Cellulosic precursor material and apparatus and method for on-site conversion of precursor to cellulose insulation - Patents.com

Abstract

A cellulose precursor material for producing cellulose-based products including cellulose insulation. The insulating cellulose precursor material includes a plurality of fibers, at least some of which are cellulose fibers, and a binder that bonds the fibers to one another while the precursor material is being transported, while allowing at least some of the plurality of fibers to be separated from one another to form the cellulose insulation. The cellulose insulation can be produced in a remote location, and the use of the precursor material reduces the cost of transporting the insulation. Apparatus and methods for producing the insulation from the precursor material are disclosed. Apparatus and methods for producing the precursor material are also disclosed.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] 2. Background of the Invention 1. Field of the invention The present invention relates to cellulose insulation. More particularly, the present invention relates to cellulose-based precursor materials that can be processed on-site to form cellulose insulation. The present invention further relates to an apparatus for processing the precursor materials on-site into insulation products that can be blown into place, and a method for carrying out the same. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of Prior Art Existing cellulose insulation is shredded, processed, fiberized, and packaged at a central plant. Bags containing the processed and packaged cellulose insulation are then distributed to users who open the bags, add the contents to an installation machine, such as a blower, positioned to revitalize the cellulose fibers that may have been compressed in the packaging process, and blow them into the installation location. Existing processes for manufacturing and packaging cellulose insulation can be expensive. Additionally, revitalizing and installing the insulating fibers can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. What is needed is a more cost-effective system and method for manufacturing cellulose insulation that can be shipped in a compressed form and expanded at a remote location, such as an installation or distribution site, or a downstream manufacturing plant, such as where a prefabricated structure may be assembled. There is also a need for a cellulose-based precursor product in sheet or roll form that can be transported to a remote location, machined to achieve a desired bulk density, and installed on-site. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] Summary of the Invention The present invention is a cellulose-based precursor material and an apparatus and method for on-site processing of the precursor material to complete the formation of a cellulose insulation material from the precursor material and install it on-site.

[0004] The precursor product in an easily transportable form, such as, but not limited to, a sheet or roll, can be used to make cellulose insulation at the site where the insulation is to be installed. The precursor material may also be converted off-site to an expanded or low density structure and formed into sheets or rolls that are distributed to remote locations. For example, a compacted material shipped from a manufacturer may be expanded at a distributor's site and then the expanded product shipped to the end use site. The precursor material is any cellulose material that has previously been formed into a cellulose-based precursor and may be manufactured in the form of solid paper, tissue paper, porous web, mat, etc., and may be distributed in sheets, fan folds, rolls, webs, mats, or other forms. The fibers of the precursor material may be bonded with a binder. The bond may be loose to allow for relatively easy de-densification of the precursor material by using the apparatus of the present invention at the desired location. The binder may be, but is not limited to, water.

[0005] The precursor material may include expansion elements, such as expandable microbeads. The microbeads may be expanded at the point of manufacture, prior to delivery to the installation site (such as by a distributor), or at the installation site (whether a construction site or a manufacturing site for prefabricated assemblies) to increase the bulk of the precursor material. The cellulose-based precursor material product may or may not be treated with one or more components of interest, including but not limited to flame retardants, prior to delivery to the installation site, at an intermediate site (such as a distributor), or after delivery to the end-use site.

[0006] The precursor material is provided in a state that allows for conversion to cellulose insulation at the site, or the precursor material is provided in a state that allows for conversion to cellulose insulation components at a remote location. The state can be a mat of consolidated fibers, as well as a consolidated form of cellulose material, such as paper (including folded paper). This can minimize the otherwise higher shipping costs associated with transporting the finished lightweight cellulose insulation. The precursor material can be manufactured in a deliverable state with a suitable density and structure to produce the desired R-value and fire retardancy of the resulting cellulose insulation. The precursor product may be modified at an intermediate site (such as a distributor) or at the end-use site to reduce the bulk density, such as by shredding and / or aeration. The precursor material thus modified (after expansion and aeration) may be referred to herein as precursor-derived cellulose insulation. Precursor-derived cellulose insulation has a bulk density in the range of about 1 to about 5 pounds per cubic foot, and has a bulk density of 0.12 W / cm. 2 and having a smoldering burn rate of less than 15% according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) test C739.

[0007] The precursor material is formed of fibers that are recycled fibers, virgin fibers, or a combination of the two. The precursor material is prepared off-site before being delivered to a remote location for further processing, including but not limited to shredding and venting. The precursor material may be partially, rather than completely, modified before delivery to the installation site. The precursor material may be treated with a fire retardant before installation and / or a fire retardant may be added to the precursor during conversion to a precursor-derived cellulose insulation. The precursor material may include a fire retardant integrated with the fibers used to make the precursor material before being formed into the precursor material, a fire retardant applied to the precursor material after forming, or a combination of the two. For example, applying a fire retardant to the fibers at the wet end of the paper forming process may affect the fire resistance and mechanical properties of the precursor material differently than if a fire retardant or a different chemical was applied via a sizing process after the cellulose-based precursor material was formed. Thus, the application of the fire retardant may be tailored in a manner that is most advantageous to the precursor material.

