CA2715551A1 - Battens - Google Patents

Abstract

A batten used in the cladding envelope of a residential or commercial dwelling, and particularly but not solely the walls, as a spacer between framing and outer cladding of buildings is derived from an extrusion defining passageways and/or channels. At least some of the passageways and/or channels of the batten include a filling or are blocked which optionally may be a foam, and preferably is stable heat insulating foam such as polyurethane. The batten is at least primarily of a moisture impervious low thermal conductivity plastics material, with the filling being a thermal insulating foam or others suitable material.

Description

NEW ZEALAND
PATENTS ACT, 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

BATTENS
We, CAVITY BATTEN SYSTEMS HOLDINGS LIMITED, a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 118 St Leger Road, Te Awamutu, New Zealand, do hereby declare this invention to be described in the following statement:

The present invention relates to improvements in and/or relating to battens typified by those discussed in some aspects in our New Zealand patent specification 536129/542948.
The aforementioned patent specification, in respect of the cladding envelope of a residential or commercial dwelling (and particularly but not solely the walls), proposes the use of battens to ensure a battened cavity not restrictive of drainage and/or ventilation fluid flow. Battens proposed had the capability of distancing the cladding (whether with direct or indirect contact with the cladding) from a framing structure (whether wood, metal or other, and whether directly or indirectly in contact therewith eg, through a building paper or other laid up material).
Such a batten involved the use of a pre-cursor material that was extruded to define a sheet like material of the thickness of the batten with the extrusion axis having a plurality or passageways. The strip was then formed by separation at least substantially transverse to the extrusion axis (whether by cutting or other separation process) into strip forms.
The extrusion defines both outside webs or sheets and web or sheet spacing bridges.
There is preferably at least one interposed web or sheet between the outside web or sheets.
Whilst there can be irregularity, staggering or regularity in the provision of the passageways, preferably there are three webs or sheets regions of the extrusion held apart by substantially perpendicular bridging regions of the extrusion.
The full content of New Zealand patent specification 536129/542948 is here included by way of reference both in respect of its forms and methods of use.
The present invention relates to a batten to be utilized as a spacer (directly or indirectly) between framing (directly and/or indirectly) and (directly or indirectly) outer cladding of buildings; wherein the batten is derived from an extrusion defining passageways and/or channels;
and wherein at least some of those passageways and/or channels of the batten include a filling or are blocked.
Optionally the filling is a foam. Preferably it is a stable heat insulating foam such as polyurethane.
Most preferably the batten is at least primarily of a moisture impervious low thermal conductivity plastics material (eg, polypropylene) and most preferably the filling is a thermal insulating foam (eg polyurethane foam) or other material (eg solid polyurethane, other materials, etc).

Preferably the batten has at least two layers of passageways or flutes or two layers of fillable void forms selected from open flutes and/or closed flutes.
Preferably passageways of one layer of passageways in the batten are at least in part filled.

In another aspect the invention is a batten of an elongate strip form wherein a precursor material has been extruded to define a sheet like material of the thickness of the batten with extrusion axis extending passageways and/or channels;
and wherein the strip form axis has been defined by separation (e.g. cutting) into strip forms at least substantially transverse to the extrusion axis;
and wherein prior to, during or after such separation, at least some of the passageways and/or channels have been filled or blocked.
Preferably the extrusion has outside webs or sheets, an interposed web or sheet, and web spacing bridges. Preferably the batten has rectangular or square sectioned passageways, preferably in two layers.
Most preferably the extrusion had a form substantially as hereinafter described with reference to Figure 1.

The cavity drainage and/or ventilation system arising from the use of the batten will protect the structural framing and/or will provide the prospect of convection or forced ventilation for a range of purposes. For example passing heated air down from under a roof cladding.
The present invention also consists in a fluted batten to interpose between cladding and a support structure, the batten being of a plastics material (and/or other non moisture absorbing and/or transmitting materials) of thickness of a desired set out (or less than a desired set out distance) distance, the batten having across its set out thickness, passageways and/or channels (preferably defined by extrusion), at least one of which is foam filled or blocked.
In still a further aspect the present invention consists in the use of a batten in accordance with any aspect of the present invention.

In still a further aspect the present invention consists in a structure which comprises or includes a frame forming part of a building, a plurality of battens each in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, such battens being affixed (eg by nailing, screwing, riveting, adhesive and/or other) to the frame directly or indirectly, and cladding spaced from the framing cladding the framing, the spacing being determined at least to some extent by said plurality of battens.
Preferably said battens are arrayed in such a way as to enable movement of moisture or other fluid (eg air, water, etc) or to assist mechanical air movement or convectional air movement or natural pressure differential air movement.
Preferably filled passageways and/or channels are closer to the frame than the cladding.
In yet a further aspect the present aspect consists in a structure where the cladding is spaced from a frame in a manner substantially as described at our website www.cavibat.co.nz and where at least some of the passageway or flutes are filled.
Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows a preferred batten of the present invention.
The preferred form of battens are substantially as described in our aforementioned patent specification the full content of which is here included by way of reference. Most preferably the form is as in Figure 3 of NZ536129/542948 but includes partial filling with thermal insulating material.
The form is preferably substantially as shown in Figure 1 which more or less accords to that described in our website www.cavibat.co.nz, the full content of which (as prior to the date of this application) is here included by way of reference.
Preferably an extrusion 1 of a suitable material (metal or plastics) but preferably an insulating plastics material (such as polypropylene) is extruded to define extrusion axis passageways 2 and 3.
Whilst it is possible for fewer or more flutes or passageways to be provided, preferably the arrangement is a substantially regular form of extrusion as shown and preferably an outer substantially planar region 4, an interposed parallel substantially planar region 5 and another parallel and outside substantially planar region 6.
A person skilled in the art will appreciate how, if desired, there can be zigzag forms, irregular forms, or other passageway defining arrangements, or even channel defining arrangements whether in conjunction with closed section passageways or not, that will serve a similar purpose when the extrusion is transversely cut to a batten form of any of the dimensions referred to in the aforementioned patent specification and/or website, or otherwise.

