Coated foam insulation and method of making the same

• US 6,228,476 B1
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johns Manville International, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Johns Manville International, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shumate, Monroe William, Feagans, Royce Michael, Bogrett, Blake Boyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Copenheaver, Blaine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pratt, Christopher C.
• Application Number:
  US09/183,892
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 524/279, 521/54, 428/317.9, 428/306.6, 428/309.9, 428/316.6, 428/317.1
• US Class Current: 428/306.6
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2205/05 Open cells, i.e. more than 50% of the pores are open
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/365 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249955 Void-containing component partially impregnated with adjacent component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24996 With internal element bridging layers, nonplanar interface between layers, or intermediate layer of commingled adjacent foam layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249981 Plural void-containing components

Abstract

A foam insulation sheet has a major surface, such as the interior surface of a duct liner over which gases flow within a duct, coated with a relatively smooth, tough elastomeric coating of substantially uniform thickness. Preferably, the coating has a tough skin and penetrates into interstices of the major surface of the foam sheet to firmly bond the elastomeric coating to the foam sheet. One method of forming the tough skin on the coating includes contacting a frothed aqueous cross-linkable acrylic latex emulsion, applied to the major surface of the foam sheet, with a hot ironing surface to dewater an exposed surface of the frothed emulsion, to free bubbles from the exposed surface of the frothed emulsion at the exposed surface of the frothed emulsion, prior to curing the remainder of the frothed aqueous cross-linkable acrylic latex emulsion.

Claims

1. A coated foam duct liner insulation sheet comprising:

an open cell foam insulation sheet having first and second major surfaces and lateral edge surfaces; and

an elastomeric coating of substantially uniform thickness covering the first major surface of the foam sheet;

the elastomeric coating having a weight between about 10 grams per square foot and about 30 grams per square foot and having thereon a smooth, tough exposed surface skin that is smoother than the first major surface of the foam sheet;

the smooth, tough exposed surface skin of the elastomeric coating being formed on the coating by contacting a frothed aqueous cross-linkable elastomeric emulsion, applied to the first major surface of the foam sheet, with a hot ironing surface to dewater the frothed aqueous cross-linkable elastomeric emulsion at and adjacent an exposed surface of the frothed aqueous cross-linkable elastomeric emulsion, to free bubbles from the frothed aqueous cross-linkable elastomeric emulsion at and adjacent the exposed surface of the frothed aqueous cross-linkable elastomeric emulsion, and to achieve a cross-linking cure of the frothed aqueous cross-linkable elastomeric emulsion at and adjacent the exposed surface of the frothed aqueous cross-linkable elastomeric emulsion prior to curing the remainder of the frothed aqueous cross-linkable elastomeric emulsion; and

the elastomeric coating penetrating interstices in the first major surface of the foam sheet to firmly bond the elastomeric coating to the foam sheet.

2. The coated foam duct liner insulation sheet according to claim 1, wherein:

the lateral edge surfaces of the foam sheet are coated with the elastomeric coating.

3. The coated foam duct liner insulation sheet according to claim 2, wherein:

the second major surface of the foam sheet is coated with the elastomeric coating.