A CELLULOSE -BASED INSULATION AND/OR FILLING MATERIAL IN

ELASTIC STRUCTURE AND METHOD WITH REGARD TO THE MANUFACTURING OF THIS MATERIAL

The Related Art

The invention relates to a composition for insulation purpose in automotive, train, airplane, ship, white appliances and construction sector (sound, heat, fire); obtained from cellulose or paper used as filling material in furniture and bed industry.

The invention relates in particular to insulation and/or filling material that can be produced via decomposition of cellulose and/or breaking into pieces by inter mixing binding agents into it, in form of board, blanket or roll form depending on the pressure applied and the structure of the binding agents used.

The Prior Art

Today, materials used as insulation and/or filling material are obtained via turning cellulose or papers into fiber form by breaking into pieces and blending such fiber with boron salts. Fibers mixed with boron salts are made readily available for transportion to the location where application is to be made via being pressed or packaged without pressing.

Filling and/or insulation material obtained this way is applied with three different methods:

- Application via spraying method: Packaged fibers are opened and thrown into spraying machine in a way that the machine is fed continuously. The machine lightly wets these fibers with binders such as sodium silicate (water glass) or wheat starch and applies to the surface where application is to be made via spraying method.

- Filling cavities with loose fiber: By pouring unpacked packaged fibers into cavities that are required to be filled, said cavities are filled. When fibers have been packaged by being pressed, these fibers need to be opened by means of a willow.

- Making fiber into plate (board) via mould pressing method: After cellulose or papers have been made into fiber form, they are cast into mould after being mixed with binders such as sodium silicate (water glass) or wheat starch. Afterwards, end product is obtained in form of board, plate by being squeezed with press. However, the material obtained with this method has a structure which is stiff and not flexible. Most important factor that adds elasticity to the material is the binder used. In the prior art, the applications are carried out generally by using spraying method. However, the fact that this method can be used only by people or companies having spraying machine urges end users to work with teams having spraying machines. Even if spraying process is performed by a machine, the nozzle through which material is sprayed is under control of an employee. Therefore, a rapid and serial production can not be made, at the same time a successful result can not be achieved either since material can not be applied evenly and orderly during application of spraying.

Cellulose or paper fiber is a voluminous material. Therefore, most of the time, it is necessary to make shipments between the point of application and the location where fiber is manufactured or sold. Because of such workload, labour costs of the applications via spraying method is immense.

Even if desired form is obtained via the mould pressing method which is another method used in the prior art, the material becomes a hard and solid form because of the binders in itself. This on the other hand leads to emergence of a fragile structure. In addition to this, as manufacture via mould pressing method is too slow, production cost is high. Due to method of application and transportion, it is not demanded by wide masses at domestic and foreign market. During application, although cellulose and paper fibers scattered across the area where application is made lead to pollution, a far greater loss occurs due to such material dispersed. The workers carrying out the application and tools and equipment, machinery and people in the area are exposed to cellulose powders. A different material can not be constructed by use of material in form of board obtained via mould pressing method. For example; exterior surfaces of the ready split panels available on the market are coated with laminate, plaster board or similar products. In the centre part, on the other hand, insulation material is found in form of infilled board. With existing product, an application in this way can not be made. Apart form that, in the ceiling and frames of automobiles, side panel and insulation of coaches and train wagons, insulation material formed via press is found. With existing product, it is quite difficult to obtain a product of this type.

To prevent such drawbacks, developments have been made in the prior art. Inventions numbered TR200809759, TR200707398 and TR200702172 can be given as examples of developments made in the literature. In the Abstract section of the published patent application numbered TR200809759, titled "A construction material and its application", it is disclosed that the invention relates to a coating material for water, heat and sound insulation in buildings, comprising load-bearing fiber preferably derived from recycled plastic and/or derivatives in order to construct static load-bearing structure of the coating material, acrylic copolymer consisting of a mixture of different acrylics composing binding structure of said coating material, acrylic copolymer composing the said coating material, acrylic copolymer which is not decomposed or go into hydration with cellulose, water and water steam in order to provide emulsification of other additives such as water, cement, silica, alkyd, thinner inside water, silica (quartz) as a filling material which and make chains with cellulose and unsaturated polyesters, and the application of this coating material. In the Abstract section of another invention numbered TR200707398, titled "Composite insulation materials and production method" on the other hand it is disclosed that the invention relates to composite materials comprising zeolite perlite, wood flour, cellulose waste, urea formaldehyde and some hardening agents in order to provide heat and sound insulation in buildings, and production method of such materials.

