SE1250722A1 - Device for tearing apart compressed blocks of insulation and a method for tearing apart a compressed block of insulation - Google Patents

Abstract

TOR / 11 / APR / 2Ü13 14:11 Bergenstràhle ^ FAX Nr:: +46 8 5Û5657Ü1 5. 035 +46 8 5056570165574 The device comprises a gap-bearing surface (3) for the compressed blocks (2) of insulation and a cylinder (4) with light-piercing parts (5) arranged on the cylinder shell surface (4 '). Said cylinder (4) is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis (A) for dividing and tearing apart decompressed blocks (2) of insulation fl between the protruding parts (5) and a tear zone (9) arranged at an edge (Sa) on the supporting surface ( 3). The invention is characterized in that the cylinder (4) is arranged to rotate inside the curved surface (6) partially covering the cylinder shell surface (4 ') and projecting into the tear zone (9) in a peripheral direction of the cylinder (4). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for tearing apart loose wool insulation material of cellulose compressed into a block (2).

Description

25 insulation material has in most insulation apparatuses been one or several rotating arms making a horizontal vortex in the material. Due to the power needed to break apart pieces from the compressed material, the engine driving the rotating arms has been forced to be very powerful. With relatively long arms it is also difficult to receive an even density of the fluffed insulation material. A material with an uneven density containing lumps of material is difficult to distribute into the structure.

Normally the transportation to the building site is made by a truck and semitrailer. A material with a density of 90-140 kg / ms contains a large amount of air and only fills 30-50 ° / <> of the trailer volume. lt is therefore desirable used loose-fill insulation material compressed to a greater extent. However, due to the large amount of energy needed to break apart a compressed material it is difficult to use an even more compressed loose-fill material in an insulation apparatus according to the above description.

The above mentioned difficulty is addressed by a shredding device designed by the applicant and a method using such a device, see WO20l l / 090422Al. The shredding device comprises a rotatable shredder cylinder with protruding pins which is adapted to grate, pick apart and fluff the insulation from a compressed block format into a fluff material with an even density.

This shredding device and the method using the device is now further developed by the applicant and its new and inventive features increases the efficiency of the milling process.

Summary lt is an obiect of the invention to create a device for dissolving a highly compressed block of loose-fill cellulose thermal insulation material that addresses some or all of the above mentioned disadvantages. The device can be used as a separate part or be attached to an apparatus for insulation with loose-fill insulation. A further obiect of the 20 25 invention is to develop o method for disso | ving compressed blocks of loose-fill insulotion.

These obiects ore ochieved by o device ond o method occording to c | oim l ond TO.

The device occording to c | oim l is o device for disso | ving compressed blocks of loose- fill cellulose thermol insulotion moteriol. The device comprises o support surfoce for the compressed blocks of insulotion ond o cylinder with protruding members orronged on the cylinder montel surfoce. Soid cylinder is rototoble oround o substontiolly horizontol oxis in order to mill ond dissolve the compressed blocks of insulotion between the protruding members ond o milling zone orronged by on end of soid support surfoce.

The inventions are chorocterized in thot the cylinder is orronged to rotote inside of on orc-shoped surfoce portly covering the cylinder montel surfoce, thus prolonging the milling zone in o peripherol direction of the cylinder. Preferably, the orc-shoped surfoce is covering between 10% ond 30%, preferobly between 15% ond 25% of the cylinder mo ntel surfoce.

By using on orc-shoped surfoce to cover o port of the cylinder montel surfoce ond prolonging the milling zone, the moteriol to be dissolved hove to trovel o further distonce in the milling zone between the orc-shoped surfoce ond the cylinder with its protrusions. Thus, the compressed insulotion moteriol dissolved by the device receives on even lower density contoining fewer lumps thon the previously l device. A moteriol with o low ond even density contoining no lump con eosily be iniected into the structure to be insuloted by using on insulotion opporotus, without the risk of iomming the opporotus or its externol pipes. ln o first embodiment the orc-shoped surfoce comprises o friction creoting orrongement orronged focing the cylinder. 20 25 4 By increasing the triction in the mi || ing zone, the time the insulation material spends in the milling zone is increased. Thus, the material is milled during a longer time and tewer lump remains. ln another embodiment the triction creating arrangement comprises at least one protrusion protruding in a substantially radia | direction inwards trom the arc-shaped surtace.

