Foam envelope for sealing large volumes

Abstract

1. An article comprising a tube of length L, width W, and height H, the tube having a peripheral region including an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, the tube comprising 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 port integrated into the tube wall to permit 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, the upper and / or lower sections of the tube having at least one slot in the outer layer extending at least partially along the length L of the tube and centrally located in the upper and / or lower sections, and the inner layer forming an exterior surface of the tube at the at least one slot.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THEINVENTION. 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, which can be placed in the volume to be sealed and then dispensed with the foamable components, or a foamable system contained within a sealed envelope, such as a tube, which can be placed in the volume to be sealed. Such a system that reduces installation time as well as the amount of foam raw material waste is desired by the market. [Background technology]

[0002] Description of the Related Art. 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. This 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 portions 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 a large volume. 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 boundaries of the volume. 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. This 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, for example, teaches methods, apparatus and systems for insulating walls, ceilings, floors and other building structural associated cavities with foam insulation. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for providing a building cavity with expanded foam insulation. The method includes dispensing a predetermined amount 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 amount 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, where the sheet includes a sheet having an opening over or partially over 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 over the surface or cavity, the pressure-activated foam generator is activated, and foam flows onto the surface or into the cavity.

[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 sealing envelope is supplied with the foamable components externally, while in other embodiments, the foamable system is contained within the sealing envelope. Such a system can reduce installation time as well as the amount of foam raw material waste, and is particularly useful for sealing small cavities, such as between a window and a wall. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present application relates to an article comprising a tube of length L, width W, and height H, the tube including an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, the tube comprising 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 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, the upper and / or lower sections of the tube having at least one slot in the outer layer extending at least partially along the length L of the tube and centrally located in the upper and / or lower sections, and the inner layer forming the exterior surface of the tube at the at least one slot.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method of sealing an air gap between building interfaces, the method comprising: Providing an article comprising a tube, a tube having a length L, a width W, and a height H, the tube including an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, the tube comprising 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 liquids; the tube having at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow fluid flow into the tube interior; 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, the upper and / or lower sections of the tube have at least one slot in the outer layer extending at least partially along the length L of the tube and centrally located in the upper and / or lower sections; an inner layer forming an outer surface of the tube at at least one slot; 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 by activating the foam or by expanding the foam, thereby expanding the tube; The expanding foam passes through the nonwoven and at least one slot in the upper and / or lower sections of the tube and exits the tube between spaced flow restrictions, if present, extending along the length of the tube, so that the expanding foam fills voids between the building interface and the building structure and then cures in situ into the foam structure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an article including a tube having a length L, a width W, and a 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, with 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 the respective port. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 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 of a window to a building wall interface with a tube inserted into 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, with peripheral regions having flow restrictions in both the upper and lower sections. [Figure 10-11] 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 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 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 foaming ingredients 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 having an inner layer 17 and an outer layer 18, the inner layer 17 being a nonwoven fabric, the outer layer 18 being a semi-permeable 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 port integrated into the tube wall to allow fluid flow into the tube interior. The tube has a through-thickness Gurley air permeability, i.e., a combined permeability through the tube wall including both the inner layer 17 and the outer layer 18, of 1 to 2,000 seconds. The tube wall material has a tensile modulus in the L direction of 300-450 MPa and a tensile modulus in the W direction of 200-320 MPa. The upper and / or lower sections of the tube have at least one slot (S1, S2) in the outer layer extending at least partially parallel to the length L of the tube and centrally located in the upper and / or lower section. The inner layer thus forms the outer surface of the tube at the at least one slot.

[0013] 1 and 2 show slots S1 and S2 extending at least partially along the length L of the tube. Preferably, the slots extend completely along the length L of the tube. In another embodiment, there may be multiple segments extending along the length L of the tube, with each slotted segment being separated from the next by a segment of tube without a slot. In embodiments where flow restrictions 19a, 19b and / or 19c, 19d are present, the slots are located between the flow restrictions. Typically, the slots are about 15-20 mm wide.

[0014] 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, at a minimum, to cover the length of the gap in the cavity to be filled with foam.

[0015] In the foamable ingredient supply article shown in Figure 2, the tube comprises 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, while the outer section 16 faces the exterior. The tube comprises an inner layer 17 and an outer layer 18.

[0016] 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.