[0008] The precursor material can have a porosity of 10% or more by volume. The porosity can be established using expanded or expandable components such as blowing agents or microbeads. The porosity can be established in a molding process, such as via through air drying. The precursor material can also include one or more of a release agent, an odorant, and an odor remover. Additionally, reactive zeolites can be incorporated into the precursor material to reduce odor and / or to capture or react with one or more volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The precursor material can be provided in rolls for ease of unwinding, or in accordion-folded sheets that can be fed to an automated processing device. The precursor material can be provided in stacked sheets that are not joined together, and can be manually fed to the machine and / or fed by an automated sheet feeder (such as those used for copy machine paper, but on a larger scale). The precursor can be adapted to be fed to the machine in sheet form, or the machine can have a blade that advances into the precursor material, or other means to consume the precursor material and feed it to the aerator. The present invention is not limited to these configurations.

[0009] As previously mentioned, part of the process of converting the precursor material may occur at the installation site. For example, the precursor material may be processed at a remote location to expand its volume by aeration. Alternatively, or in addition to aeration, the precursor material may be expanded in the form of a sheet. The precursor base material is treated with a fire retardant. The fire retardant may be applied via roll-to-roll processing, for example, by injecting a fire retardant substance, such as a liquid borate, through a sizing press. The fire retardant may also, or alternatively, be applied by pressing a dry powder fire retardant onto the surface of a dry or wet precursor material. That is, the base cellulosic material may be treated with both liquid and powder fire retardant compositions after sizing when partially and / or completely dried. The fire retardant may be selectively applied at any point in the processing of the precursor material, including, but not limited to, when it is substantially in the form of insulation.

[0010] The precursor base material can be made porous, resulting in reduced density, prior to aeration, by injecting therein an expanding component such as microbeads or a blowing agent, for example, via application at the wet end of paper production or by adding one or more such additives to the material using a sizing press. Alternatively, the base material can be made porous by injecting the expanding component via dry application and / or with a forced airflow through an already porous base paper, thereby trapping the expanding component in the precursor matrix, which acts as a filter to collect the expanding component.

[0011] The cellulose-based precursor material can be provided suitable for interaction with a forklift and for interaction with an operator. A specific example of a suitable cellulose-based precursor material starter component is a 4' x 4' stack of folded continuous paper 6' high on a skid or slip sheet for interaction with a forklift, with a pull tab on the top sheet to aid in operator initialization of feeding the paper to a precursor processing machine located at the site. The sheets or mats of precursor material may be perforated, scored, or otherwise prepared for rapid disintegration by aerators.

[0012] The apparatus and associated methods can be used on-site to convert precursor materials into cellulose insulation and, optionally, to install the insulation at a desired location. The apparatus includes one or more components configured to receive precursor materials and convert them into insulation ready for installation. The apparatus is configured to allow precursor materials to be converted into cellulose insulation on-site, rather than at a factory that may be far from the installation site. This can reduce costs associated with transporting insulation materials. The use of aerators in remote locations can also allow for lower density materials to be delivered to the final use location, such as the installation site. The apparatus includes an on-site conversion device arranged to receive precursor materials, such as paper-based precursor materials, including fire-resistant paper-based precursor materials, and can optionally include a device for reducing the size of the starter material. The received precursor materials are then modified, such as by aeration, to reduce bulk density. The reduced density precursor materials can optionally be in a different configuration. The apparatus is optionally configured to receive precursor materials in different forms, such as consolidated webs, mats, or other forms of paper-based precursor materials. Versions of the precursor material may be mixed together and then the mixture may be aerated or otherwise reduced in density. Additionally, the precursor material may be mixed with conventional loosely packed cellulose insulation, either before or after aeration, to achieve desired physical and thermal properties. The device further provides a thermal insulation material having a density in the range of about 1 to about 5 pounds per cubic foot and a thermal conductivity of 0.12 W / cm. 2 The method may be configured to produce in situ a matrix of fibers including cellulose fibers having a critical radiant flux greater than 1.0 and having a smoldering burn rate of less than 15% according to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) test C739.

[0013] The apparatus further optionally includes component features and / or connections to components used to deliver the manufactured cellulose insulation from the on-site ventilation location to the insulation installation location. In one aspect of the invention, the apparatus is configured to provide a mechanism for blowing the cellulose insulation into place by forcing the insulation into place with an air current. The driving mechanism may include pressure monitoring to ensure regulation of the insulation delivery and detection of potential clogging.

[0014] The apparatus also optionally includes one or more delivery devices for applying one or more additives of interest to the material being processed before or during installation. The additives include, but are not limited to, a) one or more odorants and / or deodorants; b) one or more dust suppressants, such as mineral oil; c) one or more mold growth and / or rodent intrusion deterrents, such as one or more borates; and d) one or more flame retardant materials, such as borates or sulfates. The one or more additives may be added to the precursor material composition before, during, and / or after one or more of the density reduction options, by selectable metering, regulation, and / or sensing.

