REINFORCED REFLECTIVE INSULATION FOR CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

Described is a reflective insulating material for use in metal building insulation (MBI) or in post frame building insulation (PFBI) applications, the reflective insulating material comprising: a first outer layer and a second outer layer disposed parallel to one another, the first outer layer made of a reflective radiant barrier material; an insulation layer disposed between the first and second outer layers; and a fabric layer that is a scrim layer or a woven layer disposed between the first and second outer layers. The fabric layer can have various properties. A polymer seal layer can also be provided as part of the material. Processes for manufacturing the reflective insulating material are also provided.

Claims

1. A reflective insulating material for use in metal building insulation (MBI) or in post frame building insulation (PFBI) applications, the reflective insulating material comprising: a first outer layer and a second outer layer disposed parallel to one another, the first outer layer made of a reflective radiant barrier material; a first insulation layer disposed between the first and second outer layers; and a fabric layer disposed between the first and second outer layers, wherein the fabric layer is a scrim layer comprising apertures or a woven textile material layer defining a generally continuous surface without apertures.

2. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the insulation layer is a bubble layer.

3. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the insulation layer is a foam layer.

4. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, comprising a second insulation layer disposed between the first and second outer layers.

5. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, comprising an intervening layer disposed between the first and second outer layers and made of one or a combination or blend of: polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon.

6. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the reflective radiant barrier material is made of one or a combination of: metallized polyester (METPET), and metal (e.g., aluminum) foil.

7. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the second outer layer is made of one or a combination of: polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon.

8. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the second outer layer is made of the reflective radiant barrier material.

9. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the woven threads of the fabric layer are made of one or a combination of: nylon, fiber glass, polyethylene, and polyester.

10. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the insulation layer is made of one or a combination or blend of: polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon.

11. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein two or more of the layers of the reflective insulating material are bonded together.

12. The reflective insulating material of claim 11, wherein two or more of the layers of the reflective insulating material are adhesively laminated together.

13. The reflective insulating material of claim 11, wherein two or more of the layers of the reflective insulating material are bonded together with one or a combination of: thermal, chemical, or mechanical bond.

14. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the fabric layer is the scrim layer and the apertures are shaped as one or more of: slits, circles, ovals, ellipses, monogons, bigons, triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, octagons, nonagons, and decagons.

15. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the material is configured such that the fastening means are one or a combination of: clips and staples.

16. The reflective insulating material of claim 14, wherein a pattern defined by the threads of the scrim layer is configured to effectively capture in any direction, with at least one of the apertures of the scrim layer, a pin of one of the fastening means.

17. The reflective insulating material of claim 16, wherein two pins of one of the staples are only receivable by two distinct ones of the apertures of the scrim fabric layer.

18. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the fabric layer is continuous and does not define apertures, and wherein the fabric layer is configured to be punctured by the parts of the fastening means.

19. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the fabric layer has one or more of the following characteristics: MD yarn of 550 Dtex HT Polyester; CD yarn of 550 Dtex HT Polyester; pattern of 1.21.05 yarns/cm; tensile of 209185 N/5 cm; weight of 15.02 g/m2; coating of polyvinyl alcohol; and width of maximum 2100 mm.

20. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the reflective insulating material has a width between about 24 to about 104 inches, and a thickness of between about 0.1 to about 0.75 inches.

21. The reflective insulating material of claim 1, wherein the reflective insulating material passes one or more of the following tests: ASTM E84-08 Steiner tunnel test with a fire rating value of at least class A, a flame spread value under 25 and a smoke developed value under 450; ASTM G155 UV test with a value of at least 90% retained retention after 4000 hours; NFPA 286 fire rating full room burn test; ASTM C1371-04A emissivity test with a value of at least 0.04; ASTM E903 reflectivity test with a value of at least 0.96; ASTM E96 water vapor permeability test with a value of at least 0.01 Perms; ASTM C1149 resistance to fungi and bacteria test; ASTM C1224-03 pliability test with no cracking; ASTM C1224-03 bleeding and delamination test with no bleeding or delamination; and ASTM D3310-00 corrosiveness test.

