Methods for manufacturing pre-fabricated insulated foam wall structures with high racking strength and related pre-fabricated wall structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10415244-B2
Application number	US-201715622684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2017
Priority date	Jun 14, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing wall structures having high racking strength are described in this specification. The methods include spray applying a foam-forming composition into a cavity of a wall structure, wherein the wall structure is disposed in a climate-controlled spray application station and allowing the foam-forming material to expand within at least a portion of the cavity to form a foam layer deposited in the cavity. In the methods, the foam layer is formed in-situ during the manufacturing method, and the density of the foam layer is selected and the relative humidity and dew point of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is selected so that the wall structure has a racking strength of at least 500 pounds per linear foot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a high racking strength pre-fabricated insulated wall structure comprising:
(a) spray applying a polyurethane foam-forming composition into a cavity of a wall structure, wherein the wall structure comprises:
i) a first member;
ii) a second member spaced apart from the first member; and
iii) connecting members extending between the first member and the second member, wherein the first member, the second member, and the connecting members each comprise a front surface and a rear surface that form the front frame surface and a rear frame surface; and
iv) a foam panel attached to the front frame surface, such that foam panel, the first member, the second member, and the connecting members define the cavity within the frame; and

(b) allowing the polyurethane foam-forming composition to expand within at least a portion of the cavity to form a polyurethane foam layer deposited in the cavity,
wherein the polyurethane foam layer is formed in-situ during the manufacturing method, and
wherein the density of the polyurethane foam layer is 3.0 to 4.0 lb/ft 3 when measured according to ASTM D1622-08 and the wall structure is disposed in a climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying wherein the relative humidity and dew point of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station is controlled throughout the spray applying so that the wall structure has a racking strength of at least 500 pounds per linear foot (2224 N).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method does not include attaching a wood panel, a plywood panel, an oriented strand panel, a fibrous structural panel, a gypsum panel, or a SIS to a front surface of the foam panel or a rear surface of the foam panel between the foam panel and the front frame surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relative humidity of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is less than 75% and the dew point of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is no more than 70° F.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the dew point of the air is maintained at 20° F. to 30° F. throughout the spray application.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the racking strength of the wall structure is at least 600 pounds per linear foot (2669 N).

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the racking strength of the wall structure is at least 900 pounds per linear foot (4003 N).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane foam layer comprises a thickness extending from the rear surface of the first foam panel to a position intermediate the front frame surface and the rear frame surface such that a gap is formed within the frame between a rear surface of the foam layer and the rear frame surface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the foam panel comprises a polyiso panel, an expanded polystyrene panel, or an extruded polystyrene panel.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the foam panel comprises a polyiso panel comprising a polyisocyanurate foam layer and a facer material attached to a front face and a rear face of the polyisocyanurate foam layer.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the facer material attached to the rear face comprises a coated glass fiber.

11. A method of manufacturing a high strength pre-fabricated insulated wall structure comprising:
(a) spray applying a polyurethane foam-forming composition into a cavity of a wall structure that is disposed in a climate-controlled spray application station, wherein the wall structure comprises:
i) a first member;
ii) a second member spaced apart from the first member; and
iii) connecting members extending between the first member and the second member, wherein the first member, the second member, and the connecting members each comprise a front surface and a rear surface that form the front frame surface and a rear frame surface; and
iv) a foam panel attached to the front frame surface, such that foam panel, the first member, the second member, and the connecting members define the cavity within the frame; and

(b) allowing the polyurethane foam-forming composition to expand within at least a portion of the cavity to form a polyurethane foam layer deposited in the cavity,
wherein the density of the polyurethane foam layer is 2.8 to 4.0 lb/ft 3 when measured according to ASTM D1622-08 and the relative humidity of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is less than 75% and the dew point of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is less than 75° F. (23.9° C.).

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method does not include attaching a wood panel, plywood panel, or an oriented strand board panel to one or more of a front surface of the foam panel or a rear surface of the foam panel.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the density of the polyurethane foam layer is 3.0 to 4.0 lb/ft 3 .

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dew point of the air is maintained at 20° F. to 30° F. throughout the spray application.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the racking strength of the wall structure is at least 500 pounds per linear foot.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the racking strength of the wall structure is at least 900 pounds per linear foot.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the polyurethane foam layer comprises a thickness extending from the rear surface of the first foam panel to a position intermediate the front frame surface and the rear frame surface such that a gap is formed within the frame between a rear surface of the foam layer and the rear frame surface.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the foam panel comprises a polyiso panel, an expanded polystyrene panel, or an extruded polystyrene panel.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the foam panel comprises a polyiso panel comprising a polyisocyanurate foam layer and a facer material attached to a front face and a rear face of the polyisocyanurate foam layer.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the facer material attached to the rear face comprises a coated glass fiber facer material comprises coated glass fibers.

21. The method of claim 3 , wherein the temperature of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is 60° F. to 80° F.

22. The method of claim 4 , wherein the temperature of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is 60° F. to 80° F.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the temperature of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is 60° F. to 80° F.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the temperature of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is 60° F. to 80° F.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the temperature of the polyurethane foam-forming composition during the spray applying is 120° F. to 128° F.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the temperature of the polyurethane foam-forming composition during the spray applying is 120° F. to 128° F.

Assignees

• Covestro Llc

Inventors

• Giles Eric C
• Lambach James L
• Baily David M

Classifications

• B32B21/047

  of foam · CPC title

• B32B5/32 Primary

  at least two} layers being foamed {and next to each other · CPC title

• B32B2307/302

  Conductive · CPC title

• B32B2266/0285

  Condensation resins of aldehydes, e.g. with phenols, ureas, melamines · CPC title

• B32B2266/0214

  Materials belonging to B32B27/00 · CPC title