GB2441636A

GB2441636A - Insulating panel having layers of fibres, bubble material, foil and a waterproof skin

Info

Publication number: GB2441636A
Application number: GB0716984A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Colin Harrison
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-08-31
Filing date: 2007-08-31
Publication date: 2008-03-12
Also published as: GB0716984D0

Abstract

A flexible thermally insulating panel including a layered region comprises: a layer (9) of bubble material incorporating a multiplicity of gas bubbles; a layer (11) of hollow fibre material; a first layer (9A) of metal foil material to one side of both the layer (9) of bubble material and the layer (11) of hollow fibre material; a second layer (12A) of metal foil material to the opposite side of the layer (9) of bubble material and the layer (11) of hollow fibre material; and an outer water-resistant skin (8, 13) defining each of the opposite exterior sides of the panel. A transparent portion may be fitted in an upper region of the panel. A mounting arrangement for the flexible panel is also disclosed.

Description

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insulating Panel This invention relates to a flexible thermally insulating panel and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a thermal curtain for a cold store.

Flexible materials with good thermal insulating properties are in great demand and may be used in a wide variety of applications. For example they may be used to make an insulating bag, for example, for transporting medical products such as drugs or blood samples, or they may be used to form or to line the walls of a rigid or semi-rigid container such as a storage space within a van or an aircraft container or other freight container. In such applications it is desirable for the material to be as thin and as lightweight as possible whilst at the same time providing the desired thermal properties and being durable.

In one particular application, a plurality of flexible thermally insulating panels or curtains are used in a doorway to a cold store to provide a thermal barrier at the entrance to the store whilst still allowing goods to be taken into and out of the entrance. Panels required for this purpose need to meet extra requirements: for safety reasons it is desirable to be able to see through the panels at a person's eye level; the panels are typically suspended side by side across the doorway and desirably leave no gaps either between adjacent panels, or at the sides of the panels or the top and bottom of the panels, but at the same time they must be easily separated to allow for the passage of persons arid goods. In order to see through the panel, it is known to provide a region of the panel with a sheet of transparent material, but if that is thin it may be damaged easily and does not provide much of a thermal barrier, whilst if it is thick it may lose some transparency and also become rather stiff. A further complication arises because the required length of a panel tends to vary from one doorway to another. For example, the height of a doorway may be reduced by the presence of a metal floor rail.

It is an object of the invention to provide a panel of thermally insulating material that may be relatively lightweight and thin but exhibit good thermal properties.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a curtain for a cold store that is able to address one or more of the various problems identified above.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a flexible thermally insulating panel including a layered region comprising: a layer of bubble material incorporating a multiplicity of gas bubbles; a layer of hollow fibre material; a first layer of metal foil material to one side of both the layer of bubble material and the layer of hollow fibre material; a second layer of metal foil material to the opposite side of the layer of bubble material and the layer of hollow fibre material; and an outer water-resistant skin defining each of the opposite exterior sides of the panel.

I have found that the combination of a layer of bubble material and a layer of hollow fibre material is especially advantageous in enabling the production of a flexible thermally insulating material that is thin and lightweight but has good thermal properties. In my UK Patent No 2281772B, I describe panels that include a layer of hollow fibre material; those panels have proved very successful but I have now found that the addition of a layer of bubble material with metal foil material on either side of the layers and an outer water-resistant skin provides an especially advantageous combination.

Preferably the first layer of metal foil material is provided as an integral part of a bubble material comprising both the first layer of metal foil material and the layer of bubble material. The invention is not restricted to any particular size of bubbles. The bubbles may conveniently be filled with air. The bubble material may comprise the first layer of metal foil material, the layer of bubble material and a third layer of metal foil material on the opposite side of the layer of bubble material to the first layer of metal foil material. Such a construction with the layer of bubble material sandwiched between the layers of metal foil material is capable of contributing very good thermal properties.

The hollow fibre material may be a hollow filled fibre. The fibres may be of a polyester material. For example it may be the type of material sold under the trade mark DACRON.

The second layer of metal foil material is preferably bonded to a layer of foam material.

The outer skin is preferably waterproof. It may be provided with a coating to make it fully waterproof and/or to improve its fire resistance. The material of the outer skin may for example by polyvinyichioride or cotton.

