MXPA00004891A - Reshapable insulation assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A reshapable insulation assembly and a method of using such insulation assembly are provided. An insulation assembly of the invention of a type useful in the insulation of buildings includes a conformable mineral fiber batt extending in a first direction, wherein the batt (10) has a perimeter in a cross section that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and an exterior layer (12) extending in the first direction and overlying the perimeter of the batt (10), wherein the exterior layer (12) has a perimeter in the cross section that is substantially greater than the perimeter of the batt (10). The exterior layer (12) thereby loosely encapsulates the batt (10), whereby compression of insulation assembly urges the assembly into a new shape with different dimensions in the cross section.

Description

RECONFIGURABLE SET OF INSULATION TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an insulator assembly, useful for the insulation of constructions and, more particularly, to a reconfigurable insulator assembly, which includes a conformable insulating sheet of mineral fibers and to methods for obtaining and using such an insulator set.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to isolate constructions using various types of insulating materials, including mineral fibers, such as glass fiber wool. Processes for forming these fibers generally include forcing the glass melt composition through holes in an outer wall of a centrifuge or spinner to produce relatively short, straight glass fibers. Typically, a binder is added to the fibers prior to collection in substantially flat layers. The binder, after curing, secures the fibers together to create a unitary piece of insulating material. The insulating material, after curing, is typically mechanically shaped and cut into a cover or sheet having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration, such as a rectangle. An outer layer or coating is often secured to the sheet to facilitate installation and handle the insulation assemblies. After cutting, these insulation assemblies are particularly suitable for immediate installation between the wall studs and the roof and floor joists, which are spaced by a distance corresponding to the width of the assemblies. The term "joists", as used in this application, shall be understood to include studs, beams, and other frame elements and structures between which the insulation assemblies may be placed. Insulation assemblies that use sheets of short fibers, which clump together and are thus relatively rigid, have several disadvantages. First they can not conform to the variations in the spaces where they are installed. The spaces between the joists, which receive these insulator assemblies, often contain abnormal voids and other non-uniformities, created by electrical wiring, plumbing lines, ducts and the like, disposed between the joists. When using short fiber insulator assemblies, the user either has to be satisfied with the gaps or spaces in the insulation coverage or, alternatively, cut the insulation for adaptation. In fact, the prior art discloses methods to reduce somewhat the time and effort of the installer. U.S. Patent No. 4,866,905 discloses, for example, a strip of mineral fiber with marking lines that extend laterally. An installer cuts along the lines to select the desired width of the product for installation. Similarly, U.S. Patent Nos. 968,681 to Stokes and 1,238,356 to Paddock show strips of cotton fill of substantial length and width. The longitudinal partial cuts extend along the length of the cotton filling. These cuts facilitate the trimming of strips with smaller width from the filling by the user. The supply of partial cuts or marking lines can thus facilitate the cutting of the insulation assemblies in the desired sizes. However, this does not eliminate the need to cut these insulation assemblies into the desired shapes and sizes to accommodate non-traditional size areas, voids and surrounding abnormalities. An additional problem with the bonded, short-fiber insulation assemblies arises from the fact that they are designed and manufactured for installation in a particular spaced opening. Since most of the frames have a standard or traditional size of 40.64 cm or 60.96 cm between the joists, manufacturers typically manufacture products with these widths. Most manufacturers meet the needs of users' products, with these widths in various heights and / or densities, to make it possible for the users to have an R-value insulation installed. (The R value is a standard measure of the insulation efficiency, or its thermal resistivity.) However, many users have needs for the installation of insulation assemblies of different sizes or different value R. This multitude of needs of the products require that the retail merchants of these insulation assemblies have a large amount of space to them, in order to supply a complete line of products. Therefore, many sellers choose not to have all sizes. This is particularly true for those sizes for which there is less or slower demand. Thus, users can not locate a product with an appropriate dimension because the manufacturer does not use it or the retailers do not have it in stock. In these cases, the user should try to cut the insulator assembly to the appropriate size, look for an alternative type of insulator product, accept reduced efficiency by leaving gaps and spaces, or use additional insulation to coat the joists, if possible. An alternative form of insulation is to loosen the filling products. These products do not have a previously formed configuration and consist of individual groups of insulation fibers that are inserted into the space to be insulated. The installation of this form of insulation typically comprises blowing the fibers in a desired space. Thus the insulation does not have to be cut or otherwise given to another size for installation. However, loosening the filling is difficult to handle, requires special equipment and may leave gaps or spaces if it is not installed properly. In addition, loosening does not always achieve consistent coverage of the spaces in which it is installed (the density of the insulation material varies as it is installed and may, in some cases, move or become compact over time). The loose filling also commonly has airborne particles, which can irritate the skin and air passages of users.