In another application numbered TR200702172, titled "Cellulosic based plastic support member infilled with insulation material", on the other hand, it is disclosed that the invention relates to support member placed into cubicles formed by partitions in the interior part of plastic door or window profiles in order to provide high heat and sound insulation, comprising plastic or cellulose fiber based original materials and/or an outer shell formed via mixing of recycling of these materials after being made into granular form, interior filling material filled into the outer shell.

In conclusion, developments are being made in insulation and/or filling materials containing cellulose or paper fiber, therefore new embodiments that will eliminate above disclosed disadvantages and will bring solutions to existing systems are needed.

Purpose of the Invention

Present invention relates to insulation and/or filling materials containing cellulose or paper fiber, eliminating all the disadvantages and bringing some additional advantages.

A purpose of the invention is acquisition of a material which has the properties of being economical, easy, rapid and practically applicable. Another purpose of the invention is that the material obtained can be bent and twisted without dispersal, shattering or breaking by means of its being of elastic structure Another purpose of the invention is acquisition of a low-cost insulation and/or filling material produced via conveyor system. Another purpose of the invention is its usability as auxiliary product used for purpose of filling and insulation in application, design and development of materials such as cement bonded particle board, plasterboard, laminate. For example, it may be used as insulation material filler in modular (partial) partitioned walls. Another purpose of the invention is acquisition of a material that won't constitute environmental pollution and applicable without having a loss during application.

Another purpose of the invention is possible creation of end product in two dimensional geometric form via water jet cutting method or capability of giving desired three dimensional shape (for example, ceiling insulation material of automobiles and of other vehicles) via form press.

Another purpose of the invention is acquisition of a product that looks aesthetically beautiful and has a means of getting coloured.

Another purpose of the invention is its usability in different areas such as automotive, train, bed and white appliances.

To realise all the advantages mentioned above and will be understood from the detailed description below, present invention is a method relating to production of insulation and/or filling material obtained via mixing cellulose and/or paper, after breaking into pieces (shattering), with binding agents, performing the operation steps of

- laying the mixture in equal amounts onto the conveyor via paving machine,

- passing said mixture through conditioners and shaping it,

- applying heat treatment to the mixture spread over the conveyor in order to ensure bonding of the mixture with one another via puckering of binding agent,

- cooling the heated mixture via quick freeze.

To realise all the advantages mentioned above and will be understood from the detailed description below, present invention being insulation and/or filling material obtained via mixing cellulose and/or paper, after breaking into pieces (shattering), with binding agents, it is rolled or board (plate), blanket that can be shaped according to form of the application surface, can be produced in continuous form, having an elastic structure.

To realise said objectives, said binding agent is polypropylene fiber.

To realise said objectives, by means of structure of the said polypropylene fiber and its holding the mixture together, the material is produced in form of board (plate), blanket or roll having a flexible and unbreakable structure. To realise said objectives, heat applied to the mixture in the oven is 150-200°C.

The structural and characteristic properties and all of its advantages of the invention will be understood more clearly from the drawings provided below and the detailed description written by making references to these drawings and therefore the assessment should be made by taking these drawings and the detailed description into account.

Brief Description Of The Drawings

To understand the embodiment and the advantages of the present invention with the additional elements in the best way, it should be evaluated together with the figures whose descriptions are made below.

Figure 1 is a view of the material, which is the subject of the invention, in open form.

Figure 2 is view of the material, which is the subject of the invention, wound in rolled form. The drawings need not absolutely be put to scale the details not necessary to understand the invention may have been omitted. Furthermore, the elements that are at least substantially identical, or at least have substantially identical functions are indicated with the same number.

Reference Numbers

1. Insulation and/or filling material

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of the insulation and/or filling material (1), which is the subject of the invention, are described only for a better understanding of the subject-matter and in a way not constituting any limiting effect. Said insulation and/or filling material (1) is obtained from papers or cellulose and via mixing the binders added into these materials. The insulation and/or filling material (1), which is the subject of the invention, is obtained in following operation steps:

- Cellulose or papers are made into fiber by being broken into pieces (shattering).

- The fibers are transferred to paver machine's mixing chamber called drum. They are mixed in certain ratios inside the chamber with boric acid and borax salts. Boric acid used for this application of the invention is incorporated into the mixture in the ratio of 12%, while borax salts, on the other hand, are added in the ratio of 7%. This amount can vary for different applications of the invention. The cellulose/paper fibers mixed with boric acid and borax salts are thus earned the feature of nonflammability and not hosting pests.