The panel described above may be employed in a wide variety of applications. For example, it may form a wall of a thermally insulated enclosure, it may form a flexible bag or it may form a lining to a container, for example a freight container for an aircraft.

In one particular application, the panel is suspended, for example to form one of a series of panels in a doorway.

In such a case, the panel may further include a fixing plate fixed to a top portion of the panel for allowing the panel to be suspended from the plate. Preferably at least the layer of bubble material and the layer of hollow fibre material do not extend into the top portion of the panel; more preferably, only the outer skin extends into the top portion of the panel. The top portion of the panel preferably has a height in the range of 20 mm to 50 mm. In an embodiment of the invention described below the height is 35 mm. Such a height enables a secure fastening to be obtained without having too great an impact on the thermal properties of the panel. ( -5-.

The panel preferably also includes a bottom portion into which at least the layer of bubble material and the layer of hollow fibre material do not extend; more preferably, none of the layered region extends into the bottom portion of the panel. The bottom portion of the panel preferably has a height in the range of 75 mm to mm. In an embodiment of the invention described below, the height is 150 mm. Preferably the bottom portion of the panel is able to hinge about a horizontal axis relative to the remainder of the panel. In that way, contact of the panel with the ground can be maintained even where there is a variation in ground height. Preferably the bottom portion is able to be cut without losing its integrity.

For example, the bottom portion may be made of a natural or synthetic rubber material.

Preferably a transparent portion is fitted in an upper region of the panel. Such a transparent portion may be provided at eye level to enable a person to see through to the opposite side of the panel. Preferably the transparent portion is surrounded by the layered region of the panel.

In accordance with an especially preferred embodiment of the invention that allows the transparent portion to be easy to see through and yet to have good thermal insulating properties, the transparent portion includes two layers of transparent material with air trapped between them. In order to allow air between the layers to be replenished, the panel may further include a valve in an air flow path ) into the air cavity between the two layers of transparent material The transparent material may be polyvinyichioride.

The transparent portion may be bonded by an elastomeric material which in turn may be joined to the boundary of an opening in the layered region of the panel.

The transparent portion may be removably fitted in an opening in the upper region of the panel. In that case, if the transparent panel is damaged, it can be replaced without replacing the whole of the panel.

In the definition of the first aspect of the invention given above, a panel of a particular thermally insulating material that may be used in any of a very wide variety of applications has first been described and then one particular application of the panel has been described. In the particular aspect of the invention where the panel is used as a curtain for a cold store, it is possible in a second aspect of the invention to employ panels with other insulating arrangements. Thus, according to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a flexible thermal curtain for a cold store, the curtain including a layered region that includes a layer of thermally insulating material, preferably a layer of bubble material, within an outer water-resistant skin on each of the opposite sides of the layer of thermally insulating material, and a transparent portion fitted in an upper region of the panel, the transparent portion being bounded at least below and on each side by the layered region. The t use of a layer of bubble material in such a curtain enables the curtain to exhibit an especially advantageous combination of thermal and other properties.

The layered region need not include, but preferably does include, a layer of hollow fibre material within the outer water- resistant skin. Preferably, the layered region further includes a first layer of metal foil material to one side of the layer of bubble material and a second layer of metal foil material to the opposite side of the layer of bubble material.

Preferably the transparent portion is surrounded by the layered region.

The curtain may also have any of the other features described above in respect of the panel of the first aspect of the invention.

The removable fitting of the transparent portion into the layered region of the panel is itself a feature that may be applied to other panels with different insulating arrangements. Thus, according to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a flexible thermal curtain for a cold store, the curtain including a layered region that includes a layer of thermally insulating material within an outer water-resistant skin on each of the opposite sides of the layer of thermally insulating material, and a transparent portion fitted in an upper region of the panel, the transparent portion being removably fitted in an opening in the upper region of the panel.

The curtain of the third aspect of the invention may also have any of the features of the curtain of the second aspect of the invention or of the panel of the first aspect of the invention.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a flexible thermal curtain which can be more easily moved aside to allow passage of persons or goods. According to this further aspect of the invention, there is provided a flexible thermal curtain including a flexible thermally insulating panel and a mounting arrangement from which the panel is suspended, the mounting arrangement including an upper mounting part and a lower elongate mounted part, the panel being connected to the mounted part along its length, wherein the lower elongate mounted part is pivotally connected to the upper mounting part for pivoting about a substantially vertical axis.

