Foam envelope for sealing large volumes

Abstract

The article includes a tube having a peripheral region including an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, the tube further includes a tube wall having an outer layer of a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquid, and the tube further includes at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow flow of an activated or activatable foamable composition into the interior of the tube, the tube further having a plurality of holes extending through the outer layer of the tube to allow expanding foam to both fill the interior of the tube and exit the tube to fill the space exterior to the tube.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of applying one or more foams used to fill cavities, cracks and gaps to enhance the sealing and insulating properties of buildings, and more particularly to a system including a sealed envelope such as a tube that is placed in the volume to be sealed and into which the foamable components can then be delivered, or a foamable system contained within a sealed envelope such as a tube that can be placed in the volume to be sealed. Such a system that reduces installation time and the amount of foam raw material waste is desired by the market. [Background technology]

[0002] U.S. Patent No. 10,384,378 to O'Leary et al. describes a system for sealing large volumes or gaps that includes a flexible envelope that can take the shape of the volume when filled with a foamable composition, expanding the envelope to the boundaries of the volume. The foamable composition can be integral with the envelope or delivered in bulk by an external device. The foamable composition can be one or more parts, typically two parts such as polyisocyanate and polyol, in which case the two parts must be kept separate until foaming is desired. Separation can be achieved by providing multiple compartments that deliver the ingredients to the interior via a mixing device. The envelope can include ribs around its perimeter for structural strength and molding as well as leakage pores to enhance bonding and sealing. It can also include perforations for modular sealing of the bulk or for separation of parts of the envelope to seal irregular shapes.

[0003] U.S. Patent No. 8,882,483 to O'Leary et al. describes a system for sealing or insulating large volumes. The system includes an envelope having a wall defining an interior. The interior is configured to receive a foamable composition. The envelope is initially configured in a containment configuration. The foamable composition is configured to be inserted into the interior of the envelope. The envelope is configured to expand the envelope such that the foamable composition fills large gaps.

[0004] U.S. Patent No. 9,561,606 to O'Leary et al. discloses a system for sealing large volumes or gaps, including a flexible envelope that can take the shape of the volume when filled with a foamable composition that expands the envelope to the volume's boundaries. The foamable composition can be integral to the envelope or delivered in bulk by an external device. The foamable composition can be one or more parts, typically two parts such as polyisocyanate and polyol, in which case the two parts must be kept separate until foaming is desired. Separation can be achieved by providing multiple compartments that deliver the ingredients to the interior via a mixing device. The envelope can include ribs around its perimeter for structural strength and molding as well as leak pores to enhance bonding and sealing. It can also include perforations for modular sealing of the bulk or for separation of parts of the envelope to seal irregular shapes.

[0005] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20210198411 to Certain Teed LLC teaches, for example, methods, apparatus and systems for insulating walls, ceilings, floors and other building structure associated cavities with foam insulation. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method of providing a building cavity with expanded foam insulation. The method includes dispensing a quantity of expanding foam insulation into the cavity, the expanding foam insulation being dispensable and expandable to provide an expanded foam insulation, the expanding foam insulation being formed from a premix including at least one polyol, at least one polyisocyanate, a blowing agent, and an encapsulated catalyst, the encapsulated catalyst including a plurality of catalyst capsules each including a predetermined amount of catalyst and a capsule shell encapsulating the catalyst, the dispensing 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 between the at least one polyol and the at least one isocyanate, and then allowing the dispensed quantity of expanding foam insulation to substantially complete expansion after being dispensed into the cavity, thereby forming an expanded foam insulation in the cavity.

[0006] WO 2020123232 to Davlin et al. discloses a method and system for adding foam insulation onto a surface or into a cavity, the method and system including a sheet having an opening where the sheet covers or partially covers the surface or cavity, or a cavity having an opening adjacent the surface or cavity. A pressure-activated foam generator is coupled to the sheet for generating foam. The pressure-activated foam generator includes a frangible output seal having a break location. The pressure-activated foam generator is positioned such that at the break location, the foam has a path from the frangible output seal through the opening and into the surface or cavity. The sheet is connected to cover or partially cover the surface or cavity, the pressure-activated foam generator is activated, and foam flows 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 sealing envelope, such as including a tube, that can be placed within the volume to be sealed, which upon subsequent expansion of the foam, allows the foam to expand in the desired direction necessary to seal the gap. In some embodiments, the foamable components are supplied externally to the sealing envelope, while in other embodiments, the foamable system is contained within the sealing envelope. Such a system can reduce installation time and the amount of foam raw material waste, and is particularly useful for sealing small cavities, such as between a window and a wall. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present application relates to an article comprising a tube having a length L, a width W and a height H, the tube comprising an upper section, a lower section, an inner section and an outer section, the tube comprising a tube wall having an outer layer of a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquid, and the outer layer being a nonwoven fabric, the tube having at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow fluid flow into the interior of the tube, the tube having a through-thickness Gurley air permeability of 1-2,000 seconds, the tube having a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300-450 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200-320 MPa, and exhibiting a maximum tensile force of at least 100 N / 50 mm when tested according to standard EN 12311-1:2000, the tube having a plurality of holes passing through the outer layer of the upper section and / or the lower section of the tube.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method for sealing an air gap between building interfaces, the method comprising the steps of: Providing an article comprising a tube, the tube has a length L, a width W and a height H, the tube includes an upper section, a lower section, an inner section and an outer section, and the tube includes a tube wall having an outer layer; The outer layer is a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids; the tube having at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to permit fluid flow into the interior of the tube; The tube has a Gurley air permeability in the thickness direction of 1 to 2,000 seconds, a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300 to 450 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200 to 320 MPa, and exhibits a maximum tensile force of at least 100 N / 50 mm when tested according to standard EN 12311-1:2000, the tube having a plurality of holes extending through an outer layer of the upper and / or lower sections of the tube; inserting an article into a gap between building interfaces; injecting an activated or activatable foamable composition into the tube via at least one inlet port; either activating the foam or expanding the foam, thereby expanding the tube, the expanding foam exiting the tube through tube holes in the upper and / or lower sections of the tube and between spaced flow restrictions, if present, extending along the length of the tube, the expanding foam filling voids between the building interfaces and in the building structure, and then curing in situ into a foamed structure; Includes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an article including a tube having a length L, width W and height H. [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an article including an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, the article including peripheral regions having flow restrictions in both the upper and lower sections. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article including multiple inlet ports for injecting a foamable material into the article, each inlet port having a valve for closing each port. [Figure 4]1 illustrates an embodiment in which the inlet port has multiple valves adapted to initiate mixing of the foamable ingredients as they are injected into the article. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an article inserted into a void space between building interfaces. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of a building boundary surface. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view from a window to a building wall, connecting to a tube inserted in the gap between the window and the building wall. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article including a tube having an internal pouch, the tube having a length L, a width W, and a height H. [Figure 9] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an article including an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, the article including peripheral regions having flow restrictions in both the upper and lower sections. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 shows an ideal embodiment of a pouch comprising a first compartment C1 and a second compartment C2, separated by one or more frangible barriers and which may include a static mixer, wherein the first compartment C1 comprises a first foamable composition component and the second compartment C2 comprises a second foamable composition component. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 shows an ideal embodiment of a pouch comprising a first compartment C1 and a second compartment C2, separated by one or more frangible barriers and which may include a static mixer, wherein the first compartment C1 comprises a first foamable composition component and the second compartment C2 comprises a second foamable composition component. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an article inserted into a void space between building interfaces. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is an end view of a window to a building wall, connecting to a tube inserted in 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 an article or envelope, such as a tube, that can be placed within a volume to be sealed and that allows foam from the article to expand, preferably in a desired direction, to seal gaps within the volume. The terms "article" and "envelope" are used interchangeably herein. In some embodiments, a foamable component is provided to the article, while in other embodiments, the article comprises a foamable system contained within a sealed envelope.

