Blended insulation blanket

Abstract

An insulation blanket includes a blend of a first component and a second component. The first component is a first fiber material selected from a group consisting of glass fibers, mineral fibers, basalt fibers, natural fibers and mixtures thereof. The second component is made of a second material selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic copolymer bi-component fibers, monofilament fibers, a thermal setting resin and mixtures thereof.

1 . An insulation blanket, comprising:
 a blend of a first component and a second component;   said first component being a first fiber material selected from a group consisting of glass fibers, mineral fibers, basalt fibers, natural fibers and mixtures thereof having an average fiber diameter of between about 2 to about 20 microns;   said second component being a second material selected from a group consisting of (a) thermoplastic copolymer bi-component fibers composed of polyester, polyolefin, nylon, rayon and mixtures thereof, (b) monofilament fibers composed of polyester, polyolefin and nylon wherein said fibers under (a) and (b) have an average fiber diameter of between about 10 to about 30 microns, (c) a thermosetting resin composed of polyvinyl acetate resin, acrylic resin, phenolic resin and mixtures thereof and (d) mixtures of (a), (b) and (c); and   wherein said blend includes between about 5 to about 95 weight percent of said first component and between about 5 and about 95 weight percent of said second component.   
   
   
       2 . The blanket of  claim 1 , wherein said first fiber material has an average fiber length of between about 6.35 to about 304.8 mm and said second component has an average fiber length of between about 12.7 to about 152.4 mm. 
   
   
       3 . The blanket of  claim 1 , wherein said first component and said second component are heat bonded together with a first polymer of said thermoplastic copolymer bi-component fibers being melted and a second polymer of said thermoplastic copolymer bi-component fiber maintaining fiber integrity. 
   
   
       4 . The blanket of  claim 1 , wherein said first component and said second component are mechanically bonded by needling. 
   
   
       5 . The blanket of  claim 1 , wherein said glass fibers are selected from a group consisting of textile fibers including wet use chopped strand and dry use chopped strand, rotary fibers, flame attenuated fibers, bi-component glass fibers and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The blanket of  claim 5 , wherein said fibers are straight or crimped in shape. 
   
   
       7 . The blanket of  claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic copolymer bi-component fibers are selected from a group consisting of core-sheath configuration, side-side configuration and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The blanket of  claim 1 , wherein said fibers of said second component are selected from a group consisting of amorphous, crystalline and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       9 . The blanket of  claim 1 , wherein said blanket has a density of between about 0.4 and about 10.0 lbs/ft 3 . 
   
   
       10 . The blanket of  claim 1 , first fiber material includes a first group of fibers having an average fiber length of between about 6.35 and about 50.0 mm and an average fiber diameter of between about 2.0 and about 5.0 microns and a second group of fibers having an average fiber length of between about 25.4 and about 304.8 mm and an average fiber diameter of between about 6.0 and about 20.0 microns. 
   
   
       11 . The blanket of  claim 10 , wherein said blend includes between about 5 and about 70 weight percent of said first group of fibers and between about 5 and about 70 weight percent of said second group of fibers. 
   
   
       12 . The blanket of  claim 10 , wherein said blend includes between about 20 and about 60 weight percent of said first group of fibers and between about 20 and about 60 weight percent of said second group of fibers. 
   
   
       13 . The blanket of  claim 1 , wherein said blend includes between about 30 to about 70 weight percent of said first component and between about 30 to about 70 weight percent of said second component. 
   
   
       14 . An electric appliance, comprising:
 a housing; and   an insulation blanket carried on at least a portion of said housing, said insulation blanket including a blend of a first component and a second component;   said first component being a first fiber material selected from a group consisting of glass fibers, mineral fibers, basalt fibers, natural fibers and mixtures thereof having an average fiber diameter of between about 2 to about 20 microns and an average fiber length of between about 6.35 to about 304.8 mm;   said second component being a second material selected from a group consisting of (a) thermoplastic copolymer bi-component fibers composed of polyester, polyolefin, nylon, rayon and mixtures thereof, (b) monofilament fibers composed of polyester, polyolefin and nylon wherein said fibers under (a) and (b) have an average fiber diameter of between about 10 to about 30 microns and an average fiber length of between about 12.7 to about 76.2 mm, (c) a thermosetting resin composed of polyvinyl acetate resin, acrylic resin, phenolic resin and mixtures thereof and (d) mixtures of (a), (b) and (c); and   wherein said blend includes between about 5 to about 95 weight percent of said first component and between about 5 and about 95 weight percent of said second component.   
   
   
       15 . A dishwasher, comprising:
 a housing;   a cleaning element; and   an insulation blanket carried on at least a portion of said housing, said insulation blanket including a blend of a first component and a second component;   said first component being a first fiber material selected from a group consisting of glass fibers, mineral fibers, basalt fibers, natural fibers and mixtures thereof having an average fiber diameter of between about 2 to about 20 microns and an average fiber length of between about 6.35 to about 304.8 mm;   said second component being a second material selected from a group consisting of (a) thermoplastic copolymer bi-component fibers composed of polyester, polyolefin, nylon, rayon and mixtures thereof, (b) monofilament fibers composed of polyester, polyolefin and nylon wherein said fibers under (a) and (b) have an average fiber diameter of between about 10 to about 30 microns and an average fiber length of between about 12.7 to about 76.2 mm, (c) a thermosetting resin composed of polyvinyl acetate resin, acrylic resin, phenolic resin and mixtures thereof and (d) mixtures of (a), (b) and (c); and   wherein said blend includes between about 5 to about 95 weight percent of said first component and between about 5 and about 95 weight percent of said second component.   
   
   
       16 . A method of insulating an electric appliance, comprising:
 providing an insulation blanket for said electric appliance wherein said insulation blanket includes a blend of a first component and a second component;   said first component being a first fiber material selected from a group consisting of glass fibers, mineral fibers, basalt fibers, natural fibers and mixtures thereof having an average fiber diameter of between about 2 to about 20 microns and an average fiber length of between about 6.35 to about 304.8 mm;   said second component being a second material selected from a group consisting of (a) thermoplastic copolymer bi-component fibers composed of polyester, polyolefin, nylon, rayon and mixtures thereof, (b) monofilament fibers composed of polyester, polyolefin and nylon wherein said fibers under (a) and (b) have an average fiber diameter of between about 10 to about 30 microns and an average fiber length of between about 12.7 to about 76.2 mm, (c) a thermosetting resin composed of polyvinylate of (a), (b), and (c); resin and mixtures thereof and (d) mixtures of (a), (b) and (c); and   wherein said blend includes between about 5 to about 95 weight percent of said first component and between about 5 and 95 weight percent of said second component.