Insulating Material for Pipes

The invention relates to insulating material for pipes which are to be layed on the surfaces of floors, in particular on crude or rough-cast concrete floors.

As a result of existing regulations pipes of heating installations which carry warm water must be protected against heat loss and thus insulated. For this purpose it is known and customary to sleeve the pipes with a hose of foam material of ring-like cross-section. Such sleeved pipes then have a relatively large outer diameter as a result of the required thickness of insulation. For pipes with an outer diameter of ca. 22 mm the outer diameter of the thermally insulated pipe amounts to approximately 48 mm with an insulation thickness of for example 13 mm.

When layer pipes insulated in this manner on rough-cast concrete surfaces or floors the large outside diameter of the sleeved pipe causes problems, because the thermal and footstep noise insulation for the estrich (flooring plaster) must be applied above the pipe, and this results in an undesirably high construction.

The principal object underlying the invention is thus to provide an insulating material for pipes which are to be layed on rough-cast concrete surfaces, in particular on rough-cast concrete floors, which on the one hand provides the required insulation against heat losses but which on the other hand ensures a reduction of the outer diameter and which is finally of economical construction and simple to handle.

This object is satisfied, in accordance with the invention, by a layer of at least one ply of an insulating material which is layed on the concrete and forms a support for the pipe which is layed thereon, and by at least one sleeve which is either integrally formed with said layer or at least regionally connected thereto, wherein the sleeve at least substantially surrounds the pipe and has a thickness which merely amounts to a fraction of the thickness of said insulating layer.

The important concept underlying the invention is to take account of the requirements for insulation against heat losses by means of insulation which is strategically positioned from the point of view of its direction, and to exploit insulation already present in the construction of the building for a double purpose. Thus, when insulating pipes, heat losses in the direction towards the rough-cast concrete floor are prevented by a layer of insulation and the subsequent thermal and footstep insulation for the estrich (flooring plaster) is exploited at the sides and at the top. This results in a substantially lower constructional height, which makes it possible to accommodate the pipe which is insulated in problem-free manner in the footstep insulation below the estrich, and to provide the sleeving for the pipe in the lateral regions and in the upper region in advantageous manner with a strength such that the danger of damage is extensively precluded. It is also of advantage that expensive insulating material can be saved as a result of the invention because high grade thermal insulation is only used in locations where high grade insulation is also important.

The enclosing of the layer of insulating material by means of a sleeve having a thickness which only amounts to a fraction of the thickness of insulating material leads to a structure for the insulating material which means that it can be handled in the customary and accordingly simple manner. In the same way as with customary insulating sheaths or hoses the material of the invention can namely be drawn in the manner of a hose onto the particular pipe and it is then only necessary to pay attention to the correct positioning of the insulation. Specially shaped parts of the same or similar construction are preferably used in the vicinity of pipe bends or branches and then adjoin the hose-like insulating material without gaps.

The sleeve preferably consists of a water-impermeable foil material which ensures protection against moisture and aggressive building chemicals. In accordance with a preferred embodiment the sleeve is provided at the inside with at least one further reinforcement and/or low friction (sliding) layer, which is thin in comparison to the layer of insulating material, and which can consist of fiber material or foam material, or of a double layer of fiber material and foam material, with a further foil being expediently provided for the innermost layer in order to minimise the sliding friction between the insulating material and the pipe during assembly.

In accordance with an alternative embodiment the insulating material of the invention is manufactured by the extrusion process with the outer layer of the extrusion body taking on the function of the sleeve, being made mechanically more rigid than the inwardly disposed layer of insulating material, and having a closed surface. The extrusion body can be made in one piece or in two pieces with a strip-like cover element being provided in the case of a two-part construction.

Further advantageous developments of the invention are set forth in the patent claims.

Embodiments of the invention will now be explained in more detail by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which are shown:

FIG. 1 a schematic cross-section of a first embodiment of an insulating material built up of individual components,

FIG. 2 a schematic sectional view of an insulating material manufactured by extrusion, and

FIG. 3 a partial side view of an insulating material with an integrated wall reinforcement.

As seen in FIG. 1 a pipe 2 which conveys hot water is arranged on a rough-cast concrete surface, in particular on a concrete floor 1. This pipe 2 is surrounded by a hose-like insulating material which consists of a strip-like layer of insulation 3, a sleeve 4 and also a thin foam layer 5 connected to the inner side of this sleeve 4.

The layer of insulation 3 preferably consists of a single ply or multiple ply layer of foam material for which high grade thermal insulation can be used.

This layer 3 of insulating material lies between the pipe 2 and the rough-cast concrete floor 1 and thus fulfils the function of preventing heat losses relative to the rough-cast concrete floor.

The sleeve 4 which in particular consists of a reinforced plastic (synthetic) foil surrounds the pipe 2 and the insulating layer 3 so that both the pipe 2 and also the layer of insulation 3 are protected against aggressive building chemicals and also against moisture.

The thin foam layer 5 which is provided at the inner side of the foil sleeve 4 facilitates the handling of the insulating material because it brings a certain fundamental stability which facilitates the introduction of the respective pipe into this specially constructed insulating hose and also the sliding of the pipe in the hose.

The sleeve 4 is preferably fixedly connected with the underside of the insulating strip or layer 3, and is in particular adhered thereto. An adhesive bond with the side surfaces can however also be provided.

Furthermore, a sliding, clamped or other closure can be provided between the sleeve 4 and the strip 3 of foam material or between two regions of the sleeve 4.

By way of example the insulating material of the invention makes it possible, for pipe diameters of approximately 22 mm and a thickness of insulation of 13 mm, to reduce the outer diameter of the insulated pipe to approximately 37 mm which is of substantial advantage for the integration of the pipe in the footstep insulation beneath the estrich (flooring plaster).

The embodiment of FIG. 2 shows an insulating material which is preferably formed by extrusion and which has an insulating layer 3 with a slight depression 6, with the insulating layer 3 being again provided at the base side of the insulator and being arranged in a sleeve 4. This sleeve 4 is simultaneously extruded with the layer of insulating material, has a substantially greater strength than the layer of insulating material, and is water- and vapor-tight. Flanges 9 are provided at the lower side by means of which the insulation can be secured to the rough cast concrete floor. This manner of attachment avoids the pressing together of the insulating layer 3 which frequently occurs when using clamping hoops and which leads to a change of the insulating characteristics.

The insulating material of FIG. 2 is constructed in the manner of a cable channel or run and can be closed at the top or, as shown in FIG. 2, provided with a lid 8 which can be snapped onto the sidewalls and which can be latched via latch elements 11.

When the insulating material of FIG. 2 is not extruded a multi-part construction can also be provided for which purpose one requires a housing 10 which is approximately U-shaped in cross-section and which has a base side flange 9, a strip 3 of insulating material which is arranged in the housing and a cover element 8. The side view of FIG. 3 shows the integration of a reinforcement net 7 in the outer sleeve of the insulation material, whereby damage on the building site after assembly has been completed can be practically precluded.