An Insulation Retaining Device

Abstract

The invention relates to an insulation retaining device 1, 101 for use with a wall tie 50. The insulation retaining device 1, 101 has an insulation engagement surface 2, 102 for engaging with insulati

Description

The present invention relates to an insulation retaining device. In particular, the present invention relates to an insulation retaining device of the type used in conjunction with wall ties. During the construction of cavity walls, it is known to connect the outer skin to the inner skin by a series of wall ties that extend across the cavity between the skins, the outer and inner skins thereby being at least partially supported by one another via the wall ties. Once the cavity wall has been constructed the cavity can then be left empty or it can be filled with fireproofing and / or insulating materials such as mineral wool. Rather than filling the entirety of the cavity with insulation, it is typical to install sheets of insulation that rest on top of the wall ties and are fixed against the surface of either skin, but usually the inner skin. In such construction methods, it is known to retain the insulation sheets against the surface of one of the skins of the cavity wall, at least in part, by using insulation retaining clips. Such clips fit around a wall tie and can be moved along the wall tie until they press against the insulation to prevent the insulation from falling away from the surface of the skin of the wall. One problem with known insulation retaining clips is that they are typically formed from plastic. Accordingly, in the event of a fire, such insulation retaining clips serve to exacerbate the fire, as well as releasing toxins when burnt which can travel throughout a building and harm people who are not initially near the fire. While it may be considered that insulation retaining clips constitute only a minor component of the entirety of the wall, they can nevertheless increase the rate of spread of fire and increase the amount of noxious airborne by-products of the fire. It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the abovementioned problems regarding insulation retaining clips, and in particular, with the problem of insulation retaining clips contributing to the spread of fire through a cavity wall. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an insulation retaining device for use with a wall tie according to claim 1. By “non-combustible” we mean the insulation retaining device will not burn if exposed to fire. Advantageously, in the event of a fire the insulation retaining device does not contribute to the spread of the fire through a cavity wall. Preferably, the insulation retaining device is formed from non-combustible materials such as stainless steel or other suitable non-combustible metal. Ideally, the insulation retaining device is arrangeable such that it is substantially planar or defines a plane. Preferably, the insulation engagement surface is arrangeable such that it is substantially planar. Advantageously, this provides an even spread of retaining force on the insulation when the insulation retaining device is pressed against insulation material to retain it against a surface such as a skin of a cavity wall. The insulation retaining device comprises two main planar surfaces. Either main planar surface is functionable as an insulation engagement surface. Advantageously, the insulation retaining device is reversible. Ideally, the insulation engagement surface is a continuous surface over the majority of its surface area. This further contributes to ensuring an even spread of a retaining force on the insulation material. Ideally, the insulation retaining device, and the insulation engagement surface, is generally circular in shape. The wall-tie engagement means involves an incision or channel leading inwards from the periphery of the insulation engagement surface. Ideally, the incision or channel is a radial incision or channel. Preferably, the incision or channel leads to an aperture, the aperture forming a part of the wall-tie engagement means, and being sized to receive a wall tie. Ideally, the aperture extends through the insulation retaining device. The channel is widest at or about the periphery of the insulation retaining device. The channel decreases in width in a direction towards the aperture. Advantageously, this makes it easier to position a wall tie into the channel. Ideally, the channel decreases in width gradually from the periphery of the insulation retaining device to the aperture, with the portion of the channel at or about the aperture being the narrowest section of the channel. Preferably, the channel or incision extends between 30% and 80% through the diameter of the insulation engagement surface. Ideally, the channel or incision extends about 75% through the diameter of the insulation engagement surface. Ideally, the aperture is a substantially central aperture. The aperture is sized to fit around a wall tie. The width of the aperture is greater than the width of the incision or channel where the incision or channel meets the aperture. Advantageously, this forms a neck portion in the channel that is narrower than the aperture. Further advantageously, the neck portion thereby functions to prevent a wall tie that is wider than the neck portion from being easily displaced from the aperture through the neck portion of the channel. The neck portion can be widened by forcing the opposing parts of the neck portion apart. Advantageously, this can be done by gripping the insulation retaining device at either side of the neck portion and pulling it apart to widen it. Ideally, the insulation retaining device is deformable. When the neck portion is widened, the material on the opposite portion of the insulation retaining device to that of the channel is forced together and is displaced either upwards or downwards relative to the plane of the insulation retaining device before the neck portion is widened, the insulation retaining device thereby becoming non-planar when the neck portion is widened. Ideally, the neck portion can be widened by bending the insulation retaining device to form a ridge that extends out of the plane of the insulation retaining