[0012] Articles utilizing the foamable components provided FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment in which the foamable component is delivered to an article, the article 10 includes a tube 11 having a length L, a width W, and a height H. 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 tube also includes a tube wall including an outer layer 18, which is a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids, and in a preferred embodiment, the outer layer 18 forms the tube wall, and in some embodiments, the wall has a single-layer outer layer. In this embodiment, the tube has at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow fluid flow to the tube interior. The tube has a through-thickness Gurley air permeability, i.e., permeability through the tube wall including the outer layer 18, of 1 to 2,000 seconds. The tube wall material has a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300 to 450 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200 to 320 MPa. The tube also has a plurality of holes along its length that extend through the outer layer 18 of the upper and / or lower sections 13, 14 of the tube generally parallel to its length.

[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, a circular unexpanded tube can have an outer diameter of 50-100 mm. The length L of the tube must be sufficient, as a minimum, to cover the length of the gap in the cavity to be filled with foam.

[0014] In the foamable ingredient dispensing article 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 further includes an outer layer 18.

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

[0016] As used herein, the terms "nonwoven," "nonwoven fabric," "nonwoven sheet," and "nonwoven layer" are used interchangeably herein and refer to a structure of single strands (e.g., fibers, filaments, plexifilaments, or yarns) that are arranged in a random manner to form a planar material without an identifiable pattern, in contrast to knits or woven fabrics. The term "fiber" is used herein to encompass staple fibers and continuous filaments. Examples of nonwoven fabrics include meltblown sheets, spunbond sheets, and meltblown webs or combinations of spunbond webs or layers, flash-spun sheets including plexifilaments, staple-based webs or sheets including carded or airlaid webs or sheets, spunlace or hydrolace webs or sheets, and composite sheets including two or more nonwoven sheets or webs.

[0017] As used herein, the term "spunbond" refers to a sheet made from fibers that are melt spun by extruding a molten thermoplastic polymer material as fibers through a plurality of fine, usually circular capillaries of a spinneret and then rapidly reducing the diameter of the extruded filaments by drawing and then quenching the fibers. As used herein, the term "meltblown" refers to fibers that are melt spun 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.

[0018] 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 integral network of numerous thin, ribbon-like, film-fibril elements of irregular length having an average film thickness of less than about 4 microns and a median fibril width of less than about 25 microns. Plexifilament generally refers to a plexifilamentary structure having film-fibril elements aligned coextensively with the longitudinal axis of the structure and discontinuously bonded and separated at irregular intervals at various locations throughout the length, width and thickness of the structure to form a continuous three-dimensional network.

[0019] SMS sheets are three-layer structures including a spunbond layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbond layer. Although SMS sheets have three component layers, they are sold in the industry as a one-piece sheet roll product and therefore are considered to be a single layer for purposes of this specification. Similarly, SMMS sheets are four-layer structures including a spunbond layer, two meltblown layers, and a spunbond layer. Although SMMS sheets have four component layers, they are sold in the industry as a one-piece sheet roll product and therefore are also considered to be a single layer for purposes of this specification. Based on bonding, basis weight, and other processing, SMS and SMMS sheets can be made impermeable to liquids while retaining some vapor transmission rate.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the outer layer 18 is a nonwoven sheet that is a flash-spun polyethylene plexifilamentary sheet, an exemplary material being available under the trademark Tyvek® from DuPont de Nemours Inc., Wilmington, Delaware. The flash-spun polyethylene plexifilamentary sheet may have a basis weight of 40 to 80 gsm. In some embodiments, the plexifilamentary sheet may have a basis weight of 930 to 970 kg / m 3 The outer layer 18 preferably comprises a polymer having a density of 100-200 gsm. The outer layer 18 can also be a microporous film that can be stabilized or reinforced with an open cloth or scrim. In some embodiments, the outer layer preferably has a basis weight of 35-150 gsm. In some embodiments, the total basis weight of the tube wall is preferably 50-300 gsm, and most preferably 50-200 gsm.

[0021] The tube wall has a through-thickness Gurley air permeability of 1 to 2000 seconds, as measured in accordance with EN ISO 5636-5: 2013. This range is sufficient to allow gas to escape the tube through the tube wall during the foam expansion process.

[0022] The tube is preferably flexible enough to expand during the foaming process, but not to such an extent that the tube bursts. In some embodiments, the tube wall, including the combined inner and outer layers, preferably has a tensile modulus of 300-450 MPa in the L direction and 200-320 MPa in the W direction according to EN ISO 527-1:2019. In some embodiments, the tube wall has a tensile modulus of 340-440 MPa in the L direction and 205-305 MPa in the W direction. Preferably, the tube wall, including the combined inner and outer layers, preferably has a tensile modulus of 200 MPa or more in both the W and L directions according to EN ISO 527-1:2019. The tube wall, including the combined inner and outer layers, may have a high tensile modulus of 450 MPa or more in both the W and L directions according to EN ISO 527-1:2019. Preferred tubes exhibit a maximum tensile force of at least 100N / 50mm when tested to standard EN 12311-1:2000.

