Water spray applied loose-fill insulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10953418-B2
Application number	US-201916384585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2019
Priority date	Apr 8, 2014
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity is provided. The method includes blowing loose-fill insulation particles into a cavity of a structure to install the loose-fill insulation within the cavity and thereby insulate the structure. The method also includes applying water (e.g., water mist) to the loose-fill insulation particles so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 2% and 20%. The water aids in retaining the loose-fill insulation particles within the cavity without requiring the use of an enclosure member that encloses the cavity and the loose-fill insulation is substantially free of a water soluble adhesive material that adheres the loose-fill insulation particles together within the cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity comprising:
providing a loose-fill insulation blowing apparatus having:
a hopper configured to house loose-fill insulation material;
a shredder configured to break compressed loose-fill insulation material into a plurality of loose-fill insulation nodules;
a blower/air lock assembly;
a hose member connected to the blower/air lock assembly; and
a nozzle attached to a distal end of the hose member through which the loose-fill insulation nodules are blown;

blowing the loose-fill insulation nodules through the hose, out of the nozzle, and into the cavity via the blower/air lock assembly; and
applying a water mist to the loose-fill insulation nodules as the insulation nodules are blown through the nozzle and into the cavity so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 2% and 20%, wherein the loose-fill insulation material is free of an aqueous or powdered adhesive material that adheres the loose-fill insulation nodules together within the cavity such that the installed loose-fill insulation is free of an adhesive material.

2. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 1 , wherein:
a nodule size of the loose-fill insulation nodules is between about 0.125 and 0.5 inches.

3. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 1 , wherein:
applying the water mist comprises simultaneously coating of water mist onto opposing sides of the loose-fill insulation nodules.

4. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 1 , wherein:
the water mist aids in retaining the loose-fill insulation nodules within the cavity without requiring the use of an enclosure member that encloses the cavity.

5. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 1 , wherein:
the loose-fill insulation material comprises fibers with a diameter between 0.5 and 5 microns.

6. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 1 , wherein:
the loose-fill insulation comprises at least one of fiberglass, slag wool, mineral wool, rock wool, ceramic wool, carbon fibers, composite fibers, or mixtures thereof.

7. A method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity comprising:
blowing loose-fill insulation nodules into a cavity of a structure to install the loose-fill insulation within the cavity and thereby insulate the structure, the loose-fill insulation nodules being blown, via a blower mechanism, through a hose and a nozzle attached to a distal end of the hose to install the loose-fill insulation within the cavity; and
applying water to the loose-fill insulation nodules so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 2% and 20%%, wherein the loose-fill insulation is free of an aqueous or powdered adhesive material that adheres the loose-fill nodules together within the cavity such that the installed loose-filled insulation is free of an adhesive material.

8. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 7 , wherein:
the water is applied to the loose-fill insulation nodules under pressure between about 300 and 1500 lbs/in 2 .

9. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 7 , further comprising:
breaking, via a shredder, compressed loose-fill insulation material into the loose-fill insulation nodules.

10. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 9 , wherein:
the loose-fill insulation material comprises fibers with a diameter between 0.5 and 5 microns.

11. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 7 , wherein:
one or both of the water or loose-fill insulation particles comprise one or more of an antifreeze agent, a mold resistant agent, an anti-corrosion agent, a dye, or a surfactant.

12. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 7 , wherein:
the moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation is between about 3% and 10%.

13. The method of applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 7 , wherein:
applying the water comprises simultaneously coating of water mist onto opposing sides of the loose-fill insulation nodules.

14. A system for applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity comprising:
a hopper configured to receive an insulation material;
a loose-fill forming component attached to the hopper, the loose-fill forming component configured to break the insulation material into a plurality of loose-fill insulation nodules;
a blower/air lock assembly configured to blow the loose-fill insulation nodules into the cavity;
a hose member connected at a proximal end to the blower/air lock assembly;
a nozzle attached to a distal end of the hose through which the loose-fill insulation nodules are blown during installation of the loose-fill insulation nodules within the cavity; and
a water mist application component coupled to the nozzle near the distal end thereof, the water mist application component being configured to apply water mist to the loose-fill insulation nodules as the loose-fill insulation nodules are blown through the nozzle and into the cavity so that a moisture content of the installed loose-fill insulation nodules is between about 2% and 20%%, wherein the loose-fill insulation nodule are free of an aqueous or powdered adhesive material that adheres the loose-fill nodules together within the cavity such that the installed loose-filled insulation is free of an adhesive material.

15. The system for applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 14 , wherein:
the water mist application component comprises a first spray tip and a second spray tip that are positioned on opposite sides of the water mist application component, the first spray tip and the second spray tip being configured to apply water mist simultaneously to opposing sides of the loose-fill insulation nodules.

16. The system for applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 15 , wherein:
one or both of the first spray tip and the second spray tip comprises a jet spray tip.

17. The system for applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 14 , wherein:
the loose-fill forming component comprises a shredder.

18. The system for applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 17 , wherein:
the blower/air lock assembly is positioned proximally to the shredder.

19. The system for applying loose-fill insulation within a cavity of claim 14 , wherein:
a nodule size of the loose-fill insulation nodules is between about 0.125 and 0.5 inches.

Assignees

• Johns Manville

Inventors

• Zhang Mingfu
• Fellinger Thomas John
• Near Daniel Elden

Classifications

• E04F21/085 Primary

  for filling building cavity walls with insulating materials · CPC title

• B05B7/149

  with separate inlets for a particulate material and a liquid to be sprayed · CPC title

• B05B7/00 Primary

  Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas (B05B3/00, B05B5/00 {, B05B11/06} take precedence) · CPC title