WATERPROOF MEMBRANE

Abstract: A waterproof membrane (1) for use as a waterproof barrier between or externally to building components, the said membrane (1) having protrusions or studs (6, 7, 8, 9) which function as distance pieces in order to ensure ventilation or drainage along the waterproof barrier. Additionally the membrane (1) is provided with a pattern of crossing, linear folding lines (2, 3, 4, 5) impressed in the membrane (1). It is thus possible to fold the membrane (1) round external or into internal corners of building constructions eliminating the use of additional components whilst maintaining continuity in ventilation or drainage.

Description: WATERPROOF MEMBRANE The present invention relates to a waterproof membrane in particular a waterproof membrane for use as a watertight barrier between or external to building components, the same membrane being furnished with protrusions or studs which function as distance pieces to ensure, for example, either ventilation or drainage along the membrane. Such membranes often are produced from plastics, e.g. polyolefines. Watertight membranes of this type are used horizontally or vertically along building costructions in order to prevent the ingress of dampness and at the same time to achieve ventilation and/or drainage on one of the membranes surfaces. DE 3127265 and DE 4004901 can be referred to as related and already known membranes. Both of these known solutions refer to double membrane foils or sheets which provide a watertight barrier and at the same time allow ventilation and/ or drainage since they are provided with protrusions or studs. Existing membranes or foils incorporating formed protrusions or studs in order to create a ventilation/ drainage cavity have several disadvantages. It should be noted that existing membranes or foils are difficult or impossible to fold. This makes it necessary, where the building construction changes direction for example from wall to floor, to employ special sealing and jointing components in order to maintain the membranes integrity past the point of change of direction. Existing membranes with similar protrusion or studs cannot, in a simple fashion, be folded round corners. They are not designed with this ability to be folded in mind. Installation time and costs are increased and potentially weak points in the costruction introduced. It should also be noted that flat membranes incorpo- rating a folding pattern are already known but these do not have the previously described protrusions or studs. Such flat membranes are known only from the applicant's own Norwegian registered design No. 70541. It should be noted however that this registered design relates exclusively to the appearance of a waterproof membrane for indoor use in bathrooms and other wet areas and that this membrane does not incorporate protrusions or studs corresponding to those to be found on previously known membranes. Finally it should be mentioned that there already exist membranes with studs where rows of studs are connected to each other with formed channels namely Platon basement wall membrane (produced by ISOLA AS) . The purpose of such one way connection of rows of studs is presumed to be that in some cases it can be an advantage to have a connection between the gap created by the studs in order to obtain a continuous drainage on one side of the membrane. This type of membrane is used primarily in a vertical position externally around basement walls and then in such a way that the vertical channels between the studs also run vertically and allow excess water to drain away. These membranes are, however, difficult or impossible to fold across these channels since the same channels stiffen the membrane sheet. The membrane is not produced with folding in mind. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a watertight membrane for building purposes which gives good ventilation and drainage in all directions and which at the same time can be folded in all the likely directions in a simple and safe fashion. Furthermore the purpose of the present invention is to provide a reasonable building membrane which is easy to install round corners without the use of additional components. The present product is a membrane which has both studs and preformed folding channels which can also function as drainage channels but which are present in the membrane in at least two crossing directions and where the studs have a size and/or shape which allows some of the folding channels in each crossing direction to reaiain unaffected by the studs. In this way the membrane, although including studs, can nevertheless be folded round corners without breaking the watertight surface. Since two sets of right angled folding folding lines crossing each other at 45 degrees are incorporated in the membrane it is possible to fold the same membrane into corners where three walls stand at right angles to each other without cutting or producing cracks. All the above mentioned advantages are achieved by forming the membrane according to the following claims. To give a better understanding of the product it is referred to the detailed description of several embodiments meant as examples and stated below as well as the accompa¬ nying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows one form of a membrane in accordance with the present invention seen from above, Fig. 2 shows the membrane from Fig.l seen from the side, Fig. 3 shows another form of the membrane seen from above, Fig. 4 shows the membrane according to Fig. 3 seen from the side, Fig. 5 shows a further form of the mnembrane according to the present invention, Fig. 6 shows the membrane according to Fig. 5 seen from the side, Fig. 7 shows yet another form of the membrane according to the present invention seen from above. Fig. 8 shows finally a form where the studs are small enough to find room between the folding lines without disturbing any of these. It should be noticed that the mutual relationship in size between the width of the folding lines or channels and the studs need not necessarily be as shown in the figure. This also applies to the height of