Abstract:
The invention relates to a thermal insulating element for thermally insulating an interior of a rail vehicle. The insulating element is characterized in that the insulating element has a length, a width, and a thickness, is at least partly made of a closed-cell material, and has at least one expansion joint on the insulating element outer surface. The invention further relates to a method for assembling a thermal insulating element on an interior surface of a rail vehicle, said method having the steps of providing a thermal insulating element which has a length, a width, and a thickness and which is at least partly made of a closed-cell material and attaching the insulating element to an interior-side surface of the rail vehicle.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a National Phase entry of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2015/061368, filed on May 22, 2015, which claims priority to DE Patent Application No. 10 2014 107 290.1 filed on May 23, 2014, which are hereby fully incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a thermal insulating element for thermally insulating an interior of a rail vehicle as well as a procedure for assembling a thermal insulating element on an interior surface of a rail vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The drivers&#39; cabins and passenger rooms are commonly insulated warm in order to ensure a comfortable climate for the people present there. Conventionally for example, mineral wool and glass-fiber mats that have been coated on one side with aluminum foil are used for the thermal insulation of rail vehicles. However, flexible foam on a melamine resin substrate is used for this purpose. All heat insulation materials simultaneously serve to dampen noise in order to minimize travel noise and general noise as much as possible. These thermal insulation materials are either self-adhesive or fastened by their own application of adhesive or mechanically fastened to the surface of the rail vehicle. All materials also fulfill the authoritative fire standards. 
         [0004]    In particular, the more frequently used mineral wools and the melamine resin foam tend to absorb condensation, which form on the interior surface of the external skin of the rail vehicle due to temperature gradients present between the interior and the environment of the rail vehicle. The absorption of condensation, or other forms of moisture, can lead to these materials increasing in weight and slumping in partial areas, even within themselves. This can then lead to exposure of the external metal skin, so that heat insulation is no longer provided in these areas of the rail vehicle. The glass-fiber mats and flexible foams also used for heat insulation of the rail vehicles will absorb water to a certain degree and although these materials tend less to do so, they will slump with the absorption of moisture, which will lead to a reduction of the insulating capability and to an undesirable formation of bacteria in these insulating materials. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    One task of this discovery consists of providing an improved and, in particular, equal thermal insulation for rail vehicles, which will eliminate disadvantages known from the state-of-the-technology, and for another thing, provide an assembly procedure, with whose assistance, permanent and equal insulation capability will be guaranteed for the thermal insulation. 
         [0006]    This task is solved, on the one hand, through the thermal insulating element specified in claim  1  of the patent and, on the other hand, through the procedure specified in claim  20  of the patent. Preferable or optional characteristics of the discovery have been specified in the dependent claims  2  through  19  and  21  through  26  of the patent. 
         [0007]    According to an initial aspect of the discovery, a thermal insulating element is provided for thermal insulation of the interiors of rail vehicles, which characterized in that it has a length, width and thickness, is at least partially made of closed-cell foam and has at least one expansion joint. 
         [0008]    The expansion joint will preferably extend from one of the leading edges of the insulating element. 
         [0009]    Furthermore, the expansion joint will preferably extend from the leading edge to a second edge of the insulating element. 
         [0010]    According to a preferable form of execution of the discovery, the thermal insulating element will have a multitude of expansion joints on its external surfaces. 
         [0011]    One preferable configuration of the discovery is present when at least one part of the expansion joint extends respectively beyond the entire length and/or width of the insulating element. 
         [0012]    The expansion joints will preferably be arranged in a grid. 
         [0013]    Arranging the expansion joints equidistant from each other is even more preferable. 
         [0014]    Crossing the expansion joints is yet more preferable. 
         [0015]    One additionally preferable form of executing the discovery will be present when one initial part of the expansion joints has been arranged on a leading external surface and a second part of the expansions joints has been arranged across a second external surface of the insulating element. 
         [0016]    It will also be advantageous when the first part of the expansion joints and the second part of the expansion joints, which respectively extend in the same direction, have been arranged to offset each other. 
         [0017]    The offset will preferably correspond to half of the distance to the neighboring expansion joint. 
         [0018]    If at least one part of the expansion joints has a thickness that is greater than half of the thickness of the insulating element is even more preferable. 
         [0019]    If the closed-cell material is a closed-cell polyethylene foam is yet more preferable. 
         [0020]    If the closed-cell material is a physically networked closed-cell polyethylene foam is even more preferable than that. 
         [0021]    According to an additionally preferred form of execution of the discovery, the thermal insulating element will furthermore include at least one fastening agent that is connected through force and/or shape and/or material with the closed-cell material. 
         [0022]    The fastening material will preferable include a section anchored in the closed-cell material by means of force and/or shape and a disc that will be located in the space with the external surface. 
         [0023]    The section will even more preferably include an anchor and a screw accepted by the anchor, whereby the disc will be fixed to the external surface by means of the screw. 
         [0024]    One preferable form of execution of the discovery relates to a system that will include a multitude of thermal insulating elements, which will be cut to the interior geometry of the rail vehicle in line with the needs and labeled according to an assembly diagram. 
         [0025]    The system will even more preferably include an adhesive and an assembly diagram. 
         [0026]    According to a second aspect of the discovery, a procedure for assembling a thermal insulating element on an interior surface of a rail vehicle will be provided with the following steps: 
         [0000]    Providing a thermal insulating element that has a length, a width and a thickness and is made at least partly of a closed-cell material, and
 
