Insulating Element With Impact Resistant Cover For Cavity Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cavity walls with foam insulation boards face challenges in heat loss and water penetration due to gaps at the joints between the boards, which existing solutions have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
An insulating element with an impact-resistant cover featuring side overlap engagement portions and a flange with slots for wall ties, providing a secure and watertight joint system that overlaps adjacent elements, ensuring complete coverage and protection against moisture ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If foam boards are used as insulation material in cavity walls, then insulation performance is improved, but heat loss occurs at the joints between boards
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation system is divided into modular insulating elements, each comprising a foam board with an integrated impact resistant cover. This segmentation allows for standardized manufacturing while addressing joint issues through the overlapping cover design that bridges gaps between individual elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the foam board insulation layer with an impact resistant cover into a single integrated insulating element. This combination ensures that the cover continuously bridges joints between adjacent elements, eliminating heat loss pathways while maintaining insulation performance.
2Temperature
If foam boards are used to fill the cavity, then insulation performance is improved, but water penetration risk increases at the joints
Solution Approach 1:
The foam board and impact resistant cover are merged into a single integrated element, ensuring continuous water protection. The overlapping covers at joints create a watertight barrier that prevents water penetration while maintaining the insulation function of the foam board.
Solution Approach 2:
The impact resistant cover acts as a protective shell that envelops the foam board. This shell structure provides continuous water protection, with overlapping sections at joints ensuring no gaps exist for water penetration.
3Temperature
If the cavity is completely filled with foam boards, then insulation performance is optimized, but the complexity of ensuring watertight joints increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into standardized insulating elements with integrated covers. This segmentation simplifies installation compared to custom joint sealing, as each element is pre-fabricated with overlapping covers that automatically create watertight joints when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The impact resistant covers are pre-formed with overlapping sections during manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex field sealing operations, as the watertight joints are already built into the structure before installation.
4Ease of operation
If simple foam boards are used, then ease of installation is maintained, but structural stability and protection against impact are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The foam board and impact resistant cover are merged into a single integrated element that maintains ease of installation like simple foam boards, while adding impact resistance and structural stability through the protective cover.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating element uses composite construction combining foam board insulation with an impact resistant cover material. This composite structure provides both the ease of installation associated with foam boards and the enhanced strength and impact resistance of the protective cover.
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 solution effectively seals joints, preventing heat loss and water penetration, while simplifying installation and enhancing structural stability by eliminating the need for complex core foam joints and protecting vulnerable wall tie locations.
Implementation Method 1
At least one of the facings comprises a substantially gas impermeable material. The facing may comprise a metallic foil such as an aluminium foil.
Implementation Method 2
The cover may comprise an intumed portion which extends over an edge of the insulation board.
Data Source
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AI summary
An insulating element 1 is used in filling a cavity 2 between an inner block course 3 and an outer course such as a brick course 4 of a cavity wall. The insulating element 1 comprises an insulation foam board 10 having inner and outer facings 11, 12 on a foam core 17. The outer facing 12 of the board is covered by a pre-formed cover 20 of a high impact resistant material such as HIPS (high impact resistant polystyrene). The impact resistant cover 20 has side overlap engagement portions 21, 22 on opposed sides thereof for engagement, on overlapping with corresponding side overlap portions 21, 22 of the cover of like insulating elements. The cover (including the flange 25) has an inturned portion 30 which extends over the upper end 15 of the foam board. The cover also has a downwardly projecting flange 31 extending beyond the lower end 16 of the insulating board. In use, the flange 31 overlaps with the cover at the upper end of an adjacent insulating element. The flange 31 has a plurality of spaced-apart slots 35 which are sized and shaped to facilitate passage of the flange over an arm 37 of a wall tie as illustrated particularly in Fig. 21. The inturned portion 30 of the cover 20 also has a plurality of spaced-apart recesses 38 which accommodate passage of a wall tie arm 37.