U.S. patent application number 15/199281 was filed with the patent office on 2017-01-05 for folded foam sheathing with starter strip.
The applicant listed for this patent is Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC. Invention is credited to Matthew Gawryla, Neil Robert Hettler.
Application Number | 20170002561 15/199281 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57591004 |
Filed Date | 2017-01-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170002561 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hettler; Neil Robert ; et
al. |
January 5, 2017 |
FOLDED FOAM SHEATHING WITH STARTER STRIP
Abstract
An exemplary foam insulation board includes a plurality of
insulation panels hingeably connected by hinged portions. The foam
insulation board has a folded configuration and an unfolded
configuration. The hinged portions allow the insulation panels to
fold flat against each other in the folded configuration. The
plurality of insulation panels includes a first insulation panel
and a plurality of additional insulation panels, one of which is an
adjacent insulation panel adjacent to the first insulation panel.
The first insulation panel also includes a starter portion that
extends beyond at least the adjacent insulation panel of the
additional panels.
Inventors: |
Hettler; Neil Robert;
(Granville, OH) ; Gawryla; Matthew; (Chagrin
Falls, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC |
Toledo |
OH |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57591004 |
Appl. No.: |
15/199281 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62186451 |
Jun 30, 2015 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04C 2/284 20130101;
E04C 2/405 20130101; E04C 2/328 20130101; E04B 1/80 20130101; E04C
2/205 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/80 20060101
E04B001/80; E04C 2/20 20060101 E04C002/20; E04C 2/40 20060101
E04C002/40; E04B 1/76 20060101 E04B001/76 |
Claims
1. A foam insulation board comprising: a plurality of insulation
panels hingeably connected by a plurality of hinged portions; a
first insulation panel of the plurality of insulation panels; a
starter portion of the first insulation panel; a plurality of
additional insulation panels including an adjacent insulation panel
adjacent to the first insulation panel; wherein the foam insulation
board has an unfolded and folded configuration; wherein the hinged
portions allow the plurality of insulation panels to fold flat
against each other when the foam insulation board is in the folded
configuration; and wherein the starter portion of the first
insulation panel extends beyond at least the adjacent insulation
panel of the plurality of additional insulation panels.
2. The foam insulation board of claim 1, wherein the foam
insulation board is 4 feet by 8 feet in the unfolded
configuration.
3. The foam insulation board of claim 1, wherein the foam
insulation board comprises two additional insulation panels.
4. The foam insulation board of claim 3, wherein the first
insulation panel is 18 inches wide and the additional insulation
panels are 15 inches wide.
5. The foam insulation board of claim 1, wherein the plurality of
insulation panels are joined by tongue and groove joints when the
foam insulation board is in the unfolded configuration.
6. The foam insulation board of claim 1, further comprising at
least one retention portion that prevents the insulation panels
from unfolding.
7. The foam insulation board of claim 6, wherein the at least one
retention portion comprises an adhesive applied to at least one
face of each insulation panel.
8. The foam insulation board of claim 1, further comprising at
least one retention member that retains the foam insulation board
in the folded configuration.
9. The foam insulation board of claim 1, wherein at least one of
the hinged portions is perpendicular to the remaining hinged
portions.
10. A method of installing a foam insulation board comprising:
providing a foam insulation board comprising: a plurality of
insulation panels hingeably connected by a plurality of parallel
hinged portions; a first insulation panel of the plurality of
insulation panels; a starter portion of the first insulation panel;
a plurality of additional insulation panels including an adjacent
insulation panel adjacent to the first insulation panel; wherein
the foam insulation board has an unfolded and folded configuration;
wherein the hinged portions allow the plurality of insulation
panels to fold flat against each other when the foam insulation
board is in the folded configuration; and wherein the starter
portion of the first insulation panel extends beyond at least the
adjacent insulation panel of the plurality of additional insulation
panels. securing the starter portion of the foam insulation board
to at least a portion of a surface when the foam insulation board
is in the folded configuration; unfolding the foam insulation board
into the unfolded configuration; and securing the foam insulation
board to the surface.
11. The method of installing a foam insulation board of claim 10,
wherein the foam insulation board is 4 feet by 8 feet in the
unfolded configuration.
12. The method of installing a foam insulation board of claim 10,
wherein the foam insulation board comprises two additional
insulation panels.
13. The foam insulation board of claim 12, wherein the first
insulation panel is 18 inches wide and the additional insulation
panels are 15 inches wide.
14. The method of installing a foam insulation board of claim 10,
wherein the plurality of insulation panels are joined by tongue and
groove joints when the foam insulation board is in the unfolded
configuration.
15. The method of installing a foam insulation board of claim 10,
further comprising at least one retention portion that prevents the
insulation panels from unfolding.
16. The foam insulation board of claim 15, wherein the at least one
retention portion comprises an adhesive applied to at least one
face of each insulation panel.
17. The method of installing a foam insulation board of claim 10,
further comprising at least one retention member that retains the
foam insulation board in the folded configuration.
18. The method of installing a foam insulation board of claim 10,
wherein at least one of the hinged portions is perpendicular to the
remaining hinged portions.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 62/186,451, filed on Jun. 30, 2015, titled
FOLDED FOAM SHEATHING WITH STARTER STRIP, the entire disclosure of
which is incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to foam insulation
boards, such as foam insulation boards for installation in a
residential structure.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In constructing a building, and in particular a residential
building like a house, a relatively thin panel board is commonly
used to cover the structural framework of exterior walls. The board
is typically fabricated from a low-cost, lightweight material
having enhanced insulating properties, such as, for example,
extruded or expanded polystyrene, polyisocyanurate, or polyurethane
foam. Usually, the boards are sized for use in conjunction with
conventional frame selections (that is, frames with wooden studs on
16 inch or 24 inch centers). The boards may also have varying
thickness and compositions, depending on, among other
considerations, the desired resistance to heat flow.
[0004] In some applications, an air and water or moisture barrier
is provided between the interior and the exterior of the building.
Generally, the barrier system is configured to "seal" the entire
structure. This air and moisture barrier may be achieved using a
layer of a plastic sheet known as a water resistive barrier in
conjunction with the boards. In the alternative, the air and
moisture barrier may also be achieved by affixing an adhesive
carrier such as tape over the joints where the boards abut one
another.
SUMMARY
[0005] Exemplary embodiments of foam insulation board and methods
of installing the same are disclosed herein.
[0006] In one exemplary embodiment, a foam insulation board
comprises a plurality of insulation panels hingeably connected by
hinged portions. The foam insulation board has a folded
configuration and an unfolded configuration. The hinged portions
allow the insulation panels to fold flat against each other in the
folded configuration. The plurality of insulation panels includes a
first insulation panel and a plurality of additional insulation
panels, one of which is an adjacent insulation panel adjacent to
the first insulation panel. The first insulation panel also
includes a starter portion that extends beyond at least the
adjacent insulation panel of the additional panels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become better understood with regard to the
following description and accompanying drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary foam
insulation board in a folded configuration;
[0009] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the foam insulation board
of FIG. 1A in a partially unfolded configuration;
[0010] FIG. 1C is an isometric view of the foam insulation board of
FIG. 1A in an unfolded configuration;
[0011] FIG. 2A is an end view of an exemplary foam insulation
board;
[0012] FIG. 2B is an end view of an exemplary foam insulation
board;
[0013] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are perspective views of the steps of
an exemplary method for installing an exemplary foam insulation
board;
[0014] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an exemplary foam
insulation board in a folded configuration;
[0015] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the foam insulation board
of FIG. 4A in a partially unfolded configuration;
[0016] FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the foam insulation board
of FIG. 4A in an intermediate unfolded configuration;
[0017] FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the foam insulation board
of FIG. 4A in a partially unfolded configuration; and
[0018] FIG. 4E is a perspective view of the foam insulation board
of FIG. 4A in an unfolded configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a
foam insulation board 100. The foam insulation board 100 is a
rectangular board that can be folded at substantially parallel
hinged portions into a folded configuration (FIG. 1A) and an
unfolded configuration (FIG. 1C). In the unfolded configuration,
the insulation board 100 may be about 4 feet wide by 8 feet high or
about 4 feet wide by 9 feet high. The width (W) and height (H) of
the panel may be varied to suit different wall heights and widths.
The foam insulation board 100 comprises three hingeably connected
panels: a first panel 102, a second panel 104, and a third panel
106. While three panels are shown, additional panels may be
included. For example, the board may have a similar overall width
but be divided into more than three panels, each panel having a
reduced width as compared to the first, second, and third panels
102, 104, 106. Alternatively, the overall width of the unfolded
board may be increased by adding additional panels, for example,
additional panels that are attached to board 100 adjacently to the
third panel 106 or between the second and third panels 104,
106.
