WO1997001003A1

WO1997001003A1 - Device for absorbing moisture and method for manufacturing same

Info

Publication number: WO1997001003A1
Application number: PCT/NL1996/000255
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Vercouteren
Original assignee: Huvec B.V.
Priority date: 1995-06-21
Filing date: 1996-06-21
Publication date: 1997-01-09
Also published as: NL1000624C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for absorbing moisture, provided with an envelope (2) manufactured at least partly from moisture-permeable material, a filling (3) of moisture-absorbing material arranged in the envelope (2) and means connected to the envelope (2) for enhancing the passage of moisture through the envelope (2). The passage-enhancing means can comprise a material connected to the envelope (2) or forming part thereof and displaying a capillary action, for instance in the form of a moisture-absorbing layer (5) which is located on the inside of the envelope (2) and which protrudes at least partially through said envelope (2), which layer is connected to the envelope by a so-called needle-punching process. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing such a moisture-absorbing device by forming parts of an envelope into a desired shape, arranging between the envelope parts a moisture-absorbing and/or binding filler material in the form of powder or granules and mutually connecting the envelope parts along their edges.

Description

Device for absorbing moisture and method for manufacturing same

The invention relates to a device for absorbing moisture, provided with an envelope manufactured at least partly from moisture-permeable material and a filling of moisture-absorbing material arranged in the envelope. Such a device is known from the European patent specification 0 368 107.

The known device comprises one or more elements with a water-permeable envelope of polyester non-woven material having arranged therein a moisture-absorbing filling containing a so-called superabsorber. A superabsorber is herein a substance which binds moisture and therein displays a very great expansion in volume. The superabsorber is usually in the form of granules or powder and, when it absorbs moisture, changes into a pasty mass or into jelly. The moisture-absorbing elements are used to prevent leakages or in any case lessen the consequences thereof. Such elements are thus placed as mats under for instance oil leaking machines, or arranged as hose round containers with liquids which are dangerous for people and environment, in order to form a barrier wall in case of leakage. Such elements can also be used to retain water used for extinguishing fires involving dangerous substances. These moisture-absorbing elements have the great advantage that they are very light and compact before use, and thus easy to handle, while because they retain the absorbed moisture in saturated condition they can be easily disposed of and processed.

A drawback of the known moisture-absorbing element or cushion is that it acts relatively slowly because the moisture can only penetrate slowly through the envelope into the moisture-absorbing filling. Thus, in the case the cushion is for instance used to form a barrier, a relatively large amount of moisture can initially flow away along and under the cushion element before it has expanded sufficiently to be able to function as barrier element. In addition, the shape of the known cushion element is such that it does not stabilize itself.

The invention therefore has for its object to provide a device of the above described type wherein these drawbacks do not occur. This is achieved according to the invention by means connected to the envelope for enhancing the passage of moisture through the envelope. Due to such passage-enhancing means the moisture is sucked into the cushion comparatively quickly where it is retained by the filling. Furthermore, the cushion hereby expands relatively quickly, thus forming a good sealing on the ground.

Preferred embodiments of the device according to the invention are described in the dependent claims 2 to 16.

The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a moisture-absorbing device as described above. Such a method is characterized according to the invention by forming parts of an envelope into a desired shape, arranging between the envelope parts a moisture- absorbing and/or binding filler material in the form of powder or granules and mutually connecting the envelope parts along their edges. Preferably applied variants of this method form the subject-matter of the dependent claims 18 to 21. By slightly wetting the filling material, whereby it adheres to the carrier and/or envelope and adheres mutually, the use of for instance glue to fix the moisture-absorbing filling material to the carrier and/or envelope can be dispensed with. A larger part of the interior volume of the envelope is hereby available for filling material, which enhances the efficiency of the device.

The invention will now be elucidated on the basis of a number of embodiments wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing, in which corresponding parts are designated with the same reference numerals and in which:

Pig. 1 is a partly cut away perspective view of a moisture-absorbing device according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the moisture-absorbing device;

Fig. 3 and 4 show cross sections through moisture-absorbing devices with one respectively two carriers;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the moisture-absorbing device according to the invention during- use,- and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the moisture-absorbing device before use.

A device 1 for absorbing moisture (fig. 1) is provided with an envelope 2, which is manufactured from a moisture-permeable material such as a polypropylene fabric and a filling 3 of moisture-absorbing and/or binding material arranged in the envelope 2. The envelope 2 comprises an outer layer 4 of moisture-permeable material such as polypropylene fabric, and means connected thereto for enhancing the passage of moisture through envelope 2. In the embodiment shown these passage enhancing means take the form of a layer of moisture- absorbing material arranged on the inside of outer layer 4, for instance viscose material 5 connected to outer layer 4 by a so-called needle punching process and partly protruding therefrom (fig. 3 and 4) . Understood here by needle punching is a process wherein the inner layer 5 is locally pressed through outer layer 4. This is generally achieved by leading both layers 4,5 between two rollers, wherein the roller coming into contact with the inner layer is provided on its periphery with a large number of protrusions or "needles" . During use of a moisture- absorbing device the moisture is sucked into the device by the part of the layer of moisture-absorbing material 5 protruding outside the outer layer 4 of envelope 2, where it is absorbed and retained by the filling 3.

The filling 3 consists of a carrier 6, in the case shown likewise manufactured from a viscose material, preferably the same material also used as moisture- absorbing material in envelope 2, and, arranged on both sides thereof, layers 7 of a moisture-absorbing and/or binding filler material in granule or powder form of the type known as superabsorber. The filling material 7 can herein be adhered to the carrier 6 by wetting it slightly during manufacture whereby it expands to a very small extent and becomes tacky. The use of separate adhesive means such as glue and the like can hereby be dispensed with. If desired, the moisture-absorbing and/or binding filler material 7 can also be adhered to the moisture- absorbing inner layer 5 of envelope 2 in the same manner as to carrier 6.

The envelope 2 is closed along its edges 8,9,10, for instance stitched, glued or sealed, thus resulting in a cushion body closed on all sides. On the sides of the edge 10 the envelope 2 further has a flap 12 into which are recessed the hand-grips 11. The device 1 is hereby easy to handle. The sides 9,10 of envelope 2 run parallel, while the sides 8 taper toward one another, whereby envelope 2 has a trapezoidal peripheral shape.

Device 1 is hereby suitable for instance for clamping in a door opening between casings 13 (fig. 5) in order thus to function as barrier between two spaces 15,16 connected by the door opening when there is water in for instance space 16. Herein the device 1 is as it were clamped between the door posts 13 when it expands through absorbing moisture. Instead of straight tapering sides 8, the device 1 can also be provided with concave sides 8 (fig. 2) or convex sides (fig. 5) . Device 1 can herein even take a semi-circular form whereby the end edge 9 disappears entirely.

The filling 3 is not necessarily limited to a single carrier 6. When the device must have a greater moisture-absorbing capacity and must therefore contain more moisture-absorbing and/or binding filler material 7, it may be desirable for the stability thereof to apply a plurality of carriers 6 in envelope 2 (fig. 4) . The envelope 2 can therein take a stretchable form in order to allow for the expansion of filling material 7 when moisture is absorbed, but can for instance also be arranged somewhat loosely around the filling 3, whereby this latter likewise has the space to expand. A very great number of substances can be considered suitable as material for the filling 7. When device 1 is for instance intended to absorb water, a filling of sodium polyacrylate can be applied. For substances representing a hazard to humans and environment, such as oils and chemicals, materials such as for instance cement, pearlite or an open-cell polyethylene foam can be considered.

