ITUB20155804A1 - Thermal insulation system of a building comprising at least one quiet air chamber - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

"Thermal insulation system of a building including at least one quiet air chamber"

Field of application of the invention

The present invention refers to thermal insulation systems in the building field, i.e. systems designed to hinder a heat exchange between the external environment of a building and an internal environment, or between two internal environments of a building. In the remainder of this description, for the sake of convenience, the expression "insulation system" will refer to a thermal insulation system of the aforementioned type.

The present invention refers, more precisely, to an insulation system comprising at least one "air chamber at rest", that is a portion of space delimited by walls or other structural elements mutually connected so as to prevent the passage of air through same. A quiet air chamber is therefore hermetically isolated from the surrounding space.

Review of the known art

One of the most common systems for thermally insulating a building is the so-called "thermal coat", ie a cladding structure comprising a plurality of panels made of a thermally insulating material and applied to the perimeter walls of a building.

The panels of a thermal coat are usually made to adhere to the perimeter walls externally to them, by means of a polymeric glue. In the event that the coat is applied to an existing building, to ensure long-term adhesion between the panels and the walls it is necessary to preliminarily remove any layer of plaster that covers the walls. Otherwise, the panels would be glued to the plaster. The latter, however, would tend to crumble due to the stresses caused by the application of the coat and this would cause the panels to detach from the walls to which they are attached. However, the necessary removal of the plaster layer lengthens the time required to create a thermal coat.

Furthermore, in the case of thermal insulation, any pipes applied externally to the wall must be removed or housed in seats made for this purpose in the panels, thus reducing the thermal insulation produced by the insulation system.

An alternative system to the thermal insulation system is the “ventilated perimeter cladding”, better known as the “ventilated facade”. Similarly to the thermal insulation system, the ventilated cladding is a structure comprising a plurality of panels applied to the perimeter walls of a building. Unlike the thermal coat, however, the ventilated coating is not a thermal insulation system. It is a thermal conditioning system. In the ventilated cladding the panels are in fact generally made of a thermally conductive metal or ceramic material. In addition to this, a gap is left between the panels and the walls communicating with the environment outside the building at least at the base and top of the walls. This cavity is defined as "ventilated" because, when the panels heat up due to exposure to the sun, convective motions are generated inside it that make the air flow from the bottom up. The motion of the air in the cavity causes a thermal exchange by forced convection between the air and the wall. In summer, the air flowing inside the cavity removes heat from the perimeter walls (cooling them) while in winter it prevents the formation of a layer of frost on the walls.

However, the ventilated coatings guarantee high effectiveness only during the exposure of the panels to the sun. In case of poor exposure to the sun, the convective motions that are generated in the cavity are not in fact sufficient to thermally condition the building to which the ventilated cladding is applied.

Purpose of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by indicating an insulation system that can be applied to an existing building without having to preliminarily remove the layer of plaster that eventually covers the perimeter walls.

Summary of the Invention

The object of the present invention is a system for thermally insulating, at least partially, a building, the system comprising:

• a plurality of panels made of a thermally insulating material, at least two of said panels being adjacent to each other at a respective side edge;

• first means suitable for connecting the panels to a building wall, the first means of connection including means suitable for distancing the panels from the wall so as to form a gap between the panels and the wall,

in which, according to the invention, the insulation system also includes:

• first sealing means suitable for preventing the passage of air between the panels; • second sealing means suitable for preventing the passage of air between the panels and the wall, so as to delimit, in the interspace, together with the panels, the wall and the first sealing means, at least one air chamber at rest.

Here and in the following of the present description, the expression "thermally insulating material" means a material having a thermal conductivity preferably lower than 0.1 W-nrr <1> -K <"1>, and even more preferably lower than 0.02 W-m <1> -K <1>.

Incidentally, in the insulation system object of the invention, the air chamber at rest can correspond to the entire cavity or to a portion of it. In the event that the air chamber at rest corresponds to the entire cavity, the latter can also be defined as "non-ventilated cavity". Advantageously, dry air at rest has a thermal conductivity equal to 0.026 W-m <'1> -K <' 1>. It is therefore much more insulating than other materials commonly used in the construction field, such as glass, bricks, plasterboard, plexiglass, wood, rock wool or expanded polystyrene. In addition to this, the first connection means keep the panels at a certain distance from the wall to which the system object of the invention is applied. Since the panels are not attached to the wall, there is therefore no need to remove the layer of plaster that eventually covers the wall in correspondence with the facade of the latter facing the panels.