[0023] Similarly, the tube wall including the outer layer preferably has a tensile strength at break of more than 10 MPa in both W and L directions according to EN ISO 527-1:2019. In a preferred embodiment, the tube wall including the outer layer has a tensile strength at break of more than 13 MPa in both W and L directions according to EN ISO 527-1:2019. The tube wall including the outer layer may have a high tensile strength at break of 25 MPa or more in both W and L directions. In some embodiments, the tube 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.

[0024] In some embodiments, the peripheral regions of the tube (upper section 13, lower section 14, inner section 15 and outer section 16) have the same dimensions and form a circular cross-section. In some preferred embodiments, upper section 13 and lower section 14 have the same first dimension and inner section 15 and outer section 16 have the same second dimension, but the second dimension is smaller than the first dimension of upper section 13 and lower section 14. Preferably, the ratio of tube width W to tube height H is between 20:1 and 2.3:1.

[0025] In some embodiments, the upper section 13 of the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictions 19a and 19b extending along the length of the tube that are attached to the outer surface 20 of the tube's outer layer 18. These flow restrictions are shown in both Figures 1 and 2. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the lower section 14 of the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictions 19c and 19d extending along the length of the tube that are attached to the outer surface 20 of the tube's outer layer 18. These flow restrictions 19c, 19d are shown in Figure 2. In another embodiment, the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictions 19a and 19b in the upper section 13 and two spaced apart flow restrictions 19c and 19d in the lower section 14 of the tube, all four of which extend along the length of the tube and are attached to the outer surface 20 of the tube's outer layer 18.

[0026] The flow restriction is preferably a linear structure attached lengthwise to the outer layer of the tube, forming a channel on the surface of the tube with parallel walls extending radially from the outer layer of the tube. The flow restriction preferentially directs the active foam material radially from the tube toward the wall or surface to be sealed, while restricting the initial area of ​​foam contact between the wall and the tube to direct the active foam material to the outside of the tube by retarding the lateral movement of the active foam material. Suitable flow restriction includes gasket tape coated with adhesive and nail seal tape, which is a linear strip of foam provided with a strip of adhesive. Other materials can be used as flow restriction and attached to the outer surface with adhesive or the like, or can be attached as needed, so long as each flow restriction forms a wall that extends radially from the outer surface of the tube a desired linear distance. In many embodiments, each flow restriction forms a wall that extends from the outer surface of the tube by about 0.5 mm or more. In some embodiments, each flow restriction forms a wall that extends from the outer surface of the tube by about 0.5 mm to about 2 mm.

[0027] In some embodiments, two spaced apart flow restriction sections extending along the length of the tube that form a channel on the surface of the tube are spaced apart by about 10 mm or more on the outer surface of the tube. In some embodiments, the two spaced apart flow restriction sections are spaced apart by about 10 mm to about 60 mm on the outer surface of the tube. In some embodiments, the two spaced apart flow restriction sections are spaced apart by about 20 mm to about 40 mm on the outer surface of the tube.

[0028] The tube has a plurality of holes extending through the tube wall, including the outer layer 18 of the tube. The holes may be in either the upper section 13 of the tube, the lower section 14 of the tube, or in both the upper section 13 and the lower section 14 of the tube. The holes, if present in a section, are preferably located in a longitudinal strip on the outer surface of the tube in an area of ​​10 mm to about 60 mm. The holes, if present in a section, are preferably located between a set of flow restrictions in the section if a set of flow restrictions are located in the section. In other words, if flow restrictions are present, the holes are made in and restricted to the region of the tube between the flow restrictions. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, holes are shown in the upper section 13, between two spaced apart flow restrictions 19a and 19b and / or in the lower section 14 of the tube between two spaced apart flow restrictions 19c and 19d. Thus, holes may be made in and restricted to the region of both the upper section 13 and the lower section 14 of the tube that is between the associated flow restrictions. One specific embodiment of the hole locations is more ideally shown in FIG. 1 as black dots between spaced apart flow restrictions 19a and 19b. The holes may be circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal or any other shape and may be arranged randomly, in a straight line or in any other arrangement. A preferred pattern is two rows of holes with the centerlines of the holes oriented in parallel lines along the length of the tube and spaced about 4-10 mm or 8-10 mm apart. Typically, each hole is spaced about 2-10 mm apart. 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.

[0029] In some embodiments, in addition to the holes described herein above that allow the expanding foam to exit the tube, the tube may, if desired, further have additional vapor transport pores in the semipermeable membrane to improve the transport of air out of the tube as the foam is expanding. The inventors have found that a tube having additional vapor transport pores with a diameter of less than 0.8 mm may allow vapor to exit the tube while substantially preventing the foam from exiting the tube through those same vapor transport pores. In some preferred embodiments, these vapor transport pores have a diameter of 0.4 to 0.6 mm. The vapor transport pores may be present at any point along the length of the tube in the upper section 13 or the lower section 14 of the tube, or in both the upper section 13 and the lower section 14, as desired.

[0030] As the material is actively foaming inside the tube, the tube expands and the holes act as passageways for the active foaming material to exit through the tube wall to direct the active foaming material radially upwards or radially downwards or both radially upwards and downwards depending on whether the holes are in the upper section 13, lower section 14 or both upper and lower sections 13 and 14 of the tube. This direction ensures that the foam is present in the desired area / volume outside the tube and that gaps that are to be sealed between the article and one or more surfaces are properly sealed as the foaming material is preferentially directed first to the upper and / or lower surfaces of the article.

[0031] In one embodiment, the tube walls at the two ends of the tube are preferably sealed together by contacting the inner surfaces of the tube walls together and then sealing the two tube walls together using either ultrasonic sealing or an applied adhesive. In this embodiment, there is preferably no path for the foam to exit the tube from the ends of the tube.

[0032] In another embodiment, the tube is endless, i.e., the two ends of the tube are joined together by inserting one end into the other and then attaching the two ends, for example, by tape or other methods. The two ends can be joined together similar to the depiction of ouroboros (or uroboros), an ancient symbol depicting a snake or dragon eating its tail, although endless tubes are not limited to circular structures. For example, the tubes can be installed around the four straight sides of a window, and the ends are joined by inserting the end of one tube inside another tube, followed by sealing the two ends together. This provides a continuous inner tube for the foam to expand through and a continuous seal around the window with the foam exiting the endless tube. Similarly, multiple tubes can be sealed using a combination of end techniques, with some tubes having one end, the tube walls sealed together, and the other end of the tube inserted into an adjacent tube, followed by attaching the two tubes together. For example, when only two tubes are combined, each tube has one end having a tube wall sealed to each other while the other end is interlocked with each other by inserting one end of one tube inside the end of the other tube and attaching the two tubes to each other.

