Use of conductive fibers to dissipate static electrical charges in unbonded loosefill insulation material

Abstract

An unbonded loosefill insulation material including a multiplicity of discrete, individual tufts formed from a plurality of insulative fibers and a plurality of conductive fibers mixed with the insulative fibers is provided. The conductive fibers are configured to dissipate static electrical charges.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An unbonded loosefill insulation material comprising:
 a multiplicity of discrete, individual tufts formed from a plurality of insulative fibers; and   a plurality of conductive fibers mixed with the insulative fibers;   wherein the conductive fibers are configured to dissipate static electrical charges.   
     
     
         2 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive fibers are mixed with the insulative fibers in a quantity range of from about 0.1 pounds of conductive fibers to 100 pounds of insulative fibers to about 0.5 pounds of conductive fibers to 100 pounds of insulative fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive fibers have an electrically conductive core positioned within a protective sheath. 
     
     
         4 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 1 , wherein a material forming the sheath includes an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         5 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 4 , wherein the electrically conductive material in the sheath is titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         6 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 1 , wherein the insulative fibers have a length and the conductive fibers have a length, and wherein the length of the insulative fibers and the conductive fibers is the same. 
     
     
         7 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 6 , wherein the lengths of the insulative fibers and the conductive fibers are in a range of from about 0.25 inches to about 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 1 , wherein the insulative fibers have a coating of anti-static material. 
     
     
         9 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 3 , wherein a material forming the core is encapsulated into polymer-based mixtures such that the material forming the core is not available for inhalation or respiration. 
     
     
         10 . The unbonded loosefill insulation material of  claim 1 , wherein the insulative fibers are coated with a coloring material. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing unbonded loosefill insulation material configured for distribution in a blowing insulation machine, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming tufts of fibrous insulation materials; and   mixing conductive fibers with the fibrous insulation materials;   wherein the conductive fibers are configured to dissipate static electrical charges.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the conductive fibers have an electrically conductive core positioned within a protective sheath. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a material forming the sheath includes an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the electrically conductive material in the sheath is titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a material forming the core is encapsulated into polymer-based mixtures such that the material forming the core is not available for inhalation or respiration. 
     
     
         16 . A method of insulating a building cavity using a blowing insulation machine, the method including the steps of:
 receiving and conditioning loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material, the loosefill insulation material having a mixture of fibrous insulation material and conductive fibers; and   distributing the conditioned loosefill insulation material into the building cavity using the blowing insulation machine;   wherein the conductive fibers are configured to dissipate static electrical charges.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the conductive fibers have an electrically conductive core positioned within a protective sheath. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a material forming the sheath includes an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the electrically conductive material in the sheath is titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a material forming the core is encapsulated into polymer-based mixtures such that the material forming the core is not available for inhalation or respiration. 
     
     
         21 . A method of insulating a building cavity using a blowing insulation machine, the method including the steps of:
 using the blowing insulation machine to condition and distribute fibrous loosefill insulation material into the building cavity; and   mixing conductive fibers with the fibrous loosefill insulation material;   wherein the conductive fibers are configured to dissipate static electrical charges.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the conductive fibers are mixed with the fibrous insulation material during the conditioning of the fibrous insulation materials. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the conductive fibers are inserted into the flow of the fibrous insulation materials within the distribution hose. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the fibrous loosefill insulation material is compressed within the package. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the conductive fibers have an electrically conductive core positioned within a protective sheath. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a material forming the sheath includes an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the electrically conductive material in the sheath is titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a material forming the core is encapsulated into polymer-based mixtures such that the material forming the core is not available for inhalation or respiration.