Hose for installing loose fill insulation

The present invention provides tubes for, in an exemplary embodiment, dispensing loose fill insulation. The tube comprises an inner web formed in a tubular shape and having a plurality of spaced helical projections disposed along an inner surface thereof and extending towards a central longitudinal axis of the inner web, the inner surface of the inner web also forming an inner surface of the tube. A cap is disposed around an outer periphery of the inner web. The helical projections serve to condition the insulation as the insulation passes through the tube.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hoses, and in particular, a hose for installing loose fill insulation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Loose fill insulation is packaged in bags in which the material becomes compacted during storage and shipment. When removed from the bags, the insulation separates into clumps. In order to effectively install the insulation material, it must first be “fluffed up” or conditioned to reduce its density. Traditionally, pneumatic devices are used to both install the insulation and perform the conditioning. The conditioning process breaks up the clumps and then “fluffs” or “opens up” the insulation. The conditioned insulation is then applied pneumatically to an area by blowing it through a hose connected to the pneumatic device. The insulation may be moistened and/or treated with an adhesive in the pneumatic device before installation.

FIGS. 1A and 1Bshow an example of a prior art pneumatic apparatus10for dispensing loose fill insulation.FIG. 1Ais an isometric view of the apparatus10, showing a hopper16for storing loose fill insulation, blower22, and a hose26for dispensing the insulation.FIG. 1Bis a side view of the apparatus10showing the inner workings in detail. The apparatus includes shafts52,60with spikes54,62extending therefrom for conditioning the insulation, which is placed in the hopper16. The spikes54,62break apart the clumps of insulation and prepare it to be dispensed. The conditioned insulation passes from the hopper16through the spikes54,62to dispensing assembly20, where it is blown through hose26by blower22. In operation, the user simply points the hose26where the user desires the insulation, and it is dispensed.

Often, the conditioning which occurs within the insulation dispensing apparatus is not enough to fully “open up” the insulation. If the insulation is not sufficiently conditioned when it leaves the dispensing apparatus it may be applied unevenly (i.e. in clumps), and it may not have the manufacturer's specified density for the installed thermal resistance desired. Conversely, insulation which is well conditioned allows adhesive and moisture to penetrate the insulation fibers, and applies to surfaces more evenly.

Related U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,719,864 (the “'864 Patent”) and 6,206,050 (the “'050 Patent”), which are commonly assigned with the present application and incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, describe improved hoses for use in installing loose fill insulation. The hose includes a projection extending from an inner surface which serves to condition the insulation as it proceeds through the hose and is dispensed. While this hose works well to improve the conditioning of the blow loose fill insulation, there is still a need for improvements for increasing the conditioning of loose fill insulation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides tubes for, in an exemplary embodiment, dispensing loose fill insulation. The tube comprises an inner web formed in a tubular shape and having a plurality of spaced helical projections disposed along an inner surface thereof and extending towards a central longitudinal axis of the inner web, the inner surface of the inner web also forming an inner surface of the tube. A cap is disposed around an outer periphery of the inner web. The helical projections serve to condition the insulation as the insulation passes through the tube.

The above and other features of the present invention are better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In a conventional insulation dispensing apparatus, such as the one described above and shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B, loose fill insulation is placed into a hopper or housing of the apparatus where it is conditioned. The apparatus typically includes a mechanism for conditioning the insulation, as well as means for dispensing the insulation, such as a hose or other similar means. Sometimes, however, the conditioning mechanism within the dispensing apparatus does not provide sufficient conditioning. An improved hose for, in an exemplary embodiment, dispensing loose fill insulation is provided. As described in more detail hereafter, the hose includes a tube comprising an inner web formed in a tubular shape and having a plurality of spaced helical projections disposed along an inner surface thereof and extending towards a central longitudinal axis of the inner web, the inner surface of the inner web also forming an inner surface of the tube. A cap is disposed around an outer periphery of the inner web. The helical projections serve to condition the insulation as the insulation passes through the tube.

Tube100for dispensing loose fill insulation is provided and preferably comprises a flexible hose coupled to an insulation dispensing apparatus. InFIGS. 2A and 2B, the tube100is formed as a cylindrical hose having an approximately circular cross-section. However, the tube100may have a cross-section of a variety of shapes (e.g. oval, rectangular, and polygonal) without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, although it is preferred that the tube100be used as a flexible external hose for an insulation dispensing apparatus, the tube100may be formed as an internal component in an insulation dispensing apparatus which is either rigid or flexible. Alternately, the tube100may comprise the inner liner of a hose.

