Compressed Nonwoven Insulation Board for Impact Sound Decoupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing impact sound-insulating panels are either too expensive or not versatile enough due to inadequate sound decoupling between floors and hard floor coverings, limiting their application and effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the compression of a fleece in a heated press to reduce its thickness by half or more, allowing for the production of a cost-effective, multi-purpose insulating panel with excellent impact sound insulation, which can be laminated with foils and further processed for various applications, including thermal insulation and vapor barriers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional impact sound insulation panels are designed to provide adequate sound decoupling, then sound insulation performance is improved, but material thickness and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound insulation performanceVSAvoidmaterial thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the fibrous insulation material by applying heat and pressure to melt thermoplastic fibers, transforming the material from a loose batt to a compacted board with improved density and mechanical properties, achieving better sound insulation in reduced thickness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure by combining fibrous insulation material with thermoplastic binder fibers that melt under heat and pressure, forming a bonded composite board that achieves both structural integrity and sound insulation performance in a thinner profile

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If conventional impact sound insulation panels are designed with adequate thickness for sound decoupling, then sound insulation performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound insulation performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the phase transition of thermoplastic fibers from solid to molten state under heat, allowing the fibers to flow and bond with surrounding insulation material, creating a compacted board structure that improves sound insulation while reducing material thickness and cost

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies controlled heat and pressure parameters to transform the insulation material in-situ during manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate bonding operations and reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If fibrous insulation material is compacted to reduce thickness, then material efficiency is improved, but adhesion to floor coverings deteriorates due to solvent absorption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial efficiencyVSAvoidadhesion performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a separate film layer on the surface of the compacted insulation board to provide a non-absorptive barrier between the porous insulation material and the adhesive, preventing solvent absorption while maintaining the benefits of compacted material

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a film layer as an intermediary between the compacted fibrous material and the adhesive flooring material, mediating the interaction by preventing direct contact and thus preventing solvent absorption by the insulation board

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The resulting insulating panel provides high-quality heat and footfall sound insulation, is inexpensive to produce, and can be easily recycled, with improved adhesion properties for use under tile coverings, effectively addressing the limitations of existing panels.

Implementation Method 1

compressing a nonwoven fabric in a heated press and reducing the material thickness of the nonwoven fabric in the press by half or more, under complete heating and partial melting of the nonwoven fibers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

under complete heating and partial melting of the nonwoven fibers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 3

this material is porous and absorbs solvents such as water, for example, from tile adhesive

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2777935B1Insulation board
Publication Date: 2020.03.04 WATERMANN POLYWORKS
  • EP2777935B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The method comprises compressing a nonwoven web (2) in a heatable press (10), reducing a thickness of the web to half or more, by melting fibers of the web in the press through a heating process, providing surfaces of an insulation panel with a primer for an adhesive, laminating the nonwoven web on both sides of a film (4), and adding additional fibers having low melting point to the web. The primer includes a non woven fabric. The lamination step is performed with the compression step. The nonwoven web has a weight of 500-1000 g/m2>. The method comprises compressing a nonwoven web (2) in a heatable press (10), reducing a thickness of the web to half or more by melting fibers of the web in the press through a heating process, providing surfaces of an insulation panel with a primer for an adhesive, laminating the nonwoven web on both sides of a film (4), and adding additional fibers having low melting point to the web. The primer includes a non woven fabric. The lamination step is performed with the compression step. The nonwoven web has a weight of 500-1000 g/m2>. The thickness of the web is reduced from 5-10 mm to 2.5-5 mm. The compression step is carried out at a temperature of 170-200[deg] C. An independent claim is included for an acoustic insulation panel.