Abstract:
A system for providing more efficient insulation for heating and air conditioning ducts is disclosed. Specifically, a system comprising one or more layers of light-weight, rigid spacers made of non-conductive material attached over an air duct, is disclosed. The spacers contain air channels or air spacers, and can be pre-attached to the air duct prior to installation of the duct. The air duct/spacer combination is wrapped with reflective insulation material.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 61/402,266 filed Aug. 26, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a system for providing more efficient insulation for heating and air conditioning ducts for a number of uses in the home, apartment buildings or other private or commercial buildings that use HVAC or other similar systems for heating and cooling. In particular, the system according to the present invention provides a more effective and increased R value for reflective insulation that is commonly wrapped around the air conditioning or heating duct. 
         [0003]    Reflective insulation, as now used in home and industry to insulate heating and air conditioning ducts, insulates primarily by reflecting radiant energy either to or from the duct. This provides, therefore, an R value based only on the reflective properties of the material. It is well known that air is relatively non-conductive of heat or cold and thus it would be advantageous to provide an air space between the reflective insulation material and the duct to take advantage of the non-conductive insulation properties of air. In addition, it would be beneficial for a system that provides for an air space between the duct and the reflective material to be attached to the duct prior to installation, because of the obvious difficulties encountered when wrapping an air duct when it is already installed. Whatever material employed to create the air space, besides being non-conductive, would best be light-weight and rigid. 
         [0004]    Presently, there is no system in use in either private or commercial buildings that provides an air space between the reflective material and the duct that is non-conductive, light in weight, rigid, and is capable of being pre-installed to the duct prior to installing the duct itself. Other known methods of spacing reflective insulation are inadequate and inefficient and do not allow for any support so the air space during installation and the R-value is compromised. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A principle object of the present invention is to provide a system to improve the R value of reflective material used to wrap heating and air conditioning ducts by providing an air space between the reflective material and the duct. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system to create an air space between the reflective material and air ducts by utilizing spacer material that is non-conductive and lightweight. It is a further object of this invention to utilize spacer material that can be attached to the duct prior to installation of the duct and is rigid, so that the air space keeps its form and is not compromised or compressed during the installation of the duct. 
         [0006]    Thus, according to these objectives, the system of the present invention uses a non-conductive substrate or material that contains air gaps, spaces or compartments. The substrate or material also has a minimum thickness of ⅛″ to up to ¾″, 1″ or even more, as desired, to insure a proper air space or gap between the surface of the air duct and the reflective insulation material used to insulate the air duct, to obtain the correct R value. 
         [0007]    Typical R values for reflective insulation is R6 with a 1″ air space and R8 for double wrapped insulation with the thinner thicknesses, and R8 with a ¾″ air space for the 1″ or thicker single-wrapped insulation. 
         [0008]    The materials or substrates of this system is formed into strips that can be fastened along the length of the ductwork on all four sides, extending over the duct corners by a minimum of ⅛″ and up to ¾″, 1″ or even more as desired, so that when the reflective insulation is wrapped around the air duct and spacer materials, there will be a minimum of ⅛″ air space around the entire duct. 
         [0009]    The materials or substrates of this invention will also insure, by their weight bearing properties, that the air space between the duct and the insulation are not compromised when installing the air duct in an attic space or when hung on hangers because this system is continuous down the length of the air duct giving rigidity to the insulation without compromising the R value. 
         [0010]    Furthermore, the system of this invention provides for a double layer of the materials or substrates prior to wrapping the reflective insulation for when an even higher R value is needed. That is, the spacer material or substrate can be easily applied a second time over the top of the first layer of spacer material or substrate, and could be mechanically fastened to the first spacer on all four sides overlapping a minimum of ⅛″ on the corners to insure a proper air space is maintained, or can even be applied over the first layer of reflective insulation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of this invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an embodiment of this invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is bottom view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the  FIGS. 1-5  of the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are designated with the same reference numerals. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention, generally designated by the reference number  10 . The system comprises a ventilation air duct  12  as commonly used in residences, commercial buildings, and the like, for heating and/or cooling, such as in HVAC systems. Traditionally, the ducts are rectangular or square. 
         [0018]    Connected to the air duct is a first spacer  14 , as shown in  FIG. 1  as being on the vertical sides and corners of the duct. First spacer  14  is made preferably of a light-weight non heat-conductive material such as stiff paper or cardboard, plastic, Styrofoam, or similar material. Spacer  14  has a thickness  16  that can vary but preferably is a minimum of ⅛ inches up to 1 inch to provide sufficient air space for insulative effect. Contained within spacer  14  are air spaces  18 , formed by vertical members  20  ( FIG. 2 ), of the spacer material. First spacer  14  has a width dimension  26  and a length dimension  28 . The width dimension can be any desired width, depending on the height and width dimensions of the duct, but preferably ranges from about 3-4 inches up to about 12 inches. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the air spaces  18  run perpendicular to the length of spacer  14 . As also shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the air space  18  is of a square or rectangular shape. But other shapes are also within the scope of this invention, such as circular or oval air spaces  22 , diagonal spaces  35 , or “wave” shaped air spaces  24 . See  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Accordingly, the material selected for spacer layer  14  must be rigid in order to prevent the air spaces  18  from being crushed or compressed, either during installation or in actual use. Spacer  14  also comprises an adhesive strip  30  that is affixed lengthwise along an edge of spacer  14 , for easy attachment of the spacer  14  to the air duct  12  or to another layer of spacers. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  also illustrates the attachment of spacers  14  to the air duct  12 . As shown, spacers  14  are attached lengthwise along the air duct  12  at the sides, or height dimension, of the air duct. Accordingly, the width dimension  26  of spacer  14  is preferably the same as the height of the air duct  12 . Spacer  14  is also attached lengthwise to air duct  12  at the top and bottom of the air duct  12 , but primarily, only at the corners of the duct. Thus, there is a gap, or air space  32  between first spacers  14  at the top and bottom of the air duct  12 . The air spaces  32  can be of any desired width, and largely depends on the width of the air duct  12 . In some cases for narrow air ducts, there may not need to be an air space  32  between the spacers  14 . Spacers  14  are also attached to air duct  12  such that they overlap the spacers  14  attached to the sides of the air duct  12 , as shown by designation  34 . Spacers  14  can be attached to air duct  12  by means of the adhesive strip  30 , which has a width dimension  36  which may vary from about 1″ to 2″ or more. Other attachment means such as glue or other adhesive, or screws  40 , may be used. 
         [0020]    Once a first layer of spacers  14  is attached to air duct  12 , the duct/spacer combination can be wrapped with reflective insulation material  37 . If additional insulation R value is required, a second spacer  38  may be attached over the first spacers  14 . Second spacers  38  have the same construction and design features of spacer  14 , and are attached to spacers  14  in the same manner that spacers  14  are attached to air duct  12 . When second spacers  38  are added, reflective insulation material  37  becomes optional, meaning that it can be used and the second spacers  38  can be applied over the top of it, or it may be eliminated altogether. In either instance, reflective insulation material  39  is wrapped around the air duct/two spacer layer combination. 
         [0021]    It is preferred that the spacers  14  and/or spacers  38  be attached to air duct  12  prior to the installation of the air duct in the building. In addition, the reflective insulation material  37  or  38  may be pre-attached or not, depending on the application. 
         [0022]    The preceding preferred embodiments are illustrative of the practice of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that other expedients known to those of skill in the art, or disclosed herein, may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.