A newly developed wool insulator alternative product overcomes some of the disadvantages of short fiber products. U.S. Patent No. 5,508,079 to Grant and Berdan describes this assembly and the method of obtaining it. Specifically, Grant et al, discloses a process for the manufacture of a fibrous glass wool insulation, without binder. The process includes forming substantially long glass fibers comprising about 20 percent or more of the weight or number of all the fibers. The fibers of these insulator assemblies upon forming are oriented in a spiral manner and then mechanically configured to produce a sheet of predetermined size and density. The securing of an outer layer, preferably formed of polyethylene, which conforms closely to the perimeter of the sheet, completes the insulation assembly. The insulator assembly disclosed by Grant et al., Provides a substantial advantage over prior art, short fiber bonded insulator assemblies. These insulation assemblies, being less rigid, are able for the user to conform this set of insulation to occupy the gaps frequently encountered between the joists. The user merely forms the sheet to fill the small gaps and fit around the products present between the joists. It also makes it possible for the user to have larger portions of the assembly extending over the joists to bump directly adjacent to the insulation assemblies with reduced gap spacing on the joists, as compared to the bonded, short fiber insulation assemblies. The conformable characteristic of this type of insulation assembly eliminates many cases of cutting the assembly, in comparison with the bonded insulation assemblies, of short fibers. Thus, the conformable insulation assembly, disclosed by Grant et al., Provides a more convenient product to users. However, the conformable insulation assembly, described by Grant et al, as the short fiber bonded products of the prior art, has some limitations. The conformable insulation assemblies, as manufactured and sold by Owens Corning, under the trade name of MIRAFLEX ™, are adapted for installation in areas of particular sizes, which have a predetermined nominal width. The products, as manufactured, also have a standard thickness and / or density, to provide a predetermined level of insulation given by the R value.

Thus, the manufacturer of these products must generally provide a plurality of products of different widths, for example 40.64 cm and 60.96 cm. Additionally for all these products, the manufacturer must supply products that have different heights and / or densities, to supply different R values of the insulation assemblies for the user. This necessarily means that the manufacturer of this type of insulation products have a multitude of products to meet the needs of the majority of users. However, the needs of many users who require insulation that fits the non-traditional joist spaces (for example 48768 cm) or non-standard insulation efficiency, are still left unselected and these products must be cut, searched an alternative form of insulation, installing overlapping insulation assemblies or accepting less efficient results. Additionally, retailers and distributors of these products may choose not to have products that do not have high demand in stock, given that space and volume limit their business. Thus, in some cases, even when there are products of R value and of adequate size, the user will not be able to locate them.

Thus, there is a need for an insulator assembly that can be reconfigured relatively easily and installed by the user, to meet the specific size requirements by the user. There is also a need for an insulation assembly that can be reconfigured to provide an area coverage with a different R-value. A further need exists for a reconfigurable insulator assembly and a method of using it, which reduces the number of discrete products needed that must be manufactured and carried by retailers and distributors. A further need also exists for supplying a set of insulation and method of use that will provide the user with increased utility or options for installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an insulator assembly that can be mechanically reconfigured by the user. Still another object of this invention is to provide a method of use and an insulation assembly that reduces the time and effort necessary to install such an assembly in spaces between non-traditional joists.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an insulator assembly that can be reconfigured by the user to adapt to a variety of spaces, according to the needs of the user. Yet another object of this invention is to provide an insulator assembly that can be offered for sale, which meets multiple user needs with a simple construction of the product. Therefore, an aspect of this invention includes an insulator assembly of a type useful in the insulation of constructions, this assembly includes a sheet of mineral fibers that can be formed, which extends in a first direction, in which the sheet has a perimeter in cross section that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and an outer layer extending in the first direction and overlapping the perimeter of the sheet, wherein the outer layer has a perimeter in cross section, which is substantially greater than the perimeter of the sheet. The outer layer thus encapsulates the sheet in a loose manner and the compression of the insulation assembly pushes this assembly into a new configuration with different dimensions in cross section. In this form the insulation assembly is adapted to be reconfigured within the confines of the outer layer in a user-defined configuration. Preferably, the fiber sheet is a glass fiber sheet without binder, with some substantially long fibers. The outer layer has a cross-sectional perimeter of at least five percent greater than the sheet, as configured by the manufacturing process prior to the application of the outer layer. Optimally, the layer is ten percent or greater. The outer layer is preferably formed of polyethylene, with a thickness of less than 25.4 microns and usually in the range of 5.08 to 15.24 microns. The adhesive layer preferably includes two layers with each extending in the axial direction, opposite each other, on the inner perimeter of the outer layer and, more preferably, on the opposite