"A Composite Insulation Panel"

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to composite insulation panels of the type comprising inner and outer sheets with a body of insulation therebetween.

Background to the Invention

[0002] Insulation panels are widely known and used extensively, especially for wall and roof panels in buildings.

[0003] A building cladding is built up by interengaging a plurality of the panels and mounting the panels to an underlying support, which is typically part of a building structure, for example a building element or framework. There are several important steps which are required to be performed on site to fit the panels.

[0004] Various seals are described in patent publications GB 2,488,040; US 6,474,654; GB1 , 167,936; US 4,589,240; US 4,394,026; GB 2,065,744.

[0005] There is a need to simplify the steps that must be performed on site when installing such panels. Furthermore there is a need to reliably weather-proof

interengaged panels.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to the invention there is provided a manufactured composite insulating panel comprising:-

(i) an external sheet having an outer face and an inner face; (ii) an internal sheet having an outer face and an inner face;

(iii) an insulating body between the inner face of the external sheet and the inner face of the internal sheet,

the external sheet having a portion that extends beyond the internal sheet and the insulating body to define an overlap part for overlapping with part of an adjacent panel, on assembly; and

(iv) a seal applied to the inner face of the overlap part of the external sheet.

[0007] The seal comprises at least one strip formed by a compressible gasket which is attached to the inner face of the overlap part. The compressible gasket has a planar base for attaching to the inner face of the overlap part, and a hollow compressible bead is integrally formed on the base. [0008] It has been found that such seals, which are in gasket form, are easier to apply than a wet bead of curable material that cures to form a sealing bead. It has been found that a seal according to the invention provides adequate weather-proofing between panels, so that in particular there are no leaks from rain water. Furthermore the construction of the gasket is important, for example having the hollow bead, because a reliable seal is not suitable if it does not allow for intimate mating of interconnected panels. For example it is desirable that where a seal is applied between interconnecting panels that the seal is sufficiently compressible to allow the overlapping parts to mate without any gap caused by the bulk of the seal.

[0009] Desirably the planar base is wider, in cross-sectional profile, than the hollow compressible bead. This gives a good surface area for mating to a panel and thus for example allows for good adhesion of the strip to the panel. In this respect suitably the planar base is at least 30%, for example at least 40%, such as at least 50% wider, in cross-sectional profile, than the hollow compressible bead. This allows for good adhesion but avoids too much bulk in the bead.

[0010] A desired compressibility may be achieved by providing a compressible bead that is hollow across at least 20%, for example at least 25% of the overall cross- sectional area of the strip. For example the hollow may occupy from about 29 to about 30 % the overall cross-sectional area of the strip.

[0011] The compressible gasket may be formed from a compressible cellular material such as a compressible closed cell material, such as a foam material. For example the compressible gasket may be formed from an elastomeric material such as a synthetic rubber, for example an EPDM material.

[0012] Desirably the compressible gasket is substantially p-shaped in cross-sectional profile. The (planar) base of the gasket corresponds to the leg of the p-shape and the bead corresponds to the remaining (curved) part of the p-shape. The eye of the p- shape corresponds to the hollow part of the bead. This shape has been found to provide good and reliable sealing while still allowing close mating of interconnected panels.

[0013] Typically the strip is adapted to fixedly bond to the inner face of the overlap part, on application, and to provide an outer exposed surface for releasably sealing to an adjacent panel on assembly on site. This simplifies construction as the seal does not have to be applied on-site.

[0014] For example the gasket may be carried by a double-sided adhesive tape. One side of the tape adheres to the gasket so the gasket is carried on the tape. The tape thus forms a carrier for the gasket. The other side of the tape may be protected by a peel-away backing such as a release paper. Desirably the peel-away backing acts as a common carrier for a plurality of strips for example at least two, such as at least three strips.

[0015] It will be appreciated that the double-sided tapes will substantially correspond in width to the width of the planar base of the gasket. This means that each gasket may be carried on its own double sided tape and any respective assemblies of gasket on tape may then in turn carried on a common carrier.

