Foam seal for sealing large volumes

Abstract

The member includes a tube having a peripheral region including an upper piece, a lower piece, an inner piece, and an outer piece, the tube further including a tube wall having an inner piece and an outer piece, the inner piece being a nonwoven fabric and the outer piece being a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids, the tube further including at least one inlet integral with the tube wall to allow flow of an activated or activatable foamable composition into the tube, the tube including a plurality of holes extending through the inner and outer layers of the tube to allow expanding blowing agent to fill the interior of the tube and to flow out of the tube to fill the space outside the tube.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of applying one or more foaming agents used to fill cavities, cracks and gaps to improve sealing and insulation of buildings, and more particularly to a system including a packaged enclosure such as a tube that can be placed within a volume to be sealed and thus receive a supply of foaming ingredients, or a foaming system contained within a packaged enclosure such as a tube that can be placed within a volume to be sealed. Such a system is desirable in the marketplace as it would reduce installation time as well as the amount of foaming raw material wasted. [Background technology]

[0002] O'Leary et al., U.S. Patent No. 10,384,378, describes a system for sealing large volumes or gaps that includes a flexible envelope that can conform to the shape of the volume once filled with a foaming composition, expanding the envelope to the volume's boundaries. The foaming composition may be integral to the envelope or may be supplied in bulk by an external device. The foaming composition may include single or multiple parts, typically two parts such as polyisocyanate and polyol, where the two components must be kept separate until the blowing agent is needed. Separation can be achieved by providing multiple compartments that feed the multiple components internally through a mixing device. The envelope may include ribs around its periphery to provide strength and shape to the structure, and leak holes to enhance adhesion and sealing. The envelope may also include perforations to separate portions of the envelope for bulk, modular sealing, or to seal irregular shapes.

[0003] U.S. Patent No. 8,882,483 to O'Leary et al. describes a system for sealing or insulating a large volume. The system includes an enclosure having a wall defining an interior. The interior is configured to receive a foam composition. The enclosure is initially in a stored configuration. The foam composition is configured to be inserted into the interior of the enclosure. The enclosure is configured such that the foam composition expands the enclosure to fill large voids.

[0004] O'Leary et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,561,606, discloses a system for sealing large volumes or gaps, including a flexible envelope that can conform to the shape of the volume once filled with a foaming composition that expands the envelope to the volume's boundaries. The foaming composition can be integral to the envelope or can be supplied in bulk by an external device. The foaming composition can include single or multiple parts, typically two parts such as polyisocyanate and polyol, where the two components must be kept separate until the blowing agent is needed. Separation can be achieved by providing multiple compartments that feed the multiple components internally through a mixing device. The envelope can include ribs around its perimeter to provide strength and shape to the structure, and leak holes to enhance adhesion and sealing. The envelope can also include perforations to separate portions of the envelope for bulk, modular sealing, or to seal irregular shapes.

[0005] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20210198411 by Certain Teed LLC discloses methods, apparatus and systems for insulating cavities associated with, for example, walls, ceilings, floors and other building structures with foam insulation. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for filling building cavities with expanded foam insulation. The method includes injecting a quantity of expanding foam insulation into a cavity, the expanding foam insulation being dischargeable and expandable to fill the expanded foam insulation material, the expanding foam insulation material being formed from a premix including at least one polyol, at least one polyisocyanate, an expanding agent, and an encapsulated catalyst, the encapsulated catalyst including a plurality of catalyst capsules, each including a quantity of catalyst and a capsule shell encasing the catalyst in a capsule, the injection being performed to apply a force to the encapsulated catalyst sufficient to break the capsules and release the catalyst, the released catalyst initiating a reaction of the at least one polyol and the at least one isocyanate, and then expanding the foam insulation to conform to the shape of the cavity by substantially ceasing the expansion after the injected quantity of the expanding foam insulation is injected into the cavity.

[0006] PCT Publication No. WO2020123232 by Davlin et al. discloses a method and system for applying foam insulation onto a surface or into a cavity, the method and system including a sheet having an opening that covers all or a portion of the surface or cavity with the opening adjacent the surface or cavity. A pressure-activated foam generator that generates a foaming agent is coupled to the sheet. The pressure-activated foam generator includes a flexible outlet seal having a break location. The pressure-activated foam generator is positioned such that at the break location, the foaming agent has a path from the flexible outlet seal through the opening onto the surface or into the cavity. The sheet is connected to cover all or a portion of the surface or cavity, and the pressure-activated foam generator is activated to cause the foaming agent to flow onto the surface or into the cavity. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] What is needed is a system having a packaged enclosure that can be placed within a volume to be sealed and that includes a tube that allows the foaming agent to expand in the desired direction necessary to seal the gap upon subsequent expansion. In some embodiments, the packaged enclosure is provided with the foamable ingredients externally, while in other embodiments the foaming system is contained within the enclosure. Such a system reduces installation time as well as foam material waste, and is particularly advantageous for sealing small cavities such as between a window and a wall. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present application relates to a component including a tube having a length L, width W and height H, the tube including an upper piece, a lower piece, an inner piece and an outer piece, the tube including a tube wall having an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer being a nonwoven fabric and the outer layer being a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids, the tube having at least one inlet integral with the tube wall to permit fluid flow into the tube, the tube having a through thickness Gurley air permeability of 1 to 2000 seconds, a tensile modulus of elasticity of the tube in the L direction of 300 to 450 MPa and a tensile modulus of elasticity of the tube in the W direction of 200 to 320 MPa, and the tube having a plurality of holes passing through the inner and outer layers of the upper and / or lower piece of the tube.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method of sealing a gap between building boundaries, the method comprising: Providing a member including a tube, the tube has a length L, a width W and a height H, the tube includes an upper piece, a lower piece, an inner piece and an outer piece, the tube includes a tube wall having an inner layer and an outer layer; The inner layer is a nonwoven fabric and the outer layer is a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids; the tube having at least one inlet integral with the tube wall to permit fluid flow into the tube; The pipe's through-thickness Gurley air permeability is 1 to 2,000 seconds, and the L-direction tensile modulus is 300 to 450 MPa, and the W-direction tensile modulus is 200 to 320 MPa. a tube having a plurality of holes extending through inner and outer layers of the top and / or bottom sections of the tube; inserting the member into the gap between building boundaries; injecting an activated or activatable foamable composition into the tube via at least one inlet; In the step of expanding the tube by activating or allowing the blowing agent to expand, The expanding foaming agent passes through the tube holes in the upper and / or lower sections of the tube and exits the tube through spaced apart flow restrictors, if present, extending along the length of the tube, the expanding foaming agent filling voids between the building boundaries and in the building structure, and then curing in place to form a foam structure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a member including a tube of length L, width W and height H. [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a molded article including a periphery including an upper piece, a lower piece, an inner piece, and an outer piece. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view of a member including a plurality of inlets for injecting a foamable material into the member, each of the inlets having a valve for closing. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an embodiment in which the inlet has multiple valves adapted to initiate mixing as the foamable ingredients are injected into the member. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a member inserted into a void space between building boundaries. [Figure 6] A cross-sectional view of a building boundary. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a window and building wall interface with a tube inserted into the gap between the window and the building wall. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a member inserted into a void space between building boundaries. [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view of a member comprising a tube of length L, width W and height H having an inner pouch. [Figure 10] A cross-sectional view of a member including a peripheral region including an upper piece, a lower piece, an inner piece, and an outer piece. [Figure 11-12] 1 shows an idealized embodiment of a pouch including first and second compartments C1, C2 separated by one or more flexible barriers and which may include static mixers, where the first compartment C1 contains a first foamable composition component and the second compartment C2 contains a second foamable composition component. [Figure 13]FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a member inserted into a void space between building boundaries. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is an end view of the window and building wall interface with a tube inserted into the gap between the window and the building wall. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The present invention relates to a system that utilizes a member or enclosure, such as a tube, that can be placed within a volume to be sealed and allows a foaming agent from the member to expand in a suitable desired direction to seal gaps within the volume. The terms "member" and "enclosure" are used interchangeably herein. In some embodiments, the foamable component is provided in the member, while in other embodiments the member includes a foaming system contained within a packaged enclosure.