[0033] In this embodiment, a foamable component is provided to the article, and preferably the tube has at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow the flow of fluid into the tube interior. Preferably, the fluid is an active foaming component (also referred to herein as an activatable foamable composition) or a composition or assembly of foaming components (also referred to herein as an activatable foamable composition). More preferably, the tube has multiple inlet ports integrated into the tube wall, an idealized exemplary representation of inlet ports 12a and 12b is shown in FIG. 3. It is believed that the spacing between adjacent inlet ports may preferably be between 200 mm and 500 mm to facilitate uniform filling of the tube. The tube or tube wall may further include an outlet port, not shown, that may be used when pressure within the tube needs to be relieved.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, inlet ports 12a and 12b have a single valve 12a1, preferably an "on / off" valve, near the point of integration with tube 11. As shown in Figure 4, inlet ports 12a and / or 12b may include two valves 12a1 and 12a2, again preferably "on / off" valves. This valve arrangement may be desirable for injecting certain components of the foamable composition.

[0035] Preferably, the inlet port has a one-way valve that allows the foamable material to enter the tube through the inlet port but not exit the tube. For example, a nozzle tip or dispenser tip can inject foamable material into the tube through the inlet port and then remove the nozzle or the like and wait for the foamable material to foam and expand to fill the tube. With multiple inlet ports, if there are still unfilled areas, they can be filled using the nearest inlet port without being blocked by foam inside the tube.

[0036] The inlet port can be in many different embodiments, including a tubular port as shown, or a one-way port located on or near the surface of the tube, flush with the outer surface of the tube, or located on the inside of the tube. For example, a valve known as a single piece pinch valve can be used.

[0037] 7 shows a typical installation of the article, where a portion of a building wall is shown as 27, portions of a window frame are shown as 28a and 28b, and a window pane is shown as 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 with the wall 27 and hold the window assembly in place. The fasteners 30 pass through the tube 11 and preferably between the two flow restrictions 19a and 19b and / or the two flow restrictions 19c and 19d.

[0038] Preferably, the two peripheries of the tube 11 are suitably sealed, such as by adhesive bonding 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 section 15 on the outer surface of the tube 11 and extending partially onto the upper section 13 and the lower section 14 of the tube 11. Alternatively, a vapor control layer or liquid sealant can be used on the inner surface of the tube in the inner section 15. The vapor control layer or liquid sealant acts as a vapor barrier that preferentially directs moisture that accumulates around the tube to the outside of the wall versus the inside of the wall, and also helps to prevent moisture from entering the tube from the inside of the wall. This vapor control layer can be made of polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) or a metal foil such as aluminum.

[0039] Foamable Composition By foamable composition is meant a composition in which, when all ingredients are combined and a chemical reaction is initiated, the composition starts to foam and expand in volume. In the applications discussed herein, activation of the foaming process is initiated before or during injection of the foamable composition into the tube 11. As the active foaming material expands within the tube 11, it exits the tube through the tube holes in the upper section 13 and / or the lower section 14 of the tube, and preferably between two spaced apart flow restrictions 19a and 19b and / or 19c and 19d, if present, that extend along the length of the tube, filling the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25 of the building structure, as shown in FIG. 6, and then hardens in place, thereby preferably providing an airtight and water-impermeable seal to the gap between the interfaces.

[0040] 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 weight percent or less than 0.1 weight percent. The polyol component may further include a catalyst and / or a blowing agent.

[0041] The foamable composition may be provided to the inlet valve by several methods. In some formulations, all materials may be mixed together 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 port 12a1 in FIG. 4 and a second foamable composition component may be injected through port 12a2.

[0042] The foamable composition may also be supplied in containers such as packets or aerosol cans, hi some embodiments, all of the foamable composition components are packaged in a single container or aerosol can with the foaming agent added. Suitable blowing agents may be selected from the group consisting of alkanes such as heptane, hexane, n-pentane, iso-pentane, n-butane, iso-butane, propane, cyclohexane and cyclopentane, ethers such as furan, dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, methylal, heptafluorodimethyl ether, ketones such as acetone, 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.

[0043] In another embodiment, the first and second foamable components are filled into two separate containers, or aerosol cans, or tanks along with a suitable foaming agent. Both components can be run through a mixing nozzle or other device where the foamable components are mixed to initiate the foaming reaction, prior to injection through the inlet port of the tube.

[0044] Yet another method of providing the foamable material from outside the tube is to contain it in a packet. For example, a packet made of a thermoplastic film containing two compartments separated by a frangible barrier, one compartment containing a polyol and the other compartment containing an isocyanate, can be used to deliver the foamable material to the tube. The packet can be attached to the inlet port of the tube so that the contents are in fluid communication with the inside of the tube, and the frangible barrier can then be broken by hand, thus mixing the component materials and initiating the foaming reaction, which delivers the active foamable composition into the tube through the tube inlet port and then through the tube holes to the desired area outside the tube.

[0045] Regardless of the delivery method, activation of the foamable material is initiated either before, during, or after transfer of the foamable material into the tube, allowing the foamable material to foam and expand more vigorously.

[0046] In some embodiments, the foamable composition may also include particles with major dimensions of 1 mm or less to act as nuclei for cell formation, thus resulting in smaller pore sizes in the expanded foam. Exemplary particles are graphite, microballoons, and calcite. In the case of polyurethane foam compositions, these additional particles are incorporated into the second foamable composition component (polyol). Non-polyurethane two-part chemistries are also suitable for foamable compositions, such as those based on epoxy systems or silicone systems. In this case, the nucleating particles remain separated from both major components until the time of mixing. Other particles may function to facilitate mixing of the reagents. For example, ferromagnetic or magnetic particles can facilitate mixing when an external magnetic source is applied. This magnetic source can be a magnetic field or a magnetic rod. Other particles can respond to an external ultrasonic source and facilitate mixing.

[0047] Other functionalities that additives enable include flame 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 to 3.0 weight percent of the foamed composition, has been shown to be beneficial. This type of pulp preferably includes highly fibrillated chopped p-aramid fibers having lengths of 1,000 micrometers or less. Preferably, the fibrillated fiber diameter is about 50 micrometers. The pulp can be added to either the first foamable composition component, the isocyanate, or the second foamable composition component, the polyol. Foamed polyurethane compositions incorporating p-aramid pulp exhibit increased compressive strength and modulus with similar expansion and acceptable flexibility when compared to foamable compositions in which the pulp additive is absent. This increase in compression or modulus enhances the impact absorption properties in sealed gaps in fenestration, a desirable feature, for example, in buildings where window expansion occurs in hot climates.

