Self - Adhesive System for Sealing between Adjacent Building Structural Elements

Abstract

In a building structure, the gap between adjacent members is sealed by attaching a self-adhesive barrier sheet to the adjacent members so as to cover the gap. The self-adhesive barrier sheet includes a flexible sheet of barrier material. The flexible sheet has opposing edges, at least one of which is tapered. A pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to at least a portion of at least one major surface of the flexible sheet. The edges of the self-adhesive barrier sheet are adhered to the adjacent structural elements by the pressure-sensitive adhesive. The thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the flexible sheet. When two self-adhesive barrier sheets overlap obliquely on a substrate, the tapered edge of the sheet on top of the overlap allows the sheet on top of the overlap to smoothly transition, preventing the formation of an open gap between the barrier sheet and the substrate through which air and moisture can penetrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a barrier material for sealing a gap between adjacent building structure elements.

Background Art

[0002] Structural elements such as windows and doors are often inserted into openings in the rough state of a building structure. Openings in the rough state are typically somewhat larger than the structural elements to be inserted to facilitate installation. As a result, gaps can form between the structural elements and the building structure. These gaps must be sealed to prevent the penetration of air and water. This can be done by attaching backing bars and caulking or installing thermal insulation foam, but these methods are labor-intensive, require skilled workers, and are not sufficient when the gaps are large.

[0003] Instead, the gaps can be covered by covering them with an elastomer sheet and adhering the sheet to both the building frame member and the inserted structural element. These elastomer sheets need to be strong enough to withstand damage during installation. They also have to be able to accommodate the movement of the building frame member and / or the inserted structural element that occurs during the life of the building. This movement can be caused by factors such as thermal expansion and contraction, settlement of the building and / or the ground beneath it, earthquakes and impacts and / or acoustic events. In some cases, this movement can be quite large. In addition, the seal has to remain intact over a long period of time. From these needs, the elastomer sheet material needs to be fairly robust. Thin films such as waterproof and airtight tapes and house wraps typically do not have the required mechanical properties and durability.

[0004] When designed considering such mechanical and durability issues, it has been found that the elastomer sheet is particularly difficult to lay evenly, especially at the corners, where it folds or overlaps. When the elastomer sheet has the mechanical properties and durability required for this application, it is difficult to obtain a good seal at the overlapping portions. This problem is shown in FIG. 1. The elastomer sheets 1 and 2 are shown in a state of being attached so as to overlap the base material 4. The adhesive layers 3 and 3A fix the elastomer sheet 1 to the base material 4 and the elastomer sheet 2 to the elastomer sheet 1, respectively. The gap 5 occurs at the edge of the elastomer sheet 1 where the elastomer sheet 2 is overlapped. This gap becomes a location where air and water may leak.

[0005] U.S. Patent No. 8,261,498 describes a barrier system for sealing around a window, which includes an interlock adapter attached to the window frame and a sealing film assembly featuring a protrusion inserted into a slot of the adapter. A preformed, generally L-shaped portion for sealing around the corners of the window is also described. Although the corner portion of the sealing film being L-shaped allows the corners of the window to be sealed without creating an overlap at the corners, these overlaps are simply shifted to positions along the sides of the window intermediate the corners and vertically. The problem of obtaining an appropriate seal at the overlapping portions still remains. In addition, this adapter and sealing film system requires specially manufactured and complex parts and is difficult to install. Due to the need to insert the protrusion into the slot, further points where defects can occur arise, because not only must the adapter and the sealing film be sealed to the window and the frame members of the building, but sufficient alignment must be taken to properly insert the protrusion. And although the adapter and the sealing film are engaged with each other to create a seal, in practice, this seal must be supplemented with additional sealant or adhesive. Summary of the Invention Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In one aspect, the present invention is a method for sealing a gap between adjacent structural elements in a building structure, comprising the step of attaching a self - adhesive barrier sheet to adjacent members such that the self - adhesive barrier sheet covers the gap, the self - adhesive barrier sheet comprising a flexible sheet of barrier material, the flexible sheet having opposing edges, at least one of said opposing edges being a tapered edge, and a pressure - sensitive adhesive applied to at least a portion of at least one major surface of the flexible sheet, whereby said at least one tapered edge is adhered by the pressure - sensitive adhesive to one of the adjacent structural elements and the opposing edge is adhered by the pressure - sensitive adhesive to the other of the adjacent structural elements, the minimum thickness of the flexible sheet being at least 0.5 mm and the thickness of the pressure - sensitive adhesive being less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the flexible sheet.

