Insulation cover, insulation system, and method for insulating snowy mountains or glaciers

Abstract

The insulating cover (1) for insulating a snowy mountain (10) or glacier comprises an insulating layer (2), a waterproof layer (3) made of a plastic material disposed on top of the insulating layer (2), and textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) attached to the waterproof layer (3), the textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) functioning as loop portions of hook-and-loop fasteners to cover the waterproof layer (3) at least in the longitudinal edge regions of the insulating cover (1). The longitudinal edge regions of the insulating cover (1) are attached to a similar second insulating cover (1') by means of attachment strips (11) that are configured to be disposed adjacent to or cover a portion of the second insulating cover (1') and that form hook portions of the hook-and-loop fasteners. Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an insulating cover for insulating snowy mountains or glaciers as defined in claim 1. The present invention also relates to a method for insulating snowy mountains or glaciers as defined in another independent claim. The present invention further relates to an insulating system for insulating snowy mountains or glaciers. [Background technology]

[0002] To store snow during the summer, it is necessary to cover it with a sufficient amount of suitable insulating material, since in summer, even in Nordic countries, the outside temperature can rise to +30°C. Furthermore, the insulating material covering the snow store is exposed to a lot of direct sunlight in summer, and the snow store is subject to rainwater during rainy weather.

[0003] Snow storage insulation consists of adding insulating material on top of the snow mass piled at the desired snow storage location. In recent years, the application of insulating boards, such as polystyrene and / or polyurethane insulating boards, has become increasingly popular. This is because such solutions not only provide improved insulating capacity, improving the quality of the stored snow, but also make them more affordable compared to traditional snow storage methods, such as sawdust insulation, since the same insulating material can be used to store snow for several years.

[0004] Typically, the insulating cover made by applying insulating boards is formed by attaching a plurality of insulating boards adjacent to each other, one after the other, to essentially obtain a large insulating board mat (hereinafter, "insulating cover section"). The connections between adjacent insulating boards within a single insulating cover section are designed to allow the adjacent insulating boards to flex appropriately relative to each other so that the insulating cover section conforms to the shape of the snow pile to be preserved.

[0005] However, a large snow pile, such as that required to adequately snow a single ski slope, requires a large number of insulating plates. Therefore, the entire insulating cover cannot be made from a single continuous insulating cover. This is due in part to safety reasons, such as the fact that a single insulating cover that is too large would be very difficult and dangerous to handle, especially in windy weather. Therefore, snow storage insulating covers made by applying insulating plate mats must be assembled using multiple insulating cover sections, which are attached to each other at the storage location, which is placed above the snow pile to be stored.

[0006] A drawback of currently known methods of providing insulation covers formed by applying insulation board mats is that the connection methods applied to secure the insulation cover sections to one another do not meet the requirements and needs for durability against the severe weather conditions experienced at typical snow storage locations. This is believed to be due to weak and unreliable joints and / or attachment methods currently known. The weak and unreliable connections and attachments between the insulation cover sections are particularly responsible for the failure of currently known insulation covers to prevent water from entering the underside of the insulation cover during storage. Currently known methods of assembling insulation covers on snow piles are believed to be laborious and time-consuming due to the solutions applied to the connections and attachments between the insulation cover sections.

[0007] Recently, glaciers have also been protected from melting using covers. Due to their large size, the covers used on glaciers are usually simpler and cheaper than the insulating covers used for storing snow. The covers can be simply textile layers with no real insulating properties, but may provide some protection from direct sunlight. However, similar challenges to insulating snow piles are faced when it comes to attaching the cover sections to each other. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved insulating cover for insulating snow mountains or glaciers. Another object of the present invention is to provide an insulating system for insulating snow mountains or glaciers. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for insulating snow mountains or glaciers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The insulating cover of the present invention has a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, a lower surface configured to face the snowy mountain or glacier, and an upper surface configured to face outward. The insulating cover includes an insulating layer configured to reduce heat conduction and / or heat radiation through the insulating cover, a waterproof layer disposed on the upper surface of the insulating layer and attached directly or indirectly to the insulating layer, made of a plastic material, and covering substantially the entire insulating layer, and a textile layer attached to the upper surface of the waterproof layer and configured to function as a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener. The textile layer covers the waterproof layer at least in a longitudinal edge region of the insulating cover. The insulating cover is configured so that the longitudinal edge region of the insulating cover can be attached to the textile layer of a similar second insulating cover by being positioned adjacent to the second insulating cover or by covering a portion of the second insulating cover and using an attachment strip configured to form a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener.

