GB2457550A

GB2457550A - Strip curtain, for cold environments, including layer wrapped around insulating core

Info

Publication number: GB2457550A
Application number: GB0823640A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Harrison
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-01-11
Filing date: 2008-12-30
Publication date: 2009-08-26
Also published as: GB0823640D0

Abstract

The thermally insulating elongate curtain strip comprises an insulating inner layer 15 substantially surrounded by a plastics sheet material 13 wrapped around the inner layer so as to form a substantially uninterrupted outer covering so that no seam is present at the two edges 18. Preferably the curtain strip has only a single seam 11 which runs substantially between the two edges 18 and parallel thereto. The inner core preferably comprises polyethylene sheet having pockets of trapped air (bubble wrap) and a reflective foil 19. The outer cover 13 is preferably fabric reinforced polyurethane.

Description

I

Thermally Insulating Strip Curtain This invention relates to a thermally insulating curtain formed from strips of material, typically used to divide a cool area such as a chiller cabinet from a warmer area such as a customer aisle.

Curtains in the form of strips of material are known for use in cool stores and the like where frequent access to the cool store is required. These curtains are often manufactured from flexible clear plastics material, without any special adaptation for thermal insulation. Where known thermal insulating curtains may come into contact with food, food hygiene is then particularly important.

Previous efforts to insulate cool stores and food chiller cabinets with curtains have led to problems because the curtains are difficult to keep clean, and they allow air flow between strips.

*:::* Known constructions of strip curtains are heavy and thus awkward to use.

*::::* When fitted in a walkway these heavy curtains present a barrier which is difficult *:*i to move due to its weight. Further, known designs generally have sharp edges which can cut pedestrians. This situation is made worse because the materials used tend to become rigid when cold and this is more likely to cause injury, especially if seams are formed on the edges of these curtain strips.

Embodiments of the present invention address, at least, the problem mentioned above.

According to the present invention there is provided a thermally insulating elongate curtain strip having inner and outer faces and two edges, and the strip including a thermally insulating inner layer substantially surrounded by a plastics sheet material wrapped around the inner layer so as to form a substantially uninterrupted outer covering so that no seam is present at the two edges.

Preferably the curtain has only a single seam which runs substantially between the two edges and parallel thereto. In this way the curtain strip has soft edges with no seams to injure passers-by, or that can split open due to wear, especially when the curtain is subjected to low temperatures for example -25 to -40 deg Celsius.

Preferably the inner layer is formed from multiple sheets of plastics material such as polythene having pockets of gas trapped between the multiple layers, such as material known as bubble-wrap.

In an embodiment the insulating layer includes a layer of foil, such as metallised plastics or aluminium foil.

Conveniently, the outer covering is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Preferably the TPU includes a fabric reinforcement.

It is envisaged that the single seam will be formed by one or more of heat S...

welding, cold welding, adhesive application, stitching, or a mechanical connection such as a zip, or complementary mechanical interconnections.

In a preferred embodiment the curtain includes a window in the form of an * S opening in the insulating layer. The window may be formed from the same material as the outer covering or the window may coincide with an opening in the outer covering between the two edges which is filled substantially with a transparent or translucent plastics film for example a TPU having a thickness of between 0.5 and 1.5mm. If TPU is used for the window this increases its wear resistance.

Preferably a lower end of the curtain strip includes a plurality of seams one above the other, extending from one side to the other, so that the curtain can be trimmed to a suitable height without exposing the insulating layer.

The invention extends to a curtain system comprising a plurality of curtain strips as mentioned above and including a hanging rail, each strip including, at an upper portion, a hanger for sliding along said rail.

Preferably each curtain has an overlap of at least 10mm preferably about 40-60mm.

Preferably, the curtain system includes a pair of side members adapted to exclude side draughts from the curtain system, said side members each including a fixing strip and a complementary flexible member slideably connected to the fixing strip. Each fixing strip and/or hanging rail may include an elongate concavity which has a slotted mouth, the mouth in cross-section having a smaller width than the maximum width of the concave recess. In an embodiment the hangers and flexible members include a p-shaped portion for *:* sliding within the concave recess.

Preferably the hanger and fixing strips are formed from extruded pvc material or the like. * S

The invention extends to a chiller cabinet or cold store having a curtain system as defined above.

According to a second aspect the invention provides a thermally insulating curtain strip comprising a plastics sheet outer layer and a thermally insulating inner layer comprised of plastics having entrapped gas pockets.

