WO2006048238A1

WO2006048238A1 - Device and method for securing mineral wool surfaces

Info

Publication number: WO2006048238A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/011690
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Wuts
Original assignee: Rockwool International A/S
Priority date: 2004-11-04
Filing date: 2005-11-02
Publication date: 2006-05-11
Also published as: RU2007120633A; DK1807577T3; DE602005005353T2; PL1807577T3; UA85919C2; ATE389070T1; RU2352728C2; EP1807577B1; EP1807577A1; ES2302248T3; DE602005005353D1

Abstract

The present invention provides a device (5) for use in holding two surfaces of mineral wool material (2) together, the device comprising a belt (9), the belt having a first end and a second end with a pin (6) at each end wherein: the belt is flexible; and each pin is substantially rigid and is angled to comprise a connecting part (8) which is joined to the belt and an insertion part (7) wherein the angle between the connecting part and the insertion part is between 35 and 80°. The device of the present invention is particularly useful for holding two surfaces of insulation material together at a corner of a cavity wall.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SECURING MINERAL WOOL SURFACES

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to apparatus for and methods of holding two surfaces of mineral wool material together. The invention is particularly useful in the construction industry, especially in the construction of cavity walls. Background of the Invention

Mineral wool material is commonly used in construction and for domestic purposes, for example, as heat insulation, sound proofing and for its fire retardant properties. It can be used in cavity walls, roofs and around hot water pipes.

As is well-known, a cavity wall consists of an inner wall, an insulation layer which is often made of mineral wool slabs positioned adjacent the outer surface of the inner wall and an outer wall which usually forms the exterior of the building.

In order to ensure that the insulation layer provides the best insulation possible, it is fitted closely to the inner wall with the aim being to obtain substantially no air gaps. The insulation slabs or panels are fitted abutting each other so that, in addition to there being no air gap between the insulation and the inner wall, there should be no air gap between abutting insulation panels or slabs .

There is, however, usually an air gap between the insulation layer and the outer wall. Maximum efficiency of the insulation layer is achieved when the insulating panels fit closely against each other and against the inner wall.

The insulation material is normally affixed to the inner wall by means of anchors. These are rods which are attached to the inner wall, usually by builders, during construction of the wall. The positioning of anchors is determined by the builders and can vary from building to building and even from wall to wall within the same building.

The insulation is mounted on the anchors. On a flat face of wall, this is usually a satisfactory method of ensuring that the panels are held close to the wall.

However, particular problems arise at the corner between two faces of the wall. To ensure that the corner of the inner wall is adequately insulated, one slab of insulation generally overlaps the surface against which it is mounted to contact a surface of the insulation slab mounted on the other face of the wall . Although the anchors hold each insulation panel onto its respective wall, it has been the usual practice for many years to have nothing holding the insulation slabs together at the surface at which they meet at the corner. There has been a problem with air gaps developing at this point.

This problem is particularly pronounced when there is no anchor near to the corner of the inner wall as the insulation slabs then have a greater tendency to sag away from, and out of contact with, each other. Air gaps at the corners decrease the insulating performance of the layer leading to unnecessary loss of energy through the wall and producing cold spots.

The building industry has to comply with stringent controls on insulation. An air gap between insulation slabs at a corner could contribute to the failure of a building to comply with building controls.

There have been attempts to address this problem on an ad hoc basis whereby construction workers installing the insulation have tied rope between an anchor on a first face of the inner wall and an anchor on the second face of the inner wall so that the rope stretches around the corner of the insulation slabs, in an attempt to hold them together in contact with each other. However, there are several disadvantages with this method.

In particular, it is fiddly and time consuming to tie the rope to an anchor. It is also unreliable as the knot can work loose and fail. Even if the rope solution provides a temporary fix to the problem, it may not withstand prolonged exposure to moisture or temperature extremes and the rope may perish when the wall has been built leading to a loss of insulation efficiency which is very difficult to remedy. Furthermore, the rope gives an unsightly and unprofessional appearance to the corner which could be alarming for people inspecting the site.

This ad hoc method is also dependent on the location of the anchors, which are not generally regularly spaced, so the insulation installers may have to work with a different length of rope at each corner, adding to the difficulties.

Alternative attempts to address the problem have involved fixing the two slabs of insulation themselves together where they meet in the corner. For example, a screw device has been used in which a stainless steel screw embedded in one slab is attached to a socket in the other slab. Alternatively, a pin has been used which is inserted through both slabs at the corner and bent at the outer surface where it protrudes to hold the panels together. However, both these methods are time consuming, potentially dangerous to carry out and require specific skills. They also preferably employ stainless steel materials so are relatively expensive.

Various clamps, clips and fasteners are known in the art for holding two surfaces of a material together, for example in GB 2,309,737, US 4,259,767 and US 3,722,166 but none are applicable in the present field or provide a convenient solution to the problems encountered.

There exists a need for a simple and reliable solution to the problem of air gaps between insulation panels. Summary of Invention

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a device for use in holding two surfaces of mineral wool material together, the device comprising a belt, the belt having a first end and a second end with a pin at each end wherein: the belt is flexible; and each pin is substantially rigid and is angled to comprise a connecting part which is joined to the belt and an insertion part wherein the angle between the connecting part and the insertion part is between 35 and 80°.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of holding two surfaces of mineral wool material together, the method comprising the steps of; a) providing an element adjacent to which mineral wool material is to be placed; b) positioning mineral wool material adjacent the element so that two surfaces of material abut adjacent a corner or curved section of the element; c) providing a device comprising a belt, the belt having a first end and a second end with a first pin at the first end and a second pin at the second end wherein the belt is flexible and each pin is substantially rigid; d) inserting at least a part of each of the first and second pins into the mineral wool material wherein the pins are positioned so that the belt holds the abutting surfaces of mineral wool material together.

According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a structure comprising an element having a corner or curved section, wherein mineral wool material is positioned adjacent the element so that two surfaces of the material abut adjacent the corner or curved section of the element, characterised in that the structure also comprises a device which comprises a flexible belt having a first and a second end with a substantially rigid pin at each end, wherein at least a part of each of the first and second pins is inserted into the mineral wool material and the belt holds the abutting surfaces of mineral wool together. According to a fourth aspect, the present invention involves use of a device, the device comprising a belt, the belt having a first end and a second end with a pin at each end wherein the belt is flexible and each pin is substantially rigid, to hold two surfaces of mineral wool material together.

The present invention is advantageous as it provides a convenient, durable and economical way of solving the problem of air gaps between two surfaces of mineral wool material in a deceptively simple manner. It is particularly useful for holding two surfaces of a mineral wool material together at a corner or curved section as the problem with air gaps is more pronounced in such a region. An advantage of the device of the invention is that it can conveniently be used to hold together a variety of types of mineral wool material in a variety of arrangements. Figures Figure 1 shows a profile view of a cavity wall;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the device according to the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the device of a present invention inserted into mineral wool material at a corner;

Figure 4 shows mineral wool slabs mounted on the inner wall of a cavity wall and a device according to the present invention for insertion therein; and

Figure 5 shows a device in use according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

The device of the present invention is particularly useful for holding two surfaces of insulation material together at a corner of a cavity wall. This preferred embodiment will be described in detail.

As shown in Figure 1, a cavity wall typically comprises an inner wall 1 usually made of bricks or breeze blocks, an insulation layer 2 adjacent the inner wall and an outer wall 4 wherein there is an air gap 3 between the insulation layer 2 and the outer wall 4. The inner wall 1 is the part of the cavity wall that is on the inside of the building whereas the outer wall 4 provides the exterior surface. The inner wall 2 is commonly constructed with steel spikes called anchors onto which the insulation slabs are mounted. On each face of the inner wall the slabs are generally mounted adjacent the wall and abutting each other as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The surfaces of mineral wool material that are positioned to abut at the corner are not secured together. It is common for the edges to gape apart leaving an air gap between them and decreasing the efficiency of the material . The device comprises a belt 9 having a first end and a second end with a pin 6 at each end. The pins are preferably angled to comprise a connection part that is joined to the belt 8 and an insertion part 7 wherein the angle between the parts is from 35 to 80°, preferably from 45 to 70°, more preferably from 55 to 65°, and most preferably about 60°.

In use, the insertion part of the pin is inserted into a piece of mineral wool material . The first pin is inserted into one piece of mineral wool material and then a second pin is inserted into a second piece of material in such a position that the belt is under tension and bridges the gap between the two pieces of mineral wool material . The pieces are preferably at an angle to each other and are positioned adjacent surfaces of a wall having a corner between them.

