Loosefill insulation blowing machine with a full height bale guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298341-A1
Application number	US-201615078491-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2016
Priority date	Apr 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A machine for distributing blowing insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material is provided. The machine includes a chute. The chute has an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a bale guide and a cutting mechanism. The inlet portion is configured to receive the package with the package having a substantially vertical orientation. The inlet portion has a vertical height. The bale guide has a length and is configured to urge the package against the cutting mechanism. The cutting mechanism is configured to open the package. A lower unit is configured to receive the material exiting the outlet portion of the chute. The lower unit includes a plurality of shredders and a discharge mechanism. The discharge mechanism is configured to discharge conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream. The length of the bale guide extends substantially across the height of the inlet portion of the chute.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A machine for distributing blowing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the machine comprising:
a chute configured to receive the package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the chute having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a bale guide and a cutting mechanism, the inlet portion configured to receive the package of compressed loosefill insulation material with the package having a substantially vertical orientation, the inlet portion of the chute having a vertical height, the bale guide having a length and configured to urge the package against the cutting mechanism as the package slides within the chute, the cutting mechanism configured to open the package of insulation; and a lower unit configured to receive the compressed loosefill insulation material exiting the outlet portion of the chute, the lower unit including a plurality of shredders and a discharge mechanism, the discharge mechanism configured to discharge conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream; wherein the length of the bale guide extends substantially across the height of the inlet portion of the chute.

2 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the length of the bale guide is at least 70.0% of the height of the inlet portion of the chute.

3 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the bale guide includes a curved portion.

4 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the bale guide is formed from a polymeric material having a low coefficient of friction.

5 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the chute has opposing interior sides, wherein the bale guide is positioned on one of the interior sides of the chute and the cutting mechanism is positioned on the interior side opposite the bale guide.

6 . A machine for distributing blowing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the machine comprising:
a chute configured to receive the package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the chute having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a bale guide and a cutting mechanism, the inlet portion configured to receive the package of compressed loosefill insulation material with the package having a substantially vertical orientation, the bale guide having a length, a vertical orientation and configured to urge the package against the cutting mechanism as the package slides within the chute, the cutting mechanism configured to open the bag of insulation; and a lower unit configured to receive the compressed loosefill insulation material exiting the outlet portion of the chute, the lower unit including a plurality of shredders and a discharge mechanism, the discharge mechanism configured to discharge conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream; wherein the length of the bale guide is configured to retain the vertical orientation of the package as the package slides within the chute and engages the cutting mechanism.

7 . The machine of claim 6 , wherein the bale guide is positioned at the inlet portion of the chute.

8 . The machine of claim 6 , wherein the bale guide includes a curved portion.

9 . The machine of claim 6 , wherein the length of the bale guide is at least 70.0% of the height of the inlet portion of the chute.

10 . The machine of claim 6 , wherein the chute has opposing interior sides, wherein the bale guide is positioned on one of the interior sides of the chute and the cutting mechanism is positioned on the interior side opposite the bale guide.

11 . A machine for distributing blowing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the machine comprising:
a chute configured to receive the package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the chute having a depth, an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a bale guide and a cutting mechanism, the inlet portion configured to receive the package of compressed loosefill insulation material with the package having a substantially vertical orientation, the bale guide having a depth, a vertical orientation and configured to urge the package against the cutting mechanism as the package slides within the chute, the cutting mechanism configured to open the bag of insulation; and a lower unit configured to receive the compressed loosefill insulation material exiting the outlet portion of the chute, the lower unit including a plurality of shredders and a discharge mechanism, the discharge mechanism configured to discharge conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream; wherein the depth of the bale guide forms a retention structure configured to retain within the chute loosefill insulation material exiting the package and expanding toward the inlet portion of the chute.

12 . The machine of claim 11 , wherein the bale guide is positioned at the inlet portion of the chute.

13 . The machine of claim 11 , wherein the depth of the bale guide is at least 20.0% of the depth of the chute.

14 . The machine of claim 11 , wherein the bale guide includes a curved portion.

15 . A machine for distributing blowing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the machine comprising:
a chute configured to receive the package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the chute having a width, an inlet portion, an outlet portion, a bale guide and a cutting mechanism, the inlet portion configured to receive the package of compressed loosefill insulation material with the package having a substantially vertical orientation, the bale guide extends from the inlet portion of the chute, has a width and is configured to urge the package against the cutting mechanism as the package slides within the chute, the cutting mechanism configured to open the bag of insulation; and a lower unit configured to receive the compressed loosefill insulation material exiting the outlet portion of the chute, the lower unit including a plurality of shredders and a discharge mechanism, the discharge mechanism configured to discharge conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream; wherein the width of the bale guide is less than 20.0% of the width of the chute.

16 . The machine of claim 15 , wherein the bale guide is positioned at the inlet portion of the chute.

17 . The machine of claim 15 , wherein the bale guide includes a curved portion.

18 . The machine of claim 15 , wherein the width of the bale guide is in a range of from about 4.0 inches to about 6.0 inches.

19 . The machine of claim 15 , wherein the bale guide is formed from a polymeric material having a low coefficient of friction.

20 . The machine of claim 15 , wherein the chute has opposing interior sides, wherein the bale guide is positioned on one of the interior sides of the chute and the cutting mechanism is positioned on the interior side opposite the bale guide.

Assignees

• Owens Corning Intellectual Capital Llc

Inventors

• Cook David M
• Jenkins Todd
• Crisp Ryan S

Classifications

• B02C18/2216

  Discharge means · CPC title

• B02C18/2291

  Feed chute arrangements · CPC title

• E04F21/085 Primary

  for filling building cavity walls with insulating materials · CPC title