Insulation system having a variable R-value

Abstract

An inflatable/deflatable heat insulation system for a structure is responsive to changes in atmospheric temperature to change its volume, thereby changing the rate of heat transfer therethrough. A phase change material, a reflective material, and/or a fixed R-value insulation, such as a fiberglass blanket, can be used in combination with the inflatable insulation system.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An inflatable/deflatable heat insulation system for placement between the temperature-controlled areas and the non-temperature-controlled areas of a building structure comprising: 
 a layer of pre-installed insulation;    a layer of phase change material configured to change from a liquid to a solid at a predetermined phase change temperature range, said layer of phase change material overlying said layer of pre-installed insulation;    an inflatable insulator configured to inflate and deflate to various degrees in response to a control variable, said inflatable insulator overlying said layer of phase change material; and    a controller attached to said inflatable insulator for producing the control variable, the control variable being a function of a change in the non-temperature-controlled area temperature.    
     
     
         2 . An insulation system comprising: 
 a controller configured to produce a control variable; and    an insulator having a variable R-value, said variable R-value responsive to said control variable produced by said controller.    
     
     
         3 . The insulation system of  claim 2 , wherein the insulator comprises an inflatable chamber, said inflatable chamber configured to selectively inflate and deflate in response to said control variable.  
     
     
         4 . The insulation system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller comprises: 
 a temperature sensor configured to produce said control variable; and    a pump configured to actuate in response to said control variable produced at said temperature sensor.    
     
     
         5 . The insulation system of  claim 4 , wherein said pump is a fan.  
     
     
         6 . The insulation system of  claim 4 , wherein said pump is configured to inject gas into said inflatable chamber.  
     
     
         7 . The insulation system of  claim 4 , wherein said pump is configured to remove gas from said inflatable chamber.  
     
     
         8 . The insulation system of  claim 6 , wherein said gas is air.  
     
     
         9 . The insulation system of  claim 6 , wherein said gas is carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         10 . The insulation system of  claim 6 , wherein said gas is argon.  
     
     
         11 . The insulation system of  claim 6 , wherein said gas is xenon.  
     
     
         12 . The insulation system of  claim 6 , wherein said gas is a mixture of different gases, said mixture of gases configured to produce a predetermined insulation value.  
     
     
         13 . The insulation system of  claim 4 , wherein said temperature sensor is a thermostat.  
     
     
         14 . The insulation system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller comprises a phase change material.  
     
     
         15 . The insulation system of  claim 14 , wherein said phase change material is configured to change from liquid to gas at a known phase change temperature.  
     
     
         16 . The insulation system of  claim 14 , wherein said phase change material is configured to change from solid to gas at a known phase change temperature.  
     
     
         17 . An inflatable/deflatable insulation system comprising: 
 an inflatable heat insulator configured to inflate and deflate in response to a control variable; and    a controller responsive to a variable condition, said controller configured to produce the control variable.    
     
     
         18 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is attached to the inflatable heat insulator.  
     
     
         19 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is detached from the inflatable insulator.  
     
     
         20 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the control variable is a function of the requirement for more heat inside the structure and the temperature outside the structure exceeding the temperature inside the structure.  
     
     
         21 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the control variable is a function of the requirement to cool the temperature-controlled areas inside of the structure and the temperature outside the temperature-controlled areas of the structure being lower than the temperature inside the structure.  
     
     
         22 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the control variable is a function of the time of day.  
     
     
         23 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the control variable is a user input.  
     
     
         24 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller comprises a thermostat.  
     
     
         25 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller comprises: 
 a thermostat configured to produce a control variable; and    a pump configured to actuate in response to the control variable produced by said thermostat.    
     
     
         26 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , said inflatable insulator comprising opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material, said opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material configured to form a gas-containing chamber.  
     
     
         27 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one heat-reflective surface positioned within said gas containing chamber.  
     
     
         28 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 26 , wherein said opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material further comprises at least one protective outside surface.  
     
     
         29 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 26 , wherein the heat-transfer characteristics of said inflatable insulator are proportional to the degree of inflation of said inflatable insulator.  
     
     
         30 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 17  further comprising a layer of phase change material superposed with said inflatable insulator.  
     