Mounting the insulating element on an interior surface of the rail vehicle.
 
         [0027]    On one surface, the thermal insulating element will preferably have a drainage structure for water. 
         [0028]    The drainage structure will even more preferably have a wave-shaped structure with a number of heights and depths. 
         [0029]    One floor of the rail vehicle will yet more preferably be faced with the thermal insulating element. 
         [0030]    According to a preferable form of execution of the second aspect of the discovery, the thermal insulating element will have at least one expansion joint at its external surface and the procedure will furthermore include the step of mounting at least one fastening agent on the insulating element such that it will be connected with the insulating element through force and/or shape and/or material and an open surface of the fastening agent will essentially be even with the external surface of the insulating element. 
         [0031]    The procedure will preferably include the step of applying an adhesive to the open surface of the fastening agent. 
         [0032]    A multitude of thermal insulating elements will even more preferably be provided for the procedure, which will have been constructed as previously described, whereby the procedure between the steps for the provision of thermal insulating elements and the application of the fastening agent to the insulating elements will cut the insulating elements to the interior geometry of the rail vehicle in line with the needs and labeled according to an assembly diagram. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0033]    The discovery will only be described in a purely exemplary manner based on the preferred forms of execution of both aspect of the discovery with the addition of the attached figures, which will show: 
           [0034]      FIG. 1  a thermal insulating element according to one preferred form of execution of the discovery, and 
           [0035]      FIG. 2  the thermal insulating element depicted in  FIG. 1  that is also intended for assembly of the insulating element on an interior surface of a rail vehicle using a fastening agent. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    An initial aspect of the discovery relates to a thermal insulating element whose use as intended concerns the thermal interior insulation (floor and/or ceiling and/or wall) of a rail vehicle. So to say, this involves the thermal insulation of a rail vehicle interior. Although the thermal insulating element according to the discovery has been specially conceived for the ideal insulation of rail vehicles, the use the insulating element can conceivably also be used in the construction of airplanes, ships and rail-less vehicles, such as motor homes, buses, air-conditioned trailers and commercial vehicles. 
         [0037]    Initially, the construction of the insulating element will be described according to a preferred form of execution for the first aspect of the discovery and then its assembly according to a preferred form of execution for the second aspect of the discovery will be explained. In conclusion, advantageous effects of both aspects of the discovery will be described. 
         [0038]    The thermal insulating element, which can also serve as acoustic dampening material, can have any shape. Thus, square, rectangular, circular, polygonal, trapezoidal or taper shaped sheets, with or without variations in thickness, may enter into consideration. However, other shapes can also be conceived depending on the area of the interior to be insulated. All shapes entering into consideration can also include those that do not have clear or constant lengths, widths or thicknesses. 
         [0039]    The measurements for the lengths, widths and thicknesses, L, B, D, have been depicted using a right-angle coordinate system for the thermal insulating element ( 10 ) using perspective and layer views in  FIG. 1 . The thermal insulating element ( 10 ) constructed here preferably as a sheet preferably has an even thickness (D), whereby the shape of the sheet preferably will be determined by the external edge  18 . Depending on the location of use, the insulating element ( 10 ) can also have another shape and a variable thickness, as has already been mentioned previously. Such shapes can have additional external edges, such as at the transfer point between one area with a greater thickness and another area with a lesser thickness, although a clearly definable external edge is not present at such a transfer point, which can be circular. 
