SELF-SEALING INSULATED PANEL

Abstract

A self-sealing insulated panel, comprising an insulating foam board adhered or attached to a manufactured wood structural panel (e.g., oriented-strand board (OSB), plywood, or the like). The corresponding opposing edges of the insulating foam board comprise the two corresponding elements (male and female) of a modified ship-lap joint. The self-sealing insulated panel provides a component of an air-resistant and weather/water-resistant barrier in addition to insulation for a wall structure when installed when the foam board is placed facing outward towards the exterior face of the wall. The foam board provides insulation value as a foam insulation layer if placed facing inwards towards the interior of the wall.

Claims

1. A self-sealing insulated panel, comprising: a manufactured-wood structural panel; a foam insulation board with a back face and a front face, the inner face affixed to a face of the manufactured-wood structural panel; wherein opposing edges of the foam insulation board comprise corresponding joint elements of a modified ship-lap joint, said joint elements comprising an underlap element with an outward-facing main face and an angled face extending therefrom to the outer face of the foam insulation board, and an overlap element with an inward-facing main face and a drip edge along the outermost edge, wherein the drip edge is not in contact with any part of the underlap element when the joint is formed, and the angled face is not in contact with any part of the overlap element when the joint is formed.

2. The self-sealing insulated panel of claim 1, further wherein a portion of the main face of the underlap element is not in contact with any part of the overlap element when the joint is formed, thereby forming a space therebetween.

3. The self-sealing insulated panel of claim 1, wherein the manufactured-wood structural panel and the foam insulation board are pre-formed into an integrated multilayered configuration.

4. The self-sealing insulated panel of claim 1, wherein the foam insulation board is laminated to the manufactured-wood structural panel.

5. The self-sealing insulated panel of claim 1, wherein the foam insulation board is affixed by adhesive or glue to the manufactured-wood structural panel.

6. The self-sealing insulated panel of claim 1, wherein each underlap element further comprises an underlap inner edge face extending from the outward-facing main face to the back face of the foam insulation board; and wherein each overlap element further comprises an overlap inner edge face extending the inward-facing main face to the back face of the foam insulation board.

7. The self-sealing insulated panel of claim 1, wherein the drip edge and angled face, when the joint is formed, are configured to prevent water from penetrating through the joint to the back face of the foam insulation board.

8. The self-sealing insulated panel of claim 1, wherein the dimensions of the underlap element and overlap element are configured to provide a gap between respective edges of adjacent manufactured-wood structural panels when the joint is formed.

9. The self-sealing insulated panel of claim 1, wherein the foam board comprises expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, or polyisocyanurate foam.

10. A modified shiplap joint, comprising: an underlap element with a back face, a front face, a frontward-facing main face parallel to the underlap back face and underlap front face, an inner edge face extending from the underlap main face to the underlap back face, and an outer edge face extending at an obtuse angle from the main face to the front face; and an overlap element with a back face, a front face, a backward-facing main face parallel to the overlap back face and overlap front face, an inner edge face extending from the overlap main face to the overlap back face, and a three-part outer edge comprising a first portion orthogonal to the overlap main face and adjacent thereto, a second portion orthogonal to the front face of the overlap element and adjacent thereto, and a third portion extending between the first portion and the second portion, and parallel to the overlap main face.

11. The modified shiplap joint of claim 10, wherein, when the joint is fully formed: the inner edge face of the underlap element is in contact with the inner edge face of the overlap element; a portion of the underlap main face is in contact with the entirety of the overlap main face, with the remainder of the underlap main face not in contact with any part of the overlap element; the angled outer face edge of the underlap element is not in contact with any part of the overlap element; and the third portion of the three-part outer edge of the overlap element is not in contact with any part of the underlap element; wherein a space is formed in the formed joint proximate the angled outer face edge of the underlap element and the three-part outer edge of the overlap element.

12. The modified shiplap joint of claim 11, wherein the underlap element and overlap element comprise expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, or polyisocyanurate foam.

13. The modified shiplap joint of claim 11, wherein the underlap element and overlap element comprise wood or manufactured wood.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a cross section of two adjacent joint edges of an insulated panel product in accordance with the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the joint formed by the adjacent joint edges of FIG. 1.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows another cross-section of the joint formed by FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a self-sealing insulated panel product.