[0016] Suitably the adhesive on (each side of) the double sided tape is a pressure sensitive adhesive. Desirably it is an acrylic adhesive, more particularly a modified acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive. One suitable product is that sold under the brand name NittoTM for example product no 5015E (c.f. www.nitto.com).

[0017] The overlap part can be an end overlap part.

[0018] The seal may be applied as a strip that extends across the inner face of the end overlap part. A seal may be provided by a plurality of substantially parallel and spaced apart strips which extend across the inner face of the end overlap part. Multiple seals provide greater weather proofing and act as a failsafe in case for any reason another seal fails. For example there may be at least three substantially parallel and spaced apart strips.

[0019] The external sheet may have a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs. For example it may behave a corrugated profile.

[0020] The insulating body may be a foam, for example a polyisocyanurate foam material, or a phenolic foam material.

[0021] The invention extends to a panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

[0022] The invention also relates to a roof assembly comprising a plurality of manufactured panels of the invention.

[0023] Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing a composite insulated panel comprising the steps of:-

(i) providing an insulation panel comprising an external sheet, an

internal sheet and an insulating body between the external sheet and the internal sheet the external sheet having an overlap part; and applying a seal to the inner face of the overlap part of the external sheet wherein the seal comprises at least one strip formed by a compressible gasket which is attached to the inner face of the overlap part, the compressible gasket having a planar base for attaching to the inner face of the overlap part, and a hollow compressible bead integrally formed on the base.

[0024] The strip may be adapted to fixedly bond to the inner face of the overlap part, on application, and the strip can be carried on a release substrate before application.

[0025] Desirably a plurality of strips are adapted to fixedly bond to the inner face of the overlap part, on application, and suitably the plurality of strips are carried on a common release substrate before application. This means that the strips can be provided in a predetermined arrangement on the common carrier and that arrangement is maintained on transfer to the panel.

[0026] The invention extends to a method for manufacturing a composite insulated panel substantially as hereinbefore described.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only, in which: -

[0028] Fig. 1 is a perspective, partially cross sectional view of a manufactured insulating panel of the invention;

[0029] Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of a seal of the invention in the form of a strip forming a gasket;

[0030] Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the panel of Fig. 1 ;

[0031] Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view showing a side overlap between adjacent like panels; and

[0032] Fig. 5 is a cross sectional partially cut-away view showing an end overlap between adjacent like panels.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

[0033] Referring to the drawings (Figs. 1 to 5) there is illustrated an insulating panel 1 according to the invention comprising a first or external sheet 4, a second or inner sheet 2 with an insulating body, in this case an insulating foam 5 therebetween. The external sheet 4 has inner and outer faces and the inner sheet 2 also has internal and external faces. The foam 5 extends between the inner face of the external sheet 4 and the inner face of the internal or liner sheet 2. The foam 5 may, for example, be a polyisocyanurate foam or a phenolic foam. In this case the panel 1 is a roof panel 1 comprising a profiled external sheet 4 which is typically of metal, such as galvanised steel. The inner metal liner sheet 2 may be of any suitable material including painted galvanised steel. [0034] The external sheet 4 is profiled and in this case the profile comprises a plurality of projections, in this case comprising elongate crowns 10 which extend longitudinally along the length of the external sheet 4. The crowns 10 in this case are of generally trapezoidal form. The external and/or internal sheets may have a plurality of elongate strengthening ribs which extend longitudinally along the length of the external sheet 2.

[0035] The external sheet 4 has overlap parts for overlapping with parts of adjacent panels, on assembly. In this case there are both end overlap features and side overlap features. The side overlap features in this case comprise a side underlap crown 1 1 on one side of the external sheet 4 and a side overlap crown 12 on the opposite side of the panel. In use, like panels are overlapped by overlapping the overlap crown 12 of one panel with the underlap crown 1 1 of an adjacent panel as illustrated in Fig. 4. Stitching screws 17 are used to secure the overlapped panels together on-site.