[0010] The insulating cover according to the present invention allows for quick and reliable installation of the insulating cover, and since the covers are removably attached to each other, the insulating cover can be quickly removed and reused.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waterproofing layer is configured to extend beyond the edge of the insulating layer on at least one longitudinal side of the insulating layer to form a skirt configured to cover a portion of the second insulating cover. The skirt is particularly beneficial when the insulating layer is thick. The skirt allows adjacent insulating covers to overlap, preventing rainwater from flowing under the insulating covers. The flexibility of the skirt also facilitates the installation of adjacent insulating covers.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the skirt extends beyond the edge of the insulating layer by 20 to 50 cm, which allows for sufficient overlapping of the insulating cover and easy handling of the insulating cover.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the textile layer covers the waterproof layer in the lateral edge regions, whereby a separate skirt can be attached to the insulating cover. The separate skirt protects the snow from direct sunlight and rain, and protects the insulating cover from dirt if it does not need to extend to the ground.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the textile layer covers only the edge areas of the waterproof layer, leaving the central part of the waterproof layer open. When the textile layer is configured to cover only a portion of the waterproof layer, the insulating cover becomes lighter and less likely to absorb water. It also reduces the adhesion of dirt to the insulating cover.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the textile layer in each longitudinal edge region is at least 30 cm. A sufficiently wide textile layer ensures reliable installation and provides a non-slip surface, allowing for safe work during installation of the insulation cover.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the textile layer in each longitudinal edge region is a maximum of 80 cm. Keeping the textile layer narrow reduces the weight, water absorption and dirt pick-up of the insulating cover.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the insulating cover is 2.0 to 4.0 m, which makes the insulating cover easy to handle and allows for quick installation.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof layer is made of ethylene vinyl acetate. The use of EVA provides suitable properties such as resistance to UV radiation and frost.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the textile layer is attached to the layer below it by gluing, sewing, or applying heat to the textile layer and / or the layer below it.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the insulating layer is at least 10 mm.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the insulating layer includes a plurality of insulating plates, at least some of which are pivotally connected to at least one insulating plate adjacent to the insulating cover in the longitudinal direction, allowing the insulating cover to be folded. The use of insulating plates allows for excellent thermal insulation and easy handling of the insulating cover.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the insulation layer comprises an upper cover layer disposed on an upper surface of the insulation boards and a lower cover layer disposed on a lower surface of the insulation boards, the upper and lower cover layers being attached to each other in predetermined positions to form pockets separated from each other along laterally extending lines, each pocket housing one or more insulation boards, the cover layers forming pivot joints between adjacent pockets, the cover layers protecting the insulation boards and forming durable joints between the insulation boards.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof layer is attached to the insulating layer by point and / or linear attachment, creating slack in the waterproof layer to allow folding of the insulating cover.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof layer is attached to the thermal insulation layer by means of screws, which allow the waterproof layer to be fixed simply and securely.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the insulating board is at least 30 mm.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the insulating layer is made of a flexible material that allows the insulating cover to be rolled up. Rollable insulating covers are particularly suitable for applications where large areas need to be covered, such as glacier protection.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the insulating layer comprises aluminum foil. Aluminum foil effectively reflects heat. The aluminum foil may form part of the insulating layer. However, in some applications, the insulating layer may consist of aluminum foil.

