Flexible Weather Resistant Building Wrap

Abstract

A method of enveloping a building in a weather resistant wrap is disclosed. A weather resistant building or house wrap is disclosed. The wrap is of a thin flexible web or sheet of material having multiple layers. The layers include a metallized polymeric layer (e.g. polyester metallized with aluminum) adhered to a closed cell foam layer. The metallized portion preferably faces the adhesive layer. The polymeric layer is an outside surface layer as is the closed cell foam layer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Priority of my U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/805,798, filed 26 Jun. 2006, hereby incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed.

[0002] Incorporated herein by reference is my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/297,111, filed 7 Dec. 2005, and published on 6 Jul. 2006 as publication no. US 2006/0147696 A1.

[0003] This is not a continuation, divisional, or continuation-in-part of any patent application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0004] Not applicable

REFERENCE TO A "MICROFICHE APPENDIX"

[0005] Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] 1. Field of the Invention

[0007] The present invention relates to the construction of buildings or homes, and more particularly, to a weather resistant barrier or "wrap" for buildings that combats water, moisture, or air infiltration, important for those structures that are constructed of a wooden or like framing.

[0008] 2. General Background of the Invention

[0009] Moisture can be one of the worst enemies of a home or building. Water or moisture or humid air infiltration if allowed to penetrate behind siding or brick can saturate the wood of a building structure, thereby creating an environment that encourages mildew or rot.

[0010] A weather resistant barrier has for many years been applied to the wood studs of buildings and homes in order to resist the moisture or water generated by weather. Such material is typically flexible and in a film or sheet form. Typically, this weather resistant barrier or "house wrap" is applied to the wooden stud frame before the application of a final siding or veneer (e.g. brick, metal, painted wood). Many such "wrap" products are commercially available such as, for example: Dupont Tyvek.RTM., Typar.RTM. Housewrap (www.typarhousewrap.com), and Barricade.RTM. building wrap (www.ludlowcp.com).

[0011] The following U.S. patents are possibly relevant, each hereby incorporated herein by reference: TABLE-US-00001 TABLE PATENT DATE DOC. NO. TITLE (MM-DD-YYYY) 4,271,218 Pipe Insulating Jacket 06-02-1981 4,401,104 Thermal Gain Sensor 08-30-1983 4,508,776 Metallised Fabric 04-02-1985 4,537,313 Flexible Insulated Container 08-27-1985 4,657,807 Bright Metalized Fabric and 04-14-1987 Method of Producing such a Fabric 4,668,555 Heat Insulating Body 05-26-1987 4,686,152 Packaging Material 08-11-1987 Comprising Iron Foil, and Container and Container Lid Composed Thereof 4,813,210 Radiation-Sterilized, 03-21-1989 Packaged Medical Device 4,871,597 Light-Weight Multi-Layer 10-03-1989 Insulating Enclosure 4,916,016 Metal or Plastic-Clad 04-10-1990 Polyvinyl Resin Laminates 4,985,106 Insulation Structure for 01-15-1991 Appliances 5,105,970 Freight Container Insulating 04-21-1992 System and Method 5,108,821 Self-Extinguishing Blanket 04-28-1992 enclosed with Plastic Films 5,143,245 Leak-Proof Insulating System 09-01-1992 for Freight Containers 5,324,467 Process for Preparation of 06-28-1994 Oriented Multilayer Laminate Film 5,451,367 Method of Sterilizing the 09-19-1995 Inside Layer in a Packaging Material 5,585,154 Flexible and Non-Water 12-17-1996 Absorbing Insulation System US Metallized heat resistant 03-17-2005 200500587 material with thermal 90 barrier JP6- Aluminum Vapor-Deposited 05-17-1994 134928 Heat-Sealable Resin Film JP- Heat Resistance Container 09-28-1994 08090689 Transfusion Liquid made Composite Film Comprise Polyolefin Film Bond Vapour Deposit Laminate Film Forming Polyester Film Aluminum Oxide Film Modified Polypropylene Layer

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention provides an improved weather resistant barrier or house wrap for enveloping a framed building.

[0013] The present invention provides a flexible wrapping material that includes a sheet of flexible material that is thin enough to be wound upon a roll. The sheet of material is of a multilayer construction that includes a base layer of polymer (e.g. polyester) that is metalized and that has a closed cell foam layer or carbon foam layer or carbonized foam layer adhered to it using a selected layer of adhesive.

[0014] This sheet of flexible material is provided with a matrix of small openings that are preferably spaced over the sheet of material, each opening being for example between about 0.1 and 1.5 millimeters in diameter. The openings are preferably spaced apart a distance of between about 0.25'' and 1.5'' (0.64 and 3.8 cm).