[0017] The inner layer 17 is a nonwoven fabric, preferably a continuous filament spunbond sheet, an SMS sheet, or an SMMS sheet. In many preferred embodiments, the outer layer nonwoven fabric comprises polypropylene or polyester fibers because these surfaces generally adhere well to various construction sealing materials, such as joint compounds. Also, in some embodiments, it is desirable for the outer layer nonwoven fabric to have a higher vapor permeability than the inner layer.

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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 capillary tubes in a spinneret, the diameter of the extruded fibers being then rapidly reduced by drawing and then quenching the fibers. As used herein, the term "meltblown" refers to melt-spun fibers by meltblowing, which includes extruding a melt-processable polymer as a molten stream through a plurality of capillary tubes into a high velocity gas (e.g., air) stream to produce fine fibers.

[0021] 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.

[0022] SMS sheets are three-layered structures including a spunbond layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbond layer. Although there are three component layers in SMS sheets, 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 there are four component layers in SMMS sheets, 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.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the outer layer of the tube is a liquid impermeable nonwoven sheet of spunbond polyester (PET) fibers or a polyethylene terephthalate-polyamide nonwoven film available under the trademark Tyvek® Window Tape™. In another embodiment, the outer layer 18 is a liquid impermeable nonwoven sheet that is a flash-spun polyethylene plexifilament sheet, an exemplary material being available under the trademark Tyvek® from DuPont de Nemours Inc., Wilmington, Delaware. In some embodiments, the plexifilament has a strength of 930-970 kg / m 3 The polymer has a density of

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

[0025] 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 de Nemours, Inc., Wilmington, Delaware. In some embodiments, the continuous filament polypropylene has a density of 240 to 430 kg / m 3 The polypropylene polymer includes

[0026] In the portions of the tube where both the inner layer 17 and the outer layer 18 are present, i.e., where there are no slots S1 or S2, the tube 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] Similarly, the tube wall including the combined inner and outer layers preferably has a tensile strength at break of more than 10 MPa in both the W and L directions according to EN ISO 527-1:2019. In preferred embodiments, the tube wall including the combined inner and outer layers has a tensile strength at break of more than 13 MPa in both the W and L directions according to EN ISO 527-1:2019. In some embodiments, the tube wall exhibits a maximum tensile strength of at least 100 N / 50 mm, and in some embodiments preferably at least 350 N / 50 mm, when tested according to standard EN 12311-1:2000. The tube wall including the combined inner and outer layers may have a high tensile strength at break of 25 MPa or more in both the W and L directions. In some preferred embodiments, the inner layer 17 itself meets some or all of these tensile modulus and tensile strength characteristics.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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 outer layer 18 of the tube. 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 outer layer 18 of the tube. 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 outer layer 18 of the tube.

[0031] 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 limits the initial area of ​​foam contact between the wall and the tube to preferentially direct the active foam material radially from the tube toward the wall or surface to be sealed, while retarding the lateral movement of the active foam material, thereby directing the active foam material to the exterior of the tube. Suitable flow restriction includes gasket tape applied with adhesive, nail seal tape, which is a linear strip of foam provided with a strip of adhesive, and the like. Other materials can be used as flow restriction and attached to the exterior 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] As the material is actively foaming inside the tube, the tube expands and the perforations of the inner layer and slots act as passageways for the actively foaming material to exit through the tube wall to direct the actively foaming material radially upwards or radially downwards or both radially upwards and downwards depending on whether the slots 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 foam material is preferentially directed to the upper and / or lower surfaces of the article first.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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 comprise an outlet port, not shown, that may be used when pressure within the tube needs to be relieved.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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 the 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.

[0039] 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 inside the tube. For example, a valve known as a single piece pinch valve can be used.

[0040] 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. A fastener 30, such as a nail or screw, connects the window frame 28a with the wall 27 and holds the window assembly in place. The fastener 30 passes through the tube 11 and preferably between the two flow restrictions 19a and 19b and / or the two flow restrictions 19c and 19d.

[0041] 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.

[0042] Foamable Composition By foamable composition is meant a composition in which, when all the components 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 in the tube 11, it exits the tube through the holes in the inner layer nonwoven and the slot(s) in the upper section 13 and / or lower section 14 of the tube, and preferably between two spaced apart flow restrictions 19a and 19b and / or 19c and 19d extending along the length of the tube, if present, to fill the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25 of the building structure, as shown in FIG. 6, and then cures in situ, thereby preferably providing an airtight and water-impermeable seal to the gap between the interfaces.

