Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-20
2004-01-13
Sells, James (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S289000, C156S510000, C156S555000, C156S582000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06676779
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates broadly to building materials used in new construction. More particularly the invention relates to an apparatus and process for making a laminate that provides an air and moisture barrier for framed structures by sealing the vertical and horizontal interface surfaces between a sill plate and a foundation wall.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many structures are constructed having a concrete foundation on which the bottom plate or ‘sill plate’ of a framed floor or wall rests. A substantial amount of energy loss, heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer, occurs at the interface between the top of the foundation and the sill plate. Building codes generally require some sort of sill sealer be placed between the top of the foundation wall and the sill plate to reduce these energy losses. Often, the sill sealer is a thin layer of polyethylene foam that lays on top of the foundation wall prior to placement of the sill plate on top of the sill sealer. This thin layer of foam creates a gasket-type seal between the foundation wall and sill plate once the structure is completed.
Existing gasket-type sill sealers do not have the ability to conform to the irregularities present on the top of typical foundation walls, especially if the foundation wall is rough, uneven, or has one or more low spots. Gasket-type sill sealers do not generally conform to these irregularities; accordingly, these spots tend to be ‘bridged over,’ leaving a void between the sealer and the foundation wall. Additionally, if the foundation wall shrinks and/or expands after the structure is completed, additional voids between the sealer and the foundation wall may be created. Voids between the sealer and the foundation allow a considerable amount of energy to be lost from the structure, water to infiltrate to the interior surface of the structure, and provide a passageway for insects and rodents to enter the structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is the principal objective of the present invention to provide an improved air and moisture barrier for use between a foundation wall and a sill plate.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an air and moisture barrier that conforms to irregularities of a foundation wall.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an additional barrier outside of a structure to help further seal the interface between a foundation wall and sill plate.
In accordance with the above objectives, the inventor of the present invention has recognized that existing sill sealers often lay on top of the foundation wall prior to assembly and are prone to shift during construction such that in some places there may be no sealer between the foundation wall and sill plate. In turn, the inventor has recognized the desirability of providing a sill sealer which adheres to rough/uneven surfaces of a foundation wall allowing it to better conform to the foundation wall. Finally, the inventor recognized that, by providing an additional barrier on the outside of a structure, any voids left by a gasket-type sealer between a foundation wall and sill plate may be effectively sealed.
The above objectives are achieved by the present invention which provides for an air and moisture barrier laminate for sealing the interface between a sill plate and a foundation wall. The moisture barrier assembly comprises a compressible spacer layer for compression between a foundation wall and a sill plate, and an adhesive layer interconnected to a face of the compressible spacer layer, which is selectably adherable to the foundation wall. As will be appreciated, the laminate will generally be adhered to the foundation wall such that a surface of the spacer layer is exposed to receive the sill plate upon assembly. In one preferred embodiment, the laminate's adhesive layer may be covered with a release sheet layer that may be peeled away from the adhesive layer to expose an adhesive surface prior to application of the laminate to the foundation wall. In a further preferred embodiment, the adhesive layer will comprise a membrane which may have adhesive and/or waterproof characteristics as will be more fully described below.
In one embodiment, the adhesive layer comprises a membrane having a top surface interconnected with the spacer layer and a bottom adhesive surface for selective attachment to the foundation wall. In this regard, the membrane's bottom adhesive surface may be disposed in a face to face relationship with the top of the foundation wall. In a further embodiment, this membrane may also contain a second portion not interconnected to the spacer layer. Upon application, this second portion may extend beyond the outside edge of the foundation wall such that it may be folded over and attached to a side surface of the foundation wall. In this embodiment, the laminate may further comprise a second waterproof membrane attached to the second portion. This second membrane may further comprise an adhesive surface for selective connection to a side surface of the sill plate. Preferably, both membranes' adhesive surfaces are covered with a release sheet prior to attachment. As will be appreciated, upon application, the laminate of this embodiment generally comprises a cross-sectional shape of a “T” wherein the spacer layer forms the T's leg between the sill plate and foundation wall and the first membrane's second portion and second membrane form the top of the T on the side surfaces of the sill plate and foundation wall. As will be appreciated, upon erection of a structure, this moisture barrier laminate provides a gasket-type seal compressed between the top of the foundation wall and the sill plate and a continuous membrane extending between the sill plate side surface to the foundation wall side surface, thus providing a second layer of protection at the structure's interface.
The laminate's spacer layer comprises a compressible material that preferably has a generally uniform thickness and material characteristics which allow the spacer layer to be both securely adhered to a surface of an adhesive layer and conform to uneven surfaces. As will be appreciated, the assembly may utilize spacer materials having different thicknesses for different applications. For example, in instances where very rough or uneven surfaces need to be sealed, a relatively thick spacer material (e.g., 1 inch) may be used as larger irregularities may be expected. In contrast, where relatively smooth surfaces need to be sealed, a thinner spacer material (e.g., ⅜ inch) may be used. The spacer material will generally be elastically deformable when compressed between the sill plate and foundation wall such that the spacer material conforms to and fills the spaces or ‘voids’ therebetween. In this regard, the spacer material acts as a gasket between the top of the foundation wall and the generally smooth bottom surface of the sill plate. By way of example, the spacer material may be comprised of a commercially available fiberglass, cellulose or polymer foam insulation, although other material and/or combinations of materials, are also acceptable. Suitable polymer foams include polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyurethane. Closed cell polyethylene foams are particularly well suited for the present invention.
By having the spacer material layer interconnected directly to an adhesive layer, the spacer material may be adhered to a desired surface, such as the top of a foundation wall. This arrangement may allow for the spacer material to expand and contract with the desired surface and thus, prevent voids from forming between the spacer material and the surface. Additionally, in the case where the spacer material attached to an adhesive layer is adhered to an uneven surface of a foundation wall, the spacer may be adhered to low spots and adhesively seal around irregularities on the foundation wall surface, thus preventing voids between the foundation wall and the spacer material.
In the embodiments wh
Barajas Max
Hopkins John R.
Marsh & Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP
Protecto Wrap Company
Sells James
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