Insulating product module and process for manufacturing such a module

Abstract

A module includes compressible insulation products that each have a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface, and first and second ends. The module includes a single row of insulation products positioned next to one another along a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products, a first film that wraps each insulation product of the single row in a compressed state by covering the peripheral surface of the insulation product, a second film that wraps the single row of insulation products by covering some of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row, and a third film that wraps the single row of insulation products by covering the first and second ends of each insulation product of the row.

Claims

1. A module comprising compressible insulation products, each of the insulation products having a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface, and first and second ends that are perpendicular to the peripheral surface, the module comprising: a single row of the insulation products positioned next to one another, successively along a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products, the insulation products of the row having their longitudinal axes parallel to one another, a first film which wraps each of the insulation products of the single row in a compressed state of the insulation product by covering the peripheral surface of the insulation product, a second film which wraps the single row of the insulation products by covering some of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row, and a third film which wraps only the single row of the insulation products by directly covering the first and second ends of each of the insulation products of the row and directly contacting the second film on two sides of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row, the third film forming a continuous wrap around, and covering an entirety of, the first and second ends and the two sides of the peripheral surface of each of the insulation products of the row.

2. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second film and the third film form, around the single row of the insulation products, two sleeves having axes that are perpendicular to one another.

3. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the single row of the insulation products is completely covered by the combination of the second film and the third film.

4. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second film wraps the single row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products against one another along the first direction.

5. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third film wraps the single row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction.

6. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the module, each of the insulation products has a square cross section with rounded corners.

7. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second film and the third film are joined to one another by adhesive bonding or by welding.

8. A stack of modules comprising at least two of the modules as claimed in claim 1, which are superimposed along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction of each module.

9. A palletized assembly comprising: a pallet, at least two of the stacks of modules as claimed in claim 8, which are superimposed on one another and on the pallet with the longitudinal axes of the insulation products perpendicular to the pallet, means for holding stacks on the pallet.

10. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second film wraps the single row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products against one another along the first direction, the third film wraps the single row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction, and compression applied in the first direction is greater than compression applied in the second direction.

11. A process for manufacturing a module having a single row of compressible insulation products, each of the insulation products having a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface, and first and second ends that are perpendicular to the peripheral surface, the process comprising steps wherein: wrapping each of the insulation products using a first film which covers the peripheral surface of the insulation product and which maintains the insulation product in a compressed state; forming the single row of the insulation products by positioning several of the insulation products provided with the first film next to one another, successively along a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products, the insulation products of the row having their longitudinal axes parallel to one another; wrapping the single row of insulation products using a second film, which covers some of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row and which holds the insulation products of the row next to one another along the first direction; and wrapping the single row of the insulation products using a third film, wherein the third film wraps only the single row of the insulation products by directly covering the first and second ends of each of the insulation products of the row and directly contacting the second film on two sides of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row such that the third film forms a continuous wrap around, and covering an entirety of, the first and second ends and the two sides of the peripheral surface of each of the insulation products of the row.

12. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the single row of the insulation products is wrapped using second and third films by two successive encircling operations, so as to form two sleeves having axes perpendicular to one another.

13. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second film wraps the single row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products against one another along the first direction, the third film wraps the single row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction, and compression applied in the first direction is greater than compression applied in the second direction.

14. A process for manufacturing a palletized assembly comprising modules each having a single row of compressible insulation products, each of the insulation products having a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface, and first and second ends that are perpendicular to the peripheral surface, the process comprising steps wherein: wrapping each of the insulation products using a first film which covers the peripheral surface of the insulation product and which maintains the insulation product in a compressed state; forming a single row of the insulation products of each module by positioning several of the insulation products provided with the first film next to one another, successively along a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products, the insulation products of the row having their longitudinal axes parallel to one another; forming each module having a single row of the insulation products by wrapping the single row of the insulation products using a second film, which covers some of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row and which holds the insulation products of the row next to one another along the first direction and by wrapping the single row of the insulation products using a third film, wherein the third film wraps only the single row of the insulation products by directly covering the first and second ends of each of the insulation products of the row and directly contacting the second film on two sides of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row such that the third film forms a continuous wrap around, and covering an entirety of, the first and second ends and the two sides of the peripheral surface of each of the insulation products of the row; forming a stack of modules by superimposing at least two modules having a single row of the insulation products along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction of each module; superimposing at least two stacks on one another and on a pallet with the longitudinal axes of the insulation products perpendicular to the pallet; and assembling the stacks and the pallet using holding means.

