Flexible Fire-Resistant Thermally Insulated Composite Structures
First Claim
1. A flexible fire-resistant thermally insulated composite structure designed to pass through an opening having an opening periphery, comprising:
- a flexible composite structure having an inner surface, an outer surface, a composite structure mass, at least one thermally insulative layer, and at least one protective layer in contact with at least a portion of the at least one thermally insulative layer;
wherein the flexible composite structure is formed to have a self-supported installation configuration having an installation periphery wherein the flexible composite structure supports the composite structure mass, and having a collapsed transit configuration having a transit periphery wherein a portion of the flexible composite structure is compressed such that the transit periphery is less than the installation periphery and the installation periphery is greater than the opening periphery.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The instant invention includes a flexible fire-resistant thermally insulated composite structure designed in some embodiments to pass through an opening. The structure may be self-supporting due to the stiffness of various layers, and battens may contribute to the self-supporting capacity of the structure.
The flexible composite structure may have a collapsed transit configuration, allowing the structure to be compressed to more easily pass it through an opening, a rotable attachment to allow the structure to rotate away from the opening, and a releasable attachment for attaching the structure around an opening periphery. In another embodiment, the structure may also include a bottom and such a structure could provide shelter in conditions ranging from ambient environmental conditions to the extreme heat of certain fires.
The insulative structures of the instant invention are not limited to embodiments designed to rest on generally horizontal surfaces. For example, it may be desirable to utilize such a structure to block an attic fan, or other roof penetration, during certain seasons of the year. Such an embodiment may also include a releasable attachment configured for releasably attaching the installation periphery to a surface inclined from the horizontal.
32 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A flexible fire-resistant thermally insulated composite structure designed to pass through an opening having an opening periphery, comprising:
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a flexible composite structure having an inner surface, an outer surface, a composite structure mass, at least one thermally insulative layer, and at least one protective layer in contact with at least a portion of the at least one thermally insulative layer; wherein the flexible composite structure is formed to have a self-supported installation configuration having an installation periphery wherein the flexible composite structure supports the composite structure mass, and having a collapsed transit configuration having a transit periphery wherein a portion of the flexible composite structure is compressed such that the transit periphery is less than the installation periphery and the installation periphery is greater than the opening periphery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A structure for insulating an opening having an opening periphery with a collar disposed about and attached to the opening periphery comprising;
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a flexible composite structure having an inner surface, an outer surface, a composite structure mass, at least one thermally insulative layer, and at least one protective layer in contact with at least a portion of the at least one thermally insulative layer; wherein the flexible composite structure is formed to have a self-supported installation configuration having an installation periphery wherein the flexible composite structure supports the composite structure mass, and having a collapsed transit configuration having a transit periphery wherein a portion of the flexible composite structure is compressed such that the transit periphery is less than the installation periphery and the installation periphery is greater than the opening periphery; and having at least one sidewall raised above the plane of the opening.
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24. A flexible fire-resistant thermally insulated composite structure, comprising:
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a flexible composite structure having an inner surface, an outer surface, a composite structure mass, at least one thermally insulative layer, and at least one protective layer in contact with at least a portion of the at least one thermally insulative layer; wherein the flexible composite structure is formed to have a self-supported installation configuration having an installation periphery wherein the flexible composite structure supports the composite structure mass, and a bottom, attached circumferentially to the installation periphery, forming an interior volume within the structure. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A flexible fire-resistant thermally insulated composite structure, comprising:
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a flexible composite structure having an inner surface, an outer surface, a composite structure mass, at least one thermally insulative layer, and at least one protective layer in contact with at least a portion of the at least one thermally insulative layer; wherein the flexible composite structure is formed to have a self-supported installation configuration having an installation periphery wherein the flexible composite structure supports the composite structure mass, and a releasable attachment releasably attaching the installation periphery to a surface inclined from the horizontal.
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Specification