[0015] FIG. 5 shows a facial view of the foam board side of the panel product of FIG. 4.

[0016] FIGS. 6 and 7 show views of a plurality of the panel product of FIGS. 4 and 5 being installed on a wall structure with vertical and horizontal shingling patterns.

[0017] FIG. 8 shows an edge protector for an underlap element edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0018] In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention comprises a self-sealing insulated panel 2, comprising an insulating foam board (or foam insulation board) 4 adhered or attached to a manufactured wood structural panel (e.g., oriented-strand board (OSB), plywood, or the like) 6. The self-sealing insulated panel 2 provides a component of an air-resistant and weather/water-resistant barrier in addition to insulation for a wall structure when installed when the foam board 4 is placed facing outward towards the exterior face of the wall, as seen in FIG. 3. The foam board provides insulation value as a foam insulation layer if placed facing inwards towards the interior of the wall (i.e., so that the foam is disposed between the manufactured wood structural panel 6 and the studs in the wall framework), as seen in FIG. 4.

[0019] The corresponding opposing edges 12, 14 of the insulating foam board comprise the two corresponding elements (overlap 12 and underlap 14) of a modified ship-lap joint 10. The insulating foam board may have overlap elements 12 on two adjacent edges, and underlap elements 14 on the other two edges, so that adjacent boards can be positioned to form the complete joint 10, as seen in FIG. 2.

[0020] As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the underlap element 14 comprises an outward-facing main face 44 generally parallel to the front (or outer) face and back (or inner) face of the panel, an inner edge face 42 generally orthogonal to the underlap main face 44 and extending therefrom to the back face of the panel, and an angled or sloped outer edge face 40 extending at an obtuse angle from the underlap main face 44 to the front face of the panel. Similarly, the overlap element 12 comprises an inward-facing main face 54 generally parallel to the front (or outer) face and back (or inner) face of the panel, an inner edge face 52 generally orthogonal to the overlap main face 54 and extending therefrom to the back face of the panel, and an outer edge face with two portions 50a, b generally orthogonal to the overlap main face 54 with a third portion therebetween 50c generally parallel to the main face 54, with the outermost outer edge face portion 50b extending the from the third portion 50c to the front face of the panel. FIG. 4 shows a side view of a panel in accordance with the present invention.

[0021] A self-sealing insulated panel 2 may be installed with other similar panels in a correct shingling pattern vertically or horizontally for drainage, as seen in FIGS. 5-8. The foam board profiling allows an adjacent foam board to seat with another foam board, edge-to-edge, and form the joint. When interlocked and nailed or otherwise fastened to the wall or other structural frame, the foam board joint along the horizontal edges, formed with the overlap element 12 on the upper panel and the underlap element 14 on the lower panel, provides a drip edge 30 preventing water from flowing into the joint and then into the interior of the wall. The sloped angle formed by the underlap angled outer edge face 40 below the drip edge 30, and the open spacing 60 between the joint elements when the joint is formed, allows for a passive flow of water out of the joint and prevents a capillary effect drawing water into the joint.

[0022] As seen in FIG. 3, when the joint is fully formed, the joint elements are sized to provide a gap 80 between the respective edges of the two underlying manufactured wood structural panels 6. This allows lateral expansion and retraction of the manufactured wood structural panels 6 without buckling or warping. In the embodiment shown, the gap is wide, although the joint elements may be sized to provide for different gap spacing, as desired.

[0023] When the joint is fully formed, the respective inner edge faces 42, 52 of the joint elements in the foam boards 4 are fully seated and in contact with each other, and the entirety of the overlap main face 54 is in contact with the portion of the underlap main face 44 adjacent the respective inner edge face. A portion of the underlap main face 44 is not in contact with any portion of the overlap element, and thus forms and is open to the space 60. The length of the open portion of the underlap main face is longer than or at least as long as the length of the third portion 50c of the overlap outer edge. No portion of the respective outer edge faces 40, 50a-c is in contact with any portion of the other outer edge face.

[0024] In several embodiments, a nail or other fastening means 84 may be used to securely fasten a self-sealing insulated panel to underlying framing, wall, or support structure 86, thereby contributing to forming an air-barrier and weather-resistant or water-resistant barrier. In some embodiments, a single nail or fastening means may be placed to penetrate both foam boards in the fully seated portion of the formed joint, thereby securing the respective self-sealing insulated panels together.

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a front view of an example of the foam board face side of a self-sealing insulated panel 2 for a typical 4 wide by 8 long panel. One edge 120o along the narrow panel dimension (e.g., the 4 panel width) and an adjacent edge 30o along the long panel dimension (e.g., the 8 or longer panel length) are configured as an overlap portion of a modified shiplap joint (with FIG. 1 showing the foam board face view of the panel, the overlap portion is shown in broken lines), while the opposite edges 120u, 130u are configured as corresponding underlap portion (shown in solid lines). Other panel length and width dimensions may be provided, as desired. In some embodiments, all panel edges are equal in length.

[0026] During installation on a wall (or roof), the first panel 210a installed may be on the side of the wall which allows the overlap panel edge (or underlap panel edge, in some installment configurations) to be nearest and flush to the wall framing 200 so that the overlap joint of the next adjacent panel being installed 210b will cover the underlap of the first panel installed (or vice-versa). The configuration is such that the panels may be installed horizontally, with the long (8 or longer) panel dimension installed perpendicular to the vertical wall framing 200 (as seen in FIG. 6). Subsequent panels, which may be shorter in length (e.g., 4 long and 4 wide) 210c, or longer (e.g., 8 long and 4 wide) 210d, may then be added in appropriate order. As shown, the panels in successive rows may be placed so that panel corners where an overlap edge and an underlap edge meet in a row are staggered.

[0027] Alternatively, the same panels may also be installed vertically 212a-c, with the long (e.g., 8 or longer) panel dimension installed parallel to the vertical wall framing 200 (see FIG. 7). If a second horizontal row of panels are required, the top edge of the first row would be the underlap side of the shiplap joint (or vice versa). The second row of panels would then have the overlap joint (or underlap, depending on the configuration of the first row) on the bottom which then overlaps onto the underlap of the first row of panels installed. In some embodiments, the first row (212a-c) is vertically oriented and the second row (212d) is horizontally oriented (or vice-versa). This interlocking shiplap configuration repeats itself until the full wall area is covered.

[0028] The foam board is generally attached to underlying structural panel (e.g., OSB) by glue, lamination, or the like in a factory setting or factory production line. While there is some protection for the foam edges when the self-sealing insulation panels are stacked for shipping, in some embodiments a shipping edge protector 90 may be used to cover and protect one or more of the joint edges on a panel. The shipping edge protectors generally match and engage the corresponding joint edge. FIG. 8 shows an example of a shipping edge protector for the underlap edge. In one embodiment, shipping edge protectors are used on all four edges, although in other embodiments, shipping edge protector may be used only one type of edge profile, such as the underlap edge. The shipping protector can be made partially or entirely of foam, such as the same or similar foam used for the foam board 4. In the embodiment shown, a portion of the protector may be made of stiffer supporting material 96, such as, but not limited to, paperboard, cardboard, or wood. The protector also may be made entirely of the stiffer supporting material.

[0029] The foam board may comprise any type of foam or foam board insulation known in the art, including, but not limited to, open cell or closed cell foam, expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), and/or polyisocyanurate (polyiso, iso). The foam board may be of any suitable thickness, depending on the design of the structure and desired insulation value. As seen in the figures, thickness of the foam board is generally greater than the thickness of the underlying structural panel, although in alternative embodiments the thicknesses may be the same, or the foam board may be thinner than the underlying structural panel.

[0030] While the modified shiplap joint of the present invention has been described in the context of a foam board, a person of skill in the art would recognize that the modified shiplap joint may also be used with other panel materials (such as, but not limited to, wood or manufactured-wood) and in other arrangements.

[0031] Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments and examples described herein have been chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited for particular uses contemplated. Even though specific embodiments of this invention have been described, they are not to be taken as exhaustive. There are several variations that will be apparent to those skilled in the art.