Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Composite prefabricated panel including adjunctive means – Sandwich or hollow with sheet-like facing members
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-17
2002-05-28
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Composite prefabricated panel including adjunctive means
Sandwich or hollow with sheet-like facing members
C052S792100, C428S069000, C312S400000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06393798
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat-insulating wall having two spaced-apart, at least essentially vacuum-tight cover layers. An evacuable heat-insulation material is disposed between the cover layers. The cover layers are connected to one another by a vacuum-tight connecting profile which runs along the free borders of the cover layers.
In the case of heat-insulating walls and housings based on vacuum-insulation technology, the wall shells are produced from high-grade sheet steel, such as stainless steel, or from corrosion-protected sheet steel and are connected to one another by a connecting profile which is secured in a vacuum-tight manner on the two wall shells by welding.
In most application cases, the connecting profile is subdivided into individual longitudinal sections in order, on the one hand, to achieve a cost-effective production for the connecting profile and, on the other hand, to be able to counteract the production tolerances and dimensional tolerances at its joint between the two wall shells. However, this modular construction of the connecting profile requires the individual longitudinal sections to be connected to one another in a vacuum-tight manner. Welding is usually used as the connecting method for producing a vacuum-tight interconnection at the joint between the individual connecting-profile longitudinal sections. Appropriate, vacuum-tight welding of the connecting profiles at their joint is difficult, in particular, when, as has already been proposed, the connecting profile, for spanning the distance between the two wall shells, is formed from a thin membrane-like wall in order to reduce the heat conduction. It is not at all possible to close of a joint between two walls having a membrane-like wall thickness in a vacuum-tight manner in a reliable fashion during a manufacturing process for a mass production, by using the known welding methods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a heat-insulating wall which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known heat-insulating walls of this general type and which allows, using straightforward construction measures, to configure longitudinal sections of a connecting profile of the heat-insulating wall such that a vacuum-tight connection of the profile sections at their joints is ensured. The vacuum-tight connection should be made in a reliable fashion in terms of a process that is used during the manufacturing, in particular a welding process.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a heat-insulating wall, including:
two cover layers spaced-apart from one another by a given distance for providing an interspace therebetween, the cover layers being at least essentially vacuum-tight, having free borders and respectively having a material thickness;
an evacuable heat-insulation material disposed in the interspace between the cover layers;
a vacuum-tight connecting profile running along the free borders and connecting the cover layers to one another;
the connecting profile being made of a plurality of profile sections with adjoining ends connected to one another in a vacuum-tight manner, the connecting profile having a membrane spanning at least essentially the given distance between the cover layers; and
the membrane having an end region at the adjoining ends of the profile sections, the end region being thickened at least substantially to the material thickness.
In other words, the object of the invention is achieved in that, at the adjoining ends of the profile sections, the membrane has in each case one end section which is thickened at least approximately to the material thickness of the cover layers.
The term membrane in this context is intended to mean a wall which is considerably thinner than the cover layer.
Thickening the thin-walled, membrane-forming wall at its ends which form the joint between two joined-together profile sections ensures that the profile sections are interconnected at their joined-together ends in a manner which is reliable in processing terms and is appropriate for mass production. A reduced heat conduction between the cover layers, which are spaced apart one above the other, is achieved at the same time. The partial thickening of the membrane-like wall, which connects the two cover layers to one another, does not have any particularly adverse effect on the heat-insulation capacity of the heat-insulating walls and housing.
The connecting profile can be connected to the cover layers particularly straightforwardly, and in a manner which is reliable in processing terms and is appropriate for mass production, if according to an advantageous feature of the invention, the connecting profile has a U-profile-like cross section. The legs of the U-profile are secured in a vacuum-tight manner on the cover layers, while the base of the U-profile, the base being configured as a membrane, spans at least as far as possible the distance between the cover layers.
A further preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the end section of the membrane is thickened by a thickening part or reinforcing part.
Using a separate thickening part for increasing the material thickness of the membrane at its end sections makes it possible in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner, by varying the material thickness of the thickening part, to have a high level of reliability in processing terms during mass production of the heat-insulating walls. In conjunction with the use of a cross-sectionally U-profile-like connecting profile, the length of the thickening part is dimensioned at least approximately in line with the clear distance between the U-profile legs. This has the result that the thickening part can be joined to the connecting profile particularly easily, and in the correct position, in order to increase the material thickness of the end sections of the membrane since the correct position of the thickening part is determined, on the one hand, by the distance between the two U-profile legs and, on the other hand, by the free end of the membrane.
A further preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the thickening part is secured in a vacuum-tight manner on the membrane of the individual profile sections during the production thereof.
Using profile sections which have already been provided with the thickening part simplifies the operation of installing the profile sections between the cover layers to a considerable extent since this avoids the positioning of the thickening parts during the production sequence of the heat-insulating walls. As a result, the production sequence of these walls is not just quicker, but also more reliable in terms of the manufacturing process.
When a connecting profile configured as a U-profile is used, the thickening part is brought into its correct position before the welding process. The thickening part is used to help produce the profile sections during the welding process by being secured in a vacuum-tight manner on the profile sections, namely between the membrane and the leg.
Welding the thickening part or reinforcing part to the legs and the membrane of the profile section during the production process thereof ensures that there are no material deposits caused by the welding of the legs to the membrane. Such deposits may result in a leakage at the location where the thickening part is fitted. Coordinating the length of the thickening part with the clear distance between the two legs of the U-profile-like profile sections prevents a gap from being formed between the legs and those borders of the thickening part which face the legs. This considerably increases the reliability of the welding of the thickening part to the profile section during the manufacturing process.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the thickening or reinforcing of the end sections on the membrane of a profile section can be brought about with particularly precise positioning, and without any addit
Hirath Jürgen
Schütte Markus
BSH Bosch und Siemens Haus-geraete GmbH
Chavez Patrick J.
Friedman Carl D.
Greenberg Laurence A.
Lerner Herbert L.
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