Process for manufacturing insulated siding

• US 8,069,629 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CertainTeed Corp. (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: CertainTeed Corp. (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Rockwell, Anthony L., Graham, W. David, Vermilion, Donn R., Chakrabarty, Kaushik
• Primary Examiner(s): Ortiz, Angela
• Assistant Examiner(s): Steele, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US12/536,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20090301022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 442320-326, 442/334, 442/341, 442/355, 442/394, 442/397, 442/415, 525/881, 527/941, 523/091
• US Class Current: 52/588.1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/102 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/304 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/028 using vibration, e.g. sonic or ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4218 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43835 Mixed fibres, e.g. at least two chemically different fibres or fibre blends
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/48 in combination with at least one other method of consolidation
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/54 by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving in combination with needling D04H1/485
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/60 the bonding agent being applied in dry state, e.g. thermo-activatable agents in solid or molten state, and heat being applied subsequently
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/14 Polyalkenes, e.g. polystyrene polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/24 Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 13/40 vitreous, e.g. mineral wool, glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/18 Reinforcing agents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/608 Including strand or fiber material which is of specific structural definition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/615 Strand or fiber material is blended with another chemically different microfiber in the same layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/631 Glass strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/674 Nonwoven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/677 Fluorinated olefin polymer or copolymer sheet or film [e.g., TeflonR, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/697 Containing at least two chemically different strand or fiber materials

Abstract

A siding panel assembly includes an ornamental facing and a first insulation layer made from fibrous insulating material. That fibrous insulating material includes polymer fibers and glass fibers, polymer fibers, natural fibers and mixtures thereof. A method for making the siding panel assembly includes the steps of cutting a groove in and molding a first surface of a sheet of the insulation layer to match in profile a concavity in the ornamental facing and assembling the insulation layer and the ornamental facing.

Claims

1. An exterior siding panel assembly for connection to another such siding panel assembly, comprising:

an ornamental facing and a resilient, compressible insulation layer;

a first end of the ornamental facing having a tongue to mate with a groove of another such siding panel assembly, and a groove in a second end of the ornamental facing to mate with a tongue of an ornamental facing of another such siding panel assembly;

the resilient, compressible insulation layer being contoured with a profile engaging a contoured rear face of the ornamental facing;

a projecting insulation extension is at one end of the resilient, compressible insulation layer and a recess in the resilient, compressible insulation layer adjacent the groove in the second end of the ornamental facing;

the projecting insulation extension at the one end of the resilient, compressible insulation layer projecting from the ornamental facing to mate in a compressed manner with another recess in a resilient, compressible insulation layer of another such siding panel assembly, and wherein the projecting insulation extension and the resilient, compressible insulation layer are compressible to eliminate air gaps;

the recess is in the resilient, compressible insulation layer to mate in a compressed manner with a projecting insulation extension that projects from an ornamental facing of another such siding panel assembly, wherein the projecting insulation extension and the resilient, compressible insulation layer are compressible to eliminate air gaps; and

the resilient, compressible insulation layer comprising fibrous insulation material with polymer binder fibers having a profile of approximately 1.905 cm thickness to correspond to the width of J-channel on housing products, and a compressive strength of between about 14 and 220 pounds of force as measured by ASTM C 165-00 and a wet and dry recovery of at least 98% as measured by ASTM C 165-00 for resisting breakage to compress and accommodate variations in a surface being covered by the siding panel assembly.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said insulation layer comprises by weight percent between about 10 to about 70% glass fibers and about 90 to about 30% polymer binder fibers.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said glass fibers have a length of between about 0.635 to about 7.62 cm and a diameter of between about 2.0 to about 25.0 microns and said polymer binder fibers have a length of between about 1.20 to about 7.62 cm and a diameter of between about 8.0 to about 60.0 microns.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said insulation layer comprises 100% polyester fibers having a length of between about 1.20 to about 7.62 cm and a diameter of between about 8.0 to about 60.0 microns.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said insulation layer has a density of between about 0.7 Lbs/cubic foot and about 3 lbs/cubic foot.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the fibers comprise about 90% to about 30% polymer binder fibers.

7. The assembly of claim 1, comprising:

an adhesive adhering said insulation layer to the ornamental facing.

8. The assembly of claim 1, comprising:

a further insulation layer, wherein said resilient, compressible insulation layer is sandwiched between said further insulation layer and said ornamental facing.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein said further insulation layer is constructed from glass fibers, polymer fibers, natural fibers, EVA, foam or a mixture thereof.

10. The assembly of claim 1, comprising:

a film backing on said resilient, compressible insulation layer.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein said film backing is breathable.

12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein said film backing comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, polyolefin or mixtures thereof.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said ornamental facing is constructed from fiberglass, vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, aluminum, steel, ABS or a mixture thereof.

14. The assembly of claim 1, comprising:

a fiberglass rod, strand or roving running along at least one of said ornamental facing and said insulation layer; and

a thermosetting resin substantially surrounding the fiberglass rods, strand or rovings to rigidify the assembly.

15. The assembly of claim 1, comprising:

a tie layer between the insulation layer and the ornamental facing, wherein the tie layer has a softening point between the softening point of the ornamental facing and the softening point of the insulation layer.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the tie layer includes, but is not limited to ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer film, ethylene-ethyl acetate copolymer film or ethylene ionomer film.