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

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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 filled into a single container or aerosol can to which the foaming agent may be 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.

[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 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 an inlet port of the tube.

[0047] Yet another way to provide 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 containing a polyol and the other containing an isocyanate, can be used to supply 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 sends the active foamable composition through the tube inlet port into the tube, then through the holes in the inner layer nonwoven to the desired area outside the tube, and then through the slots in the tube.

[0048] 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 further actively foam and expand.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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 without the pulp additive. 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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 as well as at temperature cycles from -10 to +50°C.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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 including a tube 11, The tube 11 has 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 comprises 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 may also have at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow fluid flow into the interior of the tube, and an outlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow 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, 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, an upper section and / or a lower section of the tube having at least one slot in the outer layer extending at least partially along a length L of the tube and centrally located in the upper section and / or the lower section, and an inner layer forming an outer surface of the tube at the at least one slot; 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; either by activating the foam or by expanding the foam, thereby expanding the tube 11; the expanding foam passes through at least one slot in the nonwoven and outer layer located in the upper section 13 and / or lower section 14 of the tube, and exits between two spaced apart flow restrictions 19a and 19b in the upper section 13 of the tube, if present, and / or between two spaced apart flow restrictions 19c and 19d in the lower section 14 of the tube; filling a flow restriction extending along the length of the tube, preferably 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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, as shown in FIG. 9. The inner section 115 faces the interior of the building, and the outer section 116 faces the exterior. The tube has a tube wall with 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 vapor but impermeable to liquid. 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 there are three component layers in the SMS sheet, 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 there are four component layers in SMMS sheet, 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 according to 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. 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. The tube wall properties as previously described herein also apply here but will not be repeated to avoid redundancy.

[0062] 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.

[0063] 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 outer layer 118 of the tube at the upper section 113 of the tube. These flow restrictions are shown in both Figures 8 and 9. The features of the flow restrictions previously described herein may be applied to these flow restrictions.

[0064] 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 Figures 8 and 9.

[0065] 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.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment, the outer layer 118 of the tube 111 is a liquid impermeable nonwoven sheet of spunbond polyester (PET) fibers or a polyethylene terephthalate-polyamide nonwoven film available under the trademark Tyvek® Window Tape™. In another embodiment, the outer layer 18 is a liquid impermeable nonwoven sheet that is a flash-spun polyethylene plexifilament sheet, an exemplary material being available under the trademark Tyvek® from DuPont de Nemours Inc., Wilmington, Delaware. In some embodiments, the plexifilament has a strength of 930-970 kg / m 3 The polymer has a density of

[0067] In another preferred embodiment, the inner layer 117 is a nonwoven fabric of spunbond 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 articles utilizing a dispensed foamable component are suitable here as well.

[0068] 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 width W of the tube 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 through 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 width W of the tube is referred to as W. max By limiting the width W of the tube to a value of no more than 45% of the width W of the tube, the risk of the fastener puncturing the pouch is eliminated.

[0069] 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 to 1000 mm, preferably 400 to 600 mm, more preferably 450 to 550 mm, or even 300 to 500 mm. Preferably, adjacent pouches are connected to each other by a connector such as a thermoplastic tape or ribbon.

[0070] 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.

[0071] 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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.

[0077] 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 in the upper section 113 and / or lower section 114 of the tube, through the holes in the inner layer nonwoven, then through the slots 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.

[0078] 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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.

[0081] In some embodiments, the expandable material contained in each pouch is the same. In some other embodiments, the expandable material contained in one pouch is different from the expandable material contained in another pouch, for example, some pouches may contain an expandable material that reacts to provide a foam that is denser but has a lower expansion rate than foam produced from other pouches where the expandable material contained in these other pouches is of a different chemical composition. Such a feature may reduce or even eliminate the need for mechanical fastening of the window with nails or screws.

[0082] Again, the invention, including the pouches described herein, finds utility in new construction or renovation of existing buildings where gaps exist that need 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.