[0007] The method of the present invention has the advantages of easy and low - cost installation. The barrier sheet is simply cut to the required length and installed. Since the pressure - sensitive adhesive pre - applied to the flexible sheet eliminates the need for on - site application, generally no other liquid adhesives or sealants are required. Also, there is no need to carefully align the separate components of a barrier system consisting of multiple parts as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,261,498.

[0008] The present invention provides another important advantage in installation, where separate portions of the self - adhering barrier sheet are attached obliquely and overlap, and the portion of the overlapping part of the self - adhering barrier sheet that lies on top crosses at least one tapered edge of the portion of the overlapping part of the self - adhering barrier sheet that lies below. By having a tapered edge on the self - adhering barrier sheet that lies below the overlapping part, a gap (i.e., the gap indicated by reference numeral 5 in FIG. 1) along the line where the two barrier sheets intersect can be minimized or eliminated, thereby achieving a sealed seal with reduced or no leakage, and there is no need to separately seal the intersection. A flexible sheet having a thicker central portion retains the mechanical properties and durability required for these sealing products.

[0009] In a particular embodiment, the present invention is a method of sealing an open joint between a building structure and an insert positioned within an opening of the building structure, comprising the step of attaching a self - adhering barrier sheet to the insert and the building structure such that the self - adhering barrier sheet covers the open joint, the self - adhering barrier sheet comprising a flexible sheet of barrier material, the flexible sheet having opposing tapered edges and a pressure - sensitive adhesive applied to at least a portion of at least one major surface of each of the tapered edges, whereby one of the opposing tapered edges is adhered to the insert by the pressure - sensitive adhesive applied to said one of the opposing tapered edges, and the other opposing tapered edge is adhered to the building structure by the pressure - sensitive adhesive applied to said other opposing tapered edge.

[0010] As described above, this embodiment has the advantages of easy and inexpensive installation and creating a hermetic seal between portions that overlie the overlapping flexible barrier sheets. Thus, in a particularly interesting embodiment, the insert has a plurality of insert sides, and each pair of the plurality of insert sides defines a vertex. Typically, this opening conforms to a quadrilateral that often has corners of about 90 degrees, such as a square or rectangle, but more generally, the insert can be polygonal and have a general polygon with three or more straight or curved sides and corresponding three or more vertices. The open joint is defined by each of the plurality of insert sides and the adjacent sides of the opening in the building structure. Separate portions of the self-adhesive barrier sheet are attached to seal each of the open joints. The separate portions of the self-adhesive barrier sheet overlap at the vertices.

[0011] In other aspects, the present invention a) a flexible sheet of a barrier material having a glass transition temperature of -40 °C or lower, the flexible sheet having a pair of opposing tapered edges and a minimum thickness of at least 0.5 mm at the widest point away from the edges, b) a pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to at least one side of each of the opposing tapered edges, the pressure-sensitive adhesive having a thickness that is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the flexible sheet, A self-adhesive barrier sheet comprising.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 5C

Figure 6A-6D

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0013] Referring to FIG. 2A, a portion of a building structure 15 (in this case a wall) having an opening 13 defined by sides 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D of the opening 13 is shown. The insert 30 consists of a window 31 and window frame members 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D in this case and is positioned within the opening 13. The window frame members 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D form the sides of the insert 30. Adjacent pairs of the window frame members form corners 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D. An open joint 16A is between side 15A of the opening 13 and window frame member 18A, an open joint 16B is between side 15B of the opening 13 and window frame member 18B, an open joint 16C is between side 15C of the opening 13 and window frame member 18C, and an open joint 16D is between side 15D of the opening 13 and window frame member 18D.