Using inwardly extending protrusions is a simple yet ettective way to create the triction needed to detain the material in the mi || ing zone the required time. However, it is also possible to use other types ot triction creating arrangements such as tor example adding a high triction material to the arc-shaped surtace. ln one embodiment, the at least one protrusion is at least one elongated ridge with at least one sharp cutting edge.

A protrusion having the shape ot an elongated ridge with at least one sharp cutting edge ettectively cuts into the material. However, it is also possible to use other torm ot protrusions such as pins, tibers or other kind ot protruding members. ln one embodiment, said at least one inwardly extending protrusion is extending substantially parallel to the horizontal axis ot the cylinder.

Using inwardly extending protrusions arranged substantially parallel to the horizontal axis ot the cylinder, the protrusions can interact with the protrusion members arranged on the mantel surtace ot the rotating cylinder, thus creating an ettecting mi || ing step. ln another embodiment said at least one protrusion is divided into at least two parts arran ed at an an le in relation to each other creatin a v-sha e arran ed with its ti 9 9 9 P 9 P 20 25 facing the support surface. Said angle between the two ridge parts can be between 20 ° and 50 °, preferably 30 °.

The v-shaped ridges make the mi || ing process even more effective and forces the insu | atíon materia | to move in the rotating direction of the cy | inder, thus, minimizing the risk of iamming. ln another embodiment said protruding members arranged on the cylinder mante | surface are e | ongated protrusions extending substantia || y para || e | to the horizontal axis.

By arranging protruding members having the form of elongated protrusions (ridges), with or without sharp edges, both on the cy | inder mante | surface and the arc shaped surface, the protrusions on the cy | inder and in the arc-shaped surface can interact, thus creating an even more effective disso | ving of the insu | atíon materia |.

The cutting edges of the protrusions, both on the cy | inder and on the arc-shaped surface, are p | aced on the side of the protrusion first cutting into the materia |.

Preferab | y the cutting edges are made sharp. ln order to keep up an effective disso | ving of insu | atíon materia |, the protruding members can be rep | aced or sharpened after some wear.

The invention a | so re | ates to a method for disso | ving a b | ock made by | oose-fi || ce || u | ose therma | insu | atíon materia | having a density of at | east ióO kg / ms by using the steps: - Positioning the insu | atíon b | ock on a support surface of a device for disso | ving a compressed b | ock for insu | atíon according any of c | aims i-iO - Feeding the insu | atíon b | ock into the mi || ing zone 20 25 - Milling the insulatíon block between the protruding members and the arc-shaped surface by rotation of the cylinder so that a fluffed loose-fill insulatíon material is formed, having a substantially even density of less than 35 kg / m3 which is ready to be distributed.

When using a device for dissolving a compressed block of insulatíon materia | in a method according to the above, it is possible to disso | ve insulatíon blocks compressed into a higher density than before used. Thus, more material can be transported to the building site using the same semi trailer volume.

Please note that all the embodiments or features of an embodiment as well as any method or step of a method could be combined in any way if such combination is not clearly contradictory.

Brief description of the drawings Figure l discloses a first embodiment of the device for dissolving compressed blocks of insulatíon material mounted on a loose-fill insulatíon apparatus, figure 2a discloses a detail view of the device including an arc-shaped milling zone, figure 2b discloses first embodiment of the arc-shaped milling zone, and figure 2c and 2d discloses a second embodiment of the arc-shaped milling zone.

Detailed description of embodiments of the invention The invention will now be described in more detail in respect of embodiments and in reference to the accompanying drawings. All examples herein should be seen as part of the general description and therefore possible to combine in any way in general terms. Again, individual features of the various embodiments may be combined or exchanged unless such combination or exchange is clearly contradictory to the overall function of the device. 20 25 30 7 Figure 1 discloses o device 1 for dissolving compressed blocks 2 of loose-fill of cellulose thermol insulotion moteriol occording to the invention. The device 1 comprises o support surfoce S on which the insulotion block 2 is orronged to be ploced ond o rototing cylinder 4 orronged by on edge S1 of the support surfoce S.

