Granted Patent B2

US 6,920,731 · App. 10/193,840 · Granted Jul 26, 2005

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. An insulated structure comprising:

a backing surface;

a bar coupled to and extending generally parallel to said backing surface;

a plurality of insulating blankets coupled to said bar, each insulating blanket being folded about itself to form a crease;

a clip coupled to said bar, said clip being slidably yet releasably attachable to said bar at any of a plurality of locations substantially along the entire length of said bar; and

a plurality of rods, each rod being located in the crease of one of said insulating blankets, wherein said clip is directly releasably attachable to said bar and is not directly coupled to any of said rods.

2. An insulated structure comprising:

a backing surface;

a bar coupled to and extending generally parallel to said backing surface;

a plurality of insulating blankets coupled to said bar, each blanket having a pair of generally parallel major outer surfaces, each major outer surface being spaced apart from any other major outer surface of that blanket and being located on an outer periphery of the blanket; and

a clip coupled to said bar, said clip and said bar each being shaped or configured such that said clip and said bar can interact such that said clip is attachable to said bar at any of a plurality of locations along the length of said bar wherein said clip engages a major outer surface of a blanket and compresses said blanket along the direction of said bar.

3. An insulated structure comprising:

a backing surface;

a bar coupled to and extending generally parallel to said backing surface;

a plurality of insulating blankets coupled to said bar, each insulating blanket having a width, each blanket being folded about itself and having a pair of major outer surfaces and a pair of major inner surfaces, said major inner surfaces facing each other and being pressed together; and

a plurality of clips slidably coupled to said bar, said clip being attachable to said bar at any of a plurality of locations along the length of said bar such that said clip can slide along said bar a distance at least equal to said width of said blanket to compress an adjacent blanket along a direction of said bar to press said major inner surfaces together, wherein at least one insulating blanket is located between at least two clips, and wherein each clip engages and presses against a major outer surface of an installed blanket.

4. A method for assembling an insulated structure comprising the steps of:

providing a backing surface having a bar coupled thereto;

providing a plurality of insulating blankets, each insulating blanket having a width;

coupling said insulating blankets to said bar such that each blanket has an outer surface in its coupled position;

sliding a clip along said bar until said clip engages an outer surface of a blanket and compresses one of said insulating blankets; and

releasing said clip, wherein said clip and said bar cooperate to block said clip from significantly sliding along said bar.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said sliding step includes sliding said clip until said clip engages said one of said insulating blankets.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of, after said second providing step, folding each insulating blanket about itself and locating each insulating blanket such that the crease of each insulating blanket is located adjacent said backing surface.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of providing a plurality of rods and locating each rod in the fold of one of said insulating blankets.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein each rod extends generally parallel to said backing surface and generally perpendicular to each bar, and wherein each rod is located between said bar and said backing surface.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein coupling step includes impaling each blanket on said bar.

Assignments (17)