surfaces of the rectangularly shaped sheet, which is positioned substantially equidistantly from the adjacent sides of the sheet. Another aspect of the invention includes a method of installing a reconfigurable insulation assembly, having a conformable sheet extending in a first direction, the method comprising the steps of compressing the sheet in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, to compress this sheet in the second direction and correspondingly expand the sheet in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and thus form a configuration and size defined by the user of the assembly, and place the assembly in a selected space, corresponding to the configuration defined by the user, so that the user has selectively configured the insulation to fit within the selected space. Yet another aspect of the invention includes a method for installing a reconfigurable insulator assembly, which includes a conformable sheet, which is extends in a first direction and having a perimeter in cross section perpendicular to the first direction, and an outer layer having a perimeter in cross section, which is substantially greater than the perimeter of the sheet, in which the method comprises the steps of compressing the assembly for increase the perimeter of the sheet inside the outer layer and thus form a configuration and size defined by the user of the set and place the set in a selected space, which corresponds to the configuration defined by the user, so that the user has selectively configured the set to adapt within the selected space. A further aspect of the invention includes a method of isolating a structure, having at least a first and second spaces, having first and second widths, respectively, which includes the steps of supplying substantially identical first and second insulator assemblies, wherein each set includes a conformable sheet, extending in a first direction and having a width in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, which is equal to the first width, and placing the first set in the first space. The method further includes compressing the sheet of the second assembly in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, thereby expanding the sheet of the second assembly in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and thus changing the width of the sheet of the second set, so that it is equal to the second width, and place the second set in the second space. A further aspect of the invention includes a method of isolating a structure, having at least first and second spaces, having first and second widths, respectively, comprising the steps of supplying first and second isolation assemblies, substantially identical , each set includes a conformable sheet, which extends in a first direction and which has a third width in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; compressing the sheet of the first set in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, thus expanding the sheet of the first set in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and thus changing the width of the sheet of the third set from the third width to the first width; place the first set in the first space; compressing the sheet of the second set into one of the second and third directions, thereby expanding the sheet of the second set in the other of the second and third directions, and thus changing the width of the second set sheet from the third width to the second width; and place the second set in the second space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The appended claims particularly and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention. The various objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will be more fully apparent from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: Figure 1 is a terminal perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a reconfigurable insulator assembly, in accordance with the present invention; Figures 2A, 2B and 2C are perspective end views of various reconfigured configurations of the reconfigurable isolator assembly of Figure 1, after this reconfiguration; Figure 3 is a perspective end view of the reconfigurable insulator assembly of Figure 1, after manufacture; and Figure 4 is a perspective end view of the reconfigurable insulator assembly of Figure 3, after compression for transport.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED MODALITIES OF THE INVENTION As illustrated in Figure 1, each of the two conformable insulator assemblies 1 is placed on a surface 2, such as an upper surface of a roof, and between the joists 3. Each set 1 includes an elongated sheet 10, extending in axial direction 11, an outer or outer layer 12, which extends in the axial direction and overlaps at least a substantial portion of the sheet 10, and at least one strip 13 of adhesive securing an outer layer 12 to the sheet 10. These sheets 10 are formed of mineral fibers, which, as defined herein, preferably include glass fibers, but may alternatively include rock, slag or basalt fibers, or any of the above with up to 10 percent of intermingled polymer fibers. It will be understood that each of the drawings in this application is intended to be illustrative and does not reflect a relative scale or size of the insulation assembly 1 and its elements. Certain elements have been oversized or accentuated while others have been reduced, for ease of understanding and convenience. As shown in Figure 1, the sheet 10 has surfaces 14, 15, 16 and 17, nominally perpendicular, to the direction 11. The nominal width of the opposing surfaces, 14 and 15, which for convenience has been termed as the upper surface 14 and the bottom surface 15, are represented by. Similarly, the height of the opposite surfaces or sides 16 and 17, are represented by H. It will be appreciated that, due to the conformable nature of the product, the top surface 14 and the bottom 15 will not be truly equivalent to each other. That is, the width in Figure 1 is only approximate. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the upper surface 14 is larger than the bottom surface, since it partially covers the joists 3, while the bottom surface 15 extends between the joists 3. Similarly the side surfaces, 16 and 17, they are not necessarily equivalent in height and really parallel. However, for ease of understanding and for the purposes of this patent application: each of the sides, 16 and 17, and the upper surfaces, 14 and 15, respectively, will be mentioned as nominally parallel. and equivalent to the opposite surface, sides 16 and 17 are mentioned as nominally perpendicular to the upper and bottom surfaces, 14 and 15; and the surfaces 14, 15, 16 and 17 are mentioned as substantially perpendicular to the direction 11. In Figure 1, the outer layer 12 includes an excess amount of the material 20, which, in this case, the user joins along of surface 2 during the installation of the product. In other words, the perimeter of the outer layer 12, in a cross section, perpendicular to the direction 11, is substantially greater than the perimeter of the sheet 10 in the transverse direction. The oversized nature of the outer layer makes it possible for the user of set 1 to compress the sheet 10 in a manner that increases and decreases the overall perimeter of the sheet 10., as necessary. This feature makes it possible for the user to reconfigure the insulator assembly 1 to a size corresponding to the needs of the user within the general limits of the perimeter of the outer layer 12. Thus, this feature of the invention makes it possible for a user to reconfigure the product according to the width of the space to be insulated. Also, due to this insulation, the assembly includes the conformable sheet 10, this assembly 1 can, even in its reconfigured condition, be shaped to fill and be around the gaps and products found between the joists 3. This feature avoids the need for the users of the fibrous insulation assemblies, cut and divide parts of the assembly to install the insulation between the joists spaced non-traditionally, which are not adapted to receive the standard size insulation assemblies of the prior art. Thus it provides a relative facility to install alternatives to loosen the filling insulating products. That is, by reconfiguring the isolation assembly of this invention, the user can cover a variety of space sizes, so that a product meets the demands of users with different needs. The user can also compress the set 1 into other configurations that have an even smaller perimeter, as discussed below more fully. As an additional benefit, this product also has the conformable attributes that can be conformed to irregularities between particular joists. Figures 2A to 2C illustrate various configurations that can be obtained by the user's compression of the reconfigurable insulator assembly 1 of Figure 1. Specifically, Figure 2A is an insulator assembly of Figure 1, after restoration of a compact form, as illustrated in Figure 4, and described in greater detail later. This insulation assembly can be a relatively standard product, with the sheet 10 having dimensions of 40.64 cm along the top and bottom surfaces, 14 and 15, and 22.23 cm along the side surfaces, 16 and 17, and that it has an isolation rating of R-25. A relatively standard product is 40.64 cm, because many constructions have beams spaced every 40.64 cm. 60.96 cm is also another relatively traditional joist spacing arrangement. These dimensions come from the spacing of the joists in a regime of six or four joists every 2.44 meters, respectively. However, some constructions have frames with a different regime, such as five joists every 2.44 m or some other dimensions. For the purposes of this application, these other joist spacing dimensions are referred to as spacings of non-traditional joists. As seen in Figure 2A, the traditional material 20 provided in the outer layer 12 is divided substantially equally on both sides of the adhesive layers 13 as is preferred. The length of the additional material 20 is slightly greater than ten percent of the outer perimeter of the sheet in the condition shown in Figure 2a. Thus, for the previously mentioned example, the outer layer 12 will have a perimeter of approximately 138.7 cm, while the perimeter of the sheet is 125.73 cm. This additional material 20 provided in the outer layer 12, due to its relatively thin and non-rigid nature, can be easily treated by the user during installation. For example, as illustrated in Figure 1, the additional material 20 of the outer layer 12 is placed on the bottom of the assembly 1 and rests along the surface 2. As illustrated by the embodiments of Figures 2B and 2C, the The isolation set 1 of the present invention enables the user to reconfigure this isolation set to a configuration and size to accommodate a variety of spaces. A) Yes, users who choose the use of an insulation assembly, according to this invention, can configure the product to adapt to spacings of non-traditional joists, while another user can use the same product to adapt to spacings of traditional-sized joists. In addition, the user can place reconfigured assemblies together between traditionally and non-traditionally dimensioned areas, to achieve high values of R. This means that a single size of insulation assemblies, according to this invention, can be used in a wide variety of different applications, that have different dimensions. Thus, users will benefit from having available insulation assemblies that meet their specific application. Additionally, retailers and distributors of insulation assemblies can supply insulation assemblies that give customers greater opportunities to choose to meet their needs, while reducing the number of different products brought. Thus, compression of the insulation assembly 1 along its upper and bottom surfaces, 14 and 15, or along the lateral surfaces, 16 and 17, pushes the insulation assembly to change its dimensions in cross section. Specifically, compression of the insulator assembly along the top and bottom surfaces, 14 and 15, pushes the sides, 16 and 17, outwardly. This results in an insulator assembly that is reconfigured to have the surfaces, top and bottom, 14 and 15, with increased dimensions or widths and side surfaces, 16 and 17, with reduced dimensions or heights. On the other hand, the compression of the insulation assembly 1 along the lateral surfaces, 16 and 17, pushes the top and bottom surfaces apart. This action provides a set of reconfigured insulation that has greater height and smaller width. That is, the dimensions of the side surfaces, 16 