Insulation product with inward curling closure flap

Abstract

A pipe insulation product including a core of insulating material and a laminate surrounding the core and bonded to the core. The core may include an outer surface; an inner surface; and a wall extending between the outer and inner surfaces. The laminate may include a foil or metallized polymeric film sheet, a scrim, a porous media sheet, and a polymeric film sheet bonded together via an adhesive. The laminate may include a closure flap that is configured to adhesively seal opposite ends of the laminate together to form a cylindrical tube with the core enclosed therein. The closure flap may be configured to include a curl that provides a greater closure flap adhesive seal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pipe insulation product comprising:
 a tubular core of insulating material, the tubular core comprising:
 a length and a longitudinal axis; 
 a substantially cylindrical outer surface; 
 a substantially cylindrical inner surface; and 
 a wall extending between the cylindrical outer surface and the cylindrical inner surface, the wall having a radially extending thickness and a slit extending completely there through, the slit extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular core for the length of the tubular core; and 
   a laminate that is roughly rectangular in shape and that is coextensive with and bonded to the substantially cylindrical outer surface of the tubular core and flexible so that the tubular core and laminate can be opened, placed about a pipe, and closed without degrading the laminate, wherein the laminate comprises:
 a polymeric film sheet forming an outer exposed layer of the laminate; 
 a foil or metallized polymeric sheet material that provides a fluid vapor barrier to minimize fluid vapor transmission through the laminate; 
 a scrim comprising a mesh of a plurality of fibers; 
 a porous media sheet; and 
 an adhesive, wherein the adhesive bonds the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material, the scrim, the porous media sheet, and the polymeric film sheet together to form the roughly rectangular laminate; 
   wherein:
 the laminate comprises a closure flap configured to seal opposite sides of the laminate in a closed position so that the laminate forms a substantially cylindrical tube with at least a portion of the tubular core enclosed therein; and 
 the closure flap is concave to provide a greater closure flap seal. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pipe insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the foil or metallized polymeric film sheet forms an inner layer of the laminate;   the porous media sheet is positioned immediately adjacent to the foil or metallized polymeric film sheet so that the foil or metallized polymeric film sheet lies substantially flat against the porous media sheet; and   the configuration of the substantially flat foil or metallized polymeric film sheet provides an improved perm rating for the laminate.   
     
     
         3 . The pipe insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the closure flap is configured to be concave by controlling an amount of tension in the polymeric sheet material and controlling an amount of tension in one or more of the other layers during lamination of the layers so that, after lamination, the tension in the polymeric sheet material is less than the tension in the one or more of the other layers. 
     
     
         4 . The pipe insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the closure flap is configured to be concave by:
 securing the closure flap in the closed position;   heat treating the laminate to soften the polymeric sheet material; and   cooling the polymeric sheet material so that the polymeric sheet material hardens with the concave closure flap.   
     
     
         5 . The pipe insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the closure flap is configured to be concave by:
 arranging at least one laminate so that the closure flap is positioned in the closed position; and   maintaining the laminate with the closure flap in the closed position for a period of time, wherein after the period of time shape memory is induced in the closure flap.   
     
     
         6 . The pipe insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the closure flap is configured to be concave by positioning the scrim between the porous media material and the polymeric sheet material to either:
 provide improved control over the tensioning of one or more of the polymeric sheet material, the porous medial material, and the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material; or   provide increased stability to the polymeric sheet material.   
     
     
         7 . The pipe insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the closure flap is configured to be concave by either:
 controlling the temperature of an adhesive used to bond the laminate and tubular core to minimize heat dissipation from the adhesive to the polymeric sheet material; or   cooling the tubular core of insulating material to roughly ambient temperature prior to bonding the tubular core and the laminate to minimize heat dissipation from the insulating material to the polymeric sheet material.   
     
     
         8 . The pipe insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the closure flap is configured to be concave by either:
 controlling the size and configuration of the fibers of the scrim fiber mesh to reduce a convex configuration of the closure flap; or   configuring the scrim fiber mesh to include one or more fibers configured to provide the closure flap with the concave configuration.   
     
     
         9 . The pipe insulation product of  claim 1 , wherein the porous media sheet comprises a kraft paper between the range of 25 and 35 pounds per 3000 square feet to further provide a greater closure flap seal by increasing the flexibility of the laminate. 
     
     
         10 . A method for producing a roughly rectangular laminate that provides a greater laminate seal, the method comprising:
 providing a foil or metallized polymeric sheet material, the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material forming an inner layer of the laminate that provides a fluid vapor barrier to minimize fluid vapor transmission through the laminate, the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material comprising:
 a length, 
 a width, 
 a first face, and 
 a second face, wherein the length and width form an area that define the first face and the second face; 
   providing a polymeric sheet material, wherein the polymeric sheet material is coextensive with the second face and the polymeric sheet material forms an outer exposed layer of the laminate;   providing an intermediate layer disposed between the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material and the polymeric sheet material, wherein the intermediate layer provides reinforcement for the laminate;   bonding, via an adhesive material, the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material, the scrim, the porous media sheet material, and the polymeric sheet material together to form the laminate jacket, wherein the laminate jacket comprises a closure flap configured to seal opposite sides of the laminate jacket in a closed position so that the laminate jacket forms a hollow cylindrical tube; and   subjecting the closure flap to one or more processes to reshape the closure flap so that after the one or more processes, the closure flap is radially closer to the outer surface of the laminate to provide a greater adhesive seal.   
     