[0012] Components that utilize supplied foam parts FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the foamable component is delivered to a member, the member 10 comprising a tube 11 having a length L, width W and height H. The tube comprises a peripheral region including an upper piece 13, a lower piece 14, an inner piece 15 and an outer piece 16. The tube also comprises a tube wall having an inner layer 17 and an outer layer 18, the inner layer 17 being a nonwoven fabric, the outer layer 18 being a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids, the inner surface of the outer layer 18 attached to the outer surface of the inner layer 17 forming the tube wall. In this embodiment, the tube has at least one inlet integral with the tube wall to allow fluid flow into the tube. The tube has a through-thickness Gurley air permeability, i.e., the total air permeability through the tube wall including both the inner layer 17 and the outer layer 18, of 1 to 2000 seconds. The tensile modulus of the tube wall material in the L direction is 300 to 450 MPa and the tensile modulus in the W direction is 200 to 320 MPa. The tube also has a number of holes extending through the inner layer 17 and outer layer 18 of the top and / or bottom sections 13, 14 of the tube along a length of the tube generally parallel to the length of the tube.

[0013] In some embodiments, the width W and height H of the tube are the same dimension, i.e., the tube has a circular cross section. The width W and / or height H of the tube can vary for different applications. In one example, the outer diameter of a circular unexpanded tube can be 50-100 mm. The length L of the tube must be at least sufficient to cover the length of the cavity gap to be filled with the blowing agent.

[0014] In the foamable component provided member shown in Figure 2, the tube includes a peripheral region including an upper section 13, a lower section 14, an inner section 15, and an outer section 16. The inner section 15 faces the interior of the building and the outer section 16 faces the exterior. The tube includes an inner layer 17 and an outer layer 18.

[0015] Outer layer 18 is preferably a semipermeable membrane such as a microporous membrane, a spunbond-meltblown-spunbond (SMS) sheet, a spunbond-meltblown-meltblown-spunbond (SMMS) sheet, or a flash-spun polyethylene plexifilamentary sheet. By "semipermeable membrane" is meant a membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids.

[0016] The inner layer 17 is a nonwoven, preferably a continuous filament spunbond sheet, an SMS sheet, or an SMMS sheet. In many preferred embodiments, the outer layer nonwoven comprises polypropylene or polyester fibers because these surfaces generally adhere well to various construction sealants, such as joint compounds. Also, in some embodiments, it is desirable for the outer layer nonwoven to have a higher vapor permeability than the inner layer.

[0017] In some embodiments, the inner layer 17 is permeable to liquids. In some embodiments, the inner layer 17 is permeable to the actively foaming composition, while the outer layer 18 is impermeable.

[0018] The terms "nonwoven fabric", "nonwoven fabric", "nonwoven sheet", and "nonwoven layer" are used interchangeably herein and refer to a structure of individual strands (e.g., fibers, filaments, plexifilaments, or yarns) randomly arranged to form a planar material without a discernible pattern, as opposed to a knit or woven fabric. The term "fiber" is used herein to include staple fibers as well as continuous filaments. Examples of nonwoven fabrics include meltblown sheets, spunbond sheets, and combinations of meltblown and spunbond webs or layers, flash spun sheets including plexifilaments, staple-based webs or sheets including carded and airlaid webs or sheets, spunlace or hydrolace webs or sheets, and composite sheets including two or more nonwoven sheets or webs.

[0019] As used herein, the term "spunbond" refers to a sheet made from melt-spun fibers by extruding a molten thermoplastic polymer material as fibers through a plurality of fine, usually circular capillaries in a spinneret, the diameter of the extruded fibers being then rapidly reduced by drawing and quenching the fibers. As used herein, the term "meltblown" refers to melt-spun fibers by meltblowing, which involves extruding a melt-processable polymer as a molten stream through a plurality of capillaries into a high velocity gas (e.g., air) stream to produce fine fibers.

[0020] The term "spunbond" may also include flash spun sheets of plexifilaments, also known as flash spun plexifilament sheets. As used herein, the term "plexifilament" refers to a three-dimensional integrated network of a plurality of thin, ribbon-like membrane fibril elements of random lengths having an average membrane thickness of less than about 4 microns and a median fibril width of less than about 25 microns. Plexifilament refers to a plexifilament structure having membrane fibril elements aligned generally coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the structure, intermittently combining and separating at irregular intervals at various locations throughout the length, width and thickness of the structure to form a continuous three-dimensional network.

[0021] SMS sheets are three-layered structures including a spunbond layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbond layer. Although SMS sheets have three component layers, they are sold in the market as one-piece sheet roll products and are therefore considered to be a single layer for the purposes of this specification. Similarly, SMMS sheets are four-layered structures including a spunbond layer, two meltblown layers, and a spunbond layer. Although SMMS sheets have four component layers, they are sold in the market as one-piece sheet roll products and are therefore also considered to be a single layer for the purposes of this specification. Based on adhesion, basis weight, and other treatments, SMS and SMMS sheets can be made impermeable to liquids while retaining some vapor permeability.

[0022] In one preferred embodiment, the outer layer 18 is a nonwoven sheet that is a flash spun polyethylene plexifilamentary sheet, an exemplary material being available from DuPont Co., Wilmington, Del. under the trademark Tyvek®. In some embodiments, the plexifilamentary sheet has a density of 930 to 970 kg / m 3 The polymer comprises:

[0023] In one preferred embodiment, the inner layer 17 is a nonwoven fabric of spunbonded continuous filament polypropylene, an exemplary material being available under the trademark Typar® from DuPont, Wilmington, Del. In some embodiments, the continuous filament polypropylene has a density of 240 to 430 kg / m 3 The polypropylene polymer.

[0024] In some embodiments, the basis weight of each of the inner and outer layers is preferably between 35 and 150 gsm. In some embodiments, the total basis weight of the pipe wall is preferably between 50 and 300 gsm, and most preferably between 75 and 200 gsm.

[0025] The Gurley air permeability through the thickness of the pipe wall is 1-2000 seconds as measured according to EN ISO 5636-5: 2013. This range is sufficient to allow gas to escape through the pipe wall and out of the pipe during the foam expansion process.

[0026] The tube is preferably flexible enough to expand during the foaming process, but preferably not to such an extent that the tube breaks. In some embodiments, the tensile modulus of the tube wall, including the combination of the inner and outer layers, is preferably 300-450 MPa in the L direction and 200-320 MPa in the W direction according to ENISO 527-1:2019. In some embodiments, the tensile modulus of the tube wall is 340-440 MPa in the L direction and 205-305 MPa in the W direction. Preferably, the tensile modulus of the tube wall, including the combination of the inner and outer layers, is preferably 200 MPa or more in both the W direction and the L direction according to ENISO 527-1:2019. The tensile modulus of the tube wall, including the combination of the inner and outer layers, may be 450 MPa or more in both the W direction and the L direction according to ENISO 527-1:2019.