device. Preferably, the neck portion can be narrowed by flattening a bent insulation retaining device towards a planar configuration. Ideally, the insulation retaining device is resilient. Preferably, the insulation retaining device has a rest configuration. Advantageously, the insulation retaining device can be manipulated to fit it onto a wall tie or to alter its position on a wall tie, and the insulation retaining device will return towards its rest configuration when any deforming forces are stopped. Ideally, the insulation retaining device is biased towards the rest configuration. Preferably, the neck portion is biased towards a rest width. Ideally, as the neck portion is widened and a portion of the insulation retaining device is forced together this produces a spring force acting to bias the neck portion towards a rest width. Advantageously, when the influence acting to widen the neck portion is removed, the spring force urges the neck portion towards its rest width. Advantageously, when inserting a wall tie having a cross-section which is wider in one dimension than at least one other dimension, the wall tie can be inserted through the channel with a narrower dimension leading. When the wall tie is positioned within the aperture, the wall tie can be rotated and as the wider dimension abuts the neck portion and forces it apart. As the wider dimension rides past the neck portion the neck portion can be narrowed by forcibly moving it together, or, preferably, where the insulation retaining device is formed from a material having resilient properties, the neck portion automatically narrows when the widest part of the wall tie has been rotated past the neck portion. In use, the wall tie is thereby simply inserted via the narrow edge first and rotated, with the insulation retaining device neck portion widening and narrowing as required without requiring any manual input from the user to widen or narrow the neck portion. The wall-tie engagement means comprises a plurality of apertures. Each aperture is sized or shaped differently to correspond to different sizes or shapes of wall ties. Advantageously, the insulation retaining device can be used with different sizes and shapes of wall ties, wherein the installer arranges the insulation retaining device on the wall tie such that the correctly sized corresponding aperture is arranged around the correspondingly shaped wall tie. Ideally, the apertures are adjacent to one another and / or are connected by the incision or channel, the incision or channel extending beyond the location of the first aperture to the subsequent apertures. Advantageously, the installer can slide the insulation retaining device along the wall tie via the incision / channel to the first aperture or on to a subsequent aperture until the corresponding aperture is fitted around the wall tie. Ideally, the insulation retaining device comprises four apertures. Preferably, the apertures being interconnected by the incision or channel. Ideally, the first aperture along the incision or channel in a direction from the periphery of the insulation engagement surface is the largest aperture. Preferably, the third aperture along the incision or channel in a direction from the periphery of the insulation engagement surface is larger than the second aperture. Preferably, the insulation retaining device has a consistent thickness. Preferably, the insulation retaining device is between 0.25 and 2 mm thick. Ideally, the insulation retaining device is around 0.5 mm thick. Preferably, the insulation retaining device comprises a non-combustible coating to improve the resistance of the insulation retaining device to degradation and / or to heat / fire. Ideally, the insulation retaining device is configured for use with wire wall ties and / or heavy duty ties. In an unclaimed embodiment, the insulation retaining device is formed from wire. In an unclaimed embodiment, the insulation retaining device is formed from a continuous piece of wire. Preferably, the insulation retaining device is bent to form the insulation engagement surface and the wall-tie engagement means. Preferably, the wire is resilient. Ideally, the wire is deformable but returns to a rest configuration upon release of the deforming force. Ideally, the wire is formed from spring steel, or similar material. Ideally, the wall-tie engagement means comprises an aperture for receiving the wall tie. Ideally, the aperture is defined by the wire. Preferably, the wire is bent in a loop-like shape to form the aperture. Ideally, the insulation retaining device has an outer boundary defined by the wire. Preferably, the outer boundary is substantially circular in shape. Preferably, the wire is bent inwards from the outer boundary, loops around to form the aperture, and then extends back out to the outer boundary. Ideally, the wire overlaps itself at or about the aperture. Advantageously, where the wire overlaps functions to retain the device on a wall tie when the device is fitted around a wall tie. Ideally, when the sides of the device at either side of the aperture are urged inwards towards the aperture, the aperture increases in size. Ideally, when the outer boundary of the device at either side of the aperture is urged inwards towards the aperture, the aperture increases in size. Advantageously, in use, the device can be placed around a wall tie by urging the wire apart at the location where the wire overlaps, and slotting the device onto the wall tie. The resiliency of the wire will cause the wire at the overlap to move back towards itself when the force urging the wire apart is removed. To move the device along the wall tie, the user can squeeze the device thereby enlarging the aperture and making it easier to move the device along the wall tie. When the squeezing force is removed the aperture returns to its original size, thereby gripping the wall tie. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of retaining insulation material against the surface of a skin of a cavity wall, the method comprising the step of placing insulation in abutment with a wall tie and using a non-combustible insulation retaining device fitted over the wall tie to retain the insulation at a surface of a skin of the cavity wall. Ideally, the method consists entirely of the use of non-combustible components to retain the insulation material to a skin of the cavity wall. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of inserting an insulation retaining device over a wall tie, the insulation retaining device having a substantially planar configuration and comprising a wall-tie engagement means, the wall-tie engagement means comprising a channel leading to an aperture, the channel having a neck portion where it meets the aperture, the method comprising the steps of widening the neck portion by deforming the insulation retaining device into a non-planar configuration, positioning the wall tie within the aperture, and flattening the insulating retaining device towards the planar configuration to narrow the neck portion thereby retaining the wall tie within the aperture. Advantageously, whereas brittle materials such as plastic would weaken or snap were this method used in placing such insulation retaining devices over a wall tie, this method means that the insulation retaining device can be formed from deformable non-combustible materials such as steel. Ideally, the method comprises deforming the insulation retaining device such that a portion of the insulation retaining device at an opposing part of the insulation retaining device to that of the channel is forced out of the plane of the insulation retaining device. Preferably, the method comprises widening the neck portion by rotating a wall-tie within the aperture. Ideally, the neck portion is automatically narrowed by spring force once the widest part of the wall-tie is rotated through the neck portion. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a front elevation view of an insulation retaining device according to the invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the insulation retaining device in situ on a heavy duty wall tie. Figure 3 is a front elevation view of an unclaimed embodiment of an insulation retaining device according to the present disclosure. Figure 4 is a front elevation view of the device of Figure 3 when a force is applied to the device in the direction of the arrows. In the drawings there is shown an insulation retaining device indicated generally by reference numeral 1. The insulation retaining device 1 is shown in situ on a heavy-duty wall tie 50 in Figure 2. The insulation retaining device 1 has an insulation engagement surface 2 for engaging with insulation material in use (not shown). The insulation retaining device 1 further has a wall-tie engagement arrangement 3 for engaging with a wall-tie in use, as shown in Figure 2. The insulation retaining device 1 is non-combustible. Specifically, the insulation retaining device 1 is formed from stainless steel. However, the insulation retaining device 1 need not be limited to being formed from steel but could be formed from any other suitable non-combustible material. By “non-combustible” we mean the insulation retaining device will not burn if exposed to fire, thereby, the insulation retaining device does not contribute to the spread of fire through the cavity. The insulation retaining device 1, and the insulation engagement surface 2, are arrangeable to be substantially planar. This provides an even spread of retaining force on the insulation when the insulation retaining device 1 is pressed against insulation material to retain it against a surface such as a skin of a cavity wall. More specifically, the insulation retaining device 1 has two main planar surfaces 4a, 4b, and either surface is functional as the insulation engagement surface 2. The insulation engagement surface 2 is a continuous surface and this further contributes to ensuring an even spread of a retaining force on the insulation. The insulation retaining device 1 is further generally circular in shape. The wall-tie engagement arrangement 3 involves a channel 5 leading inwards from the periphery 6 of the insulation engagement surface 2. The channel 5 is a radial channel and is widest at the periphery 6 of the insulation engagement surface 2. This makes it easier to position a wall tie into the channel 5. The channel 5 could alternatively be uniform in width, or alternatively formed as an incision in the insulation engagement surface 2. The channel 5 narrows to a first aperture 7 sized to receive a wall tie, the aperture 7 extending through the insulation engagement surface 2. The width of the aperture 7 is greater than the width of the channel 5 where the channel 5 meets the aperture 7. This forms a neck portion 15 in the channel 5 that is narrower than the aperture 7. The neck portion 15 thereby functions to prevent a wall tie that is wider than the neck portion 15 from being easily displaced from the aperture 7 through the neck portion 15 of the channel 5. The neck portion 15 can be widened by forcing opposing parts 16a, 16b of the neck portion 15 apart. This can be done by gripping the insulation retaining device 1 at either side of the neck portion 15 and pulling it apart to widen it. The insulation retaining device 1 is deformable. When the neck portion 15 is widened, the material 17 on the opposite portion of the insulation retaining device 1 to that of the channel 5 is forced together in the direction of the arrows shown in Figure 1, and is displaced either upwards or downwards relative to the plane of the insulation retaining device 1 before the neck portion 15 is widened, the insulation retaining device 1 thereby becoming non-planar when the neck portion 15 is widened. The neck portion 15 can also be widened by bending the insulation retaining device 1 to form a ridge that extends out of the plane of the insulation retaining device 1, and it can thereby also be narrowed by flattening a bent insulation retaining device 1 towards a planar configuration. The insulation retaining device 1 is resilient and the neck portion 15 is biased towards a rest width. As the neck portion 15 is widened, and a portion of the insulation retaining device 1 is forced together this produces a spring force acting to bias the neck portion 15 towards a rest width. Advantageously, when the influence acting to widen the neck portion 15 is removed, the spring force urges the neck portion 15 towards its rest width. The