[0028] The insulation system of the present invention comprises at least a first insulation cover as defined above, a second insulation cover as defined above configured to be positioned adjacent to the first insulation cover, and at least one attachment strip configured to form a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener for attaching an edge region of the first insulation cover to an edge region of the second insulation cover.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a separate skirt portion made of a flexible sheet material and having an upper surface configured to at least partially form a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, and a second attachment strip configured to form a hook-and-loop fastener hook portion for attaching the skirt portion to a lateral edge region of the insulating cover.

[0030] A method of insulating a snowy mountain or glacier using the insulation system defined above according to the present invention comprises the steps of: placing the first insulating cover on the snowy mountain or glacier; placing a second insulating cover on the snowy mountain or glacier adjacent to the first insulating cover; placing an edge region of the first insulating cover next to or covering part of the edge region of the second insulating cover; and attaching the attachment strips to the textile layers of the edge regions of the first insulating cover and the second insulating cover substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the insulating covers to attach the edge regions of the insulating covers to each other.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the step of attaching a skirt portion as defined above to lateral edge regions of the first and second insulating covers. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a snow mountain covered with multiple insulating covers. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a partial cross-sectional view of two insulating covers attached to each other. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a top view of an insulating cover according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the insulating cover of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a top view of three insulating covers attached to each other. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional side view of an insulating cover according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional side view of an insulating cover according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows one way in which the different layers of the insulating cover can be attached to one another. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of a method according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a snow pile 10 insulated using multiple insulating covers 1. The insulating cover 1 is an elongated mat. The insulating cover 1 has a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a lower surface, and an upper surface. The lower surface is configured to face the snow pile 10, and the upper surface is configured to face outward. The width of the insulating cover 1 can be, for example, 2.0 to 4.0 m. However, the width may vary. The length of the insulating cover 1 in the longitudinal direction can be substantially longer, for example, at least 10 m. The number of insulating covers 1 used to insulate the snow pile 10 varies depending on the size of the snow pile 10 and the dimensions of the insulating covers 1. Each insulating cover 1 is configured to be attached to an adjacent insulating cover 1 on its longitudinal side. Furthermore, each end or at least one end of the insulating cover 1 may be configured to allow attachment to a similar insulating cover 1 from that end. Thus, an insulating system can be formed by connecting multiple insulating covers 1 to each other to form a continuous cover.

[0034] Different views of different embodiments of the present invention are shown in FIGS.

[0035] Heat is transferred by conduction, convection, and radiation. To reduce heat transfer, the insulating cover 1 includes an insulating layer 2. The insulating layer 2 can be configured to reduce heat conduction and / or heat radiation, particularly through the insulating cover 1. The insulating layer 2 can also be configured to reduce heat radiation but not significantly reduce heat conduction. Thus, the insulating layer 2 can be, for example, aluminum foil. However, the insulating layer 2 preferably includes a material with low thermal conductivity to also reduce heat conduction. The thermal conductivity properties of a material are characterized by the so-called lambda value. The insulating layer 2 can include a material with a lambda value λ of less than 0.3 W / (m·K), preferably less than 0.05 W / (m·K). The insulating layer 2 can include, for example, expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), or cellular plastic.

[0036] The insulating properties of the insulating layer 2 also depend on its thickness. The thickness of the insulating layer 2 can be in the range of 2 to 150 mm. However, the insulating layer 2 can be thinner, especially if the purpose of the insulating layer 2 is mainly to reduce thermal radiation. The thermal transmittance through a structure is characterized by the U-value. The U-value of the insulating layer 2 is preferably 1.0 W / (m 2 The thermal insulation layer 2 may include multiple layers. For example, the thermal insulation layer 2 may include one or more layers made of a material with a low lambda value and one or more layers configured to reflect thermal radiation. For example, the thermal insulation layer 2 may include a layer made of XPS and a layer made of aluminum foil on one or both sides of the XPS layer. The thermal insulation layer 2 may also include one or more layers that protect the thermal insulation.