[0015] The apparatus may be further configured to provide moisture conditioning of the cellulose insulation before, during, and / or after delivery to the remote location. For example, but not limited to, the apparatus optionally includes a moisture delivery component, such as a material wetting sprayer configured to add moisture in the form of water or other liquid to the cellulose precursor material before, during, or after density reduction. The wetting sprayer is optionally a hose coupled to a moisture source and includes one or more outlet ports, each of which may include a spray nozzle. The outlet ports may be located at any one or more of the inlet of the hose used to blow the cellulose insulation into place, an intermediate location between the inlet and outlet of the insulation delivery hose, and / or after the outlet of the insulation delivery hose. Adding moisture after the insulation delivery hose outlet can minimize the chance of the cellulose insulation clumping and clogging before it exits the hose.

[0016] The apparatus includes one or more fiber separation components for reducing the density of the precursor material to convert it into a cellulose insulation product. The fiber separation components may be one or more of an impeller used to convey and separate the cellulose fibers; a carding device that can separate the fibers into fine particles before blowing; and a grinder that separates the fibers into fine particles through rotating and / or opposing grinding plates, such as a chopper or booster with rapidly moving blades, or other means of separating the fibers into fine particles before installation. The one or more components selected for fiber separation may depend on the characteristics of the precursor material used. For example, a compressed cellulose mat of precursor material may be separated using an impeller, while a loose packing of the cellulose precursor material may only require the use of an aeration component, such as a blower.

[0017] The apparatus may also optionally include one or more isolation systems arranged to isolate sections of the manufacturing and installation delivery stages of the operation. For example, the apparatus may include one or more airlocks arranged to isolate the precursor material modification operation from the insulation delivery operation, such as a blower coupled to the insulation delivery hose. This may allow the insulation delivery hose to operate at positive pressure without excessive back airflow towards the precursor modification process. Additionally, the apparatus may optionally include one or more monitors and controllers for monitoring and controlling the precursor modification operation and the insulation delivery operation. One or more monitors may be deployed throughout the operation of the apparatus, including monitoring the status of the feed, monitoring the precursor density reduction status, monitoring the additive delivery status, monitoring the transport operation for clogs or feed backups, and monitoring the production and delivery rates to detect delays or acceleration deviations. The monitors may be analog or digital. As an example, a weight scale may be one type of monitor used to detect the amount of precursor feed material available for transfer to the density reduction stage and / or other material modification stages. Air pressure may also be monitored to prevent clogging and other malfunctions.

[0018] The one or more controllers may be coupled to the one or more monitors and to a nearby or remote controller. The controller is arranged to sense when the feedstock containing the desired additive is low and to stop the fiber processing or to signal for the introduction of an alternative feed. The controller is further arranged to slow down or speed up one or more stages of the production and delivery process. For example, a need to deliver more cellulose insulation may be sensed at the installation end of the system. The controller is arranged to speed up one or more of the fiber insulation production and the blower speed for faster insulation delivery. The one or more controllers are also arranged to respond to a sensed system blockage, such as by detecting an increase or decrease in movement caused by one or more of: a) stopping or slowing down the precursor reforming; b) stopping or slowing down the supply of insulation to the delivery hose; c) maintaining or increasing the line pressure without fiber supply until monitoring confirms that the blockage has been cleared; or d) adjusting the fiber flow rate in one or more of the fiber processing and insulation delivery until the line pressure is within a selectable range.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is configured to accept an appropriate width of a specially and purposefully designed sheet, batt, or mat of precursor material that is to be properly metered, aerated, and dispensed to a desired location, such as an insulation installation site. The precursor material may be appropriately treated with fire retardants and other materials to aid in the aeration, R-factor, dispersion, longevity, pest resistance, air permeability, and possibly other properties of the insulation end product. As an example, borates may be used for fire retardancy, mineral oil for dust control, and essential oils for odor control. The precursor material used may be packaged for easy handling by an operator. The operator may be a robotic operator. The precursor material may be delivered in the form of rolls, pallets, stacked sheets, or folded continuous paper. The precursor material may be supplied suitable for interaction by a forklift and by an operator. A specific example of a suitable precursor material starter is a 4 foot by 4 foot stack of folded continuous paper 6 feet high on a slip sheet for forklift interaction, with a pull tab on the top sheet to assist the operator in initializing the precursor material feed to the precursor material processing equipment of the equipment.

[0020] In this example, the precursor receiver is configured to feed the precursor material to the machine in a metered manner so that aeration, possibly fiberization, other processing activities of interest, and / or conveying speed can be controlled. The metered precursor material in a relatively compacted form, such as a mat, batt, or web, is separated by aeration, such as, but not limited to, aeration. Aeration can be achieved using shredders, blowers, and / or other means. The precursor material may also be optionally chopped by one or more of rotating blades, pins, chains, and possibly other means, and mixed with air during or after chopping, to create a homogenous, fine-sized, possibly individual fiber level distribution of paper fibers. Two separate processing paths may be employed to create two different fiber size distributions, which may aid in achieving targeted performance characteristics. Additional treatment of the loose fibers of the precursor material may also be applied before or after aeration to promote dust control, loftiness, cohesiveness, flowability, and installation stability over time. As an example, mineral oil may be applied for dust control.

