U.S. patent application number 11/178618 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-11 for glass/polymer reinforcement backing for siding and compression packaging of siding backed with glass/polymer.
Invention is credited to Steven F. Geiger, W. David Graham, Enamul Haque, Gary Knoll, Andrew J. Siwicki.
Application Number | 20070009688 11/178618 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37175870 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070009688 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Haque; Enamul ; et
al. |
January 11, 2007 |
Glass/polymer reinforcement backing for siding and compression
packaging of siding backed with glass/polymer
Abstract
An acoustical and thermally absorbent composite formed of
thermoplastic bonding materials and reinforcing fibers is provided.
The reinforcing fibers are preferably wet use chopped strand glass
fibers (WUCS). The thermoplastic bonding materials may be any
thermoplastic or thermosetting material having a melting point less
than the reinforcing fiber. The composite material may be formed by
partially opening the WUCS fibers and bonding fibers, blending the
reinforcement and bonding fibers, forming the reinforcement and
bonding fibers into a sheet, and bonding the sheet. The composite
material is a lofted insulation product that may be used as a
reinforcement backing for cladding such as vinyl siding. The
composite material may be affixed to the siding by ultrasonic
welding. After the composite material has been affixed to the
siding, the siding product may be vacuum packaged within an
air-impervious material to reduce the storage and/or shipping space
required for the siding product.
Inventors: |
Haque; Enamul; (Novi,
MI) ; Siwicki; Andrew J.; (Clarkson, MI) ;
Geiger; Steven F.; (Johnstown, OH) ; Graham; W.
David; (Granville, OH) ; Knoll; Gary;
(Westland, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OWENS CORNING
2790 COLUMBUS ROAD
GRANVILLE
OH
43023
US
|
Family ID: |
37175870 |
Appl. No.: |
11/178618 |
Filed: |
July 11, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/34.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D21H 13/24 20130101;
B32B 2310/028 20130101; D04H 1/4218 20130101; Y10T 442/697
20150401; D04H 1/60 20130101; D21H 13/14 20130101; Y10T 442/608
20150401; D04H 1/43835 20200501; B32B 2307/102 20130101; Y10T
442/677 20150401; Y10T 442/615 20150401; Y10T 442/674 20150401;
D04H 1/48 20130101; D21H 13/40 20130101; D21H 21/18 20130101; Y10T
428/13 20150115; B32B 2307/304 20130101; D04H 1/54 20130101; Y10T
442/631 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/034.1 |
International
Class: |
B31B 45/00 20060101
B31B045/00; B29D 22/00 20060101 B29D022/00 |
Claims
1. A reinforcement backing for cladding comprising: about 30 to
about 98% by weight of at least one thermoplastic bonding material;
and about 2 to about 70% by weight dried wet reinforcement fibers
having a melting point that is above the melting point of said
thermoplastic bonding material.
2. The reinforcement backing of claim 1, wherein said at least one
of said thermoplastic bonding material is a multicomponent
fiber.
3. The reinforcement backing of claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic
bonding material and said dried wet reinforcement fibers are
substantially uniformly distributed throughout said reinforcement
backing.
4. The reinforcement backing of claim 3, wherein said wet
reinforcement fibers are wet use chopped strand glass fibers and
said thermoplastic bonding material is a member selected from the
group of polyethylene terephthalate fibers, poly 1,4
cyclohexanedimethyl terephthalate, glycol modified polyethylene
terephthalate, polyester fibers, polyethylene fibers, polypropylene
fibers, polyphenylene sulfide fibers, polyvinyl chloride fibers,
ethylene vinyl acetate/vinyl chloride fibers, lower alkyl acrylate
polymer fibers, acrylonitrile polymer fibers, partially hydrolyzed
polyvinyl acetate fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyvinyl
pyrrolidone fibers, styrene acrylate fibers, polyolefins,
polyamides, polysulfides, polycarbonates, rayon, nylon, phenolic
resins and epoxy resins.
5. A reinforced siding product comprising: a composite
reinforcement backing material including dried wet reinforcement
fibers and a thermoplastic bonding material having a melting
temperature that is less than the melting temperature of said dried
wet reinforcement fibers, said dried wet reinforcement fibers and
said thermoplastic bonding material being substantially evenly
distributed throughout said composite reinforcement backing
material; and a cladding product, said cladding product being
affixed to a major surface of said composite reinforcement backing
material.
6. The reinforced siding product of claim 5, wherein said dried wet
reinforcement fibers are present in said composite reinforcement
backing material in an amount up to 70% and said thermoplastic
bonding material is present in said composite reinforcement backing
material in an amount of from 30-100% by weight.
7. The reinforced siding product of claim 6, wherein said
thermoplastic bonding material is present in said composite
reinforcement backing material in an amount of 100% and said
composite reinforcement backing material is affixed to said
cladding product through ultrasonic welding.
8. The reinforced siding product of claim 5, wherein said cladding
product is a member selected from the group of vinyl siding, foamed
siding, plaster board siding, metal siding and wood siding.
9. The reinforced siding product of claim 8, wherein said cladding
product is affixed to said composite reinforcement backing material
by a member selected from the group of adhesives, ultrasonic
welding, vibration welding and mechanical fasteners.
10. The reinforced siding product of claim 5, wherein said
reinforced siding product is compression packaged by a member
selected from the group of vacuum compression and mechanical
compression.
11. The reinforced siding product of claim 10, wherein said
compression packaged reinforced siding product is maintained in a
compressed state by a rigid container that is larger than said
compression packaged reinforced siding product and smaller than
said uncompressed reinforced siding product.
12. The reinforced siding product of claim, 6, wherein said wet
reinforcement fibers are wet use chopped strand glass fibers and
said thermoplastic bonding material is a member selected from the
group of polyethylene terephthalate fibers, poly
1,4-cyclohexanedimethyl terephthalate, glycol modified polyethylene
terephthalate, polyester fibers, polyethylene fibers, polypropylene
fibers, polyphenylene sulfide fibers, polyvinyl chloride fibers,
ethylene vinyl acetate/vinyl chloride fibers, lower alkyl acrylate
polymer fibers, acrylonitrile polymer fibers, partially hydrolyzed
polyvinyl acetate fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyvinyl
pyrrolidone fibers, styrene acrylate fibers, polyolefins,
polyamides, polysulfides, polycarbonates, rayon, nylon, phenolic
resins and epoxy resins.
13. A method of making a composite reinforced siding product
comprising the step of: attaching a composite reinforcement backing
material to a major surface of a cladding product to form said
composite reinforced siding product, said composite reinforcement
backing material including dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers and
a thermoplastic bonding material having a melting point that is
less than the melting point of said dehydrated wet reinforcement
fibers.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said composite reinforcement
backing material is attached to said cladding product by a member
selected from the group of adhesives, ultrasonic welding, vibration
welding and mechanical fasteners.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of forming
said composite reinforcement backing material prior to said
attaching step, said forming step including: removing water from
wet reinforcement fibers to form said dehydrated wet reinforcement
fibers; blending said dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers with said
thermoplastic bonding material to form a substantially homogenous
mixture of said dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers and said
thermoplastic boding material; forming said mixture into a sheet;
and bonding at least some of said dehydrated wet reinforcement
fibers and said thermoplastic bonding material to form said
composite reinforcement backing material.
16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of: shaping
said composite reinforcement backing material to substantially the
shape of said cladding product prior to said attaching step.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:
mechanically compressing said composite reinforced siding product
to place said composite reinforced siding product in a compressed
state and to reduce the overall size of said composite reinforced
siding product for shipping and storage; and placing said
compressed composite reinforced siding product into a container
that is larger than said compressed composite reinforced siding
product and smaller than said uncompressed composite reinforced
siding product to physically maintain said composite reinforced
siding product in said compressed state.
18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:
encapsulating said composite reinforced siding product in a
gas-impermeable flexible sleeve; vacuum compressing said composite
reinforced siding product in said gas-impermeable flexible sleeve
to reduce the overall size of said composite reinforced siding
product for shipping and storage; and sealing said gas-impermeable
flexible sleeve.
19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: vacuum
compressing said composite reinforced siding product to reduce the
overall size of said composite reinforced siding product for
shipping and storage; placing said compressed composite reinforced
siding product into a container that is larger than said compressed
composite reinforced siding product and smaller than said
uncompressed composite reinforced siding product to physically
maintain said composite reinforced siding product in said
compressed state.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein said wet reinforcement fibers
are wet use chopped strand glass fibers and said thermoplastic
bonding material is a member selected from the group of
polyethylene terephthalate fibers, poly 1,4-cyclohexanedimethyl
terephthalate, glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate,
polyester fibers, polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers,
polyphenylene sulfide fibers, polyvinyl chloride fibers, ethylene
vinyl acetate/vinyl chloride fibers, lower alkyl acrylate polymer
fibers, acrylonitrile polymer fibers, partially hydrolyzed
polyvinyl acetate fibers, polyvinyl alcohol fibers, polyvinyl
pyrrolidone fibers, styrene acrylate fibers, polyolefins,
polyamides, polysulfides, polycarbonates, rayon, nylon, phenolic
resins and epoxy resins.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to siding products,
and more particularly, to a composite material that includes wet
reinforcement fibers and organic fibers. The composite material is
used as a reinforcement backing for siding products and possesses
improved sound absorption and thermal insulation. A method of
forming the composite material and vacuum compressing the siding
product containing the composite material is also provided.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Aluminum and vinyl siding has been used for years as
exterior surface coverings on buildings such as residential homes
to give the buildings aesthetically pleasing appearances. However,
siding made of vinyl or metal has very little insulative
properties. Thus, it is common practice to install an insulating
board between the siding and the building frame. The insulating
board is typically in the form of a core of a foamed polymeric
material such as polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, a polyurethane
modified polyisocyanurate, or a phenolic resin interposed between
two facer sheets. The insulating board both inhibits the transfer
of heat across the wall of the building and provides support for
the siding.
[0003] Although known insulated siding systems may provide improved
thermal insulation properties over non-insulated siding systems,
they still may allow significant air flow which may adversely
affect the overall thermal properties of the building. Such air
filtration reduces the "R"-rating of the siding system. Further,
conventional foam insulated siding typically have low R-values. In
addition, the insulating board is typically attached to the siding
by a thermosetting adhesive, which tends to degrade over time and
exposure to the elements.
[0004] Another problem with the conventional insulation materials
is that the vertical edges of adjacent vinyl siding panels may not
lay flat as a result of the deformation of the shape of the vinyl
siding due to improper manufacturing, handling, or installation.
Such deformations may subject the internal portion of the siding to
water, dirt, and other debris. Water contamination in the
insulating board may provide a support medium for the growth of
bacteria, fungi, and/or mold in the insulating board which will
eventually spread to the siding product. The bacteria and mold may
cause unpleasant odors and a discoloration in the insulating
backing that may transfer to the siding. Moreover, conventional
foam insulating boards for backing residential siding does not
provide sound absorbing properties.
[0005] Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a backing for
residential siding that exhibits superior insulative properties,
structural properties, sound attenuating properties, that is mildew
and water resistant, and can be easily packaged and shipped.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
composite backing material that provides improved thermal
insulation, sound absorption, and impact performance. The composite
material is preferably used as a reinforcement backing for siding.
The composite material is formed of an organic bonding material and
one or more types of reinforcement fibers. The organic material has
a melting point that is less than the melting point of the
reinforcement fibers, and may be present in the composite material
in an amount up to about 100%. In preferred embodiments, the
organic material is polyethylene terephthalate. The reinforcing
fibers may be any organic or inorganic fiber that possesses good
structural qualities as well as good acoustical and thermal
properties. The reinforcing fibers may be present in the composite
material in an amount up to about 70%. Preferably, the
reinforcement fibers are glass fibers, and even more preferably are
wet use chopped strand glass fibers. The composite material is a
lofted, compressible insulation product that contains a uniform or
substantially uniform distribution of reinforcement and bonding
fibers which provides improved strength, acoustical and thermal
properties, stiffness, impact resistance, and acoustical
absorbance.