[0048] In some embodiments, the expanded foam must 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 EN 826:2013.

[0049] In some embodiments, the expanded foam shrinks by no more than 20%, preferably no more than 10%, of the original expanded foam dimension one week after expansion when tested according to the method disclosed in standard EN 1604:2013, the evaluation being performed at ambient temperature and at temperature cycles from -10 to +50°C.

[0050] In some embodiments, the expanded foam recovers at least 80% of its thickness from compression to at least 50% of its initial thickness as determined by ISO 1856:2020 "Polymeric Materials, Cellular Flexible - Determination of Compression Set." This allows the foam to provide a flexible seal that can allow for expansion and contraction of the foam seal at interfaces between building elements, thereby accommodating differences in the thermal expansion coefficients and other characteristics of the building elements.

[0051] The invention described herein finds utility in new construction or renovation of existing buildings where there are gaps to be filled. Typical applications include sealing potential gaps between a window and a wall, between a door and a wall, between a wall and a roof, between two walls, and sealing gaps between two adjacent pre-fabricated building panels or modules. These are sometimes referred to as building interfaces.

[0052] Methods for sealing gaps between building boundaries In one embodiment, a method of sealing a gap 26 between building interfaces 24 and 25 using an article utilizing a provided foamable component includes: providing an article 10 comprising 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 an outer layer 18 which is a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquid, the tube also having at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow fluid flow into the tube interior, and optionally an outlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow fluid flow out of the tube interior, the tube having a through-thickness Gurley air permeability of 1-2,000 seconds, the tube having an L-direction tensile modulus of 300-450 MPa and a W-direction tensile modulus of 200-320 MPa, and exhibiting a maximum tensile force of at least 100 N / 50 mm when tested according to standard EN 12311-1:2000, the tube having a plurality of holes passing through the outer layer 18 of the upper section 13 and / or the lower section 14 of the tube; inserting the article 10 into the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25; injecting an activated or activatable foamable composition into the tube 11 via at least one inlet port; activating the foam or expanding the foam thereby expanding the tube 11, the expanding foam exiting the tube through tube holes located in the upper section 13 and / or the lower section 14 of the tube and, if present, between two spaced apart flow restrictions 19a and 19b in the upper section 13 of the tube and / or between two spaced apart flow restrictions 19c and 19d in the lower section 14 of the tube, the flow restrictions extending along the length of the tube, the expanding foam preferably filling the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25 of the building structure and then curing in situ into a foam structure which preferably provides an airtight and water impermeable seal. Includes.

[0053] The method may further include the optional step of applying a bonding agent to either the lower section 14 of the tube 11 or the upper surface 24 of the building interface prior to inserting the tube 11 into the void 26. The bonding agent may be, for example, double-sided tape or a hot melt adhesive to hold the tube in the desired position.

[0054] Articles containing effervescent ingredients In some embodiments, the article includes a foamable system contained within a sealed envelope. Features of this embodiment of the article are described below, however, various details and options regarding the features and elements common to the previously described articles utilizing a provided foamable component are also believed to be applicable to this embodiment and will not be repeated here to avoid additional redundancy.

[0055] FIG. 8 shows an article generally at 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 dimensions, 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, a circular unexpanded tube may have an outer diameter of 50-100 mm. The length L of the tube should be sufficient, as a minimum, to cover the length of the gap within the cavity to be filled with foam.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 9, the article containing the foamable component has a tube 111 including an upper section 113, a lower section 114, an inner section 115, and an outer section 116. The inner section 115 faces the interior of the building, and the outer section 116 faces the exterior. The tube includes an outer layer 118, which is a semi-permeable membrane, such as a microporous film, an SMS sheet, or an SMMS sheet, which is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids. The outer layer 118 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 sold in the industry as a unitary roll product, and therefore is considered a single layer for the purposes of this specification. 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 sold in the industry as a unitary rolled product and therefore is also considered to be a single layer for purposes herein.

[0057] The tube has a through-thickness Gurley air permeability of 1 to 2000 seconds, measured in accordance with EN ISO 5636-5:2013. This range is sufficient to allow gas to escape during the foam expansion process.

[0058] The tube must be flexible enough to expand during the foaming process, but not to such an extent that the tube bursts. According to EN ISO 527-1:2019, a tube having a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300-450 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200-320 MPa meets this requirement. In some embodiments, the tube has a tensile modulus in the L direction of 340-440 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 205-305 MPa. Tube or tube wall properties as previously described herein also apply here, but will not be repeated to avoid redundancy.

[0059] Except where the tube has a circular cross section, the upper and lower sections 113 and 114 are of the same size and the inner and outer sections 115 and 116 are of the same size but smaller than the sizes of the upper and lower sections 113 and 114. Preferably, the ratio of the tube width W to the tube height H is between 20:1 and 2.3:1.

[0060] In some embodiments, the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b extending along the length of the tube that are attached to the outer surface 120 of the tube's outer layer 118 at the upper section 113 of the tube. These flow restrictions are shown in both Figures 9 and 12. The features of the flow restrictions previously described herein may be applied to these flow restrictions.

[0061] In another embodiment, the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictions 119c and 119d extending along the length of the tube that are attached to the outer surface 120 of the tube's outer layer 118 at the tube's lower section 114. These flow restrictions 119c and 119d are shown in FIG.

[0062] In yet another embodiment, the tube has two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b in the upper section and two spaced apart flow restrictions 119c and 119d in the lower section 114 of the tube, these four flow restrictions extending along the length of the tube and attached to the outer surface 120 of the outer layer 118 of the tube.

[0063] The tube has a plurality of holes through the inner layer 117 and outer layer 118 of the tube in the upper section 113 and / or lower section 114 of the tube, as shown in FIG. 8 as black dots, and if two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b are present in the upper section 113 of the tube and / or if two spaced apart flow restrictions 119c and 119d are present in the lower section 114 of the tube, the holes are restricted to the portion of the tube that is between the two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b and / or the two spaced apart flow restrictions 119c and 119d. The holes may be circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal or some other shape and are arranged randomly, in a line or in some other arrangement. A preferred pattern is two rows of lines spaced about 10 mm apart. Typically the holes are spaced apart from each other by about 2-10 mm. 2 The spacing between the holes is about 4 to 30 mm.