15. The process as claimed in claim 14, wherein the single row of the insulation products is wrapped using second and third films by two successive encircling operations, so as to form two sleeves having axes perpendicular to one another.

16. The process as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second film wraps the single row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products against one another along the first direction, the third film wraps the single row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction, and compression applied in the first direction is greater than compression applied in the second direction.

Description

(1) The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description of embodiments of a module of insulation products and of a palletized assembly in accordance with the invention, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1 to 4 are schematic perspective views showing successive steps of a process for manufacturing a module of rolls in accordance with the invention;

(3) FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a palletized assembly comprising modules according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 6 is a schematic cross section along the plane VI from FIG. 5;

(5) FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 for a second embodiment of a palletized assembly comprising modules according to the invention; and

(6) FIG. 8 is a schematic cross section along the plane VIII from FIG. 7.

(7) Schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 is a roll 1, formed by rolling up a strip of insulation made of compressible fibrous material, such as glass wool or rock wool. This roll has a longitudinal axis X.sub.1, a peripheral surface 15 and two ends 12 and 14. Conventionally, during the rolling up of the roll 1, the fibrous material undergoes a compression, with a compression ratio suitable for ensuring both that the bulkiness of the strip of insulation is minimized in the rolled-up state and that the strip of insulation regains its thickness and its insulating characteristics in the rolled out state. The roll 1 has also been wrapped with a first film 2 that maintains the roll in a compressed state, by covering the peripheral surface 15 of the roll. By way of example, the roll 1 has a diameter at its ends 12, 14 of the order of 300 to 600 mm, and each roll has a length parallel to the axis X.sub.1 of the order of 800 to 1250 mm.

(8) As shown in FIG. 2, a row 3 of rolls is formed by positioning several rolls 1 next to one another, successively along a first direction D.sub.1 perpendicular to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls, with their axes parallel to one another. By way of example, the row 3 has a length along the first direction D.sub.1 of the order of 900 to 3000 mm, which corresponds to a row of three to six rolls depending on the diameter of the rolls. In the example represented, each row 3 comprises four juxtaposed rolls 1 and has a length along the first direction D.sub.1 of the order of 1600 mm.

(9) In order to form a module 5 having a single row 3 of rolls 1, the single row 3 is wrapped with a second film 4 and with a third film 6, with application of a compression of the rolls of the row, respectively a compression along the first direction D.sub.1 which is maintained by the wrapping with the second film 4, as shown by the arrows C.sub.1 of FIG. 3, and a compression along a second direction D.sub.2 which is maintained by the wrapping with the third film 6, where the second direction D.sub.2 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls and to the first direction D.sub.1, as shown by the arrows C.sub.2 of FIG. 4. The order of the wrappings of the single row 3 with the second film 4 and with the third film 6 is not important. In particular, in the example represented in FIGS. 3 and 4, the row 3 is wrapped using the second film 4 before being wrapped using the third film 6, but the reverse would also be possible within the context of the invention.

(10) The single row 3 of the module 5 may be wrapped with the second 4 and with the third film 6 by two successive encircling operations so as to form two sleeves having axes perpendicular to one another, with the second film 4 that forms a sleeve, a central axis X.sub.4 of which extends along the direction of the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls, while the third film 6 forms a sleeve, a central axis Y.sub.6 of which extends along the first direction D.sub.1.

(11) The wrapping with the second film 4 may be carried out in an encircling device, for example in which the film 4 is deployed around the single row 3 along the first direction D.sub.1, by relative displacement of a band of film 4 and of the row 3 while applying the compression C.sub.1 along the first direction D.sub.1. Advantageously, the second film 4 extends from one end to the other of the rolls 1, covering the main faces 31, 33 and transverse faces 36, 38 of the row 3 and leaving the ends 12 and 14 of each roll free. The compression applied along the direction of the arrows C.sub.1 is for example of the order of 1.5 tonnes. As seen in FIG. 3, following such a compression, the rolls 1 have a cross section of oval shape, the largest axis of which is along the second direction D.sub.2.

(12) Similarly, the wrapping with the third film 6 may be carried out in an encircling device, for example in which the film 6 is deployed around the single row 3 along the direction of the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls 1, by relative displacement of a band of film 6 and of the row 3 while applying the compression C.sub.2 along the second direction D.sub.2. The third film 6 covers the ends 12 and 14 of each roll of the row 3 and the main faces 31, 33 of the row 3, leaving the transverse faces 36, 38 of the row 3 free. Preferably, the compression applied along the direction of the arrows C.sub.2 is lower than the compression applied along the direction of the arrows C.sub.1. As seen in FIG. 4, following the compression C.sub.2 carried out along the second direction D.sub.2 perpendicular to the direction of the compression C.sub.1, the rolls 1 each have a square cross section with rounded corners.

(13) The module 5 thus obtained by encircling the single row 3 with the films 4 and 6 has a substantially parallelepipedal shape, which is highly favorable for palletization. Furthermore, owing to this substantially parallelepipedal shape seen in FIG. 4, the second film 4 and the third film 6 extend along substantially flat surfaces, hence a more continuous overlap between the films 4 and 6 which guarantees high protection, in particular against infiltration of water inside the module 5. By way of example, the module 5 has a length parallel to the axes X.sub.1 of the rolls of the order of 800 to 1250 mm, a length along the first direction D.sub.1 of the order of 1100 to 1250 mm, and a height along the second direction D.sub.2 of the order of 360 to 400 mm.

(14) Preferably, the first film 2, the second film 4 and the third film 6 are each formed of a strip of plastic which is not very extensible, for example a strip of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), so that each film 2, 4, 6 maintains the rolls 1 of the module 5 in their compressed state.

(15) Using modules 5 having a single row 3 of rolls 1 in accordance with the invention as described above, it is possible to produce palletized assemblies in a simple manner. Two examples of palletized assemblies are illustrated in the first and second embodiments represented in FIGS. 5 to 8.

(16) In these two embodiments, stacks 8 are formed, which are intended to be positioned on a palette 13. Each stack 8 is obtained by superimposing several modules 5 along the second direction D.sub.2 of the modules. In the examples represented, each stack 8 comprises three modules 5 superimposed along the second direction D.sub.2. By way of example, each stack 8 has a length parallel to the axes X.sub.1 of the rolls of the order of 800 to 1250 mm, a length along the first direction D.sub.1 of the order of 1100 to 1250 mm, and a length along the second direction D.sub.2 of the order of 1100 to 1200 mm. Thus, it is possible to fit two pallets with dimensions of 1200 to 1250 mm by 1200 to 1250 mm, supporting superimposed stacks 8, side-by-side in a truck having a width of the order of 2400 to 2500 mm. Of course, the dimensions of the rolls 1, the number of rolls 1 and the degrees of compression C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 may be adapted so that the dimensions of the stacks 8 correspond to any conventional dimensions of pallets and of means of transport.

(17) In the first embodiment represented in FIGS. 5 and 6, the palletized assembly 16 comprises a pallet 13 and two stacks 8. The pallet 13 is preferably formed of two wooden plates or duckboards spaced apart by spacers that define a sufficient space for the introduction of the forks of a handling appliance. Advantageously, the lower plate of the pallet 13 enables an easy displacement on a track and a stacking of loads. A microperforated base 7 formed by a plastic film, for example a 50-micron polyethylene film that is uniformly perforated for discharging water of condensation may optionally be fastened to the base of the pallet 13. The two stacks 8 are superimposed on one another and on the pallet 13 in a configuration where the rolls 1 are “upright” on the pallet 13, that is to say with their longitudinal axes X.sub.1 perpendicular to the pallet.

(18) For holding the stacks 8 on the pallet 13, the palletized assembly 16 comprises an outer cover 9, which is preferably a stretchable cover, formed by stretching a sheath of plastic film at the periphery of the stacks 8. The installation of the outer cover 9 around the stacks 8 and the pallet 13 is carried out, in a known manner, in a stretchable cover packaging device. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the vertical direction of the packaging device corresponds to the direction of the main axis X.sub.9 of the outer cover 9. In this example, the outer cover 9 is deployed around the stacks 8 and the pallet 13 along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls.

(19) Conventionally, in the packaging device, the sheath of stretchable plastic film is stored around a spool, by being pleated in a bellows or accordion tube shape. The packaging device comprises a welding station configured in order to weld the sheath, forming a welded joint. After welding, the sheath is cut transversely in a cutting station in order to produce a cover 9 independent of the spool and sealed in its upper portion.

(20) The pleated outer cover 9 is then stretched in a horizontal plane parallel to the welding zone of the upper portion of the outer cover 9, which is the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls, while being positioned above the load. The outer cover 9 is then opened out, and deposited on and around the stacks 8 and the pallet 13 following a vertical displacement from top to bottom along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls. At the end of the covering operation, the lower end of the outer cover 9 is folded under the pallet 13. The tightening of the outer cover 9 is carried out by elasticity, which firmly holds the outer cover 9 around the load. The outer cover 9 protects the palletized assembly 16 from adverse weather conditions.

(21) In the second embodiment of a palletized assembly represented in FIGS. 7 and 8, the elements similar to those of the first embodiment bear identical references. The palletized assembly 17 in accordance with the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the stacks 8 are not held on the pallet 13 using an outer cover 9, but by stretch wrapping using a film 10 which is deployed around the stacks 8 and the pallet 13 with a displacement along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls.

(22) The installation of the stretch-wrapping film 10 around the stacks 8 and the pallet 13 is in particular carried out, in a known manner, in a stretch-wrapping device. In FIGS. 7 and 8, the vertical direction of the stretch-wrapping device corresponds to the direction of the central axis X.sub.10 of the stretch wrapping. The stretch-wrapping device may be, for example, a rotating ring machine, comprising a system of unwinding and stretching the film 10 and a system of installing a top sheet 11 on the top of the load. By way of example, the stretch-wrapping film 10 may be a polyethylene film with a thickness of 20 to 30 microns having a stretchability of 250%, and the top sheet 11 may be based on a relatively thick polyethylene film, having a thickness of at least 75 microns.

(23) The stretch-wrapping operations take place in a manner suitable to protect the palletized assembly 17 from adverse weather conditions. For this purpose, the outermost layer of the stretch-wrapping film 10 is deployed from bottom to top, so that the layer positioned highest is always overlapping from the top, seen from the outside, with an arrangement similar to roof tiles, as represented schematically in FIG. 8. Such an arrangement prevents water from entering inside the palletized assembly 17. As is known, the numbers of turns and the percentages of overlap during the stretch wrapping are adjusted on a case-by-case basis.

(24) For example, a stretch wrapping cycle is carried out in the following manner: when the assembly comprising the stacks 8 positioned on the pallet 13 is in place in the stretch-wrapping device, a stabilizer plate is lowered to lock the load formed by the stacks 8, and the stretch wrapping starts from the bottom, with a few turns that trap the pallet 13. Starting from the bottom, the ring is gradually moved up, a stop being made at the junction between the two stacks 8 of the load. On approaching the top of the load, the stabilizer plate is withdrawn, which is possible since the load is self-stabilized by the film 10 already in place. A length of top sheet film 11 is then unwound, to the desired length on top of the load, the plate is lowered and the top sheet is cut. The stretch wrapping is then restarted downward over several turns, so that the top sheet 11 is encircled by several turns of the stretch-wrapping film 10, which is finally welded to itself and cut. In order to ensure protection against adverse weather conditions, any overlap between the turns of the film 10 that are stretch-wrapped downward around the top sheet 11 is avoided as much as possible.

(25) The invention is not limited to the examples described and represented. In particular, the values given in the examples above for the dimensions of the rolls and stacks are purely illustrative, it being understood that the dimensions of the stacks according to the invention may be adapted, in particular in order to be compatible with any dimensions of pallets and of means of transport. Furthermore, the invention was described on the basis of examples using rolls as insulation products. As a variant, as mentioned previously, the invention is also applicable to other insulation products of elongated shape, such as batches of boards that are preassembled, having a substantially parallelepipedal shape. Furthermore, the invention may be implemented with materials of the first, second and third films that are different from those described above.