[0007] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
siding product formed of a cladding (e.g., siding such as vinyl
siding, foamed siding, plaster board siding, metal siding, and wood
siding) and the lofted composite material described above. The
composite backing material may be die cut to the design or shape of
the siding or may be molded to the shape of the siding in a
conventional manner. The shaped composite material may be attached
by adhesives, ultrasonic welding, vibration welding, or mechanical
fasters to the face of the siding that is intended to abut the
structure. In preferred embodiments, the composite material is
attached to the siding by ultrasonic welding. The ultrasonic welds
may be placed at inconspicuous locations on the siding product,
such as on the nail strip used in conventional vinyl siding to
affix the siding to the building structure. The composite material
provides improved insulation properties (R-value .gtoreq.about 5),
greater sound absorption, and high impact properties (e.g.,
.gtoreq.about 125 inch-pound).
[0008] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a vacuum packaged siding product formed of cladding and the lofted
composite material described herein. To vacuum package the siding
product, the siding product may be encased in a flexible,
gas-impervious sleeve or covering. The siding product may then be
subjected to a vacuum so that all or nearly all of the air within
the gas-impervious sleeve is removed. Preferably, the
gas-impervious sleeve is formed of a flexible plastic material. In
one exemplary embodiment, the air within the sleeve is drawn
through an opening that is connected to a vacuum pump that removes
the air from within the sleeve. Optionally, a mechanical press may
be used to further compress the composite material to a desired
thickness. After the vacuum has been applied to the siding product,
the sleeve is hermetically sealed to lock in the vacuum in the
sleeve. As a result, the composite material remains in a compressed
state during shipping and storage. A rigid shipping container may
be placed over the compressed siding product to protect the
compacted composite material during shipping and storage. The
container may be formed of cardboard (corrugated or non-corrugated)
or a rigid plastic material.
[0009] It is also an object of the present invention to provide a
method of forming a reinforced siding product that includes the
composite material described herein and a cladding product. As
described herein, the composite material is formed of organic
bonding fibers (about 30 to about 100% by weight) and wet
reinforcement fibers (up to about 70% by weight). The organic
bonding material has a melting point that is less than the melting
point of the wet reinforcement fibers. The composite material may
be formed by using the wet reinforcement fibers in a dry laid
process to obtain a lofted, insulation product in which the
reinforcement fibers and bonding fibers are substantially uniformly
distributed. To form the reinforced siding product, the composite
material is attached to a major surface of a cladding product. The
composite material may be attached by adhesives, ultrasonic
welding, vibration welding, and mechanical fasteners. The siding
product may be vacuum compressed for shipping and handling.
[0010] It is an advantage of the present invention that the
physical properties of the composite material may be optimized
and/or tailored by altering the weight, length, and/or diameter of
the reinforcement and/or bonding fibers.
[0011] It is another advantage of the present invention that the
composite material has a uniform or substantially uniform
distribution of reinforcement fibers and bonding fibers that
provides improved strength, acoustical and thermal properties,
stiffness, impact resistance, and acoustical absorbance.
[0012] It is yet another advantage of the present invention that
ultrasonically welding the composite material to the siding can be
conducted in-line to increase the speed of manufacture.
[0013] It is a further advantage of the present invention that the
degree of the ultrasonic weld can be varied to tune the bond
strength between the composite material and the cladding according
to customer specifications.
[0014] It is also an advantage of the present invention that the
size of the packaging for the siding product and shipping and
warehouse costs can be reduced by vacuum compressing the siding
product. In addition, packaging material costs may also be reduced
because less materials are needed to package the compressed, vacuum
packaged siding product for shipping and storage.
[0015] It is also an advantage of the present invention that the
composite material can be manufactured at lower costs because wet
use chopped strand glass fibers are less expensive to manufacture
than dry chopped fibers.
[0016] It is a further advantage that the composite material formed
in a dry-laid process that uses wet use chopped strand glass such
as in the present invention has a higher loft (increased
porosity).
[0017] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of
the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a
consideration of the detailed description that follows. It is to be
expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for
illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as defining the
limits of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon
consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the
invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings wherein:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating steps for using wet
use chopped strand glass in a dry-laid process according to one
aspect of the present invention; and
[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a dry-laid process
using wet use chopped strand glass fibers to form a composite
material according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms
used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs. Although
any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described
herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present
invention, the preferred methods and materials are described
herein. All references cited herein, including published or
corresponding U.S. or foreign patent applications, issued U.S. or
foreign patents, or any other references, are each incorporated by
reference in their entireties, including all data, tables, figures,
and text presented in the cited references.
[0022] In the drawings, the thickness of the lines, layers, and
regions may be exaggerated for clarity. It is to be noted that like
numbers found throughout the figures denote like elements. The
terms "top", "bottom", "side", and the like are used herein for the
purpose of explanation only. It will be understood that when an
element is referred to as being "on" another element, it can be
directly on the other element or intervening elements may be
present. If an element is described as being "adjacent to" or
"against" another element, it is to be appreciated that the element
may be directly adjacent or directly against that other element, or
intervening elements may be present. It will also be understood
that when an element is referred to as being "over" another
element, it can be directly over the other element, or intervening
elements may be present.
[0023] The terms "sheet" and "mat" may be use interchangeably
herein. Further, the term "reinforcing fibers" may be used
interchangeably with the term "reinforcement fibers" and the term
"reinforcement fibers" and "reinforcing fibers" may be used
interchangeably with the term "reinforcement material" and
"reinforcing material" respectively. Further, the term "cladding"
and "siding" may be used interchangeably. The terms "composite
material" and "composite product" may also be interchangeably used
within this application.
[0024] The present invention relates to a composite reinforcement
product that provides thermal and acoustical insulating properties
with an improved impact performance. The composite material may be
used in a variety of applications, but is especially useful as a
reinforcement backing for vinyl siding. The composite product may
be die cut to fit the design or shape of the vinyl siding or it can
be molded and affixed to the siding using adhesives, ultrasonic
welding, vibration welding, or mechanical fasteners. The composite
product includes organic bonding fibers such as polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) and reinforcement fibers such as glass fibers
in varying amounts up to about 70% by weight. The presence of an
organic bonding fiber such as polyethylene terephthalate enhances
the acoustical absorption properties of the composite material.
