Web Frame

Abstract

The web frame is a bonded assembly of panels and porous blanket layers, separated by an arrangement of isolated spacers. The panels and spacers are covered with a bonding means. A coating covers inner surfaces of the panels and spacers. The porous blanket is compressed and pinned between these panels, by spacers that are arranged as isolated nodes or columns The spacers have sharpened ends that penetrate the blanket and connect with the opposing panel. The web frame assembly provides thermal and sound insulation for buildings and other solid objects. These web frames are lightweight, durable, and permeable. Capillaries and passages throughout the panels and fibres of the blanket allow passage of moisture and air, thereby assisting in the management of condensation within the web frame.

Claims

1-38. (canceled)

39. A web frame, being an assembly of stacked, bonded materials, the web frame comprising: an outer panel; and a web sandwich comprising: an inner panel having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner panel disposed parallel to and apart from the inner panel to form an open space therebetween, wherein the outer panel has an inward surface adjacent the open space; a plurality of spacers in the open space between the inner panel and the outer panel to maintain the open space therebetween to allow moisture and air through the web frame, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is isolated and separated from each of the other plurality of spacers adjacent the opposing panel.

40. The web frame according to claim 39, wherein the plurality of spacers are formed with the inner panel and extend through the open space to engage with the outer panel.

41. The web frame according to claim 39, wherein the plurality of spacers are attached to the inner panel and extend through the open space to engage with the outer panel.

42. The web frame according to claim 39, wherein the inner panel and outer panel are coextensive with one another.

43. The web frame according to claim 39, wherein the inner panel, and outer panel have a plurality of fine openings extending therethrough.

44. The web frame according to claim 39, wherein the inner and outer panels are comprised of materials selected from the group of materials consisting of reinforced concrete, autoclaved aerated concrete, polyurethane, polystyrene, polypropylene, plywood, fiber cement, metal sheeting, particle board, cardboard, and timber.

45. The web frame according to claim 39, wherein the web frame is a structural stand-alone frame.

46. The web frame according to claim 39, further comprising a blanket layer disposed in the space between the inner panel and the outer panel.

47. A web frame, being an assembly of stacked, bonded materials, the web frame comprising a plurality of web-sandwiches, and an outer panel, each of the plurality of web-sandwiches comprising: an inner panel having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner panel disposed parallel to and apart from an opposing panel to form an open space therebetween, wherein the opposing panel has an inward surface adjacent the space; and a plurality of spacers in the open space between the inner panel and the opposing panel to maintain the space therebetween to allow moisture and air through the web frame, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is isolated and separated from each of the other plurality of spacers adjacent the opposing panel and wherein the opposing panel of a first web-sandwich is the outer panel and the opposing panels of the other of the plurality of web-sandwiches is the inner panel of an adjacent web-sandwich.

48. The web frame according to claim 47, wherein the outer panel is made from a resilient, durable material.

49. The web frame according to claim 47, wherein the opposing panel is an inner panel of an adjacent web sandwich, wherein the inner panel is made from a resilient, flexible, durable material.

50. The web frame according to claim 47, wherein the plurality of spacers are formed with the inner panel and extend through the open space to engage with the opposing panel.

51. The web frame according to claim 47, wherein the plurality of spacers are attached to the inner panel and extend through the open space to engage with the opposing panel.

52. The web frame according to claim 47, wherein the inner panel and opposing panel are coextensive with one another.

53. The web frame according to claim 47, wherein the inner panel and opposing panel have a plurality of fine openings extending therethrough.

54. The web frame according to claim 47, wherein the inner and opposing panels are comprised of materials selected from the group of materials consisting of reinforced concrete, autoclaved aerated concrete, polyurethane, polystyrene, polypropylene, plywood, fiber cement, metal sheeting, particle board, cardboard, and timber.

55. The web frame according to claim 47, wherein the web frame is a structural stand-alone frame.

56. The web frame according to claim 47, further comprising a blanket layer disposed in the space between the inner panel and the opposing panel.

57. A web frame, being an assembly of stacked, bonded materials, the web frame comprising: an opposing panel; and a web-sandwich comprising: an inner panel having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner panel disposed parallel to and apart from the opposing panel to form an open space therebetween, wherein the opposing panel has an inward surface adjacent the open space; and a plurality of spacers in the open space between the inner panel and the opposing panel to maintain the open space therebetween to allow moisture and air through the web frame, wherein each of the plurality of spacers is isolated and separated from each of the other plurality of spacers adjacent the opposing panel.

58. The web frame according to claim 55, wherein the opposing panel is selected from the panels consisting of an outer panel and an inner panel of an adjacent web sandwich.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0072] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0073] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a web frame with a web-sandwich having a formed inner panel;

[0074] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a web frame with an alternative of web-sandwich having a planar inner panel, and spacer-columns;

[0075] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of a web frame formed with two types of web-sandwich, one with a formed inner panel the other with a planar panel and spacer-columns;

[0076] FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of a web frame formed with two types of web-sandwiches having capillaries throughout;

[0077] FIG. 5 shows a series of shapes that describe the spacers; and

[0078] FIG. 6 shows a cover-sheet that wraps over the exposed edges of a web frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0079] Referring to FIG. 1 wherein web frame 23 comprising an outer panel 10 whose thickness ranges between 2 mm and 200 mm, and in the particular embodiment the outer panel 10 is bonded coextensively to a web-sandwich 22 comprising an inner panel 11, a defined open zone 13 in which a blanket layer 14 is confined, with spacer-nodes 15, surface covering 17 and means bonding 18.