channel 5 further extends beyond the first aperture 7 to second 8, third 9, and fourth 10 apertures. The third aperture 9 is larger than the second aperture 8, and the second 8 and fourth 10 apertures are substantially similar in size. The channel 5 thereby widens between the third 9 and fourth 10 apertures. The channel 5 terminates at the fourth aperture 10 and extends across 75% of the diameter of the insulation engagement surface 2. Alternative insulation retaining devices could be formed wherein the channel or incision extends across less or more of the diameter than that of the present embodiment as desired. The apertures 7, 8, 9, 10 each correspond in size and shape to the cross-sectional size and shape of known wall ties. The first aperture 7 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of a heavy-duty wall tie, whereas apertures 8, 9 and 10 correspond to that of the cross-sectional shape of wire wall ties. Heavy duty wall ties typically have a substantially rectangular cross-section and, as such, the first aperture 7 has a shape that is longer in a width dimension than a height dimension. Specifically, the first aperture 7 is generally oval. The insulation retaining device 1 is thereby useable on a range of wall ties. The number of apertures and the size and shape of the apertures could be altered in alternative embodiments to suit a different range of wall ties as desired. The insulation retaining device 1 has a consistent thickness. More specifically, it is 0.5 mm thick, but it should be noted that alternative thicknesses could be used if desired. A suitable range of thickness is between 0.25 and 2 mm. The insulation retaining device 1 could be coated by a substance to improve the resistance of the insulation retaining device to degradation and / or to heat / fire, if desired. In use, during construction of a cavity wall, the outer skin and inner skin are connected by wall ties extending therebetween across the cavity. Insulation is inserted in sheets into the cavity, with the sheets resting on the wall ties and being in abutment with the inner or outer skin. The insulation is retained in place within the cavity by fixing the insulation retaining device 1 over the wall ties and positioning the insulation retaining device 1 on the wall tie such that it applies a retaining force against the insulation material, or at least prevents the insulation material from being easily displaced away from the skin at which it is placed. Depending on the type of wall tie that is used in construction of the cavity wall will depend on which aperture 7, 8, 9, 10 of the insulation retaining device 1 is in engagement with the wall tie when used. For example, a heavy-duty wall tie will rest suitably within the first aperture 7, whereas a wire wall tie would rest suitably within the second 8, third 9, or fourth 10 apertures. If the insulation retaining device 1 is being used with a heavy duty wall tie, which typically have substantially rectangular cross-sections, the insulation retaining device 1 is most easily inserted over the wall tie by initially orientating it such that the channel 3 is perpendicular to the short face of the cross-section of the wall tie, and then moving it over the wall tie until the wall tie is positioned at or about the first aperture 7. Inserting the wall tie into the aperture 7 can be made easier by initially bending the insulation retaining device by forcing the material 17 together in the direction of the arrows as shown in Figure 1, thereby widening the neck portion 15. Once the wall tie is positioned within the aperture 7, the insulation retaining device 1 is then rotated by 90°, sliding around the wall tie. The widest part of the wall tie rotates through the neck portion 15 and as it does so it forces the neck portion 15 to widen. The material 17 is forced together further and can follow the direction of the initial bend. When the widest part of the wall tie has rotated through the neck portion 15 completely, the resiliency of the insulation retaining device 1 biases the neck portion 15 towards a rest width, thereby narrowing the neck portion 15 and retaining the wall tie within the aperture 1. Alternatively, the neck portion 15 could be manually narrowed by flattening the insulation retaining device 1 towards a planar configuration. Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 there is shown an unclaimed embodiment of an insulation retaining device according to the present disclosure, indicated generally by reference numeral 101. The insulation retaining device 101 is formed from wire. More specifically, it is formed from a continuous piece of wire bent to form the insulation engagement surface 102 and the wall-tie engagement arrangement 103. The wire is resilient and deformable, but returns to a rest configuration, as shown in Figure 3, upon release of a deforming force. The wire is formed from spring steel, but may be formed from similar materials. The wall-tie engagement arrangement 103 has an aperture 107 for receiving the wall tie. The aperture 107 is defined by the wire. The insulation retaining device 101 has an outer boundary 115 that is substantially circular in shape but may be other geometric shapes if desire. The wire is bent inwards from the outer boundary 115 to form the aperture 107. Specifically, the wire turns inwards and then loops around to form the aperture 107. The wire loops around such that it overlaps itself at the aperture 107 and this thereby retains the device on the wall tie. In use, the insulation retaining device 101 can be placed around a wall tie by urging the wire apart at the location where the wire overlaps, and slotting the device 101 onto the wall tie. The resiliency of the wire will cause the wire at the overlap to move back towards itself when the force urging the wire apart is removed. To move the device along the wall tie, the user can squeeze the outer boundary 115 of the device 101 inwards towards the aperture 107, as shown in Figure 4. This thereby enlarges the aperture 107 and makes it easier for the user to move the device 101 along the wall tie. When the squeezing force is removed the aperture 107 returns to its original size as shown in Figure 3, thereby gripping the wall tie.