[0025] The organic bonding fibers utilized in the composite
material have a melting point that is less than the melting point
of the reinforcement fibers so that the organic fibers can melt and
bond the reinforcement fibers together to form the composite
material. Although the organic bonding fibers may be present in the
composite material in an amount up to about 100% by weight, it is
desirable to include reinforcing fibers to provide additional
impact resistance and strength to the composite product. In
general, the organic bonding fibers are present in the composite
material in an amount of about 30 to about 100% by weight,
preferably in an amount of about 50 to about 100% by weight, and
even more preferably in an amount of about 80 to about 100% by
weight. When reinforcement fibers are present in the composite
material, the reinforcement fibers are preferably present in an
amount from about 2 to about 70% by weight.
[0026] In addition, the organic bonding fibers present in the
composite backing material may have different denier and/or fiber
lengths to provide increased sound absorption properties or to fine
tune the acoustical properties of the composite material. The
organic bonding fibers utilized in the composite material may have
lengths of about 6 to about 75 mm, preferably from about 18 to
about 50 mm. The organic bonding fibers may have deniers from about
1.5 to about 30 denier, preferably from about 5 to about 20 denier.
Also, the specific combination and ratio of organic bonding fibers
present in the composite material may be used to optimize the
acoustic properties desired for specific applications. As a result,
the composite material can be tailored to meet the acoustical needs
of a particular application.
[0027] One or more types of organic bonding materials may be
present in the composite material. The specific combination of the
types of organic materials present in the composite material are
chosen to meet the specific acoustical requirements of the
particular application. It is desirable that the organic bonding
fiber is a thermoplastic polymeric fiber that provides increased or
enhanced acoustical absorbance. Suitable examples of organic
bonding fibers for use in the composite material include
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers, modified polyethylene
terephthalate fibers (such as poly-1,4 cyclohexanedimethyl
terephthalate and glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate),
polyester fibers, polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers,
polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fibers, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
fibers, ethylene vinyl acetate/vinyl chloride (EVA/VC) fibers,
lower alkyl acrylate polymer fibers, acrylonitrile polymer fibers,
partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate fibers, polyvinyl alcohol
fibers, polyvinyl pyrrolidone fibers, styrene acrylate fibers,
polyolefins, polyamides, polysulfides, polycarbonates, rayon,
nylon, phenolic resins, and epoxy resins. The organic bonding
fibers may be functionalized with acidic groups, such as, for
example, by carboxylating with an acid (e.g., a maleated acid or an
acrylic acid) or with an anhydride group or vinyl acetate. The
organic bonding material may alternatively be in the form of a
flake, granule, or a powder rather than in the form of a polymeric
fiber. In preferred embodiments, the organic bonding fiber is
polyethylene terephthalate or a modified polyethylene
terephthalate.
[0028] One or more of the organic bonding fibers may be a
multicomponent fiber such as a bicomponent polymer fiber, a
tricomponent polymer fiber, or a plastic-coated mineral fiber such
as a thermoplastic coated glass fiber. When a multicomponent fiber
is present in the composite material, it is preferably a
bicomponent fiber formed in a sheath-core arrangement in which the
sheath is formed of first polymer fibers that substantially
surround a core formed of second polymer fibers. It is not required
that the sheath fibers totally surround the core fibers. The first
polymer fibers have a melting point lower than the melting point of
the second polymer fibers so that upon heating the bicomponent
fibers to a temperature above the melting point of the first
polymer fibers (sheath fibers) and below the melting point of the
second polymer fibers (core fibers), the first polymer fibers will
soften or melt while the second polymer fibers maintain their
structural properties. This softening of the first polymer fibers
(sheath fibers) will cause the first polymer fibers to become
sticky and bond the first polymer fibers to each other and to any
other adjacent fibers, such as the reinforcement fibers present in
the composite material. Numerous combinations of polymeric
materials are used to make the bicomponent polymer fibers, such as,
for example, combinations of sheath/core fibers of polyester,
polypropylene, polysulfide, polyolefin, and polyethylene fibers.
Specific examples of polymer combinations for the bicomponent
fibers include polyethylene terephthalate/polypropylene,
polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene, and
polypropylene/polyethylene. Multicomponent fibers may be present in
the composite material in an amount up to about 65% by weight,
preferably from about 35 to about 65% by weight.
[0029] The reinforcement fibers utilized in the composite material
may be any type of organic or inorganic fiber suitable for
providing good structural qualities as well as good acoustical and
thermal properties. One or more types of reinforcement fibers may
be used. The reinforcement fibers assist in providing the composite
material with structural integrity and impact resistance. In
preferred embodiments of the invention, the reinforcing fibers are
present in the composite material in an amount up to about 70% by
weight of the total weight of the fibers present in the composite
material, preferably from about 2 to about 70% by weight. In at
least one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the reinforcement
fibers are present in an amount up to about 50% by weight, and more
preferably from about 2 to about 20% by weight. One advantage of
the reinforcing fibers lies in the fact that the sizing chemistry
of the reinforcement fibers may be easily adapted to match the
properties of individual types of organic bonding fibers. As a
result, a large variety of composite materials and composite
products formed from the composite materials can be obtained.
[0030] The reinforcement fibers may be present in varying lengths
and diameters and in varying amounts within the composite material
to achieve improved and/or specific acoustical, strength, and
impact properties. For example, the structural and acoustic
properties desired for specific applications can be optimized by
altering the weight of the reinforcement fibers and/or by changing
the reinforcement fiber content, length and/or diameter. The
reinforcement fibers utilized in the composite material may have
lengths of about 10 to about 100 mm in length, preferably, from
about 25 to about 50 mm. Additionally, the reinforcing fibers may
have diameters of from about 11 to about 25 microns, and preferably
have diameters of from about 12 to about 18 microns. In some
exemplary embodiments, the length of the reinforcement fibers and
the organic fibers are substantially the same length to aid in
processing.