[0037] The insulating cover 1 further includes a waterproof layer 3 disposed on the upper surface of the insulating layer 2. Therefore, when the insulating cover 1 is in its use position, the waterproof layer 3 is located above the insulating layer 2. The waterproof layer 3 is attached to the insulating layer 2. The waterproof layer 3 is attached directly or indirectly to the insulating layer 2. Therefore, there can be an additional layer between the insulating layer 2 and the waterproof layer 3, or the waterproof layer 3 can be disposed directly on the insulating layer 2. The waterproof layer 3 is made of a plastic material. A suitable material is ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). However, the waterproof layer 3 can also be made of other suitable water-impermeable materials. The waterproof layer 3 covers substantially the entire insulating layer 2. However, it is also possible that the waterproof layer 3 does not extend to the edges of the insulating layer 2 on all sides of the insulating cover 1. For example, if the insulating cover 1 is configured to overlap an adjacent insulating cover 1, some of the areas intended to be located under the adjacent insulating cover 1 may not include the waterproof layer 3.

[0038] The insulating cover 1 further comprises textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d attached to the top surface of the waterproof layer 3. The textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are configured to function as loop portions of a hook-and-loop fastener and cover the waterproof layer 3 at least in longitudinal edge regions of the insulating cover 1. The insulating cover 1 is configured so that the longitudinal edge regions of the insulating cover 1 are positioned next to a similar adjacent insulating cover 1 or are attached to an adjacent insulating cover 1 using attachment strips 11 configured to cover a portion of the adjacent insulating cover 1 and form hook portions of the hook-and-loop fastener.

[0039] The textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d of the insulating cover 1 and the attachment strip 11 therefore form part of a Velcro-type fastener. This allows two adjacent insulating covers 1 to be fastened together easily, quickly, and securely. The insulating covers 1 can also be easily detached from one another for removal and reuse. In the illustrated embodiment, the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d also cover the waterproof layer 3 in the lateral edge regions of the insulating cover 1, i.e., at the ends of the insulating cover 1. The textile layers comprise longitudinal portions 4a, 4b and lateral portions 4c, 4d. The lateral portions 4c, 4d of the textile layers at the ends of the insulating cover 1 allow a separate skirt portion 12 to be attached to the insulating cover 1.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, preferably, the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d cover only the edge regions of the waterproof layer 3, leaving the central portion of the waterproof layer 3 open. The textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d easily absorb water and are more susceptible to dirt than the waterproof layer 3. The textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d also increase the weight of the insulating cover 1. By arranging the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d only in the edge regions, the insulating cover 1 is easier to handle and keep clean.

[0041] The width of the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d in each longitudinal edge region can be, for example, in the range of 30 to 80 cm. The textile layer 4 is less slippery than the waterproof layer 3, allowing safer work when fitting and fastening the insulating cover 1 together.

[0042] The textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are attached to the waterproof layer 3 or other layers below it by gluing or by applying heat to the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d or the layer below it, or alternatively, the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d may be sewn to the layer below them.

[0043] The textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d may be made of geotextile or other suitable material.

[0044] In the illustrated embodiment, the waterproofing layer 3 is configured to extend beyond the edge of the insulating layer 2 on at least one longitudinal side of the insulating layer 2 to form a skirt portion 3a. The skirt portion 3a can extend, for example, 20-50 cm beyond the edge of the insulating layer 2. The skirt portion 3a is configured to cover a portion of the adjacent insulating cover 1. When the waterproofing layer 3 forms a skirt portion 3a, the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d on the opposite longitudinal edge region of the insulating cover 1 do not have to extend to the edge of the waterproofing layer 3 as shown in the figures, but can be positioned away from the edge.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of two insulating covers 1, 1'. The insulating cover 1 on the left is hereinafter referred to as the "first insulating cover," and the insulating cover 1' on the right is hereinafter referred to as the "second insulating cover." The insulating covers 1, 1' are arranged so that the insulating layer 2 of the first insulating cover 1 is in contact with the insulating layer 2 of the second insulating cover 1'. For effective insulation, it is preferable to arrange the insulating covers 1, 1' as close to each other as possible. However, the insulating layers 2 do not need to be in contact with each other. Therefore, there may be a small gap between the insulating layers 2 of adjacent insulating covers 1, 1'. The skirt portion 3a of the first insulating cover 1 is arranged on top of the second insulating cover 1'.

[0046] The longitudinal textile layer portion 4b on the left side of the second insulating cover 1' is partially below the skirt portion 3a of the first insulating cover 1. However, part of the longitudinal textile layer portion 4b is outside the area covered by the skirt portion 3a and extends parallel to the longitudinal edge of the skirt portion 3a. The longitudinal textile layer portion 4a on the skirt portion 3a of the first insulating cover 1 extends up to the longitudinal edge of the skirt portion 3a.

[0047] An attachment strip 11 is provided for attaching the skirt portion 3a of the first insulating cover 1 to the second insulating cover 1'. The attachment strip 11 is configured to form the hook portion of the hook-and-loop fastener 11. The attachment strip 11 is attached to the longitudinal textile layer portion 4a of the skirt portion 3a of the first insulating cover 1 and to the longitudinal textile layer portion 4b of the second insulating cover 1' at an edge region on one of the longitudinal sides of the first insulating cover 1. The width of the attachment strip 11 can be, for example, in the range of 10 to 20 cm. Approximately half of the attachment strip 11 is attached to the first insulating cover 1, and the other half is attached to the second insulating cover 1'. The attachment strip 11 can be stored as a roll and can be unwound for attachment to the respective textile layer portions 4a, 4b of the insulating covers 1, 1'.

[0048] One or more attachment strips 11 can be used to attach two insulation covers 1 to each other. Thus, the attachment strips 11 can be shorter than the insulation covers 1. Where two insulation covers 1 are attached to each other from their ends, a single attachment strip 11 can be used to attach multiple insulation covers 1 to each other from their longitudinal edges.

[0049] Preferably, the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d are made wider than half the width of the attachment strip 11, at least in the longitudinal edge regions covered by the skirt portion 3a of the adjacent insulating cover 1. When the skirt portion 3a is attached to the textile layer portion 4b, a part of the textile layer portion 4b remains open, which allows safe walking on the snow pile 10.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a top view of three insulating covers 1, 1', 1'', each of which is attached to the adjacent insulating cover 1, 1', 1'' in the manner described above.

[0051] In step 101 of the method according to the invention, a first insulating cover 1 is placed on the snow pile 10. In step 102, a second insulating cover 1' is placed on the snow pile 10 next to the first insulating cover 1. In step 103, the edge region of the first insulating cover 1 is placed next to the edge region of the second insulating cover 1' or so as to cover part of the edge region of the second insulating cover 1'. In step 104, attachment strips 11 are attached to the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d in the edge region of the first insulating cover 1 and to the textile layers 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d in the edge region of the second insulating cover 1' substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the insulating covers 1, 1', thereby attaching the edge regions to each other. Further insulating covers are installed in a similar manner. It should be noted that these steps do not have to be performed in the order described above. For example, when installing multiple insulating covers 1, all of the insulating covers 1 can be first pulled up onto the snow pile 10, then the skirt portions 3a can be placed in place, and finally all of the mounting strips 11 can be attached. This process is similar when protecting glaciers.