[0020] The thickness (T) of the board 100 can vary depending on the
desired insulation properties. For example, the board may be about
0.5 inch thick, about 0.75 inch thick, or about 1 inch thick. In
some exemplary embodiments, the foam insulation board 100 is a
polystyrene foam board, such as an extruded polystyrene foam board
or an expanded polystyrene foam board. The board 100 may also
include an air barrier, an air and moisture barrier, and/or an air
barrier and moisture retarder on one or both sides. Air and
moisture barriers prevent air or moisture from passing through the
panels, while a moisture retarder allows moisture to pass through
the panel to prevent moisture build-up. These elements of an
exemplary board may be selected by a building designer for various
reasons, such as, for example, to improve the efficiency of a
heating and air conditioning systems installed in the building.
[0021] The panels 102, 104, 106 are hingeably connected by first
and second hinged portions 110, 112. The first and second panels
102, 104 are hingeably connected by the first hinged portion 110,
and the second and third panels 104, 106 are hingeably connected by
the second hinge portion 112. The board 100 is unfolded from the
folded configuration in one motion during which the second and
third panels 104, 106 are unfolded from the first panel 102 along
the first hinged portion 110 while simultaneously being unfolded
from each other along the second hinged portion 112 to be laid flat
in the same plane as the first panel 102. FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C
illustrate the unfolding of the insulation board 100 with an
intermediate step shown in FIG. 1B to more clearly indicate how the
board 100 may appear during the unfolding process.
[0022] In the folded configuration, the first panel 102 extends
beyond the second and third panels 104, 106 to form an optional
starter portion 120. The starter portion 120 is exposed when board
is in the folded configuration to allow an installer to begin
installation of the board without unfolding the board. In the
folded configuration, the panels 102, 104, 106 lay flat in a
stacked configuration, one on top of the other, as shown in FIG.
1A, to reduce the overall size of the foam board 100. The reduced
size of the folded board 100 improves transportation to the job
site and handling during installation as compared to a full size
board that cannot be folded.
[0023] In the illustrated embodiment, the first panel 102 is wider
than the second and third panels 104, 106 to provide for the
starter portion 120 and the second and third panels 104, 106 are
approximately equal in width. For example, in a board 100 that is 4
feet (48 inches) wide, the first panel 102 may be 18 inches wide
while the second and third panels 104, 106 may be 15 inches wide,
allowing for a 3 inch wide starter portion 120. In additional
embodiments, however, the second and third panels 104, 106 may have
different widths than one another, with the first panel 102 being
wider than each of the second and third panels 104, 106 to provide
for the starter portion 120.
[0024] The first and second hinged portions 110, 112 can be any
kind of hinge that allows the panels 102, 104, 106 to lay flat in a
stacked configuration, one on top of the other, as shown in FIG.
1A, when the board is in the folded configuration. For example, the
panels may be separate parts that are joined with adhesive tape
(not shown) or a hinge member (not shown). The hinge portions 110,
112 may also be formed by cutting nearly through one side of the
foam insulation board 100, leaving a portion near the surface of
the board 100 to operate as a hinge portion 110, 112. The hinge
portions 110, 112 may also be bidirectional or unidirectional. That
is, the hinge portions 110, 112 may allow the panels 102, 104, 106
to fold in both directions or only in one direction to lay flat
upon one another in a stacked configuration. The hinge portions
110, 112 may act as an air barrier, sealing the panels 102, 104,
106 together.
[0025] In some embodiments, retaining portions (not shown) may be
included on the surface of the panels 102, 104, 106 to prevent the
panels 102, 104, 106 of the board 100 from unfolding until desired.
The retaining portions are easily released, however, when the
panels 102, 104, 106 are intentionally unfolded for installation of
the board 100. In some embodiments, the retaining portions are
released by applying force to unfold the panels 102, 104, 106. In
some other embodiments, a releasing member (not shown) may be used
to release the releasing portions and allow the board 100 to be
unfolded. In these embodiments, the retaining portions may be
located anywhere the panels 102, 104, 106 contact each other. The
retaining portions can be any kind of retaining portion, such as,
for example, non-permanent adhesive or other tacky substance,
double-sided tape, hook and loop fastener, a mechanical latch, or
the like.
[0026] In various embodiments, a retaining member (not shown) is
secured to the exterior of the board 100 in the folded
configuration. The retaining member is then untied, cut, or
otherwise removed to allow the board 100 to be unfolded. The
external retaining member may comprise one or more straps that wrap
around the entire folded board 100, or may comprise one or more
straps that connect any combination of the panels 102, 104, 106. In
other various embodiments, the retaining members may be fasteners
that penetrate the panels 102, 104, 106 to prevent the board 100
from unfolding. If a penetrating retaining member (not shown) is
used, however, the resulting hole may require patching to maintain
the insulation performance of the board 100.