[0064] In a 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 de Nemours Inc., Wilmington, Del. In some embodiments, the polymer of the fibers has a strength of 930 to 970 kg / m 3 has a density of

[0065] The various materials and layers previously described with respect to articles utilizing dispensed foamable components apply equally here.

[0066] The material of the pouch 112 is thermoplastic and has a length l and a width w, as shown in Figure 10, where the length l is greater than the width w. The pouch 112 is disposed within the tube 111 so as to contact the lower section 114 and the inner section 115 of the tube. As shown in Figure 9, the width of the pouch is in the range W of 45% or less of the width W of the tube. max13. The pouch extends across the tube width W to 27. This is a desirable feature since the pouch is offset from the centerline and helps prevent the pouch from being punctured during installation of the tube into the void. For example, FIG. 13 shows a typical installation in which a portion of a building wall is shown as 27, portions of a window frame are shown as 28a and 28b, and the window glass is 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 restrictions 119a and 119b and / or between the two flow restrictions 119c and 119d, if present. As evidenced by the placement of the fasteners 30 in FIG. 13, the extent to which the pouch extends across the tube width W is referred to as W. max By limiting the fastener width W to a value of no more than 45% of the tube width W, the risk of the fastener puncturing the pouch is eliminated.

[0067] The pouch 112 contains a foamable composition. Preferably, there are multiple pouches 112 in the tube 111. The spacing between adjacent pouches can vary, but is typically 50-1000 mm, preferably 400-600 mm, more preferably 450-550 mm, or even 300-500 mm. Preferably, adjacent pouches are connected to each other by a connector, such as a thermoplastic tape or ribbon.

[0068] In one embodiment, all components of the foamable composition are in one pouch but remain inactive until an initiation step is activated, which can be by ultrasonic energy, gas pressure blast, heat, or appropriate frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum such as infrared or ultraviolet light.

[0069] In another embodiment, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the pouch 112 comprises a first compartment C1 and a second compartment C2, the compartments being separated by at least one frangible barrier 121, the first compartment C1 comprising a first foamable composition component and the second compartment C2 comprising a second foamable composition component. In Figure 10, there is only one frangible barrier 121, whereas in Figure 11, there are two frangible barriers 21a and 21b separating the first and second compartments.

[0070] In one embodiment, the first compartment C1 and the second compartment C2 are each about 70 mm long, 30 mm wide, and 12 mm thick. In some embodiments, the first and second compartments may be of different lengths. If multiple pouches are present, they may be the same or different lengths.

[0071] By frangible 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 a foam, but is durable enough to keep the contents of the two compartments separated until mixing is desired. For example, the barrier can preferably be a section of a pouch that is lightly welded on the sides to completely separate the contents of the two compartments, but the light welding allows the sections of the pouch to be easily separated with some light mechanical or other energy, so that the contents in the two compartments can be mixed. Alternatively, the frangible barrier can be any material that is easily sheared or broken. Suitable materials for frangible barriers include ethylene copolymer ionomers such as Surlyn® available from Dow, Midland, MI. Suitable methods of breaking the frangible barrier include mechanical methods, ultrasonic methods, gas pressure blasting, heating, or application of appropriate frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum such as infrared or ultraviolet light. Exemplary mechanical breaking methods are manual manipulation, hammer, roller or rod pulling.

[0072] In one embodiment, shown in Figure 11, there is a static mixer 122 located between two spaced apart frangible barriers 121a and 121b that separate the first and second compartments. Static mixers are devices well known in the fluid mixing art.

[0073] In some embodiments, the pouch wall structure is a multilayer film assembly, for example, of 3-7 or 4-6 components. 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 may have a metal coating deposited on its outer surface, the coating being about 30 nanometers thick. A preferred metal material is aluminum. An alternative to the second polyester layer is a metal foil, such as aluminum, with a typical thickness of about 50 micrometers.

[0074] Preferably, the two periphery edges of the pouch are sealed, such as by adhesive bonding or ultrasonic welding, as shown at 132 in Figure 13. Also shown in Figure 13 is a vapor control layer or liquid sealant 131 covering the inner section 15 of the tube 11 and extending partially onto the upper section 113 and lower section 114 of the tube 111. This vapor control layer can be made of polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) or a metal foil such as aluminum.

[0075] Foamable Composition As previously stated herein, foamable composition means a composition whereby when all ingredients are combined and the reaction is initiated or activated, the ingredients of the foamable composition in the pouch 112 react to form an expandable foam, which then bursts the pouch 112, expands the tube 111, escapes through the tube holes in the upper section 113 and / or lower section 114 of the tube and between the two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b and / or 119c and 119d extending along the length of the tube, filling the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25 of the building structure as in FIG. 6, and then cures in place to provide an airtight and water impermeable seal.

[0076] In an embodiment where 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 weight percent or even less than 0.1 weight percent, such formulations being well known in the industry. The second foamable composition component may further comprise a catalyst and / or a blowing agent.

[0077] In some embodiments, the composition may also include particles with major dimensions of 1 mm or less to act as nuclei for cell formation, thus resulting in smaller pore sizes in the expanded foam. Exemplary particles are graphite, microballoons, and calcite. In the case of polyurethane foam compositions, these additional particles are incorporated into the second foamable composition component (polyol). Non-polyurethane two-part chemistries are also suitable for foamable compositions, such as those based on epoxy systems or silicone systems. In this case, the nucleating particles remain separated from both major components until the time of mixing. This requires that these particles are located in a third compartment, such as shown between the two frangible barriers 121a and 121b in FIG. 11. Other particles may function to facilitate mixing of the reagents. For example, ferromagnetic or magnetic particles can facilitate mixing when an external magnetic source is applied. This magnetic source can be a magnetic field or a magnetic rod. Other particles can respond to an external ultrasonic source and facilitate mixing.

[0078] As with other embodiments of the article, other functionality enabling additives may be present in the same amounts as previously described herein. The expanded foam so produced preferably also has properties including compressibility and dimensional stability as well as other characteristics previously described herein.

[0079] In some embodiments, the foamable material contained in each pouch is the same. In some other embodiments, the foamable material contained in one pouch is different from the foamable material contained in another pouch, for example, some pouches may contain foamable materials that react to provide a foam that is denser but has a lower expansion rate than foam produced from other pouches where the foamable material contained in these other pouches is of a different chemical composition. Such a feature can reduce or even eliminate the need for mechanical fastening of the window with nails or screws.