[0031] Non-limiting examples of reinforcement fibers that may be
utilized in the composite material include glass fibers, wool glass
fibers, natural fibers, metal fibers, ceramic fibers, mineral
fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, nanofibers, and
combinations thereof. The term "natural fiber" as used in
conjunction with the present invention refers to plant fibers
extracted from any part of a plant, including, but not limited to,
the stem, seeds, leaves, roots, or bast. Preferably, the
reinforcement fibers are glass fibers, such as A-type glass, E-type
glass, S-type glass, or ECR-type glass such as Owens Corning's
Advantex.RTM. glass fibers. Even more preferably, the reinforcement
fibers are wet reinforcement fibers such as wet use chopped strand
(WUCS) glass fibers. Wet use chopped strand glass fibers for use as
the reinforcement fibers may be formed by conventional processes
known in the art. It is desirable that the wet use chopped strand
glass fibers have a moisture content of less than about 30%,
preferably about 5 to about 15%.
[0032] Wet use chopped strand glass fibers are advantageously used
as the reinforcing fiber material because the glass fibers may be
easily opened and fiberized with little generation of static
electricity due to the moisture present in the glass fibers. In
addition, the use of wet use chopped strand glass fibers allows the
products formed from the composite material to be manufactured with
lower costs because wet use chopped strand glass fibers are less
expensive than conventional dry chopped fibers to manufacture,
which are typically dried and packaged in separate steps prior to
being chopped.
[0033] The reinforcement fibers described above may be used in
dry-laid processes to form a composite material that is a high
loft, non-woven mat or web of randomly oriented reinforcement
fibers and organic bonding fibers. An exemplary dry-laid process
for forming the composite material using wet reinforcement fibers
such as wet use chopped strand glass fibers is described in U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 10/688,013, filed on Oct. 17, 2003, to
Enamul Haque entitled "Development Of Thermoplastic Composites
Using Wet Use Chopped Strand Glass In A Dry Laid Process", the
content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety. The utilization of wet use chopped strand glass in the
dry-laid process described below and depicted generally in FIG. 1
contributes to the improved sound absorption of the inventive
composite material because the composite materials formed by the
dry-laid process described herein have a higher loft (increased
porosity), at least in part due to the fiber openings and the
laying of the fibers in the bale openers and sheet formers in the
dry-laid process.
[0034] The process includes at least partially opening the wet use
chopped strand glass fibers and organic bonding fibers (step 100),
blending the chopped glass fibers and organic bonding fibers (step
110), forming the chopped glass fibers and organic bonding fibers
into a sheet (step 120), optionally needling the sheet to give the
sheet structural integrity (step 130), and bonding the chopped
glass fibers and organic bonding fibers (step 140). It is to be
understood that although FIGS. 1 and 2 and the corresponding
description set forth herein depict the reinforcing fiber as wet
use chopped strand glass fibers, any wet reinforcement fiber that
provides suitable strength and integrity to the composite material
may be utilized.
[0035] The wet use chopped strand glass fibers and the organic
bonding material are typically agglomerated in the form of a bale
of individual fibers. Turning to FIG. 2, the wet use chopped strand
glass fibers 200 are fed into a first opening system 220 and the
organic bonding fibers 210 are fed into a second opening system 230
to at least partially open and filamentize the wet chopped glass
fiber bales and bonding fiber bales respectively. The opening
system serves to decouple the clustered fibers and enhance
fiber-to-fiber contact. The first and second opening systems 220,
230 are preferably bale openers, but may be any type of opener
suitable for opening the bales of organic bonding fibers 210 and
bales of wet use chopped strand glass fibers 200. Suitable openers
for use in the present invention include any conventional standard
type bale openers with or without a weighing device.
[0036] Although the exemplary process depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2
show opening the bonding fibers 210 by a second opening system 230,
the bonding fibers 210 may be fed directly into the fiber transfer
system 250 if the organic bonding fibers 210 are present or
obtained in a filamentized form, and not present or obtained in the
form of a bale. Such an embodiment is considered to be within the
purview of this invention. In alternate embodiments where the
bonding material is in the form of a flake, granule, or powder, and
not a bonding fiber, the second opening system 230 may be replaced
with an apparatus suitable for distributing the powdered or flaked
bonding material to the fiber transfer system 250 for mixing with
the WUCS fibers 200 (not shown in FIG. 2). A suitable apparatus
would be easily identified by those of skill in the art. It is also
considered to be within the purview of the invention that the wet
use chopped strand glass fibers 200 may be fed directly to the
condensing unit 240 (FIG. 2), especially if they are provided in a
filamentized or partially filamentized form.
[0037] The at least partially opened wet use chopped strand glass
fibers 200 may be dosed or fed from the first opening system 220 to
a condensing unit 240 to remove water from the wet fibers. In
exemplary embodiments, greater than about 70% of the free water
(e.g., water that is external to the reinforcement fibers) is
removed. Preferably, however, substantially all of the water is
removed by the condensing unit 240. It should be noted that the
phrase "substantially all of the water" as it is used herein is
meant to denote that all or nearly all of the free water is
removed. The condensing unit 240 may be any known drying or water
removal device known in the art, such as, but not limited to, an
air dryer, an oven, rollers, a suction pump, a heated drum dryer,
an infrared heating source, a hot air blower, or a microwave
emitting source. The dried or substantially dried chopped strand
glass fibers 205 that emerge from the condensing unit 240 may be
passed through another opening system to further filamentize and
separate the dried chopped strand glass fibers 205 (embodiment not
illustrated). As used herein, the phrase "substantially dried" is
meant to indicate that the wet reinforcing fibers are dry or nearly
dry.
[0038] The dried chopped strand glass fibers 205 and the organic
bonding fibers 210 are blended together by the fiber transfer
system 250. In preferred embodiments, the fibers are blended in a
high velocity air stream. The fiber transfer system 250 serves both
as a conduit to transport the bonding fibers 210 and dried chopped
glass fibers 205 to the sheet former 270 and to substantially
uniformly mix the fibers in the air stream. It is desirable to
distribute the dried chopped glass fibers 205 and bonding fibers
210 as uniformly as possible. The ratio of dried chopped glass
fibers 205 and organic bonding fibers 210 entering the air stream
in the fiber transfer system 250 may be controlled by a weighing
device optionally present in the first and second opening systems
220, 230 or by the amount and/or speed at which the fibers are
passed through the first and second opening systems 220, 230. It is
to be appreciated that the ratio of fibers present within the air
stream will vary depending on the desired structural and acoustical
requirements of the composite material.
[0039] The mixture of dry chopped glass fibers 205 and bonding
fibers 210 may be transferred by the air stream in the fiber
transfer system 250 to a sheet former 270 where the fibers are
formed into a sheet. One or more sheet formers may be utilized in
forming the composite material. In some embodiments of the present
invention, the blended fibers are transported by the fiber transfer
system 250 to a filling box tower 260 where the dry chopped glass
fibers 205 and bonding fibers 210 are volumetrically fed into the
sheet former 270, such as by a computer monitored electronic
weighing apparatus, prior to entering the sheet former 270. The
filling box tower 260 may be located internally in the sheet former
270 or it may be positioned external to the sheet former 270. The
filling box tower 260 may also include baffles to further blend and
mix the dried chopped glass fibers 205 and bonding fibers 210 prior
to entering the sheet former 270. In some embodiments, a sheet
former 270 having a condenser and a distribution conveyor may be
used to achieve a higher fiber feed into the filling box tower 260
and an increased volume of air through the filling box tower 260.
In order to achieve an improved cross-distribution of the opened
fibers, the distributor conveyor may run transversally to the
direction of the sheet. As a result, the bonding fibers 210 and the
dried chopped fibers 205 may be transferred into the filling box
tower 260 with little or no pressure and minimal fiber
breakage.
[0040] The sheet formed by the sheet former 270 contains a
substantially uniform distribution of dried chopped glass fibers
205 and bonding fibers 210 at a desired ratio and weight
distribution. The sheet formed by the sheet former 270 may have a
weight distribution of from about 600 to about 1400 g/m.sup.2, with
a preferred weight distribution of from about 900 to about 1200
g/m.sup.2.
[0041] In one or more embodiments of the invention, the sheet
exiting the sheet former 270 is optionally subjected to a needling
process in a needle felting apparatus 280 in which barbed or forked
needles are pushed in a downward and upward motion through the
fibers of the sheet to entangle or intertwine the dried chopped
glass fibers 205 and organic bonding fibers 210 and impart
additional mechanical strength and integrity to the sheet.
Mechanical interlocking of the dried chopped glass fibers 205 and
bonding fibers 210 is achieved by passing the barbed felting
needles repeatedly into and out of the sheet. An optimal needle
selection for use with the particular reinforcement fiber and
polymer fiber chosen for use in the inventive process would be
easily identified by one of skill in the art.
[0042] Although the organic bonding material 210 is used to bond at
least portions of the dried chopped glass fibers 205 to each other,
a binder resin 285 may be added as an additional bonding agent
prior to passing the sheet through the thermal bonding system 290.
The binder resin 285 may be in the form of a resin powder, flake,
granule, foam, or liquid spray. The binder resin 285 may be added
by any suitable manner, such as, for example, a flood and extract
method or by spraying the binder resin 285 on the sheet. The amount
of binder resin 285 added to the sheet may be varied depending of
the desired characteristics of the composite material. A catalyst
such as ammonium chloride, p-toluene, sulfonic acid, aluminum
sulfate, ammonium phosphate, or zinc nitrate may be used to improve
the rate of curing and the quality of the cured binder resin
285.
[0043] Another process that may be employed to further bond the
dried reinforcing fibers 205 either alone, or in addition to, the
other bonding methods described herein, is latex bonding. In latex
bonding, polymers formed from monomers such as ethylene
(T.sub.g-125.degree. C.), butadiene (T.sub.g-78.degree. C.), butyl
acrylate (T.sub.g-52.degree. C.), ethyl acrylate
(T.sub.g-22.degree. C.), vinyl acetate (T.sub.g 30.degree. C.),
vinyl chloride (T.sub.g 80.degree. C.), methyl methacrylate
(T.sub.g 105.degree. C.), styrene (T.sub.g 105.degree. C.), and
acrylonitrile (T.sub.g 130.degree. C.) are used as bonding agents.
A lower glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) results in a softer
polymer. Latex polymers may be added as a spray prior to the sheet
entering the thermal bonding system 290. Once the sheet enters the
thermal bonding system 290, the latex polymers melt and bond the
dried chopped glass fibers 205 together.
[0044] A further optional bonding process that may be used alone,
or in combination with the other bonding processes described herein
is chemical bonding. Liquid based bonding agents, powdered
adhesives, foams, and, in some instances, organic solvents can be
used as the chemical bonding agent. Suitable examples of chemical
bonding agents include, but are not limited to, acrylate polymers
and copolymers, styrene-butadiene copolymers, vinyl acetate
ethylene copolymers, and combinations thereof. For example,
polyvinyl acetate (PVA), ethylene vinyl acetate/vinyl chloride
(EVA/VC), lower alkyl acrylate polymer, styrene-butadiene rubber,
acrylonitrile polymer, polyurethane, epoxy resins, polyvinyl
chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, and copolymers of vinylidene
chloride with other monomers, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl
acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyester
resins, and styrene acrylate may be used as a chemical bonding
agent. The chemical bonding agent may be applied uniformly by
impregnating, coating, or spraying the sheet.
[0045] Either after the sheet exits the sheet former 270 or after
the optional needling of the sheet in the needle felting apparatus
280, the sheet may be passed through a thermal bonding system 290
to bond the dried chopped glass fibers 205 and organic bonding
fibers 210 and form the composite 300. However, it is to be
appreciated that if the sheet is needled in the needle felting
apparatus 280 and the dried chopped glass fibers 205 and the
bonding fibers 210 are mechanically bonded, it may be unnecessary
to pass the sheet through the thermal bonding system 290 to form
the composite material 300.
[0046] In the thermal bonding system 290, the sheet is heated to a
temperature that is above the melting point of the organic bonding
fibers 210 but below the melting point of the dried chopped glass
fibers 205. When bicomponent fibers are used as the bonding fibers
210, the temperature in the thermal bonding system 290 is raised to
a temperature that is above the melting point of the sheath fibers,
but below the melting point of the dried chopped glass fibers 205.
