Reinforced insulating panel and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A reinforced insulating panel comprises an insulating foam slab, and at least one reinforcement sheet disposed on a respective face of the insulating foam slab. Each reinforcement sheet comprises a plurality of continuous fibers extending diagonally across the insulating foam slab.

1 . A reinforced insulating panel comprising:
 an insulating foam slab having two opposing faces; and   a reinforcement sheet disposed on only one of said two opposing faces of the insulating foam slab, the reinforcement sheet comprising a plurality of continuous fibers extending diagonally across the face of the insulating foam slab.   
     
     
         2 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous fibers extend between diagonally opposite corners of the face and between adjacent edges of the face. 
     
     
         3 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcement sheet comprises at least one film and said continuous fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one film comprises a single film. 
     
     
         5 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 4 , wherein said continuous fibers are disposed between said single film and said insulating foam slab. 
     
     
         6 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 4 , wherein said single film is disposed between said continuous fibers and said insulating foam slab. 
     
     
         7 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 4 , wherein said single film is metallized. 
     
     
         8 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one film comprises a first film and a second film, said continuous fibers being disposed between the first film and the second film. 
     
     
         9 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first film and the second film is adhered to the insulating foam slab. 
     
     
         10 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first film and the second film is metallized. 
     
     
         11 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcement sheet is disposed on a first face of the insulating foam slab, and wherein said panel further comprises:
 a backing sheet disposed on a second face of the insulating foam slab.   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcement sheet is disposed on a first face of the insulating foam slab, and wherein said panel further comprises:
 another reinforcement sheet disposed on a second face of the insulating foam slab, said another reinforcement sheet comprising a plurality of continuous fibers extending diagonally across the second face of the insulating foam slab.   
     
     
         14 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of continuous fibers comprises parallel continuous fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 14 , wherein said parallel continuous fibers are uniformly spaced. 
     
     
         16 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 14 , wherein said parallel continuous fibers have a pitch of less than about 0.4 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 14 , wherein said parallel continuous fibers are arranged as a diagonal grid. 
     
     
         18 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 14 , wherein said parallel continuous fibers comprise a first set of parallel continuous fibers and a second set of parallel continuous fibers, said first set of parallel continuous fibers having a different diagonal orientation than said second set of parallel continuous fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The reinforced insulating panel of  claim 1 , wherein said continuous fibers are fabricated of any of glass, metal, polymer, plastic, and wool. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a reinforced insulating panel, the method comprising:
 providing an insulating foam slab having two opposing faces;   providing a reinforcement sheet, the reinforcement sheet comprising a plurality of continuous fibers; and   affixing the reinforcement sheet to only one of said two opposing faces of the insulating foam slab such that the continuous fibers are oriented diagonally across the face of the insulating foam slab.