A single cylinder 4 is used which is rototoble oround o substontiolly horizontol oxis A ond hos severol protrusion members 5 orronged on its montel surfoce 4 '. The protrusion members 5 ore preferobly severol elongoted ridges with o certoin length, height ond width, extending in o direction substontiolly porollel to the horizontol oxis A, but con olso be some sort of pins.

When the cylinder 4 rototes in o direction D1 oround its substontiolly horizontol oxis A, the compressed blocks 2 of insulotion is milled ond dissolved between the protruding members 5 ond o milling zone 9 orronged by the edge S1 of the support surfoce S. The distonce h between the top of the protruding members 5 on the cylinder montel surfoce 4 'ond the milling zone 9 con be odiustoble. Preferably the distonce h is odiustoble between 0 and 30 mm. ln order to prolong the milling zone 9, on obiect ó hoving on orc-shoped surfoce ó 'focing the cy | inder 4 is orronged by the prolongotion of the support surfoce S. Thus, the cylinder 4 is orronged to rotote inside of the orc -shoped surfoce ó. The orc-shoped surfoce ó 'is portly covering the cylinder montel surfoce 4' ond prolongs the milling zone 9 in o peripherol direction of the cylinder 4. The orc-shoped surfoce ó 'is further described in figures 2o- c.

Around the ot leost o port of the support surfoce 3 it con be orronged o chute 3 with o chute inlet 3o in which the compressed insulotion block 2 is inserted ond o chute outlet where the dissolved insulotion exits. The chute 3 hos o substontiolly rectongulor cross section ond is odopted to receive the insulotion block 2. The meosures of the height ond width of the rectongulor cross section con be substontiolly different from eoch 20 25 other, for exomple moy the height of the chute be opproximotely 60% of the width.

Other meosures ore of course possible. Further, the length of the chute 3 is preferably longer thon o 600 mm, i.e. longer thon the orm of o normol person. The chute inlet 3o con be covered by o closure port 12 odopted to prevent dust from exiting the opening.

Preferably the diometer d of the rototing cylinder 4 is between ll0 ond 500 mm, preferobly between 150 ond 400 mm or opproximotely between ó0 ond 90% of the height of the chute 3. The height of the protrusion members 5 hoving the shope of severol ridges ore preferobly between 3 ond l0 mm, preferobly 5-8mm, ond their width between 2 ond ó mm. The distonce between the severol ridges 5 is preferably between 5 and 20 mm, preferably 10 mm. Further, the ridges 5 preferobly hove ot | eost one shorp edge 3o on the forword rototion side of the ridge 5, to be oble to better cut into the compressed insu | otion moteriol to be dissoived.

The protrusion members 5 ore odopted to mill, dissolve ond fluff the insulotion into o required density of preferobly less thon 35kg / m3. When the height (or length) of the protrusion members 5 is short relative to the cylinder rodius d the insu | otion moteriol is mi || ed rother thon beoten into o less dense moteriol. By using short protrusion members 5, the compressed moteriol in the blocks, preferably with o high density of ot | eost ló0l one mi || ing step. ln the embodiment occording to figure l the device l is on odditionol seporote unit to be ploced on existing loose-fill opporotuses. The support surfoce S ond the rototoble cylinder 4 ore mounted on o frome 14, which is speciolly odopted to fit different types of insulotion opporotuses. However, it is olso possible to construct o complete loose-fill insulotion opporotus 7 including the device l for dissolving compressed blocks of loose-fill insulotion. 20 25 30 The insu | otion opporotus 7 comprises the inventive device i for dissolving the compressed blocks 2 of insu | otion ond o volume / hopper 8 in which the fluffed loose-fill insu | otion con be stored before it is iniected into structures. Further, the opporotus 7 includes on outlet to which o flexible tube iO is mounted ond o power tronsmitting element ii, preferobly on engine rototing o drive shoft, ond o Compressor (not disclosed). The loose-fill insu | otion moterio | reoches the hopper 8 through the device i which hos fluffed it into the required density. The required density is lower thon the density of the block 2 of compressed insu | otion moterio | fed through the device i.

Before the moterio | is blown into the structure to be insuioted, the moterio | olso posses o feeder i5 ond o rototoble oir lock ió, in the opporotus 7. The compressor creotes oirflow through the oir lock ió, with o pressure enough to blow the loose-fill insu | otion into the structure.

The rototion Di of the cylinder 4 is in figure i performed by the power tronsmitting element or engine i i ossocioted with the insu | otion opporotus. ln figure 2o the device i for dissolving compressed blocks 2 of insu | otion moterio | comprising the orc-shoped surfoce ó 'is more closely disclosed. The device i comprises o support surfoce S with o milling zone 9, o rototing cylinder 4 with protrusion members 5 ond on obiect ó with the orc-shoped surfoce ó 'prolonging the milling zone 9. The orc-shoped surfoce ó' of the object ó covers between iO% ond 30%, preferably between i5% ond 25% of the cylinder montel surfoce 4 '. Preferably, ot leost o port of the second quodront of the cylinder montel surfoce 4 'defined by the ongle ß, is the oreo being covered by the orc-shoped surfoce ó'. Thus, the ongle ß con opproximotely be between 20 ° ond óO °, preferably between 30 ° ond 50 °. A friction creoting orrongement i7 ', hoving the shope of o high friction loyer, is orronged focing the cylinder 4. ln figure 2b it is shown o detoil view of on embodiment of the orc-shoped surfoce ó' with o friction creoting orrongement i7 ' comprising ot leost one protrusion i7 20 25 30 10 protruding in a substantially radial direction inwards from the arc-shaped surface ó '.

The protrusion 17 is having the shape of at least one elongated ridge with at least one sharp cutting edge 18 arranged on the side of the ridge facing the insulation material to be dissolved. In this embodiment the protrusions 17 extends substantially parallel to the horizontal axis A of the cylinder. However, it is also possible to use friction creating arrangements 17 'having the shape of pins or other protrusions. ln figure 2c and 2d another embodiment of the arc-shaped surface ó 'is shown. Here the protrusions 17 are ridges divided into at least two ridge parts 17a, 17b. The parts 17a, 17b are arranged at an angle a in relation to each other and are attached to the surface ó 'so that they substantially create a v-shape arranged with its tip facing towards the support surface S, thus in a direction opposite the rotation direction D1 of the cylinder 4. The ends of the parts 17a, 17b, creating the tip of the v-shape, can be connected (see figure 2d) or can be arranged at a certain distance from each other (see figure 2c) . The angle a between the two ridge parts 17a, 17b is between 20 ° and 50 °, preferably 30 °. ln figure 3 the device 1 is an additional separate unit to be placed on an arrangement 19 which is adapted to directly feed the fluffed insulation material into the structure to be insulated, without using a temporary storage volume for the material. Thus, a much more compact loose-fill apparatus is created.

The arrangement 19 can for example comprise a rotatable air locl <1ó comprising several separate rotating compartments. When the insulation material has passed the milling zone and the arc-shaped surface ó 'due to the rotation of the cylinder 4, the fluff material falls into the separate compartments of the air locl <1ó. A compressor creates airflow through each compartment of the air lock 16, with a pressure enough to blow the loose-fill insulation into the structure at a constant or near constant rate via the flexible tube 10. 20 25 30 11 The support surtoce S is in this embodiment o tronsporting device 18, preterobly on endless bond or the like. By odiusting the speed ot the tronsporting device 18 in relotion to the rototionol speed ot the cylinder 4 ond possibly o | so to the density ot the blocks 2 ond the rototionol speed ot the oir lock 1ó, the tlutted moteriol con be directly distributed into the building. The speed ot the tronsporting device 18 con be monuolly odiusted by the operotor or automotícolly odiusted by o control system.

The rototionol speed ot the cylinder 4 is odiusted by the power tronsmitting element or engine 1 1. Preterobly, the engine is rototing ot o speed ot between 1400 ond 1800 revs / min. The engine 1 1 is connected to o centrol oxis A ot the cylinder 4, rototing it ot the required speed ond con tor exomple be driven by electricity, hydroulics, pneumotics or mechonicol orrongements.

When using the device 1 the insulotion block 2 is positioned on the support surtoce S by on operotor. The support surtoce S is used to teed the insulotion block 2 into the milling zone 9. The support surtoce S con be mounted ot on ongle relotive to the ground so thot the insulotion block 2 is tronsported towords the cylinder 4 by grovity torce olone. However, the block 2 con o | so be automatically tronsported on o tronsporting device 18, tor exomple on endless bond, towords the cylinder 4. lt the block is automatically tronsported into the cylinder 4, the support surtoce S con hove ony ongle relotive the ground. This tocilitotes tor the operotor ot the device, since the insulotion blocks do not hove to be litted so tor trom the ground level.