[0052] 1 and 5 show a skirt portion 12 for an insulation system. The skirt portion 12 is a separate part that can be attached to the insulation cover 1 in a manner similar to how the insulation covers 1 are attached to each other. Thus, at least a portion of the skirt portion 12 has a textile layer as its uppermost layer. The skirt portion 12 may be composed of a textile layer. Thus, the skirt portion 12 may be made of a textile layer. Alternatively, the skirt portion 12 may include a waterproof layer and a textile layer at least partially covering the upper surface of the waterproof layer. The skirt portion 12 may include a thermal insulation layer, but this is not required. If the skirt portion 12 includes a thermal insulation layer, the thermal insulation layer is preferably thinner than the thermal insulation layer 2 of the insulation cover 1. For example, the thermal insulation layer of the skirt portion 12 may be composed of aluminum foil.

[0053] The purpose of the skirt portion 12 is to cover the lower part of the snow pile 10. Therefore, the insulating cover 1 can be short so that it does not extend all the way to the ground. This protects the insulating cover 1 from dirt. Figure 5 shows the skirt portion 12 attached to the insulating covers 1, 1', 1" by a second attachment strip 13. The second attachment strip 13 can be the same as the attachment strip 11 used to attach the insulating covers 1, 1', 1" to each other. While Figure 5 shows the skirt portion 12 on only one end of the insulating covers 1, 1', 1" preferably, the skirt portion 12 surrounds the entire snow pile 10. The other end of the insulating covers 1, 1', 1" may also be provided with a skirt portion 12. The skirt portion 12 can be made up of two or more short sections. These sections can be attached to each other from their ends using attachment strips similar to the attachment strips 11, 13 used to attach the insulating covers 1, 1', 1" to each other or to attach the skirt portion 12 to the insulating covers 1, 1', 1".

[0054] In the illustrated embodiment, the insulating layer 2 includes a plurality of insulating plates 5. At least some of the insulating plates 5 are pivotally connected to at least one longitudinally adjacent insulating plate 5 of the insulating cover 1, allowing the insulating cover 1 to be folded. When the insulating cover 1 is not in use, it can be folded for convenient storage.

[0055] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which the insulating layer 2 includes an upper cover layer 6 disposed on the upper surface of the insulating plate 5 and a lower cover layer 7 disposed on the lower surface of the insulating plate 5. The upper cover layer 6 and the lower cover layer 7 are attached to each other in position to form pockets separated from each other along lines extending laterally. Each pocket accommodates one or more insulating plates 5. The insulating plates 5 can be made of, for example, XPS. The thickness of the insulating plates 5 is preferably at least 20 mm, more preferably at least 40 mm. A thicker insulating plate 5 provides better insulation, but makes handling and storage of the insulating cover 1 more difficult. Therefore, the thickness of the insulating plate 5 is preferably at most 120 mm.

[0056] The cover layers 6, 7 form pivot joints 8 between adjacent pockets. The cover layers 6, 7 can be attached to each other by, for example, sewing, welding, or gluing to form the pivot joints 8. The ends of the pockets on the longitudinal sides of the insulating cover 1 can be closed in a similar manner. Each pocket can be provided with one, two, or more insulating plates 5. For example, each pocket can accommodate four insulating plates arranged in a square. Each pocket can also accommodate two or more thin insulating plates 5 arranged on top of each other. The pockets are preferably dimensioned to prevent significant movement of the insulating plates 5 within the pocket. The insulating plates can be made, for example, of extruded polystyrene. The ends of the pockets can be closed in any suitable manner, such as by screws, welding, sewing, or gluing. For clarity, the textile layers are not shown in FIG. 6.

[0057] The upper and lower cover layers 6, 7 can be made of a suitable plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). While the upper and lower cover layers 6, 7 are not required, the insulation layer 2 can consist of insulation plates 5, or can include only one of the cover layers 6, 7. If the insulation layer 2 does not include a cover layer, the insulation plates 5 can be attached to each other in other ways. For example, two adjacent insulation plates 5 can be attached to each other by a strip of flexible material attached to both insulation plates 5, forming a pivot joint. The flexible material can be attached to the insulation plates 5 by adhesive or welding, or by mechanical fasteners such as screws.