[0021] The aerated insulation is then conveyed in or onto a conveying means in a controlled manner, such as by a rotating airlock. One such conveying means may be air flowing in a tube or hose. The conveyor optionally includes a speed control device. For example, for air conveying, the air flow rate may be controlled. The precursor material receiver may include remote control capabilities to allow an operator to control precursor metering, fiber aeration, insulation supply, air flow rate, and other parameters from a remote location. The remote control may be by wireless or wired communication. The control may also include aspects of artificial intelligence that can learn the needs of the operator, the product, and the machine and respond accordingly more quickly than a human operator. The precursor receiver also optionally includes one or more monitors to provide feedback on system performance. For example, an ammeter for motor performance and a pressure gauge to know the conveying status may be coupled to the device. Particular options include sensors on how much precursor material supply is remaining in the current source, and / or a camera that allows visual confirmation of many aspects of the precursor receiver's operation.

[0022] The precursor acceptor optionally includes error handling aspects such as blockage control, operator presence, impending conveyor jam, jam clearing, and machine reset. The error handling means may comprise a means of communication with the operator. The communication means may be a radio screen notification, a horn or a flashing light.

[0023] The apparatus and associated methods of the present invention allow for the manufacture of insulation from precursor materials that are shipped in a much more compressed state of rolls, stacks of folded continuous paper, or loosely bonded webs, rather than a final product of low density loose fiber insulation that is simply blown into place. Flame retardant materials can be added during the manufacture of the precursor materials. The precursor materials can be specifically designed such that when aerated on-site, the finished insulation will meet specific performance characteristics with respect to density, R-value, fire spread, smoldering, fungal resistance, and / or other relevant performance characteristics. The precursor materials may be aerated at a remote location, such as an installation or distribution site, where dust mitigation and / or odor treatments may be applied. Aeration can cause the product to expand from about 2 to about 10 times. Moisture control can be maintained on-site to create a stabilized product, by which is meant a product in which the fibers adhere to one another via adhesion as the moisture evaporates.

[0024] The present invention also includes a method for producing a cellulose precursor material. The main steps of the method include: applying a plurality of disaggregated cellulose fibers having a first bulk density to an apparatus configured to convert the disaggregated cellulose fibers into a cellulose precursor material; and organizing, aligning, and assembling the disaggregated cellulose fibers into a mat, batt, sheet, board, or web of cellulose precursor material, where the bulk density of the cellulose precursor material is higher than the bulk density of the disaggregated cellulose fibers. The method also includes an optional step of compressing the mat, batt, sheet, board, or web to a bulk density of more than 9 pounds per cubic foot. Compression can be performed by rollers, platens, or under vacuum-assisted compression. The method optionally includes the steps of separating at least a portion of the fibers of the cellulose precursor material and reassembling at least a portion of the separated fibers. The disaggregated fibers may be size-screened prior to the steps of organizing, aligning, and assembling. The organizing, aligning, and assembling steps optionally include air-laying the loose fibers into a mat, batt, sheet, board, or web. A binder may be added to the cellulose precursor material. The binder may be applied by spraying, dip-coating, curtain-coating, or impregnating the binder onto the mat, batt, sheet, board, or web. Optionally, the loose fibers may be sprayed, injected, or saturated with the binder prior to the organizing, aligning, and assembling steps. Optionally, the method includes vacuum-packing, folding, or rolling the assembled cellulose precursor material.

[0025] Flame retardant treatment can be performed using a roll-to-roll processing process during the manufacture of the precursor material. Particular attention must be paid to the issues of flame retardancy and embrittlement in the manufacture of suitable paper-based precursor materials. While many flame retardants can provide sufficient fire resistance, most flame retardants (including borates) generally embrittle paper-based materials, which makes them unsuitable as precursor materials because they do not achieve a sufficiently low density after on-site venting. The apparatus and method include carefully designed upstream processes to produce precursor materials suitable for on-site venting while meeting stringent post-venting requirements for density, flame spread, smoldering resistance, mold growth, and related commercial performance requirements. The result is a cost-efficient on-site manufacturing and installation process, and a more compact shipping process for the material. On-site venting of fibers can be more efficient from a distribution standpoint, and potentially less damaging to the aggregate fibers, than traditional methods of cellulosic insulation manufacturing and distribution, which involve chopping, fiberization, compaction at a remote manufacturing site, and then attempting to re-ventilate with a blower.

[0026] What is needed are precursor materials, apparatus, and methods configured to reduce the costs of transporting loose insulation while ensuring that high quality, code compliant cellulose insulation products are installed at the desired location. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a simplified side view of an in-situ cellulose insulation manufacturing and installation apparatus of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a simplified side view of an apparatus of the present invention having an accordion-shaped precursor as a starter material. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a simplified side view of a system of the present invention having a precursor material in a folded form as a starter material. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional side view of a precursor material prior to processing to form precursor-derived cellulose insulation. [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional side view of precursor-derived cellulose insulation formed from precursor material after processing in an apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1A-1D are simplified cross-sectional views of an embodiment of a precursor material before and after expansion. [Figure 7] 1 is a simplified representation of one mechanism for expanding an embodiment of a precursor material that includes microbeads as an agent for expanding the precursor material. [Figure 8] 1 is a simplified flow diagram illustrating the major steps of the method of the present invention for converting a precursor material into an insulation product. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a simplified side view of the main components of a first apparatus for producing cellulose precursor material. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a simplified side view of the main components of a second apparatus for producing cellulose precursor material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Detailed Description of the Invention An in situ cellulose insulation manufacturing and installation apparatus 10 of the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The apparatus 10 includes a cellulose precursor material supply 12, a precursor material processing machine 14, and an insulation installation delivery component 16. The machine 14 and delivery component 16 are arranged and coupled to enable the manufacturing of cellulose insulation material 18 and the delivery of the insulation material 18 to an installation site 20, all while being on-site.