[0080] The surface covering 17 is bonded to all inner surfaces by a bonding means 18. The blanket 14 is pinned and compressed between the outer panel 10 and the inner panel 11 by means of an assembly of spacer-nodes 15 arranged as isolated nodes separate from each other and formed on the surface of the inner panel 11.

[0081] The blanket layer 14 is made of one or more than one of a selection of materials that are porous, flexible, durable, and resilient.

[0082] The thickness of the compressed blanket 14 ranges between 2 mm and 50 mm, but preferably 20 mm.

[0083] The spacer nodes 15 have sharpened tips 20 that penetrate the blanket 14 and contact the opposing panel. The sharpened tips 20 of the spacer-nodes 15 have bonding means 19 at each tip to bond the spacer-node 15 to the outer panel 10.

[0084] The blanket 14 consists of a porous material with voids and passages 24 between fibres and strands of the blanket layer 14, wherein these voids 24 allow air and moisture to pass throughout the blanket layer 14. These voids and passages 24 have a diameter in the range of 0.01 mm and 2 mm, but preferably 0.02 mm diameter.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 2 where a web frame 27 comprising an outer panel 10 whose thickness is in the range of 2 mm and 200 mm, and in the particular embodiment the outer panel 10 is bonded coextensively to a web-sandwich 26 comprising an inner panel 12, a defined zone 13 in which a blanket layer 14 is confined, spacer-columns 16, surface coverings 17 and means bonding 18.

[0086] The surface covering 17 is bonded to all inner surfaces of all panels by a bonding means 18.

[0087] The blanket 14 is pinned and compressed between the outer panel 10 and the inner panel 12 by means of an assembly of spacer-columns 16 arranged as isolated columns separate from each other and located in a plane parallel to and between opposing panels. The thickness of the compressed blanket layer 14 ranges between 2 mm and 50 mm, but preferably 20 mm thick.

[0088] The spacer-columns 16 have sharpened tips 21 that penetrate the blanket 14 and contact the opposing panel. The sharpened tips 21 of the spacer-columns 16 have bonding means 19 at each tip 21 to bond with opposing panels.

[0089] The blanket layer 14 consists of a porous material having voids and passages 24 between fibres and strands of the blanket 14, wherein these passages 24 allow air and moisture to permeate through the blanket layer 14.

[0090] These voids and passages 24 have a diameter of openings or gaps between fibres in a range of 0.01 mm and 2 mm, but preferably 0.02 mm diameter.

[0091] FIG. 3 illustrates a combination of an outer panel 10 and two different web-sandwiches 22 and 26. In a further embodiment of the web frame 28, the outer panel 10 is bonded to and is coextensive with web-sandwich 26 as described in FIG. 2, wherein a further web-sandwich 22, as described in FIG. 1, is bonded to the first web-sandwich 26.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of a web frame 31, wherein fine capillaries 25 permeate the outer panel 10 and the web-sandwiches 29 and 30, and allow moisture and air through the web frame 31. The diameter of such capillaries 25 are in the range of 0.01 mm and 2 mm, and are spaced apart where such spacing ranges from 5 mm to 100 mm between adjacent capillaries.

[0093] FIG. 5 illustrates the various alternative shapes of spacer-node 15 and spacer-columns 16, wherein the shapes shown comprise:

[0094] (i) Cylinder with sharpened ends 20 for spacer-node, and 21 for spacer-column;

[0095] (ii) Sphere with sharpened ends 20 for spacer-node, and 21 for spacer-column;

[0096] (iii) Ball with sharpened ends 20 for spacer-node; and 21 for spacer-column;

[0097] (iv) Cone with sharpened ends 20 for spacer-node, and 21 for spacer-column;

[0098] (v) Ring with sharpened ends 20 for spacer-node, and 21 for spacer-column; and

[0099] (vi) Block with sharpened ends 20 for spacer-node, and 21 for spacer-column.

[0100] The sharpened ends 20 and 21 respectively, penetrate the blanket layer 14 and pin the blanket to the opposing panel, preventing the blanket 14 from sagging.

[0101] FIG. 6 illustrates a cover-sheet 32 which extends beyond the web frame 31, wherein the cover-sheet folds over the outer edge of the web frame 31 and is attached to the outer edge of web frame 31, thereby the cover-sheet 32 protects the outer edges of web frame 31 from weather, pollution, and thermal fluctuations.

[0102] The cover-sheet 32 is permeable with pin-hole penetrations 33 throughout the cover-sheet 32, wherein these pin-hole penetrations 33 allow moisture to permeate through the cover sheet 31.