The cavity can also accommodate, by way of example, any pipes applied externally to the wall to which the system object of the invention is connected without the need to remove them.

Brief description of the figures

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the detailed description that follows of an example of its embodiment and from the attached drawings, given purely for explanatory and non-limiting purposes, in which: - Figure 1 shows, in perspective view, a system thermal insulation according to the present invention;

figure 2 shows the insulation system of figure 1 in schematic cross section;

Figure 3 shows, in perspective view, a component of the insulation system of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows, in schematic cross section, a first variant of the insulation system of Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows, in schematic cross section, a second variant of the insulation system of Figure 1;

figure 6 shows the system of figure 5 in partial perspective view;

- figure 7 shows, in perspective view, a third variant of the insulation system of figure 1.

Detailed description of some preferred embodiments of the invention

For the sake of convenience, in the following of this description reference is made only to a preferred example of implementation of the invention in which the thermal insulation system is applied to a perimeter wall of a building. It must be clear that the system described is not limited to the aforementioned example but is applicable to any wall that divides two rooms, in order to thermally insulate one of said rooms from the other.

In the remainder of the present description, a figure may also be illustrated with reference to elements not expressly indicated in that figure but in other figures. The scale and proportions of the various elements depicted do not necessarily correspond to the real ones.

Figure 1 shows a system 1, object of the invention, comprising a plurality of panels 2 connected to a wall 3 by means of multiple elements 4 extended at least in length. These elements 4 will be indicated later in this description with the expression "zanche". The panels 2 preferably have a rectangular prismatic shape and are even more preferably identical to each other. The panels 2 are also preferably arranged parallel to the wall 3 and are even more preferably coplanar. Incidentally, by asserting that a panel 2 is parallel to the wall 3 it is meant that the panel 2 is arranged so that its bases (i.e. the two most extended opposite faces of the panel 2) are arranged parallel to the wall 3. Similarly, by asserting that the panels 2 are coplanar it is meant that the adjacent panels 2 are arranged so that the bases facing the wall 3 and the bases opposite to them are respectively coplanar. The panels 2 preferably lie at an extremely close distance from each other and are even more preferably arranged so as to be adjacent to each other at their side edges 5 (i.e. at the faces interposed between the bases ). By way of example, the panels 2 are arranged like the squares of a chessboard. As can be seen in Figure 1, the panels 2 form a cladding that covers, at least partially, the wall 3. The latter is, by way of example, the perimeter wall of a building and the panels 2 lie in correspondence with the external environment to said building.

The panels 2 are made of a thermally insulating material (preferably expanded polystyrene or cork or wood fiber) and have a thickness (corresponding to the distance between the bases) preferably between 4 cm and 34 cm, and even more preferably between 6 cm and 20 cm. Preferably, the panels have a length of 100 cm and a height of 50 cm. Since the panels 2 are thermally insulating, they oppose a heat exchange between the two rooms separated by the wall 3. Since the wall 3, by way of example, is the perimeter wall of a building, the system 1 acts as a thermal insulation system, at least partial, of the building of which wall 3 is part.

Figure 2 shows, in schematic cross section, a portion of the system 1 comprising a pair of vertically adjacent panels 2. With reference to this figure it is possible to note that the brackets 4 keep the panels 2 at a certain distance from the wall 3, so as to form an interspace 6 between the latter and the panels 2. The distance between the panels 2 and the wall 3 , corresponding, incidentally, to the thickness of the interspace 6, is preferably between 0.5 cm and 4 cm, and even more preferably between 1 cm and 3 cm.

With reference to Figure 2, it is also possible to note that the panels 2, in correspondence with the two edges 5 of the same mutually opposite, match in correspondence with a first portion of the edge 5 more distant from the wall 3 and are slightly offset at the remaining portion of edge 5, so as to form a seat 7 in which a portion 8 of self-expanding tape is housed. Self-expanding tapes are pre-compressed sealing tapes that expand upon application of the same on any surface. Self-expanding tapes are known in the construction field. Therefore, we do not dwell on providing further details.

The belt 8 is present, in the system 1, between each pair of mutually opposite edges 5 (both those arranged vertically and those arranged horizontally in Figure 1). In particular, each strip length 8 is preferably arranged parallel to the edges 5 between which it is inserted and preferably has the same length as the latter. The belt 8 is preferably of the BG1 type.

