Joint-sealing strip

Abstract

A joint-sealing strip consisting of foam material has one or more moisture-variable membrane layers. The joint-sealing strip may have two longitudinal sides as well as a top side that borders on a joint flank in the installed state of the joint-sealing strip, and an underside that borders on an opposite joint flank in the installed state of the joint-sealing strip. The one or more memebrane layers may run in the longitudinal direction between the top side and underside, in each instance, as well as parallel to or almost parallel to the longitudinal sides.

Claims

1. A joint-sealing strip composed of foam material, wherein the joint-sealing strip has one or more moisture-variable membrane layers, wherein a water vapor diffusion resistance of the one or more moisture-variable membrane layers changes continuously depending on a surrounding moisture, such that a desired tightness of the joint-sealing strip adjusts itself depending on a surrounding moisture, wherein the composition of the one or more membrane layers, the arrangement of the one or more membrane layers, and/or the number of membrane layers are selected in such a manner that the joint-sealing strip is tighter against water vapor in a region that borders on an atmosphere with high moisture than in the region that borders on an atmosphere with lower moisture, and wherein the joint-sealing strip has two longitudinal sides as well as a too side that borders on a 1 pint flank in a installed state of the joint-sealing strip, and an underside that borders on an opposite joint flank in the installed state of the joint-sealing, wherein the one or more membrane layers run the longitudinal direction between the top side and underside, in each instance, as well, as parallel to or almost parallel to the longitudinal sides.

2. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the foam material is a predominantly open-celled raw foam.

3. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the foam material is an impregnated raw foam.

4. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the foam material is raw foam impregnated with acrylates in such a manner that the water vapor diffusion resistance of the impregnated foam material is less than the water vapor diffusion resistance of at least one membrane layer.

5. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein at least one membrane layer is formed from an adhesive or a mixture of an acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive and a polyurethane adhesive.

6. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 5, wherein the application weight of the adhesive for formation or co-formation of a membrane layer amounts to 60 to 200 g/m.sup.2.

7. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive has an adhesive strength according to AFERA of greater than 20 N/25 mm.

8. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein at least one membrane layer is formed from at least one water-resistant modified acylate.

9. The joint-sealing strip according to claimed 1, wherein at least one membrane layer is formed from a modified polyamide film that is glued to the foam material.

10. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein at least one membrane layer is formed from a polyamide dispersion.

11. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein at least one membrane layer has a greater water vapor diffusion resistance than the foam material.

12. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein at least two membrane layers have a composition that is different from one to the other.

13. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the membrane layer or membrane layers is/are disposed within the foam material.

14. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the membrane layer or membrane layers are permanently elastic.

15. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 14, wherein the joint-sealing strip has at least one membrane layer on one or on both longitudinal sides, in each instance, in addition to or in place of the membrane layers that lie on the inside.

16. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein when using multiple membrane layers, these have the same and/or a different distance of 5 mm to 100 mm, from one another, in each instance.

17. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the foam material is separated into sections that run in the longitudinal direction and are divided by at least one membrane layer and the sections are configured differently, in such a manner that the joint-sealing strip is tighter against water vapor in a region that borders on an atmosphere with high moisture than in the region that borders on an atmosphere with lower moisture.

18. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the foam material is a polyurethane (PUR) foam material.

19. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the joint-sealing strip is compressible.

20. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the joint-sealing strip is pre-compressed in rolled form and recovers with a delay.

21. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the joint-sealing strip in the non-compressed state amounts to between 10 mm and 100 mm.

22. The joint-sealing strip according to claim 1, wherein the joint-sealing strip can be used for sealing joints between joined building elements in home construction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are evident from the drawings in combination with its description, whereby in the following, the invention will be explained using exemplary embodiments that are shown in the drawing. This shows:

(2) FIG. 1 a joint-sealing strip according to the invention in cross-section,

(3) FIG. 2 a joint-sealing strip according to the invention in the installed state, within a joint, in cross-section,

(4) FIG. 3 a detail of a joint-sealing strip according to the invention in a perspective representation, with the main view of a longitudinal side,

(5) FIG. 4 a longitudinal side, a transverse side, and a top side of the joint-sealing strip according to the invention shown in FIG. 3, in an unfolded representation,

(6) FIG. 5 a joint-sealing strip according to the invention in the installed state, with a graphically represented water vapor diffusion gradient during a typical winter situation,

(7) FIG. 6 the same joint-sealing strip according to the invention according to FIG. 5 in the same installed state, with a graphically represented water vapor diffusion gradient during a typical summer situation,

(8) FIG. 7 a graphical representation of the diffusion resistance (μ value, s.sub.d value) of a joint-sealing strip according to the invention against the average relative humidity at 23° C.,

(9) FIG. 8 a detail of a joint-sealing strip according to the invention with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on the underside, in a perspective representation, with the main view of a longitudinal side,

(10) FIG. 9 a side view of a joint-sealing strip according to the invention, kept on hand in rolled form and pre-compressed,

(11) FIG. 10 a side view of a joint-sealing strip according to the invention, kept on hand in rolled form and pre-compressed, with one section that has already been unrolled and is recovering,

(12) FIG. 11 a side view of a joint-sealing strip according to the invention, kept on hand in rolled form and pre-compressed, with a section that has already been unrolled and is recovering, which shows an arrangement of the membrane layers according to the invention, and

(13) FIG. 12 a setup for testing the water vapor permeability of joint-sealing strips according to the invention and not according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(14) In the drawings, the characteristics essential for understanding the invention are shown and explained. If the same reference numbers are used in the figures, then they refer to the same parts.

