Semipermeable Foam Envelope for Large-Gap Sealing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for sealing large volumes or gaps in buildings are inefficient in terms of installation time and waste material usage, particularly when dealing with small cavities such as those between a window and a wall.
Innovation Solution
A tube-like envelope with specific material properties and design features, including a nonwoven inner layer and semipermeable outer layer, allows for the controlled expansion of foam to seal gaps by incorporating a foamable component or system within, reducing waste and installation time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If foam is delivered in bulk by an external device, then large volumes can be sealed, but installation time increases and material waste occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places foamable composition containers inside the collapsible envelope, creating a nested structure where the envelope contains the foamable material which in turn contains the expanding foam. This allows the entire foam delivery system to be pre-packaged and quickly installed as a single unit, eliminating the need for external bulk delivery equipment and reducing installation time while maintaining the capability to seal large volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The foamable composition is pre-prepared and sealed in containers within the envelope before installation. The envelope itself is pre-configured with the foamable material ready for deployment. This preliminary preparation eliminates on-site mixing and preparation steps, significantly reducing installation time while ensuring the foam is ready to expand immediately upon activation.
2Quantity of substance
If foam is delivered in bulk by an external device, then large volumes can be sealed, but material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses separate containers for different foamable composition components within the envelope, allowing precise dosing and control of the foamable material. This localized organization of materials ensures that only the required amount of foam is prepared and dispensed into the envelope, minimizing excess material waste while still achieving complete filling of large volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible envelope is designed to be discarded after use as it becomes saturated with expanded foam, but the foamable composition containers can be reused or refilled. This approach reduces overall material waste by allowing recovery and reuse of the foamable material containers while the envelope serves as a single-use delivery system that eliminates the need for cleanup and material recovery operations.
3Reliability
If the envelope expands to fill large gaps, then sealing effectiveness improves, but control over foam expansion direction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the foamable composition into separate containers within the envelope, allowing controlled expansion in specific zones. The envelope itself is segmented with panels that can be selectively activated or directed, enabling the foam to expand in a controlled sequence rather than all at once. This segmentation provides operators with better control over the expansion direction and timing while still achieving complete filling of large gaps for effective sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The envelope is designed as a collapsible structure that dynamically changes shape during foam expansion. The envelope can be actively manipulated or guided during the expansion process, allowing operators to direct the foam toward specific areas that need sealing. The dynamic nature of the collapsible envelope enables real-time control over expansion direction while maintaining the ultimate goal of complete gap filling for effective sealing.
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 system effectively seals gaps with minimal material waste and reduced installation time, providing an airtight and water-impermeable seal while accommodating thermal expansion differences in building materials.
Implementation Method 1
the outer layer being a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapors but impermeable to liquids
Implementation Method 2
The interior is configured to receive a foaming composition. The foaming composition is configured for insertion into the interior of the envelope. The envelope is configured such that the foaming composition expands the envelope such as to fill a large gap.
Data Source
AI summary
An article comprises a tube having peripheral areas, including an upper section, a lower section, an inner section, and an outer section, the tube further comprising a tube wall having an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer being a nonwoven fabric and the outer layer being a semipermeable membrane that is permeable to vapors but impermeable to liquids, and the tube further comprising at least one inlet port integrated into the tube wall to permit the flow of an activated or activatable foamable composition into the tube interior, wherein the tube further has a plurality of holes that penetrate through the inner and outer layers of the tube to allow expanding foam to both fill the interior of the tube and exit the tube and fill a space exterior to the tube.