AU639894B2 - Improved mesh material and methods of use - Google Patents

Description

S F Ref: 112743 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int Class Complete Specifi cation Lodged: Accepted: Publi shed: Priori ty: Related Art: Name and Address -A of Applicant: Australian Solar Mesh Siales Pty L-td- 49 Boyland Avenue Coopers PlainsQueenslanc, 4108

AUSTRALIA

Address for Service: SprUG F-@~4:guson-,-P-a-ten-t- A-t-tor-ne-y-s-, C -L-e-v-e--3-3-51-Martins Tower, 31 Market Street,~f -Sydney,-New South--Wales-,- 2000 Aus-ralia- Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Fjy 7 c XJ I've, -o22.10 Improved Mesh Materal and Methods 0fd s The following statement is a full description of best method of performing it known to me/us this invention, including the U-G iiROt 5846/ 1 IMPROVED MESH MATERIAL AND METHODS OF USE The present invention relates to modifications and improvements in the mesh materials the subject of the invention originally described in Australian Patent Application No. 60906/86, and further relates to modifications and improvements to methods of manufacture of mesh materials and new methods for use of said materials.

The present application proceeds as a Patent of Addition under the provisions of part VII of the Australian Patents Act nominating the patent to issue on accepted Application No. 60906/86 as the parent. The complete specification of application No. 60906/86 as lodged is incorporated herein by cross-reference.

Australian Patent Application 60906/86 describes a method for production of light, wind and insect screening mesh including the steps of:providing reflective vinyl polymer coated multifilament glass fibre yarn having a diameter of less than 0.5 mm, and weaving said yarn as wefts and warps to form a matrix of substantially rectangular apertures defined by the points of crossover of said wefts and warps, said substantially rectangular apertures having side length of less than 1.7 mm.

In preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed in 60906/86, the method further comprises the step of applying heat to said matrix to fuse together the vinyl polymer coating of said warps and wefts at said points of crossover, the fusion process resulting in a slight flattening of the yarns. The resulting mesh material proved to exhibit a substantial reduction in transmitted light and thus a reduction in fading of material protected thereby. The mesh also, in its preferred forms, further reduced infrared transmission beyond its shadowing factor by means, it is suspected, of interference effects brought about as the mesh aperture size approaches the wavelength of the radiation.

As anticipated by the disclosure of 60906/86, the prior art of mesh materials has generally revolved around woven open mesh fabrics of metal wire or coated fibreglass yarn of a mesh size generally sufficient to exclude flies and mosquitoes but generally ineffective in reducing biting midge (commonly and incorrectly referred to as "sandflies") penetration and generally ineffective in promoting a reduction in wind and light penetration. Metal mesh in particular, but also other meshes, suffer from dimensional instability which permits relative displacement of the warps and wefts and hence distortion of the mesh on contact by for example children and pets, and the nature of the material has precluded production of metal and other mesh having the desirable exclusion properties of mesh in accordance with the present invention.

Accordingly, in one aspect there is provided an improved method of production of mesh having the desirable properties conferred by the mesh produced by the method disclosed in 60906/86, said method being a method for production of light, wind and insect screening mesh including the steps of:providing elongate reflective mesh elements; disposing said mesh elements so as to form a matrix of 00 S substantially rectangular apertures defined by the points of crossover of said mesh elements, said substantially rectangular apertures having side lengths of less than 1.7 mm, and bonding said matrix at said points of crossover, wherein said elongate reflective mesh elements comprise round, square or rectangular cross-section wire strands of a metal selected from steel, aluminum or bronze.

In a further aspect, this invention resides broadly in modifications and improvements to the mesh disclosed in 60906/86, said improved light, wind and insect screening mesh including:elongate reflective mesh elements disposed to form a matrix of substantially rectangular apertures defined by the points of crossover of said elongate reflective mesh elements, said substantially rectangular apertures having side length of less than 1.7 mm, wherein said elongate reflective mesh elements are bonded together at said points of crossover, wherein said elongate reflective mesh elements comprise round, square or rectangular cross-section wire strands of a metal selected from steel, aluminum or bronze.