[0027] Similarly, the tensile strength at break of the pipe wall including the combination of the inner and outer layers is preferably greater than 10 MPa in both W and L directions according to ENISO 527-1:2019. In preferred embodiments, the tensile strength at break of the pipe wall including the combination of the inner and outer layers is greater than 13 MPa in both W and L directions according to ENISO 527-1:2019. The tensile strength at break of the pipe wall including the combination of the inner and outer layers may be greater than or equal to 25 MPa in both W and L directions. In some embodiments, the pipe wall exhibits a maximum tensile strength of at least 100 N / 50 mm when tested according to standard EN 12311-1:2000, and in some embodiments preferably at least 350 N / 50 mm.

[0028] In some embodiments, the peripheral regions of the tube (top piece 13, bottom piece 14, inner piece 15, and outer piece 16) have the same dimensions to form a circular cross section. In some preferred embodiments, top piece 13 and bottom piece 14 have the same first dimension and inner piece 15 and outer piece 16 have the same second dimension, the second dimension being smaller than the first dimension of top piece 13 and bottom piece 14. Preferably, the ratio of tube width W to tube height H is between 20:1 and 2.3:1.

[0029] In some embodiments, the top section 13 of the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictors 19a, 19b attached to the outer surface 20 of the tube's outer layer 18 and extending the length of the tube. These flow restrictors are shown in both Figures 1 and 2. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the bottom section 14 of the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictors 19c, 19d attached to the outer surface 20 of the tube's outer layer 18 and extending the length of the tube. These flow restrictors 19c, 19d are shown in Figure 8. In another embodiment, the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictors 19a, 19b on the top section 13 of the tube and two spaced apart flow restrictors 19c, 19d on the bottom section 14 of the tube, all four of which extend the length of the tube and are attached to the outer surface 20 of the tube's outer layer 18.

[0030] The flow restrictors are preferably linear structures attached longitudinally to the outer layer of the tube to form a flow path on the surface of the tube having parallel walls extending radially from the outer layer of the tube. The flow restrictors limit the initial contact area of ​​the foaming agent between the wall and the tube to direct the actively foaming material to the outside of the tube by preferentially channeling the actively foaming material radially from the tube toward the sealing wall or surface while retarding lateral movement of the actively foaming material. Suitable flow restrictors include gasket tape with adhesive applied and nail sealing tape, which is a strip of linear foaming agent with adhesive applied thereto. Other materials may be used as flow restrictors as desired, so long as each flow restrictor forms a wall that extends radially from the outer surface of the tube the desired linear distance and may be attached to the outer surface by adhesive or the like. In many embodiments, each flow restrictor forms a wall that extends from the outer surface of the tube by about 0.5 mm or more. In some embodiments, each flow restrictor forms a wall that extends from the outer surface of the tube by about 0.5 mm to about 2 mm.

[0031] In some embodiments, two spaced apart flow restrictors extending along the length of the tube that form a flow passage on the surface of the tube are spaced apart about 10 mm or more apart on the exterior surface of the tube. In some embodiments, two spaced apart flow restrictors are spaced apart about 10 mm to about 60 mm apart on the exterior surface of the tube. In some embodiments, two spaced apart flow restrictors are spaced apart about 20 mm to about 40 mm apart on the exterior surface of the tube.

[0032] The tube has a number of holes extending through the tube wall, including both the inner layer 17 and the outer layer 18 of the tube. These holes can be in either the top piece 13 of the tube or the bottom piece 14 of the tube, or in both the top piece 13 and the bottom piece 14 of the tube. If the holes are present in a section, they are preferably located in a band of 10 mm to about 60 mm in length on the outer surface of the tube. If the holes are present in a section, they are preferably located between pairs of flow restrictors, if any, located in the section. In other words, if flow restrictors are present, the holes are formed in and restricted to the region of the tube between the flow restrictors. For example, as shown, holes are shown in the top piece 13 of the tube between two spaced apart flow restrictors 19a and 19b, and / or in the bottom piece 14 of the tube between two spaced apart flow restrictors 19c and 19d. Thus, the holes are formed and confined to the area between the associated flow restrictors on both the top 13 and bottom 14 pieces of the tube. One specific embodiment of the hole locations is further idealized in FIG. 1 as black dots between the spaced apart flow restrictors 19a and 19b. The holes may be circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or other shapes, and may be arranged randomly, linearly, or in some other configuration. A preferred pattern is two rows of holes, with the centerlines of the holes arranged in parallel lines spaced apart about 4-10 mm, or 8-10 mm apart along the length of the tube. Typically, the open area of ​​each hole is about 2-10 mm. 2 and the center-to-center spacing of each hole may be about 4-30 mm. In some embodiments, the holes are circular, and in some embodiments, the holes are circular with a diameter of about 0.8-5 mm, preferably 2-3 mm.

[0033] Once the material has been actively foamed within the tube, the tube expands and the pores act as passageways for the actively foamed material to flow through the tube wall, directing the actively foaming material radially upward, radially downward, or both radially upward and downward, depending on whether the pores are in the top 13, bottom 14, or both top 13 and bottom 14 pieces of the tube. This directionally ensures that the foaming agent occupies the desired area / volume on the outside of the tube, and that gaps between the component and one or more surfaces to be sealed are adequately sealed, as the foaming agent is preferentially directed initially to the upper and / or lower surfaces of the component.

[0034] In one embodiment, the walls of the tube at both ends are sealed together, preferably by contacting the inner surfaces of the walls and then sealing the two walls together using either ultrasonic sealing or the application of an adhesive. In this embodiment, there is preferably no path for the blowing agent to escape from either end of the tube.

[0035] In another embodiment, the tubes are endless, i.e., the ends of the tubes are joined together by inserting one end into the other end and then attaching the ends, for example, by tape or other methods. The ends can be joined in a manner similar to the depiction of the auroboros (or ouroboros), an ancient symbol depicting a snake or dragon eating its own tail, but endless tubes are not limited to circular structures. For example, the tubes can be attached to the four straight sides of a window and the ends joined by inserting one end of the tube into the other tube and then sealing the ends. This allows for a continuous inner tube through which the foaming agent can expand, and a continuous seal around the window with the foaming agent flowing out of the endless tube. Similarly, multiple tubes can be sealed by a combination of termination techniques, such that some tubes have one end whose walls are sealed together, while the other end of the tube is inserted into an adjacent tube and then the two tubes are attached together. For example, when only two tubes are combined, each tube has one end sealed together while the other ends engage each other by inserting one end of one tube into the end of the other tube to attach the two tubes together.

[0036] In this embodiment, a foamable component is provided to the member, and the tube preferably has at least one inlet integrated with the tube wall to allow the flow of fluid into the tube. Preferably, the fluid is an actively foaming component (also referred to herein as an activated foamable composition) or a composition or assembly of foaming ingredients (also referred to herein as an activatable foamable composition). More preferably, the tube has multiple inlets integrated with the tube wall, and an idealized exemplary representation of inlets 12a, 12b is shown in FIG. 3. To facilitate uniform filling of the tube, the spacing between adjacent inlets may preferably be between 200 mm and 500 mm. The tube or tube wall may further include an outlet, not shown, which may be used when pressure within the tube needs to be relieved.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, inlets 12a, 12b have a single valve 12a1, preferably an "on / off" valve, near the point where they are integrated with tube 11. As shown in Figure 4, inlets 12a and / or 12b may include two valves 12a1, 12a2, preferably "on / off" valves. This valve arrangement may be desirable for injection of certain components of the foamable composition.