Heating the bonding fibers 210 to a temperature above their melting
point, or the melting point of the sheath fibers in the instance
where the bonding fibers 210 are bicomponent fibers, causes the
bonding fibers 210 to become adhesive and bond the bonding fibers
210 both to themselves and to adjacent dried chopped glass fibers
205. If the bonding fibers 210 completely melt, the melted fibers
may encapsulate the dried chopped glass fibers 205. As long as the
temperature within the thermal bonding system 290 is not raised as
high as the melting point of the dried chopped glass fibers 205
and/or core fibers, these fibers will remain in a fibrous form in
the composite material 300.
[0047] The thermal bonding system 290 may include any known heating
and/or bonding method known in the art, such as oven bonding,
infrared heating, hot calendaring, belt calendaring, ultrasonic
bonding, microwave heating, and heated drums. Two or more of these
bonding methods may be used in combination to bond the dried
chopped glass fibers 205 and organic bonding fibers 210. The
temperature of the thermal bonding system 290 varies depending on
the melting point of the particular bonding fibers 210, any binder
resins and/or latex polymers used, and whether or not bicomponent
fibers are present in the sheet. The composite material 300 that
emerges from the thermal bonding system 290 contains a uniform or
substantially uniform distribution of dried chopped glass fibers
205 and bonding fibers 210 which provides improved strength,
thermal properties, stiffness, impact resistance, and acoustical
absorbance to the composite material 300. In addition, the
composite material 300 has a substantially uniform weight
consistency and uniform properties. The composite material 300 is a
lofted, compressible insulation product.
[0048] Additional fibers such as chopped roving, dry use chopped
strand glass (DUCS), glass fibers, natural fibers (such as jute,
hemp, and kenaf), aramid fibers, metal fibers, ceramic fibers,
mineral fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, polymer fibers, or
combinations thereof may be opened and filamentized by additional
opening systems (not shown) depending on the desired composition of
the composite material 300. These additional fibers may be added to
the fiber transfer system 250 and mixed with the dried chopped
fibers 205 and organic bonding fibers 210. When such additional
fibers are added to the fiber transfer system 250, it is preferred
that from about 2-10% by weight of the total fibers consist of
these additional fibers.
[0049] The composite material 300 may be used for various
structural and semi-structural applications, but is particularly
suitable as a reinforcement backing for cladding such as vinyl
siding. The composite material 300 provides the structural
integrity and stiffness needed to support vinyl siding that
conventional backing materials (e.g., polyurethane foam) available
in the market today lack. In addition, the high loft composite
material 300 provides improved insulation properties (R-value
.gtoreq.about 5), greater sound absorption, and high impact
properties (e.g., .gtoreq.about 125 inch-pound). Because polymer
and reinforcement fibers are inherently resistant to mildew and
water wicking, the composite material 300 provides improved water
resistance to the inventive siding product. In addition, the
reinforcement and organic fibers located at the surface of the
composite material 300 may be fused on one or both sides of the
composite material 300 to make the composite material 300
substantially impermeable to air or water. The phrase
"substantially impermeable" as used herein may be interpreted as
impermeable or nearly impermeable.
[0050] After the composite material 300 exits the thermal bonding
system 290, it may be die cut to the design or shape of the
cladding (e.g., siding such as vinyl siding, foamed siding, plaster
board siding, metal siding, and wood siding). Alternatively, the
composite material 300 may be molded to the shape of the cladding
in a conventional manner, such as by thermoforming with conduction,
radiant or convection heating, steam heating, or by a roller die,
and then attached to the cladding. The composite material 300 is
attached to the surface of the siding that faces the framing of the
house and is generally not exposed to external elements such as
wind, sun, and rain. The composite material 300 may be attached to
conventional vinyl siding by adhesives (pressure sensitive or heat
sensitive), ultrasonic welding, vibration welding, or mechanical
fasters (such as u-clips, s-clips, nails, screws, etc.) to form the
siding product.
[0051] Ultrasonic welding is a preferred method of fastening the
composite material 300 to the cladding. Ultrasonic welding fuses
the organic fibers in the composite material 300 to the siding and
creates a mechanical bond that is capable of exceeding the life
expectancy of known siding materials. The ultrasonic welds may be
placed at inconspicuous locations on the siding product, such as on
the nail strip used in conventional vinyl siding to affix the
siding to the building structure. In addition, the degree of the
ultrasonic weld (e.g., amount of welding) can be varied to tune the
bond strength between the composite material 300 and the cladding
according to customer specifications. The composite material 300
and the siding can be welded together at any location, depending on
the particular application and the customer's demands. Once the
composite material 300 is ultrasonically bonded to the siding, the
siding product can be nailed onto the building structure.
[0052] Numerous advantages are afforded by ultrasonically welding
the composite material 300 and the cladding. For instance,
ultrasonic welding can be conducted in-line, which can speed up the
manufacturing process. In addition, ultrasonic welding eliminates
the need for the hazardous chemicals currently utilized in
conventional plants for attaching the backing board (polyurethane
foam) to siding and the need to remove glue from the back surface
of the siding to mate the siding pieces. For example, to overlap
pieces of conventional siding with a foam backing, the foam backing
is pulled from back surface of the siding and the back surface of
the siding is cleaned to ensure that no visible gap is present when
the siding pieces are overlapped. In conventional siding, an
adhesive covers the entire length of the siding board. As a result,
a large amount of the siding must be cleaned prior to mating the
siding pieces. However, the ultrasonic welds utilized on the
composite material are small and cover a minimal area on the
siding. Therefore, cleaning and overlapping the siding is a quick
and easy task. Further, the ultrasonic bonding points can be
adjusted to reduce deformation (e.g., sagging, wrapping, etc.) of
the siding material that may occur during a long term exposure to
heat and maintain the shape of the siding on the building
structure.