[0015] In the preferred embodiment, the polyester layer is metalized on a surface area of the polyester layer that is next to the adhesive layer.

[0016] In the preferred embodiment, the layer of adhesive is a thermoplastic adhesive layer.

[0017] In the preferred embodiment, the foam layer is a closed cell foam layer. The foam layer for example can be a polyethylene foam layer or a carbon foam layer or a carbonized foam layer.

[0018] The openings are preferably between about 0.3 and 0.7 millimeters in diameter, and preferably about 0.5 millimeters in diameter.

[0019] The layer that is metalized is preferably aluminum.

[0020] The aluminum metalized layer is preferably an aluminum having an optical density of at least about 2.7, and more preferably at least about 4.0.

[0021] The metalized layer preferably has an emissivity of no more than about 0.03.

[0022] The present invention provides a method of wrapping a framed building (i.e. wooden stud frame) that includes at least partially enveloping the studs of the building with a flexible sheet of material, the sheet being a multilayer sheet that includes an inner layer of foam, an outer layer of polyester having inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface being a metalized surface.

[0023] An adhesive layer is placed in between the foam layer and the outer layer of polyester wherein the adhesive layer contacts the metalized surface.

[0024] The method includes perforating the sheet of material and then securing the perforated sheet to the wooden framing (e.g. studs) of the framed building.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

[0029] FIG. 4 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown installed on a wall portion of a building; and

[0030] FIG. 5 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown installed on a roof portion of a building.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] FIGS. 1-5 show the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the number 10 in FIGS. 1-5.

[0032] Flexible house wrap 10 is preferably provided in roll 11 form wherein a web or sheet 12 of material is wound upon the roll 11. The web or sheet 12 has spaced apart generally parallel edges 13, 14 and end portions such as the end 15 shown in FIG. 1.

[0033] The web or sheet of material 12 is preferably perforated generally in a matrix pattern as shown in FIG. 2. The perforations 16 are preferably spaced apart a dimension designated by arrows 17 in FIG. 2. Additionally, a spacing indicated by arrows 18 is provided as a minimal spacing between edge 13, edge 14 or end 15 and a perforation 16 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0034] In FIG. 3, the web or sheet of material 12 is shown in section. The sectional view shown of FIG. 3 reveals a multilayered web or sheet 12. The layers of the web or sheet 12 include an upper layer 19 which is a polymeric layer. The polymeric layer 19 can for example be a polyester layer.

[0035] A metal foil layer 20 is preferably a metalized layer that is applied to the polymeric layer 19. An adhesive 21 layer joins the polymeric metalized layer 19, 20 to a foam layer 22, preferably a closed cell foam such as polyethylene foam.

[0036] The foam layer can be a carbon or carbonized foam layer. Examples of carbon foam or carbonized foam can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,334 entitled "Foam Carbonization and Resulting Foam Structures"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,469 entitled "Method of Making a Carbon Foam Material and Resultant Product"; U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,506 entitled "Process for Making Carbon Foam"; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,183,854 and 6,346,226, each entitled "Method of Making a Reinforced Carbon Foam Material and Related Product," each hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[0037] In FIGS. 4 and 5, a building frame 23 is shown, and particularly wall 24 and roof 25 frame portions. The wall 23 can be formed using wooden studs such as the horizontal 26 beams and the vertical 27 beams in FIG. 4.

[0038] Roof 25 can be formed of a plurality of beams such as the beam 28 that extends horizontally at the apex of the roof 25 and the diagonally extending beams 29.

[0039] In FIG. 4, the web 12 of material can be applied to the outer surface of the wall 24. In FIG. 5, the web 12 of the material is preferably attached to the underside of the beams 28, 29.

[0040] To the extent not inconsistent with information in the present specification, thicknesses of materials, types of materials, and amounts of adhesive can be as in published application no. US 2005/0058790 A1, published 17 Mar. 2005 for "Metallized heat resistant material with thermal barrier", with layer 19 of the present application corresponding to layer 2 of the published application, layer 20 of the present application corresponding to layer 1 of the published application, layer 21 of the present application corresponding to layer 5 of the published application, and layer 22 of the present application corresponding to layer 4 of the published application. Sheeting 12 of the present invention can be made in the manner that metallized heat resistant material 6 is made in the published application.

[0041] The total thickness of the sheeting 12 of the present invention can be, for example, 0.1-1.5 mm, preferably 0.3-1.3 mm, and more preferably 0.8-1.0 mm.

[0042] The optical density is preferably greater than 2.7, more preferably greater than 3.0, even more preferably greater than 3.5, and most preferably greater than 4.0.

[0043] The emissivity is preferably less than 0.06, more preferably less than 0.04, and even more preferably less than 0.03.