[0038] Preferably, the inlets have a one-way valve that allows the foamable material to enter the tube through the inlets but not to exit. For example, a nozzle tip or syringe tip can inject the foamable material into the tube through the inlets and then remove the nozzle or the like and wait for the foamable material to foam and expand to fill the tube. Because there are multiple inlets, any remaining unfilled portions can be filled using the closest inlet without being blocked by the foaming agent inside the tube.

[0039] The inlets can be present in many different embodiments, including tubular inlets as shown, or one-way inlets located on or near the surface of the tube flush with the exterior surface of the tube, or even located inside the tube. For example, valves known as single piece pinch valves may be used.

[0040] 7 shows a typical installation of a portion of a building wall, designated 27, portions of a window frame, designated 28a, 28b, and a window pane, designated 29. A tube 11 is inserted between the wall 27 and the window frame 28a. Fasteners 30, such as nails or screws, connect the window frame 28a to the wall 27 and hold the window assembly in place. The fasteners 30 pass through the tube 11 and preferably between the two flow restrictors 19a and 19b and / or the two flow restrictors 19c and 19d.

[0041] Preferably, the two peripheries of the tube 11 are suitably sealed, such as by gluing with an adhesive or ultrasonic welding, as shown at 32 in FIG. 7. Also shown in FIG. 7 is a vapor control layer or liquid sealant 31 covering the inner piece 15 on the outer surface of the tube 11 and partially extending on the top piece 13 and bottom piece 14 of the tube 11. Alternatively, the vapor control layer or liquid sealant may be applied to the inner tube surface of the inner piece 15. The vapor control layer or liquid sealant acts as a vapor barrier, preferentially directing moisture that accumulates around the tube to the outside of the wall versus the inside of the wall, and helps to prevent moisture from entering the tube from the inside of the wall. This vapor control layer may be made of polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) or a metal foil such as aluminum.

[0042] Foamable Composition By foamable composition is meant a composition that, once all ingredients are combined and a chemical reaction is initiated, the composition will initiate a foaming agent and expand in volume. In the described application, activation of the foaming process is initiated prior to or during injection of the foamable composition into the tube 11. As the actively foaming material expands within the tube 11, it passes through the tube holes in the top and / or bottom sections 13 and 14 of the tube, preferably between two spaced apart flow restrictors 19a and 19b and / or 19c and 19d, if present, extending along the length of the tube, and exits the tube to fill the gap 26 between the building boundaries 24 and 25 of the building structure, as shown in FIG. 6, curing in place and thus preferably providing an airtight and water-impermeable seal in the gap between the boundaries.

[0043] In one embodiment, the foamable composition includes a first foamable composition component, such as an isocyanate, and a second foamable composition component, such as a polyol. The isocyanate component may be formulated to have a monomeric diisocyanate content of less than 1% by weight, or less than 0.1% by weight. The polyol component may further include a catalyst and / or a blowing agent.

[0044] The foamable composition may be delivered to the inlet valve in several ways. For some formulations, all materials may be mixed in a single container and pumped to the inlet valve. For some other compositions, it may be desirable to keep some components separate until injection. For example, a first foamable composition component may be injected through inlet 12a1 in FIG. 4, and a second foamable composition component may be injected through inlet 12a2.

[0045] The foamable composition may also be supplied in containers such as packets or aerosol cans, hi some embodiments, all of the foamable composition ingredients, along with the swelling agent, are packaged in a single container or aerosol can. Suitable blowing agents may be selected from the group consisting of alkanes such as heptane, hexane, n-pentane, isopentane, n-butane, isobutane, propane, cyclohexane, and cyclopentane; ethers such as furan, dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, methylal, and heptafluorodimethyl ether; ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone; alkyl carbodilates such as methyl formate, dimethyl oxalate, and ethyl acetate; halogenated alkanes such as methylene chloride, difluoromonochloromethane, difluoromethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, difluoroethane, 1-chloro-2,2,2,-trifluoroethane, 2,2-dichloro-2-fluoroethane, ethyl chloride, dichloroethane, pentafluoropropane, heptafluoropropane; hydrohaloolefins; and trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene; as well as carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

[0046] In another embodiment, the first and second foamable components are filled into two separate containers or aerosol cans or tanks along with a suitable blowing agent, and both components can be passed through a mixing nozzle or other device where the foamable components are mixed and the foaming reaction is initiated before being injected through an inlet of a tube.

[0047] Yet another method of delivering foamable material from outside the tube is to contain the foamable material in a packet. For example, foamable material can be delivered to the tube using a packet made of a thermoplastic film containing two compartments separated by a flexible barrier, one compartment containing a polyol and the other compartment containing an isocyanate. The packet can be attached to the inlet of the tube so that the contents are in fluid communication with the interior of the tube, and the component materials can then be mixed to initiate the foaming reaction by manually breaking the flexible barrier, thereby delivering the actively foaming composition into the tube through the inlet of the tube and then through the holes in the tube to the desired area on the exterior of the tube.

[0048] Regardless of the delivery method, activation of the effervescent material is initiated either before, during, or after transfer of the effervescent material to the tube, allowing the effervescent material to actively foam and expand further.

[0049] In some embodiments, the foamable composition may also contain particles with major dimensions not exceeding 1 mm to act as nuclei for cell formation, thus resulting in small pore sizes with expanded foaming agents. Exemplary particles are graphite, microballoons and calcite. In the case of polyurethane foamable compositions, these additional particles are incorporated into the second foamable composition component (polyol). Non-polyurethane-based two-component chemicals are also suitable for foaming compositions, such as those based on epoxy systems or silicone systems. In this example, the nucleation particles are separated from both main components until the time of mixing. Other particles serve to aid in the mixing of the reagents. For example, ferromagnetic or magnetic particles can facilitate mixing if an external magnetic source is applied. This magnetic source can be a magnetic field or a magnetic bar. Other particles respond to an external ultrasonic source, which then facilitates mixing.

[0050] Other performance additives are fire retardants, pigments, and fillers such as fibers, filaments, fibrils, and pulps, such as glass or aramid. In some embodiments, the addition of p-aramid pulp, present in an amount of 0.05-3.0% by weight of the foamed composition, has been shown to be advantageous. This type of pulp preferably contains highly fibrillated chopped p-aramid fibers with lengths not exceeding 1,000 micrometers. Preferably, the fibrillated fibers have a diameter of about 50 micrometers. The pulp may be added to either the first foamable composition component, i.e., the isocyanate, or the second foamable composition component, i.e., the polyol. Foamed polyurethane compositions containing p-aramid pulp exhibit increased compressive strength and modulus, along with similar expansion and acceptable flexibility when compared to foamable compositions without the pulp additive. This increased compressive or modulus is a feature that enhances the impact absorbing properties of sealed gaps in window frames, which is desirable, for example, in buildings where windows expand in hot weather.

[0051] In some embodiments, the expanded foam should be flexible enough to be compressed by at least 10%, more preferably at least 20%, or even at least 50% when tested according to standard EN826:2013.