[0027] FIGS. 2A and 2B show an end view of the insulation board 100
in the folded configuration. Each panel 102, 104, 106 has a first
end 210 and a second end 212. When the board is unfolded into the
unfolded configuration, the first end 210 of one panel interfaces
with the second end 212 of an adjacent panel. As can be seen in
FIG. 2A, the first and second ends 210, 212 of the panels 102, 104,
106 are flat and form a butt joint when the board 100 is unfolded.
In other embodiments, as seen in FIG. 2B, the first end 210
comprises a tongue portion and the second end 212 comprises a
groove portion, thereby forming a tongue and groove joint when the
board 100 is unfolded. While the tongue and groove of the first end
210 and second end 212 in FIG. 2B are shown with a square shaped
profile, any shape profile may be used, such as, for example, a
triangular profile, a trapezoidal profile, a round profile, or the
like. The ends 210, 212 do not have to be square and in some
embodiments allow the board 100 to include a corner portion (not
shown) when unfolded.
[0028] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate the steps to affix an
exemplary foam insulation board 100 to a framed wall 300 typical of
a residential structure. The framed wall 300 is comprised of a
plurality of framing members. In particular, vertical studs 302,
304, 306 are affixed to a bottom plate 310 and top plate 312. The
studs are typically spaced approximately 16 inches apart on center.
While a common wood frame wall is shown, the board 100 may be
installed on any kind of interior or exterior wall of a structure
if so desired by the builder or owner of the structure.
[0029] To install the foam insulation board 100, the installer
holds the folded board 100 against the studs and secures the
starter portion 120 of the first panel 102 to the wall using one or
more fasteners (not shown). At this point, the board 100 is secured
to the wall 300 and the installer can safely release the board 100
without risking damage or injury. In an embodiment of the board 100
including retention portions, such as adhesive portions, between
the first, second, and third panels 102, 104, 106, safety of the
installation procedure is further improved because the second and
third panels 104, 106 are prevented from swinging out from the wall
300 after the starter portion 120 has been secured to the wall
300.
[0030] The installer continues installation by unfolding the board
100 until the second panel 104 and third panel 106 are flat against
the wall 300. Additional fasteners are then used to secure the
board 100 to the wall. The fasteners can be any kind of fasteners,
such as, for example, nails, screws, adhesive, rivets, staples, or
the like. The fasteners should be selected such that they securely
affix the board 100 to the wall 300 without damaging the board 100.
A combination of fasteners may also be used. For example, the board
100 may be glued to the wall 300 during installation and then
further secured with nails.
[0031] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E illustrate an exemplary
embodiment of a foam insulation board 400. The foam insulation
board 400 is a rectangular board that can be folded at
substantially perpendicular hinged portions into a folded
configuration (FIG. 4A) and an unfolded configuration (FIG. 4E).
The foam insulation board 400 comprises four hingeably connected
panels: a first panel 402, a second panel 404, a third panel 406,
and a fourth panel 408. While four panels are shown, additional
panels may be included. For example, the board may have a similar
overall width but be divided into more than four panels, each panel
having a reduced width or height as compared to the first, second,
third, and fourth panels 402, 404, 406, 408. Alternatively, the
overall width of the unfolded board may be increased by adding
additional panels between, for example, the first and second panels
402, 404 and the third and fourth panels, 406, 408, or attached to
the board 400 adjacently to second panel 404 and fourth panel
408.
[0032] The thickness of the foam insulation board 400 can vary
depending on the desired insulation properties. For example, the
board may be about 0.5 inch thick, about 0.75 inch thick, or about
1 inch thick. In some exemplary embodiments, the foam insulation
board 400 is a polystyrene foam board, such as an extruded
polystyrene foam board or an expanded polystyrene foam board. The
board 400 may also include a moisture vapor barrier on one or both
sides.
[0033] The panels 402, 404, 406, 408 are hingeably connected by
first, second, and third hinged portions 410, 412, 414. The first
panel 402 and second panel 404 are hingeably connected by the
second hinged portion 412. The second panel 404 and the third panel
406 are connected by the first hinged portion 410. The third panel
406 and fourth panel 408 are connected by the third hinged portion
414. The second and third hinged portions 412, 414 are
substantially aligned, while the first hinged portion 410 is
substantially perpendicular to the second and third hinged portions
412, 414. The addition of a perpendicular hinged portion allows the
insulation board 400 to be folded in two different directions,
thereby further reducing the length and width of the folded
configuration of the board 400 to allow for transportation in
smaller vehicles or insertion through smaller openings in a
building prior to installation.
[0034] In the folded configuration, the first panel 402 and fourth
panel 408 extend beyond the second and third panels 404, 406 to
form first and second starter portions 420, 422. Because the board
400 is folded in two directions, however, the starter portions 420,
422 may obstruct each other when the board 400 is fully folded.