The invention extends to any combination of the features mentioned above, the features described below; or the features illustrated in the drawings.

The invention may be put into effect in various ways, one embodiment of which is described below with reference to the drawings wherein: Figure Ia shows a thermally insulating curtain strip; Figure 1 b shows a portion of a hanger strip for supporting a plurality of the strips shown in Figure la; Figure Ic shows a pictorial view of a portion of the strip shown in Figure 1 a; Figure ld shows a section through the strip shown in Figure Ia along the line Id id; Figure 2a shows a side draught excluder; Figure 2b shows a fixing strip for the draught excluder shown in Figure 2a, and Figure 3 shows a chiller cabinet having a thermally insulating curtain system.

Referring to Figure la there is shown a elongate curtain strip 10, which, when used in conjunction with a plurality of similar curtains, provides a thermally insulating barrier, for example for use between cold and warm areas, found at S. S*I* * S the opening to a chiller cabiner in a retail food outlet.

The curtain is generally elongate in shape, in this instance having a window 12 positioned in the upper half of the curtain 10. The window 12 is formed from a transparent material, for example a transparent or translucent thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The curtain includes also a hanger 14 which is attached to the upper portion of the curtain 10. In this instance the hanger is a p-shaped extruded plastics member which is stitched and riveted to the curtain member 10. The curtain 10 includes a lower section 16 which has a plurality of heat welded seams 17. The purpose of the seams is to provide a point at which the curtain can be trimmed to suit its application, as will be described below.

Figure lb shows a portion of a hanging rail 20 which includes a elongate concave recess 22 which has a mouth 24. The recess 22 accepts the head of the p-shaped hanger 14 and the neck of the hanger 14 sits within the mouth 24 of the rail 20. This arrangement allows the curtain hanger to be slid along the rail so that a plurality of curtains can be hung on the rail 20 one abutting the other as will be described below.

Referring to Figures ic and id, the curtain strip 10 includes an inner insulating material 15. In this case the insulating material 15 is a polythene sheet having pockets of trapped air, commonly known as bubble-wrap. The *:*::* insulating material 15 includes also a foil layer 19 for reflecting radiant heat, in this case away from the cool area to be insulated. The inner layer 15 is S...

surrounded by an outer covering 13 formed from a fabric reinforced TPU. The outer cover 13 is wrapped around the inner insulating layer 15 and its edges are joined together by a single elongate seam 11 which extends along substantially the length of the curtain 10 and is positioned to be approximately midway between the edges 18 of the curtain. Positioning of the seam 11 between the edges 18 allows relatively soft edges of the curtain 10 which provides a better seal when a plurality of the curtains 10 are abutted edge to edge.

Figure 2a shows a side draught excluder 30. The draught excluder is formed from an inner core of polyurethane foam having a fabric reinforced TPU outer covering 34. The draught excluder 30 includes also p-shaped side piece 36 and an end cap 38.

Figure 2b shows a draught excluder fixing strip 40 similar to the hanging rail 20 described above. The fixing strip 40 includes a elongate concavity 42 having a restricted mouth 44. The p-section 36 of the draught excluder 30 fits within the concavity 42 and is slideably held in place within the concavity 42 by means of the restricted width of the mouth 44 of the fixing strip 40.

Figure 3 shows a curtain system 50 fitted to a chiller cabinet 55. The curtain system includes a plurality of curtain strips 10 fitted to the hanging rail 20 in side by side abutting relationship, the relatively soft edges 18 of each curtain 10 forming an efficient seal between adjacent curtains 10. The soft sides also reduce the likelihood of injury to users and increase durability because there are no side seams which might split. The system includes a pair of side draught excluders 30 each fitted to a fixing strip 40 to reduce air currents between the chiller cabinet 55 and the curtain system 50.

It will be evident to the skilled addressee that the foregoing embodiments may be modified, altered, or varied without departing from the scope of the invention. Also, many alternatives will be apparent to the skilled addressee. For S... * I

example, equivalents or alternatives to the materials described could be employed. The inner layer 15 may be formed from expanded manmade foam, or a natural material such as mineral wool, sheep wool, cellulose fibres, or the like. The outer covering 13 may be formed from any sheet material such as PVC plastics, or a natural material such as a woven fabric, which may be rubber coated.