[0052] In some embodiments, the expanded foam shrinks no more than 20%, preferably no more than 10%, of the original expanded foam dimensions after one week of expansion when tested according to the method disclosed in standard EN 1604: 2013. The evaluation is performed at ambient temperature and at temperature cycles from -10 to +50°C.

[0053] In some embodiments, the expanded foam recovers from compression to at least 50% of its initial thickness at at least 80% of the thickness as defined by ISO 1856:2020 "Polymeric Materials, Cellular Flexible - Determination of Compression Set", allowing the foam to accommodate differences in thermal expansion coefficients and other characteristics of building elements by providing a flexible seal that allows for expansion and contraction of the foam seal at the interface between building elements.

[0054] The invention described herein is useful in new construction or retrofitting existing buildings that have gaps to fill. Typical applications include sealing gaps between a window and a wall, between a door and a wall, between a wall and a roof, between two walls, or between two adjacent prefabricated building panels or modules, sometimes referred to as the building boundary.

[0055] How to seal gaps between building boundaries In one embodiment, a method for sealing a gap 26 between building boundaries 24 and 25 with a component utilizing a dispensed foamable component includes: providing a component 10 including a tube 11, the tube 11 having a length L, a width W and a height H, the tube including an upper section 13, a lower section 14, an inner section 15 and an outer section 16, the tube also including a tube wall having an inner layer 17 and an outer layer 18, the inner layer 17 being a nonwoven fabric and the outer layer 18 being a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids, the tube also having at least one inlet integral with the tube wall to allow fluid to enter the tube and an optional outlet integral with the tube wall to allow fluid to exit the tube interior, the tube having a Gurley air permeability in a through-thickness direction of 1-2000 seconds, the tube having a tensile modulus in an L direction of 300-450 MPa and a tensile modulus in a W direction of 200-320 MPa, the tube having a plurality of holes penetrating the inner layer 17 and the outer layer 18 of the upper section 13 and / or the lower section 14 of the tube; Inserting the element 10 into the gap 26 between building boundaries 24 and 25; The method includes the steps of injecting an activated or activatable foamable composition into the tube 11 via at least one inlet and expanding the tube 11 by activating the foaming agent or allowing the foaming agent to expand, the expanding foaming agent exiting the tube through tube holes located in the upper and / or lower sections 13 and 14 of the tube and between two spaced apart flow restrictors 19a, 19b in the upper section 13 of the tube and / or two spaced apart flow restrictors 19c, 19d in the lower section 14 of the tube, if present, extending along the length of the tube, the expanding foaming agent preferably filling the gap 26 between the building boundaries 24 and 25 of the building structure and then curing in place to form a foam structure which preferably provides an airtight and water impermeable seal.

[0056] The method may further include the optional step of applying a bonding agent to either the bottom section 14 of the pipe 11 or the top surface 24 of the building boundary prior to inserting the pipe 11 into the gap 26. The bonding agent may be, for example, a double-sided tape or a hot melt adhesive that holds the pipe in the desired position.

[0057] Components containing foaming ingredients In some embodiments, the component includes an effervescent system contained within a packaged enclosure. Features of this embodiment of the component are described below, however, various details and options relating to features and elements common to the above-described components utilizing a provided effervescent component are believed to be applicable to this embodiment as well and will not be repeated here to avoid further redundancy.

[0058] 9, a member is generally designated 110, including a tube 111 having a length L, width W, and height H, and at least one pouch 112 inserted within the tube. In some embodiments, the width W and height H of the tube are the same dimension, i.e., the tube has a circular cross section. The width W and / or height H of the tube may vary for different applications. In one example, the outer diameter of a circular unexpanded tube may be 50-100 mm. The length L of the tube should be sufficient to cover at least the length of the cavity gap to be filled with the foaming agent.

[0059] The foamable component-containing member has a tube 111 including an upper piece 113, a lower piece 114, an inner piece 115, and an outer piece 116, as shown in FIG. 10. The inner piece 115 faces the interior of the building, and the outer piece 116 faces the exterior. The tube includes a tube wall having an inner layer 117 and an outer layer 118, the outer layer 118 being a semipermeable membrane such as a microporous membrane, an SMS sheet, or an SMMS sheet, which is permeable to vapors but impermeable to liquids. The inner layer 117 is preferably a nonwoven fabric of spunbonded polypropylene or polyester fibers. The SMS sheet is a three-layer structure including a spunbond layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbond layer. Although the SMS sheet has three component layers, it is considered a single layer for the purposes of this specification because it is sold as a unitary roll product. The SMMS sheet is a four-layer structure including a spunbond layer, two meltblown layers, and a spunbond layer. Although SMMS sheet has four component layers, it is considered herein as a single layer since it is sold as a unitary rolled good.

[0060] The through-thickness Gurley air permeability of the tube is 1-2000 seconds as measured in accordance with EN ISO 5636-5: 2013. This range is sufficient to allow gas to escape from the tube through the tube wall during the foam expansion process.

[0061] The tube must be flexible enough to expand during the foaming process but not break. A tube having a tensile modulus of 300-450 MPa in the L direction and 200-320 MPa in the W direction according to ENISO 527-1:2019 satisfies this requirement. In some embodiments, the tube has a tensile modulus of 340-440 MPa in the L direction and 205-305 MPa in the W direction. The tube wall properties previously described herein are also applicable here but will not be repeated to avoid redundancy.

[0062] Except when the tube has a circular cross section, upper piece 113 and lower piece 114 have the same size, and inner piece 115 and outer piece 116 also have the same size but smaller than the sizes of upper piece 113 and lower piece 114. Preferably, the ratio of tube width W to tube height H is between 20:1 and 2.3:1.

[0063] In some embodiments, the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictors 119a, 119b attached to the outer surface 120 of the tube's outer layer 118 and extending the length of the tube at the top section 113 of the tube. These flow restrictors are shown in both Figures 9 and 10. The flow restrictor features previously described herein are also suitable for these flow restrictors.

[0064] In another embodiment, the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictors 119c, 119d attached to the outer surface 120 of the tube's outer layer 118 and extending the length of the tube at the tube bottom section 114. These flow restrictors 119c, 119d are shown in Figures 8 and 10.

[0065] In yet another embodiment, the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictors 119a, 119b in an upper section of the tube and two spaced apart flow restrictors 119c, 119d in a lower section 114, the four flow restrictors extending the length of the tube and attached to the outer surface 120 of the outer layer 118 of the tube.

[0066] The tube has a plurality of holes, shown as black dots in FIG. 9, penetrating the inner layer 117 and outer layer 118 of the tube in the top piece 113 and / or bottom piece 114 of the tube, and if two spaced apart flow restrictors 119a, 119b are present in the top piece 113 of the tube and / or if two spaced apart flow restrictors 119c, 119d are present in the bottom piece 114 of the tube, the holes are restricted to the portion of the tube that is between the two spaced apart flow restrictors 119a, 119b and / or the two spaced apart flow restrictors 119c, 119d. The holes may be circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal or any other shape and are arranged in a random, linear or other shape. A preferred pattern is two rows of lines spaced about 10 mm apart. Typically the area of ​​the holes is about 2-10 mm. 2 The spacing between the holes is approximately 4 to 30 mm.

[0067] In one preferred embodiment, the outer layer 118 of the tube 111 is a nonwoven sheet of flash-spun polyethylene fibers, an exemplary material being available under the trademark Tyvek® from DuPont Co., Wilmington, Del. In some embodiments, the density of the polymer of the fibers is between 930 and 970 kg / m 3 It is.

[0068] In another preferred embodiment, the inner layer 117 is a nonwoven fabric of spunbonded polypropylene fibers, an exemplary material also available from DuPont under the trademark Typar®. In some embodiments, the density of the polymer of the fibers is between 240 and 430 kg / m 3 The various materials and layers discussed above with respect to components utilizing a provided foamable component are suitable here as well.

[0069] The pouch 112 is made of a thermoplastic material and has a length l and a width w, as shown in Figure 11, where the length l is greater than the width w. The pouch 112 is disposed within the tube 111 so as to contact the bottom piece 114 and the inner piece 115 of the tube. As shown in Figure 10, the width of the pouch is limited to a limit W transverse to the tube width W that is less than or equal to 45% of the tube width W. max 14 shows a typical installation with a portion of a building wall shown at 27, portions of a window frame shown at 28a, 28b, and a window pane at 29. A tube 111 is inserted between the wall 27 and the window frame 28a. A fastener 30, such as a nail or screw, connects the window frame 28a to the wall 27 and holds the window assembly in place. The fastener 30 passes through the tube 111 and between the two flow restrictors 119a, 119b and / or the two flow restrictors 119c, 119d, if present. As is evident from the placement of the fasteners 30 in FIG. 14, the extent to which the porch extends across the width W of the tube is determined by the width W of the window pane. max By limiting the width W to no more than 45% of the tube width W, the risk of the fastener puncturing the pouch is eliminated.

[0070] The pouch 112 contains a foamable composition. Preferably, there are a plurality of pouches 112 within the tube 111. The spacing between adjacent pouches may vary, but is typically between 50 and 1000 mm, preferably between 400 and 600 mm, more preferably between 450 and 550 mm, or even between 300 and 500 mm. Preferably, adjacent pouches are connected to each other by a connector such as a thermoplastic tape or ribbon.

[0071] In one embodiment, all components of the foamable composition are present in one pouch but remain inactive until a reaction initiation step is initiated, which may be initiated by ultrasonic energy, gas pumping, heat, or appropriate frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum such as infrared or ultraviolet light.

[0072] In another embodiment, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the pouch 112 includes a first compartment C1 and a second compartment C2, which are separated by at least one flexible barrier 121, the first compartment C1 containing a first foamable composition component and the second compartment C2 containing a second foamable composition component. While there is only one flexible barrier 121 in Figure 11, there are two flexible barriers 21a, 21b separating the first and second compartments in Figure 12.

[0073] In one embodiment, the first and second compartments C1, C2 are each about 70 mm long, about 30 mm wide, and about 12 mm thick. In some embodiments, the lengths of the first and second compartments may be different. If multiple pouches are present, they may be the same or different lengths.

[0074] By flexible barrier is meant any barrier that separates two compartments but can be easily broken to allow the chemical components of the two compartments to intimately mix and react to form the blowing agent, but is durable enough to keep the contents of the two compartments separate until mixing is desired. For example, the barrier may suitably be part of a pouch with lightly welded sides to completely separate the contents of the two compartments, but the light welds allow the sides of the pouch to be easily separated with some light mechanical or other energy to allow the contents of the two compartments to mix. Alternatively, the flexible barrier may be any material that is easily sheared or broken. Suitable materials for the flexible barrier include ethylene copolymer ionomers such as Surlyn® available from Dow Corporation, Midland, Michigan. Suitable methods for breaking the flexible barrier include mechanical methods, ultrasonic methods, gas pumping, heat, or application of appropriate frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum such as infrared or ultraviolet light. Exemplary mechanical breaking methods include manual manipulation, hammer, roller or rod pulling, etc.

[0075] In one embodiment, shown in Figure 12, a static mixer 122 is disposed between two spaced flexible barriers 121a, 121b that separate the first and second compartments. Static mixers are devices known in the art of fluid mixing.

[0076] In some embodiments, the pouch wall structure is a multi-layer membrane assembly, for example including 3-7 or 4-6 elements. An exemplary structure of the pouch is an ionomer resin layer such as Surlyn®, a first adhesive or tie layer, a first polyester layer, a second adhesive or tie layer, and a second polyester layer. The second polyester layer has a metal coating on its outer surface having a thickness of about 30 nanometers. A preferred metal material is aluminum. An alternative to the second polyester layer is a metal foil such as aluminum, typically having a thickness of about 50 micrometers.

[0077] Preferably, the two periphery edges of the pouch are sealed, such as by adhesive bonding or ultrasonic welding, as shown at 132 in Figure 14. Also shown in Figure 14 is a vapor control layer or liquid sealant 131 covering the inner piece 15 of the tube 11 and extending partially onto the top piece 113 and bottom piece 114 of the tube 111. This vapor control layer may be formed of polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), or a metal foil such as aluminum.

[0078] Foamable Composition As previously explained herein, a foamable composition refers to a composition whereby once all ingredients are combined and the reaction is initiated or started, the ingredients of the foamable composition in the pouch 112 react to form an expandable foaming agent which then ruptures the pouch 112, expands the tube 111, flows through the tube holes in the upper and / or lower sections 113, 114 of the tube, between two spaced apart flow restrictors 119a, 119b and / or 119c, 119d extending the length of the tube, and fills the gap 26 between the building boundaries 24 and 25 of the building structure as shown in FIG. 6, and is then cured in place to provide an airtight and water impermeable seal.

[0079] In an embodiment in which the pouch comprises a first compartment C1 and a second compartment C2, the first foamable composition component in the first compartment C1 comprises an isocyanate and the second foamable composition component in the second compartment C2 comprises a polyol. The isocyanate composition may be formulated to have a monomeric diisocyanate content of less than 1 wt%, or even less than 0.1 wt%, such formulations being known in the art. The second foamable composition component may further comprise a catalyst and / or a blowing agent.

[0080] In some embodiments, the composition may also include particles with major dimensions not exceeding 1 mm to act as nuclei for cell formation, thus reducing the pore size of the expanding foaming agent. Exemplary particles are graphite, microballoons, and calcite. In the case of polyurethane foam compositions, these additional particles are incorporated into the second foaming composition component (polyol). Non-polyurethane based two-component chemicals, such as those based on epoxy systems or silicone systems, are also suitable for foaming compositions. In this example, the nucleating particles are separated from both main components until the time of mixing. This requires that the particles are placed in a third compartment as shown in FIG. 12 between the two flexible barriers 121a and 121b. Other particles can function to aid in the mixing of the reagents. For example, ferromagnetic or magnetic particles can facilitate mixing when an external magnetic source is applied. The magnetic source can be a magnetic field or a magnetic bar. Other particles can respond to an external ultrasonic source, which then facilitates mixing.

[0081] As with other embodiments of the component, additives enabling other functions can be present in the same amounts as previously described herein. The expanded foam thus formed also preferably has properties including compressibility and dimensional stability, as well as other characteristics previously described herein.

[0082] In some embodiments, the foamable material in each pouch is the same. In other embodiments, the foamable material in one pouch may differ from the foamable material in another pouch, for example, some pouches may contain foamable materials of different chemical compositions that, if reacted, provide a foam that is denser but has a lower expansion rate than the foam produced from other pouches. Such a feature may also reduce or eliminate the need for mechanical fastening of the window with nails or screws.

[0083] Again, the invention including the porches described herein finds utility in new construction or during the retrofit of existing buildings where there are gaps to be filled. Typical applications include sealing the gap between a window and a wall, between a door and a wall, between a wall and a roof, between two walls, or between two adjacent prefabricated building panels or modules, sometimes referred to as a building boundary.