[0014] Next, referring to FIG. 2B, the self-adhesive barrier sheets 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D of the present invention are attached so as to cover each of the open joints 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D of FIG. 2A, respectively. Each of the self-adhesive barrier sheets 10A to 10D includes a flexible sheet 20 of a barrier material as shown in FIG. 3, and the flexible sheet 20 has a cross-sectional shape as shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the flexible sheet 20 has opposing tapered edges 4A and 4B, and the tapered edges 4A and 4B are "opposing" in that they are on both sides of the flexible sheet 20. By "tapered" is meant that the thickness of the flexible sheet 20 decreases continuously (but not necessarily linearly) in a direction towards the outer ends 35 within the tapered edges 4A and 4B. A "tapered edge" is a portion of each of the opposing sides of the flexible sheet 20 where the thickness decreases continuously. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the flexible sheet 20 includes an optional central portion 7 with a maximum thickness of T and the tapered edges 4A and 4B. Each of the tapered edges 4A and 4B decreases in thickness towards its respective outer end 35 as shown in the figure.

[0015] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, this decrease in thickness in the tapered edges 4A and 4B is constant, i.e., the thickness of each of the tapered edges 4A and 4B decreases linearly with distance towards their respective outer ends 35. In addition, the flexible sheet 20 has a flat lower surface 8 and a non-flat upper surface 9 as shown in FIG. 3, and the upper surface 9 is inclined on both sides where the tapered edges 4A and 4B are formed. As used herein, the "lower" surface of the flexible sheet 20 is the main surface that will be adhered to a member of the building structure, and the "upper" surface is the opposite main surface of the flexible sheet 20.

[0016] Exemplary alternative configurations of the tapered edges 4A and 4B of the flexible sheet 20 are shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C. In FIG. 5A, the upper surface 9 is flat and the lower surface 8 is inclined to form the tapered edge 4A. In FIG. 5B, both the upper surface 9 and the lower surface 8 are inclined to form the tapered edge 4A. In FIG. 5C, the tapered edge 4A is formed by the curved inclined portion of the upper surface 9, and the lower surface 8 is flat. The tapered edge 4A in FIG. 5C shows a continuous but non-uniform decrease in thickness.

[0017] The tapered edges 4A and 4B shown in FIG. 3 form a clamping angle a of 30 degrees or less. The clamping angle a can be 20 degrees or less, 15 degrees or less, or 10 degrees or less. The clamping angle a is defined as the angle between the maximum thickness of the sheet 20 and the absolute edge defined as each outer end 35.

[0018] The width of each of the tapered edges 4A and 4B can be, for example, 1 to 25 mm or more. In some embodiments, the width of each of the tapered edges 4A and 4B is at least 3 mm or at least 5 mm, and 15 mm or less or 20 mm or less. The maximum thickness T of the flexible sheet 20 is at least 0.5 mm, for example, at least 0.75 mm, at least 1.0 mm, and can be 5 mm or less, 3 mm or less, or 2 mm or less.

[0019] The thickness at the outer ends 35 (see, for example, FIG. 3) of the tapered edges 4A and 4B of the flexible sheet 20 is as small as possible, preferably 0.1 mm or less, 0.05 or less, or 0.01 mm or less.

[0020] The self - adhering barrier sheet 10 further includes a pressure - sensitive adhesive 3 (FIG. 3). The pressure - sensitive adhesive is applied to the lower surface of the flexible sheet 20 at least in the region where the flexible sheet 20 will be adhered to the building structure (for example, the wall 15 and the insert 30 in FIG. 2A). The pressure - sensitive adhesive is preferably applied to two opposite edges of the lower surface 8 of the flexible sheet 20, including at least a part of one or both of the tapered edges 4A and 4B (if both exist). As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure - sensitive adhesive is applied to the lower surface 8 of each of the tapered edges 4A and 4B, which is a preferred arrangement. The pressure - sensitive adhesive may be applied only to a part of the width of the tapered edges 4A and 4B. The pressure - sensitive adhesive may be applied to the whole or a part of the central portion 7 (if it exists), as shown in FIG. 3. The pressure - sensitive adhesive applied to the tapered edge 4A may be the same as or different from the pressure - sensitive adhesive applied to the opposite edge 4B.

