Atlas Roofing Corporation

Andy I McLaughlin

Robert H Blanpied

Richard L Donald

Robert J Butkus

Allan L Wilson

Russell D Addison

Timothy L Lagod

Ronald Jadlocki

William E Todd

A thermally insulative building construction panel (10) comprises a first or bottom sheet (20) of insulation material; a second or top sheet (24) of a rigid nail-anchoring material; and, a plurality of spacer members (22) sandwiched in fixed positions between the first sheet and the second sheet for defining air channels (25) between the sheets and the spacer members. The spacer members (22) are over three inches wide and are at least one-half inch thick. The spacer members (22) are comprised of a plastic foam insulation material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane modified polyisocyanurate foam, phenolic-formaldehyde foam, and polystyrene foam.

Vented insulation panel with foamed spacer members

In a method of producing a thermosetting foam, a first of two foam forming blends ('A-Blend') is prepared using a multi-functional isocyanate such as polymeric polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate ('PMDI'). A second of two foam forming blends ('B-Blend') is prepared by mixing together a polyol; water; a tertiary amine catalyst having at least two hydrogen bonding sites for one molecule; and, an alkali metal organo-salt catalyst. The tertiary amine catalyst is of a type wherein both the hydrogen segment and the hydroxyl segment of water are attracted by both of the hydrogen bonding cites on the catalyst molecule essentially simultaneously. A first blowing agent is included with one of the two foam forming blends. When the first and second foam forming blends are mixed together, the tertiary amine catalyst quickly initiates a reaction predominately of the polymeric polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate with water (as opposed to a reaction with the polyol). The quick reaction of the PMDI with water causes, prior to a gel point of the foam, both (1) the production of a second blowing agent for forming cells in the blends and for causing expansion in the liquid blends; and (2) sufficient exothermic heat to initiate boiling of the first blowing agent. Relatively large amounts of alkali metal organo-salt catalyst induce rapid vaporizing of the first blowing agent due to a high level of exothermic heat, whereby expansion of the mixed blends is substantially completed prior to the effective conversion of the mixed liquid blends to a solid. According to the method, a degree of completion of expansion of the foam at any point in time exceeds a degree of completion of chemical reactions of the foam. In another mode of the invention, a frothing agent is also employed.

Method of producing rigid foams and products produced therefrom

In a method of producing a thermosetting foam, a first of two foam forming blends ('A Blend') is prepared using polymeric polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate ('PMDI'). A second of two foam forming blends ('B Blend') is prepared by mixing together a polyol; water; a tertiary amine catalyst having at least one ethyl (--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --) linkage between two heteroatoms, the heteroatoms being chosen from the group consisting of Nitrogen and Oxygen; and, an alkali metal organo-salt catalyst. A first blowing agent is included with one of the two foam forming blends. When the first and second foam forming blends are mixed together, the tertiary amine catalyst quickly initiates a reaction predominately of the polymeric polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate with water (as opposed to a reaction with the polyol). The quick reaction of the PMDI with water causes, prior to a gel point of the foam, both (1) the production of a second blowing agent for forming cells in the blends and for causing expansion in the liquid blends; and (2) sufficient exothermic heat to initiate boiling of the first blowing agent. Relatively large amounts of alkali metal organo-salt catalyst induce rapid vaporizing of the first blowing agent due to a high level of exothermic heat, whereby expansion of the mixed blends is substantially completed prior to the effective conversion of the mixed liquid blends to a solid. According to the method, a degree of completion of expansion of the foam at any point in time exceeds a degree of completion of chemical reactions of the foam. In another mode of the invention, a frothing agent is also employed.

Method for producing rigid foams and products produced therefrom

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Meridian, MS, United States of America

Andy I McLaughlin