FOAM WALL STRUCTURE

• US 20150093535A1
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covestro LLC (Covestro AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Materialscience LLC (Covestro AG)
• Inventors: Lambach, James, Giles, Eric, Grisolia, Anthony, Nicola, William J., Oberg, Bradley W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,370,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/71
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/12 Incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/10 the elements consisting of wood
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/80 slab-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/02 built-up from layers of building elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/28 Walls having cavities between, but not in, the elements; Walls of elements each consisting of two or more parts kept in distance by means of spacers, all parts being solid
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/205 of foamed plastics, or of plastics and foamed plastics, optionally reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/386 with a frame of unreconstituted or laminated wood
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/46 specially adapted for making walls E04C2/52, E04C2/54 take precedence; structure of slab-shaped elements E04B1/02; walls of elements of relatively thin form E04B2/72
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 Foamed or expanded material encased

Abstract

A foam wall structure includes a frame, at least one primary support member, a slab of polyiso board and a foam layer. The frame can include: a first member, a second member spaced apart from the first member, and two side members extending between the first and second members. The frame defining a front frame surface and an opposite rear frame surface. The at least one primary support member can be positioned between the two side members and extend between the first and second member. The primary support member defines a front support surface and an opposite rear support surface. The slab of polyiso board may be attached to the front frame surface. The foam layer can be received within at least a portion of the frame and overlies the front surface of the primary support member. A method of making a foam wall structure and a pre-fabricated wall is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A foam wall structure comprising:

a) a frame comprising;

a first member;

a second member spaced apart from the first member; and

two side members extending between the first and second members, wherein the first member, second member, and two side members each have a front surface and a rear surface that form the front frame surface and the rear frame surface of the frame;

b) at least one primary support member positioned between the two side members and extending between the first and second member, wherein the primary support member defines a front primary support surface and an opposite rear primary support surface corresponding to the front frame surface and rear frame surface;

c) a slab of polyiso board having a front face and a rear face, and a facer material attached to at least a portion of at least one of the front face and the rear face, wherein the slab of polyiso board is attached to one of at least a portion of the front frame surface or at least a portion of the front primary support surface and optionally the front primary support surface of the at least one primary support members, such that the polyiso board, the first and second members, the two side members and the at least one primary support members define one or more voids within the frame;

d) a foam layer received within at least a portion of one of the voids within the frame, wherein the foam layer adheres to at least a portion of the polyiso board.

2. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the foam layer does not overlie the front frame surface.

3. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the foam layer overlies at least a portion of the front frame surface.

4. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the slab of polyiso board is attached to the at least a portion of the front face of the first and second members and the two side members and optionally the front primary support surface of the at least one primary support members by fasteners.

5. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the fasteners are selected from the group consisting of nails, staples and screws.

6. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the slab of polyiso board is attached to at least a portion of the front face of the first and second members and the two side members and optionally the front primary support surface of the at least one primary support members by one or more adhesives.

7. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a thin portion of the foam layer.

8. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a second foam layer.

9. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the foam layer is dimensioned to extend from the uninterrupted exposed foam surface to a position intermediate the front frame surface and rear frame surface such that a gap is formed within the frame between the foam layer and the rear frame surface.

10. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the first member comprises two plates.

11. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the frame further comprises one or more secondary support members extending between two adjacent primary support members or a primary support member and a side member such that a secondary opening is formed within the frame.

12. The foam wall structure of claim 11, wherein the secondary opening is free of foam, and a corresponding opening is present in the slab of polyiso board.

13. The foam wall structure of claim 11, wherein the frame further comprises one or more tertiary support members extending between two secondary support members, or between a secondary support member and the first member or the second member.

14. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the foam layer is formed in-situ during the manufacturing process.

15. The foam wall structure of claim 12, wherein the foam layer comprises polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, or mixtures thereof forming.

16. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the foam layer is substantially free of halogen containing flame retardant additives.

17. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the foam layer is completely free of halogen containing flame retardant additives.

18. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the slab of polyiso board has a facer material covering substantially all of the rear face.

19. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the slab of polyiso board has a facer material covering substantially all of the front and rear faces.

20. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the facer material is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass mats, polyolefin films, foil and foil/glass composites.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein a form is positioned around an outside perimeter of the front frame surface.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein a form is positioned between adjacent primary support members.

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the foam material is deposited by an automated dispensing device.

26. The foam wall structure of claim 17, wherein the foam layer overlies the front frame surface.

27. The foam wall structure of claim 16, wherein the foam layer does not overlie the front frame surfaces.

30. The foam wall structure of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of latex-based adhesives, reactive hot melts, polyester adhesives, polyamide adhesives, acrylic adhesives, one-component epoxy-based adhesives, one-component polyurethane-based adhesives and two-component polyurethane-based adhesives.

32. A foam corner piece suitable for attachment to the wall structure, of claim 1, comprising:

a) a generally L-shaped top member

b) a generally L-shaped bottom member;

c) at least two corner support members extending between and fixedly attached to the top member and the bottom member;

the top member, bottom member and at least two corner support members defining an outer face of the foam corner piece;

c) one or more slabs of polyiso board attached to at least a portion of the miter face of the foam corner piece;

the top member, bottom member, at least two corner support members, and the polyiso board defining a cavity within the foam corner piece; and

d) foam material deposited into the cavity of ate foam corner piece in contact with at least a portion of the polyiso board and at least a portion of the at least two corner support members.

21. A method of manufacturing a foam wall structure comprising:

a) providing a frame with at least one primary support member comprising;

i) a first member;

ii) a second member spaced apart from the first member;

iii) two side members extending between the first and second members, the frame defining a front frame surface and an opposite rear frame surface, wherein the first member, second member, and two side members each have a front surface and a rear surface that form the front frame surface and the rear frame surface of the frame; and

iv) at least one primary support member positioned between the two side members and extending between the first and second member, wherein the primary support member defines a front primary support surface and an opposite rear primary support surface corresponding to the front frame surface and rear frame surface;

b) providing a slab of polyiso board;

c) orientating the front frame surface over the polyiso board such that the front frame surface is substantially parallel to the rear face of the slab of poloyiso board;

d) attaching the polyiso board to the front frame surface;

e) depositing foam material into the frame; and

f) allowing the foam material to expand within at least a portion of the frame.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising depositing a layer of foam on the rear face of the polyiso board prior to attaching the polyiso board to the front frame surface.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the foam layer is formed in-situ during the manufacturing process.

29. A foam wall structure prepared according to the method of claim 21.

31. The method according to claim 21, further comprising depositing a layer of foam on the front frame surface prior to attaching the rear face of the polyiso board to the front frame surface.