         [0040]    The External Faces  16   a  and  16   b  of Insulating Element  10  do not have to be flush. External faces that have been constructed as convex or concave can also be conceived. 
         [0041]    Insulating Element  10  depicted in  FIG. 1  will preferably have a multitude of expansion joints,  12   a,    12   b,    14   a  and  14   b.  Expansion Joints  12   a  and  14   a  are intended for External Face  16   a,  while Expansion Joints  12   b  and  14   b  are intended for the opposing External Race  16   b , which has been spaced by the Thickness D of Insulating Element  10  of External Face  16   a . Expansion Joints  12   a  and  12   b  lie lengthwise along L of Insulating Element  10 , while Expansion Joints  14   a  and  14   b  lie along Width B. 
         [0042]    Expansion Joints  12   a  will preferably be parallel to each other, meaning arranged equidistant to each other. The same applies for Expansion Joints  12   b  on External Face  16   b . Depending on the size of Insulating Element  10 , additional Expansion Joints  14   a  and  14   b  may be intended as well along the width. The number of expansion joints,  12   a,    12   b,    14   a  and  14   b,  is therefore not limited to the number depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0043]    Expansion Joints  12   a  and  14   a  will preferably be across from each other. The same applies preferably for Expansion Joints  12   b  and  14   b.    
         [0044]    If Expansion Joints  12   b  have been arranged equidistant and intended for the same External Face  16   b  (the same preferably applies for Expansion Joints  12   a,    14   a  and  14   b ) at a distance of d to each other, the Offset V intended for the width direction between Expansion Joints  12   a  to External Face  16   a  and Expansion Joints  12   b  to External Face  16   b  will amount to half of the distance d. 
         [0045]    The thickness of Expansion Joints  12   a,    12   b,    14   a  and  14   b  will preferably be greater than half of the Thickness D of the insulating element. 
         [0046]    Expansion Joints  12   a,    12   b,    14   a  and  14   b  are limited to the shape depicted in  FIG. 1 . Expansion joints that are narrow with increasing thickness can also be conceived, whose cross-section, so to say, has a truncated conic shape. 
         [0047]    Although Expansion Joints  12   a,    12   b,    14   a  and  14   b  will extend over the entire Length L and Width B of Insulating Element  10  according to  FIG. 1 , they can also suffice depending on the location of use, meaning the present geometry of the interior of the rail vehicle, when Expansion Joints  12   a,    12   b,    14   a  and  14   b  ultimately extend from External Face  18  starting over a pre-determined length and width area, meaning do not extend to an opposing External Face  18 . 
         [0048]    Furthermore, the number of Expansion Joints  12   a,    12   b,    14   a  and  14   b  will depend on the size and location of use of the Insulating element  10 . Thereby, it can also suffice when only one expansion joint is intended for one external face, or respectively one expansion joint is intended for one opposing external face. 
         [0049]    Insulating Element  10  according to the discovery will be made of closed-cell materials at least in part, preferably formed from a closed-cell foam material. As needed, this closed-cell form material can also be combined preferably with another material or preferably with other materials, thus with an open-pore, meaning non-closed-cell, melamine foam. The closed-cell foam material will be preferably be a closed-cell polyethylene form, or even more preferably a physically networked closed-cell polyethylene foam. The closed-cell polyethylene foam will preferably fulfill the DIN 5510-2 (S4, SR2 and ST2) and EN 45545-2 (R1, HL 2 and HL 3) fire standards and preferably be appropriate for the Air-conditioning Zones 2 and 3 specified by the European rail industry. Additional properties will result from the table below. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Closed- 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 cell 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Polyeth- 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 ylene 
               
               
                 Property 
                 Method of Testing 
                 Unit 
                 Foam 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Bulk Density 
                 BS ISO 7214 1998 
                 kg/m3 
                 15 
               
               
                 Cell size 
                 Internal 
                 mm 
                 0.90 
               
               
                 Pressure tension 
                 BS ISO 7214 1998 
                 kPa 
                 18 
               
               
                 Shape changing 
                   
                 kPa 
                 89 
               
               
                 characteristics 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 10% compression 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 50% compression 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Pressure warping 
                 BS ISO 7214 1998 
                 % DVR 
                 18 
               
               
                 balance 
                 25 mm thickness 
                 % DVR 
                 5 
               
               
                 25% warp at 22 std. 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 23° C. 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 0.5 hr. relaxation 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                  24 hr. relaxation 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Tensile strength 
                 ISO 7214 1998 
                 kPa 
                 353 
               
               
                 Breaking stress 
                   
                 % 
                 146 
               
               
                 Resistance to tearing 
                 BS EN ISO 8067 
                 N/m 
                 545 
               
               
                   
                 1995 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Shore hardness OO 
                 ISO 868 1985 
                 OO 
                 26 
               
               
                 scale 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 10 mm thickness 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 without skin 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Maximum/minimum 
                 Internal 
                 ° C. 
                 +95° C. 
               
               
                 working 
                   
                   
                 −70° C. 
               
               
                 temperature 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Thermal conduction 
                 ISO 8302 1991 
                 W/mK 
                 0.039 
               
               
                 Tested at an avg. 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 temperature of 10° C. 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Fire inspection 
                 DIN 5510-2, S4, ST2, 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Rail 
                 SR2, EN45545-2, 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 HL2/HL3 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Heat expansion 
                 Measurement 
                 WAK 
                   
               
               
                 coefficient 
                 Raw material with 
                 A in 10-6 K-1 
                 360 
               
               
                   
                 expansion system 
                 A in 10-6 K-1 
                 40 
               
               
                 Sheet dimensions  
                 2,0000 mm ×  
                   
                   
               
               
                 (L × B) 
                 1170 mm 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Thickness from 5 mm 
                 from 5 mm up to a 
                   
                   
               
               
                 in steps of 1 mm to 
                 max. of 100 mm 
                   
                   
               
               
                 100 mm raw 
                 Roughly 2050 mm × 
                   
                   
               
               
                 measurement 
                 1200 mm × 53 mm 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 2,0000 mm × 1170 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Block material  
                 mm × max. 300 mm 
                   
                   
               
               
                 (L × B × H) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0050]    The thermal insulating element can be fastened to the interior surfaces (floor, ceiling or wall) of the rail vehicle in a variety of manners and indeed to one depending on the location and to the other from the thickness of the insulating element. 
         [0051]    The insulating element will preferably be adhered up to a thickness of 20 mm on one side and across its entire surface, in particular for its mounting on the ceilings and walls of the rail vehicle. For greater thicknesses, the insulating element will be fastened with the help of Fastening Agents  20  ( FIG. 2 ). For this purpose, a self-boring and cutting anchor ( 22 ) will first preferably be mounted in the closed-cell foam material. A disc or sheet ( 26 ) will be placed in the attachment with External Face  16   b  of Insulating Element  10  by means of a screw ( 24 ), which will be screwed into Anchor  22 . Sheet  26  will be fixed by tightening Screw  24 . Adhesive will be placed on the open area of Sheet  26  and the insulating element will be bound to the interior surface of the wall and/or ceiling of the rail vehicle by means of the adhesive. 
         [0052]    Depending on the size of Insulating Element  10 , a multitude of such Fastening Agents  20  can be intended. Sheet  26  and Screw  26  will preferably be made of metal. This type of fastening has the advantage that Fastening Agent  20  can be intended as needed on any position desired of External Face  16   a  and  16   b  of Insulating Element  10 . Even in areas, where Insulating Element  10  will be exposed to greater loads for use as intended and in the built-in state, Fastening Agents  20  can be intended with a greater open area in greater thicknesses and/or Sheet  26 . 
         [0053]    If, for example, the floor of the rail vehicle should be insulated, the insulating element that otherwise has the same material properties as an insulating element that would be mounted on a wall or ceiling of the rail vehicle cannot also have any expansion joints or fastening agents. Moreover, it is advantageous in this case when the insulating element has a drainage structure in its surface on the floor. This drainage structure will preferably have a number of heights and depths so that a wave-shaped structure will result thereby through which water can flow between the insulating element and the floor of the rail vehicle and drain out into a drain intended on the rail vehicle. The insulating element will preferably be placed loosely on a floor mounting in this case. 
         [0054]    Insulating Element  10  with the Fastening Agents  20  intended in it will be cut as needed depending on the geometry of the interior of the rail vehicle and collected and packaged as an insulating kit. This will also apply for the insulating elements without fastening agents intended for floor mounting. Each Insulating Element  10  can thereby be labeled according to a pre-determined assembly diagram corresponding to the desired sequence of assembly. The insulating kits will preferably also be supplemented with a packing list and the corresponding assembly diagram. 
         [0055]    The discoverer of this discovery has determined that a closed-cell material has an even thermal conductivity (and thereby insulating capability) and a highly stable shape thanks to its closed-cell structure. Thus, neither the absorption of moisture nor vibrations that arise while the rail vehicle is in operation will cause the material to slump. In addition, formation of bacteria potentially dangerous to health in the interior of the material and decomposition of the material potentially in connection with such will be prevented. 
         [0056]    Certainly, the closed-cell material will contract and expand, in particular a foam material exposed to large temperature differences between the rail vehicle&#39;s exterior and interior, because the gas located in the cells will expand at higher temperatures and contract at lower temperatures. Thus, it has been determined, for example, that the dimensions of the closed-cell foam material can change by roughly 5 cm per meter given a temperature difference of 90° C. The same effect will arise when the humidity changes significantly as may occur during rail travel through high mountain altitudes. Expansion and contraction characterized as such can lead to massive damage to the rail vehicle. Thus, the metal exterior of the rail vehicle can be distended and thereby deformed, for example. 
         [0057]    The expansion joints intended according to the discovery should thereby compensate for the expansion and contraction of the closed-cell material. For this reason, at least two expansion joints with a width of 2 to 3 mm, preferably 2 to 2.5 mm, should be intended for a length (or width) of insulating element of one meter. 
         [0058]    Because preferably Expansion Joints  12   a,    12   b,    14   a  and  14   b  are intended for opposing External Faces  16   a  and  16   b  of Insulating Element  10  and the thickness will correspond to at least two Expansion Joints  12   a  and  12   b  preferably at least half of Thickness D (for varying thickness, Thickness D will correspond to the thickness of the insulating element in that area) of the insulating element, there will thereby not be any lines crossing the entire length or width of the insulating element, which will not cross at least one expansion joint. This in turn means that each layer section that is so thin (when one imagines that the entire insulting element has been constructed of a number of layer sections stacked in the direction of the thickness) can expand or contract so much that a significant bulge of one of the External Faces  16   a  or  16   b  will be avoided. 
         [0059]    The expansion joints will also be even more advantageous in that the insulating element can better fit the bulged surface of the rail vehicle for mounting. 
         [0060]    Furthermore, the fire protection will be improved because the entire interior surface of the rail vehicle will be evenly and permanently covered by an insulation that fulfills all of the prescribed fire standards. 
         [0061]    If Fastening Agents  20  depicted in  FIG. 2  are used for mounting the insulating element on the rail vehicle, a reliable and permanent connection of the insulating element with the rail vehicle can be achieved, because any contraction and expansion potentially occurring can be better compensated through the ultimately point fixation of the insulating element than by an adhesive over the entire surface. The insulating element will thus remain permanently connected even after several years of travel operation of the rail vehicle, whereby an even and permanent insulating capability will be guaranteed. 
         [0062]    Because the expansion joints cross the external faces, the air located between the insulating element and the rail vehicle will be better able to escape when mounting the insulating element, which in turn will significantly simplify assembly. 
         [0063]    An adhesive free of acrylic dispersion will preferably be used as adhesive. However, solid acrylic tape can also be used for thinner sheets. Thus, a closed-cell polyethylene foam will be resistant to such adhesives and the use of such an adhesive will lead to no damage of the closed-cell cell structure both with an adhesive covering the entire surface as well as with fastening by means of a fastening agent shown in  FIG. 2 .