[0036] The end overlap features also comprise an end underlap portion 15 and an end overlap portion 16 for end lapping of adjacent like panels. The external sheet 4 has portions that extend beyond the internal sheet 2 and the foam core 5 to define the side overlap part 12 and the end overlap part 16 for overlapping with corresponding underlap parts 1 1 , 15 of adjacent panels, on assembly. The end overlap is illustrated in Fig. 5. Stitching screws 18 are used to secure the overlapped panels together on-site. Main panel fixing screws 19 are used to fasten the overlapped panels to an underlying support which in this case comprises a purlin 20.

[0037] A side seal comprising a strip gasket 21 which in the embodiment is a strip gasket of the type shown in Fig. 2 is factory applied to the inner face of the side underlap part 12 of the external sheet 4 along the length of the sheet 4. This greatly simplifies the installation process as a site worker does not have to apply a seal from an applicator as the panels are being laid to form a roof. The system also improves site safety as there is less work to be carried out at roof level. Further, as the seal is applied in the factory it is assured that the correct seal is in place at the correct location on the panel to further assure weather tightness at the side joint between adjacent overlapped panels.

[0038] Advantageously, the seal is of a material which is adapted to fixedly bond to the inner face of the overlap part, on application.

[0039] Fig. 2 shows a strip gasket 50 which is a suitable seal for use with the present invention. It can be used as a side seal (c.f. item 21 above) or an end seal (see items 22 below). It has a planar base 51 and an (upstanding) hollow bead 52 which has a longitudinally extending bore or hollow 53 defined therein. It will be noted that in the embodiment the (cross-sectional) width X of the planar base 51 is approximately 50% wider than the corresponding (cross-sectional) width Y of the bead 52. The (cross- sectional) width of the hollow or bore Z is greater than 50% of that of the width Y of the bead 52. So a substantial volume of the bead 52, typically about 30% is taken up with a hollow/void. This makes the bead 52 very compressible yet it still provides an adequate seal.

[0040] In the embodiment the strip gasket 50 is substantially p-shaped in cross- sectional profile. The present inventor(s) have found that such a shape allows for good fixture to the panel (utilising the planar base 51 ) but also good compressibility of the bead 52 so that the panels can intimately mate without any gap therebetween.

[0041] The strip gasket 50 is carried on a double-sided adhesive tape substrate 55. Desirably the adhesive utilised on either side of the tape 55 is a pressure sensitive modified acrylic adhesive. A release substrate in the form of a peel-away backing 56 is provided on the tape 55. It is removed before application. A release substrate for the tape can be used to as a common carrier, for example for two, or three strip gaskets 22. This means a plurality of gaskets can be applied in one action. This is not only an efficiency but ensures proper mounting of the strip gaskets 22 on the panel 1 , for example in a desired substantially parallel and spaced apart arrangement as shown in Figure 1.

[0042] An end seal comprising a plurality of strip gaskets 22 of a sealant material are factory applied to the inner face of the side underlap part 12 of the external sheet 4 across substantially the width of the panel. This greatly simplifies the installation process as a site worker does not have to apply end seals from an applicator as the panels are being laid to form a roof. The new system improves site safety as there is less work to be carried out at roof level. Further, as the end seals are applied in the factory it is assured that the correct seals are in place at the correct location on the panel to further assure weather tightness at the end joint between adjacent overlapped panels. This feature provides for enhanced sealing and facilitates efficient application of the seals in the factory.

[0043] Composite panels may be manufactured by a continuous process as described in our GB2309412 A and GB2402101 A, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

[0044] The panels are manufactured with the outer face of the external sheet 2 lowermost. Liquid foam reactants are laid down onto the inner face of the external sheet 4 and the inner liner sheet 2 is positioned over the foam. The sandwich thus formed is then led through an oven in which the foam expands. [0045] The panels may be used to construct part of or all of a building envelope including part or all of one or more of the roof, walls and floor.

[0046] Modifications and additions can be made to the embodiments of the invention described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, while the embodiments described herein refer to particular features, the invention includes embodiments having different combinations of features. The invention also includes embodiments that do not include all of the specific features described. Many variations on the embodiments described will be readily apparent. Accordingly the invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in detail.

[0047] The words "comprises/comprising" and the words "having/including" when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0048] It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.