Abstract: This invention relates to vacuum-tight tubular enclosures, made of plastic material and designed for making up insulating panels. Each vacuum cell is composed of a rigid plastic tube (1), both ends of which are closed by perforated plugs (3). This tube is placed in a thin flexible sheath (6) of highly impervious plastic material, preferably polyvinylidene or a derivative of polyvinylidic alcohol. This sheath extends beyond both ends of the rigid tube and is sealed by welding after the rigid tube has been evacuated to a high vacuum, namely less than 10.sup.-3 mm Hg. The extensions of the sheath are flattened and joined together by seams in a grid pattern so as to form offset rows of alveoles (11) for effectively preventing air leaks into the evacuated tube.This invention also relates to thermal and/or acoustic insulating panels in which evacuated cells (18, FIG. 9) of the above design are inserted, preferably in overlapping layers.

Abstract: An exterior wind-up awning having a high degree of thermal insulation to provide a cool shaded area comprises a flexible insulating sheet 3 of alveolate material such as plastic foam attached to a canvas sheet 1. A plastic film 2 is glued between the canvas and the foam sheet. Mating or nesting spacer bead strips 5, 6 are provided along the length of the awning on opposite sides of the canvas, flanking the foam sheets, to prevent their destructive compression during roll-up.