[0021] Referring again to FIG. 2B, each tapered edge 4A of the self - adhering barrier sheets 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D is adhered to the insert 30 via the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3 (FIG. 3), and the opposite edge 4B (which is also tapered in the illustrated embodiment) is adhered to the building structure 15 via the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3 (FIG. 3), covering the open joints 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D (FIG. 2A) respectively.

[0022] The self - adhering barrier sheet 10C overlaps the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D at the corner 17C within the region specified by the circle 21C. When overlapping the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D, the self - adhering barrier sheet 10C crosses the tapered edge 4A of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D and, as shown more specifically in FIG. 4, as an optional but preferred feature, continues to overlap the central portion 7 and the tapered edge 4B of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D. By providing the tapered edge 4A on the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D that is under the overlap, the gap 5 that exists in the prior - art arrangement (FIG. 1) is eliminated, as shown by the arrow 50 in FIG. 4.

[0023] Similarly, the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10A overlaps the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10D at the corner 17D within the region specified by the circle 21D, the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10B overlaps the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10A at the corner 17A within the region specified by the circle 21A, and the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10B overlaps the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10C at the corner 17B within the region specified by the circle 21B. In each case, the overlapping self-adhesive barrier sheet crosses the tapered edge portion 4A of the self-adhesive barrier sheet below the overlap and also overlaps the central portion 7 and the tapered edge portion 4B of the self-adhesive barrier sheet below the overlap.

[0024] The exposed seams 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D may be sealed using another adhesive, sealant, or tape if the pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to the self-adhesive barrier sheets 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D does not extend across the entire width of each self-adhesive barrier sheet.

[0025] Figures 6A - 6D illustrate a method according to the present invention for sealing around an insert 130 that projects from a surrounding building structure 115. A similar overall technique can be used for inserts that are positioned recessed from the plane of the surrounding wall. In Figure 6A, insert frame members 118A and 118D project from the building structure 115 to form raised edges. The joint between the frame member 118D and the building structure 115 is sealed by applying a self - adhering barrier sheet 10D across the joint (Figure 6B). The self - adhering barrier sheet 10D consists of a flexible sheet 20 having tapered edges 4A and 4B and a central portion 7, as generally shown in Figure 3, and pressure - sensitive adhesive strips 3 are attached to the lower surfaces of the tapered edges 4A and 4B as shown in the figure. The tapered edge 4B of the self - adhering barrier sheet is adhered to the building structure 115 by the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3. The central portion 7 of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D covers the joint. The self - adhering barrier sheet 10D is adhered to the end of the insert frame member 118D and the insert frame member 118A by the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3. The self - adhering barrier sheet 10D extends beyond the insert frame member 118A and is cut along the edge 141A and attached flat to the building structure 115. The portion of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D that extends beyond the insert frame member 118A is adhered to the building structure 115 via the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3 applied to the tapered edges 4A and 4B. In the illustrated embodiment, only a portion of the central portion 7 of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D is covered by the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3. Thus, an optional seal 40A can be provided to seal the end 126A of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D to the building structure 115. The optional seal 40A may not be necessary, particularly in embodiments where the entire lower surface of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D is not covered by a pressure - sensitive adhesive.