Claims

1. An non-combustible insulation retaining device for use with a wall tie, the insulation retaining device having an insulation engagement surface for engaging with insulation material in use, and a wall-tie engagement means for engaging with a wall-tie in use, wherein the wall-tie engagement means involves an incision or channel leading inwards from the periphery of the insulation engagement surface, the channel being widest at or about the periphery of the insulation retaining device, wherein the wall-tie engagement means comprises a plurality of apertures, wherein each aperture is sized or shaped differently to correspond to different sizes or shapes of wall ties and wherein the channel decreases in width in a direction towardsone of the plurality of apertures, wherein the insulation retaining device comprises two main planar surfaces, wherein either main planar surface is functionable as the insulation engagement surface, so that the insulation retaining device is reversible, wherein the width of the aperture is greater than the width of the incision or channel where the incision or channel meets the aperture, thereby forming a neck portion in the channel that is narrower than the aperture, wherein the neck portion can be widened by forcing the opposing parts of the neck portion apart, wherein when the neck portion is widened, the material on the opposite portion of the insulation retaining device to that of the channel is forced together and is displaced either upwards or downwards relative to the plane of the insulation retaining device before the neck portion is widened, the insulation retaining device thereby becoming non-planar when the neck portion is widened.

2. An insulation retaining device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the insulation engagement surface is a continuous surface over the majority of its surface area.

3. An insulation retaining device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the incision or channel is a radial incision or channel.

4. An insulation retaining device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the incision or channel leads to the aperture, the aperture forming a part of the wall-tie engagement means.

5. An insulation retaining device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the channel or incision extends between 30% and 80% through the diameter of the insulation engagement surface.

6. An insulation retaining device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the channel decreases in width gradually from the periphery of the insulation retaining device to the aperture, with the portion of the channel at or about the aperture being the narrowest section of the channel.

7. An insulation retaining device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the insulation retaining device is resilient.

8. An insulation retaining device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the insulation retaining device has a consistent thickness.

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