Title of Invention

ACOUSTIC AND THERMAL INSULATION MEMBERS AND A PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF

Abstract A process for the manufacture of an acoustic and thermal insulation member comprising the selection of at least one material from glass wool, rock wool, mineral wool, felt; cutting the said material to the desired size; dissolving a therm osetting resin in an organic solvent; throughly wetting the said sized material (i) with either water or the said solvent or (ii) with water and thereafter with the said solvent; impregnating the wet, sized material with the resin solution; hot-pressing the said impregnated sized material to the desired shape and thereafter curing the same.
Full Text This invention relates to an acoustic and thermal insulation member and a process for the manufacture of the same.
The members obtained by the process proposed herein are rigid or semi-rigid in construction, as may be desired, for use as panels for acoustic and thermal insulation applications.
Conventionally, glass wool insulation members are produced by the "pot and marble" process involving the melting of glass spheres or marbles in a "pot". The molten glass flows through a series of orifices forming thick, primary strands which are exposed to a supersonic jet of high temperature flame. The strands are thus attenuated or formed into fine fibres wYiicTn are sprayed with a binder and are collected on a moving belt. The resulting blanket is cut to length, placed between moulds at high temperature and pressed to form the finished product.
As stated above, conventionally, the manufacture of the insulating member commences from the

manufacture of glass wool and ends with the finished product as one continuous process. Consequently, such members are usually made by glass wool manufacturers, since the process of manufacture of such members is a continuation of the process for the manufacture of glass wool itself.
On the other hand, the process herein uses glass wool as the starting material for the process, along with possible selectable alternatives, as hereinafter described. The steps in the process proposed herein are also different from those of the known art as briefly described above, inasmuch as the process proposed herein is based on the re-resination of glass wool (which is already treated with a thermosetting resin during its manufacture), whenever glass wool happens to be the starting material or one of the starting materials.
Another feature of this invention is that, as stated above, the starting material is selected from glass wool, rock wool, mineral wool, and

felt. This flexibillty in choice, depending upon the application and the requirements of insulation as pertaining to specific cases is an advantage of this invention.
Furthermore, the process proposed herein is simple and convenient in carrying out, with low overheads even when contemplating mass manufacture.
The process, according to this invention, for the manufacture of an acoustic and thermal insulation member, according to this invention, comprises the selection of at least one material from glass wool, rock wool, mineral wool, felt; cutting the said material to the desired size; dissolving a thermosetting resin in an organic solvent; thorougfhly wetting the said" sized" material" (i) with either water or the said solvent or (ii) with water and thereafter with the said solvent; impregnating the wet, sized material with the resin solution; hot-pressing the said impregnated, sized, material to the desired shape and thereafter curing the same.

A preferred thermosetting resin for use in the
process proposed herein is phenol formaldehyde,
although the use of other resins categorised as
epoxy resins, polyester resins is possible.
Organic solvents which dissolve the resin are used. Suitably acetone or ethanol are the preferred solvents for use with phenol formaldehyde .
The solvent to resin ratio depends on the characteristics of the end product to be obtained, but generally the solvent to resin ratio of 20:1 by weight is preferred.
Preferably, the hot-pressing is carried out at a temperature between 80 deg. C - 250 deg. C. under 0.5 to 5 bar pressure for a duration of up to 2 hours to complete the curing process.
EXAMPLE
To obtain an insulating member with density of 80 kg/cubic metre and thickness of 25 mm. and an area of

30 cm X 30 cm, 5 numbers of glass wool pieces with

an area of 30 cm. x 30 cm. and thickness of 25 mm. are cut. Jhe density of glass wool was taken as 16 kg./ cubic metre. All the glass wool layers are stacked together and thoroughly impregnated with acetone.
50 g of phenol formaldehyde resin was taken and mixed with 200 g of acetone. Antimony trioxide and alumina trihydrate which are fire resistant and electric insulating agents are added to the resin solution and mixed therewith, to confer fire retardant and electric insulating characteristics on the final product. This is an optional step which is included in the process whenever fire retardant and electrical insulation properties are required for the final product.
The resin solution, thus obtained, is used for uniformly impregnating the glass wool by spraying or by dipping the wool in the solution. Excess solution is squeezed out.
Hot-pressing of the impregnated glass wool is carried out under 2.5 bar pressure, temperature