The method of the present invention involves firstly providing an element (1) adjacent to which mineral wool material is to be placed. Although the preferred embodiment of the element being the inner wall of a cavity wall is described in detail, in practice the method can be carried out where the element is any structure adjacent to which mineral wool is placed for any reason and which has a corner or curved section. For example, the device and method of the present invention could be used on a hot water tank, hot water pipes or industrial containers that need to be insulated. The method of the present invention secondly involves positioning mineral wool material adjacent the element (1) so that two surfaces of material abut adjacent a corner or curved section of the element. The method of the present invention additionally comprises the steps of providing a device (5) comprising a belt (9) having a first and a second end with a first pin at the first end and a second pin (6) at the second end wherein the belt is flexible and the pins are substantially rigid, and inserting at least a part of the first and second pins into the mineral wool insulation material wherein the pins are positioned so that the belt (9) between them holds the abutting surfaces together.

The mineral wool material 2 is typically in the form of slabs, which can be of any appropriate dimensions. For instance, the slabs can have a height of between 1 and 2 metres, a width of between 0.5 and 2 metres and a thickness of between 0.06 and 0.25 metres. A typical slab could be about 1.5 metres high, about 0.5 metres wide and about 0.1 metres thick. The mineral wool is of the type conventionally used as insulation and can be made by any suitable method. The mineral wool material preferably has a density of from 10 to 200 Kg/m³, preferably 20 to 100 Kg/m³, more preferably 40 to 80 Kg/m³. The slabs are usually cuboid and in the embodiment where they are used as cavity wall insulation have a length of approximately 1.5 m, a height of approximately 0.8 m and a width of approximately 0.1 m.

The slabs have two large surfaces, defined by the length and the height, one of which is the surface that is positioned adjacent the element; two ends, defined by the height and the width; and two other surfaces defined by the length and the width that form the top and the bottom when the slab is positioned adjacent an element. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, in the preferred embodiment the insulation material is mounted on a first face so that its end is adjacent to the corner at the edge of the face. The insulation material adjacent the second face overlaps the corner at the edge of the second face to provide insulation at the corner by contacting the insulation panel adjacent the first face. Hence, the surfaces that are abutting at the corner are the end of the material adjacent the first face and the large surface of the material adjacent the second face. Preferably the insulation material adjacent the second face overlaps the corner at the edge of the second surface by approximately the width of the material adjacent the first face so that the corner insulation slabs form a neat corner of insulation material.

The corners in the cavity wall are usually at 90°, but the invention is also applicable with corners of different angles.

Alternatively, the slabs to be situated at a corner may be specially designed for this purpose, for example, having one end surface angled at approximately 45° to the large surface to be placed away from the wall face. In this case, a first corner slab is mounted adjacent the first face of the wall and a second corner slab is mounted adjacent the second face so that the angled end of the first slab abuts the angled end of the second slab.

The person using the preferred embodiment of the present invention in practice would simply insert the insertion part of one of the pins into a piece of material adjacent one of the walls relatively close to the corner. This is usually the piece at the corner but it can be the piece abutting the corner piece. He would then move round the corner, apply tension to the belt and visually ensure that the surfaces of mineral wool material are in contact at the corner, then insert the second pin into the mineral wool material adjacent the other face of the wall. This would usually be the corner piece but could be the piece abutting that corner piece.

Hence the angle of the pin is such that it is capable of being secured under tension in the mineral wool. If the angle is obtuse or a right-angle, the insertion part of the pin could easily be pulled loose from the mineral wool material, especially when tension is applied through the belt. Therefore, a pin having such an angle would not be secure enough. If the angle is too acute (under 35°) it would be difficult to use, as more force would be required to insert the second pin while maintaining sufficient tension in the belt to hold the two surfaces of mineral wool material together at the corner. The angle is preferably between 45 and 70°, more preferably between 55 and 65°, most preferably about 60°.

In the method of the present invention, the pins are preferably angled but it is possible to use pins that are not angled, and are substantially straight. In this case, the pins are inserted into the mineral wool material at an angle to the surface along which the belt will be situated in use, of between 35 and 80°, preferably between 45 and 70°, more preferably between 55 and 65°, most preferably about 60°. The pins are substantially rigid. By this it should be understood that the pins are rigid enough to retain their shape under the forces they would be subjected to when being used to hold two surfaces of mineral wool together. This is essential to ensure that the pins can be reliably secured in the mineral wool slabs.