[0026] The joint between the frame member 118A and the building structure 115 is sealed by applying a self - adhering barrier sheet 10A across the joint (FIG. 6C). The self - adhering barrier sheet 10A consists of a flexible sheet 20 having tapered edges 4A and 4B and a central portion 7, generally as shown in FIG. 3. As shown in the figure, pressure - sensitive adhesive strips 3 are attached to the lower surfaces of the tapered edges 4A and 4B. The tapered edge 4B of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10A is adhesively bonded to the building structure 115 and the frame member 118A of the insert by the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3. The central portion 7 of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10A covers the joint. The self - adhering barrier sheet 10A extends beyond the frame member 118A of the insert and is cut along the edge 141B and flatly attached to and overlaps with the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D. The portion of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10A that extends beyond the frame member 118A of the insert is adhesively bonded to the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D through the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3 applied to the tapered edge 4B. Due to the overlap, seams 126B and 150 are formed. In the illustrated embodiment, only a part of the central portion 7 of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10A is covered by the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3. Thus, optional seals 40B and 40C can be provided to seal the seams 126B and 150. The optional seals 40B and 40C may not be necessary, especially in embodiments where the entire lower surface of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10A is not covered by the pressure - sensitive adhesive. The portion of the tapered edge 4A of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10A that extends beyond the frame member 118A is cut along the edge 141B, folded back over the end of the frame member 118A of the insert (and, as shown in the figure, a part of the frame member 118D), and adhesively bonded there by the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3 to cover a part of the tapered edge 4A of the self - adhering barrier sheet 10D, as shown in FIG. 6D.

[0027] Optional seals such as seals 40A, 40B, 40C, etc. can be made of any material that enables adhesive sealing at the corresponding seams. A particularly useful sealing material is self - fusing silicone tape, which is widely available from sources such as RescueTape USA / Canada (www.rescuetape.com).

[0028] Although the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 with respect to an insert positioned within an opening of a building structure, the present invention is not so limited. The present invention is applicable to sealing gaps between any adjacent members in a building structure. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the adjacent members of the building structure are the building structure itself (15 in FIG. 2 and 115 in FIG. 5) and the insert (reference numerals 30 in FIG. 2 and 130 in FIG. 5). In other embodiments, the gap can be defined by any two adjacent spaced members of the building structure itself, which can be, for example, a gap between frame members (studs, floors, ceilings, roof joints or trusses), a gap between walls or other partitions, a gap between floors or roof portions, a gap between a wall or other partition and a floor or roof.

[0029] Furthermore, although the inserts in FIGS. 2 and 6 are shown as windows, they are not so limited. The insert can be any structure inserted into the building structure for any function or even for aesthetic purposes. Examples of other inserts include doors, door frames, transoms, skylights, fans, electrical panels, vents, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or other conduits and / or cable trenches, mailboxes or letter receptacles, inspection panels, frames or holders for decorative elements, and the like. Although the inserts in FIGS. 2 and 5 are shown as rectangular, the shape is not limited here either, and the insert can have any shape that can be beneficial for its specific purpose.

[0030] The building materials of the building structure are not limited as long as the pressure-sensitive adhesive can form an adhesive joint there. The parts of the building structure where the self-adhesive barrier sheet can be attached are, for example, metals such as aluminum, steel, copper, etc., natural stones such as granite, marble, limestone, slate, etc., cementitious materials such as concrete, cinder blocks, mortar, etc., cast materials such as bricks, ceramic tiles, etc., products such as gypsum boards, laminated insulation panels, wood products such as wood, plywood, oriented strand board, artificial wood products, high-density and / or foamed polymer products such as resin siding, insulation boards, and so on. Any of these building materials can be coated, for example, by painting or other coatings, or covered with a film (such as a moisture-proof layer or other protective film).

[0031] The geometry of the gap is not important as long as the insert can be mechanically fixed within the opening and the gap can be covered with the self-adhesive barrier sheet. The width of the gap should be smaller than the width of the self-adhesive barrier sheet so that the sheet can be adhered to the building structure on each side of the gap. The self-adhesive barrier sheet is particularly suitable for sealing gaps with widths of 1 to 610 mm or more, especially 6 to 300 mm or 6 to 150 mm or 6 to 102 mm.