The thickness that can be reached by each stretch of tape 8 following its expansion is preferably greater than the thickness of the seat 7 in which said portion 8 is inserted, that is, it is preferably less than the distance between the edges 5 that delimit the seat 7. sections of tape 8 therefore seal the panels 2 with each other, so as to prevent a passage of air between them. The thickness of the seat 7 is preferably between 0.3 cm and 2 cm, and even more preferably between 0.5 cm and 1 cm.

In addition to the stretches of tape 8 interposed between the panels 2, the system 1 comprises stretches of self-expanding tape (not visible in the figures) interposed between the panels 2 and the wall 3, preferably in correspondence with the entire perimeter 9 of the covering formed by the panels 2 (i.e. in correspondence with the entire peripheral area of the interspace 6). Similarly to what has been said for the belt 8, the thickness that can be reached by each section of self-expanding belt at the perimeter 9 following its expansion is preferably greater than the thickness of the interspace 6, i.e. it is preferably greater than the distance between the panels. 2 and the wall 3. The sections of self-expanding tape in correspondence with the perimeter 9 therefore seal the panels 2 with the wall 3, so as to prevent a passage of air between them and to delimit an air chamber at rest in the interspace 6 .

Figure 3 shows the clamp 4 through which the panels 2 are connected to the wall 3. The clamp 4 preferably comprises an almost rectangular plate (with dimensions, for example, 10 cm x 15 cm) folded parallel to its own edge , so as to assume an "L" -shaped cross section. Said plate has a thickness preferably comprised between 2 mm and 4 mm, and even more preferably of 3 mm. As visible in Figure 2, the portion 10 of the plate corresponding to the short arm of the L is opposite the wall 3 and is connected to the latter preferably by means of one or more screws 16 so-called "full thread". As an alternative to fully threaded screws 16, it is possible to use dowels (not shown in the figures). The portion 11 of the plate corresponding to the long arm of the L is preferably arranged orthogonally to the wall 3 and is partially housed in the seat 7 (ie it is partially interposed between the vertically adjacent panels 2). The self-expanding tape 8 preferably lies on the opposite side of the wall 3 with respect to the clamp 4, that is, it is in the most external position with respect to the latter.

At the edge 12 of the portion 11 furthest from the portion 10, the clamp 4 includes two pairs of teeth 13 and 14 lying on opposite sides of the portion 11, preferably orthogonally to the latter. More precisely, two teeth 13 lie on the same side of the portion 10 with respect to the portion 11 (i.e. they are facing upwards in Figure 3), and two teeth 14 lie on the opposite side (i.e. they are facing downwards in Figure 3). The teeth 13 and 14 are preferably isosceles triangular and are even more preferably identical to each other. The teeth 13 and 14 are connected to the edge 12 at their base and are preferably coplanar. The teeth 13 are preferably in a central position and the teeth 14 are in a peripheral position. As can be seen in Figure 2, the teeth 13 and 14 have a height greater than the thickness of the seat 7 so that the teeth 13 are driven into the panel 2 lying above the clamp 4 and the teeth 14 are driven into the panel 2 lying below. of the same. The teeth 13 and 14 are preferably fitted in the panels 2 so as to connect the clamp 4 integrally to the latter. The clamp 4 is therefore integrally connected to the wall 3 at a first end (corresponding to the portion 10) and is integrally connected to a pair of panels 2 adjacent to each other at a second end (where the teeth 13 and 14) opposite the first end. Advantageously, the clamp 4 not only connects the panels 2 to the wall 3, but also connects the panels 2 to each other. The teeth 13 and 14 have a height preferably between 3 cm and 5 cm, and even more preferably of 5 cm.

The brackets 4 are preferably present at the edges 5 arranged horizontally in figure 1 (ie between the panels 2 vertically adjacent to each other). This is sufficient to solidly connect the panels 2 to the wall 3. Even more preferably, the brackets 4 are present both in an intermediate position between the vertically arranged edges 5, and in correspondence with the intersection points 15 between the edges 5 arranged horizontally and the edges 5 arranged vertically (ie in correspondence with the edges in which four panels 2 are in contact with each other). Advantageously, the four teeth 13 and 14 of the clamps 4 placed in correspondence with the points 15 are respectively driven into four panels 2, so as to connect the latter both reciprocally and to the wall 3. Incidentally, although the clamp 4 has four teeth, the anchors 4 connected to only two panels 2 (ie placed in an intermediate position between the edges 5 arranged vertically) could have only two teeth lying on opposite sides with respect to the portion 11.

