GB2273722A - Inflatable insulation member - Google Patents
Inflatable insulation member Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2273722A GB2273722A GB9226716A GB9226716A GB2273722A GB 2273722 A GB2273722 A GB 2273722A GB 9226716 A GB9226716 A GB 9226716A GB 9226716 A GB9226716 A GB 9226716A GB 2273722 A GB2273722 A GB 2273722A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- insulation member
- inflatable
- gas
- inflatable insulation
- mattress
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 34
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Argon Chemical compound [Ar] XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 229910052743 krypton Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- DNNSSWSSYDEUBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N krypton atom Chemical compound [Kr] DNNSSWSSYDEUBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- SFZCNBIFKDRMGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N sulfur hexafluoride Chemical compound FS(F)(F)(F)(F)F SFZCNBIFKDRMGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 229910052786 argon Inorganic materials 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 229960000909 sulfur hexafluoride Drugs 0.000 claims description 2
- 229910018503 SF6 Inorganic materials 0.000 abstract 1
- 239000012212 insulator Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000011490 mineral wool Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000011810 insulating material Substances 0.000 description 2
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000004411 aluminium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011152 fibreglass Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002657 fibrous material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000035699 permeability Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/62—Insulation or other protection; Elements or use of specified material therefor
- E04B1/74—Heat, sound or noise insulation, absorption, or reflection; Other building methods affording favourable thermal or acoustical conditions, e.g. accumulating of heat within walls
- E04B1/76—Heat, sound or noise insulation, absorption, or reflection; Other building methods affording favourable thermal or acoustical conditions, e.g. accumulating of heat within walls specifically with respect to heat only
- E04B1/78—Heat insulating elements
- E04B1/80—Heat insulating elements slab-shaped
- E04B1/806—Heat insulating elements slab-shaped with air or gas pockets included in the slab
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Building Environments (AREA)
Abstract
An inflatable heat insulation member 1 for insulating buildings and the like, comprises an interior divided into a plurality of discrete cells for filling with a gas having a low thermal conductivity and an outer skin of gas impermeable material. The member 1 may be portable, and inflated with e.g. air, argon, krypton, CO2 or SF6 from a cylinder 6. <IMAGE>
Description
HEAT INSULATORS
The present invention relates to inflatable heat insulation members and methods of heat insulation utilising inflatable members.
Fibrous material such as Rockwool containing a large proportion of trapped air is a well known heat insulating material and is widely used to insulate the walls and roof spaces of buildings.
Gases generally have a very low thermal conductivity as compared to solids and liquids. However, with gases, convection is a prime means of heat transfer and convection must be prevented or inhibited before the full potential of gases as heat insulators can be exploited.
A further aspect of insulation members is that most currently in use are permanent in nature and are not susceptible to easy removal and storage.
It is one aim of the present invention to utilise the low thermal conductivity of gases to provide an inflatable heat insulation member in which convection is kept to a minimum.
It is a further aim to provide an inflatable heat insulation member which is easy to install and relatively easy to store when not in use.
According to the present invention, an inflatable heat insulation member has an interior divided into a plurality of discrete cells and an outer skin of gas impermeable material.
Preferably, when in use, the inflatable heat insulation member is inflated with a gas having a low thermal conductivity.
Preferably, the gas is selected from one or more of air, argon, krypton, carbon dioxide and sulphur hexafluoride.
Advantageously, the inflatable insulation member may be portable.
According to a further aspect of the present invention a method of insulation comprises the steps of placing an inflatable insulation member having an interior divided into a plurality of discrete cells and an outer skin of gas impermeable material between an area to be insulated and an area from which said first area is to be insulated and inflating said inflatable insulation member with a gas having a low thermal conductivity.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the Figures of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inflatable insulation member;
Figure 2 is a detail in cross-section of the inflatable insulation member of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an elevation partly in cross-section of a building with the inflatable insulation member of Figure 1 in situ; and
Figure 4 is an elevation similar to Figure 3 but illustrating the inflatable insulation member deflated.
As shown, an inflatable insulation member 1 is in the form of a mattress made from a flexible material such as a plastics or rubberised cloth which is leak tight or has a low permeability to the gas being used to inflate the mattress.
The mattress includes a gas inlet valve 2 and as will be most clearly seen from Figure 2, its interior is compartmentalised to define cells or pockets 4. The cells or pockets 4 reduce the ability of the gas to flow and thereby exhibit thermal convection.
The compartmentalisation can be achieved by methods such as the use of flaps or an inter- weave of the material of the mattress.
It should be pointed out that the gas cells or pockets are not totally sealed one from another but, for example, can be porous so that the mattress can be fully inflated and deflated.
The choice of gas used to fill the mattress is based on its thermal insulating properties and on its costs. For example: cheapest Air k - 255 pW/cm C Argon k - 162 pW/cm C C02 k - 162 pW/cm C SF6 k - 130 pW/cm C Krypton k - 86 pW/cm C An important feature of the inflatable insulation member illustrated in
Figure 1 is its lightness and the ease by which it can be installed in a building. This will entail unfolding the mattress in its uninflated state over the area to be insulated. The mattress will have relatively little bulk compared to conventional insulating materials such as Rockwool.The mattress will then be inflated by means of compressed gas/gases and the inflated insulation member can then be sealed and left or remain connected to the source, e.g. a compressed gas cylinder 6, of compressed gas as illustrated in Figure 3. Preferably, the gas in the mattress will be maintained at just above atmospheric pressure. Compressed gas can therefore be added from the cylinder 6 if the pressure drops due to leaks/diffusion.