[0084] How to seal gaps between building boundaries In one embodiment, a method for sealing a gap 26 between building boundaries 24 and 25 includes: A component 110 includes a tube 111 and at least one thermoplastic pouch 112 inserted into the tube 111, the tube 111 having a length L, a width W, and a height H, the at least one thermoplastic pouch 112 having a length l and a width w, the tube includes an upper piece 113, a lower piece 114, an inner piece 115, and an outer piece 116, the tube includes a tube wall having an inner layer 117 and an outer layer 118, the outer layer 118 being a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids, the inner layer 117 being a nonwoven fabric, and the Gurley air permeability in the through-thickness direction of the tube is 1 to 2,000 seconds. providing a member 110, the member having a tensile modulus of elasticity in the L direction of the tube of 300-450 MPa and a tensile modulus of elasticity in the W direction of the tube of 200-320 MPa, the member having a plurality of holes penetrating the inner layer piece 117 and the outer layer piece 118 of the upper layer piece 113 and / or the lower layer piece 114 of the tube, the length l of the pouch being greater than the width W, the pouch being disposed within the tube so as to contact the lower piece 114 and the inner piece 115 of the tube, the pouch extending in a direction transverse to the tube width W to a limit Wmax not exceeding 45% across the tube width W, the pouch 112 containing a foamable composition; Inserting an element 110 into the gap 26 between building boundaries 24 and 25; The method includes activating the foamable composition in the pouch 112, causing the components of the foamable composition to react and form an expandable foaming agent, which then ruptures the pouch 112 and expands the tube 111, flowing through tube holes located in the upper and / or lower sections 113 and 114 of the tube, and between two spaced apart flow restrictors 119a, 119b if present in the upper section 113 of the tube, and / or two spaced apart flow restrictors 119c, 119d if present in the lower section 114 of the tube, which extend the length of the tube, and the expanding foaming agent fills the gap 26 between the building boundaries 24 and 25 of the building structure, and then curing in place to provide an airtight and water impermeable seal.

[0085] In some embodiments, the effervescent material contained in one pouch may be different from the effervescent material contained in another pouch.

[0086] An optional step in the above method is to apply a bonding agent to either the bottom piece 114 of the pipe 111 or the top surface 23 of the building boundary prior to inserting the pipe 111 into the void 26. The bonding agent may be, for example, double-sided tape or a hot melt adhesive, and helps to hold the pipe in place.

[0087] In an alternative embodiment, a method for sealing a gap 26 between building boundaries 24 and 25 includes: A component 110 including a tube 111 and at least one thermoplastic pouch 112 inserted within the tube 111, the pouch 112 including a first compartment C1 and a second compartment C2, the compartments being separated by at least one flexible barrier 121 or two flexible barriers 121a, 121b, the tube including an upper piece 113, a lower piece 114, an inner piece 115 and an outer piece 116, the tube including an inner layer 117 and an outer layer 118, the inner layer 117 being a nonwoven fabric and the outer layer 118 being permeable to vapor but not liquid. a Gurley air permeability in the thickness direction of the tube is 1 to 2,000 seconds; a tensile modulus in the L direction of the tube is 300 to 450 MPa; a tensile modulus in the W direction of the tube is 200 to 320 MPa; the tube has a plurality of holes penetrating the inner layer 117 and the outer layer 118 of the upper half 113 and / or the lower half 114 of the tube; a length l of the pouch is greater than a width w of the pouch; the pouch is disposed within the tube so as to contact the lower half 114 and the inner half 115 of the tube; and the pouch is disposed within the tube so as to contact the lower half 114 and the inner half 115 of the tube, the pouch having a width W of not more than 45% across the width W of the tube. max The method includes the steps of providing a member 110 including a foamable composition, the member 110 extending transversely across the pipe width W to the building boundary 24, the pouch 112, and inserting the member 110 into the gap between the building boundaries 24 and 25, and activating the foamable composition within the pouch by breaking a flexible barrier 121 or 121a, 121b separating the first and second pieces C1 and C2 of each compartment within the pouch 112 by a breaking method, thereby allowing the first and second compositions to mix and react to form an expandable foam, and The foaming agent then ruptures the pouch 112 to expand the tube 111, flows out through tube holes located in the upper and / or lower sections 113, 114 of the tube 111 and between two spaced apart flow restrictors 119a, 119b and / or 119c, 119d extending along the length of the tube 111, if present, to fill the gap 26 between the building boundaries 24 and 25 of the building structure, and then cures in place to form a foam structure that provides an airtight and water-impermeable seal.

[0088] The pouch rupture method may be mechanical energy, ultrasonic energy, gas pumping, heat, or any suitable frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum such as infrared or ultraviolet. Exemplary mechanical rupture methods include manual manipulation, hammers, rollers, pulling with a rod, etc.

[0089] In some embodiments, the effervescent material contained in one pouch is different from the effervescent material contained in another pouch.

[0090] An optional step in the above method is to apply a bonding agent to either the bottom piece 114 of the pipe 111 or the top surface 23 of the building boundary prior to inserting the pipe 111 into the void 26. The bonding agent may be, for example, double-sided tape or a hot melt adhesive, and serves to hold the pipe in the desired position.

[0091] Test Method The free rise density of the blowing agent was measured according to ASTM D7487-13: Standard Practice for Polyurethane Raw Materials: Polyurethane Blowing Agent Cup Test. The dynamic compressive strength and compressive modulus of the foaming agent were measured according to EN ISO 844-2021: Rigid Cellular Plastics. EXAMPLES

[0092] All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated. Several examples prepared in accordance with the present invention are indicated by numerical values. Controls or comparative examples are indicated by letters. Examples 1-5 relate to components that include a foamable component, while embodiments 6-8 relate to components that utilize a provided foamable component.

[0093] Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example A The materials of Examples 1-3 and Comparative Example A were evaluated in a gap between two building elements. The nominal dimensions of the space were 4.2 m long, 77 mm wide and 25 mm thick.

[0094] In Examples 1-3, the tube wall included an outer layer of spunbond polypropylene sheet having a nominal areal weight of 50 gsm and an inner layer of flash spun polyethylene sheet having a nominal areal weight of 80 gsm. The two sheets were bonded together with an ethylene vinyl acetate polymer. The tube had a nominal thickness of 0.42 mm and the Gurley air permeabilities through the nominal thickness of the tube were 1630 sec, 1632 sec, and 1632 sec for Examples 1-3, respectively.

[0095] Example 1 had 1 mm diameter holes arranged in two separate lines in a zigzag pattern on the top piece of the tube. Example 2 had two spaced apart flow restrictors arranged on the top of the tube and had 2 mm diameter holes arranged in two separate lines in a zigzag pattern on the top piece, but only on the top piece between the two spaced apart flow restrictors. Example 3 was similar to Example 2, except the holes were 1 mm diameter.

[0096] In Examples 1-3, each tube contained foamable material in the form of six pouches of Instapak® QuickRT® Packaging Foam from Sealed Air, Inc., Elmwood Park, NJ. Each pouch consisted of two compartments separated by a flexible barrier, one compartment containing a polyol and the other containing an isocyanate. Each pouch contained 75 g of reactive material for a total of 450 g of foamable composition. Manual rupture of the flexible barrier allowed the reagents to react and produce the foaming agent. The foaming agent filled each tube and expanded radially out of the tube to fill the gaps where it cured and hardened.