     
         31 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 30  further comprising at least one additional inflatable insulator and at least one additional layer of phase change material, wherein said at least one additional inflatable insulator and said at least one additional layer of phase change material are arranged in alternate overlying layers.  
     
     
         32 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 30  further comprising additional layers of phase change material superposed with said inflatable insulator, each additional layer of phase change material having a different phase change temperature.  
     
     
         33 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 26 , wherein said inflatable insulator is superposed to a fixed R-value insulation layer.  
     
     
         34 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 33 , wherein the fixed R-value insulation is a standard fiberglass insulation layer.  
     
     
         35 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 33 , wherein the fixed R-value insulation is a styrofoam insulation layer.  
     
     
         36 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 33 , wherein the fixed R-value insulation is a cellulose insulation layer.  
     
     
         37 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 33 , wherein the fixed R-value insulation is a reflective insulation layer.  
     
     
         38 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 33 , wherein the fixed R-value insulation is a bubble-pack insulation layer.  
     
     
         39 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 33 , further comprising a layer of phase change material superposed with said inflatable insulator.  
     
     
         40 . An insulation system comprising 
 inflatable/deflatable heat insulating means for insulating a structure: and    control means for providing a control variable for selectively inflating and deflating said inflatable/deflatable heat insulating means.    
     
     
         41 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 40 , wherein the control variable is a function of the temperature gradient across said inflatable insulator.  
     
     
         42 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 40 , wherein the control variable is a function of the temperature gradient across a layer of insulation.  
     
     
         43 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 40 , wherein the control variable is a function of the time of day.  
     
     
         44 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 40 , wherein the control variable is a user input.  
     
     
         45 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 40 , said inflatable insulating means comprising opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material, said opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material configured to form a gas-containing chamber.  
     
     
         46 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 45 , wherein said opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material comprises means for reflecting heat.  
     
     
         47 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 45 , wherein said opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material comprises means for avoiding accumulating dust from said inflatable insulation means.  
     
     
         48 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 47 , wherein said opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material comprises means for avoiding the accumulation of moisture from said inflatable insulation means.  
     
     
         49 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 45 , wherein said opposing sheets of gas-impermeable material comprises means for repelling dirt from said inflatable insulation means.  
     
     
         50 . The inflatable/deflatable insulation system of  claim 40 , wherein the heat-transfer characteristics of said inflatable insulating means is proportional to the degree of inflation of said inflatable insulating means.  
     
     
         51 . A method for adjusting the heat transfer characteristics of an insulation system, comprising the steps of: 
 superposing an inflatable insulator on a layer of insulation in a structure, the layer of insulation in the structure having overlying layers of fiberglass insulation and phase change materials;    receiving a control variable; and    adjusting the volume of an inflatable insulator to various degrees in response to the received control variable.    
     
     
         52 . A method for adjusting the heat transfer characteristics of an insulation system, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving a control variable; and    adjusting the volume of an inflatable insulator in response to receiving a change in the control variable.    
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the control variable is a function of temperature gradient across an inflatable insulator.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the control variable is a function of the time of day.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the control variable is a user input.  
     
     
         56 . A method for adjusting the heat transfer characteristics of an insulation system in a building structure, comprising the steps of: 
 superposing an inflatable insulator on layer of insulation;    receiving a control variable; and    adjusting the volume of an inflatable insulator to various degrees in response to the received control variable.    
     
     
         57 . A method for adjusting the heat transfer characteristics of an insulation system of a building structure, comprising the steps of: 
 superposing an inflatable insulator on a layer of phase change material used in insulating a structure;    receiving a control variable; and    adjusting the volume of an inflatable insulator in response to the received control variable.    
     
     
         58 . A heat insulator for insulating a building structure comprising: 
 an insulator defining a chamber inflated with gas, and    a reflective surface positioned within said chamber.    
     
     
         59 . The heat insulator of  claim 58 , further including a phase change material formed in a layer with said chamber.  
     
     
         60 . The heat insulator of  claim 58 , further including fiberglass formed in a layer with said chamber.  
     
     
         61 . The heat insulator of  claim 58 , further including control means for inflating and deflating said chamber in response to changes in conditions outside said chamber.