The hanging rail 20 and fixing strip 40 are preferably formed from extruded PVC although other materials could be used such as extruded aluminium or folded metal strips. Window 12 may be formed from any transparent material which may or may not be flexible, for example polycarbonate, acetate sheet, glass and the like. Whilst the invention has application for retail chiller cabinets it will be apparent that the curtain strip 10 could be employed in any application where it is desired thermally insulate one area from another, but where access is required. It has been found that a suitable size for each curtain 10 is approximately 0.3m in width and approximately 2-3m in length. However, it will be appreciated that curtains having a width of 0.lm or greater will form a suitable thermal barrier and yet allow access. Also, where seams 17 are employed each curtain strip 10 in a system 50 can be trimmed to a suitable length without exposing the inner *:*::* insulating layer 15, and thereby reducing the risk of contamination of the curtain . strip 10 at its base.

The foregoing demonstrates an embodiment suitable for providing an easily cleanable curtain system 50 where the only seam 11 for each curtain can be arranged to be external to a chiller cabinet 55, so that the seam does not become a source of food contamination and does not injure people or split readily. Also, effective reduction in air currents between the plural curtains 10 is effected because each curtain has a relatively soft side 18 which inhibits or prevents air flow. This results in reduced energy costs and more predictable food temperatures. Whilst a chiller cabinet has been described and illustrated a cold store or a hot cabinet could benefit equally from this invention.

Other modifications to the embodiments described and illustrated will be apparent to the ski!led addressee. For example, although abutting adjacent curtain strips have been illustrated in Figure 3 it will be apparent that overlapping curtain strips 10 could be employed with equal or greater effect. An overlap of at least 10mm and preferably about 50mm (+/ about 10mm) has been shown to provide a more stable cool-room temperature. Although a single seam 11 has been described, multiple seams are possible, provided they are not too close, i.e. within about 20 mm of the soft edges 18. * S. * * . * .. S... * . * SSS

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Claims

Claims 1. A thermally insulating elongate curtain strip having inner and outer faces and two edges, and the strip including a thermally insulating inner layer substantially surrounded by a plastics sheet material wrapped around the inner layer so as to form a substantially uninterrupted outer covering so that no seam is present at the two edges.
2. A curtain as claimed in claim 1, whereas the curtain has only a single seam which runs substantially between the two edges and parallel thereto.
3. A curtain as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the inner layer is formed from multiple sheets of plastics material such as polythene having pockets of gas trapped between the multiple layers, such as material known as bubble-wrap.
4. A curtain as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 0**S. . . . . insulating layer includes a layer of foil, such as metallised plastics or aluminium 1.5 foil. * * S * ,..
5. A curtain as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer covering is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).
6. A curtain as claimed in claim 5, wherein the TPU includes a fabric reinforcement.
7. A curtain as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the single seam is formed by one or more of heat welding, cold welding, adhesive application, stitching, or a mechanical connection such as a zip, or complementary mechanical interconnections.
8. A curtain as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the curtain includes a window in the form of an opening in the insulating layer.
9. A curtain as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a lower end of the curtain strip includes a plurality of seams one above the other, extending from one side to the other, so that the curtain can be trimmed to a suitable height without exposing the insulating layer.
10. A curtain system comprising a plurality of curtain strips as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and including a hanging rail, each strip including, at an upper portion, a hanger for sliding along said rail.
11. A curtain system as claimed in claim 10, wherein each curtain has an overlap of at least 10mm preferably about 40-60mm.
12. A curtain system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the curtain system further includes a pair of side members adapted to exclude side draughts from the curtain system, said side members each including a fixing strip and a * S. * complementary flexible member slideably connected to the fixing strip.*:*.
13. A curtain system as claimed in claim 12, wherein each fixing strip and/or hanging rail includes an elongate concavity which has a slotted mouth, the mouth in cross-section having a smaller width than the maximum width of thePS

: * * concave recess.
14. A curtain system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 10 to 13, wherein the hangers and flexible members include a p-shaped portion for sliding within the concave recess.
15. A curtain system as claimed in claims 12, 13 or 14, wherein the hanger and fixing strips are formed from extruded pvc material or the like.
16. A chiller cabinet or cold store having a curtain system as claimed above.
17. A thermally insulating curtain strip comprising a plastics sheet outer layer and a thermally insulating inner layer comprised of plastics having entrapped gas pockets. * ** * * * * *. **** * S *SSS * : *S155.55 * S *S I. * S * * S