[0097] Comparative Example A illustrates the current state of the art and involves injecting a one-component polyurethane foam sealant into a gap and allowing the foamable material to expand, cure and harden uncontrollably. Any excess foam from the exterior surfaces of the two building elements was removed, washed and smoothed. A window tape sealant was then applied over the smoothed foam and laminated to the building element. The amount of foam was 375 g.

[0098] The installation times measured included prep work, installation of the porch, activation or application of the foaming agent, expansion and curing of the foaming agent, the finishing step, and application of flashing. An example was considered satisfactory and advantageous to one skilled in the art if the installation time was 30 minutes or less. Examples 1-3 all had installation times of 30 minutes or less, while Comparative Example A had an installation time of approximately 60 minutes.

[0099] Examples 4 and 5 and Comparative Example B The addition of p-aramid pulp to the foamable composition provided benefits from the cured foaming agent in terms of improved compressive tensile and modulus performance. The pulp, which was DuPont merge 1K1957, had a nominal fiber diameter of 50 μm and a fiber length of less than 1 mm. The pulp was added to the polyol component of the isocyanate-polyol foamable composition to comprise 0.4% (Example 4) or 0.8% (Example 5) by weight of the composition. The isocyanate (Voronate™ M230) comprised 60% by weight of the foamable composition, and the polyol component comprised the remaining 40% by weight. The polyol component comprised 32% by weight Voranol™ polyether polyol, 6% by weight water, and 2% by weight catalyst. In the examples containing p-aramid pulp, the amount of polyol was reduced by 0.4% or 0.8% by weight. The sample without the pulp component served as the control (Comparative Example B). These compositions were foamed and test coupons were subjected to compression and resilience tests, and the resulting values ​​were normalized to account for variations in foam density (free rise density) of the test samples.

[0100] The tests were carried out according to ENISO844-2021. The foamed test samples were 16 mm thick and were each compressed by 3 mm. The dynamic compressive strength was determined by applying a strain of 18.75% and then releasing the compressive load for 60 seconds. This procedure was repeated four more times. The compressive modulus was determined according to the ENISO844-2021 standard. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0101] [Table 1]

[0102] Examples 6 to 8 A series of exemplary tubes in Examples 6, 7, and 8 have the same dimensions as those produced in Examples 1, 2, and 3, but each of these exemplary tubes further includes multiple inlets in the tube wall. Additionally, the example tube in Example 6 has 2 mm diameter holes arranged in two spaced apart lines in a zigzag pattern on the top piece of the tube, but does not have two spaced apart flow restrictors. The example tube in Example 7 has two spaced apart flow restrictors on the top piece of the tube, and has 2 mm diameter holes arranged in two spaced apart lines in a zigzag pattern on the top piece of the tube, but only on the portion of the top piece between the two spaced apart flow restrictors. The tube in Example 8 is similar to the tube in Example 7, but has 1 mm diameter holes arranged in two separate lines in a zigzag pattern on the top piece of the tube, but only on the portion of the top piece between the two spaced apart flow restrictors.

[0103] Example 6 Three exemplary tubes were created with multiple inlets, which are one-way pinch valves (beach ball valves), embedded in the tube wall. The exemplary tubes were filled with a foamable mixture by inserting the nozzle of an aerosol can containing the foamable mixture into the pinch valve and injecting an activated foaming agent into the tube. The activated foaming agent expands inside the tube, filling it, and the foaming agent continues to expand through pores in the inner and outer layers of the tube to the exterior of the tube. The foaming agent then continues to expand radially out of the tube to the outside of the tube, filling the volume outside the tube. All three tubes are capable of providing a volume-filling foaming agent that seals voids between surfaces.

[0104] Example 7 Three other example tubes were made with multiple inlets that were one-way pinch valves (beach ball valves) embedded in the tube wall. They were filled with a foamable mixture by inserting a nozzle from a container containing the A-side foaming formulation into one pinch valve and a nozzle from a container containing the B-side foaming formulation into the other pinch valve. The two components, A-side and B-side, were injected separately into each example tube and both sides mixed to actively initiate foaming inside the tube. The activated foaming agent expands inside the tube, filling the tube, and the foaming agent continues to expand through the pores in the inner and outer layers of the tube to the outside of the tube. The foaming agent further continues to expand radially outward from the tube to fill the volume outside the tube. All three example tubes can provide a volume-filling foaming agent that seals voids between surfaces.

[0105] Example 8 Repeat Example 7, except that the three exemplary tubes are fitted with an inlet having a valve arrangement as shown in FIG. 4, which includes flexible tubing and allows for mixing of the foamable ingredients as they are injected into the tubes. The valves allow the A-side foaming agent to be fed from its own container into the first flexible tube, and the B-side foaming agent to be fed from its own container into the second flexible tube. At the junction of the first and second flexible tubes on the outside of each exemplary tube, both sides mix and actively begin foaming before entering the inside of the tube. The activated foaming agent expands inside the tube to fill the tube, and the foaming agent continues to expand through the pores of the inner and outer layers of the tube to the outside of the tube. The foaming agent further continues to expand radially from the tube to the outside of the tube to fill the volume outside the tube. All three tubes can provide a volume-filling foaming agent that seals voids between surfaces.

Claims

1. In a member including a pipe having length L, width W, and height H, The tube comprises an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, the tube comprises a tube wall having an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer is a nonwoven fabric, and the outer layer is a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquid. The pipe has at least one inlet integrated with the pipe wall to allow fluid to flow into the pipe, The thickness-penetrating Gurley air permeability of the aforementioned pipe is 1 to 2000 seconds, the tensile modulus of the pipe in the L direction is 300 to 450 MPa, and the tensile modulus of the pipe in the W direction is 200 to 320 MPa. A member having a plurality of holes that penetrate the inner layer and the outer layer of the upper and / or lower portions of the pipe.

2. The pipe has two spaced-apart flow limiters attached to the outer surface of the outer layer of the pipe and extending in the longitudinal direction of the pipe, on the upper or lower section, The holes that penetrate the inner layer and the outer layer of the upper piece or the lower piece are The member according to claim 1, limited to the portion of the upper or lower part of the pipe that is located between the two flow limiters that are spaced apart.

3. A method for sealing the gap between building boundaries, In the step of providing a member including a pipe, The pipe has a length L, a width W and a height H, and the pipe includes an upper section, a lower section, an inner section and an outer section, and the pipe includes a pipe wall having an inner layer and an outer layer, The inner layer is a nonwoven fabric, and the outer layer is a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquid. The pipe has at least one inlet integrated with the pipe wall to allow fluid to flow into the pipe, The thickness-penetrating Gurley air permeability of the aforementioned pipe is 1 to 2,000 seconds, and the tensile modulus in the L direction is 300 to 450 MPa, and the tensile modulus in the W direction is 200 to 320 MPa. The step of the pipe having a plurality of holes penetrating the inner layer and the outer layer of the upper and / or lower portions of the pipe, The steps include inserting the member into the gap between the building boundaries, The steps include injecting an activated or activatable foaming composition into the pipe through at least one inlet, In the step of expanding the tube by activating the foaming agent or making the foaming agent expandable, The expanding foaming agent flows out of the pipe through the pipe holes in the upper and / or lower sections of the pipe, and through any spaced flow limiters that extend along the length of the pipe, the expanding foaming agent fills the gaps between the building boundaries and in the building structure, and is then cured in place to form a foamed structure. A method that includes this.

Images