In our website a calculation is given as to the thermal conductivity of the unfilled form. That thermal conductivity can be greatly reduced by the provision of a thermal insulating fill in some of the passageways 2 and/or 3.
Preferably it is all of the passageways 2 ie, one layer of passageways that is filled and none or very few of the other passageways 3. Obviously, however, there could be staggered filling between layers of passageways and other options to enhance the resistance to thermal conduction of the battened region between the cladding and frame.

Preferably the filling material is a material that does not prevent penetrative fixing or other fixing of the batten to the structure and/or cladding.

Moreover if desired the batten sizes can be increased beyond those given in the aforementioned patent specification if there is to be little other insulation over a region.
Preferably, however, the battened region is sufficiently enhanced as to thermal conductivity so as not to lessen resistance to heat transfer of a wall, ceiling and/or roof region of thermal insulation at that zone.

As stated previously the preferred fill material for the passageways 2, as shown, is a foam or a solid material such as foam or solid material is preferably a plastics material but could be fibrous or other material. Most preferably, it is a polyurethane foam. By way of example it can be inserted prior to the transverse cutting. A suitable methodology of insertion of the foam can be similar to that considered viable for such products as that marketed under the brand EUROFLUTETM

By way of example an extruded sheet can be jig presented to robotic injection needles with the passageways declining from the injection zone. Polyurethane foam premix can occur at or adjacent that zone and the liquid composition can run down each declining passageway so that as foaming occurs the whole length will be foam blocked.
Thereafter transverse cutting provides the battens.
In a less preferred form foam premix can be injected after cutting.
In use preferably a plurality of battens such as shown in Figure 1 can be affixed against building paper on the outside of a frame (for example a steel stud or timber stud) and then be nailed or otherwise be fixed. Thereafter the cladding can overlay the battens thereby to define a cavity behind the cladding.

Suitable cladding materials include any of those of or used by the companies mentioned in the aforementioned website eg products of for example James Hardy, Diamond, Steel and Tube, etc.

Reference herein to "cladding", whilst envisaging most preferably the cladding of the building envelope, does not rule out internal cladding of a framed structure ie, the battens can be used behind internal linings of a building structure (whether of exterior cladding materials or not eg, plasterboard).
Any suitable spacing is contemplated (eg. 18mm, 25mm or other). For example 25mm is ideal as a roof batten and 18mm is ideal as a wall cladding spacer.
Canada for example allows a 10mm wall cladding spacer.
The present invention provides options providing an improved thermal resistivity over the invention of the aforementioned patent specification.

Claims (19)

1. A batten to be utilized as a spacer, directly or indirectly, between framing, directly and/or indirectly, and, directly or indirectly, outer cladding of buildings;
wherein the batten is derived from an extrusion defining passageways and/or channels;
and wherein at least some of those passageways and/or channels of the batten include a filling or have been blocked.

2. A batten of claim 1 wherein there is a said filling and the filling is a foam.

3. A batten of claim 2 wherein the foam is of polyurethane.

4. A batten of any one of the preceding claims wherein the batten is at least primarily of a moisture impervious low thermal conductivity plastics material and the filling is a thermal insulating foam.

5. A batten of any one of the preceding claims wherein the extrusion is of polypropylene.

6. A batten of any one of the preceding claims wherein the extrusion has at least two layers of passageways or flutes or two layers of fillable void forms selected from open flutes and/or closed flutes.

7. A batten of claim 6 wherein passageways of one layer of passageways in the batten are at least in part filled.

8. A batten of an elongate strip form wherein a precursor material has been extruded to define a sheet like material of the thickness of the batten with extrusion axis extending passageways and/or channels;
and wherein the strip form axis has been defined by separation into strip forms at least substantially transverse to the extrusion axis;
and wherein prior to, during or after such separation, at least some of the passageways and/or channels have been filled or are foam blocked.

9. A batten of claim 8 wherein the separation has been by cutting.

10. A batten of claim 8 or 9 wherein the extrusion has outside webs or sheets, an interposed web or sheet, and web spacing bridges.

11. A batten of any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the extrusion has rectangular or square sectioned passageways.

12. A batten of claim 12 wherein said passageways are in two layers

13. A fluted batten to interpose between cladding and a support structure, the batten being of a plastics material or other non moisture absorbing and/or transmitting material of thickness of a desired set out, the batten having across its set out thickness, passageways and/or channels defined by extrusion, at least one of which is foam filled or foam blocked.

14. A batten substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1.

15. The use of a batten in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

16. A structure which comprises or includes a frame forming part of a building, a plurality of battens each in accordance with any one of claims i to 14, such battens being affixed by nailing, screwing, riveting, adhesive and/or the like to the frame directly or indirectly, and cladding spaced from the framing cladding the framing, the spacing being determined at least to some extent by said plurality of battens.

17. A structure of claim 16 wherein said battens are arrayed in such a way as to enable movement of moisture or other fluid (beg air, water, etc) or to assist mechanical air movement or convectional air movement or natural pressure differential air movement.

18. A structure of claim 16 or 17 wherein filled or blocked passageways and/or channels are closer to the frame than the cladding.

19. A structure where the cladding is spaced from a frame in a manner substantially as described at our website www.cavibat.co.nz and where at least some of the passageway or flutes are filled or are foam blocked.