With reference to Figure 1, it can be noted that the anchors 4 are preferably also present in correspondence with the perimeter 9 of the cladding formed by the panels 2.

Figure 4 shows a thermal insulation system 20 which differs from system 1 in that it comprises, in addition to the components described above, a plurality of strips 21 placed in correspondence with the edges 5 arranged horizontally in figure 1 (i.e. in correspondence with the opposite edges of the panels 2 vertically adjacent to each other). In particular, Figure 4 shows, in schematic cross section, a portion of the system 20 comprising a pair of vertically adjacent panels 2. With reference to this figure, the strip 21 is preferably opposed to both panels 2 in correspondence with the face 22 of the latter facing outwards (ie further away from the wall 3). The strip 21 is therefore preferably in contact both with both faces 22 of the panels 2 and with the edges 5 of the same. The strip 21 is also connected to the clamp 4 so as to be pressed against both panels 2, that is, so that both panels 2 are clamped between the strip 21 and the clamp 4. Preferably, the strip 21 is connected to at least one of the teeth 13 and 14 of the clamp 4 by means of one or more fully threaded screws 23 screwed both in the strip 21 and in the teeth 13 and 14. The stems of the screws 23 therefore act as tie rods. Preferably, each clamp 4 of the system 20, with the exception of those placed in correspondence with the perimeter 9, is connected to at least one strip 21.

Advantageously, the clamping of the panels 2 between the strip 21 and the teeth 13 and 14 of the clamps 4 further connects the panels 2 to the latter, and consequently the panels 2 to the wall 3. In addition to this, the strips 21 being in contact with the panels 2 at least partially in correspondence with the edges 5, the strips 21 help to prevent a passage of air between the panels 2.

The strips 21 are preferably made of wood and have a thickness preferably between 1 cm and 3 cm, and even more preferably of 2 cm. Alternatively, the strips 21 can be made of metal and, in this case, have a thickness preferably between 1 mm and 3 mm, and even more preferably of 2 mm.

Figures 5 and 6 show a thermal insulation system 30 which differs from system 1 in that it comprises, in addition to the components described above, a plurality of elements 31 extending in length and interposed between the panels 2 at the edges 5 of the same. These elements 31 will be indicated below in this description with the expression "inserts". Preferably, at least one insert 31 is interposed between each pair of mutually opposite edges 5 (both those arranged vertically and those arranged horizontally in Figure 1).

As can be seen in Figure 5, which shows in schematic cross section a portion of the system 30 comprising a pair of vertically adjacent panels 2, the panels 2 comprise a groove 32 at each of their edges 5. In particular, with reference to the pair of edges 5 visible in figure 5, the grooves 32 are preferably mutually opposed, and even more preferably specular, so as to form a seat 33 for housing the insert 31. The seat 33, and with it the insert 31, are preferably prismatic with a rectangular base, are extended in length in the direction of the edges 5 (ie orthogonally to the plane of the sheet of figure 5). With reference to Figure 5, it is also possible to note that the insert 31 is preferably interposed between the clamp 4 and the self-expanding belt 8. The depth of each groove 32 is preferably slightly greater than the height of the teeth 13 and 14. The width of the The insert 31 is therefore almost double the height of the teeth 13 and 14.

Advantageously, during the implementation operations of the insulation system 30, the inserts 31 act as a guide to facilitate the positioning of the panels 2 with respect to each other. In addition to this, the inserts 31 are preferably made of a thermally insulating material, and even more preferably of the same material in which the panels 2 are made. This causes the inserts 31 to help hinder a heat exchange between the chamber d < '> quiet air and the external environment, increase the tear resistance of the panels 2 and improve their watertightness.

With reference to Figure 6, which shows in perspective view three mutually adjacent panels 2 of the insulation system 30, it is possible to note that the system 30 differs from the system 1 also in that the panels 2 are arranged differently each other. than the other. In particular, in the arrangement shown in figure 6, the vertical edges of the panels 2 are offset from each other instead of being aligned as in system 1. The brackets 4 placed at the intersection points 34 between the vertical edges 5 and the horizontal edges 5 of the panels 2 are therefore connected to only three panels 2, instead of to four panels 2 as in system 1.