[0058] FIG. 6 also shows the waterproof layer 3. The waterproof layer 3 is attached to the insulation layer 2 such that a sag is formed in the waterproof layer 3, allowing the insulation cover 1 to fold. The sag in the waterproof layer 3 also prevents rainwater from entering the pivot joint 8 and flowing through the pivot joint 8 under the insulation cover 1. The waterproof layer 3 can be attached to the insulation layer 2, for example, by screws 9 as shown in FIG. 8, or by other point-like attachment. Alternatively, the waterproof layer 3 can be attached to the insulation layer 2 by a linear attachment, for example, a strip weld.

[0059] The embodiment of FIG. 7 is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 6. However, the pivot joints 8 are alternately formed on opposite sides of the insulation plates 5. Thus, a pivot joint 8 is formed on the underside of every other insulation plate 5 and on the upper side of every other insulation plate 5. This reduces the gap between adjacent pockets. Similar pivot joints 8 can be formed by strips of flexible material attached alternately to the upper and lower sides of adjacent insulation plates 5. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the waterproof layer 3 only needs to provide slack at the joints where the pivot joints 8 are formed on the lower side of the insulation plates 5. If the pivot joints 8 are at the level of the upper surface of the insulation layer 2, the waterproof layer 3 does not interfere with the folding of the insulation cover 1, and water flowing along the pivot joints 8 does not cause any problems.

[0060] The illustrated embodiment shows an insulating cover 1 with an insulating plate 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the insulating cover is foldable. However, the insulating layer 2 may be made of a flexible material that allows the insulating cover 1 to be rolled up. For example, the insulating layer 2 may be composed of aluminum foil or may include a sponge plastic. The aluminum foil or other insulating material may be placed between a pair of waterproof layers made of a plastic material such as EVA. Such an insulating cover is particularly suitable for applications such as preventing glacial melting in the summer. The thickness of the rollable insulating cover 1 can be, for example, in the range of 2 to 50 mm, preferably 10 to 30 mm. If the purpose of the insulating cover 1 is primarily to reduce thermal radiation through the insulating cover 1, the insulating cover 1 can be even thinner. Covers thicker than 50 mm are difficult to handle.

[0061] If the insulating layer 2 is thin, for example up to 30 mm, the skirt portion 3a is not necessary. Therefore, the waterproof layer 3 can be the same size as the insulating layer 2. Multiple insulating covers 1 can be arranged adjacent to each other with their edges in contact with each other. Alternatively, one insulating cover 1 can be arranged so that adjacent insulating covers 1 partially overlap each other.

Claims

1. An insulating cover (1) for insulating a snow mountain (10) or a glacier, the insulating cover (1) having a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, a lower surface configured to face the snow mountain (10) or the glacier, and an upper surface configured to face outward; - a thermal insulation layer (2) configured to reduce heat conduction and / or heat radiation through said insulating cover (1); a waterproof layer (3) placed on top of the insulating layer (2) and attached directly or indirectly to the insulating layer (2), made of a plastic material and covering substantially the entire insulating layer (2); - a textile layer (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) attached to the upper surface of the waterproof layer (3) and adapted to function as a loop of a hook-and-loop fastener, covering the waterproof layer (3) at least in the longitudinal edge region of the insulating cover (1); The longitudinal edge regions of the insulating cover (1) are configured to be placed next to a similar second insulating cover (1') or to be attached to the textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of the insulating cover (1, 1') using attachment strips (11) configured to cover a portion of the second insulating cover (1') and form hook portions of the hook-and-loop fastener. Insulating cover (1).

2. The waterproof layer (3) is configured to extend beyond the edge of the insulating layer (2) on at least one longitudinal side of the insulating layer (2) to form a skirt portion (3a) configured to cover a part of the second insulating cover (1'). The insulating cover (1) according to claim 1.

3. The skirt portion (3a) extends 20 to 50 cm beyond the edge of the insulating layer (2). The insulating cover (1) according to claim 2.

4. The textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) cover the waterproof layer (3) in the lateral edge regions, and a separate skirt (12) can be attached to the insulating cover (1). An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) cover only the edge areas of the waterproof layer (3), leaving the central part of the waterproof layer (3) open. An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the width of the textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) in each of the longitudinal edge regions is at least 30 cm; An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. the width of the textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) in each of the longitudinal edge regions is at most 80 cm; An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The width of the insulating cover (1) is 2.0 to 4.0 m. An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The waterproof layer (3) is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate. An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. the textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) are attached to the underlying layer by gluing, sewing, or by applying heat to the textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) and / or the underlying layer; An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The thickness of the insulating layer (2) is at least 10 mm; An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The insulating layer (2) comprises a plurality of insulating plates (5), at least some of which are pivotally connected to at least one insulating plate (5) adjacent to the insulating cover (1) in the longitudinal direction, allowing the insulating cover (1) to be folded. An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The insulation layer (2) comprises an upper cover layer (6) arranged on the upper surface of the insulation boards (5) and a lower cover layer (7) arranged on the lower surface of the insulation boards (5), the upper cover layer (6) and the lower cover layer (7) being attached to each other at predetermined positions to form pockets separated from each other along lines extending in the transverse direction, each pocket accommodating one or more of the insulation boards (5), and the cover layers (6, 7) forming pivot joints (8) between adjacent pockets. The insulating cover (1) according to claim 12.

14. The waterproof layer (3) is attached to the insulating layer (2) by point and / or line attachment, and slack is formed in the waterproof layer (3) to allow the insulating cover (1) to be folded. An insulating cover (1) according to claim 12 or 13.

15. The waterproof layer (3) is attached to the thermal insulation layer (2) by screws (9). An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

16. The thickness of the insulating plate (5) is at least 30 mm; An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 12 to 15.

17. The insulating layer (2) is made of a flexible material that allows the insulating cover (1) to be rolled up. An insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

18. The heat insulating layer (2) comprises aluminum foil. An insulating cover (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

19. A thermal insulation system for insulating a snowy mountain (10) or a glacier, comprising at least a first insulating cover (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, a second insulating cover (1') according to any one of claims 1 to 18 configured to be placed adjacent to the first insulating cover (1), and at least one attachment strip (11) configured to form a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener for attaching an edge region of the first insulating cover (1) to an edge region of the second insulating cover (1'). Insulation system.

20. Furthermore, a separate skirt portion (12) made of a flexible sheet material and having an upper surface configured to at least partially form the loop portion of the hook and loop fastener, and a second attachment strip (13) configured to form the hook portion of the hook and loop fastener for attaching the skirt portion (12) to the lateral edge regions of the insulating cover (1, 1').

20. The insulation system of claim 19, comprising:

21. 21. A method for insulating a snowy mountain (10) or a glacier with an insulation system according to claim 19 or 20, comprising: - placing (101) said first insulating cover (1) on said snow mountain (10) or said glacier; - placing (102) a second insulating cover (1') on the snow mountain (10) or the glacier next to the first insulating cover (1); - positioning (103) an edge area of ​​said first insulating cover (1) next to or covering part of an edge area of ​​said second insulating cover (1'); - attaching (104) the attachment strips (11) to the textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) in the edge regions of the first insulating cover (1) and to the textile layers (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) in the edge regions of the second insulating cover (1') substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the insulating covers (1, 1') to attach the edge regions of the insulating covers (1, 1') to each other; Including, How to insulate a snowy mountain (10) or glacier.

22. The insulation system is an insulation system according to claim 20, attaching the skirt portion (12) to the lateral edge regions of the first insulating cover (1) and the second insulating cover (1, 1'), 22. The method of claim 21.

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