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US-12624546-B2 - Insulating panel for construction with grab surface

US12624546B2US 12624546 B2US12624546 B2US 12624546B2US-12624546-B2

Abstract

An insulating panel for use in construction has a central layer, a first water-resistant coating and a second water-resistant coating on opposite sides of the central layer. The first coating and the second coating are joined to the central layer with a glue layer or a thermo-adhesive material. Each of first coating and the second coating is a plastic sheet that is scratched or abraded.

Inventors

  • Nicola Busatta
  • Federico CAIS

Assignees

  • TEMA TECHNOLOGIES AND MATERIALS SRL

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20220414
Priority Date
20210421

Claims (18)

  1. 1 . An insulating panel for use in construction, the insulating panel comprising: a central layer formed of an insulating foam and water-resistant material having a low specific weight and high dimensional stability, said central layer having a front side and a back side; a first water-resistant coating joined to the front side of said central layer; and a second water-resistant coating joined to the back side of said central layer, each of said first water-resistant coating and said second water-resistant coating being adhered by a glue layer or a thermo-adhesive material to the respective front side and the back side of said central layer, wherein each of said first water-resistant coating and said second water-resistant coating is a plastic sheet having a thickness of 0.2 millimeters with a tolerance of 0.1 millimeters and a density of 1.1 kilograms per cubic decimeter with a tolerance of 0.2 kilograms per cubic decimeter and a hardness of D75 with a tolerance of 20, wherein said first water-resistant coating has an exterior surface that is scratched such that the insulating panel has a tear resistance of no less than 0.5 Newtons per square millimeter.
  2. 2 . The insulating panel of claim 1 , further comprising: a nonwoven fabric layer interposed between the plastic sheet and said central layer and joined to said central layer by the glue layer.
  3. 3 . The insulating panel of claim 2 , wherein said nonwoven fabric layer is treated so as to be alkaline resistant, said nonwoven fabric layer being of a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyamide and polyester.
  4. 4 . The insulating panel of claim 2 , wherein the glue layer is selected from the group consisting of a two-component polyurethane adhesive and an epoxy glue.
  5. 5 . The insulating panel of claim 4 , wherein the glue layer has a component selected from the group consisting of an expandable graphite, a sodium silicate, an ammonium polyphosphate, a triethyl phosphate, a zinc borate and mixtures thereof, the component having concentration of between 1% and 20% of a total weight of the glue layer.
  6. 6 . The insulating panel of claim 4 , wherein the glue layer has a net of fiberglass therein, the net having a mesh opening of a minimum of 5 millimeters by 5 millimeters and a maximum of 20 millimeters by 20 millimeters.
  7. 7 . The insulating panel of claim 1 , further comprising: a multi-layer coating coupling the plastic sheet to said central layer, wherein layers of said multi-layer coating are coupled to each other by the thermo-adhesive material or by glue layer.
  8. 8 . The insulating panel of claim 7 , wherein the multi-layer coating is pre-coupled.
  9. 9 . The insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the plastic sheet is of a material selected from the group consisting of high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, high-impact polystyrene and mixtures thereof.
  10. 10 . The insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the scratch on the exterior surface of said first water-resistant coating is mechanically abraded into incisions uniformly distributed over an entirety of the exterior surface of said first water-resistant coating, each of the incisions having a depth less than a thickness of said first water-resistant coating.
  11. 11 . The insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein said central layer has a constant thickness of between 4 millimeters and 200 millimeters and has a density of between 15 kilograms per cubic meter and 50 kilograms per cubic meter.
  12. 12 . The insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein said central layer has a constant thickness of between 6 millimeters and 50 millimeters and has a density of 30 kilograms per cubic meter with a tolerance of 10 kilograms per cubic meter.
  13. 13 . The insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein said central layer is formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of an expandable graphite, a sodium silicate, a trichloro propyl phosphate, and a brominated compound.
  14. 14 . The insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the plastic sheet is formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of an expanding graphite, a sodium silicate, a trichloro propyl phosphate, an ammonium polyphosphate, a brominated polymer and mixtures thereof.
  15. 15 . A process for forming an insulating panel, the process comprising: making a foamed sheet as a central layer of the insulating panel; curing the foamed sheet into a plurality of thinner sheets; preparing a coating; abrading the coating by mechanically cutting an outer surface of the coating so as to scratch the coating with uniformly distributed non-through incisions; joining the abraded coating onto the foamed sheet with a glue layer interposed between the abraded coating and the foamed sheet or with a thermal adhesive, the coating being symmetrically applied to opposite sides of the foamed sheet; cutting the foamed sheet with the coating to a desired size into finished panels; and packing and moving the finished panels for transport, wherein the step of abrading is carried out by sanding or brushing.
  16. 16 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the abrading is carried out by brushing with at least one flat passage on a roller conveyor, the roller conveyor having at least one roll having metallic brushes with thin wires having folded ends, the at least one roller being height adjustable or tiltable.
  17. 17 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the abrading is by sanding by at least one flat passage through a grinding station, the grinding station having pushing rollers covered with an abrasive paper, the pushing rollers being height adjustable or tiltable.
  18. 18 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the grinding station has a calibrating machine with adjustable roller, the adjustable roller being covered with the abrasive paper having a FEPA grain number of between P40 and P120, the calibrating machine having a dust suction system therein.