The tube100comprises an inner web130surrounded by an outer cap120. In the exemplary embodiment shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, the inner web130is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the outer cap120is formed as a helical member extending around the outer periphery of the inner web120to seal the inner web. The inner web130includes a first helical projection131which extends around its entire outer periphery. The inner web130also includes a plurality of internal spaced, helical projections that extend around its inner periphery, which is shown specifically inFIGS. 3A-3Dand described in more detail below. The first, outer helical projection131extends away from a longitudinal axis A of the inner web130, and the plurality of inner, spaced helical projections extends towards the longitudinal axis A of the inner web130. The outer cap120comprises a helical member121that is wound around the outer periphery of the inner web130and which is disposed at a position substantially aligned with the outer portions of the extrusion member forming inner web130and in between portions of the helical projection131.

FIG. 3Ashows a cross-sectional view of the tube100taken along section line3A-3A inFIG. 2A.FIG. 3Ashows a first embodiment of the plurality of helical projections. Reference numeral150indicates the inner portion of the tube100generally, and reference numeral160indicates an outer portion. Insulation (indicated by the arrow labeled “INSULATION”) passes along inner portion150from the direction of insulation inlet and it is dispensed through the tube100from an insulation output. In this embodiment, the helical projections140of inner web130extend into the inner portion150of the tube100by a specific length, typically 1/1000 of an inch (0.025 millimeters) to ¼ of an inch (6.35 millimeters), depending on the length of the insulation fiber and the diameter of the tube100. They generally have a cross-sectional thickness of about 0.25 to 050 mm. The helical projections140substantially abut one another to collectively form a first helical projection (also referred to herein as “helical projection140”) extending into the inner portion150. The tube also includes at least a second helical projection spaced from the helical projection140. In the embodiment ofFIG. 3A, the tube100includes second and third spaced helical projections142,144, respectively. These additional helical projections are preferably spaced from each other a distance “X” between about 6 to 10 mm. In one embodiment, the helical projections142and144are spaced a distance “Y” about 3 mm on either or both sides of projection140. Thus, the spaced, helical projections140,142and144provide multiple, small partial obstructions in the path of insulation traveling through the tube100.

In operation, as insulation is blown through the tube100by an insulation dispensing apparatus, the insulation collides with the different portions of the multiple spaced helical projections140,142,144, and is further “opened up” or conditioned. The individual fibers of the insulation are essentially “grabbed” by the projections140,142,144as they pass through the tube100. As a portion of the fiber is attached to the projection140,142or144, the flow of air through the tube100causes the fiber to become stretched. This stretching action causes the insulation that exits the tube100at the insulation outlet (not shown) to be better conditioned (i.e. less dense) than the insulation that enters the tube at the insulation inlet (not shown). Accordingly, insulation installed using the tube100is less clumpy and adheres better to the surface to which it is applied than insulation installed by conventional hoses.

AlthoughFIGS. 3A and 3Bshow the helical projections140,142,144,146,148as being substantially perpendicular to the axis A of the tube100(shown inFIG. 2A), other embodiments are also contemplated by the inventors.FIG. 3Cshows a third embodiment where one or more helical projections (in this embodiment, the first and second spaced helical projections, now labeled151,152) are angled with respect to the axis A of the tube100by an angle less than ninety (90) degrees, and preferably at an angle between about 30-60°. A first exemplary projection152is angled so that it points towards the insulation input, i.e., the direction from which insulation flows through the tube inFIG. 3C. A second exemplary projection151is angled in the opposite direction, i.e., towards the output of the tube100. The tips of these projections, i.e., the portions closest to longitudinal axis A, are spaced from each other, in an exemplary embodiment, a distance between about 0.25 inch, of course dependent upon the projection angle and length of the projections. Providing projections that are angled in opposite directions, and thus with and against the general insulation flow, may allow the projections to better grab for conditioning insulation flowing in the direction of the arrow ofFIG. 3Cand insulation moving in a backflow direction, such as due to turbulence in the tube100.

The angling of the projection151,152can be accomplished by extruding the inner web130with the angled projections. The process for extruding the inner web130, as well as the fabrication process for the tube100, is explained in detail in the commonly assigned '050 and '864 Patents, the entirety of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

The helical projections need not project toward the longitudinal axis A for the same distance.FIG. 3Dshows a fourth embodiment where the helical projections, now labeled140′ and140″, extend for different lengths. As also shown inFIG. 3D, adjacent turns of the tape that forms the tube100can be separated by a spacing element170disposed between the end portions of the tape. In one embodiment, spacing element170comprises and adhesive layer. In another exemplary embodiment, spacing element170comprises a portion of extruded cap120disposed between the end portions of the tape. In any event, the spacing created by spacing element170is preferably between about 0.5 to 3 mm.

FIG. 4is a cross sectional view of the tube100showing how the inner web130(with helical projections140,142,144) and outer cap120are formed.FIG. 4shows an inner web130having a helical projection140,142,144as shown inFIG. 3A, but the foregoing explanation applies equally as well to embodiments shown inFIGS. 3B to 3D, with the exception being the provision of spacing element170in the embodiment ofFIG. 3D. The materials for both the inner web130and outer cap120are preferably formed by extrusion of plastic through a die. The plastic may comprise any well known plastic in the art, for example, polypropylenes, urethanes, and polyvinyl chlorides may be used. However, these components need not be formed of strictly plastic, and may be formed of any suitable materials, including metals (e.g. aluminum), by any suitable process known to those skilled in the art. The inner web130is not formed as a cylindrical member as it is shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B. The web130is actually formed as a tape extrusion200with a generally W-shaped cross section as shown inFIG. 4. As described in detail in the '050 and '864 Patents, the tape200is wrapped around a cylindrical rotating mandrel to form the cylindrical inner web130shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B. The mandrel rotates in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction to roll the tape200onto its outer surface.FIG. 4shows a cross section of two segments of the tape200. Each segment of the tape200has a W-shaped cross section with an inverted V-shaped central portion161, and two T-shaped outer portions162. The central portion161of the W-shape, when wound around the mandrel, creates the first outward helical projection131of the tube100, and outer portions162create the first inner helical projection140. The outer portions162are preferably formed to have a horizontal section165coupling a vertical end portion to the central portion161. A low portion163bof the end portion extends below the central portion161by a distance D approximately 1/1000 of an inch (0.025 millimeters) to ¼ of an inch (6.35 millimeters), depending on the length of the insulation fiber and the diameter of the tube100, while the upper portion163aextends above the horizontal portion165. The projections163bof the inner web tape200create the helical projection140when tape200is wound around the cylindrical mandrel.

The outer cap120is also formed from a tape-like extrusion170. The outer cap tape170, however, is formed to have an inverted U-shape. The outer cap tape170is formed to fit over sections163aof the at least two outer portions162of the inner web tape200as shown inFIG. 4. The central open portion of the U-shape is approximately the same width and length as the combined width and length of the two adjacent portions163a. A small gap180may exist between the adjacent outer portions163aof the segments of tape200. The outer cap tape170covers the two adjacent outer portions162and gap180such that the portions163asubstantially abut one another and thus holds the different segments of the inner web tape200together to form tube100.

As stated above, the inner web130and outer cap120can be manufactured to have different configurations than the one shown inFIG. 4. The embodiment ofFIG. 3Ccan be fabricated by extruding an inner web where the portions163bof outer portions162of the inner web tape200are angled by an angle less than ninety (90) degrees with respect to the horizontal member165. This involves merely changing the die used to extrude the inner web tape200. The embodiment ofFIG. 3Dcan be formed by changing the shape of the die used to extrude the outer cap tape170and by adding an adhesive layer.

In one embodiment, the outer cap tape170is secured to the inner web tape200by injecting molten plastic into the area around the cap as it is wound around the mandrel. The cap120is melted onto the web130at gap portions180formed between the segments of the tape as it is wound around the mandrel200. Thus, the cap180seals the different segments of the inner web tape160, and holds the tube100together. The shape of the tube100may be altered by simply changing the shape of the mandrel.

Although the above explanation describes the inner web130as being formed in a helical shape, it may be formed in other ways without departing from the scope of the invention. Instead of being formed as a continuous helical member, the inner web130may be formed by a series of non-continuous rings. The non-continuous rings may be formed by manufacturing the tube100as described above, and thereafter cutting the helical member, using for example a rotating knife die, at different portions so that a plurality of non-continuous rings are formed. The cross section of a tube100manufactured in such a manner would appear the same as the cross sections shown inFIGS. 3A-3D, the only difference being that the projections140,142,144, etc. would comprise a plurality of parallel cylindrical projections rather than continuous projections.