[0029] The supply 12 may be a container, pallet, or other device for holding thereon or therein one or more precursor materials 22 for producing the insulation material 18. The one or more precursor materials 22 are described in further detail herein. The precursor materials 22 are conveyed to an inlet 26 of the machine 14 by a transport component 24. The transport component 24 may be a conveyor belt or band arranged to move the precursor material 22, or another type of material conveying device. It may be, for example, but not limited to, a set of rollers. Multiple transport components 24 may be used to deliver the precursor materials 22 to the fiber aeration machine 28.

[0030] The fiber aeration machine 28 is positioned to convert the precursor material 22 into a fiber composition having a bulk density lower than that of the precursor material 22. The fiber aeration machine 28 may optionally include a shredder, an impeller (such as those used in blowers and fans), a chopper or catcher (such as a rapidly rotating blade), or a hammer mill (such as a dry grinding process) to shred the precursor material 22, as necessary or desired. The fiber aeration machine 28 includes an aerator or other type of fiber aeration mechanism, as described herein. Multiple stages of aeration and optional separation may be used. The illustrated fiber aeration machine 28 represents one or more components that may be used to aerate the precursor material 22, optionally separate fibers prior to aeration, and reduce the bulk density of the precursor material 22 to produce the insulation material 18. One or more additives may be applied to the precursor material 22, the insulation material 18 entering or exiting the fiber aeration machine 28, or both. The additive or additives may be provided from an additive supply 30, which represents one or more additive supply vessels. The additive supply 30 may include one or more outlets 32 for delivering the additive or additives as described herein. An output 34 of the fabric aeration machine 28 is coupled to an insulation delivery component 36.

[0031] The insulation material delivery component 36 can optionally be used to transport the manufactured insulation material 18 for installation. Alternatively, the insulation material 18 can be stored or otherwise used. If the insulation material 18 is directly installed, the insulation material delivery component 36 can be a blower configured to draw the insulation material 18 from the fiber aeration machine 28 into an inlet 38 and transport it to an outlet 40. The delivery component 36 represents one or more such devices that may all be blowers or may be different types of material transport components. The delivery component 36 can be positioned to expand or otherwise reduce the bulk density of the insulation material 18 as it travels through the insulation material delivery hose 46 to the installation site 20. The delivery hose 46 can be ribbed to help separate and aerate the fibers as they travel through the delivery hose 46.

[0032] An outlet 40 of the delivery component 36 is directly or indirectly coupled to an inlet 44 of an insulation material delivery hose 46. The delivery component 36 may be configured to permit movement of the insulation material 18 therefrom through the delivery hose 46 at sufficient pressure to enable an operator 48 to direct the insulation material 18 to the installation site 20 to fill the cavity 50 as desired and produce the desired insulation properties at the installation site 20.

[0033] The apparatus 10 optionally includes a moisture delivery hose 52, which may include one or more ports 54 positioned to deliver a desired fluid, such as water, to the insulation material 18 at a beginning, middle, and / or end of the delivery hose 46. The moisture delivery hose 52 may also be configured to deliver moisture to the insulation material 18 at other points through the machine 14. The apparatus 10 further optionally includes one or more monitors 56 positioned to monitor a condition of any one or more of the precursor material 22, the insulation material 18, the delivery hose 46, the fiber aeration machine 28, and the transport components 24. The apparatus 10 also optionally includes one or more controllers 58 positioned to enable adjustment of components of the machine 14. The controllers 58 may include remote controllers, controllers coupled to the machine 14, and controllers managed by the operator 48.

[0034] The apparatus 10 optionally includes an airlock 60 disposed between the fabric aeration machine 28 and the delivery component 36. The airlock 60 includes an inlet 62 coupled to the output 34 of the fabric aeration machine 28 and an outlet 64 coupled to the inlet 42 of the delivery component 36. The optional airlock 60 is configured to minimize return of the insulating material 18 to the fabric aeration machine 28.

[0035] Optional mechanisms for conveying precursor material 22 to machine 14 are depicted in Figures 2 and 3. As shown in Figure 2, precursor material 22 is accordion-like. Precursor material 22 is joined to transport component 24, which may be a set of rollers. As shown in Figure 3, precursor material 22 is in roll form. Precursor material 22 is placed on a core 60 and joined to transport component 24 for delivery to fiber aeration machine 28. In the case of a paper-based precursor material as precursor material 22, fiber aeration machine 28 may include a chopping component to chop the paper into pieces that are converted into fiber components.

