, in order to optimize the effectiveness with which any particular one of those difficulties is addressed, those various solutions commonly lead to making concessions on the others.

The present invention seeks to propose a thermal insulation system that addresses all of the various above-mentioned difficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For this purpose, the present invention provides a thermal insulation system for thermally insulating a building, the system comprising at least two superposed sheets of thermal insulation, each of said sheets of thermal insulation being made up of two films that are superposed and bonded together so as to form pouches, each of the pouches containing synthetic fibers, said sheets of thermal insulation being assembled together along disjoint assembly portions so as to enable air cavities to be formed between the sheets of thermal insulation .

Typically, the assembly portions are spaced apart by a distance greater than the length of at least three pouches, the length of the pouches being measured along a middle axis of the sheet.

By way of example, the pouches have a maximum dimension measured along a middle axis of the sheet lying in the range 1 centimeter (cm) to 60 cm, more precisely in the range 1 cm to 20 cm, or indeed in the range 1 cm to 10 cm, or indeed equal to 5 cm.

By way of example, each sheet of thermal insulation has a surface density lying in the range 20 grams per square centimeter (g/cm²) to 250 g/cm², more precisely in the range 20 g/cm² to 110 g/cm².

By way of example, the superposed films of the sheets are bonded together by stitching, welding, or calendaring.

By way of example, the sheets of thermal insulation are assembled so as to enable air cavities to form between the sheets of thermal insulation, which cavities have a maximum thickness greater than 10 millimeters (mm) or more particularly greater than 20 mm.

By way of example, the synthetic fibers comprise polyester fibers.

By way of example, the synthetic fibers typically present a linear weight lying in the range 0.2 denier to 25 denier, more precisely in the range 0.5 denier to 15 denier, or more precisely in the range 3 denier to 12 denier.

In an example, the system further comprises two diaphragms forming a cover around the sheets, one of the diaphragms being oversupplied relative to the other diaphragm.

The invention also provides an assembly comprising a thermal insulation system as defined above, and at least one spacer element, said spacer element being configured to engage on a rafter so as to clamp said thermal insulation system on the rafter.

Typically, said spacer element presents a U-shape, and is typically made of plastic material or of metal.

SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics, objects, and advantages of the invention appear from the following description, which is purely illustrative and non-limiting, and which should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 3 show several aspects of examples of the thermal insulation system in an aspect of the invention; and • Figures 4 to 7 show several examples of applications of thermal insulation systems in an aspect of the invention.

In all of the figures, elements that are in common are identified by identical numerical references.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figures 1 to 3 show several aspects of examples of a thermal insulation system in an aspect of the invention.

The system of the invention is made up of thermally insulating sheets. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example sheet.

The sheet 100 as shown is made up of two superposed films 110 and 120.

These two films 110 and 120 are bonded together so as to form pouches 130; the bonding between the two films 110 and 120 is thus performed so as to define portions where the two films 110 and 120 are not bonded together, these portions defining the pouches 130.

The two films 110 and 120 may be bonded together by adhesive, welding, or calendaring. The bonding may be performed discretely or continuously, using patterns of straight lines, curved lines, or any other suitable paths or patterns.

The bonding may be performed in a longitudinal direction and/or in a transverse direction, thereby defining pouches that may be defined over all or part of their peripheries.

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a middle axis X100 of the sheet 100, this middle axis X100 passing through the zones of bonding between the two films 110 and 120. This middle axis X100 thus defines a longitudinal direction of the sheet 100.

The pouches 130 have a maximum dimension measured along this middle axis X100 lying in the range 1 cm to 60 cm, more precisely in the range 1 cm to 20 cm, or indeed 1 cm to 10 cm, or indeed equal to 5 cm.

This thus means that the zones of bonding between the two films 110 and 120 are spaced apart by a maximum lying in the range 1 cm to 60 cm, more precisely in the range 1 cm to 20 cm, or indeed in the range 1 cm to 10 cm, or indeed equal to 5 cm, along this middle axis X100.

Each of the pouches 130 contains synthetic fibers 140 in its internal volume, these synthetic fibers 140 thus filling the internal volume of each of the pouches 130, at least in part. The synthetic fibers typically present three-dimensional crimping; they are commonly said to be conjugated. Such synthetic fibers presenting three-dimensional crimping serve to enhance the bulking that is described below. The fibers are typically made of two materials.

The pouches 130 may also include other elements or materials serving typically to improve the thermal conductivity or the inertness of the insulation.

The fibers 140 arranged inside the pouches 130 may for example be polyester fibers, optionally combined with fibers of vegetal or animal origin, e.g. fibers of wood, of flax, or of wool. When the fibers 140 are polyester fibers, these fibers 140 typically present linear weight lying in the range 0.2 denier to 25 denier, more precisely in the range 0.5 denier to 15 denier, or more precisely in the range 3 denier to 12 denier.

The synthetic fibers 140 arranged within the pouches 130 may be fibers that are hollow or solid, and they may be siliconized.

The films 110 and 120 are typically metallized films based on polyethylene, and they are of emissivity as measured on the metallized face in application of the EN 16012 standard that typically lies in the range 0.02 to 0.12, more precisely in the range 0.05 to 0.07.

The thermal insulation sheet 100 typically presents surface density lying in the range 20 g/cm² to 250 g/cm², and more precisely in the range 20 g/cm² to 110 g/cm².

The thermal insulation sheet 100 typically presents thickness lying in the range 2 mm to 30 mm, as measured in application of the EN 823 standard while applying a pressure of 25 pascals (Pa).

In an aspect of the invention, an insulation system comprises at least two sheets 100 as described above.

Figure 2 shows one such system, comprising two sheets 100 and 200. These two sheets are typically as described above with reference to Figure 1. The numerical references for the second sheet 200 are incremented by 100 relative to the references used with reference to Figure 1.

These two sheets 100 and 200 are arranged between two diaphragms El and E2 forming a cover for the sheets 100 and 200, the resulting assembly thus forming the insulation system.

As can be seen in the figure, the two sheets 100 and 200 are adapted so as to be assembled together at two disjoint assembly portions, given references Al and A2 in this example.

The assembly portions may optionally be linear. In the description below it is assumed that they extend generally along a given direction in order to facilitate understanding, it being understood that this example is not limiting.

These two assembly portions Al and A2 are spaced apart by a distance that is sufficient to permit bulking,

i.e. an increase in the apparent volume of the system. Such bulking leads to the two sheets 100 and 200 being spaced apart between the two assembly portions Al and A2, thereby forming a cavity of air between the two sheets 100 and 200.

Forming such an air cavity between the two sheets 100 and 200 thus serves to improve the thermal insulation properties of the system, with such an air cavity specially acting as insulation. The assembly formed by the two sheets 100 and 200 together with the air cavity between them thus presents thermal insulation properties that are better than those of an assembly made up solely of two sheets 100 and 200 that are engaged one against the other.

The air cavity formed in this way typically presents mean thickness lying in the range 1 mm to 10 mm, and/or maximum thickness greater than 10 mm, or more particularly greater than 20 mm.

The term mean thickness is used to designate the arithmetic mean of the thickness of the air cavity as measured between the two assembly portions Al and A2 in a vertical direction, i.e. perpendicular to a longitudinal direction defined by an axis passing via the two assembly portions Al and A2.

Figure 2 thus shows diagrammatically an axis X-X specifying the longitudinal direction and an axis Y-Y specifying the vertical direction along which the height of the air cavities is measured, as are the various thicknesses .

The maximum thickness of the air cavity is used to designate the maximum spacing between the two sheets 100 and 200 as measured along the vertical direction Y-Y between two successive assembly portions Al and A2.

The two assembly portions Al and A2 are typically spaced apart by a distance measured along the axis X-X that is greater than the length of at least three pouches, typically greater than the length of at least five pouches.

The assembly portions Al and A2 are typically spaced apart by a distance that is greater than 60 cm, or indeed greater than 80 cm, or indeed greater than 100 cm, than 120 cm, or 150 cm, and less than 200 cm, than 180 cm, than 160 cm, or than 140 cm.

The assembly portions Al and A2 have two functions: they provide the system with strength and they enable bulking, as described below.

As can be understood from Figure 2, when installing the system described in order to provide a building with thermal insulation, one of the diaphragms El or E2 faces towards the outside of the building while the other faces towards the inside of the building.

The diaphragm El or E2 facing towards the inside of the building then typically has a vapor-barrier film, having permeability to water vapor (Sd) that is large, being greater than 18 meters (m), while the other diaphragm El or E2 facing towards the outside of the building then typically presents water vapor permeability (Sd) that is very low, e.g. less than or equal to 0.25 m.

Such properties can be transposed regardless of the number of sheets used to make up the system.

Such properties thus make it possible to obtain high resistance to water vapor on the inside and high permeability to water vapor on the outside. These properties thus make it possible to prevent water vapor diffusing through the wall and avoid the need to lay a separate vapor barrier, while also avoiding risks of condensation.

The system as proposed thus serves to combine the functions of thermal insulation and of being proof against air, water, and water vapor, thereby excluding any risk of condensation.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a system in an aspect of the invention, made up of three superposed sheets, each sheet being typically being as described above with reference to Figure 1.

In this example, the three sheets are identified by numerical references 100, 200, and 300, the numerical references of the sheets 200 and 300 being incremented respectively by 100 and by 200 relative to the numerical references used in the above description of the sheet

100.

As above, the sheets 100, 200, and 300 are assembled together using two disjoint assembly portions, given references Al and A2.

The system as formed in this way bulks between these assembly portions, leading to the formation of air cavities between the sheets 100, 200, and 300.

It can be understood that the air cavities formed respectively between the sheets 100 and 200 and between the sheets 200 and 300 are not necessarily identical.

Such asymmetry has no impact on the thermal insulation performance of the system, since forming two air cavities of identical thickness or two air cavities of different thicknesses both lead to substantially equal properties, providing the sum of the thicknesses of the air cavities is substantially equal and providing each of the air cavities has a maximum thickness of less than 20 mm.

More precisely, the position of the intermediate sheet, in this example the sheet 200, has limited impact on the thermal insulation properties of the system.

When the system has more than two sheets, at least one of the air cavities as formed in this way typically presents mean thickness lying in the range 1 mm to 10 mm, and/or maximum thickness greater than 10 mm, or more particularly greater than 20 mm.

Thus, in the example shown in Figure 3, at least one of the air cavities as formed in this way typically presents a mean thickness lying in the range 1 mm to 10 mm, and/or a maximum thickness greater than 10 mm, or more particularly greater than 20 mm.

The term mean thickness is used to designate an arithmetic mean of the thickness of the air cavity as measured between the two assembly portions Al and A2 in a vertical direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction defined by an axis passing via the two assembly portions Al and A2.

Figure 3 thus shows diagrammatically an axis X-X specifying the longitudinal direction and an axis Y-Y specifying the vertical direction along which the height of the air cavities is measured, as are the various thicknesses .

The maximum thickness of the air cavity is the maximum spacing between the two sheets 100 and 200 or between the two sheets 200 and 300, as measured along the vertical direction Y-Y between two successive assembly portions Al and A2.

Like the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the two assembly portions Al and A2 are typically spaced apart by a distance measured along the axis X-X that is greater than the length of at least three pouches, typically greater than the length of at least five pouches.

The assembly portions Al and A2 are typically spaced apart by a distance greater than 60 cm, or indeed greater than 80 cm, or indeed greater than 100 cm, than 120 cm to 140 cm, than 160 cm, than 180 cm, than 200 m, or than 250 cm, and less than 300 cm.

In an aspect of the invention, the insulation system typically presents thickness lying in the range 15 mm to 400 mm, or indeed in the range 50 mm to 260 mm, as measured in application of the EN 823 standard while applying a pressure of 25 Pa.

The insulation system as described serves to obtain thermal conductivity lying in the range 29 milliwatts per meter kelvin (mW/m.K) to 40 mW/m.K.

Figures 4 to 7 show several examples of applications of thermal insulation systems in an aspect of the invention.

Figure 4 thus shows an example application of the system as described above for insulating a building roof.

This figure is a section view of a roof having a thermal insulation system in an aspect of the invention.

This figure thus shows a roofing element 1 such as tiles 1 forming the roof, support battens 2 forming the support for the tiles, together with rafters 3 and finishing facing 4. Battens 5 are interposed between the support battens 2 and the rafters 3.

An insulation system 10 is interposed between the rafters and the battens 5, this insulation system 10 in this example being as described with reference to Figure 2.

The bearing portions between the rafters 3 and the battens 5 define the mounting portions of the system, and they are given references Cl and C2, these mounting portions being distinct in this example from the assembly portions Al and A2 as shown in Figure 2.

These mounting portions Cl and C2 typically extend perpendicularly to the direction in which the assembly portions Al and A2 extend.

The embodiment shown is purely illustrative, and it can be understood that the installation may be performed with the system oriented in its longitudinal direction or in its transverse direction.

The mounting portions Cl and C2 are typically spaced apart by a distance lying in the range 400 mm to 600 mm, corresponding to the spacing of the rafters in the structure in question.

With reference to the example shown, the mounting portions Cl and C2 extend in a plane perpendicular to the figure defined by the longitudinal direction of the battens 5 and the rafters 3, whereas the assembly portions extend in a direction perpendicular to the battens 5 and the rafters 3, and are thus not visible in Figure 4.

In one embodiment, the system thus bulks in two directions; between two successive mounting portions, and between two successive assembly portions, so as to form air cavities between the various sheets.

In order to enhance bulking, one of the diaphragms of the system may be substantially oversupplied compared with the system diaphragm involved during fabrication of the system. Such oversupply may serve to define a preferred orientation for the bulking of the insulation system.

With reference to the example shown in Figure 4, the diaphragm facing the inside, i.e. the diaphragm closer to the support facing 4 (in this example the diaphragm E2) is typically oversupplied compared with the diaphragm facing towards the outside (in this example the diaphragm El), thus enhancing bulking of the insulation system towards the inside.

Figure 5 thus shows an example application of the system as described above and described in this example for application to insulating a building roof.

Two insulation systems 10 and 20 are arranged between the rafters and the battens 5, each insulation system 10 and 20 being as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. These insulation systems 10 and 20 are shown diagrammatically in Figure 5.

More precisely, each insulation system 10 and 20 is made up of at least two superposed thermally insulating sheets, each of said thermally insulating sheets being made up of two superposed films that are bonded together so as to form pouches, each of the pouches containing synthetic fibers 140.

As in the embodiment described above with reference to Figure 4, the bearing portions between the rafters 3 and the battens 5 define mounting portions for the system that are identified by references Cl and C2, with these mounting portions in this example being distinct from the assembly portions Al and A2 of the insulation systems 10 and 20.

The mounting portions Cl and C2 typically extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the assembly portions Al and A2 extend.

In the example shown, the mounting portions Cl and C2 extend in a plane perpendicular to the figure defined by the longitudinal direction of the battens 5 and the rafters 3, while the assembly portions extend in a direction perpendicular to the battens 5 and the rafters 3, and are therefore not visible in Figure 5.

In such an embodiment, the system thus bulks in two directions; between two successive mounting portions, and between two successive assembly portions, so as to form air cavities between the various sheets.

In order to facilitate laying the insulation system 20 with its vapor barrier between the rafters (as shown in Figure 5), or laying the insulation system 10 with its under-roof screen between the rafters (as shown in Figure 5) and in order to guarantee bulking between of the insulation systems between the rafters, a spacer element 50 is typically used. The spacer element 50 as shown is generally U-shaped, typically having its free edges curved, and it serves to surround a rafter 3 in part together with one of the insulation systems (in this example the insulation system 20). The side walls of the spacer element 50 thus ensure that the insulation system has the desired position between rafters. The central portion or base of the U-shape is typically reinforced so as to remain substantially plane.

Mounting the insulation system 10 or 20 in this way enhances the bulking of the insulation systems 10 and 20, and also the formation of air cavities between the various sheets of the insulation systems 10 and 20.

Fastener elements 60 such as staples or nails can be used for fastening the spacer element 50 or the insulation system(s) 10 and/or 20 on the rafters 3 and/or on the battens 5. Laying an insulation system or a vapor-barrier diaphragm (typically presenting Sd > 18 m) or an under-roof screen (typically presenting Sd > 0.25 m) in a wooden framework (rafters) by using the spacer element 50 is simpler than conventional laying that would require a large number of staples or more generally a large number of fastener means for the insulation system.

The spacer element 50 is typically made of metal, or of plastics material.