22. A reflective insulating material for use in metal building insulation (MBI) or in post frame building insulation (PFBI) applications, the reflective insulating material comprising: a first outer layer made of a reflective radiant barrier material; an adhesive layer disposed on the first outer layer; a polymer film layer disposed on the adhesive layer; an insulation layer contiguous with the first polymer film layer, the insulation layer being composed of bubbles or foam; a polymer seal layer contiguous with an opposed side of the insulation layer; a reinforcement assembly laminated to the polymer seal layer, the reinforcement assembly comprising: a first polymer film; a second polymer film; and a reinforcement layer comprising a fabric sandwiched between the first and second polymer films.

23. A reflective insulating material for use in metal building insulation (MBI) or in post frame building insulation (PFBI) applications, the reflective insulating material comprising: a first outer layer made of a reflective radiant barrier material; an adhesive layer disposed on the first outer layer; a polymer film layer disposed on the adhesive layer; an insulation layer contiguous with the first polymer film layer, the insulation layer being composed of foam; a polymer seal layer contiguous with an opposed side of the insulation layer; and a multi-layer component disposed on the polymer seal layer.

24. A reflective insulating material for use in metal building insulation (MBI) or in post frame building insulation (PFBI) applications, the reflective insulating material comprising: an outer laminated assembly comprising: a first outer layer made of a reflective radiant barrier material; an adhesive layer disposed on the first outer layer; and a polymer film layer disposed on the adhesive layer; an inner multi-layer assembly comprising: an insulation layer contiguous with the first polymer film layer, the insulation layer being composed of foam; a second outer layer disposed on the insulation layer; wherein the outer laminated assembly and the inner multi-layer assembly are laminated together using a film bubble line such that the insulation layer is adhered to the first polymer film layer, to form the reflective insulating material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective cross-sectional view of an example insulating material.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of another example insulating material engaged with a staple.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional illustration view of a first example insulating material having a single bubble insulation layer.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional illustration view of a second example insulating material having a single bubble insulation layer.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional illustration view of a third example insulating material having a single bubble insulation layer.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional illustration view of a fourth example insulating material having a single bubble insulation layer.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional illustration view of a first example insulating material having two bubble insulation layers.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional illustration view of a second example insulating material having two bubble insulation layers.

[0034] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional illustration view of a third example insulating material having two bubble insulation layers.

[0035] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional illustration view of a fourth example insulating material having two bubble insulation layers.

[0036] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional illustration view of an example insulating material having two bubbles insulation layers and a solid scrim layer.

[0037] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustration of a process for manufacturing an example reflective insulating material.

[0038] FIG. 13 is a diagram of another example insulating material that includes foam and a woven textile material.

[0039] FIG. 14 is a diagram of another example insulating material that includes a bubble layer and a woven textile material.

[0040] FIG. 15 is a diagram of another example insulating material that includes bubble layers and a woven textile material.

[0041] FIG. 16 is a diagram of another example insulating material that includes foam and a polymer seal layer.

[0042] FIG. 17 is a diagram of another example insulating material that includes foam and two reflective layers.

[0043] FIG. 18 is a diagram of another example insulating material that includes foam layers and a polymer seal layer.

[0044] FIG. 19 is a diagram of another example insulating material that includes foam layers and a polymer seal layer as well as two reflective layers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The present description relates to a reflective insulating material for use in building insulation. The reflective insulating material, also referred to as insulating material, can be used in metal building insulation (MBI) and in post frame building insulation (PFBI) comprising wood or metal frames, beams, sheets, and posts. The insulating material can be in the form of a sheet which can advantageously be rolled and unrolled for transporting, installation, and storing.