[0036] An advantage of the present invention is the reduction in labor by using the components of the apparatus 10 as described. The components of the apparatus 10 are large enough to allow for on-site operation, but can also be used for the manufacture of cellulose insulation and transportation to remote locations using alternative delivery mechanisms. A further consideration to allow for on-site manufacture and installation is the form of the precursor material 22. If the precursor material 22 is in sheet form, it can be delivered in a particular manner and configuration that reduces labor requirements. For example, there can be two or more stacks of sheets on each skid. Each stack can be 2' wide (easy to manage), 4' deep by 4' high. A string or sheet of one stack may be affixed to the bottom of another stack on top of the first stack. Additionally, the transport component 24 can represent multiple transport components, with individual transport components being joined to a skid with two or more stacks. That way, one transport component can always operate while re-feeding the transport components of an empty skid with a new skid full of stacks. That way, if there is a problem with the delivery on one side or end of the skid, there is an automatic switchover.

[0037] The exemplary arrangement described above for the stack is suitable when the paper is accordion-shaped, as shown in FIG. 2. For these stacks, the sheets may be lightly bonded or glued together to prevent undesired separation before or during transfer to the fabric aeration machine 28, eliminating the need to wrap the stack during transfer. For example, the layers may be lightly glued with an adhesive in some locations. The layers may be perforated or scored to hold together until they are pulled apart by the transport component 24 and pulled into the fabric aeration machine 28. The sides of the sheets may be perforated or dimpled to allow for fixation without impeding transfer to the fabric aeration machine 28.

[0038] The precursor material 22 includes a substrate of multiple fibers that are recycled fibers, virgin fibers, or a combination of the two. The source of the fibers is optional and may include, but is not limited to, paper, OCC, and other cellulosic fiber sources. The precursor material 22 may be treated with one or more additives, including, but not limited to, fire retardants, adhesives, release agents, odorants, deodorizers, and one or more material expansion agents. The fibers and any additives are pressed or otherwise consolidated into a sheet or roll form for ease of transportation, ease of delivery to the machine 14, or both.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the precursor material 22 appears as a combination of consolidated fibers 100. There may be one or more additives 102 dispersed throughout the fibers 100. The one or more additives 102 may optionally include an expansion component arranged to cause the precursor material 22 to expand during passage through the fiber aeration machine 28. The precursor material 22 including the consolidated fibers 100 and optional additives 102 may be in the form of a sheet or roll for ease of transportation and delivery to the fiber aeration machine 28. As shown in FIG. 5, the precursor-derived cellulose insulation 18 formed by the precursor material 22 passing through the fiber aeration machine 28 is porous. It has the properties described herein that make it suitable to serve as an effective replacement for existing insulation products.

[0040] The fiber aeration machine 28 may include an expander component 70 arranged to expand the compressed form of the precursor material 22. The optional expansion component may be, but is not limited to, a plurality of microbeads or a foaming agent. Figure 6 depicts an illustration of the appearance of the precursor material 22 before and after passing through the expander component 70, where the expansion component is activated to reduce the density of the precursor material 22, thereby expanding the precursor material with sufficient force to form an expanded precursor material 200.

[0041] An example of an expander component 70 is shown in FIG. 7. An exemplary expander component 70 is a heater 70 over, through or under which the precursor material 22 passes, the precursor material 22 including a plurality of microbeads as an additive. The heater 70 is configured to generate sufficient heat imposed on the precursor material 22 to cause the microbeads to expand the volume of the precursor material 22 and, as a result, reduce the density. Although the heater 70 is shown positioned before the aeration, it is understood that it may be positioned after that section of the fiber aeration machine 28. The expander component 70 is generally configured to convert the precursor material 22 including an expansion component additive, such as a blowing agent or expandable beads, into an expanded precursor material 200. The blowing agent may react, for example, to heat or moisture, causing it to convert from a flowable form, such as a liquid, to a foamed form. The formed foam may remain within the dimensions of the precursor material 22 or may extend beyond its dimensions. The expandable beads may be expanded by, but not limited to, the application of heat. Thus, the inflator component 70 may be a heater, a foam activator, a moisture delivery component, or any combination thereof.

[0042] The inventive method 300 using the inventive apparatus 10 and precursor material 22 shown in FIG. 8 includes a first step for converting the precursor material 22 into an insulation product 18. In a first step 302, the precursor material 22 produced at a first location is moved to a second location, which may be remote from the first location. For example, the first location may be a precursor manufacturing facility and the second location may be an insulation installation site. In a second step 304, the precursor material 22 is transported from the supply 12 at the second location to the precursor processing machine 14 by the transport component 24. In a third step 306, the precursor material 22 is directed to the fiber aeration machine 28. In a fourth step 308, the precursor material 22 is aerated in the fiber aeration machine 28 to reduce the bulk density of the precursor material 22. In a fifth step 310, the aerated precursor material is converted into insulation material 18. In a sixth step 312, the insulation material 18 is transported to the installation site by the insulation material delivery component 36. Optionally, either or both of the precursor material 22 and the insulation material 18 may be treated with one or more additives before transporting the insulation material to an installation site. Optionally, the precursor material 22 may be shredded before being converted into the insulation material 18. Optionally, the precursor material 22 includes one or more expansion elements, and the method optionally includes expanding the one or more expansion elements.