and 17, increases while the dimensions of the top and bottom surfaces, 14 and 15, decrease. By selectively applying compressive forces to the insulation assembly, the user can reconfigure the insulation assembly 1 to a desired size, which corresponds to the space in which the user wishes to install the insulation assembly 1. In some cases, the user may find it necessary or preferred, after the initial dimension, to selectively smooth areas of the insulation assembly. This step can be accomplished by compressing the portions of the assembly along their previously uncompressed opposing surfaces, APRA providing a more uniform cross section in those selected areas. The insulation assembly 1, illustrated in Figure 2B, has been reconfigured from the configuration illustrated in Figure 2a by compressing it along the top and bottom surfaces, 14 and 15. The resulting compression configuration exhibits increased width and reduced height relative to the configuration of the Figure 2a. Using the dimensions of the example, previously mentioned for Figure 2A, the compression has been used to supply the insulation assembly with a height of approximately 18.42 cm and a width of approximately 48.77 cm. The outer layer 12, which is approximately 139.7 cm in this example, coincides almost exactly with the perimeter of the sheet 10 after compression, i.e. 134.37 cm. Thus, in this configuration of the insulation assembly 1 only a small portion of the excess material 20 slopes below the bottom surface 15. This configuration has been found to provide an insulation factor of R-9. The width of 48.77 cm corresponds to the less common or non-traditional placement of five joists per 2.44 meters of frame. While this is not a traditional construction technique, there are numerous applications for products of this size, which until the present invention required the cutting of previous insulation assemblies or the use of loose fillers. Each set of insulation 1, as illustrated in Figure 2C, results from the compression of the assembly 1 of Figure 2A along the side surfaces 16 and 17. The compression, in this case, produces the raised height and the width reduced, compared to the set in Figure 2a. Again when the dimensions of the previously mentioned example for Figure 2A, such assemblies have been compressed to the configuration illustrated in Figure 2C, they have dimensions of widths and heights of 20.32 cm by 35.56 cm. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, when two sets 1 are compressed to the 20.32 cm x 35.56 cm configurations, they can be used to insulate between the joists spaced by 40.64 cm apart. The addition of a third insulation assembly 1, as illustrated in silhouette lines in Figure 2C, allows three assemblies 1 to be used together to insulate between the joists spaced 60.96 cm apart. This arrangement of Figure 2C with the side surfaces of the two butt assemblies in a 40.64 cm joist space provides an insulation factor of R-45. The use of three such sets 1 in a joist space of 60.96 cm,. it supplies the same insulation factor of R-45. When two sets of insulation 1 of Figure 2 are compressed to a width of 24,384 cm and 33.02 cm in height, they provide insulation between the joist space of 48.77 apart. Such an arrangement supplies an R-value of R-38. Other possible configurations and sizes can be formed in this manner, although not previously obtained, such sizes include the compression of the sheet width 10 to be 30.48 cm with a height of approximately 25.4 cm and 30.48 cm. In such case, the two assemblies shown in Figure 2C will be easily installed between the joists spaced 60.96 cm apart. As it should now be understood, the isolation assembly of this invention increases the options available to the user. As illustrated by the arrangement of sets 1 in Figure 2C, the user can configure the sets for the application in a single depth layer with an increased R value. That is, the user installs two or more insulation assemblies 1 in a side-by-side array, rather than stacking them, as is done in the prior art insulation assemblies. This side-by-side arrangement has several advantages over the stacking of bonded products, short fibers, or even a conformable, binder-free sheet of the prior art. First, given the conformable nature of the sheet of the present invention, the gaps between adjacent beams will be reduced when compared to the prior art with binder. The sides of the sets adjacent to the joists will be more easily shaped. Additionally, the user can visually verify that each set of reconfigured insulation, when installed, is of the desired dimensions. Stacked sets hide the height of individual sets. With the conformable insulation products of the prior art, one of the insulation assemblies can be condensed with the companion assembly being expanded. The failure to achieve uniformity of the assemblies in each installed pile degrades the insulation efficiency of the stacked assemblies. Figure 3 illustrates the insulation assembly after completing the manufacturing process. The process begins with the production of a veil of moving gases and long glass fibers, which pass from the rotating apparatus that forms the fibers. The veil and the fibers move in a generally downward direction. The long fibers also move downward with a generally spiral path imparted by the rotating fiber apparatus. At least two first opposite conveyor surfaces, below the fiber apparatus capture the fibers. The conveyors are usually spaced from 0.61 to 1.83 meters from the apparatus that forms the fibers. The spiral path of the fibers results in captured fibers interrelated or oriented in a generally spiral relationship. Once captured, the fiber assembly forms a pack or sheet of wool. A set of opposing conveyor surfaces mechanically shapes and forms the sheet after the fibers are joined together, to substantially provide the desired configuration of the sheet with a density of less than 9.6 kilograms per cubic meter and preferably between 4.8 and 8 kg / m3. In this case, the flat surfaces of the conveyors can impart opposite, substantially flat lateral surfaces, 16 and 17, and top and bottom surfaces 14 and 15. The process specifically excludes cutting the sheet 10 parallel to its manufacturing axis, it is say the direction 11, to define the surfaces 14, 15, 16 and 17. The process of