Thus, depending on the fastener used, an installer may need to
partially unfold the board 400 to secure one of the starter
portions 420, 422 to a wall. Alternatively, the first and fourth
panels 402, 408 may fold in different directions along the second
and third hinged portions 412, 412 so that the first starter
portion 420 extends from a different side of the folded foam
insulation board than the second starter portion 422.
[0035] The first and fourth panels 402, 408 are wider than the
second and third panels 404, 406 to provide for the starter
portions 420, 422. The first and fourth panels 402, 408 are
approximately equal in width, and the second and third panels 404,
406 are approximately equal in width. For example, in an insulation
board 400 that is 4 feet (48 inches) wide, the first and fourth
panels 402, 408 may be 26 inches wide while the second and third
panels 404, 406 may be 22 inches wide, allowing for a 4 inch wide
starter portion 420.
[0036] The insulation board 400 is unfolded by first unfolding the
first and second panels 402, 404 from the second and third panels
406, 408 along the first hinged portion 410 until the first panel
402 is aligned with the fourth panel 408 and the second panel 404
is aligned with the third panel 406. In this intermediate unfolded
configuration the first and second starter portions 420, 422 are
easily accessible by an installer. The second and third panels 404,
406 are then unfolded from the first and fourth panels 402, 408
along the second and third hinged portions 412, 414 until they lie
flat and are aligned with the first and fourth panels 402, 408 in
the unfolded configuration. Like the foam insulation board 100
discussed above, the foam insulation board 400 with four panels may
also be secured in the folded configuration by retention portions
(not shown) or retaining members (not shown).
[0037] The hinged portions 410, 412, 414 can be any kind of hinge
that allows the panels 402, 404, 406, 408 to lay flat in the
stacked configuration, one on top of the other, as illustrated in
FIG. 4A when the board 400 is in the folded configuration. For
example, the panels may be separate parts that are joined with
adhesive tape (not shown) or a hinge member (not shown). The hinge
portions 410, 412, 414 may also be formed by cutting nearly through
one side of the foam insulation board 400, leaving a portion near
the surface of the board 400 to operate as a hinge portion 410,
412, 414. The hinge portions 410, 412, 414 may also be
bidirectional or unidirectional. That is, the hinge portions 410,
412, 414 may allow the panels 402, 404, 406, 408 to fold in both
directions or only in one direction to lay flat upon one another in
a stacked configuration.
[0038] The foam insulation board 400 is installed similar to the
foam insulation board 100 shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C. The
starter portion 400 is first secured to a wall, and then the board
400 is unfolded and the remaining panels are secured to the wall.
As with the foam insulation board 100, any kind of suitable
fastener may be used to secure the insulation foam board 400 to a
wall.
[0039] While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of
the disclosures may be described and illustrated herein as embodied
in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects,
concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments,
either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations
thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and
sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present
application. Still further, while various alternative embodiments
as to the various aspects, concepts and features of the
disclosures--such as alternative materials, structures,
configurations, methods, devices and components, alternatives as to
form, fit and function, and so on--may be described herein, such
descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list
of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or
later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or
more of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional
embodiments and uses within the scope of the present application
even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein.
Additionally, even though some features, concepts or aspects of the
disclosures may be described herein as being a preferred
arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest
that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so
stated. Still further, exemplary or representative values and
ranges may be included to assist in understanding the present
application, however, such values and ranges are not to be
construed in a limiting sense and are intended to be critical
values or ranges only if so expressly stated. Moreover, while
various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified
herein as being inventive or forming part of an disclosure, such
identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there
may be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully
described herein without being expressly identified as such or as
part of a specific disclosure, the disclosures instead being set
forth in the appended claims. Descriptions of exemplary methods or
processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being
required in all cases, nor is the order that the steps are
presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly
so stated. The words used in the claims have their full ordinary
meanings and are not limited in any way by the description of the
embodiments in the specification.
[0040] As described herein, when one or more components are
described as being connected, joined, affixed, coupled, attached,
or otherwise interconnected, such interconnection may be direct as
between the components or may be in direct such as through the use
of one or more intermediary components. Also as described herein,
reference to a "member," "component," or "portion" shall not be
limited to a single structural member, component, or element but
can include an assembly of components, members or elements. Also as
described herein, the terms "substantially" and "about" are defined
as at least close to (and includes) a given value or state
(preferably within 10% of, more preferably within 1% of, and most
preferably within 0.1% of).
* * * * *