[0043] A first apparatus 400 for producing cellulose precursor material 22 is shown in FIG. 9. Loosely separated cellulose fibers 23, which may have been fibrillated, coarsened, sized, separated, chopped, or sized upstream by sieving, rolling separation, or air winnowing, are fed through a pre-compression guide chute 402 to a series of rotating compression rollers 404 containing nips 406. The number of compression rollers 404 and nips 406 can range from a single paired nip to a multi-stage array containing multiple paired rollers with decreasing nip width spacing. The rollers 404 can be Teflon treated or chrome plated, and can be heated to activate additives or binders, if desired. Although a continuous rotating compression roller 404 is shown here, single or multiple aperture platen presses are similarly useful for densifying the loosely separated fibers 23 into one or more sheets of cellulose precursor material 22. The rollers 404 are positioned to organize, align and assemble the loose cellulose fibers 23 into a medium density mat, batt, sheet, board or web. That is, the loose fibers 23 are packed to such an extent that the bulk density of the loose cellulose precursor material 22 is higher than the bulk density of the loose fibers 23 prior to modification. Although the cellulose precursor material 22 is shown as a sheeted product due to the incorporation of a guillotine cutter 408, a sheeting device similar to the guillotine cutters 408 commonly found in the manufacture of paper and rigid board sheet products can be used. In the absence of a guillotine cutter 408, the cellulose precursor material 22 can be self-wound into a roll or bale. Application of binders, flame retardants, colorants or other processing additives can be applied by spray nozzles, curtain coating, offset roll coating, gravure roll transfer coating 410 to either the loose uncompressed fibers 23, the finished precursor material 22 or both.

[0044] A second apparatus 500 for producing cellulose precursor material 22 is shown in FIG. 10. The loose and separated cellulose fibers 23, which may have been fibrillated, coarsened, sized, separated, chopped, or sized upstream by sieving, tumbling or winnowing, are fed through a pre-compression guide chute 502 to a tapered nip compression belt 504. The belt 504 can be made of glass-reinforced rubber or silicone, but the preferred construction of the belt 504 is chrome-plated metal. The pressure exerted by the belt 504 on the loose fibers 23 can be relieved using multiple pressure zones 506. The compression belt 504 can be heated if necessary. The belt 504 is arranged to organize, align and assemble the loose cellulose fibers 23 into a medium density mat, batt, sheet, board or web. That is, the loose fibers 23 are packed to such an extent that the bulk density of the cellulose precursor material 22 is higher than the bulk density of the loose fibers 23 before modification. Although the cellulose precursor material 22 is shown as a sheeted product due to the incorporation of a guillotine cutter 508, a sheeting device similar to the guillotine cutters 508 commonly found in the manufacture of paper and rigid board sheet goods can be used. In the absence of a guillotine cutter 508, the cellulose precursor material 22 can be self-wound into a roll or bale. Application of binders, fire retardants, colorants or other processing additives can be applied by spray nozzles, curtain coating, offset roll coating, gravure roll transfer coating 510 to either the loose uncompressed fibers 23, the finished precursor material 22, or both.

[0045] Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the present invention is not contemplated to those explicitly described embodiments, but instead is set forth in the appended claims and all reasonable equivalents.

Claims

1. 1. A cellulose precursor material for producing cellulose insulation at an insulation installation site, the cellulose insulation having a bulk density less than a bulk density of the cellulose precursor material, the cellulose precursor material comprising: a plurality of fibers, at least a portion of the plurality of fibers being cellulosic fibers; and a binder that bonds at least some of the fibers together, the binder having a bond strength sufficient to maintain the at least some of the fibers bonded together during transport of the precursor material, while allowing the at least some of the fibers to be separated from one another to form the cellulose insulation.

1. A cellulose precursor material comprising:

2. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , wherein the cellulose precursor is in the form of a sheet.

3. The cellulose precursor material of claim 2 , wherein multiple sheets of the cellulose precursor material are stacked together.

4. The cellulose precursor material of claim 3 , further comprising separating mediators separating individual sheets of the stack.

5. The cellulose precursor material of claim 2 , wherein the sheet has a slippery surface.

6. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , further comprising a flame retardant added to at least a portion of the plurality of fibers.

7. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , further comprising one or more expansion elements dispersed with at least a portion of the plurality of fibers.

8. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of fibers are separate from one another without bonding.

9. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , wherein the binder is mildly tacky.

10. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , wherein the binder breaks apart during the process of forming the cellulose insulation.

11. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , wherein the at least some of the plurality of fibers are produced from paper.

12. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , wherein the binder uses hydrogen bonding.

13. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , wherein the binder forms covalent bonds between individual fibers of the plurality of fibers.

14. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1 , wherein the binder also acts as an expansion element.

15. 10. The cellulose precursor material of claim 1, wherein the precursor material is remotely aerated and mixed with conventional blown-in cellulose insulation to meet target performance characteristics of the cellulose insulation.

16. 1. An apparatus for converting cellulose precursor material into cellulose insulation at an insulation installation site, comprising: a delivery component coupled to a source of said cellulose precursor material; a precursor material processing machine coupled to said conveying component and arranged to receive said cellulose precursor material from said conveying component, said precursor material processing machine including a fabric aeration machine arranged to convert said cellulose precursor material into said cellulose insulation material; an insulation installation component arranged to receive the cellulose insulation material from the precursor material processing machine and deliver it to the insulation installation site; An apparatus comprising:

17. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fiber aeration machine includes an aeration device selected to expand the fibers of the cellulosic precursor material.

18. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an additive supply apparatus coupled to the precursor material processing machine, the additive supply apparatus being positioned to supply one or more additives to the precursor material and / or the insulation material prior to delivering the insulation material to the insulation installation component.

19. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the insulation placement component includes a blower positioned to draw the insulation from the precursor material processing machine and deliver it through a hose to the insulation placement location.

20. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an expander component positioned to expand an expandable substance located in the precursor material.

21. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the expander component is a heater.

22. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cellulosic precursor material is in sheet form, and the conveying component is configured to transport the cellulosic precursor material in sheet form to the precursor material processing machine.

23. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cellulosic precursor material is in the form of a sheet in a folded continuous web configuration, and the transport component is configured to transport the cellulosic precursor material in the folded continuous web configuration to the precursor material processing machine.

24. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising one or more monitors for monitoring operation of one or more components of the apparatus.

25. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a controller coupled to one or more components of the apparatus for controlling operation of the one or more components.

26. 26. The device of claim 25, wherein the control device is a remote control device.

27. 1. A method for converting cellulose precursor material into cellulose insulation at an insulation installation site, comprising: - transferring the cellulose precursor material from a first location to the insulation installation location, the first location and the insulation installation location being different; - conveying the cellulosic precursor material to a precursor material processing machine; - directing the cellulose precursor material to a textile aeration machine; aerating the cellulose precursor material to reduce the bulk density of the cellulose precursor material and convert the cellulose precursor material into the cellulose insulation; - transporting the cellulose insulation material from the precursor material processing machine to the precursor installation site; A method comprising:

28. 30. The method of claim 27, further comprising treating either or both of the cellulose precursor material and the cellulose insulation with one or more additives prior to transporting the insulation to the installation site.

29. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the cellulosic precursor material is paper-based, and the method further comprises shredding the cellulosic precursor material before aerating it.

30. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the cellulose precursor material comprises one or more expansion elements, and the method further comprises expanding the one or more expansion elements.

31. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the expanding step is accomplished by heating the expanding component.

32. 1. A method for producing a cellulose precursor material, comprising: directing a plurality of discrete cellulose fibers having a first bulk density to an apparatus configured to convert said discrete cellulose fibers into said cellulose precursor material; - organizing, aligning and assembling the discrete cellulose fibers into a mat, batt, sheet, board or web of the cellulose precursor material, the bulk density of the cellulose precursor material being greater than the bulk density of the discrete cellulose fibers; A method comprising:

33. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising compressing the mat, batt, sheet, board, or web to a bulk density of greater than 9 pounds per cubic foot.

34. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the compressing step is completed by a roller, a platen, or under vacuum assisted compression.

35. - separating at least some of the fibers of the cellulose precursor material; and reassembling the separated at least some of the fibers.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

36. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of sizing the individual cellulose fibers prior to the steps of organizing, aligning and assembling.

37. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein said organizing, aligning and assembling comprises air-laying said loose fibers into said mat, batt, sheet, board or web.

38. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising applying a binder to the cellulose precursor material.

39. 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the applying step is carried out by spraying, dip coating, curtain coating, or impregnating the mat, batt, sheet, board, or web with the binder.

40. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising spraying, injecting, or saturating the discrete cellulose fibers with a binder prior to the organizing, aligning, and assembling steps.

41. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising vacuum packaging, folding web, or rolling the assembled cellulose precursor material.

42. 1. An apparatus for producing cellulose precursor material from discrete cellulose fibers, comprising: a pre-compression guide chute arranged to receive the loose cellulose fibers; and a plurality of compression rollers arranged to receive the disaggregated cellulose fibers from the pre-compression guide chute, the plurality of compression rollers being arranged to organize, align and assemble the disaggregated cellulose fibers into the cellulose precursor material; An apparatus comprising:

43. 43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a plurality of nips interacting with the plurality of compression rollers.

44. 43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising means for fibrillating, coarsening, sizing, separating, and / or chopping the disaggregated cellulose fibers prior to delivery to the pre-compression guide.

45. 45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the means is selected from one or more of a sieve, a rotary separator, or a winnowing.

46. 43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the roller is Teflon-coated or chrome-plated and heated.

47. 43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a guillotine cutter for converting the cellulosic precursor material into a sheet form.

48. 1. An apparatus for producing cellulose precursor material from discrete cellulose fibers, comprising: a pre-compression guide chute arranged to receive the loose cellulose fibers; and a tapered nip compression belt positioned to receive the disaggregated cellulose fibers from the pre-compression guide chute, the tapered nip compression belt having a plurality of compression rollers positioned to organize, align, and assemble the disaggregated cellulose fibers into the cellulose precursor material; An apparatus comprising:

49. 49. The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising means for fibrillating, coarsening, sizing, separating, and / or chopping the disaggregated cellulose fibers prior to delivery to the pre-compression guide.

50. 49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the means is selected from one or more of a sieve, a rotary separator, or a winnowing.

51. 49. The method of claim 48, further comprising: converting the cellulosic precursor material into a sheet form with a guillotine cutter. The device described in

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