The device 1 con be ploced on o loose-till insulotion opporotus 7 odopted to blow the dissolved insulotion moteriol into the structure ot the building to be isolated. Preterobly the device 1 ond the loose-till insulotion opporotus 7 ore orronged in or neorby o semitroíler tronsporting the compressed blocks ot insulotion moteriol to the building site. The blocks ot insulotion moteriol is preterobly compressed to o density ot ot leost 160 kg / ms. Thus, the looding copocity ot the semi-troiler con be tully or neorly tully used becouse ot the more compoct moteriol.

When the compressed block 2 of insulotion reoches the cy | inder 4 chunks of the insu | otion is teored off from the block 2 ond mi || ed between the protruding members 5 ond the orc-shoped surfoce ó 'by rototíon of the cylinder 5 in the direction Di. Thus, o f | uffed | oose-fi || insulotion moterio | is formed, hoving o substontio || y even density of | ess thon 35 kg / ms. Due to the rototion of the cy | inder 4, the f | uff moterio | is tronsported over the orc-shoped surfoce ó 'ond fo || s down into o temporory storage in the hopper 8 or is directly blown into the structure to be isolated.

Claims (9)

20 25 Cloims 1.. 2. A device (1) for disso | ving compressed b | oc | insulotion moterio | comprising: o support surfoce (S) for the compressed b | ocks (2) of insu | otion, o cy | inder (4) with protruding members (5) orronged on the cy | inder monte | surfoce (4 '), soid cy | inder (4) is rototoble oround o substontiolly horizontal oxis (A) in order to mi || ond dissolve the compressed blocks (2) of insulotion between the protruding members (5) ond o mi || ing zone (9) orronged by on end (S1) of soid support surfoce (S), chorocterized in thot the cylinder (4) is orronged to rotote inside of on orc- shoped surfoce (ó ') port | y covering the cylinder montel surfoce (4') ond pro | onging the mi || ing zone (9) in o periphero | direction of the cy | inder 3.. A device occording to c | oim 1, wherein the orc-shoped surfoce (ó ') is covering between 10% ond 30%, preferob | y between 15% ond 25% of the cy | inder montel surfoce (4'). 4.. A device occording to c | oim 1 or 2, wherein the orc-shoped surfoce (ó ') com rises o friction creotin orron ement 17' orron ed focin the c | inder P 9 9 9 9 Y (4). 5.. A device occording to c | oim 3, wherein the friction creoting orrongement (17 ') comprises ot | eost one protrusion (17) protruding in o substontiolly rodiol direction inwords from the orc-shoped surfoce (ó'). 6.. A device occording to c | oim 4, where soid ot | eost one protrusion (17) is ot | eost one elongoted ridge with ot | eost one shorp cutting edges (18). 20 25 lél ó. A device according to c | aim 5, wherein said at least one protrusion (17) is extending substantially parallel to the horizontal axis (A) ot the cylinder. 7. A device according to c | aim 5, wherein said at least one protrusion (17) is divided into at least two parts (l7a, l7b) arranged at an angle (a) in relation to each other creating a v-shape arranged with its tip tacing the support surtace (5) - 8. A device according to c | aim 7, where said angle (a) is between 20 ° and 50 °, preterably 30 °. 9. A device according to any ot the above claims, wherein said protruding members (5) arranged on the cylinder mantel surtace (4 ') are elongated protrusions extending substantially parallel to the horizontal axis lO. A method tor picking apart a block (2) made by loose-till cellulose thermal insulation material having density ot at least lóO kg / ms by using the steps: - Positioning the insulation block (2) on a support surtace (3) ot a device (t) tor dissolving a compressed block (2) ot insulation according to any ot claims 1-9 - Feeding the insulation block (2) into the milling zone (9) - Milling the insulation block (2) between the protruding members (5 ) and the arc-shaped surtace (ó) by rotation ot the cylinder (4) so that a tlutted loose-till insulation material is tormed, having a substantially even density ot less than 35 kg / m3 which is ready to be distributed.