By providing a panel that is pivotable about a substantially vertical axis, it becomes much easier to move the panel out of the way to allow the passage of persons or goods. As will be understood, the curtain of this aspect of the invention may incorporate features of any of the other aspects of the invention, but may not incorporate any of those features.

Preferably the curtain includes resilient biasing means for biasing the lower elongate mounted part into a rest position, the lower elongate mounted part being pivotable out of the rest position against the resilient bias. The lower elongate mounted part is preferably pivotable in either direction out of the rest position against the resilient bias.

The upper mounting part is also preferably elongate and preferably overlies the lower elongate mounted part.

The mounting arrangement may be mounted at the extreme top of the whole of the thermally insulating panel but is preferably provided below the top of the generally insulating panel, the upper mounting part being connected to the bottom of the upper portion of the panel and the lower mounted part being connected to the top of a lower portion of the panel, the upper and lower portions of the panel being pivotable relative to one another. By adopting such an arrangement, it is not necessary to alter the fastening of the panel to the opening of the cold store or other space, but instead the structure of the panel itself is altered. Usually, the mounting arrangement will be provided more than half way up the height of the panel.

The panel is preferably slidably connected to the lower elongate mounted part by sliding a top edge of the panel into a longitudinal groove in the bottom of the lower elongate mounted part. Similarly, where there is an upper portion of the panel above the upper mounting part, that upper portion may be slidably connected to the top of the upper mounted part by sliding a bottom edge of the upper portion of the panel into a longitudinal groove in the top of the upper mounting part.

The mounting arrangement may also allow pivoting about a substantially horizontal axis. By allowing the panel to *1 -10 -pivot about both horizontal and vertical axes, the displacability of the panel is enhanced.

The invention further provides a cold store including a flexible thermal curtain as defined above. A plurality of curtains may be suspended in a doorway of a cold store.

By way of example, an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a panel forming a curtain for a doorway into a cold store; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a layered region of the panel shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a transparent portion of the panel shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an exploded view of a mounting arrangement of part of another panel embodying the invention; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the mounting arrangement of Fig. 4.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is shown a curtain 1, generally comprising a layered region 2, a transparent portion 3, a top portion 4, a bottom portion 5, side edge portions 6 and a fixing plate 7.

As shown in Fig. 2, the layered region 2 is made up of the following layers (working from one side of the curtain to the other) -11 -an outer skin 8 made of polyvinyichioride or cotton; the skin is waterproof and may be treated to ensure that and/or to introduce fire resistance; a sheet 9 of bubble wrap material comprising metal foil layers 9A and 9B on each side of the bubble material 10; the bubble material provides a layer of air bubbles; a sheet 11 of hollow fill polyester fibre material; such material is known per se and is commercially available, for example, as the material sold under the trade mark DACRON; a sheet 12 comprising a further metal foil layer 12A and a thin (for example 2 mm thick) layer 12B of foam to which *the foil layer 12A is laminated; an outer skin 13 which is of the same composition as the outer skin 8 on the opposite side of the curtain.

The sheets 9, 11 and 12 are retained between the outer skins 8 and 13 by virtue of the joining of the skins B and 13 to one another along the side edge portions 6, the top portion 4 and an upper part 14 of the bottom portion 5.

In the case where the skins 8 and 13 comprise polyvinyichiorine, they may be heat sealed to one another.

In the middle of an upper region of the curtain 1, the sheets 9, 1]. and 12 are cut away to form an opening for the transparent portion 3 and the skins 8 and 13 are again joined to one another.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through the transparent portion 3. It can be seen that the transparent portion 3 is formed by two sheets of transparent material 15A and 15B, which are sealed to each other at their edges and held within a gasket 16 fixed to the boundary of the skins 8 and 13 (not shown in Fig. 3). The gasket 16 may for example be formed of Neoprome (RTM) or Plastazote (RTM) in order to provide a good seal and a degree of flexibility in the joint. Furthermore the transparent portion 3 may be removable from the gasket 16. Although not shown in Fig. 3, a valve may be provided in one of the sheets l5A, 15B to allow air to be passed into the space between the sheets to replenish any air that may have leaked away from the space.