[0083] 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 has a length L, a width W, and a height H, and the at least one thermoplastic pouch 112 has a length l and a width w; The tube includes an upper section 113, a lower section 114, an inner section 115, and an outer section 116, the tube comprising a tube wall having an inner layer 117 and an outer layer 118, the inner layer 117 being a nonwoven fabric, and the outer layer 118 being a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids; The tube 111 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; the upper section 113 and / or the lower section 114 of the tube have at least one slot (S1, S2) in the outer layer extending at least partially along the length L of the tube 111 and centrally located in the upper section and / or the lower section, and the inner layer forms the outer surface of the tube at the at least one slot; The length l of the pouch is greater than the width w, and the pouch is positioned within the tube such that the pouch contacts the lower section 114 and the inner section 115 of the tube, and the pouch is within an area W that is 45% or less of the entire width W of the tube. max a pouch 112 extending transversely across a width W of the tube to a position adjacent the pouch 112, the pouch 112 containing 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 expandable foam, which then bursts the pouch 112, expands the tube 111, passes through the holes in the inner layer nonwoven, through at least one slot (S1, S2) located in the upper section 113 and / or the lower section 114 of the tube, and exits the tube between two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b in the upper section 113 of the tube and / or between two spaced apart flow restrictions 119c and 119d in the lower section 114 of the tube, if present, the flow restrictions extending along the length of the tube; The expanding foam fills the void 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25 of the building structure and then cures in place into a foam structure that provides an airtight and water impermeable seal.

[0084] In some embodiments, the effervescent material contained in one pouch may be different from the effervescent material contained in another pouch.

[0085] 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.

[0086] In an alternative 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 pouch 112 comprises a first compartment C1 and a second compartment C2, the compartments being separated by at least one frangible barrier 121 or two 121a and 121b; the tube includes an upper section 113, a lower section 114, an inner section 115, and an outer section 116, the tube comprises a tube wall having an inner layer 117 and an outer layer 118, the inner layer 117 being a nonwoven fabric, the outer layer 118 being a semi-permeable membrane that is permeable to vapor but impermeable to liquids, the tube has a through-thickness Gurley air permeability of 1 to 2,000 seconds, the tube has an L-direction tensile modulus of 300 to 450 MPa and a W-direction tensile modulus of 200 to 320 MPa, the upper section 113 and / or the lower section 114 of the tube have at least one slot (S1, S2) in the outer layer extending at least partially along the length L of the tube 111 and centrally located in the upper section and / or the lower section, and the inner layer forms the outer surface of the tube at the at least one slot; The length l of the pouch is greater than the width w, and the pouch is positioned within the tube such that the pouch contacts the lower section 114 and the inner section 115 of the tube, and the pouch is within an area W that is 45% or less of the entire width W of the tube. max Extending across the width W of the tube to a pouch 112 containing a foamable composition; Inserting the article 110 into the gap between the building interfaces 24 and 25; Activating the foamable composition in the pouch by breaking the frangible barrier 121 or 121a and 121b separating the first section C1 and the second section C2 of each compartment of the pouch 112 by a breaking method, thereby allowing the first composition and the second composition to mix, react and form an expandable foam, which then bursts the pouch 112, expands the tube 111, passes through the holes in the inner layer nonwoven fabric, passes through at least one slot (S1, S2) located in the upper section 113 and / or the lower section 114 of the tube 111, and exits the tube between two spaced apart flow restrictions 119a and 119b and / or 119c and 119d, if present, extending along the length of the tube 111, fills the gap 26 between the building interfaces 24 and 25 of the architectural structure, and then hardens in situ to become a foam structure providing an airtight and water-impermeable seal.

[0087] 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.

[0088] In some embodiments, the effervescent material contained in one pouch is different from the effervescent material contained in another pouch.

[0089] 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.

[0090] 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.

[0091] The dynamic compressive strength and compressive modulus of the foams were measured according to EN ISO 844-2021: Rigid Cellular Plastics. EXAMPLES

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

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

[0094] Example 1 In Example 1, the inner layer 17 was a polypropylene spunbond sheet of nominal areal weight 60 gsm and the outer layer 18 was a polyethylene terephthalate-polyamide nonwoven film. A slot having a nominal width of about 17 mm was cut in the outer layer 18 to expose the inner layer 17, with the slot extending the entire length of the tube.

[0095] The tubes contained foamable material in the form of four pouches of Instapak® QuickRT® packaging foam from Sealed Air Corporation, Elmwood Park, NJ. Each pouch contained two compartments separated by a frangible barrier, one compartment containing a polyol and the other compartment containing an isocyanate. Two pouches contained 75 g of reactants and two pouches contained 100 g of reactants, giving 350 g of total foamable composition. The frangible barrier was broken by manual manipulation, thus allowing the reagents to react and form a foam. The foam filled each tube and exited the tube radially through the holes in the inner layer nonwoven, then through the slots, expanding to fill the gaps where the foam cured and hardened.

[0096] Comparative Example A represents the current state of the art in the industry and consisted of injecting a one-component polyurethane foam sealant into the gap and allowing the foamable material to expand uncontrollably, cure, and solidify. The foam extending beyond the plane of the exterior surfaces of the two building components was removed and smoothed flat. A window tape sealant was then applied over the smoothed foam to overlap the building components. The foam amount was 375 g.

[0097] The installation times measured included prep work, pouch installation, foam activation or application, foam expansion and curing, finishing steps, and flashing application. The examples were considered satisfactory and useful in the industry if the installation times were 30 minutes or less. The installation times for Example 1 were all less than 30 minutes, while the installation time for Comparative Example A was approximately 60 minutes.

[0098] 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 2) or 0.8 weight percent (Example 3) 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 served as 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.

[0099] 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% and then releasing the compressive load 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.

[0100] [Table 1]

[0101] Examples 4 and 5 Exemplary tubes for Examples 4 and 5 were made, the tube walls of which comprise an outer layer of a flash-spun polyethylene sheet having a nominal areal weight of 80 gsm and an inner layer of a spunbond polypropylene sheet having a nominal areal weight of 50 gsm. The two sheets are bonded together with an ethylene vinyl acetate polymer. Prior to bonding the sheets, the sheets are combined with a slot cut in the outer layer, nominally about 17 mm wide, so that when the sheets are bonded the slot exposes the inner layer, which becomes the outer layer of the tube in a slot running the entire length of the tube. Each of these exemplary tubes is further provided with several inlet ports in the tube wall. The tube thickness is nominally 0.42 mm, and the tube wall material with both layers nominally has a Gurley air permeability in the tube thickness direction of greater than 1000 seconds for these example tubes. Additionally, the exemplary tube of Example 4 does not have two spaced apart flow restricting tubing of any kind. The exemplary tube of Example 5 has two spaced apart flow restrictions on the upper section of the tube, and the slot is disposed between the two spaced apart flow restrictions in the upper section of the tube.

[0102] The exemplary tube of Example 4 is provided with several inlet ports that are made with one-way pinch valves (beach ball-like valves) embedded in the tube wall. The exemplary tube is 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 through the holes in the inner layer nonwoven fabric and then through the slots to the exterior of the tube. The foam continues to expand further radially from the tube on the exterior of the tube, filling the volume on the exterior of the tube, showing in this example that the tube can provide a volume-filling foam to seal voids between surfaces.

[0103] The exemplary tube of Example 5 includes flexible tubing, as shown in FIG. 4, and is provided with an inlet port having a valve arrangement to 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 through the holes in the inner layer nonwoven fabric, then through the slots, to the exterior of the tube. The foam continues to expand further radially from the tube on the exterior of the tube, filling the volume outside the tube, showing in this example that the tube can provide a 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 has a tube wall having an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer being a nonwoven fabric, and the outer layer being 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 to allow 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, 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. The upper section and / or lower section of the tube have at least one slot in the outer layer that extends at least partially along the length L of the tube and is located at the center of the upper section and / or lower section. An article wherein the inner layer forms the outer surface of the tube in at least one slot.

2. The tube has two spaced 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 at least one slot in the outer layer is located in the same upper or lower section between the two spaced flow limiting sections.

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 has 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 liquid. The tube has at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to allow fluid to flow into the inside of the tube, The tube has a Gurley permeability in the thickness direction of 1 to 2,000 seconds, and 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 the upper section and / or lower section of the tube have at least one slot in the outer layer that extends at least partially along the length L of the tube and is located at the center of the upper section and / or lower section. The inner layer forms the outer surface of the tube in at least one slot, 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 inlet port, A step of inflating the tube by either activating the foam or expanding the foam, Steps include: the expanding foam passes through the nonwoven fabric and at least one slot in the upper and / or lower sections of the tube, exiting the tube between spaced flow-restricting sections extending along the length of the tube if present, the expanding foam filling the gap between the building interface and the building structure, and then curing in place to form a foam structure; Methods that include...

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