In contrast, the belt is flexible. This means that the belt can easily flex when manipulated by hand and should conform to the shape of the corner where it is used to hold surfaces of insulation slabs together. The belt is generally substantially non-elastic and non-stretchable. That is, it does not stretch under the forces exerted during its use for bridging the gap between the two mineral wool surfaces.

For an angled pin, the insertion part of the pin is normally between 0.02 and 0.2 metres long, preferably between 0.04 and 0.08 metres, most preferably between 0.04 and 0.06 metres long. The insertion part of the pin should, in use, be inserted through most of the thickness of the insulation slab. Preferably, the length of the insulation part of the pin should roughly correspond to the thickness of the insulation slab so that, when the angle at which the pin is inserted is accounted for, the pin can be securely inserted through most of the thickness of the slab. The insertion part of the pin is usually tapered for easy insertion.

The connecting part of the pin is preferably a similar length to the insertion part but can be shorter or longer.

Where the pins are substantially straight, the pin will have dimensions which are similar to the insertion part of an angled pin as defined herein.

A cross section of the pin at any point usually shows it to be approximately square with height thickness dimensions of between 3 and 8 mm.

The belt is preferably at least 0.15 metres long, as in use it normally needs to reach from the insulation slabs adjacent one face around the corner of insulation to the insulation slabs adjacent a second face, as shown in Figures 3 to 5. The belt is preferably 0.2 to 0.5 metres long, more preferably from 0.25 to 0.35 metres long.

The belt can be any shape but is preferably a cuboid with a length of approximately 0.2 to 0.5 m, a height of at least approximately 2 mm, for example 2 to 8 mm and a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm. The height of the belt is usually the same over the whole length but may vary. In particular, it may be higher in the middle than at the edges. This is preferable as the belt is supporting the weight of the mineral wool where the two surfaces meet which is usually in the middle. The belt may be up to 100 mm high but is preferably between 2 and 50 mm, more preferably between 5 and 20 mm high.

The thicknesses of the belt and pins are their respective minimum dimensions. The pins preferably have substantially greater thickness than the belt. In the preferred embodiment, both the belt and the pins are made of plastic. This is advantageous as it means the device is durable, easy to handle and economical.

The pins and belt can be separate elements affixed together. However, it is preferred that the pins and the belt are integral. Preferably they are made in a single process from the same material. The different rigidity can be achieved by having a different thickness for the pins compared to the belt. In this case, typically the thickness of the pins is between 200 and 600 % of the thickness of the belt.

The plastic is preferably nylon.

The device is preferably made by injection moulding. In this process, granules or pellets of plastic are melted by a combination of friction (caused by a rotating screw) and heating, and are then injected at high pressure into a mould. The mould is subsequently cooled and the finished product is ejected. Example In example of a device of the present invention the device is made in its entirety from Ravamid B ST NC (RTM) , a nylon. The properties of the material are shown in the following data sheet.

RAVAMID^®BSTNC

POLYAMIDE6 NATURAL, MEDIUM VISCOSITY, HIGHTIMPACTMODIFIED

Values shown are based on evaluation of laboratory test specimens and represent data that fall within the normal range of properties.

They are based on our general experience and are given in good faith , but we are unable to accept responsibility in respect of factors which are outside our knowledge or control.

¹ D. A. M. = Dry As Moulded

The belt is 5 mm high, 1.5 mm thick and 235 mm long. There is a pin at each end of the belt and the pins are angled to give an insertion part and a connecting part that is joined to the belt. The angle between the parts is 60°. The connecting part is 40 mm long, 5 mm high and 4.33 mm wide. The insertion part of each pin is 5 mm long and at the end that joins the connecting part, has substantially the same width and height dimensions as the connecting part and is tapered from there at an angle of 5° so is narrower and shorter at the other end.

The connecting part of each is joined to the belt so that the dimensions specified are in the same plane for both the pin and the belt. In this case both the belt and the pins are 5mm high so there is no step in this dimension at the point where the pins and belt join.

Claims

1. A device (5) for use in holding two surfaces of mineral wool material (2) together, the device comprising a belt (9) , the belt having a first end and a second end with a pin (6) at each end wherein: the belt is flexible; and each pin is substantially rigid and is angled to comprise a connecting part (8) which is joined to the belt and an insertion part (7) wherein the angle between the connecting part and the insertion part is between 35 and

80°.

2. A device (5) according to claim 1 wherein the angle between the parts (7, 8) of each pin (6) is between 45 and 70°, preferably between 55 and 65°, most preferably about 60°.