[0080] Again, the invention, including the pouches described herein, finds utility in new construction or renovation of existing buildings where gaps exist to be filled. Typical applications include sealing potential gaps between a window and a wall, between a door and a wall, between a wall and a roof, between two walls, and sealing gaps between two adjacent pre-fabricated building panels or modules. These are sometimes referred to as building interfaces.

[0081] Methods for sealing gaps between building boundaries In one embodiment, a method for sealing the gap 26 between building interfaces 24 and 25 includes: Providing an article 110 including a tube 111 and at least one thermoplastic pouch 112 inserted within 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 including an upper section 113, a lower section 114, an inner section 115, and an outer section 116, the tube including an outer layer 118 including a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids, the tube ... the tube has a Gurley air permeability in the thickness direction of 1 to 2,000 seconds, the tube has a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300 to 450 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200 to 320 MPa, the tube has a plurality of holes passing through an outer layer 118 of the upper section 113 and / or the lower section 114 of the tube, the length l of the pouch is greater than the width w of the pouch, the pouch is disposed within the tube such that the pouch contacts the lower section 114 and the inner section 115 of the tube, and the pouch has a width W of 45% or less across the tube width W. max and the pouch 112 contains a foamable composition; inserting an article 110 into the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25; activating the foamable composition in the pouch 112 such that the components of the foamable composition react to form an expanding foam, which then bursts the pouch 112, expands the tube 111 and escapes through tube holes located in the upper section 113 and / or the lower section 114 of the tube and, if present, between two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b of the upper section 113 of the tube and / or between two spaced apart flow restrictions 119c and 119d of the lower section 114 of the tube, the flow restrictions extending along the length of the tube, the expanding foam filling the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25 of the building structure and then curing in situ into a foam structure providing an airtight and water impermeable seal. Includes.

[0082] In some embodiments, the effervescent material contained in one pouch may be different from the effervescent material contained in another pouch.

[0083] An optional step in the above method is to apply a bonding agent to either the lower section 114 of the tube 111 or the upper surface 23 of the building interface prior to inserting the tube 111 into the void 26. This bonding agent may be, for example, double-sided tape or hot melt adhesive, and helps to hold the tube in place.

[0084] In an alternative embodiment, a method of sealing a gap 26 between building interfaces 24 and 25 includes the steps of providing an article 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 frangible barrier 121 or two frangible barriers 121a and 121b, the tube including an upper section 113, a lower section 114, an inner section 115 and an outer section 116, the tube including an outer layer 118, the outer layer 118 being vapor-resistant. a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to liquids but impermeable to liquids, the tube has a Gurley air permeability through the thickness of 1 to 2,000 seconds, the tube has a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300 to 450 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200 to 320 MPa, the tube has a plurality of holes passing through an outer layer 118 of the upper section 113 and / or lower section 114 of the tube, the length l of the pouch is greater than the width w of the pouch, the pouch is disposed within the tube such that the pouch contacts the lower section 114 and the inner section 115 of the tube, and the pouch is sized to extend beyond 45% of the width W of the tube. max the pouch 112 includes a foamable composition, the article 110 extending transversely across the tube width W to a width W of the pouch 112, the pouch 112 containing a foamable composition, inserting the article 110 into the void between the building interfaces 24 and 25, activating the foamable composition within the pouch by disrupting the frangible barriers 121 or 121a and 121b separating the first and second sections C1 and C2 of each compartment of the pouch 112 by a disruption method, whereby the first and second compositions mix, react, and form an expandable foam, which then expands to a width W of the pouch 112. and then bursting the pouch 112, expanding the tube 111 and escaping through tube holes located in the upper portion 113 and / or the lower portion 114 of the tube 111 and, if present, between two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b and / or 119c and 119d extending along the length of the tube 111 to fill the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25 of the building structure and then curing in situ into a foamed structure providing an airtight and water impermeable seal.

[0085] The pouch disruption method can be mechanical energy, ultrasonic energy, gas pressure blast, heat or any suitable frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum such as infrared or ultraviolet. Exemplary mechanical disruption methods include manual manipulation, hammer, roller or rod pulling.

[0086] In some embodiments, the effervescent material contained in one pouch is different from the effervescent material contained in another pouch.

[0087] An optional step in the above method is to apply a bonding agent to either the lower section 114 of the tube 111 or the upper surface 23 of the building interface prior to inserting the tube 111 into the void 26. This bonding agent may be, for example, double-sided tape or a hot melt adhesive, and helps to hold the tube in the desired position.

[0088] Test Method The free rise density of the foam was measured according to ASTM D7487-13: Standard Practice for Polyurethane Raw Materials: Polyurethane Foam Cup Test.

[0089] The dynamic compressive strength and compressive modulus of the foams were measured according to EN ISO 844-2021: Rigid Cellular Plastics. EXAMPLES

[0090] All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified. Examples prepared in accordance with the invention are designated by a numerical value. Control or comparative examples are designated by a letter.

[0091] Example 1 and Comparative Example A The materials of Example 1 and Comparative Example A can be evaluated in the gap space between two building components, with nominal dimensions of the space being 4.2 m long, 77 mm wide and 25 mm thick.

[0092] In Example 1, the tube is a flash-spun polyethylene sheet, Tyvek® grade 1506B, commercially available from DuPont de Nemours Inc, Wilmington, Del. The tube has a nominal thickness of 0.17 mm and a nominal through-thickness Gurley air permeability of 21 seconds.

[0093] Example 1 has 2 mm diameter holes arranged in two separate lines in a zigzag pattern on the upper section 13 of the tube. The foamable material consists of six pouches of Instapak® QuickRT® packaging foam from Sealed Air Corporation, Elmwood Park, NJ. Each pouch contains two compartments separated by a frangible barrier, one compartment contains a polyol and the other compartment contains an isocyanate. Each pouch contains 75 g of reactive material, giving a total foamable composition of 450 g. The frangible barrier was broken by manual manipulation, thus allowing the reagents to react to form a foam and be injected into the tube.

[0094] Comparative Example A represents the current state of the art in the industry and consists of injecting a one-component polyurethane foam sealant, InstaStik Flex+™ from DuPont, into the gap and allowing the foamable material to expand, cure, and solidify. Any foam extending beyond the plane of the exterior surfaces of the two building components is removed and smoothed flat. DuPont Tyvek® Window Tape Sealant Grade 1310 PT is then applied onto the smoothed foam to overlap the building components. The foam amount is 375 g.

[0095] The installation times measured include prep work, placement of pouch, activation or application of foam, foam expansion and curing, finishing steps and application of flashing. The examples are considered satisfactory and useful in the industry if the installation time is 30 minutes or less. The installation time for Example 1 is less than 30 minutes, while the installation time for Comparative Example A is approximately 60 minutes.

