Pipes and tubular conduits – Distinct layers – With intermediate insulation layer
Reexamination Certificate
1995-10-24
2001-05-15
Hook, James (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
Distinct layers
With intermediate insulation layer
C138S151000, C138S155000, C138S158000, C138S169000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230750
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention belongs to the field of exhausting used air from houses, apartments and commercial buildings and particularly from kitchen hoods, bathroom fans and dryer conduits.
This invention is related to a new method of construction of used air conduits that have a circular or a rectangular cross section and made of a sandwich of reflective double wall air bubble cushioned material, such as “THERMO-FOIL™” to prevent losses of heat and humid air.
The method of construction comprises five steps of transformation of a sandwich sheet, for a rectangular conduit or for a conduit with a circular section. For a conduit with a rectangular section 1) cutting of a sandwich sheet, 2) sealing the periphery of the sandwich sheet 3) creating a heat formed channel installed lengthwise to deliminate four sides of a segment 4) assembling the mating ends of a sheet and 5) installing a male adaptor in one end of a segment for joining another end of a second segment.
Another method of construction is provided for used air conduits with circular section by: 1) cutting a sandwich sheet 2) sealing around the sandwich sheet 3) passing through a bender to form a circular section 4) assembling the mating ends of a sheet and 5) putting a male adaptor to join another conduit.
PRIOR ART
A review of prior art revealed some patents relating to conduits comprising insulating material, sheet type or foam type.
The following patents held my attention.
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,049,198, in the name of Lutgen and Laid Open on Aug. 22, 1992, describes an insulator of the sandwich type conceived to exactly fit the internal shape of cryogenic containers. The sandwich includes successive layers of thermal insulating materials such as polystyrene and foams of different densities. To prevent liquid or gas exchanges, sheets must be enclosed in impermeable and rigid walls such as the steel walls of a cryogenic reservoir: this increases considerably the construction costs.
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,032,111, in the names of Cur et al. and Laid Open on Jun. 19, 1991, describes an insulator of the sandwich sheet type conceived to be stuck onto a flat face of a refrigeration unit. The sandwich, sealed at its ends, includes superposed lamellae made of different insulating materials and thin inter-lamellar spaces filled with air. The insulating sandwich of Cur et Al. is held by a wall of plastic and a wall of metal, this increasing considerably construction costs. Moreover, Cur et Al. do not show joints between sheets that would indicate how those could form independent structures without the existence of plastic and metal walls. Also Cur et Al. do not use air bubbles as a thermic insulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,753 Rossignol et Al., May 14, 1991, describes a flexible and impermeable insulator to protect electrical wires against radiant heating. The insulator comprises a series of successive layers of polymers of which a first layer is of dark particles and a second clear with particles of metal having a reflecting surface. Rossignol et Al. do not use air bubbles as thermic insulation, nor the principle of hermetic joint around an empty structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,491 Hildebrandt, May 14, 1974, describes a method of manufacturing insulating conduits of double-walling and circular section. Conduits of double walling comprise an interior pipe disposed in a coaxial way relatively to an exterior pipe and are insulated in the space comprised between double-walling. Insulators being constituted of many successive layers of insulating materials are separated by air spacing. These are obtained with an insulating method placing insulation in tension rather than compression. The insulating method consists in laying out insulating bands and spacers in a helicoidal way along the wall of the internal pipe and to remove the spacers to create a tension between the wall of the internal pipe and the wall of the external pipe. This invention requires two conduits with rigid walls. Its use seems less appropriate for bends or other brutal directional changes or for conduits of rectangular section.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,720 Jones, Aug. 20, 1968, reveals an insulation system for cryogenic structures made of a sandwich sheet that has many successive layers of insulation material, such as sheets of corrugated polyester and other layers of insulation material. Sheets of corrugated polyester create space at the center leaving room for air. This application requires a double-walling pipe to avoid air losses through insulating sheets that seem porous. Moreover, this type of corrugated material, in the construction of sandwich sheets does not make them flexible enough for directional changes such as bends.
Conventional used air conduits made for kitchen hoods are built with galvanized steel and do not comprise any insulation to prevent heat loss. This type of conduits is available on the market in two L-shaped half-conduits to be joined to make a rectangular conduit. The two parts are held together with ends that are not air tight and the conduits do not comprise any adaptor to hold the ends of conduits together, facilitating loss of humid air. This type of conduit does not comprise any thermic insulator, thus favoring humid air condensation in a conduit which passes through a cold area of a building or in winter time. So, as the conduit is not tight to fluid exchanges, humidity and condensing water may leak into the structure of the building and bring nuisances such as moisture or other problems needing repairs or replacement.
None of the inventions mentioned above has a combination of a light material, not requiring rigid nor expensive walls, but on which the joints and the perimeter are air-tight, to prevent losses of warm and humid air.
OBJECTIVES
The first objective of this invention consists in building vapor-tight used air conduits to prevent humid air losses in buildings, a thermic insulator to avoid humid air condensation within conduits, adaptors and means of joining such conduits.
An objective of this invention is to provide a combination comprising a basic material with two external layers of a radiant material, separated by at least two layers of air bubbles comprised in between five films of plastic matter (as polyethylene), cut in variable sizes, prefolded in desired shape and assembled by means of adhesive bands and provided with rigid means of coupling at one end of a conduit and at the center of a four foot long straight conduit.
Another object of this invention is to create ventilation conduits that are light, easy to install and at a lower cost than uninsulated conduits requiring the addition of an insulator available in present market.
Another objective is to make four foot long conduits that permit union with multiangular bends or internal deflectors.
The last objective is to make used air conduits of rectangular shape (10 inches×3¼ inches) for kitchen hoods, used air conduits of circular shape for bathroom (generally 3 inches) and drying-machine conduits (usually 4 inches).
REFERENCES:
patent: 3195079 (1965-07-01), Burton et al.
patent: 3212529 (1965-10-01), Ullman et al.
patent: 3251382 (1966-05-01), Tatsch
patent: 3397720 (1968-08-01), Jones
patent: 3649398 (1972-03-01), Keith
patent: 3810491 (1974-05-01), Hildebrandt
patent: 4680070 (1987-07-01), Hughes
patent: 5006386 (1991-04-01), Menichini
patent: 5014753 (1991-05-01), Rossignol et al.
patent: 5417901 (1995-05-01), Hartman et al.
patent: 5749399 (1998-05-01), Zorrilla
patent: 5783268 (1998-07-01), Noonan et al.
patent: 5918644 (1999-07-01), Haack et al.
patent: 5975146 (1999-11-01), Lardillat et al.
Lessard Marc
Tremblay Mona
Hook James
Swabey Ogilvy Renault
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