When used as roof insulation the material of the mattress can be transparent or transluscent to allow light therethrough.
Alternatively, one or both interior surfaces of the mattress can have an aluminium coating to reduce heat transfer by radiation.
In summer, when there is less need for heat insulation the mattress can be removed easily by deflating the mattress and folding it up so that it can be stored until required again. Figure 4 illustrates a mattress deflated which, however, in this instance, has remained in situ.
Although the above described embodiment of the mattress is shown and described as a roof insulator it can as easily be used as a wall insulator.
The inflatable insulation member described above is environmentally friendly as compared to Rockwool, fibreglass and expanded polytyrene.
Claims (8)
1. An inflatable insulation member having an interior divided into a
plurality of discrete cells and an outer skin of gas impermeable
material.
2. An inflatable insulation member as claimed in Claim 1, in which when
in use is inflated with a gas having a low thermal conductivity.
3. An inflatable insulation member as claimed in Claim 2, in which the
gas is selected from or more of air, argon, krypton, carbon dioxide
and sulphur hexafluoride.
4. An inflatable insulation member as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to
3, in which the member is portable.
5. A method of insulation comprising the steps of placing an inflatable
insulation member as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, between an
area to be insulated and an area from which said first area is to be
insulated and inflating said inflatable insulation member.
6. A method of insulation as claimed in Claim 5, in which the inflatable
insulation member is connection to a cylinder of compressed gas.
7. An inflatable insulation member constructed, arranged and adapted to
operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and
as illustrated in the Figures of the accompanying drawings.
8. A method of insulation substantially as hereinbefore described.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9226716A GB2273722A (en) | 1992-12-22 | 1992-12-22 | Inflatable insulation member |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9226716A GB2273722A (en) | 1992-12-22 | 1992-12-22 | Inflatable insulation member |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9226716D0 GB9226716D0 (en) | 1993-02-17 |
| GB2273722A true GB2273722A (en) | 1994-06-29 |
Family
ID=10727027
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9226716A Withdrawn GB2273722A (en) | 1992-12-22 | 1992-12-22 | Inflatable insulation member |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2273722A (en) |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009032763A1 (en) * | 2007-08-28 | 2009-03-12 | Fi-Foil Company, Inc. | A system and method for insulating items using a reflective or inflatable insulation panel |
| GB2468286A (en) * | 2009-03-02 | 2010-09-08 | Pino Danny Bryan | Volume balloon for buildings |
| WO2012078050A1 (en) * | 2010-12-10 | 2012-06-14 | Isource As | Method and apparatus for preparing insulation mats |
| AT508956B1 (en) * | 2009-10-30 | 2013-05-15 | Rohr Friedrich | THERMAL MAT |
| FR3045082A1 (en) * | 2015-12-15 | 2017-06-16 | Daniel Billecard | SYSTEM FOR REDUCING THE HEATING AND / OR COOLING COSTS OF A LOCAL |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4262045A (en) * | 1979-03-16 | 1981-04-14 | Cheng Chen Yen | Cellular air bag insulation and insulator |
| US4346132A (en) * | 1979-03-16 | 1982-08-24 | Cheng Chen Yen | Cellular air bag insulation and insulator |
| DE3306228A1 (en) * | 1983-02-23 | 1984-08-30 | Norbert B. Dipl.-Ing. 5400 Koblenz Reimann | Environment-reacting heat-insulating system |
| WO1991017326A1 (en) * | 1990-04-30 | 1991-11-14 | Walter Lindal | Compressible thermal insulation batts sealed in waterproof bags for building construction |
-
1992
- 1992-12-22 GB GB9226716A patent/GB2273722A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4262045A (en) * | 1979-03-16 | 1981-04-14 | Cheng Chen Yen | Cellular air bag insulation and insulator |
| US4346132A (en) * | 1979-03-16 | 1982-08-24 | Cheng Chen Yen | Cellular air bag insulation and insulator |
| DE3306228A1 (en) * | 1983-02-23 | 1984-08-30 | Norbert B. Dipl.-Ing. 5400 Koblenz Reimann | Environment-reacting heat-insulating system |
| WO1991017326A1 (en) * | 1990-04-30 | 1991-11-14 | Walter Lindal | Compressible thermal insulation batts sealed in waterproof bags for building construction |
Cited By (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009032763A1 (en) * | 2007-08-28 | 2009-03-12 | Fi-Foil Company, Inc. | A system and method for insulating items using a reflective or inflatable insulation panel |
| US8021734B2 (en) | 2007-08-28 | 2011-09-20 | Fi-Foil Company, Inc. | System and method for insulating items using a reflective or inflatable insulation panel |
| US8474501B2 (en) | 2007-08-28 | 2013-07-02 | Fi-Foil Company, Inc. | System and apparatus for assembling an inflatable insulation panel |
| GB2468286A (en) * | 2009-03-02 | 2010-09-08 | Pino Danny Bryan | Volume balloon for buildings |
| AT508956B1 (en) * | 2009-10-30 | 2013-05-15 | Rohr Friedrich | THERMAL MAT |
| WO2012078050A1 (en) * | 2010-12-10 | 2012-06-14 | Isource As | Method and apparatus for preparing insulation mats |
| FR3045082A1 (en) * | 2015-12-15 | 2017-06-16 | Daniel Billecard | SYSTEM FOR REDUCING THE HEATING AND / OR COOLING COSTS OF A LOCAL |
| EP3181768A1 (en) * | 2015-12-15 | 2017-06-21 | Daniel Billecard | System for reducing the cost of heating and/or cooling of a room |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9226716D0 (en) | 1993-02-17 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |