Insulated board having an integral drain
A foundation protective layer for installation adjacent a foundation wall of a building includes a thermally insulative layer comprising a layer of foam and an upwardly extending drain passage thereon to facilitate drainage of groundwater, typically into a french drain. The drain passage may be formed within a conduit or a strip of porous material mounted on the insulative layer. A channel may be formed in the insulative layer in which the conduit or strip of porous material is disposed. The conduit may have a corrugated sidewall which may be perforated or split along its length. The strip of porous material may be formed of a web of non-woven fibers. An attachment mechanism may be used for attaching the insulative layer to the foundation wall.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to insulative layers used in residential or commercial buildings. More particularly, the invention relates to such layers which include foam and are used on the outside of underground or foundation walls of such buildings. Specifically, the invention relates to such layers having an integral drain to facilitate the drainage of ground water into the drainage system associated with the building.
2. Background Information
Insulative layers such as insulated planks or boards are well known in the field of residential and commercial construction and are used internally and externally along various walls, beneath floors, atop roofs and the like. These insulative planks are typically formed of a rigid closed-cell foam which provides substantial thermal insulation. While the use of such insulative planks against foundation walls is known, one of the problems that arises relates to the drainage of ground water around these foundation or basement walls. Thus, there is need in the art to facilitate the drainage of this ground water into the drainage system of residential or commercial buildings. The present invention addresses this and other problems in the art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA foundation protective layer comprising a thermally insulative layer comprising a layer of foam and adapted to be positioned adjacent a foundation wall; and a first upwardly extending drain passage on the insulative layer.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe first embodiment of the thermally insulative layer or plank of the present invention is shown generally at 10 in
Referring to
Plank 10 includes a layer of foam or may be formed entirely of a layer of foam. Preferably, the foam is a closed-cell foam which is substantially rigid. Most preferably, this foam is an extruded polystyrene although other possibilities include expanded polystyrene, polyurethane and polyisocyanurate. Extruded polystyrene tends to have better moisture resistance than the others partly due to the fact that it has a smooth continuous outer skin. A suitable extruded polystyrene is sold by Owens-Corning. These foam boards or planks may be formed with various strengths, typically ranging from 20 to 100 psi. The foam density is typically within the range of 1-2 pounds per cubic foot and typically about 1.5 pounds per cubic foot. Plank 10 has an R-value which typically falls somewhere in the range of 4-8 per inch.
In accordance with the invention and with reference to
A plurality of conduits 38 are disposed respectively within channels 30 and likewise extend from top 18 to bottom 20 of plank 10. Each conduit 38 has a substantially cylindrical side wall 40 which is typically corrugated and perforated. Preferably, each conduit 38 is press fit into a channel 30 with sidewall 40 abutting surfaces 32, 34 and 36 so that no adhesive or other attachment mechanism is needed to attach conduit 38 to plank 10. Conduit 38 may also be of a split type in which sidewall 40 is cut or has a slit formed along its length. Conduits 38 are formed of a non-corrosive material which is typically a plastic such as nylon, polypropylene, polytetrafluorlethylene (PTFE) or another suitable plastic. Side wall 40 defines a drain passage 42 extending from top 18 to bottom 20 of plank 10. While passage 42 may form the primary drain passage, other spaces within each channel 30 may also serve as drain passages. For instance, another drain passage 44 may be formed between side wall 40 and portions of surfaces 32 and 34. Likewise, an additional drain passage 46 may be formed between side wall 40 and portions of surfaces 32 and 36. An attachment mechanism typically in the form of glue or an adhesive 48 (
Referring to
In a preferred embodiment, strips 52 are formed of an abrasive non-woven web material such as that sold by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M) under the name Scotch-Brite®. Strips 52 are thus typically formed of a flexible web of convoluted fibers or filaments which are spot-bonded to one another. The fibers as typically formed of a plastic material such as nylon and are impregnated with an abrasive material which typically contains aluminum oxide. A drain passage 53 or a plurality of passages are formed within each strip 52 within the pores thereof, which in the preferred embodiment would be between the various fibers thereof.
The operation of planks 10 and 100 is described with reference to
While it is preferred that the passages of planks 10 and 100 are positioned away from wall 12 and toward soil 16 so that the groundwater therein may move into the drain passages laterally, it may also be desired to utilize plank 10 or similar planks with the channels and drain passages facing wall 12 (
As shown in
Thus, planks 10, 100 and 200 provide an insulated plank or board which includes an integral drain passage to facilitate the drainage of groundwater into the drain system of the building in order to help keep the foundation wall and other foundation structures dry.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
Claims
1. A foundation protective layer comprising:
- a thermally insulative layer comprising a layer of foam and adapted to be positioned adjacent a foundation wall;
- a first upwardly extending channel formed in the insulative layer;
- a first structure disposed in the channel; and
- a first upwardly extending drain passage formed in the first structure.
2. The protective layer of claim 1 wherein the foam is substantially rigid.
3. The protective layer of claim 2 wherein the foam is a closed-cell foam.
4. The protective layer of claim 1 wherein the insulative layer has first and second sides defining therebetween a thickness of the insulative layer; and wherein the channel extends inwardly from the first side.
5. The protective layer of claim 4 further comprising a second upwardly extending channel which is formed in the insulative layer and extends inwardly from the second side; a second structure disposed in the channel; and a second upwardly extending drain passage formed in the second structure.
6. The protective layer of claim 1 wherein the first structure is connected to the insulative layer without the use of a fastener extending between the first structure and the insulative layer.
7. The protective layer of claim 1 wherein the insulative layer has a top and a bottom; and the first drain passage extends from the top to the bottom.
8. The protective layer of claim 1 wherein the first structure comprises a conduit disposed in the first channel and defining the first drain passage.
9. The protective layer of claim 8 wherein the conduit comprises a corrugated sidewall.
10. The protective layer of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of perforations formed in the sidewall in communication with the first drain passage.
11. The protective layer of claim 8 wherein the conduit is press fit into the first channel.
12. The protective layer of claim 1 wherein the first structure is press fit into the first channel.
13. The protective layer of claim 1 wherein the first structure comprises a strip of porous material disposed in the channel and defining the first drain passage.
14. The protective layer of claim 13 wherein the strip of porous material comprises a fibrous material.
15. The protective layer of claim 14 wherein the fibrous material comprises a web of non-woven fibers.
16. The protective layer of claim 13 wherein the strip of porous material is press fit into the first channel.
17. The protective layer of claim 1 further comprising an attachment mechanism on the insulative layer whereby the insulative layer is adapted to attach to the foundation wall.
18. The protective layer of claim 16 wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an adhesive.
19. The protective layer of claim 1 further comprising a foundation wall; and wherein the insulative layer abuts the foundation wall.
20. The protective layer of claim 19 further comprising a french drain adjacent the foundation wall; and wherein the first drain passage is in fluid communication with the french drain.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 5, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 8, 2009
Inventors: Todd A. Jordan (Tallmadge, OH), Gene S. Vallelonga (Diamond, OH)
Application Number: 11/825,285
International Classification: E04B 1/70 (20060101);