[0032] The flexible sheet 20 is a barrier against liquid water, preferably passing the water tightness test of EN1928:2000 Method B and not leaking under a pressure condition of 0.3 kPa for at least 30 minutes. The constituent material of the flexible sheet 20 is preferably a polymer, which may be thermoplastic or thermosetting. The elongation amount of the flexible sheet 20 with respect to the maximum load is preferably at least 10%, preferably at least 50%, or at least 100%, or at least 400% as measured by ASTM D412. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the Shore A hardness exhibited by the flexible sheet 20 is at least 20, maximum 80 or maximum 60 (ASTM D2240-15). The flexible sheet 20 may be a single-layer material or a multi-layer material. Examples of suitable constituent materials for the flexible sheet 20 include elastomer materials such as silicone rubber, polyurethane rubber, polyether rubber, polyester rubber, polyamide rubber, thermoplastic hard rubber, polyolefin rubber such as ethylene-propylene or ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, polymers and copolymers of diene monomers such as butadiene, isoprene, and chloroprene (styrene / butadiene diblock and triblock copolymers), nitrile rubber, and natural rubber. Other suitable constituent materials include non-elastomer polyolefins such as low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, high density polyolefin, metallocene catalyst polyolefin, etc. The flexible sheet 20 may also be a composite material, a multi-layer co-extruded or laminated material.

[0033] The pressure-sensitive adhesive 3 may be of, for example, silicone, acrylic, so-called "modified acrylic", or natural or synthetic rubber type, and is generally selected according to the selection of the flexible sheet and / or building member to which it is applied. Suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive products are widely available from suppliers such as 3M, Adhesive Applications, Dow Chemical, Elkem Silicones, Lohmann GmbH & Co., Sika Services AG, etc. The pressure-sensitive adhesive 3 may be applied directly to the sheet 20 or may be in the form of a tape attached to part or all of the lower surface 8 of the flexible sheet 20. In certain embodiments, the pressure-sensitive adhesive 3 is in the form of a double-sided tape, which has two layers of pressure-sensitive adhesive coated on both sides of the carrier film. The two layers of pressure-sensitive adhesive may be the same or different. For example, one layer of the pressure-sensitive adhesive may be selected for its bonding properties to the flexible sheet 20, while the other layer may be selected for its bonding properties to the members of the building structure. In certain embodiments, one layer of the pressure-sensitive adhesive may be of silicone or "modified acrylic" type for bonding to the silicone flexible sheet 20, and the other layer may be of general-purpose acrylic or natural or synthetic rubber type for bonding to the building structure.

[0034] Alternatively, the pressure-sensitive adhesive may be applied in liquid form as a solution or melt to the lower surface 8 of the flexible sheet 20, which is then solidified later.

[0035] The thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive 3 is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the flexible sheet 20, preferably less than or equal to 50% or 10% thereof. Absolutely, the thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive 3 can be, for example, 0.01 - 0.75 mm, preferably 0.05 - 0.5 mm, or 0.05 - 0.1 mm, provided that it is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the flexible sheet 20.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the pressure-sensitive adhesive 3 may be covered with a protective film for packaging, storage, and / or transportation. The protective film 6 is removed before attaching the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10 to expose the pressure-sensitive adhesive 3.

[0037] The flexible sheet 20 is preferably manufactured by extruding a melt of the flexible sheet material through a die having a corresponding cross-sectional shape. Extrusion is well suited for continuous manufacturing. Other manufacturing methods can also be used, including, for example, the extrusion or casting of a flat sheet and subsequent generation of the inclined region by any post-extrusion or post-casting processing method (polishing, cutting, compression, etc.), or die casting. Thereafter, as described above, the pressure-sensitive adhesive 3 is applied to the flexible sheet 20 to form the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10. The self-adhesive barrier sheet 10 can also be manufactured by applying the adhesive entirely or partially to a wide "mother roll" of the flexible material and then producing one or more rolls of the finished product with tapered edges on either one or both sides by appropriately scoring with a straight or inclined cutting tool.

[0038] In many cases, it is beneficial to manufacture the self-adhesive barrier sheet 10 in the form of a roll stock or standard length and cut it to the length required during use.

[0039] Self - adhering barrier sheet attachment is simple and easy. Cut the self - adhering barrier sheet to the required length as needed. If there is a protective film 6, remove it to expose the pressure - sensitive adhesive 3. Position the self - adhering barrier sheet so that it covers the gap between adjacent members of the building structure. Place one of the tapered edges 4A or 4B against one of the adjacent members, bring it into contact with that member, and apply sufficient pressure to form an adhesive bond through the pressure - sensitive adhesive. Then, bring the opposite edge of the self - adhering barrier sheet into contact with the other adjacent member and adhere it in the same manner. In some embodiments, if desired, the self - adhering barrier sheet can first be temporarily adhered to one or both of the adjacent members by applying only light pressure. This allows for position correction or adjustment. Once the self - adhering barrier sheet is in its final position, greater pressure can be applied to form a stronger adhesive bond with the members of the building structure. For example, the greater pressure may be applied using a roller.

[0040] In some embodiments, separate portions of the self - adhering barrier sheet are attached such that they overlap diagonally. For example, multiple small pieces of the self - adhering barrier sheet may be attached to seal the gaps along the perimeter of an insert. In this case, these small pieces of the self - adhering barrier sheet attached to seal the gaps adjacent to the sides of the insert preferably overlap at the corners. The angle can be, for example, 5 - 175°, particularly 30 - 150°, 45 - 135°, or 60 - 120°. The portion of the self - adhering barrier sheet that lies on top of the overlap preferably crosses at least one of the tapered edges of the self - adhering barrier sheet that lies beneath the overlap, as shown in FIG. 4, to avoid creating gaps such as gap 5 in FIG. 1.

Example

[0041] The following examples are provided to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit its scope.

[0042] The laboratory-scale assembly consists of a wooden support frame that is 36”×36” (91.44 cm×91.44 cm) in size, to which four 17”×17” (43.18 cm×43.18 cm) aluminum plates with a thickness of 0.25” (6.35 mm) are fixed. There are vertical open gaps that are 2” (50.8 mm) wide, and horizontal open gaps that are 2” (50.8 mm) wide intersect them. Combining the two gaps forms the shape of a “plus sign”. Then, a 6-inch (15.24 cm) wide elastomer sheet consisting of 1-inch (2.54 cm) wide strips with adhesive pre-applied on both outer edges on one side of the sheet is used to seal the gaps between the aluminum plates. One of the elastomer sheets is first attached over the horizontal gap by pressing it against the adjacent aluminum panel. Then, using a weighted roller, the edges on both sides of the silicone sheet are firmly pressed against the aluminum panel. Using the same method, the other elastomer sheet is then overlapped on the horizontal sheet at the center of the assembly and attached to the intersection of the horizontal and vertical gaps formed by the aluminum plates.

[0043] The entire assembly is surrounded by an aluminum frame, which allows it to be sealed into an acrylic housing with a rigid aluminum frame. A vacuum pump is operated to apply a pressure below atmospheric pressure behind the assembly. The housing is also provided with a digital pressure transducer for measuring the pressure difference from atmospheric pressure, as well as appropriate controls and bleed valves for monitoring and controlling the internal pressure. The exhaust line connected to the vacuum pump is equipped with a gas flow meter for measuring the total volumetric flow rate of the required gas (in units of standard liters per minute) to achieve a predetermined vacuum level in the rear chamber. Thereafter, the air leakage through the sealed gap region is estimated by subtracting the reference leakage amount due to the frame seal with the barrier film in the active region from the total air leakage. The front of the test assembly is surrounded by another chamber, which is open to the atmosphere and holds nozzles used to spray recirculating water onto the exposed assembly. The barrier of the sealed test assembly against air and moisture was evaluated using this apparatus in accordance with modified ASTM E331.

[0044] Comparison Sample A The elastomer sheet of this sample is a transparent silicone sheet with a thickness of 1.5 mm and a Shore A hardness of 58. The pressure-sensitive adhesive is a two-layer acrylic adhesive transfer tape. When the edge of the overlapping vertical sheet was firmly pressed onto the horizontal sheet, a small gap similar to that shown in Figure 1 was observed between the overlapping sheet and the aluminum substrate. A liquid sealant was applied to the corners of the four overlapping joints to prevent water infiltration through the gap.

[0045] After leaving the sealant to cure for 24 hours, the test assembly was placed into the above-described test apparatus. Shortly after the start of the test, when water was sprayed onto the test assembly at the lowest vacuum level (0.03 kPa) in the rear housing, water penetration through the overlapping sheets was visible through the transparent panel of the rear housing, and as a result, water accumulated at the bottom of the housing. Since this assembly failed the barrier test, the test was stopped.

[0046] Example 1 The elastomer sheet is a transparent silicone sheet with a Shore A hardness of 45 and has a central region of uniform thickness of 0.9 mm and tapered edges on both sides. The pressure-sensitive adhesive is the same transfer tape as described for Comparative Sample A.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4, a smooth transition was observed at the joint where the horizontal sheet overlaps the vertical sheet. The gap shown in FIG. 1 was not observed, and no liquid sealant was applied to the joint corners.

[0048] The test assembly was installed in the aforementioned test apparatus. Water spraying onto the test assembly was started, and the vacuum level applied to the rear housing was manually controlled while continuously increasing the differential pressure in 15-minute increments from atmospheric pressure. During that time, the pressure and total air flow rate were recorded, and it was observed whether there was any water leakage from the rear of the test assembly. The observation results are summarized in Table 1. Since no water leakage was observed up to a maximum differential pressure of 0.72 kPa from atmospheric pressure, this sealing system was judged to have passed the air / moisture barrier test.

[0049] [Table 1]

[0050] Example 2 It is the same as Example 1, but in this case the elastomer sheet is the silicone sheet shown in FIG. 3. The Shore A hardness of the silicone sheet is 33. Its central region has a uniform thickness of 1.6 mm, and the included angle (4A shown in FIG. 3) of the edges on both sides of one major surface of the sheet is 7°. The same two-layer acrylic adhesive transfer tape as used in Comparative Sample 1 was used instead of both adhesive-coated strips.

[0051] The test assembly was installed in the test apparatus and tested in the same manner as in Example 1. The observation results are summarized in Table 2. Since no water leakage was observed up to a maximum differential pressure of 0.72 kPa from atmospheric pressure, this sealing system was judged to have passed the air / moisture barrier test.

[0052]

Table 2

Claims

1. A method for sealing gaps between adjacent members in a building structure, A method comprising the step of attaching a self-adhesive barrier sheet to the adjacent members such that the self-adhesive barrier sheet covers the gap, wherein the self-adhesive barrier sheet comprises a flexible sheet of barrier material, the flexible sheet having opposing edges, at least one of which is a tapered edge, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to at least a portion of the main surface of at least one of the flexible sheets, wherein the at least one tapered edge is bonded to one of the adjacent structural elements by the pressure-sensitive adhesive, and the opposite edge is bonded to the other of the adjacent structural elements by the pressure-sensitive adhesive, the minimum thickness of the flexible sheet is at least 0.5 mm, and the thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the flexible sheet.

2. A method for sealing an open joint between a building structure and an insert positioned within an opening in the building structure, A method comprising the step of attaching a self-adhesive barrier sheet to the insert and the building structure such that the self-adhesive barrier sheet covers the open joint, wherein the self-adhesive barrier sheet comprises a flexible sheet of barrier material, the flexible sheet having opposing tapered edges and a pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to at least a portion of each of the tapered edges, wherein one of the opposing tapered edges is bonded to the insert by the pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to one of the opposing tapered edges, and the other opposing tapered edge is bonded to the building structure by the pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to the other opposing tapered edge.

3. a) A flexible sheet of a barrier material having a glass transition temperature of -40°C or lower, comprising a pair of opposing tapered edges and a flexible sheet having a maximum thickness of at least 0.5 mm, b) A pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to at least one side of each of the opposing tapered edges, wherein the thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive is less than or equal to the maximum thickness of the flexible sheet, A self-adhesive barrier sheet, including...

4. The self-adhesive barrier sheet according to claim 3, further comprising a removable protective coating on the pressure-sensitive adhesive.

5. The self-adhesive barrier sheet according to claim 3 or 4, wherein each of the opposing tapered edges forms a narrow angle of 15 degrees or less.

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