(15) FIG. 1 shows a joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention in cross-section. The joint-sealing strip 10 consists of foam material 12 and has three moisture-variable membrane layers 14 The joint-sealing strip 10 comprises two longitudinal sides 16, 18, as well as a top side 22 and an underside 26, whereby the latter—as shown in FIG. 2—abut, in the installed state of the joint-sealing strip 10, against the one joint flank 20, for example an outer wall 32, on the one side 22, and against the opposite joint flank 24, for example a window frame 34, on the other side 26. The three membrane layers 14 run in the longitudinal direction 28, in each instance, between top side 22 and underside 26, as well as parallel to the longitudinal sides 16, 18. In this connection, all the membrane layers 14 lie within the foam material.

(16) It is advantageous if the foam material 12 is a predominantly open-celled raw foam homogeneously impregnated with acrylates. The moisture-variable membrane layers 14 are advantageously formed from an acrylate adhesive that advantageously connects the individual foam material sections 12 at the same time.

(17) As shown in FIG. 2, in the installed state of the joint-sealing strip 10, the membrane layers 14 are disposed transverse to a possible diffusion direction of the water vapor, whereby the composition of the membrane layers, the arrangement of the membrane layers 14, and the number of the membrane layers 14 are selected in such a manner that the joint-sealing strip 10 is tighter against water vapor in the region that borders on an atmosphere with high moisture than in the region that borders on an atmosphere with lower moisture.

(18) FIG. 3 shows, for a better illustration of a joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention, a section of same, with a membrane layer 14 that lies on the inside, in a perspective representation, with the main view of a longitudinal side 16. Next to the longitudinal side 16 and the top side 22, a transverse side 36 can also be clearly seen. FIG. 4 shows the longitudinal side 16, the transverse side 36, and the top side 22 of the joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention shown in FIG. 3, once again, in an unfolded representation. Of course these sides are present in double form.

(19) In FIG. 5, a joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention is shown in the installed state, with a graphically represented water vapor diffusion gradient during a typical winter situation. In the winter, the humidity is low outside. Inside, in contrast, humidity is high.

(20) Independent of which of the longitudinal sides 16, 18 is directed to the outside or the inside, a water vapor diffusion gradient occurs in the joint-sealing strip according to the invention. The region of the joint-sealing strip 10 that borders on an atmosphere with high moisture is tighter against water vapor than the region of the joint-sealing strip 10 that borders on an atmosphere with lower moisture. As a result, water vapor is prevented from entering into the joint from the inside, and, at the same time, the result is achieved that any water vapor that is present exits from the joint to the outside.

(21) FIG. 6 shows the same joint-sealing strip according to the invention according to FIG. 5 in the same installed state, with a graphically represented water vapor diffusion gradient during a typical summer situation. In the summer, the humidity outside is high. Inside, in contrast, the humidity is lower.

(22) Independent of which of the longitudinal sides 16, 18 is directed to the outside or the inside, a water vapor diffusion gradient occurs in the joint-sealing strip according to the invention, which is the opposite of the water vapor diffusion gradient according to FIG. 5. It is true that once again, the region of the joint-sealing strip 10 that borders on an atmosphere with high moisture is tighter against water vapor than the region of the joint-sealing strip 10 that borders on an atmosphere with lower moisture. However, in a typical summer situation, water vapor is prevented from entering into the joint from the outside, and, at the same time, the result is achieved that any water vapor that is present exits from the joint to the inside.

(23) The representation shown in FIG. 7, of the diffusion resistance of a joint-sealing strip according to the invention against the average relative humidity at 23° C., illustrates the aforementioned effect. The higher the humidity, the greater the water vapor diffusion resistance becomes.

(24) FIG. 8 shows a detail of a joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 38 on the underside 26, in a perspective representation, with the main view of a longitudinal side 16. The joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention can be connected with a building element, particularly a door or window frame 34, in simplified manner, by means of this pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.

(25) In FIG. 9, a side view of a joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention, kept on hand in rolled form 30 and pre-compressed, is shown. FIG. 10 shows this rolled shape or roll 30 with a section that has already been unrolled and is recovering, whereby in FIG. 11, the arrangement of the membrane layers 14 according to the invention in the already unrolled, recovering state is illustrated.

(26) In the following, the essence of the invention will also be presented using comparison tests of the water vapor permeability, according to FIG. 12, using joint-sealing strips according to the invention and not according to the invention, at different relative moistures of the atmospheres that border on the joint-sealing strip 10.