[0096] Examples 2 and 3 and Comparative Example B The advantage of obtaining enhanced compressive tensile and modulus performance from the cured foam was achieved by adding p-aramid pulp to the foamable composition. The pulp, DuPont merge 1K1957, had a nominal fiber diameter of 50 micrometers and a fiber length of less than 1 mm. The pulp was added to the polyol component of the isocyanate-polyol foamable composition to constitute 0.4 weight percent (Example 4) or 0.8 weight percent (Example 5) of the composition. The isocyanate (Voronate™ M230) constituted 60 weight percent of the foamable composition, and the polyol component constituted the remaining 40 weight percent. The polyol component included 32 weight percent Voranol™ polyether polyol, 6 weight percent water, and 2 weight percent catalyst. The amount of polyol was reduced by 0.4 or 0.8 weight percent in the examples containing p-aramid pulp. The sample without the pulp component was the control (Comparative Example B). These compositions were foamed and test coupons were subjected to compression and modulus testing, and the resulting values ​​were normalized to account for variations in foam density (free rise density) of the test samples.

[0097] The basis of the test was EN ISO 844-2021. 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%, then the compressive load was released for 60 seconds. This procedure was repeated four more times. The compressive modulus was determined according to the EN ISO 844-2021 standard. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0098] [Table 1]

[0099] Examples 4 to 6 A series of three exemplary tubes for each of Examples 4, 5, and 6 are made to have the same dimensions and materials of construction as those made for Example 1, but each of these exemplary tubes is further provided with several inlet ports in the tube wall. Additionally, the exemplary tube of Example 4 has 2 mm diameter holes arranged in two separate lines in a zigzag pattern in the upper section of the tube, but does not have two spaced apart flow restrictions. The exemplary tube of Example 5 has two spaced apart flow restrictions in the upper section of the tube, and 2 mm diameter holes arranged in two spaced apart lines in a zigzag pattern in the upper section of the tube only in the portion of the upper section between the two spaced apart flow restrictions. The exemplary tube of Example 6 is similar to the exemplary tube of Example 5, but has 1 mm diameter holes arranged in two separate lines in a zigzag pattern in the upper section of the tube, but only in the portion of the upper section between the two spaced apart flow restrictions.

[0100] Example 4 Three exemplary tubes are made that are supplied with several inlet ports that are one-way pinch valves (beach ball valves) embedded in the tube wall. The exemplary tubes are filled with a foamable mixture by inserting the nozzle of an aerosol can containing the foamable mixture into the pinch valve and injecting activated foam into the tube. The activated foam expands inside the tube, filling the tube, and the foam continues to expand outside the tube through pores in the inner and outer layers of the tube. The foam continues to expand further radially out of the tube on the outside of the tube to fill the volume outside the tube. All three tubes can be provided with volume-filling foam to seal voids between surfaces.

[0101] Example 5 Three other exemplary tubes are made that are supplied with several inlet ports that are one-way pinch valves (beach ball valves) embedded in the tube wall. They are filled with a foamable mixture by inserting a nozzle from a container containing the A-side foam formulation into one pinch valve and a nozzle from a container containing the B-side foam formulation into the other pinch valve. The two A-side and B-side components are injected separately into each exemplary tube, and both sides mix and actively initiate foaming inside the tube. The activated foam expands inside the tube, filling it, and the foam continues to expand outside the tube through the pores in the inner and outer layers of the tube. The foam continues to expand further radially out of the tube outside the tube to fill the volume outside the tube. All three exemplary tubes can be provided with volume-filling foam to seal voids between surfaces.

[0102] Example 6 Repeating Example 5, three example tubes are fitted with inlet ports that include flexible tubing and have a valve configuration as shown in FIG. 4 that can allow mixing of the foam components as they are injected into the tube. The valves allow the A-side foam formulation to be dispensed from its container into a first flexible distribution tube and the B-side foam formulation to be dispensed from its container into a second flexible distribution tube. At the junction of the first and second flexible tubes on the exterior of each exemplary tube, the two sides mix and begin to actively foam before entering the interior of the tube. The activated foam expands inside the tube, filling the tube, and the foam continues to expand outside the tube through the pores in the inner and outer layers of the tube. The foam continues to expand further radially out of the tube on the exterior of the tube to fill the volume outside the tube. All three tubes can provide volume-filling foam to seal voids between surfaces.

Claims

1. An article comprising a tube having length L, width W and height H, The tube comprises an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, and the tube includes a tube wall having a semipermeable outer layer that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquid. The tube has at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall, which allows fluid to flow into the inside of the tube. An article wherein the tube has a Gurley air permeability in the thickness direction of 1 to 2,000 seconds, and the tube has a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300 to 450 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200 to 320 MPa, and exhibits a maximum tensile force of at least 100 N / 50 mm when tested according to standard EN 12311-1:2000, and the tube has a plurality of holes penetrating the outer layer of the upper section and / or the lower section of the tube.

2. The tube has two spaced-apart flow restricting portions that extend along the length of the tube and are attached to the outer surface of the outer layer of the tube in the upper section or the lower section, The article according to claim 1, wherein the hole penetrating the outer layer of the upper section is limited to the portion of the upper or lower section of the tube located between the two spaced flow restricting portions.

3. A method for sealing gaps between building boundary surfaces, A step of providing an article including a tube, The tube has a length L, a width W and a height H, and the tube includes an upper section, a lower section, an inner section and an outer section, and the tube includes a tube wall having an outer layer. The outer layer is a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquid. The tube has at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall, which allows fluid to flow into the inside of the tube. The tube has a Gurley air permeability in the thickness direction of 1 to 2,000 seconds, a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300 to 450 MPa, and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200 to 320 MPa, and when tested according to standard EN 12311-1:2000, it exhibits a maximum tensile force of at least 100 N / 50 mm. The tube has a step having a plurality of holes penetrating the outer layer of the upper section and / or the lower section of the tube, The step of inserting the article into the gap between the building boundary surfaces, The steps include injecting an activated or activatable foaming composition into the tube through at least one of the inlet ports, A step of either activating the foam or expanding the foam, thereby expanding the tube, wherein the expanded foam exits the tube through the tube holes in the upper and / or lower sections of the tube and, if present, between spaced flow-restricting sections extending along the length of the tube, the expanded foam fills the gaps between the building interfaces and the building structure, and then hardens in place to form a foamed structure. A method that includes this.

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