[0053] After the lofted composite material 300 has been affixed to
the cladding (e.g., siding), the composite-reinforced backed siding
product may then be packaged (e.g., compression packaged) for
storing or shipping. In at least one exemplary embodiment of the
invention, the siding product is vacuum packaged within an
air-impervious material to reduce the storage and/or shipping space
required for the siding product. By reducing the size of the
packaging for the siding product, shipping and warehouse costs can
be reduced. Packaging material costs may also be reduced because
less materials are needed to package the compressed, vacuum
packaged siding product for shipping and storage.
[0054] To vacuum package the siding product according to this
exemplary embodiment, a flexible, gas-impervious sleeve or covering
is positioned such that it encapsulates the siding product. The
siding product is subjected to a vacuum so that all or
substantially all of the air within the gas-impervious sleeve is
removed and the composite material reinforcing the siding is
compressed through the vacuum. Preferably, the gas-impervious
sleeve is formed of a flexible plastic material.
[0055] It is envisioned that the vacuum may be accomplished in a
number of ways. For example, the encapsulated siding product may
placed in a vacuum chamber where the atmospheric pressure on the
inside and the outside of the sleeve is reduced equally. A
mechanical press may be activated within the vacuum chamber to
compress the composite material to a desired thickness. The sleeve
may then be sealed so that when the sleeve is removed from the
vacuum chamber under normal atmospheric conditions, the composite
material remains in a compressed state within the sleeve. The
composite material on the siding remains in a compressed state by
the external air pressure acting on the evacuated sleeve.
[0056] In another example, the air within the sleeve may be drawn
out through an opening in the sleeve that is connected to a vacuum
pump. The vacuum pump works to remove the air from within the
sleeve and the atmospheric pressure acts to compress the composite
material. A mechanical press may optionally be applied to the
sleeve to further compress the composite material to a desired
thickness. It is to be noted that the vacuum and mechanical press
should not be applied to a degree that would deform the siding
affixed to the composite material. After the desired amount of
vacuum is applied, the sleeve is hermetically sealed to lock in the
vacuum in the sleeve. As a result, the composite material remains
in a compressed state during shipping and storage. Alternatively,
the sleeve may not be hermitically sealed and a second sleeve or
container that is sized larger than the compressed siding product
and smaller than the original (uncompressed) size of the siding
product may be placed in or positioned around the compressed siding
product prior to releasing the vacuum to physically hold the siding
product in its compressed state. It is preferred that the second
sleeve or container be slightly larger than the compressed siding
product so that the majority of the compression of the composite
material is maintained. Although the composite material will
attempt to expand to its uncompressed (unrestricted) height, the
second sleeve physically refrains the siding product from expanding
beyond the size of the second sleeve. It is preferred that the
second sleeve or container be formed of a rigid material
sufficiently strong so as to maintain the compressed siding product
in a compressed state without causing physical damage to the siding
product. In some embodiments, protective corners are placed on the
sleeve to help protect the siding product during shipping.
[0057] In at least one other exemplary embodiment, the siding
product is mechanically compressed to reduce the composite material
to a desired thickness. The siding product may be compressed by any
known mechanical method. The compressed siding product may then be
wrapped in a sleeve or container (gas impervious or gas permeable)
or placed in a container (gas impervious or gas permeable) that is
larger than the compressed siding product and smaller than the
uncompressed siding product to hold the siding product in its
compressed state. As with the embodiment described above, it is
preferred that the container be slightly smaller than the
compressed siding product. The material used to form the sleeve or
container is not particularly limited, and may be any material that
maintains the siding product in a compressed state without
physically harming the siding material.
[0058] Once the composite material is compressed in the sleeve, a
rigid or semi-rigid shipping container may be placed over the
compressed siding product to protect the compacted composite
material during shipping and storage. The container may be formed
of cardboard (corrugated or non-corrugated), wood, or a rigid
plastic material. The shipping container may have any shape,
however, it is desirable for the shipping container to have a shape
that is similar in shape to the compressed siding product. This
helps to reduce the space needed for shipping and storage. In at
least one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the shipping
container is a box-like or tube-like container. The rigid corners
on a box-like container may be further used to protect the siding
product from damage during shipping.
[0059] When the compressed packaged siding product reaches it point
of destination and the siding product is ready to be installed, the
flexible sleeve(s) and/or shipping container is opened and removed,
allowing the composite material to expand or recover. The thickness
that the product recovers is referred to as its recovered
thickness. In preferred embodiments, the composite material has a
recovered thickness that is the same or substantially the same as
the original thickness (R-value) of the composite product.
[0060] Having generally described this invention, a further
understanding can be obtained by reference to certain specific
examples illustrated below which are provided for purposes of
illustration only and are not intended to be all inclusive or
limiting unless otherwise specified.
EXAMPLE
[0061] Impact Resistance
[0062] A composite material composed of glass fibers and
polyethylene terephthalate according to the principles of the
instant invention was formed and attached to vinyl siding to form a
siding product. The siding product was then tested according to the
procedures set forth in ASTM D4226, Procedure A (incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety) and compared to conventional
vinyl siding and vinyl siding backed with an expanded polystyrene.
The inventive siding product and conventional siding products were
cut to form flat specimens of at least 0.75 inches wide. The
individual specimens were placed on a base below an impact head of
an Impactor with a head configuration of H.25. The depth of the
penetration is the distance the Impactor head protrudes into the
support plate when properly seated. In the H.25 configuration, the
depth of penetration is 0.48 inches .+-.0.04 inches. An 8 pound
weight was then raised to various heights and allowed to fall onto
the test specimens to determine the impact resistance of the siding
products. The results are set forth in Table 1. As shown in Table
1, the inventive siding product provides high impact resistance.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Test Specimen Impact Resistance Vinyl Siding
(Not Backed) 60-90 inch-pound Expanded Polystyrene 240-320
inch-pound (EPS) Backed Vinyl Siding Inventive Composite Material
125-200 inch-pound Backed Vinyl Siding
[0063] The invention of this application has been described above
both generically and with regard to specific embodiments. Although
the invention has been set forth in what is believed to be the
preferred embodiments, a wide variety of alternatives known to
those of skill in the art can be selected within the generic
disclosure. The invention is not otherwise limited, except for the
recitation of the claims set forth below.
* * * * *