[0046] In general, FIGS. 1 to 12 relate to embodiments of the insulating material 10 that include a scrim layer, FIGS. 13 to 15 relate to embodiments of the insulating material 10 that include a woven textile material layer, and FIGS. 16 to 19 relate to embodiments of the insulating material 10 that include one or more foam layers and optionally a polymer seal layer. FIGS. 13 to 19 also illustrate potential manufacturing methods for assembly of the layers, for example including one or more lamination stages and a bubble line stage. Various embodiments and aspects of the technology will be described in further detail below.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the insulating material 10 includes multiple layers of material stacked over one another. More precisely, the insulating material 10 of this embodiment includes first and second outer layers 12, 14, an insulation layer 16, and a scrim fabric layer 22, which are each described in further detail below.

[0048] The insulating material 10 includes the first outer layer 12 and the second outer layer 14 defining respective boundaries of the insulating material 10 along a thickness of the same. The first and second outer layers 12, 14, and any other layers of the insulating material 10, can be disposed substantially parallel to one another in a stacked configuration. In some examples, the first and second outer layers 12, 14 can be bonded or sewn together at the periphery widthwise and lengthwise of the insulating material 10. The thickness of the insulating material 10 defined by the first and second outer layers 12, 14 can be between about 0.1 to about 0.75 inches.

[0049] The first outer layer 12 is made of a reflective material and is configured to act as a radiant barrier by reflecting radiant heat received thereon. The reflective material can be made of metallized polyester (METPET), aluminum foil, or of a combination of both. When the first outer layer 12 is made of METPET, its thickness can be of about 44 gauge. When the first outer layer 12 is made of aluminum foil, such as pure aluminum foil, its thickness can be of about 6 to about 8 microns.

[0050] The second outer layer 14 can be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, or a combination thereof. The second outer layer 14 can have a thickness of about 1.0 mil to about 1.2 mil. Alternatively, the second outer layer 14 can also be made of the reflective material which can be the same as the first outer layer 12 or a different reflective material.

[0051] In certain implementations, the reflective insulating material 10 can be installed on the building in a way that the first outer layer 12 will face towards outside of the building, or at least towards a side of the reflective insulating material 10 where radiant heat is at its highest intensity compared to the other sides of the same. On the other hand, the second outer layer 14 can be positioned such that it faces towards inside the building, usually where the radiant heat has a lower intensity. At least due to its positioning, the second outer layer 14 can have more chances of being viewed by people within the building. The second outer layer 14 can therefore be colored, e.g., clear, white, black, etc., and/or include patterns and/or ornaments on its outer surface.

[0052] The insulating material 10 further includes an insulation layer 16 disposed between the first and second outer layers 12, 14. The insulation layer 16 is configured to limit or prevent heat transfer from one side of the insulating material 10 towards another. The insulation layer 16 can include an array of insulating bubbles 18 and can therefore be referred to as the bubble insulation layer 16. The insulation layer 16 can be a film of insulation material from which the bubbles 18 are formed. It will be appreciated that the bubbles 18 of the insulation layer 16 include cavities, or receptacles, 20 which can encapsulate air within, thus improving the insulation properties of the insulating material 10. The size of the bubbles 18, the disposition of the bubbles 18 within the bubble insulation layer 16, and the gaps between the bubbles 18 can therefore be adapted to modify and obtain desired R values for the reflective insulating material 10. In certain implementations, the bubbles 18 can be filled with gas, for example argon, to obtain higher R values.

[0053] Alternatively, the bubbles 18 of the insulation layer 16 can be replaced by other shapes that can partly or fully encase air within the receptacles 20. For example, the insulation layer 16 can include half-spheres or boxes with curved and/or straight surfaces. In certain examples, two or more bubbles 18 of the insulation layer 16 can have different sizes. The insulation layer 16 can be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, combinations or blend thereof, or of any other known insulation material. The insulation layer 16 can have a thickness of about 1.6 mil to about 2.4 mil.