Description

The present invention relates to an insulating panel for construction of the multi-layer type, with grab surface. FIELD OF APPLICATION The invention is specifically intended for the building industry and particularly in the field of semi-finished components for construction such as, by way of non-limiting example, insulating panels and/or infill panels. More in detail, an insulating panel is proposed of expanded and/or extruded polystyrene or of an expanded polyurethane, which has particular surface layers for coating and protection, which are symmetrically coupled on both faces making the panel rigid and self-supporting, damp-resistant and provided with an improved adhesion to glues and/or to cement mortars. Therefore, the panel disclosed in the invention is usable as a thin and lightweight constructive element which insulates and waterproofs, and also supports the direct gluing of tiles in damp environments, such as for example in the case of bathrooms, saunas, laundry rooms or kitchens. By way of example only, it is suitable for making walls, infill walls, floors, floorings, or spaces for insertion of bathtubs and showers, or seats or niches integrated in the walls of modern bathrooms coated with ceramic tiles. Generally, in the field of constructive products panels for thermal insulation, otherwise called non-conductive or insulating panels, are widely known and widespread, which are made up of an inexpensive rigid material, having an extremely low weight but a highly non-conductive performance such as expanded polystyrene or extruded polystyrene, otherwise called by the acronyms EPS and XPS. Generally, said EPS or XPS panels are single-layer panels, having a thickness between 2 and 20 cm, and their opposite main faces are smooth and parallel one another, having constant thickness. Some solutions provide the outer main faces coated with a protective film of different materials, such as for example a paper sheet or a plastic plate or non-woven fabric. It has been further found that said expanded EPS or expanded-extruded XPS polystyrene is extremely advantageous for various aspects: for performance, productive, economical, and recyclability aspects. However, it has some problems when it is used as material for construction panels, according to the specific aims of the present invention. A first problem concerns its poor resistance when used with structural functions, such as a constructive element of walls, partitions, infill walls or as support for ceramic coatings, plasters, or any surface finishing for environments. In fact, a conventional EPS or XPS panel has a low resistance to bending and to damp and has a surface which is not suitable for the grab of glues or cement mortars commonly used. It has been also found that its surface tends to crumble or crash when accidentally under bending stress in construction sites, or during transport. A further problem concerns its limited resistance to fire and high temperatures. Despite being treated with flame retardants, when subject to high temperatures a similar manufacture sublimates and loses its structural integrity. Generally, in order to overcome such disadvantages, in conventional and known solutions, said EPS or XPS panels are covered with the cited protective films, such as a paper sheet or a plastic plate or non-woven fabric. Additional layers are also known, which are fire resistant, non-flammable or in any case suitable for retarding combustion. By way of example only, in the vertical walls of buildings such protective layers are made of plasterboard, fiber cement, magnesium oxide, wood cement or made with a layer of rock or glass wool so as to completely coat the panel or at least its side edges, since they are the preferred combustion priming zone. Protective sheets made of metal or cement are also known, which are applied on the outer surface of the panel. However, it is known that manufactures made with such added layers have a high thickness, a remarkable specific weight, processing and cutting difficulties, hygroscopicity, poor dimensional stability, low tensile strength, and high costs. Recently, companies operating in the construction sector have provided to improve said insulating panels in expanded or extruded polystyrene by means of new additive chemical compounds, or of innovative external protective layers, so as to further increase the thermal insulation characteristics or to reduce the thickness and also, in particular, to improve the fire reaction, so as to exceed the latest provisions. By way of example only, expanded polystyrene comprising graphite particles is known, which is suitable for offering a reduced thermal conductivity, limiting the thickness provided for insulation, and is also suitable for absorbing and reflecting infrared rays, such as the material marketed under the name Neopor® of the German company Basf SE, Ludwigshafen—www.basf.com, having a thermal conductivity equal to 0.031 W/mK and a density equal to 18 kg/m3.