the studs in relation to their size. In Fig. 1 we see a typical membrane, in accordance with the present invention, seen from above. The membrane 1 is furnished with crossing sets of folding indentations 2,3,4,5. These folding indentations 2,3,4,5 are shown in the figure in the form of two sets of folding indentations, the one set consisting of horizontal 2 and vertical 3 indentations whilst the other set consists of the diagonal 4 indentations and, at right angles to these, the diagonal folding indentations 5. In the figure the two right angled sets of folding indentations cross each other at 45 degrees. The individual folding lines may be formed by pressing to produce a weakened line but preferably by forming an indentation or channel in the membrane by pressing, rolling or by some other method. The section of these folding indentations may be rounded or have another profile for example a sharp fold. Similarly the product is not limited to having two right angled sets of folding indentations such as shown in these examples but can, particularly if the membrane is to be used for a special purpose, be formed so that the foiding indentations cross each other at other angles. The only requirement is that there are present multiple folding indentations or channels which cross each other in a predetermined fashion. Protruding or recessed studs 6,7,8,9 are placed in the pattern of folding indentations. Fig.l shows a membrane where the studs lie regularly in the folding pattern, are square and bounded by some of the diagonal folding indentations 4 and 5. It is important to note that the studs 6,7,8,9 are so placed along the same horizontal, vertical and diagonal folding indentations that there remain indentations in these same three directions without such studs. The fact is that the studs greatly reduce the flexi- bility of the membrane along the folding indentations covered by studs. Referring to Fig.l the membrane will only be easy to fold along the lines marked with a star whilst unstarred folding lines will be stiffened by the stud formation. It can be said that the idea of the invention is that studs shall be so placed in the pattern of folding indentations that some of these in each of the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions shall remain unaffected by the stiffening resulting from tha positioning of the studs. Looking more closely at the build up of the pattern in fig.l we see that in the horizontal, vertical and both diagonal directions only one of the folding lines, indentations or channels in each of the repeating groups of four such lines is stiffened by a stud. In the configuration shown the membrane will retain three quarters of its total flexibility for bending and fitting round angles and into corners. Fig.2 shows a section through the membrane shown, viewed from above, in Fig.l. The membrane is shown here with folding lines in the form of semi-circular indentations in the otherwise smooth membrane whilst the studs are shown as large relief formed protrusions in the membrane in the opposite direction. It should already be noted that the folding lines 2,3,4,5 as well as the studs 6,7,8,9 can be formed in the same or the opposite surface of the membrane. Since the studs 6,7; as mentioned above coincide with the boundary line along some of the folding indentations the walls of these studs 6,7 will, in this arrangement, go right through to the surface of the membrane. This is important for many applications since the stud walls will be stiff and will resist deformation under load. Placed between two building boards such a membrane will not give way under normal loadings. Figs. 3 and 4 show another solution where the studs are different in number and size and are placed parallel to the horizontal and vertical folding indentations Similarly, as can be seen from Fig.4 the height of the studs is relatively higher than the solution shown in Figs.l and 2. Looking more closely at Fig.3 it can be seen that only every other of the folding indentations iε unaffected by the stiffening brought about by the studs and their positioning. This membrane will therefore be less flexible than the membrane according to Figs.l and 2 as far as fitting round angles and into corners. On the other hand the membrane according to Figs.3 and 4 will be more resistant to compression before the studs are deformed. There are more sidewalls 10 per given area with this solution and these stand almost at right angles to the plane of the paper. Also in this case all the side walls of the studs 7 will go right through to the opposite side of the membrane giving a sheet which can withstand high surface pressures when incorporated in a loaded building construc¬ tion. The degree of "slope" the side walls must have is dependent on the method of manufacture but a certain slip angle is normally required. Figs.5 and 6 show a further solution where the flexibility of the membrane is retained in every other folding line in every direction but where the protruding or recessed studs are of cylindrical shape or more correctly have the shape of cut-off cones. The function in other respects will be as for the membrane in Figs.1-4. In order to retain a good pressure resisting characteristics also with slightly conical studs it can be advantageous to employ studs that have a pyramid shape at the point where they meet the plane of the membrane. In this way each wall of each stud passes directly into a folding channel. The smaller part of the stud can nevertheless have the form of a cut off cone. For better understanding the studs can be described as having a "pyramid foot" and a "conical top". Finally a version of the membrane with larger studs is shown in Fig.7 where only studs 6 and 7 are shown in their entirety. In this case flexibility is only retained in one of three folding lines horizontally and vertically and in only one of six folding lines in both diagonal directions. This version can nevertheless have advantages in some applications. The most flexible form of the membrane is that where the studs are so small and have such a shape that they do not touch any of the folding lines or indentations at all but are placed between these. Two such variations are shown in Fig.8. In this case full flexibility is maintained also when compared with a membrane without studs but where the advantage of better ventilation and draining is achieved compared with a membrane without such studs. How frequently and where in the pattern of the membrane the studs should be placed depends first and foremost on which resistance to compression is desired. On the right hand side of Fig.8 we can see that a stud has been indicated in every one of the flat areas between the folding indentations whilst on the left hand side of Fig.8 only one triangular stud is placed in each group of four such areas. All variations of stud density can thus be employed. It should also be mentioned that the membrane can be used in many different ways. For example it can frequently be advantageously employed where a membrane is needed between a concrete sole which is to be cast on an existing surface. The studs will be filled with the casting material for example concrete and when this has set the whole con¬ struction will resist compression whilst drainage channels and a ventilated interspace will be found as a net stretching in all directions over the area where the membrane has been employed. These membranes can clearly also be used in vertical constructions with the big advantage of being easily formable round corners, angles and directional changes without a break. It should be specially mentioned that where one today in, for example, damp or wet rooms where, in order to protect the floor construction, a conventional membrane is to be installed, it is necessary to employ extra components, tapes and corner devices to secure a waterproof change of direction from the horizontal to the vertical. With the present invention it is easy to fold the membrane to accomodate such changes in direction whilst the pattern of channels and air gap remains unbroken. For the sake of clarity it should be mentioned that which of the folding lines or indentations shall be considered diagonal depends only upon which section of the sheet is being viewed. If, in Fig.3 for example, the material is produced in a continuous length which can be rolled up then the direction of production can be along or parallel with the folding indentations 2, those designated 3; or parallel with those designated 4 or 5. With several of the stud patterns it can be an advantage to let the production direction run along one of the diagonals in Fig.3. This will namely lead to an advantageous result in corner areas in that the studs in the folded area will fit together and "lock" the folding pattern in such corners.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. Watertight membrane (1) for use as a watertight barrier between or external to building components which membrane (1) is formed with protrusions or studs (6,7,8,9) which function as distance pieces in order to ensure ventilation and/or drainage along the waterproof barrier, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the membrane being provided with a pattern of crossing linear folding lines (2,3,4,5) in the shape of formed indentations in the membrane. 2. Watertight membrane (1) according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the folding lines (2,3,4,5) which run in several crossing directions and the studs are (6,7,8,9) positioned and dimensioned so that some of the folding lines (2*, 3*, 4*, 5*) in each separate direction remain unaffected by the studs (6,7,8,9). 3. Watertight membrane (1) according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that all folding lines (2,3,4,5) are unaffected by the studs (6,7,8,9). 4. Watertight membrane (1) according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the studs (6,7,8,9) are so small and have such a shape that there is room for them between the folding lines (2,3,4,5). 5. Watertight membrane (1) according to whichever of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that that both the studs (6,7,8,9) and the folding lines (2,3,4,5) do not result in a noticeable thickening of the membrane (1) but are relief formed in this. 6. Watertight membrane (1) according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by that the studs (6,7,8,9) and the folding lines (2,3,4,5) are formed in relief by forming on opposite sides of the membrane. 7. Watertight membrane (1) according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that some of the studs (6,7,8,9) er formed on the opposite side of the membrane (1) to the other studs. 8. Watertight membrane (1) according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by that approximately half the studs (6,7,8,9) and approximately half the folding lines (2,3,4,5) are formed in relief by forming on the opposite side of the membrane (1) . 9. Watertight membrane (1) according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by that it is produced from a plastic material which can withstand repeated bending along the same folding line without noticable weakening of the material. 10. Watertight membrane (1) according to any of the previous claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by that at least some of the studs (6,7,8,9) have a irregular formed surface (11,12,13). 11. Watertight membrane (1) according to any of the previous clams, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by that the side walls of at least some of the studs (6,7) lie quite close to the folding lines or indentations and pass directly into these. 12. Watertight membrane (1) according to claim 11, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by that the studs (6,7) which have side walls which pass directly into the folding lines have flat side walls at the "root" of the stud and rounded walls at the "top" of the stud so that the studs have for preferance a "pyramid" shape at the bottom and a "conical" shape at the top.

Inventors: CHEETHAM JOHN O, CHEETHAM, JOHN, O.
Applicants: CHEETHAM JOHN O, OLDROYD SYSTEMER A S, CHEETHAM, JOHN, O., OLDROYD SYSTEMER A.S
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: E02D31