[0054] As will be described in more detail further below, the insulation layer 16 could alternatively be composed of foam and in such embodiments can be referred to as a foam layer or foam insulation layer. Foam can provide insulation as well as rigidity to the product.

[0055] The insulating material 10 further includes a scrim fabric layer 22 disposed between the first and second outer layers 12, 14. The scrim fabric layer 22 is configured to strengthen the insulating material 10 and to reinforce securing of the insulating material 10 with fastening means 28. The scrim fabric layer 22 can further increase tear or puncture resistance of the insulating material 10 and improve dimensional stability of the same. The scrim fabric layer 22 can include threads, or strings, 24 defining a pattern with apertures 26 therebetween. The threads 24 of the scrim fabric layer 22 can be woven to define the pattern. The threads 24 of the scrim fabric layer 22 can be woven in machine direction (MD), in cross-machine direction (CD), or in a combination of both. The threads 24 of the scrim 22 can be chemically bonded in an open mesh construction. Functional binders can be used to enhance chemical, heat or moisture resistance of the insulating material 10, for proper chemical compatibility with the rest of the insulating material 10, or to improve the adhesive properties of the scrim fabric layer 22. The scrim layer 22 can be woven or non-woven and can have various properties in terms of material and dimensions.

[0056] The scrim fabric layer 22 can receive through its apertures 26 the fastening means 28 passing through the reflective insulating material 10 to secure the reflective insulating material 10 to the building. The fastening means 28 can therefore engage with the material, e.g., threads 24, of the scrim fabric layer 22 to further secure the installation of the insulating material 10. The fastening means 28 can be clips or staples having pins or parts passing through the apertures 24. The pins or parts 30 of the fastenings means 28 passing through the apertures 24 can abut or hook with the threads 24 when the fastening means 28 are laterally displaced, for example under an external force, i.e., strong winds. As shown in FIG. 2, two pins 30 of a single staple 28 can be received by two different apertures 24 of the insulating material 10. It will be appreciated that would a pin 30 of the staple 28 or a thread 24 of the scrim fabric layer 22 break or fail, the other pin 30 of the staple 28 can remain engaged with the other thread 24 of the scrim fabric layer 22. The pattern of the scrim fabric layer 22 can thus be configured to effectively receive in any direction, with at least one aperture 26 of the scrim fabric 22, a pin 30 of the staple 28. The density of the scrim 22 weave pattern, the thickness of the scrim fabric layer 22, the type of material selected, and other factors can be adjusted to increase or decrease the reinforcing properties of the scrim fabric layer 22. The threads 24 of the scrim fabric layer 22 can be made of one or a combination of the following materials: nylon, fiber glass, polyethylene, and polyester. The scrim fabric layer 22 can also be made from any other material that allows the scrim fabric layer 22 to pass the ASTM E84-08 Steiner tunnel test with a fire rating value of at least class A, a flame spread value under 25 and a smoke developed value under 450.

[0057] The pattern of the scrim threads 24 can define various shapes and sizes of aperture 26. For example, the apertures 26 can be shaped, without being limited hereto as one or more of: slits, circles, ovals, ellipses, monogons, bigons, triangles, quadrilaterals, e.g., squares or rectangles, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, octagons, nonagons, and decagons. The staples 28 used can have the shape and size of any commercially available staples. For example, the staples 28 can have pins 30 distanced of about inches, about inches, about inches or about inches.

[0058] In certain implementations, the scrim fabric layer 22 can have one or more of the following characteristics: MD yarn of 550 Dtex HT Polyester; CD yarn of 550 Dtex HT Polyester; pattern of 1.21.05 yarns/cm; tensile of 209185 N/5 cm; weight of 15.02 g/m2; coating of polyvinyl alcohol; and width of maximum 2100 mm.

[0059] In other implementations, the fabric layer 22 can be full or continuous, meaning that it can be generally free from the apertures 26. In such cases, the threads 24 of the fabric layer 22 can be so tightly woven, or woven in such a way, that substantially no apertures 26 are defined within the fabric layer 22. The threads 24 of the fabric layer 22 can thus be broken or displaced to allow passage of the pins 30 of the staples 28 when the pins 30 are inserted within the insulating material 10. In such implementations, the fabric layer can be referred to as a woven textile material layer defining a generally continuous surface without apertures. In yet other examples, the fabric layer 22 can be a continuous nonwoven layer of material and can therefore be punctured by the pins 30 of the staples 28 passing through the insulating material 10.

[0060] The insulating material 10 can also include one or more intervening layers 32 disposed between any of the above-described layers included in the insulating material 10. When two adjacent material layers of the insulating material 10 cannot or should not be secured or adhere to one another, for example when using heat and compression, the intervening layer 32 can be disposed between the two layers to allow securing thereof. The intervening layers 32 can be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, or a combination or blend thereof. Several examples are shown in the drawings.

[0061] FIGS. 3 to 6 are showing four different implementations of the reflective insulating material 40, 50, 60, 70, each of the shown implementations including a single bubble insulation layer 16. In the implementations shown, the scrim fabric layer 22 includes woven threads 24 with apertures 26 defined therein.

[0062] Referring to the implementation of FIG. 3, the insulating material 40 includes five layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 41 made of a reflective material; a scrim fabric layer 42; an intervening layer 43; a bubble insulation layer 44; and a second outer layer 45 not made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 41, the scrim fabric layer 42 and the intervening layer 43 are laminated 46 together. The laminate 46 is bonded with the bubble insulation layer 44 and the second outer layer 45 to form the reflective insulating material 40.

[0063] Referring now to the implementation of FIG. 4, the insulating material 50 includes six layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 51 made of a reflective material; a scrim fabric layer 52; a first intervening layer 53; a bubble insulation layer 54; a second intervening layer 55; and a second outer layer 56 made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 51, the scrim fabric layer 52 and the first intervening layer 53 are laminated 57 together. The second intervening layer 55 and the second outer layer 56 are also laminated 58 together. The two laminates 57, 58 are bonded with the bubble insulation layer 54 to form the reflective insulating material 50.

[0064] Referring to the implementation of FIG. 5, the insulating material 60 includes seven layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 61 made of a reflective material; a first intervening layer 62; a bubble insulation layer 63; a second intervening layer 64; a third intervening layer 65; a scrim fabric layer 66; and a second outer layer 67 not made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 61 and the first intervening layer 62 are laminated 68 together. The third intervening layer 65, the scrim fabric layer 66 and the second outer layer 67 are also laminated 69 together. The two laminates 68, 69 are bonded with the bubble insulation layer 63 and the second intervening layer 64 to form the reflective insulating material 60.

[0065] Referring to the implementation of FIG. 6, the insulating material 70 includes seven layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 71 made of a reflective material; a first intervening layer 72; a bubble insulation layer 73; a second intervening layer 74; a third intervening layer 75; a scrim fabric layer 76; and a second outer layer 77 not made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 71 and the first intervening layer 72 are laminated 78 together. The third intervening layer 75, the scrim fabric layer 76 and the second outer layer 77 are also laminated 79 together. The two laminates 78, 79 are bonded with the bubble insulation layer 73 and the second intervening layer 74 to form the reflective insulating material 70. It can be appreciated that the bubble insulation layer 73 of FIG. 6 includes bubbles, in the shape of hemispheres or domes, that are facing opposite the bubbles of the bubble insulation layer 63 shown in FIG. 5. In implementations in which the bubbles are irregularly shaped, like in the implementations of FIGS. 5 and 6, inversing the disposition of the bubble insulation layers 63, 73 can provide different heat transfer properties at least because it can provide different heat flows throughout the insulating material 10.

[0066] Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 10, four different implementations of the reflective insulating material 80, 90, 110, 130 are shown. Each of the shown implementations includes two bubble insulation layers. In the implementations shown, the scrim fabric layer 22 includes woven threads 24 with apertures 26 defined therein.

[0067] Referring to the implementation of FIG. 7, the insulating material 80 includes seven layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 81 made of a reflective material; a first intervening layer 82; a first bubble insulation layer 83; a scrim fabric layer 84; a second intervening layer 85; a second bubble insulation layer 86; and a second outer layer 87 not made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 81 and the first intervening layer 82 are laminated 88 together. The laminate 88 is bonded to the first bubble insulation layer 83 and the other layers 84, 85, 86, 87 to form the reflective insulating material 80.

[0068] Referring to the implementation of FIG. 8, the insulating material 90 includes eight layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 91 made of a reflective material; a first intervening layer 92; a first bubble insulation layer 93; a scrim fabric layer 94; a second intervening layer 95; a second bubble insulation layer 96; a third intervening layer 97; and a second outer layer 98 made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 91 and the first intervening layer 92 are laminated 99 together. The second outer layer 98 and the third intervening layer 97 are also laminated 100 together. The laminates 99, 100 are bonded to the first bubble insulation layer 93 and the second bubble insulation layer 96 respectively, with the scrim fabric layer 94 and the second intervening layer 95 in the middle, to form the reflective insulating material 90.

[0069] Referring to the implementation of FIG. 9, the insulating material 110 includes nine layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 111 made of a reflective material; a first intervening layer 112; a first bubble insulation layer 113; a second intervening layer 114; a second bubble insulation layer 115; a third intervening layer 116; a fourth intervening layer 117; a scrim fabric layer 118; and a second outer layer 119 not made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 111 and the first intervening layer 112 are laminated 120 together. The second outer layer 119, the scrim fabric layer 118 and the fourth intervening layer 117 are also laminated 121 together. The laminates 120, 121 are bonded to the first bubble insulation layer 113 and the third intervening layer 116 respectively, with the second intervening layer 114 and the second bubble insulation layer 115 in the middle, to form the reflective insulating material 110.

[0070] Referring to the implementation of FIG. 10, the insulating material 130 includes nine layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 131 made of a reflective material; a first intervening layer 132; a first bubble insulation layer 133; a second intervening layer 134; a second bubble insulation layer 135; a third intervening layer 136; a fourth intervening layer 137; a scrim fabric layer 138; and a second outer layer 139 made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 131 and the first intervening layer 132 are laminated 140 together. The second outer layer 139, the scrim fabric layer 138 and the fourth intervening layer 137 are also laminated 141 together. The laminates 140, 141 are bonded to the first bubble insulation layer 133 and the third intervening layer 136 respectively, with the second intervening layer 134 and the second bubble insulation layer 135 in the middle, to form the reflective insulating material 130.

[0071] Now referring to FIG. 11, an exemplary reflective insulating material 150 including two bubble insulation layers 153, 157 is shown. In this example, the scrim fabric layer 155 is full, and therefore does not include apertures 26 like in the previously described examples. The insulating material 150 includes nine layers of material, arranged in the following order: a first outer layer 151 made of a reflective material; a first intervening layer 152; a first bubble insulation layer 153; a second intervening layer 154; a scrim fabric layer 155; a third intervening layer 156; a second bubble insulation layer 157; a fourth intervening layer 158; and a second outer layer 159 made of the reflective material. In this example, the first outer layer 151 and the first intervening layer 152 are laminated 160 together. The second intervening layer 154, the scrim fabric layer 155 and the third intervening layer 156 are also laminated 161 together. The second outer layer 159 and the fourth intervening layer 158 are also laminated 162 together. The laminates 160, 161, 162 are bonded to the two bubble insulation layers 153, 157 to form the reflective insulating material 150.

[0072] As described above, the reflective insulating material 10 can be provided in the form of a sheet. In an implementation, the sheet of reflective insulating material 10 can have a width between about 24 inches to about 104 inches. The sheet of reflective insulating material 10 can also have a length of about 1500 inches. The sheet of reflective insulating material 10 can be manufactured, stored, transported and installed as is. The sheet of reflective insulating material 10 can also be manufactured, stored, and/or transported with a given width and length and cut into smaller sheets before installation on a building.

[0073] The reflective insulating material 10, and more precisely the scrim fabric layer 22 included therein, can be adapted to withstand typical maximal wind speed under which a construction worker is allowed to work on buildings. The reflective insulating material 10 can be configured to pass one or more of the following tests: [0074] ASTM E84-08 Steiner tunnel test with a fire rating value of at least class A, a flame spread value under 25 and a smoke developed value under 450; [0075] ASTM G155 UV test with a value of at least 90% retained retention after 4000 hours; [0076] NFPA 286 fire rating full room burn test; [0077] ASTM C1371-04A emissivity test with a value of at least 0.04; [0078] ASTM E903 reflectivity test with a value of at least 0.96; [0079] ASTM E96 water vapor permeability test with a value of about or at least 0.01 Perms; [0080] ASTM C1149 resistance to fungi and bacteria test; [0081] ASTM C1224-03 pliability test with no cracking; [0082] ASTM C1224-03 bleeding and delamination test with no bleeding or delamination; and [0083] ASTM D3310-00 corrosiveness test.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 12, a process 200 for manufacturing the reflective insulating material 10 is provided. The process 200 includes laminating two or more of the layers of the insulating material 10. The lamination can be achieved through adhesive bonding and can use glue, epoxy, plastic agents or other agents to join the two or more layers. The laminates can be obtained through a single or through multiple lamination steps. In some implementations, the scrim fabric layer 22 is included in the lamination step.

[0085] The process 200 can further include forming bubbles 18 or air encapsulating cavities from an insulation material. As an example, the bubbles 18 can be vacuum formed from a polyethylene film sheet.

[0086] The process 200 also includes bonding together each of the layers of the insulating material 10, i.e., laminated and non-laminated. The bonding can be achieved through the application of heat and compression on the stacked layers of the insulating material 10. The application of heat and pressure can result in some of the layers of the insulating material 10, for example the intervening layers 32 and the bubble insulation layers 16, to melt and thermally bond with another adjacent melted layer. In some examples, the melting temperature of the bonding step can be between about 280 to about 300 F. Understandably, the reflective insulating material 10 can be obtained using alternative bonding methods, such as mechanical bonding, thermal bonding, and chemical bonding, and alternative manufacturing processes, such as casting.

[0087] In some implementations, the scrim fabric layer 22 may not adhere with other layers during the heating and compression step because its melting point can be much higher than the heat applied during said step. It can therefore be appreciated that because the scrim fabric layer 22 can include apertures 26, the two layers of material adjacent the scrim fabric layer 22, usually two intervening layers 32 or an intervening layer 32 and a bubble insulation layer 16, can connect and bond together by passing through the apertures 26 of the scrim fabric layer 22.

[0088] Referring now to FIG. 13, the fabric layer can take the form of a woven textile material layer instead of a scrim layer, and a foam layer can be provided instead of a bubble layer to provide the insulation layer. Configurations similar to those described above for scrim and bubble layers can be provided for products with woven textile material and foam layers. In addition, the woven textile material layer can be combined with products having a bubble layer as the insulation layer, as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, for example. It should be noted that other products having bubble layers could also be implemented using a woven textile material layer instead of a scrim layer.

[0089] FIGS. 16-19 show alternative product examples where no scrim or woven textile material is provided in the laminated product. These examples have one or more foam layers in the construction and some of the possible configurations are shown in these figures.

[0090] In some implementations, the reflective insulating material can include a polymer seal layer in between the insulations layer (e.g., foam or bubble layer) and an adjacent layer, which could be a laminated multilayer assembly that is on the opposite side as the reflective radiant barrier. For example, FIGS. 13 to 15 show a polymer seal layer, which can also be referred to as a seal film, in between the insulation layer and the laminated film-woven layer-film multilayer assembly. FIGS. 18 and 19 show a polymer seal layer in between foam layers. The polymer seal layer can be composed of polyethylene and can have various properties. In some implementations, the polymer seal layer has a stickiness that is greater than that of other polyethylene layers in the product, which can be achieved by having an increased EVA content, Vistamaxx, and/or other additives to promote adhesion at low temperatures for example. For instance, when a bubble line is used for manufacturing and bubble line heaters are operated between 1100 and 1200 F, for example, the additives can be provided to reduce heat requirements, e.g., by 5%, 10% or 15%.

[0091] In some implementations, the reflective insulating material includes a reflective barrier layer that has a thickness that is 44 gauge or above. The reflective radiant barrier material can be made of metallized polyester (METPET) and/or a metal foil. When a metal foil is used, the metal foil can be a metal alloy, the metal foil can be composed of Al, which may have an Al purity of at least 99% or 99.35%. In some implementations, the metal foil has a thickness of at least 7 microns. Other metals such as Cu and Au are also possible components. The metal can have a thickness and a metallic composition can be tailored to provide a target 95% or higher emissivity specification. In addition, depending on the metal, the reflective insulation could be lacquered to offer weatherization if desired.

[0092] In some implementations, the various polymer sheet layers provided in the product (e.g., PE sheets for top, bottom, lamination, and sealing layers) can be 0.5 mil or thicker, with the outer layer being composed of UV resistant polymer.

[0093] The woven textile material can have various properties. The woven textile material can be provided as a prefabricated laminate that has a single or double polymer film pre-laminated with it. The external polymer film of the prefabricated laminate can have UV resistant properties, such as UV resistant polyethylene (PE), in which case the UV resistant PE layer could be an outer layer of the product. In case of double sided woven, the inner PE layer can have EVA, Vistamaxx, and/or other additives to aid with better adhesion. The woven layer can be obtained as a single side PE coated layer, or a double side PE coated layer, for example.

[0094] The foam layer can have certain properties to provide desired functionality to the finished product. For example, the foam insulation layer can have a 1/16 minimum thickness. The foam material itself can vary in density from low to high to provide corresponding rigidity of the final product. The foam can be composed of polymers, for example based on polyethylene (PE) including LDPE foam or HDPE foam. These polymer compositions can include fire-retardant additives to pass smoke and fire test standards.

[0095] In terms of manufacturing, the layers can be assembled using a various manufacturing techniques. One such manufacturing process incorporates lamination and a film bubble line combination to produce the final product. Another manufacturing process involves lamination and cast bubble line to achieve the final product. Yet another manufacturing process uses lamination and foam extrusion to build the final product. FIGS. 13 to 19 show example embodiments where different manufacturing processes are used to make embodiment of the products.

[0096] Embodiments described herein can facilitate certain advantages depending on construction. For example, products that include a foam insulation layer can facilitate additional rigidity compared to bubble insulation to help withstand weather conditions, such as high winds and potential damage during installation. In addition, the presence of a fabric layer can provide additional rigidity compared to bubble-based products with no fabric layer. Providing double insulation layers, e.g., foam or bubble, can also provide enhanced rigidity and improved thermal properties if desired.

[0097] Several alternative implementations and examples have been described and illustrated herein. The implementations described above are intended to be exemplary only. It will be appreciated that the processes described herein can be performed in the described order, or in any suitable order. A person with common technical knowledge would appreciate the features of the individual implementations, and the possible combinations and variations of the components. A person of common technical knowledge would further appreciate that any of the implementations could be provided in any combination with the other implementations disclosed herein. It is understood that the product can have other specific forms without departing from the central characteristics thereof. The present examples and implementations, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the product is not to be limited to the details given herein. Accordingly, while the specific implementations have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind. The scope of the product is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.