3. A device (5) according to any preceding claim wherein the insertion part (7) of each pin (6) is between 0.02 and 0.2 metres long, preferably between 0.04 and 0.06 metres long.

4. A device (5) according to any preceding claim wherein the belt (9) is at least 0.15 metres long, preferably between 0.2 and 0.5 metres long, most preferably between 0.22 and 0.35 metres long.

5. A device (5) according to any preceding claim wherein the pins (6) and/or the belt (9) are made of plastic, preferably nylon.

6. A device (5) according to any preceding claim wherein the pins (6) and the belt (9) are integral.

7. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the pins (6) and belt (9) are made of the same material, wherein the material is plastic and each pin has a thickness which is greater than the thickness of the belt, preferably wherein the plastic is nylon.

8. A device (5) according to claim 7 wherein the thickness of each pin is between 200 and 600% greater than the thickness of the belt, preferably between 250 and 300% greater than the thickness of the belt.

9. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the belt is between 1 and 2 mm thick, preferably about 1.5 mm thick and each pin is between 4 and 6 mm thick, preferably between 4.5 and 5 mm thick.

10. A method of holding two surfaces of mineral wool material (2) together, the method comprising the steps of; a) providing an element (1) adjacent to which mineral wool material is to be placed; b) positioning mineral wool material (2) adjacent the element (1) so that two surfaces of material abut adjacent a corner or curved section of the element; c) providing a device (5) comprising a belt (9) , the belt having a first end and a second end with a first pin at the first end and a second pin at the second end wherein the belt is flexible and each pin is substantially rigid; d) inserting at least a part of each of the first and second pins into the mineral wool material wherein the pins are positioned so that the belt (9) holds the abutting surfaces of mineral wool material together.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the element is a wall, preferably the inner wall (1) of a cavity wall.

12. A method according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the surfaces of mineral wool material (2) that are held together are surfaces of separate pieces of mineral wool material, preferably wherein the pieces are slabs.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the wall (1) has a first and a second face and the faces meet at a corner.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein step (b) comprises positioning a first piece of mineral wool material adjacent the first face so that the end of the piece is substantially in line with the corner, positioning a second piece adjacent the second face but overlapping the corner so that a surface of the second piece abuts the end of the first piece.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein step (d) comprises inserting a first pin into the external surface of the piece of mineral wool material which is adjacent the first face of the wall, inserting the second pin into the external surface of the piece of mineral wool material which is adjacent the second face of the wall.

16. A method according to any of claims 9 to 15 wherein each pin (6) of the device (5) is angled to comprise a connecting part (8) that is joined to the belt and an insertion part (7) wherein the angle between the connecting part and the insertion part is between 35 and 80°.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein in step (d) , the insertion part (7) but not the connecting part (8) of each pin (6) is inserted into the mineral wool material (2) .

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the device (5) additionally has any of the features of claims 2 to 8.

19. The method according to any of claims 10 to 18 wherein the mineral wool material is used for insulation of the element (1) .

20. A structure comprising an element (1) having a corner or curved section, wherein mineral wool material (2) is positioned adjacent the element so that two surfaces of the material abut adjacent the corner or curved section of the element, characterised in that the structure also comprises a device (s) which comprises a flexible belt (9) having a first and a second end with a substantially rigid pin (6) at each end, wherein at least a part (7) of each of the first and second pins is inserted into the mineral wool material and the belt holds the abutting surfaces of mineral wool together.

21. Use of a device (5) , the device comprising a belt (9) , the belt having a first end and a second end with a pin (6) at each end wherein the belt is flexible and each pin is substantially rigid, to hold two surfaces of mineral wool material together.

22. Use of a device according to claim 19 wherein the device additionally has any of the features of claims 1 to 8.

23. Use of a device (5) according to claims 21 or 22 within a cavity wall, preferably wherein the inner wall (1) of the cavity wall has a first and a second face and the faces meet at a corner.

24. Use of a device (5) according to claim 23 wherein the mineral wool material (2) is mounted adjacent the first and the second faces and two surfaces of mineral wool (2) abut adjacent the corner.

25. Use of a device (5) according to claim 24 wherein the first pin (6) is inserted into the external surface of a piece of mineral wool material (2) which is adjacent the first face, the second pin (6) is inserted into the external surface of a piece of mineral wool material which is adjacent the second face.