obtaining the short fiber rigid products of the prior art often uses such a cutting step to provide the well-defined edges and the symmetry of the edges. insulating materials obtained by such processes. The cutting of the sheet of this invention will cut off many of the long fibers that are placed along the surface of the sheet. This cut will degrade the sheet 10 reducing the structure integrity of it, as it is believed that the matched nature enables the non-bonded fibers to remain together. It will be understood that the configuration of the sheet 10 in cross section, seen along planes perpendicular to the direction 11 does not have to be and often is not regular. That is, the side surfaces, 16 and 17, are not strictly perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces, 14 and 15; the opposite surfaces, 14 and 15, and 16 and 17, respectively, are not strictly parallel; and each of the surfaces 14, 15, 16 and 17 are not truly planar. The sheet 1, once formed and mechanically configured, is only generally rectangular, as seen in Figure 3. However, for the case of understanding and describing the invention, the terms nominally rectangular, nominally parallel, nominally flat and nominally perpendicular they have been adopted and used here as described above. The process of obtaining the set 1, unlike the process disclosed in the patent of E.U.A., No. 5,508,079 of Grant et al., Previously mentioned and now - incorporated herein by reference, has many stages similar to the preferred method for forming the conformable sheet of the reconfigurable insulation assembly of this invention. However, a primary and fundamental difference exists in the step of applying the outer layer 12, which covers the surfaces 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the sheet, exceeds the perimeter of the sheet. Specifically, the applied layer 12 must exceed the perimeter by at least five percent and preferably around ten percent or more. It will be noted that the excess material in the outer layer should probably not exceed twenty percent of the perimeter of the sheet, since it makes handling the sheet heavy and difficult during installation.

In the past, the cross-sectional dimensions of the outer layer are minimized for cost purposes, since the function of the outer layer has been primarily for the convenience of the user in the handling of the insulation assembly. In the present invention, the outer layer, which covers all surfaces, comprises a limit at which the sheet can move or flow perpendicular to the axial direction 11 in response to compression. The sheet, due to its nature, once reconfigured, tends to retain the configuration until it is compressed again. The outer layer 12 preferably extends over all, or appreciably all, of the axial length of the sheet 10. The outer layer can be formed of any sheet-like material, such as plastic, metallized film, strong paper, non-woven material or your combinations It is preferred that the outer layer be plastic and optimally polyethylene. In general, the thickness of the outer layer 12 should be 25.4 microns or less, and preferably 5.08 to 15.24 microns. The outer layer 12 may also include perforations. Such perforations facilitate the entry and expulsion of air during the recovery of the compression, associated with the transportation of the product and during any reconfiguration process, associated with the installation. The adhesive layer 13 used in the insulation assembly 1, restricts the axial movement of the sheet 10 relative to the outer layer 12. This layer 13 of adhesive is preferably an adhesive material, such as rubber, applied as a layer, strip or pattern applied between the outer layer 12 and the sheet 10, in opposite locations, spaced equidistantly around the perimeter in cross section of the outer layer 12. Preferably, the adhesive layers are provided between the outer layer 12 and the central portions of the outer layers 12. upper and lower surfaces, 14 and 15. Alternatively, the adhesive layers can be applied to the side surfaces, 16 and 17. Additionally, only one layer of adhesive will meet the needs of this invention, although two are preferred as they enable the division of the excess material from the outer layer into two substantially equal portions. Splitting the excess material between the adhesive layers simplifies working with the sheet during compression and other installation tasks. Apart from the adhesive strips which are preferably formed by applying a rubber layer to the surface of the known mechanical fasteners, bonding agents or the outer layer itself may suffice. For example, polyethylene, when heated, becomes sticky and when solidified it can be attached to a portion of the sheet. Thus, heating a thin, axially extending portion of a polyethylene sheet can supply the adhesive layer used in this invention. The heating of the polyethylene can be achieved either immediately after covering the outer layer or after placing the layer on the sheet. The adhesive layers 13 can alternatively be placed on the side surfaces 16 and 17 of the sheet 10, in addition to those placed on the top and bottom surfaces., 14 and 15. In such an insulation assembly formed with four layers of adhesive, the excess material 20 of the outer layer 12 will preferably be equidistantly distributed in four equally divided segments between each layer of adhesive. Alternatively, it is possible that the outer layer 12 can be continuously bonded around the sheet 10 by the layer 13 of adhesive. In such a case, the entire insulation assembly 1 should be formed to the largest perimeter considered necessary, so the user can then compress the assembly as necessary. In such a case, the excess material of the reconfigured assemblies will need to join with the fibers of the sheet 10, to which it is secured. As previously described, the processes of the prior art seek to limit the amount of material used to form the outer layer. In these cases, the perimeter of the outer layer closely conforms to the perimeter of the sheet. According to the present process and apparatus, the perimeter of the outer layer can exceed the perimeter of the sheet, as configured by the manufacture by at least 5 percent and preferably by ten percent or greater. This feature increases the utility of the reconfigurable isolation assembly of