Abstract:
A drainage mat and mortar blocker system including a panel and polymeric drainage mat which includes protrusions on the front side and indentations on the back side of the mat. A filter fabric is affixed to the side of the mat containing the protrusions. The top portion of the back side of the drainage mat is affixed to the panel and the bottom portion of the mat is folded upward so as to form a U-shape. The U-shape is held in place by connections extending from the back side of the bottom portion of the drainage mat and into the front side of the drainage mat.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a drainage mat and mortar blocker. More particularly, it a drainage mat which acts as a continuous drainage medium and a barrier to construction debris when inserted into a wall cavity. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The concept of placing drainage systems and debris inhibiting systems in wall cavities is well-known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,259 illustrates a planar insulating board constructed of an insulated section and a drain structure for use in masonry walls. The insulated section is constructed of extruded or expanded polystyrene and the drain structure is fabricated of a matted material such as strands of polymer, i.e., polyethtylene, nylon or polyester. The drain structure is attached to the insulated section by an adhesive. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,048 illustrates a panel assembly inserted on the exterior surface of a wall. The assembly includes an insulating board with channels on one side of the board. A water-pervious fabric is attached to the channelled side of the board. The panel assembly collects water and channels it downward and away from the wall. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,297 describes an elastomeric, water-impervious coating which is applied to the outer surface of a foundation wall. Sheets of water-impervious protection board, formed from thermoplastic resin, are then bonded to the elastomeric coating. The proctection boards function to protect the elastomeric coating from damage during backfilling. Further, the protection boards contain holes and channels that serve to facilitate the movement of water downward away from the wall. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,766 illustrates a high-strength geomembrane constructed from a blend of polyethylene copolymers. The geomembrane is installed on a foundation wall and serves to protect wall waterproofing systems from impact of debris from backfilling, earth movement and cracks. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,673 describes a masonry cavity wall construction which prevents water damage to building foundations and blocks construction debris from entering the cavity. The air space, bewteen the masonry cavity wall and the interior wythe, contains board insulation to which is attached a polymeric fluiding conducting mesh. The mesh allows gases and water to pass through but prevents solid materials, such as construction debris, from passing through it. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,525 illustrates a thermoplastic foam board containing channels which extend into the board. The panel is installed on the exterior surface of a foundation wall with the channels abut and open toward the backfill soil. The channels vary in width so as to prevent backfill soil from entering the channels while still providing effective water drainage. 
     All of the above patents teach methods and apparatus for providing drainage for walls and/or blocking debris from entering wall cavities and/or providing insulation for walls. However, none of the prior art specifically addresses an apparatus for providing wall insulation, water drainage and preventing substantially all debris from blocking the drainage of water from the wall cavity. Further, none of the prior art suggest providing a gap, free of debris, between the interior and exterior wall and below the drain material, to permit water to exit the wall cavity. 
     None of the prior art teach or suggest a product that utilizes a folded flap that remains out of a contractor&#39;s way while he/she constructs an exterior wall. The prior art does not teach or suggest a product that completely blocks the cavity of a wall to permit drainage and collect construction debris. Further, none of the prior art suggest an adjustable product that can be applied to wall cavities that are small in size, i.e., one inch to three inches across. 
     Thus, there is a need for a drainage mat that provides superior water drainage, debris-blocking capability and insulation in a simple product that can be easily installed in a wall cavity. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus to provide insulation, drainage and debris blocking capability. More particularly, the invention relates to a drainage mat and mortar blocker including a panel and polymeric drainage mat which includes protrusions on the front side and indentations, corresponding to the protrusions, on the back side of the mat. A filter fabric is affixed the protrusions. The top portion of the back side of the drainage mat is affixed to the panel and the bottom portion of the mat is folded upward so as to form a U-shape. The U-shape is held in place by connections extending from the back side of the bottom portion of the drainage mat and into the front side of the drainage mat. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that provides drainage and debris-blocking capabilities in a single product. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that utilizes a folded flap that remains out of a contractor&#39;s way while he/she constructs an exterior wall. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that completely blocks the cavity of a wall to permit drainage and collect construction debris. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable product that can be applied to wall cavities that are small in size, i.e., one inch to three inches across. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that blocks debris so that the gap at the bottom of a wall cavity is open for drainage. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a drainage and debris-blocking apparatus that is easy to install. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a drainage and debris-blocking apparatus that may be conveniently installed on an insulation panel. 
