Loosefill insulation blowing machine with a distribution airstream having a variable flow rate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10458128-B2
Application number	US-201514878233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2015
Priority date	Oct 8, 2015
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A machine for distributing insulation material from a package of compressed insulation material has a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end configured to receive compressed insulation material. A lower unit has a shredding chamber configured to receive the insulation material from the outlet end of the chute. The shredding chamber includes shredders and at least one agitator configured to condition the insulation material, thereby forming conditioned insulation material. A discharge mechanism receives the conditioned insulation material exiting the shredding chamber and distributes the conditioned insulation material into a distribution airstream. A blower is configured to provide the distribution airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism, the blower driven by a blower motor. A flow rate of the distribution airstream can be varied by control the rotational speed of the blower motor, thereby varying the density, coverage and thermal insulative value of the distributed insulation material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the machine comprising:
a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end configured to receive compressed loosefill insulation material;
a lower unit having:
a shredding chamber configured to receive the compressed loosefill insulation material from the outlet end of the chute, the shredding chamber including a plurality of shredders and at least one agitator configured to shred, pick apart and condition the loosefill insulation material thereby forming conditioned loosefill insulation material, the at least one agitator having an actual rotational speed;
a discharge mechanism mounted to receive the conditioned loosefill insulation material exiting the shredding chamber, the discharge mechanism configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into a distribution airstream;
a blower configured to provide the distribution airstream flowing through the discharge mechanism, the blower driven by a blower motor;
an airflow sensor positioned upstream from the blower motor and configured to measure an actual airflow into the blower motor;
a control panel configured to direct operating characteristics of the machine and further configured to compare an actual insulation mass flow rate using the measured actual airflow and the actual rotational speed of the agitator to a theoretical insulation mass flow rate for a selected mode;
wherein a flow rate of the distribution airstream is varied by control of the rotational speed of the blower motor as directed by the control panel thereby varying the density, coverage and thermal insulative value of the distributed loosefill insulation material until such point that the theoretical insulation mass flow rate and the actual insulation mass flow rate agree.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the blower motor is configured for pulse width modulation control.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the blower motor is configured for 120 volt alternating current and is sized to require a maximum of 11.0 amps.

4. The machine of claim 3 , wherein the blower motor is of a flow-through design that has a maximum rotation speed in a range of from 30,000 revolutions per minute to 40,000 revolutions per minute.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the rotational speed of the blower motor is increased in response to a blockage in a distribution hose.

6. The machine of claim 5 , wherein the increase in the rotational speed of the blower motor occurs for a duration in a range of from 300 milliseconds to 500 milliseconds.

7. The machine of claim 5 , wherein the blockage in the distribution hose results in an increased pressure within the machine, and wherein the increased pressure is sensed by a pressure sensor.

8. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the pressure sensor is positioned in ductwork extending from the blower to the discharge mechanism.

9. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the theoretical Insulation Mass Flow Rate is stored in the control panel.

10. The machine of claim 1 , wherein an actual flow rate of the distribution airstream is measured at a port positioned upstream from the blower.

11. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the port is positioned in a floor of the machine.

12. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the machine has various operating modes including a full-on mode, a dense mode and one or more wall modes.

13. A method of operating a machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the method comprising the steps of:
loading compressed loosefill insulation material into a chute;
guiding the compressed loosefill insulation material from the chute into a lower unit, the lower unit having a shredding chamber, the shredding chamber including a plurality of shredders and at least one agitator configured to shred, pick apart and condition the loosefill insulation material, the at least one agitator having an actual rotational speed, the plurality of shredders driven by one or more motors, the lower unit also having a discharge mechanism mounted to receive the conditioned loosefill insulation material exiting the shredding chamber, the discharge mechanism configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into a distribution airstream provided by a blower, the blower driven by a blower motor, a sensor positioned upstream from the blower motor and configured to measure an actual airflow into the blower motor and a control panel configured to direct operating characteristics of the machine and further configured to compare an actual insulation mass flow rate using the measured actual airflow and the actual rotational speed of the agitator to a theoretical insulation mass flow rate for a selected mode; and
varying the flow rate of the distribution airstream by controlling the rotation speed of the blower motor until such point that the theoretical insulation mass flow rate and the actual insulation mass flow rate agree.

14. The method of claim 13 , including the step of controlling the rotation speed of the blower motor with pulse width modulation.

15. The method of claim 13 , including the step of measuring an air flow entering the blower.

16. The method of claim 13 , including the step of controlling the rotation speed of the blower motor following the comparison of the actual Insulation Mass Flow Rate with a theoretical Insulation Mass Flow Rate.

Assignees

• Owens Corning Intellectual Capital Llc
• Owens Corning Intellecutal Capital Llc

Inventors

• Cook David M
• Robinson Brandon
• Relyea Christopher M
• Rinne James W
• Carey Brent J

Classifications

• E04F21/085 Primary

  for filling building cavity walls with insulating materials · CPC title

• B02C18/2216

  Discharge means · CPC title