this invention. It makes it possible for the user to selectively re-configure and reconfigure the isolation set in selected ways. Thus, users can achieve configurations and sizes suitable for installation in spaces of relatively traditional dimensions and non-traditional spaces, as well as adjust the thermal resistivity by packing the multiple assemblies between the joists. These characteristics of the invention make it possible for retailers or distributors to carry an installation product that can be installed in different size spaces and can offer different insulation efficiencies, without cutting, special equipment or other operations that consume time or experience. The invention also makes it possible that the goods that must be stored and exhibit the insulation assemblies, reduce the variety of products exhibited and stored. This results from the fact that the insulation assembly of the present invention can be used to fill a variety of spaces and provide different levels of insulation efficiency. Thus, by storing only a few different insulation assemblies, in accordance with this invention, a vendor can provide a user with an insulation assembly that meets the user's most conceivable installation needs. The compression of the insulation assembly 1 of Figure 3, after completion of the production, results in the insulation assembly 1 of Figure 4. First, the insulation assembly passes through the configuration rollers for contact with the surfaces side of the set. The rollers fold the outer layer 12 and the sheet 10 along the opposite side surfaces in the direction 11. This supplies a side surface m. { s uniform and take the excess material 20 from the outer layer 12. The insulation assembly 1 can then be rolled, compressed or otherwise packaged by known techniques. The compression, as demonstrated by assembly 1, illustrated in Figure 4, substantially reduces the volume of the assembly while enabling the user to return it to its original size. As described herein, the provision of excess material in the outer layer of a conformable insulation assembly provides a more useful product. Specifically, the insulation assembly can be configured by the user to adapt in spaces of different sizes, without cutting. Because the user can adjust the insulation assemblies in various sizes and configurations, the manufacturer can reduce the number of different product sizes that he has to produce. The insulation set, in accordance with this invention, also incorporates all the advantages of the insulation assembly disclosed by Grant et al in U.S. Patent No. 5,508,079. The product can easily conform to the gaps and abnormalities found between joists. The insulation assembly thus reduces the likelihood that the user will need to cut the sheet to fit around the obstacles and fill in the gaps. The user can also obtain an insulation of R value greater than a short fiber, join the sheet by the configuration of the products to allow installation with two or more units side by side between joists. The cost of manufacturing the insulation assemblies, according to the invention, will be slightly higher, due to the increased costs of the excess material included in the outer layer. The process, however, does not require any additional equipment to be manufactured, other than that disclosed by Grant et al., In US Patent No. 5,508,079. Additionally, due to the multiple uses of particular sets of insulation, manufacturing lines will not need conversion so often and this should decrease manufacturing costs. This savings must displace, at least in part, the additional costs associated with the excess material included in the outer layer. In summary, a set of reconfigurable insulation and methods for installing and manufacturing these assemblies have been revealed. The invention described herein complies with the objects and advantages of this invention, providing an installation assembly that can be selectively configured in its configuration by the user, to achieve a variety of cross-sectional dimensions to adapt to a variety of openings and supply several levels of thermal resistivity. The invention has additional advantages for both users and sellers, because individual insulation assemblies have a multiplicity of applications, and retailers and distributors can store fewer types of products and still offer users more opportunity to find a product that meet the needs of this user. In addition, the insulation assembly of the present invention can be installed without the need of experts or specialized tools. It can be manufactured using the present technology without additional equipment and without significantly increasing the cost of the product over conformable insulation assemblies of the prior art. This invention was described in terms of certain modalities. It will be evident that many modifications can be made in the described apparatus without departing from the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims cover all variants and modifications that are within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims (22)

1. CLAIMS 1. An insulation assembly, of the type useful in the insulation of constructions, this assembly comprises: a conformable mineral fiber sheet, extending in a first direction, this sheet has a perimeter, in cross section, which is substantially perpendicular to the first address; and an outer layer, extending in the first direction and overlapping the perimeter of the sheet, this outer layer has a perimeter in cross section, which is substantially greater than the perimeter of the sheet; whereby, the outer layer encapsulates, in loose form, the sheet and the compression of the insulation assembly forces this assembly into a new configuration, with different dimensions in cross section.
2. 2. An assembly, as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer layer has a perimeter in cross section, at least 5 percent larger than the perimeter of the sheet in cross section.
3. 3. An assembly, as defined in claim 2, wherein the perimeter of the outer layer in cross section is between 5 and 10 percent larger than the perimeter of the sheet in cross section.
4. 4. An assembly, as defined in claim 2, wherein the perimeter of the outer layer in cross section is greater than 10 percent the perimeter of the sheet in cross section.
5. 5. A set, as defined in claim 1, wherein the fibrous sheet substantially includes long glass fibers.
6. 6. An assembly, as defined in claim 5, wherein the fibrous glass sheet is a fibrous glass wool having a density of less than 9.6 kg / m3.
7. 7. An assembly, as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer layer is selected from the group consisting of plastic, metallized films, strong paper, non-woven materials and combinations thereof.
8. 8. An assembly, as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer layer is a polyethylene layer, having a thickness of less than 25.4 microns.
9. 9. An assembly, as defined in claim 1, further comprising a layer of adhesive, disposed between the outer layer and a portion of a surface of the sheet.
10. 10. An assembly, as defined in claim 9, further comprising a second adhesive layer, directly opposite the first adhesive layer, around the perimeter of the outer layer.
11. 11. A method for installing a reconfigurable insulation assembly, having a conformable sheet, extending in a first direction, this method comprises the steps of: compressing the sheet in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, so as to compressing the sheet in the second direction and correspondingly expanding this sheet in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions and thus forming a configuration and size defined by the user of the assembly; and placing the assembly in a selected space, corresponding to the configuration defined by the user, so that the user has selectively configured the insulation to adapt within the selected space.
12. A method, as defined in claim 11, wherein the sheet has a nominally rectangular cross section, in a plane perpendicular to the first direction, and the compression step includes pressing along the opposite sides of the sheet to increase the dimensions of such opposite sides and decrease the dimensions of the adjacent sides.
13. A method, as defined in claim 11, wherein the compression step includes compressing a second conformable assembly, substantially identical to the first assembly, to substantially identical dimensions as this first assembly, and wherein the placement step includes placing the second compressed set within the selected space, so that the substantially identical sides of the first and second sets abut one another.
14. 14. A method, as defined in claim 13, wherein the compression step includes compressing a third reconfigurable assembly, to substantially identical dimensions of the first and second assemblies, and the placement step includes the third compressed assembly, within the selected space, with a side of the third compressed set abutting one side of the first and second compressed assemblies.
15. 15. A method, as defined in claim 11, further comprising, after the compression step, the step of smoothing the outer surface of the assembly, along the axial length, to provide flat surfaces.
16. 16. A method for installing a reconfigurable insulation assembly, including a conformable sheet, extending in a first direction and having a perimeter, in cross section, perpendicular to the first direction, and an outer layer, having a perimeter in the cross section, which is substantially greater than the perimeter of the sheet, where this method comprises the steps of: compressing the assembly to increase the perimeter of the sheet within the outer layer and thus form a configuration and size, defined by the user, of the set; and placing the assembly in a selected space, corresponding to the configuration defined by the user, so that the user has selectively configured the assembly, to adapt it within the selected space.
17. A method, as defined in claim 6. wherein the sheet has a nominally rectangular cross section, in a plane perpendicular to the first direction, and the compression step includes pressing along opposite sides of the sheet to increase the dimensions of these opposite sides and decrease the dimensions of the adjacent sides.
18. 18. A method, as defined in claim 16, wherein the compression step includes compressing a second conformable assembly, substantially identical to the first assembly, to substantially identical dimensions as the first assembly, and wherein the placement step includes placing the second assembly compressed within the selected space, so that those substantially identical sides of the first and second sets abut one another.
19. A method, as defined in claim 16, wherein the compression step includes compressing a third reconfigurable assembly to substantially identical dimensions of the first and second assemblies and the placement step includes placing the third compressed assembly within the selected space, with one side of the third compressed assembly abutting one side of one of the first and second compressed assemblies.
20. A method, as defined in claim 16, further comprising, after the compression step, the step of smoothing the outer surface of the assembly, along the axial length to provide flatter surfaces.
21. 21. A method for isolating a structure, having at least a first and second spaces, having a first and second width, respectively, this method comprises the steps of: supplying a first and second substantially identical insulation assemblies, each set it includes a conformable sheet, extending in a first direction and having a width in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, which is equal to the first anchoring the first set in the first space; compress the sheet of the second set in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, whereby the sheet expansion of the second set in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and thus change the width of the sheet of the second set, so that it is equal to the second width; and place the second set in the second space.
22. 22. A method for isolating a structure, having at least a first and second spaces, having first and second widths, respectively, this method comprises the steps of: providing first and second sets of insulation, substantially identical, each set includes a conformable sheet, extending in a first direction and having a third width, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; compressing the sheet of the first set in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, thus releasing the sheet of the first set in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and thus changing the width of the sheet of the third set , from the third width to the first width; place the first set in the first space; compress the sheet of the second set into one of the second and third directions, thus expanding the sheet of the second set in the other of the second and third directions, and thus changing the width of the second set sheet from the third width to the second width; and place the second set in the second space.