125 deg. C for a period of 90 minutes to obtain the final cured product.
The Example set out above can also be carried out by stacking all the glass wool layers together and thoroughly wetting the same with water, before carrying out the subseguent step of impregnation with the resin solution.
Alternatively, the said Example can also be carried out by stacking all the glass wool layers together, thoroughly wetting the same with water and thereafter thoroughly impregnating the same with acetone, before carrying out the subsequent step of impregnation with the resin solution.
By the process proposed herein there is substantial possibility of tailoring the functional parameters such as density, porosity, geometry, sound/thermal Insulation efficiency apart from the ability to obtain uniformity and consistency of parameters.
The density of the final product is controlled by the*degree of pressing or compaction.

The porosity of the final product is controlled by i
the pressure applied and the amount of resin used, since resin has a binding effect.
The flexibility (which is the same as the degree of rigidity) of the final product is controlled by the amount of resin used.
The final product is, preferably, given a good outward appearance by adhesively bonding a facing material on the surface thereof such as gauze or bandage cloth, banian cloth, glass fabric, perforated wooden board, which material also serves to protect the surface of the product from abrasion and other similar damage.
The terms and expression in this specification are of description and not of limitation, having regard to the scope and ambit of this invention.


We Claim:
1. A process for the manufacture of an acoustic and thermal insulation member comprising the selection of at least one material from glass wool, rock wool, mineral wool, felt; cutting the said material to the desired size; dissolving a thermosetting resin in an organic solvent; thoroughly wetting the said sized material (1) with either water or the said solvent or (ii) with water and thereafter with the said solvent; impregnating the wet, sized material with the resin solution; hot-pressuig the said impregnated sized material to the desired shape and thereafter curing the same.
2. A process as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the resin is phenol formaldehyde.
3 A process as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the solvent is acetone.
4. A process as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims 1 and 2 wherein the solvent is ethanol.
5. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims 2 to 4 wherein the phenol

formaldehyde is dissolved in the solvent in the ratio l: 20 by weight.
6. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the hot-pressing is carried out at a temperature of so deg. c - 250 deg. c.
7. A process as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims wherein the hot pressing is carried out under 0.5 to 5 bar pressure.
8. A process as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the curing was carried out by hot-pressing up to 2 hours.
9. A process as claimed in any one of the
preceding Claims wherein the resin solution

10. A process as claimed in any one of the
preceding Claims wherein the resin solution
contains an electrical insulation additive.
11. A process as claimed in arty one of the
preceding Claims wherein the surface of the said
member is provided With a facing material made of

a subslance such as ganze, bandage cloth, banian cloth, glass fabric, perforated wooden board.
12. A process for the manufacture of an acoustic and thermal insulation member substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the Example.
13. An acoustic and thermal insulation member when manufactured by a process as claimed in any oneof the preceding Claims.
Dated this the 4th day of February 1999

Documents:

140-mas-1999 claims-duplicate.pdf

140-mas-1999 claims.pdf

140-mas-1999 correspondence-others.pdf

140-mas-1999 correspondence-po.pdf

140-mas-1999 description (compete)-duplicate.pdf

140-mas-1999 description (compete).pdf

140-mas-1999 form-1.pdf

140-mas-1999 form-19.pdf

140-mas-1999 form-26.pdf


Patent Number 216154
Indian Patent Application Number 140/MAS/1999
PG Journal Number 13/2008
Publication Date 31-Mar-2008
Grant Date 10-Mar-2008
Date of Filing 04-Feb-1999
Name of Patentee DR. MUTHUSAMY SUBRAMANIAN
Applicant Address CHETTI KUTTAI THOTTAM, MADHAMPALAYAM (POST), P. PULIAMPATTI (VIA) 634 459, ERODE DISTRICT,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 DR. MUTHUSAMY SUBRAMANIAN CHETTI KUTTAI THOTTAM, MADHAMPALAYAM (POST), P. PULIAMPATTI (VIA) 634 459, ERODE DISTRICT,
2 DR. APPAR NATTAR SELVAM ELANGADU (POST), THIRUKKATTUPALLI (VIA), THANJAVUR DISTRICT 613 104,
PCT International Classification Number B29 C 70/00
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA