IE87323B1

IE87323B1 - A barrier means

Info

Publication number: IE87323B1
Application number: IE20150410A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Mallon Gerry
Original assignee: Atlantic Developments Ni Ltd
Priority date: 2014-10-20
Filing date: 2015-10-20
Publication date: 2022-10-12
Also published as: GB2531658A; IE20150410A1; GB2531658B; GB201518602D0; GB201418597D0

Abstract

A barrier arrangement for preventing or limiting travel of air into a cavity of a floor or ceiling structure, and/or between members of a floor or ceiling structure. The barrier arrangement is locatable around at least a portion of the floor or celling structure at or about the junction between the floor or celling structure and the supporting means thereof forming an airtight seal there between.

Description

A BARRIER MEANS The present invention relates to a barrier means and in particular to an air barrier means for a building component.

Within the construction industry there is an ongoing drive to improve the thermal efficiency of buildings and hence reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. In the quest for higher efficiencies in this area, regions of weakness have been identified within buildings which lower the airtightness/thermal efficiency of the building as a whole, one such area of weakness being the floor/ceiling at its junction with the walls.

Typical floor/ceiling construction involves the laying of slabs orjoists across opposing walls to form a floor or ceiling thereunder or over. In most modern buildings where cavity wall construction is the norm, these slabs or joists are designed to rest on the inner cavity wall.

While this is a structurally sound approach to the construction of such elements, it leaves the edge of the floor/ceiling structure exposed to the cavity of the cavity wall. Once construction is complete, cold air is free to travel from the cavity of the cavity wall into any cavities of the floor structure, or between members such as joists. The presence of cold air within the floor structure is in itself enough to reduce the temperature of the floor turning the slabs into cold radiators. However, the problem is magnified by the many punctures which must be made in the floor/ceiling structure to permit plumbing, electrical, and other such services and features to be fitted and to pass through the structure. These punctures permit the cold air now present within the floor structure to travel into the interior spaces of a building creating a further reduction in thermal efficiency.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the problem of cold air travel into the cavity of a floor and/or ceiling structure or between members thereof.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a barrier means for preventing or limiting travel of air into a cavity of a floor or ceiling structure, and/or between members of a floor or ceiling structure, wherein the barrier means is locatable around at least a portion of the floor or ceiling structure at or about the junction between the floor or ceiling structure and the supporting means thereof forming an airtight seal there between, the barrier means comprising at least one airtight membrane and an airtight membrane support member, wherein the airtight membrane support member is an elongate L-shaped section having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the airtight membrane support member having a first portion and a second portion connected by an interior right angle, wherein the airtight membrane is attached to the exterior surface and wherein the airtight membrane comprises extension portions which extend beyond the first portion and second portion of the membrane support member.

Advantageously, cold air is prevented from travelling into the cavities of a ﬂoor and/or ceiling structure and/or between members thereof, thus preventing the floor and/or ceiling structure acting as a heat sink within a building or a passageway and also preventing cold air from entering the building through features formed in the floor and/or ceiling structure to allow passage of piping, electrical wiring etc.

Preferably, the supporting means of the floor or ceiling structure are supporting walls.

The barrier means comprises at least one airtight membrane.

The barrier means comprises a membrane support member.

Ideally, the membrane support member is a stiff member.

The at least one airtight membrane is attachable to membrane support member.

Advantageously, the membrane support member retains the airtight membrane in the desired shape and provides support thereto.

The membrane support member is a channel section.

The membrane support member is an elongate channel section.

The membrane support member is an elongate L-shaped section.

Ideally, the membrane support member is formed from a plastic material.

Preferably, the membrane support member is formed from polypropylene. ldeally, there are a plurality of airtight membranes.

Preferably, the membrane support member has an interior channel portion and an exterior channel portion, the interior channel portion being enveloped by the exterior channel portion.

Preferably, there are two airtight membranes, one attachable to the interior channel portion of the membrane support member and one attachable to the exterior channel portion of the membrane support member.

The at least one airtight membrane is attachable to but extends beyond the membrane support member.

Preferably, where there are two airtight membranes, each airtight membrane extends beyond the membrane support member, the airtight membrane attachable to the interior channel portion meeting that attachable to the exterior channel portion at their respective extensions beyond the membrane support member.

Preferably, the floor and/or ceiling structure is a floor structure.

Ideally, the membrane support member is configured to receive at least an edge of a floor structure or member thereof.

Preferably, the floor structure or member thereof is placable into the channel of the membrane support member.

Ideally, the floor structure has a substantially right angled corner which is placable into the interior right angle of the elongate L-shaped section.

Preferably, the membrane support member is configured for placement on a portion of a wall formed for receiving a floor structure or member thereof.

Ideally, the floor structure or member thereof has an end portion which extends substantially vertically between an upper floor forming surface of the floor structure or member thereof and a lower floor forming surface of the floor structure or member thereof.

Ideally, the portion of a wall formed for receiving a floor structure or member thereof is a gap formed in the wall.

Ideally, the membrane support member is formed for insertion into a gap in an internal portion of a cavity wall for receiving a floor structure or member thereof.

Preferably, a first portion of the membrane support member is attachable to the portion of the wall formed for receiving a floor structure or member thereof or is trappable between said portion of the wall and the lower floor forming surface of the floor structure or member thereof. ldeally, a second portion of the membrane support member extends across the gap of the portion of the wall formed for receiving a floor structure or member thereof.

Preferably, the second portion of the membrane support member extends along all or part of the end portion of the floor structure or member thereof.

Ideally, the second portion of the membrane support member extends along and beyond the end portion of the floor structure or member thereof.

Advantageously, the barrier means is held in place by the floor structure or member thereof and extends vertically such that the gap in the wall formed for receiving the floor structure or member thereof is at least partially traversed by the second portion of the membrane support member.

In an embodiment lying outside the scope of the claims, the membrane support member has a third portion which extends along a portion of the upper floor forming surface of the floor structure or member thereof.

Ideally, the portions of the at least one airtight membrane that extend beyond the membrane support member are attachable to the wall into which the floor structure or member thereof is received.

Preferably, the portions of the at least one airtight membrane that extend beyond the membrane support member are attachable to an interior surface of the wall into which the floor structure or member thereof is received.

Preferably, the portions of the at least one airtight membrane that extend beyond the membrane support member are attachable to the wall into which the floor structure or member thereof is received by adhesive tape.

Advantageously, the airtight membrane creates a complete air seal between the exterior of the wall into which the floor structure or member thereof is received and the interior of said wall. This air seal prevents cold air from the exterior of the wall into which the floor structure or member thereof travelling into the floor structure or between members thereof.

Ideally, the material of the airtight membrane and/or the membrane support member act as a thermal barrier to prevent cold bridging from the exterior of the wall into which the floor or member thereof is received and the interior of said wall.

Preferably, the barrier means is pre-installed on a floor structure or member thereof.

Ideally, the floor structure is a preformed floor slab.

Preferably, the preformed floor slab is a concrete floor slab.

Advantageously, the barrier means prevents travel of cold air into the cavities formed in the preformed floor slab.

Alternatively, the floor structure comprises a plurality of joists.

Ideally, the joists are timber joists.

Advantageously, the barrier means prevents movement of cold air into the space between joists.

Advantageously, the barrier means prevents movement of insulation locatable within the cavity of a cavity wall to travel into a cavity of the floor structure or between members thereof.

Ideally, the barrier means is lightweight.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only one embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the barrier means in position around the edge of a floor slab at its junction with the supporting walls; and Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the barrier means.

In the drawings, there is shown a barrier apparatus indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 for preventing or limiting travel of air into a cavity of a floor structure 2.

The barrier apparatus is located around an end 3 of the ﬂoor structure 2 at or about the junction between the floor structure 2 and the supporting walls 4 thereof, forming an airtight seal there between.

Cold air is prevented from travelling into the cavities 6 of a floor structure 2, thus preventing the floor structure 2 acting as a heat sink within a building or a passageway. The cold air is also prevented from entering the building through features formed in the floor structure 2 to allow passage of piping, electrical wiring etc. The barrier apparatus 1 has an airtight membrane 7 and a membrane support member 8. The membrane support member 8 is a stiff member to which the airtight membrane 7 is attached, retaining the airtight membrane 7 in the desired shape and providing support thereto.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the membrane support member 8 is an elongate L shaped channel section formed from a plastic material such as polypropylene and having an interior channel surface 9 and an exterior channel surface 10. The airtight membrane is attached to the outer exterior channel surface 10 and extends beyond the membrane support member 8 via an extension portions 11.

The membrane support member 8 is configured to receive at least an end 3 of a floor structure 2, the floor structure having a substantially right angled corner 12 which is placed into the interior right angle 13 of the elongate L-shaped section 7. The floor structure 2 has an end portion 3 which extends substantially vertically between an upper floor forming surface 14 of the floor structure 2 and a lower floor forming surface 15 of the floor structure 2.

The portion of wall 4 formed for receiving a floor structure 2 has a gap 16 formed therein and the membrane support member 8 is formed for insertion into this gap 16. A first portion 17 of the membrane support member 8 is attached to the portion of the wall 18 formed for receiving a floor structure 2, or is trappable between said portion of the wall 18 and the floor structure 2. A second portion 19 of the membrane support member 8 extends across the gap 16.

The portions of the airtight membrane 7 that extend beyond the membrane support member 8 are attachable to an inward facing wall 20 into which the floor structure 2 received.

The airtight membrane 7 creates a complete air seal between the exterior of the wall 4 into which the floor structure 2 is received and the interior of said wall 4. This air seal prevents cold air from the exterior of the wall 4 travelling into the floor structure.

In relation to the detailed description of the different embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that one or more technical features of one embodiment can be used in combination with one or more technical features of any other embodiment where the transferred use of the one or more technical features would be immediately apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art to carry out a similar function in a similar way on the other embodiment.

In the preceding discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of the said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description or the following drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing a disclosed function, or a method or a process of attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may separately, or in any combination of such features be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. CLAIMS . A barrier means for preventing or limiting travel of air into a cavity of a floor or ceiling structure, and/or between members of a floor or ceiling structure, wherein the barrier means is locatable around at least a portion of the floor or ceiling structure at or about the junction between the floor or ceiling structure and the supporting means thereof forming an airtight seal there between, the barrier means comprising at least one airtight membrane and an airtight membrane support member, wherein the airtight membrane support member is an elongate L-shaped section having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the airtight membrane support member having a first portion and a second portion connected by an interior right angle, wherein the airtight membrane is attached to the exterior surface and wherein the airtight membrane comprises extension portions which extend beyond the first portion and second portion of the membrane support member. . A barrier means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting means of the floor or ceiling structure are supporting walls. . A barrier means as claimed in claim 2, wherein the membrane support member is a stiff member. . A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the membrane support member is formed from a plastic material. . A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the membrane support member is formed from polypropylene. . A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the barrier means comprises a plurality of airtight membranes. . A barrier means as claimed in claim 6, wherein the barrier means comprises two airtight membranes, one airtight membrane being attached to the interior portion of the membrane support member. A barrier means as claimed in claim 7, wherein each airtight membrane extends beyond the membrane support member, the airtight membrane attached to the interior surface meeting the airtight membrane attached to the exterior surface at their respective extensions beyond the membrane support member. . A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the membrane support member is configured to receive at least an end of a floor structure or member thereof. A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the L-shaped section of the membrane support member is configured to receive the floor structure or member thereof. A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the membrane support member is configured for placement on a portion of a wall formed for receiving a floor structure or member thereof. A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first portion of the membrane support member is attachable to a portion of a wall formed for receiving a floor structure or member thereof. A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first portion of the membrane support member is trappable between said portion of the wall and a lower floor forming surface of a floor structure or member thereof. A barrier means as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second portion of the membrane support member extends across a gap of the portion of the wall formed for receiving a floor structure or member thereof. A barrier means as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the second portion of the membrane support member extends along all or part of an end portion of the floor structure or member thereof. A barrier means as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the second portion of the membrane support member extends along and beyond the end portion of the floor structure or member thereof. A barrier means as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the barrier means is held in place by the floor structure or member thereof and extends vertically such that the gap in the wall formed for receiving the floor structure or member thereof is at least partially traversed by the second portion of the membrane support member. A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the portions of the at least one airtight membrane that extend beyond the membrane support member are attached to the wall into which the floor structure or member thereof is received. A barrier means as claimed in claim 18, wherein the portions of the at least one airtight membrane that extend beyond the membrane support member are attached to an interior surface of the wall into which the floor structure or member thereof is received. A barrier means as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein the airtight membrane creates a complete air seal between the exterior of the wall into which the floor structure or member thereof is received and the interior of said wall. . A barrier means as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the material of the airtight membrane and/or the membrane support member act as a thermal barrier to prevent cold bridging from the exterior of the wall into which the floor or member thereof is received and the interior of said wall. A floor structure or member thereof comprising a barrier means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.