[0044] The diameter of the perforations 16 is preferably around 0.1-1.5 mm, more preferably around 0.3-0.7 mm, and even more preferably around 0.4-0.6 mm. The diameter can be, for example, around 0.5 mm.

[0045] The spacing 17 between perforations 16 can be 1/16''-1.5'' (0.16-3.8 cm), preferably 1/8''-1.0'' (0.32-2.5 cm), more preferably 3/16''-7/8'' (0.48-2.2 cm), and for example 1/4'' (0.64 cm).

[0046] The spacing 18 from the closest perforations 16 to edge 13, edge 14 or end 15 of web or sheet 12 can be 0 or it can be 1/16''-1.5'' (0.16-3.8 cm), preferably 1/8''-1.0'' (0.32-2.5 cm), more preferably 3/16''-7/8'' (0.48-2.2 cm), and for example 1/4'' (0.64 cm).

[0047] The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention. TABLE-US-00002 PARTS LIST Part Number Description 10 flexible house wrap 11 roll 12 web or sheet of material 13 edge 14 edge 15 end 16 perforation 17 spacing arrow 18 spacing arrow 19 upper polymeric layer 20 metal foil layer 21 adhesive layer 22 foam layer 23 building frame 24 wall 25 roof 26 horizontal beam 27 vertical beam 28 beam 29 beam

[0048] All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise.

[0049] The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A flexible wrapping material for at least partially enveloping a framed building, comprising: a) a sheet of flexible material that is thin enough to be wound upon a roll and that is a multi layered material having a base layer of polyester that is metalized and that has a closed all foam layer adhered to it with a layer of adhesive; and b) a matrix of small openings spaced over the sheet of material, the openings being between about 0.2 mm and 1.5 mm in diameter and spaced apart a distance of between about 0.25'' and 1.5'' (0.64 and 3.8 cm).

2. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the polyester layer is metalized on a surface area of the polyester layer that is next to the adhesive layer.

3. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the layer of adhesive is a thermoplastic adhesive layer.

4. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the foam layer is a closed cell foam layer.

5. The flexible wrapping material of claim 4 wherein the foam layer is a polyethylene foam layer.

6. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the openings are between about 0.3 and 0.7 millimeters in diameter.

7. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the openings are about 0.5 millimeters in diameter.

8. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the metalized layer is aluminum.

9. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the metalized layer is aluminum having an optical density of at least 2.7.

10. The flexible wrapping material of claim 8 wherein the metal has an emissivity of no more than 0.03.

11. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the foam layer is a carbon foam layer.

12. The flexible wrapping material of claim 1 wherein the foam layer is a carbonized foam layer.

13. A method of wrapping a framed building, comprising the steps of: a) at least partially enveloping the studs of a framed building with a flexible sheet of material, each sheet being a multi-layered sheet that includes: i) an inner layer of foam; ii) an outer layer of polyester having inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface being a metalized surface; iii) an adhesive layer in between the foam layer and the outer layer of polyester wherein the adhesive layer contacts the metalized surface. b) perforating the sheet of step "a"; c) securing the sheet to the studs of the framed building.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein step "a" includes facing the metalized surface away from the studs.

15-24. (canceled)

25. A method of wrapping and at least partially enveloping a framed building, comprising the steps of: a) providing a sheet of flexible material that is thin enough to be wound upon a roll and that is a multi layered material having a base layer of polyester that is metalized and that has a closed all foam layer adhered to it with a layer of adhesive; b) perforating the sheet of material with a matrix of small openings spaced over the sheet of material, the openings being between about 0.1 and 1.5 millimeters in diameter and spaced apart a distance of between 0.25'' and 1.5'' (0.64 and 3.8 cm); and c) at least partially enveloping the framed building with the sheet of flexible material of steps "a" and "b" and before any exterior veneer is applied.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the polyester layer is metalized on a surface area of the polyester layer that is next to the adhesive layer.

27-34. (canceled)

35. A method of wrapping a framed building that has a framed skeleton of building studs, comprising the steps of: a) at least partially enveloping the framed skeleton with a flexible sheet of material, each sheet being a multi-layered sheet that includes: i) an inner layer of foam; ii) an outer layer of polyester having inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface being a metalized surface; iii) an adhesive layer in between the foam layer and outer layer of polyester wherein the adhesive layer contacts the metalized surface. b) perforating the sheet of step "a"; and c) securing the sheet to the studs of the framed skeleton.

36. (canceled)

37. The method of claim 35 wherein in step "a" the sheet has a thickness of between about 0.1 and 1.5 millimeters.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein in step "a" the sheet has a thickness of between about 0.3 and 0.7 millimeters.

39-49. (canceled)