The mesh may be of woven form as disclosed in the parent S application No. 60906/86, or may be of laminated form wherein one or more layers of elongate reflective mesh elements are laminated to one or more layers oriented substantially orthogonally thereto, without being "warps" and "wefts" in the woven sense.

It is envisaged that materials may be used such as round, square or rectangular cross-section wire strand of any suitable strength material such as steel, aluminum or bronze. The steel, aluminum or bronze wire strand material may be bonded at the points of cross over by any suitable means such as adhesive bonding, welding, brazing or soldering, according to material. It is preferred that the elongate reflective mesh elements be of generally circular cross section at least prior to processing into the bonded mesh. In order to provide for optimal handling characteristics including minimizing the weight per unit area of the mesh, a wire or yarn gauge of less than 0.5 mm is preferred although no great disadvantage accrues in terms of light transmission characteristics if the wire gauge selected is increased a typical dimension on flattening of 0.5 mm diameter PVC coated yarn.

Preferably, the light, wind and insect screening woven mesh of the present invention is selected from those wherein the internal dimension of each aperture in the mesh is from i 1.5 mm .2 mm by 0.5 mm .2 mm to 1.0 mm .2 mm by 0.5 .2 mm. Table 1 below describes typical mesh in accordance with the present invention, relating preferred dimensions of the mesh elements for given internal dimensions of aperture.

'0 o TABLE 1 Ex ampl1e Number Mesh Element Outside Dimension Aperture Aperture Internal Width Internal Length 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 105 11 12 13 14 2 0 16 17 18 19 21 ~22 0. 25mm 0. 25mm 0. 25mm 0. 25mm 0. 25mm 0. 25mm 0. 25mm 0. 25mm 0. 2 5mm 0. 25mm 0. 15mm 0. 15mm 0. 15mm 0. 1 5mm 0 15 5mm 0. 15mm 0. 15mm 0. 15mm 0. 1 5mm 0. 15mm 0. 3 5mm 0 .35mm 0. 5mm 0. 5mm 1 2mm 0. 5mm 0. 5mm 0. 7mm 0. 7mm 0 7mml 0. 7mm 0. 811m 0. 5mm 0. 5mm 1 2mm 0. 5mm 0. 5mm- 0. 7mm 0. 7mm 0. 7mm 0. 7mm 0 8mm 0. 5mm 0. 5mm 0. 1. 2mm 1. 2mm 0. 8mm 1. 2mm 0. 8mm 0. 7mm 0. 8mm 0. 1. 2mm 1. 2mm 0. 8mm 1. 2mm 0. 8mm 0. 7mm 0. 8mm 0. 1. 2mm TABLE 1 (cont.) 23 0.35mm 1.2mm 1.2mm 24 0.35mm 0.5mm 0.35mm 0.5mm 0.8mm 26 0.35mm 0.7mm 1.2mm 27 0.35mm 0.7mm 28 0.35mm 0.7mm 0.8mm 29 0.35mm 0.7mm 0.7mm 0.35mm 0.8mm 0.8mm Where the mesh element has a generally circular section then the "outside dimension" referred to in Table 1 is the diameter of the mesh element. Where the mesh element has a generally square or rectangular cross-section then the "outside dimension" referred to in Table 1 is the widest cross-section measurement of that element possible (usually a diagonal measurement between far corners of the element cross-section).

The mesh elements and hence the mesh in assembly are preferably reflective by means of being a light colour, although dark coloured elements may also be used, wherein the reflectiveness arises as a result of surface finish.

Preferably, said mesh material is selected to have a colour ranging from white through shades of grey to charcoal grey.

The mesh of embodiments of the invention coloured other than black provides the best combined behaviour in relation to solar radiation, wind and insect screening.

In the case of mesh made from metallic yarn structures the metal strands from which the yarn is made are either painted, powder coated or enamelled. The metallic yarn is then woven into the described mesh structure and welded, or the coating fused, at the cross-over points. In an alternative method the outer colouring is provided by a spray paint, powder coating or enamel process applied to the mesh after the bonding process hAs been completed. Pure white embodiments, whilst being the most efficient for solar radiation reflection, can be a little dazzling when viewed form the exterior of a dwelling and can appear too intrusive when viewed from the interior of a dwelling.

Mesh in accordance with the present invention has been determined to be useful in respect of many uses not envisaged in the disclosure of 60906/86. For example, it has been determined that the mesh is useful for providing a shade density hitherto unobtainable in shade cloth, and hence suited to provide protection for water impoundments against excessive evaporation, as well as solar radiation shielding for plants in agriculture and/or horticulture. Additionally, the metal wire embodiments of the present invention have been found to be useful in providing a lightweight fencing/windbreak material.

The mesh of the invention may be applied across and 2 spaced from a surface of a material subject to condensation, S to provide a high surface area nucleation means for attracting and rapidly evaporating condensation without rundown. The most typical application is for condensation reduction on the exterior surface of exterior windows of dwellings. In this application the mesh is preferably applied to the exterior of the window aperture so as to be 8 co-extensive with the window glass and spaced between 0.1 cm and 15 cm from the window surface. It is particularly preferred to space the mesh from the window surface by a distance in the range 0.5 cm to 5 cm. Most preferably the mesh is applied so as to be spaced a distance 0.5 cm to 1 cm from the window glass surface.

Apart from providing condensation control, the spacing apart of coextensive mesh and glass as described above can be used for the purposes of providing some of the functions of a "double glazed" window wherein, rather than using two parallel panes of glass, a single pane is used together with any one of the embodiments of the mesh previously described.

In the embodiments of the invention using elongate, reflective mesh elements comprising vinyl or PVC coated glass fibre yarn it has been found that the mesh produced therefrom does not represent a fire hazard. Standard tests utilizing specimens tested in accordance with Australian Standard AS01530.3 (1982) yielded ignitability, spread and evolvedheat indices of zero, with a minimal smoke developed index The invention will be further described with reference to the drawings illustrating preferred emboiiments and usages of the invention wherein: Fig. 1 is a general arrangement of mesh material in accordance with the present invention, with alternative mesh arrangements illustrated at insets 1 and 2 thereof; Fig. 2 illustrates the general form of PVC coated fibreglass yarn suitable for use in the present invention; ~ii~-i iili-~;( Fig. 3 shows use of mesh in accordance with the present invention as an evaporation control agent; Fig. 4 shows use of mesh in accordance with the present invention as agricultural shade cloth, and Fig. 5 illustrates use of mesh in accordance with the present invention as a combined wind and solar radiation reduction apparatus for agriculture.

Referring to Fig. 1 a woven structure 1 is shown comprising warp elongate, reflective mesh elements, 2, 3, 4, 5 and weft elongate, reflective mesh elements 6, 7, 8, 9 generally intersecting each other at right angles at points of intersection, for example 10, 11, 12, 13.

In a first embodiment of the invention, as shown in detail in inset 1 of Fig. 1, the elongate reflective yarns 015 oriented in a first direction overlay a layer of warp yarns oo 1 0 oriented substantially at right angles to the first yarns.

In a second embodiment of the invention, as shown in detail in inset 2 of Fig. 1, the elongate, reflective mesh elements are woven in a manner such that the weft yarns alternately cross over and under the warp yarns and the warp yarns 04 4 4 /ll alternately cross over and under the weft yarns.

The elongate, reflective mesh elements are joined to each other at all points of intersection.

The glass fibre yarn of an embodiment of the invention is shown in more detail in Fig. 2 wherein lineal, glass fibres 14 are embedded within a vinyl or PVC sheath Referring to Fig. 3 the mesh of any one of the examples is erected near to and c-oove the surface of water above a dam or pond or pool) 17. The mesh 18 of any one of the examples reduces the amount of evaporation of water from the surface of the water 17. The mesh of the present invention also provides solar radiation reduction and wind resistance in addition to evaporation reduction, to a greater extent than other shade cloths.

Referring to Fig. 4 the mesh 19 of embodiments of the invention is shown suspended horizontally over a crop thereby providing a selected solar radiation filtering function as well as mechanical protection from hail and other like falling bodies.

Referring to Fig. 5 mesh 21, 22 of embodiments of the invention is shown erected as a combined wind barrier 21 and solar radiation protection device 22 protecting a crop 23 and the land upon which the crop 23 is located.

The examples of the invention described above together with the various uses disclose an improved mesh material which is a combined solar radiation, wind and insect screen.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present i a invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

Claims (14)

1. A method for production of light, wind and insect screening mesh including the steps of:- providing elongate reflective mesh elements; disposing said mesh elements so as to form a matrix of substantially rectangular apertures defined by the points of crossover of said mesh elements, said substantially rectangular apertures having side lengths of less than 1.7 mm, and bonding said matrix at said points of crossover, wherein said elongate reflective mesh elements comprise round, square or rectangular cross-section wire strands of a metal selected from steel, aluminum or bronze.

2. Light, wind and insect screening mesh including:- elongate reflective mesh elements disposed to form a matrix of substantially rectangular apertures defined by the points of crossover of said elongate reflective mesh elements, said substantially rectangular apertures having side length of less than 1.7 mm, wherein said elongate reflective mesh elements are bonded together at said points of crossover, wherein said elongate reflective mesh elements comprise round, square or rectangular cross-section wire strands of a metal selected from steel, aluminum or bronze.

3. Light, wind and insect screening mesh according to Claim 2, wherein one or more layers of said elongate reflective mesh elements are laminated to one or more layers of said elongate mesh elements oriented substantially orthogonally to said first mentioned layer or layers.

4. Light, wind and insect screening mesh according to any one of Claims 2 and 3, wherein the internal dimension of each aperture in the mesh is in the range of 1.7 mm by 0.7 mm to 0.8 mm by 0.3 mm.

Light, wind and insect screening mesh according to Claim 4, wherein the maximum dimension of the cross section of said elongate reflective mesh elements is 0.5 mm.

6. Light, wind and insect screening mesh according to any one of the preceding Claims 2 to 5, wherein said elongate -eflective mesh members are coated with a reflective coating prior to formation of the mesh.

7. A method of reducing evaporation from a water impoundment, comprising the steps of supporting a mesh material in accordarce with any one of Claims 2 to 6 in spaced relation to the surface of the water in said impoundment.

8. A method of shading plants in agriculture and horticulture, comprising the steps of supporting a mesh material in accordance with any one of Claims 2 to 6 in spaced relation to said plants and interposed between said plants and the sun.

9. A method of providing a relatively lightweight fencing and/or windbreak material for agriculture, comprising the 4 4 4 4 13 steps of supporting a mesh material in accordance with any one of Claims 2 to 6 upwind of said agriculture.

A method of reducing condensation, heat and noise transfer into a building through a glazed pane comprising the steps of supporting a mesh material in accordance with Claims 2 to 6 in spaced relation to the outer surface of said glazed pane so as to be substantially co-extensive therewith and spaced therefrom by between 0.1 cm and 15 cm.

11. A method of reducing condensation, heat and noise transfer into a building through a glazed pane according to Claim 10, wherein said spacing of the mesh from the glazed pane is from 0.5 cm to 5 cm.

12. A method of reducing condensation, heat and noise transfer into a building through a glazed pane according to Claim 10, wherein said spacing of the mesh from the glazed pane is from 0.5 cm to 1 cm.

13. A method according to any one of the preceding Claims 4 to 12, wherein said mesh material is selected to comply with AS01530.3 (1982).

14. Light, wind and insect screening mesh substantially as I'' __I hereinbefore defined with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS nineteenth SOLAR-MESH PTY. LTD. by DAY OF May, 1993 PIZZEY COMPANY PATENT ATTORNEYS 0 il