At the top of the curtain 1, the fixing plate 7 is fixed to the top portion 4, comprising the outer skins 8 and 13, by three rivets 17, one of which is shown in exploded view in Fig. 1. The fixing plate 7 may be made of stainless steel and may comprise two plates on opposite sides of the top portion 4 and riveted together to sandwich the top portion between them. The top portion 4 may, for example, have a height of 35 mm.

At the bottom of the curtain 1 a rubber insert 18 is attached to the bottom of the layered region 2. The insert 18 may, for example, be attached by gluing and stitching the bottom edges of the skins 8 and 13 to opposite sides of the insert. The rubber insert 18 may, for example, be about 3 mm thick and 150 mm high. It does not offer as good a thermal barrier as the layered region 2, but it does allow the bottom of the curtain to be -13 -trimmed to adjust the height of the curtain to match the opening in which it is installed, and does provide some useful insulation.

In use, the curtain 1 is suspended, side-by-side, with a few other similar curtains, across an opening to a cold store. The curtains are placed immediately adjacent to one another and hang vertically, weighted by the rubber inserts 18. A person entering or leaving the cold store can, however, readily move a curtain to gain access to the cold store. Also, it is possible to see clearly through the transparent portion 3 in the curtains to check there is no obstruction the other side of the curtain. At the same time the curtains provide a very good thermal barrier between the interior and exterior of the cold store.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a mounting arrangement that may be incorporated in the curtain described above to make it easier for a lower portion of the curtain to be moved to allow the passage of persons or goods. In the modified arrangement of Figs. 4 and 5, the curtain is divided into upper and lower portions with the mounting arrangement between them. Typically the lower portion of the curtain would be longer than the upper portion. As shown in Fig. 4, a lower portion 1A of the curtain has an upper boundary edge including piping 22 of plastics material around which the material of the curtain is sewn to form a bulbous top edge. That edge can then be slid into a groove 23 in the bottom of a lower elongate mounted part 24 of the mounting arrangement. Similarly, an upper portion -14 -lB of the curtain has a lower boundary edge including piping 22 of plastics material around which the material of the curtain is sewn to form a bulbous bottom edge. That bottom edge can then be slid into a groove 25 in the top of an upper elongate mounting part 26 that overlies the lower mounted part 24.

As can be seen in Fig. 5, the upper elongate mounting part 26 is pivotally connected to the lower mounted part 24 by a shaft 27 of a bolt 28 which engages a nut 29. Thus the lower mounted part 24 can be pivoted about a vertical axis relative to the upper mounting part 26. A pair of tension springs 30 extend diagonally across the junction of the upper mounting part 26 and the lower mounted part 24 to bias the parts into the position shown in the drawings with the upper mounting part 26 overlying the lower mounted part 24, but the parts can be moved out of alignment by stretching the springs.

As will now be understood, the mounting arrangement allows the lower portion 1A of the curtain a greater freedom of movement in that it is able to pivot about a vertical axis by pivoting about the shaft 27 of the bolt 28. Some pivoting about horizontal axes immediately above and below the mounting arrangement is also facilitated by the construction.

Claims

-15 -Claims: 1. A flexible thermally insulating panel including a

layered region comprising: a layer of bubble material incorporating a multiplicity of gas bubbles; a layer of hollow fibre material; a first layer of metal foil material to one side of both the layer of bubble material and the layer of hollow fibre material; a second layer of metal foil material to the opposite side of the layer of bubble material and the layer of hollow fibre material; and an outer water-resistant skin defining each of the opposite exterior sides of the panel.
2. A panel according to claim 1, in which the first layer of metal foil material is provided as an integral part of a bubble material comprising the first layer of metal foil material and the layer of bubble material.
3. A panel according to claim 2, in which the bubble material comprises the first layer of metal foil material, the layer of bubble material and a third layer of metal foil material on the opposite side of the layer of bubble material to the first layer of metal foil material.
4. A panel according to any preceding claim, in which the hollow fibre material comprises hollow fibres of a polyester material.