Figure 7 shows a thermal insulation system 40 which differs from system 1 in that it comprises, in addition to the components described above, at least two openings 41 and 42 made in the panels 2 so as to put the air chamber in communication at rest with the external environment. The openings 41 and 42 are preferably placed at different heights. Even more preferably, the openings 41 and 42 are vertically aligned and are respectively located in proximity to a lower edge 43 and an upper edge 44 of the perimeter 9. Each of the openings 41 and 42 is equipped with suitable means to hermetically close the same. In particular, the system 40 preferably comprises, in correspondence with each of the openings 41 and 42, at least one leaf movable between a first position in correspondence with which it hermetically closes the opening (so as to preserve the stillness of the air in the chamber obtained in the interspace 6), and a second position in which it does not close the opening.

Advantageously, by bringing the aforementioned doors to the second position (ie by opening the openings 41 and 42), the system 40 can act as a ventilated covering. In this case, thanks to the fact that the panels 2 are sealed to each other by the self-expanding tape 8 (a characteristic absent in the ventilated coatings of the known art), the higher is the efficiency of the system 40 in terms of thermal conditioning compared to the current ones. ventilated coatings.

Based on the description provided for a preferred embodiment example, it is obvious that some changes can be introduced by the person skilled in the art without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims (10)

R I V E N D I C A Z I O N I 1. System (1, 20, 30, 40) for the thermal insulation of a building, comprising: • a plurality of panels (2) made of a thermally insulating material, at least two of said panels (2) being adjacent to each other at their respective side edges (5) mutually opposite each other; • first connection means (4, 21, 23) of said panels (2) to at least one wall (3) of said building, said first connection means (4, 21, 23) comprising spacer means (4) of said panels (2) from said wall (3) so as to form a gap (6) between said panels (2) and said wall (3), said system (1, 20, 30, 40) being characterized in that it further comprises: First sealing means (8) interposed between said panels (2) at said opposite edges (5); • second sealing means interposed between said panels (2) and said wall (3), said panels (2), said wall (3) and said first and second sealing means (8) delimiting, in said cavity (6), at least one quiet air chamber. System (1, 20, 30, 40) according to claim 1, characterized in that said spacer means comprising at least one clamp (4) extending in length and connected to said wall (3) at a first end (10 ), said clamp (4) being interposed between said opposite edges (5) at a second end (12) opposite to said first end (10), said clamp (4) being integrally connected to both said adjacent panels (2) at said opposite edges (5). 3. System (1, 20, 30, 40) according to claim 2, characterized in that said clamp (4) comprises at least two teeth (13, 14) in correspondence with said second end (12), said teeth (13, 14) being respectively fitted into said adjacent panels (2) at said opposite edges (5). System (20) according to claim 2, characterized in that said first connection means (4, 21, 23) further comprise: • at least one strip (21) in contact with said adjacent panels (2); Second means (23) for connecting said strip (21) to said clamp (4), said second connection means (23) acting as clamping means for said adjacent panels (2) between said strip (21) and said clamp (4). System (20) according to claim 4, characterized in that said strip (21) is in contact with said adjacent panels (2) at least partially in correspondence with said opposite edges (5). 6. System (1, 20, 30, 40) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first sealing means comprise a portion (8) of self-expanding tape interposed between said opposite edges (5), the thickness that can be reached by said self-expanding tape (8) following an expansion of the same being greater than the distance between said opposite edges (5). 7. System (1, 20, 30, 40) according to claim 1, characterized in that said second sealing means comprise a section of self-expanding tape interposed between said panels (2) and said wall (3), the thickness that can be reached by said self-expanding tape following an expansion thereof being greater than the distance between said panels (2) and said wall (3). 8. System (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises at least one insert (31) interposed between said adjacent panels (2) in correspondence with said opposite edges (5), said insert (31) being housed in correspondence of a seat (33) obtained in said adjacent panels (2) in correspondence with said opposite edges (5). System (30) according to claim 9, characterized in that said insert (31) is extended in length and is made of a thermally insulating material, said seat (33) being extended in length in the direction of said opposite edges (5 ). System (40) according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: • at least two openings (41, 42) made in said panels (2) so as to put in communication said air chamber at rest with the external environment, said openings (41, 42) being placed at different heights; • means (43, 44) for hermetically closing said openings (41, 42), said closing means (43, 44) being movable between at least one first position in correspondence with which said closing means (43, 44) hermetically close said openings (41, 42), and a second position in correspondence with which said closing means (43, 44) do not close said openings (41, 42).