For applications wherein a device with a great length is required (fig. 6) , such as for instance as tubular barrier wall around a container filled with harmful liquid, or in the case of fire to prevent large quantities of extinguishing water flowing away, the device 1 can be supplied in the form of a roll 20. Because the material of filling 3 is relatively thin before use, such a roll 20 occupies a comparatively small volume. In this embodiment one of the side edges 8 can likewise be provided with a flap 18 into which a hand¬ grip 19 is recessed, whereby roll 20 can be unrolled simply and quickly. For further handling thereof a large number of hand-grips 11 is arranged in the flap 12 along one longitudinal side. In another embodiment (not shown) envelope 2 can also be provided with adhering means, for instance an adhesive strip. The device can thus be adhered in or on a building and can thus be arranged suspended along a wall or door. In this manner a relatively high barrier wall can be formed in simple manner when the device extends to the ground. As a result of the passage enhancing envelope 2 the device 1 according to the invention absorbs moisture relatively quickly. Due to the capillary action of the moisture-permeable outer layer 4 in combination with the moisture-absorbing inner layer 5 this moisture is sucked to the filling 3, which retains the moisture and thereby expands. Because the moisture-absorbing material extends slightly outside the envelope and has a hairy appearance, the device according to the invention will effectively seal off any possible irregularities in the ground, whereby a very effective sealing is obtained straightaway. This sealing is further enhanced by the wedge shape of the device, whereby it can be clamped easily into an opening for sealing. Finally, because use is made of the inherent adhesive power of the filling material itself for adhesion of the filling material 7 to its carrier 6 and/or envelope 2, the use of separate adhesive means is unnecessary, whereby the full volume of the device can be used efficiently to absorb and retain moisture.

Although the invention is elucidated above with reference to an embodiment with an envelope built up of a porous and a moisture-absorbing layer, any other envelope with something of a capillary action can likewise be envisaged. What is important is that the envelope sucks the surrounding moisture rapidly into the filling and is sufficiently robust to enable easy handling both in empty and in saturated condition.

Claims

1. Device for absorbing moisture, provided with an envelope manufactured at least partly from moisture- permeable material and a filling of moisture-absorbing material arranged in the envelope, characterized by means connected to the envelope for enhancing the passage of moisture through the envelope.

2 . Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the passage-enhancing means comprise material connected to the envelope or forming part thereof and displaying a capillary action.

3. Device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the material displaying a capillary action comprises a moisture-absorbing layer which is located on the inside of the envelope and which protrudes at least partially through said envelope.

4. Device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the moisture-absorbing layer is connected to the envelope by a so-called needle-punching process.

5. Device as claimed in any of the claims 2-4, characterized in that the moisture-absorbing material is a viscose material.

6. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the filling comprises a moisture-absorbing and/or binding filler material in the form of powder or granules.

7. Device as claimed in claim 6, characterized by at least one carrier which is received in the envelope and on which at least a part of the filling material is arranged.

8. Device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the carrier is manufactured from a viscose material.

9. Device as claimed in any of the claims 6-8, characterized in that at least a part of the filling material is arranged on the inside of the envelope.

10. Device as claimed in any of the claims 6-9, characterized in that the filling material is connected to the carrier and/or the envelope by its inherent adhesive power.

11. Device as claimed in any of the claims 6-

10, characterized in that the filling material comprises sodium polyacrylate.

12. Device as claimed in any of the claims 6-

11, characterized in that the filling material comprises pearlite.

13. Device as claimed in any of the claims 6- 12, characterized in that the filling material comprises an open-cell foam.

14. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the envelope has at least two non-parallel sides.

15. Device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the envelope has a substantially trapezoidal form.

16. Device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the envelope is provided on its outside with adhering means, for instance an adhesive strip.

17. Method for manufacturing a moisture- absorbing device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized by forming parts of an envelope into a desired shape, arranging between the envelope parts a moisture-absorbing and/or binding filler material in the form of powder or granules and mutually connecting said envelope parts along their edges.

18. Method as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that prior to forming into shape of the envelope parts a layer of moisture-absorbing material is connected thereto on the inside by means of a needle- punching process.

19. Method as claimed in claim 17 or 18, characterized in that prior to arranging of the filling material between the envelope parts at least a part of said filling material is arranged on at least one carrier formed into a shape corresponding with the shape of. the envelope parts and the carrier is subsequently placed between the envelope parts.

20. Method as claimed in any of the claims 17- 19, characterized in that at least a part of the filling material is arranged on the inside of the envelope parts prior to mutually connecting thereof.

21. Method as claimed in claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the filling material is arranged on the carrier and/or the envelope parts by wetting it slightly.