- After borax salts and cellulose/paper fibers are mixed, they are mixed homogeneously with polypropylene fibers, being of synthetic fibers having a certain length inside the same chamber. Polypropylene fibers are first passed through a willow before they are incorporated into the mixture. With polypropylene's wrapping the fibers, in macro scale, that is, bonding of large particles of the fiber with one another is achieved and dispersal of the material (1) is prevented. Thus, the fibers are bonded to one another with the polypropylene fibers. Which means, bonding and dispersal of the fibers with one another is via polypropylene fibers added into fiber and boric salt mixture.

- After this process of mixing, available mixture is dampened with liquid aluminium sulfate.

Aluminium sulfate performs a function in micro scale, that is, the function of binding by providing bonding of small particles with one another and probable carry over which is likely to happen at the material is thus prevented. The aluminium sulfate used is in form of salt under normal conditions and it is added into the mixture by being turned into liquid state prior to being mixed into the material (1).

- Dampened mixture is spread over the conveyor in equal amounts.

- Before entry of the mixture spread over the conveyor by means of paver machine into the oven, desired density and thickness is achieved via roller. The material leaving through two rollers goes into the oven which is found in continuation of the conveyor. The material is dried by being processed to a heat of 150-200°C inside the oven. Polypropylene fibers provide more tightly bonding of fibers by becoming puckered with the impact of the heat. To maintain this feature of polypropylene fibers contracting with the impact of the heat, it is necessary that the temperature of the material leaving the oven should be dropped. For this, temperature of the material is dropped instantly, with quick-freeze method. In this way, the material can be made into board (plate) or blanket in desired density. - Depending on choice, surface of the material leaving the oven can be subjected to the process of ironing. In order for lower and upper surfaces to be smooth, the material is ironed with a machine called calender. This machine presses to lower and upper surfaces via the hot rolls in which there is hot oil. If the material (1 ) is not ironed, forming of surface irregularities such as concave and convex can be at stake on the upper and lower surfaces of the material.

When this process is carried out, the mixture of fiber, borax salts and polypropylene fibers which is processed on the paver machine an in the oven without using any moulds is made into board or plate form via the rolls. After this step, sizing of the product obtained in form of board or plate can be in question. Depending on the choice, it is at stake that it is made into roll and packaged, thanks to its elastic structure.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, material sized in accordance with determined measurement can be converted to different three dimensional forms with the form press or it can be shaped up by being subjected, with the water-jet, to processes of two dimensional processing such as form hole. By being shaped via form press, it can be used as panel for provision of acoustic in locations such as meeting halls, theatres, and similar where sound acoustic is important. Density, and elasticity depending on this density, of the insulation and/or filling material (1 ) which is the subject of the invention is achieved via polypropylene fibers. Polypropylene fibers being similar to hair strand which is not plain yet in thinner structure are materials that become puckered with heat impact, and maintain their existing state when they are subjected to a sudden cooling process. Therefore, to hold the material together, the mixture containing polypropylene fiber is first heated and then it is cooled. Cooling process is carried out preferably via the fans for this application of the invention. Polypropylene fiber mix ratio in the mixture is between 10%-20%. Increase of total mixture amount in 1 m ³ volume by keeping the mix ratio constant means increase of density. Material is pressed more closely together as the amount of material mixed within a volume of 1 m ³ increases, elasticity is less due to this pressure. Which means, when a product whose 1 m ³ is 40k (40 density) is compared with a product whose 1 m ³ is 90k (90 density), the product of 90 density is less elastic. Said polypropylene fibers are preferably in 3-4 cm length in this application of the invention.

Elasticity of the insulation and/or filling material (1) which is the subject of the invention is achieved via polypropylene fibers. While the polypropylene fibers used can be of fibers obtained from waste material, they can be new as well. Utilisation of polypropylene fiber obtained from waste material reduces the cost. However, these fibers are passed through a thin willow prior to their addition into the mixture. The reason for this is that the heights of the fibers obtained from recycling are longer. The fibers break when passing through the thin willow. Such application is made to shorten the lengths of the fibers. In addition to this, a material (1) in continuous form is obtained owing to the fact that said insulation and/or filling material (1) is produced via a conveyor system, is not produced partially via mould or a similar method. End product finally obtained is a product which can be produced as not producible part by part, is in continuous nature, is of desired density.

In another alternative embodiment of the invention, polyester fiber can be used instead of the polypropylene fibers which are used as binding agent, while aluminium phosphate can be used instead of aluminium sulfate.