     The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure in which one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is contemplated that variations in procedures, structural features and arrangement of parts may appear to a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the drainage and mortar blocker affixed on an insulation panel. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the drainage and mortar blocker as installed in a typical wall cavity. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front side of the drainage mat. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front side of the drainage mat. 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the back side of the drainage mat. 
    
    
     In describing preferred embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific terms so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
     Although preferred embodiments of the invention are herein described, it is understood that various changes and modifications in the illustrated and described structure can be affected without departure from the basic principles that underlie the invention. Changes and modifications of this type are therefore deemed to be circumscribed by the spirit and scope of the invention, except as the same may be necessarily modified by the appended claims or reasonable equivalents thereof. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the drainage mat and mortar blocker  4 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The drainage mat and mortar blocker includes a drainage mat  4  and filter fabric  18 . 
     Drainage mat  4  is more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 4 shows the front side  5  of the drainage mat  4 . Drainage mat  4  may be constructed of any flexible material that is impervious to water including thermoplastic materials. The preferred material used for the drainage mat is high density polystyrene. Drainage mat  4  contains protrusions  12  with apertures  10  randomly positioned between the protrusions  12 . FIG. 5 shows the back side  3  of drainage mat  4 . Depressions  16  on the back side  3  of the drainage mat  4  correspond with the protrusions  12  of the front side  5  of the drainage mat  4  (FIG.  4 ). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, filter fabric  18  is affixed, by an adhesive, to protrusions  12  on the front side  5  of the drainage mat  4 . Filter fabric  18  may be any suitable material which is pervious to water but impervious to solids. In a preferred embodiment, the filter fabric is constructed of polypropylene however, other materials suitable for a filter fabric include polyester and polyethylene. In FIG. 3, filter fabric  18  is pulled back for illustration purposes only. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the filter fabric  18  extends over the edge  11  of the bottom portion  20  on the back side  3  of the drainage mat. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, drainage mat  4  may be affixed to a panel  2 . The panel may be constructed of any suitable material that can be easily affixed to a wall and/or provide insulation to a wall including, but not limited to, fibrous material such as glass fibers and cellulose fibers, composite materials, plywood or gypsum sheathing, expanded polystyrene rigid insulation, extruded polystyrene rigid insulation or polyisocyanurate rigid insulation. In the present invention, the preferred panel is an expanded polystyrene foam insulation board, such as that found in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,046, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     Turning to FIGS. 1,  3  and  4 , drainage mat  4  includes a top portion  22  and a bottom portion  20 . As illustrated in FIG. 1, the top portion  22  is affixed a panel  2  by any conventional means, such as an adhesive. It should be noted, however, that the drainage mat does not have to be affixed to a surface, the mat may simply rest in a wall cavity. The bottom portion  20  of the back side  3  of drainage mat  4  is folded upwardly adjacent from said top portion  22  of the panel  2 . For the purposes of this invention, the term “adjacent” has the meaning close to, next to, lying near, contiguous or adjoining. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom portion  20  forms a U-shape. Connections such as sewing, staples, string, tape, ties, weak adhesives and any other material capable of retaining the fold, which may be easily severed, may be used. Preferably clips  6  are used, which are inserted during manufacture of the mat, extend through the filter fabric  18  on back side  3  of the bottom portion  20  and through the filter fabric  18  and into the front side  5  of the drainage mat  4  thereby retaining the U-shape. 
     Turning now to FIG. 2, the wall system  7  shows the drainage mat and mortar blocker as it is typically installed in a wall cavity. The drainage mat and mortar blocker may be installed on a panel  2 , affixed to the interior wythe  26  itself or simply placed into the wall cavity. The wall system includes an exterior wythe  28 , drainage mat and mortar blocker  4 , an exterior sheathing  24 , flashing  34  and interior wythe  26 . All of the components of the wall system  7  are supported by studs  32 . 
     In FIG. 2, the drainage mat and mortar blocker  4  is installed between an interior wythe  26  and exterior wythe  28 . In a preferred embodiment, interior wythe  26  may have an exterior sheathing  24  affixed to its exterior surface to prevent water from entering the interior wythe  26 . Exterior sheathing  24  can be constructed of any suitable material that is impervious to water including, but not limited to, laminated polymeric material, polymeric films, plywood, gypsum sheathing, and oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing. The interior wythe  26  is typically constructed of wood, plastic, steel, or masonry. In a preferred embodiment, panel  2  is affixed to the exterior sheathing  24  on the interior wythe  26  with the drainage mat  4  facing the exterior wythe  28 . The interior and exterior wythe define a wall cavity  36  which may be any width. The present invention can used utilized in any width of wall cavity. In a preferred embodiment, the wall cavity is between about one to about three inches wide. The bottom portion  20  of the drainage mat extends into the bottom of cavity  36  between the exterior wythe  28  panel  2 . Flashing  34  extends under exterior wythe  28 , the bottom surface of the cavity  36  and under the panel  2 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the exterior wythe  28  is partially constructed prior to installing the drainage mat and mortar blocker  4 . After the mat and mortar blocker  4  has been installed, construction of the exterior wythe  28  is completed and clips  6  are broken or cut, allowing the bottom portion  20  to release and at least partially abut exterior wythe  28 . Alternatively, the drainage mat and mortar blocker can be installed prior to constructing the exterior wythe however, the exterior wythe should be installed one or two courses high before the clips are severed allowing the bottom portion  20  to release. 
     The exterior wythe in a preferred embodiment is a brick facing, however the drainage mat and mortar blocker will work with any type of facing such as, concrete block or precast concrete panels. As the exterior wythe is being completed, the filter fabric  18  on the drainage mat  4  contains any mortar and debris (not shown) that falls into the cavity  36 . The majority of the debris is collected in the bottom, U-shaped, portion  20  of the mat  4 . 
     Although the drainage mat  4  is impervious to debris, water from construction, weather, condensation, and the like, is able pass through the filter fabric  18  and the apertures  10  in the drainage mat. Protrusions  12  permit water from the filter fabric to be pulled by gravity through the apertures  10  into the bottom of the cavity  36  and onto the flashing  34 . The water then exits the cavity through weep holes (not shown) in the exterior wythe. 
     The drainage mat  4  is manufactured in continuous, flat sheets which may be cut according to the amount required for a wall application. The drainage mat  4  is pre-manufactured with filter fabric  18  affixed to the protrusions  12  with adhesive material on the front side  5  of the mat (see FIG.  3 ). FIG. 5 illustrates the back side  3  of the drainage mat  4  as it is manufactured showing depressions  16  and apertures  10 . Filter fabric  18  extends from the front side  5  (not shown) to the back side  3  and is affixed to the edges of the back side of the mat with adhesive. After filter fabric  18  is applied to the drainage mat  4 , the drainage mat  4  is folded and secured with clips  6 . The mat may be folded either by hand or by mechanical means. The clips  6  may be inserted into the mat by a hand-held device or by mechanical means such as an automated machine. In a preferred embodiment, drainage mat  4  is adhered to the panel  2  with an adhesive during the final step of manufacture. However, the mat may be affixed to the panel during installation of the mat into the wall cavity as well. 
     It is possible that changes in configurations to other than those shown could be used but that which is shown is preferred and typical. It is therefore understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed with the preferred embodiment and examples, modifications to the design concerning sizing and shape will be apparent to those skilled in the art and such modifications and variations are considered to be equivalent to and within the scope of the disclosed invention and the appended claims.