     
         11 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 10 , the method further comprising:
 positioning a tubular core of insulating material directly adjacent the first face of the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material, wherein the tubular core comprises:
 a length and a longitudinal axis; 
 a substantially cylindrical outer surface, the substantially cylindrical outer surface comprising a surface area that is roughly equivalent to the area of the first face; 
 a substantially cylindrical inner surface; and 
 a wall extending between the cylindrical outer surface and the cylindrical inner surface; the wall comprising:
 a radially extending thickness; and 
 a slit extending from the cylindrical outer surface to the cylindrical inner surface and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular core for the length of the tubular core; and 
 
   bonding, via an adhesive material, the tubular core of insulating material with the first face of the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material, wherein the laminate and tubular core are flexible so that the tubular core and laminate jacket can be opened, placed about a pipe, and closed without degrading the laminate jacket.   
     
     
         12 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 10 , wherein subjecting the closure flap to one or more processes comprises either:
 reducing a convex configuration of the closure flap, or   configuring the closure flap to include a concave configuration.   
     
     
         13 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 10 , wherein subjecting the closure flap to one or more processes comprises controlling an amount of tension in the polymeric sheet material and controlling an amount of tension in one or more of the other layers during lamination of the layers so that, after lamination, the tension in the polymeric sheet material is less than the tension in the one or more of the other layers. 
     
     
         14 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 10 , wherein subjecting the closure flap to one or more processes comprises:
 securing the closure flap in the closed position;   heat treating the laminate to soften the polymeric sheet material; and   cooling the polymeric sheet material so that the polymeric sheet material hardens with the closure flap curled toward the closed position.   
     
     
         15 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 flexing the tubular core and laminate jacket to open the laminate jacket and tubular core;   placing the laminate jacket and tubular core about the pipe; and   closing the laminate jacket and tubular core about the pipe by applying pressure to the closure flap to adhesively seal the opposite sides of the laminate jacket.   
     
     
         16 . A method for producing a roughly rectangular laminate that provides a greater laminate seal, the method comprising:
 providing a foil or metallized polymeric sheet material, the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material forming an inner layer of the laminate that provides a fluid vapor barrier to minimize fluid vapor transmission through the laminate, the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material comprising:
 a length, 
 a width, 
 a first face, and 
 a second face, wherein the length and width form an area that define the first face and the second face; 
   providing a polymeric sheet material, wherein the polymeric sheet material is coextensive with the second face and the polymeric sheet material forms an outer exposed layer of the laminate;   providing a scrim comprising a mesh of a plurality of fibers, wherein the scrim is substantially coextensive with the second face;   providing a porous media sheet material, wherein:
 the scrim and porous media sheet material are positioned between the foil or metallized polymeric film sheet and the polymeric film sheet, and 
 the porous media sheet material is substantially coextensive with the second face; 
   bonding, via an adhesive material, the foil or metallized polymeric sheet material, the scrim, the porous media sheet material, and the polymeric sheet material together to form the laminate jacket, wherein the laminate jacket comprises a closure flap configured to seal opposite sides of the laminate jacket in a closed position so that the laminate jacket forms a hollow cylindrical tube; and   subjecting the closure flap to one or more processes to reshape the closure flap so that after the one or more processes, the closure flap is radially closer to the outer surface of the laminate to provide a greater adhesive seal.   
     
     
         17 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 16 , wherein subjecting the closure flap to one or more processes comprises controlling an amount of tension in the polymeric sheet material and controlling an amount of tension in one or more of the other layers during lamination of the layers so that, after lamination, the tension in the polymeric sheet material is less than the tension in the one or more of the other layers. 
     
     
         18 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 16 , wherein subjecting the closure flap to one or more processes comprises:
 securing the closure flap in the closed position;   heat treating the laminate to soften the polymeric sheet material; and   cooling the polymeric sheet material so that the polymeric sheet material hardens with the closure flap in a concave configuration.   
     
     
         19 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 16 , wherein subjecting the closure flap to one or more processes comprises:
 arranging at least one laminate so that the closure flap is positioned in the closed position; and   maintaining the laminate with the closure flap in the closed position for a period of time, wherein after the period of time shape memory is induced in the closure flap.   
     
     
         20 . The method for producing a laminate jacket as in  claim 16 , wherein
 the foil or metallized polymeric film sheet forms an inner layer of the laminate;   the porous media sheet is positioned immediately adjacent to the foil or metallized polymeric film sheet so that the foil or metallized polymeric film sheet lies substantially flat against the porous media sheet; and   the configuration of the substantially flat foil or metallized polymeric film sheet provides an improved perm rating for the laminate.