Die cut insulation blanket and method for producing same

• US 20070042156A1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Original Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Inventors: Rockwell, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,923,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/116
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 1/22 to form non-rectilinear cuts, e.g. for tabs
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 3/0223 Making honeycomb cores, e.g. by piling a plurality of web sections or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/236 Honeycomb type cells extend perpendicularly to nonthickness layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24149 Honeycomb-like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24314 Slit or elongated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/254 Polymeric or resinous material

Abstract

A blanket is provided including a first panel of material having a honeycombed portion that is expanded to form a second, projecting panel from the first panel material. The invention also includes a method of reducing the material needed to construct a multipanel structure. The method includes the steps of providing a first panel of material; honeycombing a portion of that first panel and expanding the honeycombed portion of the first panel to form a second panel projecting from the first panel. Advantageously, the second panel is formed from material of the first panel and no additional material is required.

Claims

1. A method of reducing material needed to construct a multipanel structure, comprising:

providing a first panel of material;

honeycombing a portion of said first panel; and

expanding said honeycombed portion of said first panel to form a second panel projecting from said first panel, said second panel being formed from said material of said first panel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said honeycombing includes cutting a first line partially across said first panel, cutting a second line partially across said first panel spaced from said first line and cutting said portion of said first panel between said first line and said second line.

3. The method of claim 2 including selecting said material from a group consisting of non-woven synthetic material, non-woven natural material and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 3, including selecting said material from a group consisting of thermoplastic fiber material, thermosetting fiber material, bicomponent fiber material and mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 2, including selecting said material from a group consisting of polyolefin, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, nylon, rayon, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, cotton, kenaf, silk, cellulose, hemp, shoddy and mixtures thereof.

6. A blanket, comprising:

a first panel of material having a honeycombed portion that is expanded to form a second, projecting panel from said first panel material.

7. The blanket of claim 6, wherein said material is selected from a group consisting of non-woven synthetic material, non-woven natural material and mixtures thereof.

8. The blanket of claim 7, wherein said material is selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic fiber material, thermosetting fiber material, bicomponent fiber material and mixtures thereof.

9. The blanket of claim 7, wherein said material is selected from a group consisting of polyolefin, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, nylon, rayon, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, cotton, kenaf, silk, cellulose, hemp, shoddy and mixtures thereof.

10. The blanket of claim 9, wherein said material includes reinforcing fibers selected from a group consisting of glass fibers, metal fibers, mineral fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, natural fibers and mixtures thereof.

11. The blanket of claim 6, wherein said honeycombed portion includes a series of slits.

12. The blanket of claim 11, wherein each slit of said series of slits is branched.

13. The blanket of claim 12, wherein said series of branched slits at least partially nest with one another.

14. The blanket of claim 13, wherein each of said branched slits is substantially Y-shaped.

15. The blanket of claim 14, wherein adjacent branched slits define an expansion rib.

16. The blanket of claim 6, wherein said honeycombed portion includes alternating rows of (a) straight slits and (b) openings with extension slits defining a four-way living hinge at a convergence of adjacent straight slits and said openings.

17. The blanket of claim 6 including a second honeycombed portion that is expanded to form a third, projecting panel from said first panel material.

18. The blanket of claim 16 including a third honeycombed portion that is expanded to form a fourth, projecting panel from said first panel material.