Figure 6 shows another application example of the system as described above for insulating a building roof.

Elements in common with above-described Figures 4 and 5 are not descried in detail again. It should be observed that the positions of the rafters 3 and of the battens 5 are interchanged; in this example, the rafters are arranged between the support battens 2 and the battens 5, which battens 5 support the finishing facing .

A first insulation system 10 is interposed in this example between the rafters 3 and the battens 5, while a second insulation system is interposed between the battens 5 and the finishing facing 4.

Their respective mounting portions are identified by adding the index 10 or 20 to the references Cl and C2.

More precisely, one of the insulation systems, in this example the insulation system 10, is coupled to spacer elements 50, thereby ensuring spacing between the two insulation systems 10 and 20 so as to enhance the formation of air cavities between their various sheets.

Figure 7 shows another example application of the system as described above for insulating a building roof.

This example shown in Figure 7 is a variant of the embodiment shown in Figure 5, in which counter-rafters 7 are interposed between the rafters 3 and the battens 5.

The first insulation system 10 in this example is arranged between the battens 5 and the counter-rafters 7, while the second insulation system 20 is arranged between the rafters 3 and the counter-rafters 7.

The two insulation systems 10 and 20 are thus spaced apart by the counter-rafters 7, which themselves are arranged between the two insulation systems 10 and 20.

In such a configuration, and depending on the dimensions of the counter-rafters 7, it is possible to omit the spacer elements 50.

The various example utilizations described with reference to Figures 4 to 7 show several utilizations of an insulation system in an aspect of the invention.

These figures show example utilizations having two insulation systems identified by the numerical references 10 and 20.

It can readily be understood that one of these insulation systems could be replaced by some other suitable insulation system.

By way of example, one of these insulation systems may be replaced by insulation such as that sold by the supplier Actis under the trade name Hybris.

Claims

1. A thermal insulation system for thermally insulating a building, the system comprising at least two superposed sheets (100, 200) of thermal insulation, each of said sheets of thermal insulation being made up of two films (110, 120) that are superposed and bonded together so as to form pouches (130), each of the pouches (130) containing synthetic fibers (140), said sheets (100, 200) of thermal insulation being assembled together along disjoint assembly portions (Al, A2) so as to enable air cavities to be formed between the sheets (100, 200) of thermal insulation.

2. A thermal insulation system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly portions (Al, A2) are spaced apart by a distance greater than the length of at least three pouches, the length of the pouches (130) being measured along a middle axis (X100, X200) of the sheet (100, 200).

3. A thermal insulation system according to claim 2, wherein the pouches (130) have a maximum dimension measured along a middle axis (X100, X200) of the sheet (100, 200) lying in the range 1 cm to 60 cm, more precisely in the range 1 cm to 20 cm, or indeed in the range 1 cm to 10 cm, or indeed equal to 5 cm.

4. A thermal insulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each sheet (100, 200) of thermal insulation has a surface density lying in the range

20 g/cm² to 250 g/cm², more precisely in the range 20 g/cm² to 110 g/cm².

5. A thermal insulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the superposed films (110, 120, 210, 220) of the sheets (100, 200) are bonded together by stitching, welding, or calendaring.

6. A thermal insulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sheets (100, 200) of thermal insulation are assembled so as to enable air cavities to form between the sheets (100, 200) of thermal insulation, which cavities have a maximum thickness greater than

10 mm or more particularly greater than 20 mm.

7. A thermal insulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the synthetic fibers (140) comprise polyester fibers, typically presenting a linear weight lying in the range 0.2 denier to 25 denier, more precisely in the range 0.5 denier to 15 denier, or more precisely in the range 3 denier to 12 denier.

8. A thermal insulation system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising two diaphragms (El, E2) forming a cover around the sheets (100, 200), one of the diaphragms (El, E2) being oversupplied relative to the other diaphragm (E2, El).

9. An assembly comprising a thermal insulation system (10, 20) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and at least one spacer element (50), said spacer element (50) being configured to engage on a rafter so as to clamp said thermal insulation system on the rafter.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein said spacer element (50) presents a U-shape, and is typically made of plastic material or of metal.

Intellectual

Property

Office

GB 1707681.1

1-10

Application No: Claims searched: