Insulating Draining Board With Tapered Edge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing foamed plastic boards for building insulation lack efficient drainage capabilities, leading to water accumulation and potential damage from rain or humidity, especially when foam layers do not interlock perfectly or have cracks.

Innovation Solution

The development of an insulating and draining board formed by bonded beads of foamed plastic with a tapered bottom side portion and a network of pores for water drainage, allowing water to flow away from the main surfaces and reducing the need for additional ventilation channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If foamed plastic boards are used for building insulation, then insulating properties are improved, but water accumulation and damage risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsulating propertiesVSAvoidwater accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The board utilizes the inherent porous structure of foamed plastic material to enable water vapor transmission and drainage while maintaining thermal insulation properties. The pores allow harmful water to be removed while the closed-cell foam structure preserves insulating capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The board is divided into distinct functional zones: an insulating core layer made of foamed plastic and peripheral draining layers that channel water away. This segmentation allows the insulating property to be optimized in one region while drainage functionality is provided in other regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If foam layers are interlocked to improve structural integrity, then strength is improved, but water may accumulate in unwanted places due to non-ideal interlocking or cracks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidwater accumulation in unwanted places
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The draining layers are extracted and positioned at the periphery of the board, separate from the interlocked foam core. This allows water to be channeled away through dedicated drainage paths rather than relying solely on the interlocking foam structure, preventing accumulation in unwanted areas while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If additional ventilation channels are added to improve water drainage, then drainage capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater drainage capabilityVSAvoidventilation channel structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drainage and ventilation functions are merged into a single integrated peripheral structure. The draining layers at the board edges serve both to channel water away and to provide ventilation pathways, eliminating the need for separate ventilation channels and reducing overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 board effectively drains water through gravity and air movement, minimizing water retention and preventing damage to building materials by keeping water away from main surfaces, while maintaining insulating properties and ease of handling.

Implementation Method 1

The board effectively drains water through gravity and air movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

The board effectively drains water through gravity and air movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2366847B1Insulating and draining board
Publication Date: 2012.12.05 IGNUCELL
  • EP2366847B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2366847B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP2366847B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3d

AI summary

The present invention relates to an insulating and draining board with two opposing main side surfaces and a top side portion and a bottom side portion, said board being formed by bonded beads of foamed plastic, wherein pores are present between the beads forming a network for drainage of water, which bottom side portion of the board being tapered towards a first free end extending in the longitudinal direction of the board, the first free end being located between planes coinciding with the main side surfaces.