(27) The joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention consists of a predominantly open-celled polyurethane raw foam that is impregnated with acrylates. The joint-sealing strip has two membrane layers that lie on the inside, composed of an elastic acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive, in each instance, at a distance of 19 mm.

(28) To determine the water vapor permeability, a section of the joint-sealing strip 10 according to the invention, having a membrane layer that cannot be seen here, is used. A comparison test is conducted with a corresponding joint-sealing strip not according to the invention, which does not have a membrane layer.

(29) The determination of the water vapor permeability takes place according to DIN EN ISO 12572: 2001-09. In FIG. 12, a test vessel 40 with sample 42 for determining the water vapor permeability is shown, whereby a) shows a top view of the lid part 44 with sample 42, and b) shows a section through the lid part 44 and the lower part 46 in the form of a shell with drying agent.

(30) Between the jaws 48 of the lid part 44, the samples 42 are fixed in place by means of corresponding spacers 50 and clamping screws 52. Lid part 44 and lower part 46 are tightly connected with one another.

(31) A first test is conducted at 50% relative humidity and 23° C. The lower humidity is adjusted by means of silica gel that is situated in the lower part. Evaluation takes place according to DIN EN ISO 12572:2001 (μ value, S.sub.d value).

(32) In this connection, the following measurement results are obtained:

(33) Joint-sealing strip without membrane layer: 0/50% rel. humidity at 23° C.

(34) TABLE-US-00001 Diffusion stream g/d 0.275 mg/h 11.47 Diffusion-equivalent air layer thickness s.sub.d m 0.062 Diffusion resistance number μ 3.1

(35) Joint-sealing strip with a membrane layer: 0/50% rel. humidity at 23° C.

(36) TABLE-US-00002 Diffusion stream g/d 0.086 mg/h 3.58 Diffusion-equivalent air layer thickness s.sub.d m 0.203 Diffusion resistance number μ 10.1

(37) The water vapor diffusion resistance μ of the sample 42 with an inner membrane layer amounts to 10.1, on average, that of the sample 42 prepared in the same way without a membrane layer 3.1, on average. The water vapor diffusion resistance μ is clearly increased by the inner membrane layer.

(38) A second test is carried out at 31%/65% relative humidity and 23° C. The lower humidity is adjusted by means of an absorbent 54, preferably a calcium chloride solution, which is situated in the lower part. The test vessel is placed into a climate chamber for adjusting the higher relative humidity. Evaluation takes place according to DIN EN ISO 12572 (μ value, S.sub.d value).

(39) Joint-sealing strip with a membrane layer at: 31/65% rel. humidity at 23° C.

(40) TABLE-US-00003 Diffusion stream g/d 0.072 mg/h 3.02 Diffusion-equivalent air layer thickness s.sub.d m 0.239 Diffusion resistance number μ 12.0

(41) A third test is carried out at 85%/93% relative humidity and 23° C. The lower humidity is adjusted by means of the absorbent 54, preferably a saturated ammonium dihydrogen phosphate solution, which is situated in the lower part. The test vessel is placed into a climate chamber for adjusting the higher relative humidity.

(42) Evaluation takes place according to DIN EN ISO 12572 (μ value, S.sub.d value).

(43) Joint-sealing strip with a membrane layer at: 85/93% rel. humidity at 23° C.

(44) TABLE-US-00004 Diffusion stream g/d 0.018 mg/h 0.77 Diffusion-equivalent air layer thickness s.sub.d m 0.932 Diffusion resistance number μ 46.6

(45) The water vapor diffusion resistance of the samples with a membrane layer that lies on the inside amounts to 12.0, on average, at an average relative humidity of 48%. At an average humidity of 89%, the water vapor diffusion resistance μ increases to 46.6, on average.

(46) From the determination of the s.sub.d value and μ value, respectively, of a “foam material with a membrane” minus the determination of the s.sub.d value and μ value, respectively, of a “foam material without a membrane,” the following relationship is found for the determination of the s.sub.d value and μ value, respectively of a “membrane”:

(47) TABLE-US-00005 Average relative s.sub.d value of μ value of humidity (23° C.) membrane layer membrane layer 25% 0.14 7.04 50% 0.18 8.85 90% 0.87 43.5

(48) According to all this, it can be practical if a membrane layer is configured in such a manner that it has a water vapor diffusion resistance (s.sub.d value) of less than 15 m diffusion-equivalent air layer thickness at an average humidity of the atmosphere that surrounds it of up to 50%, and a water vapor diffusion resistance (s.sub.d value) of more than 30 m diffusion-equivalent air layer thickness at an average humidity of the atmosphere that surrounds it of more than 70%.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

(49) 10 joint-sealing strip 12 foam material 14 membrane layer 16 longitudinal side 18 longitudinal side 20 joint flank 22 top side 24 joint flank 26 underside 28 longitudinal direction 30 rolled form 32 outer wall 34 window frame 36 transverse side 38 self-adhesive layer 40 test vessel 42 sample 44 lid part 46 lower part (shell) 48 jaw 50 spacer 52 clamping screw 54 absorbent