Wall cavity drain panel

Abstract

An improved wall cavity drain panel and wall cavity structure includes a grooved insulating panel with a water-permeable fabric over the grooved face and a water permeable matrix on the fabric at its lower edge and defining a mortar cath trough to prevent weep hole clogging.

1 . An insulating panel comprising: 
 a member of insulating material having at least a lower edge;    a water-permeable fabric disposed on one side of said member and extensible beyond said lower edge; and    a matrix attached to said fabric extensible beyond said edge of said panel member.    
   
   
       2 . A panel as in  claim 1  wherein said matrix is flexible.  
   
   
       3 . A panel as in  claim 1  wherein said matrix and the fabric to which it is attached comprises a flexible laminate.  
   
   
       4 . A panel as in  claim 1  wherein said member has a face defined by a plurality of grooves and said fabric and said matrix is fixed to said member at said grooved face.  
   
   
       5 . A panel as in  claim 1  wherein said fabric is a spun bond non-woven fabric.  
   
   
       6 . A panel as in  claim 5  wherein said matrix is a filamentatious fabric thicker than said water-permeable fabric.  
   
   
       7 . A panel as in  claim 6  wherein said matrix is water-permeable.  
   
   
       8 . A panel as in  claim 7  wherein said matrix is heat bonded to said water-permeable fabric.  
   
   
       9 . A panel as in  claim 1  wherein said fabric has one side attached to said member and said matrix is attached to said one side of said fabric.  
   
   
       10 . An insulated water control panel for use between a brick wall structure formed from brick and mortar and a subwall interior of said brick wall structure, said panel comprising: 
 a foam member having a lower edge;    a water-permeable fabric disposed on one face of said member and extensible outwardly therefrom beyond said edge;    a water-permeable matrix attached to said fabric extensible beyond said edge of said member;    wherein said matrix has a length extendible from said member toward a brick wall when said panel is disposed adjacent thereto and thence extensible along a backside of a lower cource of bricks in said brick wall structure.    
   
   
       11 . A panel as in  claim 10  wherein said extensible fabric and said matrix are flexible.  
   
   
       12 . A panel as in  claim 11  wherein said fabric is fixed to an outer face of said member.  
   
   
       13 . A panel as in  claim 12  wherein said outer face of said member has groove comprising water passages.  
   
   
       14 . A panel as in  claim 12  wherein said matrix extends away from said outer face from a position inwardly of said lower edge.  
   
   
       15 . A panel as in  claim 14  wherein said matrix extensible along a backside of a lower course of bricks is parallel to and spaced from said member.  
   
   
       16 . A panel as in  claim 10  wherein said fabric has one face fixed to an outer face of said member, and said matrix is fixed to said one face of said fabric.  
   
   
       17 . A brick wall structure comprising: 
 a brick wall defined by a plurality of brick courses;    an interior wall defining with an interior surface of said brick courses a cavity therebetween, said cavity having a distance thereacross;    a panel disposed in said cavity and spaced from said brick courses;    said panel having an insulating member with an outer face and lower edge;    a water-permeable fabric disposed on said outer face of said insulating member and extensible beyond said lower edge of said panel, said fabric having one side attached to said panel; and    a flexible, water-permeable matrix attached to said fabric beyond attachment of said fabric to said panel and having a width in excess of the distance across said cavity from said interior wall to said brick courses and of sufficient dimension to extend parallel along said interior surface of at least one of said brick courses.    
   
   
       18 . A structure as in  claim 17  wherein said matrix is extended across said cavity to a brick course and then upwardly alongside an interior surface of a brick course.  
   
   
       19 . A structure as in  claim 18  wherein said cavity is further defined by a base and wherein said matrix extending across said cavity is spaced from said base.  
   
   
       20 . A structure as in  claim 19  further including a flashing disposed over said base, said matrix extending across said cavity is spaced from said flashing.  
   
   
       21 . A structure as in  claim 17  further including weep holes within a course of bricks, and wherein water passing through said fabric and said matrix flows through said weep holes.  
   
   
       22 . A structure as in  claim 17  wherein said fabric has a surface, a portion of which is attached to said insulating member, said matrix being attached to said surface of said fabric and on the same side of said fabric as is attached to said insulating member.  
   
   
       23 . A structure as in  claim 17  further including a brick tie extending from said brick courses to said interior wall through said insulating member.  
   
   
       24 . A structure as in  claim 23  wherein said brick tie extends through said fabric disposed on said outer face of said insulating member.  
   
   
       25 . A structure as in  claim 24  wherein said matrix is fixed to said interior wall by said tie and said fabric.  
   
   
       26 . A structure as in  claim 17  wherein said fabric and said matrix attached thereto define a mortar catch channel for catching mortar droppings thereon from between bricks in brick courses, and wherein water passes through said fabric and said matrix attached thereto.  
   
   
       27 . A method of controlling water flow through weep holes in a course of bricks defining a brick wall and from a cavity behind said wall defined by an interior wall, wherein a panel having a water-permeable facing fabric thereon is disposed in said cavity and a flexible matrix is attached to said fabric for extending across said cavity from said panel to said brick wall, said method comprising: 
 orienting said panel in said cavity with said fabric thereon facing an interior surface of said brick wall, a lower end of said panel resting on a base within said cavity;    extending said fabric and matrix away from said panel and across said cavity toward said interior surface of said brick wall;    orienting said matrix along said interior surface above said base, thereby forming a mortar catching trough of said fabric and matrix proximate said base, and    catching mortar dropping from brick courses onto said trough whereby mortar is prevented from clogging said weep holes and water in said cavity can pass through said fabric and matrix and outwardly of said brick wall through said weep holes.    
   
   
       28 . A method as in  claim 27  including the further method step of orienting said matrix includes orienting said matrix above and spaced from said base.  
   
   
       29 . A method as in  claim 27  including flexing said fabric into a channel shape above said base, and flexing said matrix thereon upwardly along an interior surface of a lower course of bricks and over an inlet of said weep holes.  
   
   
       30 . A method as in  claim 27  including the step of fixing said panel to said interior wall.  
   
   
       31 . A method as in  claim 27  wherein said panel comprises a grooved face to which said fabric is attached, the method comprising passing water through said fabric into grooves on said grooved face, passing water along said grooves to said base, and passing water through said weep holes under said matrix.