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5. A panel according to any preceding claim, in which the second layer of metal foil material is bonded to a layer of foam material.
6. A panel according to any preceding claim, in which the outer skin is waterproof.
7. A panel according to any preceding claim, in which the material of the outer skin comprises polyvinylchloride.
8. A panel according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the material of the outer skin comprises cotton.
9. A panel according to any preceding claim, further including a fixing plate fixed to a top portion of the panel for allowing the panel to be suspended from the plate.
10. A panel according to claim 9, in which at least the layer of bubble material and the layer of hollow fibre material do not extend into the top portion of the panel.
11. A panel according to claim 10, in which the top portion of the panel has a height in the range of 20 rrirn to 50 mm.
12. A panel according to any preceding claim, in which the panel has a bottom portion into which at least the layer of bubble material and the layer of hollow fibre material do not extend.
13. A panel according to claim 12, in which the bottom portion of the panel has a height in the range of 75 mm to 200 mm.
14. A panel according to any preceding claim, in which a transparent portion is fitted in an upper region of the -17 -panel, the transparent portion being surrounded by the layered region of the panel.
15. A panel according to claim 14, in which the transparent portion includes two layers of transparent material with air trapped between them.
16. A panel according to claim 15, further including a valve in an air flow path into the air cavity between the two layers of transparent material.
17. A panel according to claim 15 or 16, in which the transparent material is polyvinylchloride.
18. A panel according to any of claims 14 to 17, in which the transparent portion is bounded by an elastomeric material.
19. A panel according to any of claims 14 to 18, in which the transparent portion is removably fitted in an opening in the upper region of the panel.
20. A flexible thermal curtain for a cold store, the curtain including a layered region that includes a layer of thermally insulating material within an outer water-resistant skin on each of the opposite sides of the layer of thermally insulating material, and a transparent portion fitted in an upper region of the panel, the transparent portion being bounded at least below and on each side by the layered region.
21. A curtain according to claim 20, in which the layered region further includes a layer of hollow fibre material within the outer water-resistant skin.

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22. A curtain according to claim 20 or 21, in which the layered region further includes a first layer of metal foil material to one side of the layer of bubble material and a second layer of metal foil material to the opposite side of the layer of bubble material.
23. A curtain according to any of claims 20 to 22, in which the transparent portion is surrounded by the layered region.
24. A curtain according to any of claims 20 to 23 and comprising a panel including any of the features of claims 1 to 19.
25. A flexible thermal curtain for a cold store, the curtain including a layered region that includes a layer of thermally insulating material within an outer water-resistant skin on each of the opposite sides of the layer of thermally insulating material, and a transparent portion fitted in an upper region of the panel, the transparent portion being removably fitted in an opening in the upper region of the panel.
26. A curtain according to claim 25 and including any of the features of the curtain of claims 20 to 24.
27. A flexible thermal curtain including a flexible thermally insulating panel and a mounting arrangement from which the panel is suspended, the mounting arrangement including an upper mounting part and a lower elongate mounted part, the panel being connected to the mounted part along its length, wherein the lower elongate mounted part -19 -is pivotally connected to the upper mounting part for pivoting about a substantially vertical axis.
28. A curtain according to claim 27, including resilient biasing means for biasing the lower elongate mounted part into a rest position, the lower elongate mounted part being pivotable out of the rest position against the resilient bias.
29. A curtain according to claim 28, in which the lower elongate mounted part is pivotable in either direction out of the rest position against the resilient bias.
30. A curtain according to any of claims 27 to 29, in which the upper mounting part is also elongate and overlies the lower elongate mounted part.
31. A curtain according to any of claims 27 to 30, in which the mounting arrangement is provided below the top of the thermally insulating panel, the upper mounting part being connected to the bottom of an upper portion of the panel and the lower mounted part being connected to the top of a lower portion of the panel, the upper and lower portions of the panel being pivotable relative to one another.
32. A curtain according to any of claims 27 to 31, in which the panel is slidably connected to the lower elongate mounted part by sliding a top edge of the panel into a longitudinal groove in the bottom of the lower elongate mounted part.
33. A cold store including a flexible thermal curtain according to any of claims 20 to 32.